Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 125: Kidnappers
　Aeris remained in a foul mood for a while, but brightened when Tauro offered to buy her lunch.
　After asking the craftsmen to recommend a good restaurant, the two headed toward a small diner on a backstreet.
“Tauro, would this way not be faster?”
　Aeris pointed toward a narrow alley and tugged Tauro into it by the arm.
“Aeris, we shouldn’t go through there. It doesn’t look safe!”
　Tauro hurried to stop her, but he was already too late.
　Two men stepped out of the shadows and blocked the way ahead. At the same time, two suspicious men who had been talking near the street entrance moved in behind them, cutting off their retreat.
“Sorry, kids. Children who wander through this alley have a habit of disappearing.”
　The speaker had all but openly announced that they were kidnappers.
　Tauro immediately drew his short sword and took up a fighting stance.
　Aeris silently poured magic into her staff. A blade-like light formed around the magic stone at its tip.
“Oh? I’ve never seen a staff like that before. It should fetch a fine price.”
　The man who appeared to be the leader showed no alarm when the children raised their weapons.
　He evidently believed they would be easy prey.
　Tauro secretly cast a dark-spirit spell that clouded one man’s mind.
“Hyaaah!”
　One of the men behind them suddenly slashed the companion beside him.
　Caught completely off guard, the second man screamed and collapsed with a deep wound across his shoulder.
　Still under the spell’s influence, the confused attacker passed Tauro and Aeris and charged the leader.
　The leader recovered from his surprise almost instantly. He knocked the man’s sword aside and cut him down without hesitation.
“Damn it! What did you do, brat?”
　While the kidnappers were still disoriented, Tauro tried the same mind-disrupting magic on the man beside the leader. This time, however, the target resisted and shook off the spell.
“Boss! The boy is using dark magic!”
　The man possessed resistance to dark magic and seemed to recognize what Tauro had done.
“Then kill the boy and take only the girl!”
　The leader lunged at Tauro.
　His strike was fast and precise. After exchanging blows, Tauro realized that the man was genuinely skilled.
　Meanwhile, the remaining kidnapper reached for Aeris, only for her to swing her staff at him.
　The man believed he had avoided the staff itself with room to spare, but misjudged the reach of the blade of light.
　The glowing edge sliced shallowly across his chest and abdomen, drawing blood.
“Gyaaah!”
　Hearing another companion scream behind him, the leader clicked his tongue.
“You’re lucky, brat. I’ll let you live this time.”
　He fled into the street and vanished into the crowd with astonishing speed.
“…Whew. That was dangerous.”
　Tauro exhaled in relief. Their brief clash had shown him that a prolonged duel would have placed him at a disadvantage.
“Tauro, are you hurt?”
　Aeris hurried over to him.
“I’m fine. Aeris, please find the nearest patrol.”
　Tauro treated the two surviving wounded kidnappers with potions, then bound them securely with rope.
　By the time the guards arrived, both prisoners’ wounds had been stabilized. The man whom their leader had cut down, however, was already dead.
　Tauro and Aeris accompanied the captured kidnappers to the guard station to give statements. Aeris was deeply unhappy about the delay.
“We were supposed to be eating lunch! It’s already past noon!”
　The guards found themselves overwhelmed by the indignant girl.
“Please don’t be so angry. We have a duty to investigate this too.”
“We’ll take only a brief statement today and continue tomorrow. Please cooperate with us.”
　Aeris looked toward Tauro, silently demanding that he do something.
　Feeling partly responsible, Tauro took a sandwich from [Magic Storage] and suggested that she eat it in the staff room while they spoke.
　The sandwich did little to improve her mood.
　They eventually gave their account in the staff room, with Aeris remaining visibly displeased throughout.
“Please return tomorrow. Reports of missing people have increased recently, and the matter has become a serious concern. If these were organized kidnappings, a larger criminal group may be involved. Your testimony could be extremely important.”
　The officer supervising the investigation explained the situation to Tauro. He also jokingly advised Tauro to make peace with his ‘girlfriend’ before allowing the two to leave.
Uurgh at Aeris throwing a tantrum despite the fact that the whole thing wouldn’t have happened if she had just listened to Tauro.
She didn’t hear him, and he likely didn’t rub it in afterward. So, she’s upset that her time with Tauro was messed up, and hasn’t really noticed that she herself provided the trigger.
She’s a bit shortsighted, non-risk-adverse, and boredom prone, but her personality doesn’t seem to be as spoiled as you’re apparently assuming.