As soon as the demonic beings raid incident, a barrier was built around the house by Karen. With that, the demonic beings wouldn’t easily intrude inside the mansion with the barrier erected, Karen also can detect the existence of demonic beings immediately if there’s any surprise attack. For the time being, they decided to return to their respective rooms while staying vigilant.
The mansion was wrapped in silence after the inhabitants of the mansion went asleep. However, there was a silhouette which opened the door of the entranceway while erasing all traces as it got out of the mansion.
It was a man who wore a clean butler clothes which have no trace of wrinkles on it. Moreover, his yellow hair is being combed neatly to the degree where’s there’s no dishevelled could be seen. That man is no other than the servant of the Rayford family – Jean Belmondo.
With a soundless footstep that he mastered while serving as an attendant, Jean quietly leaves the mansion completely unnoticeable. As for why did he leave the mansion at the midnight? Because it entirely “For sake of protecting Karen-sama”
Almost a decade ago, Jean worked as an attendant in a village which wasn’t under Rayford territories. Although the master of the mansion was slightly arrogant, the payment was good and he was no trouble with his life. He spent his peaceful daily life that can be described as if in a painting itself continued with his family, friends and his lover peacefully.
But it collapsed suddenly one day.
The village where Jean lived was destroyed by the raid of the Maou forces. Only Jean alone has barely survived while he lost everything including his family, friends, lover, master, house and even his property.
In such state where Jean has nowhere to go and was about to waited for his pitiful death to come, it was Gouache Rayford who was the one who has rescue him. Gouache told Jean, who does not have a place to live or work, to take advantage of his past experience with his work before to work and live in his mansion.
This is because he got picked up by Gouache he was able to live as he was now.
From that time, Jean has made up his mind. That, he would use his body for sake of Rayford House.
Unfortunately, right now only Karen remains in the mansion due to the barrier disaster incidents. Neither Gouache which picked oneself up nor the madame who has treated him kindly left. Therefore, Jean felt it was his responsibility to protect and ensure the safety of Karen.
For he who don’t know which end is up, but he has a firm believe that there is no doubt that Olivia Elieresire was involved in this uproar. That “that woman should have been involved with the demonic beings surprise attack today”. Although he is incapable, he will use everything he has『For sake of protecting Karen-sama』
For that very reason, Jean was walking leaving the mansion.
There is a small forest where a person rarely approaches on the outskirts of the Rayford territory and there exist a natural cave in the depths of the forest, where the “metastasis formation” is stretched. By using that, it is possible to leap over to Olivia’s residence in a blink of an eye.
(……? Why do I know such a thing?)
Suddenly Jean wondered what did he knew about it. Originally it is information that he shouldn’t even know how, too.
(No, it’s just not possible)
As he shakes his head as he tries to shake off his doubts to steel himself that doesn’t matter right now because there’s something more important than that. “For sake of protecting Karen-sama”, I must head to Olivia’s residence as soon as possible.
(For sake of protecting Karen-sama, I must report the situation of the mansion to Olivia)
That the raid of demonic being has failed.
That Karen is still alive.
That those adventurers pair are really capable.
I have to report it to Olivia.
『For sake of protecting Karen-sama』
As the tree *SawaSawa* rustling and shakes. The moon was hiding behind the clouds which covering the sky. However, Jean is walking in the forest has no hesitation because this is not the first time that he has used the cave in this way and he has been using the metastasis formation for several times already in order to head for Olivia.
Then it was when Jean has arrived in front of the cave in the back of the forest.
「……As I expected, huh」(Unknown)
「……!?」(Jean)
Unexpectedly, a man voice could be heard suddenly from his back. Thus, he turns around in a hurry, but he cannot find the owner of the voice.
There’s only darkness is spreading in all directions.
It’s a bad situation.
『For sake of protecting Karen-sama』he should not be seen by anyone.
「……Haa」(Unkown)
With a sigh, then suddenly a person silhouette has appeared into his view. It was as if the silhouette which being covered by darkness until then have abruptly appeared before him.
「You are……Iori-san? Why are you here?」(Jean)
「……That is my line」(Iori)
It was Amatsuki Iori who should have fallen asleep in the mansion who have appeared from the darkness. With his raven-black hair and jet black coat that could be mistaken as the shades of night itself has appeared before him. Youths still remain in his appearance, but the air that he releases is definitely not that of a child.
His whole body trembles instinctively as he edges back.
「Jean-san, where are you heading to?」(Iori)
「Where……? aren’t it already been decided ――――Eh? Where am I heading to?」(Jean)
At the moment just before he tried to speak, suddenly his thought has dispersed.
It was quite strange.
It seems like his memories went hazy.
「That aside, why are you here? If anything happens to Karen-sama, what would you do?」(Jean)
Jean throws up a sigh and steps up to Iori.
「For the time being, shall we return to mansion?」(Jean)
「Don’t you need to enter in the cave?」(Iori)
「――――Cave? What is the matter with that?」(Jean)
Jean looks puzzled as he can not figure out what Iori is talking about.
「First of all」(Jean)
『For sake of protecting Karen-sama』(Jean)
「――Please die」(Jean)
Toward the jet black youth, Jean attempt to stab him with the knife that he kept in his pocket. Since the existence of the cave has been exposed, I have to kill the witness『For sake of protecting Karen-sama』
『For sake of protecting Karen-sama』 It must not expose that I’m connected with Olivia. It must not expose to no one, I must tell Olivia regarding what had happened at the mansion『For sake of protecting Karen-sama』
「Why do you do something like this?」(Iori)
Iori asks such a thing while dodging a knife lightly.
『For sake of protecting Karen-sama』and followed after that is.
「It have been decided, haven’t it」(Jean)
『I swing down a knife for sake of protecting Karen-sama.
to avoid the pursuer『For sake of protecting Karen-sama』(Jean)
「It’s『For sake of protecting Karen-sama』」(Jean)
That right, because I have decided to use this body of mine for the sake of Rayford house『For sake of protecting Karen-sama』I have to immediately kill the man in front of me『For sake of protecting Karen-sama』
(……? Why it had to be tied with protecting Karen-sama?)
Then when he had a doubt, his thoughts was switch to『For sake of protecting Karen-sama』again. I have to kill Iori with this knife immedietely『For sake of protecting Karen-sama』
『For sake of protecting Karen-sama』『For sake of protecting Karen-sama』『For sake of protecting Karen-sama』『For sake of protecting Karen-sama』『For sake of protecting Karen-sama』『For sake of protecting Karen-sama』『For sake of protecting Karen-sama』『For sake of protecting Karen-sama』『For sake of protecting Karen-sama』『For sake of protecting Karen-sama』『For sake of protecting Karen-sama』『For sake of protecting Karen-sama』『For sake of protecting Karen-sama』『For sake of protecting Karen-sama』『For sake of protecting Karen-sama』『For sake of protecting Karen-sama』『For sake of protecting Karen-sama』『For sake of protecting Karen-sama』『For sake of protecting Karen-sama』『For sake of protecting Karen-sama』
「……So this is the” brainwash”」(Iori)
While he calmly said that, yet there’s rage well up in his tone. Immediately after that, a dull shock ran over on the back of Jean head.
「……Gah!?」(Jean)
Sparks scatter in his mind while his thoughts being scattered again. Jean thought was cut off, just like a magic item that has lost it magical power.
◆
When I got back to the mansion with the unconscious Jean, Elfi and Karen were waiting.
「It seems like I did not need to ask-na」(Elfi)
「Jean……!」(Karen)
「He all right, he just loses his consciousness」(Iori)
Karen stroked her chest in relief after I told her that he was safe. For the time being, Jean is being restricted and placed under house arrest in the room. It for caution’s sake because we do not know whether the brainwash was completely removed.
「Jean-san was headed to cave in the back of the forest and
I think that it probably linked to the mansion of Olivia because there was metastasis formation in there」(Iori)
In this case, such prediction could be made in the first place if you take the consideration that woman could use the “brainwash magic”.
First, unnatural coordination between those mud bears and the raid timing of those acid serpents. Moreover, those surprise attack of the Mazoku which had occurred in the territory.
It is a surprise attack that it is convenient for Olivia but inconvenient for Karen (circ.u.mstances). If I considering all these things, apparently that woman seems to be able to manipulate the demonic beings.
And when I met Olivia at the Imperial Palace, that woman has said『Are you an adventurer?』albeit she just has seen both Elfi and me for the first time. Even though we have dressed in formal attire which we borrowed from Karen in order for us to enter the Imperial Palace. Obviously, it was strange for that Olivia was able to judge us as an adventurer just from the first sight.
That woman should have grasped our information by some kind of methods. And that some kind of methods is by some betrayer who was in the same mansion that under her “brainwash magic” influence, that is my conclusion is. If you think so, it also leads to the disappearance of Gouache. It was not noticed that he had disappeared, but it is highly likely that what had happened to him has been “forgotten”.
Because it was no more than expectation, in the end, there’s should others different possibility being considered too. There is no mistake that it would be the right a.s.sumption as long as I caught the suspicious state of Jean. Currently, for precaution sake, the servants other than Jean have also being confined in the barrier in their own rooms.
Elfi knew it without needing me to explaining it to her.
As expected, it would be such place after all.
As for Karen, I told her not to get shocked too much.
Still, Karen was shedding tears and at the same time, she was trembling with anger.
「From now on, we will march into the Olivia mansion. At that moment, I will obtain this incident evidence and the whereabouts of Gouache-san. Therefore Karen, please wait in the mansion」(Iori)
「……I refuse」(Karen)
Karen shook her head in disapproval and said.
「Please bring me there, too」(Karen)
「……That is」(Iori)
「I am aware that I would become no more than a drag. But……I want to see it with my own eyes regarding this incident as the representative of Rayford house myself」(Karen)
My dead mother and father along with the missing populations.
Karen told that she took responsibility for having to see what happened herself.
Karen has lowered her head while pleading.
Listen to this story――I dare to say, she was prepared for this.
I guess, she has already taken consideration of the outcome.
That it’s likely that.
Gouache is already.
「……I understand. But there is a condition」(Iori)
The condition is to obey the instructions of me and Elfi. I can not imagine what that woman will do after being cornered. It was unacceptable development for Karen being taken as a hostage.
Besides, I will kill Olivia.
In order to protect ourselves with appropriate things, by considering that woman would wield a sword.
「……Well then, shall we go? To that woman’s place」(Iori)