I Have a Stalker of Noble Status. And to Make Matters Worse, their Numbers are Increasing (BL) - Chapter 21

The dimly lit interior of the carriage.

I tried to lift my head to see the face of the person who had dragged me inside, but before I could, a rough hand slammed my head against the floor.

Pain exploded through my skull. Fear gripped my chest.

Pathetic as it was, those were my first thoughts. Never in my life had I been handled so violently.

This is bad.

Pain and fear dull rational thinking.

I took a slow, deep breath—inhaling, then exhaling.

Even if I came from a poor rural barony, I was still the heir of House Humming.

I couldn’t afford to lose my composure disgracefully.

Stay calm. Think.

Fortunately, my captors hadn’t restrained my arms or legs, nor had they drugged me.

People often assumed I was weak because of my small stature and youthful appearance, but I actually took pride in my swordsmanship. Back home, I had never lost a match.

Of course, just like in academics, the royal capital was filled with monsters far beyond my level. Compared to them, I was probably nothing special.

Even so, I wasn’t completely defenseless.

Knowing I could fight if necessary gave me the resolve to stay composed.

Little by little, my usual clarity returned.

Alright. First, I needed to assess the number of people in the carriage, and then—

“What a dramatic turn of events, Ricky! You never fail to keep things exciting!”

…

…You’ve got to be kidding me.

In the middle of this absolute crisis, an unexpected—no, unwanted—intruder appeared.

It was none other than Prince Chrisford.

Your Highness, please.

Tell Ray or Max—

Knowing I’d be shoved down again if I moved, I turned my head slightly and desperately mouthed the words.

“Would you like me to alert your gallant knights? Ah, but alas, what a cruel fate! They cannot see me in this form!”

…His way of speaking was always grating, but in an emergency, it was downright infuriating.

“The only thing I can do is deliver news of your peril to your twin star. But I swear, I shall make sure the message reaches them!”

Yes, Ange! Hurry, Your Highness!!

With an infuriatingly smug expression, Prince Chrisford vanished.

…Okay. That was probably good news, right?

I’m counting on you, Your Highness!!

The reassurance that help would come allowed me to regain my composure.

Just moments ago, I had debated whether it would be smarter to escape from the carriage, even if it meant taking risks. Being taken to an unknown location by my captors seemed far more dangerous.

But now, with the hope that rescue was on its way, my strategy shifted. Buying time was the better option.

Priority one: ensuring my own safety.

Priority two: gathering information about my captors and their motives.

I had no reason to believe anyone would target me specifically, but considering the people I’d been associating with lately… well, I had too many possible explanations.

I didn’t know how much time had passed, but eventually, the carriage came to a sudden stop.

We had arrived at our destination.

“Get out.”

A rough hand grabbed my collar and yanked me to my feet before shoving me out of the carriage without care.

Finally able to assess my captors, I took note of my surroundings.

Three men.

I didn’t recognize any of them. They looked like common thugs from the city’s underworld.

Despite everything, they still hadn’t restrained me. They were letting me walk freely.

…They were underestimating me.

How convenient.

“Get in.”

I was shoved into a small shed-like structure. Surprisingly, the place was rather clean.

“Well, well. You finally arrived, ‘Remora.'”

The one who sneered down at me with utter contempt was none other than my classmate, the son of Count Rislo.

Upon closer inspection, the two people beside him were also my classmates.

Ah… so they hated me that much.

I had noticed them glaring at me resentfully lately, whispering insults just loud enough for me to hear.

I knew. I had known. But I never expected them to take it this far…

“What is the meaning of this, Lord Rislo?”

“What do you mean? I thought I’d give a certain country-bumpkin noble a little reality check.”

My shoulder throbbed from where it had slammed against the carriage when I was dragged in, and my forehead, scraped against the carriage floor as they pinned me down, was now bleeding.

“And what exactly do you intend to teach me by resorting to criminal acts?”

More than fear or pain, what I felt in that moment was an overwhelming sadness.

“Hah? A crime?”

“Isn’t it obvious? Or have your eyes and mind become so clouded that you can no longer distinguish such things?”

The bl00d trickling from my forehead stung as it reached my eye, but I refused to look away. I met their gazes head-on.

“Tch. This is why I can’t stand these arrogant, self-righteous country nobles. Listen up—if no one finds out, it’s not a crime. Soon enough, you’ll be sold off to some perverted old noble with… unique tastes.”

“What!?”

Human trafficking!? This is beyond anything I imagined—just how deep into crime have these people fallen!?

I sat in class with these monsters? Learned alongside them? That’s terrifying!

Before I left my barony, the elders warned me that the capital was a dangerous place. But I never imagined it was this dangerous—where even my classmates would stoop to human trafficking.

Seeing my reaction finally align with what they expected, they seemed pleased.

Count Rislo’s son smirked and, without being asked, started rambling with satisfaction.

“We’ve always cleaned up the filth—whether it be commoners or low-ranked nobles we didn’t like. You, a backwater noble, and us… Even if you escape and take this to the public, tell me, whose words will hold more weight? Who do you think society will believe?”

With a vile grin, he laughed.

As much as it infuriated me, he had a point. In this country, where the social hierarchy held immense power, it was nearly impossible for those of lower status to accuse someone of higher rank.

If I were to be sold to this so-called depraved noble, my fate would likely be covered up without a trace.

…That is, if I didn’t have a certain high-status stalker.

The moment that thought crossed my mind—

“Oh? Then why don’t we put that to the test?”

A chilling voice, as if it had risen from the depths of hell itself, echoed from the doorway.

“R-Ray!!”

“T-This can’t be… Lord Raymond? Why is he here…?”

While my voice was filled with relief and joy, my classmates’ voices dripped with despair.

“B-but there were guards at the door—”

“Oh, these guys? They were so weak it wasn’t even a challenge.”

Lord Douglas casually tossed the unconscious thugs who had been standing guard into the room.

“Now then, who’s going to take me on? You can choose the battleground—social influence? Trust? …Or perhaps the sword?”

Ray, radiating a nearly tangible aura of fury, smoothly drew his sword.

The academy’s prodigy, excelling in both academics and combat, was a master of the blade. There was no way these pathetic cowards, frozen in fear, could ever hope to match him.

“N-no, you don’t understand, Lord Raymond! We did this for you—for the Duke Feltnoek family! Someone like him is unworthy of being near you, so we were just… removing the problem!”

…

“Unworthy of being near Ray,” huh.

Honestly, I used to think the same way when we first met.

But you know what?

That’s not for you to decide.