“I-is this really the way to the palace?”

Egru followed behind the royal guard but occasionally glanced around. Somehow, the palace seemed to be getting farther away.

“I chose a detour route. The lights-out ceremony will begin soon, and we don’t know when or where an attack might come.”

The royal guard who answered suddenly stopped.

“From here, I’ll take charge of the children, Master Egru.”

“N-no! That’s not necessary…!”

Egru tightly held Kam and Kum’s hands as if unwilling to let go.

“Thank you for the offer, but I can keep them with me! Um, which way should we go?”

Egru remained vigilant. Even with the royal guard before him.

Being suspicious isn’t good, but…

The crowd waiting for the parade was enormous. Even if someone with ill intentions were mixed in, it would be difficult to spot them.

In such a chaotic situation, even Miss had been kidnapped. This was precisely when they shouldn’t separate from each other.

“Ahem, pardon my presumption, but this is for the children’s safety. We must prepare for possible combat.”

The orc royal guard cleared his throat as he spoke.

“I hate to say it myself, but I’m the only armed one among us.”

“Ah…”

The royal guard showed the sword at his waist. The hilt bore an insignia proving his royal affiliation.

B-but…

Egru closed his eyes tightly. With Miss kidnapped, it was difficult to fully trust the royal guard.

“I-I’m sorry. I-I still want to keep them with me. I’ll be careful, so please trust me.”

“…If you insist, I have no choice. Would you mind taking the lead instead? I’ll cover the rear.”

The royal guard politely gestured toward an alley.

“Go through there and continue straight ahead.”

It was an extremely narrow and dark alley. However, it was wide enough for two adults to walk side by side.

It’ll be fine…

Since Kam and Kum were small, they could easily walk together. If any threat appeared, he would immediately help Kam and Kum escape.

A-and if anything happens, I’ll somehow…!

After this brief thought, Egru slowly began walking ahead, still firmly holding the twins’ hands.

Thump, thump. The pitch-black alley continued. The occasional clanking of the sword echoed from behind.

“Brother.”

“Big bro.”

The grip of the twins holding Egru’s hands was much weaker than before. This was because removing the “Heart of Gluttony” had returned their physical abilities to those of ordinary children.

Egru repeatedly comforted the twins, telling them everything was fine. The cheers from the parade grew distant. After walking for quite some time, relying on clumsy senses, a shimmering light finally appeared.

“?”

Emerging from the pitch-black alley that seemed detached from the world, they found a large warehouse. Bright light leaked through the windows that had no curtains. The same was true for the gaps in the tightly closed door.

“Um, excuse me, which direction should we go from here… Huh?”

Egru looked around in confusion. The royal guard who had been following them had disappeared.

“Are you all right? C-could it be an ambush…!”

Clack.

Before he could assess the situation, the lights in the warehouse went out. Even the distant illumination from the parade disappeared at the same time. Complete darkness descended all around.

The lights-out ceremony, marking the end of the festival, had begun.

Creeeeak.

The sound of the warehouse door opening. In the confusion, Egru moved quickly to protect the twins first. Just as he was about to crouch down and embrace the children—

“Ahhh! Brotherrrr!”

“Big brooo! Let go!”

“No, no! Kam! Kum—!”

Someone swiftly snatched away the children who had been in his arms. Egru frantically groped the empty air in the darkness. The clanking sound of the sword quickly receded into the alley.

The royal guard…!

It was the royal guard—or perhaps someone pretending to be one—who had taken the children. Egru’s heart pounded as if it might drop out. Just as he was about to run after the children’s screams—

“Urk…!”

A hand suddenly extended from the warehouse and grabbed him by the nape. As he was yanked backwards in one motion, his feet left the ground. The moment he was thrown inside the warehouse, the door slammed shut.

“Huff, haah…!”

Though the impact knocked the wind out of him, Egru immediately pushed himself up. His palms were clammy with tension.

I-I don’t have time for this.

He needed to rescue Kam and Kum right away.

Egru hurriedly ran in the opposite direction from where he’d been thrown. Surely there would be a door leading outside.

Thud. After colliding with the wall, he frantically felt along its surface. Before long, he found a smooth texture different from the stone wall. It was a metal exit door.

Creeak, BANG—!

“Ungh…!”

Everything happened in an instant. The moment he pulled the door handle, someone roughly pressed against Egru from behind. The door that had begun to open slammed shut again with a loud noise.

“It hurts, i-it hurts…!”

Egru’s entire body was crushed against the other person’s frame. With his cheek pressed against the metal surface of the door, he could barely breathe.

“Why are you doing this to me… P-please, please don’t harm the children…”

“……”

The pitch-black air was silent. Though the being who had dragged him here was right behind him, one thing was certain—they didn’t want him to escape.

“Nngh…”

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t move an inch. He was sandwiched between two surfaces like an ingredient in a sandwich.

The more he tried to push back with his arms, the more relentlessly the other person pushed Egru forward. In a space where there was no room left, the other pressed their body even deeper. With the endless pressure, the door closed even more tightly.

Egru wheezed, barely maintaining shallow breaths. His compressed lungs couldn’t take in air. His already dark vision blurred from oxygen deprivation.

The only fortunate thing was that as his body went limp, the other’s pressure gradually loosened. Or perhaps they felt a twinge of sympathy for the tears Egru unknowingly shed.

“Haaah…!”

Egru could finally take one deep breath. The moisture gathered in his eyes rolled down in droplets.

“Huff, huff….”

As the immediate crisis passed, delayed sensations flooded his body. It was hot and stifling. Judging by the overwhelming weight, his opponent’s build was extremely large and thick.

Back of the head, nape, spine, buttocks, thighs. He could clearly feel the other’s body heat pressed tightly against every part of him.

Egru first tried moving his fingers and toes slightly. Perhaps because his muscles, which had tensely contracted, were now relaxing, he couldn’t exert much strength.

Inhale….

When the other’s breathing sounded, Egru froze. In the terribly quiet space, even a single breath felt as loud as thunder.

Focusing on his hearing, he could even detect the other’s heartbeat. Though off-rhythm, it was pulsing as rapidly and strongly as his own.

B-by the way…

What was that pressing against his waist? Something bulging was so hard it actually hurt.

“!”

That’s when it happened—slither, something burrowed between his thighs.

Huh? Why? M-my legs…

When something unexpected touched his sensitive area, Egru was startled without realizing it. Thud—as his leg strength gave out, the other person raised their knee and lifted him completely.

Perhaps they were trying to help him maintain balance so he wouldn’t fall, but Egru’s toes completely left the floor. It felt as if he were being impaled on the other’s broad thigh.

“S-stop…”

It was a strange, inappropriate feeling for such a tense situation. With his weight pressing down, his perineum was firmly pressed against the other’s thigh muscle.

“Th-this is weird. Let, let go. Put me down…”

Egru stammered in confusion. His already heightened senses hammered at his heart.

But the other person just kept inhaling. As if searching for a particular scent.

The breath circling above Egru’s head gradually moved downward. Eventually, it settled on his trembling nape.

Inhale….

A well-shaped nose bridge gently traced his neckline. Egru’s fine hair stood on end at the ticklish contact.

“The scent is weak.”

The dark figure spoke for the first time. The threatening voice resonated, stirring Egru’s eardrum.

Strange. Though it wasn’t forceful, more like a whisper, it was a familiar voice. A voice that shouldn’t be heard in the Demon Federation.

“This is why recessive trait-carriers are no good. Can’t even recognize my pheromone scent?”

“Wh-what…”

“Playing dumb.”

The sound of Levian’s mischievous laughter was heard.

“Where do you think you’re going right after we finally meet?”