The festivities in Herrington Village continued late into the night.

Since most of the villagers had gone to the square, the inn run by Kanna's parents was unusually deserted, unlike usual.

Kanna also wanted to go to the square, but since her parents had left the inn to her, she had no choice but to guard the inn alone.

Still, Kanna was satisfied.

Today's festival was to celebrate Daisy's recovery, and Daisy was able to recover thanks to Ariel and Lu bringing the Patricia flower. 

And the one who guided Ariel and Lu to Herrington Village was...

'Me.'

So Kanna had also made a big contribution to today's joyous occasion. Though no one particularly acknowledged it, Kanna still felt proud.

Ding dong.

The inn door opened and someone came in. Kanna turned her head towards the door.

"Welcome... Oh."

It was Ariel who came in.

Ariel had the same expressionless face as when Kanna first saw her, but somehow seemed a bit disgruntled.

"Ariel. Why are you back so soon? Wasn't the festival fun?"

In response to Kanna's question, Ariel nodded and walked briskly to sit at a table in the inn's dining area.

Kanna also approached Ariel.

"Want something to eat?"

"Cream...buns."

Ariel said it strangely, putting emphasis on the pronunciation.

Kanna chuckled.

"Didn't you eat anything at the square? There must be tastier things than cream buns there."

Ariel silently gazed into the distance. She had asked the village chief for cream buns, but was brushed off. Moreover, the villagers only expressed gratitude without offering any food.

Unbeknownst to Ariel, the villagers had been firmly warned by the chief. They could express gratitude, but absolutely must not mention any rewards or payment. That would be an insult to the pure heart of the elves...

"Oh? But where's Lu?"

When Kanna asked, Ariel rummaged in her pocket and took something out, placing it on the table.

It was Lu.

Lu's face was flushed as he slept soundly, completely oblivious. He had drunk fruit wine to his limit and passed out drunk.

Kanna chuckled once more and said to Ariel,

"Anyway, I'll get you some cream buns, so wait a bit."

*

"Hum hum~"

Humming a little tune, Kanna prepared the cream buns. 

She had been a bit bored unable to go to the festival square, but it was perhaps better this way to be at the inn with Ariel.

With Lu also passed out drunk, maybe she could even indulge herself a little.

She was thinking of casually asking if she could touch Ariel's ears once Ariel had eaten the cream buns and milk and was satisfied. If not the ears, stroking that shimmering silver hair wouldn't be bad either. And if neither worked, then the cheeks...

"Ooh, smells good?"

Then someone entered the kitchen and spoke. Kanna started, turning to see a familiar face.

"Jack?"

It was Jack, the blacksmith's son. 

Jack was about five years older than Kanna, so he was considered a young adult in the village now.

Yet Jack still didn't seem mature. He wasn't diligent with work, more preoccupied with drinking and chasing women. 

Jack often said he was sick of a rural village like Herrington, planning to someday go live glamorously in the city.

But to Kanna, that seemed unlikely. Jack didn't really have any skills.

Simply put, Jack was the village idler who only harbored unrealistic dreams.

"Those buns, for that elf?"

Jack pointed at the cream buns Kanna had prepared and asked. Putting one hand in his pocket and swaying his body, he looked quite unruly.

"Why?"

"Give 'em here. I'll take them to her."

"Why you? No way. And why are you here anyway? There's a festival going on at the square right now."

"So what? Who cares about that boring festival? Just give them here. I'll take them. I've got business with that elf anyway."

For a moment, the corner of Jack's mouth curled up. Seeing that, Kanna felt uneasy.

That curling lip was a habit Jack had whenever he was about to cause trouble. 

He definitely did it before getting severely scolded by adults and burning the village fence in a fit of anger, or before breaking into the chief's house to steal valuables.

"Hi Kanna."

Then someone else entered the kitchen.

This time it was two people.

Tom and Susan.

Both part of Jack's gang.

Tom was a timid and naive person with a fat physique, but he followed Jack around like a puppy just because they were friends.

He's kind of Jack's stupid underling.

And Susan was also a troublemaker in the village. She always tried to cause problems. 

Once, though it's unclear what she intended to do, but she got severely scolded by the chief.

Susan was similar to Jack. She found Herrington Village boring and wanted to live a glamorous life in the city someday. 

Susan always boasted that she could marry a noble man if she went to the city, but to Kanna, it seemed unlikely. Objectively, Susan was not pretty.

Anyway, Jack's troublemaking gang barged into the kitchen, clearly plotting something.

Kanna turned to call for help. She planned to slip out the back door of the kitchen, go to the square, and inform the adults.

"Where do you think you're going!"

But before she could, Jack grabbed her.

Kanna had her mouth gagged with a cloth, her hands and feet tied with rope, and was thrown into the kitchen pantry.

"Take a nice nap, Kanna. Stay put."

Jack snickered as he closed the pantry door. The sound of the bolt locking from outside could be heard.

And so, Kanna was completely locked in the dark kitchen pantry.

*

"Hello?"

Susan placed the cream buns and milk on Ariel's table and took a seat herself.

"I heard you saved Daisy's life? Thank you so much."

Though Susan said that, Ariel didn't respond. She simply reached for a cream bun, grasping it and gazing at it with slightly emotional eyes, not paying Susan any mind.

Susan felt a bit vexed but persevered for their plan. The cream buns and milk contained a large dose of sleeping pills.

Not as potent as fairy sleeping powder, but strong enough to treat insomnia.

They had mixed a lot into the cream filling of the buns and dissolved some into the milk. If Ariel ate it, she likely wouldn't wake until morning.

Ariel began eating the cream buns, stuffing the small buns fully into her mouth and eating with relish, washing it down with the milk when her mouth got full.

Susan smiled quietly, and Jack peeking from the kitchen also smiled. 

It worked. Success. This elf would soon fall asleep. Then they could proceed with the plan.

Jack's plan to kidnap the elf and fairy.

The village bumpkins of Herrington may not know, but elves and fairies fetch an exorbitant price. Perhaps enough to buy a noble title.

Jack knew this from overhearing a passing mercenary before.

So he could hatch this plan, reckless as it was. If successful, it would change his life, no longer rotting in this village but living glamorously in the city.

Jack informed Susan and Tom of the plan. 

The cowardly Tom hesitated but had no choice - he'd do as Jack said.

Susan was delighted, as she shared Jack's ambitions.

Jack's plan was simple...

"Let's somehow kidnap the elf and escape to the city. All we need is rope, cloth, and the sleeping pills Tom's mother takes."

Jack thought it would be best to do it today. Now, while people were holding the festival, was the opportunity.

While people were distracted by drinking, they could secretly kidnap the elf and fairy, steal the village's shared carriage, and escape to the city.

After hatching this plan, Jack loitered in the square, watching Ariel.

And the opportunity soon came.

Ariel had put the fairy in her pocket and was moving somewhere. The place Ariel headed was the inn.

Jack thought the heavens were on his side. Conveniently, the village's shared carriage was at the inn. They could just take off right away.

Moreover, all the villagers were in the square. The only one at the inn was Kanna.

Jack brought Susan and Tom into the inn, leading to the current situation.

Jack stood at the kitchen entrance waiting, and soon Susan came walking over.

"That elf ate the cream buns and milk and fell asleep. And the fairy is completely drunk and passed out too."

"Is that so?"

Jack grinned again. His plan seemed too perfect, though it made sense he'd been wasting his brilliant mind rotting in this village all this time.

"Let's start. Tom, bring that elf over. Tie her hands and feet properly. In case she wakes up, she might struggle. And Susan, get the fairy. Lock her in a glass bottle or something. But make an air hole so she doesn't die."

"Got it."

After giving instructions, Jack went out the back door of the inn.

While Tom and Susan secured the elf and fairy, he would steal the village's shared carriage.

Well, 'steal' wasn't quite right - he'd just take it since there wasn't even a lock on it anyway.

From the inn's stable, he led out two horses and hitched them to the carriage.

It was the carriage shared by all the villagers, precious village property, but he didn't care.

They wouldn't be returning to this village ever again anyway.

Soon after, Susan and Tom came out the back door of the inn. 

Susan held a large glass bottle, and Tom carried the tightly bound elf.

"Get on."

Jack climbed onto the driver's seat. Susan and Tom also boarded the carriage. 

When Jack tugged the reins, the horses whinnied and set off.