Up in the north of the country there is a small village, very unimportant that it can easily be ignored by most part of the population. In that small village there was a small house with an extensive garden that was inhabited thanks to their previous owners leaving without signal or apparent motive which caused the rest of the village to create the legend that the place was cursed as the reason why it was abandoned in the first place. After that, such a house remained abandoned while the legends around it started to grow more and more. Things like vampires, covens or even the devil himself appearing in the middle of the night were the stories that the villagers told about the cursed house.

There were few people that ventured to the place thanks to those rumors returning in the morning to the village talking about strange apparitions in the dark rooms and sounds of crazy laughter and crying bowing to never come back to that place.

To add more to those rumors and legends when the house was visited in the middle of the day the curious villagers felt strange around the walls of the place even in daylight, like if a certain aura covered its surroundings.

That was until one day one kid in an unexpected excursion to the place when the twilight was already setting in saw a carriage from which a small blonde girl entered in the supposed cursed house.

Quick enough the news extended to all the village when he returned and by the evening a small group of villagers ventured to the metal door that separated the property from the rest of the village. At their encounter a girl of orange short hair and a red bow wearing a maid outfit came out to recieve them. She let them in and entered the house where they found a man of black hair and unfriendly stare and the blonde girl the boy had seen hours before dining alongside another maid.

The man quickly laughed at the intrusion and urged them to accompany them to the table even though the girl explicitly said time and time again that she didn't consent to any of that. When the villagers asked if they could keep the child away from their conversations the man laughed again and to their surprise he said that they would have to endure it, and told the same to her no matter how angrily the little girl pouted.

His name was Subaru, her name was Beatrice and contrary to their appearance they were husband and wife with Beatrice being the older one of the two by at least two years in that strange marriage. Subaru had come from Japan sometime after the reopening of the country traveling to the mainland continent where he met Beatrice, when they arrived in the countryside at the island on the other side of the channel they were already married and they had bought the place and came to live in the small village. After the quick dinner the villagers left wishing good luck to the odd couple.

With the passage of time the small and ruined house and garden quickly changed to a beautiful rose garden and Subaru with the help of one of their maids managed to repair the small house to something more comfortable to live in.

One day another kid had seen how another lots of carriages were stopped in front of the main house carrying what appeared to be hundreds and hundreds of books with the small Beatrice shouting orders all around the people carrying them to inside the house but nevertheless with the arrival of the couple and their small servitude service things didn't change that much in the quiet village.

But even to these days there seem to be comments among newcomers and visitors that there is a strange feeling around the married couple's home that it doesn't matter how much Subaru tries to make the place comforting it doesn't go away.

She was dragging a cart with some food and plates while Petra was following behind her carrying some towels and napkins. It was past noon but there was no noise in any part of the house except for the little noisy wheels of the cart and their steps around the hall. They arrived at a door and knocked, waiting at least a minute for an answer.

When the door opened Subaru peeked outside and greeted them trying to sound at least cheerful.

"Frederica." He said opening the door more now. He had his white shirt rolled up to his elbows and his shirt unbuttoned to his neck without his black vest. "What a surprise, man, even Petra too, aren't you two spoilen us that much? We had eaten like what? Five minutes ago and you are bringing up even more food again." He smiled.

"Subaru is half past noon by now." Said Frederica while she took Petra's towels and passed them to him.

"Already?" He asked more to himself than to her. "W-wow...that's unexpected." He walked inside to leave the towels inside the room and returned to the door frame. "Heh could swear it was still morning a few minutes ago…"

"Subaru if anything is wrong you know…"

"Tell you what, why don't you and Petra take the day off? Bet you two can have fun in the village while we just stay around, maybe go visit your brother and such while Petra plays around with the other children. Just try to come back before midnight."

"Day off?"

"Of course! I mean just remembering this morning and the whole business with those two flying rats makes me want to go back to rest and never leave my room…man now I realize I'm lucky I don't work as a butler or something because I would be fired already at this point." He laughed

"Y-you wouldn't want to join us with that visit? Even Lady Beatrice can come too." Fidgeted Petra downcasting her glance to the floor.

"Sorry about that but I have to…tend to some issues that have happened right now so we can't make the trip, maybe next time." He smiled at her trying to appear happy but that smile didn't reach his eyes.

"You know what, wait for me a few minutes before you go. I want to say goodbye to you two before returning inside and wish you a good trip, that and to receive final instructions for dinner and such so I don't burn the kitchen trying to serve me some water." He said with a little laugh. "See you at the entrance." He quickly closed the door leaving the two maids looking worried at each other.

He had written everything Frederica had told him in a note of paper, very easy to follow instructions so he and Beatrice could have a decent meal, at least he was sure that with this he couldn't mess things up like he always do. He was walking down the hallway while he grabbed the piece of paper and put it inside his pants pocket. He arrived at the door and knocked.

"Beako it's me."

"Come in, I suppose."

He sighed and opened the door. The room was dark already but with the twilight hours coming closer the darkness in the room was even more than usual, the new electric wiring was turned off and there were signs that a candle had recently burnt out.

He stepped in leaving the door open.

"Aren't you going to close that?"

"We are alone now Beako." He sat on the bed. "Frederica and Petra are already out on their way to the village."

"Still…don't want to take risks in case those two return, I suppose."

He looked at her, she was lying on her side of the bed covered in blankets so he could only see the back of her head.

"Don't worry, I'm sure they won't."

Subaru then proceeded to lay at her side next to her looking at the ceiling.

"I'm sorry."

…

"Why are you apologizing?"

"For…all of this I guess…Just for being my stupid usual self which ended up…"

"Subaru."

He turned to his left and encountered a very displeased Beatrice looking at him.

"None of this is your fault." Her expression softened and smiled at him.

"If it wasn't for me and my stupid speech then you wouldn't had opened up that letter with high expectations only for it to be even worst news."

"At this point I'm even inclined to believe that Mother had in her mind what would you have said for me to open that letter."

"That's a little scary don't you think?!"

"Maybe but it's how she always acted."

"It kinda worries me that you see that as normal."

"Oh don't worry your little head with that." She said as she patted Subaru's head. "This Betty has everything under control."

"And now why am I the one getting comfort in the first place?!"

"Sometimes you just need your cute little wife to assure you that everything is ok, don't you think?"

With a grumble Subaru quickly rolled into Beatrice's side and hugged her which made the little woman almost jump in surprise.

"WHA...What do you think you're doing, I suppose?!" She asked as Subaru's arms wrapped around her and he pulled her closer.

"You said this irremediable idiot needed the support of his cute wife but don't you think I would stay arms crossed while you take all the job! This idiot is ready to comfort his cute wife and is ready to not lose against her!"

"What are you talking about?! And stop calling yourself an idiot!"

"Nope." He said as he started to snuggle with Beatrice.

"S-stop it, you know I-I'm ticklish, I suppose." She said trying to hold but Subaru continued with his snuggling until Beatrice burst out laughing which at this point he rolled up to his side of the bed again.

"Victory." He said, satisfied looking again at the ceiling.

"This isn't even a competition! Seriously, sometimes you can be really strange." She puffed her cheeks annoyed.

"Well I made you laugh didn't I?"

"You always manage to do that." She said after giggling a little.

"Good to see that I still have the touch for that." He sighed while still looking up to the roof.

"And…what do you think about it…about all of that?" He said while his face turned into a frown.

Beatrice quickly jumped off the bed and started walking to the door frame.

"We'll discuss this at dinner, I suppose."

She turned around looking at Subaru while he was still pondering on the bed.

"Hope to see you there soon this time." She laughed before closing the door a little, enough to still let some of the light of the hall enter the room.

"So what are we having tonight? I suppose." Asked Beatrice while taking her seat across the table, with the seats on her left and opposite that belonged to Petra and Frederica empty.

"Well according to what Frederica told me we'll have some chicken stuff tonight." Said Subaru as he checked the paper where he scribbled Fredereica's instructions.

"Chicken?"

"Yeah, let's see oh and some rice with it so we just have to do something and it will be done."

"A-are you sure?"

"Of course, man this is so easy it seems I'm even becoming an expert in understanding English at this rate."

"I-if you say so…h-hey can i have a look at that paper you are holding? I suppose."

"Uh, why is that?"

"Just for a little confirmation."

"Eh, are you not trusting me?"

"Whaaaaaat? Of course not, what kind of wife would I be if I….I suppose."

"Just don't go around putting your usual tic without even completing your sentence!"

"It's just ok just let Betty look at that!" She said as she walked next to Subaru

"Why?!"

"Just give it to me!"

She jumped trying to grab the piece of paper from his hand while Subaru tried to move it away from her.

"What has gotten into you?! Just return to your seat and let me cook!"

"Betty just wants to be sure that her idiotic husband is following the right instructions, Is that too much to ask?!"

"Yes! I told you I'm doing fine by myself so justWHOA!"

Suddenly Beatrice launched herself with all her force against Subaru tackling him, strong enough to bring him to the ground. Thanks to the sudden surprise she managed to sneak her hand towards the piece of paper grabbing it.

"Perfect! I suppose." She said as she started to stand up reading it.

"Dammit that hurt!" Subaru said as he started to shake his head. "Well hope you are happy because dinner will take more time than usual thanks to that, so just read that quickly to…"

"Subaru"

"Eh? Yeah?"

"What dish exactly Frederica wrote in the paper?"

"Well obviously she wrote about preparing a chicken stew, you can read about it even though my handwriting is not the best yet but you have to admit I have improved a lot since the first time you started teaching me."

"Oh really?"

Subaru nodded slowly feeling a certain tension was starting to make itself present.

"In that case would you kindly tell me in which lesson I told you that beef translated to chicken I suppose?!" She suddenly shouted stomping her foot on the ground

"Wait, it doesn't mean that!?"

"Obviously not! She agitated the piece of paper angrier. "Were you planning to feed us this recipe in the first place without even managing to differentiate the main part of it?!"

"Well when you put it like that…"

She facepalmed so hard she managed to cry a little thanks to the pain it provoked her.

"Ok just go wash the vegetables the recipe is telling you to prepare while me I'll just go to prepare the beef for the dinner, I suppose."

"S-sure."

"You know which vegetables you have to use right? I suppose."

"Of course, I'll just ask you if there's a problem with them or anything. And thanks a lot Beako."

"Hmph, obviously this Betty has to have her sight on you because without her you'll be hopeless.

"Hey at least I managed to get almost all the things in the recipe right."

"Yes, save for the main part of the dish."

"Shut up."

"I love you too honey, I suppose."

"I'm so full I think I'm going to explode."

"I told you you shouldn't have gone for a third serving, I suppose." Groaned Beatrice.

"Says the one who served herself one gigantic portion of food after finishing her first one."

"Ok, maybe that was a mistake in retrospect, I suppose."

Both of them had managed to make dinner without further incidents but as Subaru had said it had taken a little longer than usual but still the roasted beef in a pot with onion they managed to make was delicious, it was too delicious in fact that both of them ended up eating more of what they were supposed to and the dish that was supposed to last at least three nights was gone in a blink.

"Do you have any idea of when Frederica will return?"

"I hope soon, I gave her and Petra days off but I don't remember if it was only this one or more."

"Hope we don't starve to death by the time they return, I suppose."

She started yawning while her eyes were closing little by little, she felt tired and after what had happened since the morning with the letter from her mother all she wanted was to rest after this dinner but thanks to Subaru she had to step up and help him in the kitchen. 'Just like after the first days we started to live together, I suppose. Sometimes I wish we could return to those times.' With that last thought she completely closed her eyes.

Well it took longer than expected but this story is still not forgotten after basically 2 chapters only slowly updated

If you like it leave some comments and or favorites so can continue writing so for now see you until the next time and happy holidays

All characters belong to their respective authors