Subaru, however, had other thoughts. He had realized that he did not know the local language. He could communicate just fine with words, but written texts were illigible to him. He talked to Ash about it.
"Ash, you got a moment?"
"Sure, friend, what do you need?"
"I've come to notice that neither of us actually knows the written language of this place."
"True. We can't last long without knowing it. Eventually we must leave this mansion and our ignorance might slow us down."
They decided to ask the maids for help.
"Need help for reading, then, Barusu? I guess I might do that, if only for pity. Ash, do you want to join him?"
"I'd appreciate that, thanks."
Subaru wasn't quite happy with the difference in Ram's tone.
"Ash, why is she only condescending with me and not with you?"
"Genuinely no clue, lad."
He accompanied this with a chuckle. Subaru decided to let it slide. He wasn't a grudge keeping person anyway.
That night, Rem was the one awaiting them in Subaru's room. She had decided to start teaching them with a children's story about two ogres. It told the tale of a red ogre who was feared by the inhabitants of the village who he wanted to befriend. Desperate, he asked his blue ogre friend to help him. The blue ogre terrified the village, and had the red ogre chase him away and save the people. The red ogre had finally gained the trust of the villagers, but at the cost of his friend, who was forced to leave and never see him again.
"What do you think, Subaru?"
"It's a nice story, friendship that holds strong and sacrifices itself."
"I think it's quite stupid. The red ogre didn't have to pay the price for what he wanted, while the blue ogre sacrificed everything for his friend."
She turned to Subaru with a serious expression.
"I want to know what you think. Would you rather make others pay the price for your desires, or would you sacrifice yourself for theirs?"
She held out two fingers.
"An insustainable answer. You can't just choose both."
Subaru grinned over his hands, firmly gripping both her fingers.
"It's the right choice though."
"Sooner or later you'll have to pick a side, though. Or you'll get crushed in between. Ash? What do you think?"
"I don't doubt that was his right choice. And it is, at least for you. I'd go with option two, nonetheless. I'm used to sacrificing myself, so if I can do it for someone I trust, where's the problem?"
Rem was stumped. Again, his Undead status showed itself. She had understood that it was not just like a disease. It was his way of life.
"Then again, for you living folk, it's a whole other story. You have one life, and as I see it, my comrade here intends to live it helping others. I can't see how that would be a bad thing, and neither can you. If you can't choose both sides, you make your own."
The night passed, and the Sun rose, bathing the world in its light.
Alright, what were today's chores? Subaru had gone with Rem down to the village to buy groceries. Ash noticed the empty pedestal where the vase the clumsy kid had broken had been. With care, he took it out of his pocket and gently placed it back. The maids would be quite surprised to say the least. Repair powder was quite the thing, but now he had only two pouches left of it. He'd never seen the usefulness of it. He noticed Roswall down the hall, gesturing for him to come with him. He rushed to his side.
"Lord Roswall, orders?"
"I have something that may interest you. Something better fitted for you than mere gardening and cooking."
"Don't flatter me. I don't know what you're scheming, but I don't like it."
"Oh, but you will. Say, does the position of personal knight intrigue you?"
A few hours later, Rem and Subaru were back, carrying a very heavy looking sack. Well, Subaru was carrying it, and he almost looked like he was being flattened by it.
Ash looked on amusedly, then stepped in to help him. Less amusingly, the sack was as heavy as it looked. His natural strength wasn't almost enough, but it turned out, one of the perks of being Undead was freaky carrying strength. Somehow he could carry all his arsenal at once without any problems. It had its limits, though. He had tried putting his heaviest equipment on all at once. He could barely move a step. Patches had laughed himself silly. Good times. He carried the behemoth to the kitchen, followed by an embarrassed Subaru and a smiling Rem. She thought it was quite funny, apparently.
"Oh, come on. Is everyone an olympic weight lifter?"
Ash didn't know what 'olympic' meant, but he assumed it was quite important.
"Subaru, what's that mark on your hand?"
"This? A dog bit me in the village. No problem, man. I'm tougher than I look!"
"Then again, that was a puppy."
Rem giggled as she said this.
Right. Meanwhile, the maid had noticed the vase.
"Didn't Subaru break that vase?"
"He did, indeed."
"I recall you picked up the pieces. Did you fix it?"
"I did, indeed."
"Well, call me impressed. Another skill you hid from us."
"Indeed."
Ash flashed a grin her way, before slamming the sack on the kitchen floor.
Did the pavement just tremble? Poor Subaru, carrying this uphill from the village.
Poor kid. He seemed quite tired, in fact. Paler than usual. Was he getting sick? Just then, Emilia passed them. She noticed the giant sack and the panting Subaru.
"Did you carry this by yourself, Subaru? Good job!"
Subaru visibly perked up, and flashed his signature grin. He rapidly glanced next to him, where Ash gave him a quick nod of approval.
"Nothing too difficult, if I do say so myself!"
Emilia giggled, sending Subaru's heart in another rush. God, he really was smitten.
"That's what I wanted to hear! Keep up the good work!"
She chirped, then contentedly walked away. Ash had to poke Subaru a few times before he woke from his trance. Rem wasn't as enthusiastic.
"I just noticed, it's been a few days. I suggest you take a bath, before you start to stink like a dead pig."
Ash chuckled at her crass remark, and at the kid's reaction of immediately checking himself.
"Care to join me, Ash? You know where the bath is."
Indeed, he knew. The four hours he had spent cleaning the damn place had engraved it in his memory well enough. He guided Subaru to it.
They walked in and took off their clothes, before settling in the warm water. Subaru clearly approved.
"I needed this so much, Ash, you wouldn't even know."
He said as he slowly slid until only his head was out of the water. He took a moment to inspect Ashs body. Quite muscular, like a warrior should be, and marked with scars throughout. The main detail Subaru was interested in was the glowing circle on his chest.
"What's that? On your chest."
"Ah, this? This is my Dark Sign. It's something all Undead possess. You could say it's our lifeline. Every time we die, we are reborn at a bonfire. But mine is special. You see, I am a brand of Undead known as Unkindled. We are born to relight the First Flame."
"You already told me. What separates you from normal Undead?"
"Undead go through a process as time passes. They slowly lose their humanity, memories and personality and become a rabid, mindless beast. We call them Hollow. Unkindled don't suffer from that, given our great cause. Now that the Flame is out, will I go Hollow as well?"
"I... I don't know. All we can do is hope, eh?"
"You're right. No need to get worried now. I still have a lot of fight in me!"
Afterwards, they separated in front of Subaru's room.
"You have a good night's rest, eh, Subaru? I'll keep watch of the mansion for tonight."
"I'd say the same to you, but whatever suits your fancy. Good night, man."
Ash was slightly worried about Subaru. He looked even paler, and more haggard. Perhaps it was just a trick of the moonlight. At least he hoped.
Subaru was feeling good. A bit cold, maybe, but nothing a good night's rest couldn't fix. He climbed under the covers, and with a sigh, slipped off into a deep sleep.
A few hours later, he was dead.
Ash could feel it. The small soul that had wafted over to him was Subaru's. He turned around to see the world covering in dark mist, and he could see nor feel no more.
He woke in his room, with sunlight streaming in from the window. Something had killed Subaru that night.
He wouldn't be too happy.
