The night was dark and silent over the pleasure district. Bell had been waiting for two days, carefully observing the movements of Ishtar's Amazons. He had waited patiently for the vigilance to relax and for the guards to be less numerous around the house where Haruhime resided. Tonight, he was finally ready.
Dressed in a black outfit, a hooded trench coat covering his face and a mask concealing his features, Bell stealthily entered the oriental-designed mansion. His footsteps were almost inaudible as he walked through the hallways, carefully avoiding the patrolling guards.
Arriving in Haruhime's room, he gently opened the door and found the fox, dressed in a simple yukata, sitting on a cushion, her gaze lost in thought. She jumped slightly when she saw him enter.
— "Now is the time," Bell murmured, closing the door behind him.
Haruhime hesitated, her gaze filled with palpable fear.
— "I… I can't leave. The collar is a sensor. If you deactivate it, they'll know immediately that something is wrong."
Bell pulled a neatly folded paper from inside his jacket.
— "Don't worry. I have what it takes to deactivate this collar."
He unfolded the paper and began to recite the inscribed formula, his voice low but firm. The necklace around Haruhime's neck glowed faintly before going out with a metallic sound. The necklace came loose and fell to the ground.
Haruhime looked at him in disbelief.
— "How did you get this formula?!"
— "That's not important right now," Bell replied, picking up the necklace. "We need to leave before they realize anything."
Bell handed Haruhime a black yukata.
— "Put this on. You need to blend in."
Haruhime quickly complied, replacing her yukata with the dark kimono. Bell opened the door slightly and threw a small sleeping smoke bomb into the hallway. The gas spread silently, putting the guards nearby to sleep.
They moved stealthily through the corridors, Bell using his Ethereal Vision to detect nearby presences and avoid any danger. However, the moment he had deactivated the collar, a magical link had been severed.
In her chambers, Ishtar felt the rupture like a tear in her mind. She sat up abruptly, an expression of rage twisting her face.
— "Someone dared to steal Haruhime from me?!"
She violently struck an alert bell, summoning all of her Amazons.
— "Phryne!" she screamed. "Catch the intruder and bring me Haruhime. Alive or dead, I don't care."
Phryne, the fearsome captain of the Ishtar family, immediately set out, her imposing build and cruel gaze betraying a thirst for violence.
Bell and Haruhime reached the back of the house, where a small window looked out onto a deserted alley.
— "Come up," Bell whispered, offering him support to climb.
As Haruhime passed through the window, the sound of heavy footsteps sounded behind them. Bell turned around just in time to see a squad of Amazons approaching quickly, their gaze determined.
— "Go! I'll join you," Bell ordered.
He threw one last smoke bomb to slow down the pursuers before slipping out of the window himself.
They ran through the dark alleys, Bell guiding Haruhime with precision. His Ethereal Vision allowed him to spot the guards who were actively searching for them. But their respite was short-lived.
Phryne suddenly appeared in front of them, blocking the exit of an alley.
— "You thought you could steal my prey, little intruder?" she roared, her face twisted into a cruel smile.
Bell instinctively stood in front of Haruhime, his gaze fixed on Phryne.
— "I won't let you touch her," he declared, his voice cold.
Phryne burst out laughing, amused by his audacity.
— "You are brave, I grant you that. But it will not be enough."
Bell, determined, got into a fighting position.
— "Stay behind me, Haruhime. I'll protect you."
The battle was inevitable.
Chapter 43: The Calculated Escape
Phryne stood there, massive and imposing, her piercing gaze seeking to unmask the masked intruder who dared to oppose her. Behind Bell, Haruhime trembled slightly, her breath short as she realized the magnitude of the danger surrounding them.
Bell, hidden under his mask, remained motionless, studying the scene with Ethereal Vision. The colors around Phryne revealed his distrust and frustration. He knew that revealing his skills like Firebolt or Eternity Cryostasis would immediately sign his identity. He could only rely on his physical strength, The Rise, and the gadgets he had meticulously prepared.
In a calm but firm voice, he declared:
— "One more step, and Ishtar disappears from the surface of Orario."
He lifted a magical object he had in his hand, a detonator connected to the explosive charges he had placed in various places in the pleasure district, including under Ishtar's room.
Phryne stopped short, her face contorted with hesitation.
— "You're bluffing!" she growled, taking a threatening step forward.
In response, Bell pressed the first button. An explosion suddenly echoed in another part of the pleasure district. A shockwave shook the building, and a plume of smoke rose. The Amazons stood frozen, stunned.
In Bell's room, the explosion had created unexpected chaos. The Amazons, who were still trying to understand what was happening, rushed to the scene.
— "What was that?!" some of them cried.
The idea that their comrade Bell could be involved in this attack was instantly masked by the explosion. Some even began to believe that he had perished in the explosion, reinforcing the illusion created by Bell.
He then turned his masked gaze towards Phryne.
— "The next explosion will be under Ishtar's chamber. If you take another step, your god disappears."
Phryne hesitated. Although she doubted her intentions, she knew that Ishtar would never forgive her if she put her life in danger.
Taking advantage of this moment of hesitation, Bell leaned towards Haruhime and lifted her in his arms like a princess.
— "Hold on," he whispered.
With a calculated leap, he jumped over the wall that separated the Amazons' residence from the neighboring street.
Behind them, the Amazons came to their senses and began to pursue them. But Bell had planned everything. Once on the other side of the wall, he triggered a series of explosions in remote but strategic areas of the pleasure district. These explosions were powerful enough to sow panic and distract the pursuers, without causing any injuries.
Chaos was immediate. The Amazons scattered, some running to Ishtar's room to ensure her safety.
In a dark alley, Bell found a previously prepared hiding place. There, he removed his mask and black outfit, replacing everything with ordinary clothes. Haruhime did the same, removing her dark kimono for a more discreet outfit.
— "Are you okay?" Bell asked, quickly checking to see if she was injured.
Haruhime nodded, still in shock from the daring escape.
— "I… I can't believe you did all this for me," she whispered, her eyes filled with emotion.
— "You deserve to be free," Bell replied, with a slight smile.
They then left the pleasure district, taking detours to avoid any recognition. Their destination: Hestia's house, where Haruhime could finally find refuge.
When they arrived, Hestia opened the door, greeting them with a mixture of surprise and relief.
— "Bell, what the..." she began before noticing Haruhime.
— "She needs a safe place," Bell explained. "And I think our family is the best place for her."
Hestia looked at Haruhime with a warm smile, before hugging her.
— "Welcome home," she said softly.
For Haruhime, it was the first step towards a new life. For Bell, it was just another step on the path he had chosen: to protect those in need, no matter what the cost.