As Hermes' silhouette vanished into the night, Lynn En retracted his gaze from the street corner and turned back to Mikoto. The moonlight bathed her face, pale from tension, yet her eyes remained filled with unyielding resolve.
"Let's go," he said softly, patting her on the shoulder.
The two returned to the Hestia Familia's basement, where Bell was already waiting anxiously. Ouka was there as well; she let out a sigh of relief upon seeing them return, though her heart tightened again at the sight of their grim expressions.
"How did it go?" Bell asked first, his voice laced with unmistakable worry.
Lynn En didn't answer immediately. Instead, he walked straight to the low table and spread out the hand-drawn diagram of the central tower. The charcoal lines were sharp and clear under the dim lamplight.
"Ishtar refused," Lynn En stated flatly, as if merely reciting a fact. "She intends to keep Haruhime as a pawn to deal with Freya."
The faces of Bell and Mikoto darkened. Ouka sighed, walking over to Mikoto to gently pat her back.
"Since negotiation is off the table, we'll have to take her by force." Lynn En's eyes swept across the group, sharp and piercing. "Now, let's finalize the plan."
The air in the basement instantly grew taut. Lynn En pointed to the top floor of the central tower on the diagram.
"Haruhime is being held in the innermost room on the top floor. Based on my observations today, that room has an east-facing window. During the guard rotation, there's a three-minute window where the top-floor corridor is completely unguarded."
He paused, looking up at Bell and Mikoto. "The plan is this: I will infiltrate the top floor from the roof and go directly for Haruhime. Bell, you and Mikoto will be waiting at the entrance of the Pleasure Quarter to provide backup. Ouka, you prepare a carriage and park it further on the outskirts. Once we have her, we evacuate immediately."
Bell and Mikoto exchanged a look, both seeing a shared sense of finality in the other's eyes.
"Lynn En, what can I do?" Bell clenched his fists.
"You two will be responsible for creating a distraction and drawing attention, but do not get bogged down in a fight," Lynn En cautioned. "Our goal is to get her out safely, not to go head-to-head with the Ishtar Familia. If you encounter an enemy you can't handle, retreat immediately. I'll find a way to cover you."
Mikoto stared intently at the diagram. Her face was pale, but her gaze was steadier than ever. She knew that Lynn En's plan placed almost all the risk on his own shoulders. She bit her lip and whispered, "Lynn En... thank you." Her voice caught in a sob; she didn't even know how to begin expressing her gratitude.
Ouka, meanwhile, studied the map with a furrowed brow. While she wasn't a front-line combatant, she was an expert in logistics and support. She analyzed the evacuation routes, mentally simulating every potential emergency.
Lynn En watched them, a faint, imperceptible smile tugging at his lips. He knew that while this group had their flaws, they all possessed burning hearts. He folded the map and added nonchalantly:
"The operation begins tomorrow night. One hour before the ritual starts."
While Lynn En and his group were deep in preparation, on the other side of Orario, within the high tower of the Freya Familia, the Goddess of Beauty, Freya, reclined lazily on a soft divan, elegantly holding a glass of red wine.
"Oh? It seems Lynn En and his friends are planning something big." Freya's voice carried a hint of allure, yet was tempered by the composure of a ruler. "They actually intend to snatch someone from Ishtar's hands?"
Ottar reported in a low voice, relaying the intel from their scouts. "Yes, Lady Freya. Lord Lynn En appears to have made contact with a Renard girl in the Ishtar Familia named Haruhime. Furthermore, the Ishtar Familia is indeed preparing a large-scale ritual, supposedly aimed at you."
Freya's long, slender fingers paused for a moment. A cold glint flashed in her mysterious violet eyes.
That stupid woman, Ishtar. She's becoming increasingly tiresome.
Freya could tolerate Ishtar's little games, and she even met her occasional provocations with a contemptuous smile. But if Ishtar dared to aim her sights at Freya herself, that was another matter entirely. More importantly, the souls she was watching—Lynn En and Bell—were in their growth phase. She would not allow any accidents to befall them.
"Interesting," Freya said, her lips curling into a seductive yet dangerous smile. "Since Ishtar wants to play big, I shouldn't let her be too lonely. Ottar."
"I am here," Ottar replied respectfully.
"Gather the Familia. Prepare for battle," Freya said, her gaze turning cold. "If she wants to deal with me, then let me give her a surprise first."
Ottar asked no questions. He received the order and departed. Freya looked out the window, her gaze seemingly piercing through the layers of the city toward the Pleasure Quarter.
The following night, the moonlight was bright and clear, scattering like shards of silver across the continuous rooftops of the Pleasure Quarter.
Lynn En tapped his toes lightly on a windowsill and vaulted onto the roofs like a swallow. The rooftops stretched out in a solid line leading directly to the central tower. In the darkness, the tower stood out prominently.
Lynn En took a deep breath, leaned forward, and began to move silently across the tiles. He moved like a keen owl, making no sound. The wind on the rooftops rushed into his collar, carrying the scent of rouge and cheap wine characteristic of the district, but he paid it no mind.
Bell and Mikoto were already in their designated positions. Bell was hiding in the shadows of an alley behind a tavern, nervously rubbing his hands and peeking out occasionally. Mikoto was concealed behind a tall roadside tree, her long blade glinting coldly in the night as her sharp eyes scanned the surroundings.
Lynn En followed his scouted route, avoiding sentries and hidden lookouts as he approached the central tower step by step. Like a veteran thief, he knew every shadow and the weight-bearing capacity of every tile. Soon, he reached the side of the tower, right in front of the window he had marked for the "three-minute window."
His timing was perfect.
The footsteps of the rotating guards echoed from the end of the corridor and then faded away. Three minutes—neither long nor short. For Lynn En, it was enough. He gave a gentle push, and the window opened soundlessly. He slipped into the tower like a bolt of black lightning.
The corridors inside were much quieter than the outside. The air was filled with a faint scent of sandalwood and some kind of floral fragrance, lacking the garishness of the district below and instead carrying a weirdly solemn tone. Lynn En's ears twitched as he pushed his hearing to its limit, discerning the faint sounds coming from the distance.
He moved through the narrow passages, avoiding the occasional magic stone lamps like a wandering ghost. He remembered every turn and the layout of every door. Soon, he arrived at the top floor, reaching the innermost room, but to his surprise, there wasn't a single guard here.
Lynn En frowned. This didn't match the level of security the Ishtar Familia should have for a key pawn. He didn't rush to push the door open; instead, he pressed his ear against it and listened.
There was no sound from within.
Lynn En pushed the door open. The room was empty—a vacant guest room. He opened the remaining doors one by one. Finally, one room caught his eye.
The carpet here was messy, and a copy of Heroic Epics lay scattered carelessly on the floor. There was no dust; it looked as if someone had just left.
"Damn it..."
It was clear that Haruhime had been in this room but had already been moved.
He turned around, preparing to search other rooms, but his ears caught the sound of light footsteps coming from the end of the corridor. It wasn't the rhythmic march of a patrol, but rather hurried and casual. Lynn En narrowed his eyes and slipped behind a decorative screen in the room.
Two tall Amazon warriors walked in. They wore the light, practical clothing typical of their race, though they looked a bit disheveled. One of them, a blonde, pulled at the fabric across her chest and complained:
"This weather is killing me! It's too hot! Hurry up and change; the ritual is about to start."
The other, a brunette, tossed her helmet onto the bed and rubbed her shoulders with a grin. "Alright, stop complaining. It's an honor to serve Lady Ishtar. By the way, do you think our chests got bigger again? The food has been too good lately."
The blonde gave her a reproachful look but couldn't help glancing down at her own chest, nodding with satisfaction. "True. It must be the training. But don't you think moving the ritual up is a bit rushed? Didn't the Goddess say we'd wait for the full moon?"
"Who knows?" the brunette said, casually unbuckling her breastplate to reveal tanned skin and full curves, wiggling a bit in front of the other warrior. "Don't I look even better now?"
The blonde just slapped her chest with a loud thwack. "Stop showing off in front of me, you're still smaller than I am. Hurry and get dressed. We need to get to the top of the tower. Word came down that the ritual was moved up. Lady Phryne and Lady Aisha have already gone to the site, and I heard they took a bunch of elites with them."
"I'm going, I'm going. No need to get physical."
Behind the screen, Lynn En's eyes narrowed.
The ritual was moved up? Hermes' intel was outdated. This was not good news. It meant Ishtar's defenses were likely tighter than anticipated, and Haruhime's situation was even more dire.
"I don't know what's so special about that Renard that the Goddess cares so much," the blonde muttered as she undid her belt. "It's not like we're core members, they don't tell us anything..."
"That's enough!" the brunette snapped. "Stop talking nonsense! That's a sacrifice hand-picked by the Goddess herself. It's not our business. Hurry up, get into your robes and get to the ritual site. we still have to stand guard."
"I know, I know!" The blonde answered, though her hands moved quickly, stripping off her armor and changing into a thin black robe.
Lynn En listened intently, etching every useful bit of information into his mind. Ritual site, Phryne, Aisha, elites... these were the key points. He had to get there as fast as possible.
Once the two warriors had finished changing and left the room, Lynn En slipped out from behind the screen. He didn't linger. After orienting himself, he dashed toward the top of the tower like a gust of wind.
However, he soon realized the situation was grim. The number of guards on the path to the top had increased significantly. What was once sporadic patrolling had become groups of three to five, with fixed checkpoints manned by squads. The Amazon warriors held spears and curved blades, their eyes alertly scanning every corner. The very air seemed thick with murderous intent.
Lynn En tried to bypass them from the side several times, but their keen senses caught hints of his presence. He was forced to retreat into the shadows again and again. It was frustrating, and he stood with a deep scowl.
"Are these women part hound?" Lynn En cursed under his breath, crouching behind a massive sculpture and watching the dense guard presence at the corridor entrance.
A head-on charge? With his current physical stats, even with his master-level combat techniques, he wouldn't fare well against dozens of Level 1s and 2s—with potential Level 3s mixed in. Not to mention the headache that was Phryne and Aisha. This was no time to play the hero.
He calmed himself, his mind racing through every bit of intel he had gathered. The Ishtar Familia's layout, their personnel, even their habits. He felt like a player in a Soulslike game, blocked in a narrow corridor by a mob of enemies; he had to find a clever solution, or it would be a "Game Over."
Is there a way to cause a bigger distraction or lure them away? Lynn En plotted, his gaze scanning the closed windows at the end of the hall and the stairs leading to other floors.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the tower's summit.
Haruhime was roughly shoved onto an open-air ritual platform by several Amazon warriors. In the center of the platform, a massive magic circle glowed with a faint red light, and the air thrummed with an unsettling magical vibration.
She was bound to a stone pillar etched with runes. Cold iron chains bit into her wrists and ankles, and while she could move slightly, she was effectively imprisoned.
Ishtar, still in her purple silks, stood beside the magic circle with a smile. Phryne stood nearby with over a dozen elite Amazon warriors, stationed around the hall, watching Haruhime like hawks.
"Haruhime, stop struggling," Ishtar said with a hint of excitement. "Soon, you will become my most powerful weapon, helping me crush that bitch Freya's pride."
Haruhime's body trembled—not from fear, but from despair. She looked at the predatory Amazon warriors around her, then at the distant, closed window. The light had vanished from her eyes.
She knew she couldn't escape.
She closed her eyes, and tears fell silently. Memories of her childhood flashed through her mind like a lantern show. And then, there was that strange man, Mr. Lynn En.
Wait—Mr. Lynn En.
She snapped her eyes open. She remembered that night, and the small yellow box he had shoved into her hands.
----
Danmachi: My Primary God is Hidetaka Miyazaki? (Simulpub – Ongoing)
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