Emilia was truly despicable.

I was forced into a perilous situation for nothing else but entertainment.

My job was to convince her to keep me alive. I knew what that meant. Her megalomanic, power-hungry tendencies shone through all too often. I had to appeal to that side of her.

And to do that? I had to sell myself. I had to appear strong.

The catch?

I had to remain non-threatening enough that Rem wouldn't decapitate me anyway.

A tightrope of an operation.

If possible, I really didn't want to go through this entire ordeal again. I was determined to survive this loop.

The first hurdle had already been cleared. Were this a previous loop, my head would be rolling halfway across the room. As of this moment, I was alive.

I was planning to keep it that way.

Emilia seemed pleased with herself after her little speech. No doubt she was interested to see where this life-or-death debate would lead. I had to reassess her once again. To be able to play with life so casually was nauseating. I had to assume it wasn't the first time she's done so.

"Rem, since you're so eager, why don't you go first?" Emilia teased.

The blue-haired maid released a laboured sigh.

"Emilia-sama, this is ridiculous. Why would you defend this boy? Have you gone mad?! He smells of the Witch!"

"Mad?" Emilia craned her neck and giggled. "Perhaps I am, Rem. However, aren't you acting just as madly as me…?" She circled the immobile maid like a hawk.

"It is truly incredible. To attack Subaru like this… is absurd. I've known you for months; This is very out of character for you. Irrational, yet somehow… this boy had managed to discern your very intentions. My curiosity is piqued, Rem. What are you hiding?"

Rem bit down on her bottom lip.

"HE IS A WITCH CULTIST!"

Emilia blinked at her outburst. The room remained silent for what seemed an eternity. She turned to me.

"Subaru, are you a Witch Cultist?"

"Eh? Uh, no. I don't even know what that is." I reply.

Emilia hums to herself before narrowing her eyes at me. She seemed to debate something internally before coming to a consensus.

She crouched before me, bringing her face close to mine. Too close. She flaunts a sadistic smile and I fail to suppress a shudder. She hovers her right arm over my head. I shut my eyes in terror and tense my muscles.

…

"Good boy." I hear a whisper in my ear. A gentle hand pets the top of my head, slithering its way down my face, embracing my cheek.

Huh?

Prying my eyes open, I watch her retract her palm and stand up.

"What an obedient captive. Rem, he speaks the truth; He's not a Witch Cultist."

The maid struggles against her constraints.

"Emilia-sama, this goes beyond the limits of madness. How could you possibly know he isn't lying?!"

"Puck is capable of reading the intentions of individuals. He says that Subaru is being honest here. I agree with his analysis."

Wait a minute…

Puck, the floating cat, can read my mind?! I was floored by the revelation.

"But-" Rem was interrupted.

"We've gotten off track. Rem, that's enough." Emilia looked at me expectantly.

"Subaru, it's your turn now. Why should I keep you alive?"

Okay. Rem had wasted her opportunity. All I had to do now was not screw up. I thought back to Emilia's words.

How will saving you benefit me?

It was a specific request. Begging for my life would be brainless. She flies off the handle as soon as things don't go her way; I was lucky she hasn't already. I had to stick to her script.

How would saving me benefit Emilia? I struggled to find a practical argument.

I didn't want to help her, that was for sure. She was a psychopath. I would never let Return by Death fall into her hands. Who knew what she would use it for?

Killing me now would probably not hinder her in any way. This was a different world; Nobody here knows me…

I closed my eyes.

Think, think. What could possibly benefit Emilia right now?

A scene flashed before my eyes. I was drawn to one specific moment.

'You have been blessed to have been saved by me.'

At the time, I thought it was a bluff. It felt inconceivable that Emilia would have saved me. Now though… I was desperate for anything. Amongst a drought, I latched onto the droplet of information. While seemingly a passing comment at first glance, upon closer inspection, it held significance.

She had saved me. What were the implications?

I was going all-in on this bet.

I open my eyes, a confident smirk on my face.

"I think you already know the answer to that, Emilia. It's obvious, isn't it? Since you've saved me once before." Emilia froze in place. A promising reaction. I continue pushing. "Wouldn't dying here be a waste of time on your part?"

'Lia, are you okay? Your emotions became a little chaotic for a second.'

I gazed at Subaru with rapt attention. My ears did not deceive me, he had said it. I had saved him before.

This was his argument?

"Emilia, wouldn't dying here be selfish of me?" He continued.

I felt naked. It was like he was staring into my soul and directly wrenching out my thoughts. His words were carefully constructed to evoke the most psychological response from me.

I loathed to admit it, but it was working.

I had expected him to flounder and preach concepts like compassion or mercy to me. Not whatever this was.

'Lia, answer me!'

How could he know? He was unconscious the entire time! It doesn't make any sense.

It was not the first time either. When he was trying to convince me to wait for Rem, his words had the same effect…

…

Wait.

That was it.

I couldn't help but begin to tremble. My body wasn't listening to me; My arms wrapped around me and I began to breathe heavily.

'Lia!'

My lips twist into a smile and an intoxicating feeling filled my being. I couldn't suppress the laughter that boiled up and I felt my cheeks flush.

Subaru ceased his inane prattling and gawked dumbly at me.

I've figured him out. The last piece of the puzzle was just handed to me on a silver platter.

"Subaru." He gulped. "After I met you, I was convinced I was crazy. Whenever I thought of you, I could only think of you as a danger. Imagine that. Someone as weak as you, a threat?"

I paced up to him and grasped his head. "Puck had told me that it was an irrational fear. I didn't want to believe him. I couldn't stop thinking about it." I pulled his hair and he met my eyes.

"It is such a wonderful feeling to know you are completely sane." I smiled and brought my hand up. "Subaru, I was right to label you a threat. You are not as feeble as you appear. On the contrary… you can evolve into quite a serious issue." He strained as I channelled my mana down my arm.

"Shhhhhh." Ice began to creep across his lips and infiltrated his mouth. "There. No more talking. I've taken away your only ability." I giggle at the amusing sight before me. I snapped my fingers and ice encasing the maid fell away.

"Rem, Subaru's gift is quite peculiar. He can obtain information he has no business knowing." I tap the boy's head. "He wins. Rem, you lose. He remains in my custody. Letting him live benefits me greatly. I cannot let this opportunity slip by; I will tame his power."

Let's see how far I can go with this.

I woke up to an unfamiliar ceiling. That was strange.

I had gotten used to a dull, rocky surface whenever I opened my eyes. Instead, I was greeted with a smooth, beige colour that spread out above me.

Gone were the aches in my joints. I brought my hands together and felt around my wrists. No chains.

I noted a fluffy pillow underneath my head.

Was I dreaming?

Sitting up, I looked around. To my right, large windows that spanned the height of the room. Bright sunlight was streaming in. To my left, a large oak door.

I was alarmed by the presence of an unexpected figure. Propped against the wall were two comfy chairs, sat upon one of them, a red-haired maid. A red-haired maid who resembled Rem very closely.

"Please don't tell me I'm going to die again." I half-heartedly begin.

She didn't seem amused by my joke.

"Hmph. My name is Ram. I have been assigned by Roswaal-sama in lieu of Emilia-sama to be your caretaker."

Caretaker?

"Ah, hospitality is nice and all, but I have no need for a caretaker. Thanks, but no thanks. I'll stop bothering your… employers and head off now. Can you point me in the direction of the nearest city?"

I had a chance to escape. I wasn't wrapped in chains and could see clearly out the windows. Hell, I could hear birds chirping!

"Unfortunately, you will not be permitted to leave the mansion grounds. As per your deal with Emilia-sama, in exchange for her mercy, you will use your power to help her in the Royal Selection."

What the hell?

"I never made any deal like that!" She sighed.

"You confessed to being an accomplice in the attack against Emilia-sama. You were given a choice between your life or joining Emilia-sama's camp. Like a coward, you decided to pick the second option."

"Hey! That's complete bullshit!"

"Please watch your language, Barusu. Whether it be true or false, it is none of my concern. I was assigned to be your caretaker by Roswaal-sama. I intend to carry out my duties." She crossed her arms and looked at me curiously.

"I had been warned to pay close attention to what comes out of your tongue, but all I've heard so far is a poor attempt at weaselling your way out of debt."

This was going nowhere. It seemed she really didn't care if Emilia told the truth or not. She was staying vigilant.

"Say, what are the responsibilities of a caretaker anyway?" I had no idea what she meant by it. Well, no harm in asking.

"Emilia-sama wishes for you to cultivate your so-called 'ability' so she can use it in the Selection. My job as a caretaker is to ensure that."

No chance in hell was I helping that half-elf with anything.

"However, I do question the validity of her evaluation of you. So far, you have not used any 'restricted knowledge' yet. If you want my advice, all you need to do is keep showing Emilia-sama the same as whatever you did in the dungeons."

I digested her words. Ram didn't seem to hold any open hostility towards me. That lent some credit to her advice. Maybe I could rely on her.

"Okay. While it may be too presumptuous to ask, is it also the caretaker's job to prevent me from escaping?"

Ram's eyes flicked to mine.

"Barusu, that is a dangerous line of thinking."

AN: Subaru finally escapes the dungeon. Will this new environment be any better? Emilia doesn't fully know how Return by Death operates. Will she be able to utilize it as she claims? It will not be as easy as she thinks; Subaru has other plans. Thank you for 100 favourites and thanks for reading. Please review!