Warning: I'm an Anime only so most of the lore may be wrong or changed in this story(maybe ı would even forget lore given by anime too sometimes ıdk). So ı'm sorry for those. (But ı also started reading novels and looking at extra lore so you can see them here as well)
And thanks for the amazing helps from my new beta reader "The_Appa_Man" His help improved the writing in this a lot. All the differences in the writing style and fixes is his work.
Part 6: The Assassins
Emilia started to feel her body once again. Coldness of death was replaced with the warmth of life. She started to breathe and like a nightmare, she opened her eyes. But she knew it wasn't a nightmare. What happened was real. She felt it. The pain in her body, the warm liquid that was her blood and the chill she felt in her last moments… And of course the cries of a child she heard in her ears, begging for her to stay. That cry still felt like it's there, continuing to torment her. This experience could have easily broken her, maybe it did but even before she was able to think any of this she saw an another figure that had the same look in his eyes. Finally she realized they were in a bed.
"Su-Subaru", she forced herself to say.
She wasn't able to talk normally. It wasn't just because of the experience she endured, but due to all that torment she felt like she lost her ability to speak and was a baby who is learning to speak. She wasn't able to talk that easily and tried to get a hold of her senses first.
Subaru didn't seem to answer her. His face was showing all the trauma he went through. He even forgot that now Emilia had to suffer the same fate as he did. He had so many emotions at once - anger, fear, frustration. It seemed like after everything he had been through ,nothing had changed and maybe it got even worse. Right as he thought that, an even warmer sensation started to surround him but it was cut short by the small tear drops that he felt in his shoulder. The voice of cries that reached his heart and made him feel like his own emotions had found a body of their own. It was Emilia hugging him.
Subaru turned his face towards her. Looking at her made him feel worse as he remembered she had to feel the same pain. The same slow death as he did. It made him even more angry, angry at himself. The problem he was scared of the most started to happen. Why? Why can't he just be the only one to suffer from this? Why now people he cared about, people he would die endlessly to save have to suffer the same hellish loop with him now?
Emilia's cries started to get slower as she started to get used to her surroundings. Subaru slowly distanced himself from her.
"A-Are you okay?", she asked, again not caring about herself.
"I…", Subaru was not facing her. He was trying to hide his true feelings.
Both woke up earlier than they usually did with this nightmarish death they felt.
"Please tell me what happened!", Emilia said. She wasn't able to accept that she died in front of Ram. Ram's cries were in her eyes, in her ears. And she didn't even know why this had to happen.
Subaru wasn't able to hide his face. Tears started falling from his eyes which made Emilia stop. Emilia wasn't able to see anyone else cry again. She tried to act calmly. She fixed her stance and cleaned tears from her face. She tried once again to ask him.
"Subaru please tell me.", She still tried to not break down by saying every word.
Subaru finally looked at her face.
"I'm sorry", he said, blaming himself for all that happened to her.
While they both were still in pain, seeing each other made them feel better with both hugging each other one last time. They craved their love for each other more than ever.
After that Subaru finally was able to talk.
"Emilia-tan are you sure you wanna hear this?", He tried to avoid the subject for the last time.
"Do you want to talk about it?", She asked, knowing it might be a story that might hurt him to remember.
Even though he didn't want to talk about it, he knew that this isn't just his life anymore. He knew that Emilia had to know.
"Alright then…", He said getting ready to talk about the event;
Subaru and Rem finally headed to the village.
Before they had taken the supplies they needed, Subaru wanted to make Rem enjoy herself. He found a swing for her.
"Wanna try it?", he asked with extreme demand.
Rem first tried to avoid it by saying the importance of getting the supplies but due to Subaru's persistence she let her guard down. Subaru used that time a lot with her even finding kids with them to play. They all really loved Subaru and also became friends with Rem real quick. Rem told them tales of her sister's greatness and the kids listened intently. Rem was really happy to be with them.
Subaru, seeing he has succeeded , told Rem that "he will get the supplies", wanting her to take her time. But Rem still insisted on coming with him.
"But you were having so much fun", Subaru said with a sad but goofy face.
"Our work is more important", she said with the seriousness returned.
But then she held his hand and looked at his face.
"But ı would love to come here with you in my free time", she said with a smile.
Subaru was extremely happy with how things turned up.
While they walked he saw a hooded figure that seemed to hold something. He didn't see what it was or really cared, the day was almost done already.
They got the things they needed. Later Subaru and Rem were returning back to the mansion. But then…
A dog appeared biting Rem's leg. Rem in pain attacked the beast right on and threw it at a tree. When Subaru looked at it, his face turned into one that screamed fear.
"A-A Mabeast?"
Subaru looked at Rem's leg.
"Nonono", he cursed in fear.
When both looked back at the beast. He was gone. There was only one choice left for Subaru. He needed to go to the mansion now. But then he saw Rem slowly falling to the ground still alive but knocked out.
He quickly grabbed her and ran.
After running a bit, a kukri blade suddenly appeared and stuck into a tree.
"Not you", he shouted in anger.
When he turned around he saw a teenage girl. She was the hooded figure. She quickly took off that and showed her true self. A black haired teenager who looked 16 to 17 wearing a revealing outfit.
Subaru knew if he runs now that would make him open. He quickly put Rem in the back of the tree and got the kukri blade at least long enough to distract her.
The girl was silent yet her menacing expression said all that was needed. She was hungry for blood. She got another kukri blade to attack Subaru.
Subaru was fast enough to dodge that. Before he and Emilia went to the past he had received training as a knight and now it was paying up.
He barely dodged and escaped all of her attacks. He even handed a hit to the small assassin's arm. A scratch that quickly healed itself. Subaru tried to keep up the pace. But slowly she started to get faster. He knew he could not keep it up with her forever. He waited for the opening to cause a distraction, so maybe he would be fast enough to run away. He waited and waited and right in time he used it
But what he didn't count on was the mabeast. It suddenly bit his leg as well and that pain left him open. The attack came so fast. The girl cut his stomach right open. He fell to the ground with the last thing he saw was the assassin laughing and jumping in excitement ripping out his organs and relaxing in his blood and the dog looking at Rem, waiting for it's food.
"And that's it", Subaru said.
Even if the memory itself was painful to remember, finally being able to open up was a relaxing feeling for Subaru. A feeling that he wanted for so long.
"Are you o-"
"So what are we gonna do?" Emilia asked, wanting to dismiss Subaru's question.
Subaru didn't realize what Emilia was doing. He tried to think of a way to find a way out of this loop. In the end he knew what to do.
"I know what to do", Subaru said while getting up from the bed.
"What?", she asked.
"I will save you! And everyone else!", Subaru said in a confident way.
Emilia was trusting Subaru. He always did what he said, didn't he? That was the mindset Emilia was left with. Subaru was like a legendary hero. He could do anything if he wanted to. She was so traumatized to think anything other than that. He will save her. Like he always does.
A door knocked.
"Come in.", Subaru called out.
Ram and Rem walked into the room.
"Mieria! Barusu! It's time to work."
Both Subaru and Emilia looked at Rem and Ram for a while.
Subaru knew what he would say wouldn't matter now. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't change his attitude.
Emilia on the other hand wasn't able to look at Ram. She started to tear up.
"Oi Emilia-tan. Are you alright?", Subaru was scared if something bad happened to her.
"Are you alright Miarie?", Ram looked at her in confusion.
"No, no I'm alright", Emilia looked away from Ram. She wanted to say something but does it really matter? Ram doesn't remember any of it already.
"Anyways then it's time for us to show yo-"
"I need to speak to Roswaal.", Subaru cut Ram's words.
"You bastard!", Subaru entered Roswaals room in fury.
Roswaal seemed to be shocked by his sudden outburst.
"Is something wrong Suuuuubaru?", Roswaal said, returning back to his calmer look.
"You are sending assassins to us, aren't you?", Subaru said.
"Assassins?", Roswaal was confused.
"I know who you are more than you think you bastard! Don't you think of trying to attack us!"
"I doon't know what you mean.", Roswaal said, entertained by Subaru's anger.
"Oh so you will act like this huh? Then let me say this to you. You know the curse you have right. That one, you are wondering how it existed. It's because of me!" Subaru continues to shout, anger blinds him of telling his secret to Roswaal.
While Subaru was with Roswaal, all the others were waiting outside of the room.
Emilia felt uncomfortable with Ram. Seeing Ram like this makes her remember the pain caused by her death. She can't even talk to her about it or she remembers any of it. Suddenly Ram seemed like a stranger resembling a lost friend she knew before. What should she do? How should she act? She did not know.
Ram on the other hand was still confused regarding these people. They seemed so warm and helpful at first but now they act weird and confusing.
"So…", Frederica said, trying to open a conversation.
"Huh…?", Emilia was caught off guard while lost in her thoughts.
"Did you like your new room?"
Of course, the realization was getting worse and worse. They were on their first day of work.
"I… Of course. Thank you for your help.", Emilia said in a low tone.
"I guess you would like to continue sleeping with him, huh?", Frederica looked at Emilia with a smug face.
"Yes. We are okay with it.", Emilia said, not really having an emotional response at what Frederica said.
"Oh… Alright…. I'm glad you are happy.", Frederica was disappointed by this non emotional response since yesterday they seemed very awkwardly in love with each other.
Emilia's fears of the future and the sadness for today was affecting her more than an embarrassment she can have with Subaru. Every word she said was in a low tone and to the point. She was lost. What should she do now? She can't even look at Ram, Subaru will surely save them and she... Well she is just here. No longer a candidate and she is not even sure she ever did something good in her life knowing that Subaru might just have done everything for her and never told her.
Ram was looking at her. Thinking of why she is even acting like this.
"Curse?", Roswaal seemed confused about what Subaru said.
"Yes! You see that curse does not let you hurt certain people. And those people are everyone in this mansion including me and Emilia!"
"So you are the reason for its existence", Roswaal nods, quickly understanding the situation.
"Now stop sending assassins. And if you try to hurt any of us or you will pay the price with your life!"
"I see… Buuut I don't know what you mean Suuuubaru by assassins. I don't know how youuu were able to put a curse on me but let me tell you." Roswaal walks in front of him while saying it.
"Just a simple curse is not enough for me to stop", Roswaal's face contorts into a fierce look.
Subaru slowly understood that he had messed up. He started to regret how he handled this situation.
"My plans right now are not affected by you. But if it does even if I die, I would make sure you go with me and your speciiiial Emilia-tan as well"
"Don't say her name!"
"Hmm… Aaanyways, Like I said, I don't know what you mean. Aaaand your work alreaady started. I would advise you to start working Suuuubaru" His angry face turned into a disgusting smug thinking he has won this discussion.
"Yes… sir…", Subaru leaves the room.
He wasn't sure if assassins would stop coming. He needs to make a plan..
"Subaru!", Emilia said, running to Subaru.
Emilia held his hand and wondered if he succeeded.
"Is it over?", Emilia didn't care if others overheard them.
"I'm not sure Emilia-tan… But don't worry eh?", Subaru still tried to make sure she wasn't scared by the situation.
Subaru was thinking what he should do now. He needs to protect everyone but how? What did he do last time? And how will he do it again? He found an idea.
Roswaal exited his room as well.
"Evvvvveryone start working", he said looking at Subaru.
"Can I ask one more thing?", Subaru asked, looking at Roswaal.
"Whaaat is it?"
"I need to go to the city, I lost something there."
Subaru's plan was to get a Knight for protection. Maybe Wilheilm since he would be younger now and maybe can help, right?
"Hmm… No.", Roswaal said, looking entertained by Subaru's useless efforts.
"Huh… What do you mean?", Subaru said as he was hoping for a yes.
"You need to first proooove me that youu two are gooood additions to this mansion."
"Then tomorrow, when I will prove it to you?", Subaru said, still hoping he can turn this into a win.
"After all your works in thiiiis week"
Subaru had thought talking about the curse would've stopped him. But instead it created a bigger issue and he wasn't able to smooth talk out of this.
"Anyways like I saiiiid, it's time for work", Roswaal said, with the satisfaction of his victory.
The day passed by really quick. Emilia got her maid clothes and Subaru was gonna get them tomorrow. Emilia was working much more focused and fast, not doing anything else. No small talk, no break, just work. She wanted to focus on the work so she could stop thinking about what happened.
Subaru was trying to offer her some breaks, from time to time but she kindly refused all of them by saying "You are working a lot already to save us. So let me just do this'' and then smiled to close the conversation.
That made Subaru even more tense. What if he failed? He had no plan left and Emilia was trusting him a lot. What if he couldn't find a way out? He needed a plan.
At night time, Emilia went to sleep early without waiting for Subaru. While her behavior seemed worrying Subaru was lost in thought at what he should do.
After everyone slept, Roswaal was still awake looking at a book, smiling.
"You put a curse on me huh…?", He said while his smile grew bigger.
It was morning in no time. Emilia already started her job while Subaru started after her.
Emilia was peeling out potatoes really fast. But she was still bad at it.
"Um… Emilia", Rem said, quite not sure how she will put her words.
"Yeah?", Emilia said.
"You are making a mockery out of that potato", Ram spat.
Those words actually hurt Emilia this time. Making her feel useless.
"So-Sorry Boss…", Emilia said, sadness was seen from her face.
Ram, after realizing that actually hurt her, wanted to say something to calm her down.
"I mean every rookie starts bad-", Her words were cut down when she felt a pain coming from her head.
Emilia this time saw her. Seeing blood from her head made her act without a thought.
"Are you okay?", Emilia said, really sound scared.
"Stop Miarie! I-I'm fine continue your job", Ram said, trying to avoid her.
"I can get a plaster or something else or I can-", Emilia was cut short when Ram really got furious.
"DO YOUR JOB!", Ram said, not wanting Emilia to interfere.
"O-Okay…", Emilia said, returning to her job.
Ram, knowing she wasn't able to hide it, quickly went to Roswaal.
While Ram seemed angry she felt really warm feelings towards Emilia. But her behaviors made Ram worried if she is okay? Was Subaru doing something to her or was she acting like… her sister. This made her think for a while.
Subaru again cleaned the bathroom. Faster this time to out pace Roswaal but they still met in the last moment. He again saw the glowing curse in Roswaals chest.
"Do you wanna make me guilty for putting you in that curse or something? Because a bastard like you deserves it", Subaru said with a nasty smile.
"Nooot really. At least are yoooour satisfied by seeing it?", Roswaal said with a smile that doesn't distinguish his anger or his happiness.
"Oh I do very, very much'', Subaru said.
"Aaaanyways are you finished cleaning heeere?"
"Yeah…sir.", Subaru said while leaving the room.
Subaru, later in the day, wanted to find Beatrice; maybe she could be the help he was looking for.
He entered her room quietly.
"How did you find this room, I suppose?", Beatrice said, surprised that he was able to find her.
"I wanna talk to you…", Subaru said.
His calm voice was unnatural but he realized he needs to calm himself down for this situation.
"Don't interrupt Betty's reading and leave, I suppose", Beatrice said, looking like she didn't care about what he would say.
"I… I just wanna talk"
"I don't, in fact", Beatrice said, her voice starting to sound more emotional than the last.
"I know you are not trusting me yet but… at least I want you to listen to me.", Subaru said, hoping she would listen.
"You will leave Betty after she listens, I suppose?"
"Yes..." Subaru said.
Beatrice took a deep breath.
"Fine, say it, ı suppose."
"A-Alright..."
Subaru explained that the assassins may come to attack them. And he asked for her help. He was fast at telling it like his time was running out.
Beatrice looked at Subaru.
"Leave now…", Beatrice said, she looked cold towards him.
"Huh?", Subaru was confused.
"You are a liar! LEAVE NOW!" Beatrice said.
She threw Subaru away from the mansion. He wasn't the person she was looking for, he just wanted to use her, she thought.
Subaru was beaten again. There was no help, no plan, if assassins were looking for them there was no point to run away either.
Night time was silent between Subaru and Emilia. Both were blinded by their own issues to help each other. They were just sleeping like every other day.
On the third day, Subaru was planning again but his options were limited. He can't just fight the assassin by himself so he needs someone's help. Maybe Frederica, maybe everyone. He didn't want Emilia to be with him. He didn't want to cause her to be in this. He couldn't let himself pull her in this situation after everything that had happened.
Emilia was working a lot. Cleaning, helping Rem with food. She was doing a lot but she still thought all of it was meaningless.
Ram looked at her from time to time. She wanted to understand her. But she wasn't sure about talking with her. She was still in her shell not being able to talk to anyone other than her sister in these types of situations.
After a few hours Roswaal again left the mansion.
Last day finally came.
Emilia left everything to Subaru again while continuing her job.
Subaru on the other hand tried to make the best plan he could.
"Alright Subaru you wanted to go to the village today right?", Frederica asked.
"Of course!"
"Well one of us will come with you!", she smiled.
"Can you come with me?", He asked.
"Me?", Frederica was surprised.
"Well I need someone to show me the village. I really have no idea."
"Of course. Why not?"
Eventually, they started preparing to head out.
In the mansion, Emilia was silently cleaning Rem and Ram's room. She wanted to finish it quickly. The room reminded her of that day over and over again.
Ram unknowingly went into that room to rest.
"Huh Miarie?", She said, not expecting her to be here.
"Oh… hi boss….I was um… cleaning your room."
"I see…", Ram looked at her.
Ram walked up to her bed to make Emilia's work easier.
"Clean it well."
"Sure boss."
Ram continued looking at her. While Emilia tried to avoid eye contact.
"Miarie…", Ram said in a low tone.
"Yes?"
"I… I'm sorry that I screamed at you when we peeled potatoes.", Ram said, sounding like a small girl feeling bad for her behavior.
"D-Don't worry… I probably deserved it anyway.", Emilia said.
Ram didn't want to talk about her issue so she stopped talking about what happened there. But Emilia's attitude was still bugging her in the wrong way. And she finally found the courage to talk to her about it.
"Did something happen?", She asked.
Emilia's heart started to work faster.
"N-Nothing bo-boss", Emilia said, trying to avoid her.
"Did Barusu do something? Is it something else?", Ram wanted to go further.
"N-No…"
"Is it… Me?", Ram asked, scared of the answer.
"NO NO Of course not!", Emilia said, scared of breaking her heart again.
"Miarie, stop working.", She said, suddenly in a serious tone.
"Huh? But…"
"I want to talk", Ram said, sounding much more confident in each word.
"O-Okay…", Emilia was scared.
"Do… you think you are not good enough?"
"I…", Emilia was confused. Why would Ram ask her this?
"I see… Well… I always thought my sister was acting like this too…", Ram looked at her with a slight smile.
Emilia stood silent. She didn't know how to react.
"I guess it started in the past. Rem started to act more silent and I was worried about her. I did want to help her. She was my sister after all. She looked sad. She probably felt useless or something dumb like that. And I wanted to make her realize that she was important… I still want to… I even think she might be better than me…", She said, her voice became lower and lower each sentence.
"And now seeing you like that reminds me of her. And I want to help you too. Maybe with that I might help my sister too.", Ram said, looking at her with a slight smile.
Emilia was again surprised by how Ram acted. She was like a grown up and a child at the same time. Her words relaxed Emilia a bit. As much as her death was still affecting her, Ram's words started to affect her as well.
"Thank y-", Emilia's words cut short when they heard something outside.
Subaru and Frederica quickly took the supplies they needed and started walking.
"Subaru relax, you are walking so fast!", Frederica asked in confusion.
"It's better to be early. Don't you think so?", Subaru said. He was sweating profusely and panicking.
Suddenly he heard a noise. He suddenly stopped and got into a position.
"Frederica stop!"
"Huh what happened Suba-", Subaru quickly pushed her.
"Why did you do that?", Frederica yelled until she saw the assassin next to her.
"So you knew I was here?", The Assassin said with a calm voice.
"I also know you. Elsa was it?"
"Hmm…", Elsa quickly started her attack.
Frederica caught her blade and threw her away.
"Subaru what's going on?", Frederica yelled.
"We need to run.", Subaru said.
Both started running while the assassin wasn't seen anywhere.
Subaru and Frederica were close to the mansion.
"Fredrica, we need to find a place to hide everyone there! ", Subaru shouted.
"I know a place. Come wit-", Frederica stopped after realizing someone was with them.
A giant mabeast jumped from above and landed right in front of them. Taking a hunting stance, it pounced at them.
Frederica stopped the attack by transforming her arms into leopard arms.
Subaru saw Elsa with someone on top of the giant beast. That someone had blue hair and yellow to green eyes. But her hair was disorganized. And she looked way too young.
"Meili?", Subaru said in a low voice.
Her moves seemed non-human, animalistic even. She didn't speak normally either. She seemed like an animal stuck in a human body.
"Let's see how you will handle this", Elsa said with a smug look.
She jumped in front of Subaru.
"Now let's finish you."
Subaru stood calm. He tried to focus on protecting himself.
The mabeast's attack is heard by everyone in the mansion.
Rem, Ram and Emilia rushed outside and saw Subaru and Frederica fighting the assassins.
The trio joined in to support.
Different mabeasts were starting to appear and the trio had a lot to handle. Ram was already having problems with fighting them.
Frederica fully turned into her beast form and started tearing through the mabeast in full force. It overwhelmed Meili.
Seeing her situation, Elsa started to attack Subaru faster. She finally found the spot to finish him off but Rem jumped to attack her with her morningstar. That hit threw Elsa away with a lot of injuries. But she regenerated so quickly.
While Emilia and Ram handled other beasts, one of them bit Ram's arm. In pain she fell to the ground. Emilia killed all the beasts surrounding her.
"You will be okay! You will be okay!" Emilia said while cutting a part of her maid outfit to badge Ram's arm. Ram's head had also started to bleed.
Seeing the chances of victory reducing with every passing moment, Rem stopped in her place. Suddenly a pink horn came out of her head. Everyone knew what it was. Soon she screamed and started attacking with brute force, crushing everything that caught her eye. .
Meanwhile the Mabeasts started to gather around Meili to protect her from Frederica. She was killing a lot of them.
Rem and Subaru waited. Suddenly everything felt silent. Elsa seemed nowhere. Until…
She sprang towards Subaru with blinding speed. She was going to kill Subaru. She was focused on it. But Rem blocked her blade. And that attack cut Rem's arm.
Subaru, Emilia and Ram looked frozen with what they saw. Rem falls to the ground, screaming in pain.
Ram was furious. She ran to attack Elsa by pushing Emilia away. Tears came out of her eyes while her head was bleeding intensely.
Emilia was in pain seeing Ram in this state again, reminding her the same cries she made when Emilia died. But this time her reaction was different.
Ram went to attack her with one arm. Elsa evaded her and kicked her in the stomach. Ram fell on the ground in pain. She tried to reach out to Rem, hoping to stop Rem's arm from bleeding. Elsa glared at them. The sisters were the only obstacle in her mission. Subaru tried to stop her but she kicked him aside again, failing to kill him. The kick Subaru took was a fatal one, breaking some of his bones and making him unable to move.
But Elsa was focused on the girls.
"STOP!" Subaru cried out while trying to move to stop her, dragging himself on the ground. He was feeling like he could pass out any moment.
And Elsa swung her blades to hit them. Death was certain…
But an icicle stopped it.
Emilia jumped in to attack Elsa. Elsa quickly dashed away from her. Simply attacking wasn't enough. She directed Meili to use some of the Mabeasts to attack the kids. While Frederica tried to stop her, she was too late. Mabeasts went to kill the kids and Elsa went for Emilia's guts. Emilia creates an ice wall to block Elsa but wasn't fast enough for the mabeasts and she jumped towards kids instead of it. The beasts injured her body, leaving deep wounds, but Emilia handled them with her ice. She realized that she was starting to get tired.
Emilia looked at the sisters, understanding what she should have done from the very beginning. She was scared and thought she had no purpose but looking at them one more time made her understand her purpose; what she wanted to do. She was going to help and protect everyone she loves.
"It's alright, it's alright." Emilia said trying to calm the kids but the Mabeast attack had tired her to even move a muscle.
But then a Kukri blade slit through her chest and scared both the kids. They were crying in pain and terror. Emilia hated seeing that.
"Don't worry. With seeing your effort I will spare them. My job wasn't to kill them anyway." Elsa said in Emilia's left ear.
Emilia was angry that she had to see Ram cry again but now with Rem as well.
Subaru also felt the pain from the Kukri blade slicing his back along with the heat of the blood coming flowing out.
Her job done, Elsa quickly grabbed Meili and ran away, disappearing in the woods. Fredrica was exhausted from fighting against the horde of mabeasts and was lying on the ground.
"Emi… lia!" Subaru screamed knowing that he failed.
Emilia wasn't able to speak. She fell down on the ground hearing cries. But she wasn't sad anymore. In her last moments she thought of only one thing, seeing everyone around her.
"I will protect your smiles"
-To be continued.