GalaxyTL
* * *
The day after the roofing board incident.
The rain that started the previous night is still pattering heavily on the roof of the mansion.
Since Sara can’t go out and play in this weather, she’s a little grumpy.
Well, after what happened yesterday, they wouldn’t let her go outside even if it was sunny.
So, what am I doing right now?
I’m watching over Sara as she studies.
Normally at this time in the morning, I would be going around the mansion cleaning with the Maid-senpai. But considering what happened yesterday, the Baron has secretly instructed me to stay near Sara as her guard.
In other words, regarding the culprit who dropped the roofing board yesterday, the Baron is also considering the possibility that it was someone within the household.
Otherwise, there would be no need to assign a guard within the mansion, which is supposed to prevent outsiders from intruding thanks to the barrier.
The forced smile he showed last night may have been concealing his anguish at having to suspect someone from within.
“…Now then, Sara, let’s review what we learned yesterday. Which territory boasts our country’s largest output of magic ore from the famous Zakhzakh Mine?”
“Um, er…the Marmooke Margrave’s territory…?”
“…No, it’s the Deswaar Duchy. You see, the Deswaar Duchy’s eldest daughter, Lady Ijiwaar, is about the same age as you…she may become your classmate. If you were to meet her and say ‘I don’t know anything about the Duchy!’, that would be rude, wouldn’t it? You need to memorize these things.”
Sara is currently struggling with her geography lessons under the tutelage of the lady of the house.
…It seems she has only been told that yesterday’s roofing board incident was just an accident.
The Baron must have made that decision to avoid worrying her.
However, with that energetic baroness…
Today the rain provides an excuse, but it won’t be possible to keep restraining her from going outside forever.
Probably in a few days, she’ll reach her limit of patience and run wild.
Specifically, she’ll sneak out to play without the adults noticing.
She’s an idiot, after all.
<Which is why we need to quickly identify and apprehend the culprit behind the roofing board incident at the very least!>
…Extra-sama, why do you sound so excited?
<A young lady whose life is being targeted, and her mother too! And the culprit is someone from within the trusted household staff! The intrigue and betrayal hidden behind those smiling faces…! I’ve seen these kinds of situations before in the isekai broadcasts of a Detective God!>
Ah, so you’re getting excited because the situation is like a mystery story.
Honestly, as someone who has become involved with the household staff, even if only as a short-term hire, I don’t have the luxury of finding any enjoyment in this!
But I do agree we need to apprehend the culprit quickly.
<Yes! Which is why I’ve been deducing who the culprit might be since last night…!>
Oh? So you have a suspect in mind, Extra-sama?
<No, unfortunately not… There are people I find suspicious, but no evidence. However, Emi, I think it would be worthwhile for you to review the information on the household members again as you carry out your guard duty.>
Alright, Extra-sama. Then why don’t you present your deductions to me?
Of course, I’ll keep my guard up the whole time though!
<First, there are two people we can likely rule out as suspects. Baroness Sara Salar and Lady Emma Salar.>
Yes, the carriage attack and the roofing board incident both seemed to be targeting those two.
It’s unclear if one of them is the specific target, or if they both are, but either way.
<Next, Baron Martz Salar…>
The Baron himself couldn’t be the culprit, could he? He’s family to the two who were targeted.
I think that man genuinely loves his wife and daughter.
Unlike my…good-for-nothing family.
…Ah, the lady is glancing this way.
I must have leaked some killing intent and used 【Intimidation】 unconsciously.
It’s nothing, it’s nothing…
<Anyway, even if your capabilities were told by the lady and the maid, having a suddenly appearing vagrant child, a cursed one with black hair and eyes at that, assigned as a guard is still rather odd behavior.>
Hmm, when you put it that way…
Sadly, people with black hair and eyes like me are hated to the point of being chased out of villages with spears (I have experience with this).
In this household, the evil butler’s treatment of me is probably more typical for how a “cursed child” would be viewed.
<There may be some circumstances behind that decision. But it doesn’t seem related to this incident, so I won’t speculate further.>
I get the feeling he might explain those circumstances if I ask though.
I’ll ask him about it if I get a chance later.
<Moving on to the maid, Maid.>
Maid-senpai was also attacked along with Sara and the others during the carriage ambush, right?
I don’t think she could be the culprit.
<It’s possible she was just pretending to be attacked, with the plan being for the bandits to let only her go after it was all over.>
Ehhh!?
<I’m just saying it’s a possibility, it’s not impossible, is it?>
Well… But Extra-sama,
Maid-senpai just seems like an ordinary maid skilled at cleaning based on appearances.
She doesn’t seem particularly strong, and I’ve never seen her intentionally use 【Body Strengthening】… And that roofing board from yesterday was quite heavy, I think even dropping that would be difficult for Maid-senpai?
It seems unrealistic for Maid-senpai to be the culprit.
<…Perhaps that maid is concealing her true abilities.>
No, no, no, that’s not it.
Why are you so suspicious of Maid-senpai, Extra-sama?
<Because “the maid is actually an assassin” is a common trope in isekai stories!>
That’s just prejudice!!
<By the way, what about the servant Mauve…>
Don’t just brush him aside like that… Even if he’s a plain old man.
<This person was actually attacked and knocked out by the bandits during the carriage ambush. Unlike the maid, I don’t think that was an act.>
Guh, Extra-sama, you’re too fixated on the “maid is the culprit” theory!
Don’t be so presumptuous!
<However, he’s a man, so he likely has the physical capability to drop a board from the roof.>
Well if you put it that way, the evil butler probably could too, right?
Come to think of it, if we exclude the Baron from the criteria of “having the physical ability to drop the board”, the only remaining suspects for the roofing board incident are mister Mauve and the evil butler?
<Ah>
“Ah”? What is that supposed to mean!?
Is that the conclusion your deductions from last night led to…!?
<Ahem! Regarding the butler Sneigen next, this person was not involved in the carriage ambush, but does have the physical capability to drop the board.>
And he’s also ill-tempered!
He’s always calling her “my lady” but seems to look down on the Baron, so there may be some resentment there!
<However, in both the carriage ambush and the roofing board incident, if Emi had not been present, the lady could have been seriously injured. Do you really think that butler who adores the lady would do such a thing?>
W-Well, when you put it that way…
And based on the evil butler’s usual behavior, even though his personality is bad, he does seem diligent about his work.
He probably wouldn’t deliberately sabotage his own job by trying to harm Sara and the others.
Ugh, in the end, I can’t figure out who the culprit is!
No matter how much I think about it, I’m stumped!
<Which is why I insist that the “maid is actually concealing her true strength and is the culprit” theory is correct! “The maid is formidable” is an established trope, after all!>
What kind of trope is that!?
Geez… Actually, Extra-sama.
<Yes, Emi?>
We don’t know the Baron’s household that well yet, so I can’t even imagine what kind of motive any of them might have to commit these crimes.
<Yes.>
And we don’t have any real evidence either.
<Yes.>
So in that case, isn’t speculating any further just baseless conjecture rather than actual deduction?
<……>
…Extra-sama?
<…Hmph!>
Don’t pout!!
Extra-sama’s deductions turned out to be more useless than I expected, and did nothing to help solve the case.
Well, I’m a guard, not a detective. I should stop overthinking it and just focus on protecting Sara and the others!
Yes, I’ve decided to stop worrying about it.