Seeker 323

Test

Chapter 323. Patience

Not long after parting ways with Kazane,

the watched door opened, and Echigoya, the magistrate, and a town girl appeared from beyond.

The girl was held from behind, firmly under the lecherous magistrate's control.

She had a well-formed face, but her expression was one of utter terror, her eyes red from crying.

Her cheeks were swollen and red, likely from being struck.

A red line, seemingly from a knife, marked her neck, with a small trickle of blood running down.

The magistrate licked the blood from her neck from behind.

And then, he whispered, with a sticky tone, into her ear as she let out a strained voice.

"You understand, don't you, girl? If you behave, I'll treat you well. If you don't defy me, you won't have to endure more pain."

"N-no..."

A faint voice resembling a scream escaped the girl's mouth.

Immediately after, the sound of a slap echoed.

Then once more, the same sound.

Echigoya slapped the girl on both cheeks.

"Hey, girl, don't you understand your position yet? It's not 'no.' You do as the magistrate wishes. Understand?"

"Uh... y-yes..."

"That's right. I'm sorry, Magistrate. Our training hasn't been thorough."

"No matter. A bit of resistance makes things more interesting."

"As expected of the magistrate, with your generous heart. Now, to the usual bedroom. Come, girl, walk properly so as not to bother the magistrate."

The magistrate and the girl left the door, walking down the corridor toward the sitting room.

Echigoya locked the door and followed them.

I watched this scene from the small hidden room, peeking through a slightly opened door.

I wanted to jump out at the sight of the abuse, but I held back.

I thought I could rescue the girl without harm if I caught the magistrate off guard, but I wasn't confident in the current situation.

Still, if things got critical, I would have no choice but to act.

I followed the magistrate and his group using my [Stealth] skill.

Keeping a certain distance so as not to be noticed.

Eventually, they reached the room where the secret meeting had taken place.

I heard the leisurely sound of a bamboo water feature in the garden.

This time, they headed to a different nearby room rather than the previous sitting room.

Echigoya opened the door and guided the magistrate inside.

The room was tatami-matted and soundproofed with thick double doors, with futons already laid out and a splendid lantern lit, ready for use.

"Please enjoy yourself to your heart's content, Magistrate."

"Yes. Girl, I will treat you well. Are you happy?"

"Y-yes..."

"That's right, that's good."

The magistrate led the girl into the bedroom.

There was no sign of resistance left in the frightened girl.

Echigoya respectfully saw them off.

The magistrate threw the girl onto the futon and started to undress, placing his sword against the wall.

Echigoya moved to close the bedroom door.

All this time, I was agonizing over when to act.

Would I succeed if I acted now?

It depended on their response, but in the worst case, they might take the girl hostage.

With the power of an Awakened One, breaking a commoner's neck without a weapon is easy.

But I couldn't stand by any longer.

Even without full certainty, I had to move.

Just as I decided to go out, it happened.

"Hey! Who are you?"

"Stop! What are you doing, barging in here? Do you know this is the Echigoya, the greatest merchant house in town?"

"Someone! Stop this boy and these girls!"

"Impossible, they're warriors! They're bodyguards! Someone call the master's guards!"

The front of the mansion suddenly became noisy.

It seemed Kazane and the others had stormed in.

Echigoya and the magistrate were naturally surprised.

The magistrate, who had loosened his sash, tightened it again and walked to Echigoya outside the room, asking.

"What is this commotion, Echigoya?"

"I-I don't know either... Hey, someone! Report what's happening to me!"

Echigoya shouted.

The magistrate looked irritated.

At this moment, I saw an opportunity in the situation.

Both were bewildered, and the magistrate was further from the girl than ever.

With this positioning, I could do it.

I dashed toward the bedroom where the magistrate, Echigoya, and the girl were.

Though a bit distant, I closed in quickly.

"Wha...? Who are you?"

The magistrate reacted the fastest.

He ran to grab his sword.

But my target wasn't the magistrate.

"Ah...!?"

"I'm not your enemy. I'll help you, so please stay still for a moment."

Ignoring the magistrate, I headed for the futon and lifted the girl into my arms.

With the power of a Seeker, she wasn't heavy.

I've heard that people can be very heavy if they don't cooperate, but that isn't the case now.

The girl seemed to see me as a hero saving her from despair.

She nodded at my words and entrusted herself to me.

"You...! You think you'll get away with this?"

The magistrate drew his sword and pointed it at me.

But cautious, he didn't immediately slash.

Taking advantage of that, I ran out of the bedroom with the girl in my arms.

Echigoya, who had fallen on his backside in shock, wasn't an obstacle.

I entered the garden with the bamboo water feature.

The magistrate pursued but didn't catch up, and when I turned around, he stopped, wary.

"Intruder! Get them!"

Echigoya, still on the ground, shouted.

I put the girl down, summoned my [Item Box], and drew out my divine spear and shield, shouting as well.

"Kazane, in front of the sitting room! The garden with the bamboo water feature!"

"Got it, coming right away!"

From a distance, my beloved partner's voice responded.

True to her word, three girls soon appeared and ran to me.

Kazane, Yuzuki, and Kushinosuke.

Griff was still in his mini form, clinging to Yumitsuki's hat.

Kazane had changed into her black ninja outfit.

At almost the same time, several rough-looking men appeared.

There were six in total, including two familiar faces—the kidnappers.

And not just them, I sensed that all six were Awakened Ones.

The six Awakened men, seemingly bodyguards, ran to Echigoya and the magistrate, facing us.

Kushinosuke, surprised and anxious, exclaimed.

"S-six bodyguards!? How can a mere merchant have so many...! This is bad."

In terms of Awakened Ones numbers, we had four, and they had seven, including the magistrate.

Seeing their numerical advantage, the six bodyguards grinned.

One of the kidnappers licked his lips at Kazane and Kushinosuke.

Echigoya, regaining his composure, stood up and smirked.

Confidently, he instructed his bodyguards.

"These are intruders! Cut them down!"

The bodyguards simultaneously drew their swords.