As the trees lessen in number, a grand mansion appeared before the wagon. The mansion captivated Subaru due to its elegance and size, as he has never seen something like this up close.
"Is this the Mathers' mansion?"
Reinhard smiled. He was most likely relieved of the trip coming to an end.
"We are finally here."
The wagon stopped by the front entrance of the mansion. Reinhard came up to the driver and paid for the return trip in advance, signaling the driver to wait. Both Subaru and Reinhard carried the casket to the front door of the mansion.
Reinhard knocked on the door and turned to Subaru.
"Lord Roswaal may strange to interact with, but let me handle him. All you need to do is to greet the lord and tell your story once he asks for it, Subaru."
Subaru nodded in agreement. He did not want to offend a lord so quickly, especially when Roswaal is a backer of Emilia.
The door swung open to reveal a maid with pink hair that has bangs covering her left eye.
"Welcome to the Mathers' mansion where lord Roswaal resides. What's the purpose of today's visit, Reinhard?"
Subaru stared at the pink-haired maid with unhealthy intent.
It is an actual maid! I can't believe I am seeing one in real life, thinks Subaru as he took a good look at her.
The pink-hair maid looked at Subaru in disgust as if she found someone who should be exterminated on the spot.
"I hope it has nothing to do with your companion as he definitely looking at me with lustful eyes enough to defile me."
"I wa-"
Subaru started to protest, but Reinhard stopped him. It was for the best as the pink-hair maid looked like she wanted to kill him.
"Ram, we need to speak to Roswaal concerning Emilia. We have extremely bad news for him."
Reinhard pointed to the casket on the ground as Ram understood what the casket contains.
"I will lead you two to the guest area. Lord Roswaal will come shortly. Come with me."
Ram stepped to the side to let the two visitors inside with their casket. They followed Ram towards the guest room and set the casket on the ground.
"I will have to leave to fetch Lord Roswaal. My dear sister will attend you two."
Ram turned to Subaru with another look of disgust.
"Don't leer at my sister."
"Can't help it if she looks as cute as you."
"Drop dead."
Ram swiftly left without granting Subaru a chance to make a comeback.
Reinhard looked amused at the quick exchange between the two, and Subaru could tell Reinhard tried not to laugh.
"Looks like your relationship with Ram is off to a great start."
"I didn't know she was so crass."
"She normally isn't like that, but I figured that she has something against you at first sight."
Subaru was not amused at all. He thought his scary eyes ticked Ram off.
"Probably my scary eyes."
Reinhard took a long look at Subaru in an attempt to gauge Subaru.
"Not the eyes and they don't look that scary."
Subaru felt a bit sarcastic due to Reinhard downplaying Subaru's worst quality look.
"Thanks for the pity."
"Could never understand Ram, so it could not be as simple as the eyes."
The door to the guest room opened, revealing a blue-haired maid with bangs covering her right eye.
"Rem has brought some refreshments, dear guests.
Another maid appeared in front of Subaru. She looked exactly like Ram and had a one-letter difference in their names. He figured that they must be twins, but Rem felt gentler based on her first impression compared to Ram.
Rem poured the tea into cups and placed a cup in front of each guest.
"May Rem have the honor of knowing the name of Reinhard's companion?"
"You can call me Subaru. Also, this tea is delicious, Rem."
Reinhard also took a sip of the tea with a similar satisfying face.
"Top quality tea."
Rem blushed a little after hearing compliments made by the two.
"Sister makes better tea than Rem. There's no need to thank Rem's average skills."
Subaru pondered about the relationship between the two twins. Rem sells herself short in favor of Ram.
"Reinhard~, I was not expecting you to come here unannounced~."
Subaru turned toward the strange singing voice. Next to Ram, he saw a strange man dressed up as a clown in purple as he wore makeup beneath his purple hair. However, the most striking feature of the clown was his eyes being two different colors.
"Are you the clown?"
Reinhard nudged Subaru with his elbow.
"He is lord Roswaal. Don't act too weird."
Subaru realized his mistake. The man in purple was not the clown, but the lord of the mansion, Roswaal.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I didn't realize!"
Subaru started bowing rapidly to atone for his grave mistake. He mentally cursed himself for being so stupid in a critical moment. Since when people who look like clowns become lords?
Roswaal was not fazed at all from Subaru's ignorance.
"No worries, my dear guest~. May I learn your name?"
"My name is Subaru."
"Ah, Subaru~. Well, Reinhard and Subaru~, what's the issue?"
Roswaal sat down on the couch across from Subaru and Reinhard while the twins stood behind Roswaal.
Reinhard cleared his throat for the upcoming explanation he has to tell. Reinhard told how Emilia died and the events that transpired her death while Subaru told his side of the story. However, Subaru omitted the parts when he died and replaced them with plausible lies that resulted in him miraculously surfing certain death. During all of this, Roswaal remains emotionless, as if he didn't care about anything. However, he showed minor signs of disapproval when the name Elsa came up.
"... and I haven't found out until recently that there was a complex layer of ice magic on Emilia's body most likely left by Puck to protect her body from rotting. Puck's power is stronger than I expected. That is all, but if there is anything you need to say before I report it to the council?"
Roswaal places his right hand over his face.
"This is truly unexpected. I would not have foreseen these events unfolding. Ram, Rem, carry the casket into a safe location and tend to our guests. Reinhard, Subaru, please rest here as I need to think about this before giving my answer. I will be in my office."
Roswaal quickly stood up from his seat and speedily left the room. Rem carried the casket by herself, causing Subaru to look in awe, and promptly left the room. Ram stayed behind with the two guests.
"Barusu, I'll be your guide since Reinhard has already been here before."
Subaru stared at Ram with a bewildered face.
"Barusu?"
"Yes, you're Barusu. I won't be calling you something else. I don't need you to be lost here. Reinhard, you can come along to restrain Barusu if he touches me."
"She isn't kidding around?"
Subaru turned to Reinhard, who shrugged with a small smirk.
"No need to mind, Subaru. Let's go with Ram."
Subaru and Reinhard followed Ram as she gave a tour while belittling Subaru.
In Roswaal's office, Roswaal took out his Tome of Wisdom with an unpleasant face. He followed the book correctly to bring Subaru here, but it came at the cost of Emilia, who was supposed to help him with his goals if she became queen of Lugnica. Instead, the book brought a corpse in exchange for a stranger that acts as a powerless pawn.
In Roswaal's mind, he was furious about losing an important pawn so quickly as there were ways to bring Subaru to the mansion without killing off Emilia so easily. However, Roswaal remembered a large detail from the story Subaru talked mentioned. Subaru survived the assassin he sent while Emilia did not. From Subaru's story, Elsa did attack Subaru but never detailed how he lived afterward unless Subaru had a special ability. Also, Subaru lived through Puck's original form as well.
Roswaal smiled creepily at the thought of the potential powerful pawn he received. He had no idea of the abilities of Subaru, but he knew that Subaru has the potential to undergo dangerous situations that others could not go through.
Roswaal regained full confidence in his Tome of Wisdom as the instructions he followed fulfilled the future. He opened the book to check the next steps for his goal.
The Tome of Wisdom quickly filled out a page granting direct orders on what to do next.
Preserve Emilia's corpse by using ice magic.
Hide Emilia's body in the Elior Forest.
Hire Subaru as a butler.
Avoid the mabeast incident in the village four days after Subaru's arrival.
Let Subaru handle the incident.
Raise Subaru's reputation.
Roswaal found the next few instructions to be amusing. The tome planned Emilia's death, so he would need to keep the body in top condition. However, what would he need with a corpse? Roswaal realized something in his quest to return Echidna to the realm of the living.
Either the body is compatible can be used as Echidna's vessel, or the corpse can become a research project to revive the dead. Roswaal eerily smiled at the thought of being close to seeing his teacher again after 400 years.
Roswaal switched his train of thought concerning Subaru. He understood that Subaru will be the one to gain the village's favor, but for what reason? Increasing Subaru's reputation would gather the people's attention in the kingdom, but Roswaal does not have a candidate to back anymore. Was it for another candidate Roswaal will back in the future, causing Subaru's reputation to carry over? Does it allow Subaru to undertake more dangerous missions?
Roswaal tried to make connections between his two pawns. Emilia still holds the status of a dragon priestess despite dead, while Subaru's main purpose is to undertake incidents while raising his reputation. News of Emilia's death will be public, so if his hypothesis was true about Emilia being a vessel or a research project of reviving the dead, Emilia's return would garner some unwanted attention. As a famous mage, people would view Roswaal as someone who dabbled in extremely dangerous arts that would land him on a fate similar to Reinhard that he could not afford to be. However, by raising another one to be a champion backed by the people, Roswaal would not be under scrutiny by the council, the knights, and the other candidates. The people's hero would back Emilia's return, giving her a better chance to win the throne.
There was a problem Roswaal found with the theory. How would people accept the dead returning to the living? Vessel or not, Emilia was found dead by Reinhard, who would tell the council of wise men about the incident detailing Emilia's death. Her death would be known to the higher section of Lugnica, causing her return to be strange. He could disguise it as a faked death, but that would hurt Emilia's standing too much.
Roswaal's mind wandered to the ice magic keeping Emilia's body preserved. According to the two's testimony, the body was cold, but Reinhard realized that the body became encompassed in ice magic. There was a way for Roswaal to take advantage of this situation. By using the pretense of Emilia's body frozen, her life could theoretically be "saved," and her time away from the eyes of the council can be pretended as a critical healing period.
Roswaal understood what he must do next. His next piece in his plan is starting to form all in the name of Echidna's revival.
Ram, Rem, Reinhard, and Subaru stood in the mansion's garden with both Subaru and Reinhard carrying wooden swords facing one another.
Reinhard turned to the twins.
"Thanks for the wooden swords."
The twins nodded to the thanks.
Reinhard faced Subaru.
"This will be a mock battle where I defend and evade while you attack. I would like to see your current skills as a swordsman to help guide you on the path to becoming a knight."
"Yes, sir! I will try not to disappoint!"
"Don't worry if you can't hit me. Remember, I'm only gauging your current skills."
Ram, who was the referee, raised her hand.
"Go!"
Ram swung her hand down, signaling the start of the mock battle.
Reinhard closely watched Subaru charge at him. He intended to block Subaru's first strike to infer the strength of his swings and evade the follow-up attack if there was one.
Ram turned her head to Rem's ear in a whispering motion but kept her voice loud and clear for Subaru to hear.
"Sister, Barusu would have no chance to land a hit."
"Sister, Reinhard is too strong for anyone to land a hit on him at all."
Subaru quickly overhead swung at Reinhard, but Reinhard blocked with ease. Reinhard prepared for the follow-up attack, but Subaru shuffled backward.
Subaru's strength is comparable to a knight in training who went through basic exercise training.
Subaru charged again, but he kept his sword upwards as if Subaru planned another overhead swing. However, Subaru quickly switches to a right swing that Reinhard easily blocked. Subaru tried a forward thrust after the block, but Reinhard blocked it again.
Reinhard kept his composure while Subaru panted for a bit after backing off.
Subaru somewhat has an idea of attacking patterns to use, but they were slow. The feints did not change quickly in time, allowing time to react. Against a normal knight, Subaru still has much to learn.
"Subaru!"
"Yes, Reinhard?"
"Try all-out attacking me with no breaks in between. I want you to hit me, seriously."
"If you say so!"
Subaru once again charged at Reinhard, swinging wildly. Left swings, right swings, overhead swings, and thrusts in multiple directions all failed to hit Reinhard. As Subaru kept attacking, Reinhard easily kept dodging and parrying.
Lack of skill. Lack of tactics. Lack of experience. Subaru still has a long way to go if he wants to become a knight.
Eventually, Subaru would tire out from his all-out attack and landed backward on the floor in defeat.
"Damn it, Reinhard, you're too strong. I couldn't even land a hit on you at once."
"Based on my judgment, you do have the basic strength to swing a normal sword, but you lack the skill and tactics to master one. Considering the path to becoming a basic knight, you require the same amount of time, but you can survive basic training into becoming a knight in training."
"Didn't expect much, but sounds great."
Roswaal showed up to where everyone was located.
"Reinhard~ and Subaru~, I would like to have a chat. Meet me in the guest room after you two cleaned up~."
Reinhard looked at Subaru.
"Looks like it is time."
Reinhard helped Subaru up as Rem and Ram followed Roswaal.
In the guest room, everyone was in their previous spots.
Roswaal spoke first.
"There could be a chance that I can save Emilia due to Puck's ice magic, but you can tell the council about her assassination."
Reinhard looked at Roswaal in confusion.
Saved? Puck's power is truly strong.
"Are there any conditions for this?"
"None at all, Reinhard~. However, I do want to hire Subaru~ as my butler as I heard he has nowhere to turn to."
Subaru became surprised at the offer.
"Me?"
"Didn't Reinhard mentioned you have nowhere to go as a broken person~?"
Reinhard thought about the offer to Subaru. During the short time he spent with Subaru, he made friends with Subaru, but Reinhard couldn't help Subaru forever as he has duties to attend
"Subaru, it's best to work here. I can't be around forever."
"If you say so, Reinhard."
Roswaal smiled at the exchange.
"I see Subaru~ accepted my offer. Ram and Rem will help you show you around shortly."
Reinhard stood up.
"Is there anything else you wanted to talk about, Roswaal?"
"That is all~."
"I'll be on my way then."
Reinhard turned to Subaru in preparations for his farewell.
"I will see you later, Subaru. Our time together was great. If you ever need me, I usually am around the capital."
"Goodbye, Reinhard, I'll land a hit on you next time."
Reinhard gave his goodbyes to the other residents of the mansion, leaving Subaru alone.
On Reinhard's way out, he hoped Subaru would stay safe in his absence. Subaru had faced enough in one night concerning Elsa and Puck, so a break is all Subaru needed.
A/N: Tome of Wisdom has to be changed a little bit in order to fit the changed plot of Subaru's ability. Got some big plans concerning Roswaal and Emilia and how Subaru plays a role in it.
The would be a last of the quick updates for a week or two due to college finals and big projects. Once they are done, updates would resume at a regular rate.