{T/N: I just got my first P@treon for the No Game No Life fic that I'm currently TRANSLATING. So here's a celebratory chapter...
Still, you should go support the Author of this fic to read more of this. Those of you who enjoyed the TRANSLATION I mean...}
.....
As Ram led Graham through the mansion, she meticulously explained the layout of each room.
"This is the kitchen… and over here is the bathroom," she said, gesturing to the various areas.
However, after navigating through a long hallway, they found themselves back in the kitchen once more.
"Guest? Guest? This is the kitchen," Ram repeated, her tone serious.
"Okay, and...?" Graham asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Guest, this is the kitchen," she emphasized again.
"I see. It's the kitchen. Why do you keep repeating it? Are you trying to make a point?" Graham replied, slightly annoyed.
"Mr guest… here it is…" Ram continued, ignoring his irritation.
"I'm not planning to steal food from the kitchen, you know," Graham muttered, feeling a bit exasperated.
Ram remained silent, her expression unreadable.
'Is she teasing me because I accidentally groped her earlier?' Graham wondered, 'But I don't even remember doing that...'
"Who knows? The words of a perverted guest who stares at Ram with such lecherous eyes are hardly convincing," Ram said, her voice dripping with disdain as she pouted, not bothering to hide her disgust.
"My glances are purely appreciative! Your name is Ram, right? Are all the maids here as willful as you? Do you dare to speak venomously on your esteemed guests?" Graham shot back, his tone sharp.
"Ram only speaks venomously to perverted guests," the pink-haired maid retorted, continuing to walk forward without looking back.
"So, should I thank you for this special treatment?" Graham asked sarcastically.
"No, being thanked by a vulgar guest would only make Ram feel endangered," she replied, hugging her shoulders and feigning fear. However, her expression remained calm, betraying her true feelings.
"Hey, you keep calling me perverted, but aren't you afraid I might retaliate in kind?" Graham said, his gaze lingering on Ram's maid outfit as he smirked.
"Tsss–!" Ram hissed, glaring at him with disgust.
"Did I just hear you make a disgusted sound?" Graham asked, amused.
"Oh dear! It seems the perverted guest has hearing problems as well. But don't worry, Ram will inform Emilia-sama so she can provide proper treatment. Please take care of yourself!" Ram exclaimed, covering her mouth with her hand.
With elegant steps, she walked away without looking back, though her quick exit suggested she was eager to escape before Graham could react.
'Clever girl...' Graham thought, smiling slightly, 'This sharp-tongued maid is quite interesting...'
He began to ponder how he might convince Roswaal to let him take her away. After all, he hadn't forgotten Lyle's wish. When the butler Lyle had used a secret technique to resurrect him, Graham had vowed to take care of the twin saints of the Oni Village. He couldn't let these maids slip through his fingers.
....
Later, Graham wandered through the mansion in his pajamas. Unlike Priscilla's ornate, crimson-filled estate, this mansion had many doors. If he remembered correctly, these doors were the "Door Crossing" set up by the loli Spirit who resided in the Forbidden Library.
Ram had introduced her to him earlier... And it wasn't as if her existence was a secret... Over the years, countless people had tried to form a contract with the Spirit, Beatrice, hoping to gain her power. But she had always refused.
.....
"Wha~! Oops!"
A cry of pain echoed through the hallway as a door suddenly swung open, and a disheveled figure was kicked out, landing weakly on the ground.
It was Natsuki Subaru, the isekai protagonist with fierce eyes.
"You look rather embarrassed. Do you need help?" Graham asked, amused by the sight.
Subaru, who had been driven out by Beatrice due to his lack of tact, was now kneeling on the ground, his limbs weak from having his mana drained.
"It's you!" Subaru exclaimed.
"Do you know me?" Graham raised an eyebrow.
"I didn't, but I do now. Hello, my name is Natsuki Subaru, and I'm a–"
"A poor guy with nothing to his name? Hello, I'm Graham," Graham interrupted, smirking.
Subaru's face froze. Lying on the ground in such a pathetic state was beyond embarrassing.
"No, seriously, Subaru-kun, if you introduce yourself like that, people will look down on you..." Graham teased.
"I see… but, Aniki, I was tricked by that magical loli just now, and now I can't move. Could you call Emilia to heal me?" Subaru asked, forcing a smile.
"This is a trivial matter. No need to bother Emilia. Let me see… Ah, your mana was drained. No big deal," Graham said, using water-attribute mana to slap Subaru's back.
"There, all fixed."
"Huh? It's true! Thank you Aniki!" Subaru said, finally showing a bit of gratitude.
"No problem. Just be careful next time. If your mana is completely drained, you could die," Graham warned, concerned that Subaru might accidentally get himself killed.
Subaru gasped, realizing how close he had come to death, 'That blonde drill-haired loli is dangerous!'
"But what exactly is mana?" Subaru asked, looking confused.
"Mana is the medium through which magic is used. Everyone has it in their body. It's essentially the life force that sustains us," Graham explained.
"So that's what magic is! Then, Graham-aniki, do you think I could…?" Subaru asked, his eyes shining with hope.
'Here it comes', Graham thought rolling his eyes, 'The protagonist's golden finger moment. This guy thinks I'm some kind of legendary mage who can teach him magic.'
"No," Graham said flatly.
Subaru's face fell, "Why not?" he demanded, his eyes widening in anger.
"Do you think mages grow on trees? If that were the case, slums like Felt-chan's wouldn't exist. In this world, people are divided into categories. Some are ordinary folks who can't use magic. They have to work hard as adventurers, and if they're lucky, they might eventually condense their mana and form a 'gate' to control magic. Others are destined to never use magic, no matter how hard they try."
"So it's about talent, right? Don't worry, I'm sure I'm one in a thousand! If you teach me, I'll definitely usher in a new era of magic!" Subaru declared, puffing out his chest.
Graham couldn't help but scoff, "You? Even if you could form a gate, I wouldn't teach you."
"You just don't want to help me!" Subaru snapped, glaring at Graham.
"Think what you want," Graham said, shrugging.
He had no interest in dealing with someone so self-centered and ungrateful.
As Graham turned to leave, Subaru called out, "Wait, Aniki! I really want to learn magic. How about I trade you this 'meteor' worth 20 holy gold coins? If you teach me, it's yours!"
Graham glanced at the flip phone in Subaru's hand and grimaced, "A 'meteor'? You're trying to pass off a broken phone as an artifact?"
"It's not just any phone! It has the power to freeze time!" Subaru insisted, his pride evident.
"Keep it for yourself," Graham said, opening a nearby door and stepping through. He had no interest in Subaru's nonsense.
As the door closed behind him, Graham found himself captivated by the sight before him…