Chapter 161: The Gospel!
There really wasn't much to criticize about Frederica's cooking.
But even while eating the food she had prepared, Subaru Natsuki couldn't relax and enjoy the flavors.
The food was delicious—but for Subaru, it lacked something. He glanced up at the people seated around the dinner table, and a complicated emotion rose in his chest.
Come to think of it, ever since he became a servant at the mansion, he had basically never eaten at this luxurious dining table.
Normally, he would sit at a small table with Ram and Rem, chatting about today and tomorrow, bickering with Ram as they ate.
"This is delicious! So delicious!"
Hearing this voice, Subaru turned his head with a slightly helpless expression to look at Otto, who sat beside him.
Seeing the almost tearfully satisfied expression on Otto's face, that discomfort in Subaru's chest quietly vanished.
"Thank you for the compliment. I'm glad you're satisfied," Frederica, who stood beside Emilia, responded with a gentle smile.
"Very satisfied!"
"Why do you look so happy, Otto?" Subaru asked, puzzled.
"Of course because of the delicious food! I'm a merchant, and most of the time I eat dry rations that barely qualify as food. When I was staying with Lady Crusch, the meals were decent—but still nowhere near Frederica's level!"
"Is that so? Frederica's food is good, but not to that extent, is it?" Emilia said with a confused expression as she put a bite into her mouth, still puzzled even as she tasted it.
Listening to everyone around him, Subaru paused for a moment, then put down his knife and fork. Though he made no sound, everyone at the table stopped talking and turned to look at him.
"Subaru, no appetite?"
"Did I make something that doesn't suit your taste?" Frederica asked.
"Mr. Natsuki?" Otto added.
Subaru raised a hand slightly and waved it.
"It's not that I've lost my appetite, and it's not that the food doesn't suit me. There's just something I want to ask Frederica. Can we talk while eating?"
Saying this, Subaru pushed his plate of food toward Otto and gestured to him. Ignoring Otto's grateful expression, Subaru slowly began to speak.
"As for what we're going to do next, let's discuss it here. First of all, Ram and the others haven't returned from the Sanctuary. It's possible something delayed them, but the people in the village are very worried... and I'm also very worried that something may have happened to them.
So I've decided to go to the Sanctuary. That means I need information about it."
Frederica and Subaru locked eyes for a moment before she finally spoke.
"Due to a contract, I can't share too many details about the Sanctuary. But please believe me, I am not your enemy. Also... the master left a letter. He wrote that as long as you go to the Sanctuary, everything will become clear."
"Is that so... So Roswaal said that. Then can I assume that Roswaal went to the Sanctuary without telling us?"
"..."
"You're not answering because of the contract. But if Roswaal really is there, then it makes sense that he left that letter."
Subaru furrowed his brows slightly.
He wasn't sure whether to trust Roswaal's letter.
After all, this was just Frederica's word. Still, Subaru chose to believe her.
If that's the premise, then what did Roswaal mean by "everything will become clear"?
Right now, Subaru didn't feel like he had any major mysteries unsolved—except for the complete lack of information about the Sanctuary and how to cure Rem.
Was Roswaal only referring to the Sanctuary? What kind of place was the Sanctuary, anyway? Was something hidden there? If not, there'd be no need to say "everything will become clear."
"Then Ram and the others should be safe, right?"
"Yes. They are all safe."
"Good... So how do we get to the Sanctuary?"
"I'll tell you the route. But due to certain issues, I can't go with you. I've already asked Mr. Otto to accompany Lady Emilia and you to the Sanctuary."
"I see... Looks like we won't be getting too much information after all. But Otto, are you willing to go with us to the Sanctuary?"
"Isn't that obvious? You did promise to let me meet Margrave Roswaal!"
"Right. Then that's settled. I'll go prepare some things. We'll leave first thing tomorrow morning."
As Subaru stood and prepared to leave, he heard Frederica's voice behind him.
"Subaru, if you encounter someone named Garfiel in the Sanctuary, please be very careful around him."
"Garfiel? Got it. I'll be careful."
Leaving behind those words, Subaru quickened his pace toward the second floor.
Although he hadn't obtained much information, Subaru felt that something was off. It wasn't a sudden feeling—it was something that had slowly accumulated and now clearly felt abnormal.
Climbing the stairs, Subaru's expression grew heavy.
That vague sense of foreboding, once connected with the name Roswaal, made everything feel dangerous.
Each time he had resolved a crisis at the mansion, each time he had saved the people there—Roswaal, the strongest among them, was never present.
Furthermore, considering that Emilia's appearance was something the world viewed with caution or even hatred, why did Roswaal insist on having her participate in the royal selection? And if he truly supported her, why hadn't he taken any real action to back her?
No combat power, no financial resources, and Emilia hadn't even received proper training in how to govern or how to win the selection.
The more Subaru thought about Roswaal's actions, the more he felt that Roswaal's true goal wasn't for Emilia to become queen—but to use her as a puppet, a figurehead.
With that realization in mind, Subaru found himself in front of Beatrice's door.
He suddenly remembered something: although Geuse no longer had that book, there was still one person in the mansion who did.
The Gospel... Beatrice had it.
Subaru had seen that book in Beatrice's possession more than once. Although the pages held no writing, it strongly resembled a Gospel. That suspicion had taken root deep in Subaru's mind.
Standing at the door, Subaru turned to look at the door across from him.
No response.
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