Chapter 16 TIKR Vol. 1 Chapter 3 Part 4

■

In the end, it was all over surprisingly quickly.

Hearing reports of a monster, Kirsi, the lead mage of <Noah>, had mobilized and vanquished it. There was property damage, but miraculously, no casualties – a near-miraculous outcome given the appearance of mankind’s natural enemy.

However, the undeniable fact remained: a monster had suddenly appeared right in the heart of the Imperial Capital, a major human settlement.

Under <Noah>’s authority, the affected district was immediately sealed off, and an investigation was launched to determine the cause of the monster’s appearance.

Monster incidents fell under the jurisdiction of mages. Even <Blacksmith>, despite being one of the Three Great Organizations and ostensibly an equal, had no grounds to interfere.

Thus, Arl and Rosetta’s search for the Serpents of the Sordid Garden‘s base was forced to a halt.

Time passed. Night fell, blanketing the capital in darkness.

Inside an office within one of <Blacksmith>’s branch buildings…

“Does it hurt, Boss…?”

Rosetta was diligently treating Arl’s injuries. They weren’t serious – mostly scrapes and cuts from flying debris, fragments of paving stones and building walls shattered by the monster’s attacks.

“No, I’m fine. You must be tired too, Rosetta. I can handle the rest myself.”

“No. Please… let me do at least this much.”

To Arl, her fussing seemed excessive. But the moment the commotion had died down and they’d returned to the branch, she had insisted on treating his wounds herself. The reason was clear in the unusually stern, troubled set of her profile as she worked.

“We were lucky the Academy showed up, but they’ve taken control of the whole area now. Even if the Serpents’ base was hidden there, we have no way to find it anymore. …It should have been our victory. Your victory, Boss.”

“Ngh… Don’t worry about it.”

Arl shifted uncomfortably as she bit her lip in frustration. After all, he was the one who had secretly called <Noah> to the scene using telepathic magic the moment he confirmed the monster’s presence. If he hadn’t, they wouldn’t have arrived so quickly… and they wouldn’t have inadvertently stolen <Blacksmith>’s chance at glory.

“Once a monster appeared, it was out of our hands anyway. If <Noah> hadn’t intervened, the damage would have been much worse. Let them have the credit for today.”

“But you were the one holding it back…!”

Rosetta wasn’t letting it go. She couldn’t stand the thought of her Master’s brave actions going unrecognized.

“It’s incredible that a non-mage could even survive fighting a monster! The whole capital should be celebrating your bravery!”

“Th-That would be… problematic.”

The big, underlying problem, of course, was that Arl was a mage. He was the Master accepted by the White Whale Academy of Magic, <Noah>. He could fight monsters, but only when acting as that Master.

As the ‘Boss’ of the Firebird Merchant Guild, <Blacksmith>, he was supposed to be a gunman, not a mage. If anyone connected to <Blacksmith> saw him using magic, it could expose his secret identity as the leader of all three organizations.

That’s precisely why he’d used telepathy to call <Noah> and let them handle the monster instead. Though sneaking away from the scene afterwards without Kirsi noticing had required its own careful maneuvering.

He had deliberately handicapped himself by forbidding his own magic and faced the monster head-on. These injuries were entirely his own fault.

“It’s fine. You and I both made it back safely. That’s more than enough of an achievement. I’ll look into the intel from my end, too. Maybe I can negotiate with <Noah> to share information—”

“——Ugh!”

Rosetta let out a frustrated groan, her composed ‘President’ mask crumbling, revealing the earnest, upset girl underneath.

“Boss! Why won’t you ever prioritize yourself!? Look at you, you’re hurt!”

She waved the bundle of bandages she was using in his face, right in front of Arl’s wide eyes. The wounds were bandaged. To Arl, they were just scratches, but seeing them wrapped up probably made them look more serious to others.

“Really, injuries like this are…”

“I know you’re strong enough to handle it! But these wounds are proof! Proof you stopped that monster! But if you just shrug it off and act like it’s nothing, and let <Noah> or someone else take the credit…!”

Arl realized he had misunderstood. He thought she was angry simply about losing the potential ‘kill’ and the associated glory to the Academy. But it wasn’t just that.

“It’s not fair to you, Boss! You worked so hard, and you’re hurt!”

“…Me?”

“W-Well, maybe I don’t have the right to talk, since I let <Noah> steal the show… and I’m not strong like you, but…”

Rosetta pushed on, ignoring Arl’s confusion, the words tumbling out.

“I’m not like the Silver Wolf or the Saint. I’m not a natural fighter. Even my quick-draw… I just copied you. I only learned it so I wouldn’t accidentally shoot the wrong thing! It was a defensive reason, you know? I’m still scared when I hold a gun… I am, but…”

Her voice trembled, revealing the insecurity and inferiority complex beneath her usual bravado – the raw feelings of a girl who had to put on a brave face just to stand on the battlefield.

“That’s why I built the guild! <Blacksmith> runs on gunpowder and gold! I can’t fight like them alone, but with the organization… we can.”

She hadn’t been forced by circumstance to become strong like Prima, nor was she born into magical prestige like Kirsi. She had started as just a normal girl and clawed her way up to lead one of the capital’s Three Great Organizations. She thumped her chest proudly.

“I’ll do better next time. I’ll be more useful to you. So… please… don’t say ‘it’s enough.’ Rely on me more!”

“——”

“…I-It would make me happy… if you relied on me…”

Having said her piece, she seemed to deflate, her confidence evaporating as she realized what she’d just blurted out. Looking at her, Arl finally understood. Somewhere, deep down, he’d still been thinking of her—of all of them—as helpless children he needed to protect. He’d been completely wrong. He was still stuck on the impression they’d made when he first saved them. They weren’t just dependents who offered devotion; they were powerful leaders in their own right. His resolution to be a ‘worthy Master’ had been far too shallow. What he should say now wasn’t dismissal or comfort. He took a breath, chastising himself internally, then smiled warmly at Rosetta.

“…Thank you, Rosetta. I will be counting on you.”

“~~~~! Y-Yeah!”

Rosetta flushed with pleasure, nodding eagerly. Then, suddenly, she froze. The blush drained from her face, replaced by a ghastly pale, and she started sweating profusely within seconds.

“Rosetta…?”

“—Ah… AAAAAHHH, WHAT DID I JUST SAY!? SO ARROGANT!”

She buried her face in her hands, groaning in mortification.

“Who am I to tell the Boss to ‘rely on me’! I’m just a screw-up! Am I even in a position to say that!? This whole mess happened because I let <Noah> take all the credit! Ugh… I’m so sorry, Boss!”

“…Well, I kind of figured this might happen.”

She was, fundamentally, a timid girl. Just speaking her mind to him must have taken immense courage and stress. She was still hyperventilating slightly, mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.

“Uuu, I can’t face you… H-Hey, Boss? Isn’t there… like… a penalty?”

“…Huh?”

“I mean, even with the monster attack, the fact is I let <Noah> steal the glory, right? I was in charge of the investigation! It doesn’t seem right for there to be no consequences for failure! Please, just… give me some kind of punishment!”

“P-Punishment…?”

That familiar word sent a chill down Arl’s spine. ‘Put a collar on me.’ He shuddered, picturing Prima’s gleaming eyes, and quickly shook his head. Why do they keep asking for punishments? Does being punished make them feel better somehow?

“There’s no punishment. If anything, this is my fault for making you worry unnecessarily.”

He had just been keenly reminded of his own shortcomings. He tried to lighten the mood, keeping his tone deliberately casual.

“If anyone deserves punishment, it’s me. You can… do whatever you want to me.”

“——Are you still talking like that…?”

He had no idea those careless words would be the final spark to ignite her frayed emotions. One moment, he was sitting on the sofa, letting Rosetta treat his arm. The next, he was flat on his back, Rosetta straddling him, pinning him down. It happened so fast he couldn’t even process it before he found himself looking up into her intense eyes.

“Then… this can be your ‘punishment’… right, Boss?”

She smiled, her hands planted on his chest, legs pinning his. But it wasn’t a warm smile. Her lips curled sensuously, and her eyes burned with a fierce, possessive heat that had nothing to do with gentle affection.

“Rosetta…?”

“I’ve always… wanted to make you understand.”

Her smile didn’t waver, but the aura around her was heavy, almost menacing. Arl knew, instantly, that she was angry.

“You never take care of yourself, Boss. You always put everyone else first, leaving yourself out of the equation. Even back then… you had those dark circles under your eyes, you were so tired, but you just kept pushing yourself with your knight duties…”

“Ah, right. But, like you just said, I need to rely—”

“Fufufu. Right now… it’s punishment time, Boss.”

Her finger touched his lips, silencing him gently but firmly.

“That selflessness is part of what makes you amazing, Boss. But for the people who care about you… it’s maddening. We just want you to take care of yourself more. So… I decided. When I finally met you again…”

This was the desire born from the moment her brain had short-circuited five years ago.

“I’m going to make you understand… just how precious you are. I’m going to make you my kept man…”

Her fingertips danced feather-light across his cheek, his lips.

“…And I’m going to lock you up… in my little birdcage… forever.”

“!? Rosetta!?”

Arl panicked. Before he could react, she placed her hand on the collar of her shirt and slowly… pulled it down, revealing the smooth, pale skin of her collarbone and the top of her chest, glistening slightly with sweat.

“What are you—”

“You know what they say is the best way to tie a man down, don’t you?”

She tilted her head cutely, but her eyes were narrowed, sultry, conveying a meaning far from innocent.

“See this outfit? Easy to take off, right? I had it custom-made by the brand’s top designers… just for this day. It’s a masterpiece. One of a kind.”

“Why would you spend money like that…!?”

“You don’t have to do anything, Boss. You don’t have to work anymore. Just… enjoy yourself every day. I’ll give you anything you want, anytime. You can do whatever you like, wherever you like… as long as you never leave my cage. I’ll make you so dependent on me… you’ll never be able to leave.”

Her eyes were dark with obsession. Possessiveness. A thick, syrupy emotion.

“Then… you’ll understand, right? How much you mean to me?”

Her expression softened, her smile turning bittersweet, almost tearful, achingly vulnerable. Arl was stunned into silence, realizing with a fresh pang just how much his carelessness had worried her, how deeply she cared.

“So… just fall for me, Boss? I’m never, ever letting you go.”

All that being said… the sheer intensity radiating off her was still setting off major alarm bells. This was a crisis. A definite crisis… for his chastity.

“Ngh… Your hand is so big, Boss…”

“—!?”

She pressed his palm flat against her stomach, then slowly, deliberately, began to guide it upwards… towards the soft swell of her chest. She was clearly not in her right mind. Simply put, she was losing control. And it was his fault for being so dismissive of his own well-being and her concern. He felt he deserved the ‘punishment’… but if she went through with this, the emotional backlash when she eventually came to her senses would be devastating.

“Rosetta, calm down. Wait… wait, your fingers are touching—”

“Don’t worry. I won’t let you get bored. Mm. I’ll… try lots of things? Things like… this… I’ll take care of… everything for you…”

Her breath hitched as she pressed his hand against her soft skin, lost in the sensation. Arl could have easily overpowered her physically, but he couldn’t bring himself to roughly push away a lady, especially not Rosetta. He was trapped. But then he noticed… she was trembling. This wasn’t easy for her either. Her formal speech was slipping, revealing the young, flustered girl underneath. Her breathing was ragged, beads of sweat tracing paths down her flushed cheeks to her collarbone. There was no confidence in her expression now; only a desperate, earnest desire, radiating from her entire being.

“Boss… look at me. Keep… looking at me?”

Rosetta was someone who built a confident persona and wore it like armor. This uncharacteristic aggression… it had to be an act, a mask she had put on and now couldn’t take off, leading to this runaway situation. If that was the case… there was still one move he could make.

“—I can’t do that.”

Arl deliberately lowered his voice, making it smooth, and gently touched her chin with his fingers. He felt utterly ridiculous, putting on such an act, but he had to match her intensity. If she was pushing her limits, he’d push back. This was now a contest of who would break from embarrassment first.

“As your Master… there are still many things I need to accomplish. A birdcage is… a little too small for me.”

“Th-That… won’t work… on me…”

Her eyes darted away, her voice wavering.

“You’re going to be my kept man. And stay by my side. I’m angry… about you…”

“I’m sorry. Forgive my shortcomings. I didn’t fully understand… your devotion.”

He continued to gently stroke her face with his fingertips. It felt incredibly un-knightly. If he regained his senses now, he’d probably die of embarrassment, but he held on. Rosetta’s eyes were starting to spin. She was just a shy, easily flustered girl, pushing herself this far for his sake.

“Rosetta. If I have to choose… I don’t want to be in your cage. I want to fly alongside you.”

It felt cheesy, saying it out loud, but in that moment, he meant it.

“I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be with you. Always.”

“…R… Really? You won’t… neglect yourself anymore?”

“I promise. So—”

He mirrored her earlier gesture, gently placing his fingertips against her lips, stopping any further words.

“Let’s save… the rest of this… for another time.”

He smiled gently at her stunned, wide-eyed expression.

“——Y-Yes…”

And with that, Rosetta finally reached her limit and fainted, slumping forward onto his chest. He held her close, listening to her soft, even breathing. He kept his gentle expression fixed… until he was sure she was deeply asleep. Then, he covered his own bright red face with his free hand.

“…My heart… really can’t take this.”