By Zephyria 
Since Allen came back, the time I spent with the Countess had decreased significantly, so I didn’t even know she was this broken. Her strangely nervous reaction had always been like that, and I was used to the thorns that were sharply directed at me… I had been ignoring the Countess with a pale face as a matter of course. When necessary, I would pretend to be appropriately hurt and use it to gain the sympathy of the nobles.
But when was it? At what point did she definitely reach a level that surpassed simple nervousness? At least, intruding into my area of the garden while making baby noises like this is a good state. When she’s not in good condition, she roams around the entire mansion, day or night, screaming, “Aaaah, aaaah.” She said we have to be careful of the black beast, that it will eventually kill our whole family.
The situation of the Countess going crazy… had never appeared in any scenario of the original game. That was also the case based on what I personally experienced. Then, the reason she became like this must be one of the things that changed in this Iteration…
“Ah, she’s such a troublesome mother.”
“Young Master Allen!”
Speak of the devil, and he appears. Allen, who appeared casually in a light shirt without a jacket or vest, didn’t even look at the Countess, who was still busy looking for her “baby,” and shamelessly pushed his butt into the empty seat opposite me without asking for permission.
As a human, she seemed to retain at least minimal cognitive function, as the Countess warily eyed the unfamiliar figure that had appeared in her field of vision. In my heart, I wanted to tell her that the ‘baby’ she had been searching for so desperately, Allen Hamilton, had finally arrived here, and bundle the two of them together and whisk them away from my sight.
But my expectations were once again premature. Far from recognizing the handsome young man before her as her baby, the Countess was too busy biting her lip and glaring fiercely, as if she had met the worst enemy in the world.
“Ugh…!”
“Nicole. Would you pour me a cup of tea as well?”
Goodness, how fierce that gaze was. Compared to the glare she had given me before, this was like a warm spring breeze. I could only admire the thick skin that allowed him to accept the teacup while unflinchingly enduring such a fierce gaze. In a very negative way, of course.
“Hmm, this is an excellent Darjeeling. There’s nothing quite like it to enjoy the afternoon. Isn’t that right, Brother Noah?”
“……”
What kind of nonsense was he here to stir up this time? I frowned suspiciously and sipped my tea without answering.
“Don’t be so suspicious. I’ve really come to offer a kindness today, so if you’re so wary from the start, I’ll be disappointed, you know?”
“Ha, since when has any kindness you’ve shown been pure kindness?”
“From a human perspective, I suppose that’s true, but… really. I’ve always given you only the best. Well, never mind. There’s something else I want to talk about today… but first, we should take care of this uninvited guest.”
As if trying to feign concern for the surrounding gazes, Allen turned to the Countess and gave a slight nod, his tone incongruously lilting at the end of his words. At that, the Countess collapsed in place like a puppet with its strings cut, losing consciousness. None of the servants came to help her up. Because everyone in the garden, including Nicole, was frozen in place, their movements arrested like ice.
“Nicole! Nicole…!”
I had no time to worry about the others. I immediately shook Nicole, trying to wake him up somehow, but not even a single eyelash of his wide-open eyes twitched.
“You…! What have you done!”
“Why? I thought you seemed quite bothered by him, so I took care of it myself. I didn’t kill him, you know. Isn’t this a rather lenient measure?”
I was infuriated by his leisurely demeanor, clasping his hands around one knee and spouting nonsense.
“Who cares about the Countess being knocked out? You could have just calmed her down! Why did you have to involve innocent people…!”
“In a few days, the Crown Prince will bestow a fountain upon this garden as an engagement gift.”
The sentence was cut off before it could even finish.
“Something about it being a precious cultural heritage, the last work of a master from several generations ago…”
“So what? What are you getting at? Are you saying you want it? If so, you can have it. Just take it all and get lost, will you?”
“Oh, how disappointing.”
His drooping eyebrows and crestfallen expression were so contrived. If it had been his old face, which was identical to mine, he would have somehow managed to pull off even such a contrived expression, but the situation was quite different now. The exaggerated dejection that appeared on the face of a fully grown man, far removed from any adjectives like delicate or pure, seemed out of place, as if he had stolen someone else’s clothes.
“As if I would need something like a treasure made by human hands. I’m just offering advice. You will almost certainly like that fountain very much. Even though your loyal little Nicole will try to stop you, you’ll still spend all day outside admiring it. Waiting for me all day.”
“I didn’t know the god of this world had a talent for writing ridiculous novels. I should report you to the temple.”
“Heh heh, go ahead. Say whatever you want. If that’s what it takes to make you feel better, what wouldn’t I do for you? Anyway, the advice starts here.”
Never go near that fountain in front of the Countess.
“Human minds… I don’t know how they can be so fragile… It’s irritating.”
“What?”
“You’d better trust me this time. I’ll take the price of the advice in advance.”
I couldn’t understand what he was talking about at all, and I was about to ask him something more when Allen lightly kissed both of my cheeks, saying he would take the price even though the listener hadn’t understood. And, in the very next moment, when I blinked once.
“Oh dear… I hope the mistress gets better soon; my mother seems very worried.”
“……Ah.”
The servants, who had already started moving again, were busily carrying the fallen Countess back to the main building, and Nicole was speaking to me in a worried voice.
“Huh? But there’s another teacup on the opposite side? Let’s see… Oh. I brought an extra one just in case. When did it get here…?”
He didn’t even remember that Allen had been here at all.
He said that…?
“Yeah. You know what’s even funnier? A few hours later, someone really did come from the Imperial Palace, saying that a fountain was going to be bestowed and that they needed to check the installation site in advance.”
He must be a god, indeed. I can’t just dismiss it.
“…I guess not?”
Yes. I’ll be visiting the capital soon. I was thinking of coming to see you anyway.
Lennox’s expression, visible beyond the crystal ball, was quite serious. He was rummaging around, trying to find out more about other powers or means to oppose Allen. It was quite irritating from the perspective of someone governing the country that a big shot like the Magic Tower Lord was freely rummaging through the empire and surrounding countries like his own backyard, but no one could stop the great mage, who said that if the reason why the world had begun to collapse was not properly understood, similar events could happen again, and that he himself would step forward to eradicate the root cause.
“Then when can you come? Bring that dagger you mentioned before with you…”
I was about to ask if he could come when I suddenly heard a window burst open behind me. Whoosh, the cold night wind blew in mercilessly. The Crown Prince said he couldn’t come today due to his schedule, so who was it? Could it be an assassin…? A jumble of thoughts flashed through my mind in an instant. It was before I could turn around and identify the person. A familiar voice reached my ears first.
“I heard that my patron is getting engaged to someone else, so shouldn’t I come and cling to you in person, groveling and pathetic?”
“Lennox!”
So soon after saying soon? I sighed deeply and rubbed my forehead. I had forgotten… He seemed relatively normal, buried under Allen’s influence, but…
“Still, it’s easier to have the Crown Prince as a rival than a god. I can kill the Crown Prince as much as I want. It’s just a little annoying.”
“I told you… to call before you come… How many times have I told you that…”
“Hmm, but that’s no fun. I’m so happy and glad to see you after so long. This is a commemoration, but should I go and kill the Crown Prince right away? How about becoming my fiancé?”
“……”
“Young Master?”
“…Just close the window and come here quickly.”
Lennox was the original madman.