Chapter 89 In the Light Capital… False Accusation!？ Part ①
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
*Thwack! Thud!*
The man swung his club down hard.
A dull thud echoed through my gut, followed by a searing wave of pain.
”You the one who snatched her, right?”
He grabbed my hair, yanking my face up to meet his glare from inches away.
”N-No… I didn’t… I swear…”
”Huh? What was that?”
*Thwack! Thwack!!*
He slammed the club into my stomach again.
”Guh…”
The impact made me want to curl up and retch—but I couldn’t. Right now, I was stripped to the waist, wrists shackled and hoisted overhead like some kinda piñata. My toes barely scraped the ground, maybe ten centimeters off the floor, so all my weight yanked mercilessly on my arms. And like this, for hours now, this bastard had been working me over, blow after brutal blow.
My whole body was going numb, but every hit lit up fresh agony in whatever spot he chose. The jolt made me swing, and that yanked my wrists back to screaming life, like my brain was reminding them they weren’t done hurting yet. No escape, not even blacking out—the pain was too sharp for that mercy.
”Just confess already. It’ll be easier on you.”
*Crack! Smack!!*
”You’re one of the creeps who planned to kidnap the princess, aren’t you?”
”No… I didn’t…”
Same questions, over and over. As I mumbled my denials, my mind drifted back, piecing together how the hell I’d ended up here…
* * *
”Whoa, so this is Light Capital!”
My eyes went wide at the sight of the city sprawled out before me. Towering spires of white marble stabbed skyward like they were challenging the heavens, their surfaces etched with golden filigree that caught the sun and blazed like fireworks. Radiating from the central plaza, grand boulevards teemed with folks in flashy outfits—merchants hawking wares, travelers on the move, even a brass band piping up a lively tune to amp up the buzz.
Every building along the streets shimmered with stained glass in wild colors or stones that glowed like they had sunlight trapped inside, turning midday into a perpetual twilight party. In the open square, fountains shot arcs of water that splintered into rainbows, while kids whooped and splashed in the mist. Up above, soft orbs of light bobbed lazily on the breeze, like the whole place was laced with festival magic that never quit.
The air was thick with the warm scent of fresh-baked bread, sweet fruit, and something flowery like expensive perfume drifting from who-knows-where. It hit all my senses at once, wrapping me in pure, giddy joy. *No wonder they call it Light Capital,* I thought, standing there slack-jawed, just soaking it in.
”Whoa… this is insane!”
Eyes sparkling, I strolled down the cobblestone avenue, gawking left and right. Street stalls lined the way, piled high with exotic fruits, spices I’d never sniffed before, and crafts that looked straight out of a fever dream. Vendors hollered in booming voices, reeling in customers like pros. Music poured from every corner, mingling with laughter until the whole city felt like one massive, living stage.
”Check it out—that puppet’s moving! Is there a person inside? Nah, gotta be magic. Whoa, it’s staring right at me!”
I was buzzing, darting from stall to stall, poking at trinkets, sniffing spices, acting like a total kid in a candy store.
Then, out of the corner of my eye, in the mouth of a nearby alley: a cluster of figures in dark robes, whispering and shifting like they didn’t want to be seen. Heavy cloaks with deep hoods pulled low, hiding their faces—total sketchy vibe, sticking out like a sore thumb amid all the glitter.
*Huh…? That’s suspicious.*
I paused, scoping them out for a sec, then let out a small huff and shrugged it off.
*Eh, big city’s like that. Good eggs and bad apples all mixed in.*
Muttering it to myself like a mantra, I turned back to the main drag. Overhead, colorful banners fluttered in the wind, and ribbons of shimmering light snaked through the sky. The smell of caramelized pastries tugged at my nose, pulling my feet toward a nearby cart without a fight.
Light Capital was dazzling, almost dreamlike, but with shadows lurking in the corners. Still, right now? I was all in on the sparkle. *Screw the rest—just enjoy it.* With that, I dove back into the flow.
…
The streets of Light Capital hummed with life as I wandered, taking it slow. The tang of spiced fruit wine hung in the air, a light lute melody danced from a corner busker, and snippets of chatter from passing travelers floated by. It all blended into this soft haze that melted away any tension I had left.
”Man, this place really is like something out of a dream…”
I muttered it under my breath—then froze.
”Hey, you there!”
The voice hit sharp and sudden, yanking me to a halt. I turned, spotting a group huddled in the shade of a nearby archway.
Hoods pulled low over their faces, every one of ’em. One tall woman stood out, a longsword strapped to her hip, but the rest? Short, wiry types, built like they could slip through cracks. The one out front—a girl, stepping forward—fixed me with a glare that could cut glass.
Before I could even open my mouth, she closed the gap and snapped, “You seen a girl with dark green hair like mine?”
She tugged her hood back just enough to flash her own locks—deep green, same shade. Up close, she couldn’t have been more than ten or twelve. But her voice? Sharp as a blade, laced with an edge way too hard for her age, and a frantic undercurrent that twisted it all up. Those eyes under the hood weren’t just mad—they were desperate, pinning me like I had answers.
”…Dark green hair?”
Her tone bit hard, words laced with thorns, like she was already convicting me of something.
I flinched for a split second—but then I caught it: behind the fire in her eyes, raw panic flickered. Her fists clenched tight, knuckles white and trembling just a hair. Breath coming quick, voice pitched high but wobbling at the edges.
*She’s freaking out.*
I narrowed my eyes, keeping my cool.
”Dark green hair…? Sorry, doesn’t ring a bell. What’s up? You looking for someone?”
My question made her falter, just for a beat—lips parting like she’d run out of steam. But she clamped down fast, jaw set, face hardening back into that scowl.
”…My little sister’s been kidnapped. Last night… I looked away for one second. She’s gotta be somewhere in Light Capital, but we’ve checked everywhere… she’s just gone!”
She rattled it off in a rush, like holding it in would shatter her. Her voice cracked on the edges, fighting to stay steady. Her crew hung back silent, shadows at her heels, watching without a word.
”Please—if you spot her, tell someone. Hair’s deep green, falls just past her shoulders… big eyes, total crybaby…”
Her words trailed into a rasp at the end. She shook it off, spinning on her heel and marching away.
The sword chick followed without a sound, the others melting after her like ghosts.
They vanished into the crowd, and the street’s roar swallowed them whole—music, shouts, life as usual. Like that raw plea had never happened.
I stared after them for a long moment, then let out a slow breath.
”…Damn, she must be worried sick. Can’t blame her.”
A faint snag tugged at my chest, but I shook it off and merged back into the bustle. That girl’s voice, though… it stuck in my head, echoing.
After ditching the mystery crew, I slipped back into the street’s thrum.
Music swelled, voices overlapped, stained glass threw rainbows across the stones. Vendors bellowed, folks laughed—everyone looked blissed out, zero cares in the world.
But—
*…Dark green hair, huh.*
The phrase bubbled up in my mind again, unbidden.
”Nah, none of my business.”
I muttered it, dropping my gaze without a smile.
And right then, like a ghost from the past, another memory brushed my thoughts—sharp and insistent.
Earlier, while wandering the streets, I’d spotted that shady bunch acting all twitchy. A pack of black-clad figures huddled in a back alley—long cloaks, hoods pulled deep, reeking of some half-baked scheme.
I stopped, tilting my head back to stare at the sky. Clear blue stretched overhead, laced with lazy ribbons of light drifting by. But today, for some reason, shadows seemed to pool behind that shimmer, like they were waiting to spill over.
*…Nah, none of my business…*
I wasn’t looking to get dragged into trouble. Hell, jumping in blind when you don’t know the score? That’s just asking to play the fool.
Still, my feet had other ideas. They veered toward that alley like it was magnetized.
I kept my steps light, casual-like, but my eyes scanned sharp, on edge. At the fringe of the glittering streets, the alley twisted into a maze of weathered stone. The vibe flipped hard—dead quiet now, with only the distant hum of the crowds filtering in like white noise.
Even in broad daylight, a chill clung to the shadows here, seeping from the walls.
*No way, right…?*
Deep down, though, something whispered: *Let this just be a coincidence. Please.*
I eased deeper into the dimness, slow and steady.
The alley was a tomb. The street’s roar felt worlds away, muffled to nothing. Damp stone walls brushed close, a cold draft nipping at my skin like it had teeth.
*What the hell am I even expecting to find in a dump like this…?*
The thought gnawed, but my boots kept moving. Eventually, the path dead-ended at a rundown shack, squatting there like it’d been forgotten on purpose. Roof tiles sagged, door hung crooked on rusted hinges, windows boarded up sloppy with planks. But faint—*real* faint—breaths leaked from the cracks, human ones.
*…No friggin’ way.*
I crept along the wall, holding my breath, and nudged the door with my fingertips. It creaked—*screeech*—on protesting metal. Peering through the sliver…
That’s when it hit me.
”Stop! Get off me…!”
A girl’s voice sliced the air—raw with terror and fury. In the grimy gloom at the far end, a tiny figure huddled on the floor, pinned down like prey. Her clothes hung in tatters, dark green hair a wild tangle over her shoulders, big eyes swimming with tears as she pleaded silently, desperately.
Circling her: a handful of hooded creeps in black, faces obscured, working fast and silent. Ropes, sacks, glinting edges—tools of the trade, no doubt.
*…Shit!*
My pulse hammered. Rage and adrenaline surged, hot and electric, and before I knew it, my legs were carrying me forward.
”Hey, you assholes. The hell do you think you’re doing?”
My voice came out low, edged like a blade. They whipped around as one, the air thickening into something you could chew. Dead silence stretched… three seconds, maybe four.
But hesitation? Not in me. Not anymore.
”Get off that kid. Now.”
I yanked my blade free; it caught the thin light and flashed. They twitched—too slow. I was already in motion, crashing into the fray.
*
*Scared. So scared.*
My body’s shaking, won’t stop. My voice—it’s stuck, trapped in my throat. I scream, but it’s swallowed whole, echoing nowhere.
No one’s coming. No help. Not for me.
The girl with the dark green hair lay sprawled on the cold, dusty floor, fabric ripping under rough hands. *This is it,* she thought, terror coiling tight in her gut. *They’re gonna use me, break me…* Her gaze darted to their hands—ropes coiling, a sack unfolding, metal glinting dull and mean. She didn’t know the how or the what, just the *end* of it all, stabbing deep into her chest like ice.
*No… no, please…! It hurts… Big Sis…!*
She chanted the name in her head, over and over, a broken mantra. But the pleas died silent, no one to catch them. Her vision blurred with hot tears—then, like thunder cracking the dark:
”Hey, you assholes. The hell do you think you’re doing?”
Through the haze of salt and fear, she made out a silhouette in the doorway—backlit, features lost to shadow. But that glint at his hip… a blade, hungry for light.
”Get off that kid. Now.”
The words hung cold, slicing the tension like glass. And then—he moved. No pause, no doubt, launching straight at the shadows. His back was narrow, unassuming… but in that heartbeat, it loomed larger than life, a wall against the night.
*Who… is that?*
A spark flickered in her chest, fragile but real.
*…Did he come… to save me?*
A stranger, but it felt like fate—like he’d been hunting for her all along, carving hope from the despair she’d already buried. Her heart swelled, tears spilling free now, not from dread but something warmer, brighter.
*He’s… gonna help me…?*
It was too sudden, too blinding. She couldn’t tear her eyes from that back—as if she were staring straight into the sun.
*
They had numbers, sure. But skill? Not even close.
”Get outta the way, punk…!”
The first one lunged with a roar; I sidestepped, hooked his arm, and swept his legs out from under him. He hit the floor like a sack of bricks. Another rushed from behind—I drove my elbow into his gut, folding him with a wet *oof*.
”Thought you could swarm me? Cute.”
No need for the sword. Their moves screamed amateur—sloppy, panicked grabs. I stayed cool, picking them off one by one. A wild swing here, I ducked and used their momentum to flip ’em into the dirt. A desperate tackle there, met with a knee to the ribs. They grazed me a couple times, but I read it coming, turned their force against ’em.
In the end, the shack held just me—chest heaving—and a pile of groaning trash.
Quiet crashed back in.
I turned. There she was, slumped on the boards, ropes biting into her wrists, body curled small and quivering.
As I stepped closer, those huge eyes fluttered open—wide with exhaustion and leftover fear, but softening with a watery gleam when they locked on me.
”H-Help…”
Her voice was a thread, lips trembling.
”Take me… to the castle…”
The words barely escaped before she went limp, out cold like a switched-off light.
”…You’ve gotta be kidding.”
A wry chuckle slipped out as I knelt, scooping her up gentle as I could. She was tiny, light as a bird… but the weight on her back? Felt like the whole damn world pressing down, now mine to carry.
*Well, can’t just ditch her now, can I?*
For a split second, darker thoughts flickered—selfish ones, the kind that whisper in empty moments. But nah. In a pinch like this? Points don’t matter. Sometimes, playing the hero straight-up feels right. Shaking it off, I hoisted her onto my back and shoved the door wide.
Sunlight poured in, dust motes dancing in the beams like confetti.
One step took us back toward the street’s roar. Her green hair fluttered soft against my shoulder.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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