MV – Chapter 164: The Minor Villain Kidnapper

“Lan… What’s going on with this child?”

Chihiro, arms crossed, asked while looking at the scene before her, her face a mixture of confusion.

“Oh, uh, well, she’s Koume’s friend. They seem to have gotten along well during today’s dessert buffet.” (Lanpeach)

Lanpeach, the flustered villain, sweated nervously and gave a vague answer. The unexpected scene in front of him was certainly cause for concern.

In Koume’s room, on the bed meant for napping, two young girls were peacefully asleep.

The girls were Koume and Mei. After eating their fill at the dessert buffet, brushing their teeth, taking a bath, and changing into pajamas, they nestled into the fluffy bed. They were sleeping in a neat line, with Mimi, the rabbit, casually nestled in the middle. Her insatiable desire for sleep rivaled that of a bespectacled child, so this arrangement was natural.

“Koume’s friend, huh? In that case, we should contact her parents, or they’ll be worried. Do you know how to reach them?” (Chihiro)

Relieved by Lanpeach’s explanation, Chihiro instinctively suggested the proper course of action.

“This note here was written by Libra-chan! Tada~! Don’t worry; I used a ruler for the letters, so it’s perfect!” (Libra)

The shrine maiden handed over the note with a wink and a completely unconvincing statement. Lanpeach took it and read its contents.

[Yoroizuka Mei is under our protection. Do not cause a fuss; await further instructions.]

“That’s a kidnapper’s note! Why would you write something so professional? Even kidnappers would be shocked!” (Lanpeach)

Lanpeach tore the note to pieces and yelled. It looked exactly like a formal declaration of a child abduction.

“Oh no! I worked so hard on that! But don’t worry, the rabbit will deliver it so no one can trace it back to us!” (Libra)

“There’s absolutely nothing reassuring about that!” (Lanpeach)

If a rabbit delivered it, the Yoroizuka family would instantly know where Mei was.

“So you really did kidnap her?! What family does she belong to? Are you planning to destroy them?” (Chihiro)

Chihiro trembled as she held her cheeks, her body quivering. She seemed unsurprised by Lanpeach’s potential misdeeds -an understanding partner for a minor villain. And from the current situation, Lanpeach couldn’t entirely deny the accusation. That said, he had no plans for annihilating nuisances or eliminating opposing groups.

Mei, having declared Lanpeach as her ‘father’, refused to leave, sticking close to Koume. Koume, delighted to have a new friend, beamed, saying, “I have a new big sister now!” She seemed to think they simply gained a new family member.

Lanpeach didn’t anticipate Mei being so carefree. How old was she? About five?

[She probably never needed to think for herself. She could always entrust her problems to her future self after all. This is not a metaphor; it seems she was actually doing so.] (Mira)

Mira shared her perspective through thought transmission, subtly indicating that the source of Mei’s destiny-manipulating power should lack its own will. Indeed, if such abilities were wielded by someone with firm intellect and self-awareness, their range of choices might shrink, favoring rational paths over reckless or instinctual ones.

This suggested someone deliberately kept Mei from maturing mentally… Likely her mother. Lanpeach found this realization disheartening.

[I see, she’s pure like Koume in some ways. That’s troubling. I wonder if she’ll go home quietly. I intended to escort her back though…] (Lanpeach)

Lanpeach considered destroying one of the enemy bases as an additional task but questioned whether such bases even existed.

[Hmm, given her lack of forethought, do you think she even remembers where her home is? It’s possible she used her abilities to travel without knowing her destination.] (Mira)

[That’s plausible. Her memory is as fragile as tofu: soft and fleeting. She seems entirely reliant on her abilities.] (Lanpeach) 

She is someone who can make her wishes come true after all. Mei possessed the ultimate cheat ability. Yet, being a young child, she likely had no reservations about using it.

[There’s another issue, Soldier. Most people recognize Yoroizuka Mei as an elite secretary. A grown woman. If you inform the Yoroizuka family about abducting a young girl, they won’t understand what you mean.] (Libra)

[You knew this and still wrote that note? …This is vexing, but Libra’s right. We’ll need to contact someone who knows Mei’s true identity, but we have no idea who that might be.] (Lanpeach)

Deciding it was impossible to notify the Yoroizuka family about Mei, Lanpeach clicked his tongue in frustration.

“Are we heading for all-out war? The soldiers in Lanpeach City have good-quality spirit armor and include former adventurers, so they’re capable fighters.” (Chihiro)

Chihiro, brimming with determination, clenched her fists and took a resolute stance. She seemed to view this as an excellent opportunity to contribute and appeared especially enthusiastic.

Lanpeach smiled at her endearing resolve and gently patted her head.

“It’s fine. Lanpeach City is fortified like a stronghold thanks to the rabbits. No one would dare launch a full-scale attack and risk heavy losses. They might scheme in secret, but that’s nothing new.” (Lanpeach)

Agents infiltrated Lanpeach City daily without fail. Those who went too far were swiftly sniffed out and expelled by the rabbits. Whether those expelled survived was another question.

“Aw, I thought I could be useful to you, Lan. That’s disappointing.” (Chihiro)

“Chihiro, you’re always helpful. Without you, Lanpeach City would’ve crumbled long ago, probably devolving into some post-apocalyptic gangland.” (Lanpeach)

Lanpeach imagined the city falling into chaos under his rule with pure violence, turning the place into a place where the strong eat the weak, ultimately leading to his demise at the hands of a lone martial artist of the north.

“That makes me happy to hear.” (Chihiro)

Chihiro said while blushing.

In another story, Lanpeach’s kind words might set a heartwarming scene, but as a minor villain, his actions only made him look like a sinister guy letting off weird waves that brainwash a beautiful girl.

“But what will you do with this child? She’s from a noble family, isn’t she?” (Chihiro)

“Hmm… That’s the thing. Wait, I’ve got an idea.” (Lanpeach)

Seeing Chihiro’s concerned expression, Lanpeach recalled his original goal, which had been entirely different.

He turned to Mei, who had woken up moments ago and seemed uneasy about what might happen to her.

“Hey, Mei-chan? Want to live here with Koume for a while? Think of it as a sleepover at a friend’s house.” (Lanpeach)

Lanpeach smiled with the kindest and most reassuring smile in the world. He is most likely the number one most reassuring man in the world. Opinions may vary and won’t be heard.

He thought Mei would happily nod, but she instead puffed her cheeks and protested.

“Don’t want-deshu!” (Mei)

“You don’t like it?” (Lanpeach)

Lanpeach looked at her, startled by her strong refusal.

“Be my father please! You’re already my father now~! This isn’t a sleepover; this is my home! I’m living here with Koume-deshu yo!” (Mei)

Mei threw a small tantrum on the bed, flailing her limbs. Mimi, the rabbit, opened one eye and rolled to the edge of the bed, clearly annoyed by the commotion.

“But if this becomes your home, won’t your mom worry about you?” (Lanpeach)

“It’s fine! Mother rarely visits me anyway. She always just sends messages.” (Mei)

The pitiful revelation about her family situation was not something Lanpeach wanted to hear.

“Pat my head and tell me I’m a good girl! Hug me! Hug me!” (Mei)

Mei imitated Koume. Since children were notorious for ignoring reason, Lanpeach relented, holding her and gently patting her back.

“Being your father might be tough, but staying here for a while is fine. Can you be a good girl and live here for now?” (Lanpeach)

“I can-deshu! Yay, my home~! With Koume~! With Father~!” (Mei)

Mei conveniently heard only what she wanted and cheered while Lanpeach smirked, feeling this arrangement would work for the time being.

“Wow, Chihiro, what do you think of that Soldier? Doesn’t he look like a bad guy sweet-talking a kidnapped child?” (Libra)

“That’s exactly how it looks, but let’s keep that to ourselves. It would hurt Lan’s feelings.” (Chihiro) 

Libra and Chihiro exchanged comments while whispering quietly. 

(I already knew that myself, so please leave me be.) (Lanpeach)

“Chihiro, we’ll be looking after this girl for a few days, so bring in a designer. I want to have dresses made for Mei and Koume.” (Lanpeach) 

“That’s fine, but…dresses? Oh, is this for the Tanabata Festival?” (Chihiro)

As expected of Chihiro. She caught on immediately.

“That’s right. You had a dress made too, didn’t you? We need to show it off as well.” (Lanpeach)

Originally, the Tanabata Festival was meant to be an occasion to meet Onodera Bacchus, but the purpose could be shifted. Either way, it was about time to demonstrate the power of Lanpeach Kouza.

If their opponents were the ancient ghosts known as the Harkein, there was no time to waste dealing with the Armed Families of the Surface District. Their meddling would likely continue, but it could at least be minimized.

Furthermore, bringing Mei along to the party was sure to elicit reactions from certain individuals. With this approach, the issue of being unable to contact the appropriate parties because they were unknown would no longer be a problem. Truly a brilliant idea, if he said so himself!

“Let’s ask Bacchus to introduce that designer he recommended the other day again. It benefits the Onodera family to maintain ties with us too.” (Lanpeach)

Spare no expense. Let’s attend the Tanabata Festival in style.

“Father, Koume and I will match! Matching! Even the ribbons will be the same!” (Mei)

The little girl cheerfully smacked her hands on Lanpeach’s head in excitement upon hearing this.

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