Fate and Liza had both been reeling from Jacob’s sudden appearance and abrupt departure, though Liza seemed to be somewhat calmer, as she had experienced this colder side of him more often than her isolated young master.

However, her timidness seemed to be shaken off, after having seen the pitiful state that Fate was in. Currently, he had slumped down and sprawled out on the floor, his eyes trembling and full of despair as they continued to stay locked on the door to the room…

Liza had helped him recover earlier by ‘pestering him,’ but this new depth of despair he had sunk to had gone past the point where such childish antics could help, and as such, a new approach was required.

Liza: “My lord…”

Liza whispered to him from her place on the bed, but he didn’t respond. She leaned closer…

Liza: “My lord.~”

She spoke in a louder, more playful tone, but still received no response. At this point, she began to pout, but, this time, restrained herself from prodding him, despite her annoyance at being ignored. Liza raised herself back onto the bed and sat up straight, tilting her head as she attempted to think of a way to snap her master out of his woeful state…

Liza: “Mmmmm…….”

She contemplated for a while, but couldn’t seem to pry herself away from her immature instincts, and, frustrated at herself, crisply slapped herself on both her cheeks, which both became slightly red.

Liza rubbed her now stinging cheeks and lowered herself from the bed, onto the floor, with a newly focused gaze having taken over her vision, as she hoisted Fate off the ground. She was quite shocked at how light he was but remembered that despite his attitude and somewhat well-toned physique, he was still a child and one younger than herself at that.

She placed him neatly on the bed, and began the process of removing the bloodied and torn clothes that he was wearing, inspecting a series of wrappings that she had placed at dawn…

He had sustained many injuries in his frenzied battle against Jacob, had lost quite a bit of blood, and given his age and by Earth’s standards, he should have already died...However, this world possessed many things that Earth did not, things such as items, skills, and inborn qualities that would allow one to achieve what most ordinary people deemed as impossible feats. In this case, what had allowed him to survive was the miracle of『Vitality』.

『Vitality』was the essence of a person’s body, and could allow those who possessed certain amounts of it to…‘get away with’ things that humans shouldn’t have been able to, such as excessive blood loss and being exposed to lethal toxins. Of course, this wasn’t to say that one’s 『Vitality』was capable of preventing death, but this did not make it any less incredible.

The other factor in Fate’s survival was Jacob’s superior skill and experience in combat. He had received minimal burns and a few scratches and had been able to disable Fate, without killing him. Meaning…

-He knew the young master’s limits...and most likely for some time, enough to plan his suffering while still keeping him alive...horrific…

However, she soon pushed these thoughts to the back of her mind, as she had finished surveying his body, though she still took a moment to observe the metal fragments that were embedded in Fate’s back, rubbing her right hand across them…

Fate: “Ughhh…!”

Fate suddenly jolted out of his frightened stupor, nearly jumping off the end of the bed! However, Liza quickly restrained him, locking eyes with him, only to see them turn slightly red…

He quickly looked away as tears began appearing in the corners of his eyes, though he quickly wiped these away as he felt Liza’s gaze on him. Fate swiped his torn and bloodied shirt from off the bed but was shocked at the state he found it in.

Liza: “Your injuries were quite...severe, my lord. Quite frankly, I’m shocked that you hadn’t noticed sooner…”

Fate began to feel around his body, only to be met with pain and severe stinging at every angle. He was, of course, shocked that he hadn’t felt anything after he had woken up, but couldn’t come up with a single reason as to why or how he could ignore this.

He slowly began to grit his teeth as his surprise and confusion became a chilling hatred, which seemed to have now eclipsed his former feelings of fear and dread…

However, despite the icy aura surrounding him, Liza seemed to have no problem approaching him, and gently placing her hand on top of his head, stroking her fingers through his hair as he now looked at her with confusion.
Liza: “I already said this, my young lord, but allow this servant to repeat it again...I’m here…~”

Fate’s eyes slowly moved to the floor, seemingly unable to meet her gentle gaze, though she didn’t seem to mind, as she continued to caress his head. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Fate’s chilling aura receded and he quietly responded…

Fate: “I’m...sorry…”

He sounded ashamed, like a boy whose mother had just caught him in the act of stealing food from the kitchen. Again, it was moments like these that reminded Liza…

-He really is just a child…

Suddenly, Liza grabbed Fate’s bare shoulders and began to repeatedly shake him, making him extremely dizzy! However, no sooner had she had him in her grasp than he had escaped her grip, slipping out of her arm's reach and tumbling onto the floor.

Fate: “W...What the hel…!”

[Clap!]

Fate’s speech cut off and his eyes twitched at the sound of the loud clap, as he angrily glared at the girl who had just been comforting him a moment ago.

Fate: “What was that for?!”

Liza, unexpectedly, appeared behind Fate, once again, hoisting him up from the floor and seated him on the bed. She raised her finger, pointing at him with an annoyed gaze…

Liza: “I will not have my lord apologizing to his own servants, such conduct is disgraceful! And though it may be presumptuous of this one, I would see that you should only give gratitude, and only when it is rightfully deserved!”

She childishly ‘hmphed,’ before lowering her head, as if expecting Fate to do something. When he did nothing, she simply pushed her head further towards him. Soon, her head had nearly reached his exposed chest, causing him to get flustered as he raised his hand to stop her…

Unexpectedly, though she received him, placing her head firmly against his hand, much to his further confusion. She now began to rub her head against his hand, with Fate so dumbfounded that he could only allow her to do as she wished.

After a few more moments of feeling her hair brushing against his palm, Liza raised herself up to meet his startled gaze with a beaming smile.
Liza: “And I believe that is gratitude enough for the duties I have performed!~”

Fate: “W-what you...wanted...was...for me to rub your head…?”

He could only stutter the words, as her smile was cemented in his eyes…

Liza: “My mother taught me that it is a way of showing one’s gratitude. She also taught me that if one learns more about a person, they can understand their feelings while performing this action!~”

Fate could only struggle to comprehend whether this strange line of thinking was the result of this world’s society or her mother’s teachings. However, he felt a strange warmth fill his chest, which wasn’t especially grand...but he didn’t seem to want to let go of, for it felt...familiar…

But, he quickly snapped himself out of his blissful trance, clearing his throat as he tried to refine his attitude, all while Liza continued to smile at him.

Fate: “Ahem! So...I suppose that I should be leaving to find Jacob, then…”

He turned back to the door he had been staring at, only to find that it had been opened slightly and that a set of neatly folded clothes had been placed in front of it, much to his surprise. Fate darted to the door, flinging it open as he looked in every direction, hoping to find whoever had intruded, only to hear a giggle from behind him…

Liza: “My lord, you won’t be able to find him. After all, you should already know who placed those there, don’t you?”

At Liza’s words, he could only dryly chuckle, as his mind conjured the terrifying devil who had haunted him since earlier. Fate could only curse his luck that the one who was targeting him was now his teacher, and given his apparent attack on him...possibly his executioner…

Fate: “Haaaaaaaa...Oh well, at least the devil knows how to dress…”

Liza: “Did you say something, my lord?”

Fate quickly realized his mistake and coughed loudly to cover up his misspeak as he turned around to face Liza with a forced expressionlessness.

Fate: “Nothing...I didn’t say anything.”

Liza looked suspicious, but seemed to shrug it off, much to Fate’s relief. After all, it would sound strange if the child who had attacked a priest was now speaking of devils, not to mention…

-It’d just be embarrassing to say something so...cliché! At least...I think it’s among the clichés because somebody’s got to have used that by now, right?

Liza now scooped up the neatly folded clothes in her arms, while handing a long-sleeved, white shirt to Fate. She giggled…

Liza: “Surely you weren’t thinking of changing here, were you, my lord?~”

Fate’s face grew red as he took the shirt from her, quickly putting it on and buttoning it up. He was shocked at how well it fit, but this paled in the relief he felt from having something to wear. He then attempted to take the rest of the clothes, to find somewhere to change, but Liza withheld them from him.

Liza: “My lord, please forgive this servant’s rudeness, but you aren’t thinking of wandering the halls of the manor unattended, are you?~ Please, allow this Liza to escort you to your room, so that you may change, and that we may make haste to find Lord Jacob.”

Fate, although embarrassed, nodded his head, leaving the room behind as Liza followed him out, but took a moment to close and lock her door while staring at Fate, who was pressing up against the wall as he stretched out his back…

Liza: “...Not to mention that I shall not allow anyone else to share the sight of my adorable lord in this state…~”

Liza whispered this to herself while giggling, before catching up with Fate, who appeared to be getting impatient.

Fate: “I guess...I’ll be relying on you then…”

Liza gave a slight bow, as she beamed a smile at him…

Liza: “Yes, my lord!~”

Together, the two proceeded down the halls, the brightly smiling Liza leading the somewhat disgruntled Fate away…
...

[Chapters completed this week: 1/7]

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