“Mmm… This is delicious.” Subaru savored the food on her plate with a blissful expression, a satisfied smile gracing her face.
Whether it was meat or vegetables, the dishes were cooked to perfection, with a delicate texture and rich, layered flavors that made her want to praise every bite.
Of course, what pleased her most wasn’t just the delicious food, but the person sitting across from her—Carlisle.
To share lunch with the blue-haired young man she considered the most Perfect Knight in the world, even if it was the simplest of foods, made her feel incredibly happy.
“That’s wonderful!
I was worried Rem’s cooking wouldn’t suit your tastes, but seeing you all enjoy it so much makes me truly happy~”
Roswaal’s voice came from the other end of the dining table, full of teasing.
Subaru heard her and then noticed a detail in her words.
“All the dishes here were prepared by Rem?”
“That’s right,” Roswaal replied with a smile, a hint of pride in her tone.
“I believe Rem’s culinary skills are among the best in the entire kingdom.”
“It’s truly wonderful that Sir Perfect Knight and Subaru like it~” Roswaal deliberately drew out her words, her gaze sweeping over Carlisle with a meaningful look.
Carlisle heard that title, and a trace of unnaturalness flickered across his face, his earlobes turning slightly red.
Clearly, if it were just the strange tone and makeup, Carlisle wouldn’t mind much, but every time he met Roswaal, she would intentionally use that title to tease him.
Subaru secretly glanced at Carlisle, and seeing him blush, her heart couldn’t help but quicken a few beats.
She quickly lowered her head and shoveled in a couple of mouthfuls of rice.
“Amazing!
The most perfect blush in the world!” she silently exclaimed in her heart, then immediately realized her own behavior.
“Using the blush of the person I like to accompany my meal?
I… why am I acting like a pervert?” Subaru felt a wave of shyness at her own actions.
Carlisle was too lazy to correct Roswaal again and responded respectfully, “It’s truly delicious, Rem.
Thank you for preparing the meal.”
At this moment, Rem and Ram were standing behind Roswaal.
Rem, hearing Carlisle’s compliment, bowed slightly and said blandly,
“Thank you for your praise.”
“Hey, Sir Knight over there, don’t use so many honorifics when you speak; that attitude is really irritating.”
Betty said this to Carlisle with a disgusted look while feeding Puck soup with a spoon.
Puck lay lazily in Betty’s hand, his tail gently swaying, and smoothed things over with a laugh.
“Betty, don’t be so harsh.
Sir Knight is very capable, and thanks to him and the young lady over there, Lia was able to return safely from the Royal Capital.”
Betty paused slightly at Puck’s words, then pouted.
A brief silence fell over the dining table until everyone had finished eating, and Rem and Ram began to clear the dishes.
Betty, the moment she finished her meal, left the dining room with Puck in her arms, appearing completely uninterested in anything else.
Once everything was tidied up, the atmosphere gradually became serious.
Roswaal sat at the head of the table, with Rem and Ram standing perfectly straight behind her, their maid postures impeccable.
“Alright, Subaru, before we discuss serious matters, allow me to introduce myself.”
“My name is Roswaal L.
Mathers, and I am the owner of this mansion.
The two behind me are Rem and Ram.”
As she finished speaking, Rem and Ram bowed slightly, their movements perfectly synchronized and their etiquette flawless.
The white-haired elf girl also raised her hand to introduce herself.
“My name is Emilia, and my most important family member is Puck.
Also, even though I look like that Witch, I have no connection to her at all.”
“That gentleman over there is Carlisle Eltheran, Sir Knight to Lady Emilia.
Of course, I prefer to call him ‘Sir Perfect Knight’~” Roswaal reverted to her smiling demeanor when she spoke of Carlisle.
“Subaru, you can just call me Carlisle.”
Carlisle said this with a smile.
Subaru took a deep breath, trying to appear calmer.
“My name is Natsuki Subaru, and I’m a high school girl on a leave of absence.”
“Hmm… While I’m curious what a ‘high school girl’ is, I have a few questions for Subaru.” Roswaal’s voice remained light, but her eyes held a more probing look.
“Why did you come to the country of Lugunica?
You should know that the situation in this country is very unstable right now.
Subaru, you suddenly appeared on the streets of the Royal Capital and immediately attached yourself to the Royal Selection candidate’s Sir Knight.
It’s hard not to be suspicious of your motives~”
Subaru’s heart tightened at the question, and her fingers unconsciously intertwined.
“…This question?
I was in fatal danger at the time, and Carlisle saved me.
I want to repay his kindness.”
“As for the other question… I actually arrived here the moment I closed and opened my eyes.
Do you believe me?”
Roswaal paused, clearly not expecting such an answer.
Her gaze lingered on Subaru’s face for a few seconds, as if judging whether she was lying.
Seeing her lack of reaction, Subaru felt even more uncertain and bravely continued to explain, “It’s a bit hard to explain… My hometown is on an island nation to the northeast.
This answer plunged the entire room into a brief silence.
Roswaal’s expression became somewhat subtle; for a moment, she didn’t know how to respond.
Roswaal had no idea that the girl’s answers were all true—except, of course, for the most crucial part she had hidden: her so-called “repayment of kindness” was actually her desire to give herself to Carlisle.
Subaru’s heart pounded, and cold sweat broke out on her palms.
“It’s over, she definitely won’t believe me… And rightly so, anyone would think such an absurd way of crossing worlds was a joke.”
Just then, Carlisle suddenly stood up.
“Lady Roswaal, although this explanation sounds a bit strange, I believe Subaru is not lying.”
Carlisle was now completely certain that Natsuki Subaru, like him, came from Earth.
He never expected that Subaru’s method of crossing worlds was exactly the same as his own—arriving here in the blink of an eye.
However, Carlisle had arrived as a newborn infant, so “reincarnation” was a more fitting term for his situation than “crossing worlds.”
“Carlisle…”
Subaru was stunned, looking up at Carlisle.
She hadn’t expected that Carlisle would believe her, even though she herself found the explanation absurd.
The debt of gratitude seemed to be growing.
Roswaal’s gaze shifted back and forth between Carlisle and Subaru, then she chuckled lightly, her tone returning to its previous easygoing and teasing manner.
“Oh, Carlisle, you’ve really given me a difficult problem~ But… since the Sir Knight, whose reputation is second only to the Sword Saint in the kingdom, is willing to vouch for Subaru, then I suppose I have no choice but to believe it.”
“Reputation second only to the Sword Saint?” Carlisle heard this, his tone tinged with helplessness and rebuttal.
“Lady Roswaal, please don’t take such rumors seriously.
I am not that formidable; such a title… is truly an overestimation.”
Roswaal looked at Carlisle with a smile, a hint of playfulness in her eyes.
“Heh heh, how charming~ You’re probably the only one in the entire kingdom who won’t believe that rumor.
Such excessive humility, of course, is also what I admire about you.”
Roswaal turned her gaze back to Subaru and dramatically spread her hands, her voice carrying theatrical exaggeration.
“Alright, tell me, what reward do you want?”
“Reward?” Subaru blinked blankly, clearly not having processed the question.
“That’s right,” Roswaal smiled slightly, her voice holding a hint of temptation.
“You not only helped Sir Knight retrieve the Royal Selection candidate and the Dragon Emblem that represents her status, but you also shielded Lady Emilia from the Bowel Hunter’s attack.
This act of kindness is enough for you to ask me for a substantial reward.”
It really helps the fic grow!