"Ugh..."
He couldn't find the strength in his body. Moving felt like too much effort.
It was hard to regain his senses.
He wanted to just keep sleeping in this state. Because no one could bother him here.
...If only those wretched scenes didn't keep flashing in his mind, he would have just kept sleeping.
'Yami!! You are my masterpiece!!!'
'You can never obtain a normal everyday life.'
'You are the one who can answer my ■■!!!'
'Because you are already ■■■.'
Shut up... I... I wasn't ■■. So... shut up...
'...Yami.'
Damn it...
After those madmen, now it's you...?
'■■■'
Yes. Of course...
I have to listen to you...
Damned ■■■.
***
"Hah...!!!"
Yami woke up from his dream.
It was a rotten dream. How could that person show up at the end?
"Where is this...?"
He looked around and realized his situation.
His wrists were cuffed, and a heavy, black iron ball was attached to his leg to prevent escape.
Anyone seeing this would think he was a criminal. Yami thought so too.
But the room was surprisingly nice. A bed, a sofa, and a bathroom. Finally, the surroundings gleamed as if someone had just cleaned the place.
"What is this?"
Wasn't I kidnapped by that maid?
Just then, the door opened and someone entered the room.
Yami immediately grew wary of the sudden arrival.
He was grateful for being confined in such a room, but it would be strange not to be wary after being kidnapped.
"Are you awake?"
The person who entered was the very maid responsible for anesthetizing him and bringing him here.
"What's your objective...?"
Frankly, he still didn't understand. Including this encounter, Yami had only seen that maid twice.
So what kind of grudge could she possibly hold against him to do this?
"Uh... what are you doing?"
Suddenly, the maid bowed politely at a 90-degree angle. Seeing this, Yami realized it was an act of apology.
"First of all, I apologize. Today... or rather, two days ago. Meeting you was not a coincidence. I arranged everything."
"Hold on... two days ago?"
"That is correct."
"By any chance, were those two days... the day I gave you the service, or the day you kidnapped me with anesthetic...?"
Please say it was the day I gave the service... please...
"It was the anesthetic incident. Is there a problem?"
"...I'm screwed..."
If that's the case, it means I've been sleeping for two whole days, doesn't it?!
"My phone... where's my phone—!"
"Here you are."
"Oh. Thank you. Wait, why do you have it?!"
"I took it during the body search, just in case."
"I-is that so..."
Normally, shouldn't I point out that taking it without asking is wrong?
He wanted to say, but right now, that wasn't the priority.
"Momotalk..."
Found it!
"Huh...?"
But contrary to Yami's expectation, there were no messages or calls on Momotalk.
It was strange. If he hadn't contacted anyone for several days, surely at least one person would have sent a "Where are you?" message.
Not even Shiroko-senpai had sent a message.
What is this? Am I still dreaming...?
Yami was so confused it felt like he might be mistaking reality for a dream.
"Ah. I forgot to mention. You don't need to worry about school. The person who introduced herself as your senpai explained everything well."
"My senpai...?"
"Yes. A student with silver hair and wolf ears introduced herself as your senpai. For your information, she has already returned to school."
"... Shiroko-senpai...?"
She just went back? This might be incredibly rude to say, but... did she eat something strange...?
Shiroko-senpai wouldn't just leave without doing something to me, would she?
"Now you are free to return as well."
"Huh? Wait, you suddenly held me captive, and now you're telling me to just go back...?"
And after he'd lost two whole days!
"Will this be sufficient compensation?"
"Ha!! You can't buy time with money—"
[62,350,000 Yen has been deposited into your account.]
"Thank you! Goodbye!!"
The amount was too large to stay angry about.
***
"...Rio-sama, the target is returning."
Toki watched Yami depart, happy with the money he had received, and called her employer, Rio.
[Yes. I've confirmed it.]
"But is it truly alright? Letting him go just like that?"
[It's fine. In fact, it would have been a big problem if we hadn't sent him back.]
Rio did not regret this decision now.
[After all, how could we possibly deal with monsters like that?]
***
"Huh...?"
Did I accidentally bite my arm while sleeping...?
"Why is there a bite mark...?"
Yami, who had been in a good mood after receiving a large sum of money, got goosebumps upon seeing the mysterious bite mark.
T/N: Heh. I wonder as well.