Chapter 16.0

Chef Lydith and the Wolf of the Forest 1 (1)

After staring at me for a while as I announced that I was going to cook for him, Astaroth-sama tilted his head with a curious expression.

“What does quitting being a cleaning lady have to do with cooking me a meal?”

“It is a proven fact that food, clothing, and shelter are necessary for a healthy life. I have given my cleaning duties to Cronaea-san, and I have no lack of clothes to wear. What we lack is food.”

“Lydith, I will prepare your meals,Okay?”

“I am sure it was because of my lack of knowledge that I was unaware of the poison in the forest grizzly bear. To gain knowledge, you need to learn and practice, and the job of head chef is a great way to do both.”

I decided to interpret Astaroth’s behavior very favorably.

It is not wise to point it out directly to the one whose proclivities and affections are distorted. I am a loving girl with the heart of a holy mother, so I can accept slightly distorted expressions of affection.

Still, I cannot afford to wander between life and death at every meal.

It is a wise and beautiful girl who pretends to be a woman insensitive to love, unaware of Astaroth’s offer, and gently, softly, like a pleasant spring breeze, passes it by.

.”….. hmmm.”

“I think you said that the forest is dangerous, but if it’s right next to the castle, can I go get some ingredients?”

“I think it would be fine, Since it’s  around the castle, I can easily notice if anything happens, and small demons with harmful intentions are too afraid to go near the castle”

“I understand.”

“Lydith, I’ll put Cronaea in the dungeon, so your room will be in the guest room on the first floor. And those clothes….”

Astaroth reaches over and tugs lightly on my apron.

Presently I’m wearing a maid’s outfit that I got out of storage, and I wonder if I shouldn’t have borrowed it without permission.

The basement warehouse is filled with the negative legacy of before the war. So to speak, it’s what humans left behind.”

“…Lydith, you are so cute. It makes me feel a little bad.”

I thought it was only my brother who liked this kind of clothes, but Astaroth seems to like this kind of dressing as well.

A supple, chilly fingertip, glazed with tiny scales in places, lifts my skirt and touches my thigh.

I look up at Astaroth without ceasing to smile.

“Astaroth-sama… you mustn’t. I belong to Gilbert-sama.”

I may have chosen the wrong words.

Predatory love also burns up. Sure enough, he looked down at me lovingly.

This is not good.

I underestimated the power of these clothes. The ultimate weapon to confuse my brother wasn’t something sweet but this.

Besides, unlike my brother, Astaroth had no reason to hesitate.

I guess it doesn’t matter to Astaroth if his actions result in being disloyal to Gilbert-sama for me.

“Cute, Lydith-chan.”

Astaroth said and licked his lower lips.

The insolent hand that is caressing my thigh gradually moves higher and higher my body.

“Lydith, you’re so helpless and fragile, but you’re so high and mighty that I feel like I shouldn’t touch you, and I just want to snap you in half, it’s so good.”

“I’m as flexible as a bowstring. I won’t break.”

“I doubt that. Hey, Lidith, let’s do something bad, shall we? I’ll do something bad for you. Let me see how long it takes you to fall.”

“I am very happy for you, Astaroth, but there is an order to everything. After I have given myself to Gilbert-sama, I should love you equally.”

That is, if Gilbert-sama gives his permission.

The first time, I was thinking only of being a good companion for Rafael-sama. My love was equally given to everyone, but since I only had one body, I thought that Rafael-sama was the only one who was special to me.

But as I sat in the carriage on my way to the brothel, I thought that a prostitute is a person of great character who loves the men who visit her like a holy mother. I was impressed by what a noble profession it is to be a prostitute.

And I was convinced that I should be one too.

So no matter how dark and heavy Astaroth’s desires are, as long as they are not in the wrong order, I will accept them with the depth of my heart.

“Haha, haha…! I love you, Lydith. I love you, Lydith!”

I don’t know why, but Astaroth smiled very happily and lifted me up in his arms.

At least, I was relieved that some of the lewdness was gone.

Something about me seems to have struck a chord within him, but it is too complex for me to understand.

There are things I don’t understand, either.

“It’s easy for me to play with you, but then I’d feel sorry for the young sir, so I’ll wait for him to behave himself”

Astaroth said, and pointed to Cronaea, who was swimming in a sphere floating in the air.

The sphere and Cronaea disappeared immediately. She probably went to the dungeon.

I will try to visit her from time to time. She must be feeling lonely, and since she came to see me every day like that, I’m sure she would like to see my face.

“…I find your good manners very pleasing.”

“Hmmm, don’t you agree? Hey, Lydith, you can go into the forest, but don’t go beyond the lake, because there are scary wolves there”

“There are wolves here too? I thought the plants and animals were completely different.”

“Didn’t I tell you that the world is not divided into two. There is only one world. We’ll talk about this another time.”

I was picked up and carried down the hallway lined with magnificent doors on the first floor.

A massive wooden door carved with roses was opened. It was a large space that could have accommodated about five basement rooms, with deep-colored wooden floors, a variety of high-quality furnishings, and a comfortable bed.

It is similar to the private room of the ducal family where I lived.

It is not too red like Astaroth’s room, nor too inorganic like Gilbert’s room.

I appreciate that it has a window and a view of the outside. It is important to be exposed to sunlight.

“I’ve already had your luggage brought in, so you can use this room from today. I think we have most things here, but let me know if you need anything. And since no one is going to use it anyway, you are free to use anything in the castle.”

The fact that my luggage was transported means that there are several demons in this castle besides Astaroth-sama, Gilbert-sama, and Cronaea-san.

I have not met them, nor have I sensed any sign of people, but the castle is so large that I may have just not encountered them.

“Thank you very much. From today on, please call me Chef Lydith.”

“Yes, Lidith, the head chef. I’ll be looking forward to seeing you then.”

I returned the greeting gracefully to Astaroth, “See you soon.”

He closed the door on his way out and I checked out the room.

There was another door in the room, and it led to a large bathroom.

In the closet, were my clothes and a few uniforms from storage. There was also a brand new dress, not mine, but a good size, and a pair of shoes.

I don’t know who gave them to me, but I will gratefully accept them as a reward for my labor.

The bag was also hung up, with the precious metal inside still intact.

The drawers were lined with clean-looking linens. This is an exceptional treatment for the cleaning lady who was about to peel off the sheets and wipe herself down. I guess it means that the cleaning lady was recognized for her work.

As head chef, I must also revolutionize this castle. It is also for my nutritional condition.

I pulled out my bag and pulled out a knife in a sheath from the depths of the double bottom.

A small knife that fits comfortably in my hand, it is a necessity for my encampment. I was glad that I had hidden it quietly, because if my brother or Clive found out, they would take it away from me.

I had also included a knife belt with several storage pockets, so I put it on my waist and inserted the knife.

I slung the cloth bag containing the soap powder over my shoulder again and put on the longest pair of laced boots from the newly prepared shoes I had been given.

Among my new clothes, I found a waist-length red ruffled cloak, so I put that on as well.

Finally, I was dressed as a hunter in a maid’s outfit, going hunting in the woods in search of ingredients.

I look perfect today.

Satisfied with my appearance in the mirror, I decided to head into the forest.

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