Chapter 62
“Sigh, alright. But I will personally escort the Prince. On this, I absolutely cannot compromise.”
Everyone agreed to Blair’s stern condition. One Blair was more reliable than dozens of ordinary knight guards. Additionally, Blair was a notably handsome man. Considering that men were also traded, albeit on a smaller scale, the existence of a well-trained, handsome knight would likely entice perverts. There was a high probability that Blair would be taken along with Kyle. Having Blair distribute the risk was better than sending Kyle alone in many ways.
Once the bait was decided, things progressed smoothly. They set a specific date and everyone dispersed. Upon arriving at the mansion, Blair went straight to his room without even looking at Kyle. Sensing Blair’s evident anger, Kyle cautiously followed him. Blair, who had been standing with his arms crossed looking out the window, turned to Kyle and began speaking rapidly.
“Do you have any sense at all?! Is it appropriate for a prince to go out in the dead of night without a single person following him? Of course not! Fine, let’s say you were curious about where I was going. But why did you have to get involved? Does this seem like some children’s game to you? Do you think you’re just an ordinary person?”
“Blair. I understand.”
Kyle, thoroughly scolded, appeared dejected. He had jumped in wanting to help Blair, but being reprimanded made him feel upset.
“It’s even more incomprehensible that someone who understands would do this.”
Blair took a deep breath. Trying to calm his anger was futile. Kyle wasn’t typically so reckless, and Blair couldn’t figure out where things had gone wrong.
“I just… I just wanted to be of some help to you too.”
“What help…!”
He had always received help from Blair. Even though Kyle was two years older, Blair always looked after him like a younger brother. Kyle wanted to be helpful to him too. He was an adult who didn’t need Blair’s protection, and he was Blair’s senior.
Blair had intended to continue scolding Kyle, telling him not to talk nonsense, when he noticed Kyle’s expression. His eyes were reddened like a child thoroughly scolded by his mother, and he fidgeted without making eye contact with Blair. Blair’s mouth, which had been about to scold Kyle for being more hindrance than help, snapped shut.
“Haah…”
Blair sighed deeply, pressing his forehead.
“I really don’t understand. Since it’s already been decided, I won’t say anything more. Instead, let’s make one promise. That you’ll prioritize your safety above all else in every situation.”
“Of course.”
Kyle’s expression brightened considerably. The problem was that Blair understood why Kyle had intervened. If Kyle hadn’t given in, Blair would have truly given him a scolding to remember. As always, he was too soft on Kyle.
“You must be careful, extremely careful. Never forget that safety comes first.”
“Yes, of course.”
Kyle nodded vigorously. It almost seemed like a tail was wagging enthusiastically behind him. Blair pressed his forehead. With Kyle so delighted, there was nothing more to say.
* * *
A tailor was specially summoned to the Monetery estate to fit a dress to Kyle’s body. The vibrant sky-blue dress was quickly completed and delivered to the mansion. There had been concerns that it might look ridiculous on Kyle, who was tall with a good physique, but his stunning beauty covered everything. After placing a golden wig on him, styling it elaborately, and adding makeup, he was transformed into a woman who would receive praise for her beauty anywhere.
Doll-like white and translucent skin, almond-shaped eyes containing clear blue pupils, a straight nose bridge, and bright lips. Voluminous, cascading golden hair. He looked like a doll created with utmost care by a master craftsman—like a porcelain doll that might sit beside the bed of young noble girls.
Blair, who had been watching Kyle’s transformation with disapproving eyes, approached after the preparations were complete. He knelt on one knee, lifted the voluminous skirt, and ran his hand up Kyle’s white leg.
“Blair?!”
Kyle, startled to have his bare leg grabbed, stepped backward, but Blair didn’t release his hold on Kyle’s white, long thigh. As Blair’s touch reached the inside of Kyle’s thigh, goosebumps rose all over his body. Blair fastened a leather strap and inserted three daggers. Kyle’s face turned a lovely peach color.
“Of course, I’ll never leave your side, but if anything happens, always prioritize your safety above all else.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Kyle nodded. Everything was prepared. A pouch containing the tracking scent that Clara had procured was attached inside the dress. It was a tracking scent that well-trained dogs could follow even over distances a horse could travel in one night.
“Shall we go now?”
Blair extended his hand to Kyle, who was seated. Kyle took his hand and stood.
A lady with magnificent golden hair held a white lace parasol with her hand covered in transparent lace gloves. The flowing sky-blue dress, visibly made of precious silk, added elegance. The white ermine coat worn over it complemented the outfit perfectly.
Her only slight flaw was being excessively tall for a woman, but her face was so beautiful that it offset everything. Everyone who passed by couldn’t help but turn around, as if enchanted, to look at that beautiful face.
They deliberately chose a busy area near Yureho city to wander around. Of course, many private soldiers were hiding in the vicinity. Blair, dressed in a black uniform with a sword at his side, stayed by Kyle’s side. Both Kyle and Blair had striking appearances.
People would think it was a young lady from a noble house out for a stroll with a single knight escort. Of course, Blair’s aura and attire made it easy to deduce that this was no ordinary household, but Kyle’s beauty was too dazzling to simply admire from afar.
Even the soldiers deliberately positioned nearby could barely maintain their composure. Even those who knew that the core was the empire’s Third Prince were affected. Naturally, those who didn’t know were completely fooled by the appearance of this exquisitely beautiful young lady.
“Blair, Blair. Try eating this.”
Kyle, excited and happy for some reason, bought various foods and offered them to Blair. Kyle was in high spirits, feeling as if he were on a real date alone with Blair. Blair, who was extremely tense and vigilant about potential dangers, frowned deeply. The person about to be kidnapped was excessively carefree.
Of course, if Blair had been the only bait as originally planned, he wouldn’t have been this tense. In that case, the ones who should worry would be the kidnappers. But Kyle was different. Kyle was an imperial prince and wasn’t as skilled in martial arts as Blair. Though he had learned some basics at the Academy and could probably defend himself as he claimed, Kyle—who had obviously been raised without experiencing any hardship—couldn’t help but worry Blair.
After behaving conspicuously enough to catch everyone’s attention in the busy district for a while, the sun slowly began to set. Winter made sunset arrive quickly. Kyle and Blair exchanged glances. As their surroundings grew dim, Kyle slowly began to walk. Hundreds of gazes fell upon his fluttering, voluminous skirt.
Blair and Kyle slowly entered a previously scouted alley. The shops decreased, and there were far fewer passersby. Blatant stares began to be felt. Using Kyle as bait had certainly been an excellent choice. As they walked slowly, the alley narrowed, and pedestrians disappeared.
Kyle suddenly turned around and spoke.
“I think we came the wrong way. There’s nothing here.”
“You’re right. Shall we go back?”
“Yes, let’s…”
The timing was perfect, as if it had been rehearsed. Hands suddenly appeared from behind, covering Kyle and Blair’s noses with handkerchiefs. Having already taken antidotes against several sleeping agents, neither Blair nor Kyle fell asleep, but they obediently relaxed their bodies, pretending to collapse as the men wanted.
The men took Blair’s sword away and tied his arms behind his back with rope. Fortunately, they didn’t search their bodies. Blair had worried about what would happen if they took only Kyle and left him behind, but luckily, they seemed to have appraised Blair as having market value too. If they had taken only Kyle, he would have had to implement the second plan they had prepared.
Blair felt his body being lifted and carried. He could sense being carried over someone’s shoulder, moving through various alleys for quite some time. The men stopped in front of a certain place and conversed.
“Is this the new merchandise?”
“Top grade among top grades.”
“Then take them directly to the boss.”
After having their identities confirmed, the men all went inside. Blair felt as if they were going down stairs. The air was notably humid and cold, confirming that they were indeed underground. Clara’s prediction had been accurate.
Blair was left alone in a room with a barred gate. After pretending to be unconscious for a while, he opened his eyes when he sensed no one around. Confirming that he was alone in the narrow room, Blair opened his eyes and rolled up his sleeve. Approaching the wall, he rubbed the thin string tied around his forearm until it broke, causing a dagger hidden in his clothes to fall into his hand. Using the dagger, he instantly cut through the rope binding his wrists, then calmly examined the padlock on the barred gate.
It was a rusty padlock that looked like it wouldn’t fit well. This too had been anticipated. Blair took out several pieces of metal tools used by locksmiths from his pocket. Inserting the metal piece into the padlock and checking for resistance points, before long there was a clicking sound as the mechanism engaged, and the padlock opened.
The security seemed tight only at the entrance, as there were surprisingly few patrols or personnel moving around. Dressed in black, Blair could easily hide in the darkness. After confirming the route that led to the entrance, he surveyed the path. This would be a suitable place to throw a bomb as a signal later. Their companions would have followed the tracking scent planted on Kyle by now. The entire building was likely being monitored by soldiers. They had agreed to set off the signal only after accurately assessing the entire scale of the operation.
Blair moved quietly, scanning the underground prison. The interior of the underground facility was surprisingly large. There were no captives near the entrance. Even after walking quite far, he couldn’t see any victims behind the bars. Had they all been sold? Blair tilted his head in confusion.
Winter’s coldness crept up the walls. Most of the women kidnapped likely met unpleasant fates in this place. He thought perhaps being sold as slaves for manual labor might actually be better.
But judging by their targeting of exceptionally beautiful people like Kyle, this market’s specialty was likely selling people with beautiful and unusual appearances to perverts. Kyle, being an extraordinarily high-grade commodity, would probably have been taken directly to a high-level manager.
Blair walked down a rather long corridor, but still saw no people. Had a market recently opened and everything been sold out? This seemed unlikely for several reasons. On the positive side, the absence of potential victims meant he could freely throw bombs.
That’s when it happened.
Blair’s ears began to pick up the sound of commotion.
[To be continued in the next installment…]
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
