𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟖
The next morning, Eugene woke up to the sunlight streaming through the gap in his mask.
He forced his groggy head up. The room was bright.
“Ah, good morning.”
“…”
He sat up from the sofa that served as his bed. Mabel stood by the window with a refreshing smile. The curtains were wide open, the window was left ajar, and the chilly morning breeze passed by Eugene.
“Why are you here?”
“A healthy body comes from a regular lifestyle. Now, quick, quick, get changed!”
Mabel handed him a set of men’s clothes, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. The blanket he was wearing was taken away, and Eugene reluctantly got up.
“I don’t want you collapsing again.”
“You are such a pain…”
After Eugene changed in a separate room, he handed the clothes back to Mabel, who promptly left the room.
“It’s been decades since I woke up this early,” Eugene muttered to himself, and Mabel returned once again. This time, she carried a silver tray in her hands.
“Here, breakfast.”
“I don’t want to eat.”
“No, you have to.”
“Do you want to fall ill, again?” Hearing these words, Eugene bit his lip in frustration. In response to his reaction, Mabel inwardly triumphed and placed the tray on the corner of his desk. On it was a plate of softly cooked oatmeal.
“I don’t like this.”
“It’s gentle on the stomach. If you get better soon, I’ll make other things too.”
Eugene glanced at it and reluctantly sat down on the chair, starting to eat with a spoon. Seeing his actions, Mabel smiled in relief.
From that day on, Mabel gradually became more involved with Eugene.
“Eugene-sama, is this book fine here?”
“No, put it on the shelf below, next to the red book.”
Today, they were cleaning Eugene’s room together. Eugene’s condition seemed to have fully recovered, as he had been eating his meals normally lately.
Mabel arranged the books on the piled-up floor while confirming with Eugene. In the process, she found a letter. The sender’s name was written in the sender field: “From Rownensolfa.”
“Um, I found a letter.”
Eugene looked at it with a displeased expression, then picked it up and dropped it directly into the trash bin. Mabel gasped.
“T-The letter!”
“Eh, it’s from some irrelevant person.”
With just those words, Eugene quickly returned to tying up unnecessary books with hemp rope. Mabel furrowed her brows in frustration but quickly went back to wiping the shelves.
In this way, Eugene’s room gradually became cleaner, and he started eating his meals at the designated time.
Perhaps the experience of collapsing once had an effect, Mabel thought to herself as she folded the laundry.
‘I wonder if we’re getting along a little better?’
His face was still hidden behind the mask as usual, and he wasn’t particularly friendly.
However, he wasn’t as cold as before.
‘I wonder if we could become friends and protect the Eakes Kingdom together’
At first, she infiltrated this castle to exploit Eugene’s weakness.
But if possible, she didn’t want to do anything that would threaten him.
However, he wasn’t the type to readily use that power.
‘If I knew his likes and dislikes, maybe I could find a way to rope him to my side’’
Mabel pondered, and at that moment, she heard Cero’s voice from the entrance hall.
“Wimmie, I brought today’s portion.”
“Oh, it’s Cero!”
She checked the canned goods, vegetables, and meat that Cero had brought, one by one. Everything she had requested was properly there, and Mabel smiled with satisfaction.
“Thank you, as always. You’re amazing, Cero.”
“Hehe, I am happy you think that.”
Seeing Cero looking proud, Mabel suddenly had an idea.
“By the way, Cero, you’ve been here for a long time, haven’t you?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Do you know what Eugene likes?”
Cero looked puzzled at Mabel’s words, but when he looked up, he started to ponder.
“What he likes?”
“Yes. Food, sweets, things like that.”
“Even if you ask me, the master always eats canned goods… Ah, I remember now!”
As if he had thought of something, Cero raised his index finger.
“Strawberries, Yeah, I think it’s strawberries.”
“Strawberries?”
“Yes. There was a time when I happened to bring some along with the usual canned food. Normally, any extra food that I bring that the master didn’t ask for is left untouched, but I have a memory of it being gone.”
‘Eugene likes strawberries?’
Mabel couldn’t imagine Eugene liking such a thing and felt slightly surprised.
But Mabel thought that strawberries could be used for breakfast, dessert, and even cakes. They could contribute to Eugene’s pacification plan.
“Cero, can you bring me some strawberries?”
“Ah…It’s almost the end of the season, so we don’t have any in stock. Oh, but we might have some that can be picked near the forest.”
“Do you know where exactly?”
Cero spread out a map from his bag and pointed to a square at the edge.
“Here is where we are, the caste. This path goes through the eastern forest. Do you understand?”
“Near this cliff, perhaps.”
“Yes, exactly. But I have another job tomorrow, so If it’s okay with you to wait three days or so, I can quickly go and get them.”
Seeing Cero counting on his fingers, Mabel looked at the map again. It didn’t seem like a very far place, so Mabel could go and get them herself. Cero must be busy, and it would be unfair to burden him with such a selfish request.
“No, it’s fine. I’ll go and get them myself.”
Above all, if she went to get them herself, it would be free. She didn’t think she was being extravagant now, but if it could lift some cost off the treasury, it would be better.
“But it’s quite a distance, and the grass is overgrown.”
“I’ve crossed the forest once before, so I think I’ll be fine.”
“The forest? Alone?”
“Yes.”
Hearing that, Cero tilted his head to the side. He eventually lowered his eyebrows in a troubled manner and smiled. He then folded his own map and handed it to Mabel.
“Well, it’s not that far, but please don’t push yourself too hard. I’ll give you this map.”
“Oh, Is it really alright for me to take it?”
“I have a spare with me.”
With a refreshing smile, Cero left. Mabel who was left behind, remained with the map in her hand and returned to the kitchen. She marked the location Cero had told her about and quietly clenched her fist.
