Lunchtime Memories Part Two
As the half-elf candidate fled the room, the other occupants in the theatre could only look on with mixed feelings.
Those remaining watched in pity as the young woman ran in sorrow, heavy footsteps and wet splotches on the floor indicating the path she took as she raced out in a frantic hurry.
Crusch felt the exhilaration of victory slowly leave her as she could hear the sobbing growing fainter and fainter. Instead, she decided to cuddle into Subaru's side and place her head on his shoulder. Squeezing her eyes shut, she desperately tried to block the rest of the world out as she recalled the scenes between her and the young man that the screen displayed.
Beatrice watched the half-elf flee with fury as she patted her contractor's head before leaving in the same direction as the candidate.
Without looking back, however, she addressed the verdant-haired duchess.
"Take care of Betty's Subaru while Betty's gone, I suppose."
Crusch opened her eyes in curiosity and attempted to question the great spirit, unfortunately only being met with Subaru and his empty lap.
Taking advantage of the situation, she pulled the sleeping young man into her embrace, seemingly treating Beatrice's words as permission for her to do so.
Anastasia prided herself on her sense of timing, it was one of the many key aspects that made her such a successful merchant. As a result, she decided to observe the situation, hoping that with everyone being so distressed, loose lips could drop vital information that she could use in formulating her plan of acquiring Natsuki Subaru.
Julius sat with clenched fists, feeling not only hopeless but greatly unsure of what his next action would be. At times like this, he sincerely wished that Subaru was awake so that his friends' smiles and foolish antics could soothe their wounded hearts, especially Emilia's.
Felt tried to jump out of her seat to run to the young woman she considered an elder sister, only to be stopped by a red-haired knight slowly shaking his head as he pulled her back down.
If she wanted to be alone, they could only accept her wish. After all, there were only a handful of individuals who were even entitled to aid her in such a state, and neither of them was qualified.
Emilia's allies held deeper emotions than the others, however, such as the twin-oni maids harbouring guilt over their previous actions in past loops that Subaru had to face.
Past loops also resulted in his untimely demise and a restart, only leading down a road of repetition until he could find the right path again.
If Emilia was truly one of those at fault for the boy's suffering, despite being one of Subaru's last fragments of sanity he had left, the others were surely far lower than that.
In contrast to this, a feeling of rage began to build up within the room, its strength amplifying as the wailing of a distant Emilia caused waves of gut-wrenching anguish.
"Well, that could've gone down better." Priscilla's knight said sarcastically, hoping to alleviate the tension in the room as the others just starred in the direction of the exit.
"I don't think there would've been another outcome, it seems that she had reached that conclusion long before it was brought up," Ricardo replied to Al's remark tiredly, his usually toothy grin nowhere in sight as he ran his hand through his hair with a sigh.
Otto, feeling dejected by his failure as the head of internal affairs, hoped to salvage at least something from the depressing situation as he moved his gaze back to the elder Astrea.
"Wilhelm-san, surely there is more to Natsuki-san's situation than what you say. We all saw how he came to this world, we saw how he managed on his first day! Are we supposed to believe that what the screen showed us is a lie!"
The grey-haired merchant grew more frustrated with each word he said as he desperately tried to make sense of everything, unfortunately finding no outlet for his feelings except the man he was speaking to.
Taking a few moments to gather his thoughts, Wilhelm replied;
"While I am just as shocked as you are, those eyes of Subaru-dono were no lie, the difference between the young man sleeping beside us and the one on the sc-"
"Oi, oi!"
In the middle of providing his reason for such a statement earlier, Wilhelm was cut off by a highly aggravated Garfiel who heatedly spat his thoughts at the butler.
"What are ya tryna' say old man! Cap'ns lady has just run off crying because of what ya said! Dun' even bother making up excuses! You should know how she feels, ya lost someone like that too!"
The young blonde warrior couldn't stand the sound of a crying Emilia, she had become too close to him as a friend for him to let the situation go. Hence, he went down a road nobody else dared tread as he disrespectfully brought up the older man's deceased partner.
Most of the bystanders were thrown completely out of their thoughts and looked on in anger at the boy's words because regardless of whether his point held merit or not, the sheer audacity of such a statement was deserving of punishment.
That being said, they made no move to interfere.
Wilhelm, being blindsided by such a remark, clenched both his fists, nails drawing blood as they dug into his flesh in a feeble attempt to restrain his aggression.
"Don't speak to him like that!" Felix's tail stood on edge as he came to the defence of his colleague, joining the ongoing shouting match between the Emilia and Crusch camp.
In response, Frederica also stood up and made her presence known as she sided with Otto and her little brother. If there was to be a fight, she'd be damned if she let anyone harm a single hair on her siblings head, Sword Demon or not.
Both parties stared the other down, the original cause for such debate long abandoned as they wanted nothing more than to let their anger fly at the members of the opposing side.
"Such insolence, I demand silence!"
A commanding voice broke the tension and drew the gazes of everyone present with it.
"The sound of your commoner voices are grating on mine delicate ears, mine suggestion would be that each of you close your mouths before they're cauterised shut," Priscilla growled at the fools who were already at each other's throats, not at all amused as they dared to distract her from her thoughts.
"While I can't disagree with what she said, surely ya can think of a more beneficial way to sort this out, right?" Anastasia added her support to the Vollachian princess's declaration as she too was sick of the arguing.
Priscilla however was not in the mood for interruption as her eyes belied the raging inferno behind them, threatening to break out and scorch the animals in front of her.
"Speak for yourself mongrel, surely these barbarians wouldn't be able to even begin to understand the situation at hand."
Flicking her fan, Priscilla spoke with gritted teeth as she could only feel insulted by being surrounded by such belligerents and began to leave her chair.
As their rage slowly started to subside, both contending parties as well as the silent bystanders looked at the rising candidate in confusion.
"I suppose you are already aware of mine next intention?" Priscilla spoke aloud, drawing even more confused gazes as she made her way down the row.
Until her question was answered.
"Don't fear, I have no intention of interfering, if anything, I think I would quite enjoy such a display."
The voice of their warden shocked the cast as they had completely forgotten about the faceless enigma.
"I'll do you a favour just this once, I do hope it's to your liking."
Priscilla smirked at the ceiling as she lowered her fan.
"Naturally, it is the responsibility of those beneath mine divine self to serve."
The tone in her voice still betrayed the anger she felt, but, it would be difficult to ignore the sense of satisfaction that could be heard as she commented.
As she kept walking, it became more apparent that she was honing in on someone in particular, who could only grimace as Priscilla confidently strode towards them with purpose. Her face, unobscured by her fan, showed only a malicious expression as the Vollachian made her way to her target.
The target being one Roswaal L. Mathers.
Ram, seeing the encroaching threat made her way to intercept her however a sudden wave of vertigo disrupted all of her senses and her mind went black.
The Margrave could only lament as his servant fell into the chair beside him with a light thud.
"Sister!"
Rem vaulted over several chairs as she sped to where the unconscious Ram lay, cradling her beloved older sibling in her arms.
"Before you even begin to complain, I suggest you keep your mouth closed, maid."
"What! What did you do t-"
As the blue-haired maid attempted to raise her voice, a low growl came from the menacing woman slowly walking towards them which quite
"Silence."
Priscilla's statement offered no room for argument as Rem noticed the distinct difference between the tone she was previously using and the one now.
Condensed rage.
What was once a raging inferno had transformed into the frigid tundra, no longer was this the wrath of a princess but that of a goddess. One which Rem had no intention of disputing as it seemed that not only was her sister safe, but the target of the encroaching woman was the sick individual next to her.
Bowing out, the oni carried her sister and retreated from the clown's immediate surroundings, placing the unconscious Ram on a seat a few meters away from the candidate and her master.
Staring up at Priscilla, Roswaal managed to force a smile with his bloodied lips and prepared a greeting.
"Why Priscilla-samaaaaaaaaaaaaa, to what do I owe this pleasurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrre?"
The fiery-haired princess stared down at him in silence.
"Issssssssssss there so-hgk!"
Interrupting him mid-sentence, she savagely kicked the injured man off his chair. Saliva, as well as fresh blood and a tooth, came flying out of his skull as Priscilla's heeled foot connected with the mage's temple, sending him careening into the floor below face first with a sickening thud.
"Hmph…"
Satisfied with the damage caused, Priscilla made her way back to her seat with a confident stride. She wore a sadistic grin, refreshed after she afforded herself an opportunity to release some pent-up tension.
As his consciousness began to fade, Roswaal felt completely alone, a sentiment shared by the candidate he sponsored as well...
Elsewhere, a cute little spirit girl trod down the dimly lit hallways behind the main viewing room.
"Where is that girl, I suppose," Beatrice muttered, making her way down the line of rooms used as sleeping quarters throughout her stay in the theatre.
Closing in on the half-elf's room, the small spirit could hear incoherent sobbing originating from the fluffy white blankets on the bed in the middle of the comfy room.
Not one to stand on ceremony, she didn't bother knocking and instead stomped into the room and over the wet carpet.
Coming to a stop at the side of the bed, Beatrice was ambushed as a guilt-ridden Emilia launched her arms from underneath the covers and grabbed her with incredible strength.
"W-w-what are you doing I suppose!" The spirit spluttered out as she was suddenly in the clutches of the young woman.
"Beatrice, I killed him, I killed him, I killed him! I killed my Subaru!" Emilia incoherently repeated the sentence over and over again as she buried her face in the discombobulated spirit's chest.
"I-if he didn't come with me, if he didn't make the stupid decision to come with me, he wouldn't have died!"
The half-elf released the spirit which she had manhandled like a doll and clutched at her silver hair, quickly allowing herself to be consumed by madness and remorse.
Beatrice was about to respond however she was cut off again by a manic Emilia
"D-don't you see Beako, if my Subaru didn't come with me, he wouldn't have needed to die, he wouldn't have had to face those nightmares and he wouldn't have hurt himself!"
"How can I apologise for what I have done!?"
Slap!
A loud whack rang out as the great spirit delivered a backhand to Emilia's tear-stained cheek.
"HOW DARE YOU I SUPPOSE!"
Shellshocked, Emilia snapped out of her sadness-fuelled madness as she stared wide-eyed at the spirit, nursing her now bright red cheek.
"How dare you belittle Betty's contractor! After all Betty's Subaru has been through, you still have the nerve to make such a statement, I suppose!"
Infuriated, Beatrice began to fire on all cylinders as her verbal assault brokered no respite for a reeling Emilia.
"His struggle was for all of us! His struggle was for you, in fact! What a foolish girl you are to spit on Betty's contractor's journey!"
"I did no such thing! Take that back!" Emilia shot back at Beatrice, only to be met with a heated counter.
"No! You are nothing but a foolish girl who can't simply just thank those around you! Sometimes people do things because they love one another, I suppose! What a hypocrite you must be to scold Betty's Subaru for helping others! Don't even speak of Betty's Subaru like that or Betty will make you take back those words herself, I suppose!"
Emilia, seeing red, was ready to launch an icicle at the spirit who so arrogantly slandered her love for Subaru however was met with the open palm of the drill-haired loli in question.
"If you want to blame someone...blame the freak in the clown makeup, I suppose."
The half-elf did a double-take of the situation as she managed to wrestle her emotions under control, slowing down her breathing and closing her eyes.
Chest heaving deeply, she recalled the admission of Roswaal in the Sanctuary. While she was naïve of the damage he truly caused at the time, it was correct that he was responsible for many of the unfortunate events in Subaru's life.
Not to mention their viewings of Subaru's past loops, they understood that it was all intentional. An effort to mould the poor young man into a disgusting creature such as the one that hid under his makeup and exaggerated features.
Emilia couldn't help but feel sick at the thought of such a reality.
On the other hand, what of the realities that they were being presented with on the screen?
"Still, you saw how happy he looked with the others! That Subaru they see every day, I've only seen a handful of times!"
Beatrice, unfazed by the sudden rise in the volume of Emilia's voice, stared directly in her eyes.
"All will be explained with time, I suppose. The consequences of prematurely leaving the room in fact."
Having said her peace, Beatrice turned so her back was facing Emilia and spoke calmly;
"Betty's going back to her Subaru in fact, whether you remain here or return to the main room is your own choice, I suppose."
Making her trek towards the exit and along the path back to her contractor, the spirit paused as Emilia called out behind her;
"He'd call me a dunderhead for how I'm acting...wouldn't he?"
Beatrice smirked and continued towards the exit.
"Who says dunderhead in this day and age, I suppose."
Arriving back in the main room of the theatre, Beatrice was met with a shocked crowd, watching on as a smirking Priscilla made her way back to her seat.
Fatigued from her previous interaction with another royal candidate, the small spirit chose to make her way to the lap of her contractor.
Such a task would have been difficult, however, as said contractor was currently resting in the embrace of the head of House Karsten. His entire body pulled into hers as his head was cuddled in her breast and his disfigured hands being softly held.
Catching sight of the spirit, Crusch lamented that the intimacy she was currently sharing with Subaru would be cut short and she would have to return to sharing him with the others.
Staring up at the Duchess, Beatrice spoke nonchalantly;
"Release Betty's Subaru, I suppose. Betty wants her seat back this instant."
"Of course."
Reluctantly allowing the sleeping young man out of her embrace, Crusch sat him up comfortably so the spirit could climb back up onto him and resume her previous position.
"U-um, Beatrice-sama…" Otto called to the girl in a worried voice.
"What is it, I suppose?"
"E-Emilia-sama...how is she?"
At the mention of the half-elf's name, the silent audience winced at the memory of how she dramatically departed the area.
"What that fool does is up to her, I suppose. Betty only reminded her of some hard truths, in fact."
Just as she finished her off-handed remark, loud footsteps echoed throughout the theatre, drawing the attention of those present with the exception of a fatigued Beatrice who chose to close her eyes and relish in her contractor's warmth.
"Emilia-sama!" Petra cried out at their returning member.
Smiling through tear-filled eyes, Emilia addressed the crowd;
"Everyone, I'm sorry for how I acted, I ran before you explained everything to me."
Her voice gathering more strength with each word, her apology made the onlookers smile weakly up at her.
"I-I hope, you don't mind if I rejoin you." The half-elf continued, bowing deeply as she shook slightly.
"Please do, Emilia-sama." Frederica gave her a toothy grin, eliciting a few nods in response.
As her eyes began to sting again, Emilia simply held her grin and slowly made her way to her seat as she received various congratulations for returning.
"Welcome back, Emilia-sama."
"Nice ta see ya back, boss lady."
"Indeed, Rem is very happy at your return Emilia-sama."
Blushing, Emilia silently thanked each member of her camp for their kind words and finally made it to the seat beside her beloved Subaru.
"What are you doing standing there, I suppose."
Staring with uncertainty in her eyes, the half-elf reached out a hand in trepidation, unsure if she was still in the right to allow her tainted touch to make contact with Subaru.
"B-Beako, w-what if he...hates me?"
Opening her eyes in annoyance, Beatrice looked at Emilia, unamused with her question.
"Does Betty need to remind you of what was just discussed, I suppose? Surely Betty didn't hit you so hard that you have already forgotten, in fact."
Emilia slightly recoiled at the harsh tone the spirit used, withdrawing her hand in an attempt to back away however was stopped as a small hand grabbed her own.
"Don't."
Confused, Emilia looked to the great spirit who frustratedly growled.
"Don't you dare abandon him, I suppose. Don't you dare look down on Betty's Subaru after his sacrifices. Leave now and you'll have to beg Betty to let you come back, in fact."
Adding her own opinion of the situation, Crusch turned to face the half-elf.
"Emilia-sama, surely there is none other than yourself that he would have at his side." She spoke softly, flashing Emilia a friendly smile although there was a hidden envious undertone to it.
Looking back at the Duchess and great spirit, as well as the gazes of encouragement from those around her, Emilia mustered up enough courage to gently take one of Subaru's hands into her own and sat down.
"Of course." She whispered softly, delicately running her smooth hands along those of the young man's and noting the warmth despite how disfigured they were.
They would be healed in due time of course
Clapping her hands together, Anastasia perked up.
"Right! Now that ya are all settled, let's discuss the real issue here, that being Natsuki-kun."
Flinching at his name, Emilia felt a tingle run up her spine as she still hadn't gotten back into the flow of things.
Taking note of that detail, as well as having the eyes of nearly everyone present, the merchant princess continued.
"While I'm still a little rough on the finer details, I think there's one person who knows more than she lets on…"
Anastasia diverted hers as well as everyone else's gaze to Priscilla, who was back to obscuring her face behind her crimson fan.
"Hmph, naturally one such as mineself would take notice of these things far before the rest of you mongrels." She snobbishly remarked.
"If you're not gonna tell us then shut your mouth." Felt fired back, already at her wit's end as the Vollachian met her glare with one of her own.
As the two continued to stare the other down, Julius felt it best to step in before more violence broke out.
"Of course Priscilla-sama, I beseech you to enlighten us with what you know."
Satisfied with how the knight asked her, Priscilla's mood brightened and she broke her staring contest with the young candidate.
"It's good to see that you know your place. As a reward, I'll tell you what mineself has discovered."
Everyone went silent as they listened in on her words
"As you can all surmise, it doesn't appear that the boy has died or 'looped' within this viewing however it begs the question, how is this so? Were we not shown his journey not too long ago?"
Tilting her head up to face the ceiling, she gave a disgusted look and said;
"Only a fool would have taken your words at face value, isn't that right."
"But of course."
"Oi, what do ya mean!" Garfiel shouted in indignation, furious at the secrecy.
Petra jumped up as well at the shield of Sanctuary's words, also angered by the lack of transparency in the explanation.
"Yeah, did you lie to us about Subaru-sama!"
"Not necessarily a lie, merely an omission of truth." The warden replied.
"Might I remind you that I specifically said 'brief moments' in our conversations prior, never once did I mention the how or why."
Before continuing, there was a brief pause from the booming voice, as if they were collecting their thoughts.
"In essence, with the exception of how the boy was summoned here and his time in his previous world, nothing that occurred upon his arrival remains consistent with what you were previously shown. All his struggles, achievements, failures and successes, all of it may or may not have happened."
"Then what of the clown's plan? Surely if such a reality existed, he would have attempted to correct it." Wilhelm asked the warden, brow furrowed as he was attempting to piece everything together.
"Perhaps... The point is that you are all asking for answers to questions that need not be asked. The clown could have perished long ago for all we know, the past to each tale on-screen is clouded and uncertain, your only context being what is presented to you."
Beatrice, having already heard all that she needed spoke in a tired tone;
"So not even you know, I suppose."
"Indeed. With that being said, would you desire to continue watching?"
"Please," Crusch answered immediately, hoping to hide her enthusiasm of continuing the viewing of her date with action earning her several glares from women around the room.
"Very well then."
The warden cleared their throat before addressing the theatre's occupants once again;
"Before I begin, however, I have a message for those of you who continue to use Subaru as a stress ball, care to listen to my advice?"
"W-w-what would that be?" Emilia nervously asked.
"DO NOT!"
As soon as Emilia asked, the voice answered with thunderous energy, frustration evident in their tone.
A loud click resounded throughout the theatre, followed by the cries of the now awoken Subaru.
"Ahhhhhhh!"
Nearly throwing Beatrice off his lap, the youth thrashed in agony as the pain from his broken hands shot through his arms which caused those around him, particularly the two females responsible, to jump in fright.
Emilia, as well as Rem, could only clutch at their heads, the screams reminding them of previous loops in which Subaru was horribly injured before being killed, the guilt hitting them at full force as well as the traumatic memories blocking their thoughts.
Beatrice and Crusch on the other hand, uselessly attempted to calm the flailing Subaru, both in tears from hearing him in pain.
Felix had already left his seat along with Julius, a worried Wilhelm, Ricardo, and Garfiel, prepared to give Subaru emergency healing or restrain him so the healer could work.
Frederica, Reinhard, and Anastasia hugged their respective younger companions close to them, attempting to block out the screaming with soothing words and affectionate petting.
Meanwhile, Priscilla and her knight watched on with anger, one being masked by his helmet and the other behind her fan. Each of them feeling their rage intensify with each progressive cry of anguish.
"Cease this insolence at once!" Priscilla ordered aloud to the warden, her voice betraying a slight sense of desperation as she didn't want to hear Subaru suffering anymore.
"Of course."
The familiar clicking sound could be heard and the once flailing Subaru immediately settled back into the chair as if he had never been in pain before.
Rem felt her anger surge as she collected her thoughts, nearly bringing forth her horn and summoning her morning star.
"What did you do to my Subaru-kun!"
The ground beneath her began to crack, spreading from her position like tree branches which traveled along the aisles.
Hers wasn't the only anger that could be felt throughout the theatre, however, as the entire audience was ready to strike at the one who caused such suffering.
Whether it was shards of ice being summoned, swords being drawn, or fangs being bared, it was merely a matter of finding the one responsible for them.
The voice of their warden, however, was the exact opposite as they replied uninterestedly;
"Woke him up."
"Come out here ya bastard so I can rip ya head off!" Garfiel yelled at the booming voice enraged, barely restraining himself from transforming.
"I'm quivering in my office, truthfully."
"Reinhard, bust us out of here so we can kick his shit in!" Felt ordered her knight, pointing towards the dark ceiling above.
"Forgive me, Felt-sama, but I don't believe I can."
The matter-of-fact statement shocked everyone, eyes immediately shooting to the most powerful individual in the room.
"Reinhard…"
"Forgive me, however, we must all think this through. An individual who can drag us to a place such as this without us even being able to fight back. It would be most unwise to pursue conflict." Reinhard summarised.
"He's right, I suppose."
"Beatrice?" Emilia called the spirit softly in confusion.
"Betty's tired from all this fighting, I suppose. Just let Betty rest with her Subaru, in fact."
Beatrice didn't even spare the others a look as she shifted herself on Subarus's lap to a more comfortable position, resting her head on his chest.
Rem however couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"Beatrice-sama, how can we just let this slide!? This creature is nothing more than a sadistic animal who hurt my Subaru-kun!"
"Was it, I suppose?"
Pausing, Rem seriously considered her question, recalling how her hero cried out in pain. He was fast asleep beforehand so what changed?
"I suggest taking a look at his hands, considering how slow each of you is on the uptake."
Glancing at Subaru's hands, many noticed that they were not healed as they typically were...far from it in fact.
While they hadn't been punctured or bleeding, it was obvious that they were significantly misshapen, bones having been fractured in various places on both hands.
It was very unsettling to look at.
"Have no fear, I forgive you, and so would he, I assume. However, know that further injury will merit only pain and suffering to the one you claim as beloved. Heed the warning."
A long silence reigned over the theatre, everyone was unsure of how to proceed after the conversation.
"Perhaps you would feel better if you continued watching, after the next viewing you can all be afforded some rest."
"We should do as he says." Crusch nodded as she voiced her support for the suggestion.
"Crusch-san, surely your response is out of consideration for Natsuki-kun and not for...other reasons." Anastasia narrowed her gaze as she replied to the Duchess accusingly.
Crusch didn't answer, instead, using the opportunity to get into a better position on her seat so she could rest her head on the young man's shoulder beside her.
While she couldn't help but feel pissed off at being ignored by the Duchess, Anastasia decided that it would be wiser to follow her example and sat back, allowing her gaze to drift back to the screen.
"What's the plan boss?" Ricardo asked, lowering his guard.
"Let's just sit down, I think I need a drink," Anastasia muttered as she rubbed her forehead, fatigue as well as stress taking its toll on her mind.
Nodding his head, the mercenary returned to his seat, the action causing the crowd around Subaru to disperse and take their seats once again.
"Now, let us resume."
With the wardens last few words, the theatre once again came to life as the screen lit up.
Nestled on grass plains, a large structure of stone and wood was surrounded by vast vineyards, stretching a significant distance in length.
The sea of grape-bearing vines was separated into neat rows forming a circle around the central building, fenced off by old wooden posts that creaked in the light afternoon breeze.
Amidst the rows of plants were a multitude of people, all donning their farming outfits with wide-brimmed hats as they picked the grapes that were ripe to be harvested. Sweat ran off the brows of many who had been out there for what could have been hours as they tiredly raised their hands to collect the small fruits and drop them into woven baskets.
Along the cobblestone path which split off from the main road, an ornate carriage came to a stop, merely meters away from the entrance of the winery.
"Wow, it looks very nice out there," Frederica remarked as the screen displayed the scenery.
"Indeed, a fine choice for taking Subaru-dono." Wilhelm nodded his head at Crusch's choice of location, pleased that she had considered such a place.
"It reminds me of the flower fields near the village," Petra commented, reminiscing about the stunning area that Subaru, the other children and she herself would often visit.
"It does, doesn't it Petra-chan," Emilia replied to Petra's comment with a smile, causing the little maid to smile back.
While Emilia's voice was still slightly weak, she gained some strength as she recalled the times Subaru would take her there on his 'dates'.
The thought of running freely and sitting with his head in her lap brought a nostalgic smile to her pale face. Her amethyst eyes were close to letting tears fall at the memories.
Turning her head, Emilia softly gazed over the young man she was sitting next to and began to run one of her hands lovingly along his jawline.
Her smile grew wider the further her hand went.
"Heh, if only you could be awake to see this too, Subaru."
"I remember passing by the area, however, I have never found the time to actually pay a proper visit." Reinhard mused, having travelled the main road which ran past the place.
Felt glanced at her knight with a pout.
"You're definitely taking me there once we get out of this shithole Reinhard." She said with a huff.
The adorable sight made Reinhard want to pinch her cheeks, but, he restrained himself from indulging as the young candidate would possibly attempt to take his hand as a result.
Out first, came a woman with stunning amber-coloured eyes and clad in her bluish formal outfit. Under her left arm, she held a small basket which was enclosed by a checkered red and white towel.
"Crusch-sama looks so cool here!" Felix whooped at the sight of the Duchess.
Said Duchess could only feel her interest rise as she saw herself on screen, silently congratulating her counterpart for appearing so collected during such an event.
Many of the knights as well as other males around the theatre watched in awe at how Crusch looked.
Raising her free hand back through the door, she helped a blushing Subaru out of the carriage as he used the hand not being held to cover his face in embarrassment.
Garfiel and Ricardo immediately began to start laughing, the sight of a blushing Subaru being treated like a princess by the leader of House Karsten being far too hilarious to ignore.
The knights also began to stifle giggles, wondering how Subaru would even allow such an event to occur.
Rem and Emilia on the other hand, seethed in jealousy, both wishing with all their might to be the one to hold Subaru's hand like the Duchess doing so now.
Emilia went to squeeze Subaru's hand, only to have a tiny arm shoot out and grab her.
"Don't even think about it, I suppose." Beatrice didn't so much as glance at the envious half-elf, keeping her focus entirely on the display in front of them.
Emilia pouted in response.
"Please watch your step Subaru."
"Y-yeah…"
Whereas before Garfiel and Ricardo were laughing prior, both had now fallen off their seats and began clutching at their sides. Despite mere moments only passing on screen, the two found themselves howling as Subaru replied to Crusch in a very unmanly fashion.
Al began to snort as well, enjoying the sight of Subaru being in such a position as he was gently led down the steps of the carriage.
Ram, who had been awoken not too long ago, allowed her master to rest in her lap as she watched the screen, noting how such a moment would have been perfect for him to don his 'Natsumi' appearance.
"Damn Barusu, now you have Ram thinking about your perverted ways."
Many of the younger members in the audience also began to chuckle at the state Subaru was in.
Priscilla could only lament how the boy was weak at the knees for such an inferior woman.
The sight made her envious, to say the least, as she glanced at his dark-haired head.
With her picnic basket in one hand and Subaru's in the other, Crusch strode with purpose as she sought out an appropriate place to lay all of her supplies down.
Preferably somewhere with a view.
Spotting a nearby hill which was situated perfectly looking over the vineyards, Crusch gently dragged a flustered Subaru to their destination.
"Ah Crusch-tan, mind telling me where we're going?"
Emilia, hearing the affectionate tone in Subaru's voice couldn't help but require something to alleviate her stress.
Instead of utilising her adorable Subaru's hands, she decided that something else may or may not do the trick. Using her magic, she summoned a small block of ice in her hand and elected to use her strength to crush that instead.
Unfortunately for her, however, she was more annoyed than she had initially believed, shattering the hard object within merely seconds.
Beatrice, having witnessed the display, brought both her hands out in defence of Subaru and shielded him from Emilia.
The half-elf candidate just looked at the spirit tiredly and sighed.
It's just not the same.
The Duchess didn't respond, instead only briefly turning her head and winking at her companion as they climbed the grassy slope.
"Go Crusch-sama!" Felix hollered at his Lady, her actions on-screen making her even cooler than before.
Crusch blushed at the support she was receiving from her knight and sank a little in her seat.
"Damn she's smooth." Ricardo whistled, eliciting many nods from those surrounding him.
Minus the stare he was receiving from Anastasia however.
"...right…"
Arriving at her chosen spot, Crusch turned to Subaru.
"Here should do fine right?"
"Yeah, it actually does look really nice from up here."
"Wow, boss bro really does have a good view." Mimi watched the screen with excitement, hoping that she would be able to convince Anastasia to let her visit at some point in time.
"He does, Crusch-sama, you must have put a lot of effort into planning such an occasion." Otto mused as he asked the Duchess.
At the merchant's question, Crusch smiled softly and caressed Subaru's hand with a great amount of care.
"Of course, if she can see what's so special about him then she'd know he's worth it, I suppose." The Duchess pondered softly.
Despite the calmness that beckoned from her, Crusch failed to realize several envious glares which shot in her direction.
As Subaru admired the view below them, Crusch set her basket down and began to lay its contents out.
"You don't need to do everything you know, Crusch-tan."
"I invited you out here, it's only fair I set everything up."
Subaru looked at her with an uneasy smile.
"Really Crusch-tan, you're making me feel a little useless here…"
"Crusch-sama, surely you could've at least let Subaru-kyun help." Felix pointed out as he gazed at the screen, slightly annoyed at his lady having to do all the work.
"Felix," Julius replied seriously to his fellow knight.
"While I agree that Subaru should have helped, it wouldn't do any good to disparage her on her efforts." The purple-haired knight scolded the cat-boy, earning many nods from those around them.
Indeed, it could have been seen as rude for leaving all the setting up to Crusch, but many understood the effort the noble was going to in her pursuit of Subaru. Of particular note, were the males who had to follow similar rules for courtship.
For that, she had their respect.
The Duchess tilted her head up and gave her best puppy dog eyes at the young man.
"Please."
"Hngh." Subaru grunted as he clutched at his chest, the sight being too adorable for him to protest.
Smirking, Crusch went back to unpacking as Subaru pouted.
The audience began to laugh at the exchange between the two on-screen.
"Damn, she got him good." Ricardo laughed, applauding how easily the Duchess played Subaru.
"I guess she's had her eyes on him for a while." Al commented as he saw how the Duchess and Subaru interacted.
"And what could that mean, hmmm?" Anastasia was the first to respond to his statement, her eyes seeming to pierce through his helmet and skull.
"Indeed, please tell us what that entails, Al-san." Emilia asked, her voice being exceptionally cold. She too, was also intrigued as her arm began to snake over Subaru possessively.
"Do you truly think so, Aldebaran?" Priscilla replied to her knight with a scowl.
Al, not being a complete idiot, decided to retract his previous statement.
"Er, I guess I just wanted to say they seem like good friends is all. Y-yeah, just good friends." The helmeted-man muttered nervously, placing heavy emphasis on how the relationship was only one of friendship and nothing deeper.
Seemingly appeased with the response, the women didn't pursue the topic further.
Al, on the other hand, couldn't stop shaking in his seat.
"Ya all right?" Ricardo asked in worry.
"Yeah, just a bit chilly pal."
Having caught on, the wolf-man patted his companion's shoulder in understanding.
"That's just playing dirty."
"You've always been a sore loser haven't you."
Subaru didn't respond, growling as he threw his hands into his pockets and stomped off to survey the surrounding area.
In contrast to the happy scene, many in the audience winced at the Duchess' comment as several memories resurfaced. One of note was a fateful encounter at the Capital between Julius and Subaru.
The purple-haired knight clenched his fists in his lap, hating himself for ever doing such a thing as the guilt began to swallow him.
Closing his eyes, Julius could feel a few stray tears leak out at his recollection of the event, now with the benefit of hindsight.
Regardless of whether his actions were justified or not, they undoubtedly were a significant factor in at least one of his friends' previous deaths.
A fact he could never forgive himself for.
Easing his mind, Subaru began to take in the sight in front of him.
Boundless fields of green, littered with the odd brown or red among other colours in smaller quantities. The vegetation slowly swayed, movements being carried by the wind that swept by faintly.
Thankfully it was a sunny day, despite the few clouds that threatened to block the sunlight for a brief few moments.
A smile formed on Subaru's face. It truly was serene.
"Subaru-kun looks very cute when he smiles." Rem giggled, thoroughly enjoying the sight of her hero's calm smile.
"Indeed, Natsuki-san looks very at peace." Otto nodded, glad to witness these positive scenes of his friend, a sentiment which was common amongst the theatre's occupants.
Definitely a welcome change from the drab mundane enclosure that was known as Wilhelm's lecture room.
Lost in the scenery, Subaru began to visualise an imaginary battle playing out, its soldiers akin to the pieces on the map he used with the Sword Demon.
"Hmmm, it seems Subaru-dono is always thinking of his duties," Wilhelm noted as he stroked his beard.
"Yeah! Subaru-sama is always planning ways to save the day!" Petra gleefully praised Subaru, earning a head pat from an amused Frederica.
"Wha' do ya expect? Tha's mah Cap'n right there." Garfiel nodded proudly, his wide smirk never leaving his face.
Further back, Priscilla watched the screen with great interest as Subaru seemed to command his imaginary army.
"Would you still be so diligent if it was mineself you were serving, I wonder?" She whispered to no one in particular.
Just as the battle was reaching its climax, he was torn out of his thoughts by a soft gloved hand, poking him on his left cheek.
"You left your left flank open." Crusch smiled cheekily as she teased her advisor.
"Urgh. If I wanted to watch trash, mineself would stare at the gutter for a day."
Priscilla couldn't help but feel annoyed as the Duchess rudely entered the scene, letting out a noise of disgust.
"If you wanted to stare at the gutter so much, I would be more than willing to give you a better view as I drag your face through it." Crusch retaliated, anger flaring as the other candidate slandered her.
"Oh, is that a threat towards your superior, Karsten dirt?" Priscilla answered, amused that someone as inferior as the woman in front of her had the nerve to say such a thing.
"A promise. One I intend to keep." Crusch replied in a serious tone.
Facing each other, the two candidates entered a stalemate as neither side moved.
"Hmph, while it would be pointless to engage in such barbarity with you here, just remember that the hand you hold onto so dearly will one day be mine." The Vollachian Matriarch smirked.
"Then I suppose you'll have to keep waiting for your turn then, Princess." The Duchess also gave her own smirk as she looked back to the screen and moved slightly closer to Subaru. The way she said 'Princess' oozed with malice and sarcasm.
The onlookers decided to stay out of the skirmish, as it was clear that the Duchess had one this round.
A result Priscilla was not happy with.
Stunned at the sudden intrusion of his thoughts, Subaru stared at the Duchess as the gears in his head began to turn.
"You knew about that?" Subaru asked her uneasily.
"Of course, while I was a bit disappointed that you had fallen for such an easy trap, I was also delighted that you noticed so quickly and began a backup plan."
"How would she know about that?" Tivey mused aloud.
"Crusch-sama isn't one to do things carelessly, nyan." Felix responded with pride.
"Indeed, Crusch-sama is a very diligent woman, I am sure she was far more aware of Subaru-dono's training than what we have been led to believe." Wilhelm nodded in agreement with his colleague.
At hearing her feedback of his recent performance, Subaru noticed one slight detail…
"Hey, how the hell did you know I made that mistake!" The young man yelled as he pointed at the Duchess, clearly recalling that she wasn't present during the event.
"It would seem that Natsuki-san behaves unruly around any candidate." Otto lamented with a smile. It was nice to see that his friend's nature hadn't changed.
"It's one of big bro's best qualities, that's why he's so fun to be around." Felt also smiled as she replied to the merchant, recalling her own tale with Subaru and the trouble both of them got into.
Emilia agreed wholeheartedly.
While Subaru always held her on a pedestal, he had never been afraid of her for being who she was, but always attempted to get into mischief with her and treat the half-elf with amazing care.
Something Emilia would eternally be grateful for.
"How couldn't I have known? I was there after all." Crusch replied to the distressed Subaru with a smile, enjoying the moment.
"Ya seem to enjoy teasing the boy a lot." Ricardo pointed out.
"Well, Subaru-kyun does give good reactions." Felix replied as he giggled at the memories of Subaru shouting in indignation at his own teasing.
Ram as well as many others nodded with smiles.
Ram in particular enjoyed the back and forth relationship they shared, relishing in her ability to poke fun at him and for him to give an amusing response.
While she didn't show it well, Ram certainly cared for Subaru, she just had a...unique way of showing it.
"Please wake up, Barusu." The pink-haired maid whispered, thankful he wouldn't hear such a thing from her.
Wracking his brain, however, Subaru began sorting through his memories of where she could have possibly been.
Crusch, seeing Subaru freeze in time as he sifted through his recollection of the past day answered for him.
"Surely you didn't think I wouldn't check up on you from time to time."
"Ah, so she did observe him then." Tivey mused aloud.
"Well, it's always a good thing to pay attention to the people around them." Anastasia replied, interested in the progress Subaru had been making.
"So he's no longer an asset, is that right, Miss Hoshin?" Crusch pointedly remarked.
"I'd recommend focusing on ya own business, if ya don't pay attention, something of yours might end up becoming mine." The Merchant Princess responded with malice.
"Hmph." Crusch simply refocused on the screen at Anastasia's words, preferring her attention be on the interactions with Subaru on the screen.
"Yeah I kinda figured you'd do that at some point, but by checking up on, I assumed you meant actually speaking in person."
"So why didn't she, I wonder." Al pondered.
"While I must confess that I did originally want to speak with you, I thought it would be better to shadow you instead. Seeing you at work normally would be far better than having you stress because I'm there."
Crusch let out a sigh before continuing further;
"You get far too nervous after all, so I thought observing you from afar would be more effective. Clearly, I was right."
"Why would Subaru-sama get so nervous around Crusch-sama?" Petra asked Frederica.
The older maid tried to respond, however, a sudden chill ran up her spine as she was about to open her mouth.
"Of course, surely there wouldn't be a need for good friends to be nervous around each other, right?" Emilia added, her voice seeming to lack any emotion.
Al flinched as he heard a snap coming from the seat next to him.
"Now, now, Aldebaran. What are you nervous about?" Priscilla asked her knight in a sickeningly sweet tone, pausing momentarily before continuing;
"This couldn't have anything to do with what you previously said, could it?"
Al chose not to answer, his eyes not even turning from the screen.
"Well, what do you expect? It's a bit hard of a transition to go from just being a shut-in to being a noble's advisor. I don't even know why you'd even bother with asking me to do it in the first place."
At the sound of Subaru letting out his self-deprecating thoughts, Crusch heavily frowned, evidently displeased with how low he thought of himself.
As the audience heard the on-screen Subaru speak, everyone frowned in a similar fashion to Crusch.
"Argh, hearing Betty's Subaru saying such things about himself is making Betty angry, I suppose." Beatrice growled in frustration, pinching her contractor's cheeks in her small hands.
"Subaru-dono has always had a habit of putting himself down, if his trials are to be trusted." Wilhelm noted, remembering the challenges faced in Echidna's tomb.
The memories struck deep for the older gentleman, as he could only feel sorry for Subaru who had gone through so much.
"Still, it's unbecoming of Barusu to continue with this attitude, Ram should be the only one who is allowed to do such a thing." The oni-maid replied seriously.
While she had a few annoyed glances turn her way, most understood that she was indeed, a special case. After all, despite her own attitude towards Subaru, she's served as one of his allies for a majority of his loops, even going so far as to blindly trusting in his plans during their time in Sanctuary.
Just chalking up her faith to Subaru simply being, "a man of good timing."
While they did have the benefit of hindsight now to understand why he was capable of such feats, it didn't change that she had faith in him when it really mattered.
"Seriously Ram-san, surely it wouldn't hurt too much to be a little kinder to Natsuki-san." Otto responded to the maid tiredly.
"Nah, dun' worry about her, tha's just Ram for ya." Garfiel patted Otto's back, keenly aware that Ram's harsh treatment was just her way of showing affection, without really showing it.
Grasping him by the hand, the Duchess tugged him along with her as the two made their way down the hill and towards the vineyard.
"She should really be careful with my Subaru." Emilia whispered as she narrowed her eyes at the screen.
While she wanted to call Subaru a big dummy and a dunderhead for what he said about himself, she didn't appreciate the woman treating her knight so carelessly.
Beatrice just looked at her with a bored expression briefly, before turning back to the viewing.
Seriously? Isn't this just the pot calling the kettle black, I suppose.
"Uh Crusch-tan, the food's that way isn't it?" Subaru asked Crusch in confusion, pointing his thumb towards their picnic spot which they were traveling further and further away from.
"I know, but maybe you'd feel a bit better if I showed you around," Crusch replied confidently.
Cheers erupted from the audience as the Duchess made her play, many wishing her the best of luck for the current battle she was facing.
"Hell yeah! Make that idiot big bro realise how cool he is!" Felt yelled in support of the on-screen Crusch.
"Yes, please help Rem's Subaru-kun be happier with himself." Rem added, while slightly envious.
Although she would rather be the woman to help her hero, such as the speech she gave him prior to their battle with the White Whale, Rem would sacrifice many things if she could see Subaru happy, including being first place in his heart.
Crusch could also only gaze on the screen with affectionate eyes as her counterpart attempted to improve his apparent lack of self-confidence.
While it wouldn't be an easy fight, especially after what they witnessed while viewing his past, she prided herself on being a tenacious warrior.
And this was a battle she would be willing to stake her heart on.
The screen began to play a montage of the pair's adventures around the venue, of particular note were the scenes of Subaru attempting to demonstrate his 'manliness' to the Duchess such as carrying her. Whether it resulted in him falling, getting lost, or almost stepping in fresh manure, many of these attempts were unfortunately met with failure as she would end up being the one doing the lifting.
As the cast watched the happy scene play out, one Vollachian candidate grew fairly bored as well as annoyed.
"While I think it's well established by now, I must say again that the location Crusch-sama chose for this date is absolutely beautiful." Frederica giggled, as she observed the screen.
"That's Crusch-sama for you, nyah." Felix grinned with pride.
"While it's not the type of place I would've taken him, I guess it does have its charm." Anastasia nodded.
"E-eh, well Subaru does similar things for me. While we haven't had a lot of free time, he's always asking to take me out." The half-elf smiled as she reminisced at the memories of her previous dates with the young man.
Emilia's heartfelt tone caused a certain oni to watch her content face in jealousy, cursing herself for not spending enough time with Subaru. Despite the amount of time she used to watch his cute sleeping face.
It was worth it though. Rem thought to herself, the image of her hero's sleeping face being absolutely priceless.
"Hmph, this commoner seems to enjoy laying her hands on him far too much in fact." Priscilla, as subtle as she normally is, broke through the ongoing conversation with her remark. Clearly in a foul mood with how the Duchess handled Subaru.
"Naturally, isn't it normal to cherish those you are close with? Even someone as...appealing, as yourself, should be able to recognise this." Crusch shot at the Volachian Matriarch, annoyed that she had to spoil the great mood she was in.
"Mineself is far more than appealing." Priscilla struck back, as quick as a viper.
"Truthfully? All that I can see is a hideous bitch who has to hide her inner ugliness behind her fan in fact." The Duchess remarked, her face cringing as she gazed at Priscilla.
"Hah, the gall you have to call mineself ugly or hideous is pitiful. What right does one such as you have to judge inner beauty. After all, it would be foolish to forget past transgressions, wouldn't it." Priscilla smugly ignored Crusch's comments, waving her fan before continuing;
"Pretend as you might, mongrel, you are no different from the other commoners around here. You are obsessed with the thought of this fallacy that you're truly a contender for his heart. If anything, it just makes you pathetic."
"Care to elaborate, Princess." Crusch felt great difficulty in restraining herself from throttling the smug bitch a few rows from her.
"Hmph, you even admitted it yourself, he was hardly saved out of kindness. Had the boy not had knowledge of the Whale, you'd have gladly sent someone you cherish to their death."
Taken aback, the Duchess recoiled at the memories of forsaking the young man who desperately asked for help from her.
The memory made her sick.
"Hey! Don't forget that you didn't do big bro any favours either!" Felt jumped to the aid of Crusch.
"Your point? While your feeble mind may fail to realise this, rejoice that mine divine self will spell it out for you. Which of us was contracted to help him, hmmm?" Priscilla snorted as she countered the small girl.
"Priscilla-sama, the contract was voided as soon as he went against the rules binding it. I ask that you refrain from scrutinising Crusch-sama so carelessly." Rem heatedly spoke, the snobbish voice of the Vollachian candidate only bringing her horrible memories of her hero being at Priscilla's feet.
"Scrutinising? This mongrel allowed someone she was charged with caring for, clearly out of their mind, to embark on some quest that appeared as fantasy! Regardless of whether mineself aided him or not, she acts as if her care for him is natural!" Priscilla's own anger began to rise at the audacity of the commoners beneath her.
Taking a brief rest to collect her thoughts, Priscilla continued her assault;
"Carry on this fictitious display all you want, the fact is that mineself has ordered the world to deliver him to me and that is how this shall end. Mineself only asks that you enjoy this moment while it lasts, as you'll soon be weeping as you watch on from a distance."
"Are you so foolish as to believe I'd hand it over willingly?" Crusch kept her hand close to Subaru as she glared at the Vollachian Matriarch.
"What are you going to do about it? Mineself could be gracious enough to grant you the chance to compete, however, fools like yourself should just forget about even attempting to win. Something you'd be quite the champion in, wouldn't you." Priscilla almost laughed as she stared down the Duchess, her victory in sight.
"Hey kn-" Felix was about to come to the defense of his lady however was stopped by Wilhelm who had his teeth gritted and appeared to be using every fibre of his being to restrain himself.
"Felix," The Butler said, shoulders tensed as he held a strong arm in front of the cat-boy.
"While there is nothing I wish more than to step in, this is a fight Crusch-sama must fight alone. After all, this is less about the right for something and more about the right to someone." As Wilhelm said this, both their gazes drifted towards Subaru.
On one hand, it was Felix and Wilhelm's duty to defend their ladies' honour, but when it came to the verbal battles with other candidates, it may reflect poorly on her in front of others.
Originally the end game was for who was most suited to take in the Emilia camp, emotions running high, however, had caused the candidates to instead focus on lashing out at each other for dominion over Subaru. The rest of his allies being close to forgotten in the ensuing chaos.
Hence, to assist the Duchess in such a time, was more or less broadcasting that she lacked the qualities necessary to be entrusted with him, therefore being less qualified without the assistance of her allies.
Regardless of who was on who's side, in a battle such as this, the only combatants were those who were competing for his heart, regardless of whether or not Subaru would take kindly to such an arrangement.
The Karsten Duchess held no response, having to concede to Priscilla who was smirking down on her smugly as she lacked any jabs of her own to refute the other candidate's arguments.
Crusch bore a look of defeat as she turned the other way, not wanting to give Priscilla the satisfaction of seeing her face.
The other candidates, however, chose to bide their time, allowing the feuding pair to tear at each other and wear themselves out.
As an awkward silence began to loom over the audience, a change of scene on the screen drew back their attention.
Both panting and slightly fatigued, both the Duchess and advisor made their way to the spot they were originally supposed to have lunch at.
"Seems ya both tired ya selves out," Ricardo commented, his positive energy brightening the mood somewhat.
"I think we're all tired, pal," Al replied as he sunk back into his seat, enjoying the calmer atmosphere both settling into the theatre and on the screen.
"Oh no, we forgot everything! Hopefully, there are no bugs in it." Subaru told Crusch in a panic, only to be even more concerned at her nonchalant response.
"Well, then I hope you won't mind the extra protein in your diet."
Crusch let herself slide down her seat a bit as a few disgusted or grimacing expressions faced her way.
Thankfully as the two arrived at their destination, not a single bug was in sight.
Whether they had never been or already left, Subaru didn't wish to know.
As they landed on the soft towel laid out prior, Crusch began to serve the food and drink. The pair enjoyed their meal as the sun slowly started to set.
"That food looks really tasty." Mimi gazed at the screen as she drooled from her mouth, wishing to jump into the screen and gorge on it herself.
"It sure does." Tivey agreed, also salivating at the thought of eating the food.
As their supply of food began to dwindle, the two sat back in satisfaction and gazed at the sight below them.
What was once a sea of green, became shrouded in a dark blue hue. This darkness, however, was only broken around the small pockets of light that emanated from the various torches and lanterns which had been lit in response to the time of day.
"Tranquil by day and beautiful by night, quite the mood setter isn't it," Julius commented, noticing the more intimate atmosphere the low levels of light created.
Reinhard nodded his head at Julius' words, concurring with his thoughts.
"Indeed, such a setting is quite breathtaking." The red-haired knight said softly, focused on the view the pair on screen had.
"Could there be a deeper purpose for the environment, I suppose?" Beatrice thought aloud, pondering if this was all part of the Duchess' plans for her Subaru.
Smiling at the sight, Subaru felt a soft weight fall onto his lap.
Looking down, he found his dining partner curled up beside him with her head resting snugly on his thighs as she stared off into the distance as well.
The scene almost caused his heartbeat to reach ludicrous speeds.
Ricardo whistled which elicited some cheers from the audience.
"Go get him Crusch-sama!" A few members of the audience applauded, whooping in encouragement for the Duchess.
"Forget a lap pillow from his girl, the boy's lap seems to be the more comfortable spot instead," Al spoke in amazement, both at the bold move from the Karsten leader as well as how easily women would, literally, fall into the young man's lap.
Several females watched in envy, in particular, Emilia and Rem, two individuals who prided themselves on providing their Subaru with the absolute pinnacle of comfort on their lap.
To hear that not only were they potentially wrong, but that they also could get a lap pillow from the young man instead, frustrated them to no end.
Such activity was incredibly intimate for them, and to watch another woman enjoy what could be an even more pleasurable experience. Blood would surely run through the streets if they didn't get their anger under control.
In contrast, Beatrice could only smirk at the helmeted-knight's words, in total agreement with the comfortability that her contractor's soft lap provided.
Noticing the envious looks she had on her, she gave a smug "Hmph" in response.
"It's been a good day, hasn't it?"
"Y-yeah." Subaru struggled to utter a response as his eyes were focused on the young woman on his lap.
"Crusch-sama, surely your counterpart could see the effect she was having on the boy." Wilhelm chuckled, finding Subaru's reaction very amusing.
"Of course, nyah. She's probably doing it on purpose." Felix replied as he giggled at the bright red that painted itself on the Duchess' cheeks.
Anastasia fluffed her scarf for the umpteenth time, silently fuming as she had to endure the scene in front of her.
"I'm very pleased that you accepted coming out here with me, Subaru. I would have thought that my newest advisor would rather be studying instead." Crusch spoke teasingly.
"Hey, can you really blame me for turning down some dusty books for an evening of gazing at the stars with my amazing Crusch-tan?"
"Damn, and we thought tha' tomboy was smooth." Garfiel watched in amazement as his captain so easily complimented the young woman.
Petra pouted as Subaru praised the Duchess.
Why can't he say I'm amazing more!
Crusch however sat up, her mind blocking out everything and everyone else in the room as she focused solely on Subaru's next few words.
"So you think I'm amazing?"
"Well, of course." Subaru didn't hesitate in his response as he answered confidently.
The Duchess blushed furiously, resulting in warm smiles from fellow members of her camp being directed her way.
Crusch laughed softly at Subaru's response, both amused as well as slightly flustered at his straightforward praise.
"And what of you, hmmm? What could you say is amazing about yourself?" Crusch asked, slight seriousness in her tone.
While practically the entire audience knew how Subaru would answer such a question, they all still sat forward, intent on hearing what the black-haired knight would say about himself.
Subaru on the other hand, answered nonchalantly;
"Honestly, I have no idea. I was pretty unremarkable from where I come from. I'm more surprised you even see anything in someone as useless as me-"
The majority of the audience proceeded to slap themselves in the face, not that they were angry with the outcome, but disappointed in themselves for expecting something different.
Beatrice pinched her contractor's face again, not hard enough to do significant damage but enough to make the point clear to an unconscious Subaru that she was deeply displeased with the way he put himself down.
Emilia also wanted to pinch the young man's cheeks, irritated with his attitude. Her foremost solution was to make him sit on her lap as she tells him all the good qualities he possesses, similar to a scolding mother with their child.
Sure he wouldn't like it, but to see himself negatively was something she had to change.
Cutting him off mid-sentence, Crusch sternly interrupted him.
"Hey, Subaru."
"Seems like Crusch-sama didn't enjoy what he said either." Otto pointed out, noticing the significant change in the atmosphere surrounding Crusch in the young man's lap.
"Please, Crusch-sama," Reinhard begged to the Duchess on screen, hoping that she might at least convince his friend to hold off on undervaluing himself.
Julius also held his hands together, only wishing the best for Subaru.
"Yeah?" Subaru said, confused at the sudden change in the tone of the Duchess
"Why do you say such things about yourself?" Crusch asked.
"Even knowing the answer now, I hate why Natsuki-kun thinks of himself like that," Anastasia remarked, a sentiment many could get behind.
Priscilla stared on from behind her black and crimson fan, her gaze piercing through the screen as she wished for nothing more than to slap the back of Subaru's head for such a comment.
Instantly catching on, Subaru prepared a quick response in his head however the Duchess didn't allow him to get a word out.
"Why can't you see yourself the way I do?"
"Because my Subaru is a dunderhead, that's why!" Emilia yelled at the screen, growing more frustrated as she watched Subaru's feeble attempt to deflect the question like he always does.
Stunned, the usually quick-witted young man froze, unsure of even how to answer.
Crusch shifted her body and allowed her face to gaze upon his own as she looked up at him.
"Why must you continue to disparage and belittle yourself? Why is it that you question yourself at every turn and refuse even the most basic of praise?"
"She's got him cornered," Ricardo grumbled, half pleased with the Duchess being on the offensive and half displeased with the young man's effort to seemingly ignore the issue.
Onlookers could only agree with Crusch's assessment of Subaru, many being far too familiar with how little regard he had for himself…
Or his own life.
Subaru remained silent as she sighed before continuing.
"While I know you aren't the most intelligent or qualified advisor I could have had-"
The Duchess was met with a dissatisfied grunt.
"Well, at least Barusu has some pride in himself." Ram nodded, pleased that he could at the very least, show some backbone.
"But…" Crusch paused briefly as she moved her right hand.
"The reason I chose you, the reason I chose to have you as my advisor. It's because I chose to trust this." She says softly as she places her gloved hand over his heart.
Though there was surely a deeper meaning behind the Duchess' words, many from the audience remained silent throughout the scene. Not wishing to interrupt as they could see that it was likely related to an issue the 'real' Crusch was dealing with.
"In truth, I too have moments where I'm afraid of the path I'm taking."
"Wait, wait, hold on a second. Please don't say this just to make me feel better-"
Crusch interrupted Subaru as she used her free hand to place a finger on the young man's lips to silence him. Her voice begins to falter and her usual confident expression becomes one of vulnerability.
"No. While I'm glad to hear you think so highly of me, I truly do have points in time where I question myself as well."
"Crusch-sama." Wilhelm and Felix both whispered in unison, both worried and deeply concerned at the state the Duchess was in.
Crusch held her breath, however, understanding the direction this conversation was going in.
She must trust him quite a lot. The Duchess thought to herself, shaking slightly.
Taking a deep breath, she collects her thoughts and looks towards Subaru's stomach.
"A lofty dream such as mine isn't achieved easily, it's a long road filled with trials and tribulations. With each step, it's taking the risk of losing your footing and falling." The Duchess says weakly.
Crusch clasped her hands together, the butterflies in her stomach lifting off as she began to feel her nerves go haywire.
Feelings that she had long held, masked by a confident facade, were brought to him in the open.
While she understood that Subaru would be far more than understanding, the thought of him looking down on her for having such an attitude made her stomach sink.
She was supposed to stand above those who relied on her as a leader and guide for the future. Despite this, even leaders held doubt, negative feelings that pooled in the back of their minds.
She could only hope that her concerns were for nothing.
On the other hand, Priscilla and Anastasia felt their interest pique.
For the Duchess to reveal her weaknesses was a rare opportunity and one they would fully take advantage of.
They were all rivals after all, whether it be for the throne or even Subaru.
"Hence-"
She tightens her grip on his chest.
"I choose to believe in this. When I'm in doubt, all I need to do is feel this and know that it will all work out fine. After all, I've got people who are relying on me to see things through."
As the on-screen Crusch began to profess her words of affection for Subaru, many such as Felix and Julius had to stifle sobs at the scene.
Frederica dabbed at the corners of her green eyes with a handkerchief, which she offered to Otto afterwards.
Garfiel, Al, and Ricardo let themselves release some 'manly' tears, as they would call it.
Rem, Emilia, and Petra had to restrain themselves from allowing their emotions to pour out, all three being in total support of the Duchess' words. Subaru may not be the most intelligent or powerful individual, however, it was his spirit and his ability to inspire others that drew their attention.
Whether one was a half-elf, oni, or a small village girl, Subaru was a compassionate young man who would literally go through all kinds of hell just to see them smile.
To watch the Duchess recognise these qualities, they could only grin in pride as more people saw how great Subaru truly was.
What made them even more excited was that she was telling Subaru directly. Even if it wouldn't cease his self-deprecating tendencies, surely it would be a step in the right direction.
A direction in which the young man could smile about himself in the same way others did about him.
Anastasia and Priscilla wore calculating gazes as they watched the scene. While on one hand, they were in agreement with Crusch's evaluation of Subaru, they were also listening intently for any pieces of information they could use against her.
What most concerned them was not only the Duchess' apparent closeness with Subaru, but that they understood he was a very emotional person.
In other words, someone who could be easily manipulated.
While they highly doubted such an event could occur, Subaru's devotion to those he cared about was far stronger than any iron or steel. It might as well be unbreakable.
Hence, it wouldn't be difficult for the Duchess to elevate her standing with the young man by preying on such weaknesses. Not that it was likely, but neither of them was so foolish as to completely rule it out.
He forgave someone despite them being responsible for murdering him, after all.
Crusch, on the other hand, let herself openly show how she felt. Feeling the need for warmth and support, she chose to lean into Subaru.
While she could only nod at the words of her counterpart, gazing at the young man next to her only made her wish he was awake so she could tell him herself.
She could only wait in anticipation, however, for how Subaru would react.
Wilhelm wept in front of the audience, the older man understanding greatly of the challenges his lady has had to face.
To see the two be able to rely on each other this much, brought him great joy.
As his shoulders shook, he felt a warm pressure on his shoulder which caused him to look at who it was. As he turned, he was greeted by a mop of red hair and a charming face with a supportive smile.
The sight caused the Sword Demon to weep even more.
As she uttered those last words, her eyes began to sting so she felt the need to turn over and face towards the lit up vineyard.
Crusch, feeling her heart pull at the scene, leaned further into Subaru's side and placed her own hand over his heart, feeling its steady yet strong beat.
She, however, was broken out of her stupor by Beatrice, who poked her firmly.
"You wish to use Betty's Subaru as a shoulder to cry on, I suppose?"
Crusch nodded through teary eyes.
"Betty will allow you a favour just this once, be grateful, I suppose."
While she didn't part with her contractor, the spirit did shift slightly to allow for more room for the Duchess, however, gave her a hard glare as she did so.
"Don't think that because Betty is doing you a favour that Betty likes you, in fact. Break Betty's Subaru in any way and Betty will be sure to break you, I suppose."
Crusch sweatdropped at the cold tone the spirit spoke in, however she didn't oppose her and instead, allowed herself to relax next to Subaru.
"Crusch-tan?"
"...Let's just lie here for a bit more, is that fine with you?"
Feeling his lap become a little damp, Subaru gives a little smile in understanding and casts his gaze in the same direction as the Duchess.
"Of course...It really is beautiful, isn't it?"
"It truly is…"
As the screen began to dim, signaling the end of the viewing, the theatre became deathly silent.
The only exception to this being the sobbing Duchess who had buried her head into Subaru's chest, causing the fabric of his shirt to become wet from her tears.
Not wanting to disturb the scene, the rest of the cast silently left their seats and made their way to the rooms located behind the main area. Roswaal however, was carried by his servants as he was still unconscious.
"You're done with Betty's Subaru, I suppose?" Beatrice asked, still perched on her contractor's lap.
Crusch attempted to answer, only for her voice to falter. She instead chose to just nod her head weakly.
"Hmph, Betty will continue to rest with her Subaru, I suppose. I suggest leaving before Betty makes you, in fact."
Crusch could feel her anger begin to rise at the tone the spirit used, clenching her fists and gritting her teeth in response.
However, she chose to ignore this one incident as she had far too many things on her mind to think clearly, let alone contend with Subaru's contracted spirit.
This wasn't to mention that if she wanted a chance to be with Subaru, she'd need to get along with said spirit at some point.
Pressing her lips softly on Subaru's forehead, Crusch went to leave her seat as well, choosing not to turn back, as she knew her heart wouldn't allow her to leave otherwise.
Shaking her head, she made her way to her own room so she could fall into her bed and hopefully, dream about her time with one dark-haired knight.
Author Notes:
And with this concludes Crusch part 2 as well as the second tale.
Some of you may be disappointed with how I addressed that whole timeline issue and to be honest, it was the most straightforward answer I could have provided for the cast as these stories are literally only to be viewed within the context that they give. I had asked a few people about this and the issue was...received? Honestly not many people cared as the main concerns were more or less the dialogue, reactions, etc. so I just went with what worked.
Some of you may also notice
Some of you may also notice that there are a few lines that I "borrowed" from other places such as the "Such insolence, I demand silence." line by Priscilla which was said by the Sorcerer King, Ainz Ooal Gown from Overlord. Just some easter eggs those in the know may enjoy.
Also, this chapter was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too long, like when I was typing it and was at halfway of what the final version was, I was praying to wrap it up soon. Hell, I forgot entirely about the reactions as it took me ages to think up of the date.
Originally, the first part in the theatre was to be its own sort of interlude chapter but a trusted beta reader of mine advised that it would look a little weird so I decided to keep everything combined.
On another note, as always I'd like to give a big thank you to my Beta readers, particularly Bread, Cake and Yox for either grammar and punctuation checking, keeping the storyline and characters consistent or for giving me a preliminary review of the chapter.
Next chapter is most likely going to be Ana but I'm still figuring some stuff out for her before I even attempt to write so the first Ana chapter may take some time.
On a final note, I do have to formally announce that there are currently no plans for tales featuring mainly Emilia or Rem, as I have had a tonne of people request that I do a Sloth If or some stuff pairing either the half-elf or oni with Subaru on a date or something. Obviously this can change and I have considered doing an extra chapter for a witch (Which isn't Satella) however as of right now, my focus is on the candidates first and foremost, then the three additional tales with other characters.
Otherwise, thanks for reading.
Also, also, can we please appreciate how cool a weapon like a battle-axe is?