"Hmph, just as I thought. My cooking skills haven't been buried by time yet." Subaru held up the peeled potato, her face full of accomplishment. She lightly flicked her wrist as if proudly showing off her achievement.
"It's just peeling a potato. Is it really worth being so happy about?" Rem's tone carried a hint of confusion. Her gaze swept over the potato in Subaru's hand, her brows slightly furrowed as she found Subaru's excitement difficult to understand.
"Rem-senpai, this is an important step I've taken." Subaru explained with a smile, her fingers gently brushing the smooth surface of the potato. "You know, ever since I dropped out of school, I haven't stepped into a kitchen."
"Dropped... out?"
"It's nothing." Subaru's smile faltered slightly. She shook her head and lowered it, continuing to peel the next potato. Her fingers moved carefully across the surface of the potato, but her thoughts slowly drifted back to the past.
In the past, her father always loved asking her to prepare bento for him. Even though her mother's cooking was far better, he would always smile and say, "Just knowing that it's my precious daughter's cooking makes it several times more delicious." However, ever since she dropped out of school, her father had never asked her to cook again. Subaru knew in her heart that her father was silently protecting her feelings. Now she had finally gathered the courage to stand in a kitchen again and pick up kitchen utensils. Would she ever have the chance to cook for him again?
Rem noticed Subaru's mood suddenly become gloomy and could not help but feel puzzled. She placed the kitchen knife down on the table, tilted her head slightly, and looked at Subaru.
"What's wrong? Please don't delay any longer. All the ingredients must be prepared before dinner begins."
"Ah, sorry. I was just thinking about something from the past." Subaru snapped back to reality and forced a smile. In order to push away the sad thoughts in her mind, she focused on the potato in front of her. While peeling it, she tried to change the subject.
"Speaking of which, where is Ram senpai right now? Isn't the butler usually responsible for kitchen work?"
"No. My sister sometimes helps with kitchen duties, but she has more important work to handle right now." Rem's tone remained calm, but when she mentioned her sister, her eyes softened noticeably.
"I see. So Ram senpai must be specifically responsible for maintaining the Mansion's cleanliness, right?" Subaru continued asking while her hands kept working.
"Most of the cleaning is still Rem's responsibility." Rem shook her head slightly and then added, "However, if my sister were the one doing it, she would certainly do it better than Rem."
"It seems Rem-senpai admires Ram very much."
"Yes, because my sister has a charm that captivates people."
"I see. So what kind of work is Ram senpai doing right now?" Subaru asked curiously as the potato in her hand was nearly finished.
"Hmm. My sister just finished lunch, so she should be taking a nap right now."
"Uh... Rem-senpai, I think we need to redefine the meaning of important work." Subaru could not help but complain, the corner of her mouth twitching slightly.
A trace of displeasure flashed across Rem's face, but before she could respond, a lazy voice came from the doorway.
"What an unpleasant junior, talking about Ram behind her back."
Ram walked into the kitchen, looking as if she had just woken up. A faint hint of dissatisfaction lingered on her face. She stretched her arms, slowly walked to the center of the kitchen, crossed her arms, and spoke with a tone of arrogance.
"Ram's work is far beyond what a small Subaru can imagine. Ram is Lord Roswaal's confidante and specifically handles those... important matters that only Ram can deal with."
"As expected of my sister. Rem truly admires her." Rem immediately echoed, her eyes filled with admiration.
Subaru had been caught making a sarcastic remark by Ram. Knowing she was in the wrong, she chose not to argue further. She lowered her head and began preparing ingredients more quickly, trying to hide her embarrassment through busy work.
Ram did not continue to make things difficult for Subaru, nor did she show any intention of helping. She poured herself a cup of tea and slowly sipped it while quietly watching Subaru and Rem work. Inside the kitchen, the only sounds were the soft noise of Ram drinking tea and the steady chopping of ingredients as Rem and Subaru prepared dinner.
"Ouch!"
Suddenly Subaru let out a quiet cry. In pain, she quickly placed her finger in her mouth. Because she had rushed her preparation earlier out of fear of Ram's sharp tongue, she had accidentally cut her finger.
"How useless, Rem." Ram took a sip of tea and mercilessly mocked.
"Yes, truly useless." Rem nodded in agreement.
"I really hate this sharp-tongued atmosphere…"
Subaru tried her best to hold back her tears. She did not want to appear too weak in front of them. However, in the next moment, a faint light suddenly flickered around her. A magical aura slowly emerged from her forehead and gradually flowed toward her injured finger. The moment the magic touched the wound, the bleeding finger miraculously healed, as if it had never been cut at all.
This scene stunned all three of them, and the kitchen fell silent.
"Subaru. Are you alright?"
Carlisle suddenly appeared at the kitchen doorway, clearly having rushed there in a hurry. His breathing was slightly uneven as his gaze quickly scanned Subaru's body.
"I sensed magic being activated. Are you hurt?"
"Ca... Ca... Carlisle!" Subaru stammered his name, her face filled with surprise and panic.
Subaru and Carlisle sat on chairs inside the lounge, and the atmosphere felt somewhat awkward. The moment Rem and Ram saw Carlisle appear, they immediately ushered Subaru into the lounge. Ram then took over Subaru's work and continued preparing the food.
"I feel so embarrassed…" Subaru lowered her head, her voice carrying a trace of awkwardness. Her fingers unconsciously twisted the hem of her skirt, and her cheeks turned slightly red.
"Sorry, Subaru. I overreacted a little."
"No, no, no." Subaru hurriedly waved both of her hands. "It's an honor to be cared for by the world's best Lord Carlisle."
"Um... just call me Carlisle."
"Even though Subaru is now a maid, there is no need to use honorifics. Also, 'world's best' is an exaggeration."
As soon as he finished speaking, Carlisle noticed Subaru covering her flushed cheeks with both hands. She stared at him with an expression of admiration, her eyes sparkling with that same fervent light again. He could not help but feel slightly helpless, though a trace of warmth also appeared in his heart.
"However, I'm relieved to see that you are not in danger." Carlisle spoke with a tone of relief.
"Mm." Subaru nodded vigorously. Then, as if she had remembered something, she asked curiously, "But does that magic also have a healing effect?"
"Yes." Carlisle nodded and patiently explained. "The protective magic I created has both defensive and healing properties once it is cast. If a fatal or powerful attack occurs, the defensive effect will activate and block the attack. However, it can only be triggered once, and afterward it must be cast again."
"If it detects a normal injury, the magic will release stored water attribute mana to heal the wound."
"That's amazing." Subaru's eyes shone brightly, her tone filled with admiration. "As expected of Carlisle, you were able to create such a flawless magic. I'm really impressed."
"Flawless is an exaggeration." Carlisle shook his head. "This magic still has weaknesses."
"Eh?" Subaru was stunned for a moment and asked with confusion, "But what weakness could a magic that both defends and heals possibly have?"
"First, casting this magic requires an incantation and must be completed through physical contact with the forehead. These two requirements alone make it almost impractical during combat," Carlisle explained.
"Second, it cannot defend against curses. Curses cannot be healed or blocked by this magic. At best, it can only extend the cursed person's survival time, but it cannot truly resolve the curse itself."
"However, you do not need to worry too much. Curses are rarely used in open combat because they require time to take effect. In most cases they are techniques used by spellcasters for assassination."
After hearing the explanation, Subaru nodded thoughtfully. She was only a small maid after all. Who would go through so much trouble just to assassinate her?
...
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