A Request That Can't Be Granted

An awkward atmosphere flowed across the dining table.

With my elaborate hand technique, I was preparing dinner when I noticed the chilling vibes emanating from the dining table.

"…Uh."

"…"

Two women were making awkward eye contact with each other.

The lady who sneakily glanced at Yuria fiddled with her fingers, and Yuria, savoring some cheap green tea, looked at the lady with an expressionless gaze.

Caught in the awkward mood between the two, I thought to myself,

'Something seems screwed up…'

The lady, after hearing about Yuria's situation, gladly granted her permission to stay in the mansion overnight.

-Yuria became a beggar?

-She met bandits on the road and said they stole her wallet.

Since she had lost her wallet after separating from Balak, it was no lie.

Once it became clear to the lady that Yuria truly was a penniless beggar, the lady showed an expression of pure evil that hadn't been seen in a long time.

-In exchange, I want to eat with you.

-What?

-I haven't eaten yet. I'm starved.

-Won't it be awkward?

-Ricardo. I'm the house owner. And the Desmonds don't grow things like delicacy.

-Oh…

Though she spoke boldly mentioning the family name, the lady couldn't say a word in front of Yuria.

Like a wet mouse, the lady remained cautious. Apparently, the Desmond family was indeed very good at being circumspect.

As the awkwardness continued, the lady waved her hand awkwardly towards Yuria. She waved her hand from side to side with robotic, stiff movements. It seemed like this was definitely a greeting.

"Uh…uh..Ah…Hello?"

The lady completed her greeting successfully.

She looked at Yuria with a proud smile.

"…"

But Yuria responded with silence.

"Eek…!"

The lady clenched her fists tightly and glared at Yuria. Clearly annoyed that her greeting was not returned.

The lady looked at me as if she was staring at a cat robot with a four-dimensional pocket.

"Ricardo!"

"Yes."

"Help…"

The lady's bright eyes compelled me to utter with a small laugh.

"Good Luck."

"Damn it…"

I faced the lady's resentful gaze as I placed tonight's dinner onto the plate.

Steam wafted from the plate.

The dish was served on the table with a clinking sound, and as a result, the lady who had been downcast huffed out her breath.

"Wow…!"

Even if I was considered an excellent butler, it was practically impossible to prepare a meal that satisfied everyone in such a short time with both the hour being late and the ingredients scarce.

There was not much meat in the refrigerator due to having left the house unattended for three days.

That's why the dish I made was cheese Spicy Rice Cakes.

A dish favored by the lady.

And back at the Royal Academy, it was a favorite of Yuria as well.

Yuria's eyes rounded with surprise at the sight of Spicy Rice Cakes for the first time since the Royal Academy.

A dish that only I could make.

And one that they couldn't replicate.

I had made it several times for Yuria back when we were at the academy, and she seemed to still remember its taste.

"It's been a while. This."

Yuria prepared to eat by picking up a fork.

Olivia did the same.

"This looks delicious…"

"You'll drool."

The sight of the two women drooling over their plates brought a satisfied smile to my face.

-Snap.

I clapped my hands and said,

"Let's eat."

Before eating, the lady looked around. She scanned the kitchen as if she had lost something, holding her fork. I asked her,

"What are you looking for?"

"Where is Ruin?"

"Ah…"

Right.

I had left it outside and failed to bring it in.

Ruin had fainted, and I momentarily left my seat to go find him.

***

An awkward dining table without Ricardo.

The scraping of the plates was the only sound filling the awkward silence between the two.

Yuria silently ate the Spicy Rice Cakes from her plate, while Olivia intently watched Yuria's every move.

-Slurping sound…

Olivia poured a glass of water and offered it to Yuria. She noticed Yuria sweating as if struggling with the spiciness.

"Have this. It's spicy."

Yuria pushed the water back. She shook her head and said firmly,

"I'll manage on my own. Don't worry about me."

"Hiccup…"

Olivia shrugged her shoulders.

Ricardo was still not back.

Olivia was growing increasingly concerned about Ricardo, who had said he would leave Ruin on the third floor but had not yet returned.

However.

Olivia had been secretly looking forward to spending some one-on-one time with Yuria. There was something she wanted to say.

She was the most powerful divine power user Olivia knew, someone who could ascertain someone's physical condition with a simple touch.

She had a request, one which would be shameless for an aggressor like her to ask of Yuria, knowing full well that Yuria might not comply. But if she didn't speak now, Olivia thought she might regret it later.

Olivia wanted to seize this moment without Ricardo around to speak to Yuria.

This was also the fundamental reason she had behaved like a brat about joining this uncomfortable dinner.

"Um…"

"…"

"There is something…"

Her voice trembled; the words hardly made it past her lips.

With her heart pounding, as simple as it should be to say, 'Please do this,' she found it hard.

Olivia was feeling frustrated with herself.

'I need to say it before Ricardo comes.'

She knew all too well that if that foolish butler found out she had made such a request, he would show a bitter expression while insisting he was alright. Olivia was anxious.

"Um… that is."

While she hesitated for a moment, Yuria, who had finished her plate, forcefully set down her fork on the table.

"Haah."

Yuria released a long sigh. Her expression was not a good one. Seeing Yuria's face, as if she would retire to her room at any moment, Olivia stammered.

"Ah… I mean…!"

Olivia reached out to Yuria. She was pleading for Yuria to hold on for a moment and listen to her, not to retreat to her room.

If she missed this opportunity now, she'd have to write a letter, and Olivia wasn't sure if Yuria would accept her letter.

Olivia attempted to catch Yuria's hand.

"Ricardo's hand is injured…!"

Yuria cut her off.

"Olivia."

Yuria's voice echoed over the table. She called Olivia's name in a hard tone. Olivia gulped, swallowing her dry saliva.

Yuria rested her elbows on the table.

Yuria, looking as displeased as a civil servant being forced to do something distasteful, caused Olivia to tense up.

"I heard from Ricardo."

"What did you hear?"

"Your leg."

Yuria looked at Olivia's powerless leg.

Her gaunt, withered leg. Yuria spoke while observing her leg that hung limply from disuse for a long time.

"I heard that you are having trouble with it from Ricardo."

"…"

Olivia looked down.

'Ricardo said so.'

She was always the one lagging behind Ricardo. She thought she was quick this time as the master… Olivia couldn't bring herself to lift her head.

Scrape. Yuria rose from her seat. She slowly walked toward Olivia and continued speaking.

"I don't trust it. Not unless I see it for myself. Honestly, when Olivia was carried down by Ricardo earlier, I thought you were acting."

"…"

"Yes, I don't want to get involved with either Olivia or Ricardo. You don't want to be involved with me either, do you? But after what happened today, I felt a little bothered… so I'm making an exception just this once."

Yuria trailed off.

"Be grateful to Ricardo."

Thud thud. As Yuria approached Olivia, she placed a hand on Olivia's shoulder.

A faint green light began to fill the kitchen.

The power that made Yuria known as the 'saint' in the novel.

[A Miracle.]

The miraculous power that could heal any disease began to warm Olivia's shoulder intensely.

Yuria could see the condition of Olivia's body like a dissection, right in front of her eyes.

From indigestion.

To being overweight and high blood pressure.

Which part of the body was unhealthy.

The fine details of which part of the body caused the pain flowed slowly through her hand on her shoulder.

And then.

"…Huh?"

Yuria removed her hand from Olivia's shoulder.

***

An hour later.

Hidden in a corner of the kitchen, I saw the lady sitting alone on a chair.

Her slumped shoulders.

Her moist eyes.

The lady seemed to have lost her energy.

Slap. I slapped my cheeks to wake up. I couldn't show the lady a downhearted expression.

It seemed like the talk didn't go well, unfortunately.

I walked towards the lady with an awkward smile.

"Ahaha… I'm sorry. The third floor was quite dirty. It took me a while."

"Ricardo."

A cold voice came through.

Probably questioning why I did something she didn't ask for.

I know it was overstepping.

But it felt like this was the last chance.

Although I knew Olivia would be upset if I asked Yuria for help, I thought I'd hope for a bit of hope and requested Yuria's assistance.

Initially, Yuria refused, but after repeated requests, she reluctantly agreed to my plea.

-It's only this time. Because you saved me this time. I'm only helping you this once.

-Thank you.

-But… are you sure you won't get your cut hand treated?

-Don't worry about it. It heals quickly here. I recover fast.

Olivia glared at me.

And then she said shortly.

"Don't do this kind of thing."

I replied briefly.

"I won't stop."

"I'm telling you not to."

"I can't do that."

Because I didn't want to give up either.

Olivia sighed deeply.

And then she reached out her hand to me.

"I want to go up."

Naturally, I offered my back to the lady.

***

On our way to the second floor.

The lady, carried on my back, spoke to me.

"Ricardo. To tell you the truth, I was sort of hoping?"

"…"

"That maybe Yuria would be able to heal my leg."

"…Is that so?"

"Mm-hmm."

The lady buried her face in my back and stayed still.

"But you know, if my leg gets better, I can't ride on Ricardo's back, so it might not all be that good… I'd rather enjoy being carried on your broad and firm back."

The lady tried to sound cheerfully.

I responded to the lady.

"I will try my best to heal you one way or another."

The lady replied shortly.

"Don't push yourself."

I nodded in response to her words.

Dawn broke while Yuria and Ruin had already left the mansion.