14. The Hostage Rescue Operation

The bandits had broken into the Fisalis manor under the cover of the storm, and now the vice captain’s wife, Stellaria, and the rest of the duke’s servants (excluding a few) had all been shut inside and taken hostage.

Picking up the pace, we sped towards the manor.

“Be safe, Vi!” I faintly heard the vice captain shout. We were all thinking the same thing.

But me? I was also thinking: Stay safe, Stellaria!

The road to the manor felt longer than it ever had before. Cutting through the sheets of rain, we galloped our way down the streets of Rohze.

* * *

We dismounted our horses just outside the Fisalis manor, then took cover to survey the situation. There was always the chance the bandits had posted a lookout, after all.

Straining our eyes against the gloom and rain, we managed to spot a figure near the gate.

Is he one of the thieves? If he is, we’ll have to find another way inside the mansion.

Our subordinates seemed just as tense as I was, but it didn’t take long for the vice captain to realize: “That’s one of our knight-guards.”

“So he’s not one of the bandits?”

“Right,” he replied, nodding. He then signaled the man standing outside the gate.

Once he noticed us there, the manor knight-guard came running up. From the looks of things, he’d been anticipating our arrival.

“Master Fisalis! We’ve been waiting for you!”

“Sorry it took us so long. Now tell me, what’s going on inside? What’s become of Viola and the servants?”

“The thieves gathered them up and trapped them in the parlor, sir.”

“What about Rohtas’s crew?”

“Rohtas, Bellis, and Cartham split off from the rest of the group, and they’re working with a handful of elite knights to apprehend the bandits outside the parlor.”

“Got it. Are all the thieves inside?”

“Yes, sir. There aren’t any left out here. We’ve secured the perimeter.”

“Understood. First things first, then—we have to sneak inside the mansion ourselves. The only question is how...”

The vice captain fell deep into thought. Well, if anyone knew the way around that house, it’d be him.

“Let’s try getting in from the kitchen,” he finally said. “We don’t keep many valuables in there, so I doubt the bandits will be watching it too closely.”

“Good idea.”

“Leave your horses with our knight-guards. It’s show time.”

“Yes, sir!” everyone shouted back at once.

Another knight-guard had shown up not long after our arrival, so we left our horses to him and then migrated toward the kitchen entrance, keeping our eyes peeled along the way.

Just as the vice captain had theorized, the kitchen wasn’t showing many signs of life. Nevertheless, it was with the utmost caution and not the slightest peep that we snuck inside.

“I never thought I’d see the day when I had to secretly infiltrate my own mansion,” Cercis grumbled to himself. I couldn’t really argue with that sentiment.

Once he’d made sure all our men were inside, the vice captain said, “I’m going to go check on the situation. Considering not even the Royal Guard’s vault has a copy of our mansion’s floor plan, I doubt the lot of you would know your way around.”

He asked me to take care of things in our current location, then crouched down and crept out of the kitchen.

“He’s got that right!” one of our subordinates whined. “The Fisalis manor is the only floor plan we’re missing. Nobody’ll leak the information to us either.”

Wait, does that mean there’s a copy of my family manor’s floor plan in there?! Are you kidding me?!

...But let’s put that aside for now.

“Once the vice captain gets back, it’s time to take stock of the situation and have ourselves a team meeting. Don’t forget that the lives of Mrs. Fisalis and the rest of the hostages are our number one priority, and try not to disrupt whatever the duke’s servants are doing.”

“Yes, sir!”

We shut our mouths once more, concentrating our full attention on our surroundings (or the surrounding sounds, to be more precise).

It’s quiet. Too quiet.

All we could hear was the howl of the wind and rain outside.

“And here I thought the thieves would be making more noise than this, if they’re rooting around for valuables.”

“Right? It’s too quiet.”

Of course, that was just all the more reason for us to hide the sound of our own breathing as we waited for the vice captain to return.

And yet, in stark contrast to the way he’d left, Cercis ended up brazenly strutting back into the room. “All the bandits have been apprehended, except for the ones in the parlor.”

“Huh? By who?!”

“Our servants.”

“No way!”

Damn! Those Fisalis servants are a force to be reckoned with!

While the rest of us were still reeling from the shock, the vice captain explained, “My butler, gardener, and head chef broke off from the rest of the group to deal with the intruders.”

“Those are some mighty fine manservants you’ve got!”

I already knew they were seasoned veterans, but I didn’t think their skill set had that kind of range! Not to mention the head chef in question is Stellaria’s dad... I wouldn’t have guessed he was such a powerhouse from my first impression.

“The captured bandits have been rounded up in the entryway, where our knight-guards are standing watch over them. The plan is to hand them over to the backup forces once they get here. Now then, it’s time for us to go rescue the hostages in the parlor—let’s give it our all!”

“Yes, sir!”

Just as we were about to begin a strategy meeting, the manor’s butler caught up to us. He had Cartham, a few knight-guards, and a brawny manservant with him.

“Excuse me, Master Fisalis. Allow me to report what we’ve learned thus far.”

“Go ahead.”

“The bandits number ten in total. We’ve managed to catch the six of them who were off looting the mansion. All that’s left are the four men in the parlor.”

“Is Viola okay? What about everyone else?”

“The maids have been protecting Madam Fisalis, so no harm has come to her person. None of the girls have been hurt either; for the moment, they’re all huddled in a corner of the parlor.”

“We need to get them to safety ASAP.”

“Indeed. There’s no time to drag our feet.”

“What should we do...?” After listening to his butler’s report, the vice captain fell deep into thought, staring at a fixed point in space.

No matter what strategy he came up with, we’d just have to make it happen. In that moment, I was confident I could pull off even the toughest of missions. There was nothing I wanted more than to put an end to this mess as quickly as possible.

After a while spent quietly considering his options, the vice captain put on his fierce work mode face, only to begin briskly handing out orders. “All right. Rohtas and Cartham, I want you two to wait in the secret passage next to the parlor. Bellis and the knight-guards, meanwhile, should remain on standby just outside the door to the dining room. The second anything happens with the hostages, go ahead and rush to their aid. Lastly, the Royal Guard should go around to the garden and station themselves outside the parlor. I’d like to get the number of bandits in the room down to two, so let’s see what we can do to lure a pair of them away.”

“Do you have a plan for that?”

“Our best bet is to lead them into the dining room. As big as it is, there’s plenty of places to hide in there. Bellis, I’ll need you to make some noise to draw the enemy’s attention. As soon as someone shows up to check on what happened, apprehend him.”

“Yes, sir.” The gardener nodded in response to his master’s command.

Wait? This guy is a gardener, right? How is he supposed to pull off a mission like that?

“Will the servants and knight-guards be able to handle that alone?” I asked, feeling a little concerned all of a sudden. He’s a gardener, not a trained soldier! Though considering the muscles he’s got on him, maybe he will be just fine.

“I assure you he’ll manage, sir.”

“There’s nothing for you to worry about.”

Both the butler and Bellis himself smirked in my direction. I-I see...

“After you’ve caught one of them, I’m sure the bandits left in the parlor will get impatient and start wondering why he hasn’t come back. When they send out a second scout, be sure to apprehend that one too.”

“Understood,” said Bellis, nodding once more.

“Once there’s only two thieves left, it’s time for the Royal Guards in the garden, the team in the dining room, and the team in the secret passage to dive into the parlor all at once and secure the hostages.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Understood, Master Fisalis!”

“While the rest of you have the bandits distracted, Corydalis and I will bust into the parlor through the main door and take the enemy from behind.”

“Got it.”

Everyone in the group took turns acknowledging the vice captain’s orders.

“This whistle will be the signal. When I blow it, that’s your cue to rush in. Everyone, to your positions!”

“Yes, sir!”

The vice captain kept the strategy meeting brief, and everyone scattered to their respective posts.

Seriously, though, doesn’t anyone find it strange that these servants can operate on the same level as a bunch of trained knights?!

* * *

“I hope this works out.”

“There’s a reason we’re feeling the situation out first.”

“True.”

Everyone else was in position, but seeing as Cercis’s and my part didn’t come until the very end, the two of us were currently keeping an eye on how things unfolded in the dining room. That way if our plan hit a snag, we’d be able to switch tactics on the spot.

Bellis let the silver tray he was holding clatter to the floor.

There came a resounding crash! It had to be a pretty loud noise—otherwise it would’ve been drowned out by the storm outside.

How was the enemy going to react? I swallowed hard and watched to see what happened.

Not too much later, someone opened the door from the parlor to the dining room. The backlighting made it hard to distinguish his features, but whoever it was, he was a burly fellow. After casting one brief glance around the room, he stepped out from the doorway.

“Not the cautious sort, is he?”

“Well, he thinks his buddies are the only ones outside the parlor right now.”

While we looked on and made as little noise as possible, the man shut the door behind him and strode into the dimly lit dining room.

“Oh, must’ve been the sound of this tray falling over.”

Just as he crouched down to pick it up, Bellis silently crept up behind him and delivered a chop to the back of his neck.

And that’s one down! Gotta say, the Fisalis manor has got one hell of a gardener!

No wonder everyone had told me not to worry. I had to give him some serious props.

The knight-guards, who had been hanging back while this played out, stepped in to catch the man as he crumbled to the ground, only to wind a length of rope around his body.

“Looks like step one was a success.”

“Now to see how long the bandits wait. Here’s hoping they don’t draw this out.”

While we watched the knights carry the man off to join the rest of his captured comrades, we started thinking about the next part of the plan.

Ugh, I hate this! Knowing Stellaria is right behind this door, all I want is to run to her rescue this second!

“Dammit! If only they didn’t have hostages, I could just rush in and put an end to this in an instant! Forgive me, Viola!”

Oh, hey, the guy next to me is thinking the same thing.

* * *

“Cripes, he’d better not be off pocketing stuff for himself,” came a voice just as the door to the parlor opened up for a second time.

A silent tension fell over us once more. The second scout had shown up surprisingly quickly.

Every now and then, a flash of lightning would illuminate the dining room. At a cursory glance, the place looked totally empty and deathly silent.

“Huh? What happened to the rest of the guys?”

The inside of the mansion was so quiet that the thief just cocked his head in confusion. Unfortunately for him, all those buddies of his were actually in our custody now.

When he noticed the silver tray still sitting on the floor, he muttered, “Oh, is this what fell?”

The moment he crouched down and reached to pick it up, Bellis landed yet another chop to the neck. Just like last time, the man instantly crumpled to the ground without so much as a scream.

Okay, now I have to say it: sorry for selling you short, man.

Thief number two was tied up and carried away just like the guy before him.

With that, we’d succeeded in getting the number of bandits in the parlor down to two—all according to the vice captain’s plan.

* * *

After that, we asked Bellis and the knight-guards to wait in the dining room, while Cercis and I positioned ourselves by the door adjacent to the entryway.

“If Rohtas and Cartham haven’t jumped in action, that’s a good sign that the hostages in the parlor are doing all right.”

“Where are they watching from, by the way?”

“From a hidden passageway. There’s a peephole that lets them see inside the parlor.”

“Gotcha.”

That sort of thing wasn’t exactly uncommon. Even my parents’ manor had stuff like that.

Since we didn’t have a peephole to look through, we took the old-fashioned approach and pressed our ears to the door to hear what was going on inside.

“Those two still ain’t back yet? The other guys need to get their asses in gear too. If we don’t make our getaway soon, we’re gonna get caught.”

“Everyone sure is taking their sweet time today. You think it’s ’cause this mansion is so damn big?”

“If the law catches up to us, we’d better take these hostages and run.”

“Good thinking.”

The two men inside were starting to get frustrated, seeing as none of their buddies had made it back yet. We had to hurry this up. The last thing we wanted was for them to lay a hand on any of the hostages.

“It’s time we put an end to this,” I murmured.

“Agreed,” said the vice captain with a slight nod of his head.

He put his whistle to his lips...

Tweeeeee!

And he blew a long, shrill blast.

* * *

Crash! Thud! There came a cacophony of sound from within the parlor.

Yikes... All the glass in the parlor is super high-end. If it breaks, I can only imagine how much money that’s gonna eat up... Uh, not that it really matters at the moment!

More pressingly, I could hear voices coming from inside.

“Dammit!”

“Calm down! There’s nothing to worry about—we’ve still got the rest of our team!”

Sorry to break it to you, but we’ve already detained every single one of your little friends!

“Is that our cue?”

“Let’s go.”

The vice captain and I exchanged glances, then flung open the door to the parlor.

The moment we burst into the room, we were greeted by the sight of Mrs. Fisalis; her maids, who had formed a ring around her; Cartham and the butler, who were poised to protect them; and our own subordinates.

And finally, there were the two bandits, their backs to the door—and us—and their attention focused on everyone else.

Each of the thieves was armed with a dagger.

“What do you think you’re doing in my house?!”

“Sorry, but this is the end of the line for you!”

The vice captain and I drew our treasured swords, only to press the very tips of our blades against their unguarded napes.

“Eep!” came the bandits’ strangled cries.

From just past the men, there came two familiar voices.

“Cercis!”

“Cory!”

It was the madam and Stellaria.

“Sorry it took us so long, Vi.”

“I had everyone else to look out for me, so I’m totally fine!”

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Ria.”

“It’s quite all right. I knew you would come for us.”

We called out to our girls from over the bandits’ shoulders. Stellaria was standing right at the center of a protective ring of knights and maids, hugging Mrs. Fisalis close to shield her. Knowing Stellaria, if the madam was in any danger, she would have protected her at the cost of her own life. Not that I was ever going to let it come to that, of course.

“Just because you’re okay doesn’t mean we’re letting these guys off the hook,” said the vice captain and I in perfect unison. Wow, now that’s a coincidence for you.

“What should we do? Let them suffer for a while?”

“No. Better to deal with this quickly. We can save that part for later.”

“I hear you loud and clear!”

First thing was first—we had to free Stellaria and the rest of the hostages.

“Dahlia, cover Vi’s eyes and ears for me,” the vice captain requested of his head maid.

“Yes, sir.”

Maybe he didn’t want his wife to see us really cutting loose. (Was he planning to get that violent?!)

“Oh, I’ll be fine. Have at it.”

And yet, Mrs. Fisalis rejected the consideration. It seemed she had every intention of watching the carnage unfold.

“And you, Ria?” I checked. Better safe than sorry.

Her response was simply, “Don’t mind me.”

I’m not surprised. She’s not the type to faint just from witnessing a little scuffle.

“No messing around. Let’s finish this in one shot.”

“Okie-dokie.”

“All right, Corydalis, it’s a race to see who can strike down one of these curs first.”

“Oho, now you’re getting me fired up!”

No sooner had I said that than we both sprang back into action.

The vice captain used his sword to disarm one of the bandits, immediately following this up by sweeping his feet out from under him. Unable to take the hit, the man toppled onto his back, and Cercis finished him off with an elbow drop straight to the solar plexus.

Meanwhile, I got right up close to my opponent—keeping a low center of gravity as I did—and gave his arm a hard twist from behind. I have to assume he couldn’t withstand the pain, seeing as I was able to take his dagger without much trouble.

The two thieves were laid out by our feet in the blink of an eye.

“Hmm, I’d say that was a tie.”

“Agreed, Madam.”

Such was Mrs. Fisalis’s and Stellaria’s verdict. Our match had ended in a draw, it seemed.

* * *

“I was faster!”

“Nuh-uh! I was!”

“There, there, boys, I’m sure you were both very impressive.” Chamomile made a half-assed attempt at mediation as she went about tying up the bandits.

In the end, the fight had been over almost as soon as it had started, and every last one of the bandits had been dragged away by our knights. The parlor looked like a disaster scene after that grand entrance of ours, so the servants were busy cleaning up our mess.

Even the raging storm outside had subsided before we knew it.

“Cercis! Were you hurt?! I get the feeling it was over before they even got the chance, but still!”

Now that she was finally free, Mrs. Fisalis rushed over to her husband’s side.

“Vi! What about you? Are you all right? I’m sorry you had to go through all that. I’m just glad I made it in time to get you out of trouble.”

“I knew you would come for us. After all, you’re my very own special knight. I got to see a very cool side of you today—why, I nearly fell in love all over again!”

“I’m happy to hear that. Driving my horse through the pouring rain to get here was more than worth it.”

Is it just me, or does Mrs. Fisalis seem like a different person? Was she always the type to fawn over the vice captain like that? Well, maybe that speaks to just how scared she was.

Seeing as my boss and his wife had started flirting right in front of my face, I opted to look the other way.

There was something else that demanded my attention, anyway.

“Ria! Are you all right?!”

“Yes! Thank you for coming to save us. Oh, if only the storm hadn’t gotten so terrible, none of this would have happened...”

“Thank you for rushing here with Master Fisalis, Sir Corydalis,” said Dahlia, bowing her head. “It’s all thanks to you that everyone in the manor made it out all right.”

“We were just lucky that we’d strengthened surveillance around the city, and that we received word from the manor pretty quickly. Though I have to say, when I heard that Ria had been taken hostage, I was nearly scared to death.”

“Really? I was confident you would show up to save me, so I never worried for a second.”

“Of course I’ll always drop everything to come save you when you’re in trouble! I think it’s about time we took our leave, though. You must be tired too, Ria. Go get a good night’s sleep.”

It was pretty late by this point, and once we made it back to the headquarters, we’d have to write up a report to present to Captain Permam and the higher-ups. Just as I was thinking about all that, however, I overheard a certain conversation.

“Oh no! You two are all soaked!”

“Hm? Oh, yes—we had to rush home, after all. I wore a raincoat, but with how hard the rain was coming down, it didn’t keep me dry.”

“We need to hurry up and get you a change of clothes! No...we need to get you warmed up, or else you’re going to catch a cold!”

“I’ll be fine.”

“Don’t give me that! Rosa, go draw a bath. Cercis, you and Corydalis need to get in there together this instant!”

“Huh? Why together?”

“You’ll both get warm faster that way!”

“I’d rather get in with you, not him!”

Excuse me, Mrs. Fisalis! Why, pray tell, are you sending me into the bath with the vice captain?!

“Uh, you know what, I’m good—”

I attempted to voice a protest, but the madam cut me off. “Oh, looks like it’s ready. Well, off you go—and take all the time you need! I’ll get you both a change of clothes.”

In one ear and right out the other.

She dragged me and the vice captain all the way to her chambers, only to shove us right into the bathroom.

“Seriously...?”

Help, I was just an innocent bystander!

* * *

“Can someone please explain what’s going on?”

“That’s my line.”

How come I’m not in the bath with my cute fiancée, but with some gross (okay, well, he is pretty handsome) guy?

“Hey, Vice Captain...? Wouldn’t you say your wife is a bit of an airhead?”

“You don’t have to tell me that. I’m well aware. But I still love everything about her.”

“Whatever you say.”