Chapter 94 The Beginning of a Long Night
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Sis. So, how’s it going, did it work?”
”Hmm? I don’t know”
”What do you mean you don’t know? That’s irresponsible”
”I told you I was being very careful not to get traced. Once I give the order to Hangure, I don’t do anything else until I get the confirmation from the local broker”
”Ughh…… it’s a shabby business”
I threw myself on the bed in my room with the phone to my ear.
Today, when I heard that Misuzu Kurosawa was leaving with Kimo-jima, I hurriedly asked my sister to arrange for a kidnapper.
I had a general idea of the situation.
I had secretly heard Junichi-sama and Misuzu Kurosawa arguing every break time.
Misuzu Kurosawa was insisting on going home with Kimo-jima because of her promise to Koganei, and Junichi-sama was not happy about it.
During the lunch break, I peeked at the note Misuzu Kurosawa had tucked under Kimo-jima’s textbook and knew that the two of them would be returning from the back gate.
The fact that they were coming back through a secluded back gate could only be described as an opportunity.
Besides, from what I saw today, Junichi-sama and Misuzu Kurosawa’s relationship is on the rocks right now. If she goes missing in a situation where the relationship is deteriorating, Junichi-sama will probably give up on her.
I called my sister, and she said she would do something about it, though her tone was dismissive.
And although, she was going to put her on the next shipment, but she said the ship would be ready for the next day.
And the shipment will be a nine-day boat trip.
She will be unloaded with other luggage at a port near Yogyakarta and then taken by land. My sister doesn’t know what happens after that. All she knows is that she will never be able to come back to Japan again.
”Are you sure it’s okay?”
When I reminded her of this, she said lightly, as if she was blowing up a paper balloon.
”Well, it should be fine. I haven’t made a single mistake so far. They’re pretty good for Hangure. More importantly, Hikaru-chan, once the girl is kidnapped, you should take care of the rest. It’s easy to win over a guy who’s in a funk if you’re nice to him”
”It’s not your business!”
◇ ◇ ◇
”It’s scary when it fits so perfectly”
Shima-senpai, in her underwear, hugged herself and showed signs of being scared.
After we got out of the bath, we were led to a separate room, except the four sinners.
There, each of us was given a pair of underwear, all of which were the perfect size.
However, there was no point in being surprised every time. I just had to accept that this was the kind of place to be.
* * *
The underwear itself was a very expensive silk fabric, and along with it was a party dress in a variety of colors.
I was given a mint-colored dress and Shima-senpai a lemon-colored one.
”I have prepared the accessories here, so please choose the one you like best. As for your hair, I’m afraid I don’t have enough help, so please do it yourself”
With that, the silver-haired maid bowed and left the room.
As a matter of fact, we are all girls. So, there’s no reason why we wouldn’t want to get dressed up.
With that, we spent about an hour picking out accessories and arranging our hairstyles, enjoying ourselves without a sense of tension.
”Everyone, are you ready? Let me lead you to the venue for the dinner party”
The silver-haired maid returned, and we followed her as she led us through the hallway.
The silver-haired maid then beckoned us to the door at the end of the hallway, which had previously been a dead end.
As we stepped through the door, we couldn’t help but exclaim, “Wow ……”.
Although I had only seen it in pictures, it was a majestic, glittering gold hall, like the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles. A large table that could seat more than 20 people was sitting there.
When I looked towards the wall, I saw the four sinners – Kishijo-san, Hotta-san, Saito-san and Mako – wearing maid’s uniforms and looking down shyly.
They were wearing cute maid outfits with short skirts and excessive frills, different from those worn by silver-haired maids, like waitresses in maid cafes.
”Now, as I explained earlier. Please show everyone to their seats”
”Y-yes! Head Maid”
Mako, whose face was bright red, walked up to us and said, “This way, please”.
I looked at Amemiya-senpai, who happened to be next to me, and we exchanged looks.
What is it……? I don’t think it’s the kind of clothing that would make them that embarrassed. After all, they’re naked until a while ago.
In the room, there was a seat that so-called “birthday seat” as well as a few seats to the left and right of it. I sat down in the middle, with Shima-senpai on my right and Amemiya-senpai on my left.
* * *
On the table, there were very expensive looking tableware and cutlery. The center of the table is decorated with gorgeous flowers.
”Wow…… This is all silver. How much does it cost?”
While poking at the cutlery with her fingertips, Shima-senpai let out an exclamation of admiration and I heard Amemiya-senpai mutter, “It’s a wedding!”. It certainly has that kind of atmosphere.
After a while.
”The semi-favored princess apprentices will enter”
When the silver-haired maid announced this, Yui-chan, Takasago-senpai, and Shiratori-senpai entered the room, led by Kishijo-san in her maid uniform.
They were not in party dresses like us, but in gorgeous bell-line dresses with tight corsets.
Aside from Yui-chan, who looked like she was used to wearing the dress, Takasago-senpai looked sleepy and Shiratori-senpai looked sullen and unsociable, giving the impression that she was being forced to wear it.
”Then, the second favored princess will arrive”
The silver-haired maid’s words made us all tense.
If she is the second, then she must be someone different from Masaki-sama.
She is probably a strange person, since she produced the public bathhouse full of Showa-era atmosphere that makes no sense to me, but I hope she is someone I can talk to.
When the door opened and we saw the person coming in, we stood up with a clatter.
”Hatsu-chan!”
””C-Captain!””
It was natural for us to be surprised.
The person who appeared in a pure white dress, like a wedding dress, was Captain Tashiro. It was that person.
”Well, I’m glad to see everyone is okay. It seems like a long time ago, even though the last time we met was yesterday”
”Hatsu-chan! You’re safe, right? I’m, I’m…”
Shima-senpai’s eyes began to moisten, and Captain Tashiro chuckled.
”I’m sorry for making you worry, Shima”
When I look to my left, I see Amemiya-senpai looking at Yui-chan, her cheeks blushing for some reason.
As soon as Captain Tashiro arrived at the birthday seat, Yui-chan, who was sitting closest to her, hurriedly asked her.
”The Second Favored Princess…… is it really you, Captain~?”
”Yes, I made an agreement with the Confinement King and became his princess. Don’t misunderstand me. I love the Confinement King with all my heart”
We looked at each other involuntarily.
Isn’t this…… bad? It’s brainwashing, it’s hypnosis……. That was written on Omuta-san’s face who was sitting in front of me.
* * *
”But, but, didn’t you have a boyfriend?”
”Hey, hey, you idiot!?”
Ota-san (the little sister), who can’t read the air, said that, and Adachi-senpai, who was sitting next to her, hurriedly covered her mouth. I wonder what’s so funny about that, but next to her, Ota-san (the big sister) laughed.
”Well, that’s true. But I’m sure Hiratsuka-kun will understand. He was also a good man, but I should say that he was not fortunate. It was fate that brought me into contact with Confinement King. It can’t be helped”
”It can’t be helped?”
Shiratori-senpai muttered to herself with a pouting face, and Tashiro-senpai nodded broadly.
”It’s okay. Maybe I already have the child of the Confinement King in my belly. We made love all through the morning”
At that comment, a murmur that resembled a scream filled the air around the table. I didn’t expect her to declare that she had done it. And it was until morning.
”Well, I’m sure we have a lot to talk about, but let’s do it over a meal, Freesia-san. Please”
”Certainly”
The silver-haired maid clapped her hands, then Mako and the others brought in the soup and placed it in front of each of us.
”Today is the debut of the second favored princess, Hatsu-sama, so please enjoy a course meal from the famous French restaurant Petit Le Tour”
Immediately, Yui-chan’s eyes widened.
”P-Petit Le Tour~……!?”
”Do you know that …… Miss Bowel?”
Yui-chan’s voice trembled slightly when Shima-senpai asked in a somewhat theatrical tone.
”It’s the best of the best in Paris~, having maintained a three-star rating since its founding~. It’s also famous for serving dishes to the leaders of various countries at the summit meetings held in France~”
At this comment, everyone buzzed in unison.
I don’t even know what kind of level she’s talking about anymore.
”Captain, no, Hatsu-sama~! Please tell me~. What kind of person is the Confinement King-sama~?”
Yui-chan asked our Captain as if biting, and Captain laughed with a spoon in her hand.
”What kind of person is …… he? He’s not a handsome man. But I can’t find anything else to complain about. He is generous and sincere…… though he may have a bit of a soft spot for the girls she likes”
”Is he rich, then~?”
”Rich? I don’t know about that, but probably. After all, he said he would give me anything I wanted, even jewelry, if I begged him”
At that moment, I heard Yui-chan gulp and clear her throat.
”Those jewels you’re wearing~, did they belong to Hatsu-sama~, too?”
Then, Captain’s cheeks flushed red, as if she were embarrassed.
”I said I didn’t want it, but the…… Confinement King told me to always keep it to make me pretty”
◇ ◇ ◇
”Thanks for the food!”
After dinner, I went back to my room and picked up my phone to find a pile of unread messages.
”I guess I messed up on the…… instructions, huh?”
The messages were all from Ryoko.
* * *
As soon as the information came in, it was sent out one after the other without any selection, as instructed.
I read through them quickly.
・The black van that kidnapped Kurosawa-san was a stolen vehicle and was found abandoned in the mountains just a few minutes ago. No belongings were found so far. Forensics is currently investigating.
・There are no surveillance cameras in the vicinity, and no one has been able to track her since.
・Kasuya-kun was sent home after taking a full report. When Kurosawa-san and I were going home together, Kasuya-kun made a false accusation that I attacked him.
・Detective Inomoto, who took the report, also didn’t believe the part about me attacking him, but Ryoko was so annoyed by his testimony that she put the juice of a rag in her tea.
・Detective Inomoto insisted on searching the Kamishima clan’s house, but Inspector Nakamura still refused.
・The media seemed to have already sniffed it out.
After I finished reading the message, I summoned “the door” and moved to the bedroom.
”How’s it going?”
”It’s stopped, Devi”
Lili had been monitoring the <Marker> while I went to get dinner.
I looked at the aircraft radar display projected in the air and saw that the red blip on the screen had stopped at a point and was flickering.
”Above the sea?”
”Looks like the inside of a docked ship, Devi”
When I zoomed in, I couldn’t really tell where it was.
When I scaled it down, the flickering blip was a ferry port on the Pacific Ocean side. It seems to be on the other side of the border between two prefectures.
”That’s far away…….”
”If she’s on a boat and goes out to sea, it’s a bit tricky, Devi”
I stared at the display. Then I pointed to a point.
”There’s a museum here that my family and I went to when we were in elementary school”
Although, it was a few kilometers away from the ferry port, I decided to go there use <Revisit>.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.