Small scenes from between chapters 2&3 while I make the next chapter.
Week One — Language
Ludwig heaved a heavy stack of books onto the counter with a loud thud that nearly shook the wooden table. Subaru, who had been lazily slouched on his stool like a cat in the sun, jolted upright as though he'd been caught doing something illegal.
"Uhh… what are these-" Subaru asked, pointing at the pile as if he expected them to bite him "besides being books?" He quickly cut himself off, realizing it sounded like the setup to a terrible dialogue option he didn't want to pick.
"Ya don't know how ta read or write, so these'll help ya out," Ludwig grunted, gesturing at the mountain of paper as if he'd just dropped off a sack of potatoes instead of a full-on library.
Subaru gingerly picked up the top book, the largest and most intimidating of the bunch. The spine creaked when he cracked it open, revealing rows of letters that looked vaguely like the alphabet he knew, but every line blurred together like an optical illusion. He stared helplessly at the page, though the illustration on the cover still caught his attention: a faded but once-vibrant painting of a grand blue dragon that still had hints of color clinging stubbornly to its scales.
"…Yeah. Can't read a damn thing," Subaru muttered, his eyes narrowing as though squinting would magically translate the words for him.
With a heavy sigh, Ludwig pinched the bridge of his nose and planted one hand on his hip. "Start from the bottom up, kid."
Subaru slid the thick tome back into place with all the reverence of a man setting down a bomb and picked up the thinnest book from the bottom of the stack instead. The cover illustration was less majestic this time- though, weirdly enough, it didn't look like something meant for kids. He flipped through the pages, finding mostly simple drawings paired with text that at least looked less terrifying than the previous mess.
"You know…" Subaru leaned closer to the page, "I never noticed before, but your language looks… really similar to mine. Just, you know, with a few quirks."
"So I've heard," Ludwig muttered rolling his eyes, before disappearing into the back room. He returned a moment later carrying paper, ink, and a well-used quill. Without asking, he pulled a chair up beside Subaru and started scribbling down the basics- letters, sounds, and a few simple words- onto a fresh sheet of paper.
For the next few hours, the two of them sat shoulder-to-shoulder. Subaru's clumsy handwriting gradually morphed into something legible as they volleyed back and forth with sarcastic remarks. Occasionally, a customer would wander in, only for Ludwig to bark at Subaru to "look useful for once," before returning to the lesson.
By the time the last light of the day filtered through the window, Ludwig leaned back with a grunt. "Ya got the basics down. Just repeat it 'til yer hands start bleedin'." Without waiting for an answer, he waved lazily over his shoulder and headed for the back room again.
Subaru sat there, staring at the page filled with uneven scrawls. He flexed his hand, already sore from gripping the quill. But instead of groaning, he grinned.
"Guess if I get good at this, maybe I'll be… y'know, actually be useful around here."
Week Two — Mayo
The smell of burnt potatoes wafted through the air, clinging to Subaru's nose like smoke from a campfire. He sat across from Ludwig at the table, staring down the charred lumps on his plate. After eating stew for three days straight, he'd begged Ludwig for a change of pace… and immediately regretted it.
He poked one of the blackened tubers with his fork, the prongs scraping against the skin. He managed a single bite before setting the utensil down with trembling fingers. His shoulders shook as though he were holding back a primal scream.
"…Ghh!" He clutched his chest dramatically, his fork clattering onto the plate.
Ludwig raised an eyebrow. "Ya doin' okay over there?" He sounded concerned, but knowing Subaru, there was a ninety percent chance this was theater.
Subaru slammed his palms against the table and stood with the solemn fury of a man who'd reached his breaking point. "I can't take it anymore!"
Ludwig blinked slowly. "…Here we go."
"Let's make mayonnaise!" Subaru declared with the gravitas of a hero announcing his final move.
Ludwig stared, utterly unimpressed.
"Mayonnaise," Subaru repeated, pointing a finger at him as if the word itself was a spell that would awaken hidden knowledge. "The greatest condiment known to mankind! The champion of champions! The GOAT!"
"…The what now?" Ludwig crossed his arms, clearly regretting asking.
"It's only the best thing to ever grace food in any world!" Subaru shouted, hands on his hips. "Even these poor, abused tatoes could be saved by its divine touch!"
Ludwig sighed through his nose. "And exactly how ya plannin' to make this miracle sauce, huh?"
"Easy! You're gonna buy the ingredients, and I'm gonna make it!" Subaru beamed like the idea was flawless.
"Sorry. No."
"WHAT?!" Subaru looked like Ludwig had just denied him oxygen. "Why not!?"
"'Cause ya still owe me, and I don't wanna be near ya any longer than I hafta," Ludwig replied flatly, resting his cheek against his hand.
Most people would've given up there. Subaru, however, had never once known when to quit.
In a flash, he darted around the table, dropped to his knees, and bowed so low his forehead thudded against the wooden floor.
"Please!"
"No."
Subaru pressed further, lowering his head until he was practically digging into the floorboards.
"PLEASE!"
"No."
His final form emerged: a dogeza so deep Ludwig swore he might tunnel into the nonexistent basement.
"PLEEEEASE!"
That did it. Ludwig pinched the bridge of his nose and growled, "Fine! I'll buy what ya need! Just shut yer trap already!"
"Hell yeah!" Subaru leapt to his feet, thrusting his fist skyward in a pose that looked suspiciously like a certain Italian plumber celebrating a flagpole victory. If Ludwig had any idea who that was, he'd have made fun of him for it immediately.
"If ya waste my money, I'm doublin' yer debt," Ludwig warned, holding out his hand.
Without hesitation, Subaru grabbed it and shook vigorously. "It's worth the risk! Mayo is life!"
Ludwig groaned. "Yer a weird kid, ya know that?"
"I know you love me," Subaru replied with a grin, still flailing Ludwig's arm around.
week three- taste test
Subaru had turned Ludwig's small kitchen into what looked more like a war zone than a place for cooking. Bowls were sprawled across the counters and floor, each holding some ill-fated attempt at the same elusive recipe. The air carried the faint tang of vinegar, eggs, and oil, all clashing together into a strange symphony of smells that even Ludwig had started complaining about.
But Subaru was not a man to give up easily.
"One more…" he muttered, crouched on the floor as though he'd been defeated in battle. His hand clutched the edge of a bowl, his face pale with exhaustion but burning with determination. "I'll get it this time…"
His eyes were bloodshot from days of trial and error, yet the fire in them hadn't dimmed. He forced himself upright, grabbed his notepad full of failed ratios, and wiped his brow with the back of his hand.
"Alright," he whispered, like he was psyching himself up before a boss fight, "a little less of that… just a tad more of this… yeah, that's it."
Carefully, almost reverently, Subaru measured the ingredients. He whisked, mixed, and stirred with delicate precision, biting his lip as if one wrong movement would doom him yet again. Finally, he raised the spoon to his lips, heart pounding.
He closed his eyes and let the taste settle on his tongue. For a moment, silence. Then his eyes flew open.
"FINALLY!!!" he roared at the top of his lungs, his voice echoing through the entire shop. Subaru dropped to his knees, fists raised in a glorious V-shape. "I did it! I actually did it!"
From the hallway, Ludwig leaned against the doorway, eyebrow raised. "Ya finally got it, huh?"
"Yeah, I did!" Subaru beamed, staring at the golden bowl of his creation like it was the Holy Grail itself. He almost wanted to weep from joy.
Ludwig walked over, dipped a finger into the bowl without ceremony, and popped it into his mouth.
"Hey! Barbarian!" Subaru barked, scandalized.
"Not bad, kid," Ludwig said with a smirk.
Subaru's grin stretched wider, smugness radiating from every inch of him. "Go on, you can say it. Say I'm great."
"Yeah, yeah… ya did good." Ludwig ruffled his hair before turning toward the counter. "We should get the village to try this."
Subaru blinked. Normally, Ludwig's tone carried nothing but sarcasm and mild annoyance. To hear him speak almost-almost-kindly threw Subaru completely off guard. He opened his mouth to comment when-
KNOCK KNOCK.
Both froze and looked at each other.
"Ya expectin' someone?" Ludwig asked.
"Are you expecting someone?" Subaru shot back, equally confused.
Neither had invited anyone. Subaru, heart thumping, padded over to the door and hesitated with his hand on the knob. Another knock made him jump and instinctively swing it open.
Standing there, cloaked in her hood, was Emilia. Her hand was raised as if she'd been about to knock again- though judging by her aim, it looked like she might've knocked on his chest instead of the door.
"Woah, a princess came knocking at my door?" Subaru gasped theatrically, mouth open in mock-shock.
"Sorry," she said softly, her breath misting in the cold air. "I saw no one in the shop, but it wasn't closed, so I thought… maybe you were distracted again."
Her calm response ignored his dramatics entirely.
Subaru clutched his chest. "Oh, how it hurts to be ignored."
From behind him, Ludwig chuckled. "This kid here caught my attention screamin' so loud. Finally nailed his recipe." He gave Subaru a light karate chop to the back of the head.
"Really, Subaru?" Emilia's violet eyes sparkled with excitement.
"Yeah, I totally rock!" Subaru puffed his chest with pride.
"I'm so happy for you." She reached out and patted his head gently, smiling under her hood, her touch soft and warm. Subaru froze, his face heating as Ludwig tried-and failed-to stifle a laugh.
"I don't know how to feel about this…" Subaru mumbled, scratching his cheek.
"Yer bein' treated like a kid by the girl yer after!" Ludwig finally burst into open laughter.
Subaru's jaw dropped.
Emilia tilted her head, confused. "You're… after me?"
Subaru nearly fainted, waving his hands frantically. "W-whoa there! Misinterpretation! Lost in translation! Moving on-!"
Quickly changing the subject, he blurted, "You should come inside while I make more. We're gonna share it with the whole village!"
"I don't think I should-" Emilia began, but Ludwig cut her off.
"Just get in before ya let in more snow," he grumbled, already grabbing a rag to start cleaning Subaru's battlefield of a kitchen. Subaru gave Emilia a reassuring smile, and she slipped inside, sitting across from the shopkeeper at the dinner table.
The warmth of the house wrapped around her, so different from the chill of her little tree home. Her eyes, however, kept drifting to Subaru as he bustled about the kitchen, mixing more of his miraculous creation. Ludwig noticed but decided to keep quiet.
Alongside the mayo, Subaru decided to steam some potatoes—simple enough that even his beginner-level cooking could handle it. Not perfect, but better than Ludwig's infamous "burnt tatoes."
Elsewhere in Roswaal Manor, a pink-haired maid suddenly wiped a line of drool from her mouth.
"Big Sis, are you hungry?" Rem asked sweetly as she scrubbed the edge of the large bath.
Ram dabbed her lip with her thumb, eyes narrowing. "No, Rem… Ram just felt like someone was making steamed tatoes without her permission. Whoever he is must be punished."
Rem giggled, shaking her head as she went back to her task, while Ram perched herself on the pool's edge, "monitoring." Meanwhile, back in the village, Subaru shivered for no reason at all.
When he'd finally made enough, they headed for the town square. The space wasn't anything grand- no fountain, no statues, just a wide, open area where villagers often gathered. They called out to people along the way, and soon a crowd had formed, curious faces peering at Subaru as if he were about to reveal some great secret.
Standing tall, Subaru held the massive bowl above his head like a holy relic. "People of the village!" he announced, voice booming. "Today, I present to you... my brand-new creation!"
The crowd murmured. At this point, they all knew Subaru well enough to expect antics like this, but he still had their attention.
"Line up, one and all!" Subaru grinned, playing the role of a circus ringmaster. "First taste is free—but the next one's gonna cost ya!"
Emilia helped pass out the potatoes, while Ludwig handed slips of paper for opinions.
The results were overwhelming. Some hated it, some were neutral, but the majority? Positive. Villagers young and old nodded approvingly as they tasted the strange, creamy condiment.
At the very end, Subaru noticed one person who hadn't tried it yet. He walked over to Emilia with a potato in hand, split it cleanly, and offered her half.
"You gotta try it too, Mili," he said with a soft, encouraging smile. He slathered a layer of mayo on his portion and handed her the spoon for hers.
She mirrored him, holding the potato close. For a moment, she just stared at him from under her hood- his face alight with hope, cheeks dusted with excitement. Finally, she took a small bite.
It was odd, richer than anything she'd eaten with simple potatoes before. But the flavor… it made the plain food warm and comforting. Being around him made the food taste better as well.
She liked it. Maybe more than she thought she would.
Her lips curved softly. "I like it," she whispered, just loud enough for him to hear.
Subaru's chest warmed at her words. He beamed at her, his joy as bright as the winter sun.
"That's all that matters to me."