Subaru was conflicted. He was thinking of Satella's words to him when he was in Echidna's dream world.
"So many people around you love you more than you think. Care for yourself more. Depend more on the people around you. You saved me so I allow you to save yourself. So please, love yourself."
No matter what, he couldn't stop thinking of those words. It went against the image of what he thought Satella was like. Wasn't she the one who grabbed his heart whenever he tried to reach out to someone? Didn't she try to kill everybody in the Sanctuary through Emilia and keep him for herself? Why was she all of a sudden telling him that other people loved him when she was the one who prevented that?
Echidna wasn't answering him as the black pendant remained silent. He didn't know anything about the situation between Echidna and Satella and could only pray that Echidna was fine. Thankfully, he already knew what he had to do.
Passing the second trial was an unexpected good surprise, considering that he only wanted to meet Echidna. He originally planned for Emilia to pass the trials in order to gain the people's support and erase the witch's stigma of her. However, if that wasn't possible, he now had the option of taking the third trial as a last resort. Of course, he wanted Emilia to succeed but at this rate, considering her condition…
He walked out of the tomb but was surprised to see two figures out near the entrance. One was a brown ground dragon while the other was a person dressed in a green outfit with gray hair. He instantly recognized them as Patrasche and Otto but wondered what they were doing here in the middle of the night. When he got closer, he heard them slightly arguing.
"Wait a minute! You can't go in there!"
"Raawwwrrrr!"
"I know! I'm worried about Natsuki-san too but you'll only hurt yourself if you go!"
Otto was desperately pulling on Patrasche's reins as he tried to prevent the dragon from going into the tomb but was being overwhelmed due to the difference in strength.
"…Otto? Patrasche? What are you doing here?" Subaru's voice immediately garnered the attention of the group as they immediately revealed their relief and joy.
"Raaaarrrrrwwwww!" Patrasche immediately ran toward him and began licking his face and nuzzling her head at his chest. Subaru was patted her head as Otto put a hand on his chest with a sigh of exhaustion.
"Natsuki-san, it seems that you're fine. I was about to go to sleep when Patrasche immediately said that you went to the trial grounds by yourself. She seemed really stressed and was about to force her way inside. I was barely able to stop her." Otto gave a glare at his direction while Subaru looked at Patrasche in confusion to which, Patrasche only tilted her head.
"Patrasche, you did that for me? But you didn't need to. I'm completely fine, right?" Subaru asked to Patrasche, which only received an angry cry from her as response and small bite on his arm, much to his chagrin.
"I was just checking out the tomb and found myself taking the second trial. I ended up passing it so now I just need to pass the last trial! Isn't that great?! With this, the Sanctuary will be set free and –"
"That doesn't matter at all!" Otto raised his voice, interrupting Subaru's statement. "What if something happened to you?! What were you thinking, going to the trial grounds all by yourself?!"
"Like I said, I tried to take the second trial-"
"But in the middle of the night without anybody knowing?! Couldn't you have done that tomorrow with everybody else?! Why are you in such a rush?!"
"…Why are you so concerned about me?"
"What, do you really not know?" Subaru could only look blankly at Otto, who was becoming more frustrated by the second. Otto couldn't believe how dense Subaru was towards other people at times. "Isn't it natural to be worried about a friend we like?! Do you know how concerned we were about you?!"
"You consider me a friend?" Subaru was shocked by the simple fact that he never even considered as Otto continued to express his thoughts.
"Of course I do! After all that we've gone through, is it not natural for us to be considered friends?"
"…If that's true, that's even more of a reason why I have to do this alone." Subaru clenched his fist as he looked to the ground, hiding his face expression from Otto. "I can't let you guys get into danger. If any of you guys die because of me, then I wouldn't be able to forgive myself."
"Natsuki Subaru!" Subaru looked up just to see Otto's fist flying towards him and landing straight into his face. Subaru fell to the ground roughly as he felt his cheek stinging from the pain.
"Otto, you…"
"You don't want me to be in danger? When did I ever let you decide that for me? Stop trying to put on a tough front around your friends! Why are you trying to do everything by yourself when you have friends that can help you?! If you can't do something by yourself, then you reach out to them! Why don't you understand that?!"
Otto grabbed Subaru's collar roughly as Subaru looked at him with mixed emotions. He opened in mouth in hesitation, wondering if he should tell him but turned his head and gritted his teeth.
"Otto, you're a good guy. But if I told you to do something that could potentially kill you, would you do it even if I can't tell you the reason why? Even if I did, you would only be more confused and have more questions. I can't even tell you everything even if I wanted to. I've never have been, except to one person. If you see me as a friend, then I must be a pretty bad friend."
"Did I ever say that you need to tell me everything?"
"…"
"Natsuki-san, there are many questionable things about you and many things I want to know. When you saved me from the Witch Cult, how did you already know my name despite it being our first meeting? How are you able to take the Sanctuary trials despite not being a half-blood? And…where did you obtain that recent black pendant that you keep hidden underneath your shirt?"
Subaru immediately was shocked as he grabbed the pendant through his shirt, as if trying to hide it though Subaru realized that his action just made him even guiltier. It was clear that the pendant was important to Subaru based from his reaction but Otto didn't press it.
"I already know that Natsuki-san has lots of secrets. However, everybody has a secret or two that they can't tell anybody. However, that isn't a reason for me not to help. If I see a friend who is clearly suffering, what other reason do I need? I believe that Natsuki-san isn't the type of person who will take advantage of me. That's why you don't need to explain your secrets to me. Just tell me what you can and I'll do my best to help you. As a friend." Otto loosened his grip as Subaru gave a grim look at him.
"…you may die. You may end up resenting or cursing me for bringing you into this."
"That's fine, I expected as much. If something is bothering you this much, it wouldn't be a minor matter. So, take your time and tell me what you need. I'll be right here listening."
Subaru looked at Otto and saw that he was completely serious. Satella's words once again came to his mind.
Depend more on the people around you.
Subaru couldn't help but chuckle slightly and before he knew it, he was bursting in laughter much to the confusion of Otto. Subaru realized that there were people who actually cared for him this much, that the people he liked actually liked him back.
"Otto, thanks for being my friend. I really like you!"
"Eh?! Na-Natsuki-san, I'm sorry but I don't swing that way! Plea-"
"What are you talking about? Anyways, didn't you say that you wanted to help?" Subaru smiled as Otto, seeing Subaru's expression, calmed down and gave a smile back.
"I'll be glad to!"
"Subaru-kun, why do you trust me so much?"
In the Sanctuary trial ground at the entrance hallway, Emilia was sitting next to Subaru, leaning on him slightly. Otto was somewhere outside, putting his life on the line to distract Garfiel from coming in and interrupting them.
"I'm not as great as you think. I'm always ending up depending on you and Puck. I'm useless by myself."
"That's not true, Emilia-tan."
"It's true! Puck left me by myself and Subaru-kun already finished two of the trials when I'm struggling with the first one. Aren't you angry with me?
"…you're right." Not expecting a blunt response, Emilia widened her eyes as Subaru continued to look at her solemnly.
"You're not a goddess or an angel but you're just an ordinary girl. You attempted the trial night after night yet you still haven't overcome it. You tell me that you can handle it without my help yet in the end, you're always crying and suffering after. Now, when Puck leaves you and I've already finished with two of the trials, you end up running away and abandoning your duties. After all that, how can I not be angry with you?!"
"…of course, it's expected for you to see me like that. You must hate me. I'm a bad girl, amn't I?" Emilia felt her eyes burning, tears threatening to come out as each of Subaru's words stung her deeply. She always had doubts on why Subaru treated her so well and thought she was prepared but to hear it out loud only broke her heart. She wanted him to refute her, to tell her that she could keep going but, in the end, the reality was that Subaru was disappointed with her.
"Emilia-tan."
Subaru lifted his arm up towards Emilia who immediately flinched but was surprised when he gently held her around her shoulders. Subaru slowly patted her as she was only left confused at the sudden comfort.
"You're not a bad girl. You're just an ordinary girl. You cry just like any other person and even though you're scared, you keep taking the trial over and over again. I can never hate you for that." Subaru separated himself as he looked into Emilia's eyes, her purple irises shaking with tender fragileness, evoking the need of protection.
"Emilia-tan is really cute, EMT. Even when I see all your negative sides, I know that you're somebody who can't not help other people, even when you don't get anything out of that. That's why I want to continue to stay by your side always. I'll make sure that your wish will definitely come true even if you're helpless like that. So, you'll be alright, Emilia-tan. If everybody else laughs at you even when you're working this hard, I'll be there next to you, encouraging you and supporting you each step of the way."
Subaru had a big smile on his face and Emilia, hearing his words, immediately began to burst with tears as she cried into Subaru's chest, gripping his sweater and making it wet.
"Really, you'll really be with someone like me? Even if I change into a different person after I regain all my memories, you'll really trust me? Even though I'm a bad girl who's selfish?"
"Really. Emilia-tan keeps calling herself a bad girl. Even if you really are, I know another person who keeps calling herself a bad witch but she is the one person who I find my solace in and am grateful to with my entire life. So, don't worry. I trust that even if you regain your memories, Emilia-tan will still be Emilia-tan. Emilia-tan can do it because she has the greatest knight by her side."
At Subaru's encouragement, Emilia's face became more composed as she stood up and wiped away the remaining tears. She puckered her lips slightly into a smile as she stared at Subaru gratefully. That was right, Subaru was always there for her, helping her and saving her. Even though she was such a bad girl, he was willing to stay with her. If it's him, then she can definitely rely on him. Subaru offered his hand to her which she accepted. They held hands as they walked toward the center, as Emilia prepared herself to take the first trial.
When they reach the room, the tomb began to light up with bluish light. Subaru felt her tighten her grip on his hand and pulling him slightly, Emilia pressed her lips against his cheek. He looked at Emilia in shock from the sudden kiss as Emilia gave a smile with a light blush.
"Thank you, Subaru-kun."
That was the last thing she remembered before her consciousness slipped away.
…
"Ya, that was quite a show you put up there."
Emilia found herself in a forest as she heard a voice behind her. She looked behind to see a black-dressed witch leaning on a tree with an annoyed expression on her. Emilia immediately remembered who this person was. Echidna seemed to erase her memories of her each time after she took the trial but she was the one who overlooked the trials. She would usually be silent with cold eyes and give a few insults occasionally but today, it seemed that she had lots to say to her.
"You loose woman, who kisses up to the first man to comfort you when you're sobbing in despair. How laughable. You were the one who ignored his love for you yet only now when you need him do you start to love him? Do you think that you can change your nature in such a short time? I've seen many people who think they changed yet as soon as time passes, they revert back to their old selves. You've always ran away, avoiding your eyes from the truth and making people come save you. What makes you think that today will be any different? Do you have any shame? Do you know how much of a burden you are to the people around you? Do you think that you can just love the person you are right now and ignore everything that you did? What do you have to say for yourself, witch's daughter?"
Emilia took a deep breath and put both of her hands on her chest before letting out her breath. She looked at Echidna with determination in her eyes.
"It's true that I may have been a burden to the people around me and that I was always running away from the truth. However, I want to move forward. Subaru-kun told me that he would be by my side, no matter what. It may be selfish of me but when I heard that, it made me really happy. If Subaru-kun believes that I can do it, then I want to live up to his expectations. So, I won't lose to your malice. I'm quite an insufferable woman."
Emilia gave a smile as she pointed to Echidna confidently as Echidna could see that she wasn't the same person as before. As expected of Subaru, to think that he would be able to get this half-elf to stand up and walk forward.
"Let's see how you deal with the first trial. Then I'll see whether you're all talk or not."
The first trial proceeded as Emilia and Echidna saw the events in the past and the memories that were sealed previously inside Emilia. Emilia was able to move forward despite seeing the past including her mother figure's death and her freezing the forest and potentially killing everybody. It wouldn't be wrong to say that she was like a new person, most likely due to her regaining her memories and Subaru's words.
If she had it her way, she would definitely break this half-elf's spirit beyond recovery and make her experience bottomless despair. However, she knew that would go against all of Subaru's efforts and could only sigh helplessly inside. If she took that away, she knew that Subaru wouldn't forgive her.
Of course, that didn't stop her from wanting to see the half-elf fail the trial. Not only that, seeing how Emilia kept talking about Subaru this, Subaru that, just made her want to pull her hair out. Just seeing the half-elf so happy in front of her made her want to vomit. Fortunately, the first trial ended now but first, Echidna wanted to leave a few parting words.
"I'll admit that you passed the first trial unfortunately. Seeing how well you did, the second trial and third trial won't be a problem for you. However, there's one thing you should know."
"One thing I should know?" Emilia tilted her head, wondering what Echidna had to say.
"If you try something like that previous kiss of yours again, I'll make sure that you regret it."
"…eh?"
"I don't appreciate how intimate you are with Natsuki Subaru. As his partner, I think I have the right to tell you that you are overstepping your boundaries."
"What do you mean, 'partner'? Besides, if I want to be close to Subaru-kun, I will. If I want to kiss him, I will. Could it be… that you also love him?" Emilia had a face of curiosity as Echidna turned her head away at the question.
"…That's none of your concern." However, Emilia saw the slight blush from Echidna and immediately got her answer. She immediately brightened up as she began to interrogate further.
"How did you fall in love with him? What do you like about him? Isn't he so cool and amazing, Echidna? Did you know, the way Subaru eats is like…" Emilia began to rant about the many things that she found adorable with Subaru as Echidna could only put her hand on her face with irritation.
"This is why I hate you. Do you know how you look right now? It's disgusting."
"Ah, could it be that you're jealous that I kissed him?" Echidna staggered slightly as Emilia realized that she hit the nail right on the spot. Not wanting to entertain this half-elf any further, Echidna lightly cleared her throat into her fist as she regained herself.
"Anyways, my point is, don't get any funny ideas and know your place."
"Hmph! How I spend my time with him is none of your concern. Besides, you can't even do anything. Just watch, I'm going to kiss him properly next time! Bleh!" Emilia pouted while sticking her tongue out cutely.
Echidna's eyebrow twitched as she irritatingly walked over to Emilia. She immediately grabbed Emilia by the forehead as Emilia realized that that Echidna had dark glint of anger in her eyes…maybe she went a tiny bit overboard as regret began to pour in.
"You have quite some guts acting that frivolously in front of a witch like me. Although I was originally planning to just let you go, perhaps I should reveal to you… how close Natsuki Subaru and I really are?"
Emilia immediately widened her eyes as images began to flash between her eyes. She saw Subaru and Echidna lying in bed with each other. Wait, why were they naked? What were they doing? She didn't like this. She didn't want to see anymore. Oh God, what was Echidna doing? Her mouth is about to-
Emilia pushed Echidna away, causing Echidna to let go and the images to stop. However, the images remained vivid in her head no matter how hard she tried to forget. Just remembering how Echidna took Subaru's dick into her mouth…stop, stop, stop.
"You…nincompoop! You… with Subaru-kun…?!" Emilia's face was blushing furiously as she couldn't put into words how she felt.
"Was that too much for you? At this point, there's nothing I don't know about him, body and mind. Your love for him is nothing compared to my love, you naïve child." Echidna crossed her arms in front of her as she glared at Emilia intimidatingly. "Don't worry, I'll erase your memories of me so that you won't remember this. After all, it would be quite bothersome if you knew about the contract between me and him."
Emilia opened her mouth to say something but no sound came out as everything began to disappear into white, indicating the trial's ending.
…
Emilia opened her eyes to see Subaru sitting next to her. When Subaru saw her wake up, he immediately held her hand.
"How did it go, Emilia-tan?"
"…I passed the first trial."
"Really? As expected of Emilia-tan." Subaru gave a big smile but realized that something was off as Emilia seemed to be puckering her lips, deep in thought.
"Subaru-kun, pat my head."
"Emilia-tan? Are you okay?"
"Just do it!" Emilia yelled, startling Subaru for a second. He was confused as to why Emilia was acting like this.
Emilia was also confused. She had just passed the first trial and should be happy by all means. However, she felt she was missing something important. Not only that, whenever she looked at Subaru, a myriad of emotions arose within her but there was only one which stood out as the strongest…and ugliest out of them all.
Jealousy.
Subaru realized that Emilia was serious and putting his hand on her, he began to caress the top of her head. Although he was wondering why Emilia was asking him this, Emilia's expression revealed that if he refused, she would be in a very bad mood.
"Praise me, Subaru-kun." Emilia gave an order which Subaru obeyed.
"You did well, Emilia-tan. Good job." Subaru felt that he was talking to a dog, based on how he was patting her head and complimenting her. Not that it was bad thing but he didn't expect this kind of behavior from her.
Emilia was silent as she felt Subaru's hand, enjoying the warmth and weight of it. Yet why?... Why was she still so discontent? Subaru was complimenting her too which would usually bring happiness but she found herself wanting more, the jealousy inside her not satisfied.
She grabbed Subaru's collar as she immediately fell down backwards, pulling Subaru alongside with her so that he was on top of her. Subaru barely stopped himself from falling onto her by putting his hands in front, trapping Emilia between them.
"Kiss me, Subaru-kun."
"Emilia-tan?! Do you know what you're saying?!"
"…I do. But when I feel this awful thing in my heart, I don't know what to do with it. It hurts me so much and makes my head go insane but when you touch me like this… when I touch you like this… I feel so much better…"
Emilia ran a hand across his chest as she slowly unzipped his sweater, revealing his black t-shirt. Her hand continued to roam his body as she bent her knee, making it so that her thigh was right near his pelvis and slightly pressing in the between of his legs.
"Please, save me Subaru-kun. Please, make me feel loved. I love you. I love you. I love you."
Every cell in his body was screaming to run away, despite the temptation that Emilia was offering him. The vibes that Emilia was giving off was very disturbing contrasted to her usual cute and pure aura. He saw the look in her eyes and while it was possessive, at the same time, it was desperate, calling for help. Didn't he promise her that even if she changed from the first trial that he would support her and be by her side? How could Subaru abandon her in this state?
He slowly placed one hand on Emilia's cheek to which Emilia brightened as she closed her eyes and slightly parted her lips. Her hands went under his shirt toward his back as she lightly hugged him, pulling him closer. Subaru gulped as he felt Emilia's hand directly touch his skin and run freely around him. He began to move closer and closer, the tension in the air so thick despite being just a few inches away from her. Just as he was about press his lips against hers…
"Ah, I can't bear to watch this."
Echidna's voice rang out in his head and before he knew it, his body suddenly pulsed as he immediately pulled back with a small shout, his hand on his head from the pain.
"Subaru-kun? What's wrong? Answer me! Subaru-kun? Subaru-kun?!"
Much to Emilia's distress, Subaru, after writhing for a few seconds, collapsed onto her as she immediately began shaking Subaru with worry. Subaru didn't have the strength to respond as he could barely hear Emilia's words. He could vaguely feel himself being lifted off the ground as he was placed on top of Emilia's back as she tried to get help. Just as he was about to pass out, even though he didn't speak, he heard his own voice clearly ring out.
"Face the impending disaster."
He saw a dream. A dream that wouldn't fade. A dream that kept repeating with no end.
1000 times. 10,000 times. 100 million times. No matter how many times, it would never be enough. In the dream, there was still something that he had to do. Even if the storm gnawed at his heart, he would never give up and continued to move forward through the despair.
Voices began to fill his head as he saw indecipherable visions that zoomed past his eyes, the multitude of information close to infinity.
"… I don't intend to entrust my anguish and sorrow to anyone… That's the reason behind the contract between you and me."
"…never cowers down to anyone or anything. As the Witch of Greed, I like that about you."
"…no expectations from an abandoned knight…" "…why did you leave me alone?" "…you are not 'that person'." "…both our desires shall become reality, Natsuki Subaru-kun…"
His head felt like it was going to split from the visions and wanted to pass out from the pain but couldn't. He could only endure as more voices and visions kept rapidly appearing.
"…why did Felt-sama leave me…" "…to call you Barusu would be informal and too intimate of me, Natsuki Subaru-sama…" "…who did this to you? Who hurt you…" "…make use of each other…" "... don't touch Betty, I suppose…you said yourself that you are not..." "… I thought we could be friends…" "…are you calling me insane?" "… that's a lie…" "…more convenient if she was a doll…" "…need the blood of the dragon…" "… do you wanna die, eh?! I'll fuckin kill'ya!" "… can you kill me, Elsa?" "… such beautiful eyes you have, so strong and blazing…and full of madness…"
More visions kept pouring into his head and Subaru was barely holding on. He was able to see everything whether he wanted to or not. He was able to understood what was happening yet didn't want to believe it. When he could feel his consciousness at the brink of collapse, he saw one last vision.
"Why does love always fade?"
…
Subaru opened his eyes frantically as he barely broke out of the flow of information that was rushing towards him. He realized that he was crying as his vision was blurry and wet. He was panting as he tried to process what he just saw. His mind was a mess and all his thoughts were jumbled up.
"Ahhh, ahhhhh, ahhhhh." His voice was hoarse, his throat feeling clogged from sputum as he kept making noise, tried to get everything out of his system. He felt that he needed to use his voice to say the unspoken thoughts that couldn't be put into words. It was as if his soul itself was crying out and was the only sound he could make.
Emotions, that were not his own, rampaged inside him as he didn't know what to do except cry and make noise. Everybody he cared about was broken or hurt and the worst part was that he was the one who made them that way.
As he was crying, he felt a hand caress his head and slowly wipe his tears away. The hand was soft and caring as it continued to comfort him. Subaru instantly realized that he wasn't alone and took note of his surroundings for the first time. He didn't realize that he was in the dream castle again due to the stress and found there was a soft cushion under his head. He instantly saw Echidna's face staring down on him with sympathy as he realized that he was laying down with his head on her lap. Any other time, he would be overjoyed at receiving a lap pillow from a girl but his mind wasn't in the mood for that.
"Echidna, I-" Subaru was stopped by Echidna's finger on his lips as she only shook her head.
"Your soul is worn out from the trial. Rest for now. Time is stopped in the outside world while you are in this world so take as much time as you need to."
Subaru looked at Echidna and after some thought, slightly nodded his head to which Echidna smiled. She had a tea set next to her as she held the teapot and brought it towards his lips. She slowly tilted the beaker against his mouth as Subaru felt the liquid trickling through and quenching his dry throat. He felt himself feeling better as the Echidna's tea helped him steady his psyche, her body fluids influencing his Sloth factor.
Echidna continued in this manner of pouring tea for Subaru as the atmosphere became very serene. Subaru realized how much he missed Echidna ever since he was forcibly removed from her dream world. Just being in her presence soothed him and the top tier treatment he was currently receiving only reinforced the notion.
"Echidna, was that the third trial?" Subaru continued to lay down on Echidna's lap as he began to calm himself down and recall what happened. If the first trial was the past and the second trial was the present, then the future he saw should most likely be the third trial.
"You're correct in your deduction. However, while it is definitely the future, it should be considered more as a what-if scenario if I must say."
"However, it's definitely possible and I could possibly end up like that."
"…Do you hate me?" Subaru looked at Echidna in surprise as Echidna seemed to be bothered. She looked away so that he couldn't see her eyes, shadows over her upper face.
"Your Return by Death is something that attracts me very much so and is what made me so interested in you at the start. Your ability is a forbidden fruit that many people would yearn to have. Being able to restart from a certain point with the same conditions while retaining memories of the future allows you explore an infinite amount of possibilities. Do you understand what kind of temptation that is to someone as greedy as me?
"I won't deny it. The future that you saw was a result of that. If you were to walk forward on that path, I would be happy, no, overjoyed to fulfill my unending curiosity. Of course, you saw for yourself how what kind of result that would bring and whether or not it conformed to your desire."
"…"
Echidna sadly smiled at Subaru's silence. Ah, this was the end, wasn't it? She predicted that this would happen the moment she saw what the third trial was showing. He would never trust her ever again. He saw what kind of person she truly was through that third trial: a bad witch who would do anything fulfill her greed.
She thought she was prepared for this. Yet why?... Why did her heart hurt so much?
"Echidna." Subaru called out her name as Echidna looked back at his face, expecting to see a look of hatred and disappointment. However, Subaru's face didn't have any of that, contrary to her expectations but was instead calm.
"I knew that you already had some screws loose when we made the contract. So, I'm not particularly surprised about what you told me." Echidna felt like an arrow pierced her heart as she felt her face twitch. Sure, it may be true but did he really need to say that?
"Echidna, you say that the future I saw was the result of your actions. However, that's wrong." Subaru saw Echidna's surprised face as he continued. "I was the one who made it that way.
"I was the one who pushed away the people around me and closed my heart to everybody. I was the one who decided to save everybody the way I did, even if they were hurt in the process. You only assisted me and allowed that to be a possibility."
"Even so, I took advantage of that very mentality."
"That's fine. We both used each other to our advantage so you can't say that everything was your fault. Besides, in the future, I was the one who kept pushing you away when you tried to get close to me. Granted, I depended on you the most but at the same time, I never let you in my heart. That's probably why at the end, even you were…"
Why does love always fade? Subaru could only think of what could've happened if they didn't treat each other as tools. However, now…
"I won't make the same mistake. I'll make sure that kind of future won't happen in this timeline."
"On what basis are you confident of that?" Echidna looked at him as Subaru smiled as he closed his eyes.
"First, I'm not alone but I have friends who are willing to support me, not because I can give them something but because they like me for who I am." Subaru's thoughts instantly went to Otto as he was the person who taught him that.
"As for my second reason…
I don't intend to entrust my anguish and sorrow to anyone. He remembered what his future self said to Echidna. That was a future where he didn't care about himself and became a person similar to Roswaal. However, this would be where things would be different.
Subaru sat up from Echidna's lap as he put his hands on Echidna's shoulders. "You were the one who saved me from my despair. I can never repay you for what you did for me.
"Echidna, you're the only person who sees me in my entirety. Not Emilia-tan, not Rem, not Otto. Only you. So, I want you to be with me when I save everybody in the best way possible."
Echidna saw how serious Subaru's eyes were and the earnest desire in them. Even after seeing the third trial, he still wanted to be with her? Ah, she could feel her heart hurting again but not in the bad way this time. She wasn't lying when she said that she loved Subaru. Perhaps his ability may have attracted her at first but it was his earnest desire to save everybody that made her want to support him with all she had. She wanted to see what he could do. To what heights he could go with a desire that most people would call unrealistic? To what lengths would he be able to accomplish things that would go beyond her reasoning and predictions? The greed inside her wanted to know.
Echidna found herself smiling to herself. "You truly are intriguing to me. To save everybody in the best way without sacrificing anything is very greedy. If you are truly capable of such a feat, then I want to be there to savor it for myself."
"That's a promise then."
Subaru leaned in as he pressed his lips against Echidna's. Echidna also closed her eyes as she pressed back, her hands going towards his back and holding him. They stayed there for a while, just enjoying each other.
They separated as Subaru gave a big smile. He valued his relationship with Echidna and really liked her a lot. He felt as if their relationship had been reconfirmed, this time, with no hidden intentions and everything laid down on the table.
"Ah! I forgot about Emilia-tan!" Subaru immediately remembered what happened as the last time he checked, he remembered Emilia being somewhat scary as he didn't know what the cause was. "I need to get back to her!"
"Why?" Echidna's mood immediately became sour which garnered Subaru's attention. "Could it be that you want to spend time with that half-elf instead of me?"
"You know that's not the case. Also, do you have some sort of thing against Emilia-tan? Why do you keep calling her 'half-elf'?"
"Hmmm? I have no idea what you're talking about. What would I have to hate against a cheap, awful, immature girl like her? That philandering half-elf who doesn't know her place?"
"Do you hear what you're saying right now?"
"Hmph, if you're that eager to see her, then you can go and flirt with her, while you just leave me behind."
"No, you're bringing this out of proportion."
"Really? Last time I checked, you were just about to have sex with that half-elf if I hadn't interrupted. Your actions are quite convincing."
"Echidna, stop making this complicated and let me-"
Subaru couldn't continue as Echidna immediately kissed him again, interrupting his sentence midway as she forcibly inserted her tongue, making the kiss much hotter. Subaru squirmed a bit but Echidna continued her kiss, not tolerating any resistance as she hugged him tighter, not letting him escape as they fell to the ground.
"Echidna, what are you…" Subaru stopped as he saw how Echidna was looking at him. It was wistful as she caressed his face with her hands. Her voice was soft but clearly expressed her distress.
"Please, don't go yet. I'm a very bad witch. A witch who can't stand to see the person she loves be possibly taken away by another person. A witch who's willing to give everything she has for you."
"Echidna…" Subaru could only stay still as Echidna was already taking off his sweater and his shirt off. She began to pull down his pants and reveal his underwear as her fingers sent little shocks as it dragged across his skin from taking off his clothes. She also began to undress herself.
Echidna was beautiful.
Subaru couldn't help but be reminded as he once again saw Echidna's pale skin with her white hair. The way her plump breasts hung from her slender body looked appetizing as everything about her maiden body was just appealing to the eye. Her black deep eyes looked at him intensely as Subaru found himself gulping at her attention.
"Natsuki Subaru, when I see you, do you know how much my heart beats for you? I never felt anything like this before even though I've seen many kinds of individuals throughout my life. When I see that half-elf trying to claim you for herself and you caring so much for her, I can't help but want you to only look at me. Is that too greedy of me? Is it wrong to want you all to myself?"
Subaru realized that Echidna was honestly revealing her worries, something that seemed common today. He needed to face her honestly just as she did with him.
"Echidna, you will always be the person who brought about my salvation. After everything we did together, there's no way I would leave you for someone else.
"However, Emilia-tan also has a special place in my heart. I can't abandon her. I want to protect her and do everything I can for her sake. Thus, I want to be there to support her just as you are there to support me. So, I love Emilia also but like a sister, not in the same way I feel about you. Echidna, my feelings for you are much stronger."
"…you have quite some guts to tell me that you love another girl besides me."
"Well, you were honest with me so I figured I do the same with you. Besides, I trust that our relationship won't be shaken from this."
Echidna could only sigh when she heard this. He should be thankful that she was able to feel his emotions through their contract. Otherwise, many people would misunderstand and think that he was just a playboy. Well, even if he was, she'll make it so that he would only want her. And she had the perfect method in her hands right now.
"Natsuki Subaru, I'll make it so that you'll only be satisfied with me."
Echidna kissed him again before sliding down slowly, from his mouth towards his jawline and then towards his neck. Subaru cried out slightly as she sucked on his sensitive neck while her fingers began to dance around his chest. Her thigh could feel his cock as it brushed against his tip, making Subaru to buck his hips. Echidna was making him mad with her touch, the way her fingers slid across his skin was killing him.
Echidna went down lower as she began to kiss his chest and reaching down, she grabbed his cock and began to sway the tip of it against her stomach. Subaru was overwhelmed as her stomach was smooth and could feel his dick being agitated as it continued to rub against her softness combined with her fingers grazing the side of it.
Echidna continued her kisses as she went lower and lower while dragging his dick across her stomach so that soon, it reached her breasts. Subaru could only watch as she began to squeeze his dick between her breasts. She rolled and grinded those soft mounds, from the base to the tip and then repeated the rotation, not letting any part go untouched. She then breathed hotly on to his tip and putting out her tongue, gave a small lick to the tip.
"Echidna! I…I…!"
Oh God, Subaru wanted her. Everything on his mind was focused on the beautiful witch. He wanted to be hers. He wanted her to take him. He wanted her to completely own him, wanted to give himself to the bliss that she was offering him. He wanted to fuck her so badly, so much.
"I know. You want me so much, don't you? So much that you're about to go crazy, right?" Echidna gave a smile as she gave his dick a slight squeeze, causing him to moan. That's right, she wanted to see that face, a face full of want and greed. She wanted him to go crazy for her and her only.
Echidna moved down more as she then slowly licked his dick from the base up to his bulb before taking it into her mouth. She dedicated her tongue to the bulb as she went around with her wet tongue and took more of it into her mouth. Subaru couldn't anymore. Echidna was just too good, her mouth so hot and wet. Her eyes told him that she wanted it, to give in and not hold back from her. She was now sucking him so hard, making his dick harder like never before. Just the way her tongue slickly touched him and wrapped around him was making his head go blank.
"Echidna, I'm coming!"
With a yell, he exploded inside her as Echidna's eyes slanted smugly, taking everything he had to offer. Not a single bit of cum escaped her mouth as she let everything go down her throat. Echidna move up as she licked her lips at him.
"Thank you for the meal."
Subaru was panting from his orgasm. He found himself staring at her lips, at the mouth that was just eating him. He blushed as he recalled how good it felt.
Echidna smiled as she reached down with her hand and began to jerk him off, causing him to gasp. She kissed the corner of his mouth and whispered with that soft voice of hers.
"Do you want more?"
Subaru nodded his head. How could he not?
"What do you want? Is it this?"
Echidna pressed her vagina onto his dick, letting him know how wet she was while she lightly grinded herself onto him. Seeing that coy smile on Echidna and the warmth that was on his dick, Subaru lost it.
He immediately grabbed her shoulders and wrapped both of his legs around her own, he rolled both of them, causing Echidna to yelp slightly, so that now he was on the top with her on the bottom. Echidna found herself aroused when looking into Subaru's eyes; he never looked at that half-elf the same way he was looking at her right now, with such hunger and want.
"You're mine, Echidna."
Subaru growled as he positioned himself and with one big swoop, claimed her.
He immediately moaned as the familiar heat once again enveloped him. He would never get tired of it, the way Echidna's sex tightened around him. He rocked his hips, trying to get deeper in her, wanting to be connected even a little bit more. His desires became more carnal, wanting to feel better as he began to buck harder and harder into her.
"That's it, Natsuki Subaru! Harder! Don't hold back! Let everything out!"
Echidna felt her breasts being grabbed roughly as Subaru kept pounding into her. She enjoyed how their skins rubbed against each other and made each other mad with lust. She loved it every time his hips dropped down on her as she met his hips with her own. Just feeling his thick and hot length filling her insides made her feel complete yet want more at the same time. They were both moaning in the heat as their orgasms came close, threatening to erupt.
"Echidna!"
"Natsuki Subaru, do it!"
They came as both of their bodies convulsed and twitched from the release. Subaru could only stay still as he was still having shivers from his release. No matter how much times he did it, he was always surprised by how incredible it was to do it with Echidna. In fact, he was somewhat afraid that he might become addicted to it if he kept this up and made a mental note to himself. He didn't want himself to start seeing Echidna with only lustful eyes and wanted to have a healthy relationship with her. Well, if he ever did get addicted, he would blame Echidna. It should be a crime to be that beautiful, smart, and sexy.
Echidna was also catching her breath. She was also getting somewhat addicted to this. It was amazing how intense and gratifying sexual intercourse was. Just feeling each other's skins in intimate areas was an experience she wouldn't get tired of. Of course, seeing Subaru's thoughts, she decided to respect his decision but she figured once in a while should be fine. Maybe…once a week? No, twice a week? No, maybe even 4 a week?
"Echidna…do you mind if I meet you daily in the morning from now on?" Subaru was laying down next to her when he asked this.
"Really, you'll do that?!" Echidna sat up quickly to look at him along with a huge smile on her face. Subaru looked surprised at her somewhat overbearing reaction as he scratched his cheek in embarrassment. Wasn't she a little bit too excited?
"It's just that since we're in a contract and all, I figured that we should meet up to discuss about the day and other things. Also…I want to know more about you also."
"Alright, leave it to me!"
"Also, can you tell me what happened to Emilia? Why was she like… that?"
"Ah."
Echidna realized that she had some explaining to do.
Author's Note: It took some time to get this chapter out since I had to think of how to develop the plot. Making conversations so that the plot points can connect to each other is always a challenge. It took me a while to see how I could connect Emilia's initial conversation with Subaru and Subaru's third trial together. I was wondering if I should end it here and just give a vague ending but figured that would be pretty lazy of me. I think that next chapter or 2 should be the last. Hope this chapter isn't too butchered up, considering that I had to come up with this on the fly after realizing my one-shot wasn't going to be a one-shot.