Welcome to Hell! - Chapter 236: Evening Party Riot (6)

Disguised as a mere servant, Leo had been by Lieselotte’s side all the time she was acting as a hostage. And thanks to his efforts, two hostages were freed. In a panic, another bandit attempted to recapture the lady, but the presence of Lieselotte had previously kept the guards from acting, and they now sprang into action all at once.

In the end, the lady was secured to safety before she could be captured again. With the hostage lady now safe, the guards had no need to hold back. While one or two guarded their master, those who could spare the effort attacked the bandits blocking the exits of the venue.

Though the bandits tried desperately to hold them off, they were overpowered by the sheer number of attackers. As soon as the doors opened, the nobles began to flee, each trying to be the first to get out of this party turned battlefield. The bandits who weren’t close to the door attempted to stop them, but they couldn’t fend off the guards and catch the noble lady once more.

“Whoa, that was close!”

“Kyaa?!”

The situation had completely turned around. The bandits, who had previously held a major advantage, were now in a desperate predicament. Most were in a state of panic and some were barely able to fight to save their own lives.

However, the bandit leader remained calm. If he had lost the lady, he reasoned, he could just use another girl nearby as a shield. He reached out to grab Lieselotte, but before he could, Leo swept her up in a princess carry and rescued her.

“…So you weren’t so bold because of your courage but because a little knight was protecting you. Truly, I was completely caught off guard.”

“No, no, my presence is nothing big. It’s the lady who’s amazing.”

“Eeeh?”

The leader of the bandits narrowed his eyes and glared at Leo, who coolly shrugged it off with an unperturbed expression. His confidence, despite being unable to use both arms, stemmed from the strong allies that had arrived at his side.

“How long are you going to hold onto the young lady! You pervy brat!”

“Ouch?! There’s no need to hit me! And I’m not a pervert, alright… Sheesh.”

“Thank you, Leo. I really appreciate it… and, I was happy about the compliment.”

“Lieselotte? Your face is red?”

Hilda, frustrated at Leo for holding onto Lieselotte, punched him in the head. Leo, receiving this unjust treatment, grumbled under his breath while gently placing Lieselotte back on her feet. Lieselotte, looking somewhat embarrassed yet visibly pleased, thanked Leo. And this scene which lacked any form of formal language was observed by Lappy who held a curious expression on her face.

They could afford this moment of comedic interaction all because Chris was keeping the bandit leader at bay. Chris was unable to bring her usual twin swords to the evening party, so she improved her fighting skills with her specially-made prosthetic arm by sparring with Antares and others. Her powerful presence alone deterred the leader from making any rash moves.

“…It’s frustrating, but I have to admit it. We have failed.”

“I admire your honesty, but how do you plan to escape from here?”

“On the contrary, do you think we have no other plans? Retreat!”

“””?!”””

The bandit leader, who emotionlessly admitted that their assault plan had failed, shouted loudly while simultaneously slamming something hidden in his sleeve onto the floor. In that instant, there was a loud bang, and white smoke spread out. The smoke was so dense that it obscured everyone’s vision and hid the figure of the leader from view.

When the smoke arose, Chris’s immediate reaction was to create a dome-shaped barrier around herself and Lieselotte using water spiritual art. At this point, her focus turned immediately to defense instead of attack, which was the instinct of a warrior who worshiped the “goddess of protection”. The other guards also prioritized protecting their masters from the smoke, loosening their assault on the bandits.

“W-wait… Cough, cough?!”

“My eeeeyes?!”

“Achoo! Achoo!”

What was even worse was that the smoke was not merely a smokescreen but contained components that caused strong irritation to mucous membranes, much like tear gas. The guards and nobles at the rear, who were exposed to the smoke, had their eyes reddened, shedding tears and dripping nasal mucus while sneezing repeatedly.

Still, the guards were committed to fulfilling their duty and used their spiritual arts to block the smoke. While they were engaged in this, the bandits had already begun their escape. They could not be stopped as they disappeared into the smoke that spread rapidly outside.

“Ow?!”

“Ugh?!”

And although they should have been protected by the water barrier created by Chris, Lieselotte and the others were still affected. The moment the smoke appeared, Leo and Lappy toppled over right there on the spot.

Chris, who was closest to the smoke’s origin, had reacted promptly and was supposed to have shielded them. However, the reality was that the two of them were now lying on the floor. The three who were unharmed couldn’t help but be in a state of confusion.

“Little Lappy?! And Leo too?!”

“What in the world happened?!”

“I-it stinks…!”

“The smell is so strong it hurts the back of my nose… Damn, they got away!”

The smoke, using irritants, had an effect akin to a destructive weapon on the sensitive sense of smell of the demons. Although they were not in their demon forms, their honed senses in the state of battle worked against them.

Leo managed to stand up while covering his nose with his hand and grimacing, but Lappy seemed paralyzed as if her legs had given out. The key figures who had quelled the commotion at the evening party, for some reason, found themselves unable to move from the venue until the very end.

◆◇◆◇◆◇

The evening party was taking place at the count’s estate, and it was a little distance from there that we, who were on patrol, heard the news: the venue of the evening party had been occupied by someone. Knights, guards, and hired mercenaries, who were patrolling like us, rushed to the count’s estate in a hurry.

According to what I overheard, the bandits’ aim was to demand better shelter and conditions for the refugees. Everyone was saying that those people must be the rumored radicalists among the refugees.

As for how they infiltrated the mansion, it seemed they had initially entered as servants. Since they were inside the mansion before the party started, it appeared our patrolling had been totally in vain.

Leaving behind the feeling of wasted effort, I sharpened my senses to probe the situation inside. That’s when I discovered that Lieselotte along with Leo had somehow become hostages. What could have led to such a situation?

“…This is the situation. What do you think? Should we go in to rescue them?”

“The other side must be on guard as well. You might be fine, but there’s always the chance of something unexpected. A forced entry should be the last resort.”

Decius opposed the hasty action of going straight in for the rescue. Though I was confident in my stealth skills, nothing is certain. He seemed to fear that acting recklessly could worsen the situation.

However, dangerous situations require swift resolution. Before I could argue further, Decius continued. “Do you really think Leo would just get captured without a fight?”

“It’s that’s Leo we’re talking about, you know? The same Leo who ranks among the top, even when considering the adults? Would he really submit just because he’s threatened with a knife?”

“That’s unlikely. The bandit leader might be capable of fighting to some extent, but with Leo’s skills, he could probably win without even shifting into demon mode. He might knock someone out… or, in his lack of restraint, accidentally kill a few. Decius, are you suggesting they have a plan?”

“Yes. If we observe the behaviors of Lappy and Ms. Hilda, we should be able to understand.”

Upon discussing the inside situation with Decius, he seemed to suggest that Leo and the others might have a strategy in mind. Following his advice, I turned my attention to Lappy and Chris.

There was an unfamiliar girl nearby and what seemed to be her bodyguard, both of whom appeared tense. However, the three important individuals showed no signs of worry at all. It wasn’t by chance but likely that Lieselotte and Leo had deliberately jumped into the enemy’s den. I felt relieved yet I also wanted to reprimand them for their risky behavior.

“If they have a plan, we should align our actions with it. For now, we wait for the right moment.”

“Let’s do that. By the way, have Tigar and Bolts not arrived?”

“No, they’re waiting on the other side of the mansion and… huh!”

Though I couldn’t see them with my own eyes, I was informing Decius that Tigar and Bolts were also present when suddenly there was movement inside the mansion. Lieselotte, who had been conversing with what seemed like the leader of the bandits, must have said something that he found unpleasant. Right after that, one of the bandits raised his sword and attacked her.

But Leo thwarted the attack. Moreover, by freeing another hostage, the guards who remained at the venue were able to make their move. Just as the scene turned into a chaotic battle… a small explosion was heard, and a thick white smokescreen enveloped the area.

“Antares!”

“Yes, they’re coming out.”

The smoke from the smokescreen was leaking out of the mansion’s balconies and windows, making it impossible for Decius to see what was happening inside. However, he could see that the smoke had been deployed. If a smokescreen was used in this situation, it must be for the purpose of escape. Decius seemed to realize this, and I nodded in agreement.

The smoke, however, had a terrible odor. Leo and Lappy who inhaled it up close, appeared to be in agony. Even at this distance, I could smell the foul scent. It was no wonder the two had collapsed. Though it was not a pleasant smell, it was distinctly different from the rotten smell of the refugee camps I knew.

I packed sand under my iron mask, trying to block out the smell as much as possible. The effect was minimal, but it was better than doing nothing. I had to believe that. It seemed that attacks that excessively stimulated the senses were very effective against demons. I should look for ways to counteract this.

“Don’t go in! We don’t need help!”

“Have the others stand back! There might be accomplices among them!”

As I was taking measures against the smell, knights or soldiers who were guarding the count’s mansion were holding back those trying to enter from outside. Having already permitted infiltration was a blunder on their part, so it seemed they wanted to at least capture the bandits by themselves.

If they wanted to ensure the capture of the bandits, it might have been better to rely on those outside, including us. Among us were those entrusted with noble family crests, but it seemed they couldn’t be trusted either. There might be a matter of pride involved, but I thought it was no longer the time to worry about pride.

Nevertheless, I had no intention of forcing my way in. The most important thing was the safety of Lieselotte and the others. As long as their safety was ensured, it was best to only aim for more achievements if possible. If they could capture the bandits on their own, I had no objection and was ready to observe their performance.

“Something’s been thrown!”

“Damn! Another smokescreen… but it’s not just that?!”

The bandits who had burst outside were using smokescreens even outside the mansion. However, what they were throwing was not just smokescreens. Surprisingly, they had started to set fires.

Instead of using spiritual arts, they were throwing bottles stuffed with cloth that had been set on fire. These were what you would call Molotov cocktails, which ignite the contents upon breaking and set the surrounding area on fire.

The Molotov cocktails scorched the beautiful gardens and well-maintained lawns. The attackers threw several of them, and one landed and shattered near us. Since it didn’t hit us directly, we merely observed from the sidelines. The contents of the broken bottle that shattered and spread out were oil and… this was!

“Ugh…”

“Antares, what’s wrong all of a sudden? Could it be?!”

“The smell of alcohol… it’s making me dizzy…!”

The bottle contained a strong alcoholic spirit mixed with oil. I was extremely sensitive to alcohol, so the smell of it made me drop to the ground on one knee. This was an unexpected turn of events!

With my mind dulled and my vision warping, I noticed bandits taking advantage of the chaos to scale the fence and flee the mansion. Struggling against the intoxication, I used spiritual arts at the last moment to create a small ball of sand and managed to attach it to one of the fleeing thieves.

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TN: Aaah, Leo is a natural.