Chapter 55

This is a story set in the main timeline.

Lavie gently raised her fist, noting that her body had finally started to move a bit more. Her thin arms, which used to be so frail, might now be described as just "thin," she thought, smiling wryly. Behind her, a servant let out a "Hya!"

***

In the kitchen, as usual, late at night, Lavie was standing with both hands on the counter, staring intently at the ingredients.

"What's the matter, Miss? Are you about to have your usual witch time soon?"

"I don't recall having such a habit..."

Lavie, with her bobbing ponytail and a serious face, found it increasingly bothersome to keep correcting the servant. She widened her eyes dramatically. "Oh, your eyes are bulging out now...!" The servant, maintaining a safe distance, was narrating the scene in a hushed voice, but Lavie's back was speaking volumes: "I can hear everything you're saying."

"Milk!"

With a thud, Lavie pointed at the bowl in front of her and shouted with determination.

"And a bit of crusty bread!"

She extended her thin fingers, pointing them out. Afterward, the inner Miss Lavie wondered if that was a bit too unladylike, so she quickly tightened her lips, closed her eyes gently, and exhaled softly.

Rattle, rattle...

"Ah! Now the counter you're leaning on is trembling in small movements...!" "I've had enough of your commentary..." Her breathing became heavy. "What's a live commentary anyway!" the servant shouted from behind, but Lavie ignored it. She organized her thoughts in her head.

"Rice porridge... Yes, rice porridge. Rice porridge is... not just made from rice... I know, I knew... You can make it from... bread and milk too! But...!"

She looked up at the ceiling (literally) and groaned.

"Milk is scary...!"

"But I think Miss is much scarier, so it's fine."

Lavie's inner voice grew agitated. "That's not the point at all!" The thought of drinking milk and possibly getting a stomachache, a memory from her time as a Japanese person, was troubling, but she knew it was a matter of constitution and that cooking it should be fine.

However, understanding and emotion are different things. Her weak, wobbly body had a fragile stomach. She didn't want to face the reality, so she thought in foreign words, but in essence, it was her weak stomach. She had no confidence that it could handle anything. The thought of dragging her weakened body to school made her feel anything but amused. She lacked the courage to fight her fear and make bread porridge, but...

"Sticking to the same food won't lead to evolution. I do think about trying different things, of course..."

Lavie didn't have much time. To escape from Nella, she needed as much physical strength, intelligence, and wealth as possible. Momentum was important. With a shout of "Daa!" she poured the milk from the bowl into the pot. "Daa, Daa!" She put it on the fire and, just as it started to boil, added the white part of the torn bread. The crusts would go to the servant's stomach later. Not wasting anything made her happy. Lavie was the type of young lady who wanted to use ingredients carefully.

She stirred the bread, which was sticking to the pot, with a spatula and smiled, imagining the result. "So, you've finally done it..." The servant, who had seen everything, shed a tear, but she was too agitated to ask where she had gone.

"Right, I almost forgot..."

Ideally, she would have liked to fry some bacon or something salty, but Lavie still lacked confidence in her stomach. In pursuit of simplicity, she added only bread and milk. To add some flavor, she sprinkled a bit of salt. Sprinkle, sprinkle.

When she saw the resulting, even more runny mixture, the servant let out a concerned "Oh..." Lavie, for her part, placed it on a plate, scooped it up with a spoon, and her heart was pounding. What if her stomach exploded...? Her heart was racing.

She wanted to return to her room and eat it slowly, but she decided to swallow and prepare for the worst, trusting the servant a little.

"Ready."

"Ugh, should I call a doctor...!?"

"It, it's good..."

It was seeping through... Lavie's already rabbit-like red eyes became even redder and teary. The servant, seeing this, let out a vague "Ha..." but it didn't matter.

"Nutrients are being delivered to my organs... I'm glad I had the courage...!"

"I don't really understand, but it seems like something good happened..."

And so, she returned to her room, feeling happy, but the fear of getting sick lingered.

The next day, there were no particular changes, and Lavie, with her arms spread wide, basked in the morning sun, feeling victorious. When Mari entered the room, Lavie was still in the same pose on the bed, which made her jump. Feeling better and enjoying the bread porridge, she dreamed of adding sugar next time...

"But, I might still get too nervous. Rice is always reliable. But sometimes, I'll break the routine!"

With this resolve, Lavie headed to school, as lively and frail as ever...

【Promotion】

The third volume of the manga is now available!

It includes the tea party chapter, so please check it out if you're interested!

【Promotion 2】

I apologize for the change of topic, but the new series, "The Dawn Witch Raisi Wants to Live Freely 1 ~ After Defeating the Demon King, I'll Open a Relaxing Shop ~," is also available. Please check it out if you're interested!

https://ncode.syosetu.com/n1973he/