The boat carrying Elsa and Mine was estimated to be about a third of the way across the river.
Suddenly, the ferryman stopped rowing. The boat ceased its forward progress and began to drift downstream with the current. The Torres River flowed slowly, however—at about a quarter of a walking pace.
"What is the matter?"
Mine asked with a suspicious look, only to be met with a lecherous grin.
"Hehehe..."
Sensing danger, Mine instinctively pulled Elsa close, clutching her shoulders tightly.
"!?"
Elsa suddenly jerked back. Another man, who had been hiding in the boat, had shoved a wad of cloth into her mouth.
"My lady!"
"Hehe, we heard this little lady can use magic. Can't have her chanting."
"You... you bastards!"
Mine drew a knife she had hidden in her robes.
"Whoa there, careful now."
But the ferryman struck Mine’s hand with his oar.
"Ngh!"
The blow sent the knife tumbling from her hand. Her wrist hung limp; the bone was likely broken.
"Go to sleep, old woman."
The ferryman struck Mine over the head with the oar again. A dull thud echoed.
"My... la... dy..."
With those final words, Mine lost consciousness.
"!!!!"
Elsa let out a silent cry and tried to struggle, but with the rag stuffed in her mouth, she couldn't chant to activate her magic. Her arms were twisted behind her back, and the pain made it impossible for her to fight any further.
"Hehe, that went well."
"Yeah, they said tonight’s guest was a noble lady. It’s been a while since we had such a prize."
The ferryman didn't just secretly transport travelers across the river; he occasionally kidnapped them to be sold off. This time, his prey was Elsa.
"Let’s enjoy ourselves first."
"Yeah, an opportunity like this doesn't come often."
The man pinning Elsa’s arms used a pair of manacles to fix her wrists in place.
Elsa groaned in pain from her twisted shoulders and elbows. The men looked down at her with sneers.
"Hehe, how’s it feel to be handled by the commoners you usually look down on, noble lady?"
"Commoners can do this much, you know."
(No, I’ve never looked down on commoners.)
Elsa wanted to say it, but the words wouldn't come.
The ferryman reached out and grabbed Elsa’s chest.
(Disgusting...)
Elsa twisted her body, trying to escape his touch.
"Don't struggle too much or you'll fall out of the boat," the other man said as he climbed on top of her.
(It's... hard to breathe...)
She couldn't push back the weight of a grown man, and as her breathing grew shallow, her resistance weakened.
"Oh? Done fighting already? Well then, time to help ourselves."
The ferryman licked his lips.
(No... someone... help...)
Elsa screamed inwardly, but only muffled groans escaped through the gag.
"Hehe, quite the chest for someone your age."
The ferryman reached for Elsa again.
(Rai... Jin...)
The people who had always protected her were gone. She had run away from them.
"Elsa!"
At that moment, Mine regained consciousness and threw her entire weight against the ferryman. He fell back into the boat, giving Elsa a momentary reprieve.
"Tch, this one’s awake already?"
The man on top of Elsa spat the words out and picked up the knife Mine had dropped. The blade glinted in the moonlight.
(No! Mine, run!)
Elsa wanted to scream, but she could only watch as the knife was plunged into Mine’s abdomen.
(No, no... Mine...)
"Guh... El... sa..."
Mine slowly slumped over.
"Once we toss her in the river, we'll take our time with you, Lady Elsa."
The ferryman grabbed Mine by the legs and heaved her over the side into the water.
(Ah... no...)
Just as Elsa began to fall into despair...
"Ugh!?"
A sudden light illuminated them.
"Impos... impossible!"
"A black patrol boat?"
It was a high-speed vessel known as a patrol boat on this river. Three golems manned the oars, moving at one and a half times the speed of a normal ship.
The ferrymen had never seen such a pitch-black hull. They wondered if that was why they hadn't noticed its approach. In truth, it was due to the magic Hide.
"P-Please, have mercy!"
"T-That's right! We had a deal to overlook up to five people a month!"
The ferryman seemed to have some sort of back-alley deal with the Celuroa Kingdom Security Guard and desperately tried to argue his case, but the figures on the black patrol boat remained silent. They were all clad in black clothes and black masks.
"L-Look, was it because we went after a noble? W-Wait! We haven't done anything yet! So please..."
That was as far as he got. With a flash of a blade, the ferryman’s head was severed and fell into the river.
"!"
Elsa closed her eyes as blood sprayed before her.
"A-Am I next? No! Nooo!"
The man who had been pinning Elsa screamed and tried to jump into the river to escape.
The wind magic Wind Slash struck him in the back.
"Guaa..."
The man, his spine sliced through, tumbled off the side and into the water.
"…………"
The tragedy that had just unfolded before her eyes was so vivid and raw that Elsa didn't feel saved at all.
The figures from the black patrol boat silently moved Elsa from the small boat to theirs and removed her manacles.
Finally free from the pain in her arms, Elsa reached up to pull the rag from her mouth.
"Wait, put this on first."
The first voice she heard was accompanied by a ruthless act.
"Eh?"
A choker-like object was fastened around her neck. There was a metallic click, and despite having removed the rag, Elsa found she couldn't make a sound.
"...!"
"Hmm, is it too tight? Hold on... How's that?"
The man in front of her did something, and though it felt restrictive, she could finally speak.
"Who... are you? Didn't you... save me?"
When she finally managed the words, the man in front of her smirked behind his mask.
"We saved you, Lady Elsa. If you cooperate with us, we'll make things easier for you."
Elsa frowned at his words. Then, remembering Mine...
"Mine! Please... save Mine!" she pleaded.
"Mine? Ah, that traitorous maid."
The man scanned the water around the small boat, but Mine was nowhere to be seen.
"She either drifted away or sank. Either way, the world is better off without a disloyal servant who would spirit away a high-born lady. Leave her."
He gave the order to his subordinates.
"Yes, sir."
Elsa turned pale.
"No... please... I'm begging you..."
She pleaded in a strained voice, but the man ignored her. Instead, new restraints were placed on Elsa’s hands and feet.
"It will be troublesome if we stay in these waters and the guards find us. We've achieved our objective. Let's move out."
The man who seemed to be the leader gave the order, and the black patrol boat sped away.
All that remained was the small boat carrying the headless body of the ferryman.
Out of the frying pan and into the fire. What would become of Elsa?