Chapter 211

Chapter 213: Does the protagonist always have to make a perfectly timed entrance?

In the highest room of the Brothel Temple, Ishtar, who had been keeping an eye on the Sky Garden, also voiced her confusion.

“What’s going on? Why are there so few people!?”

From her elevated position, this allowed Ishtar to clearly see the situation below in the Sky Garden.

The first thing she noticed was the change in personnel.

The combat personnel within her own faction shouldn’t be this few. As the chief deity, Ishtar was naturally very clear about the number of her subordinates.

Including the officers and other combat brothel women, the number would definitely exceed a hundred.

However, the roughly seventy or eighty figures below were clearly telling her that something was wrong.

Where did the nearly one-third fewer people go?

“Tamuz!”

“Here!”

Ishtar called out to the young attendant behind her. The latter immediately knelt down with his head lowered in response.

“Go investigate what’s going on! Where did the missing people go, I want to know!!”

“Yes!!”

The young attendant responded without hesitation, and after receiving the goddess’s indication, he immediately took action, his figure flashing out of the room and disappearing into the darkness of the corridor.

Don’t underestimate him just because he’s a goddess’ attendant with little presence; in reality, he is also a genuine Level 4, ranking among the best in the entire Ishtar faction. And due to some indescribable qualities, the goddess trusts him even more than imagined.

Meanwhile, at the annex’s Sky Garden, as the time approached, the Killing Stone was delivered.

A gemstone as red as blood, the size of a fist, was embedded in the hilt of a longsword.

This ceremonial longsword would seal the target’s soul along with their magic power into the Killing Stone in the sword’s hilt.

The ritual sword emitted a sharp luster, its blood-red gemstone at the tip flickering with a bone-chilling red light.

On the altar, a girl was bound in chains at the center.

Upon seeing that sword and stone, Haruhi instantly revealed a look of fear, but she tightly pressed her lips together, forcing herself to look away, then raised her head to gaze at the sky.

The golden full moon hanging high in the night sky was about to reach its peak.

Wouldn’t that be the light that will kill me?

Perhaps for someone of my profession… it might be a form of liberation…

Mr. Izay… would he be saddened by my disappearance?

Thinking of the person who has always cared for her, Haruhi’s expression turned somewhat disheartened.

If only I could see Mr. Izay one last time.

But that’s probably impossible.

It’s merely a wishful thought of the girl’s, and the current situation is—impossible.

After gazing at the beautiful moonlight for a while, Haruhi lowered her head.

Without shedding a tear, her heart wept silently, yet she showed no signs of it.

She locked all her sorrow, pain, and fear inside her small body.

Her joyful and cherished memories were carefully stored in the box of her heart.

The fox-girl slowly closed her eyes.

Aisha, who had been watching her all along, unconsciously bit her lip.

That completely silent, unshouting, willingly resigned demeanor—what’s up with that?

It seems like she’s seen through everything, which looks to Aisha like it’s making her extremely angry.

She was one of the few present whose mood was complex due to Haruhi’s performance.

Not all combat brothel women disliked Haruhi; many Amazon companions close to Aisha would usually take care of the fox-girl, and they didn’t really want Haruhi to die.

But there was nothing they could do.

As members of the Ishtar Goddess faction, they couldn’t possibly defy the will of that goddess. That terrifying “charm” ability made them all tremble at the sound of it.

There was no way to betray!

So they could only helplessly watch as this happened.

But, there was still a glimmer of hope!

If a third party were willing to interfere in this matter!

Aisha was the only one in the Ishtar faction who knew that Izay would act because of this.

She hadn’t told anyone.

Initially, upon learning about this matter, she had intended to use it to comfort Haruhi and make her more optimistic.

But she never found the opportunity.

Her past actions made both the Ishtar goddess and the frog Fulini wary of her, not giving her any chance to be alone with Haruhi.

‘That brainless Izay, is he here already? Why hasn’t he made a move!?’

Looking around at the number of companions, which was at least a third less than normal, how could Aisha not guess that this was Izay’s doing?

At that moment, seeing Fulini personally take the sword with the embedded Killing Stone from a member, she was genuinely panicked.

Isn’t that guy Izay too late!?

“—Whoosh!!”

Just as she thought that, the next moment came a sharp whistling sound.

“——”

Not giving anyone time to react, a streak of light flashed before their eyes.

“What!?”

Someone let out a scream filled with shock and fear, the instinctive panic of high-level adventurers facing danger.

It seemed to be an arrow, a light arrow glowing entirely in a deep blue.

Ignoring the gathered combat brothel women, it darted straight toward Fulini.

“—What!!”

The big frog contracted her pupils, her muscles tensing as the light arrow rapidly enlarged before her eyes.

“～～～～～～～～～～～～～！”

A horrifying explosion!

In an instant, flames surged, and a roaring torrent of magical power rampaged across the Sky Garden.

The brilliance of the magic released upon impact burned everyone’s retinas, accompanied by deafening shouts as those around were blasted away.

In the vast Sky Garden, a deep blue magical lotus blossomed.

Fulini, at the center position, was engulfed in flames, and the combat brothel women around her were all affected. Explosions mixed with screams echoed out.

Aisha, Samira, the combat brothel women, and Haruhi—all were stunned by the overwhelming attack. Even though they weren’t directly injured by the explosion, they were hit by the fierce blast wave.

On the central altar, Haruhi, frozen in place, felt her skin gently caressed by the heat of the residual deep blue magic.

“Enemy attack!”

“Intruder!”

“Be on guard! Prepare for battle!!”

After being caught off guard for a few moments, these combat brothel women finally shouted, picking up their weapons to prepare for battle.

It was at this moment that a black-clad blonde figure entered their field of vision.

The intruder held a dark silver longbow, and the previous streak of light was undoubtedly fired by him, causing the combat brothel women to be on high alert!

But at the same time, they were also confused.

Because such an attack could never be performed by an unknown adventurer.

But… among the high-level adventurers in the city, none are known to use a bow, right?

“Tch! Heroes always make their timely entrances!?”

Or is it that protagonists always time their moves perfectly?

“You brat!!”

While everyone else was preparing for battle, Aisha recognized the distinct blonde hair and muttered words only she could hear, her heart stirring.

If Izay were to know what she was thinking, he would surely cry out in protest.

He wasn’t deliberately timing his entrance.

He had just solved a large group of Ishtar faction members who were rushing over when he was about to reach the sky bridge.

It really wasn’t intentional.