"Mr. Higashino Makoto."
Reisen's voice came from the bed, carrying the languidness of someone just waking up.
Is breakfast ready?
"I don't know, let's go check."
Reisen sat up, rubbed her eyes, and her rabbit ears stood straight up.
"Yes, sir."
She threw back the covers, stepped barefoot onto the carpet, walked to the clothes rack, took off her maid outfit, and began to dress.
The movements were neither hurried nor slow, since there was no one else in the room.
Reisen got dressed and walked up to Higashino Makoto.
"Master, I'll go prepare breakfast."
"Um."
Reisen bowed slightly, then turned and walked out of the room.
The footsteps faded into the distance in the corridor.
After a while, Reisen returned to the room and pulled Higashino Makoto up from his chair where he was reading.
"Master, breakfast is ready."
Higashino Makoto strode towards the door.
Let's go.
Breakfast was served in the dining room on the first floor of the mansion.
Everyone took their seats.
Twin maids stood on either side of the dining table; the pink-haired Ram was pouring tea for the guests, while the blue-haired Rem was checking the tableware. Subaru Natsuki was nowhere to be seen.
However, he is currently a servant and is probably busy somewhere.
After having eaten and drunk his fill, Higashino Makoto was about to leave when he was suddenly called back.
"Mr. Higashino Makoto."
Rem spoke, her voice calm and indifferent.
"I heard you're going to hunt down the Witch Cult?"
"Right."
"Why?"
"Because they possess what I need, and I can only obtain it by killing them."
Rem's fingers tapped lightly on the table.
What is that?
"Witch Factor."
Rem frowned slightly.
"Witch Factor, do you want to become a witch?"
"This matter is not important. Besides, the maid should just obediently serve tea and water and not ask any questions."
Higashino Makoto spoke calmly, gently tapping Ram's forehead.
"In short, all you need to know is that I am an enemy of the Witch Cult..."
Ram looked at him, a complex light flickering in her blue eyes.
"Excuse me, sir."
Rem's fingers stopped.
She looked at Higashino Makoto for a long time, then bowed slightly.
Rem understands.
She stepped back and continued clearing away the dishes.
Ram walked over to Higashino Makoto and poured him a cup of black tea.
"Mr. Higashino Makoto."
"Um."
"The Witch Cult is dangerous; you might die."
Ram actually worried about himself?
Did my plan to kill the Witch Cult actually increase my favorability rating?
"Don't worry, I'm not that easy to kill."
Ram paused for a moment.
"What do you mean by saying it's not that easy to die?"
"Literal meaning."
Higashino Makoto picked up his teacup and took a sip.
"Just pretend I have three lives."
Ram's lips curled up slightly.
Three lives? Are you a cat?
"I told you to stop asking questions, go make me some tea."
Ram chuckled softly and didn't press the matter.
She turned and walked back to the other side of the table to help her sister clear it away.
As a servant, Subaru Natsuki naturally went along with it.
But he didn't notice that Rem and Ram were still wary of him.
After all, he carried the aura of a witch.
The lingering scent of those Return by Death is hard to dispel.
Because he had died several times in succession, he had acquired a strong odor that had not completely dissipated even after he arrived at the mansion.
Higashino Makoto couldn't smell it, but Rem and Ram could.
The demon race seems to be extremely sensitive to the aura of witches; it's in their nature.
After breakfast, Emilia suggested giving the guests a tour of the mansion.
"Mr. Higashino Makoto, where would you like to take a look?"
"Forbidden Library."
Emilia paused for a moment.
"Forbidden Library?"
"Yes, Roswaal said there's a collection of many ancient books there, and I'd like to look up some information."
What are you investigating?
"About the Witch of Envy, about the Sin Archbishops, about the Witch Factor."
Emilia looked at him, her eyes flashing with a complex light.
He paused for a moment, then nodded.
"Okay, I understand. However, the Forbidden Library is protected by Miss Beatrice's magic, so it's not easy to get in. The portal to the Forbidden Library is random, so getting in will be quite troublesome."
Emilia smiled as she said this.
"However, getting Puck's help is no problem. Puck, could you please lend me a hand?"
"Oh--no problem!"
Puck emerged from behind Emilia, gave a cute little call, and then casually pushed open a door to the side.
As expected, Beatrice couldn't refuse her Puck.
"Thanks, Puck, and Emilia too. I'll go in first."
Higashino Makoto nodded to them, and after receiving their response, he went inside.
It truly lives up to its reputation as Forbidden Library.
The walls of the hall were lined with bookshelves, stretching from the floor to the ceiling, each one crammed full of books.
For a moment, even Higashino Makoto's collecting obsession kicked in, and he wanted to pack it all up and take it with him.
While pondering what to do, he casually picked up a book.
"How rude of you to come in without Betty's permission, and not even bother to say hello?"
Look in the direction of the sound.
In the center of the hall, a little girl sat at a table, holding a thick book in her hands.
blonde hair and blue eyes, with butterfly-shaped pupils.
A red dress with gold embroidery on the hem.
Her hair was very long, styled into two ponytails that reached her waist, with slightly curled ends.
Her expression was indifferent, her eyes were detached, and there was neither a smile nor a frown on her lips.
His face was expressionless.
Beatrice, the librarian of the Forbidden Library, Elf Kingdom of the Roswaal Mansion.
She looked up, her blue eyes watching the two people walk in.
"Humans and Orc?"
Her voice was clear and calm, carrying a maturity beyond her years.
Humans and Orc are not welcome here.
"It's okay, you don't have to treat me like a human being."
Higashino Makoto walked up to her and stopped.
Beatrice's brow furrowed slightly.
"Not human? Then what are you?"
"A sacred elemental Elf Kingdom, or, as Puck calls it, a yang elemental Elf Kingdom?"
Beatrice's pupils contracted slightly.
"How is that possible? Betty has never heard of a humanoid Yang-attribute Elf Kingdom. And why are you here?"
Beatrice went up and smelled Higashino Makoto, then returned to her original spot.
"Alright, it really does taste like your brother's. Since that's the case, Betty will be merciful and let you read here."
"Thank you very much."
Higashino Makoto sat down opposite her.
"Miss Betty, I'd like to look up some information. Could you tell me which area it is?"
Beatrice looked at him for a long time.
What are you investigating?
"Witches, especially the Witch of Envy, Satella."
Beatrice's fingers gently caressed the pages of the book.
Why are you investigating her?
I want to know her.
Beatrice remained silent for a moment.
"To think he'd be interested in the Witch of Envy, what a strange fellow!"
She closed the book, stood up, and walked to the bookshelf.
He ran his fingers lightly along the spine of the book, finally pulling out a heavy book with a leather cover and handing it to Higashino Makoto.
"A Brief History of Witches, written four hundred years ago, was likely written by a wise man of that time."
Higashino Makoto took the book and opened it.
The handwriting was neat and densely packed, and each page was filled with annotations.