TLAM CH 10

Episode 10. Mushroom Cream Risotto Growing in a Deep Forest

Between her messy silver hair, Sasha saw a familiar face. She hoped it was just the light playing tricks on her—but no. There was no mistaking that face. It was someone with a unique beauty, impossible to imitate.

Her voice trembled with fear as she spoke.
“L-Lord…?”

The man, half-hidden in the darkness, froze. He was gripping Sasha’s arms tightly and didn’t move. Sasha wondered if maybe he was just as shocked as she was—maybe even more.

Then, his beautiful eyes turned sharp and dangerous, like a predator spotting its prey. Sasha felt her heart sink and could barely breathe from the pressure around her.

Just then, a loud bark broke the silence.
“Woof!”

A corgi jumped between them, wagging its tail and rubbing against the man’s leg.
“Woof woof!”

The man, Chernos, looked down at the dog. Only then did Sasha feel the intense pressure around her ease. She noticed a sword lying next to his foot—the same sword she had just used to threaten him, thinking he was an intruder.

‘Oh no…’

She had just tried to attack her master. Sasha remembered what Alfred had said—that she was hired to take care of the lord. But instead of protecting him, she had pulled a weapon on him. Even though it was a mistake, she couldn’t exactly explain that now.

“I-I’m really sorry, my lord…”
Sasha bowed her head deeply.

Chernos didn’t respond. He just petted the dog silently. The longer he stayed quiet, the heavier Sasha’s heart felt.

‘I’m going to be fired for sure.’

She remembered how she had once mistaken Alfred for the lord and made a mistake back then, too. That time she had been lucky. But surely, she couldn’t expect to be lucky again.

“You’re the new maid, right?”
Chernos finally spoke. He didn’t sound angry, to her surprise.

“Yes, that’s right,” she replied, trying to steady her voice.

“…Quite an eventful first meeting,” he muttered.

It sounded like he was upset, even if he didn’t show it. Sasha tried to speak again to apologize, but he interrupted.

“Does your arm hurt?” he asked, pointing at her wrist.

That’s when Sasha noticed it—her wrist was red and swollen from when he had grabbed her.

“I-It’s okay! But I really shouldn’t have pointed a sword at you—”

“It’s fine,” he cut her off and turned away.

“Let’s just pretend it didn’t happen.”

The dog followed after him, but Sasha couldn’t move.

‘Wait… pretend it didn’t happen?’

Did he mean he was going to pretend she was never hired?

Her mind went blank.

The next morning

Alfred woke up early and saw Sasha cleaning the garden. The whole place looked tidier, inside and out. He approached her, about to compliment her.

But Sasha turned to him with tears in her eyes.
“P-Please don’t fire me…!”

Alfred was shocked. He asked her why she was crying, and Sasha tearfully told him everything that had happened the night before.

‘Hmm… That’s strange. The lord wouldn’t fire her over something like this,’ he thought.

If Sasha knew the real reason she had ended up at this mansion, she’d be shocked. Her arrival was not an accident—it was part of the lord’s plan. But Alfred couldn’t tell her that.

“Are you sure you didn’t misunderstand something?” he asked gently.

“But if you saw how he looked at me yesterday… I made such a big mistake. He didn’t even look back at me before leaving!”

Apparently, Sasha had mistaken Chernos for an intruder and threatened him. Alfred thought for a moment about Chernos’s personality.

Yes, the lord could be harsh. He was the type to make people pay dearly for their mistakes.

“True… He’s a difficult man. Very stubborn and moody. He might actually be mad at you.”

Sasha looked heartbroken. The thought of being kicked out with nowhere to go made Alfred feel sorry for her.

And also… a bit sad, too. If she left, he wouldn’t get to eat her delicious pasta again.

“Wait a minute. I just had a great idea!” he said suddenly.

“W-What is it?” she asked with hopeful eyes.

Alfred smiled confidently.
“Why don’t you cook something for the lord?”

Sasha’s face fell.
“That’s not going to be enough to make up for what I did…”

“What do you mean ‘just that’?!”

Alfred got a little offended and told her how amazing her pasta had been the night before. He said it was the best meal he’d had in a long time. There was something comforting in the food—like magic. If the lord tasted it, surely he would change his mind.

Sasha blushed and shyly asked,
“Do you really think so?”

“Of course!” Alfred replied enthusiastically. As he explained, he became more and more certain her cooking could work.

“Okay… Then I’ll try! Can you tell me what kind of food the lord likes?”

“Hmm… the lord’s taste in food…” Alfred closed his eyes to think.

“…Hmm…”

But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t remember a single time the lord enjoyed a meal. It wasn’t because Alfred was forgetful—it was just that the lord never really enjoyed food.

‘Wait a minute… now that I think about it…’

Chernos always ate the same meals, at the same times, and never showed any interest. To him, food was just fuel to survive.

‘Oh no… What do I do now?’

Alfred glanced at Sasha, who was looking at him with hopeful eyes.

‘I can’t let her down. I have to think of something…!’

He desperately searched through his memories—anything about the lord that might help. Even the smallest, most useless detail.

Then, suddenly, a very old memory popped into his head.

‘Yes! That’s i