Fate told her only some of what he had experienced, not bothering to tell her that he had been framed for the crime which got him disowned. In his mind, telling someone else that wasn’t going to change anything, plus she was still employed by his mother so fully trusting her didn’t seem smart.

 

He talked about the lessons, awkward punishments, and his interactions with Agatha, making sure to highlight, in this case for her sake, that it was better not to cross her, at least where she could see you…

 

Liza: “Mhm, I had a feeling about the Lady though I was never particularly sure how to put it...but hearing you talk about her puts a name to it, scary!”

 

Fate: “Again, you owe me extra snacks for that tidbit, but you also don’t need to worry unless you genuinely botch...fail to report on me. Just stay...never mind…”

 

-I was going to say ‘below the radar,’ but there aren’t any sonar systems in this world, damn! It’s weird that I’m mad about that, but I just really like saying that!

 

Liza: “Hmm...I understand what you’re saying, my lord. However…”

 

Liza leaned her head close to Fate’s ear, causing him to flinch. She simply allowed her smile to bloom and spoke while making sure to enunciate each syllable of her words…

 

Liza: “I’m already reporting to her and delivering the information I’m certain of based on her desires. Whether or not you can use mana, your physical strength, and your disposition are all things that I’ve reported on, it’s just that I’ve kept a few details to myself.~”

 

It was just for a moment before Fate turned his head away, but he actually thought that she looked kind of... cute when she said that. 

 

-No, she’s just trying to mess with your head, stay strong me!

 

She stood up and gazed at Fate with her arms crossed behind her back with a smile across her face. After a moment of staring, however, she walked to the door, opened it, exited the room, and locked the door behind her.

 

Fate sat in the now empty room, somehow feeling a sense of displeasure now that he was alone again. Just as he was about to pass this off as some passing feelings, however…

 

Liza: “Oh, my lord, I’ll remember to get you those extra snacks, but you have to be extra nice to me next time, alright?~”

 

He heard her voice coming from just beyond the door.

 

Fate: “I already made a generous deal with you, I have secured my right to those snacks!”

He heard her giggle a little and then heard her footsteps gradually heading down the hall, growing fainter with every step. However, unknown to Fate, a small smile had replaced the displeased frown on his face, it seemed that he might have made a friend and didn’t even know it.

…

Jacob walked the halls, basking in the silence. He had been sent to check Fate’s condition himself since some of the information Liza had been ‘unsure of’ could be a huge oversight in his Lady’s plan, thus it was crucial that they hold all the cards they could.

 

-I might have usually passed my Lady’s paranoia off as her misdirecting her feelings towards the lord being off in battle, however, if the young lord can use magic and has already been doing so without guidance...It goes without saying that it could be a dangerous situation…

 

Indeed, a child having access to mana with no supervision was quite dangerous by itself, but the child in question had a deep-seated grudge against his mother and seemed disturbingly more intelligent than a child should. 

 

If a child like that could use magic effectively, he may choose to tear apart the mansion at the cost of his own body and ruin the manor’s reputation or scarier still, he may choose to kill everyone residing in the mansion.

 

-Still though...the amount of mana he would require to sustain combat, not to mention the experience in manipulation it, should be a pipedream for one so young...I can only hope that I’m right, I suppose.

 

However, while he had been walking and conversing with his own thoughts, a figure emerged from the corridor in the direction of Fate’s room. For any other person, confirming the identity of an individual from a distance away would be an arduous task, but Jacob needed only to focus his gaze a tad to see the face of this person in perfect detail, Liza.

 

-...What has her so happy that she’s smiling? I don’t believe that serving the young master could even be classified as fun...though then again, even I have had a moment or two when I’d chuckled internally...

 

Jacob forced himself to not crack a smile, yet could feel that his act was faltering in some respects. Instead of focusing on his faults, he chose to focus on the skipping, Liza, who was fast approaching his position, seemingly unaware of his presence.

Soon though, she noticed him and immediately came to a grinding halt, nearly tripping over her own feet as she stopped skipping. She quickly straightened her mouth into a neutral expression and walked a respectful way with both her hands held together in front of her.

 

Jacob: “Greetings, young Liza. I was informed that you were tending to the young master around this time?” 

Liza: “Indeed, lord Jacob. I am just going to fetch him his meal and then will be returning to wait on him again.”

 

Jacob: “Very good, has there been any progress in determining his strengths?” 

 

Liza gave a troubled expression and shook her head, seemingly in dismay. Jacob gave a curious expression, but just gave a short nod and began walking along. She began walking towards the opposite end of the hall and gave a short sigh as if relieved.

 

Jacob: “Incidentally, what were you so jovial about just a moment ago?”

 

She immediately froze in place and spawned a nervous, slightly embarrassed expression. Even though she was incredibly young, she was also incredibly talented in acting and barely ever broke character, yet somehow she was so nervous that she was showing her emotions blatantly like this…

 

-What could have happened to her this morning...or is it just this morning at all, could this have been going on for longer than that?

 

Liza: “A recipe.”

 

Jacob’s conflicted expression instantly settled and once again resumed its confused state.

 

Jacob: “Sorry?”

 

Liza acted embarrassed, twirling some of her hair around her finger with a nervous grin on her face. Rather than the actor, those around her believed her to be, she looked like a young girl should when she’s made a mistake or had a small accident.

 

Liza: “I had an idea for a recipe while with the young master and I thought that...well...that I could make it and then have some with him...He keeps eating that terrifying concoction without complaint and it disturbs me to no end...so I thought…”

 

 She was twidling her fingers like someone who had just been caught stealing a cookie or cheating on a test, but it didn’t seem like an act. Jacob thought about what he knew of her personality and it seemed fairly believable to him.

 

Jacob: “Your confidence in the Lady to repel whatever he may throw at you, to the point where you would be willing to offer him such luxury, is truly inspiring.”

 

Liza: “Ah, yes! I need not fear his ‘cursed presence’ when I am in the service of mistress Agatha, for she exudes the radiance of…!”

 

He put a hand in front of her face to get her to stop speaking, eliciting a small frown from her in seeming dismay, that she had not gotten to give some sort of speech.

 

Jacob: “Enough, clearly your dedication is strong, but do please remember that when you are serving the Lady she will wish for you to be punctual and to not draw out your explanations, am I understood?”

 

She bowed and proceeded to resume walking towards her destination, while Jacob stared at the back of her head all the while. Right now, she was the perfect servant and observer for Fate, however…

 

-I guess her talents and dedication are what are to be expected, from her family at least...Now then, I must gather information and then prepare a snack for my Lady, but what would she desire this time of day…?

 

He continued his walk, even as he contemplated his options on what to prepare after this was done. It could change depending on what answers he obtained from Fate...