"What?!" Rem couldn't stop herself and started toward me, but Ram stopped her.
"I don't understand. What do I have to do with the cult?" Emilia asked.
"When you become a public figure, they'll know of your existence and want to use you as a vessel to summon Satella. In fact, they may already be aware of your existence." I revealed. The three women in the room flinched at the direct mention of the witch.
"How do you know? What relationship do you have with them?" Rem's tone was cold, but her eyes shone with an intense hatred that was currently focused on me. Her overly nosy attitude for a mere servant was certainly suspicious.
"I knew them because of the witch's miasma that flows from my body." I said, looking at her sadly. "It attracts mabeasts, and apparently cultists too. They believed I was special, a chosen one who would help them achieve their goals."
"Miasma?" Emilia looked at Rem and then at me, wondering why the maid was reacting so heatedly to my words.
"Most people can't see it." I explained vaguely. "The Cult took an interest in me for a while, making my life miserable. They tried to recruit me and resorted to the cruelest methods. They took everything I cared about. That's why I've spent the last few years of my life seeking revenge."
At that point, the three of them were listening to me in silence. I paused and continued my story.
"I've been following them for a while, but they're very elusive. So I came to the conclusion that instead of doing that, I should wait for them and ambush them. But how? Those wretches act meticulously despite how crazy they are. Then, one day, I heard rumors about a silver-haired half-elf who was the spitting image of the Witch of Envy. I began following the rumors, traveling to the places where she was supposedly last seen. That's how I ended up in Lugunica."
"And what exactly do you want from me?" Emilia asked anxiously.
"Nothing but cooperation. You can continue living your life normally. I'll keep a close eye on you, and when those bastards show up, I'll be ready to take care of them."
I spoke in a deep tone that betrayed suppressed anger, or so I thought. I had to be convincing; my life depended on them believing my performance.
The silence that followed my story stretched for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, Emilia broke the status quo with her angelic voice.
"I'm so sorry about what happened to you. I really want to help you, but it's not up to me." She explained with a pained expression. "If you want to stay here, you must get Roswaal's approval."
"So, can you arrange an audience with the Margrave for me?" I clasped my hands in a pleading gesture.
"In fact, I'm sure he'll want to talk to you himself after hearing your story." She reassured me.
There was a strong sense of awkwardness as everyone remained silent and I had become the center of attention, receiving somewhat intense stares from the twin maids.
Emilia asked me if I wanted to join her in the garden, and I immediately agreed. I needed fresh air and, above all, to get a safe distance from Rem and Ram.
Getting outside helped me much more than I expected. My body relaxed and my mind began to clear after a very crazy day and night. For a while, I sat contemplating the landscape and came to terms with the fact that I was trapped in a hostile world with an uncertain and dark future ahead.
Once again, I was impressed by Subaru's fortitude in not going crazy under such a brutal experience. Well, he did go crazy (temporarily in canon and permanently in some AUs).
"Yeah, it sure helped him to have several beautiful girls giving me emotional support. I won't be that lucky with my shitty personality and not so good-looking face."
"You reek of pessimism." A voice mocked behind me.
"Hey, Puck." I sighed, accepting that my moment of peaceful private introspection was over. "I'd like to say it's nice to see you, but you'd know better."
"Of course, since I can read your mind!" His laughter sounded artificial, as did his cheerful demeanor. "But don't worry, the feeling is mutual."
That damn cat had frozen my body to death, but that had been in a world almost no one remembered, so I couldn't openly hate him, and for similar reasons, neither could he hate me.
"I guess we can be secret enemies?" Puck suggested.
"Wow, now you sound like Betty." I complained. "It doesn't suit you."
"Hahaha, I know."
We fell silent. A glimmer behind me made me turn my head, and I saw Emilia surrounded by lesser spirits, talking to them as if they were a group of friends.
She just stood there, with dim lights illuminating her figure. I felt like I was seeing perfection incarnate. I could have stared at her for hours.
"How beautiful." I murmured automatically.
I didn't understand why my pulse was racing for Emilia. It was as if I was forced to fall in love with her. It was unfair; why did I have to love her if I didn't want to?
"Now that's ironic." Puck sounded bitter.
I had an idea of what he meant, but I forced myself to think of something else. I preferred to keep my knowledge away from Puck's mind-reading powers.
Turning my attention away from the half-elf and her guard, I glanced back at the mansion. A small but prominent figure was watching me with analytical eyes from one of the windows.
Smiling, I turned to her and waved my hand. Although I couldn't hear her from where I was standing, I could imagine her 'hmph' as she turned her back on me and walked down the hallway.
I think the normal thing would be to feel tenderness, but in my case, Betty's attitude was annoying. I'm not a fan of tsunderes, and I grew out of my lolicon phase a long time ago.
I pray that no trace of that remains inside me.
"It 's going to be difficult to get along with her... At least until I can get her out of that library."
"Why do you two look so uncomfortable?"
Emilia was already back. Puck and I exchanged a glance, reminding each other that we'd agreed to sweep our feud under the rug.
Then Puck pointed at me.
"I was telling this guy that he better treat you well, otherwise I'll have to turn him into a block of ice."
"Yes, you are perfectly capable of doing that."
The half-elf looked at us curiously at the underlying tension of our interaction.
"You speak as if you are already familiar with each other."
"Hahaha..."
Puck stuck out his tongue without further explanation, placing the responsibility on me.
"You'd be surprised how much you can learn about someone by just talking to them." I said as the cat scratched the back of his neck, nodding.
"Is that so? In that case, I'd like to talk to you more."
The way she delivered that line was a fucking crush. I blushed furiously and had to control my breathing to catch my breath.
"This reaction is way over the top, especially for me! I'm not one for falling in love! How could this be happening to me?!"
"Are you okay?" Emilia asked, worried. "Your face turned red. Could you have a fever?"
"Everything's fine, no problem..."
Suddenly, Rem and Ram voices came in unison from the mansion.
"Lady Emilia, our master Lord Roswaal has returned. Please come back inside."
Emilia nodded and followed the twins. I froze for a moment, unsure if Roswaal would want to see me too or if he'd kick me out.
"Dear guest, you must come too."
Luckily, Ram cleared up my doubts. I nodded enthusiastically and hurried to catch up with them.
Emilia left us on the way to her room to change clothes. Rem and Ram also went to get something. Once in the dining room, I ran into Betty.
"Hello, Miss Prana Drainer. I mean, Miss Librarian."
"Die."
"That won't help you get rid of me."
"Ha?"
I shook my head.
"It doesn't matter."
"Hmph, whatever; I'm just here for Puckie."
"I didn't ask you, tsundere loli."
Outraged, Betty opened her mouth to give me a response that was surely an insult. However, Rem and Ram burst in with a cart carrying all the breakfast items. They quickly began serving everything, and my fat appetite was awakened by the smell of food.
Almost at the same time, a tall man resembling a jester entered the dining room. His long blue hair, heterochromic eyes, and makeup were those of Roswaal L. Mathers.
He smiled when he saw me.
"I've heard interesting things about you beeeefore. I must say I'm veeery intrigued."
"It's an honor to meet you, Margrave Mathers." I bowed to him.
"Now thaaat I think about it, I haven't heard your name yeeeet."
"My name is Leandro Lagostena."
Just then, Emilia and Puck entered the dining room as well. Betty became excited and immediately went to hug him, while Emilia stopped next to Roswaal.
"So that's your name. It doesn't sound like any I've heard before." She commented.
"Right." Roswaal agreed with her, his smile widening, "You probably come from faaaar away, right?"
"Something like that. I can't say I'm from another world or a place beyond the great waterfall, because that would make them suspect my story is a lie."
Roswaal looked at me as if he knew what I was thinking and walked to his seat.
"We shooould sit down before breakfast gets cold."
That slurred way of speaking was going to give me a nervous tic. I sighed with relief and sat down. We all started eating, but I couldn't fully enjoy the food. It wasn't the taste; everything was really delicious. What bothered me was the attention I was receiving. I felt like I was being watched, especially by Roswaal and Rem.
"So, Leandro... You said you have a history with the witch cult, and from what you know, sooner or later those people will come for Miss Emilia, right?" For the first time, Roswaal looked serious.
"Considering that cult members can be anywhere, it's very likely they already know about her. That means they could already be nearby."
"And how do I know you're not one of them? The story you told could very well be false, and you still haven't explained what causes the miasma you claim to possess."
"I don't know, maybe because it would have been much easier to catch her in the city, when she was alone and unprotected due to the negligence of a certain person who should have guaranteed her safety?" I said with a wry smile. "If I didn't do it then, why wait and risk so much here?"
"It could be that you have some hidden agenda. Besides, you still haven't answered my question. What about that miasma of yours?"
"As for the miasma, I don't even know myself. The cultists said it was a manifestation of the witch's love, but that assumption has no basis. My theory is that it's a curse I received at some point in my life."
No offense, Satella.
Roswaal made a discreet grimace, almost imperceptible, but noticeable enough to give me the satisfaction of knowing that I had won that round.
"Assuming all that is true, don't you think this is a bit too convenient for you? You retrieved Miss Emilia's insignia and presented yourself before her with injuries you haven't spoken of, leaving her and her kind heart morally obligated to take you in..."
"All I know is that I saved your reputation as a sponsor and the viability of Emilia's political campaign as a real candidate. I even went so far as to reveal secrets about myself to get a little cooperation, but all I'm getting in return is prejudiced interrogations." I glanced at Puck. "I'm sure you already know what my true intentions are, Margrave, but you just want to test me."
"Hoo, talking to you is muuuch more interesting than I expected. You have the wit of a merchant and the cooooomposure of an aristocrat."
"So, are you satisfied now?"
"I think I've come to understand you better with this conversation. That said, I'd like to formally thank you for your performance in the royal capital." He spread his arms and spoke again in his usual playful tone. "I'm offering you a reward; come on, ask for whatever you wish."
Things unfolded slightly differently, but the plot ended at the same point as the original story. Knowing what I had to do, I revealed my wish without a single shred of doubt.
"I want to live in this mansion like a butler."