「Does that threat from earlier have any meaning?」
They just showed their faces. I thought they would do more, like shouting or banging on the door.
『I think it is quite effective for those who are cornered. If Rina had not talked about the letter, Rigus and Kana would have been in serious danger』
「That is true. The result of the letter is still pending, but it was useful」
『Rina. Regarding the noose wrapped around your neck, was there not a similar phenomenon in our original world?』
In our original world?
「No」
『I see. Could it be that you and Agus are cursed? I will go check』
「Check? You cannot see them unless you touch me, can you?」
『I cannot see them, but I can understand their condition』
Yuu jumps out of the window and heads straight for the watchers hiding outside. A few minutes later, Yuu returns and shrugs his shoulders.
『I thought they might be suffering a little like Rina was, but there was no sign of that at all. They were perfectly fine』
So the noose wrapped around my neck is something different from the curse that attacked me. Well, the thing wrapped around my neck was not that thin anyway.
『Also, the next order just arrived』
「Order? What are they supposed to do next?」
When I ask this, Yuu makes a slightly troubled expression.
『Well…』
Seeing Yuu hesitate, I have a bad feeling.
『It seems they were told, 「Kidnap Rina」』
「Me?」
『Yes. They were talking about executing it tonight』
「What should I do?」
Hearing Yuu’s words, anxiety overwhelms me.
If I am kidnapped, what will happen to me? Should I leave the house immediately? But since there are watchers, it is impossible to escape completely.
『For now, how about setting up a barricade in front of the door and windows?』
I recall the watchers I saw earlier. All of them had quite good physiques.
「If they seriously try to break down the door, the barricade will probably be destroyed too」
『Well, yes. But I think it will buy us some time』
「Do you really think so?」
『…A little bit』
I cannot expect much, but it might be better to have it than not.
「I will go tell Father and the others」
『How will you explain it?』
「I intend to say, 『The guys who are watching us are coming to kidnap me tonight』」
It is definitely better to know what will happen than to be attacked suddenly. Absolutely.
『If they ask, 「How do you know?」, what will you say?』
「I heard them」
『Eh?』
「I only intend to say that」
It is not a lie. Because Yuu 「heard」 their conversation.
「I will not lie. I just will not say 「who」 and 「how」. Come on, let us go」
I leave my room and head toward the living room where Father and the others are. When I peek inside quietly, I see Father and Suna sleeping on the sofa, Mother doing embroidery, and onii-chan reading.
『Rigus is asleep. What should we do?』
He must have accumulated a lot of mental stress. Let us talk later.
「Rina」
Called by Father, I turn my gaze to him.
「Sorry, did I wake you?」
「It is okay. I was just closing my eyes」
I approach Father, who has sat up.
「Father, it seems the guys watching us are coming to kidnap me in the middle of the night」
Huh? I intended to tell them, but I did not mean to say it so suddenly.
「「「Eh?」」」
Father and the others look at me with surprised expressions.
『Rina. That is too sudden, isn’t it?』
I know. I am surprised too.
「How do you know that?」
Mother places her hand on my shoulder.
「I heard them」
「You heard them? Could it be that those guys came near Rina’s room! It must have been scary. Are you okay?」
Father hurriedly hugs me.
Ah, so that is how he interprets it.
『I see. If she just heard them, he thinks of it that way』
Yuu also seems surprised by Father’s reaction, just like me. Still, I never thought of a perspective like Father’s. Could it be that Yuu and I have slightly different ways of thinking?
『Because we know the truth, we did not think like Rigus』
Ah… That is right. Because Yuu and I know the truth, we did not think like Father.
I see, I am anxious. That is why I am rushing and cannot think calmly.
「It is okay. More importantly, Father, shall we move the furniture by nightfall and make barricades for the doors and windows?」
「No, it would be better to think of a way to leave the house」
「That is true」
Mother nodded at Father’s suggestion, but I shook my head.
「Since there are watchers, I think it is dangerous to go outside」
Even if the barricade is broken through, only I will be kidnapped. But if we escape outside, onii-chan and Suna might also be put in danger.
「But, even if we make a barricade…」
Father shows a pained expression.
It seems he thinks that even with a barricade, he cannot protect me.
「It is to buy time. Surely…」
I want to say it will be okay, but for some reason, I cannot put it into words.
I believe the Bishop is heading this way. But I do not know when the Bishop will come to this village. Or if he will really help us.
「Father, let us make a barricade」
Onii-chan gently taps my shoulder.
「Onii-chan」
「It will definitely be okay」
I widen my eyes at onii-chan, who declares it firmly.
I do not know why he can say it with such certainty. But those words are what I needed right now.
「That is right. Yes」
I look at Father and Mother.
「Shall we make it?」
「Understood」
When Father agrees, Mother, who had an anxious expression, also nods.
We all cooperate to move large furniture in front of the doors and windows.
「It is impossible to block everything. We do not have enough furniture」
Mother looks at the remaining furniture with a troubled expression. They are all light and small pieces of furniture that do not seem suitable for a barricade.
「Wait a moment」
Father brings several boards and nails from the back of the house.
「I am a carpenter. Leave it to me」
Father blocks the windows where furniture could not be placed with boards. When I glance outside, I see the watchers coming close to the house and observing the situation.
『They noticed that we made a barricade』
「That is right」
Ah, I answered normally.
「Rina?」
Mother looks at me curiously. I shake my head to cover it up.
「This should be fine」
Barricades have been made for all the doors and windows. I do not know how much time this will buy us. It might be just a few minutes.
「Shall we start making dinner soon?」
I look at Father.
「Rigus is cooking?」
Mother looks at Father with a surprised expression.
「I have some time, and I thought I would cook after a long time」
「You used to cook often before the children were born, didn’t you?」
Is that so? I did not know. Onii-chan also seems surprised, as he did not know either.
「If it is grilling meat, leave it to me」
Father says proudly, so I cannot help but nod.
「Hehe. Actually, he can only grill meat」
「Pfft hahaha」
At Mother’s words, onii-chan bursts out laughing. Seeing the two of them, Father makes a slightly pouting expression.
「Grilling meat deliciously is also difficult, you know」
Looking at Father’s hand, he was gripping it tightly. And Mother’s hand was trembling slightly.
Father and Mother must feel like they will be crushed by anxiety if they do not do something. Just like me right now.
「Maybe I will help too」
「Shall we all make it together?」
At Mother’s words, we all go to the kitchen.
『I will go check on the guys outside』
Yuu passes through the blocked window and goes outside.
「Let us go」
「Yes」
Onii-chan holds my hand, so I gently squeeze it back and nod.
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