Chapter 4

"Hmm, Subaru left huh? Did he mention why? Since he asked for a job here, I'd assumed he would be staying. I had planned to converse with him and share some of my wisdom as well" Fate tells Emilia as he beckons her to walk with him.

"Mm mm" she shakes her head "Fate, yesterday Subaru was act~ing strange and looked like he was hurting a lot from some~thing, Rem and Ram says he started act~ing like that all of a sudden. When I tried to talk to him… he ran from me" she says dejectedly.

To Emilia, Subaru was just a boy who happened to be there when she went to get back her insignia, they didn't have any notable conversation except when they talked a bit before breakfast yesterday and when he asked for her name in the loothouse

Somehow she had convinced herself that Subaru was willing to be her friend and seeing him act that way yesterday made her feel bad and realized that she was maybe getting ahead of herself.

As she thought, no one would want to be friends with her, after all…

She wonders if Fate feels the same way as Subaru did. It also does not help that she somehow feels that she is responsible for it.

"I see. And you feel this was your fault" Fate says what was on her mind as he stops walking in the hallway, not questioning but stating.

Emilia stiffens unable to respond

*Sighs* "Lia!!" He call out her name in a loud authoritative voice facing her

"Yes?!" she shouts out, surprised and managing to stand at attention quickly.

"Chin up!" He taps her chin towards the ceiling

"Shoulders straight!" She straightens

"Hands behind your back!" She complies

To an outside observer, this would make for a comical sight as Emilia looks as serious as a soldier about to be debriefed into battle

…

…

After a few seconds and seemingly realizing she is being made fun of, she sags her shoulders and eases herself

"Sheeesh, Fate, stop making me do weird things" she protests in harmless indignation

"Then stop trying to play the tragic heroine Lia, it does not suit you. Blaming yourself for things that are out of your control will get you nowhere." He says as he steps closer to her pinning her against the wall in the vaunted kabedon position

 "You are trying to change the world aren't you? That takes a lot of valour to pull off. A grand dream requires an equally grand mentality. So stop beating down on yourself and show me your beautiful convictions Lia. I will not allow you to berate yourself" he says to her who now realizes with a pounding heart and a blushing face that he is very close, in the back of her mind she thinks he smells nice as well.

"Fate…"

"As much as I hate to agree with him, he is right Lia" adds Puck as he appears from the glowing crystal.

"Sure, Subaru was definitely acting strange and weird, he was also feeling a lot of guilt amongst other things, but I don't think you should blame yourself for that Lia, you are not responsible for what he feels towards you, so cheer up okay?" He finishes as he winks to her

"Puck…"

"And you! Step away from my daughter, you deviant!" he floats to Fate and immediately starts punching him in the chest.

He retaliates by picking him up from the back of his neck with his thumb and index fingers as one would do a cat. Pucks continues flailing about punching the air.

"Stop that, cat"

"Unhand me! I am a great spirit, you know!"

Emilia laughs at this display "Hmm, you are right, thank you Puck, Fate…" she says with a bright smile

"Now that's a good look on your face Lia" Fate says smiling as well.

"Hmph! Of course my daughter always looks good" Puck adds proudly, crossing his arms even as he's held up by Fate

◇◇◇

Fate makes it outside with a more cheerful Emilia and Puck sitting on her shoulder, they come across Rem and Ram who had just finished their duties.

"Miss Emilia, dear guest" they both say in sync as they bow

"Rem, Ram" Emilia acknowledges their greetings

Fate looks around the courtyard

"Pinky, Blue! Are you the only servants working in this manor? Don't tell me the clown only has two people taking care of this place" Fate says with disapproval

"P-pinky?" Ram sputters

"Don't fight it, dearest sister" Rem who has gotten used to being called Blue holds her sister's arm and shakes her head. "You won't win"

"Rem… what are you talking about?" Ram feels like she has not seen this side of her sister before.

"There is actually another maid working in the manor as well but she is currently unavailable" Rem replies to the question asked

"I see, but that still seems like too much work for three people… Well, I guess with paid leaves and all, it can't be helped, although disappointing for a court mage" Fate says remembering his own maids from the previous world.

He made sure they were lacking for nothing and even had to ban them from overworking themselves since they were too determined to 'take care' of their master.

"Paid leaves?" All three girls present voices their confusion

"Don't tell me. Pinky! Blue, do you not get paid for your work?" He narrows his eyes

"Paid?" Rem asks

"Hmph! We owe lord Roswaal a lot, not getting paid in return for all he has done is only natural." Ram says as if stating the obvious

"Oh?" He replies as he walks towards her and reaches for her hair "Such loyalty you have" he picks out the blade of leaf stuck on her hair with a smirk "How splendid~"

Ram immediately takes steps towards her sister, holding her "Rem, Rem, this man is definitely dangerous" she says

"Dearest sister of mine, your face is red" Rem observes

"It's just the weather, stop trying to embarrass your dear sister, Rem"

Emilia giggles at that "Fate, you know, you have a very nice voice"

"Lia, that's par the course for someone like myself, I've dipped my hands on almost everything imaginable you know." He says

 "From taking vocal classes, cooking, baking, calligraphy, painting and the rest—" he lists off with his fingers "—to learning things other people might not even consider useful. It's only because I am myself that I can accomplish such things" he says with no small amount of swagger

"Wow, Fate, that's amazing" Emilia says with sparkling eyes

He points his nose skywards holding his waist with both hands

"Keep going Lia, you can do better than that!"

"Ahh, why is this boy like this?" Puck says from his perch on her shoulder

"Erm, erm… bravo?" Being put on the spot like that, Emilia doesn't know what else to say to compliment him but Fate takes it in stride nonetheless

"Yes Lia, bravo indeed" he says with a grin reaching out to pat her head

"Sheesh, stop treating me like a child, Fate" Emilia protests even as her ears redden.

"So, dear guest, you are good at cooking?" Rem asks with curiosity

"Oh? Do you doubt my skills, Blue?"

"Hmph! My Rem is the greatest cook there is, no one can come close" Ram says smugly as if she's praising her own skills

"I see, then I shall let you eat those words along with the greatest dish you'll ever have the honor of consuming, Pinky!"

"Bring it on! My Rem will not lose"

"Dearest sister… alright then! I'll give it my best!" Rem hypes herself up with a guts pose

"I like that, Blue! It seems you can see your surroundings just a little bit now" Fate praises as he beckons everyone along

The sounds of his laughter can be heard as they make their way to the kitchen

◇◇◇

"Impossible, how can such a thing possibly exist?" Ram says with obvious shock on her face

"Dearest sister, this… I've never seen anything like this before" Rem is equally astonished

"Ama~zing" Emilia adds as well

"It does not taste bad, I suppose" Beatrice who was dragged out of the library by Fate gives her opinion as well

"Hey! Stop trying to escape reality, you two" Fate who is dressed in black and white stripes apron over a white button up sleeves folded to his elbows, black pants and hair braided by Rem chastises the twins

"I watched you prepare this but I'm afraid I can't replicate it" Rem says but she has a blissful expression on her face as does everyone present.

"Delicious, (I suppose)" they manages to say at the same time.

"Of course it is, it was made by myself after all, expecting anything less would be looking down on my proficiency" Fate replies humbly

"I was skeptical when you started mashing the tatoes, and even added pieces of meat to it but I see now… I have never tasted anything like this before. I like it." Rem feels like she could eat this everyday.

"Ha ha ha ha, then you can have some more, Blue" Fate says as he scoops some more into her plate

"Betty would like some more as well, in fact" Beatrice tries but fails to present a nonchalant attitude.

"You don't have to hold back Betty, my magnanimous self can handle however much you desire" he chuckles

"Hmph!" Betty harrumphs cutely

"But amazing, I guess you were not just saying empty words huh?" Puck who is sharing a plate with Beatrice says

"My words are never empty, don't forget that cat spirit named Puck" Fate reprimands and then looks towards Emilia

"Would you like some more, Lia?"

"Yesh, pwease! Ish tash~te sho good" Emilia says between mouthfuls

"Lia, don't talk with food in your mouth" Puck scolds as he cleans her mouth with a napkin

She swallows "Sorry Puck, It's just that it tastes so good" she says with sparkly eyes as Fate fills her plate again.

"Yes, I know Lia" Puck says smiling, seeing Emilia smiling and enjoying herself like this makes him happy and he knows he has Fate to thank for it.

"So, what do you think, Pinky?" Fate asks smugly as Ram groans

How could the tatoes betray her like this? Making tatoes is her specialty and she can't even have that anymore

"Fine, you…win, it is really…delicious" she looks almost physically hurt saying it

He just laughs good naturedly

"Don't beat yourself too much about it, it was a natural outcome for one such as myself after all. And besides while not as glorious as mine, Blue makes good food as well" he compliments holding a bowl of the dish Rem made.

"Thank you, dear guest. Erm…" Rem thanks but also seem like she wants to say something else

"Do not hold your tongue, Blue. Say what you must" Fate urges her on

"Ermm… I want you to teach me how to make this!… and others t-that you can make as well…" she settles on

"That's a good idea Rem" Ram encourages her sister, she doesn't remember the last time Rem ever went out of her way to request for something and it gladdens her heart that she is seemingly breaking out of her shell

"Oh? So you desire the tutelage of my esteemed self?" Rem can almost see the delight radiating of him as he says that while dropping the bowl of now empty plate in the sink

She nods

"That's good, I shall give you an A for your taste in tutorship. I will make a fine chef out of you Blue, my teachings will not be easy but don't worry, it's impossible to not succeed when I'm the one teaching you." He grins at her

"You shall refer to myself as 'Sensei' from now on, got it?"

With her fists balled up in front of her, and a determined face she nods

"Sensei!" She acknowledges herself as his student.

"Umu! I like the sound of that" he smiles

◇◇◇

"Come on Betty, I want you to teach me everything you know about magic"

Sitting in the garden is Fate and Beatrice who is forced to sit on his lap again, after protesting and not being able to escape him, she accepted her fate.

"Why does Betty have to do that in fact?" She questions annoyedly.

She thinks this man just likes doing whatever he wants without input from anyone. Even yesterday when he slept on the same b-bed with her and even c-c-cu-cuddled her and p-p-pat her head

Beatrice can't help her blushing and embarrassment.

To think a noble being such as herself would hold onto the arms of a man as she slept.

How embarrassing

"Because I reckon you are bound to see something interesting" he replies simply

Well, she can't say she's not a little bit curious, and besides he agreed he would let her see what he is made of right?

She sighs and then acquiesces.

"Very well, I suppose. I will at least check your affinities" she says

Letting her stand up, she puts her hand on his head and checks. She notes how soft his hair feel to the touch in the back of her mind.

"Hmm, I see, that is interesting in fact, you have both Yin and Yang affinities, and an affinity for spirit magic as well. That's very impressive, I suppose " Beatrice praises and if she did, it must be rather impressive then because she never praises anyone

"Betty, I think that is more 'as expected' than 'impressive'. It is myself you are dealing with here after all" he corrects her.

Betty exhales

This man…

"Well then Betty, let's get started on it. Don't worry, I am benevolent so it would be unfair of me to not reward your efforts. I shall grant a wish of yours when I get to a level of expertise worthy of my stature" he says as he starts patting her head.

She doesn't even bother to protest this time apparently knowing it's futile

A wish huh?

Well, it's not like she has anything interesting to do today, so she might as well see how this goes.

◇◇◇

The clown watches through the window pane with a mischievous smile as Fate and Beatrice converses in the garden.

Seeing the Four-Hundred-Year-Old Child at the whims of someone was a very surprising situation to witness but he couldn't say he was not pleased. He would not admit it but he is happy that Fate is not letting her isolate herself anymore

It is obvious to anyone watching that Fate favors Beatrice a lot even though they have only known each other for a while.

Apart from the glimpses here and there he obtained from his gospel, he still doesn't know anything concrete about Fate.

But one of his suspicions is that he is from the same place as the Natsuki Subaru boy, given that they were both wearing clothing with similar needlework and he has not seen such apparels anywhere before.

He doesn't know why Subaru decided to leave, and he would have ordered Ram to discreetly dispose him or capture him but the gospel told him this was the most favorable outcome and letting Subaru go would create better benefits in the long term, so he complied.

Although he is surprised at how everyone is already comfortable with the presence of Fate, he thinks it is a good thing as well, the more they become important to him, the more he would be willing to help.

He believed that Fate was Pride but with the lack of miasma on him and the presence of it on Subaru, he withholds on that evaluation.

But what is obvious is that a being with such ego and power to casually destroy a forest without magic is not a normal being. It doesn't matter to the margrave anyway.

'Normal' was never what he needed in the first place after all.

As he sits on his chair with his gospel on his lap, he feels elated by the fact that his goal is now in sight.