I am not dead! I know that maybe more than two weeks passed since the last chapter, unfortunately, as much as I wanted to finish it, I was not able to by either not being at home, being sick, or other activities I had to do.
Either way, hope you enjoy this chapter.
Subaru was worried. A sentiment both shared by Emilia and Gema regarding Elsa. It was beyond unfortunate that she escaped, and honestly, who could blame them for being stunned by her appearance? …And she had a motorcycle… she probably got it from uh, Texas. And wasn't that a weird fact?
Never mind. There was a high chance for her to return and finish the job. He wasn't sure how vindicate or stubborn of a woman MDP (Murderous Psychopathic Prostitute) could be, not like it mattered, it was common sense to worry about a possible attack.
The only ones who seemed to not care were the maids, they were confident that any assassin who trespass on the Lord's Mansion would be dealt with…
Subaru believed them… overconfident to say the least and maybe… too enthusiastic to respond to violence with, well, violence.
Speaking of the Lord of the Mansion and its surrounding territories, they still did not see him. Apparently from what he gathered from Ram and Rem, he secluded himself in his room… refusing to leave.
That was really awkward for numerous reasons. Emilia wanted to reward Subaru and Gema, possibly also Opio, Henry and Robert, though he wasn't that sure, and to hire both Felt and Rom to work for her. After all, the mansion was, pretty much empty.
He still couldn't wrap his head around how they kept it so clean with so few personnel. It was bugging him that only Gema and he were bothered by the fact.
Either way, because of Lord Mathers refusal to meet with them and absence as a result, it lead to a very awkward and almost silent launch.
And there was also an atmosphere lingering in the room that he couldn't exactly put into words…
There was some sort of atmosphere that he couldn't put exactly into words.
Ram was looking at him oddly at times, occasionally placing a hand on her forehead, wincing. A minuscule wince, but a wince nonetheless. Though, he probably would have missed it if not for the silence permeating the room, and followed frown. Another change he noticed were her snarks, they were still there but less, enthusiastic? Less heated?
Rem on the other hand was glancing between him and her sister, maybe she was jealous of the height increase? He didn't know Rem that well, actually, that would be an understatement, and she barely spoke a word with him, always seemingly evading or keeping her distance.
After leaving the dinner room, Subaru found Gema waiting for him near the doors, leaning against the wall. He stayed together with Gema during the awkward lunch, as she was the only one he knew the best.
Their discussion started up quite mundane but, as he expected from the start, it slowly developed into more… sensitive zones.
She told him how everyone in the mansion she saw so far had at least one mental illness, some, she said, were a matter of concern for their continuous wellbeing, while throwing a few worried glances at the maids, who were cleaning the table.
If that did not increase his paranoia then Subaru would eat his shoe. An assassin who could strike at any moment, a royal selection, mentally ill people, odd acting maids, a too empty mansion and a reclusive Lord who may or may not exist… in a single day… Yes, Subaru definitively was not concerned.
Before their discussion could give him more paranoia, it was interrupted by Felt who eventually managed to drag them to an empty room to test his powers… because she wanted to see them for herself.
He was obviously reluctant to do that, but even Gema seemed to think it was better to finally test them when his or others' life was in no danger. Plus, he had an itch at the back of his head that was slowly getting stronger.
And as a result they now found themselves in a spacious room.
"C'mon Bro! Just get over with it." Said Felt enthusiastically.
Subaru merely sighed. It was odd knowing that Felt was probably the healthiest, mentally speaking, of all of them, and she lived in poverty until recently. Well he hoped that it would remain that way...
"Alright, alright. Here it goes…"
*POP*
Roll: 2 – Pirate King (novel)
Pirate King is a 2011 mystery novel by American author Laurie R. King. Eleventh in the Mary Russell series, the story features married detectives Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes.
Effect: For two hours copies in Spanish, English, Japanese and Lugnican of the Pirate King are summoned by Subaru.
And books appeared out of nowhere in the air, falling to the floor.
"Woah! That was… damn, 'Pirate King'…? What's a pirate…" Felt began to ask but ended up distracted by reading the summary on the back cover.
"Sherlock Holmes? I wasn't one to read the classics, light novels are-were my thing…" Subaru muttered to himself as Gema and Felt were flipping through the pages of their respective books.
He decided to give his powers another try and so he pulled.
*POP*
Roll: 23 - Death (book)
Death - Chuck Schuldiner's lyrics is a book about the American death metal musical group Death.
Effect: A pitch black book with a stylized DEATH in crimson appears in Subaru's hand. The book can be summoned and unsummoned by Subaru's will. There are 13 chapters each with a different title of a song, each chapter has a power based on the lyrics of said songs. Each chapter has a different requirement to activate its power.
Subaru blinked, slowly, as he stared at the ominous book now in his right hand. He looked and saw both Gema and Felt staring very intently at the book.
He unsummoned it a second later. He gulped.
"…What… what was that?" Gema nervously asked with Felt nodding alongside.
"I… I-" Subaru hesitated because he was not sure on what to say, "I'm not really sure. It is a book alright but, it seems to have some powers based on songs…"
'But why did it feel so… sinister? What the hell are even those songs to cause such an effect… I will have to check later, preferably alone.'
His turbulent thoughts went unnoticed by the two people present.
"Alright, I think I will try one more as I feel a bit… winded."
*POP*
Roll: 9 - Hertsa Raion
Hertsa Raion or Hertza Raion (Ukrainian: Герцаївський район, translit.: Hertsaiivs'kyi raion; Romanian: Raionul Herța pronounced [raˈjonul ˈhert͡sa]) was an administrative raion (district) in the southern part of Chernivtsi Oblast in western Ukraine, on the Romanian border. The region had an area of 308.7 square kilometres (119.2 sq mi) and the administrative center in the city of Hertsa. It was one of the three raions of Ukraine with the majority of ethnic Romanian population. The raion was abolished on 18 July 2020 as part of the administrative reform of Ukraine, which reduced the number of raions of Chernivtsi Oblast to three. The area of Hertsa Raion was merged into Chernivtsi Raion. The last estimate of the raion population was 33,175 (2020 est.)
Effect: Felt is transported for 9 hours away to experience the history of the Hertsa Raion from 1859 to 2020.
And Felt disappeared.
"What did you do?!" almost shouted Gema, grabbing Subaru's shoulders as she glanced around the room.
"Ukraine. Ukraine!"
"What?"
"I sent her to Ukraine! She will be back in 9 hours!"
Gema gave him a look that was hard to put into words but thankfully, she calmed down, somewhat.
Gema visibly calmed down, somewhat, but still asked.
"Will she be alright?"
Subaru nodded before sighing.
"She will only experience the, uh, history of the Hersta Raion for 9 hours so it shouldn't be a problem…" the last part sounded more like a question than a reassurance for Gema, in Subaru's opinion.
The two remained silent for a while, Gema still holding the 'Pirate King' novel in her hands, grip tight.
She eventually opened her mouth and started talking, slowly, finding her words with difficulty.
"I don't know what to do..."
"Huh?" Subaru said.
"I said I don't know what to do. This-" she gesticulated around the room then at the books, "this whole situation is beyond me. It's just too much for me…"
Gema paused, trying to find her words as she slowly said.
"And now I have powers. I'm back in my younger body, a better one really, but what can I truly do? Help the maid with Stockholm syndrome? The other with an aggressive obsession? The elf with anxiety… how? How am I supposed to do that? The bare truth is that I don't know."
Subaru fidget in place as Gema continued to talk.
"And now I'm all hormonal, pushing my pent up frustration to some teenager who I am three times his elder at minimum… am I truly myself? Or just some copy…" the last part was but a whisper but Subaru heard it too well.
He felt a nauseating twist in his stomach. He had to say, do something least his guilt consumed him.
"I, I am sorry Gema. I know it sounds hollow, but… I will fix it… whatever it takes."
Hours passed since Felt vanished to Ukraine. They had to inform Rom, who was her father figure, of her disappearance and, eventually, managed to calm the giant down, convincing him she was in no danger.
And now they found themselves back again in the dinner room, preparing, well, for the dinner. And what a surprise, the Lord of the Mansion finally made an appearance.
Roswaal L Mathers was a tall and slender man who looked to be in his late 20s. His skin complexion looked ghastly and pale while his indigo hair looked unkempt. But what really stood out were his eyes, his heterochromic downcast eyes.
He was eating soup, his movements sluggish and mechanical.
Subaru didn't need Gema's powers to know that the man was depressed. Lord Mathers after much coaxing from Ram, eventually, addressed his 'guests', though, he would fall silent occasionally as if in deep thought throughout the conversation.
"…I greatly appreciate the assistance …offered to Miss Emilia in the retrieval… of her insignia…"
He continued for a few more minutes giving his gratitude and what not. Honestly, Subaru believed he mostly recited a text given by his enthusiasm or lack of.
The conversation lapsed into details about the political climate of the kingdom.
Subaru already knew the gist of it from Rom but it was much better to hear it from one of the participants in the Royal Selection than a bar owner…
Anyway, Lord Mathers wasn't the only one new to the dinner room, that being a young girl by her appearance who, going by Gema's and Rom's words, had a ridiculous hairstyle, not that they would say it to her face.
She barely spared them a glance, preferring to remain quiet and dismissive but when she laid her eyes on Puck, she turned into a whole different person, calling the flying cat "Bubby!", that, that took him completely by surprise and as a result, he pulled.
*POP*
Roll: 20 – Foust
Foust is a surname.
Effect: Subaru receives two abilities: By taking the name of Foust he creates a different identity, making it harder for people to realize that Foust is Natsuki Subaru. Note, Foust cannot be Natsuki Subaru, he needs to play into the role and character of Foust.
Second ability: He can now empower people who he assign the name of Foust, people or beings already bearing said name won't need to become Foust (no play into character). Subaru can empower for only 10 minutes before a cool down of 30 minutes. Only one being can be empower to be Foust at a time.
Everyone around the table will know everything about a person or persons who have or had the name or surname Foust or Faust.
Subaru blinked as he organized his thoughts about the new power he got. He was pretty pleased with said power as it-
„Su. Ba. Ru! What. Did. You. Do?" Ram demanded with gritted teeth as gritted her teeth.
And like that the atmosphere shifted to murderous as Ram's eyes and pretty much everyone's attention turned on him. He gulped.
"Nothing! I mean yes I did somet-"
"You have ten seconds to explain before I break your spine."
"It's a pull! I pulled a random power! It gave everyone absolute knowledge about people you personally know or knew with the name Faust!"
"…"
"I also got the ability to empower people who I give the name Faust but it has something to do with acting and whatnot so rea-"
"Fine." She sharply said as she turned towards Lord Mathers. "Master Roswaal. May I be excused from my night duties? I… need to express my… displeasure with the new information I learned."
Lord Mathers simply waved his hand, granting Ram's request. After that she hastily excused herself, being followed by a worried Rem.
"It seems that… our discussion will have to be… continued another time… unfortunately… Natsuki Subaru, Gema Climents, think about what… rewards do you wish for during this… delay… as for our daring thief and giant… I agreed with Miss Emilia's request to… hire you… details will be discussed at a later date… now if you will excuse me." He said before leaving, probably for his room.
'Well… that wasn't awkward at all…'
After another awkward meal in the dinner room, Subaru found himself waiting for the minutes to pass in the same room he tested earlier his powers. Waiting for Felt to reappear and make sure she was alright.
He already got a murderous pink haired maid on his mind, no need to add a giant to the ever growing pot of murderous people who want to gut him. Really what was the-
*POP*
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
"WOAH!"
Felt screaming took him completely by surprise and as a result, he pulled.
*POP*
Roll: 26 – Mnemoses
Mnemoses is a genus of moths of the family Yponomeutidae.
Effect: Subaru and Gema gain a familiar mnemoses moth. Because the roll is so high, the moths can even withstand a hit from Reinhard's Dragon Sword. The moths can pollinize flowers, can easily cause skin irritation and asthma by using poison. The moths are pretty much newborns in intelligence, it will slowly increase as time goes by and they will be able to turn into humanoids forms. They can use magic.
Secondary effect: Felt can now transform into a mnemoses moth at will. She can turn into a normal sized one to a human sized one. She can also transform into a hybrid between a human and a moth if she wishes so. Turning into a moth or human removes all effects casted upon a form.
And before Subaru could say anything to the now present Felt she turned into a moth. She flew around for a few seconds before reverting back to her human form.
"Wow… that was… wow, it felt so weird…" Felt muttered as she tried to stay on her feet.
"Yeah… Right… Are you alright Felt?"
"Huh? Ah, yes, yes… just bit dizzy…"
After a few moments of awkward silence as Felt tried to gather her wits she locked eyes with Subaru and asked.
"Bro, do you know what communism is?"
Subaru blinked.
"…Shit-"
*POP*
Roll: 27 – The East is Red (song)
"The East Is Red" (simplified Chinese: 东方红; traditional Chinese: 東方紅; pinyin: Dōngfāng Hóng) is a Chinese revolutionary song that was the de facto national anthem of the People's Republic of China during the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s. The lyrics of the song were attributed to Li Youyuan (李有源), a farmer from Shaanbei (northern Shaanxi province), and the melody was derived from a local peasant love song from the Loess Plateau entitled "Bai Ma Diao" 《白马调》 (White Horse Tune), also known as "Zhima You" 《芝麻油》 (Sesame Oil), which was widely circulated in the area around Yan'an in the 1930s. He allegedly got his inspiration upon seeing the rising sun in the morning of a sunny day.
Effect: Is it ironic that Lugnica is the east most country? Felt learns everything about Marxism, Leninism Stalinism and Maoism. The song will play every time Felt is in combat, because of the Divine Protection of Wind it will propagate as the wind goes if Felt has under her command or allied command a 'Red Army'. Every time a policy or thought is closer to the values of communism the launder the song will play, note, Felt can chose to mute the song when not in combat, thought it requires a bit of practice.
She will have her charisma improved with people who are communists or are from communist countries to add to her cause.
"Oh. Oh! OH!" Felt exclaimed as the song began playing in the background from… somewhere.
Subaru was dismayed.
Elsa Granhiert was feeling more alive than ever since meeting Natsuki Subaru.
She couldn't stop a giggle leaving her mouth as she entered the building, flipping the various knifes and blades she got from her otherworldly adventure. Such high quality and yet so common… truly a wonderful place.
And what she learned!
Nobody could defeat Natsuki Subaru. No one. Oh she entertained the thought of fighting the weakest boy possible and seeing how he would best her, thinking how many times he would have died to achieve that. A dozen? A hundred? A thousands? Memorizing his actions and steps like a dance and each mistake being corrected by cutting his guts. She felt a blush on her cheeks.
Elsa already could feel the thrill of that imagined scenario. Alas, it was only that, an imagined scenario for she would prefer to be in his company. More chances to sate her thrill for battle that way. After all, fighting calamity after calamity, cultists after cultists. It was too great of a chance to pass.
And there were also the other versions of Natsuki Subaru that she could think off… the Purge King, the Prideful King, the Gluttonous King and the Greedy King… really, he was such an interesting boy…
Unfortunately when she tried to talk to him he sent her to Texas…
"Hmm." She paused in her walk, coming to a realization that she should limit her impuls-desired for guts… she would think of that later.
Eventually she pushed the doors open and was immediately assaulted by different pleasant smells… and aphrodisiac.
When she saw Mother she couldn't hold herself back any longer.
"Welcome home Els-"
"Otto Suwen is one of the most dangerous person in the world! And you are technically the rightful heir to the Lugnican throne!"
"What?" Capella asked, thankfully being more confused than furious at being interrupted by Elsa.
"Yes! And there's also Flugel who is Subaru but he doesn't remember and is now a Sage candidate but he might as well be the Sin Archbishop of Envy with his ability and now abilities maybe it is an If or alternate timeline, yes, certainly it is-"
"Elsa, what the fuck are you talking about?!" Mother almost shouted while she gave her a look as if she had brain damage.
And so Elsa told her Mother everything that happened and what she learned in Crestone.
"-so that Vain Glory Hole of a Witch is behind everything?! She's behind my-my-AHH! I-I-I'm-I'm going to turn her into a damn cockroach!"
She did not take to it that well…
Elsa remained silent for the most part, watching Capella rage and break and smash everything in her room. She was really thankfully that it was not directed at her. After all, as metaphorically high as she was, she still did not want to experience her Mother's love.
Just as her rage abruptly started so it had ended, leaving behind a type of cold furry in Capella's eyes as she was seemingly in deep thought.
"Elsa."
"Yes Mother?"
"I don't think-What you proposed, I don't think it possible. That Miklotov as long as he breathes, there is no chance he will accept my rule, not even my claim." She talked very slowly, as if to restrain herself from lashing out.
"What about Ford's daughter? She is already a Royal Candidate, kin of yours, and she, as far as I am aware, was not found by the Knight's order."
"…My great-niece? A regency? Yes, that might work." A smirk appeared on her face but it soon disappeared, "But if what you told me about the candidates' goals and plans… I will have to break her skull to make sure my idiotic niece doesn't steer Lugnica into anarchy..."
Eventually Capella Emerada Lugnica said.
"Elsa, gather the children. I have decided. This lovely lady is returning home to claim her birthright. As regent for my great-niece."
"Yes, Mother."
Elsa went to do her Mother's bidding, giggling as she left the room. Yes, she believed she would experience a thrill like never before… with the events that have yet to come.
So here is the 5th chapter. Not a lot of action unfortunately, perhaps we will see that in the next one? Who knows... Anyway, about Elsa... yeah that just happened, so, I did not realize that in Crestone there was Shinsho (I think) religion group, and I assumed that someone there at least spoke Japanese, hence how she learned about Re:Zero. Unfortunately, she fell in the metaphorical rabbit hole of the iceberg theories...
Anyhow, I hope I got their characters right. And yes, Roswaal is depressed because, if you could not tell, a book telling you about the future does not work with random powers not even the author knows.
As for the Death book, I already have some preliminary abilities and requirements but I feel it would be more interesting if people would suggest them instead and maybe I will use them.
For anyone interested I have 13 songs, all from the album Individual Thought Patterns" (1993) and 3 from "Spiritual Healing" (1990) those being Altering the Future, Within the Mind and Spiritual Healing.
(The links . #4 ; . #2 )