Night had fallen on the Pleasure Quarter, lanterns casting a soft glow that danced across the colorful facades of the buildings. Bell moved silently, his cloak concealing his face and movements. For days, one thought had been haunting him: the slave fox he had seen, locked in that highly secure house.
Before, as a Level 1 adventurer, he would never have been able to enter such a place. But now, with his Ethereal Vision skill and his evolution to Level 2, he felt ready to face this challenge.
He slipped into the oriental-designed house, his soft footsteps barely echoing on the polished wooden floors. The walls were decorated with exotic silks and floral patterns, and the smell of incense hung in the air. Bell used his vision to avoid the guards patrolling the hallways, moving with the precision of a hunter.
Finally, he found a door decorated with intricate carvings. Behind it, he felt a strange and familiar aura. He entered discreetly, discovering a richly decorated room, lit by candles. In the center, a young woman with a captivating appearance stood, her long golden hair cascading over her shoulders. Her pointed ears and fox tail accentuated her exotic beauty.
The fox, thinking it was a customer, slowly stepped forward. Her golden eyes were shining, but Bell noticed an infinite sadness weighing on her expression.
— "Welcome, master," she murmured, her voice soft but resigned. She approached, but Bell stepped back slightly, his face flushing at the sight of her light attire and natural elegance.
— "I... I'm not here for that," Bell stammered, his heart pounding.
The fox stopped, surprised by the answer.
— "So why are you here?" she asked in a wary but curious voice.
Bell took a deep breath before answering:
— "I came to free you. You should not be here, you should not be an object in Ishtar's hands."
At these words, the fox's eyes widened, but she shook her head sadly.
— "It's impossible... My fate is already sealed. There's nothing you can do to save me."
Bell frowned.
— "Tell me what keeps you here. Why do you say your fate is sealed?"
The fox looked down, her voice shaking slightly as she spoke:
— "My name is Haruhime. I am a former fallen princess of the East, captured and sold into slavery to the Ishtar Familia. They use me... but that is nothing compared to what awaits me."
She paused, watching the candle flames flicker.
— "On the next full moon night, they plan a ritual. They will use a cursed stone to extract my soul and convert it into an artifact that will allow their members to easily increase their levels. My sacrifice will allow them to compete with the greatest families, and their ambition is clear: to destroy Loki and Freya."
Bell felt his anger rising.
— "And you accept this?! You think this is all your life is worth?"
Haruhime smiled sadly.
— "I can't do anything about it. Even if I escaped, they would find me. It's useless."
Bell knelt down in front of her, looking her straight in the eyes.
— "Haruhime, no one deserves such a fate. You are not an object, and I refuse to let you down. I promise you, I will do everything to stop this ritual and free you. But you too must believe in this possibility. Can you trust me?"
Tears welled up in Haruhime's eyes. In years, she hadn't met anyone willing to defend her.
— "Why would you go so far for me?" she asked weakly.
Bell replied in a firm voice:
— "Because that's what adventurers do. They save those in need."
Haruhime nodded, hesitant but touched by Bell's determination.
— "Very well... I will follow you."
Bell stood up straight, ready to risk everything for her. However, he knew that saving Haruhime would only be the beginning. He also had to bring down Ishtar and put an end to her overweening ambitions. As he walked out of the room with Haruhime, he felt that his crusade against the gods who had betrayed Zeus had just taken a new turn.
Chapter 39: The Collar of Shackles
Aisha stood in the shadow of a pillar, listening intently to the conversation between Bell and Haruhime. The fox's words echoed within her like a painful echo. Aisha remembered a time when she herself had tried to break that cursed stone that Ishtar used for her rituals. Back then, she had failed, and the punishment inflicted by her goddess had marked her forever. Since that day, she had searched for a way to save Haruhime, knowing that her own power would not be enough.
Bell, for his part, seemed willing to risk it all. He thought back to the slave collar wrapped around Haruhime's delicate neck. That collar was one of the symbols of her imprisonment, and without breaking it, she would never truly be free.
The next day, Bell went to see an expert in magical objects: Asfi Al Andromeda, the faithful captain of the Familia Hermes. When he arrived, she was talking with her god, Hermes, in a small, discreet shop, hidden from view.
— "I see you need me to break a slave collar," Asfi said, adjusting her glasses. She observed Bell with her usual calm. "If the collar belongs to a deity, this is not a simple task. It would require either a specific key or a magic formula that only the owner knows."
Bell nodded, considering his options.
— "The necklace belongs to Ishtar," he answered after a short hesitation.
Asfi stopped, his eyes narrowing slightly.
— "Then Ishtar is the only one who can open it. That complicates things. To obtain the key or the formula, one would have to infiltrate her personal quarters."
Hermes, who until then had been content to listen, intervened with his usual mischievous smile.
— "Infiltrating Ishtar's apartments? Now that's a mission that speaks to me!"
Asfi gave his god an incredulous look.
— "You mean… break into her house to negotiate? Or rather to try to seduce her?" she asked, already exasperated by Hermes' dubious intentions.
—"Well, a night with Ishtar might be a fair trade, right?" Hermes joked, though his tone suggested he was partially serious.
Bell, despite his initial distrust, felt he had no other choice.
— "If this is what it takes to obtain the key or the formula, then… I accept your help," he declared, determined.
Asfi let out a sigh of frustration.
— "I guess I have no say in the matter. But be careful. You're playing with fire."
Back in his room, Bell was surprised to find Aisha waiting for him, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. She had that serious, concerned look on her face that he rarely saw.
After telling him his plan.
— "You're crazy, Bell," she said without preamble. "You're really planning on breaking into Ishtar's room? Do you know what happens if you get caught? She won't just punish you. She'll break you."
Bell nodded slowly, not trying to deny the dangers.
— "I know that, Aisha. But I can't just sit back and do nothing. Haruhime deserves to be free, and I won't stand for her to be sacrificed for their ambitions."
Aisha stared at him intensely, her gaze flickering between anger and worry.
— "I understand that you want to save her, but why not let me help you? I know better than anyone the dangers of this mission. I can take care of Ishtar while you retrieve the key."
Bell shook his head.
— "No, Aisha. I refuse to put you in danger. Ishtar already suspects you of being too close to me. If she finds out you're helping me, she'll make you pay even more. I have to do this alone."
Aisha looked away, a bitter smile on her lips.
— "You really are an idiot. You know that?" she whispered.
Bell cracked a smile, trying to lighten the mood.
— "Maybe. But I must keep my promise. Once Haruhime is free, I will entrust her to Hestia so that she can live in peace. In the meantime, I must make sure that Ishtar forgets about her completely."
Aisha was silent for a moment, then placed a hand on Bell's shoulder.
— "If you ever find yourself in danger, promise me you'll fight to the end. Don't let Ishtar take you."
Bell nodded, sensing the sincerity in his words.
— "I promise you."
As she left the room, Bell felt his heart grow heavy. He knew that the mission he was about to undertake would be one of the most perilous of his life. But he had no choice. Haruhime was counting on him, and he couldn't give up.