Chapter 50: The Hostage and the Value

“…Alsia, you…”

“It’s all Master’s fault, you know~. I’m more talented than Jeora-niisama, but he never gave me the position I deserved.”

A cold smile spread across Alsia’s face as she pressed the knife against Mea’s throat.

When I had first met her, I’d thought she was simply a laid-back girl who refused to lose her easygoing nature, even when Tardolf was yelling at her.

But no.

She was dangerous.

Dangerous with a capital D.

As everyone stood frozen by her sudden appearance, Hijiri, who had quietly listened the entire time, nodded as if everything finally made sense.

“I see. So your motive was resentment toward Tardolf-san for failing to appreciate your talent.”

He adjusted his glasses.

“What a brat.”

“Hah? Who the hell are you?”

“Now that’s an interesting question.”

Hijiri smiled.

“Why don’t you try using your own brain before asking other people?”

…Huh?

Was it just me, or was Hijiri actually angry?

“Tardolf-san defended you until the very end,” he continued.

“Your master trusted you.”

“So what? Are you trying to lecture me? That kind of crap is so annoying.”

“I despise people like you.”

The smile remained on Hijiri’s face.

But somehow, it felt colder than any expressionless glare.

“People who betray trust.”

“Um, hello? Are you blind to the situation? We’ve got a hostage over here, remember?”

“Ugh… E-Eight-niisan… help me…”

Laughing mockingly, Alsia shoved the knife harder against Mea’s neck.

A thin line opened in the skin.

Bright red blood trickled down.

My body instinctively moved forward.

But Hijiri immediately raised a hand to stop me.

“Sorry.”

His voice was completely calm.

“I’m not kind-hearted enough to obey someone just because they’ve taken a child I met today hostage.”

“…Maybe you aren’t.”

Alsia grinned.

“But what about everyone else? The Saintess, for example. Or Eight?”

“Hmm?”

Raphiel tilted her head without changing her expression.

“Why would I risk my life for a child I only met today?”

“Eh?”

The room fell silent.

I nearly jumped out of my skin.

“W-Wait a second! I definitely didn’t raise you to be this heartless, Raphiel!”

“Eight.”

She looked at me as though I were the strange one.

“You’ve never raised me. You merely provide for me.”

“That isn’t the important part!”

As our absurd exchange continued, another figure finally emerged from behind Alsia and the black-robed men.

The moment I saw her, I questioned my own eyesight.

She was an incredibly attractive woman with a stunningly curvy figure.

And for some incomprehensible reason…

Underneath her robe, she was wearing a micro bikini.

My brain stopped functioning.

“W-What’s with that outfit!? Are you some kind of exhibitionist!?”

“Tch!”

The woman immediately blushed with irritation.

“Exposing more skin makes it easier to absorb magical energy from the atmosphere! It’s not a personal hobby, all right!?”

Magical energy?

A mage?

“Ahem.”

Straightening herself, she spoke proudly.

“I’m Orvier, one of the priests who serves the great Dragon King. A pleasure to finally meet you, Saintess Raphiel.”

“Likewise.”

Raphiel gave a polite bow.

“My name is Raphiel. It’s nice to become acquainted.”

“…You’re a lot stranger than I expected.”

Orvier frowned.

What was this atmosphere?

“Abandoning a child. How cold-hearted. Modern saintesses really aren’t what they used to be.”

“A hostage only has value if the opposing side considers them valuable.”

Raphiel’s expression remained completely serious.

“That child holds no value to me. Please release her.”

“…You really are something.”

Orvier stared in disbelief.

“In this situation, you still have the nerve to make demands?”

“You flatter me.”

“I wasn’t complimenting you.”

Orvier rubbed her forehead.

“Well, whatever. If you insist the little girl has no value, then we’ll simply replace her with a hostage whose value is beyond question.”

Her eyes shifted toward me.

“Eight, was it?”

“Huh? Me?”

“If you want this child to live, come over here and become our hostage. Do that, and we’ll release her.”

“I underst—”

Before I could finish speaking, Raphiel suddenly wrapped her arm around my neck.

A brutal headlock.

“Gweh!?”

“R-Raphiel!?”

“If they take you hostage, we’ll have a serious problem.”

“But if I go, Mea will be saved—”

“These people took a child hostage in the first place.”

Raphiel’s voice was unwavering.

“There’s no guarantee they’ll keep their promise.”

“Well… that’s true.”

I knew she was right.

Logically, she was absolutely right.

But even so…

I couldn’t bring myself to abandon a child.

So what could I do?

How could I save Mea?

I desperately searched for an answer.

And then—

An utterly insane idea appeared in my head.

“A hostage only has meaning if they’re valuable to the opposing side, right?”

“…Eight?”

Raphiel frowned.

“What are you—”

“Grana, can I borrow your sword for a second?”

“Hm? I-I suppose…”

I accepted the sword from Grana.

Then I placed the blade against my own neck.

The entire room froze.

“If you don’t release Mea, I’ll slit my own throat and die.”

“…What?”

Silence.

Absolute silence.

I had decided to take myself hostage.

Orvier and the others wanted to use me as leverage against Raphiel.

That meant I was valuable.

Therefore—

If I threatened myself, they would have to listen.

…Honestly, I had no idea if that logic actually made sense.

But when humans are cornered, strange ideas start sounding brilliant.

“Pfft!”

Alsia burst out laughing.

“What’s that supposed to be? If you can do it, then go ahead. It’s obviously just a bl—”

I moved before she finished.

I lowered the sword.

And swung.

“—!!!!”

The blade tore through flesh.

Blood exploded outward.

Warm crimson liquid splashed across the floor.

Everyone’s eyes widened in horror.

The sword was far sharper than I had expected.

Too sharp.

It cut through bone as well.

Huh.

I should borrow this next time I need to butcher a large fish.

Back when the village chief caught that giant lake monster near Papel Village, cutting through the bones had been a nightmare.

“Eight!?”

“Eight-sama!?”

“Eight-kun!?”

The voices sounded distant.

Probably because my brain had decided reality was optional at the moment.

The pain was so overwhelming that I was instinctively trying to escape from it mentally.

“Hurts… hurts like hell… but… this is the second time… so it’s still within tolerable limits…”

“THIS ISN’T THE TIME TO SAY THAT!”

Raphiel practically screamed.

“I’ll reconnect it immediately!”

The severed arm lying on the floor was lifted by holy light.

A miracle of healing flowed through Raphiel’s hands.

Within moments, the arm was reattached as though nothing had happened.

Thank goodness Raphiel was here.

Though, to be fair, if Raphiel hadn’t been standing nearby, I never would have attempted something this insane in the first place.

After confirming my arm was functioning again, I looked toward Orvier.

“Do you believe me now?”

Orvier stared.

Then she sighed.

“I’ll give you this.”

Her expression had become genuinely serious.

“You’re completely insane.”

“I hate pain, so I never want to do that again.”

I forced a smile.

“Next time I’ll really cut off my head.”

“…Fine.”

For the first time since arriving, Orvier sounded defeated.

“We’ll withdraw.”

She glanced toward Mea.

“A hostage that kills themselves is worthless.”

At her signal, the black-robed men lowered their weapons.

“WHAT!?”

Alsia exploded.

“Wait a minute! What about our agreement!?”

“Not my problem.”

Orvier shrugged.

“Why not turn yourself in? Though if you come with me, I suppose I could take care of you.”

“D-Don’t screw with me!”

Alsia pointed at Tardolf.

“Hey, Tardolf! If you don’t want this brat killed—”

What happened next took less than a second.

A flash.

A sharp slicing sound.

And suddenly—

Alsia’s hand was gone.

The hand holding the knife dropped to the floor.

Separated cleanly at the wrist.

For a moment, nobody understood what had happened.

Then everyone noticed the tiny glowing magic circle shining in Orvier’s palm.

“Huh…?”

Alsia stared blankly.

“M-My hand…?”

“I already told you.”

Orvier’s gaze was ice-cold.

“We’re leaving peacefully.”

The pressure emanating from her was terrifying.

“If you continue making a fool of yourself, I’ll be the one who kills you.”

Alsia’s face went pale.

The next moment, she fainted on the spot.

Freed from her captor’s grasp, Mea immediately broke into tears and ran toward me.

I caught her in my arms.

“It’s okay.”

She buried her face against my chest and sobbed.

Meanwhile, Orvier casually picked up Alsia’s severed hand, slung the unconscious girl over one shoulder, and began chanting what sounded like a spell.

Golden light gathered.

Space itself distorted.

Then—

A radiant gate appeared.

It looked remarkably similar to the teleportation miracle used by Cardinal Larsa.

So she was planning to escape through it.

Orvier took a step toward the gate—

“Yeah, no.”

“““““Huh?”””””

Every head turned simultaneously.

Hijiri had reached into his coat.

Something metallic gleamed in his hand.

A handgun.

An actual handgun.

Without the slightest hesitation, he raised it.

Pulled the trigger.

BOOM.

The deafening explosion echoed through the church like thunder.

Blood erupted from Orvier’s shoulder.

For a split second, nobody moved.

Nobody breathed.

My mind went completely blank.

…Wait.

Did he just shoot her!?