I approached her with a slight bow.
"Morning, Masta."
Master scowled. "What kind of greeting is that? So rude."
"The 'Almost-Dead-Due-To-Master's-Recklessness' greeting." I dropped onto the seat across from her, resting my cheek on one hand.
Her expression twisted. A vein throbbed on her temple. "Why you little—"
She grabbed my head without warning and shoved it down. My forehead slammed against the table with a dull thud.
"ACK—!" I thrashed under her grip. The world tilted sideways as she twisted my neck at an unnatural angle.
After what felt like several lifetimes of relentless abuse, she let go.
"Demon," I muttered under my breath, rubbing the fresh trauma on my scalp.
"If you know better, then behave yourself," she said coldly, sipping her tea like nothing had happened.
"Cheh! Master started it first…" I grumbled.
Her eyes sharpened like twin daggers. She tilted her head with the slow menace of a predator. "What did you say?"
I stiffened. "N-Nothing, Master." My voice cracked.
I began crawling toward the door, one inch at a time, my body flat against the floor like I was evading sniper fire.
"Where are you going?"
"To the dining room," I said with a pitiful whine. "I haven't eaten breakfast, and I'm starving, Master. Please let me go already."
Master's voice came down like a verdict. "No."
"Why?!" My stomach groaned in protest, right on cue.
She turned away, sulking like a child. That was… unexpected.
I tried again, softer this time. "But I'm really hungry—"
GRRRRRRL.
My stomach betrayed me with a monstrous growl. Even the walls trembled a little.
"Oui… That's loud," I muttered, clutching my stomach like I'd been stabbed.
Master blinked, stared at me, then stood up and opened the door.
"Let's go," she said.
"Where?" My instincts screamed trap. I scrambled to follow behind her like a soldier on thin ice.
"You'll find out when we get there."
I began imagining every possible form of culinary torture she could inflict. A visual of a dungeon butcher sharpening knives played behind my eyes.
Please don't let it be the butcher...
I sniffled quietly.
Each step I took echoed with dread. Master was the type to mix breakfast with psychological warfare.
But when she opened the door—
Warm air, fragrant and sweet, flooded my senses.
The smell of grilled meats, toasted bread, rich soups, and freshly picked herbs blanketed the room like a warm hug. My stomach cried in joy. I sat down and devoured the feast like a starving mercenary between quests. For a few fleeting minutes, the world felt right again.
Lady Nozomi joined us, serene and elegant, sipping her tea as she chatted lightly. The clink of porcelain, the murmur of conversation, the warmth in my belly—it was the kind of moment people tried to photograph but never captured right.
Burp~
I flopped onto my back. "Oui. That was one hearty meal."
Meanwhile, Master had barely touched her food, poking at it like it was a chore.
Suspicious, I sat up. "Master, aren't you hungry? You barely ate anything. Even a tiny mouse eats more than you."
She smirked, amused. "Oh, my little shrew, don't worry about me. I have a different appetite and enjoy savouring the flavours in moderation. It's all about quality over quantity."
I crossed my arms. "I know quality is important, but quantity too, you know. You might starve!"
"You underestimate me," she replied, voice light. "Appearances can be deceiving. I prioritize inner strength and resilience over physical size."
"But what if you become weak or fall ill?" I asked seriously.
Master reached across the table and placed a hand on my shoulder, firm and warm. "I appreciate your concern. But I assure you—I've honed both body and mind over years of training. I know my limits. I'm fine."
"Bruh. That ain't convincing me at all!" I said.
Lady Nozomi, silent until now, gently set down her teacup. "I also stand by young lady Llyne's words."
I blinked. "You do?"
She nodded. "Indeed. There have been many times when Master's dedication to her work has led her to neglect her health—including proper meals. It's deeply concerning to everyone in the House of Aum. She's far too thin. It breaks our hearts."
I looked back at Master—and something hardened in me.
Without hesitation, I reached out and seized her hand.
"From now on, we're eating together. No excuses. No complaints. No matter how busy you get—we. are. eating. together."
Master's expression froze. Her mouth opened slightly, as if to argue, but nothing came out. Lady Nozomi simply smiled.
Master shot her a dirty look. She shrugged back like an innocent bystander.
Master tried to pull her hand away.
I didn't let go.
"I'm not letting go until you agree," I said, glaring into her eyes.
A moment passed. Then two. Finally, she sighed and relented.
"Fine, young lady Llyne. If it means that much to you, we will eat together."
Victory. I'd fought monsters before—but this felt like my first real win.
Then Lady Nozomi dropped a bomb.
"But how will you eat with Master if you're busy today?"
Master smirked. My confidence began to wither.
"Uhm…"
Lady Nozomi stepped in with perfect timing. "Take this." She handed me a thin, transparent sticker. Master's face went pale the moment she saw it.
"What's this?" I asked, suspicious.
Without warning, Lady Nozomi slapped it behind my ear. A faint pulse of warmth radiated through me.
"Now press it," she said.
I obeyed.
A glowing blue screen blinked into existence in front of my eyes. Like the ones from the trial system.
"Whoa! It looks like the ones in the dungeon—so magical!"
Lady Nozomi pointed to a sidebar. "You should see a chat area. Try Master's name."
Sure enough, there it was. I clicked it and typed a message.
Across the table, Master's blue screen flickered to life. Her face twisted in disgust.
I grinned. "Guess it works."
"You can also use voice and video," Nozomi added, gesturing at the camera icon.
I tapped it without hesitation. "Oho?"
Master looked ready to kill someone. But after some coaxing from Nozomi, she accepted the video call.
Master's face filled my screen in perfect clarity.
"Oui! I can see Master so clearly!"
And then an idea hit me. I grinned.
"With this, I can make sure Master eats her meals on time."
Master groaned like the world had ended. Her glare toward Nozomi was deadly. Nozomi only hummed a happy tune and looked away.
I leaned back, arms behind my head, satisfied. This device was a blessing from the heavens.
"I'm full. Thanks for the delicious meal. Now I'm going to meet my friends."
But Master interrupted my triumph. "Before you go, you should clean the wound on your neck. Or you might die in front of your friends."
"Oui? But it's just a scratch. I'm fine—"
"Unless it was coated in poison," Master added casually.
My brain halted.
"W-Wait. What?! Poison? That needle had poison?! No wonder I'm sweating, dizzy, my vision's blurry, and my heart—!"
"None of that is from the poison. That's just you being overly dramatic about seeing your friends," she deadpanned. Then pulled out a bottle and handed it to Lady Nozomi.
"Please open your mouth," Nozomi said sweetly.
I hesitated. "Oui? Okay—"
The moment I opened my mouth, she shoved the entire bottle down my throat and whacked my back.
GULP—
"There you go, all done!" she said, smiling like she hadn't just committed medical assault.
"Normal humans would choke to death on that!" I cried, coughing.
"Normal humans would," she agreed with a wink. "But you're no ordinary human. The antidote's already working."
She stood up, brushing imaginary dust from her sleeves. "Now that young lady Llyne has finished her breakfast, please wait outside in the garden. I have something to give you."
"Okies!" I beamed and dashed out excitedly.
Whatever came next, I had already survived the first trial of the day: making Master promise to eat.
And I'd do it again.