Re:Zero -Starting Life in Zero

Compared to the sumptuous feast before them, the prison's nutritious meals were nothing short of pig swill!

This scene is as beautiful as a Western fantasy-style oil painting.

Rem walked to the table, cut off a piece of trout, and pushed it in front of Green.

"Please, sir/madam, have a meal."

Seeing this, Otto hurriedly called out, "Please cut me a piece too, my lady!"

Green picked up his knife and fork, cut off a piece of fish and put it in his mouth. As his teeth cut in, the spicy vanguard of dragon's breath oil swept across his tongue.

Then comes the trout's own glacial sweetness, like the cool water of a glacial stream; the two temperatures swirl in your mouth like a bonfire suddenly rising in the eye of an ice storm.

"Five ants!"

Even if it were a last meal before execution, it would be enough to be willing to die after eating it.

"This tastes amazing! This is true otherworldly cuisine! Rem truly lives up to her reputation as an all-around maid; she's absolutely fantastic!"

Otto nodded repeatedly, fully agreeing with Green's praise:

"So, Grimm-kun thinks so too? What a touching fragrance!"

Roswaal gestured proudly in Rem's direction.

"Rem's cooking is one of the pride of the Mezas family~ It's so good that even dragons would forget how to fly after eating it~"

Rem, who is a chef, showed a hint of joy on her face after hearing everyone's praise.

She first bowed to Roswaal in return, then came to Green's side again.

This guy and Otto saved his sister's life, so letting them have a pleasant meal would be both polite and a way of repaying their debt of gratitude.

Rem bowed slightly to Grimm: "Guest, are you of legal age? Would you like some Moonshadow Wine?"

Ram glanced at Green and said, "Kids should go drink their soda."

"Sorry, I just turned eighteen." Green smoothed his hair back and moved the wine glass on the table toward Rem.

"Oh, he's an old man then. Rem, give him half a glass of water. If he dies from drunkenness, outsiders will think the Mezas family poisoned their guest."

Rem naturally complied with her older sister's instructions.

She nodded and brought over a bottle of wine with a base inlaid with moonstones.

After filling Green's glass to about six-tenths full, no more was added. The liquid changed from silver to blue depending on the angle, with flakes of ice floating in the glass.

In Lugnica, humans reach adulthood in a "legal sense" at age fifteen and acquire full civil capacity at age seventeen.

Long-lived species are different; pure-blooded elves like Puck don't reach adulthood until they are a hundred years old.

In order to unify the law, the Kingdom's Code included a racial amendment clause, which stipulated that "the standard for adulthood is one-eighth of the average lifespan of that race, but it must not be less than 15 years old."

When he saw that Rem was really about to add water to her glass, Green quickly stopped her and snatched the glass away.

"Ram, I'm only a year older than you. If that makes me an old person, then you must be going through menopause by now."

"Oh my, it seems Grin-kun knows a lot about the Mezas family. It's unbelievable that this is only the first day I've been to their residence."

Roswaal keenly spotted the inconsistencies in the conversation, and his questions were as sharp as daggers.

Green was taken aback, and choked on the wine in his mouth.

"Ahem, well~ it's nothing really, just a little bit of divination."

Otto, who was eating heartily on the sidelines, also provided an assist.

"Yes, Lord Roswaal, Grin is a very skilled fortune teller. He divined my name and my past the first time we met."

Roswaal paused for a moment to think, then smiled again.

"I see. Is this our first meeting?"

His Book of Wisdom records that a person with the ability to "correct the world" will appear beside Emilia.

Currently, there are three of them.

Currently, it seems that Green, who has shown prophetic abilities, is most likely to possess the power of "correction".

Secondly, there's Natsuki Subaru, the maid Emilia took in out of her overflowing compassion.

While in the capital, that guy and Emilia rescued lost children together. Later, because he had nowhere to go, he followed Emilia to the territory of Mezas.

As for the businessman named "Otto," the possibility is extremely low, and he can basically be ruled out.

It's best to get rid of useless people as soon as possible.

Thinking of this, Roswaal said to Otto, "Lord Otto, speaking of which, the Mezas family hasn't yet repaid your contribution. I wonder what you would like to receive as payment for bringing Ram back to the manor safely?"

Otto, his mouth stuffed full of food, worked hard to swallow it all, then asked excitedly, "Really?"

Roswaal nodded. As the Count of Lugnica, he was quite wealthy.

Otto rubbed his hands together and hesitantly began to state his demands.

"It's really hard to say, but due to poor management, I've stockpiled a large amount of outdated magic lamp oil, and now I'm on the verge of bankruptcy."

Therefore, if possible, I hope Your Excellency can purchase some goods from me, giving me a chance to catch my breath.

Otto explained his difficult situation: back in the capital, the guards, fearing that Green would come looking for trouble, had released Otto ahead of time.

The captain of the guard even personally intervened and got Otto's creditors to lower the interest rate for him; otherwise, this guy probably would have already pawned the dragon carriage.

"Lord Otto, this is no problem at all~ In addition to buying all your goods~ I'll give you an extra 100 gold coins."

Roswaal nodded without hesitation, agreeing to Otto's request, then changed the subject, adding with a hint of threat:

"But~ I hope you'll keep everything you've seen and heard in this mansion to yourself, digesting it along with the food on the table, how about that~"

"You...you are far too generous! Your Excellency, I swear to the Dragon God, I will never reveal anything about the manor!"

Otto was somewhat excited; his bankruptcy crisis was finally over.

Not only that, but I also received a large sum of start-up capital. Mr. Green is truly my benefactor.

Green glanced at Otto with some concern; the scene seemed vaguely familiar.

He remembered the last guy who swore an oath to a dragon, who was smashed to pieces by Rem as soon as he stepped outside.

"Next up is Grin-kun, the biggest contributor to this incident. He not only entrusted Reinhard to return Emilia's Royal Selection Crest, but also helped Ram escape from the mouth of the white whale."

"Such a heavy debt of gratitude must be repaid. Now, please state your wish, Grin-kun."

Roswaal interlaced his fingers, his enigmatic eyes fixed on Green, awaiting his answer.

Green frowned slightly; this was unexpected. After wiping the grease from the corner of his mouth, he asked weakly:

"Didn't I come here for labor reform?"

"Haha, Mr. Green is really funny!"

Roswaal chuckled maniacally twice, offering sincere words of comfort.

"Don't worry about the verdict Ram brought back. The Mezas family has always adhered to the principle of repaying kindness."

Green's eyes lit up, and he asked with some doubt, "Are you serious?"

"Of course~ Grimm~ Please feel free to ask for as much as you want~"

"So arrogant? Then let's start with... a truckload of Holy Gold Coins."

Green doesn't care if you're just being polite; you have to have big wishes, because what if they come true?

"Take away the young master?"

Roswaal's pronunciation suddenly became normal. He felt like he had misheard. A whole cart of holy gold coins? That was too outrageous.

"Sorry, I lost my composure a bit. How much did you just say?"