Chapter 61: ☆Just a little, rest...
It was 11 PM at night.
Felica and Lucian-san had already gone home, and I was now helping at the tavern.
When the tavern closed at 10 PM and we were cleaning up,
clang! clang! — the sound of heavy coins being struck echoed through the room.
This was the signal for a fire. If an enemy attacked, it would be kakakakakakakaaan! in a continuous burst.
With a serious expression, I looked at Nimi’s worried face and told her to go outside.
When I stepped out, there were so many large buildings around that I couldn’t tell the exact location.
...Was there any light coming from that direction...? What should I do?
While folding my arms and thinking, something shadowy suddenly fell in front of me.
I immediately tensed up and watched the shadow.
"...Roll?"
"Instructor! The butler! Erika’s butler!"
The shadow stood up and, under the moonlight, I realized it was Roll, who was panting heavily.
Roll ran straight toward me, grabbed my clothes, and desperately pleaded with me.
When I heard her words, I looked in the direction of the old Erika residence and shouted,
"Chale!"
"Yes!"
"Baron Deus’s soldiers might be moving. Contact your comrades right away! Roll, Satour, and Minty — protect Erika and the others! Hire any adventurers who are awake, and I’ll pay the reward!"
"I’ll return immediately!"
"Instructor?"
Chale must have gone to her comrades at my words. I felt the wind that only moves when someone is actively fighting.
Roll finally caught her breath at my words and asked worriedly,
"...Did you understand?"
"...!?! Send someone right away! So no reckless behavior!"
"...Understood."
I looked at Nimi’s face as she came out.
From my expression, Nimi understood and closed her eyes with a worried look.
When she opened them, her face changed into a gentle smile and she said,
"Go on ahead."
"...I’ll go. I’ll be right back."
Thanking Nimi for her concern, I decided that when I returned, I would treat her to a lot.
As I ran, I felt the noisy sounds of [Suzuya] behind me.
Why had Roll noticed the butler’s danger?
Where exactly had she gone to the old Erika residence? It was a mystery.
And at this hour of the night.
But what worried me most wasn’t that.
I already knew the old Erika residence would catch fire.
In the original story, it would happen a little over a month later — the night before Erika fell from grace after failing Roy’s seduction midway.
...That’s midway.
It had only been about thirty days since the story began.
The entire story lasted three years — Roy graduating from the academy and ending the tale.
Midway was roughly one and a half years in.
From my perspective as someone trying to drive the Deus family to ruin, that was great news.
But what I was truly worried about was the event that would happen about thirty days after the fire started.
Roy was safe, but the heroines were in danger.
More accurately, according to me and the examination group, the heroines couldn’t end up happy.
I let out a sigh while running and increased my speed.
As the old Erika residence came into view, the area around it was brightly lit.
Was it the fire rising from the mansion?
I approached the residence, took a deep breath to steady myself, hid behind the wall of the front gate, and checked the scene in front of the entrance.
The windows were broken, and fire occasionally burst from them.
There were no people visible nearby, and the flames seemed to have spread to the garden.
The stone pavement leading to the entrance was on fire. Had they poured oil or some other flammable liquid?
"I’m sorry I’m late,"
"No, you’re plenty early... Chale, can you detect magic power?"
"Yes, I can sense one person’s presence... but—"
"I’ll go alone. Please tell me the location."
"...Right in front of the front door."
"Thank you."
I answered Chale’s voice from the side, took out a water magic tool from my magic bag — a slender crystal rod about the size of my hand — and ran through the fire toward the front door.
...If it was oil, this would make it worse... But how about this!?
Fortunately, the water from the magic tool put out the fire.
I kept spraying water ahead of me and reached the front door, then kicked it open.
As I expected, the inside was a sea of flames. I covered my mouth with a cloth and quickly searched for the butler.
Then I found the butler slumped against the wall at the top of the stairs.
I quickly sprayed water on him and lifted him onto my shoulder.
...Confirmation of his condition could wait — first, we escape!
When I stood up, the fire spread even faster.
I clicked my tongue, prepared to accept the burns, and stepped forward.
Water was sprayed all around me.
It wasn’t a small amount from a magic tool — it was a large amount of water from magic.
"Hurry!"
"...You’re being reckless!"
Chale’s voice echoed, and I began running at full speed toward the main gate where the fire hadn’t reached yet.
Thanks to Chale splashing water in front of me, I could focus only on running.
I stepped out of the main gate and slowly lowered the butler onto the ground.
While checking the butler’s condition with his face up, I called out to Chale.
"Chale?"
"I’m here."
"...Thank you. You saved me."
"Your lifespan will shorten..."
"I’m sorry."
In Chale’s voice there was a tone of relief mixed with a slight anger.
...She had every right to be angry this time.
The butler’s condition was that his butler uniform was torn in places, but there were no life-threatening wounds.
He had probably been knocked unconscious by some attack and then set on fire.
But I couldn’t relax. I didn’t know what was happening inside his body.
Also, I didn’t want to say this, but he was old.
An elderly gentleman butler — I had to consider that his stamina might not be enough.
I was about to call out to Chale to take the butler to the medical facility when the butler let out a groan.
The butler slowly opened his eyes and looked at me.
The butler, who usually didn’t show much expression, gave me a faint smile and handed me a miniaturized magic bag from his pocket.
When I took the magic bag, the butler spoke in a fading voice.
"Please... take care of me."
"...Understood. But there’s a condition."
"...?"
"Don’t give up on your life, Baron Deus... Erika is still alive, isn’t she?"
If you’re loyal to the Deus family, then live long enough to serve them.
That’s the path you chose, right?
Looking at the butler with eyes that carried that meaning, the butler gave a wry smile, coughed, and closed his eyes.
He placed a hand on his neck — there was a weak but steady pulse.
I let out a sigh toward the man who had fought with a completely different mindset than me.
"...Just a little, rest."
Immediately after, adventurers and soldiers who had come to extinguish the fire gathered.
Among the soldiers, I spotted the familiar captain and entrusted the butler to him.
When I bowed to the adventurers and explained about the reward, they demanded steak and I gave a wry smile.
While watching the adventurers and soldiers helping with the fire from a distance, I called out to Chale.
"Chale... use this."
"...This is the one from earlier?"
I handed the magic bag I had received from the butler toward the voice.
Chale must have taken it in her hand; the moment I thought it had disappeared, the magic bag vanished from my hands.
I spread my lips in a smile and said,
"Give the butler’s fangs a good taste."
"...I will."
The fangs the butler had pointed toward his lord for the first time.
Even if it was Elysia or Erika, the butler’s inner conflict as someone who had remained loyal to the Deus family was unimaginable.
The fangs he had pointed toward his lord for the first time — it would be the perfect way to make them strike.
