Re:ZERO - Starting Life In A Different World From Zero

FANFICTION - SPOILER WARNING FOR ANIME ONLY

Chapter 1: Room of Promises

Natsuki Subaru noticed everything was rather… normal when it came to Miload's Mansion. He thought there would be more to be happening in regards to him officially becoming a knight for Emilia, something to occupy his time than speaking with the steward of the estate, Clind; anything to keep his mind on track after settling down.

[Subaru] "I guess there really isn't anything I can do at the moment is there..?"

Saying this in front of the well-dressed steward, Clind gives him a gentle nod.

[Clind] Well, I know time is precious and all, and you have been allocated platitudes of boredom. But, if you riddle me a few more moments, would you like to follow me there?"

Clind pointed to a door where Subaru knew what lied inside on the opposite side. A door that he always kept coming back to every night since it recently became occupied a week ago after the knighting ceremony. Clind motioned for Subaru and both of them made their way to the door without any hesitation. Subaru lets out a small sigh.

[Subaru] "You know… I only come in here at night in order to give my prayers and all…"

[Clind] "That should be remedied post-haste. You treat this sleeping girl more than I do."

[Subaru] "That's because we have history… She has saved me more times than I care to admit. Look, Clind, I don't know you too well in order to say these types of things…"

Subaru looked at the steward's eyes and came to a conclusion that surprised even himself. "But… It's for that reason I can tell you more. She is the reason why I was about to keep pushing on… The saving grace I had in order to realize I was worth more than my past was clinging on to me. She taught me to restart myself, to start from zero."

[Clind] "Whoever she was, I wish I could have met her when she wasn't comatosed. I have heard reports from Roswall and even yourself about what happened to this girl."

[Subaru] "Rem… Her name is Rem."

[Clind] "My apologies. Rem. Yes, both of you mentioned that the Sin Archbishop of Gluttony caused this. Even I couldn't ignore the circumstances revolving around one of the candidates for the throne, Crusch. From what I've gathered is that she lost her memories but everyone else could remember her. But for this gi- Rem, even Ram still cannot remember her. And you're correct about one thing Subaru…"

Both of them had entered the room and slowly closed the door behind them. They see a queen sized bed with at least four layers of purple linen neatly tucked into the mattress that supported the blue haired girl. Her imprint in this room would leave anyone with an eerie suspicion if they had no connection to her. Thankfully though, even if Rem could sense that her hero was standing next to her, Subaru knew she isn't truly alone. Subaru knew there is at least one other person who can relate to her. Ram.

[Subaru] "Ram knows she is her sister without a shadow of a doubt. We both-we all know this. It's only that the bastard Gluttony stripped both her memories and name."

[Clind] "Which leads me to the question I wanted to ask you before you interrupted me."

Clind walks over to Subaru who had his right hand stroking the lifeless girl's hair.

[Clind] "Why of all people… How can I put this? How can only you remember her?"

Subaru darts his glare to the steward and lifts up the same hand plus another.

[Subaru] "Honestly, I have no clue. It would be one thing if Ram remembered but she doesn't. I don't know why I am the only one who still carries the knowledge of Rem. But whatever happens in the future, I know one thing is for certain. I will fight to get her back. It doesn't matter how long it will take or how many times I fail in the process. I will strive to do my best for the one who I poured my heart out to, the one I care so much for… the Rem who called me their Hero. ...Clind… I need to become stronger."

The door behind them seemed to be slightly opened as Subaru finished speaking, but both of them didn't hear the sound and continued speaking side by side.

[Clind] "And how would you propose you do get stronger? You seem to already be in physical shape, but you lack proper swordsmanship and almost everything offensive."

[Subaru] "Well… I thought you would be able to help me since… well… I overheard you say that you knew how to use a whip. I think I have the proper arm strength to use a whip… and it reminds me of an old story that I read a long time ago about an adventurer who used a whip to fight off many bandits in order to secure priceless treasures."

Clind sees a small figure in his peripheral vision and takes a second take to make certain. Sure enough, he was looking at someone who was, you could say, ticked off, almost as if they were told something and ran off before speaking to a certain man.

[?] "Now you are telling stories without me, in fact?! Why did you leave me alo-"

Subaru immediately turned around to see a two drilled haired child with a pouting expression on her face and quickly rushed over to her and picked her small frame high.

[Subaru] "I FINALLY FOUND YOU BEAAAAKKKKKOOOO! I THOUGHT I LOST YOU!"

[Beatrice] WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU FOUND ME, I SUPPOSE?! YOU LEFT-"

Subaru began spinning her around and around as she responded. Clind let out a scoff as he watched what developed in front of him, but then presented a wry smile.

[Subaru] "I WAS SEARCHING ALL OVER FOR YOU! I HAD CLIND HELP ME FIND-"

[Beatrice] "THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE, I SUPPOSE! YOU BROUGHT HIM-"

[Subaru] "BUT I'M SO GLAD I WAS ABLE TO FINALLY FIND YOU! RIGHT, CLIND?!"

Clind slowly walked over to the spinning duet and stepped closer to the spirit.

[Clind] "Subaru, you can stop the charade now. She can clearly see this is all wrong."

[Subaru] "Oh come on! I can't even catch a break and have some alone time in here?!"

[Beatrice] "And what do you need alone time for, in fact? Is it something only men can share, I suppose?! Wait, don't look at me like that! What did I say that was so funny, I-"

[Subaru] "God… You are so cute when you get all scared for my well-being, Beako."

[Beatrice] "THAT'S NOT SOMETHING TO BE LAUGHING AT, I SUPPOSE. I… I..."

Even Clind couldn't keep his demeanor at bay and let out a small chuckle as Subaru was laughing as he crouched down next to Beatrice who was now teary eyed.

[Subaru] "You mean a lot to me. I mean what I said back in the Forbidden Library. You know that, right? I honestly couldn't live without you and to see you finally live happily."

[Beatrice] "Then why did you hide from me and tell Ram you left the mansion for good?"

[Subaru] "It's because I need to talk to, wait, RAM SAID WHAT?! Clind, you hear this?!"

[Clind] "I heard her loud and clear. I'm assuming Ram told her what you did not say?"

[Subaru] "Dammit… If there was ever a chance for Ram to mess with me… huh…"

[Beatrice] "Wh-What are you sa-saying, I-I suppose?"

Subaru doesn't respond with words but with his hands, slowly wrapping around his contracted spirit's waist as he uses his legs to push him and Beatrice up to their feet.

[Subaru] "From this point, Beatrice, please take everything Ram says with a grain of salt if she directly and explicitly speaks about me. She likes to cause me mischief. Got it...?"

[Beatrice] "Th-Thank goodness, in fact. I was… worried about your life, I suppose."

[Clind] "And speaking about Subaru's life. He was telling me how he wanted to become stronger. With you being his contracted spirit, do you have any options to share?"

[Beatrice] "Subaru's gate is broken and I've used up most of my mana sending the Great Rabbit into another dimension. In terms of our strength… it's fickle, I suppose."

[Subaru] "Which is why I wanted to become stronger so that I don't have to rely on you too much, Beako. You are my saving grace and my debt to you is higher than my ego."

Beatrice laughed at that remark and clapped her hands together next to him.

[Beatrice] "We could try coming up with some uniquely soul-bound spells, in fact."

[Clind] "Hmm… That might actually work depending on how those spells are utilized."

[Subaru] "...Soul-bound spells? What are those, Beako? Please bring me up to speed!"

[Beatrice] "You see my hands? Copy them for yourself and wait a moment, I suppose."

Subaru followed her command and waited patiently as Beatrice motioned her hands closer to him, still closed in a tightened formation that he continued mimicking. Clind offers a sigh as the mood calms down as the spirit knight and artificial spirit closed their eyes. Giving a wave to those who could not see him, Clind quietly leaves the room.

[Subaru] "Can you mind telling me what soul-bound spells are now that Clind is gone?"

[Beatrice] Please be quiet. I need to continue thinking, I suppose."

[Subaru] "-Hhhk. Okay, I will."

Subaru peaked his right eye open and saw that Beatrice was smiling brighter than he usually saw her this past week. But as soon as he studied her face Beatrice-

[Beatrice] "I said to keep your eyes closed, in fact! Betty is performing a ritual for you!"

[Subaru] "Ri-ritual?! I-"

[Beatrice] "HOW CAN YOU NOT STAY QUIET, I SUPPOSE?!"

Subaru closed his right eye as soon as he was called out and truly respected her wishes and did exactly what his companion wanted. A minute passes in silence, nothing. Another minute, the same thing occurred. A third fleets by in the blink of Subaru's eyes which he still kept closed. Despite wanting to open them and try to understand his situation at hand, five small and slender fingers rested on his chest.

[Beatrice] "You need to understand one thing about our contract, I suppose."

Subaru's eyes twitched as he continued to keep his mind and eyes at ease. Beatrice noticed how honest he truly was in understanding what she was attempting to convey. Because Subaru did not know that she had her eyes open for half the time his eyes were closed, Beatrice found solace in knowing she chose someone who respected her and did not want her for her knowledge. What made her mind more puzzled is that Subaru did not give a single care for the Forbidden Library that stored vast amounts of information. From all the mana she leeched off from people who wanted to use her, Subaru was the only person who never asked for her strength, rather her protection.

[Beatrice] "If I am going to protect you from now on… I need you to be stronger, in fact."

Subaru knew too well that those words stung harder than some past loops he had experienced. But Beatrice was correct without a shadow of a doubt. Alliances and trial and error can only lead one so far before they are forced to use what they offer to the table themselves. However, Subaru did not believe he brought scraps for the banquet of survival. Instead he offered more than a small portion after the events of Sanctuary. Subaru now understood what it meant to respect and trust other people.

[Beatrice] "Su-Subaru..? Why are you crying?"

[Subaru] "Ah-I… I was thinking of how much I grew in the span of a month, Beako."

[Beatrice] "I… I see. Well don't fret about the agony you had to experience, I suppose!"

[Subaru] "Agony… haha… hahahahaahahahaha… Oh, Beako. My agony is nothing compared to what you had to experience for 400 years. I couldn't even imagine that."

[Beatrice] "I say one good thing to you and you throw me under a dragon carriage, in fact! Gah! Wait! Stop! I don't want to be sprung around right now! S-SU-SUBARU!"

Subaru could only think about two things at the current moment. The first one was the blue haired girl behind him that silently existed, tormenting him further to the point where only his eyes can focus on the second thing. Beatrice, who now was spinning around once more because of him, made Subaru completely aware of his status in the Kingdom of Lugnica. In order to continue on to be Rem's hero, to be a trusting partner for Beatrice, to be the best knight he could be for Emilia, Subaru had to form a better connection with himself from this day forward. Ever since after the first trial in Sanctuary, including the wake up call from Otto, Subaru always used Return by Death for a means to an end, a remedy for past mistakes that he had accumulated.

[Subaru] "But I don't want to feel that way anymore…"

[Beatrice] "WHAT ARE YOU SAYING, I SUPPOSE?! LET ME DOWN AT ONCE!"

More flashes of his past memories continued to flood him. More and more flashes of the time penetrated his mind as he recalls the first time he died. Subaru realized that these moments only had one thing in common - to save someone else.

[Subaru] "I… I don't want to be alone to my own selfishness anymore."

As his thoughts dragged on more and more, he then recalls the moment he wanted to run away from Lugnica. After being rejected by the woman who loved him, Subaru found a newly found resolve after confronting the worst parts of himself to her. And after losing his grip to Beatrice as his movement became stuttered. She realized the look in his eyes reminded her of the time she was forced to say goodbye to Ryuzu. Without going into her thoughts like her partner, she took her right hand and screamed.

[Beatrice] "Al Slap, I suppose!"

Subaru snapped out of his thoughts and saw Beatrice pouting. His mind flooded over the thoughts of losing Rem and now continued back to the original topic at hand. Beatrice could hear a slight chuckle and the crackling of a smile appearing on his face, but she kept her composure and waited for him to finally speak to her with clarity.

[Subaru] "I… Thanks for that, Beako. I needed… Hey, why don't we go find Emilia?"

[Beatrice] "If that is your plan, I have no argument against that, I suppose. Let's go."

Subaru nodded to Beatrice as she reached out her hand for him. With a firm grip between their hands, both of them made their way to the blue haired girl's bed before leaving the room. Subaru placed his other hand Rem's forehead and Beatrice followed.

[Subaru] "Your hero now has allies that will save you. I will definitely save you, Rem."

[Beatrice] "Betty will also guarantee that she will do everything in her power to help Subaru, in fact. Even though she can't hear us, this does seem therapeutic, I suppose."

[Subaru] "I don't believe that she can't fully hear us. Maybe she is trapped far away..?"

[Beatrice] "So if she does wake up, should I tell her about the promises you made?"

[Subaru] "Of course, Beako. I envy my future self who will wake her up. But for now, we must get closer in our bond and get stronger for everyone - not just ourselves anymore."

Beatrice gives a firm nod and Subaru lowers his head down in front of Rem.

[Subaru] "Goodbye for now. I will be back tonight to get some things off my chest, Rem."

Without a response back, Subaru and Beatrice left the room and entered the hallway where he spotted someone carrying stacks of paper in the corner of his eye.