"W-Wait. I can't run anymore..."

Looking at Elise's face that is about to cry, her legs tremble as if she was about to crumble at any moment.

Perhaps she is at the limit of her endurance after running around too much, or maybe it's the fear.

The situation of being naked, in the danger zone of the slum in mid-night, being chased by men. These things are putting more strain on her body than the fatigue from running.

While she was alone, she was desperately running, but now I appeared and her fears began to be liberated.

"...................."

"S-S-Sorry, in a moment I-I will be able to run"

While I was thinking, Elise's face became pale due to fear.

Maybe she thought that I would abandon her.

I smile to relieve her and lift her with my arms.

"Eh? Kya"

"Be quiet"

Elise blushes in a shame different from the previous one when I picked her up in a princess carry.

In my arms, I carry her soft weight, but thanks to my physical strength, she is light. To the extent that I may feel this to be more enjoyable than running while pulling her hand due to her softness.

While thinking that, I leave the alley and run while holding her up.

"Found them! There is a man!? What are the others doing!?"

I guess they were hiding nearby, we were found at once and they shout.

Elise clings more strongly to my body, and I smile in my heart.

This is good.

Gather your friends like that.

And I began to run while leaving a constant distance from the thugs.

"... Finally, haa haa, cornered you, fucking kid"

Billy stares at me and insults me while out of breath.

Unlike the jog from when they were chasing after Elise, this one was a run at full speed. So they are all out of breath and quite annoyed.

(But, this is amazing...)

I guess he gathered all of them. The number of thugs is over 100. Well, maybe that is all of them? After all they need to enclose the slums.

(More than 100 people...)

To the number that surpasses my expectations, I wasn't able to hide my joy.

Good, very good. This number of thugs is very good.

If so, I may be able to get that title I was thinking of giving up.

I was very pleased at this, but Elise seems to think very differently.

She is pretty scared by the number of men that are gradually increasing, and the moment I arrived at a dead end, her face turned pale white, and her face then somehow turned into one of tragic determination.

She gets off my arms and steps towards the men ahead.

"Elise?"

When I call her name, she points at me with a cramped smile, and says towards them.

"P-Ple-Please. I-I don't care what you do with me, but him, l-let him go please"

(----.........)