Compared to the sumptuous feast before him, the nutritional meals in prison were nothing but pig slop!
This scene was as beautiful as a Western fantasy oil painting.
Rem walked to the dining table, cut a piece of trout, and pushed it in front of Grin.
"Guest, please enjoy."
Seeing this, Otto shouted anxiously, "Please be sure to cut a piece for me too, Lady Maid!"
Grin picked up his knife and fork, cut a piece of fish meat, and put it in his mouth. As his teeth bit in, the spicy vanguard of Dragon Breath Fruit oil swept across the tip of his tongue.
Then came the cold sweetness of the trout itself, like glacial stream water. The two temperatures swirled in his mouth, like a campfire suddenly rising in the center of an ice storm.
"Delicious!"
Even as a final meal, it was at a level where one could die contentedly after finishing it.
"This taste is amazing! This is real otherworldly cuisine! Rem is truly an all-purpose maid; she's simply wonderful!"
Otto also nodded repeatedly, fully agreeing with Grin's praise.
"Does Green-kun feel that way too? It's a truly moving aroma!"
Roswaal gestured toward Rem with quite a bit of pride.
"Rem's cooking is one of the prides of the Mejereis Household~ To the point where even a dragon would forget how to fly after eating it~"
As the cook, Rem's expression took on a hint of joy after hearing the praise from everyone.
She first curtsied to Roswaal, then approached Grin's side once more.
This fellow and Otto had saved her sister's life; letting them enjoy their meal could serve both etiquette and the repayment of a debt.
Rem bowed slightly to Grin, "Guest, may I ask if you are an adult? Would you like to drink some Moon Shadow Wine?"
Ram glanced at Grin and said, "Children should just obediently drink Soda."
"Sorry, I just turned eighteen." Grin swept his hair back and nudged the goblet on the table toward Rem.
"Oh, then you're an old man. Rem, mix half a cup of water for him. If he dies suddenly from intoxication, outsiders will think the Mejereis Household poisoned their guest."
Hearing her sister's command, Rem naturally chose to comply.
She nodded and brought over a bottle of wine with a base inlaid with Moonstones.
She filled Grin's wine glass to about sixty percent and stopped. The liquid shifted to a silver-blue as the angle changed, and flakes of frost floated in the glass.
Humans in Lugnica reach adulthood in a "legal sense" at fifteen and possess full civil capacity at seventeen.
Long-lived species are different; pure-blood spirits like Puck are only considered adults at a hundred.
To unify the laws, a racial correction clause was included in the Kingdom's code: "Adulthood is based on 1/8 of the species' average lifespan, but no lower than 15 years."
Seeing Rem really preparing to mix water into his glass, Grin quickly stopped her and snatched the wine glass away.
"Ram, I'm only a year older than you. If that counts as an old man, you must be reaching menopause."
"Oh my~ It seems Green-kun is very well-informed about the situation of the Mejereis Household~ Even though it's your first day at the mansion, it's truly unbelievable~"
Roswaal keenly captured the inconsistency in the conversation, his question as sharp as a knife.
Grin was stunned, and the fine wine in his mouth choked him.
"Cough, cough. Well~ it's actually nothing, just a bit of divination."
Otto, who was gorging himself on the side, also provided an assist.
"Yes, Lord Roswaal. Grin is a very powerful diviner. The first time I met him, he divined my name and past experiences."
Roswaal fell into a brief moment of thought, then quickly regained his smile.
"I see. The first time you met?"
His book of wisdom had recorded that a person with the ability to "correct the world" would appear by Emilia's side.
Now, as many as three had appeared.
Currently, it seemed that Grin, who displayed prophetic abilities, was the most likely to possess the Authority of "Correction."
Next was the servant Subaru Natsuki, whom Emilia had brought back out of an overflow of compassion.
In the Royal Capital, that guy had helped Emilia rescue a lost child, and later followed her to the Menzies Territory because he was homeless.
As for the merchant named "Otto," the possibility was extremely low and could basically be ruled out.
Useless people should be driven away as soon as possible.
Thinking of this, Roswaal said to Otto, "Lord Otto~ speaking of which, the Mejereis Household hasn't repaid your contribution yet~ I wonder what you would like as a reward for returning Ram to the mansion safely?"
Otto's mouth, stuffed with food, worked hard to swallow it all down. He then asked excitedly, "Is that really okay?"
Roswaal nodded. As a Count of Lugnica, he was very well-off financially.
Otto rubbed his hands together and awkwardly began to state his request.
"It's really hard to say. Due to poor management, I've stockpiled a large amount of outdated Magic Lamp Oil, and now I'm on the verge of bankruptcy.
So, if possible, I hope the Count can purchase some goods from me to give me a chance to breathe."
Otto explained his difficult situation. In the Royal Capital, those Guards were afraid Grin would come to settle accounts later, so they released Otto early as well.
The Guard Captain even took it upon himself to have Otto's creditors lower his interest; otherwise, this guy would probably have pawned his dragon carriage already.
"Lord Otto, such a small matter is no problem at all~ Besides purchasing all your goods~ I'll add another 100 gold coins."
Roswaal nodded without hesitation and immediately agreed to Otto's request, then changed his tone, adding with a hint of threat:
"But~ I hope you bury everything you've seen and heard in this mansion deep in your belly, digesting it along with the delicious food on the table. How about it~"
"You... you are too generous! Lord Count, I swear to the Dragon God that I will never reveal anything about the mansion!"
Otto was a bit excited; his bankruptcy crisis was finally over.
Not only that, but he also got a large sum of seed money. Green-kun is indeed my benefactor.
Grin looked at Otto with some concern. This scene felt a bit familiar.
He remembered the last guy who swore to the Dragon was smashed by Rem as soon as he stepped out.
"Next is Green-kun. As the greatest contributor to this incident~ not only did you commission Reinhard to return Emilia's royal selection badge, but you also helped Ram from the mouth of the White Whale."
"Such a heavy debt of gratitude must be repaid. Now~ please state your wish~ Green-kun~"
Roswaal interlaced his fingers, his eerie pupils staring at Grin, waiting for his answer.
Grin frowned slightly. This situation was something he hadn't expected. After wiping the grease from the corner of his mouth, he asked weakly:
"I'm not here for reform through labor?"
"Hahaha, Mr. Green is truly humorous~"
Roswaal laughed twice in his eccentric way and comforted him sincerely.
"Don't worry about the verdict Ram brought back. The Mejereis Household has always followed the principle of repaying kindness~"
Grin's eyes lit up, and he confirmed with some doubt: "Are you serious?"
"Of course~ Green-kun~ please feel free to ask for the moon~"
"So arrogant? Then first... let's start with a carriage full of holy gold coins."
Grin didn't care if it was just polite talk; if you have a wish, you have to aim big. What if it comes true?
"How much?!"
Roswaal's pronunciation actually became normal. He felt he had misheard. A carriage full of holy gold coins? That was too ridiculous.
"Sorry, I lost my composure. How much did you just say?"