I Got Kicked out by the Busty Beauties, but Now They Want Me Back... Sorry, It’s Too Late... Or Maybe Not?! - Vol 2 Chapter 9.1

“──What do you mean they’re not here anymore!?”

I found myself shouting at the familiar receptionist at the guild, something quite unlike me.

“I’m sorry…”

Startled by my outburst, the receptionist offered a barely audible apology. Realizing my mistake, I quickly calmed down.

“Ah… I’m sorry too. I didn’t mean to raise my voice…”

I reminded myself that I’m a member of an S-rank party. It’s only natural for someone who isn’t an adventurer to feel intimidated by a man like me.

Reflecting on my rude behavior, I took a deep breath to regain my composure and then addressed the receptionist again.

“So, what do you mean they’re not here?”

“Yes. The three of them came here quite a while ago, but due to some miscommunication, there was apparently no business from the guild’s side—none at all.”

“What──I’m sorry, but what does that mean?”

It would have been fine if their business had simply been delayed. But that hopeful assumption was shattered by the woman’s next words.

“I’m sorry. I’m not entirely sure what happened. Once they realized there was no business for them, they seemed a bit puzzled but left…”

According to the receptionist, they cheerfully discussed things like, “Let’s go back to sleep,” “Since we’re up, why not go on a quest early,” and “Yes, let’s head out once Shin is ready,” before leaving.

“Where could the three of them be now…?”

Muttering to myself, I noticed the worried look from the receptionist.

There was no use staying here. They might have stopped somewhere along the way, so I decided to look outside.

“I’ll go look for them. Sorry for the disturbance!”

“Take care──”

Before the receptionist could finish, I dashed out of the guild.

Looking around the town in the afternoon, I paused to think about where to head next.

(For now, I just need to start moving…)

It was a spontaneous decision, but standing still only seemed to amplify my anxiety.

And just as I took a step forward──

Thud!

Without any malice or warning, someone bumped into me from behind.

Munyun♡

The warmth of human skin on my back and the unique bounce of a woman, even in such a situation, sent a surge of excitement through me.

“Excuse me suddenly! Are you Shin-sama of the White Lightning, by any chance?”

The woman’s voice, panicked and specifically addressing me by name, shook me from my thoughts. Shaking off the lingering feel of her bosom, I turned to face her.

“What can I do──”

For you. I never finished the sentence.

“──Please help me!”

Cutting off my words, the woman clung to me from the front.

Munyun♡ Mogyu♡

A woman about my height wrapped her arms around my back, pressing our chests together tightly.

A faint scent of flowers tingled my nose.

“What──what are you doing all of a sudden?”

While I tried to resist, I couldn’t bring myself to be harsh with her. She seemed to be a civilian, so I raised my hands to my sides, frozen in place.

(Who is this woman──?)

Munyun♡ Funyufunyu♡

Her breasts pressed against me were as large as those of any of my party members.

“Shin-sama, please help me!”

Without hiding her desperation, the woman tightened her embrace, causing a thrill of sensation to stir within me.

(Amazing, such comfortable breasts… soft, just like Lena’s…)

Lena. The name crossed my mind, and like water quenching heated iron, my mind cooled.

“──Please, let go!”

Careful not to hurt her, I gently pushed her back by grabbing her shoulders.

She tried to approach me again, but she couldn’t move an inch against the strength of my arms, enhanced by support magic. Eventually, she seemed to give up.

“Please──”

Choking on sobs, she pleaded.

Only then did I take a good look at her face.

Plain but cute, with short, bushy brown hair that gave her a lively appearance. She wore a stark white uniform, reminiscent of a barmaid’s, adorned with frills. The cleavage and skirt slit hinted at attire more suited for nighttime work.

“I’m in a hurry myself, but what’s wrong?”

Although I was worried about my friends, I couldn’t leave a woman in tears, seemingly about to collapse, so I found myself asking.

“Yes… my daughter has been kidnapped…”

“What──”

Tears wet her cheeks as she spoke, and I struggled to find words of comfort or even to ask for details, but she continued more resolutely.

“It happened suddenly──”

She explained the circumstances through her pain. Apparently, while walking through town with her daughter, a hooded figure suddenly abducted the girl.

“And, by chance, three women who were there… your party members chased after the kidnapper to save her.”

“What! So they’re still chasing the kidnapper?”

“No, that’s──after a while, the hooded kidnapper returned to me and handed me this…”

Nervously, the woman unfolded her clenched fingers, revealing a small, folded piece of paper.

“This is──”

As I unfolded it, I saw a brief message inscribed.

To Shin, the Magic Swordsman of the White Lightning,
Your companions and the girl are in my custody.
If you want them returned, prove your strength.
If you fail to appear for the battle, the women will be sullied, and you may never see them again.

“A challenge…?”

The sender of this letter was clearly calling me out for a fight.

If the true purpose was a confrontation, there was only one thing to do.

“──Where is this battle supposed to take place?”

Crucially, the location wasn’t mentioned.

Could it be that I’m supposed to start by searching?

Confused, I checked the back of the paper and even tried channeling magic into it, looking for any reaction, but it was just an ordinary piece of paper.

“What should I do──”

“──Excuse me,”

The woman spoke up gently, seeing my distress.

“I know where the kidnapper said to bring you…”

“Really!?”

“Yes. I’ll guide you there. Please save my daughter──and your friends!”

Despite the fear of heading into danger and the fragility of having her daughter taken, the woman spoke firmly.

“Understood. I promise to protect your daughter, my friends, and you!”

Not wanting to waste her strong resolve, I spoke like a hero from an adventure novel, which I don’t usually do.

“Thank you… Oh, I didn’t introduce myself. I am Kaguya.”

The woman, Kaguya-san, smiled with faint hope.

“I’m Shin, of the White Lightning! Now let’s go!”

“Yes, this way!”

Following Kaguya-san’s lead, we set out.

◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

“──This is the place the kidnapper specified.”

“──This is the place the kidnapper specified,” Kaguya said as we approached.

“Here is…”

We had walked in silence, leaving the town center far behind, and had reached an old, decrepit mansion near a dense, uninviting forest.

“It’s creepy, isn’t it?”

The mansion was large and once impressive, but it felt untouched by human hands for years. The entrance gate was gone without a trace, the exterior walls were crumbling, and the mansion itself was overrun with weeds and vines. The vast garden was wildly overgrown, as if about to succumb to the elements.

“──Let’s go. Please, stay close to me.”

I considered asking Kaguya to wait at the entrance, but given that there could be more than one kidnapper, and the possibility of monster attacks outside the town, I chose to keep her with me for safety.

“Yes! Excuse me!”

Funyun♡

“Eh! ──Feh!?”

As I spoke, Kaguya suddenly clung to my free left arm, wrapping it tightly with her soft bosom, clinging closely.

“Wait, please, let go─”

“──I’m scared. Please, stay by my side, Shin-sama.”

My attempt to disengage was overridden by her plea. Her body trembled slightly, her eyes filled with vulnerability, and I couldn’t bring myself to push her away.

“Alright, but if it gets dangerous, you’ll need to let go, okay?”

While she clung to me, I tried to keep a calm demeanor, even though my heart raced.

“Thank you! Hehe, Shin-sama, your arms are so reliable and warm. Not just strong, but also kind… You’re wonderful.”

Her breasts continued to vibrate against my arm, conveying their full elasticity. Although I understood her fear, such actions made it difficult to remain calm.

“Ah, uhh, don’t press so──”

“Shin-sama… shall we go quickly? We need to save your friends, right?”

“Yes, alright…”

That’s right, this isn’t the time to be distracted by breasts. Lena, Nina, Fana-san, and Kaguya’s daughter needed saving.

The pleasant bounce against my arm and the irritating itch in my groin I tried to ignore as I led Kaguya into the mansion.

“Hehe…”

I tried not to listen to her sultry laugh.

“──It’s surprisingly clean.”

Stepping inside, I was taken aback by the interior’s cleanliness, contrary to its outer appearance. There was hardly any furniture or household items, but no significant dirt or signs of disturbance. It looked more like a house ready for someone to move in than one that had been abandoned.

“Where could everyone be imprisoned…?”

“Let’s start searching the rooms.”

Kaguya asked in a tense voice, clinging tighter to me as I stuttered a response.

(Ugh… I understand she’s anxious, but this is difficult…)

We bypassed the entrance, walked through the hall, and peeked into various rooms. A kitchen with neither food nor dishes, a study where bookshelves stood empty, likely once filled with many books, and a large bathhouse that could accommodate dozens.

As we passed numerous uninhabited rooms and headed down the corridor toward the next location, a sound echoed.

Clang…

“Kyah!”

Funyun♡

At the sound, Kaguya clung to me from the front, turning her body away as if to shield her eyes. Despite the jolt, the heightened tension sharpened my senses, and I drew my sword with my free right hand, gripping it firmly.

“Kaguya-san. Be careful… they must be in that room.”

I tiptoed forward, trying not to make a sound.

Clang… Clang…

As we reached the door, the noises became clearer. It sounded like something—or someone—was struggling.

“──We’re going in.”

I whispered to Kaguya and to steel myself, then took a deep breath.

I placed my hand on the doorknob, twisted it, and kicked the door open.

“──I am Shin, the magic swordsman! Release the hostages!”

I entered the room, sword at the ready, shouting as I surveyed the interior. The first thing I saw was a familiar figure tied up on the bed.

“──Lena!”

“Mmm! Mmm!”

She was stripped of her usual robe, gagged, and her pale skin bound with rope, exposing her in a humiliating pose.

“What a terrible thing to do!”

Though her skin was unharmed and there were no signs of violence, just imagining Lena’s feelings in such a demeaning situation filled me with rage.

“Mmm!”

Lena’s tearful eyes pleaded for help, pulling me back to reality. I lowered my sword and stepped closer to the bed.

“Ah. Hang on, I’ll save you──”

Just then, I felt a chill.

From the side.

I swung my lowered sword upward, twisting it to protect my neck. A beat later, a small knife swung down, clashing with my sword with a hard sound.

“Oh, too bad♡”

A sweet, mocking female voice reached my ears. I reflexively kicked out with my left foot, but it whiffed through empty air.

No one was on my left anymore. A short distance away, the woman had leaped back, holding two small knives in reverse grips.

“──What’s the meaning of this, Kaguya-san?”

“The bravery you show is surprising for a boy who was all sweet earlier, isn’t it? Shin-sama.”

The woman faced me with ease, mocking my anger.

“──Don’t joke!”

“Oh, scary♡ I intended this as a little diversion… but let me introduce myself properly. I am Kaguya, the mastermind behind this kidnapping♡ Prepare yourself.”

Unrepentant, Kaguya, still wielding the knives, advanced with clear hostility.

“──!”

No ordinary civilian could move with such phantom-like speed. I narrowly dodged the two blades lunging at me, and swung my sword horizontally at the open torso of my opponent.

A slight resistance, but it didn’t reach her body. Dodging my counterattack, Kaguya leaped back, still grinning, and opened her mouth.

“……As expected of a magic swordsman from an S-rank party. To think you would slash through my clothes. ──Could it be that you desire a strip show? Kukuku♡”