Chapter 5: Plead To The Mature One
Two days after Roswaal and Subaru returned from their fishing trip:-
"Absolutely not!" Emilia answered with a voice displaying her discomfort and rejection applicably, yet she still found the need to glare towards the person she was answering.
Roswaal sighed and rubbed his temple in annoyance. The silver-haired young woman stood before him in his main office, an indignant glare and an over-exaggerated pout on her face as she denied one of his latest decisions.
He understood her reasons, of course. Roswaal was the sponsor of her candidacy and he promised transparency and communication whenever he'd handle matters relating to the camp's question with her. That's why he understood why the silver-haired girl barged into his office with one of the most furious glares he'd ever seen in his lifetime. Well, 'times' would be appropriate. But he understood nonetheless.
And by the Od, did he really not care.
"Emilia-sama, the decision has been made alreaaaady. We've spent an applicable time molding him into this posiiiition and no one is more perfect to stay by your siiiide than he is." Roswaal spoke in a broad manner, holding an expression of callousness as he informed.
The half-elf before him raged, "No! This is a very very veeeery bad idea and I will not stand for it!"
Roswaal sighed and, in a rare show of frustration banged, his forehead against his desk.
"Emilia-sama-"
"No!"
Standing beside the magic lord's desk, a blonde maiden in a uniform stood with strict attention. The lady's emerald eyes held disappointment within them, her lips parting to admonish the silver-haired girl's attitude but she ended up being rebuked.
"I will not accept him as my personal butler!" Emilia held a finger up to the pair.
"Companion." Roswaal quoted with a raised finger.
"Whatever! I won't accept it. I want him gone far away from here, not stuck to my side!" the half-elf border on demanded of the powerful man before her.
"Emilia-sama, this is a test."
The half-elf seemed to grow silent, glancing at Frederica with curiosity.
"A test?" Emilia inquired, much calmer now.
The maid nodded her head, "yes. We-"
"As in me," Roswaal interrupted with a smile.
"-Thought it would be best to finally put a definitive end to this brewing conflict between you two. So we all agreed on this test as an optimal solution." Frederica carried on without acknowledging her master.
Emilia raised an eyebrow, "But… What led you to this absurd idea though?"
At the half-elf's question, both room occupants seemed to give their own reactions. A tired, almost frustrated sigh of defeat from Frederica, and an almost smug grin from the glowing lord in clownish attire beside her.
Emilia blinked.
"...We … Couldn't agree on a suitable solution other than this."
Frederica bit her lip and looked away from Emilia's innocent gaze.
"Who's 'we'?" the silver-haired girl asked with a hand on her chin.
"... Well," Frederica coughed into her fist, "Some of us had this idea-"
"You wanted to force us to send Subaru-kun awaaaay," Roswaal interrupted again with a teasing grin.
Frederica sighed in frustration which told of a great loss on her part.
"Wait… What do you mean 'send him away'?" Emilia asked with fear etched on her face.
"Why would we send Subaru away?"
"...Emilia-sama, we are talking about the child Subaru-sama," Frederica frowned.
"Ah..." A look of disgust instantly replaced the concern on Emilia's face. "I see…"
"Yes."
As it seemed, Roswaal frowned deeply at the unsettling view of Emilia's change in attitude.
Does she really think there are two Subaru's?
Roswaal asked himself in disbelief. He couldn't help but glance at the blonde senior of his staff for a moment with a deep frown. Frederica nodded towards him and looked back at the silver-haired girl with a frown of her own.
Seems like Frederica and Ram were telling me the truth… Emilia-sama truly is coping with this change the wrong way.
But to think of Subaru as someone other than this child… It's a seriously defective attitude.
The clownish lord shook his head in disappointment and listened in as Frederica continued.
"So wait," Emilia's disgust suddenly turned to thoughtfulness, her eyes widened, "You were going to send him away?!"
In contrast to how distraught she was when she thought they were going to send away her usual Subaru, Emilia now had the biggest most bright of grins on her face after learning it was the child version they were getting rid of.
The two were the same people, sure, but Emilia didn't see it that way.
Frederica sighed, "We were simply going to place him in another Mathers branch estate so he can get the education and discipline needed."
"That sounds wonderful! We should've done that since the first day he came into our lives!" Emilia, now smirking with evil glee that even Roswaal couldn't help but fear, clapped her hands together in excitement.
The half-elf seemed ecstatic. No, she was border on anticipating such a thing to happen for the past month and a half. She's been waiting for the day the little gremlin gets out of her life for good.
Finally, I can sleep at peace once again! Finally! Yes YES YES YES YES YES-
"But Ram-sama argued against my plan and overturned the vote by having Roswaal-sama ask the rest of the people in the mansion… Leading to us having to turn my idea of moving young master Subaru away."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"Roswaal-sama." Emilia turns to the lord with an unreadable expression, no longer bright and haughty like she just was.
The lord squinted in suspicion, "Yeeeesss, Emilia-sama?"
She didn't even take a second before saying, "I want to fire Ram from this estate."
Roswaal slapped her in the face with a glove.
"Well, this is just great!"
The silver-haired half-elf sulked towards her office quarters in the mansion with a pout and a red mark on her cheek.
"Emilia-sama… remember what we talked about two days ago," Frederica held a small frown as she walked two steps behind the fuming princess.
"Yes, yes," the candidate said while sighing with a tired face, remembering the long lecture she'd gotten from the maid. "I need to be the bigger person and hold authority and grace. He's only a child and I should command respect when dealing with him."
"... That is correct." Frederica nods but still keeps a small frown on her face while walking behind the annoyed princess.
"But I just don't get what Ram and Roswaal are doing?" Emilia grumbles, pouting further, "Why must I oversee him become a butler? He's a screw-up anyways he might as well fail without my bais going against him!"
"... Roswaal-sama got the idea after he went on the trip with young Subaru-sama days ago. Our Lord seems to think that having you two close might build a healthy relationship," the older maid seemed unsure of her answer for the candidate as she bit her lip.
Suddenly, Emilia stopped and turned to face the maid with a suspicious gaze, "But… Why would you want me to take care of him?"
"... It's to test if you can deal with high patience demanding situations like these. Dealing with people akin to destructive children is a daily practice for people of your status, Emilia-sama." With a bow, the older maid concluded her talks with the candidate and left to continue her daily duties.
Emilia was left alone to ponder how childish she seemed in those words.
"Do I really seem this incompetent? To need such a futile test?" the half-elf silently grumbled with an embarrassed blush on her cheeks, "Dunderheads. I'll show them! I'm gonna win this test and beat everyone's perception of me."
Even if I have to deal with that gremlin.
With a confident aura replacing the childish frustrated one from before, Emilia turned back to her original walking path and carried on towards her section of the mansion. Her head was held high with an expression of regal composure.
"Do you think… She might forgive me, Ram-senpai?"
The voice of a trembling child caught Ram out of her revere, making her pause the task she was dutifully performing.
"Ah," the older maid voiced in understanding, "I suppose this is why you haven't been speaking to your senpai at all these past few days? You were nervous?"
The eight-year-old standing before her bit his lip in an adorable manner. His silence telling of his answer.
Ram had to chuckle at his nervous glance towards her reflection in the mirror.
"So? You are talking to your senpai now, I want to know everything that's worrying your foolish self."
With her usual commanding rupture, Ram inquired of the boy as she continued shaving his hair into a particular style fitting his clothes as he remained standing in front of a mirror.
"I uh… I talked with Roswaal-sama… A lot," the boy stuttered, closing and opening his sweaty palms.
"Hm, I sensed Roswaal-sama had an intention to do something… He never goes fishing this early in the year," the pink-haired maid nodded her head and continued to cut through the boy's hair.
"Y-Yeah… He told me… A lot of stuff about… Y'know? Her."
"Mhm," Ram nodded with disinterest, knowing who this was.
"A-And… I just… I feel like a real bully. Someone like her… She deserves loads of friends, y'know… And I kind of ruined that for her."
Now, Ram was displaying interest by raising a brow and stopping mid-way through styling a few locks of hair.
"You… Want to make amends with Emilia-sama? You." The older maid's question ran deep in the boy's mind. He flinched once her firm tone was emphasized in the last part.
"I-I know I haven't been the best with her lately-"
Ram snorted and continued to style his hairline with a small pleasant smile, "I don't think that was ever in question, Barusu."
The boy continued with a blush of embarrassment and guilt, "I just want… I wanna make her happy again. Roswaal-sama told me how… lonely she always was. Maybe that's why she has such scary glares and a terrible attitude. Maybe she just needs a friend to play with? Someone that can teach her those things… Maybe I can make her lose the fat-"
"And why do you think it's your responsibility, Barusu?" Ram rolled her eyes and continued to do her task, her tone was stern so it stopped the boy's rambling.
"... I don't know… I feel like… I'm just like her."
"..."
That surprised Ram greatly.
Subaru looked down, fumbling with his hands and biting his lip, having the aura of a kicked puppy as he showed guilt and sadness through his adorable gestures of nervousness.
Until a hand gently cupped his chin and raised his head from looking at the ground. The boy was met with the warm small of his mentor as she stood at his side with a hand on her hip.
"First rule." The older girl recited firmly yet keeping her warm smile.
"... Always take care of your friends," the child recited the lesson he'd been taught under Ram's tutelage on command. Appearing confused and nervous while looking up at his teacher.
Ram nodded her head and let go of his chin in favor of patting him on the head, "You're ready. Remember that you have Ram-sama and Beatrice-sama here to guide you. You are young but capable, Barusu. Don't waste my effort down the drain."
With that firm warning, Ram moved back to her original position above him to continue her task, leaving the young boy to contemplate his teacher's encouragement in silence and surprise.
Okay…
Subaru stood before the lavish-looking doors, tall and proud. Keeping the stature his teacher forced him to have.
What did dad always say? That gross stuff about getting a girl?
Confidence?
The young child seemed to rub his sweaty palms via his fingers.
Confidence! Dad and Ram-sama always taught me to have confidence.
Well… Dad's an idiot so I need to be sure there.
Subaru shook his head, replacing his uneasy frown with a more stern glare.
"I can do this… I have everything I need!" the boy whispered encouragement to himself as his arm moved towards the door.
Let's do this!
"I can't wait to finish these stupid things..."
A moan was heard across the enormous quarters.
"Stupid, unneeded things..."
Sitting in her hollow room, the half-elf let a groan of frustration escaped her lips against the opulent desk as she laid her head on it.
"Not a minute into studying this subject and I'm already stumped… I really am pathetic."
Voicing her self-assured uselessness wasn't new to the princess, she's been doing it for years on end. But it was the first time where the worry of her incompetence truly held weight. In the past, she would have no one to humble her and show her the grave responsibility her position acquired. Emilia wouldn't ever have a reason to work her hardest.
But then she met the grand-standing fool of a knight. She became accustomed to being a leader. She understood how lacking she was as a reliable candidate.
Yet, every time she saw him smile, she would gain the energy to push further and harder. Her withdrawal from the boring and harder subjects wouldn't be an issue as long as Emilia felt encouraged to learn.
Now, without him supporting her with his smile every morning… Without him holding her hand… She's got nothing but herself and these books.
"It's so boring..." the half-elf mumbled into the desk, feeling heavy and sleepy on her books.
She closed her eyes, the hard wooden surface beneath her seemed as good a pillowy surface as her queen bed.
And just as the disheartened girl was about to fall into the sweet embrace of sleep, the door to her study opened.
Emilia quickly rose from her desk and met the intruder which had entered her study without permission with a look of surprise.
"Ah," her surprise was replaced with immediate alarm and disgust, "It's you."
Upon seeing the person closing the door behind them, standing inside of her room, Emilia couldn't help but glare in annoyance at the innocent child.
"H-Hey."
The boy seemed to flinch upon her hostile attitude, but that didn't deter his effort to smile sheepishly and stutter out a greeting.
"Hey."
Subaru flinched once again as the older girl seethed with sarcasm.
The silence between the two was deafening. The older princess remained seated at her desk, glaring holes at the nervous wreck of a boy standing at her doorway.
Emilia took a moment to inspect the gremlin, seeing his newly acquired butler uniform, fitting his small figure in an honestly cute manner… Ignoring her thought, Emilia continued to stare at the boy with suspicion.
He seemed to welt under her gaze, something that surprised Emilia greatly.
"What are you doing?" the princess asked firmly of the boy. Causing him to yelp and stutter an answer.
"I-I was asked to come here and help you, Emilia-sa-"
"Not that! I know why you're here, but I want to understand why you're reaaaally here?"
Subaru blinked in confusion as the older girl's gaze narrowed on him in suspicion.
"What am I really here for?" the boy repeated weakly.
"Yes," Emilia repeated, her amethyst eyes narrowed on the boy with extreme suspicion, "What's your plan? I know you are using this to prank me again. Maybe steal some more of my personal belongings while you're 'helping' me? Or you will take the time to learn more things about me to hurt me with your mean words!"
"I..." Subaru's eyes were wide, tears began showing in the corners. The young boy seemed more hurt by the glare of the older lady than the accusations.
This guilt at the unfairness was reflected even inside of his mind as he thought about his upset in all of this.
Th- These are awesome ideas! Why didn't I think about them?!
… This boy is a monster.
Foregoing his nonsensical reason to be upset, the boy seemingly shook his surprise off and regained a bit of composure underneath Emilia's harsh gaze.
"Emilia-sama, I-"
As he faced the lady with a look of determination, the young boy seemed to have taken an elegant bow in her doorway while speaking in a monotone manner.
But he was interrupted by the distrustful Emilia as she cut him off with a glare.
"No mean names to call me? Or is this another part of your plan, huh? Emilia-sama, let me be your best friend! Emilia-sama, please tell me everything that makes you sad, I'll surely not use it to hurt you in the future, I promise! Emilia-sama-"
"Emilia-sama."
The young woman's seething rant was halted as the boy firmly uttered the word she's been mocking for a few seconds. Emilia, seemingly unamused by him, raised her brow and crossed her arms while looking at the child. She still held a glare of resentment.
What is he playing?
Emilia's suspicion wasn't relieved by the royal bow the boy seemed to have taken before her. His little arm behind his back and head lowered as far as his midsection could allow, the youth seemed to have taken lessons on how to show respect to people like her.
But this wasn't it. It set her nerves on fire. She hated looking at it. She's been receiving bows of worship and respect all her life, something about seeing this particular child giving her that low of a bow felt oddly humiliating for Emilia.
"Stop that," She spat out, unconsciously ordering him.
The boy did what he was told and rose from his position of submissiveness to meet the shining amethysts of Emilia's glare.
"Emilia-sama," the nasty-eyed kid began, much slower this time, "I'm not planning anything or have anything prepared to annoy you or waste your time-"
Emilia snorted and leaned back in her seat, "Yeah right," she spat out, comfortably crossing her legs and looking down at the gremlin in her doorway with the most distrustful of glares yet.
"You," the silver-haired lady in white stared half-lidded towards him with a mocking glance, "YOU, are not here to prank or set up more pranks against me?"
"Yes," to the lady's mocking question, Subaru answered truthfully with a most innocent nod.
It rubbed Emilia the wrong way, she hated that look, she hated the way he seemed so mature when she knew he was still the little twirp that screwed her over so many times over.
"I don't believe you. You're a liar." Emilia waved with her hand, leaning back further into her chair and gazing at him with a bored face.
Subaru pouted.
"I'm not!"
"Yes, you are." Emilia started inspecting her nails, not even giving the kid a glance.
"I-I'm not! You can't just say something so rude and not back it up!" Subaru yelled in outrage while pointing towards the frustrating girl in front of him.
Emilia swayed her leg and casually yawned, completely uncaring to his blight.
"Don't care. You're not a trustworthy person. I don't like you either so I will be as mean as I want to be."
Subaru seemed to tear up at this harsh reply. She just shot him down in the most monotone way, even glancing at him with a half-lidded suspicious look. It hurt him to be treated like this.
But he remembered everything he's done since he found himself in this fairyland, and then the voice of his lord played in his head.
He remembered the countless stories Roswaal had told him throughout his fishing trip.
The stories about the older girl in front of him.
Suddenly, he'd grown silent. He seemed to be contemplating for a few seconds.
Which was enough for Emilia's gaze to grow smug, "Ah, I knew it!" She snorted again and stood from her seat with a finger pointed towards the kid, a hand on her hip, and her head tilted in a mocking manner, "You can't come up with anything, can you? You really are just here to-"
"What can I do?"
Cutting off her misguided proclamation of victory, the boy seemingly caught her off guard as he stared towards her with a sharp, determined look.
"D-Do? What do you mean?" Emilia blinked and lowered her hand to her desk, she leaned over her books to clearly hear him.
"I want to prove myself," the child exclaimed with a hand on his chest, "Tell me what you want me to do to believe in me."
Emilia's jaw fell at the sheer audacity.
"Is this some kind of joke?!" the candidate sputtered, slamming a hand on the desk. Her glare grew harder and more bewildered on the boy.
"I want to prove how sorry I am. Please tell me what I must do, Emilia-sama." The boy's tone was one of sincerity and determination.
If Emilia had water in her mouth she would've spat it. The silver-haired candidate remained still, standing on her desk, jaw dropped and a weak glare aimed at the kid.
"Wait… Sorry?" Emilia's eyes grew wider, "You want to apologize to me?" she asked in disbelief.
Never before had she heard something so absurd! This little devil was trying to make amends? With her? This is the greatest, most absurd prank he pulled yet.
"Are you running out of ideas?" Emilia asked, genuinely concerned, "I'm sure you can come up with something more practical than this, right? You are losing your touch."
"It's not a prank," the boy stubbornly glared up at the much older lady before him, settling on leaning down to bow his head once again.
"I want to prove how sorry I am for everything I did to you, Emilia-sama. I will do anything you want me to. Just please tell me how I can prove it!" Subaru begged in his bow, showing off his sincerity and determination.
Emilia only laughed with a hand on her stomach. It was quite the angelic laughter if it wasn't born out of disbelief and ludicrosity.
"I'm serious!" Subaru remained bowed yet pouted in embarrassment all the same.
Once the older half-elf had calmed down from her giggles, she took to sitting on her study chair to relax and take a breath.
"Ah," she guffawed a few more times before wiping little tears from her eyes, "That was so good," she sighed in content as she leaned back in her chair and crossed her leg once more.
She had a grin on her face that mocked the boy's every request.
"I don't know what sort of plan you have here twirp, but I guarantee that it's a stupid one. Do you really think I will forgive everything you've done to me since you dropped into my life? How shallow is that?" Emilia leaned on her desk, resting her cheek on her palm as she glared narrowly at her torturer and enemy. The one that caused her so much pain for so many hours every day since he's come here. She had to be honest though, even if his farce was ridiculous to her, she enjoyed seeing him so properly respectful towards her. It held a sense of sweet power over an enemy so vile that she almost enjoyed it.
But her enjoyment of his posture before her was broken as the boy played his next card.
"I don't expect forgiveness… Just a chance to prove that I won't be doing anything to hurt you anymore."
Emilia grew silent, her glare weakened and her lips became thin.
"You don't want forgiveness?" she asked weakly, unable to see through his firm stance.
Subaru shook his head and broke his bow to look up at the royal princess with his bravest face.
"Please Emilia-sama. Help me show how sorry I am for doing all of those things to you! Tell me what you want me to do and I'll happily serve!"
"... You are not joking, are you?" Emilia blinked rapidly, growing increasingly more rigid.
"I'm serious!" Subaru pouted a little annoyed and embarrassed.
Emilia's gaze turned to a serious, hardened glare as she leaned forward on her desk to observe the boy more thoroughly.
"You… You really want this, do you? You want to prove yourself?" Emilia asked ludicrously, seeming aghast.
"Yes! I am!" He answered, frustration visible on his face.
"... What brought this on? What made you want this?" Emilia asked in sincerity, seemingly more concerned about the boy's mental health.
The boy grew quiet, gazing at his shoes with a guilt-ridden look.
"Did Roswaal-sama ask you to do this?" Emilia suddenly had the thought and growled at the child with a hateful glare.
"No..." Subaru sighed tiredly and rubbed his spiky hair.
"I just saw how bad I treated you. Roswaal-sama only showed me how scummy I've been. I didn't respect anybody, I didn't show my gratitude for all your help, I spat in the face of your hospitality."
With every concession, Emilia's expression grew more bewildered and puzzled. She couldn't help but feel aghast as the boy stared upwards towards her with a tearful apologetic face.
"I'm really sorry, Emilia… Please tell me what to do… I'll do anything!"
Emilia's lips formed a frown, her eyes went unblinking as she stared into the boy's own.
"... You really want to turn the page? No more tricks?" She asked sternly, though a little hesitantly.
"Yes!" the boy exclaimed with an excited smile, recognizing the way Emilia seemed thoughtful.
"No mo~re tricks?" Emilia emphasized with a sterner tone and a narrowed glare.
"Yes, Emilia-sama," the boy eagerly nodded his head rapidly.
The candidate tapped her desk while gazing towards nothing at all for a few moments. Subaru waited patiently with a hopeful expression. He twiddled with his thumbs and bit his lip as he waited for Emilia's response.
The silver-haired girl remained in her seat, staring at the empty space with an unreadable face and provided no movement but the tapping of her fingers on the lavish desk she sat over.
"I need more time to think about this."
Subaru's face dropped in disappointment as Emilia finally moved her eyes at him.
"O-Okay. I can help you with anything els-"
"Wait outside of my room. At the door. Don't move from there until I call you."
"... Yes, Emilia-sama." Subaru's hands dropped to his sides and he turned on his short legs to begin his shameful walk outside of the half-elf's private quarters.
His heartbeat increased in excitement once he heard her calling on him all of a sudden before he'd open the doors.
"Twirp," he heard from behind him, making him turn on his heel.
"My name is Subaru, but yes?"
He gazed at the royal princess with one hand on the handle, he noticed the way she seemed to go back to reading her book on the desk. An unreadable face that held no emotion but boredom took place instead of the forgiving warm expression he'd hoped for.
"Close the door on your way out, and stand outside until I call on you."
She flipped another page without glancing towards him.
Subaru's eyes lowered, "Yes, ma'am."
Once he was out, Emilia let herself lean back in her seat and let out a sigh.
"What an idiot," she grunted with a frown displaying inner conflict. She bit her lip and looked at the doorway in contemplation.
Does he deserve to be forgiven?
The older girl seemed highly upset with herself for even pondering the question.
Emilia is yet to be the older sister we all know she can be. Subaru needs to warm his way into her heart which he broke multiple times with his constant terrorism of the poor girl. Not that Emilia isn't being a bit cruel with the boy, but both of them are twats anyway.
Lmao.