The festival buzzed on, nterns swaying gently in the night breeze, casting flickering shadows on the cobblestone streets. Music thrummed softly in the background, blending with the ughter of vilgers and the mouthwatering scent of roasted meat.

  But Lillian was still. Silent. Waiting.

  Kazuki would be back any moment.

  ...Right?

  She drummed her fingers absently on the wooden seat. It was ridiculous. There was no reason to feel restless. No reason for the strange, unsettling sensation crawling down her spine.

  And yet—

  Minutes passed. Too many.

  Her gaze swept the crowd again. People moved through the festival, their joy oblivious to the cold prickle at the back of her neck. Still, no sign of him.

  Her grip tightened around the seat. He just went to the washroom. He was fine. This was nothing.

  Then she heard it.

  A dull thud. A brief scuffle. Almost drowned out by the festival's noise.

  Lillian stilled.

  The sound had come from the alley behind the festival. The alley Kazuki had passed through.

  Her pulse quickened. She rose to her feet, her boots brushing against the ground with barely a sound. The festival's warmth faded behind her as she stepped away, leaving behind the ughter and bright nterns.

  Only the shadows remained.

  The alley loomed ahead, dark and silent. Too silent.

  Lillian's senses sharpened.

  Disturbed dirt. A fallen ntern. The faintest trace of something dragged across the stone.

  A struggle.

  Her breath hitched. Her heartbeat pounded against her ribs.

  Then she saw it.

  A small, broken trinket—a gift from Kazuki, the one he always wore on his belt. She crouched, fingers brushing against the cold dirt. Half-buried in the wooden wall of the alley, a symbol stared up at her.

  Her blood ran cold.

  Her nails dug into her palm. The sight of that emblem sent a sharp, electric jolt through her chest.

  She knew that mark. She knew them.

  Kazuki had been taken.

  A flicker of panic rose, sharp and cold—But she crushed it down.

  Her breathing steadied. Her hands curled into fists.

  This wasn't fear. It was focus.

  Violet eyes gleaming in the dim light, Lillian turned on her heel, stepping toward the outskirts of the festival.

  ***

  Kazuki's Pov:

  Kazuki exhaled slowly, staring into the cracked mirror of the washroom.

  His reflection stared back, unimpressed.

  His life had become oppressively loved. Every day was another round of suffocating adoration, another wave of people fawning over his every move. He couldn't take a single step without someone offering a blessing, a gift, a prayer.

  Even the hydra had more personal space than him. The hydra.

  He gripped the edges of the sink, staring at his own weary expression.

  Just for a moment, he wondered—

  Could I just live here?

  No crowds. No forced smiles. No expectations.

  Just… peace.

  But the world outside wouldn't let him.

  A knock rapped against the door. "Holy One? Is everything alright?"

  Kazuki closed his eyes.

  "No. No, it is not."

  But saying that aloud would only summon more concern, more reverence, more attention.

  With a weary sigh, he pushed open the door and stepped into the cool night air.

  The festival glowed with warm ntern light, music and ughter twining in the breeze. But Kazuki barely noticed.

  A movement in the shadows caught his eye.

  A group of figures lingered in a dimly lit alley, half-shrouded in cloaks. Their hushed whispers and the way they stood just out of view sent a clear message: trouble.

  Kazuki's steps slowed.

  Finally.

  People who didn't immediately worship him.

  He hesitated, eyes flickering toward them. The figures noticed him, exchanged gnces.

  Kazuki pretended not to see them. Walked just a little slower.

  What if… they try something?

  A shape peeled from the shadows, blocking his path. His voice was low, ced with menace.

  "Well, well. Look who wandered off alone. Must be our lucky night."

  Kazuki's heart leapt.

  Another smirked. "Bet the vilge would pay a fortune to get you back, huh, Holy One?"

  The air grew tense. The bandits loomed closer, expecting fear.

  Instead—

  Kazuki clung to the nearest one.

  "Oh, thank you."

  The bandits froze.

  Kazuki gripped the man's sleeve like a lifeline, eyes shining with desperate relief.

  "Please, take me. I can't do this anymore. Every day is suffering."

  Silence.

  The bandits exchanged gnces.

  "...Huh?"

  Kazuki's voice dropped to a whisper, raw and pleading.

  "They won't let me live in peace. They watch me when I eat. They bless me when I breathe. The hydra gets more freedom than I do."

  Bandit #2 instinctively took a step back. "Dude, what?"

  Bandit #3, looking thoroughly unnerved, hesitantly patted Kazuki's back. This was not in the script.

  Bandit #1 cleared his throat, trying to regain control.

  "L-Look, just come quietly, alright?"

  Kazuki beamed. "Oh, don't worry, I will."

  He stepped away, holding his hands out—only to instinctively dodge as a bandit reached for him.

  "Sorry! Habit."

  They lunged again. He dodged. Again.

  "Right, right, I should stand still. My bad."

  Bandit #1 let out a strangled growl. "STOP MOVING!"

  Kazuki finally stopped, hands outstretched in surrender. He waited patiently.

  The bandits, now thoroughly unsettled, exchanged another round of looks.

  Bandit #2 muttered under his breath, "...I feel like we're not the bad guys here."

  Bandit #3 sighed. "No, shut up. Just grab him and go."

  And so, with great reluctance, the bandits kidnapped their most willing victim.

  [MISSION STATUS WINDOW]

  Current Mission: "A Willing Captive"

  Objective: Get kidnapped (Success… somehow)

  Mission Progress:

  ? Step 1: Encounter bandits (Completed)

  ? Step 2: Be targeted for ransom (Completed)

  ? Step 3: React appropriately (Failed)

  ? Step 4: Convince bandits to take you (Overachieved?)

  ? Step 5: Go quietly (Complicated)

  ? Bonus: Cause an existential crisis among captors (Ongoing)

  Zexusgo