Outaishihi ni Nante Naritakunai!! Chapter 425

"Princess! I've found out the location of Princess Ophelia!"

Even though I felt impatient, I couldn't do anything. As I was waiting together with Freed and Prince Hendrik while suppressing my desire to rush out, Cain barged in from the balcony.
Hearing his words, everybody simultaneously stood up from the sofas.

"Is Raid safe?"

That was my first question. Cain nodded to my anxious shout.

"She's safe. I confirmed it. She was tied up but didn't appear to have any injuries. Abel is watching over her now. The location is in the harbor. I'll show the way!"
"I'm glad!"

I was relieved from the bottom of my heart by Cain's words.
Both by Rain being found safe and by Cain's tone sounding like he'd found no traces of violence. Freed and Prince Hendrik must've also been relieved. Their nervousness appeared to decrease just a little.

―― First of all, we must go outside.

Thinking so, I tried to leave the room, but Prince Hendrik stopped me.

"Princess Lydiana. Wouldn't it be better if you stayed here?"
"Eh…"

My feet stopped. Though I was naturally intending to go along, he told me.

"I am most grateful for your cooperation. However, you are a woman. Um… We'll be going to meet the kidnapper, so to speak. You don't know how to fight, so I think it would be safer if you stayed in the Royal Palace."

I understood Prince Hendrik was concerned about me.
He certainly had a point, and I stopped for a moment to think of how to respond to him.
As I did, Freed held my hand and said.

"No, Lidi is coming with us."
"Freed? Are you okay with taking your important wife to meet the kidnapper?"

Prince Hendrik made an incredulous face. Freed clearly told him.

"To begin with, let me just tell you that Cain isn't under my command. His master is Lidi. If Lidi isn't there, he won't show us the way."
"Eh…"

Prince Hendrik looked at me with round eyes.
Freed continued.

"And another thing. I don't intend to take her to war, but aside from that, Lidi fundamentally doesn't leave my side. That's why. My side is far safer than the Royal Palace. I absolutely won't leave Lidi alone in another country. I'll protect Lidi."
"But, there are our guards…"
"That's not enough reason for me to leave Lidi. I keep her on my side as much as possible. What if something happened to her when I took my eyes off her? I would be too late for regrets."

My husband was so cool as he made that declaration that all of my brain went into a standing ovation.
A deafening applause resounded.
Crap. My husband is so wonderful that I seriously can't stop my heart throbbing.
Even I understood myself that my face turned red.

―― Aah, my husband is so cool…

I gazed at my husband with my heart throbbing. Freed met my eyes and smiled sweetly.

"Lidi, you'll come with me, won't you?"
"I'll go… I'll go with you anywhere…"

I'd follow him to the ends of the world.
Seeing me flush and nod, Freed smiled with satisfaction.
Prince Hendrik blinked his eyes and said.

"… Only you could say that she'll be safest at your side. And, I can't deny those words at all. Certainly, Princess Lydiana will be safer at your side than protected by the Royal Palace guards. Got it. It seems I said it without a thought. Princess Lydiana, I apologize. Your husband will keep you safe, right?"
"Yes…"
"… Princess Lydiana, you look very happy to me."
"Er, I'm happy, yes."

When I honestly answered, Prince Hendrik made a resigned face.

"… You really are close."
"It's enviable, right?"

Freed smiled boastfully. Prince Hendrik nodded with a serious look.

"I want to deny it, but it truly is enviable."

Having convinced Prince Hendrik to take me along, we left the Royal Palace with him at the lead.
Perhaps thanks to spreading the information about going for a Royal Capital observation before, nobody found us going out suspicious.
Some people asked about why we had no escorts, but Prince Hendrik answered them, "They're waiting outside."
Of course, we won't actually take any. We don't know if Raid's kidnapping would leak out somehow. It would be ideal to end it with us alone.
Even if Edward offers resistance, we have Freed and Cain. Abel, who we confirmed as a member of the Hiyuma clan, is also there. I don't know how useful Prince Hendrik can be, but with this lineup we won't lose. We could do it because the odds were high enough.
The one who'll have it the hardest is probably Brother, who's been left alone as an intermediary.
When Freed told him to deceive everybody earlier, he held his head.
However, such things are Brother's specialty.
I strangely understood why he was appointed as Freed's close aide.
And, this case proved Father telling us to take Brother correct. I didn't really cause problems, but without Brother here things would be a little more troublesome, after all.

―― Older Brother, sorry. Hang in there!

I cheered for him in my mind, and we safely met up with Cain outside.

We were guided by Cain to a food warehouse in the harbor.
Deserted. I see. While I was impressed by the perfect choice of a temporary hideout, I heard sounds of quarrelling from inside the warehouse.
Prince Hendrik's complexion changed, and he opened the warehouse door. Freed and I nodded to each other and followed him.

"Ophelia!!"

Among the wheat sacks piled up in the food warehouse, there was Raid and her kidnapper, Edward.
Raid had her hands tied behind her back and was coughing in pain. Edward was unseemly lying on the floor holding down his stomach.
And, Abel was covering Raid and glaring at Edward.
I didn't know what had happened inside, but I understood that he had saved Raid.

"Ophelia!! Are you okay!?"

Prince Hendrik ran to Raid and undid the rope binding her. Raid raised her body and pressed down on her neck. There were traces of being strangled on her neck, though faint.
Everybody turned pale seeing the traces that made the strangulation attempt clear.

"Raid…"

Raid, who had been coughing painfully, this time took a deep breath. She then turned her gaze to her brother, who got on his knees and worriedly hugged her.

"Elder Brother…"
"Sorry for being late. You're safe, right?"
"Yeah, of course."

Saying that, Raid looked around in surprise. During that, our eyes met.

"Raid."

When I called her, Raid blinked her eyes.

"Lidi. And even Your Highness Friedrich… Or rather, what about our soldiers? Elder Brother, didn't you bring any soldier?"
"For the sake of your honor, only one person left behind in the Royal Palace knows about your kidnapping. You are unmarried. You don't want strange rumors to spread either, right?"
"… Thank you."

Raid looked visibly relieved by Prince Hendrik's words. She knows best how much cruel rumors hurt. Her immediately checking the surroundings before must've been her worrying about Prince Hendrik bringing soldiers with him.

"Edward…"

Prince Hendrik stood up and glowered at Edward. His eyes were burning with fury and hatred.

"Who would have thought you were a man who would resort to something so foolishly reckless."

I shuddered at his voice I'd never heard before.
I could understand just how angry the usually smiling and gentle Prince Hendrik was from the difference in the tone of his voice.
I wonder what Prince Hendrik intends to do with Edward? When I thought that, Raid, who more or less recovered, stood up and tapped her brother's shoulder.

"Elder Brother. I'm sorry, but please leave it to me."
"Ophelia?"

Prince Hendrik frowned, and Raid smiled coldly.

"… My blood is boiling from this matter too … Yeah, really, I never thought he was a man who would commit such foolishness."
"You."
"I was betrayed by my trusted knight. Elder Brother, this is my mistake. I wish I'd kept a tighter rein on Ed."

I felt intense fury in her voice.
Seeing the expression Raid showed, Prince Hendrik stepped back with his face twitching.
I saw Raid's profile. Her expression was awfully cold and contained frightening anger.
The betrayal of a knight who had been at her side from childhood must be unforgivable.
She stood imposingly before the knight who was still holding his stomach and groaning.

Editor: Valkyrie

Chapter end