Baron Marz Salah was originally born a commoner, the third son of a blacksmith in the town of Nahmedake in the southern part of Teinidis.
From a young age, he showed more interest in swinging a sword than in forging one. Then at the age of fifteen, he left home to become an adventurer.
From that time, he formed a party and faced both hardships and joys, basically Marz had always been together, with his childhood friend, Moub.
Unlike Marz, who had shown remarkable talent with a sword and risen through the ranks, Moub lacked the talent in combat skills.
However, he was a sturdy and physically robust man, always supporting Marz from the shadows as a porter, carrying the party’s belongings.
No matter how strong Marz was or how many powerful monsters he defeated, if he didn’t bring back the materials, his income as an adventurer would plummet.
But by carrying materials, it would impede his ability to fight effectively.
That’s where the porter came in.
Plain as it was, a porter was an indispensable role in an adventurer’s party.
Some adventurers looked down and even hurled insults at porters who didn’t participate directly in combat.
However, Marz was different.
He understood the importance of porters and recognized Moub’s talent and competence as one.
He held Moub in high regard.
As an adventurer, while Marz was a top-notch swordsman, Moub was a top-notch porter.
The two complemented each other’s shortcomings, adventured together, fought together, and grew together.
Marz believed that his current self existed thanks to Moub.
That’s what he thought.
That’s why, when he was ennobled and retired from adventuring, he said this to Moub
Let’s continue working together.
By then, both were past their prime in terms of physical strength, feeling the onset of aging.
Moub, too, couldn’t keep up the unstable life of an adventurer indefinitely.
So, while it meant becoming an employer and employee, offering him stable employment was a way for Marz to repay Moub for all his help.
Marz sincerely proposed this with Moub’s best interests at heart.
Moub also accepted the proposal with a smile.
Marz believed that between him and Moub lay a deep friendship, an unbreakable bond.
That was why he trusted Moub and entrusted him with the vital task of evacuating villagers in this emergency.
What happened?
What on earth had happened?
The Moub he had trusted wholeheartedly.
The friend that he believed was tied to a solid bond of friendship.
That friend was now holding a blade against the throat of his beloved daughter. His face twisted into a dark, sinister smile.
… Why?
“Why? You must be thinking something along those lines, right?”
It was the same casual tone he had used during their days as adventurers.
But now Moub’s voice was low and ominous.
“Got it right, didn’t I? I understand, I do. What you’ve been thinking… all along, we’ve been together, after all.”
His hand that held the knife trembled.
“But you know what? You have no clue! You can’t possibly understand what I’m thinking now!”
Suddenly, Moub erupted.
Sara, taken hostage, shivered and trembled as Moub’s voice thundered.
“What’s… what’s wrong, Moub? Calm down! Get back to your senses!”
“Senses!? Hahaha, get back to my senses? Hahaha, hahahaha! Hahaha, hahahahahaha! I’m sane! There’s no mistake!”
Though he said that, Moub’s wild laughter, accompanied by the flying saliva, painted a picture of madness.
“Hey, Moub! Just like we promised, you have come to the study room with Sara, right!? Please, let go of Sara…!”
Ima pleaded.
The three of Sara, Ima, and Meiido were ambushed by Moub on their way to the basement, and they were attacked.
During the attack, Meiido was struck on the head and lost consciousness. She was still lying in the hallway.
“No! It’s not allowed! Hahaha, not yet!… Hey, Marz! And you sly steward! Release your hold on the Barrier Stone!”
“Sl- Sly…!?”
“Sneigen, hold your emotion… There’s no choice, let’s halt… the repair.”
Marz and Sneigen slowly released their grasp from the Barrier Stone.
The gradual mending of the Barrier Stone… came to a halt.
“Good, that’s right. This will do.”
Moub kept the blade against Sarah’s neck, while slowly walking toward the window. With his back against the window, Moub glared at Marz and the others.
“Hey, Moub, calm down… why are you doing something like this!?”
“Ha, ha, ha. You don’t understand, do you, Marz? You never know my feelings, right?”
Moub’s dark gaze bore into Marz.
This expression, this side of Moub, Marz had never seen before.
“Always, always! You’re always successful! Even if you fail at something, you always make up for it with hard work, overcome difficulties! Amazing, right? Everyone always acknowledges you!”
Moub shouted at the top of his lungs.
“But what about me? No matter what I do, I don’t stand out! I’m not recognized! Always! You’re the one who gets everything! Honor, titles, rank, wife, daughter!! It’s always you who gets everything! You become happy!! But me… Me, no one even notices me!!”
“I did! I did notice you, Moub! I acknowledged you! I owe my current self to you! That’s why…”
“That’s why? So that’s why you hired me, an inconspicuous, useless porter, as a servant? And as a result, what happened to me? I ended up doing unfamiliar, unsuitable work, cursed at by that sly steward, and enduring every day with frustration! I was called as a useless person hired out of pity!”
Moub put more power to the hand holds the knife.
“Ugh…!”
A slight wound appeared on Sara’s neck, and a trickle of blood ran down.
Sara let out a small whimper.
“Ahh! Sara! Sara!”
Lady Ima lost her composure. Her usually calm and collected demeanor was nowhere to be found.
“I’ve endured, Marz… I’ve endured it all along. Yes, I’ve been enduring it all along. Suppressing my own feelings. But that was a mistake!”
“A mistake…!?”
“Yes! Because, at that time! When your wife and daughter happened to pass below, I dropped that roof panel on purpose! The exhilaration I felt at that moment! It was incredible!! At last, I realized my true feelings! I want to take away from you, Marz! What’s precious to you! The happiness I couldn’t have!”
“Wait, th-that was your doing!?”
“Yeah!? What are you so surprised about now!? Well, I failed that time. That cursed child, how detestable.”
Moub clicked his tongue and spat.
From their days as an adventurer until now, Marz had never seen Moub use such foul language.
He had always been calm, modest, and smiled quietly.
“Hey Moub, if you resent me, why not aim at me instead? Please, let Sara go! Don’t involve my daughter!”
“Hah? Were you even listening to me? I want to take away, you know. From you, something precious to you.”
“Doing something like this… how is it going to end!? Please, calm down, Moub. Even if you do something like this, no one will be happy.”
“No!! They will be!! My fate will change with this!! That’s what I heard!!”
“Yo-you heard?”
“Hey! Hey, isn’t it time yet? I did what I was told! What should I do now!?”
Moub ranted while scanning his gaze across the ceiling and walls.
What was clear from Moub’s recent statements was that his actions had been incited by someone else.
Moreover, judging by where Moub’s gaze was directed as he received instructions, there was a third party present in the room, even though they hadn’t shown themselves.
Marz tried to sense any presence lurking where Moub’s eyes were fixed, but there was no indication of anyone there.
“Hey, uncle… Moub…”
The next voice came from Sara, the one held hostage.
Perhaps due to being roughly handled, her body was in pain, and her voice lacked its usual energy.
However, she didn’t seem frightened or trembling.
It was due to her innate, true strength.
“Uncle, weren’t you friend with dad?”
“Huh?”
“Dad always says it. Moub is the best comrade. Almost too good, a friend.”
“…”
“Uncle, I want you to calm down. I want you to return to your usual gentle self.”
“…”
“Hey, uncle. You two are friends, right?”
It was an exceedingly pure statement.
A straightforward statement.
Sara was sad.
Her father and Moub should be friends.
Yet Moub was trying to hurt her father’s feelings.
That wasn’t right.
It was painful for friends to have such a relationship.
Watching their friendship shatter so loudly in front of her was more painful than her own life being in danger.
She only wished for her father and Moub to reconcile.
“Friends… We were never friend.”
However, what came out of Moub’s mouth was a sad truth for Sara.
“… Once.”
The words were squeezed out, assembled.
“I was always grateful. I admired him. I was proud. I used to think that Marz was the best friend. But now, I’m just envious! I hate him!”
“Uncle…”
“I understand, Sara! You’re probably the same as Marz! Liked by everyone, always standing up to any difficulty without faltering! You’ll surely become such a successful person! You’ll be able to live in a world of ideals! It’s enviable! Jealousy-inducing! It is hateful!”
While spraying spit everywhere, Moub began shouting again.
Drip, drip, the tears in Sara’s eyes fell one by one.
She was too sad and couldn’t say other words to Moub.
“But you know, today everything will change. All of you won’t be successful anymore, and I’ll put an end to my life in the shadows.”
Moub began to laugh.
The way he laughed, his eyes bloodshot and crazed, was undoubtedly abnormal.
Marz had felt a sense of unease from Moub’s previous statements all along.
Even if Moub’s claims had originated from his true feelings.
Even so, amidst a horde of monsters headed for the mansion, what would this incident achieve?
And by making this incident, how would their fates change?
Taking his daughter as a hostage, barricading themselves in a room—what was the plan?
The only future that seemed to await him was that of criminals.
“… ‘Taking your daughter hostage and barricading yourselves here, what are you planning to do from here? There’s only a future waiting for you as criminals.’ Is that what you’re thinking right now, Marz?”
“!!”
With a sneer on his face, Moub said so.
Once again, Marz’s thoughts seemed to have been read by Moub, causing him to bite his lip.
It seemed that Moub truly could understand what he was thinking.
Yet, Marz couldn’t comprehend Moub’s thoughts at all…
“Well, normally you’d think that way! Hahaha, but you know, I have allies on my side.”
“Allies… who are they?”
“Hahaha! Want to know? You want to know, right? Well, sure, I’ll tell you! You’d be surprised! Definitely!!”
Moub’s accomplice.
From Moub’s previous actions, it was certain that such a person existed. But Moub was now openly revealing it.
Perhaps even the attack on the carriage was orchestrated by that individual.
Tension filled the room.
“Listen carefully. My ally, you see…”
And in the next moment.
With a deafening sound, the enormous head of a Poisoned Topopolok Queen burst through the window and wall, crashing into the study.
Baron Marz Salah was originally born a commoner, the third son of a blacksmith in the town of Nahmedake in the southern part of Teinidis.
From a young age, he showed more interest in swinging a sword than in forging one. Then at the age of fifteen, he left home to become an adventurer.
From that time, he formed a party and faced both hardships and joys, basically Marz had always been together, with his childhood friend, Moub.
Unlike Marz, who had shown remarkable talent with a sword and risen through the ranks, Moub lacked the talent in combat skills.
However, he was a sturdy and physically robust man, always supporting Marz from the shadows as a porter, carrying the party’s belongings.
No matter how strong Marz was or how many powerful monsters he defeated, if he didn’t bring back the materials, his income as an adventurer would plummet.
But by carrying materials, it would impede his ability to fight effectively.
That’s where the porter came in.
Plain as it was, a porter was an indispensable role in an adventurer’s party.
Some adventurers looked down and even hurled insults at porters who didn’t participate directly in combat.
However, Marz was different.
He understood the importance of porters and recognized Moub’s talent and competence as one.
He held Moub in high regard.
As an adventurer, while Marz was a top-notch swordsman, Moub was a top-notch porter.
The two complemented each other’s shortcomings, adventured together, fought together, and grew together.
Marz believed that his current self existed thanks to Moub.
That’s what he thought.
That’s why, when he was ennobled and retired from adventuring, he said this to Moub
Let’s continue working together.
By then, both were past their prime in terms of physical strength, feeling the onset of aging.
Moub, too, couldn’t keep up the unstable life of an adventurer indefinitely.
So, while it meant becoming an employer and employee, offering him stable employment was a way for Marz to repay Moub for all his help.
Marz sincerely proposed this with Moub’s best interests at heart.
Moub also accepted the proposal with a smile.
Marz believed that between him and Moub lay a deep friendship, an unbreakable bond.
That was why he trusted Moub and entrusted him with the vital task of evacuating villagers in this emergency.
What happened?
What on earth had happened?
The Moub he had trusted wholeheartedly.
The friend that he believed was tied to a solid bond of friendship.
That friend was now holding a blade against the throat of his beloved daughter. His face twisted into a dark, sinister smile.
… Why?
“Why? You must be thinking something along those lines, right?”
It was the same casual tone he had used during their days as adventurers.
But now Moub’s voice was low and ominous.
“Got it right, didn’t I? I understand, I do. What you’ve been thinking… all along, we’ve been together, after all.”
His hand that held the knife trembled.
“But you know what? You have no clue! You can’t possibly understand what I’m thinking now!”
Suddenly, Moub erupted.
Sara, taken hostage, shivered and trembled as Moub’s voice thundered.
“What’s… what’s wrong, Moub? Calm down! Get back to your senses!”
“Senses!? Hahaha, get back to my senses? Hahaha, hahahaha! Hahaha, hahahahahaha! I’m sane! There’s no mistake!”
Though he said that, Moub’s wild laughter, accompanied by the flying saliva, painted a picture of madness.
“Hey, Moub! Just like we promised, you have come to the study room with Sara, right!? Please, let go of Sara…!”
Ima pleaded.
The three of Sara, Ima, and Meiido were ambushed by Moub on their way to the basement, and they were attacked.
During the attack, Meiido was struck on the head and lost consciousness. She was still lying in the hallway.
“No! It’s not allowed! Hahaha, not yet!… Hey, Marz! And you sly steward! Release your hold on the Barrier Stone!”
“Sl- Sly…!?”
“Sneigen, hold your emotion… There’s no choice, let’s halt… the repair.”
Marz and Sneigen slowly released their grasp from the Barrier Stone.
The gradual mending of the Barrier Stone… came to a halt.
“Good, that’s right. This will do.”
Moub kept the blade against Sarah’s neck, while slowly walking toward the window. With his back against the window, Moub glared at Marz and the others.
“Hey, Moub, calm down… why are you doing something like this!?”
“Ha, ha, ha. You don’t understand, do you, Marz? You never know my feelings, right?”
Moub’s dark gaze bore into Marz.
This expression, this side of Moub, Marz had never seen before.
“Always, always! You’re always successful! Even if you fail at something, you always make up for it with hard work, overcome difficulties! Amazing, right? Everyone always acknowledges you!”
Moub shouted at the top of his lungs.
“But what about me? No matter what I do, I don’t stand out! I’m not recognized! Always! You’re the one who gets everything! Honor, titles, rank, wife, daughter!! It’s always you who gets everything! You become happy!! But me… Me, no one even notices me!!”
“I did! I did notice you, Moub! I acknowledged you! I owe my current self to you! That’s why…”
“That’s why? So that’s why you hired me, an inconspicuous, useless porter, as a servant? And as a result, what happened to me? I ended up doing unfamiliar, unsuitable work, cursed at by that sly steward, and enduring every day with frustration! I was called as a useless person hired out of pity!”
Moub put more power to the hand holds the knife.
“Ugh…!”
A slight wound appeared on Sara’s neck, and a trickle of blood ran down.
Sara let out a small whimper.
“Ahh! Sara! Sara!”
Lady Ima lost her composure. Her usually calm and collected demeanor was nowhere to be found.
“I’ve endured, Marz… I’ve endured it all along. Yes, I’ve been enduring it all along. Suppressing my own feelings. But that was a mistake!”
“A mistake…!?”
“Yes! Because, at that time! When your wife and daughter happened to pass below, I dropped that roof panel on purpose! The exhilaration I felt at that moment! It was incredible!! At last, I realized my true feelings! I want to take away from you, Marz! What’s precious to you! The happiness I couldn’t have!”
“Wait, th-that was your doing!?”
“Yeah!? What are you so surprised about now!? Well, I failed that time. That cursed child, how detestable.”
Moub clicked his tongue and spat.
From their days as an adventurer until now, Marz had never seen Moub use such foul language.
He had always been calm, modest, and smiled quietly.
“Hey Moub, if you resent me, why not aim at me instead? Please, let Sara go! Don’t involve my daughter!”
“Hah? Were you even listening to me? I want to take away, you know. From you, something precious to you.”
“Doing something like this… how is it going to end!? Please, calm down, Moub. Even if you do something like this, no one will be happy.”
“No!! They will be!! My fate will change with this!! That’s what I heard!!”
“Yo-you heard?”
“Hey! Hey, isn’t it time yet? I did what I was told! What should I do now!?”
Moub ranted while scanning his gaze across the ceiling and walls.
What was clear from Moub’s recent statements was that his actions had been incited by someone else.
Moreover, judging by where Moub’s gaze was directed as he received instructions, there was a third party present in the room, even though they hadn’t shown themselves.
Marz tried to sense any presence lurking where Moub’s eyes were fixed, but there was no indication of anyone there.
“Hey, uncle… Moub…”
The next voice came from Sara, the one held hostage.
Perhaps due to being roughly handled, her body was in pain, and her voice lacked its usual energy.
However, she didn’t seem frightened or trembling.
It was due to her innate, true strength.
“Uncle, weren’t you friend with dad?”
“Huh?”
“Dad always says it. Moub is the best comrade. Almost too good, a friend.”
“…”
“Uncle, I want you to calm down. I want you to return to your usual gentle self.”
“…”
“Hey, uncle. You two are friends, right?”
It was an exceedingly pure statement.
A straightforward statement.
Sara was sad.
Her father and Moub should be friends.
Yet Moub was trying to hurt her father’s feelings.
That wasn’t right.
It was painful for friends to have such a relationship.
Watching their friendship shatter so loudly in front of her was more painful than her own life being in danger.
She only wished for her father and Moub to reconcile.
“Friends… We were never friend.”
However, what came out of Moub’s mouth was a sad truth for Sara.
“… Once.”
The words were squeezed out, assembled.
“I was always grateful. I admired him. I was proud. I used to think that Marz was the best friend. But now, I’m just envious! I hate him!”
“Uncle…”
“I understand, Sara! You’re probably the same as Marz! Liked by everyone, always standing up to any difficulty without faltering! You’ll surely become such a successful person! You’ll be able to live in a world of ideals! It’s enviable! Jealousy-inducing! It is hateful!”
While spraying spit everywhere, Moub began shouting again.
Drip, drip, the tears in Sara’s eyes fell one by one.
She was too sad and couldn’t say other words to Moub.
“But you know, today everything will change. All of you won’t be successful anymore, and I’ll put an end to my life in the shadows.”
Moub began to laugh.
The way he laughed, his eyes bloodshot and crazed, was undoubtedly abnormal.
Marz had felt a sense of unease from Moub’s previous statements all along.
Even if Moub’s claims had originated from his true feelings.
Even so, amidst a horde of monsters headed for the mansion, what would this incident achieve?
And by making this incident, how would their fates change?
Taking his daughter as a hostage, barricading themselves in a room—what was the plan?
The only future that seemed to await him was that of criminals.
“… ‘Taking your daughter hostage and barricading yourselves here, what are you planning to do from here? There’s only a future waiting for you as criminals.’ Is that what you’re thinking right now, Marz?”
“!!”
With a sneer on his face, Moub said so.
Once again, Marz’s thoughts seemed to have been read by Moub, causing him to bite his lip.
It seemed that Moub truly could understand what he was thinking.
Yet, Marz couldn’t comprehend Moub’s thoughts at all…
“Well, normally you’d think that way! Hahaha, but you know, I have allies on my side.”
“Allies… who are they?”
“Hahaha! Want to know? You want to know, right? Well, sure, I’ll tell you! You’d be surprised! Definitely!!”
Moub’s accomplice.
From Moub’s previous actions, it was certain that such a person existed. But Moub was now openly revealing it.
Perhaps even the attack on the carriage was orchestrated by that individual.
Tension filled the room.
“Listen carefully. My ally, you see…”
And in the next moment.
With a deafening sound, the enormous head of a Poisoned Topopolok Queen burst through the window and wall, crashing into the study.
