Be My Son!

Rudeus walked over to the wooden box holding Eris and removed the lid. Inside lay Eris, sleeping peacefully.

She really does look like a proper young lady like this!

The dim light fell on Eris's face, and she slowly woke, only for Rudeus's sleazy smile to be the first thing she saw.

Then Eris discovered she was tied up and hurriedly shouted:

"What's going on?"

Rudeus stopped smiling and slipped into character in a second.

"It looks like we've been kidnapped. If we had magic, we could easily cut these ropes and get out of here, you know?"

"Too bad our young lady doesn't know any magic!"

"What a shame!"

As he spoke, Rudeus used wind magic to cut the ropes binding him, demonstrating the wonders of magic to Eris.

"Stop joking around! Ghislaine! Where's Ghislaine?"

Eris shouted in the room, trying to summon Ghislaine.

Naturally, all that noise caught the kidnapper's attention, and Rudeus heard footsteps approaching the room.

He immediately raised both hands, giving the kidnapper a French military salute.

"Shut up, brat. Can't you keep quiet?"

A bald man with a scarred face who looked utterly vicious kicked the door open and kicked Eris to the floor.

He wore an impatient expression, was chewing something, and carried a curved sword at his left side.

Eris shouted at him from the floor.

"That hurt! You want me to send you flying with an elbow?"

Everything was going according to Rudeus's script, except...

The kidnapper showed Eris no mercy, kicking her into the corner. Even watching that kick hurt Rudeus.

The kidnapper did not stop his violence after sending Eris flying. He kept beating her, and before long, not a single part of her was unscathed.

She was covered in bruises and blood, and several of her teeth had been knocked out.

Hey, hey, hey! If this is an act, isn't it a little too realistic?!

Rudeus swallowed as he looked at the pitiful sight of Eris before him.

The kidnapper noticed Rudeus then, casually slapped him, and left the room.

No, this isn't an act! We've really been kidnapped!

At that thought, Rudeus hurriedly activated Voice Call. No matter what the kidnapper might imagine, he would never guess that the two of them could talk over unlimited distances.

Hey, Rad, we have a problem. Someone leaked the plan. These are real kidnappers, not actors. Requesting rescue!

When Radeus received the call, he immediately understood that the carriage earlier really had belonged to kidnappers, who had abducted the two right under everyone's noses.

What a fine diversion to cover a secret operation.

Understood. I'll tell Philip. Can you determine your current location?

Rudeus looked around, but there was nothing beyond this filthy, cluttered, dim room.

I don't know our exact location. All I know is that we're in a dim room. I'll get Eris out first, then report further.

Rudeus thought for a moment and decided to escape first. He had not expected their pretend kidnapping to turn real, but he could also use this to get Eris to learn magic.

The plan had gone wrong, but he could still make full use of it.

The badly beaten Eris was cursing the kidnapper through slurred speech. Rudeus walked over and gestured for her to quiet down, then cast Healing Magic on her. Though it was only beginner-level, it was enough.

"Keep quiet. Do you want to bring the kidnapper back?"

Feeling her body gradually recover, Eris breathed a sigh of relief, but when the healing ended, she discovered she had not been fully healed.

"Heal me properly!"

"If I heal you, won't you just start shouting again? If you want to be fully healed, cast a Healing Spell yourself."

Rudeus said this to Eris.

Although Rudeus spoke very quietly, Eris's booming voice was impossible to ignore.

The kidnapper approached the room again and repeatedly kicked the door.

By then, Rudeus had opened a window high up and promised to take Eris away if she agreed to three conditions.

As the kidnapper's terrifying violence drew ever closer, Eris nodded and accepted Rudeus's demands.

Meanwhile, Radeus explained the situation to Philip and Ghislaine at the mansion.

"You're saying Eris and Rudeus really have been kidnapped? How can you be sure?" Philip asked Radeus.

"Rudeus and I have a special means of communication. He just told me they really are being held by kidnappers. If you don't believe me, you can check the place we arranged beforehand and see whether Eris and Rudeus are there."

Radeus explained this to Philip.

Philip hurriedly sent Ghislaine to check, and she discovered that there was no one at the arranged location.

"Do you know where the young lady and Rudeus are, Rad?"

Frantic with worry, Ghislaine hurriedly asked Radeus.

Radeus shook his head at Ghislaine's question.

"I don't know where they are. Rudeus only said they were in a dark room. He'll get Eris out of there first, then send me word."

"There are three things we need to do now!"

"What three things?"

Philip immediately grew interested. He wanted to see what ideas Radeus had.

Radeus glanced at Philip and answered:

"First, send everyone currently available to search alleys, basements, and other places where people could be hidden, one by one. The goal isn't to find them, but to restrict their movements."

"Although Eris and Rudeus are outside the city now, there must be someone inside the city supporting the kidnappers. We have to restrict their movements now."

"Second, find the traitor who leaked the information. This plan was very confidential, and few people present knew about it. Investigating should be fairly quick."

Philip was somewhat surprised by Radeus's analysis. He had not expected a seven-year-old to consider things so thoroughly and analyze them so coherently, but this still would not locate Eris and Rudeus.

"But how will that rescue Eris and Rudeus?" Philip asked.

"My third point addresses that problem. Third, wait for word from Rudeus. He may be young, but he's as quick-witted as I am, and he's also a Chantless Water Saint Rank mage. He'll have no trouble getting Eris out of that place. As soon as we receive his signal, send Ghislaine and me."

"Ghislaine is a Sword King, and I'm also a Water Saint Rank mage. With Rudeus as well, we'll stand a fighting chance even if the enemy is Emperor Rank."

"Besides, why would someone of Emperor Rank stoop to kidnapping Eris? It makes no sense in terms of motive."

Philip nodded repeatedly as he listened and could not help applauding.

"Brilliant, brilliant! You're nothing like Paul's son. Why don't you become my son instead?"

So young, yet so resourceful-just like Philip himself.

Had Paul brought home the wrong child? Paul's brains were a little better than Ghislaine's, but how much better could they possibly be?

"All right, we'll do it your way! And why don't you seriously consider becoming my son? I have plenty of beast-eared girls here for you to choose from!"

Radeus was speechless. At a time like this, Philip was still cosplaying Whitebeard?

"Although that's a pretty good offer, I refuse!"