Fortunately, I wasn't kidnapped to the Hostess of Fertility.
"There was a path like this here?"
"Does Runoar always take this path?"
"Yes, if returning to the shop, this way saves a lot of time. It's not as inconvenient as Syru worries."
Instead, I agreed to keep them company near the shop, but still.
"That's not what I meant..."
But at that moment, a figure presumed to be a Pallum in a robe hurriedly hid something in their sleeve as they passed us.
'...Wait, this scene, perhaps?'
"Wait. You there, Pallum. Show me the knife you just put in your sleeve for a moment."
"Runoar?"
"...Why are you doing this?"
As expected, the identity of the robed figure was Lili.
'Is that the transformation magic? Her voice and physique have changed to a man's, so it's right to pretend not to know now...'
"The knife with the hieroglyphs engraved on it resembles an acquaintance's item. I'd like to check it."
At Runoar's request, Lili seemed to hesitate for a moment but soon pulled out a familiar-looking black knife from her sleeve and spoke boldly.
"...Sorry, but this knife is mine. Please don't pick a strange quarrel!"
It was visibly unnatural that she avoided looking this way.
'...Is she acting like that because she recognizes me?'
But Runoar had already noticed that the knife was Bell's, so she released some of her suppressed power and pressured Lili.
"Bullshit"
"...Ugh!?"
"Don't move."
The pressure was so intense that even I, standing right beside her, felt a chill.
"Eek!!"
Lili finally chose to flee and started running at full speed.
"I warned you."
'Whoosh!! Crack!!'
"Aah!?"
But before long, she was hit in the wrist by an apple thrown by Runoar, dropped the knife she was holding, and crouched down on the spot, perhaps due to pain beyond imagination.
"You'd better tense your stomach."
"Gah?!! Agh!?"
Of course, Runoar didn't stop attacking just because she crouched down.
"Let's see... 'What forms this body is the silver of truth, the brilliance of mithril. True light, even if taken by another, only dims that brilliance. Remember, the one who can draw the sword is only the one you acknowledge and share blood with.' ...Indeed, it was Bell's knife."
While Lili was kicked and flew far away, I picked up the knife that had fallen to the ground and checked part of the hieroglyphs on the blade to confirm if it was Bell's knife that I knew.
"Mr. Kai, can you read hieroglyphs?"
"...Ah, it was easier than you think?"
Back when I received my Falna not long ago, I expected it to be divine script, but it was just hiragana and katakana twisted like Greek letters, so I could pick it up faster than thought.
"First, before that..."
'Click!'
"...What did you do to Bell?"
Having confirmed it was Bell's knife. I deliberately approached as close as possible to give Lili the impression that I didn't recognize her disguise, then looked at her with a murderous glint in my eyes and held a gun to her head.
"This is a weapon I made myself. It has the power to easily pierce a human head, so you'd better speak honestly before I pull the trigger."
"Th-that knife..."
Lili, who already knew the gun's power, trembled in fear.
"Mr. Kai, are you an item maker?"
"This is the third time... I'm not an item maker, just making things as a hobby."
While pondering how to create an opportunity for her to escape, Syru happened to ask a question, so I deliberately turned my head.
"Gah!?"
Unfortunately, the part Lili attacked to escape was the groin, and I collapsed to the ground, curling my legs from the sudden surge of pain in that precious area.
"You b*tch... Gah..."
"...Wh-what?!"
"Ar-are you okay..."
Since the attacked part was what it was, the two women watching from behind were momentarily bewildered, not knowing how to respond, and Lili, after attacking, was dazed for a moment, then came to her senses and hurriedly fled.
'I was trying to show a gap to give her an angle to escape, but she had to attack...!!'
Still, perhaps Lili controlled her strength? It only felt like being hit there by a kicked soccer ball.
"What?! Stop right there!!"
Runoar, who was momentarily flustered, quickly regained her composure, picked up Bell's knife that I had dropped, and started chasing Lili.
"Ooh... aah... ugh..."
"Th-that... are you sure you're okay?"
"Ah, no, I'm not okay..."
I forced my still trembling legs to stand and chased after Runoar's rapidly running figure with Syru.
'Seriously, if she weren't a main character, I would have shot a bullet or two into her limbs long ago!'
.
.
.
Truly, today was unlucky in many ways.
"What is this? Did you pick it up from the garbage dump ahead? The blade itself is dead."
"W-wait a minute, that can't be...!"
"Hmm... if it's okay, shall we decorate it in our shop? For 30 valis."
Not only did I hear that the famous sword I worked hard to steal, taking advantage of a situation where only two were left in the dungeon, was worth only 30 valis.
"Wait. You there, Pallum. Show me the knife you just put in your sleeve for a moment."
"...What did you do to Bell?"
Of all people, I was caught by someone who knows the owner of the stolen item well.
"This is a weapon I made myself. It has the power to easily pierce a human head, so you'd better speak honestly before I pull the trigger."
And by the most dangerous type of people at that.
"Th-that knife..."
While racking my brain on how to escape this situation.
"This is the third time... I'm not an item maker, just making things as a hobby."
As if by a miracle, everyone's attention focused on the man in front, creating a good timing to escape.
'Stupid!'
I don't have any bad feelings toward him, but there's no better attack to incapacitate a man instantly, so I kicked his genitals.
"Gah!?"
'...Huh? Something's strange...?'
Since I had experience doing this several times before, I controlled my strength appropriately and kicked, but somehow... a strange sensation I hadn't felt before transmitted through the top of my foot.
"You b*tch... Gah..."
'...N-no way?!!'
Only after the man in front grabbed the attacked part and collapsed did I realize the identity of that sensation... but now wasn't the time to worry about that.
'I, I have to run first!!'
Fortunately, the elf woman who looked most dangerous was also distracted by the collapsed man, so I could put some distance between us.
'If I just get out of this alley, it's a street with lots of people!'
My stomach, which was kicked earlier, still throbbed, but I endured it somehow and was about to exit the path when
"Aah!"
Suddenly, someone jumped out from the corner, causing me to misstep and fall.
"Li, Lili?!"
"Haa... Be, Bell-san!?"
.
.
.
In conclusion, Runoar ultimately lost the culprit.
"...I can't believe I let them get away."
"Wait, Runoar, you're too fast..."
"Huff... huff..."
Of course, I knew that the being we were chasing until just now was Lili, now in Bell's arms, but there was no way for the others to notice that.
"Mr. Runoar, Ms. Syru, and Mr. Kai too?! What on earth..."
"Ah, Mr. Cranel, it's good timing. Actually, your... Mr. Cranel, step aside!"
Runoar approached Lili, who was wearing the same outfit as the person she was chasing, and roughly pulled off the hood.
"Eek?! H-hey!?"
"...Chienthrope?"
When the hood was removed, it revealed not a Pallum man but a female Chienthrope, and upon confirming this, Runoar made a somewhat bewildered expression, looking dazed for a moment.
"Wh-what's going on all of a sudden! Lili, are you okay!?"
"Ye, yes..."
Seeing the current situation while knowing everything made me think that in many ways, the world was giving Lili a break.
"I'm sorry. I must have mistaken the person."
I really wanted to shout, 'No, Mr. Runoar, you saw correctly!!' but if I did, I couldn't know how the future I knew would change, so I remained silent.
"...By the way, Mr. Cranel, isn't this knife your item?"
"Ahh!!! It's my knife! Thank you! Really, thank you!!"
Bell, who thought he had accidentally dropped it and was wandering around Orario, immediately grabbed Runoar's hand tightly and expressed his gratitude upon seeing his knife in Runoar's hand.
"...Mr. Cranel, that... this is awkward. You should do this to Syru, not me..."
"R, Runoar?! What are you saying!?"
'...This is just like a comedy sketch.'
While quietly observing the situation, I looked up at the sky briefly and saw that the sun was starting to set, so I hurriedly opened my mouth to end things.
"...So how did you lose it?"
"I probably dropped it on my way to the guild, but I'm glad I found it... I'm sorry, Lady Hestia. I won't drop it anywhere again...!"
"Dropped it...?"
Runoar returned the knife to Bell while harboring doubts, and the moment Bell grabbed the knife's handle.
"...Huh!?"
The hieroglyphs engraved on the knife glowed slightly, and as if vitality filled the blade, the edge came to life.
'Fitting for a god-made weapon...'
I don't remember well, but if the meaning of the hieroglyphs I read earlier is correct, that knife probably can't be properly used by anyone other than Bell.
"Um... but where was this knife?"
"...More than where it was, a certain Pallum had it."
At Bell's question, Runoar glanced at Lili for a moment.
"A Pallum? Ah, so that's why you did that to Lili..."
"Yes, I was chasing that Pallum, but I lost them, so..."
Well... it was partly my intention, but since it's my fault...
"I took a big hit in the middle of it..."
"What?! Was there someone who could hit Mr. Kai?"
When Bell looked at Runoar in surprise at my words, Runoar blushed for a moment and stammered.
"Uh, th-that is... ahem! Anyway, for that reason, I suspected that person over there. It was a hunch, though."
"A hunch?"
"Yes, she seems to be a Chienthrope. Moreover, the Pallum I was chasing was a 'man'. Do you know any Pallum men?"
"No, I don't..."
"Then that Pallum must have picked up what you dropped. It was fortunate that I saw Mr. Cranel's knife in the back alley yesterday. Thanks to that, I could grasp it even after a brief look."
"If you saw it in the back alley, it must have been quite a distance. You could see it?"
"Yes, if you observe carefully, it's more visible than you think."
"...Is that how it works?"
While I, Runoar, and Bell were talking, Syru subtly approached Lili, who was sitting on the ground, so I pricked up my ears.
"If you play too many tricks, it won't end well."
""?!!!""
Syru's voice, clearly the same as usual but somehow different, made not only Lili but also me break out in goosebumps.
"-Then our business is done. Syru, let's head back."
"Yes~"
"Ah, thank you for helping!"
With Bell's thanks as the last word, I once again became a companion for Runoar and Syru, walking the path with both hands full of luggage.
"Nya~ nyaan~!"
"...Um, Ms. Syru?"
"Yes? Why do you ask?"
"You said you wouldn't kidnap me."
"Ahh~ that? I said Runoar and I wouldn't kidnap you, but I didn't say other people wouldn't~"
"You scammer!!!"
Tricked by Syru, I was kidnapped to the Hostess of Fertility again.