"Take care, Subaru-sama, Emilia-sama." In the mansion's entrance, Frederica wished for the two young lovebirds' wellbeing with a bow. Or at least one of them was, as the half-elf still didn't understand love yet. She wished for her to answer the knight's feelings, she couldn't help but pamper the cute little quarter elf after all, which seemed to be the general opinion of the entire camp, except for two oni maids. Speaking of quarter elves…
"You forgot about me, Frederica nee-sama." With Subaru at her right and Emilia at her left, Chocorina stood in between her parents with her arms crossed and pouting at the maid who had forgotten about her existence.
"My, I didn't forget about you Chocorina. Didn't you say you could take care on your own?"
She teased the little girl, covering her smile with her right hand. That, of course, made Chocorina pout harder.
"Frederica nee-sama is such a tease." She turned her back to the maid, grabbing both of her parent's hands as the elven family headed off to the flower field near the village.
On the way, Emilia passed the time thinking about the whole situation. Frederica, Ram, and Rem decided not to properly teach her how babies are made, even if her own daughter was running around the mansion. They said something about Subaru-sama being saddened if she knew, but why would Subaru be sad?
If they won't tell me I'll just have to ask my knight. Then we can name our other daughter Selena as he wanted.
Those thoughts made her remember the kiss they had in Sanctuary, and she blushed at the memories. She was so embarrassed about her past self thinking she was going to have a baby…
Luckily, neither Chocorina nor Subaru noticed her blushed face as they were busy with their own shenanigans. The sudden appearance of the quarter-elf brought doubt to her heart: Did she want to end her run for queen like this? Peacefully spending time with Subaru, or working to unfreeze the elves? Is this what love was?
She was flustered beyond belief, confused, excited, yet nervous.
She thought about it for the entirety of the journey, but couldn't find an answer.
Stupid Barusu. Look at what you did to my sister.
Ram looked at her twin from behind the slightly open door. It was an hour past noon and she was hunched on her desk.
Usually, around this time, she would write in her diary about Subaru's actions; she had reached volume 20 already.
But since Chocorina's sudden appearance, she hadn't written anything, still saddened that she failed to get Subaru's love. Ram clicked her tongue and looked away in frustration. The pink-haired maid thought to herself:
Once that child you call your daughter is gone, I'll make sure to make you pay for hurting Rem like this. Can't you see how fake are her smiles towards that impostor of Emilia-sama?
She continued with her hypocritical thoughts: She was sure that if that young quarter-elf was truly Emilia's daughter, she had been the one to stop Subaru from marrying her sister as well. She knew about Subaru's love for her sister, he even agreed to take her as the second wife should Emilia allow it. Emilia-sama was kind and both Subaru and Rem loved the other, so the only one who could have stopped that was her.
Despite everyone accepting it during the course of the first day, including her master, Ram still refused to believe that Chocorina was Subaru's daughter. Maybe because stopping time was an impossible task even for Roswaal, going back on time was a poor joke even for the knight. Or maybe because she didn't want to believe that she ruined Rem's chance at happiness.
As she passed by the main entrance, heading towards Otto's office to give him some paperwork by orders of Roswaal, she heard some whispers thanks to her enhanced oni senses.
"Dad worked in such a big mansion?"
"It's as big as Leo's house…"
Please don't be who I think you are. Ram thought to herself, as her nerves increased alongside her hope.
She approached the door with silent steps and took a deep breath before swinging open the mansion's gates. She bowed and welcomed the two new guests with practiced perfection.
"Welcome, esteemed guests." She stood up again, taking a glance at the two demihumans in shock.
She first looked at the girl on the left, whose features looked familiar, but she couldn't remember anyone looking like that. Afterward, she gazed at the tall man on the right, almost taking a step back. The man confirmed her suspicions, for he was too similar to Subaru. In fact, if not for his dyed hair, she would have confused him for the mean-eyed knight.
"Please don't tell me you're another of Barusu's spawns." She blurted out without the care or decency of a maid, before awaiting their answer. Seeing as the two were still dumbfounded at her appearance, she continued:
"Are you so entranced by my beauty you can't answer? You truly must be Barusu's spawns then. Who did he seduce this time?"
"Who are you to insult dad like that!?" Spica lashed out. "Dad loves mom and only mom!" Who was this girl to speak so badly of her dad!?
"Calm down Spica." My horn is reacting, but it never did with mom or Spica… Is she also an oni? But Spica doesn't seem to notice anything… And her features look familiar… almost like my mom? Well, she doesn't have her chest size, that's for sure.
"I'm sure she has a good reason for degrading dad like that, isn't that right?" He took advantage of his intimidating eyes, courtesy of his father, to try to scare the maid into answering.
"How disgusting of Barusu, teaching his son to use that gaze to scare young maidens." Exclaimed Ram, while hiding a smirk from the new 'spawns' in front of her.
"Stop talking bad about dad!" Spica tried to protect her father's honor. Her daddy was the best, so hearing his name being slandered was unacceptable to her.
"I will, once he stops trying to seduce Emilia-sama and corresponds to my sister's love." Ram teased, enjoying herself tremendously.
Rem? Mom? An oni, has a sister and she looks familiar… Could she be Ram? Rigel managed to discover the maid's identity, but before he could confirm his thoughts Spica kept pressing her aunt, infuriated with the way she treated her dad.
"Dad doesn't need to answer anyone's love! He already loves mom!" She rebuked, leaving Ram dumbfounded, but for a completely different reason. In her wrath, her horn subconsciously materialized.
"Spica, calm down. Your horn is out." Stated Rigel as he got nervous at the idea of someone besides him knowing. This was Lugunica and demi-humans were treated harshly, though if she really was their aunt there shouldn't be any problem.
"Ah!" exclaimed a visibly alarmed girl.
Panicking a bit, Spica quickly hid her horn. She was prompt to take her horn out when emotions took the better of her. "This maid won't do anything to us for being demihumans, right nii-san?"
"Of course she won't, right, auntie Ram?" Rigel chuckled as he finally understood the situation.
"Auntie Ram?" Spica tilted her head slightly to the left, before understanding what those words meant and jumping in excitement, her eyes now shining. "Then, is mom here!?"
"Auntie Ram? Ah, but then…" Ram's mind was racing with different thoughts.
A horn? Auntie Ram? Are they Rem's children? Rem… Rem needs to see them. Perhaps she'll be happy again... No, Rem will surely be happy upon this news.
"Are… Are you Rem's children?" She timidly asked, still having a hard time believing the situation, slightly bewildered at the scenario. She had managed with several bizarre encounters in the past but this clearly surpassed anything she had dealt with.
Emilia's daughter was one thing, but Rem's… She had no option but to accept the small quarter-elf was real now.
"Hm! Spica nodded her head. "Ah, but it's complicated, Auntie Ram. You see…"
"I don't need you to explain this, I think I may have an inkling of suspicion confirmed." Ram interrupted as a headache was forming in her mind. She continued:
"Barusu isn't here right now. He's on a date with Emilia-sama right now. So go ahead, and, enter. I'll... go get my sister to meet you." Having said that, Ram started walking to her dear sissy's quarters.
"Emilia? Wasn't she…" Dead? That's what Halibel told me… The older sibling thought about the meaning of that before quickly casting his thoughts aside, the entire situation was already weird enough, there was no need to think a lot about it. They had been taken to the past, any knowledge they had might be useless at the moment.
"It seems we have a lot of explaining to do, auntie. Now Spica, let's go see mom." Grasping her sister's hand, Rigel dragged Spica into the mansion, not giving her the chance to rebuke at Ram.
As she was dragged, she turned back her head and stuck out her tongue in a childish tantrum, though Ram didn't see anything as she headed in another direction.
"Spica." Painfully stated Rigel, as he became aware he needed to share some long-held secrets with his beloved sister.
"Yes, nii-san?" Innocently exclaimed an adorable quarter Oni, as she was enjoying the sights of this vast mansion. It was far more luxurious than anything she had seen, though the sight was getting repetitive.
"I suppose it's time to tell you the truth." Sighed the troubled youth. His parents decided not to tell the pair the truth, so him telling Spica about it ached his heart slightly.
Roaming down the long hallways of the manor, Rigel started an important discussion with his sister. Both of them had been walking for a minute, Ram going in the opposite direction, not giving any instructions to the pair.
Not knowing the circumstances surrounding the half-onis, the maid erroneously assumed they already knew the mansion's layout. They stopped every so often to open a random door, hoping to stumble into anyone else who lived there.
"What truth, nii-san?" Spica asked her brother while opening yet another door. She pouted to herself:
How many rooms does this mansion have? Does anyone even live here?
"Spica, you remember how mom told us that she and dad used to serve a silver-haired half-elf? A few years ago, Halibel explained to me what happened, or his theory at least."
"Eighteen years ago, this mansion and its inhabitants were killed by a sin archbishop of the Witch Cult." Stated Rigel, imitating Halibel's voice word by word.
Spica gasped at what her sibling revealed. No wonder the stories her parents told her about the cult were far scarier than what she had heard her friends talk about. They had escaped from the cult's hands. And judging by what she knew of the cult, the mansion's inhabitants didn't have a quick death.
"But…" She had trouble saying that single word.
"Don't worry Spica. Before meeting Leo, I overheard something about the Sin Archbishop of Sloth being killed. It seems no one died, not Auntie Ram, nor the half-elf. Or whoever else lives here if anyone resides in this mansion at all because every single room is empty!"
It was getting tiring at this point. How many doors had he opened yet? And every single one of them looked the same: Empty and perfectly cleaned. How many maids did this place have? Maybe some metia cleans everything? The pair hadn't seen a single soul aside from Ram.
"I don't get what you're trying to say, nii-san." She took her hand away from the knob she was going to grasp. It was futile anyway.
"What I'm trying to say is that things went very different from what we know. There's a chance that this dad doesn't love mom." He said with a serious tone, not wanting to believe it himself.
"Don't you dare say that nii-san!" Outraged by his declaration, Spica lashed at her brother. She was a romantic at heart, the thought of his father not loving her mother would never cross her mind.
She had tried to avoid thinking about that "Emilia-sama" her aunt spoke of, who was currently on a date with his father.
"What a loud pair you are, I suppose." stated a drill loli, trying her hardest to conceal her smile.
Hmph, this contractor of mine sure knows how to deliver, Betty will never be lonely again, in fact.
A few steps ahead of the two half-onis, one of the doors in the right wall of the hallway swung open, a small blonde girl with hair braided in two spirals coming out of whatever room she had connected her Door Crossing to. Standing in front of the pair with her arms crossed, she inspected the pair with her butterfly-shaped pupils before nodding.
"You truly are Betty's contractor's children." With a smug smile, she pointed at the door left of the pair.
"Betty's Subaru is not here now. You can meet the maid you two call mother while he returns, I suppose." She left as quickly as she came, going back into the room she had appeared from. Rigel, wanting to know more about her relationship with his father, approached the door she came from, just to find yet another identical empty room behind. In the end, the pair had no option but to enter the room she signaled.
Grasping the cold doorknob, Rigel turned his head to the right, meeting Spica's gaze. She gave a slight nod, and then Rigel took a deep breath before opening the wooden door. Inside stood two short figures dressed in identical uniforms, one with pink hair he quickly recognized as Ram; and another with short light blue hair, lying over a wooden desk.
"You went the opposite way, how did… Ah, Beatrice-sama sent you here." She rose a brow to their sudden interruption, before arriving at her conclusion.
"Nee-sama, who…" Rem straightened up, looking at the two intruders. She first looked at the young Spica, her features being vaguely familiar. Then she glanced at Rigel, her eyes widening with a slight hint of hope behind her pupils.
His features, hair… Everything about him screamed what she had been hoping for the past few days.
She started to tear up, hoping that what she is currently thinking may be true.
"Are they…" She turned back to her sister, waiting for an answer. Wishing for her thoughts to be confirmed.
"Yes, Rem. They're your children with Barusu." Rem covered her mouth as tears fell down her face. She felt nothing but happiness: Seeing Chocorina reminded her of how she was and would always be second, unable to get Subaru for herself.
She wished for her own children to appear as well despite that being impossible, one person going back in time was enough. Yet, there they stood. Her own children.
"I'll come back when Barusu returns." Ignoring how Spica looked at her as if wanting to keep scolding her for mistreating her father, she left the room, closing the door after her.
"This is hard to believe, but we're your son and daughter. Even though I'm probably older than you." Said Rigel while fidgeting behind his back. The whole situation could only be described as "awkward".
"I liked your long hair…" In an attempt to improve the mood, Spica spoke the first thing that came to her mind. She did love her mother's long blue hair, and enjoyed braiding it every so often.
Taking her hands off her mouth, Rem extended her arms ready for a hug. The half-onis took the hint, approaching her mother and spending a long minute in her embrace as she cried of happiness.
"Why did you cry so much?"
After their long hug, Rem finally separated from the pair. Fixing the few wrinkles on her dress, telling the duo to sit at the bed with a slight nod of her head while she cleaned the tears off her face, her eyes still reddened. Meanwhile, she grabbed the desk's chair and sat in front of the bed.
"I was so happy. Seeing Emilia-sama and Subaru-kun having fun with Chocorina made my heart hurt so much, seeing how I'll never get Subaru-kun's love…"
"Spica will help!" Raising her hand as high as she could, she offered to help her mother get her father's love. "I don't know who Emilia-sama is, but dad loves mom a lot! I won't let someone else steal my father!"
"You don't know who Emilia-sama is?"
"No. You and dad moved to Kararagi. It's our first time in Lugunica."
"Spica, let me explain it." Rigel, sensing how his sister might accidentally spill the secret of everyone in this mansion dying, offered to explain everything instead. "You and dad used to work for a silver-haired half-elf before moving to Kararagi and getting married."
"But that silver-haired half-elf is Emilia-sama. Subaru-kun chose me above Emilia-sama…" Rem couldn't help but feel a slight sense of superiority. Not only did she win against the half-elf, but she even gave his beloved two beautiful children instead of one.
"What's wrong mommy?" Making a small crown of flowers, Chocorina asked what happened to her mother, who had just trembled for a short instant.
"It's nothing Chocorina. I just felt like someone was talking about me." The silver-haired doting parent frowned for a moment, before all thoughts disappeared as she saw her lovely daughter showing off her new 'crown', fit of a queen.
"How was our life in Kararagi, uh…" She waited for them to give their names.
"Rigel. And this is my sister, Spica."
"Wonderful names. I'm sure Subaru-kun chose them." Said Rem with a shining smile, proud of her two wonderful children, elated thanks to the fact she won Subaru's heart.
Over the course of the next half hour, the half-oni duo spoke about their daily lives in Banan: Their father's branch of quirkiness with the constant festivities he came up with, Halibel's training of Rigel, though he skipped over the dangerous part of it. He didn't want want to worry his parents, neither his real ones nor the younger counterpart he was talking to right now. They also talked about Spica's life in school, and she complained about how Rigel scared away everyone who dared trying to be good friends with her. Rem gave him a good scolding: Protecting her sister is something he was supposed to do, but being so overprotective wasn't good.
Perhaps the most tense part was when Rem asked the duo to take their horns out. They obeyed reluctantly, showing remorse upon seeing their mother's face. She had no idea how to feel about it: Onis with a single horn were looked down on, her own life almost forfeited because of that. And she just brought two more to the world. Thankfully, they were loved by everyone around them.
Afterwards, Rem started describing her own life. How Roswaal-sama took Emilia-sama under his wing to sponsor her for the Royal Selection and Subaru-kun's arrival. How he saved her from a mabeast attack and fell in love. While Spica had her eyes shining, begging for more, Rigel was visibly uncomfortable about hearing the two maidens speak about love nonstop.
Spica even cried when Subaru rejected Rem for Emilia, swearing to instill some common sense into her father: You can't reject a maiden in love like that and then force her to help you end with the one you truly love. Rigel agreed to it, even if he understood what Subaru's words truly meant: The Subaru that Rem loved was back, though he didn't understand how he ended with such self-loathing out of a sudden. The dad he knew wasn't like that.
After that, it was Rigel's turn to get excited. His dad took down the fricking White Whale! His legs were trembling with excitement as Rem narrated the epic fight. Spica even called him "a child who just wants to see people fighting", which pained his heart. It was a shame Rem ended up so injured she had to retreat with Crusch to her mansion to recover while Subaru killed the Sin Archbishop of Sloth. He even managed to free Sanctuary, not that he understood why it was important; end the life of the Bowel Hunter, contract with a Great Spirit, and banish the Great Hare away.
Dad was so cool! He already is, with all the deal of being friends with the strongest fighter in all of Kararagi and somehow taming the murderous Great Spirit of Wind, but this one is just so much better! Killing one of the upper echelons of the Witch Cult, contracting a powerful spirit, and ending the life of two of the Three Great Mabeasts, why couldn't my real dad do this instead of forcing me to participate in dumb festivals as a kid?
Though, this raised the question: Where was Leo? By Rem's description of Crusch, she was too young to have a child, and he was nowhere to be seen in her narration. It was not until the very end, when Rem spoke about Chocorina, that he understood who he was. Another of his father's children. He quickly bonded with the knight and jokingly called him a brother, but not even in his wildest dreams would he have thought he was actually his sibling.
Or half-brother. However, he kept that a secret, at least until he could tell everyone. Or Leo himself came here, he would certainly discover the truth upon seeing a younger mother.
Is that why he asked me to sneak him in? No one believed him so he was kicked out? They always say I look just like dad, did he recognize me? Ram instantly knew I was one of his children, though that was due to Emilia-sama's kid also being here… Speaking of which, what's going on? We, Chocorina, Leo… Why are we all here?
Eventually, the topic changed to Rem discussing everyone in the mansion. Spica jumped out of the bed once her aunt Ram came up, not being happy about her treatment of his father.
"Mom! Where's auntie Ram?" Exclaimed an overexcited young quarter oni, wishing to 'bond' with this new family member of theirs.
"Nee-sama said she would gather everyone once Subaru-kun returned. Not all chores have been done yet so she should be working right now. Why do you ask Spica?" Questioned a puzzled Rem, smiling at how adorable her future children are.
"I need to tell auntie to treat dad better!" She attempted to dash towards the door, but her hands were simultaneously grabbed by Rem and Rigel.
"Spica, you can talk with auntie Ram later. Let's stay with mom for now." Intones a nervous Rigel. He perfectly knew that his sister could be quite spontaneous, not afraid to speak her mind.
"You can talk with nee-sama later Spica." Said Rem as she giggled at the cute antics of her beloved daughter.
Both answered in unison. Seeing how neither would let her go, she begrudgingly sat back on the bed. She changed the topic from Ram to Emilia, bored of hearing her mother speak nonstop about how perfect she was. Her brother shared the same sentiment.
"Mom, can you tell us more about Emilia? She also has dad's love, so…" She shyly asked while fidgeting. She wanted to know more about the one who currently monopolized Subaru's love.
"Spica, I've already told you. Subaru-kun loves us both, you don't have to say anything to Emilia-sama."
"But she looks like the witch!" The moment she finished speaking she realized her mistake. Her parents never told her bad stories about the witch and silver-haired half-elves, having to learn about them from her schoolmates instead.
Now she knew why. While Emilia looked like a nice girl to her, the fact she monopolized her dad's love was unacceptable to her. Her father knew about Rem's feelings, so why was he spending time with another girl who won't say that she loves him back?
"SPICA!" Rem responded with wrath unfitting of her usual demeanor. Calming herself a bit, she continued with her voice lower this time. "Emilia-sama is not a witch. Nee-sama has told me how much she respects her after Sanctuary, so Rem will respect her too. And Subaru-kun loves us both, Rem is sure of it. Now come here."
Extending her arms, Rem prepared herself to hug both her children. Spica had tears peeking out of her eyes after Rem's scolding, genuinely sorry for her words. The trio spent a few seconds together before Spica broke free of her mother's embrace to apologize:
"I'm sorry mom. I didn't mean to say that."
"You don't need to apologize to me. Apologize to Emilia-sama." She patted Spica's head as she swiped her tears. Tenderly watching the scene, Rigel deviated his sight to the door as he heard someone's footsteps approaching. Then, the door opened and Ram entered unannounced and with nervous energy:
"Rem. Barusu has returned. Everyone's waiting in the dining room." As soon as she came she left, ignoring Spica's glare.
"Let's go and meet Subaru-kun. I'm sure he'll be happy to see you." The blue-haired oni got up and patted her slightly wrinkled clothes, due to all the hugs that have been exchanged while beckoning both Rigel and Spica. Both gulped in sync and prepared to meet this current version of their dad.
"Ram? Can you explain what's happening now?" Not a single second had passed after Subaru's return and Ram was dragging him across the hallways before entering a random door and locking both in.
"I had hopes about you Barusu. But you just destroyed them." She spitted those words with venomous hate, glaring at Barusu as if he was someone lower than an insect.
Yet, despite how she tried to hurt him with her words, she couldn't help but feel happy about the situation. Her sister had finally found happiness, after all.
"Ram? I don't really get what's going on." He begged for an explanation, to know why she just treated him like that. She often treated him harshly, but not to this extent.
He wracked his brain for any information, or manner in which he may have offended the pink-haired girl he regards as a sister. Yet she continued her accusations without pausing:
"Not only did you make Ram see her sister's saddened while you spent time with the one you call your daughter, now Ram will have to stand her family being forever tainted by you."
"You don't mean!?" His eyes illuminated for a brief moment. As much as he loved Chocorina, leaving Rem's love unanswered still pained him. He thought to himself:
This is amazing, judging on how Ram is talking I may get to meet… my other children. Satella, we have so much to discuss next time we meet.
"Yes, Barusu. Somehow, your disgusting self defiled my sister's purity, and now I'll forever be reminded of my failure to protect my sister from your vile enchants."
Ram had a look of scorn on her face as she explained all of the knight's sins, yet couldn't keep the growing smirk on her face from not showing up.
"Ram… Could it be, you're actually happy about all of this?" Despite her rude words, Subaru couldn't find any bite behind them, just like usual. And she even had a smirk on her face.
"Speak a single word and I'll make sure your bloodline ends right here." Subaru trembled and covered his private parts, Ram's gaze might have left him forever infertile otherwise. The warning was clear.
"Where are they?" Subaru struggled to pronounce those words, both excited about meeting more of his children and scared about Ram actually following her words.
"On the dining room. Everyone is waiting for you, Beatrice-sama should have guided Emilia-sama there already."
"I'll be going then." Declared Natsuki Subaru, as he prepared himself to face even more of his children, with a happy smile on his face.
Seeing the mean-eyed man leave the room, Ram muttered a few words of gratitude towards him before heading to the dining room as well. The first and probably last time she would, probably.
Rigel used to think he was someone prepared for all situations. He had been trained by the Admirer himself and the Great Spirit of Wind helped him a few times. However, that belief had been destroyed when those shadow hands dragged him to a past different than the one he knew, and that same belief was spat on the ground by fate himself.
In front of the half-oni duo stood now two silver-haired demi-humans of elven blood. The smallest one, who he assumed was Chocorina, pointed at him before exclaiming:
"Daddy, you're back!" She ran towards him, jumping into his arms and tackling Rigel to the ground as she left a childish chuckle.
Spica giggled at the situation, while Rem couldn't help but make a smile of superiority towards the half-elf before switching to her usual gentle smile, befitting of someone of less status.
"Hm? Did you dye your hair daddy?" Riding on top of Rigel, Chocorina tilted her head to the left and asked who she thought was her father.
"I'm not your father Chocorina." Laughing as well at the situation, Rigel carefully stood up and patted Chocorina's head, acknowledging her strength.
I knew elves were strong, but this much? She might be stronger than me without using the horn… And mom wasn't lying about her being an airhead, she didn't even doubt that I could be an impostor. How can a little girl be so cute! Ahhh, focus Rigel, now is not the time to be distracted.
"Chocorina, I'm your brother." He explained in the simpler terms he could, thinking that the complicated explanations can come from his real dad.
"But I don't have any brother." Chocorina said as her cheeks grew into a full pout. She put her hand under her chin as she looked to be deep in thought, a move she learned from her daddy.
"It's… complicated. Let's just wait for dad to explain. I'm Rigel, and this is my sister Spica." Without even knowing why, he was already starting to feel undeniably close to this cute little silver tornado of joy.
"Then nice to meet you Rigel nii-san and Spica nee-chan!" She then proceeded to give such a radiant and innocent smile that Rigel felt like an instant KO was landed on him.
Those words and her smile were a critical hit to Rigel's overprotective big brother mind. He didn't even care about Subaru being with another woman, he had to protect the quarter-elf now. He didn't notice he had spaced out until Chocorina tugged on his kimono.
"Rigel nii-san, why is Spica nee-chan looking at me like that?" Rigel turned back to see her mother with an apologetic face and her sister hiding behind, growling at her half-sister.
"Spica, I told you to wait until dad explains everything." Sighed Rigel, as he felt a slightly throbbing migraine forming.
"But, nii-san!" Pouted an adorable half-oni.
"Spica, listen to your brother. You can be friends with Spica, just wait until Subaru-kun explains everything." Rem cut her daughter short. She reluctantly approached the mean-eyes elf to introduce herself, before being quickly dragged into the hall, helpless against the elf superior strength. Giggling at the exchange, the trio left behind entered too.
Grasping the cold doorknob, Subaru took a deep breath before having his name called out by the maid behind.
"How pitiful Barusu. It seems your brain has been reduced to a point you can even open a door." Ram's words rang from behind.
"I was preparing myself!" His preparation was pointless as Ram swung the door open and entered the room, with Subaru begrudgingly following behind.
The pair was met by a unique sight. Roswaal and Petra were suspiciously absent. He didn't want Roswaal near his children anyways, but where was Petra? Emilia and Rem were discussing something while Chocorina and Spica played with Otto, their bitter beginning apparently forgotten as they quickly became friends. Beatrice was observing the room from a corner with the biggest smug smile she could make, and Garfiel and Rigel were talking about their respective training routines.
Hearing the door crack slightly while being opened, everyone turned their heads to the two intruders.
"Hi. Nice to meet you two, I guess?" Subaru shyly said, slightly threatened by everyone observing him out of a sudden.
Taking a better glance at the approaching Rigel, he joked about his appearance.
"So you're my son too? You look more like my brother… Or twin, maybe." He compared both his appearance and his own.
Threatening eyes? Check.
Short unkempt hair? Check.
He looks more fit than me… Though we could probably pass as twins if he died his hair.
"I get teased a lot about you, especially from you." He rustled the back of his hair before nervously continuing:
"Nice to meet you, dad. Again." The charged emotions in the youth were heard by Subaru as his eyes melted in warmth.
Spica followed her brother, taking the chance to stick her tongue out at her aunt on her way, an action she took her chance to tease the knight about.
"Look at her, Barusu. She fails to acknowledge my perfect self, just like you." In response to her words, Spica huffed away and continued walking towards her father.
"This is confusing but...hello dad." Shyly whispered Spica, as she looked up with big eyes that further warmed the black-haired father's heart, wanting nothing else but to know more about them.
"Come here you two." Both half-onis looked at their dad's face, his eyes slightly wet, before getting closer and accepting his hug.
"Are you crying, dad? Said Spica, hearing a few sniffles coming from his father.
"I-I was feeling bad about Rem… I felt guilty about her, so knowing I ended with her makes me happy…"
At his words, Rem started tearing up and went to embrace her hero. Meanwhile, Emilia prevented Chocorina from jumping in and ruining the moment, feeling… envious.
Suuubaru… You didn't hug me like that…
Ram huffed away in her usual demeanor, while the others observed the scene in silence. Frederica started tearing up like Rem, sweeping a few tears running down her face with the back of her hand; Garfiel and Otto engraved the sight in their minds to tease Subaru about it later, and Beatrice was looking more smug than ever.
Noticing Subaru's sniffs, the oni family hugged him tighter, quickly replacing his sniffs with groans of pain as his spine was dangerously close to being snapped in two. Leaving his arms, the trio apologized for accidentally using their superior strength. Rem started healing him as Beatrice and Emilia rushed to help.
"Are you better Subaru-kun?" Asked a worried Rem.
"Betty's Subaru is fine. Betty wouldn't have chosen a contractor who dies from a hug." Replied a tsundere spirit, as she had burned through her mana healing Subaru. His injury would be a simple inconvenience for the next two days.
"Why is everyone stronger than me!? Petra is learning magic while I'm stuck with a broken gate, she'll be stronger than me in a few months!" Hunched over a chair, Subaru expressed the unjust treatment he had received in this world while caressing the lower part of his back.
Can't believe I almost die from a simple hug. That would be a first for RBD, and a new low even for me.
"Daddy is such a dastard." Chocorina's words brought everyone's attention to her. It was the first time she used such an outdated word.
"Betty is four-hundred years old and doesn't even know what that means, I suppose." Beatrice teased the quarter-elf in Subaru's place, making everyone laugh.
In response, she puffed her cheeks. Her new friend, Spica, poked her left cheek and she blew her pout away, a situation that reminded Emilia of her younger self, casting more doubts about her understanding of love.
Love is supposed to be between two persons so why… Why do I want this to happen? Why does my heart melt at this sight, and why do I want another adorable daughter like Spica or Chocorina? I reeallly need to ask my knight how babies are made. Maybe this night.
Beatrice found the exchange cute. Almost as cute as herself. Of course, Betty's existence is the cutest thing in the world, so that event can be the second cutest thing.
"Didn't know you thought that Natsuki-san." Otto used the extremely rare chance of being able to tease his friend. Sadly, it backfired.
"I'm the tease in our relationship Otto. As revenge, I'll ask Roswaal to give you double the paperwork." Subaru enjoyed seeing Otto's face go from a slight smug smile to a petrified shock, and finally despair as he realized he won't sleep a single minute this night.
"Cap'n' child, can' y show me yer trainin'?" Slightly nervous about him refusing, Garfiel asked Rigel to show him his strength. He was the shield of the camp, he had to take all chances to get stronger. And Rigel had been trained by someone said to be the strongest in Kararagi.
"Sure. We can go outside later. I have something to tell my father." He met his father's gaze with a serious face.
"Can't you speak of it here, with everyone present?" Rigel slowly shook his head, a grim determination set in his eyes to divulge important news without agitating anyone else.
Seeing how he wanted to speak in private, Subaru stood up with difficulty, his back still hurt a little. Then, he followed his son. He overheard Spica saying something to Ram, but couldn't understand it properly before leaving.
Father and son then entered the closest room: The kitchen. Rigel started the conversation with a serious tone:
"So, what do you think of mother?"
Subaru was surprised by his choice of words but answered honestly:
"I think Rem is a wonderful person. She's sweet, caring, devoted, strong, brave, works hard and has helped me a lot. I wouldn't be here if not for her." He listed Rem's good qualities, raising his fingers one by one. After he finished, he added with a flushed face. "I love her."
However, Rigel's reaction was not what he expected. He lashed at him with an angry scowl:
"Then why were you on a date with someone else!?" Losing control of his emotions, he hit the table with his fist, slightly denting the solid oak table. He apologized as he rubbed his head. Always forgetting to control his own strength. With a sigh he continued;
"Others might not know, but you taught me what a date is."
Subaru's eyes shined briefly at all the memories of his true self: how he is a coward, sinful, lustful, indecisive, slothful, envious individual only liked due to his ability. Someone who needed not one, or two, or even three lives to protect those he loves. Yet he knows at heart what he wants and he said it so:
"Rigel. I love both: Emilia and Rem." He said with confidence, yet hating himself for loving two beautiful women. He wasn't worthy of being loved back.
The blue-haired youth looked at his dad and saw a burning determination, to try to get his good ending. The sight of his dad fired up made him smile a bit.
"I know dad. Sorry for being so angry about this. I was scared of you only loving mother after the cult attacked the mansion." He accidentally spilled the secret he wanted to talk about next.
"WHAT!?" Subaru loudly exclaimed.
Emilia's death? How could that be? I would have Returned by Death! I would never let Emilia die, no matter how many times I must die for that. I would go through the depths of hell and back to make sure that never happened, why, why WHY did that happen during my son's timeline?
"I also wanted to talk about this." Rigel sighed and continued." Knowing this topic was going to be anything but pleasant he forged on:
"Dad, our family lives in Kararagi." Rigel's words left Subaru in shock, trembling in place, as he slowly pieced everything together.
Emilia died? Kararagi? Please, anything but that. Tell me it isn't true. This shouldn't be real, I can't believe this happened. My other self what the hell did you do… Did you give up?
"I didn't know I had an aunt until I was ten years old, and you two never told me. I discovered on my own that everyone in this mansion died by the Witch Cult's hands. I didn't… Dad?"
Rigel fell silent as he noticed Subaru's status. He was trembling, his gaze was empty, was whispering nonsense and his left hand was clenching his right arm tightly, as if wanting to leave permanent scars on it.
I didn't. I couldn't have. I couldn't have possibly left Emilia to die. She took my hand and everyone died. Emilia, Beatrice, Ram, the villagers… How can I call myself her hero after this?
Images of his past mistakes flashed through his mind. Petra's eyeless corpse. Rem, dragging her twisted body across the ground. Emilia's dying in his arms after he told her about the taboo. He felt the phantom pain of his veins slowly being frozen as Puck's true form towered upon him, ridiculing all his efforts. He was taken off of his trance by Rigel, who wildly shook his shoulders until he reacted.
"Are you okay dad?" Said Rigel, worried about his dad's sudden panic attack, waving his hand in front of Subaru's face until he was sure he was back.
"Yeah… Just, give me some time." Seeing as his dad was still dazed, Rigel dragged him to the wall so he could support himself. He waited for a minute that seemed eternal until Subaru spoke again:
"I'm… good for now Rigel. Don't mention what you just said to anyone." His mind was in shambles yet he had to keep up being Natsuki Subaru. The silver-haired half-elf spirit knight, not the failure that couldn't become Rem's hero.
Taking his back off the wall and heading towards the door, he continued, not giving Rigel the chance to reply.
"No one needs to know that they died, after all." Whispered Subaru under his breath, as he forced a smile and with turbulent emotions, left the kitchen and entered the dining room again, with Rigel silently following behind. He seemed like he wanted to say something, but kept his mouth shut.
Subaru was welcomed by yet another strange sight. This time, it was Ram treating Spica with great care, right after threatening to put an end to his bloodline.
"You are pampering her." Subaru pointed at Spica, sitting in Ram's lap as she patted her head. Her opinion of her auntie had changed 180º degrees while Subaru was away.
"I'm not pampering anyone Barusu. I'm merely making sure my own blood doesn't go to ruin due to your fault. But I must admit, I never thought someone so cute could come from you. Surely my sister did most of the job." She said with a neutral expression, still patting Spica's head.
"Auntie, so you treat dad like this so that he'll become a better man? Are you a tsundere?" While Subaru and Rigel were discussing between them, Spica demanded an explanation from her aunt about her treatment of her dad.
"I'm making sure his ego doesn't get too high." She then proceeded to pat her head and ask if she wanted to eat something. She now thought of her as someone who cared about his father, in her own way.
"What's with this development?" Asked Subaru, incredulous.
"Am I seeing the 'dere' to Ram's 'tsun'?"
Everyone reacted in a different way to those words. Otto and Garfiel genuinely feared for his friend's life, Beatrice spilled some nonsense about how only she can be tsundere on this camp, Emilia had trouble pronouncing the Subaruism his knight had just used while Chocorina pronounced it without problem. Frederica giggled while covering her mouth and Rem started pestering her sister about Subaru-kun's good qualities. Said sister, of course, looked at Subaru with a gaze who could kill.
Sometime later, when everyone was getting to know each other better, Roswall finally showed up.
"Is everyooone here? Good then, this shaaalll be rather intriguing."
"What are you up to, Roswaal?" With no sympathy for the clown, Subaru asked for his current intentions. Not related to his children, he hoped. Rigel and Spica recognized his clothes and makeup as the one Rem called 'Roswaal-sama', but didn't ask anything and simply remained in silence.
"Crusch Karsten messenger's just delivered a leeeetter addressed to our very own spirit knight. Detailing a meeting to take place between both of ouuuurr camps alliances in around 5 days."
Rigel heard this and immediately thought of Leo, the half brother he so badly wanted to meet again, even if it was for teasing him with pompous titles once more.
I forgot about him!
Slamming his closed fist on the palm of his other hand, Rigel got everyone's attention before dropping a bomb to everyone in the room.
"Can the candidates for the throne have kids?"
"Whyyyy do you ask? And the answer is nooooo. The candidates muuuust remain pure until the Selection end." Replied Roswaal.
"Hm, that explains it. It's just that I and Spica met someone calling himself the son of Crusch Karsten." Everyone understood what those words meant. Coming from one of Subaru's future children, this could only mean one thing. Rigel didn't leave this opportunity go to waste, it was time to take revenge for his father teasing him through his childhood.
"My, you call Halibel the "Eternal Playboy" but look at you right now, dad. Having children with three different maidens."
Author here. Sorry for the delay, and massive thanks to both my betas, the people who helped me come up with the plot and characters, and everyone for the good reception this had. Also, AOUI Eita drew something really cool for my other fic, Satella's Champion. I'll come back to it, don't worry, I need time to properly think of the plot. And maybe rework a few chapters. Anyways, you can find it here: /a/Y1xsACW
Here's the only social media she gave me: aouieita18/