I Made a Game Featuring Constellations - Chapter 60



Kidnapping

Boom!

The heavy door of the main Senate conference hall closed.

“It seems everyone is here, so let’s start the emergency meeting.”

Two chairs at the highest seat in the conference hall.

The elf woman seated on the left, prepared for the two consuls, announced the opening.

“I will introduce the agenda of the meeting. The previous day, there was an intrusion incident in the Senate.”

All the elves focused on the voice of the head of the Primera family, the consul and the pinnacle of power.

“The intruders bypassed all the guards and entered the children’s shelter located inside the main Senate building. Fortunately, most of the children were away, but two children who were not were kidnapped by them. They identified themselves as Baraklava and sent us a statement.”

Snap

When she snapped her fingers, a large screen displayed a yellowish paper with scribbled writing.

“We have the kidnapped children. If you want the children to be safe, meet our demands. First…”

The hand of the head of the Primera family, who was reading the demands, trembled slightly with anger.

“Absurd!”

“We mercifully freed them from slavery, and they dare to…”

“We must send the army to suppress them immediately!”

“Silence! The explanation of the agenda is not over yet!”

At her shout, the Senate conference hall fell silent again.

“Baraklava. They are presumed to be a group of dark elves. According to the trackers’ reports, they fled to the underground city, Darkhood.”

“Darkhood? That slum?”

“Tracking Darkhood would be impossible.”

“This is becoming troublesome.”

“Today’s agenda is how to deal with this. Any council member with a solution, please raise your hand and request to speak.”

The meeting began, and various opinions were submitted.

“First and foremost, the safety of the hostages is paramount. Let’s pretend to meet their demands while assessing the hostages’ condition.”

“How do you plan to secure the hostages’ location?”

“Isn’t it the underground city Darkhood! The hotbed of crime that doesn’t even show up in statistics!”

“What about seeking the cooperation of the Dark Elves? Haven’t we recently implemented several favorable policies for them? They might actively cooperate with us.”

“Those stupid Dark Elves?”

“There’s no way they would! Of course, they’ll stab us in the back!”

“What if the hostages are harmed? Let’s agree to some of their demands and aim for a hostage exchange negotiation. After all, we don’t need to save both. One of the children is a black elf like them, so there shouldn’t be any particular danger.”

“That’s nonsense!”

“Accepting the demands of those criminals! Is that something a council member should say!”

Among these various opinions, the one that received the most support was:

“Let’s send the army immediately and crush them!”

“Right! There’s no need to leave such a lawless area!”

“There’s no guarantee that a second or third Balaclava won’t emerge. We need to nip it in the bud.”

The chairperson and governor, Primera, who was overlooking the meeting, felt a burning frustration inside.

“You don’t look well?”

The green-haired elf sitting next to her spoke to her.

From noble mtl dot com

It was Axila Atri, her fellow regent and head of the Atri family, one of the three great families.

“Are you worried?”

She asked with a smile in her eyes.

“……No.”

The head of the Primera family struggled to hide her emotions.

As the head of the Primera family and a regent, she should not reveal her personal feelings.

“It’s just… I’m angry at those criminals who ignore us high elves.”

“That’s right! How dare they ignore us high elves!”

Axila’s smile deepened.

“Shouldn’t we crush those criminals right away?”

Her smile was so fishy that it was hard to believe it belonged to a beautiful high elf with fair skin and delicate features.

* * *

Somewhere in the underground city of Darkhood

“Ugh!”

“It hurts!”

A white elf girl and a black elf boy were thrown into a damp, cold room.

“Hmm… This kid was inside that white tower?”

“What, what is it….”

An old dark elf woman examined the dark elf boy’s body here and there.

“I heard a new Dark Elf tribune was born recently. Must be her child.”

“So why did you bring this one? We don’t need him to threaten them.”

“I don’t like that our comrade thinks and acts like the white ones. I brought him to fix that mindset. To break the brainwashing of the white pigs.”

“Hmm…”

The Dark Elves looked up and down at the boy and girl as if licking them.

“What do you want from us!”

The boy stepped back, blocking the girl as if to protect her.

“Look at that.”

“Indeed. Acting just like the white ones?”

“It will take time for the white pigs to respond to our message anyway. Isn’t this a suitable pastime while we wait?”

“Well… makes sense. Very good.”

As the Dark Elves approached with a menacing atmosphere, the girl pushed the boy back.

“Stupid Russ! Who do you think you can protect when you’re weaker than me!”

The girl stepped forward, shielding the boy, and drew a toy sword from her bosom.

“I am Saphira Primera, heir to the Primera family! Do you know who you’re messing with? Do you know who my mother is!”

The tip of the girl’s sword trembled.

“Of course we do, white lady. Isn’t she the highest authority among the Elves?”

“…You know?”

Swoosh

The black elf moved swiftly in the blink of an eye.

She struck the girl’s sword, causing it to fall, and held her mouth shut.

“Sorry, miss. This isn’t the upper town. The strange and boring common sense of the white folks doesn’t work here.”

“Let go of Saphira!”

The dark elf boy rushed in, but he was easily subdued as well.

“I don’t quite understand, boy. Weren’t you being bullied by this white girl? That’s what it looked like when we first saw you and just now. Why are you trying to save her?”

“B-because what you’re doing isn’t right!”

“…Look at this guy. He’s thoroughly brainwashed. To hear the words ‘right thing’ come out of a dark elf’s mouth.”

“This one needs urgent re-education.”

The leader, with a sly smile, bent down to meet the boy’s gaze.

“Hey boy, let’s do it this way.”

“…?”

“We’ll accept you as one of us.”

“…Why should I become one of you?”

“Because it involves this girl.”

“What?”

“If you pass our training and tests and officially become one of us, we’ll set this girl free.”

“…How can I believe that?”

They were criminals who had kidnapped a child inside the Senate building.

Even if they were the same dark elves, there was no way he could trust these criminals he had never seen before.

“What if you don’t believe us?”

The captain grabbed the girl’s neck and lifted her up.

“Ugh!”

The girl struggled, grabbing the captain’s hand, but she couldn’t escape her strong grip.

“S-Saphira!”

“You should know who holds the hilt. If you’re not sure, don’t take the risk. Don’t forget.”

“Let go of Saphira, you villain!”

“Will you accept it?”

“I accept! I accept!”

The captain’s white teeth contrasted with her dark skin as she grinned.

Thud

When the captain let go, the girl fell to the ground, landing on her backside.

“Cough! Cough!”

“Are you okay, Saphira?”

“Y-You idiot, Russ. How could you accept such a criminal’s proposal?”

“We had no choice. Just wait a moment. I’ll figure something out.”

The boy stood up with a determined expression.

“I have a condition for accepting the proposal.”

“Do you think you’re in a position to set conditions?”

“It won’t be bad for you either. And it’s better if I participate more actively.”

“…What do you want?”

“Until I receive my education and take the exam. Ensure this kid’s safety. Give him enough food too.”

“We have to take care of the white thing. The reason is.”

“Didn’t you bring him here to use as a hostage anyway? We must ensure the hostage’s safety. And above all, he must be safe for me to properly become one of you, right?”

The boy added with an awkward smile.

“Didn’t you say not to take a gamble unless you’re sure? How about now? Is it a sure bet?”

“…Damn.”

It seemed to have gotten a bit darker.

“Fine.”

The leader turned around and headed out of the room.

“I’ll accept your condition. But don’t forget, kid. That condition only applies as long as you can keep up with the education. Any kind of education.”

Hahaha

Bang!

With the leader’s hearty laughter, the heavy door closed

Clang

and locked.