Walking back to my inn, I was thinking, why the heck was Alex doing at the stream I was bathing at? Maybe it was a different person who looked like Alex; let’s just hope so.

If Alex’s party were here, I wonder why I haven’t seen them already. I guess that was probably just luck. I mean, I was focusing on learning how to make magical tools and designing my first magical tool that doesn’t require a mage to use, so the only time I would have seen them was when I was running low on money and had to go dungeon diving.

As I was thinking all this, I heard the footsteps of a group of people running a fair distance behind me, so I decided to look back to see what was going on.

When I looked back, I saw a group of three shady-looking individuals, wearing black masks and cloaks that covered their faces, running past me. And one of them seems to be carrying a burlap sack over their shoulder.

I wonder what that was all about; that burlap sack seems to be oddly hu—

Before I could finish my thought, I heard someone shouting.

“Someone stop them!”

I recognized that voice; it can’t be…

Turning my head back, I was it Alex, who had that cut I made on his cheek, chasing after them.

I was stunned to see him again so soon, and he didn’t seem to be stopping. Due to that, we collided with each other and both fell to the ground.

“Sorry. huh?”

Trying to get up, he looked at me and was surprised, but began to run again.

As he was running to catch up to those shady people, he asked me for help.

“Nyx, no time to explain; please follow me.”

I don’t know what this is about, but I think I know what is happening. The shady group of people was kidnapping someone. So that burlap sack probably has a person in it.

This was the most probable answer because he is the main protagonist, so he is bound to get into trouble like this.

Catching up to him, I ask.

“What was going on?”

Talking between breaths, Alex said.

“They are kidnapping Alice.”

That is an unfamiliar name. Wait, did he get another girl?

“Who?”

“No time to explain; we need to catch up.”

The shady group of individuals made a right into a particularly bad part of the city that people generally stay away from. Then they made another right into a maze of alleys that led to who knows where.

Knowing we were about to lose them, I took out one of my throwing knives and threw it at the person carrying the burlap sack, who had the person named Alice in it, at the head of the group.

I hit his shoulder, causing his shoulder to bleed, which was what I wanted because there was now a trail to follow.

They weaved around the alleys, making twists and turns, trying to shake us off like they knew the place off the top of their heads, but we persisted. I’m surprised that the person carrying Alice can run despite having a knife in his back; they don’t seem to be normal thieves or kidnappers.

It’s only a matter of time before they make a mistake and go to a dead end.

After about 5ish turns, they eventually went into a dead end.

Seeing the dead end, they took out daggers and the lead. The person carrying Alice removed the rucksack to reveal a very beautiful young girl with a doll-like face, porcelain skin, and blonde hair like the rays of the sun.

So this is what Alice looks like; she looks just as beautiful as the other girls at Alex’s party.

The person who was carrying Alice was going to hold her hostage by pointing the dagger at her neck, and he told us to stay back.

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Before they could do that, I threw three spikes in a volley, hitting his hand, wrists, and forearm. It caused the person to let go of the dagger, and I and Alex took out our swords with the sheath on them.

Alex took the kidnapper to the right while I took one to the left.

The left kidnapper rushes in with his dagger, but I hit his hand to smack away the dagger. Then I thrust my sword at his chest, causing the air in his lungs to escape and collapse to the ground. For good measure, I swung my sword at the back of his head just enough to make sure he stayed down as I went at the kidnapper who was holding Alice.

Seeing his companion, I just knocked him out quickly and with relative ease, and his second companion was about to be overpowered by Alex, so he decided to charge at me.

I was ready to counter any of his attacks, but I was a bit surprised that he threw his dagger in an attempt to run away, leaving behind his companions.

Parrying the thrown dagger, the kidnapper holding Alice was just about to run past me before I turned around and hit his shin, causing him to fall.

As he was falling, I did a quick strike to the back of his head, making sure I didn’t kill him like with the other guy. Then I grabbed Alice by the scruff of her dress to make sure she didn’t hit the ground like the guy I just knocked out.

At the same time, Alex knocked out the kidnapper he was fighting by putting the last kidnapper into a chokehold, then walked to me.

“Thanks”

“No problem, but what exactly is going on?”

“I’m not sure about these guys, but people are after her. I don’t think this is a good place to discuss it. Let's go to the inn I’m staying at; it would be a lot safer there.”

“Okay, but first, let's check who these guys are before they wake up; I doubt any guards would show up in this part of the city.”

“Just make it quick, please.”

I began stripping off the clothes of the kidnappers, up to their underwear, since I wanted them to have some dignity at least, not because I didn’t want to look like a pervert or anything.

Looking at their bodies for any insignias, they all have tattoos of a snake wrapping itself around their necks. Then I went through their clothes but found nothing.

They are probably black knights, with the tattoos on their necks being a dead giveaway. My father has something similar to this whenever he wants to do something very illegal.

However, they are kind of weak for black knights when compared to the ones I have seen hiding their abilities among my family knights during their daily training.

I wonder which family they are from because the family I’m trying to find out has enough money to fund a black knight team but not enough for better-trained ones.

“How is it? Did you find anything?”

“Ya, and it’s not good. Who exactly is that girl, and why would black knights be sent to get her?”

“I don’t know; she really needed help, so I helped her, what is a black knight?”

He doesn’t really know; it kind of fits with his character as an upstanding main protagonist.

“They're a secret group of trained individuals who often do the dirty work of nobles.”

“How do you know something like that?”

Alex gave me a questioning look, wondering how I knew such things.

“Doesn't matter, but how is Alice?”

“She is unconscious.”

“I think we should take her to the infirmary at the adventurer guild to see if she is okay, then we’ll go back to your inn.”

“Okay.”

Alex piggybacked Alice, and I was on high alert just in case anyone was following us.

Fortunately, no one was tailing us when we went to the adventurer guild.

We headed to the infirmary and were greeted by the doctor inside.

“Hi there, I’m Dr. Victor. What do you need me for?”

A gray-haired, middle-aged guy wearing a lab coat greeted us.

“Hello, I’m Alex; that’s Nyx, and I want you to check up on Alice.”

Alex put Alice on a spare bed, and Dr. Victor began examining her.

As he was doing that, he asked what happened.

“She was kidnapped.”

“I see, that would explain why she was drugged.”

“Drugged?!”

Alex shouted in surprise.

“Is she going to be okay?”

“She is fine; she just needs a couple of hours for the drug to wear off.”

Sighing in relief, Alex apologizes for raising his voice. Then Dr. Victor turned and faced me.

“So, you must be Nyx; Iris told me about you and that you're a smart one; how much do you know?”

“Not a lot from what I have gathered, but I know that this is going to be a lot of trouble.”

“What kind of trouble, exactly?”

“Nobles.”

“I see”

Rubbing his stubble, he said.

“That is some trouble you’ve gotten yourself into.”

Confused about what was going on, Alex asked.

“What are you guys talking about?”

“You haven’t figured it out already.”

It was kind of surprising that Alex hadn’t figured it out already. I guess being thickheaded is also part of being the main protagonist.

“Alice is likely a noble or is related to the nobility in some way.”

“What?!”

Alex was surprised by what I said.

"Ya, and ones powerful enough to have people sent after her.”

“What?!!”

Alex shouted again, even more surprised than before.

I gave him a minute to calm down.

“Let's bring her back to your inn. You’re filling me in on what exactly happened.”