To Deprive a Deprived Person

It was a bright red sky, as if the blood in a bucket had been turned over. Looking up at a tower, you could see a man ringing a huge bell like crazy from a distance. However, the sound of the bell doesn't reach people's ears. The angry and taunting voices of the crowd gathered in the square were louder than the ringing bells. The faces of people illuminated by the scorching sunset were dyed in crazy colors. People swear and throw stones at the crucifixion in the center of the square. The gender of the crucifixion could not be determined from the face. It wasn't because it was backlit against the setting sun. The face-was ugly and swollen enough to be seen from a distance. It is due to the stone throwing of the crowd. The knights around the crucifixion are just silently watching without trying to stop it. If you squint, you'll see that the crucifixion's eyes have been torn and his throat crushed. He was deprived of his sight and voice. Originally it is a pure white robe, but it is covered with blood and mud due to stone throwing. And from the outline of the robe, it can be seen that the person who is crucified is a woman. Above all, its characteristic hair color...is――

"Why!!"

A child raises a heart-throbbing voice. He was dressed in rags, his hair was unkempt, his skin was dirty and stuck and he looked like a person living in the slums at a glance.

"Hey elder sister, why do you guys do terrible things to Sakura...?"

Another child asks a red-haired girl.

"Sa, Sakura-neechan, that as it is dies~......"

"Everyone is terrible"

"Uwa~h, don't do anything terrible to Sakura-nee-chan!"

The voices of the crying children were quickly drowned out by the wrath of the crowd.

"Ah......aa............"

The red-haired girl leaks a sobbing voice while looking at the crucifixion of Sakura.

"Sakuraa............. A, aaa......therefore I said............you're too kind......ah......I just said it's not good............a, aa......why is this happening......"

The red-haired girl heard a cracking sound in the glass somewhere. After a delay, the angry words disappear from the surroundings of the red-haired girl. The eyes of the crowd were focused on the red-haired girl from the crucifixion. The eyes were muddy and cloudy. They stare at the red-haired girl with their crazy eyes.

"Go"

"Why? What about Sakura?"

"It's okay!"

"No!!"

"Listen to me!!"

"No!"

"Hurry up!!"

The red-haired girl forces the children sitting on the ground to stand up, and she drags them away. She decided she was in danger because she had to escape from this place as soon as possible――no, this country......she heard a big cheer from behind. When the red-haired girl looked back, she saw the crucifixion wrapped in flames. Watching the scene, the crowd was screaming like crazy. Somewhere, the red-haired girl heard the sound of something cracking.

"All right? It's not good to walk along the road. We walk through the grass and the forest as much as possible"

The red-haired girl gathers children from the slums outside the outer walls of the town, which is normally forbidden to leave and gives instructions.

"How far are we going?"

A young child asks the red-haired girl.

"Anywhere"

"That's it!"

Another child cries and says it's impossible.

"I can't go"

"Older sister, I'm always very slow"

"Yeah today. We have to leave from here today"

"We're the only ones, right......"

"Still go!"

"How's it going?"

"Please listen to me!"

"Huee....... Older sister, don't get angry~. We are good children~"

A little girl who misunderstands that the redhead girl is angry cries and apologizes.

"What about Sakura-neeetan?"

"Later.........she'll come later"

"Elder sister you?"

"I'll be chasing you later. Come on, fast! We don't have time!"

The red-haired girl forcibly sends out the children who knead the crap. The red-haired girl kept seeing off until the children disappeared.

"I'm fine. You should never die"

When the children disappear, the red-haired girl mutters alone. All she has to do is earn time. How much time has passed? Eventually, as the red-haired girl expected, the knights straddling horses appeared. However――not from inside the town, but from outside.

"Did you think you could run!"

One of the knights screams at the red-haired girl, pointing his spear at her.

"Receive it!"

The knights throw something at once toward the red-haired girl. It bounces a little on the ground and rolls as it is. One of them hit the leg of the redhead girl and stopped.

"No one will be missed! All the heretics who worship the black saint!!"

The red-haired girl holds it in her chest, which she is familiar with.

"A......aaa............aaaaaaaaaa!!"

This time it sounded clear. Of the red-haired girl――a heart-breaking sound.

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"Hua~. I slept well"

Awakened from her usual dream, Nina stretches her spine while making a big yawn.

"Uuh, good heaven today-――arere? Is it cloudy today?"

Looking out the window, it was unlikely that it would rain, but clouds covered the sun.

"Good morning~!"

When she gets down to the living room, Nina greets everyone cheerfully.

"Ou, Nina, you have a habit of sleeping"

"Eh, lie!? Awawaa"

When Joseph points out her sleeping habits, Nina panics and presses her hair down.

"Wahahaa. Look, Yuu! Here is the person who was worried about you"

Joseph flutters on the sofa in the living room, pointing at Nina and laughing.

"You can not say it"

Yuu has cold eyes for Joseph, who has a habit of sleeping more than Nina and exposes his unmaintained stubble.

"Have Agafon´s group still not returned from the 『Youchi Garden Labyrinth』? I was thinking of training them"

Tin and the other maids react to Joseph's words. It may be hell in a different sense from Marifa´s training.

"It's 『Bewitching Tree Garden Labyrinth』"

"Huu....... I'll call it that"

"There is no other name"

"Don't say that in the morning. What's your breakfast today? If it hasn't been decided yet, let's eat tenpurra"

"It's tempura, not tenpurra"

"I don't care what the name is. Then, let me eat that tenpura"

"I don't like it"

"Why?"

"Can you not make such trouble in the morning? And your face is annoying"

Tin covers her mouth with her hand when she sees Joseph leaking a pitiful voice.

"Is it a joke?"

"Yeah, I'm half joking"

"Is half true!"

At last, Lena and Tin blow out without being able to bear it. Joseph in question is fidgeting. With such a gorilla face, this man wants to be well-liked by Yuu. Joseph gazes at Tin´s group from time to time. Nepora, who has a good idea, nods a little.

"I have something from my husband, Joseph."

"From Joseph?"

When Joseph flutters back, he flutters his hand and signals Nepora to continue.

"Yes, please see here. There are rank 6 armor scales and water needle lions and even rank 7 centipede materials of 500 years. The materials are valuable, but the meat is a delicacy and good alcohol. When it comes to a side dish, it is very useful"

Nepora then takes out monster materials one after another from the item pouch sewn on her maid outfit and arranges them on the table. There are silver fur, heavy and large fangs and a bunch of golden threads on how to get it in a red-black shell. Furthermore, when Nepora lined up the chunks of meat, Ran that had been patted by Yuu began to fidget while pulling its nose. Then Joseph clears his throat and turns back.

"Alcohol appetizer? Isn't that just what Joseph wanted to eat?"

Nepora smiled at Yuu and gently turned her gaze away.

"And Joseph often eats and drinks at home, so it's okay to get a little expensive material, isn't it?"

Joseph, who had been in good shape until earlier, is a depressed gorilla when you notice him. And in the living room, there were those who were in conflict with each other in a place away from Yuu and others.

"If you think it stinks, it's you"

"What did the dried fish say?"

Russ and Kuro. They are glaring at each other while keeping a certain distance from each other.

"Dried fish is not about me, is it?"

"Who is there other than the Lord"

"Why are you here in the first place. I am protecting master. You should go back to the country and play with the beastmen"

"Why must I explain to the Lord. The Lord should return to the country. I will protect the Lord"

"Hou....... I'm interested in how a goblin is going to protect master"

"Why don't you try it with that dry body?"

Namari and Momo sigh at the two who threaten each other with their magic power and miasma.

"Both of you have to get along!"

Namari and Momo scold them, but they don't look away from each other. It's normal for Kuro and Russ to quarrel, so now only Namari and Momo stop the fight. It is Marifa who attacks Russ and Kuro, who are noisy in the living room, with an expressionless face and cold air from her whole body. When Tin sensed the danger, she rushed to Vanamo and her friends, who were preparing breakfast in the kitchen, saying, 「Yes, Tin was about to help」.

"It's good at night"

"Ah?"

Joseph looks at Yuu as he chews on the hot sandwich for breakfast.

"You said earlier that you want to eat tempura

Joseph slightly opens his eyes and grins.

"What are you grinning at? You´re a disgusting guy"

"You're a unobedient kid"

"I don't want to be called a kid by someone who has Pankas in his mouth"

Namari and Momo point to Joseph and laugh. Then Marifa scolds, 「You guys too」. The two hurriedly wipe their mouths and calmly resume their meals.

"Yuu, are you worried about something?"

"Do you understand?"

Nina and the others remembered a similar exchange a few days ago.

"When it comes to you, it's easy to understand at a glance. Look, tell me. Do you have any troubles?"

Marifa murmured inwardly, 「I should have called it」.

"I see. First of all, Joseph, after you use the washroom, you always mess with water. And you can take a bath, but don't take off your pants and scatter them in the hallway. There is still more. The shoes you took off smelled strangely――"

To Yuu's quibble, Joseph stands up from his chair, looking away as if looking somewhere far away. Nepora shook her head to the left and right, saying 「I'm sorry」 and handed Joseph a glass of wine. Joseph raises one leg, quibbles and leaves as it is to run away from the living room to another room after a little resistance.

"What's that guy? It's not like a man to run away"

"I think Joseph-san is also reflecting on it~"

Nina puts in Joseph's follow-up.

"No! I wonder if he will reflect on this much. You will be spoiled, so you will become a selfish and sloppy adult like that"

It's perfect. Nina asks Lena and Marifa for help with an embarrassed face, but both of them gently divert their gazes from Nina.

"Both are sly!"

"Nina, my story isn't over yet"

"But~"

"Well fine. I don't plan to go to the labyrinth today, so I can go shopping for ingredients. Marifa, who is on duty today?"

"Master, Wata――fuguu!?"

"Its me"

When Vanamo tried to reply, Marifa held her mouth from the side of her and replied.

"Then, I and Nina will also help, so――"

"......I can't. I'm going to the orphanage with Namari and others today, where I promise to show the children the ultimate magic"

"I, I'll go after helping with the house and doing my homework!"

When Yuu sees Namari and Momo, Namari explains in a hurry.

"Then I'll bake cookies so bring them with you. Come back before it gets dark"

"OK I got it!"

Namari with a big smile replies cheerfully.

------------------------------------------------

"Nina-san, what are you waiting for? Now, let's go to that store next!"

Marifa runs along the main street of Comer city, pulling Nina's hand.

"W, Wait a minute~"

It would have been surprising if anyone who knew Marifa was here. Marifa, who is often described as an icy woman, is happy to shop.

"Mari-chan, you don't have to hurry so much~"

"No, I can't keep master waiting"

When she slips through the crowd and finds Yuu waiting in front of her, Marifa smiles at him.

"Master, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting"

In order for her to shop efficiently, Marifa, who had separated at Yuu's suggestion, tried to return to Yuu as soon as possible and she hurriedly finished her shopping.

"No, I haven't waited so long. I wish I had come back without a hurry"

"Don't worry. I'm not in a hurry at all"

Behind Marifa, Nina could be heard saying, 「Mari-chan lying」, but it didn't reach Marifa's ears.

"Really"

"Yes"

Just by staring at Yuu, Marifa realizes that her body temperature is rising. Isn't she looking weird? She wondered if she was unsightly and offended Yuu. Marifa´s feelings changed rapidly and she was busy, happy and anxious. When Roy Buom came to the Adventurer's Guild the other day, Marifa didn't show any interest in him, even though he was called a hero. But she couldn't overlook the words Roy whispered in Yuu's ear, 「Do you want to go back to your world?」. She couldn't confirm the contents of the envelope Roy gave to Yuu, but Marifa couldn't sleep because of anxiety that day. However, even a few days after that, Yuu hasn't changed. On the contrary, he goes shopping with her today. Roy's name and even his face were already disappearing from Marifa's memory, saying that her worries were melancholy.

"Master, what are you worried about?"

There was a crowd at the point where Marifa followed Yuu's line of sight. Apparently, the street stalls were developed using a narrow alley between the shops on the main street. Marifa squinted her eyes and saw a merchant man dexterously manipulating an ice cream stretched with an elongated stick through a gap in the crowd.

"Yuu, do you want to eat ice cream? Then――"

"Leave it to me"

As soon as he said that, Marifa headed for the stall.

"It's rare. Yuu wants to eat a street vendor's frozen dessert"

"Nina"

"Hoe?"

"Can you believe in people?"

Yuu suddenly asked Nina while looking at Marifa lined up at the street stalls.

"Ahahaaa! What's that?"

Nina laughs while holding her belly.

"I can't believe it"

Nina wonders why she hears such a clear answer, staring at Yuu.

"I see"

"That's right~"

"That's right. I wondered if I was crazy because the people around me told me to believe"

"No, don't be fooled by such a lie"

Nina raises her finger and speaks to Yuu like an adult pays attention to a child. What did he think of her figure, it looked as if Yuu's mouth angle had slightly increased.

"Would you like to compete?"

"Eh~! Yuu, what do you say suddenly? And I can't beat Yuu~"

"Even if I say a match, we're playing tag......I´m the oni and Nina need to escape until dark, then you win"

"Hmm"

Without looking at Nina who was worried, Yuu was checking the position of Marifa lined up at the stalls.

"If Nina wins, I'll go on a date with you"

"..................Really?"

Nina confirms as if to doubt Yuu's words.

"Yeah, it's true"

"Is dating just the two of us?"

"Normally, if you say date, isn't it just two people?"

"Yeah, yeah!"

"Did you feel like playing a game?"

"Now! I can't lose at all!! Afterwards, I can't do it right?"

"Then, it's starting now. When Marifa comes back, it's going to be a big match"

"Yeah"

"One hour after Nina disappears, I'll move. At best, you'll run away desperately"

"Ehehe. I won't get caught~"

Nina happily disappears into the crowd and she blends in. A little later, Marifa returns with ice cream in her hands.

"Master, I keep you waiting――I can't see Nina-san?"

"Nina wouldn't return until night"

To Yuu's words, Malifa was in a commotion. Her indescribable anxiety is pushed away and her heart beats naturally faster.

"Why only two? Didn't you buy your own?"

Yuu receives ice cream from Marifa.

"Nina's not there, so Marifa should eat it

Marifa remains solid when Yuu tells her to eat.

"Even if you ask me why......are you alright?"

"Because it's a hindrance to meet the hero"

Marifa found her blood fading.

"Wh............Why......? T, To someone like that, master......"

Marifa's body trembles and her articulation doesn't work well.

"A brave man does not discriminate. Whether it is another race or a sinner, he treats them equally. Ally of justice and all races, that's what a hero is, right? I don't believe it, but I decided to believe it only once"

“――Not good............"

Incredibly, Malifa objected to Yuu's decision. She can't believe what she said. Marifa touches her lips with her shivering right hand. The ice cream she had in her left hand fell out of her hand and made a stain on the ground.

"Master, please forgive me for my stupidity, but......I'm against it. I'm against meeting that......Roy Buom"

Yuu doesn't say anything, only the sign of something is transmitted. Marifa was so scared that she couldn't even raise her face, let alone look at Yuu's eyes.

"Please keep this"

When Marifa terrifiedly raised her face, Yuu presented her an item pouch.

"Th......This is............?"

"It has my equipment in it"

"A............aaa............no"

"Since I decided to believe, it would be strange to wear armor."

"Master!"

Marifa kneels on the spot. People come and go on the main street and see what's going on, but Marifa is far from it.

"Please allow me to accompany you. Please, please! I will never behave to disturb master!!"

While bowing her head to the point where her forehead rested on the ground, Marifa prayed that Yuu would say 「Okay」 in her mind.

"Go alone"

"Th......That's it. I, If there's something I can't reach......that"

"You are doing well"

"Well, not me, Lena and Kuro-san, no! Russ is fine! Please, let someone accompany you!"

Marifa remembers the morning scene. She was in the mansion with Kuro and Russ, which she usually doesn't have and when she thinks about it now, it's strange to interact with Joseph. He also told Namari to go home before dark.

"He――Roy Buom is waiting for me alone. Then I'm heading alone. Don't worry so much. I'll just talk to him"

Yuu puts his item pouch in Marifa's tearful hands and heads into the crowd. Marifa was not able to follow after that. For Marifa, Yuu was an absolute existence.

"Ah......no, I'm sorry. I, I......I'm not worried about master......I'm sorry......I don't want master to disappear from me……I was worried............. Ah............what should I do, ……what should I do?"

When Marifa stands up like a ghost, she starts walking without a hitch. How long did she walk? Without knowing where she is, she keeps walking.

"Oh, what's wrong?"

It was a man's voice. It was a tear-distorted and invisible Marifa, but the voice was a familiar man's voice.

"Jo............seph-san?"

"Did you go shopping with Yuu?"

"Master......alone............I'm a stupid woman. Ah, what should I do...... why take me............uuu"

What Marifa is saying is incoherent. Still, Joseph is patient and listens to Marifa's words.

"What happened to Nina? Surely Nina could go to Yuu with her shadow skills?"

Joseph manages to understand Marifa's words that don't get the point, and asks about Nina.

"Ni, Nina-san is............dont know. At night, until night, master......"

"I understand"

Joseph smiles at Marifa, who rarely has a conversation. It's not the usual playful way of laughing. It was a big, yet reassuring smile.

"Then it's easy. Marifa, let's go back to the mansion and let Tin and the others look for Nina. Its not good if you stay outside, so let's go and wait in the mansion"

"B, But Nina-san......"

"Still look for her. I'll look for Yuu, so leave it to me. Well, don't worry so much. Yuu said he'd just meet Roy and talk to him, right?"

"Ye......s. I understand"

Joseph smiles at Marifa again. Marifa, who was upset, regained her composure.

"Then I'll go"

"Yes, thank you"

"Wahahaa. Leave it to me"

With his back turned and his hands waving wide, Marifa bows deeply to Joseph.

"Sir Joseph, something――"

Adventurers tried to call Joseph out of the crowd, wondering if something had happened.

"N, No....... O, Oh, we......nothing"

"That's right......I'm sorry. Please forgive us......"

"Marifa-san is in trouble......I heard............really, that's it......"

It's not uncommon for those who live in adventure to fight monsters that are stronger than themselves, but they can't even look straight at Joseph and just quiver and make excuses for forgiveness. There was Joseph, who was in the form of anger, just as if he was hitting the angry hair. Joseph passes in front of the trembling adventurers without a glance. The adventurers sat down, perhaps from relief.

"Hii"

"Wh, What!?"

People on the main street instinctively detect danger and open up a way in front of Joseph. It was a strange sight. The crowded boulevard is open only in front of Joseph. After turning the corner of the main street and disappearing from Marifa, Joseph rushed to Muss's mansion.