There are many things that Natsuki Subaru was well-known for.
Being one of the active kids in the village inside of Elior Forest, the human boy that wandered in without any idea where he was, a rare Yin user even amongst the humans in the entire world, a friend and playmate of the Half-Elf Emilia, and so on.
He was all of these. There was no one among the elves that don't know about him; well except for his previous life back on Earth and how he got here to begin with. But that was besides the point.
Nonetheless, Natsuki Subaru, a young boy, was known to possess some of the most unique ideas that virtually no one had thought of. Even when they seem to be very stupid and unlikely at a glance. And that's what the elves, and even Emilia, thought of him.
But there was no denying that Subaru always had a plan in mind.
One of those was using a Seiza Position, facing himself at the small family, which he identified them as John, Fayette, and Eura; placing both his hands in a prayer-like position as if giving respect to the frozen family.
The plan was rather simple, he simply have to be in this position, lure the Spirit Arts user and the Spirit into thinking that he was praying, and wait for them to make the first move.
It was a bit stupid, but it was better than hiding when there's a possibility that they could find them easily. Also, Subaru chose this option on a whim on his part.
He had been on this position for some time, but not long enough to feel his legs being numb. With the cold temperature and the snow on the ground sent shivers to his small body. But he knew he had to do this.
Subaru opened his eyes a bit, hearing the snow crunched near him. Knowing the Spirits Arts user and their Contracted Spirit was behind him.
"Who are you? What are you doing here?"
The voice of a person rang Subaru's ears. Recognizing it as the voice of a girl who sounded oddly familiar to him but he couldn't place it.
He did not know who it was, he stayed on the same position never moving. As if he continued to pay his respects to the ice statues in front of him.
"I should ask the same thing too."
Was Subaru's response to the person at his back. Making a small smile at how he responded to the stranger.
That smile wasn't made in the form of a malicious intent. No, it was done out of accomplishment that he managed to pull it off without any problems.
Then, the girl asked:
"…Do you know these three?"
Came the reluctant and hesitant query from the stranger. As if uttering that one sentence alone made her want to stop at it and never said a single word once more.
This brought the young boy in confusion. Not knowing why she responded with that kind of tone, which he thought did not fit her at all. Even then, it sounded like a certain person would say when she's nervous.
"Know them? Yes. Yes, I know them."
"R-Really?"
He answered her honestly. There was no point on lying to the stranger when said stranger herself asked a very genuine question and one he couldn't help but answer with the truth.
"Yeah."
He nodded. Confirming it to be so as he pointed to the male elf using his right hand. With his left hand placed on his lap, hiding his Minya encased fingers from the person's view. Not wanting them to see it.
Although it covered only on the skin, as to prevent the fingers from moving and making it less painful, there might be a slight misunderstanding that he was inflicted by some "purple crystal disease" which was not, but the idea somewhat entertained Subaru a bit.
Using his right hand, he pointed at to one of the Ice Statues and said.
"The man right here is John. He was a good man and a loving father to a small family of three. Always providing his family the best he could and one can say he did his job well."
He smiled at the memory of the elf who had helped him in some of the chores during his first days in this world. He liked the guy and was always friendly with him.
Then he pointed to the woman next to John.
"Her name is Fayette. She's also a good person and her sewing skills are good. She gave me several tips on it too. And she's someone who you could rely on as well."
Subaru smiled once more, the memory of the woman who taught him a bit about his already existing sewing skills. Enhancing it to the point he can make clothes using the fabrics left behind by Geuse's group a week before his arrival to this world. She was someone who Subaru thought was as good as a mother figure like Fortuna.
Then, he pointed to the child between the two.
"And this is Eura. The daughter of these two. She's quite an energetic kid. Always playful and curious to everything around her. But she has quite a temper when she doesn't get what he wants."
The girl would always throw a tantrum. Subaru knew that. And there was one time he was reprimanded by her parents and Braun, who was Eura's uncle and Fayette's brother, when he made the elven child cry. Even Fortuna along with Emilia who was also there too.
It was a memory he couldn't possibly forget, especially when they had done so many good things to him.
"I see… then, they must be a really happy family."
The stranger said, remorse and guilt laced on her words. As if she had done something which she deemed it to be a sin. A tone Subaru knew that she had done something bad, but what? Is it something what he said?
There were many questions about it, but the black-haired boy knew which ones were important to ask and which was not.
It was something that Braun had taught him when training him to properly use Yin magic. Who knew it could be useful in a time such as this. It was surprising for the boy that something like this was happening to him right now.
I guess that's what you get for being trained by an elf who's more than 300 years old.
It still surprised Subaru that most of the older elves, such as Braun and Fortuna, were more than three centuries older than he was. It was something he hadn't thought of when question their real age.
Fortunately, they stopped aging when reaching their late adolescence, and the same can be applied to half-elves as well.
Back to the point, the remorse and regret has in her voice seemed to be related to the freezing of Elior Forest. That is something Subaru couldn't afford to ignore at this point. He wanted to know more about it.
"Tell me, do you know how this forest got turned into… this?"
He asked, not sure if what he said was appropriate but he needed to know.
The strange thing squirmed inside of him, but Subaru chose to ignore it as he waited for the stranger to respond. Leaving another disappointed squirm like earlier not too long ago.
"I…"
The stranger hesitated, almost as if she was contemplating if what she's going to say would lead to something she wouldn't like to happen. Which Subaru had no idea what she was so nervous about. Almost as if she was scared of his reaction.
But nonetheless, she still answered.
"…I don't know. When I woke up, it was already been like this. The ice and snow… everything. I really don't know what had caused this forest to turn what it is today."
The boy widened his eyes, though he hadn't turned his head to face them but he remained on the same position and instead could stare at the three statues in front of him.
So the forest was frozen long before then? How long was it? Who would do such a thing?
So many questions and yet so little answers. Subaru was faced with a dilemma on if it relates to the attack earlier before their arrival to this place, which he can safely assume that this Elior Forest in the future, or something else entirely.
But there was one thing that he managed to hear from what the stranger said.
"You said that it was already like this when you woke up. Does that mean you were asleep when the forest was frozen this whole time?"
He asked without facing the stranger, but he can oddly tell she was taken aback on what he had said jst now.
"Yes." She answered after a few moments had passed. "I was asleep inside the ice until Puck freed me. Ever since he found me, the forest was like this and… I really don't know how it happened, I'm sorry."
After hearing what she said, Subaru was silent. He didn't know what to say if all she said was true then something must've happened to cause all of this. The important question is, when?
It wasn't something that can be solved on the spot, Subaru knew that the most. He, instead, diverted those thoughts into something else as he asked her once more.
"Is Puck your Contracted Spirit floating near you?"
He asked the stranger who he then heard an "Eh?" from her before a voice, other than the stranger which Subaru can assume was the Contracted Spirit.
"That's me." The Spirit, Puck as he recalled the name the stranger uttered recently, said rather cheerfully in a way that made Subaru's skin crawl when he heard him say that. "For your information, I'm not Lia's contracted Spirit or anything of the sort. But I'm surprised that you assume that we already made a contract with each other."
The young boy made a surprised look at this. They haven't made a contract with each other?
But that's impossible. I thought a contract between a Spirit Arts user and a Spirit should've had that close relationship. To think a Spirit as powerful as him wouldn't make a contract with her
Most importantly, to have someone like a Spirit as powerful as the one behind him to not make a contract is suspicious in and of itself. And the last time it happened resulted in an incident that happened not too long ago.
But, she said he freed her from the ice, so, at the very least, he could trust the Spirit for the time being.
However, there was also one word he had managed to hear what the Spirit had said just now.
"Lia?"
"Hm? What is it?"
Uttering the one word that had uttered by the Spirit earlier, Subaru came to a sudden realization of who exactly the stranger was behind.
It can't be. That's impossible. There could be only person that can be called like that.
Ignoring the growing suspicion that came from his heart as he stood up. As well as suppressing the strange thing that wanted some action. Which was odd, in a sense, that it's only been a couple of hours he had this thing inside of him and it was already restless.
Turning around to face the stranger and the Spirit, Puck as he recalled what the stranger said earlier. Resulting in the boy's eyes widening in shock at the appearance of the two.
The Spirit, Puck, was a floating, small grey cat with blue eyes and wore a golden earring in his left ear.
Although the appearance of the Spirit was a bit surprising, since Subaru never actually saw a full-grown Spirit before even during his time in Elior Forest. And it was quite the experience in seeing something
But what surprised him the most was the stranger before him.
"Pointed ears… silver-hair… amethyst-colored eyes… you're…"
The stranger, who was revealed to be beautiful girl with silver-colored hair, eyes that shared with the color of a certain half-elf and her mother(Aunt) has. And with the most beautiful face Subaru has ever seen in his entire life.
However, when Subaru subconsciously uttered out the features to the girl, she looked away as if she was ashamed of her own appearance. Almost as if she was expecting him to be scared of her. But why?
"That's right…"
She said in a tone unbefitting of her beauty. As if loathing her own being while expecting for the boy in front of her to be scared of someone that looks like her.
From her perspective, this was born out of her own experience. There were many people who had seen her, but were frightened by her appearance. She didn't know why, all she knew that there scared of her for a reason.
She expected the boy to run away in fear. Screaming and crying. Shouting things she did not want to hear. And she was about to accept that when said boy had unexpectedly uttered.
"…You're Emilia, right? Is that really you, Emilia?"
"Eh?"
Confused by this, the silver-haired woman, now recognized by the boy as Emilia, looked in shock and surprise at the recognition the young human boy made. Seemingly unintimidated by her appearance at all.
Most of all, he knew her name. As if he knew who she is.
"Wow you're so big. I never thought I would see you grow up so beautiful. Though you don't look a lot like Fortuna-san, even she said that your face looks a lot your mother, what she said was actually true. Here I thought you would a lot different than what she said, but here I'm wrong. You look a lot cuter and much more prettier than what I've imagined."
Bombarded by the boy's compliments, whom she had not heard anyone except for a certain Spirit. It was overwhelming, but in a good way for her who hasn't felt this way in a long time.
Most importantly, the way the boy said as if he knew her from somewhere. For her, the boy was complete stranger she did not know about. And she has no memories of knowing who the black-haired child was.
In Subaru's eyes, he was taken aback at how stunningly beautiful the older Emilia really. Although the younger version was a lot cuter, but the Emilia before him was a different league all on it's own.
There were many questions that suddenly came to Subaru's mind and how we wanted her to answer.
Why was Elior Forest frozen? When did it happen? Why were the Elves turned into Ice Statues? How long has it been to have Emilia look like a full-grown woman? And where's the other him?
So many questions he wanted to be answered. He wanted to know more what had happened.
But before he could do that, the flying grey cat floated in between them. As if to intervene something between them.
"Now that you know me and Lia here, what about telling us who you are? I believe you haven't truly introduce yourself."
The Spirit said, in a way that interrupted Subaru's oncoming barrage of questions. Which fortunately stopped and thought about it before he complied.
"Sorry about that. Anyway, my name is Natsuki Subaru. Braun-sensei's promising Yin user in-training, graduated Seamster of Fayette's School of Sewing, and a kid who's broke beyond compare. Nice to meet you."
He introduced himself, along with a set of titles he himself made, but was accurate in a sense since he learned all of the sewing lessons from an Elven woman and Braun even said himself that he's a promising Yin user. Also, he doesn't have any money on his pockets, so there's that.
Unexpectedly, the way he said about his self-made titles had honestly surprised Half-Elf woman and the Spirit. And said Spirit could tell that he wasn't joking about it.
Taking advantage of this, Subaru continued.
"Now that I told you who I am, Spirit-san, can I ask if this place is called Elior Forest?"
The boy asked. With the Spirit snapping off his initially surprise at the boy before he responded.
"If I said yes, what are you going to do about it?"
Puck queried. With Subaru's expression turning from cheerful to dead serious, which was surprising for a kid of his age to do that, as he asked.
"What happened?"
"Hm? What do you mean by 'what happened'?"
Subaru narrowed his evil-looking eyes at the Spirit before he continued.
"I want to know, what happened to Elior Forest to turn into this? As well as how the Elves got turned into Ice Statues."
Pick did not say anything, which made Subaru question the Spirit even further.
"Do you know anything about it?"
He asked, but what he received from the Spirit was simple shake of his head. Confirming that Puck did not know anything about the freezing of Elior Forest as well.
Neither does Natsuki Subaru himself.
"Is that so? Well, if that's the case, then I have nothing to say about it."
"Are you sure about that?" the Spirit asked the boy. "You might know more if you ask for it."
The flying grey cat offered, but Subaru shook his head at the offer. Knowing what he had in mind.
"No thanks. If I ask more, there might be more questions than answers and it's getting pretty annoying. Besides, since Emilia here said she doesn't know what had happened and she was asleep in the ice and you woke her and freed her. There's nothing I could ask for more."
He said, surprising the two at his response. Thinking he would've asked for more but the boy proved them otherwise.
If anything else, Subaru knew that asking more questions would do more harm than good. He decided to ask those questions on a later date when things get a bit clearer. Even if it takes some time to do so.
Other than that, there was nothing else but some shelter he and—
"Oh shoot! I nearly forgot about her!"
In the midst of everything that had happened just now. Subaru couldn't believe he nearly forgot about Emilia. The kid version of Emilia.
He had told her to wait for him on top of a nearby tree. High enough not to be seen and close enough to hear everything what they say.
Although it seem unlikely a tree like that existed this time around, but Subaru was a bit hopeful that the tree he chose for Emilia, the child version, could fit with that kind of description. And that was optimistic at best. For all he knows, the tree could be tall and the voices couldn't be heard there.
"Who are you talk—"
As the older Half-Elf was about to ask who the boy was referring to. A child's voice was soon heard.
"What do you mean you nearly forgot about me!?" Exclaimed a child's voice which made the three individuals on the ground to look up at the where the voice was. To the pair did not recognize the voice except for Subaru.
"I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean to do that."
"You did forget about me."
"No I didn't."
"Did to."
"Did not."
"Did to."
"Did not."
"Did to."
"Did not."
"Did to."
"Did not.
"No you didn't."
"Yes I did… shoot!"
Subaru lamented at how easily he was tricked with the giggling sound of the younger Emilia can be heard to everyone in the near vicinity.
As it continued for the next few seconds, the voice of kid Emilia asked.
"Do you really mean that, Subaru? That you didn't forget about me?"
"Yes! Of course!"
"Are you really sure, Subaru?"
"Yes, I'm sure! Just… climb down and we can properly tell them instead of us yelling at each other. Okay?"
There was no reply, except for the rustling of leaves on the tree.
The two, the older Emilia and Puck, looked up and saw a child with silver hair climbing down the tree as though she had done it quite often enough that she can do it with ease. Enough for no consequences to be considered by Subaru himself.
As she reached at the bottom of the tree, the child looked at the older half-elf woman and the floating grey cat curiously at them
Although she was quite nervous at first, she managed to muster up enough courage to strike up the conversation first.
"You're me, right?" she asked the older silver-haired girl who looked as if she didn't know what to say. "You're Emilia… and I am Emilia… this is so confusing."
The young girl said, keeping her honestly innocent look on her face coupled with a confused expression.
Though her older counterpart wasn't too sure to react about it since this is technically the first time she had talked to someone who is essentially your younger self. Which is in and of itself was impossible to happen in the first place.
Nonetheless, she responded.
"Yes. My name is Emilia. Just Emilia. And you're me."
She said to her younger counterpart who nodded in understanding with her older self. Still feeling a bit awkward at the idea of talking with her older self.
Seeing this, and noticing that it was getting darker, Subaru asked rather shamelessly.
"Now that we talked with each other and properly introduced ourselves, do you mind we can stay at your place? Though I didn't tell you guys about this, but, I'm freezing right now."
With a sheepish smile on the young boy's face, the older Emilia looked at Puck for his opinion before she made her decision.
"Yes. You can stay."
With that, the first contact between timeline travelers and the Frozen Witch, was successfully made.
And cut!
Finished in nearly two weeks, hopefully this isn't too rushed of a chapter to begin. If It did, then I'm starting to doubt my ability as a writer. Heh.
Other than that, hope you guys enjoyed this fic. I appreciate all of the support you guys have for this story.
Also, to address something that you guys might not be aware of, no, I will not make a Discord Server like Sam's and Reactionist's. And the reason for that is very simple, because I don't want to and I hate too much people to interact with as well as the chaos it brings. That is all. Thank you.
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That is all, gabrielchiong11, also known as user/ Mamon Ramon from Reddit, and hope to see you guys soon. Farewell.