I had just come down the room and Aneesa soon caught my eye. “Ara, you and Murakami took a while to wake up today. Did something happen yesterday? Fufufu.”

Well, of course it took us a while to wake up. After all, it was only possible for us to return to the hotel when the night game was over. Hm? Strange, for some reason I can't really remember last night... Did anyone actually win the competition after all?

Aneesa is saddened. "Love-chan didn't look too good either... Even though you two woke up late, she woke up much earlier! It looked like she had been up all night!”

"So she stop by here?! Do you know where she went??”

Aneesa sighs. “The only thing she said before she left was that she would get some fresh air out of town… Poor thing, I wonder what happened to her… Hm? Are you on your way out?”

“I'm to blame for her being like this, I'm going to settle things!”

"Ara, good luck then!"

Before leaving the inn, my eyes meet Scarlett and Lily's. The two were talking at one of the tables. Scarllet was drinking a milkshake, and she seemed in a good mood. Lily was fine too, and was eating a donut bigger than herself.

Lily offers to go with me, but Scarllet stops her. “Let's wait for him to come back with Loveta.”

Scarllet sighs and looks at me as if to say “You sure are hopeless…”, but then she motions with her hand for me to go after her.

Thanks for understanding me, Scarlett!

I look at her gratefully, and walk out the doors.

That's right, that's something only I can solve!

Okay, if I had more help it would be better... I have no idea where she went! I've been running this forest for half an hour, and no sign of her yet!

[Phew, if only you had listened to my last piece of advice...]

I know, I know! Now stop lecturing me and help me! Use that danger sensor of yours to help me track her!

[...Huh? Where did you get that I have this ability?]

...Don’t you have?

[If I had, obviously I would have used it already... ——!! Kazuki! Look to your right!]

I follow the direction indicated by Phanta and—

“Loveta?!”

To my surprise, she was high up on a tree branch.

Perfect! This is my chance!

"Loveta, about yesterday, I'm sorry! I—? Wait! Where are you going?!”

Out of the blue, before I could complete a single sentence, she simply leaves the branch and starts fleeing through the adjacent trees. I chase after her without a second thought.

“Wait, Loveta! Just listen to what I have to say!”

Damn it! No matter what I say, she keeps running! Did I hurt her so much that she can’t even hear my voice anymore?”

Her speed starts to increase progressively.

Tch! If it continues like this, I'll end up losing sight of her!

“Skill: -0.1 gram loops!”

[System Warning: Player Agility increased by 30% for 20 seconds.]

I know... maybe she wants to be alone. I do know that, but she could do it within the city walls, couldn’t her? It's too dangerous out here! Even though she is an S rank!”

The forest starts to get thick, and Loveta jumps into a place full of bushes. As soon as I imitate her—

BOOOM!

—Fire and smoke fill the air.

“Grrrrrrr! Take that! Gaaaaaaaa!”

Loveta throws her chains, but the lizardman uses the cannon on his back as a jet to fly. "Now I want to see you reach me here, little wolf! Tststststs!”

Wait a minute, I got in here as fast as she did... How did Loveta start a fight in that short amount of time? Well, whatever! I've seen this lizard before! He's the same one who was protecting the tower the first day I came here, along with other Imperials!

“Hey, you bastard! Leave Loveta alone!!”

I aim my bow shooting my arrows, but he dodges and glares at me.

Loveta also looks at me in surprise. “Master?! What are you doing here?!”

“What do you mean what am I doing here?! I wanted to talk to you before—But you kept running away!”

“Are you talking about yesterday?

What? Don’t tell me she doesn't remember... Is she playing some mind game by any chance?

“Tssssss! Hey citizen, if you shoot one more arrow you will become an enemy of the Empire! Wait...? Do I know you?”

"He's... the friend of the... ex-Silver Princess..." Says someone from the top of a tree. It was the zombie man, relaxed on a branch.

“Tshhhh! Friend of the ex-Princess?!”

The lizard is worried, and Loveta takes advantage of the breach, attacking him squarely with her chains. “Quick Master! Get out of here now!”

“What are you talking about?! I won’t leave you behind!”

I prepare to shoot a few more arrows at the lizard, but just then the zombie man simply appears in front of me, holding his scythe. "The miss is not... here right now... Without her... you won't stand a chance against us... Be obedient and listen to our advice... Go home..."

"As if I would listen to you, bunch of bastards!"

The zombie man sighs and places his scythe around my neck. "This is my last warning... If you interfere with this battle... You will be considered an enemy of the Empire... This is an official knight hunt against soul-Linkeds... For some reason... the stone de Gouti is no longer detecting an abnormality in you... So... as a good purified citizen... obey the advice... and go home...”

"Whether or not I become an enemy of the Empire, I don't care! You messed with Loveta, so you're going to pay dearly for it!!”

Just as I'm about to make the move to escape the scythe, Loveta screams. “Wait! Wait! I surrender! You can take me, but please, leave him alone!”

What?! Did she go crazy??!

“Excellent...”

“Just because I was starting to have fun… Tstststs!”

The zombie disappears from where he was, and reappears behind Loveta, handcuffing her.

"Very smart of you... soul-linked...”

The lizard also lands beside her.

“No… I can’t accept this!” I aim my bow again. My hands were shaking.

“Master... please, listen to me! It will be better this way! I already knew this would happen at some point... I don't want to see you in danger! They are dangerous!”

“But do you think I'll accept that?! That I'm just going to abandon you here?!”

Her eyes sparkle at my words. “It's good to hear that from you…but it will be better this way. You will be happier with Akami...”

No... This is wrong!

“Tsshhhh! Enough of the blah blah blah! Let's go! The ex-Princess can appear at any moment!”

The zombie nods and places Loveta on its back.

I don't accept... I won't accept this!!

I move to unleash a special ability, but just then a warning appears before me.

[System Warning: Body immobilized. You are unable to move again for an ‘indefinitely’ amount of time]

Huh?! Shit!! Was it you Phanta?! Is it you who are stopping me?!

[I'm sorry player, but I’m doing this for your own good. You can’t stand a chance against them.]

——Tch!!