This House Has A Delicious Restaurant - Chapter 16 - Raid (1) - Part 3
Zerdan, evading Phel’s large leg sweep with ease, scowled as an egg flew toward him. He ducked just in time, the egg narrowly missing him and exploding against the wall.
Indeed, there was no threat of injury to a defensive-type user like Phel, who was likely using this opportunity to launch a ranged attack while tying up Zerdan’s legs.
Zerdan grabbed Phel’s wrist, pulling her forcefully towards him. While her movements were more threatening than those of an average woman, they didn’t pose a significant challenge for Zerdan.
Yet, even if he could handle Phel, he still had to worry about potential attacks from others while dealing with her.
He threw Phel towards the direction where Liffree was. Liffree rushed to restrain Phel but soon halted abruptly.
Noticing Liffree’s unnatural pause, Zerdan clicked his tongue and glared at Diswen, who was watching Liffree with a focused expression.
“Damn troublesome woman.”
Zerdan, reluctantly resorting to a method he preferred not to use, activated his ability to deal with the mentalist.
“Wait! Do you hear me? Something’s wrong with the person next to me!”
As Zerdan used his ability, a panicked voice echoed from the void. It was Lazis, speaking urgently from where Sidon was.
The normally calm voice of Lazis was now filled with urgency and raised pitch, causing Moa Ablon to frown deeply. She extended her arm towards Diswen to block her ability.
Diswen’s face twisted in frustration as she struggled against Moa’s interference.
“Stop. Diswen, don’t use your abilities anymore. It seems Sidon is in poor condition because of Zerdan’s powers.”
“What?! What’s wrong with Sidon?!”
Diswen, startled, quickly ceased controlling Liffree and looked alarmed.
Lazis’ voice echoed again, loud enough for Zerdan to hear.
“He seems to be having trouble breathing! He’s clutching his chest and has collapsed on the floor! Why is this happening all of a sudden?!”
“…It appears Zerdan’s abilities are truly sadistic. Using his power like a puppeteer, making his puppets suffer.”
Moa Ablon’s expression hardened upon hearing Lazis’ words. She had assumed Zerdan could only control, but now it seemed he could inflict pain on his puppets as well.
Diswen trembled visibly at Lazis’ words.
“Khan. Take Diswen to Sidon’s side.”
“What? But…”
“It’s okay. Diswen won’t be able to attack any further here. She should be by Sidon’s side.”
Moa Ablon’s firm words made Khan nod in agreement. He then used Lazis’ provided space to connect shadows and began moving with Diswen.
Although Diswen’s abilities were very useful and powerful, if Zerdan used Sidon as a hostage, she would be more of a hindrance. It was better for her to be out of this area. It might seem harsh, but clear judgment was crucial in this situation.
Watching Khan and Diswen disappear, Zerdan smiled contentedly. Meanwhile, Liffree had managed to restrain Phel.
“Liffree.”
“Managed to buy us some time, barely.”
Liffree, sweating, rolled a small gem towards Zerdan from his hand. At the same time, the area around Liffree and Zerdan sank, causing them to vanish in an instant.
Mummy Man, startled, looked at Moa Ablon, who paused briefly before asking Terisier.
“Do you know where they went?”
“Underground. It seems there’s a passageway below.”
With his heightened senses as a beast, Terisier observed the direction below and replied.
Moa Ablon, complimenting Terisier, patted his fur and spoke through Lazis’ ability to those watching from afar.
“Did you hear? How confident are you in holding your breath?”
“What if Phel accidentally gets hit?”
“Don’t worry. Phel is a defensive type, so she won’t be easily affected by your ability. That’s why we deliberately sent Phel as a hostage among us.”
Hearing Moa Ablon’s words, Luke, who was on the rooftop of the highest building near the commotion, clicked his tongue. Looking down from the immense height, he felt a bit scared but took a deep breath and exhaled. Although this was his first battle and he was somewhat nervous, he didn’t think Moa Ablon’s plan would fail.
Luke once again took a deep breath and held it.
Through Lazis’ ability, the floor, which should have been solid cement, appeared transparent like glass, revealing the area below.
Luke, spotting the enemy moving through a long, straight corridor, used his ability.
Red dots began to gather at the edge of his vision. Luke directed his ability towards their intended path, cutting the corridor in a straight line.
What seemed like a simple cut to Luke was, from the enemy’s perspective, a sudden fissure in the corridor. Although they might still jump across, Luke’s cut affected not just the corridor but also the rock and cement floor above it. The sudden cascade of dirt and stones left Liffree in a state of panic. The path was blocked in an instant.
Luke didn’t stop there. He similarly blocked the path on the other side.
With paths blocked both front and back, Liffree looked disheartened. Covered in dust and debris, he had a look of disbelief at the sudden encirclement.
“…We had no idea there was another ability user? What kind of ability is this, that a perfectly fine corridor just gets cut off like that?”
“It’s more useful than I thought.”
“This isn’t the time for praise, Zerdan! Damn, just when I thought we might escape!”
Liffree stomped and shouted in frustration.
As soon as the path was blocked, Phel, whom Liffree had been holding as a hostage, disappeared again due to Lazis’ ability. With no way to escape or retreat, Liffree and Zerdan were left in a precarious situation, both looking frustrated.
Sidon had said they had a new ability user, and it was quite the one.
It was clear that Zerdan had underestimated this. He should have listened to what Sidon had to say about him, but he hadn’t expected him to get in his way like this.
It was unclear whether the ability itself was impressive or if the woman who orchestrated the situation was exceptional.
Again, using Lazis’ ability, Moa Ablon’s voice seemed to come from right beside them.
“Why not give up now, Zerdan? It seems you can’t escape anymore, and it doesn’t look like you have a way to win against us.”
“I suppose if I threaten Sidon’s life, the brainwasher will listen to me?”
“Perhaps. But even if Diswen attacks us under your threat, I don’t think it will be enough for you to win.”
That was certainly true.
There were supposed to be two mind-control users. Although they were quite useful, the conditions were somewhat demanding. Therefore, it wasn’t necessary to create a puppet with them.
Zerdan didn’t deny it.
“Is your goal to kill me, my lady?”
Instead, he inquired about their objective.
Obella had been pursuing him to stop his criminal activities, and Diswen sought revenge through combat.
But Moa Ablon was different. She wasn’t acting for justice.
At Zerdan’s question, Moa Ablon smiled slightly and shook her head.
“I’m not going to kill you, Zerdan. Don’t be afraid. I wanted to see your bewildered expression and hoped you’d suffer as much as I did. In a way, I’ve achieved my goal. Bella also wouldn’t want you dead. He’s too kind for that.”
“So, you’ve become quite close with Bella. I must say, I’m feeling a bit jealous.”
“You’re good at lying with a smile. I’ll decide what to do with you when Obella arrives. Until then, I plan to keep you confined and immobile.”
“I hope Bella arrives soon.”
Trying to escape had left him trapped like a mouse in a cage. Zerdan, giving up on fleeing, expressed his willingness to wait for Obella, which Moa Ablon found amusing.
Liffree sighed beside him. If Moa Ablon was right, Obella would likely arrive soon.
Zerdan was contemplating what to do if he escaped when Moa Ablon’s voice spoke again.
“While we wait, I have a question for you, Zerdan.”
“I’ll answer if I can.”
“I’ve asked before, but who is the person you’re looking for? And what is your purpose in finding them?”
Zerdan fell silent at her question. Liffree’s expression also hardened. Yet, Moa Ablon continued as if she were oblivious to their discomfort.
“If you tell me your goal, I might tell you what I know.”
“I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
“I’m referring to the person you’re looking for. Isn’t it someone related to Ding?”
At Moa Ablon’s words, Zerdan did not respond. Only Liffree, in a rush, spoke up.
“Do you know who that is?!”
“Yes, I do, Liffree.”
“Who is it? Tell me quickly!”
“I’ll tell you if you reveal your goal. There’s something to gain in return for what’s given.”
Liffree looked at Zerdan, who shook his head. Liffree, appearing anxious, started fidgeting with his hands.
Watching them, Moa Ablon stroked her chin thoughtfully. Though he seemed unwilling to talk now, being confined here for a long time might change his mind.
Moa Ablon leaned on Terisier and sat down, planning to rest until Obella arrived. Thankfully, Sidon’s condition had also improved, easing her worries.
Terisier rubbed his cheek against Moa Ablon, a soft gesture that made her emit a weary laugh.
With the person they were searching for so close by, she wondered how long it would take for them to reveal their purpose.
THIS HOUSE HAS A DELICIOUS RESTAURANT, VOLUME 2