"It looks like things got sorted out without us lifting a finger," I told my father, who was still at the shop attending to customers, using this newfangled device called a smartphone. Someone from our organization discovered its use for long-distance communication, and now we've embraced it for the sake of convenience.
"How's the Duke's daughter?" my father inquired from the other end.
"She's good. Our new guy is bringing her back to the shop, I guess," I replied, keeping an eye on the boy who single-handedly took out the kidnappers and rescued the Duke's daughter. He had her in a princess-carry, jumping from roof to roof.
"You guess?"
"Yeah. I don't know what his deal is, saving the Duke's daughter and all."
"Keep an eye on them. If the boy deviates from the path leading to the shop with the Duke's daughter, stop him at any cost."
"Got it."
After ending the call, I slid my smartphone back into my pocket and silently shadowed the young man, leaping from rooftop to rooftop. Thanks to my Scout skill, I was practically invisible. Even someone with a heightened presence detection skill wouldn't catch a whiff of me. It was the perfect ability for covert information gathering and tailing, and that's why the Silver Blade hired both me and my father. He had a keen sense of every nook and cranny in Milham, courtesy of his Mind Mapping skill. With just a snippet of information, he could pinpoint your location, no matter where you were in the kingdom.
Speaking of which, the smartphone was really an impressive device. The creator must be a genius. I wish our leader would recruit them; they'd be a valuable asset. And that boy, too – I was certain he'd be an asset to us as well.
***
We finally reached the shop and gently lowered Charlotte, who screamed every time I jumped from roof to roof, onto the ground. Her legs were shaky at first, so I steadied her by grabbing her shoulders, ensuring she could stand on her own. Once her legs stopped trembling, she straightened her skirt and looked at me with an embarrassed expression.
"T-Thanks... again," she stammered.
"Don't mention it," I replied.
"It's not like you were just taking a casual stroll in the park or something. Saving someone from a kidnapping is a pretty big deal, you know?" Her head lowered while she blushed. "S-Someday, I'll find a way to repay you."
"It's fine. No need for that."
"But!"
"I didn't save you expecting some repayment. I did it because I don't like letting evil people have their way."
I wasn't lying. I genuinely felt that way. But it wasn't because I had some heroic aspirations. I wasn't trying to be a hero. After all, heroes don't exist, and even if they did, I wouldn't be one of them.
"N-No. It's not right for me not to repay my savior. I will! Ask me anything! My father is a duke! I believe he can give you anything!"
It seemed she wouldn't let me off the hook unless she could repay me. Well, I did need something from her, so I might as well take her up on her offer. "Okay, I'll take you up on that. How about you go on a date with me? Just once will be fine. Is that good?"
If I wanted to make an impression on her, I needed to be around her more. That way, she might favor me over the other guys vying for her attention.
When I stated my request, she just blinked. "A... date? Is that really all you want?"
"That's right. Oh, if a date is not allowed, then I'll gladly accept anything you offer me."
"N-No, a date is fine."
"That's good, then."
"Where to, though?"
"How about right here at the shop when you have a break? After lunch?"
"O-Okay. That sounds good," she said, her cheeks turning a shade of pink. After a few flustered movements, she added, "Uh, then I'll see you on the next break. I'm heading home now. M-My father will worry if I stay out too long."
"Do you want me to go with you?"
"Y-Yes, please," she replied, looking genuinely relieved. It seemed she was still haunted by the recent incident. I couldn't blame her, though. Even someone strong would struggle to sleep soundly after enduring a kidnapping. If I were still on Earth and got caught up in something like that, I'd be scared shitless and probably pee my pants.
I decided to accompany her and guard her back to the Duke of Sierra's residence, which wasn't too far from Market City. In just an hour or so, we'd arrive. This meant I still had some time before meeting Shredica. Before that, though, I needed to inform the shop owner that I would be quitting. I was sure they'd be shocked at my decision, considering it was my first day, but I believed they would understand. After all, I was still a student, and my primary concern was studying, so they should allow me to leave the job.
When I announced my decision, the father and daughter exchanged a glance before saying, "It's fine. We're glad to have had you here, Leon, even if it was just for a short time." They were such understanding folks. It felt a bit bad leaving them high and dry, especially when they were struggling to manage the shop on their own. I hoped they could find a replacement soon.
While discussing my departure with them, I sensed someone approaching from behind. Without bothering to look, I could tell that, in this moment, this someone was pouting.
"Leon," she said.
I glanced back and saw her truly pouting, her arms crossed beneath her ample breasts. Now that I was looking at her, it was refreshing to see her in casual clothes instead of our uniform. She looked cute, with a gal-like appearance. Yet, it wasn't the kind that screamed she was into compensated dating. There was still a purity vibe about her.
"...Hi, Princess Titania. What can I do for you?" I said.
"What do you mean?" she shot me an angry look, though her anger didn't diminish her cuteness. "Why did you ignore me? I called your name, didn't I? But you didn't come over. Aren't you really ungrateful for ignoring me like that, even though I called your name?"
"Uh, I've got something to do... And I didn't ignore you. I just didn't hear you well."
I was lying, of course. I heard her perfectly fine and intentionally ignored her.
"Liar!" she exclaimed, moving closer to me, then pounded her fists against my chest. Her punches didn't faze me; they didn't hurt. "Liar! Liar! Liar! Liar! I hate you, Leon! You cheater!"
I had no clue why she was calling me a cheater, but oddly, watching her like this weirdly put my heart at ease. Her actions reminded me of my friend back on Earth. She used to pound my chest like this whenever I didn't comply with her wishes. However, before I could fully dive into those memories, I forced myself to shut them out. My memories from Earth were nothing but painful and filled with regret. I didn't want to subject myself to any more of that pain.
As she continued her playful assault, the welcoming bell chimed, announcing that someone had entered. Glancing over, I saw Charlotte had walked in.
"Uhm, is this gonna take much longer? I-I'm sorry if it seems like I'm being impatient, but I really need to head home now."
"Oh, alright. Let's get going then. Princess Titania, if you please excuse me," I said to Titania, who was now eyeing Charlotte and me with curiosity, realizing that we were engaged in a conversation that seemed a bit more than casual.
After a moment, Titania shot me a look with eyes smoldering with irritation. She spoke up, planting her hands firmly on either side of her hips. "What's the meaning of this?" she pouted.
I couldn't spill the beans about rescuing Charlotte from a potential kidnapping earlier and now escorting her home for safety. So, I offered a vague explanation, "She hired me as her escort to get back home."
"Why on earth did you accept it?" Her pout deepened, her cheeks puffing out like a disgruntled pufferfish.
"I'm kind of... short on cash right now. That's why I'm working. I'm sorry if I can't make time for you, Princess, but I promise I'll set aside some time for our... conquering-the-school thing."
The pout vanished, but her eyes still shot daggers at me. "Promise?"
"Yeah, I promise."
"Fine, then. It's a promise. Don't screw it up."
"I won't."
Even after assuring her that I'd make time for our school domination plans, she remained downcast, pouting and shooting side-eye glares at Charlotte.
Sorry, Titania, but as important as you are, Charlotte holds some cards too. I still didn't know why the Eclipse organization was after her, and there was a risk she could get nabbed again if she headed home alone. So, I decided to personally escort her. There was an undercurrent here, and I didn't want to miss it. I had a gut feeling that taking Charlotte home would uncover more about this Eclipse group.