Chapter 135: Kidnapping

POV: Astan

*****

Yeah, that’s crazy. I was just going for a little piece of that golden statue! And then some weird, crazy cultists showed up."

"Yeah, I saw the memories. At that moment, you were breaking out in a cold sweat, thinking they’d caught you red-handed. Actually, it’s amazing how you managed to dodge those monsters and shake them off, and how you managed to get so close to the statues."

"Hehe! It was luck. The guards thought I was a civilian and let me through all their barricades. The situation was so tense that they didn’t even notice I wasn’t wearing a bracelet."

Yeah, from what I could see, because the attack was so sudden, not all the civilians were able to take shelter in the buildings, and some who didn’t evacuate in time were rounded up by the guards and placed behind their lines for protection.

The doppelg?nger who was hanging around there was mistaken for a resident and gathered up with the others.

The thing is, by chance, the statues weren’t very far away, and my doppelg?nger couldn’t pass up the opportunity—he tried to snag that souvenir.

I didn’t understand it at the time, but now that I think about it, the guards were probably cordoning off the entire area around those statues so the monsters wouldn’t reach them.

Anyway, while he was calmly taking advantage of the chaos to steal... I mean, to get that tourist souvenir, that peculiar group showed up.

"Yes, it took me a long time to cut that statue, and just when I was about to finish it, those types showed up."

"Haha! That was funny—seeing how you thought they were the guards and decided to play the fool even with all the circumstantial evidence right there."

"Hey! You would’ve done the exact same thing. Don’t judge me. Those guards could’ve turned me into mush faster than I could react. Luckily, they were just some weird guys."

"Yeah, but I think they were just as strong—or even stronger—than the guards."

"Yeah, I thought so too, and I really didn’t understand why they seemed afraid of me; some of them even trembled when I said that, if they wanted to fight..."

At that moment, my doppelganger asked that not because he wanted to fight, but rather because, depending on their response, he would run away immediately.

I couldn’t sense their strength, but I intuitively knew they were dangerous and that the smartest thing to do was to escape.

"Yeah, they were weird guys."

"It’s a shame that cute girl who was with them was crazy, too."

They didn’t do anything—they even let the doppelganger ask questions—and, in the end, they didn’t even try to stop him.

It was strange.

I’d say I don’t want to run into them again, but after thinking about that fragmented environment, I feel like this won’t be the last time I see them.

If they don’t come looking for me, I or the system will probably find them.

I think that, apart from the man who was speaking, everyone else was female. Well, some of them wore very thick robes, and I think they served to conceal their identities, but my instincts tell me that’s what they were.

But the important thing is that maybe one of them possesses a Dweller skill—though that’s something I’ll only be able to verify later if we run into each other again.

"By the way, you turned the axe into a saw to cut the statue, but do you think we could make it into something like a chainsaw?"

"oh!, that’s interesting, but I don’t think so—unless it’s something completely mechanical, hehe. Anyway, the important thing is that everything went off without a hitch, and thanks to them, no one will suspect me. They’ll just think they took the whole statue."

"Hey, but didn’t they say it was one of the Eyes of Argos or something like that? Don’t you think it would be better to give it back? It’s like their security system, right? Without it, they could get attacked again."

"Hmm, well, but if we keep the wing—or rather, rip off the other three. The important part was in the center, right?"

"Well, I guess so. We’ve got time while the attack and all that wraps up. I’ll handle it; you, on the other hand, go back to Amy."

"You know, I feel used! As soon as I’m done with my part, they send me right back to where I was. You guys just call me to be your stunt double and have fun on your own, while I’ll now sadly return to my job as a maid. I need proper compensation, or there’ll be a revolution on my part."

"Hmm, well, why don’t you go spend some time with Amy, ’sister to sister’?"

"Huh? Is that allowed? I mean, yeah, now that I think about it, it is. The only reason it doesn’t happen is that Astan, on her own, doesn’t have enough initiative, heuheue~. But now that I’m a complete being, that weakness is behind me. Amy, here I come! I’m going to give you some morning love! Ah! And make sure you stay synchronized!"

Yeah, it seems the Doppelganger’s complaints vanished as soon as she remembered she could go have fun with Amy.

I mean, if I’m not mistaken, it hasn’t dawned yet in the Beast Realm, but oh well, I don’t think Amy would care.

Who knows, maybe the Doppelganger can perform morphogenesis and create a ’extra member’, and say something like her clitoris swelled up too much or something like that.

Knowing Amy, she wouldn’t really think it through to see if it made sense or not—it would just be like giving a few extra lessons.

"Huh? Actually, aren’t I the one who’s missing out on the fun and just sitting here doing nothing? Damn it! I should’ve kidnapped Lys."

Now I was the one complaining as I stared at the door to one of the massage rooms, where Iris had gone in to provide her "services" to the unsuspecting client she’d brought along.

It reminded me of what had happened just before the doppelganger arrived.

***Moments Earlier****

"Phew! Even though I understand the reason, was that really the best way to go about it?"

We’d just appeared right in front of the parlor after using the traveling clock, but I couldn’t help asking Iris that.

"Yeah, and, oh no, the clock has taken twenty percent of my mana. I see that when it’s not voluntary, it charges whoever presses the button." (Iris)

"But you’re sure no one saw you, right?"

"Of course. I did the classic ’Oh, what’s that behind you?!’ Akane and Olivia looked over, and when they didn’t see me, I pulled out the crystal and set off the explosion. I went over to you, and we teleported." (Iris)

"Okay."

Well, Iris caused that explosion, I’d really been distracted by the events and the conversation, and I almost overlooked the fact that our free time was coming to an end.

There was just under a minute left before the system would forcibly bring us back...

And at that moment, it seems Iris decided there wasn’t time to come up with an explanation and get out of there, so instead of vanishing out of nowhere—and having to pay for it in Myrr—it was better for us to vanish of our own accord after a mysterious explosion.

Anyway, we both went inside, and there was Goldy to greet us.

That little slacker—even though we invited her—didn’t want to come out. She just eats and sleeps, and every now and then, she plays with Iris.

Everything was fine up to that point, but...

"￣へ￣. Hey, by the way, if she’s unconscious, why did you tie her up, blindfold her, and gag her? Is that a turtle-shell knot? No, actually—you really did all that in that brief moment?"

"Haha! You underestimate what Iris’s body is capable of! Haha! If even in my past life I could undress someone and put on a cosplay outfit in less than five seconds, now I can do it in less than a second. And my Shibari technique is perfect!" (Iris)

"I see, but is she going to stay like that the whole time?"

Yes, the one we’re referring to is the girl Iris was holding in her arms, who—in addition to being out cold because, if I didn’t see wrong, Iris hit her on the back of the neck—is also tied up and blindfolded.

The deal is questionable, but I suppose it’s effective.

"Nah, I’ll untie her before she regains consciousness... Well, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to keep trying to make sure Olivia-chan and I have a good time together. Heuheue~." (Iris)

She said as she happily headed toward one of the massage rooms with Olivia.

It hardly seemed like what she was doing was basically a kidnapping, but oh well, I wish her luck.

..

.

****

POV: Iris

*****

"...Huh?... Where am I?"(Olivia)

"Ah! Livvy, you’re finally awake! You’ve been in a coma for three years."

"Huh?! Y-you’re the girl... Miss Zephyr... huh! What is this place? How did I get here? What happened?"(Olivia)

"Huh?! What do you mean? Why do you sound like you’ve forgotten everything we went through together? Remember, after I was recruited by Miss Trinity, I became your classmate. We spent time together, and at our graduation, you finally accepted my feelings. B-but right after we got married and moved in together, you had that incident."

"Huh? H-huh? T-together? Got married? ah?! A-an incident?!"(Olivia)

"Yeah, you slipped on a banana peel and then fell down some stairs."

"Huh, wait, I don’t remember that. And... And Lys?"(Olivia)

"Lys? Seriously, is she all you think about? So much so that it took you so long to get over her. Don’t tell me you’re in love with her again. Don’t tell me that, Livvy."

"I-i... Wait, this... Wait! How many years have passed since we met?"(Olivia)

"Uh, let’s see: one, two... Plus the time you was in a coma—five. Yeah, yeah, five years."

"You’re lying! You’re still the same age as you were back then! Or rather, now... None of what you said is true, is it?"(Olivia)

"teehee~(??? )! Looks like you caught me."