PTMH 10

Chapter 10

Fortunately, my brother wasn’t in the shop. It seemed he had gone to the monster’s territory to fetch purified water.
I carefully navigated through the line of sake bottles filled with purified water and reached the inner display.
The magic tool set was on the very bottom of the stand, out of people’s sight.

“Here it is. A set of twelve, from hammers to drills. You can take it out and check it comfortably.”
Even though I opened the tool set and handed it over, Baron didn’t bother inspecting it and replied immediately.

“The condition of the items is good. I’ll take them.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to test their performance first?”
Baron nodded cheerfully.

“The villagers said that Hazel never lies, so you can trust her with anything.”
“Ah… I’m not that honest. Everyone is just flattering me too much.”
The sudden praise made my cheeks heat up.
I knew I was well-liked in the village, but I hadn’t expected outsiders to speak so highly of me as well.

I wondered what they might have said about my brother.
I asked Baron cautiously, suddenly worried.

“By the way, did the villagers say anything about my brother?”
“May I be honest with you?”
“Yes. Completely honest.”
“They said to avoid him because he might bite if you get too close.”

I couldn’t help but nod in full understanding.
Normally, my brother is like a noisy Chihuahua with no aggression, but toward eligible men, he’s like a rabid Doberman.
It doesn’t matter if a man has no interest in me or already has a partner—there are no exceptions.
If he caused trouble for Axel, who has a fiancée and high status, I could easily guess how he’d treat Baron.
Well, it seems this guy can handle a Doberman, so it probably wouldn’t end easily.

Still, since I detest bloodshed, I quietly warned Baron.

“The villagers are right. It’s best to avoid my brother if you see him. You can tell him apart easily because he has the same ash-colored hair and yellow eyes as me. You might encounter him once, but I’m sorry in advance.”

Yet Baron didn’t seem intimidated at all.
He smiled leisurely and replied calmly:

“I would like to become acquainted with Hazel’s brother.”
“That’s impossible.”
Even though I said it firmly, Baron didn’t seem to give up. This person really isn’t normal.

His gaze, which had been fixed on me, shifted to the shattered window. Felix had roughly blocked the hole with a plank, which only made it stand out more.
I was about to tell him not to worry about Baron when I heard someone approaching the alley.

“…Oh no, it might be my brother. Just give him five silver coins for the items and leave quickly.”
Baron seemed to hear me only halfheartedly and slowly counted the silver coins.
Soon, ten silver coins fell into the cash drawer—exactly twice the price I asked.

Before I could say anything, he spoke first.

“My parents taught me to pay full price for goods.”
“….”
“Five silver coins is far too cheap.”

Normally, I wouldn’t have accepted all the money, but there was no time to argue. Besides, who am I to question someone invoking their parents?
I quietly pocketed the coins and offered a formal compliment.

“You have truly wonderful parents.”

Baron smiled silently. He seemed in no hurry to leave, standing there like a rock.

Finally—

“Hazel, my bro…?”

The bell rang, and a man as large as Baron entered the shop.
As expected, Felix’s eyes went wide as soon as he saw Baron.
I urgently reached for my brother and shouted:

“Brother, it’s a customer! They just bought stock!”

But the word “customer” didn’t work on the rabid dog.
He set down the buckets of purified water in his hands and stomped inside. The shop was so narrow that just three steps brought him right in front of Baron.

The moment their gazes met in the air, a sharp tension spread, and the flow of air changed.
I swallowed and stiffened my fingers without realizing it.
Silence continued in the tense atmosphere.

“….”
“….”
“….”

Strange. Normally, Felix would have attacked by now, but today he was unusually cautious.
I quietly crept behind my brother and hugged his waist tightly.

“Baron, please leave quickly!”

Only then did Baron move his heavy steps and politely greet us.

“It was a pleasure to meet you, Felix. I’ll see you again, Hazel.”

Even in the tense moment, he maintained manners—very city-like.
My brother watched Baron leave, his lips moving in a daze.

“Baron? That’s his name?”
“Yes. He’s the son of Uncle Franz’s cousin from the blacksmith shop.”
“Cousin’s son, my foot. No, that’s not it. Why is that guy here?”

“…Do you know him?”
My brother released my hand and turned, his scared, dog-like eyes trembling.

“Hazel, listen carefully to what I’m about to say.”
“Ah, okay.”
“Don’t make eye contact with the black-haired guy. Don’t say a word to him.”

His tone was different from usual—desperate and urgent.

“…Why?”
“You know Nocturne, the assassin? The empire’s most famous assassin whose identity no one knows.”
“I’ve read about him in the papers. The assassin who leaves black feathers at the scene, right?”
“That assassin is him.”
“…?”

Huh? Did I hear that wrong?
Excuse me, Felix—how do you know the identity of a mysterious assassin?
I quietly reached up and touched my brother’s forehead. The effects of the poisonous mushroom should have worn off, and he had no fever. Why was he talking nonsense?

“Brother, don’t say things like that anywhere.”
“You don’t believe me at all.”
“Of course not. Why would the empire’s most famous assassin be in our village?”
“I don’t understand it either.”
“It’s ridiculous, so I don’t understand it! You can’t accuse innocent people of being assassins. Baron is (probably) an ordinary person.”

“Hazel, does that face look ordinary to you?”

I sighed deeply. Of course—my brother had judged Baron by his extraordinary appearance and falsely accused him.

“Brother, we were accused of being children of demons, so you can’t do that. No matter how fierce your red eyes are…! No matter how terrifying your appearance that seems destined for the underworld…! You can’t judge someone by their looks.”
“Good, Hazel. Don’t ever change that thought.”
“…?”
“Remember what I said: don’t even make eye contact with that guy.”
“…Ha.”

In this tiny village? Impossible.
But exhausted from my brother’s scolding, I could only nod obediently.

After Baron left, my brother didn’t go to the monster’s territory again.
He stayed glued to my side all day, transferring the purified water into bottles. Not even diluted—pure water only.

“Brother, when are you planning to sell all of this?”

Unable to hold back, I asked, and he answered confidently:

“Tomorrow.”
“….”

I squeezed my eyes shut. At this point, it might even be better if he were drinking the sake himself.

The next day, all the purified water my brother had carried in for a week was completely sold.