Dinner was a display of unnecessary opulence and gothic theater. Roswaal L. Mathers presided over the table with his jester's makeup and a vocal cadence that grated on my nerves. Beneath his extravagant appearance, his gaze hid an undecipherable depth.
"Tell me, Suuuubaru-kun..." Roswaal elongated his vowels, his gaze fixed on me with theatrical curiosity. "What motivates such a... pecuuuliar young man to risk his life for my dear candidate?"
I wielded my fork with clinical precision. My pulse remained stable, indifferent to his pressure.
"I guess I'm a lucky guy, Margrave," I replied, lowering my fork calmly. I forced a small, relaxed smile. "But if you're looking for a deeper reason... let's just say I don't like leaving jobs halfway done. A world where Emilia isn't safe seems like an unacceptable option to me, so I decided to step in."
Roswaal arched a painted eyebrow. Ram and Rem, on the periphery, stood as silent sentinels. I detected a slight shift in Rem's breathing frequency; my words did not fit the profile of the travelers she usually watched over.
"Unacceptable?" Roswaal rested his chin on his hand, narrowing his eyes. "A curious choice of words. I suppose you refer to the balance of power. If the candidate for the throne falls before even starting, the future of this kingdom becomes a chaos none of us could manage. It is a matter of... stability, isn't it?"
"Exactly," I nodded, keeping my tone casual. "I don't like navigating unstable systems. Her safety is the foundation of everything I plan to do here."
Roswaal smiled, this time with a spark of genuine interest.
"Interesting. Emilia-sama tells me you also wish to... work."
"I avoid feeling indebted to anyone," I told him, leaning back slightly. "I'd rather be useful while I recover. If you have tasks that need an extra pair of hands, go ahead. Cleaning, inventory, or helping in the kitchen... I'm pretty good at manual labor."
Rem tensed. She was the central node for those tasks.
"Rem is sufficient for the mansion's needs," she said, her voice cold and monotonous.
"Two people clean faster than one, Rem," I looked at her calmly, without any trace of previous apathy. "If I take on the heavy lifting, you can spend more time looking after Emilia or just getting some rest. Everybody wins."
The silence grew heavy. Roswaal let out a shrill laugh that shattered the atmosphere.
"Accepted. You will begin tomorrow under the supervision of the elder sister, Ram. We shall see if your results live up to your arrogance."
---
Dawn arrived with a biting cold. I stood in the central courtyard with a millet broom and a bucket of water. My shoulder still protested every sudden movement, but the pain was a secondary noise I chose to ignore.
[Passive Skill: Environment Analysis (Tier 1) - Active]
My vision filled with efficiency vectors. I identified dust accumulation patterns on the moldings and optimal routes for mopping the marble. Every move of the broom covered the maximum surface area with minimum effort.
"The guest has a... peculiar technique," Ram appeared on the upper balcony, watching with arms crossed.
"It's just a habit," I replied with a lopsided smile, without stopping my mopping. "If I'm going to do something, I'd rather do it right. Otherwise, I'm just wasting time."
"Look, look, Rem. The guest thinks sweeping is an exact science."
Rem appeared behind her, her gaze fixed on my bandaged shoulder. Her technical suspicion remained, but the murderous instinct was still deactivated. Without the Witch's scent, I was an anomaly of competence.
"You should be resting, guest-sama," Rem said, stepping down into the courtyard. "That wound still drains energy from your system."
"Sitting around waiting for a wound to heal is boring, Rem," I paused for a second to look at her. "Besides, while passing the pantry yesterday, I noticed you guys are running low on some roots. If you let me finish up here, you could head to the village today. They say prices are going up because of the festival, right? It'd be smart to grab them now."
Rem stood still. Irlam. The village. The node where the curse would begin to fester.
"How do you know about the pantry?" Rem's voice dropped an octave.
"Simple observation," I shrugged naturally. "I noticed your sacks felt lighter than usual when you moved them yesterday. Just trying to be helpful."
A shiver that wasn't from the cold ran down my neck.
[System Warning: Mana Fluctuation Detected in Periphery]
The forest. Something was shifting in the environment's code. The curse wouldn't wait for me to finish sweeping.
"Go ahead, Rem," I insisted with a kinder tone. "Really, I've got this. Just keep an eye out for the forest animals; I've heard they've been a bit restless lately."
Rem looked at me with deep confusion, but she nodded. For the first time, there was no sarcastic "Look, look." Only a silent acceptance of my logic.
The board was set. The first phase of the mansion was over. Now, it was time to face the silent threat emanating from the Irlam forest.