"Don't mind Betty—she just likes to spout nonsense. You don't have to take her seriously." Shichen covered Beatrice's little mouth to stop her from blurting more.
"Mm!" Betty struggled in protest, unhappy with his behavior, but couldn't pry his hand away. Shichen simply scooped her up and ruffled her hair; she instantly settled down, even smiling doofily.
"Mm, I won't take it seriously~ After all, there's no way you'd like me, Shichen," Emilia said breezily.
"You never know," Shichen countered with a smile.
"Eh?" Emilia blinked at him.
"You're so pretty and cute, Emilia—who knows when I might fall for you."
"It's not like that…"
For an instant Emilia looked flustered, but her expression soon clouded. "I'm a half-elf… no one would like…"
"What about it? I like half-elves. They're beautiful—and you're so kind. How could any normal man not like you?" Shichen cut her off, earnest.
"Shichen… are you serious?"
"Why would I lie to you?" he asked in return.
"But… you don't know about my situation…"
"Because of Satella, right?"
The most terrifying disaster in this world—the Witch of Envy. In the Witch's name, she brought calamity; none who saw her survived. Under her command were mabeasts no human force could oppose—feeding on fear, reveling in slaughter; where they appeared, ruins followed; where the Witch passed, nothing remained. And she was, like Emilia, a silver-haired, violet-eyed half-elf.
"You… know?" Emilia asked.
"I saw it in Betty's library. I was curious—is that alright?"
A little white lie; Beatrice didn't expose it.
"It's fine," Emilia said, shaking her head. "Then you must understand how inauspicious I am."
"What nonsense?" Shichen rapped her lightly on the head.
"Shichen?" Emilia held her head, puzzled.
"Don't call yourself unlucky. With you around, I'm happy—how could I not be?"
"Eh?" Emilia stared, dazed.
"No matter what others say," he said gently, "to me you're just Emilia—a cute girl."
"Shichen…" Her eyes shimmered; she was deeply moved. For so long, she'd finally met someone who didn't care that she was half-elf—and even called her cute. She couldn't help being a little grateful Felt had stolen her badge; otherwise, she might never have met Shichen.
"That's wonderful, Emilia," Puck said, delighted for her.
"Mm!"
Emilia nodded hard, smiling brilliantly at Shichen. "Shichen, thank you."
"What's to thank? If anything, I should thank you," he waved it off.
"Thank me?"
"Sure. With such a cute girl by my side, my mood is great every day."
"That's… too much…" Emilia blushed.
"Emilia, you're going back on your word again," Betty huffed, puffing her cheeks.
"Eh… I…" This time Emilia couldn't muster a rebuttal. Her silence turned the air a bit dreamy; Puck watched like an amused spectator; Est stood quietly by; only Betty was grinding her teeth. If Shichen and Emilia warmed up this quickly, wouldn't Betty lose precious alone-time with him? It had been like that before—fine, because she'd come later then. But now, ahead of schedule—why should her time be stolen?
"Emilia-sama, Puck-sama, Beatrice-sama, and Shichen-sama…"
Just then the twin maids arrived in the garden, breaking the moment.
"Ram, Rem—what is it?" Emilia asked, composed again.
They approached and bowed formally, speaking in unison: "The master—Roswaal-sama—has returned. Please come inside."
"I see. Roswaal's back—we should go greet him," Emilia nodded.
"Yes. And, Shichen, the master wishes to meet you as well," one added.
"Roswaal wants to see me, huh."
Shichen didn't know whether the Gospel could foresee him—or maybe it was Subaru they'd foreseen, with Emilia as the link. He himself could ignore the book's predictions—but Emilia was different. Through her, they could reach him—if this world acknowledged him at all.
"Shichen, I don't think I told you yet—Roswaal is the owner of this mansion," Emilia explained.
"Mm, I know. Betty already told me."
"That's good."
"I just don't know what kind of person he is."
Betty didn't correct him; she stayed tucked comfortably in his arms.
"Well… hard to say. You'll understand when you meet him," Emilia said, looking a bit odd.
"Oh? Hard to describe?"
"No—the exact opposite," four voices answered at once: Emilia, Puck, Ram, and Rem.
Ram continued, "No matter what words you use, they won't capture Roswaal-sama. Once you meet him, you'll understand. Rest assured, he is very gentle."
"Is that so? I wonder if he'll agree to give me a maid," Shichen said teasingly, glancing at Rem and Ram.
"What?" Ram startled.
"We're done for, Sister—you've been targeted," Rem said, deadpan.
"No, you have. You're far more capable than I am," Ram shot back.
"No, Sister is much cuter—it must be you," Rem said.
"No, Rem has the better figure—definitely her," Ram countered.
"Mm?" Shichen couldn't help glancing at Rem's front—and indeed, she was a little bigger.
"Sister, I've been targeted!" Rem whimpered, realizing where he'd been looking.
"Give up, Rem."
"No—I won't leave Sister!"
"Rem…"
"Alright, you two—enough. Shichen isn't like that. Let's go," Emilia said, not taking it seriously, and headed indoors.
"My, my—looks like Emilia has some growing up to do," Puck said cheerfully, floating on his back with hands behind his head. He clearly saw what Shichen felt for her.
"You don't mind?" Shichen asked.
"Not at all~ You truly treat Emilia well."
"Don't expect me to call you 'Father-in-law,'" Shichen quipped.
"And I'd rather not be called that," Puck shot back.
Joking, they followed Rem and Ram inside.
They brought Shichen to the dining room—might as well have breakfast. Emilia ducked off to her room along the way to change—what she was wearing counted as sleepwear.
Shichen had thoughtfully brought Puck along; whatever Puck was, he was still "male"—no way he was going to let him see Emilia change. Even if Puck wasn't that kind of spirit, Shichen was here to mind things.
The dining room was large, with a big table draped in white cloth at the center. Several place settings were already laid—six in all.
If you counted Roswaal and Puck, that left none for Shichen and Est—but the twins were maids and wouldn't sit. The two seats at the far end were for Shichen and Est.
He didn't care about the "head of the table"; he sat with Est at the end.
"I'm sitting with Chen!" Betty declared, dropping onto his lap without hesitation. He simply held her.
"Hehe~" Betty swayed happily.
"Pardon us, guests—your meal has arrived."
"Pardon us, guests—tableware and hot tea," came Rem and Ram, pushing in serving trolleys. Rem handled the main course—salads, breads, and proper dishes. Ram handled the tea, placing cups and pouring.
Steam and fragrance filled the room at once—Shichen's stomach rumbled. Come to think of it, since arriving yesterday, he hadn't eaten a thing.
"Did you two make all this?" he asked the twins.
"Rem made it all," Rem said proudly.
"Mm! I'll keep working hard for both Sister and me!" she added with a beaming smile.
"Looks like Sister's not much use then," Shichen teased, shaking his head.
"W… what…" Ram's face froze.
"That's not true—Sister is my role model!" Rem retorted earnestly.
"I see…"
"Ah-ha~ Is there~ anything good? A-ny~ good~ stuff?"
A bright, singsong voice suddenly floated into the dining hall—followed by a certain "big deal" of a person walking in.
~~~
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