"Senpai, can I rest now? I'm really sleepy..." Subaru slumped over her desk, her cheek pressed against the thick book of Another World script. Her eyelids were so heavy that she could barely keep them open.
Ram stood behind her, looking down at her from above, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Of course not. As a servant of Roswaal-sama, how can you not even recognize words? If you cannot even manage such a basic thing, it will only bring embarrassment to Roswaal-sama."
Subaru lifted her head, rubbed her tired eyes, and sighed helplessly. "But Senpai, I really don't have any energy left... I'm not like you, who can slack off at work and still be so energetic."
As she spoke, she cast a suspicious glance at Ram, then suddenly sat up straight as if something had just occurred to her. "Wait a minute... Senpai isn't planning to train me into a competent servant just so she can slack off every day, is she?"
"How dare little Subaru question Ram's intentions? Ram sacrificed her precious rest time to train you. You should be grateful."
Subaru pouted but didn't argue further. She turned her head and pulled a new book from the pile. It was a children's storybook with colorful illustrations, depicting a majestic Divine Dragon on the cover. She opened it, her gaze falling on the simple words and pictures.
"Hmm... I can barely understand it now," Subaru murmured to herself, her finger tracing the lines of text on the page.
The book told the story of the Divine Dragon. Under the Divine Dragon's protection, the Kingdom of Lugunica became a dragon-allied nation, and all disasters and plagues were resolved under the Dragon's guardianship. Every page of the book was filled with praise and hymns devoted to the Divine Dragon.
Isn't this basically the history of this country?
So even in Another World, there is this kind of hero worship... or rather, dragon worship.
Subaru gently closed the book and placed it back onto the pile. Then she reached for another volume. Its title was simple and direct: Records of Famous Swords.
She opened it, her gaze scanning the Another World script that she still wasn't completely familiar with. She picked up an Another World dictionary from beside her. Although it was somewhat difficult to use, it at least allowed her to barely understand the contents.
"Dragon Sword, Life Sword, Yang Sword, Dream Sword... people in Another World are really straightforward when naming things," Subaru couldn't help complaining.
Her finger lightly traced the page until it stopped at the chapter titled "Dragon Sword."
The book dedicated a large section to describing the Dragon Sword, calling it "the strongest sword in the world," a weapon that could only be wielded by the current Sword Saint. Furthermore, the Dragon Sword possessed a resounding name: Reid. It was named in honor of the first Sword Saint, the legendary hero who once sealed the Witch of Envy together with the Sage and the Divine Dragon.
"The Dragon Sword possesses its own consciousness and will only unsheathe itself when facing a worthy opponent..." Subaru murmured as she read the passage.
"It sounds pretty eerie... Is that the sword Carlisle's friend, the female Sword Saint, carries at her waist?"
Her mind naturally conjured the image of the brave and valiant female Sword Saint she had met before.
While Subaru was immersed in the world of books, Ram stood quietly nearby. In truth, teaching Subaru how to read was not entirely for Roswaal's sake. It was more because she had chosen to do so herself.
After all, she had noticed today that Rem's workload had become noticeably lighter.
And the reason for that change was Subaru's arrival.
"Alright, that's enough for today. Subaru, you may go and rest. But remember to review what you learned. If Ram checks later and discovers that Subaru has been lazy..."
"That's great."
Subaru completely ignored Ram's warning and collapsed back into her chair as if all the strength had drained from her body. She rubbed her tired eyes, then gently closed the thick book in front of her and pushed it aside.
Ram turned and left the room.
Subaru looked up again, her gaze landing on the mountain of books stacked on the table, and the corner of her mouth twitched uncontrollably.
"Even after coming to Another World... I still have to study..."
---
The girl's life had completely settled into a lively rhythm, every day full and busy.
Early in the morning, she would wake up and begin cleaning the Mansion. She skillfully picked up a broom and cloth, carefully cleaning every corner and making sure the entire Mansion remained spotless.
After finishing the cleaning, Subaru would go to the kitchen and prepare three meals a day together with Rem.
Rem's movements were always precise and efficient, while Subaru stood beside her and diligently learned, trying her best to keep up with the rhythm. Although Ram would occasionally tease her with sharp remarks, Subaru never took it to heart. Instead, she found this daily routine warm and comforting.
In the afternoon, Subaru would always go to Carlisle on time to practice magic.
Carlisle remained patient and meticulous as ever, teaching her how to control magical power and how to apply it flexibly in combat. Although Subaru's progress was slow, she never considered giving up.
After practice, the two of them would sometimes make snacks together.
Subaru especially cherished these relaxed moments. They would sit on the bench in the courtyard, enjoying freshly baked snacks while chatting casually.
She had even succeeded in making mayonnaise and eagerly brought it to Carlisle for him to taste. When she saw the look of pleasant surprise on his face, her heart filled with joy. For her, it was the happiest moment since arriving at the Mansion.
She had also asked Roswaal about Beatrice.
Through him, she learned about the existence of the Door Crossing magic and came to understand that Beatrice had been guarding the Forbidden Library alone all this time.
Worried that Beatrice might feel lonely, Subaru tried several times to establish contact with her.
However, every time she managed to find Beatrice, she was mercilessly chased out of the library.
This left Subaru feeling extremely frustrated. It was the first truly difficult obstacle she had encountered since arriving in this Another World.
Aside from that, there was also a small incident in Subaru's life.
One day, she discovered a Earth Dragon that had been injured by a hunter's trap near the Mansion grounds. She helped free it from the trap and carefully bandaged its wound.
The Earth Dragon seemed to sense her kindness. It looked at her with gentle eyes before slowly leaving.
What she did not know was that this same Earth Dragon would one day accompany her in the future.
And so, Subaru's life became exceptionally fulfilling.
She had never imagined that she would one day become a "normie." Every day she worked hard toward her own growth. Although she occasionally felt exhausted, her heart was filled with a deep sense of satisfaction.
Of course, if Carlisle could be just a little more affectionate toward her, everything would feel even more perfect.
Whenever she thought about that, a faint blush would appear on Subaru's face, and her heart would fill with anticipation for the future that awaited her.
T/N- Reinhard is so op.