It was another calm day on the Miload Manor. A spacious bed surrounded by luxurious furniture sat, in tranquility. Morning rays poured like gold dust on the bedding, illuminating the rise and fall of Emilia's chest as she lay nestled beneath layers of silk. Even in such a mundane situation, her angelic form depicted perfection, a gift from Od Laguna to the mortal realm.

The Half-elf stirred beneath the sheets, her long silver hair spilling over the pillows, reflecting the sun's golden hue. Her eyelid fluttered from the irritation, opening to reveal amethyst-like irises. The blankets held her skin in a tender embrace, discouraging her from leaving the comfort of the bed. A sigh escaped her lips as her body shifted, instantly stopped by a weight.

On her left side, Beatrice was curled up, clutching the sleeve of Emilia's nightgown in her small hands, her breathing slow and steady. Her blond hair was styled in the shape of drills, not a single strand out of place–A challenge to the very laws of the world.

At the sight, a warm smile crept on Emilia's flawless face, and the previous drowsiness completely dissipated.

"Wake up Beatrice, it's already morning," Emilia spoke before shaking her gently.

Beatrice groaned, seeking refuge in the covers. "Betty refuses to wake up, in fact," she mumbled.

"But it's already so bright outside. If you sleep any longer, you'll miss breakfast," Emilia chuckles, a mischievous smile adorning her face "Who knows, I might ask Frederica to make extra sweets today."

Beatrice shot up, a bright glint in her eyes "Hmph. Only because you are hopeless without Betty's company, I suppose."

Emilia got up before offering her hand "Come on, let's get ready."

The room was surrounded by white-ish walls, decorated with golden linings. Light seeped through long elegant windows, blending with the unnatural shine of many lamps. A comforting aroma lingered through out a large table, the faint scent of freshly baked bread and brewed tea. Silverware was neatly arranged, reflecting the glow of the chandeliers above.

At one side of the table, Emilia sat quietly, tracing a teacup with her fingers. Beatrice sat on her lap, drinking tea and eating cookies, her eyelids still heavy with drowsiness.

Otto let out a sigh, stretching his arms. "Feels like they're taking longer than usual today."

"Big sis's getting all fancy again. If she don't hurry up, my amazing self might just chomp down on the damn table!" Garfiel grumbled, arms crossed. His stomach let out a loud growl, earning a pointed look from Ram.

"You'll wait like a civilized person," she spat, placing down her teacup. "Of course, Ram isn't surprised that a barbarian like you doesn't understand the intricacies of cooking."

"Tch, not my fault I gotta eat more, Being the Princess' knight ain't easy"

"What a pathetic excuse. You act like eating more will turn you into some kind of great warrior, but all Ram sees is a beast who can barely sit still."

"You talk big for someone lazing around while everyone else is actually doing work! Ain't ya supposed to be a maid? Ya ain't even lifting a finger to help in the kitchen!"

"Ram has simply taken the responsibility of maintaining order."

Garfiel gritted his teeth "Grr… ya–"

"That's enough!, Garfiel this isn't the behavior of a knight" Emilia raised her voice, a hint of annoyance dissipating as quickly as it appeared. "And Ram, be nice"

"Hmph" Ram shot her head to the side

Emilia took a moment to recompose herself, glancing at the empty seat at the end of the table "Is Roswaal–"

"Lord Roswaal won't be joining us," Ram interrupted, her tone somber "He is feeling unwell. Again."

Otto sighed heavily, his hand pinching the bridge of his nose"Of course, that clown is hellbent on making me miserable. This makes it what? The fourth time this week? Meanwhile, I've been drowning in all the paperwork he's supposed to handle! Ughh, just thinking about it makes me sick"

Garfiel scoffed. "Tch. More like yer always drowning in paperwork, Otto."

Otto shot him a flat look. "That doesn't mean I want even more of it." his face turned back to Ram. "And what exactly is wrong with him this time?"

Ram poured herself more tea before returning the question with a glare, frustration growing on her face "Ram believes that you would have been done by now if you took your role as seriously as you waste your time looking at the bottom of a bottle," the hold on the cup intensified " As for Lord Roswaal, he is in a delicate state of mind..."

Emilia clapped her hands, eyes turned to her with full attention "Changing the subject, we need to leave for the capital soon," Emilia began, folding her hands on the table. "The meeting about Pristella's reconstruction is just a few days away."

Garfiel groaned. "Do we really gotta go? Buncha nobles sitting around talking ain't exactly exciting."

"It's necessary, in fact," Beatrice interjected, her eyes alert. She huffed, crossing her arms. "If we don't go, we won't have a say in anything, I suppose."

Ram nodded. "As irritating as some of the other camps may be, we can't ignore the political side of things." She turned to Otto. "How are the preparations?"

Otto clicked his tongue before setting stacks of documents down. "We're mostly ready, but I still have a ridiculous amount of work left to do." He muttered, "Not that Roswaal's doing any of it."

"You're handling things just fine, I suppose," Beatrice said, swinging her legs under the chair. "Though Betty won't object to you working a little harder for Emilia's sake, in fact."

Otto looked up, defeat in his voice. "Why, thank you for your overwhelming support." Eyes darted to Garfiel "Take extra care of Pastrache, she seems to be in a bad mood lately and she hasn't traveled to the capital in a while"

"Ok," Garfiel suddenly muttered.

There was a pause. Emilia blinked. "Wait… what?"

"Dunno," Garfiel frowned. "Just felt right to say."

Ram raised an eyebrow. "Is that another of your outdated sayings?"

"Ok," Beatrice repeated, testing the word. She tilted her head. "It's strange, in fact. Where did we even learn this?"

A brief silence fell over the table. The word felt oddly familiar, yet no one could recall where it came from.

Otto waved a hand. "Whatever. It's probably just some new merchant slang, Od knows we've been dealing with enough of those."

Emilia forced a small smile, unease growing inside her heart. "Maybe…"

Suddenly, the dining hall doors swung open with a woosh. Petra stepped in, balancing multiple trays with the grace of an experienced maid.

"Sorry for the wait!" Petra chirped, a toothy smile on her face, setting down plates of steaming food. Frederica followed, carrying a large serving platter.

"Thank you for your patience," Frederica gracefully bowed, placing the last dish down

Many eyes fell on a lonely bowl that sat in the middle of the table, its contents a substance of mystery and wonder. The creamy mixture clung to the sides of the ceramic bowl, valleys of pale cream with smooth peaks and folds. It released a faint tang, an aroma that carried the scent of eggs and the intense acidity of vinegar. The perfect texture, a thick consistency, and subtle saltiness. There was no mistaking it, it was none other than Subaru's thick, freshly produced mayonnaise. :)

"…Oi, uh, big sis," Garfiel muttered in shock, glancing toward his sister. "Ya made… a helluva lotta mayo, huh?"

Frederica tilted her head, her composed expression unfaltering. "I simply prepared the usual amount. Is something wrong with it?"

"The usual, huh?" Garfiel scratched his cheek, giving the bowl a skeptical look. "…Princess, Beatrice, this is for you two, right?"

Emilia, halfway through spreading jam on her toast, looked up in mild surprise. "Huh? Oh! I do like mayonnaise, but…" She eyed the sheer volume of Subaru's special mayonnaise in front of them, a flicker of confusion forming on her face. "This is… a bit much."

Beatrice pouted, staring at the bowl. "Betty doesn't dislike it either, in fact. But this amount is absurd, I suppose."

There was a brief pause.

"Wait," Otto stared with a thoughtful expression. "Why did we even prepare this much?"

Ram, too, was fixated on the bowl now, as if the sight of it unsettled her in a way she couldn't quite place. "That is… excessive. Frederica, have we really served this much before? Ram finds it quite repulsive."

Frederica frowned slightly, as if trying to recall something. "…I don't know. I just felt like this was the correct amount."

Garfiel scoffed, crossing his arms. "Well, somethin's off. No way we've been eating this much mayo. Not unless there's some kinda crazy mayonnaise fanatic among us."

An awkward silence spread throughout the room.

Emilia's fingers clenched tightly, a strange feeling pressing at the edge of her mind. She had forgotten something—no, someone.

"…Maybe we should eat before the food gets cold," she said with a soft smile, shaking the thought away.

Chains rattled as Subaru's body was hoisted up once more, metal hooks buried deep within his skin, a tight grip on his bones. 4 iron Hooks, each taking hold of one extremity. His breath came in gasps and chokes, liquid was exhaled from his mouth and nose, his throat too inflamed to scream. He hung belly down, arms and legs pulling the entirety of his weight, cracking sounds leaving his joints as they stretched passed their limit.

Under him stood a black metal contraption, its contents a boiling liquid. The fire stones beneath powered the gurgling beast.

Felix tilted his head, ears twitching as he smiled. "Jeez, you're such a dirty boy Pride. Guess I will have to give you another shower"

The chains were released.

Subaru plummeted.

The moment his body hit the liquid, agony swallowed him whole, his skin blistered and peeled. His eyelids closed in instinct, a thin barrier incapable of protecting his fragile eyeballs. The impact pressed against his lungs, air left him, liquid replacing it upon inhalation. The inferno cooked open wounds, blood seeped through the hooks, covering everything in deep crimson. It was hell on earth, his brain began shutting off—until he was yanked back up, steam rising off his brown flesh. He hung there, gasping, shaking, his body betraying him as it clung to the brief moment of relief before

Felix sighed, a disapproving look on his face. "You know, I can't help but feel like you're not appreciating this enough. You were such a disgusting mutt before this, laying on your filth like a pig. You should be grateful, not everyone gets such a thorough cleaning!"

Subaru's cracked lips parted, but no words came.

Felix giggled before tapping the chains. "Alright, let's go again. Can't leave you half-washed."