The twenty-sixth day of the Month of Water. The day after I returned from the Demon Realm, I found myself heading toward Alice's General Store, carrying the souvenirs I had bought.
Knowing her, I figured she had already blown all her money on something or other, so I had picked up a large supply of wyvern meat instead of the usual scones. I felt like a pushover for being so soft on her, but I just couldn't bring myself to leave her to her own devices.
I smiled wryly as I pictured her eyes lighting up at the sight of the food, eating with a voracity that defied her small frame. I was walking down a path I had become quite familiar with lately when I noticed the road ahead was swallowed by a thick, unnatural mist.
Wait, this wasn't right. It was ten in the morning—hardly the time for morning fog—and even if it were, this was far too dense. The Sinfonia Royal Capital wasn't known for being foggy, either. In the two months I had lived here, I had never seen anything like this.
Wary of the eerie atmosphere, I came to a halt. Despite it being nearly noon, a heavy silence dominated the area, making my skin crawl with anxiety. Suddenly, a ring of light appeared around me, only to shatter an instant later like breaking glass.
"Oh? So Illusion Magic isn't the only thing you're immune to. Binding Magic doesn't work either? You’re impressive, Kaito-san."
"...Alice?"
"That’s right! It’s your dear Alice-chan. Welcome back, Kaito-san. I missed you!"
Alice emerged from the mist, her voice as cheerful as ever. However, she wasn't wearing her usual overalls. She was draped in a black mantle that concealed her figure, and the air around her felt fundamentally different.
"Why are you here?" I asked.
"I just stepped out wondering if I’d run into you, and I hit the jackpot. Honestly, it feels like fate, doesn't it?"
"..."
Something was wrong. Her tone was the same as always, but it sent a chill down my spine. It was profoundly unsettling.
"Now then, let's get down to business before Kaito-san’s scary bodyguards show up... Kaito-san, would you mind letting me kidnap you for a bit?"
"Huh? What... What are you talking about?"
"See, I can't really make ends meet just running the shop, so I have a side gig. I guess you could call me an underworld jack-of-all-trades. And well, a very lucrative request came in the other day. Someone wants me to kidnap you."
"What!?"
Before the word could fully leave my mouth, Alice was already standing directly in front of me. She pressed a knife against my throat. The distance was surgical—the blade barely brushed my skin, its dull metallic luster radiating a suffocating tension.
"So, Kaito-san, for the sake of my pocket money, please be kidnapped. Think of it as a romantic elopement... Wait, huh?"
"Stop—!?"
"You have defense magic that automatically triggers against malicious attacks?"
"What?"
I looked down at my body. Between my neck and Alice’s knife, a faint, translucent black membrane had manifested. I suddenly remembered Lilia-san mentioning that Kuro’s pendant contained a powerful defensive spell.
"Gah!?"
The moment I felt a flicker of relief, a sharp, heavy impact slammed into the back of my neck. My body went limp, my strength deserting me instantly.
"Well, in that case, I just have to suppress my malice and knock you out the old-fashioned way."
"...A...lice..."
"Goodnight, Kaito-san. Don't worry, I'll carry you gently."
The voice I heard as my consciousness faded was incongruously kind and serene.
Alice tucked the unconscious Kaito under her arm and leaped onto the roof of a nearby building.
"Now, if I just deliver him, the job's a wrap... though I suppose it won't be that simple."
The moment she muttered those words, a beam of light lanced through the thick mist. Alice tilted her head slightly, letting the flash graze past her face, and sighed. As if to prove her point, a violent gust of wind tore through the street, blowing away the fog.
When the air cleared, six figures stood surrounding the roof where she stood.
"Faster than I expected," Alice remarked. "I see. An Emergency Signal Magic Tool."
"Release my master this instant, you wretch!"
"Whoa, scary..."
Lilia, Lunamaria, Sieg, Anima, Eta, and Theta stood a few meters away, boxing her in. They had rushed to the scene the moment Sieg’s signal flared, and they were now glaring at Alice with murderous intensity. Despite her claim of being frightened, Alice didn't look even remotely shaken.
"Why, Kaito-san...?" Lilia’s voice trembled with rage. "Are you not his friend?"
"I am. I like Kaito-san quite a bit, actually. He's one of my favorites. But work is work."
Lilia’s irritation peaked as she watched Alice’s flippant attitude. "You’re awfully composed. Do you truly believe you can escape us?"
"I wonder."
Lunamaria offered a silent warning. The six of them had Alice surrounded, and they held the advantage in numbers. However, because Alice was holding Kaito, they couldn't risk any large-scale attacks that might catch him in the crossfire.
To make matters worse, Eta—who specialized in precision strikes—was at a disadvantage. Her primary weapon had been destroyed in her previous duel with Sieg, and the standard spear she had grabbed from the mansion wasn't enough to bridge the gap. Alice had already evaded her once with ease.
The silence grew heavy enough to sting. Finally, Alice broke it.
"Twenty Platinum Coins."
"What?"
"Eighteen coins... twenty-five... forty-three..."
"What are you doing?" Lilia asked, her expression twisted in confusion.
"Oh, I just have a habit of putting a price on people. I’m judging by combat power right now, and I have to say, you're quite impressive. It’s rare for me to value people in units of Platinum Coins."
"I'm not flattered," Sieg said, her voice colder than anyone had ever heard it.
Even under that frigid gaze, Alice remained unfazed. "I have two rules for taking a job. First, I have to be in the mood. Second, the reward must exceed the value I place on the target."
"Your point?"
"Well, looking at the fee for this request, it’s just not worth the effort of fighting all of you."
"Does that mean you're surrendering?"
"Not exactly. It’s a pity for you, really... but our interests just don't align. Hup!"
Alice suddenly let go of Kaito.
They were on the roof of a two-story house. If the unconscious Kaito hit the cobblestones below, he would be severely injured. For a split second, the focus of all six pursuers shattered. Their eyes instinctively followed the falling Kaito, and they lost sight of Alice.
In that heartbeat, Alice vanished, and a shockwave blew all six of them backward. They were elite warriors, however, and managed to brace themselves against the impact. Alice circled around faster than Kaito could hit the ground, catching him in mid-air with a smirk.
"Splendid. You actually reacted to that move. But now... look at all that distance between us."
"Dammit! She's going to run!" Lunamaria screamed.
The six scrambled to regain their footing and lunged toward her, but Alice flickered out of existence again, reappearing even further away.
"It’s no use. You couldn't even track my movements just now. You’ll never catch me."
"Ugh...!"
"I told you, our interests don't align. You want to save Kaito-san at any cost, but I have zero incentive to fight a bunch of powerhouses like you. So, I’ll be taking my leave."
"Wait—!"
Before Eta could close the gap, Alice’s form blurred, splitting into ten identical copies.
"Illusion Magic!?"
"Well then, see you later!" the ten Alices shouted in unison, bolting in ten different directions at high speed.
Lilia and the others couldn't afford to let her go. They exchanged rapid-fire eye contact and split up to give chase. Lilia, Sieg, Lunamaria, and Eta—the fastest of the group—pursued two Alices each, while Anima and Theta took the remaining two. They were desperate to bring Kaito back.
Once the six of them had vanished into the distance, the air in a nearby back alley distorted, and the "real" Alice stepped out of the shadows.
"Way too honest. Then again, deception is my specialty."
Muttering to herself, she vanished once more like a wisp of smoke.
When I finally opened my eyes to a dim light, I was in a place I didn't recognize. It was a stone room that looked remarkably like a prison cell. About ten people in robes were gathered there.
My situation was clearly dire. I tried to move, but I was tied to a chair.
"Oh? Kaito-san. You're awake?"
"...Alice? Where are we?"
"My client's hideout."
Alice popped her head out from behind a black-robed man, speaking in the same casual, tension-free tone she always used. Right... she did say she was kidnapping me. So this was the worst-case scenario.
"A pleasure to meet you, Miyama Kaito-kun," one of the robed men said. His voice was masculine and steady. "I would very much like for us to be friends."
"...Then the least you could do is show me your face."
"I would like to, but I have a reputation to maintain. I can't afford to be identified."
I wasn't in the mood for pleasantries, especially not from someone who had me tied to a chair. But I was at a total disadvantage. I couldn't afford to be provocative.
"Now then, let's get down to business. You've likely guessed why we—"
"Ah, excuse me, do you have a second?" Alice interrupted.
The man, who had been trying to sound like a mastermind, blinked. "What is it?"
"My job was done the second I brought Kaito-san here, right? So, I’d like my payment now."
"...Fine. Here. The promised thirty Platinum Coins."
"Let's see here... yep, all present and accounted for."
So that was it. My kidnapping was worth thirty Platinum Coins. In Japanese currency, that was about three hundred million yen. I wasn't sure if I should feel flattered or insulted, but that was my price to her.
Sensing my inner turmoil, Alice turned to me and gave a little wave.
"Don't take it personally, Kaito-san. It’s just business. Besides, we’re just friends—we aren't family or lovers. Our relationship only goes so far."
"...Right. I guess you're right."
"Well then, I’m off!"
With those cold words, Alice turned her back on me and walked through the room's only door.
It hurt. But she was right—scolding her wouldn't change anything. I had scolded her and hit her over her antics, thinking of her as a trusted, close friend. But that was just my perspective. To Alice, I was just a nagging acquaintance.
"Alice," I called out.
"Yeah?"
"...Try not to waste the money this time."
"...I'll think about it."
The door clicked shut behind her.
It was painful, but I couldn't dwell on it. I had to focus on the immediate threat.
"Now, back to our conversation. If you're hoping for a rescue, don't bother. This room is built from a special ore that blocks all magic power from leaking out. We are far from the city. No one is coming for you."
"..."
What was going to happen to me? Would they torture me? I really, really didn't want to be in pain. Despair began to take root in my heart, and I felt my body start to tremble. Just as I was about to close my eyes and give up, the door exploded with a deafening roar.
"What!?"
The man and his robed goons spun around in shock. I stared through the cloud of dust to see the last person I expected.
"And so! I've come to save you, Kaito-san!"
"...Huh?"
Striking a perfectly timed hero pose, Alice stood there—the very same girl who had just walked out. She was claiming she had come to rescue me.
"Wh-Wh-What is the meaning of this!?" the man stammered.
"Well, you see, I just got a bit of a windfall today, and I thought, 'Hey, maybe I'll take Kaito-san out to dinner since he’s always looking after me!' But then! I heard Kaito-san had been kidnapped by some awful villains! So I came running as fast as my legs could carry me!"
"...What?"
"Prepare yourselves, kidnappers! I'll make you regret the day you laid a finger on Kaito-san!"
You're the one who kidnapped me!
Dear Mother, Father—Misfortune strikes when you least expect it, and I've been kidnapped. I should be in a life-or-death crisis, yet for some reason—and I really hate to admit this—my heart and the kidnappers' hearts have become one.
Seriously, what on earth is this girl saying?
Serious-senpai: "Nuaaaaagh!?"
(A most unexpected self-rescue drama.)