Recently, outdoor lights have become far more powerful compared to the flashlights commonly used in the past.

Nowadays, it's even possible to get lights used for military purposes or ones with brightness comparable to car headlights. Of course, the handheld light I used wasn’t quite that powerful, but in complete darkness with no other sources of light, shining it directly into someone's eyes would be unbearable.

This handheld light became available for purchase when the outdoor shop leveled up. However, considering how advanced it is in this world, and the potential for misuse as I just demonstrated, it isn’t sold to the general public—and never will be.

“My eyes! My eyes!”

“Alright! Lilia, tie him up while he’s distracted!”

“...Tetsuya, was what you just said true?”

“Huh?”

For some reason, Lilia hadn’t moved to secure the stalker, who had dropped his weapon and was crouched on the ground. I had expected her to act before I even gave the order.

Instead, she was staring at me with sharp eyes, rather than focusing on the stalker.

Wait, now that I think about it... what did I just say?

“No, no, no! That was just a made-up story! I only said it because I figured it would make the stalker pull a weapon and attack!”

“I-I see! Well, that’s fine then!”

Relieved, Lilia stopped glaring at me and began restraining the stalker.

...Could it be that she was jealous? I know this isn’t the right time for such thoughts, but that makes me ridiculously happy! No, focus! This isn’t the time for that!

“Damn it! Get away from me!”

“Hah!”

“Guh!”

The stalker, still unable to see, was wildly swinging his arms. However, now disarmed and blind, he was instantly subdued by Lilia.

I’m glad I was able to be of some help, even if just a little. Lilia could probably have taken him down easily on her own, but since he had a knife, there was always a slight chance something could go wrong. Also, while it seemed like he had no accomplices, we still couldn’t let our guard down until he was handed over.

With the stalker restrained using rope we had purchased at the store, we took him in and handed him over to the guards while explaining the situation.

“...So that’s what happened. The stalker after Angel has been safely arrested, so you can all rest easy now. We can lift the security measures.”

The next day, I explained yesterday’s events to all the store employees.

“Tetsuya, Lilia, I’m really sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused!”

“Like I said before, this isn’t your fault, Angel. And since no one got hurt, we should just be happy about that.”

“Yeah. I’m really glad he didn’t go after you or Dolph.”

Honestly, it was better for both the stalker and our store. If he had gone after Dolph, things might have gone too far, and Dolph could have ended up getting arrested as well.

“Yes! Thank you so much!”

Angel smiled brightly. ...Well, seeing such an adorable smile, I could somewhat understand why the stalker became obsessed with her.

“Damn it... I can’t believe I didn’t realize someone was stalking Angel. It’s my greatest failure!”

Since the issue was resolved, I finally told Dolph about the stalker. He seemed genuinely frustrated that he hadn’t noticed his sister was in danger.

There was an option to never tell him, but since the stalker was caught, I decided it was best to inform her family.

“If I had known, I would’ve torn that bastard apart...”

...Yeah, knowing how overprotective Dolph is, he really might have done it.

“Dolph, if you had overdone it, you could’ve ended up getting arrested yourself. Angel couldn’t talk to you about it because of that. I know you want to protect her, but sometimes that can be a burden too.”

There’s no doubt that Dolph cherishes Angel, but his overwhelming protectiveness made it difficult for her to confide in him.

“Ugh...”

“Brother, I’m happy that you care about me so much. But if you got arrested because of it, I’d be devastated. Just like you cherish me, I also cherish you. So please take care of yourself too.”

“Angel!! ...I’m sorry. From now on, I’ll be more mindful of the people around me. I’ll take better care of myself too.”

Whoa, that wrapped up really nicely! As expected, having been siblings for so long, Angel really knows how to handle Dolph.

“Angel, Dolph, I’m glad everything worked out!”

“I wasn’t much help in the end, but I’m really glad no one got seriously hurt.”

“Fia, Lange, I’m really sorry for making you worry. Thank you so much for everything!”

“I really caused trouble for everyone at the store. I’m grateful to all of you for helping Angel and me. If any of you ever need help, please don’t hesitate to ask!”

“If there’s anything I can do to help, please let me know!”

In a way, thanks to the stalker, our store’s bond had grown even stronger. Maybe we should actually be thanking him.

As for what happened to the stalker, since he attacked me with a weapon with clear intent to kill, he was sentenced to many years of forced labor in a mine or other dangerous area. Considering how deeply he resents me now, I’ll have to be cautious when he’s eventually released.