8: Wait, Did I Forget Something?
...loveyouloveyouloveyouoveyouloveyouloveyouoveyouloveyouloveyouoveyouloveyouloveyouoveyouloveyouloveyouoveyouloveyouloveyou…
Subaru opened his eyes, staring hard at the ceiling above him. He was covered in sweat, as usual when he had that nightmare. That disembodied voice, calling over and over, love you, love you, love you. It chilled him to the bones, not knowing who was calling or why. Why does the voice love him?
He sat up in bed, to see the very early rays of sunlight peeking in the window. He decided to go ahead and get up. He felt generally refreshed, even if it'd only been 6 or so hours. He was feeling grateful to have survived the night, getting past the obstacles that killed him!
Mabeasts. Mabeasts in the forest killed me. And there was a little girl among them? Subaru snapped back to reality as he remembered the one little issue he'd forgotten about. Sure, Rem wasn't going to chase him off anymore, but maybe he should still be concerned about those mabeasts. There is a small village nearby, maybe he should take a patrol down there and check things out.
He opened his jaw wide as he realized what he should do. I've got it! I should see if the attendants need to get supplies. I can use it as an excuse to go with them and just check things out! He was pleased with himself for his absolute genius idea.
Just then, a knock came at his door. "Sir Subaru? It's Rem. Are you awake?"
He turned to the door and said, "I'm awake, come in!"
Rem entered the room, seeing Subaru still dressed in night clothes. "Oh, Sir Subaru. Um, Rem just wanted to let you know breakfast was going to be prepared in 30 minutes. Should Rem come back after you're ready?"
He smiled and shook his head. "All good. Also, didn't I say you could drop 'Sir' when it's just the two of us?"
She stepped back, slightly flustered. "I-I'm sorry, Subaru! Rem is so used to formality…"
He chuckled at the maid's reaction. "Don't worry, Rem! You'll get the hang of it. Anyway, I need to get ready, I'll see you at breakfast."
The rosy-cheeked maid bowed and made a hasty exit. He couldn't help but chuckle over his teasing of her. I think she and I are going to end up getting along just fine. He felt reassured by her disarming behavior.
As he began freshening up, Rem went back to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Flora told her earlier she wanted to teach her and Ram how to make a Jukuulius household staple, super-duper fluffy pancakes, once again introduced by Subaru giving Flora an idea how to make them. As Rem walked, she met up with her twin, and they got to talking.
Ram asked her, "Dear sister, Barusu hasn't been making you run ragged, has he?" She narrowered her eyes, awaiting her response.
Rem responded, "No, sissy, Sir Subaru has been fair to me. If anything, he makes me do less work than I would for Lord Roswaal or Lady Emilia. He keeps his room surprisingly clean, so I won't need to do anything but dusting and changing his pillow slips today."
Ram seemed pleased by this answer. She calmly replied, " Very good. If he had been treating you poorly, I might have had to give him a lesson in how to properly treat an attendant." A hint of malice was evident in her eyes, but it passed quickly.
"Rem, I do hope you see now. He may be lackluster, and would fit in better with a circus, but he isn't evil." She smiled warmly for her younger twin.
Rem couldn't help but smile back at her wonderful, loving sister. "Yes, sissy, I can see that now. Even if he does have the scent, it seems really unlikely he is part of the Cult. I still wonder, but...he seems ok."
The two maid sisters continued to talk as they made their way down to the kitchen.
Subaru put on his knight's uniform, feeling freshened up and ready to go. He stepped out of his room, and to his surprise, Beatrice was walking by. She had yet to take notice of him, so he watched for a moment as she walked. He watched as her strange drill-shaped pigtails gently swayed from side to side as she walked.
"What are you staring at, I suppose? Do you hope I'll take pity on you again and guide you to breakfast?" Beatrice had turned around just to stare a hole into Subaru's head. Boy oh boy, could the knight feel it.
"Heh...no, I know how to get there. I just wanted to ask if you'd walk with me anyway." He smiled awkwardly after being caught staring.
Beatrice rolled her eyes as far as they could. "You are hopeless, I suppose. If I must be accompanied, then stay behind me and don't bother me with incorrect names." She turned around and continued to walk.
He was tempted to immediately use his nickname for her. However, he lightly bit his tongue, determined to make the spirit see that he wasn't a total jerk. I will befriend her, eventually! She knows so much about yin magic, having her as a friend will be such a huge benefit. He smiled as he thought.
He decided to try and strike up a conversation. "So, Beatrice, you're a master of yin magic, right? How long did it take you to get so good at it?"
She slowed down, but didn't look back at him before answering. "I am a master of yin. I'd prefer not to reminisce about how long it took to reach that level, I suppose." Her voice sounded hollow. It was not the voice of a tsundere girl, but of a jaded, lonely soul.
He paused for a moment. "Sorry, Beatrice. I didn't mean to bring up a sore subject." His voice was laden with a bit of guilt.
She shook her head, still looking ahead. "I can forgive you for not knowing this time, I suppose. I don't like talking about the past. You can talk about yours all you like, just leave mine out of it." She was right back to tsundere again, though her last statement had a bit more bite than her usual sort of remark.
He elected to continue walking without saying anything else. The loli spirit did not say anything either, as the two walked in silence. After a short walk, they arrived at the dining room, to find everyone else waiting for them. They took the usual seats, as Subaru greeted his charge.
"Good morning, Emilia-tan! Did you sleep well?" He smiled wide as he spoke to her.
"Good morning, Baru-tan! I did sleep well, thank you for asking!" She smiled right back at him, as the attendants brought the food out.
After eating Flora's extra-scrumptious super-fluffy pancakes, Subaru once again walked with Emilia back to her room, just to make sure she didn't need anything before he got on with his day. She once again asked him to take some letters for her, and he left to go find his excuse to visit the nearby village.
He arrived at the mail drop, and put Emilia's letter in the out box. He noticed the bird mailbox had a few letters, so he decided to just take a look. Oh wow, one is marked with the Astrea family seal. I didn't think Reinhard could write back so fast! I only had my letter sent off yesterday! Subaru was amazed that the Lugnican bird mail network was even more efficient than Japan's national mailing system. He took the letter, which was addressed "Sir Subaru Juukulius, Mathers Manor."
The letter read, Subaru, I hope this letter finds you well. I am amazed to hear of your assignment, and I'm incredibly happy for you. It is among the highest honors to work for a Royal Candidate as a personal knight. Once things have calmed down with Lady Felt, I would very much enjoy celebrating with you, Julius, and Ferris. I hope you'll keep me apprised of your efforts.
Sincerely, Reinhard Van Astrea
"Oh, Rein, you're so formal. Thanks for writing, buddy." Subaru spoke softly to himself, planning to write back as soon as possible. He smiled and tucked the letter in his shirt pocket. He went outside to do his morning exercises and practice.
After he wrapped up with his practice, Subaru was preparing to go back in when he noticed Rem walking toward him. He smiled and waved, and she returned the gesture as she approached him.
"Good day, Subaru. Were you just practicing?" She asked in an innocent tone of voice.
He gave his signature thumbs up. "Sure was, Rem. What are you doing right now?"
She answered nonchalantly, "I was checking on the supplies. We're doing well, but in a few days me and my sister might need to go to the village for some spices and basic ingredients. Oh, Subaru, are there any special ingredients I should add to the list for you? Or should I ask Flora?"
"Well, yeah, she would be the best one to ask. She knows what stuff I like most with food. Will you and Ram be alright going to the village? If you'd like I could go with you. I've been meaning to go there and introduce myself as a new knight of the domain anyway!" He beamed brightly.
She put her hand on her chin, with a thoughtful frown. She then looked up with a smile. "Well, if you're looking for an excuse to go visit, I'm sure my sister wouldn't mind you accompanying us. Just make sure your lady is ok with it!" She winked at her last statement.
He thought, Wow, it's like she saw right through me, just looking for an excuse. Am I that obvious? He scratched the back of his neck. "Ok, sounds fun! I'm sure she won't, but I'll make sure first! Just let me know when you want to go!"
She bowed lightly. "Perhaps we can move our resupply up a little bit. We could go tomorrow if we get our chores done early. Either my sister or I will let you know. We know Flora can take care of the mansion while we're away, since shopping shouldn't keep us away more than 2-3 hours."
"Alright Rem, I'll keep my ears out for you!" He waved as she walked away. After she left, he decided to go check up on Emilia. With any luck, she had a free minute he could intrude on.
He walked up the mansion to Emilia's room. Flora was standing just outside, apparently anticipating him. She waved him over, and he went to go see what she had to say.
"Sir Subaru, good to see you. I was preparing to find you, but as it would happen, you've found me. Lady Emilia requested your presence, though she said it wasn't urgent. If you aren't busy, perhaps you can visit now?" She was the consummate professional, never betraying an ounce of any emotion other than courtesy as she spoke.
He nodded, and she opened the door for him. "Lady Emilia, Sir Subaru is here to see you. Is now good?"
From within he heard her response, "Yes, please send him in!"
He walked in to find Emilia sitting at her desk, surrounded by textbooks, encyclopedias, and Puck sprawled out across a small pillow. She waved him over, and invited him to sit down across from her. He took a seat to hear what she had to say.
"Baru-tan, thanks for coming by. I just received word that the first official event of the Royal Selection will happen in a few weeks. All 5 candidates will be officially announced, though 3 of the candidates are already fairly widely known. The only surprises will be that girl from the loot house, and, well, me. All the personal knights of each candidate will be present, so I will need you to accompany me. Well, if it's ok, anyway...I won't make you stand by me if it would harm your reputation."
She turned her head down, anticipating Subaru leaping at the chance to avoid a reduction in status from associating so closely with her. In her mind, she would even let him publicly pretend not to be her knight, as long as he continued to support her in private. It's not like she deserved a knight as kind and wonderful as him...
"Emilia-tan, what are you talking about? Why would I ever miss out on a chance to tell the world that I support you?" She looked up in shock, to see him looking mildly disappointed in her.
"Do you really think I was going to shirk away from being your knight in public? If I didn't want to be your knight, I would've turned down the offer from the start. Have a little faith in me, silly!" He smiled and took up her hand. She was absolutely in awe as he continued his speech.
"I hope I don't have to say it again, but I will if I need to. I am your knight, sworn to your side, through thick and thin. I'll face your problems with you, and share in celebration of your achievements. If the world is against you, I will be there to help you fight back. Now, Emilia-tan, let's go and face the world together." He had a determined look on his face, and her eyes sparkled in admiration of him.
"Baru-tan...you really mean it? You're not...humiliated, or embarrassed to be my knight? I'd understand if you were...you don't have to pretend." She clung desperately to her pessimistic outlook, and her tone reflected it.
He smiled as brightly as he could. "Of course I mean it, Emilia-tan. I promise."
Her frown melted into a smile as tears formed in her eyes. She gripped his hand a little tighter and said to him, "Baru-tan...you're a really wonderful person. I'll hold you to your promise."
She let go of his hand, and he did the same. He thought, Wow, didn't know I could give a speech like that! I kinda just winged it there. I'm sure Dad would've said something like that, anyway. It's not like I didn't mean it, but the words just kinda came out.
Puck got up and moved over in front of Subaru's face. "Well, Subaru, you've certainly done a lot for my daughter. Just know, I'll be watching to make sure you keep this promise, too. You should know how important a promise is to a fellow spirit arts user." A hint of malice passed through his face as he spoke, but he mostly held a friendly, even grateful expression. Subaru felt a bead of sweat drip down his neck as Puck meandered back to Emilia.
"Er, yeah, right, Puck! Hey Emilia-tan, I just remembered, I wanted to let you know, um, I'm planning to accompany Rem and Ram on their supply run tomorrow. Sounds like they'd like a little help, and I wanted to see the village, so I'm gonna go! That's ok, right? Just one little trip and back?" Subaru sounded really nervous as he spoke, which confused Emilia.
With her eyebrow raised, she responded, "Yeah, that's fine, Baru-tan. As long as you're safe and come back right away, I don't mind!" Her expression shifted to a smile.
He wiped his head and thought, Phew, that was close. I don't want her to think I'd be messing with the maids behind her back!
He smiled back at her and said, "Of course! I'm not going to do anything stupid or crazy. Just a quick look and come back with supplies!"
After finishing the back and forth conversation where they both fundamentally misunderstood each other, Emilia asked him to at least join her for breakfast the next day before his little journey. He agreed, and went on his way.
As he walked through the hallway, Subaru thought, This is great! Emilia-tan approved my plan! Just eat breakfast, train, and when the twins are done, we'll go to the village. Then I can see if those mabeasts caused any trouble.
The last thing he wanted to get done today was to go bother a certain small blonde spirit. He hoped that maybe she could tell him how to use one more. That "neutrino" spell seemed like it'd be really useful to him. He walked past a door, and felt something unusual about it. So, he opened it up to find...
"How irritating, barging in uninvited, I suppose! You'd better have a good reason to bother me." Beatrice looked at him with a very annoyed glare.
He shrugged and answered the only way he could-honestly. "Hey Beako, I was really impressed the other day when you told me about all that yin magic! I wanted to talk to you about it again!"
Her look softened up slightly on his answer, though she still looked irritated. "Hmph. Well, your flattery will get you nowhere if you continue to ignore my name. If you go back, apologize, and call me by my proper name, I might be willing to talk to you about yin magic again."
He sighed, defeated. He got on his hands and knees, prostrating himself before her.
"I'm sorry, Great Spirit Beatrice. Please forgive me and help me out!"
She huffed very slightly. "It almost feels like mocking, pleading from that position. The spell of the Forbidden Library ensures you're honest, though, so I'll forgive you, I suppose. Now stop holding yourself against the floor so I can talk to you."
He got up and sat on a rather larger stool near her, though he could've sworn it wasn't there previously. Maybe his eyes were playing tricks on him?
She looked at him with a bored expression. "So, what about yin did you want to ask me about? If you're looking for a cheap yin tutor, just know that I am not that. I don't go around teaching any random kid who walks into my library, I suppose."
He smiled and responded, "Oh, one of the spells you told me about. I think it was called Neutrino? Being able to mass control gravity sounds like it could be really useful as a knight going into battle. Could you-er, no, do you know how I could learn about it? Maybe you have a book on it I could read?"
She sighed as she said, "You really are hopeless, I suppose. It could be amusing to Betty to attempt to teach you how to use such a spell. I won't do it for free, though. I will require something in return."
He perked up in attention. "Well, if I can find it for you, then I'll agree to it!"
She looked at him, judging him as she stared. "I need proof you won't misuse such a spell. It's potential for destruction is immense, and while I don't care much for most of the world, I fear how it could harm my library. As for the proof I require: I demand you take down one of the Three Great Mabeasts and present me with proof of its death. If you're willing to take such a monster down without the spell, then I can imagine you're going to use the power of Neutrino for good. I don't know how to find the White Whale or Black Serpent, but I do know how to call the last one: The Great Rabbit."
The Three Great Mabeasts. They've been responsible for untold damage and destruction for centuries, according to Julius.
The White Whale appears at chance, destroying all in it's path. It was recently discovered to also erase some of its victims from history, as if they never existed.
The Black Serpent is an abomination, harboring several virulent plagues capable of destroying a person in less than a minute, and it inflicts terrifying damage on its surroundings, rendering them virtually uninhabitable for at least 2 decades. If a scouting party says they saw the Black Serpent heading in your direction, it's best to simply abandon what you have and run in a direction perpendicular to it away.
The Great Rabbit appears harmless at a glance, resembling a small white rabbit with no special features. Its true horror only comes to fruition when it suddenly becomes a dozen and rends you to the bone. Few have lived to see it and tell the tale, and now most would rather burn alive than face it.
He didn't really know how to respond to such a great payment. After some thought, he said, "Well, um, I guess I'll have to get back to you on that. I'm not ready to face one of those yet!"
The spirit girl rolled her eyes. "Uh huh, I suppose. Now leave and stop bothering me." She turned her eyes back onto a book she was reading. He looked down as he walked out and closed the library door.
Subaru was a little dejected that she was unwilling to teach him without a seriously high price, but ultimately he understood her reasoning. He needs to prove to her one way or another he will never use a spell like that for evil. Killing one of the Great Mabeasts would demonstrate it, since the evildoers of the world would not dare to harm them.
With nothing left to accomplish, he went back to his room after dinner. He changed out of his uniform for the night, and sat down at his desk to think about his plan for the coming days.
He heard a knock at the door. He could tell it was Rem, since she had a unique, soft knock quite unlike Flora's. He said, "Come in!"
The door opened to reveal Rem, holding a pitcher of lemonade. "Good evening, Subaru. Flora made this so I could bring it up to you. May I sit for a moment?"
He motioned her over, and she set the pitcher and a couple cups down before sitting down on a different sofa. She said softly, "I talked to my sister, and she agreed to have you join us tomorrow afternoon after we finish chores so we can go to get supplies. She tells me you want to be friends with both of us, which makes me happy. So, we're going to take you on a friends date to the village!"
She smiled, eyes closed, as he giggled to himself. Friends date, huh? I'd feel insulted if it wasn't my near-murderer saying it! He couldn't help but think about that. He quickly recomposed himself before saying, "Well, that sounds great! Just find me tomorrow and we'll get going." Rem nodded, then she got up and left. Not too long later, he decided to go to bed early.
Shadows. Legions of shadows. It was like a scene out of that Tolkien story everyone knows, but instead of orcs, shadows. Shadowy lances, swords, axes, everything under the shadowy expanse was there. Hundreds, nay, thousands of shadowy soldiers lined up, and pointed their weapons inward at Subaru. For lack of mouths they didn't shout, but their rush was enough of a shout. They came closer, and closer, and Subaru couldn't move. He was frozen in place, held down, only able to watch.
However, before the shadows could reach him, a single light appeared. It wasn't a brilliant light, but it was a light nonetheless. The dim light pierced through the oppressive darkness, and tore the shadows asunder. The light took the form of a silver-haired elf...or was it half-elf? The figure turned around, and Subaru was stunned to see...a female form, and amethyst eyes…
The figure spoke, "I'm so sorry. I hope you can forgive me, my love…"
Subaru shot up in bed, covered in sweat. He looked to the window to find the sun had not yet risen. He decided to get up and do a few stretches to take his mind off the nightmare he just got through. However, before he could begin, his door opened to reveal a very concerned looking Beatrice. He couldn't even react to her presence before she started interrogating him.
"What happened? What kind of experience did you have?" She was practically running at him, pointing her small index finger at him.
He said, still in a state of shock, "Nothing, nothing! I didn't have 'an experience'. I don't know why the contract was triggered!"
She huffed as she replied, "Come in the library and say that again, I suppose." She then chanted, "Neutrino." She held her hand over Subaru, who then floated haplessly in the air before Beatrice roughly flung him through the door into the Forbidden Library. He flew straight through until suddenly dropped on the floor, in front of Beatrice's usual stool. She appeared shortly afterward, and sat down.
"Now, tell me again, what happened? Why were you flooded by the scent of the Witch, I suppose?" She looked upon him with scorn.
Panting for breath, he yelled, "You didn't have to toss me in here like that! And with the spell I asked you to teach me too, that's so cruel, Beako! Like I said, I didn't have 'an experience'. I was having a nightmare."
She raised her eyebrow. "A nightmare flooded you with the Witch's scent, I suppose? How strange...you should tell me about it, I suppose."
He described the imagery he saw. She held a mixture of concern and surprise on her face as he described the shadows, their descent, and being saved by a half elf with silver hair and amethyst eyes.
She said, "So, this half-elf...did she look like your liege?"
"Well, yeah, sort of. But there was something different...I don't know how to describe. She didn't act like Emilia. She almost sounded...remorseful, maybe?" He scratched his head, unsure what to make of his nightmare.
She was utterly baffled. Their contract made it so the library would force honesty upon him, and so he was honest. He didn't have one of these experiences he called "visions" to the others. That could only mean...
"I have a very serious question. Did you...see the W-Witch, I suppose?" Her questioning sounded very guarded, like she was prepared for the worst answer.
He was stunned by her question, but he reflected on it. And he came to his own startling realization.
"Beako...I'm not totally sure, but...that could have been her. She was said to look just like how Emilia looks now..."
She looked as pale as a spirit girl could look. The Witch of Envy, the most terrifying villain to walk the earth, is haunting the dreams of a knight working for a woman that looks exactly like her? The very thought of it shook her to the core. Not only did she have some secret favor for him, she also taunts him through his dreams? He clearly has the worst luck imaginable in this world.
She took a deep breath before announcing, "I don't think I'll ever understand your situation...but I'll just have to trust you aren't bad. I thought maybe the Witch had granted you a boon, but now it's starting to look more like a curse, I suppose. I should ask you one more question while you're still in here."
He quietly replied, "What is it?"
She spoke with a low tone, "Did you make a pact with the Witch, that you can recall?"
He was initially confused by the nature of the question, but he understood soon why she asked, and responded in kind. "No, I haven't made a pact with the Witch, not that I can recall."
She sighed in relief as she closed her eyes. "I feel a little better now, since you can't lie about it in here. You can go back to bed, I suppose."
Following her instructions, he left the library, entering right back into his room, and closed the door behind him. He waited a few seconds, and decided to open the door again, revealing the hallway. He closed the door again, satisfied. He hopped back into bed, and went back to sleep.
As the sun started to peek above the horizon, Emilia woke up. This was usually when she woke, since she likes to study with a fresh mind. She also decided to try a stretch she saw Subaru doing in the courtyard. She bent over forwards, trying to touch her feet with her hands. She found that she couldn't do it, unlike Subaru. She giggled a little at the thought that he, with his larger body, could, but she couldn't. She then sat down at her desk, as a knock came to the door.
"Lady Emilia, I'm here with your morning tea. May I enter?"
"Of course, Flora, come in!"
Flora opened the door, carrying a pot of tea and a specific teacup that Emilia liked to drink from. Rem had instructed her to always choose that specific cup, and that Emilia could tell when it wasn't that one. She wouldn't complain, per se, but she always looked a little down when she didn't get it. Emilia drank some tea, and rewarded Flora with a gentle smile.
"Thank you, Flora. Your tea is as good as Rem's!"
Flora smiled and bowed. "Your compliment means a lot to me, my lady." She turned around, and left the room.
More and more sunlight crept into her room as Emilia studied. Over the last month, even before she met Subaru, she had been studying the general history of Lugnica. The first thing she learned was the after-effects of the Witch of Envy's rampage. She always knew she was hated for looking like her, but she never fully understood what exactly the Witch had done to have all half-elves hated since, especially those that looked like her.
After some early studying, she went down to the dining room for breakfast. She sat down and waited for the others to arrive. First was Roswaal, followed shortly afterward by Beatrice. A minute or so after Beatrice walked in, Subaru walked in, followed closely by Rem, who quickly went to the kitchen afterwards. Subaru took his usual seat right next to Emilia.
Subaru was entertaining as always, managing to keep a smile on her face, as well as managing to get on Beatrice's nerves just enough to comment without ever getting angry at him. Emilia could tell that even if Beatrice appeared to be annoyed with him, she was much happier than when no one interacted with her at all.
As breakfast ended, Puck awoke to talk with Emilia. They talked for a while as Emilia and Subaru walked to her room. Emilia handed Subaru some letters to take downstairs, but stopped him before sending him off.
"Baru-tan, don't forget, be safe today. Don't do anything reckless just because you're a knight. I'll see you later tonight." She looked concerned at first, but her look of concern faded into a smile as she finished.
Subaru happily responded, "Of course, Emilia-tan! I'll see you tonight as well." He left to take the letters down where they belonged.
He arrived at the letter sorter and placed the letters where they belonged. Priority in the bird mail bag, and the rest in the standard mailbox. As he finished sorting, Ram came up behind him, surprising him by tapping his shoulder.
"Hello, Barusu. Since you convinced my sweet sister to have us two escort your hopeless self to the village, I've taken pity and agreed to help. In return, you can carry the heavy items back. You are very lucky, Barusu, to get two pretty flowers on your arms as you go to the village for the first time. I'm certain your lady will only be a little jealous." Ram winked deviously as she teased him.
A very flustered Subaru answered with, "Do you have to tease me so much? I don't think it's even crossed her mind to worry about me going with the two of you-urk!" He clenched his teeth as he realized he just messed up big time.
She laughed with a devilish smile on her face. "Oh, she isn't worried at all about you going on a date with two pretty maidens to a village just out of view of the mansion? My oh my, Barusu, I don't know if I can handle being the bearer of bad news here, but that can only mean...she just isn't that interested in you! Too bad!"
She continued to laugh as he pouted. While she laughed, Rem appeared. "Sissy, what's so funny? Did he say something stupid?"
Subaru covered his face with his hands as Ram looked at her younger twin. "Sister, that is a redundant question. Barusu is always saying stupid things. All he did just now was admit the truth we already knew."
Subaru stammered, hands still covering his face, "I-I didn't admit a-anything!"
Ram replied with a snort, "Ah, so Lady Emilia not being jealous doesn't bother you, either? Have you been trying to court us two lovely maids instead?"
Rem's face turned red, and she stammered, "Y-You want to c-court me and Sissy? B-But, we hardly know you! It's too soon!"
Subaru was bright red at this point, barely able to speak as he sweat bullets. "N-n-n-no! That's not-that's not what I was saying! I'm not trying to court either of you! I-ugh, I give up! You win! I can't compete!"
Rem looked confused, but Ram sarcastically responded, "Foolish Barusu, even if you were trying to court us, it would be a hopeless task. But yes, I understand now. You wish but fail to court Lady Emilia. Don't worry, Barusu, my sister and I will take pity on you and cheer you up on the way to and back from the village. I'm sure we can fill the role of the friends who pat their loser friend on the back after such a failure."
Rem, completely missing her older twin's sarcasm, helpfully added, "Don't worry, Sir Subaru, you can cry to me and my kind sissy all you need to!"
Subaru couldn't even be mad after seeing Rem's completely innocent smile. Still looking down, he mumbled, "I guess we should get going to the village...the supplies aren't going to get themselves…"
Rem kindly patted Subaru on the back, and motioned him onwards. He felt totally wiped out by Ram's torment and the two maids guided him towards the village. He did his best to think about how he wanted to patrol, and anxiously awaited his arrival in the village.