...

Jacob: “It seems as though our young master might have been having some night terrors that caused him to act...erratically. I attempted to engage in conversation with him after you had left, but he seemed out of sorts, soulless even…”

He began to stroke his chin with his right hand, placing his left hand into his pocket. Liza began to feel her senses returning, as this new information passed through her thoughts…

Jacob: “Over the next few days, I maintained a vigilant watch over him, constantly observing his strange state, while avoiding questions from the lady as to his status, and fulfilling duties as the situation demanded. However, he barely seemed to register any of my actions, even when I fed him…”

Jacob sounded quite distant as he spoke, one of his eyes peering towards Liza from over his shoulder, observing her restrained reactions to the news.

Jacob: “Within a week, I had contacted the priest, and attempted to get their opinion on the young master’s condition. However, when I had convinced them to see the young master in person...an unexpected circumstance arose…”

He now fully turned around to face her, with a serious expression that caused Liza to shiver…

Jacob: “The young master attacked the priest…”

This news hit Liza like a bolt of lightning! How could it not?!

Liza: “H-he...attempted to harm the priest?! How could that be!”

She nervously stuttered while looking at Jacob's eyes for some indication that he was lying to her, but...his gaze was clear. Jacob shook his head at her shocked interjection…

 Jacob: “He did not attempt to harm the priest...he successfully managed to attack them, during the examination, minorly injuring them with a small explosion of『Fire Magic』before I managed to restrain him and promptly rendered him unconscious…”

Liza: “The priest…”

Jacob ‘hmped...’

Jacob: “When I said ‘minorly injuring,’ I meant it...Surprisingly enough, the priest that they’ve assigned to the manor has...somewhat decent reflexes, for a fledgling who hasn’t seen the battlefield. His arm was somewhat burned, but had already begun pulling back by the time I stepped in.”

Liza: “Thank goodness…”

Jacob: “However, he did not have the courage to risk another examination, despite my actions in restraining the young lord, and I was not able to receive a solid statement...except for…”

-That child...that thing’s eyes!!! Those aren’t the eyes of the child, they’re those of a devil!!! How could you dare to bring my noble self, a graduate of the Saint Crescellia Academy, into the presence of such a little monster! If I hadn’t anticipated its attack, I would have had more than my arm burned just now!!!

Jacob recounted the fearful and snobbish ramblings of the priest at some length, ending with the priest promising that he would never step foot within Fate’s room again

-Unless I am permitted to unleash the awesome power granted to me by the goddess upon that vile creature, I shan't be placing one foot with the intent of going in its direction!

Jacob: “Afterwards, the young master had changed...his behavior became more erratic and he started yelling at himself when I had left the room.”

Liza looked at the ground, thinking of the suffering Fate must have been enduring while gripping at her dress…

Jacob: “And, just a few hours ago, as I was attending to him, he finally began to speak to me...though the content of his speech wasn’t nearly as constructive as I would have preferred…”

- Oh, well if it isn’t captain crunch! Still trying to chomp my skull into a million pieces, then?!~ That reminds me, I have a joke that will really have you rolling, come closer so I can tell you what it is!~

Jacob: “It was just a few words that I was able to get out of him before he got tired of answering and began his attack...He attempted to set me ablaze and hacked at me with a sharpened piece of wood from his cot, can you believe the nerve?!”

Though he was frustrated, some part of him appeared to be amused as he continued to speak of his short-lived battle with the deranged Fate, ending with him using a restraint relic to bind him and knocking him out, before advising the staff to not approach the room…

Eventually, after a while more of Jacob’s explanations, he allowed Liza to leave, expressing in seeming dismay as she left the room with a worried look…

Jacob: “I’m sorry to say that their talent is only inherited by such an unfortunate circumstance...to think that she would display her emotions, what would her predecessors think...?”

That was all she was able to hear as she closed the door behind her…

...