ch1-ch20 · 017-ch17

Chapter 17: "The Egg"

"The stuffed animal talked!?"

Ah, so Papa thinks that's unusual too? I figured that was normal in another world.

"Fufufu, this body is nothing more than a puppet. I released them throughout town to become my eyes and nose, to find you! But I never thought I'd find your daughter first. This girl, who smells half like my world!"

Wait, so you prepared a bunch of stuffed animals and used human wave tactics—or rather, stuffed animal wave tactics—to search for him the hard way? Come to think of it, he did say he could distinguish between the smells of people from the other world and this world.

Anyway, never mind that, but this is seriously suffocating. This guy is grabbing my neck with some invisible force.

"The timing of your transfer to the other world and this girl's age match perfectly. There, my brilliant mind deduced she must be your daughter..."

"I-ih'm, Ih'm'so pwease wosen gwip..."

"Hey! Ai's suffering here! Do something!"

Papa's way of saying that sounds kinda dorky-parent-like and ruins the tension, but Melkid did loosen his grip a little. Phew, air, sweet air.

"Don't just loosen it, let go already!"

"Annoying! Don't talk so big! If you don't want your daughter's neck squeezed again, behave yourself!"

The sight of Papa and the stuffed animal glaring at each other would look pretty fancy to an outsider.

But in reality, this is serious. Papa, with his daughter taken hostage, is biting his lip, holding back his anger.

"Good, you've finally shut up.... Fufufu, the reason I crossed over to this world is..."

"Ah! So Melkid isn't a dog after all!"

Kiriko, who had been mmphing and finally got the gag out of her mouth, shouted loudly, and at the same time, her usually droopy eyes widened in a rare display.

"I thought he was some kind of mascot character, so I even bathed with him!"

"W-well, that's, um... heheh"

I knew it, he's just as perverted as I thought he'd be!!

"You! Pretending to be a stuffed animal to bathe with a young lady is utterly unworthy of a knight!"

"W-wait, wait, I don't share touch sensations with my puppets..."

"What about sight? You said they act as your eyes, didn't you?"

"Heheh"

This guy really isn't a knight at all, just like Papa said!!

"He saw a maiden's soft skin for freeeee!"

Kiriko is fuming angrily. Yeah, I get how she feels. Go ahead and kill him!

"U-annoying, annoying! You all don't seem to understand your own position!!"

Ah, he got angry and changed the subject. The worst.

Melkid ignored us and glared at Papa.

"It seems this appearance lacks sufficient tension! I shall show you my true form!"

After smirking, Melkid went completely limp like an unstable stuffed animal and collapsed.

Then, with a bang, the shed door opened, and a man emerged from inside. Wait, he was in there?

"I am Melkid Mandarin! A proud knight of the Ceylo Kingdom!"

The one who came out was a slightly gloomy-looking, somewhat slender young man. Honestly, just looking at him, the old guys lying around looked stronger.

But Papa's expression had clearly hardened. Maybe this guy—Melkid in his true form—is actually dangerous.

"Mandarin... I don't know that name. A knight of the younger generation?"

"Yes. In these fifteen years, the knight order has been reorganized, and new knights have increased.... But the seven knights' empty seats remain just as they are! Because you took the 'egg' with you!"

"Sev...en knights!?"

Kiri, didn't you just hear that a minute ago? Stop with the meaningful-sounding phrases.

"In this world where eiyōso is thin, the 'egg' is nothing but a wasted treasure. Hand it over, otherwise..."

"Ugh!"

The invisible force pressing on my neck intensified.

W-wait, this hurts...

"Wait! I'll give you the 'egg'! Let Ai go!"

"The 'egg' first. Place it on the ground and step back ten paces. Then I'll release your daughter."

Maybe because Melkid had seen Papa fight with those other guys earlier, he seemed to be extremely cautious of him.

Without a word, Papa took off the black stone pendant hanging from his neck. Huh, the egg is that? I thought Mom gave it to you?

Bending down to place the pendant on the ground, Papa backed away step by step, his eyes never leaving me.

After confirming Papa had moved far enough away, Melkid quickly snatched the pendant.

"...There's no mistake, it's the black 'egg'! Fuhahaha, what a great achievement! With this, I shall be one of the new seven knights!"

Melkid shouted, holding the pendant high in the air, looking incredibly pleased.

At the same time, the grip on my neck vanished, and I collapsed, clutching my throat.

"Cough, cough, cough..."

"Ai, are you okay!?"

Papa rushed over in a panic, knelt down, and supported my shoulders.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine.... Papa, is it really okay that they took the pendant?"

"As long as you're safe, that's what matters most. Nothing could ever replace that."

Papa showed his usual smile, then hugged me tight. He's a little sweaty. But right now, I don't mind.

"Teehee..."

Kiriko's murmur from a short distance away, having read the mood and stepped back a little. I can hear you, you know, and it's kinda embarrassing.

But there was one person who completely failed to read the mood.

"...Well, have you finished your farewell greetings with your daughter? Former Black Knight. I believe it's about time I executed you. Don't worry, I'll make it quick and easy for someone like you with no eiyōso."

Huh? Execution?

That's not what we agreed on!—Ah, no, thinking about it, he only said he'd "release his daughter."

What do I do? Papa's going to get killed!