“They did it as a group, what.”

Oliven muttered sullenly and slowly descended to the bottom of Ambrosia’s mansion. He really liked how the grand and old-fashioned Ambrosia mansion was engulfed in chaos and smelled of fishy blood. It suited this look. For that monstrous duke to stay.

“Don’t waste your time on useless things. Just take that brat.”

“……I think Benjamin is guarding him.”

The black magicians who followed Oliven into the Ambrosia mansion exchanged glances as if anxious. Benjamin’s magic had such destructive power that it could be said that it was just below the power of the Great Elder in the magic tower. It was only natural for their faces to turn white as they thought of dealing with it.

“Can you imagine Benjamin protecting someone?”

“No.”

“We just need to make Benjamin go crazy. Then there will be a gap.”

“……Who’s going to piss him off?”

“Of course it’s me. Who else can upset Benjamin as much as I do?”

As if very proud of that fact, Oliven straightened his shoulders and puffed out his chest. The other black magicians sighed and shook their heads as they looked at Oliven. They had to follow such a person. No matter how thirsty they were for black magic, they wondered if they had found the wrong well.

“Noww, shall we go then? Let’s see if that cheeky brat can open his eyes so clear blue without Master.”

Oliven hummed joyfully and headed forward. The black magicians who watched him quietly hid their appearance with a sigh. It was because they had something else to do.

* * *

“Kkeeeek.”

Benjamin’s gesture changed the order of the last monster that had invaded Claude’s room. Benjamin, who constantly blew his magic spears, did the final confirmation kill on the corpse of the monster without showing any signs of exhaustion. The sound of the mana spear embedded in the body was stark. Gooey green blood splashed down Benjamin’s cheeks.

“……Filthy.”

Benjamin wiped the blood of the monster with the hem of his robe, turned around, and went to the bed where Claude was.

“You okay?”

Claude’s face was wrinkled at the calm talk.

“In Uncle’s eyes, do I look fin……, uegh.”

Vomit poured from between the child’s small lips. Disgust flooded in at the cruel and terrifying sight that had been unfolding for a while.

“Young Lord Ambrosia……, are you okay?”

“Ooh ooh.”

Penelois hastily patted Claude on the back. Then Claude started spitting out vomit again, with tears in his eyes.

“Gosh.”

Penelois looked at Claude with pitiful eyes. Then, she looked at Elexa, who had completely fainted.

‘It would have been better if he could have fainted like our Elexa.’

Claude was looking at Benjamin’s back until the end, clearing his mind. Penelois tried to cover his eyes, but he shook off her hand and watched the situation steadfastly. Claude’s gaze was fixed on his back to the end as if Benjamin were going to die any moment if he didn’t see him.

“Pretending to be weak just because you saw some monsters die.”

Benjamin wiped Claude’s face with magic in his hand in a blunt voice. At the same time, he didn’t forget to criticize.

“You dirty brat.”

“Uncle is dirtier!”

Claude stared at Benjamin with a sharp look. At the same time, he turned his head around as if to wipe his cheek over here and there, receiving Benjamin’s touch.

‘Is their relationship good or bad?’

Penelois looked at them and shook her head as if she didn’t know. Then, she pulled the fainted Elexa into her arms and looked at the broken window where the monsters no longer entered. Still, outside, there was the sound of the Ambrosia Knights wielding swords and the screams of the monsters.

“Young Master Claude! Are you all right?!”

At that moment, Belluna slammed Claude’s door open and entered. And behind Belluna, May, Ronda, and Veron were floating in the air as they entered the room. Seeing familiar faces, Claude’s complexion brightened at once.

“Sister Belluna!”

Claude ran toward Belluna with open arms.

“Young Master Claude!”

Belluna saw Claude’s pale complexion and hugged his small body in surprise. Her eyes were busy looking to see if there were any injuries. Then, as soon as she made sure he wasn’t hurt, a deep sigh escaped her lips.

“Sisteeer.”

Claude breathed a sigh of relief in Belluna’s arms, far more secure than Benjamin’s, and hugged her neck tightly.

“Are you okay? Benjamin, did he let his guard down?”

“Eung, I’m fine.”

“You were scared, right?”

“Eung.”

Belluna could feel Claude’s body trembling slightly as he hugged her tightly. She gently stroked Claude’s back and laid Ronda, Veron and May, floating in the air, on the bed. Seeing them unconscious, Penelois asked, startled.

“Are they okay?”

“Yes. It stunned them for a while. I’ve written a spell to help them get rid of hallucinations, so they’ll wake up soon.”

Penelois looked very pale and shook her head as she saw May moaning. If she had looked at the door to the end earlier, she and Elexa would have been like that.

“Anyway Benjamin, you didn’t clean these things at all.”

Belluna looked around Claude’s room once and waved her hand, accusing Benjamin. At the same time, an azure flame engulfed the corpses of the monsters at once. Not only that but the blood of the monsters scattered throughout the room was also burned cleanly.

“Young Master Claude is watching this. You have to clean this up right away. What are you showing to a child?”

“How can I care about that? I’m holding back on wanting to jump out right now.”

“I know you’re angry, but just know that Master’s request for you to protect Young Master Claude also includes a mental part.”

“……I know.”

When she mentioned Sarah, Benjamin’s wrinkled face suddenly became serious. Seeing Benjamin nodding heavily, Belluna sighed.

“I have to go check other servants. Now that some of the monsters have come into the mansion, they will smell humans and flock there.”

“Eung, I understand……”

Claude sighed and hugged Belluna tightly. Belluna couldn’t let Claude out of her arms easily either, and she only sighed deeply. Seeing these two, Benjamin opened his mouth with a blunt face.

“Get out of here quickly.”

“I said all right.”

Belluna handed Claude straight into Benjamin’s arms, who was grumpy for no reason. Benjamin’s face, which received Claude at first glance, was crumpled. So did Claude.

“Ueegh.”

“Hey, don’t throw up on my clothes!”

Benjamin put his hands in Claude’s armpits, lifting him up, and keeping the child away from him. Claude pretended to vomit more violently because he hated Benjamin.

“Keep it straight and obey Young Master Claude. Got it?”

“If you’re so worried, you can take him.”

“I need to help the Knights after dealing with the mounds inside the mansion. So you stay right here with Young Master Claude. Got it?”

“I knowww.”

Benjamin nodded his head, blurring the end of his words as if he were disappointed. Belluna squinted at him and then turned around. She had a lot of work to do.

“Sister, don’t get hurt!”

“Yes, Young Master Claude.”

Belluna’s cheeks were slightly heated up when she received Claude’s worried support. At heart, she wanted to stay here.

“Hey, brat. Try doing that to me, too.”

“Then Uncle, don’t get hurt either.”

“Are you practicing charity?”

“Eung.”

There was bickering between Claude and Benjamin behind her. Only then could Belluna leave Claude’s room with confidence. Then Penelois asked, cuddling with Elexa, who was struggling and trying to come to his senses.

“So it’s over now? I don’t think there are any more monsters.”

She glanced out the window. The black hole that was constantly pouring out monsters had disappeared.

“No, it’s just the beginning.”

“Pardon?”

“This would be a welcome greeting from that guy. The real purpose must be different.”

Benjamin put Claude back on the bed and looked out the window. Benjamin’s gaze, staring at something in the air, was fixed as if he were looking straight at something.

“Right? Oliven.”

“Eiya, how did you know? As expected, our Benjamin has a good sense.”

Penelois was startled when suddenly a stranger’s voice was heard in the air and sent Claude behind her.

“Who is it?”

“Ah, it’s my first time meeting you.”

A human form slowly began to appear in the air at Penelois’ sharp voice. Oliven’s eyes, looking at Benjamin with a unique twisted smile, were colder than before.

“Did you like my welcome greeting?”

“How can I like it? You crazy bastard.”

A mana spear appeared once more in Benjamin’s hand.

“I’ll kill you this time.”

“Hmph, you said that every day.”

At Oliven’s sarcasm, Benjamin’s hand fired a magic spear without any hesitation.

“Eek!”

He didn’t know that Benjamin would attack suddenly, so Oliven hurriedly avoided and screamed.

“Hey, you have to give me time to talk!”

“Why do I have to listen to nonsense?”

“You’re so disrespectful.”

“Who’s really disrespectful here? You’ve been talking a lot since you betrayed Master.”

Benjamin gathered his mana once again and fired at Oliven as if there was nothing more to see. As Oliven avoided lightly as if he was not beaten twice by the same attack, Benjamin pulled smirked, and murmured.

“Stupid bastard.”

Boom!

The mana spear that had been avoided exploded in the air, and a powerful wave enveloped Oliven.

“Damn it!”

Oliven hurriedly performed his defense magic, but he flew away in vain due to the huge difference in mana and was stuck in the wall.

“Aargh, you’re really coming out like this, right? I won’t let it slide either.”

With a thud, he shook off the falling wall debris, and Oliven also summoned mana in both of his hands. The murky olive mana fluttered as if it would swallow everything at any moment.

“Do you think you can beat me if I don’t cut you some slack?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Bullshit.”

“I’m not alone.”

“What?”

Oliven silently shot a mana spear towards Claude.

“Kkaagh!”

Penelois screamed and hugged Claude and Elexa.

Kwaaangg!

Naturally, the mana spear sent by Oliven was blocked by the defensive magic that Benjamin had placed around Claude’s bed, preventing it from moving forward. However, the other black magicians entered Claude’s room by taking advantage of the gap in Benjamin’s instantaneous gaze. In an instant, the black magicians around him stared at Benjamin with black magic in their hands.

“Traitors of the magic tower.”

Looking at Benjamin, who was gnashing his teeth, Oliven smiled brightly.

“How long will your shield last?”