READ NOVEL ONLINE Ch43 - The Mansion at Night 2
Chapter 43: The Mansion at Night 2
“Tch! Is the brat… this way?”
Alice’s room was located in the middle of the second-floor hallway, so the thugs strained their eyes, trying to determine which direction she had fled. The Stuart mansion was a two-story building, but with high ceilings and large rooms, it was quite spacious. It was U-shaped, with a central courtyard separate from the front garden. A large pond shimmered, reflecting the faint moonlight.
The thick walls and peculiar layout were due to Grandpa Gale’s excessive enthusiasm for hidden mechanisms. Six rooms lined the long, wide gallery. With the U-shaped design, the total number of rooms, including those around the corners, reached ten. Staircases were located at both ends and the center of the dimly lit gallery, and a faint figure resembling Alice could be seen near both corners.
“…Huh?”
“What the… Is it magic!?”
“Fufu, silly oniisan, over here!”
Alice clapped her hands gleefully, taunting the thugs! Unbeknownst to them, these were illusions created by the Slimes, disguised as Alice. Their voices, remarkably similar, were produced by voice changers embedded in the Slimes’ bodies.
“Damn it! This is creepy…”
“Don’t be scared now. We just have to catch both of them! …Prepare yourself, brats!!”
“Alright, let’s split up!”
“Yeah!”
The fake Alices smiled mischievously, struck a cute pose with their hands on their cheeks, stuck out their tongues, and dashed off, their footsteps echoing as they ran down the stairs.
…Footsteps meant they weren’t ghosts, at least. The thugs sighed in relief and, as if to cover it up, started running at full speed!
Without any prior discussion, they split into two equal groups. Having braved the demonic flower garden together, they had become quite close.
One of the men running to the right stepped squarely on a part of the carpet pattern. Click! An ominous sound echoed.
“Wh-What…?”
“Hey, idiot! Don’t stop! Tch!”
“…Uh oh!?”
A snake statue on the side of the hallway sprayed tear gas!
Target: Thug A!
Thug A was knocked over by Thug B!
The gas hit Thug B!
He’s rolling on the floor, clutching his eyes.
“Gaaaaaah…!”
“You! Why…!?”
“…Looks like this is as far as I go… Haha, with our weakened stats, your [Night Vision] is essential. I couldn’t help but protect you, even if it’s out of character for me.”
“…!”
“…! I don’t need your help. Go. You still have a job to do, right? I can’t go with you with my eyes like this… but I believe in you!”
“Uoooooh!!”
Thug B, still clutching his eyes, waved his hand as if shooing away his companions. “Go!” he shouted.
Moved by his heroism, his companions called out, “We’ll definitely come back for you!” and “Leave the brat to us!” They forced their feet to move and ran off, tears welling up in their eyes… from the tear gas, of course.
…Hearing the men running down the stairs, Thug B relaxed slightly and chuckled wryly. Assuming his companions had reached the first floor, he finally screamed,
“My eyes! My eyes!”
He had been bravely enduring the intense pain. This was the tragic drama on the right side. Behind him, the crimson-eyed butler stood silently, without a trace of presence.
Let’s see what happened on the left side.
Just like the right side, the men were running at full speed. Thanks to one of them having the [Danger Sense] passive skill, they managed to avoid the tear gas and arrow traps. Thug C, receiving praise while running, looked quite smug.
“! Don’t touch that golden statue up ahead! It gives off a bad vibe.”
“That was close! …Thanks, man.”
“Hey, hey, don’t try to steal anything unnecessarily. Even if you get it back, you’ll get caught if you try to sell anything famous.”
“Don’t worry! We’ll sell it to the boss. Rich people like this kind of stuff, right? …Probably. I don’t get it, but…”
“Yeah. What’s that thing that looks like a pile of deadwood?”
“You don’t understand art.”
Malicious attacks activated by triggering certain conditions were called “traps.”
And in this mansion, the activation condition for the traps had been changed to “whenever the queen deems it necessary”…
Rena had been granted full control of the mansion’s traps by Alice. While the traps were mostly automatic, a row of emergency manual trap switches lined the wall in front of her in the control room. Why was there a control room? Grandpa Gale had been overly enthusiastic. What a grandpa. In short, she had complete control over the timing of the traps.
The men, having avoided the traps, are feeling relieved!
Whoosh!
“Huh? What was that sound from above…?”
“Guh!?”
Clang!
A washbasin hit Thug D!
Thug D is staggering!
How cruel. Even without touching the trigger object, the golden washbasin had ruthlessly attacked Thug D.
“What the!?”
Thug C is utterly confused!
The men were bewildered. The trap had activated even though they had avoided the dangerous switch. This made it impossible to counter the traps. Thug C, the one with [Danger Sense] (and incidentally, also bald), spoke with a strained voice.
“…! It’s my fault. I have [Danger Sense], but I didn’t detect that trap, and now he’s hurt. He won’t be able to move for a while… I’ll stay with him. It’s my responsibility. We’ll catch up as soon as he recovers. So, please allow me to stay… I’m sorry for being so presumptuous!”
“You…!”
“You only have [Danger Sense], and your stats aren’t that great, yet you’re willing to stay alone in this dangerous gallery!? …You’re a true man!”
“Alright… I can’t take you with us if you insist. But promise you’ll catch up later! We’ll be waiting!”
“! Yeah, thanks…!”
“Don’t forget about me… I may look like this, but I’m pretty strong. I’ll carry him as soon as I recover from this dizziness, and we’ll catch up right away! Leave the escorting to me.”
Thug D, hit by the washbasin, added in a shaky voice that he could be relied on, grinning.
“Hahaha… How reliable! So there were two men of honor among us.”
“You guys are awesome! We’ll meet up on the first floor!”
“See ya!”
“Yeah!”
Leaving their honorable companions behind, the six remaining thugs from the left side sprinted around the corner of the second-floor gallery.
“Guah! My eyes!”
Thug E was hit by tear gas!
Not having [Danger Sense] was indeed a painful experience. However, inspired by their heroic companions, they pressed on, refusing to stop. Thug E, his eyes burning, yelled “Go!” just like Thug B.
They would do what they could. They wouldn’t repeat the same mistakes. Carefully avoiding the grape pattern on the carpet and ignoring the expensive-looking objects, they chased after Alice.
Step, step, step…
Ominous footsteps approached the three incapacitated men… Not too loud, just enough to be heard, the perfect pace to amplify their fear.
The thugs turned around with pale faces… and there he stood, the crimson-eyed butler. He wore a gentle expression, but his smiling lips contrasted sharply with his unsmiling eyes. Two men, bound like turtles, already lay behind him.
“Y-You… Ugh!?”
Mothra used [Intimidate] without mercy. The thugs trembled violently, feeling countless piercing gazes from the darkness. The butler let out a soft sigh.
“I will not tolerate being addressed so disrespectfully. Be silent.”
“Guh…!”
“…That was an amusing performance. As a thank you, allow me to show you a fun play of our own. Oh, we would like you two to participate as extras. What do you think? Oh? Is that so? Yes. I understand. I’m glad. Let’s create a wonderful play together.”
“…We didn’t say anything yet!?”
“You… I mean, you, sir! Don’t just decide things on your own!”
“It’s not my own decision. It’s all fate.”
Fate. How oddly religious. Mothra simply smiled, saying nothing more, and efficiently bound the struggling men, expertly gagging them as well.
He addressed Thug E, who had been tear-gassed, in the same manner, silencing his protests with brute force. Incidentally, Butler Mothra, who easily subdued the struggling men, had a chiseled six-pack. The Gigant Butterfly’s rock-hard body beneath its soft fur, combined with the accidental ingestion of the Super-Speed White Macho Man gene-infused Thure nectar, had led to this impressive physique.
Screams echoed from the remaining thugs beyond the corner.
“I’m looking forward to this.”
Mothra seemed genuinely angry about the attempted kidnapping of Alice, but he was also enjoying the hunt, as a monster would.
The two groups of thugs, seven and five respectively, reached the staircases and paused, wondering which way the two Alices had gone. Then, a little girl’s laughter echoed from the first floor, as if beckoning them.
Was it a trap…? Having fallen for numerous traps, they had learned their lesson and were now wary. …For times like these, there was this!
“[Crimson Mist]!”
Lily activated her skill with an adorable voice only audible to fairies, creating a panic-inducing mist near the staircases. The thugs brushed away the clinging [Crimson Mist] with disgusted expressions.
Patricia, hiding with Alice in a second-floor room, coordinated a combo attack with the fairy.
“Skill [Throw]!”
A golden club for an oni, the [Strong Arm] Gift combined with the [Throw] skill. Patricia had acquired a terrifying combination. This skill set on a Rare Species-wielding florist was… incredibly dangerous.
Sneaking into the hallway while Mothra was busy, the tomboyish girl wrapped a “Super-Speed Simir Rose” seed in a ball of Aqua and—threw it!
The water-coated seed flew in a perfect arc, hitting one of the men in the face. It fell to the ground, took root in the carpet, and began to grow rapidly. The fresh, yellow-green sprout thickened and turned brown, forming a sturdy stem with numerous rosebuds. Beautiful, out-of-place flowers bloomed. The thugs’ noses twitched as a pungent, unforgettable odor filled the air… Tears welled up in their eyes.
Oh no! Could this be… the demonic garden all over again?
“Uwaaaaaah!?”
“No-o-o-o!!!”
It was pungent and irritating! Desperate to escape the smell, the remaining thugs bolted.
The moment they all started down the stairs, that familiar sound echoed through the mansion. Yes… “fate.”
<
<
With Rena’s merciless signal, the staircase trap activated. The steps folded flat, creating a giant slide.
“Uwaaaaaah!?”
There was no escape… …because this was “fate.”
Banging against the edges of the slide, the men tumbled down to the first floor. And then, the finishing blow.
<
Super-Speed White Macho Men appeared!
Preemptive strike!
They unleashed kicks to the villains’ butts!
“Gyaa!?”
“Guooh…!”
“There’s a hole in my butt!!”
Nice kick!
The Macho Men, striking a cool pose, lined up and jogged away.
What had they done to deserve this? They had accepted the job of watching a little girl out of greed, darkening their guild cards and souls, changed to dark professions for free, and were now trying to kidnap Alice. There was no room for sympathy. Go wild, Rena.
Rena used [Message] to give Slime-Alice new instructions. Two sweet little girls appeared before the groaning men on the floor, giggling condescendingly.
“Oh dear. You’re so clumsy, mister! The mansion’s guardian will punish you. Tee-hee! ☆”
“~~~!?”
Leaving those cryptic words, the Alices skipped away. Upon reaching the corner, they stuck out their tongues.
The men looked at each other. The mansion’s “guardian”…? Did such a thing really exist? They struggled to think, their minds clouded by panic. Finally, one of them reached a conclusion.
“Damn it! There’s no use thinking about it! We’re intruders, and we’re probably already being watched by this ‘guardian,’ if it even exists! –We have to focus on the brat! We have to honor our fallen comrades! Right!?”
“Oooooh!!”
The muscle-brains seemed to have given up on complex thought. Suppressing their fear, they single-mindedly pursued Alice.
“Wait, brat!!”
“Welcome!”
The game of tag had just begun.
However, their numbers had dwindled again. Two more had been captured by Mothra and Patricia, lurking in the shadows, dragged to a room, and tied up.
The men, focused on chasing the little girl, hadn’t noticed their diminishing numbers. Kind Rena decided to inform them via announcement.
She raised a small loudspeaker to her lips. After a dramatic pause for effect, she whispered,
<<…10 left.>>
“!!!”
Her breathy whisper was quite chilling.
Shaking off their rising fear, the thugs continued to run. But even at full speed, they couldn’t seem to close the distance with the little girl with her much shorter stride. Alice ran effortlessly through the hallways, her small feet gliding across the floor.
The horror house continued to devour its victims.
In a warehouse in Toilia, the three Stuart brothers impatiently awaited news from the hired ex-adventurers. …They were late. Three hours had passed since they infiltrated the mansion. They were supposed to report back regardless of success or failure. But there was nothing? Had they been captured by the guards and their magic tools confiscated…?
Amidst the rising tension, the communication device rang. They all turned their heads sharply.
Graham, the eldest, gestured for the others to be quiet and flipped the switch… A loud, agitated voice assaulted their ears.
“Hey, boss! What the hell is going on in this mansion!? We keep falling into traps, our comrades are disappearing, and we can’t catch the brat even though she’s right in front of us…! Is this Alice a ghost or something!?”
“What!?”
Graham’s bewildered outburst was understandable. Being suddenly asked if the kidnap target was a ghost would confuse anyone. The thug on the other end sounded exhausted and panicked. His ragged breathing was almost deafening. At least they hadn’t been captured by the guards, Graham thought with some relief. He raised his voice to match the thug’s.
“What nonsense are you spouting!? Alice is a ghost? Don’t be ridiculous! …Unless you’ve already taken care of her. You said she’s moving right in front of you? Stop whining and do your job!”
“But she’s running like she’s sliding on the floor! Super fast! We’re running too, but… we can’t catch her!”
“That’s impossible! A little shut-in brat can’t be faster than former adventurers! …Is it an illusion?”
“She’s making footsteps, so I don’t think so…！ Whoa!”
“What happened!?”
“A trap! A trap…! Damn it, there’s a hole in my new clothes… My brand new chainmail…!”
“There’s no way a security trap can pierce chainmail!”
“There is, you idiot!”
It was acid, to be precise. This wasn’t Rena’s idea, but an automatic trap Grandpa Gale had installed in front of his safe.
“…We’re chasing the brat now! That’s the report, damn it! I promised to give you regular updates, didn’t I? Hehe, I’m a man of my word.”
“Too slow!”
Unfortunately, the stressed-out Graham didn’t appreciate the thug’s sincerity and just yelled at him. If it had been one of his comrades, they would have praised him, saying, “A man of honor who keeps his promises even in dangerous situations!”
The disheartened thug ended the call with a final, “…Tch. I gave you an update. Later! Uwaaaaaah!?” Whether he ended the call or was cut off was unclear. A monotonous dial tone buzzed from the device.
Graham, his face red with fury, threw the device. His brothers caught it mid-air. Since only Graham had heard the conversation, they looked at him with concern.
“Brother…?”
“Grrr…! That bastard! Those bastards! Hanging up on me! And they haven’t even accomplished anything! …Infuriating!”
“! So the kidnapping failed?”
“Grrr!”
“We don’t know that yet, brother.”
After several deep breaths, Graham finally calmed down slightly and relayed the conversation to his brothers.
They frowned and pondered.
In contrast, Graham, having recounted the events, seemed to be getting angry again.
Morec, the Fallen Priest, as if teasing him, pointed to his own neck.
“…! I see! Good. Eza, Erald. I’ll go to the mansion myself. And I’ll take care of this Alice.”
“!? What are you saying, brother!?”
“If you get caught, the company is finished…!”
“Don’t worry; I’m not going in blindly… I’ll use this. Morec procured a rare item for us. It’s called a ‘High Skeleton Brooch.'”
“!”
“I’ll use this to infiltrate the mansion undetected!”
What could a pudgy, middle-aged man do even if he infiltrated the mansion? It would be far safer to leave it to the former adventurers.
Had their brother become so senile that he couldn’t even make such a simple judgment? While his brothers were dumbfounded, Graham, with surprising agility, dashed out of the warehouse, wearing the incredibly expensive brooch…
“Wait! Eza, what are we going to do!? A Skeleton Brooch alone costs a fortune; what’s a ‘High’ one even!?”
“Calm down, Erald! I’m just as confused! Brother’s actions make no sense anymore! He didn’t have that kind of money on him… Did he make a deal on credit? …Morec is gone. Tch, I don’t understand anything. …Should we prepare to escape? It might be time.”
“! Are we changing leadership…?”
The brothers had grown weary of their easily angered older brother. They had conceded the presidency to him due to his superior business acumen, but they saw no value in him now that he seemed to have lost his mind. If they cared about family ties, they wouldn’t have betrayed their father in the first place. They were heartless at their core.
The brothers exchanged nods, their eyes dark. They silently began organizing documents, preparing to flee the country.
Morec, the Fallen Priest, watched the comically running president from the warehouse roof, chuckling.
“May it quickly become mine! Oh, I can’t wait!”
What were his true intentions? …
Patricia and Mothra, having incapacitated numerous thugs, chatted cheerfully.
“Wow. Everything’s going smoothly. As expected of Rena. I always thought she seemed smart, but she’s seriously amazing.”
“Fufu, indeed. Master is truly magnificent. I’m proud to be her familiar. …Now! Shall we begin the finale?”
“Yeah!”
They held ominous-looking masks. Putting them on and grinning wickedly, they climbed the hidden staircase to the rooftop, dragging the bound thugs behind them.
Next! The grand finale…!
Fate. It is all fate.