* * *
Baron Martz Salar was originally the third son of a blacksmith in the southern town of Namedake in Teenidys, born a commoner.
From a young age, he showed more interest in wielding a sword than forging one, and in the spring of his 15th year, he left home to become an adventurer.
The one who had been in his party and shared joys and sorrows with him ever since then was his childhood friend, Mauve.
Unlike Martz, who had a talent for the sword and rapidly distinguished himself, Mauve had no gift for battle.
However, Mauve was a man who prided himself on his stamina, and in Martz’s party, he continued to support Martz from behind the scenes as a porter, carrying their luggage.
No matter how strong Martz was and how many powerful monsters he could defeat, if he couldn’t bring back the materials, his income as an adventurer would plummet.
But while carrying materials, one can’t fight satisfactorily.
Porters solve this problem.
Although an unglamorous role, they are an indispensable and necessary part of an adventurer party.
There are some heartless adventurers who disparage porters for not directly participating in combat.
But Martz was not like that.
He well understood the importance of porters, and highly valued Mauve’s talent and true ability as a porter.
Martz was a first-class adventurer as a swordsman, while Mauve was a first-class adventurer as a porter.
The two complemented each other’s lacking aspects, adventuring, fighting, and growing together.
Martz believed that his current self existed thanks to Mauve.
That’s why, when he was ennobled and retired as an adventurer, he invited Mauve, saying, “Why don’t we continue working together from now on?”
By that time, both of them had passed their physical prime and were beginning to feel their decline.
Even Mauve couldn’t continue the unstable profession of an adventurer forever.
If so, even if it took the form of employer and employee, hiring him and providing him with a stable life would be a way to repay Mauve.
Martz made this proposal from the bottom of his heart, thinking of Mauve’s best interests.
Mauve accepted the proposal with a smile.
Martz had no doubt that a firm friendship was forged between himself and Mauve.
That’s why he trusted Mauve, and in this emergency, he entrusted him with the highly important task of ‘evacuating the villagers.’
And yet, what was this?
What in the world was going on?
Mauve, in whom he had placed his complete trust.
His friend, whom he thought was bound by a firm friendship.
He was holding a blade to his beloved daughter’s throat, spilling a warped, dark smile.
…Why?
“Why, huh. You’re probably thinking something like that, aren’t you?”
In the same easygoing tone as when they were adventurers.
But in a low, dark voice, Mauve began to speak.
“Hit the mark, right? I know, you see. What you’re thinking. We’ve been together for so long… so long, after all.”
The knife gripped in his hand was trembling.
“But you know what!? You don’t get it, do you!? What I’m thinking right now!!”
Mauve suddenly screamed.
Sara, taken hostage, shuddered with a pale face.
“Wh-what’s going on, Mauve!? Calm down! Come back to your senses!”
“Come back to my senses!? Hahaha, come back to my senses? Hahahahaha! Hahahahahahahaha! I am perfectly sane! No doubt about it!”
Even while saying that with his mouth, Mauve’s figure, laughing loudly while spitting, was not normal.
“Hey, Mauve! As promised, I came to the study with Sara, right!? Please, let Sara go…!”
Madame Emma pleaded.
Sara, Emma, and Maid were caught off guard and attacked by Mauve on their way to evacuate to the basement.
At that time, Maid was hit on the head and fell unconscious, and now she was stretched out in the hallway.
“No way! Hahaha, not yet! …Hey, Martz! Shady butler! Take your hands off the barrier stone!”
“Sh-shady…!?”
“Sneigen, hold back… It can’t be helped, the repair is… suspended.”
Martz and Sneigen slowly removed their hands from the barrier stone.
The gradual repair of the barrier stone that had been underway… stopped.
“Good, that’s it. That’s good.”
With the blade still pressed against Sara’s throat, Mauve slowly moved and stood with his back to the window, glaring at Martz and the others.
“Hey, Mauve, calm down… Why are you doing this!?”
“Ha, ha, ha. You don’t get it, do you, Martz? You don’t understand my feelings at all.”
Mauve’s dark gaze glared at Martz.
Martz had never seen such an expression on Mauve’s face before.
“Always, always! You’re always, always a success! Even if you fail at something, you always make up for it with effort and overcome difficulties! Amazing, isn’t it!? Everyone always acknowledges you!”
Mauve shouted loudly.
“And what about me!? No matter what I do, I don’t stand out! I’m not acknowledged! It’s always you who gains something! Honor, titles, peerage, a wife, a daughter!! You’re the only one who gains things! Who becomes happy!! I… no one even looks at me!!”
“I did! I acknowledged you, Mauve! My current self exists thanks to you! That’s why…”
“That’s why? You hired the plain, unremarkable, useless porter as a servant out of pity? And as a result, what happened to me? Every day I glumly carry out work I’m not used to or suited for, while being scolded by the shady butler! Being called an incompetent hired out of charity!”
Mauve’s hand holding the knife tightened.
“Ngh…!”
A small cut appeared on Sara’s throat, and a trickle of blood flowed.
Sara let out a small groan.
“Aah! Sara! Saraaa!!”
Madame Emma had already lost her composure.
Her usual calm and composed figure was nowhere to be seen here.
“You know, Martz. I’ve endured it for so long. Yes, I’ve endured it for so long. I’ve killed my own feelings. But that was a mistake!”
“A mistake…!?”
“That’s right! Because, that time! That time when I dropped the roof tiles on your wife and child who happened to be passing by below! The exhilaration I felt at that moment! It was the best!! I finally realized my true feelings! I want to take from you, Martz! The things precious to you! The happiness I couldn’t obtain!!”
“Th-that was your doing!?”
“Huh!? What are you so surprised about now!? Well, I failed that time. That damn cursed child, how irksome.”
Mauve clicked his tongue and spat.
Martz had never seen him spout such abuse, from their adventuring days until now.
He was supposed to be a gentle, modest man who always smiled quietly.
“Hey, Mauve, if you resent me, you should target me, right? Please, let Sara go! Don’t involve my daughter!”
“Huh? Were you even listening to me? I’m telling you, I want to take from you. The things precious to you.”
“But, what will that accomplish!? Please, calm down, Mauve. Doing that won’t make anyone happy.”
“No!! It will!! This will change my fate!! That’s what I was told!!”
“T-told, you say?”
“Hey!! Are you ready yet!! I did exactly as I was told!! What should I do now!?”
Mauve ranted while restlessly moving his gaze to the ceiling and walls.
From Mauve’s words just now, it became clear that his crime this time was instigated by someone.
And judging from the direction of Mauve’s gaze as he sought instructions, it was a third party not present in this room.
Martz searched for any presence lurking where Mauve was looking, but there was no sign of anyone.
“Uncle Mauve…”
The next to speak was Sara, who was being held hostage.
Perhaps her body ached from being roughly grabbed, as her voice lacked its usual energy.
However, she didn’t seem frightened or trembling either.
That was due to her innate strong will.
“Weren’t you friends with my father?”
“Huh?”
“Father often says it. That Mauve is the best companion. A friend too good for him.”
“……”
“Uncle, I want you to calm down. I want you to go back to being the kind uncle you always were.”
“……”
“Hey, uncle. You two are friends, right?”
They were such pure words.
Straightforward words.
Sara was sad.
Her father and Mauve were supposed to be friends.
And yet Mauve was trying to hurt her father’s heart.
That wasn’t right.
It was painful to see a friendship break apart with a sound right before her eyes, rather than having her own life put in danger.
All she could think about was wanting her father and Mauve to make up.
“We weren’t friends. Not for a long time now.”
But what came out of Mauve’s mouth was a sad truth for Sara.
“…Once.”
Words spun as if squeezed out.
“I was always grateful. I respected you. I was proud. I thought Martz was the best friend. But now, I’m just envious! Resentful!”
“Uncle…”
“I can tell, Sara! You must be the same as Martz! Liked by everyone, facing any difficulty without giving up! I’m sure you’ll become a success like that! You’ll be able to live in a world of pretty words! I’m so envious! So jealous! So resentful!”
Spitting, Mauve began screaming again.
Tears trickled down Sara’s face.
She was so sad, so sad that she couldn’t find any more words to say to Mauve.
“But you know, today all fates will change. You will no longer be successful, and I will put an end to my life as a person in the shadows.”
Mauve began to laugh.
His appearance, cackling with bloodshot eyes glinting, was by no means normal.
Martz had felt something off about Mauve’s behavior for a while now.
Even if his claims up until now were spoken from the heart.
Even so, what was the point of causing this incident while a horde of monsters was heading towards the mansion?
Why would this change fate?
Taking his daughter hostage and barricading himself in the room, what would happen from there?
Wasn’t the only future waiting for him that of a criminal?
“…’What do you plan to do from here, taking my daughter hostage? The only future waiting for you there is that of a criminal,’ is that what you’re thinking now? Martz.”
“…!”
Grinning, Mauve said that.
Once again having his thoughts read by Mauve, Martz bit his lip.
It seemed Mauve really could tell what he was thinking.
Even though he had no idea at all what Mauve was thinking…
“Well, normally, you’d think that! Hahaha, but you know, I have an ally.”
“An ally… Who is it?”
“Hahaha! You want to know? Of course you do! I don’t mind telling you! It’ll blow your mind, I’m sure!!”
Mauve’s collaborator.
From Mauve’s earlier behavior, its existence was certain, but Mauve was revealing it himself.
Perhaps even that carriage attack was orchestrated by that person.
Tension ran through the room.
“Ready? Listen closely? My ally is…”
It happened the next moment.
The giant Poison Topopolock Queen’s head burst through the window and wall into the study with a roar.