Warlock of Sin. Arc 2: Convocation of Sin

Chapter 8: An invitation

"...And so when I was in the tomb, I stumbled upon her, and then all sorts of things happen, it's all complicated but to sum it up, she's gonna have to stay with us until we deal with the real Witch of Envy…" Subaru explained to Emilia all of Satella's circumstances, with her sitting on the ground, in an almost pleading manner.

"Please, Emilia-chan… Even if it's just for a little while..."
"I-I understand…"

It was all a little hard to take in for her, but just barely grasping the situation, she accepted it as it is, or more that she just trusts Subaru on this, "Emilia-chan, thank you!" She said while hugging her tightly, "Even though I caused you so much trouble! Ah, your so kind I want to cry!" Refusing to let her go, Satella clung onto Emilia for dear life, making it kind of uncomfortable.

"But still, I didn't think we'd look so alike…"
"Yeah, we're like twins, right?!"

'What's with that sudden attitude change…' Subaru muttered.


After that whole discussion in secret, Subaru and Emilia had returned back to the mansion. Beatrice went ahead to inform the rest and so she wasn't with them. As they reached the front door everyone was there, awaiting their arrival, minus Roswaal and Beatrice it seems.

"Yo guys, I'm back!"

Greeting everyone with a gleeful smile, he entered through the mansion's large doors, "Boss yer back!" Garfiel leaps our first, high fiving Subaru. "So, you all been well? I don't see Otto anywhere, did he finally hit his limits and made it back to mother nature?"

"I see you and the first thing I hear coming from your mouth is something like that, it really does make me feel unappreciated… ah, how cruel life is…"

"Hey, don't worry there bud. For now, go and rest, I've even got you all presents!" He said while showing everyone the bags he's been carrying on his arms. He's bought many things for them all, they all lined up to get their presents, Emilia already getting hers before they entered the mansion.

"I got some sunglasses for Garf"
"Woah, what are these?"
"Glasses that make you look super cool when you wear them"
"Really?! Nice!"

"For Petra, I've bought you a box of ribbons"
"So many colors!"
"Now go look cute"

"For Otto, I've got a box of pens, trust me, they're much better than the ink and quill"
"I'm a little skeptical about this…"

"For Rem… A nice and cozy jacket!"
"Rem shall cherish this jacket forever!"

"For Nee-sama…"
"Hmph, Ram is ready for the worst"
"A matching nice and cozy jacket!"
"...!"

"And Fredrica… I got you some strawberry cotton candy, it's delicious and still nice and fresh"
"S-Strawberry?! Subaru-sama, you really shouldn't have!"

With all of them enjoying their gifts, Subaru and Emilia made their way past them, with Emilia smiling at the tiara at her hand. "Ah, Subaru, I forgot to tell you. Someone from the Anastasia camp will be coming over here"

"Really now? Something happened with the alliance?"
"No, nothing bad, it seems they have a solution to our crystal problem…"
"Ooh, that's good, I need to have a word with Puck as soon as possible

As they walked on forward, they saw Annerose, with Clind following closely behind her, "Ah, there you are Annerose, I've got you something… here" Reaching down into his plastic bag, he took out a headband, one that was oddly similar to Emilia's, it even had her matching white rose on it.

"To think I'd get something like this from you of all people..."
"Even though I dislike it, you're the only other Emilia-tan fan..."
"Well, that would be true…"

"Yo Clind, think fast" Lobbing over an object at Clind's direction, he reacts hastily, "What's this, Affirmation…" the object was pocket sized and it was metallic, Clind examines it and found out that there were things inside that could be flipped out, "A pocket-sized multi-tool, try it out, it's great"

"Many thanks, Subaru-sama, Appreciation..."

Making their way past them to what could only be a conference room, "So they're coming soon huh, Anastasia herself not going to show up?" Emilia shakes her head to Subaru's question, "It seems she is somewhere else at the moment"

With couches placed in a circular manner, this conference room could very much be confused for a casual place to hang out in, "Might as well get some things prepared, Rem!" As he called the maid from inside the room, the door flung open, "Yes, this is Subaru-kun's Rem!"

"Woah, that's a new record…"
"For Subaru-kun, Rem wouldn't dare be a second late"

Rem entered the room with a bow, she was wearing the jacket Subaru had given her, Subaru sighed internally, he expected she would do that, "Since we're having visitors, we might as well get some snacks ready yeah? Also, is Ros-chi around?"

"Roswaal-sama is currently absent, he had been called in for some matters relating the ownership of the western lands, he will be back shortly, but Rem is afraid he might not make it in time for our guests… Rem shall prepare some sweets for the guest's then"

"Ah, and one more thing, is it really okay to be using your jacket while you work?"
"Fredrica Nee-sama and everyone else is occupied with Subaru-kun's wonderful gifts, so they won't mind… but if Subaru-kun dislikes it, Rem will gladly admire it from a distance in Rem's closet…"

"Oh no no no, it's alright, you don't have to do that…"

After a bit of waiting in the conference room, they were informed that the representatives of Anastasia's camp had arrived, and then they entered the room, "Woah, what's this!? Julius junior or something?" A young purpled haired boy walked into the room, with a smaller hooded figure beside him.

"My goodness, Nii-sama did say to look out for a man like you, but he never told me that the man would be this rude! To think that such a man has equal standings with Nii-sama..."
"Well that's Julius's problem isn't it, I thought he'd insult me a little bit more though, "Look out for a whiny evil-eyed man who doesn't know his place" or something like that, guess that's too much for a knight"

"Subaru, haven't you made up with Julius yet? It's not nice to stubbornly refuse him all the time you know?"

"Emilia-tan is too innocent, my future advancements will all be in grave danger if this proceeds! In all seriousness... It's not like I don't wanna get along with him, it's just it'll be kinda awkward with everything that's happened you know? It's like when a villain that goes 'I'll kill all your loved ones' suddenly becomes your roommate"

"Then you should quell that distance already, geez, both of you acting like that, you both really are like children"

"You have no right to say that when you're no less of a child mentally, Emilia-tan…"
"I understand your anger Emilia-sama but please direct your anger towards me and not Nii-sama…"

"Speaking of you... we haven't done introductions yet, guess that's my bad. You probably already know from Julius, who should be whining about how much I suck compared to him, but I'm Natsuki Subaru, Emilia-tan's horrible, but very reliable knight! And I'm taking that your Julius's little brother right?"

"Hmph, Nii-sama is a busy man who doesn't have time to talk about a man like you… I'm Joshua Jukkulius, and indeed I'm Nii-sama's little brother. It may come out as a little rude, but I'm afraid I can't see you as the people make you out to-"

"Geez, can you just be quiet Joshua! You and Mimi came to invite them, not fight them!"
"B-But Mimi…"

"Woah, it's second in command! I had a feeling it was you"
"Hello Mimi-chan, nice to see you again"

"Hmph, Mimi wanted to surprise you all by hiding as Onii-san hid from Emilia-sama, but Joshua just had~ to start a ruckus now does he! Seriously, Mimi should have just come by herself if you were going to go like this!"

As the kitty demi-human scolded the formally dressed boy, the other two already took their seat. Just then, the door opened up once again, "Haah, sorry i'm late everyone, you didn't start anything yet, did you?" It was Otto, seems like he had to run over, Garfiel was with him, wearing the sunglasses Subaru gave him.

.

"So, regarding Emilia-sama's request, we have found a person willing to sell a gemstone of high purity to you for a reasonable price..." Joshua apprised to them. "Their base of operations is located in the Watergate city, Pristella, and Anastasia-sama was thinking of hosting an alliance get together there... of course, it is your choice to accept our invitation..."

"A get together in the Watergate city… what do you think, Otto-kun?"
"Well, it'd be rude not to accept the invitation, and if we're to buy the crystal, we'd need to visit there anyway"

"Yoho, can I ask a question..." Subaru says while raising up his hands, bringing all attention over to him, "Are we expecting Crusch-san to come as well?"

"Yes, they have already accepted the invitation..."

"Then the reason Anastasia-san isn't coming here personally is because?"
"Anastasia-sama is already in Pristella, she's taken a liking to one of the Inns in the city, it reminds her of Kararagi, as she says"

"Otto, how long would it take to reach Pristella from here?"
"It'll take about ten days by carriage"
"A little over a week huh…"

Putting a cookie in his mouth he rests his chin on someone's head, "Ten days is a pretty long road trip… isn't it Beako? What do you think?" Tapping the head of the spirit on his lap, "After just returning from a tiring trip, do you really think Betty would want to go on another one, I suppose?" The spirit replied in a rather exhausted tone.

"U-Um…" With her sudden entrance into the conversation, Joshua finally took notice of the spirit, "Sorry to sound rude, but who are you again?"

"What's this, I suppose? You dare forget about the almighty Betty? Even after Betty was kind enough to introduce myself to everyone, I suppose" A flashback to a month ago right after the subjugation of the white whale and the witch cult's sin archbishop of sloth, when everyone was celebrating the victorious battle. When the awards for subjugation were being handed out, Subaru went up the stage with Beatrice, prompting her introduction as a great spirit to the public.

"Okay, enough of that… Anyway, if you've already forgotten, this is Beatrice, my contracted spirit"

With Joshua looking rather skeptical on the two of them, the meeting went on. Ultimately, the Emilia camp had agreed on coming to the so-called 'get together', and after a little small talk, the two rivaling camp representatives left.

.

They all saw the Anastasia camp off as they left the mansion. The rest of the day was rather uneventful, with nothing new happening other than everyone enjoying their new gifts from Subaru.

While everyone was doing that, Subaru and Beatrice were outside, practicing magic and the like when suddenly, a gust of wind kicked in, "Hah, well look who's back" The two look over to the source and they saw a jester floating down from the air, it was Roswaal. He looked rather fine, it seems his healing has gone well, there were no more bandages on him.

"Why~ hello, Subaru-kun. You've returned safely, I'm glad for that. So, how~ goes your trip back home?"
"It was pretty good actually, a little refresher from the usual happenings around here"
"I see~ so, did I miss anything by chance?"

"Two people from the Anastasia camp came in while you were gone, they say they have a solution to our Puck problem, says to head over to Pristella, wherever that is… She seems to be holding an alliance get together as well, so the Crusch camp will also be there apparently"

"Hmm, when we~ planning on leaving?"
"A few days from now actually…"

"Ah, that might be a little problematic for me, you see~ Tomorrow is the meeting of the western landlords so I won't be available for three weeks, quite saddening, I~ would've loved to join you all… and I also have to bring Ram and the little one as well"

"How unfortunate, well, your a busy man so I guess that can't be helped" Putting his hands in his pockets, Subaru turned around and headed inside with Beatrice, Roswaal slowly following behind, his face was stuck on Subaru, and his eyes narrowed, though he sighed after and forgot about whatever he was thinking just then.

After the whole camps reunion, dinner commenced and soon came the plan for who would go and who would stay, after that, everyone retired to their rooms and the night went on.

Subaru laid there in his bed, asleep, Beatrice was sleeping beside him, it was peaceful, though it wasn't uneventful. The crystal on the table glowed dimly as a figure appeared, it was Satella. "Hwah, I just can't sleep right now can I… hah, might as well just walk around for a bit…" Opening out the window, she lifted her dress up and leaped out of the window, falling down rather slowly.

As the wind blew past her hair, she hummed in a low tone, making sure no one heard her. She found a spot rather shaded from anyone's sight but still rather open and she sat down, crossed leg, letting out a breath and took one in, "The night is really good out here…"

She doesn't know how long, but she has been stargazing for a rather long time, humming a tune to herself as she did so. Though unbeknownst to her, there was someone else stargazing with her, "Hm-hmm, hm humm- eh?" Stopping her tune she looked up from her lying position and she definitely saw someone, she too was gazing at the sky.

"E-Eh… Emilia-chan how long have you been sitting there…"
"Huh? Oh, quite a while actually… ah, sorry, did you p-perhaps wanted to watch by yourself"
"No no, that's not the problem here, you could have at least said something, I thought I was caught or something you know"

"Ah… then, if it's okay with you, S-Satella, can I stay for a bit?"
"Of course! But please, call me Ella, I want to drop off my old name for a new one you see"

Getting up and scooting beside her, the two of them continue to gaze at the stars together, and with that, the night went on...


A/N

Took a long time to edit, but I'll try and quicken up the pace a little. Also, Kudos to 1208Glass, I've updated this chapter (and the one before) according to your suggestion! Presents for everyone!