A New Life

Living Independently Part II

I blinked.

There's a vague human-looking shadow in my room. About adult tall, with no definite feature. Just that it's vaguely human-shaped and has striking red eyes that glows in the dark.

KNOCK KNOCK

"Master? Are you awake? It's nine already."

Oh that's Asher and---WHAT?! IT'S NINE ALREADY?! "DIDN'T I TELL YOU TO WAKE ME AT SIX OR SIX THIRTY?!" I yelled as I racing to bathroom and turned the water into hot. Bless the geniuses mind and human's nature to create creature comfort. This world know jackshit about electricity, but Fire Stone and magic enchantments were a thing. I can enjoy a hot bath. Still, I didn't spend time dilly-dallying. I scrub myself raw, wash the soap, brush my teeth, and the dry myself before open the door and meet a very amused Asher handing me the winter casual clothes.

"Pardon me, Master, but you look so peaceful I don't have heart to do it."

"Bullshit."

"Language, Master."

"You can say that if Father didn't woke up the entire mansion with swearing. At three in the morning."

And boy, my father know how to swear like a sailor.

Nobody can blame him, though. He had to pull late hour dealing with paperwork and only have two hour sleep before some idiots nearly cause fire in market area. The resulting paperwork made everyone but mom and Mr. Winsley avoids him like plague.

I mean, he has this bother-me-and-I-will-bite-your-head-off vibe rolling in waves.

"And you deliberately didn't wake me up so I won't be cooking, right?"

"A Master shouldn't cooking if he had servant to do the job."

I growled at him.

It was one thing we didn't agree upon. Me cooking for us. Asher had take one look at me in makeshift apron, cooking dinner, and throw a fit and spiels on how I should leave this to him because bla bla bla bla bla bla. I replied by shoving the egg on his mouth.

I like cooking, ok? In my previous life, I learned cooking because I like making pretty and yummy bento. It was my lifesaver when I was in college and living alone. Buying take-outs and konbini bento is painful for wallet. And unhealthy. Buying food ingredients and cooking is much cheaper and better for me and my wallet.

In this life I haven't got the chance to cook. I respect the chef in the mansion too much to stepped on their toes. That and I was too busy learning all I can get. Here? Here I should have had free reign over kitchen. This is MY house dammit! Paid by my own money! Why I am not. If I am a kitchen disaster then I could understand, but I am a decent cook!

Lesson learned, do not rely on Asher to wake me up. Go to bed early so I can wake up at crack ass dawn.

"Come on Master, the food is getting cold."

Cold? Oh, I'll show you cold. Maybe if I bury you in the snow for half an hour you will see—huh. Where did that shadow gone? Ah, probably I was just half awake.

~X~

Winter means there's less activities to do.

Back at Japan, if I don't have class or project, I usually bundled in my apartment (or house, back before college), using Kotatsu, while playing handphone or laptop or watching TV. If I feels like going out, I usually go Ice skating or going to cat cafe or manga cafe.

Here? I can't do those. One, I don't have Kotatsu. Two, this world's technology is not as advance as Japan. Forget phone, laptop, or TV. The communication is on par with Dial up Phone, only without cables. Three. Cafe? Does that exist? Even if they does, I feel too lazy to get out from my home. Maybe next week or so. Manga doesn't exist here. And Asher is a canine of some kind, I doubt he appreciate it if I petted cats.