Future Diary Survival Game-Chapter 64 : Hostage Situation – 3

Chapter 64: Hostage Situation – 3
Aside from the bare minimum rest time… in other words, except for the short breaks just enough to keep the horses from collapsing with foam at their mouths, the carriage didn’t stop running.
We ate and slept inside the carriage.
When the coachman couldn’t hold out any longer, Berseum and Aina took turns in his place.
Both of them had experience handling horses.
After several shifts, our group was once again left alone inside the carriage.
Then, Sienne spoke softly.
“I’m really sorry. I could’ve taken the reins too. If only my eyes weren’t like this…”
“Please don’t say that. I’ve never even held reins before, so I have no right to talk.”
“Thank you for saying that.”
“It’s true. Come to think of it, Your Highness, you must have some riding experience as well, right?”
Armelia didn’t answer immediately.
It seemed the question hadn’t even registered in her ears.
She was anxiously biting her nails.
I spoke up.
“Your Highness. Your nails.”
“Ah.”
“You did the same thing during the Diet Quest.”
“Don’t bring up the quest. The coachman might overhear.”
At that, Berseum opened his mouth.
“Do not worry. I have blocked our voices with magic. Even without that, the sound of wind and the horses’ panting would make it impossible to hear what we say inside.”
“I see. Whew, sorry. I thought I’d gotten rid of that old habit.”
“I understand. You must be worried about Miss Cecil.”
Armelia’s eyes had turned red before anyone noticed.
The moment I saw her face, my mouth moved on its own.
“It’s all right, Your Highness.”
“Hm?”
“I have no intention of losing Miss Cecil—or anyone dear to all of you.”
“……”
“Please give me a little time. I’ll definitely come up with a good way.”
For a moment, Armelia and the others looked blankly at me.
But soon, faint smiles appeared on their faces.
“As always, you’re the one guiding me again.”
“I believe in you.”
“I shall think deeply on this as well.”
“Thank you, Mr. Mason.”
“Will that really work out so well?”
…?
Who said that last part?
Startled, we all turned and stepped back from the owner of the voice.
Magireta was resting her chin on both hands, smiling brightly.
I rubbed my forehead and said,
“Did you appear so suddenly again, Sister?”
“Mm-hmm. But this time, I’m the one surprised. How did you guys know to head for the capital?”
“……”
“I’ve checked several times, but I still can’t believe it. Someone who can actually see the future…?”
She continued lazily,
“This isn’t some shabby human astrology. Little brother, you know exactly what’s happening in the capital, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
“You don’t even bother hiding it now.”
“I also know why you’ve come here, Sister.”
“Pfft. Of course you do.”
Swoosh.
She pulled something out from her chest.
A neatly sealed letter.
Magireta waved it lightly in the air and spoke.
“Edgar told me to deliver this to you.”
“……”
“What’s wrong? You’re not going to take it?”
“Sister. I have something to ask.”
“I’m listening.”
I spoke in a low tone.
“Please protect Miss Cecil.”
“……”
“Edgar took a civilian hostage—someone not involved in the game. Right now, it’s only Miss Cecil, but that guy won’t stop here.”
“That does sound like him.”
“All of my companions’ precious ones will become hostages. I’ll do everything to stop that, but… with the orb blocked, I can’t guarantee we’ll win a speed race.”
Magireta nodded coolly.
“No need to go over what I already know.”
“Then…”
“But asking me to protect that woman named Cecil—how does that connect to what you just said?”
“……”
“If you insist, then make it a deal. What will you offer in return?”
Magireta glanced around at everyone.
Then she smiled faintly and turned to Armelia.
“You changed your necklace. How about offering that as payment?”
“T-This is…”
“Oh my, no? Is that cheap necklace more precious to you than your loved one?”
“Silence!”
Armelia rarely lost her temper.
Of course, Magireta didn’t silence herself.
“If you don’t like that, then offer something else. I’ll weigh it on the scale, and if the price is fair, I’ll protect Cecil.”
At that, everyone began to open their mouths at once.
But I stopped them, sensing something ominous.
“Everyone, don’t say a word.”
“Mason? But—”
“Something’s off. Don’t you feel it? Magireta’s tone… it sounds like she’s leading us somewhere.”
Magireta froze.
I quickly pieced my thoughts together.
“Would Edgar really not have anticipated this much? If he’s convinced we can’t save the hostage, he must have known we’d try to request Magireta’s help through a deal.”
“……!”
“Even if we manage to rescue Miss Cecil by paying some kind of price, Edgar would immediately ask Magireta to take her hostage again—this time in exchange for his life.”
“……”
“Or worse, he might’ve already made that request in advance—to have her monitored at the cost of his life. Actually, that sounds even more likely.”
Even as I spoke, I found myself convinced by my own reasoning.
If my guess was right, unless we offered something greater than a life, Magireta would never save Cecil.
Rather, she’d claim the price was insufficient and blow our heads off instead.
Of course, as Magireta herself had once said, Edgar could only make one trade per quest now.
But there was no guarantee he hadn’t saved a spare from the last one.
“He probably still has one saved trade left. That’s why he took Miss Cecil without hesitation.”
“……True. There’s no way that bastard didn’t foresee this much.”
“Yes. For now, let’s not do anything reckless and just move on.”
Then Magireta cut in.
“You sure about that? At this rate, there’s no way you’ll reach the capital in time.”
“……”
“Even if you somehow make it, can you really save that woman from Edgar? You guys are pretty weak.”
“Sister.”
“Yes, little brother.”
The words slipped out of me before I knew it.
“Just… be quiet.”
“…? What did you just say?”
“What’s so funny to you? Her Highness’s precious one is being held hostage.”
“……”
“And you’re just acting as Edgar’s errand girl—playing mail courier. From where we stand, you’re practically on Edgar’s side right now.”
Even as I worried that I might anger Magireta, I couldn’t stop myself.
“Are you all right with that? Running errands for a guy like him?”
“Mind your words.”
“Why did you roll up your sleeves and get involved in something like this in the first place? Ah, I don’t need an answer. I already know—because it’s fun.”
“…….”
“But I don’t find it fun.”
My voice sharpened.
“Delivering Edgar’s letters in the blink of an eye is, after all, you using your omnipotence. You’ve been doing this kind of thing for free, without asking for payment. Right?”
“That’s….”
“Yes. It’s not a request that interferes with the game—just delivering letters, so I can understand doing it for free. But using omnipotence for postal work feels a bit… shabby.”
“That’s enough. Little brother.”
“No. I have one more thing to say.”
I changed my tone.
Maybe… no, it was certainly the first time.
I had spoken to Magireta informally.
Everyone, including Magireta, gaped.
“Sometime, you’ll do me a favor. You’ll be made to protect the precious people of our party.”
“What nonsense. But your tone—”
“I’ll make you demand to protect them yourself. Remember exactly what I said.”
Magireta’s mouth formed that shape, and watching it was oddly entertaining.
‘…Did I go too far?’
I had.
Armelia was so troubled that his teasing attitude annoyed me and my blood pressure spiked.
How would Magireta react?
It was then.
Tap.
Surprisingly, she handed over Edgar’s letter without much comment.
And as she slipped away, she murmured.
“You suit that rebellious little-brother look better than I thought.”
“…….”
“I might fall for you if you’re not careful.”
…….
Huh?
When Magireta disappeared, only silence remained in the carriage.
Then Armelia’s voice cut through like a razor.
“She’s a complete lunatic!”
Why would you say that, Your Highness.
There had been a bit of a commotion, but we somehow regained our composure.
Berseum politely opened the letter with a knife.
We leaned in and read the letter.
< I have taken someone precious to you hostage.
Surprised? I thought starting like this would suit a hostage play.
As my sister might have told you when she handed the letter over, I am Edgar Tyler.
To be blunt, I have confirmed the identity of a person named Cecil.
From my investigation, she was the nanny of Princess Armelia.
She must be someone the Princess cherishes.
It seems that person cares for the Princess as well. If you turn the page, you will find a letter Cecil wrote to the Princess. Read it.
Now to the point…. From the day you receive this letter, please commit suicide within one week.
It would be preferable if you all died, but for conscience’s sake if just one of you kills themself, I will release Cecil.
You may check with my sister. I will release her safely.
But if a week passes and none of you are dead, you will feel Cecil’s neck.
Make a wise decision.
Edgar Tyler. >
Sss.
I turned the page back.
As Edgar had said, Cecil’s letter was there.
< Your Highness the Princess.
What dangerous trouble have you become embroiled in?
That day I escorted Your Highness from the hunting lodge, and I have not slept properly a single day since.
Please put your health first.
I do not know what the people who abducted me wrote in this letter.
Of course I am not a fool—I can guess.
They probably took me hostage to demand something of Your Highness.
I have a favor. Please do not listen to their words.
I have always cared for your safety alone.
It was an honor to serve Your Highness, even with my inadequate self.
Cecil de Rice. >
Drip, drip.
Armelia’s thick tears fell onto the letter.
When the ink blurred, she hastily rubbed the paper.
The slightly smudged writing looked even more pitiful.
“Even in that mess, Cecil thinks of me first. She’s always been the same steady person.”
“She sounds like a good person.”
“She really is.”
Aina changed the subject.
“Strange though. If it were Edgar, I thought he’d threaten and tell her to write that he should be let live.”
“Rather, he must have thought writing like this would move the Princess’s heart more. And his judgment was correct.”
“……I see. Do you think my brother would write a letter like that?”
“I said I would stop it from getting that far. Our leader said so.”
I scratched my head in embarrassment.
Then, arranging the letters, I fell into thought for a moment.
One week.
“Sir. Could you remove the magic, please?”
When Berseum lightly waved his hand, the voice-silencing magic on the carriage was lifted.
I opened the window and shouted to the coachman.
“Excuse me! How far to the capital from here?”
“At this speed, we’ll get there in ten days.”
“Ah, yes. Thank you.”
I closed the window and sat down.
The others also looked pale, having heard the coachman.
It was now certain we could not arrive in time.
Aina spoke up then.
“In Cecil’s letter it said ‘the ones who kidnapped me’—plural.”
“Aina.”
“It means Edgar already has accomplices. If Mason is right… it might be about my brother?”
“It’s not certain yet. I don’t know when your brother might have joined Edgar.”
“That could be. But it’s certain that it will happen someday.”
She did a quick dry-wash of her face.
Then she pressed her hands together and muttered.
“Why did you take that scum’s side, Brother?”
Berseum asked cautiously.
“Aina. Could you use that needle you showed us earlier to control the horses? Anything to speed us up even a little.”
“Huh? I can’t do that.”
“No. You had the needle.”
“That was something my brother took when our family was wiped out. It ended up in my arms when I came to my senses, but I don’t have the skill to use it.”
“Hmm.”
“My brother was a genius. He mastered every vision of the family at that young age. If it were him, he could probably make hundreds, even thousands of such needles.”
She sighed deeply.
The atmosphere grew heavy.
I still had to find a solution.
For now, we agreed to continue toward the capital.
I spent my time turning various ideas over in my head.
Two more days passed like that.
‘Wait a moment.’
If I used this method, perhaps?