Chapter 9: blue, stone cold killer.
Emilia woke up startled with a feeling of deja vu, like she had been in this place before. In front of her face was a familiar passage of words, now the third time she has read them now, a clear sign of her own death. She realised it now, it was obvious, Emilia had died.
She had a hard time trying to recall how she died, racking her brain for the slightest clue. The only thing she was sure of is that it was quick and painless, but that is only what she can recall from memory. There was only one thing that she was 100 percent on, she heard the sound of chains behind her bedroom door prior to her death.
She flipped herself backwards from laying on her belly to her back, letting out a big sigh, depressed. All that she did in the previous loop was null, made invalid by a death she couldn't predict nor avoid.
Her chat with Subaru, walking around town while flirting with him, playing with the town kids. All are memories of something that didn't happen, memories of an impossible future that was the past. In the minds of Subaru and everyone else, they don't remember, they don't even know that something like that happened, they couldn't.
It felt like playing for hours in a video game only for it to crash without saving, all the progress that she worked hard to achieve, wiped completely because she got curious; the term "curiosity killed the cat" describes it perfectly.
She sighed again, this wasn't the time to become disheartened, but when a single death means redundancy, it makes it difficult to keep the diligence from running dry.
Emilia couldn't stay in bed in a state of dejection all day, she knew that, but she also knew of what awaited her when she did get up. If she were to continue doing this over and over again, then she might be able to come up with something eventually, but what is the cost of that? having to do everything in trial and error? Dying painfully and suffering because of her own mistakes? Having to form bonds and relationships from the ground up every single time?
She just wished there was a simple way to go about it, but nothing ever went her way like that. Her mother always said that If anything were to happen by chance, it would have to be a result of Emilia's own hard work, and that all depends on her.
So, she will work hard, but all that hard work means nothing if she has nothing to work off of. She needs to find out who.
Emilia didn't know who her assailant was from her previous loop, it would have to be someone who uses a weapon that incorporates chains in it, but there was no one like that to her knowledge.
If that was the case then it has to be an assassin like Elsa, though she wasn't surprised since Roswaal was rich and powerful while Subaru has candidacy for the royal throne, it only made sense that there would be people who would send assassins to their residence.
But why her? Could it be that the assassin was trying to stealth it out, so they killed Emilia to keep her quiet? An assassin wouldn't leave witnesses alive, especially when killing someone of high stature. Leaving a person who has seen you alive leads to you either getting executed, tortured, or worse, you lose your contract money.
Though there is also the chance that it could be someone already in the mansion itself, but that wasn't something Emilia wanted to think about right now. Getting suspicious of the residents would lead her to go down a rabbit hole of doubt, she wasn't willing to play among us with real people.
That means that in order to save them, she would have to take down the assailant before they get to anyone else; Emilia must prepare herself for when that happens.
Knock, Knock, Knock.
And just like clockwork, Ram is at Emilia's door to inform her that lunch is ready. She heard some people have a second breakfast, but this was the first time she heard of a third lunch.
Emilia shouted, "Come in!", to notify that she was ready.
Upon giving her permission, Ram politely opened the door, stepping in and greeting Emilia with a bow.
Ram: "lady guest, lunch has been prepared, if you are willing to partake."
Emilia: "I'll gladly join, although I'd prefer it if you just called me Emilia."
Ram: "understood, I will refer to you as Emilia from now on. Now, Emilia, Roswaal-sama and Barusu are already seated, it is best to not keep them waiting."
Ram's voice remained monotone and dignified whenever addressing someone, however the monotone voice gains some emotion whenever she insults Subaru, almost as if she does it in jest.
Emilia nodded, and Ram turned around, walking back to the dining area. Usually, Emilia would take her time to make her appearance since it takes the maids a little longer than announced to set the food down. This time however, since Emilia had nothing to take care of, she decided to walk with the quiet Ram.
The walk was silent, so much so that it made Emilia uncomfortable. The quiet rang in her ear and lingered in the air as thick as butter, a bane to Emilia who is as outgoing as her father. Alright Emilia, time to break the silence before you die from it!
Emilia: "so, Ram, what do you think of Subaru?"
Ram: "May I ask what brought this on?"
Emilia: "well you know… it just seemed to me that you two don't have the best relationship going on, you know?"
Ram: "it may appear to be so, but please do not misunderstand."
The maid said no more, cutting off further conversation. "Don't misunderstand", what is that supposed to mean? While Emilia was trying to decipher the vague sentence, they arrived at a door Emilia had entered before like it was yesterday, which wasn't exactly wrong mind you, the door to the dining room.
Ram: "We are here, please enjoy your lunch."
With that, she opened the door to reveal the dining room, not like there was anything to reveal though. Subaru and Beatrice were sitting next to each other, chatting as per usual as they waited for their food to arrive.
Roswaal was reading a paper that looked like a report the same way as the time they ate breakfast, though said breakfast happened tomorrow which technically means it didn't happen at all but it did because Emilia was there, but she wasn't ready for that headache yet.
Roswaal looked up from his report and noticed the pair of Ram and Emilia and showed a stretched smile. "I see you are joining us eeeeeaaarly, please have a seat."
Emilia nodded, taking a seat at the corner of the table where the guests are usually seated. Ram excused herself to go to the kitchen where her sister is to bring out the food, lunch 3rd act is served.
(((((((-\I/-)))))))
Nothing really changed, it was still tasty, but it also felt like she was eating the same meal in a row, so Emilia can't say she enjoyed it as much as last time.
Roswaal asked Emilia about what she wanted as a reward, same as last time, only for her to say she couldn't decide. Right now she wants to ensure her own survival, then she will focus on a reward afterwards once her life is safe.
She had already left the dining room, now walking down the hallway the same as in the previous loop in hopes of running into Subaru by chance. She wanted to do the same as last time, trying to ask questions in hopes of figuring out what to do next.
There, target spotted, Subaru dead ahead, and on his back was Beatrice, clinging to him in a piggyback ride.
Emilia sped up to catch the two, the taps of her shoes echoing audibly in the hallway. Subaru turned around to look at her, making a surprised yet calm face.
Subaru: "hmm? Emilia, what's up?"
Emilia stopped in front of him, having come up with an approach, she was going all in.
Emilia: "Hey Subaru, can I ask you something in private?"
Subaru: "why? Is it something that you can only ask in private?"
Emilia: "yeah, something like that. And…I can only tell it to you."
Subaru shrugged his shoulders. He turned his head to Beatrice, who groaned in annoyance that her piggy back ride was interrupted, and reluctantly climbed down from him. She said nothing to the two and walked off down a side hallway, a wordless exchange between spirit and contractor, though to Emilia, it just seemed she was ignoring them.
Subaru: "ok, let's go."
(((((((-\I/-)))))))
Emilia is sitting in a chair in Subaru's room, facing him. She was nervous for some reason, unable to point out why. She's been in his room in the previous loop before, but now it felt strange to be sitting here.
Subaru cleared his throat, drawing Emilia's attention, he put a calm smile on his face and opened his mouth to initiate the conversation.
Subaru: "Emilia, what is it that you wanted to talk about?"
Emilia: "Well, I'll have to explain first before I can ask the question, so…"
Subaru: "I do not mind, go ahead."
'Ok, I'm about to ask a pretty dangerous question here, I just hope that he doesn't get annoyed by it.'
After Emilia thoroughly jinxed herself, she breathed in, preparing for any situation that may occur. In the direct line of danger, she was going to ask him about previous attempts on his life, a most likely sensitive question for someone of his stature.
Emilia: "um...well, you remember back in the slums when we got attacked by the bowel hunter?"
Subaru: "That's right, what about it?"
Emilia: "Well, you were really good at fighting against her, I was wondering if you ever encountered assassins before her?"
Subaru: "I've only fought one, but they weren't that skilled in their craft like Elsa, plus it was a long time ago as well. Though, I don't doubt that they would be able to subdue the average bloated noble if they wanted to, they just got unlucky with their target."
Emilia: "when you say long ago, how long?"
Subaru: "back during the demi-human war, at the time, I claimed neutrality because I thought all the fighting was senseless. Though that ended up putting me on the shit list of both sides, since I'm powerful, neither side wanted me as an opposing playing card, so they decided to make sure no one can have me instead.
The demi-humans sent an assassin after me to take me down quietly, but as I am here at this moment, it obviously didn't go as planned. The human side wanted to prosecute me, so they sent the sword demon after me to conduct my execution. I got cut up pretty badly, but he was in a worse state than me, so I used some healing magic and concluded our little duel."
Emilia: "That must have been difficult, but doesn't he hold any grudges from that?"
Subaru: "what are you even talking about, didn't I say it was a long time ago? The sword demon is an old man that's grayer than puck now, there is no point in holding a grudge anymore."
That surprised Emilia for some reason, they must have fought decades ago if that was the case, though it also doesn't surprise her. People grow old, they become much calmer as they age, holding onto a grudge from that long ago would seem childish more than anything else.
Emilia: "I see, is there anything else you know about assassins though?"
She still wanted to pry, just a tiny bit more, Emilia wanted to be greedy, even for a tiny bit more knowledge, she didn't want to give up yet, not on herself.
Subaru: "nope! After all, I'm not a genius."
He said this enthusiastically, a wide smile on his face, looking very proud of himself.
Subaru didn't have that much in his head, Emilia didn't know what she was expecting when she asked him such a question. She wanted at least some information to be satisfied with her talk, but nothing went as planned for her.
Emilia: "very well, this talk has been...informative, I should go now."
She turned around, and began walking towards the door. Her interrogation of Subaru didn't reap anything too useful, nothing more than lore and backstory, which means that things are going to be rough from now on. Emilia has no other choice other than to have to figure things out with trial and error, which means she has to take a look at the assailant's face before dying, which in and of itself brings about a thousand more problems than necessary.
Emilia had no clue if return by death was infinite or not, she didn't want to sacrifice herself only to run out of lives; she has to find another way before she walks herself into her own doom.
Subaru: "Emilia, wait."
Emilia stops in her tracks. She looks back at Subaru with slightly wider eyes than usual, ready to hear what he has to say.
Subaru: "if you want more information on assassins, maybe Roswaal knows, maybe try asking him."
Emilia felt as if a missing puzzle piece popped into place, this was it! Her solution! She can always ask someone other than Subaru, how could she overlook something even a child should know!
Emilia: "thank you Subaru! I haven't thought of that!"
She happily voiced her gratitude, a sweet smile on her face. Her solution to her problem, generously given to her by Subaru, she definitely has to make it up to him now.
Subaru: "no need to thank me, good luck with your questioning!"
Subaru called out to her as she ran out of the room, only once she was out of sight did he smile to himself in amusement while shaking his head.
Subaru sighs, "what is she up to?", he speaks to himself; Subaru can only guess that it will lead her to trouble.
(((((((-\I/-)))))))
Rem: "apologies, lady guest, Roswaal-sama is busy with work right now. Visitors are not allowed at the moment."
Well, this was a problem. Emilia planned on walking directly to his office so that she can interroga- she means politely ask him about whether someone tried to kill him or not. She assumed that he would be free since that was the case last time, but this time Rem was gatekeeping the door, standing in the way of Emilia.
Emilia: "really? But I have something important to ask him, it's urgent."
Rem: "I am sorry, but this is an order that Roswaal-sama was adamant in Rem carrying it out, no guests allowed until tomorrow."
Rem held her ground, not budging even when she was told it was an emergency, only because her master told her so. Emilia respected that level of devotion, but this isn't the time for that!
Emilia: "tomorrow, huh? I guess I have no choice but to just wait then."
Rem: "Correct, if you have something you can pass the time with, then it should be no problem with waiting for tomorrow."
Emilia was okay with this, no point in making a fuss because she can't speak with him immediately when she can do it tomorrow, she's just gonna do as Rem suggested and pass the time by doing something fun.
She has yet to visit Arlam this time and wanted to play with the kids there, though she would like it if they didn't climb on her again. Alright, Emilia is going to pass the time by walking around Arlam a second time.
Emilia: "ok, I'll just come back tomorrow, then I can talk with Roswaal."
Emilia turned around, beginning to walk away to go towards the town. Though, since it's well into the afternoon now, it will turn to night sooner than she would like. She still has a good few hours to walk around town though, more than enough to run into the kids.
Rem: "wait."
Rem's call surprised Emilia. She assumed that Rem would let her go, but there might be something that she is missing that made Rem talk to her about it.
Rem: "if you intend on going to the town, then I shall accompany you."
Emilia: "why? Didn't you say that Roswaal ordered you to guard the door to his office?"
Rem: "that only applies when non-residents are in the mansion, and since you are leaving to go to town, Rem decided to follow so that she can purchase groceries."
Emilia: "ok, I understand, let me get changed first; give me a few minutes."
Rem: "understood."
Emilia quickly ran off to her room to get changed, being watched by Rem as she left. Unbeknownst to her, Rem's glare was seething, burning red hatred lacing her blue irises.
(((((((-\I/-)))))))
Emilia, having changed to the outfit she wore the day she first visited the town of Arlam, was merrily walking beside Rem. Now at the halfway point between the mansion and the town, it looked to be around 1pm judging by the position of the sun.
The two have been walking in silence the whole time, making Emilia twitchy since she felt like she was being ignored. She has to initiate some small talk so that she can sustain herself a little longer.
Emilia: "Hey, Rem."
"...", silence.
Emilia: "I was wondering what dinner will be tonight, I hope it's something delicious?"
"...", no words came out of her mouth, this made Emilia stop in her tracks, feeling concerned.
Emilia: "Rem? Is something wrong?"
Rem has completely stopped in her track now, back turned towards Emilia and giving off a strange aura. She was completely silent, and her figure was dead still, not even moving to breathe.
Emilia was beginning to feel nervous, it felt as if Rem was going to reveal some dark secret about the Roswaal mansion or something; a drop of sweat dripped down her face.
Emilia: "um, Rem? Seriously, you are beginning to make me feel nervous, hahahahaha. What's wrong? really."
Emilia laughed from nervousness, this situation was bizarre, it was like talking to a wall. Her laughter died down as there was still no answer from the silent maid.
Emilia: "um, if it's something that you can't easily talk about then I understand, but you have to at least tell me that mu-"
Rem: "Emilia…"
Rem's voice was in a considerably deeper tone, a quiet growl of a deep seated anger.
Rem: "I'm going to ask you a few questions, and depending on how you answer them, will be how I decide what to do next."
Emilia sensed a red flag. This turned from a fun stroll to a criminal trial with Emilia as the number one suspect.
Emilia: "Rem... what are you-"
CLANG!
Emilia: "eh?"
Rem: "I'm asking the questions here!"
Rem demanded silence, pulling out a black morning star, a steel ball with chain attached to it. Emilia's eyes widened. Rem was the killer all along?
It couldn't be...but, why?
Why would Rem kill her? For what reason?
Emilia was betrayed, someone she thought she could trust was trying to take her life the whole time.
Why?
Emilia: "Rem...what is the meaning of this?"
Rem: "I told you...I'M THE ONE ASKING THE QUESTIONS!"
Rem twisted her upper body back towards Emilia, the maid's arm swinging her morning star at her.
In an instant, Emilia's leg was ripped off at the thigh. Bone, muscle, and sinew all held zero resistance to the cold steel of the weapon as it rampaged through her leg.
Emilia fell immediately into a heap, screaming from the excruciating pain of having her leg destroyed. She watched as her own limb flopped on the ground, resting on the grass right in front of her face, viewing it at an angle where she could see the cross section of her bone, muscle, and blood vessels. Blood flowed out of each small tube of flesh, flowing in a puddle that reached all the way to her cheek that was flush to the ground, making it sticky, and gross.
Emilia: "a- a- ah- a…..AAAAAH!"
She screamed again from the sight of her own leg, immediately a whip from Rem's chain slammed into her back to silence her. The hit caused her to grunt in pain, earning her another strike.
Rem: "silence! You screaming will only make this harder for me, and just as difficult for you."
Emilia bit her tongue, tears falling down her face from the repeated whippings, now crying silently. Each lashing left a stinging mark on her that would add to the total amount of pain from the other marks, making her fear making another noise.
Rem: "answer my question, do you work for the devil's cult? Are you a warlock cultist?!"
She hit Emilia with the chain again, causing her to yelp through her teeth. She was being accused of something she didn't even do.
Emilia: "I… I don't know what that is."
She answered Rem's accusation with complete acquittal, she was innocent, so why was this happening to her? Vomit was beginning to climb up her esophagus as she received another hit, beginning to feel sick from the pain.
Rem: "liar! Do you think that I don't know what you are trying to do?"
The maid hit her again, making Emilia clench her teeth, drops of salt dripping onto the ground.
Rem: "trying to get so close to my Subaru-sama when you smell like that…"
She whipped Emilia again.
"Hoping that you can lead him away through seduction…"
Another burning white hot mark was belted onto Emilia's back, the back of her shirt now tattered, leaving only a few ribbons of cloth preventing it from falling off.
"So that when he has his guard down, you can just stab him in the back and kill him!"
She smacked Emilia in the back of her neck, who shrieked as blood trickled down onto the ground.
Emilia's breathing was ragged, the pain forming clouds around her vision, she had to say something before she got killed. She needs to clear up everything, absolve herself of guilt.
Emilia: "I-"
Rem was caught off guard, how Emilia was still able to speak made her freeze with her arm above her head, prepared to punish her again. Rem's face twisted further into a scowl, eyes carrying a red, murderous glare to them. To think that this filthy insect, this scourge, this less than human being would dare to speak, to attempt to smother her anger.
To think that this animal that tried to undo all her hard work, all the times she would subtly try to scoot closer to Subaru as they sat together, all the times she has flirted with him, being expunged. By this random woman that Subaru brought home off the street!? a street urchin in ragged clothing, what is even up with that? To think that her Subaru-sama, her Subaru, would resort to buying some prostitute instead of going to her when he was lonely.
She has never felt so worthless in her life. But, this woman, this whore. Once she is gone, Subaru will fall into a deep depression, he will be sad, he will be hopeless. Then, he will finally notice Rem's efforts, her love, her devotion. He will fall deeply in love with her, embracing Rem in his warm, well toned arms, saying how he was wrong for falling for another woman, whispering sweet nothings in her ear to make her heart flutter and her chest warm.
All that Rem needs to do now is to go through with killing her, no moment more perfect than now. Emilia will finally mutter her iniquity, absolving Rem of even the slightest bit of remorse in killing her. Then, Subaru and Rem will finally live happily ever after, using her corpse as a pillar.
A wicked smile forms on her face.
Say it.
Just say it.
Say it and let Rem can live a happy life with the one she loves!
Emilia: "I-"
Rem prepared her arm to quickly and painlessly lop Emilia's head off, after all, she was her ticket to Subaru's love, it was a sign of Rem's respect to help someone who is doing her a favor after all. All that Emilia needs to do now is admit it and all her pain will be over.
Emilia: "I'm not...cough...part of...whatever you are accusing me of."
Rem let her arm go limp at her side, raising her face to the sky at her stupidity. To think that despite being in for a world of pain, this cultist decides that her own pride was worth dying painfully over. Truly fitting for someone who has lost their mind.
Rem, scowled in disgust, looks like she won't have to show some mercy to scum after all. Her pride as an oni won't be tarnished now because she gave an insect a quick death, how lucky.
Emilia: "ack!"
Rem took the chain of her morning star and wrapped it around Emilia's chafed neck, swinging it around an overhead forked tree branch, and pulling, hanging Emilia up in the air by her neck in a noose hold.
The chain constricted tightly around her neck, blocking her airways and strangling her blood vessels. Suffocating her slowly, unable to do anything other than swing her one leg and clasp her fingers around the chain collar.
Rem: "do you realise? That if you just admitted that you were one of them, Rem would have killed you painlessly? Now you are only prolonging the time I spend away from Subaru-kun, the task of consoling him after you die won't do itself after all."
The maid had an evil grin on her face, joyfully watching as Emilia wiggled like a fish caught on a fishing line. Emilia didn't want to die, but she can't do anything else other than waiting until she suffocates.
She can only try to die quicker now.
Emilia: "you…"
Rem's attention was drawn by Emilia's voice.
Emilia: "you...are… just jealous...that Subaru likes me more than you."
The aggravation made Rem's eyes bug out of her head. She pulled the chain hard, closing tightly around Emilia's neck and cutting into her flesh. Emilia croaked from the pressure of the chain, gasping for air as her throat was crushed painfully.
It hurts.
Tears streamed down Emilia's face as the maid angrily pulled the chain again, hard enough that Emilia's head was slammed into the branch she was hanging from, causing her ears to ring and her eyes to become blurred.
Emilia's stomach received a painful blow from Rem, making vomit jump up her throat pipe only for it to get blocked by the chain shutting her esophagus closed, leaving a noxious sensation that burned away at her inner neck.
She couldn't breath, her efforts only amounting to labored wheezes and snorts, leg frantically kicking out in the air searching for solid ground.
Rem punched her again in the ribs, making Emilia dry heave and cough. She punched Emilia again in the kidney, and a second punch to the stomach. The maid continued to lay on punch after punch, beating after beating.
Like a child excited to spill the entrails of a pinata, Rem continued to shower Emilia with blows in hopes of spilling her's, each hit earning back a cry of pain from the defenseless Emilia.
Rem: "you, what do you have that I don't! Someone who does nothing other than eat and sleep, who abuses the hospitality of others, boldly encroaching on a place you aren't a part of, only to then reveal your malicious intention and stab us in the back!"
Rem spoke in sincerity, this woman has never done something even slightly trustworthy. Rem has spied on her ever since she has been in the mansion, watching her every step. Her smell, her ability to find Puck's library, her manipulation of Subaru for information, all was seen by this maid.
When she heard that Emilia will ask Roswaal next, she placed herself directly in her path to stop her from doing anything bothersome. But when Emilia said she wanted to go down to the village, it was the perfect opportunity for Rem to get rid of her, she was nothing but a spot of dirt she could get rid of with one swipe now.
She wasn't going to let this outsider live another second.
Rem yanked on the chain and banged Emilia's head against the branch again. making sure to catch Emilia on the fork of the branch, she pulled with more force, meeting with the resistance that Emilia's neck made against the chain. now beginning to feel the flesh of the neck give way to her chain, she sliced as Emilia continued to scream.
And with a sickening crunch, Emilia's head was taken clear off, rolling and stopping at Rem's foot. Emilia was still conscious, she saw as her view spun until it stopped, a clear view of Rem looking down on her with a shadow over her eye.
A look of disgust, not guilt, of contempt, but not pity, she saw Emilia as nothing more than an obstacle, and acted accordingly. The maid didn't look for more than a second at Emilia, with a look of cold murder, she stepped over Emilia's head and out of her sight line, back towards the mansion with her murder weapon in tow.
Emilia could only watch as she left her vision, she tried to open her mouth, yet no air came in or out. She tried to swallow her saliva, but it only ended up spilling out of the massive hole in her neck. She wanted to turn her head, but all the muscles in her neck were useless. Her eyes were fixed dead in front of her, staring at a bush that was lightly sprinkled with blood, as her vision grew hazy and dark at the edges.
Soon the green and red blended into a dull gray, as her eyelids began closing slowly. The pain of her neck stopped her from falling asleep, but that too faded as her blood poured out of her neck that was cut, her ears that were concussed, and her mouth where the blood wanted to travel a different direction.
A black border grew at the edge of her eyesight, constricting, squeezing, then crushing her vision. As her soul is ripped from her broken vessel again, destined to restart, destined to try again, another chance.
"Do not disappoint me again."
The words from a man she did not know, yet someone she was familiar with, the last words that rang in her mind before she died.
Author's note:
Announcement! I am officially announcing that the outline for arc 2 has been planned out to 90%! Arc 2 will be split into 2 parts, one being the mansion section, and the other will be the section involving the demon town of Arlam and the mabeasts, hint hint, there will be A LOT of mabeasts. Next chapter will also be the starting point of a little descent into madness, so get excited for that ;)
Unfortunately, there is also a good chance that writing and releasing of future chapters from this point forward will be SIGNIFICANTLY reduced. Right now it is on average about every 5-6 days that I release a new chapter, so I will say around once every week. If the unfortunate situation does come to be true, then it will most likely turn from once every week to once every 2 or 3 weeks. That's a massive drop in releases.
Also, I want to do the thing the anime does for every chapter, where the title of the episode is placed at the end in japanese, so here will be the first one:
Note: it is google translated, so if it turns out to be garbage, I wish to take none of the blame.
青、石のコールドキラー