"As you wish."
Much to Ardan's surprise, the two individuals with unclear identities showed no intention of stopping her.
Instead, they seemed completely indifferent to Nearl, who could be considered a "precious hostage."
But this worked out just fine.
Whether they truly didn't care or simply enjoyed toying with both her and Nearl in the palm of their hands, as long as she could stay by Nearl's side right from the start, Ardan believed with all her heart that she wouldn't be afraid, no matter what came her way.
She held a mysterious trust in Nearl. If Nearl was here, then surely, no matter what kind of predicament they faced, she would decisively sweep it all away.
However, one thing puzzled Ardan.
'Nearl is steady and intelligent, with physical abilities more agile than anyone I've ever known. Even if the kidnappers are Uma Musume and not humans, taking Nearl down wouldn't be easy at all. How on earth did they...'
"I'll make some room for you. Be careful not to wake her, alright?"
Byerley happily and gently shifted Nearl, who had been leaning against her, and let Ardan take her place as the makeshift pillow.
As someone who had always cared for their younger sister, she knew exactly what feelings this little filly before her held for their sibling.
Facing Byerley with her strange, knowing smile, Ardan grew even more serious. In her eyes, this was nothing short of a threat.
"If you try anything to wake Nearl, we won't be polite."
Ardan believed the underlying message here was almost a blatant threat, but she didn't utter a word.
Silently, she took Nearl into her arms, letting her rest against her chest.
"Mmm..."
Sensing the change in who was beside her, Nearl's body instinctively tensed, urging her to wake and be alert.
However, a familiar, light, delicate fragrance and a power that felt akin to her own eventually soothed that vigilance.
"Hmm..."
In the end, that brilliant golden mane only shifted slightly within Ardan's embrace before settling back into silence.
"Nearl..."
She knew full well this wasn't the time, but this was the first time she had ever been this close to Nearl.
In that moment, Ardan's heart first felt as if it were floating, strolling through a vast grassland, only to be buried soon after by the bitter reality.
She gently raised her hand, carefully yet firmly stroking Nearl's beautiful hair a few times.
'I'll think of a way, don't worry. On the Mejiro family's honor, a mere kidnapping will be handled properly.'
Having come this far, Ardan summoned her own resolve. Unlike other girls who might fret or panic, she calmly analyzed the current situation.
'No matter what, right now, we're at their mercy. Direct resistance would be unwise. If possible, I need to find out their motive for the kidnapping first.'
With Nearl leaning on her left shoulder, Ardan used her right hand to rub the pendant on her ear. What started as an expression of her fondness for the accessory had now become a way to calm herself down.
"Might I ask for your names? Otherwise, communication might be a little difficult."
Without showing any outward change, Ardan began a tentative inquiry. Facing her question, the two goddesses exchanged a glance.
"True, having a name to call someone is important for conversation. But apologies, Miss Mejiro, our real names aren't something we can share right now. We can only give you our codenames for the time being."
'Just as I thought. Afraid to give their real names—are they scared of being traced, or is it simply caution?'
Ardan became even more convinced she was dealing with criminals.
"You can call me Whislash. The one driving up front is Blemishine."
"Blemishine?"
The codename 'Whislash' didn't trigger any particular thought in Ardan, as it clearly sounded like a simple alias. But the codename 'Blemishine'... it rang a faint bell.
It stirred a strange feeling in her, a feeling that drove her to concentrate on gazing into the rearview mirror, as that was the only way to see the full appearance of the one driving.
'No good. The dark clouds outside have swallowed the sun, and with this faint light, I can't see clearly at all. If I ask them to turn on the lights, will they agree?'
Pressing her lips together, Ardan decided to give it a try.
"Excuse me, could you turn on the car lights? It's a bit too dark around here."
"Oh? Are you afraid of the dark?"
"Yes, that's right."
Forcing a light smile, Ardan felt a flicker of hope. Unexpectedly, the other party seemed surprisingly agreeable.
"Sure, no problem. I'll turn them on then."
As Blemishine pressed a button on the console, a soft, yellowish light filled the car's interior.
In that instant, Ardan also got a clear view of the detailed features of the Uma Musume who called herself "Blemishine."
"Boom!"
A thunderclap roared outside the car, perfectly mirroring the turmoil in Ardan's heart.
"H-how? How can this be? The resemblance... it's like they're sisters."
This was a face all too familiar to Ardan—familiar enough that every night when she gazed at the stars or touched her earring, this person's image would subconsciously come to mind.
Unable to believe it, she looked back at Nearl, sleeping soundly in her arms.
Comparing her to the 'bad' filly in front, Ardan could see an eighty percent likeness.
From the same rare and beautiful golden hair and eyes to the similar aura and facial features.
The only differences were that Nearl's face held more strength and handsome elegance, while Blemishine's leaned toward youthful delicacy. Otherwise, they were practically identical.
"Ah, you only just noticed?"
Ironically, the most surprised one seemed to be Blemishine.
She had thought Ardan had already noticed this point, which was why she got in the car.
Turns out she hadn't realized at all.
'So that means, she just saw Nearl and got into a car with strangers without a second thought? That level of concern is really something...'
Now that she had noted Blemishine's appearance, Ardan turned her gaze to the other self-proclaimed 'Whislash.'
Sure enough, the more she looked, the more this face also resembled Nearl's.
"Could it be... are you two related to Nearl?"
If that were the case, all of Ardan's previous speculations would be overturned. They might genuinely just be giving her a ride because of her close personal friendship with Nearl.
"That's right. We're both Nearl's sisters. Looks tempting, doesn't it?"
"..."
Ardan looked at Zofia's clearly mature and beautiful face, thinking it seemed normal for her to be the older sister.
But Blemishine... that face was too similar, too youthful. Claiming to be the older sister felt incredibly awkward.
Moreover, after remembering a certain fact, Ardan's gaze toward them turned even colder. If before she was looking at criminals, now she was looking at scum.
'Nearl's family? Nearl is an orphan. The only family she acknowledges is Aunt Komori and the children at the Komori Orphanage. I know this best, having gone to the orphanage with her.'
Remembering her overnight stay at the Komori Orphanage, when Komori Party had chatted with her and revealed Nearl's difficult childhood and the experience of being abandoned, Ardan felt a burning rage ignite within her.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.