Chapter 14: La Vita è Bella

Emerada danced on the frozen pond without a care in the world.

A short distance away, Subaru watched her, grinning. Just a year ago, he had agreed to visit Banan, a miniscule decision that spiraled out of control. He had even been killed there.

At least he found out that someone re-invented manga before him. Oh, well, death was a small price to pay for such knowledge.

He thought of everything that had transpired since then.

Countless nobles were either jailed or executed for their association to the notorious Spotlight, including Roswaal I. Mathers. Subaru always knew there was something creepy about that man…

Alcyone expanded on a scale never seen before. The Border Committee was forced to stand down after Vollachia and Gusteko stepped in, and business was soaring.

Niko was officially allowed to rejoin the royal guard. Contrary to what Subaru expected, he was received with cheers and applause.

Most important of all, Subaru had decided to propose.

He had already hired someone to make a ring, and now he just needed to bide his time until it was made.

Without any warning, he was yanked out of his thoughts by a sudden impact on his arm.

When he recovered from the shock, he saw Emerada holding a snowball and grinning at him.

Subaru smiled and scooped up a handful of snow.

Right outside Picouttate, a group of bandits gathered.

They formed a loose circle as one of them, a man in an officer's uniform adorned with medals, brought one of his comrades to the center, dragging her by the hair.

Immediately, the men began to murmur. What was happening? A traitor? A spy?

"Disgusting wretch," the officer said to the woman before tossing her at the center of the circle and grabbing a nondescript black book from his pocket. "Insolent pest. To think you'd earned our trust…Witch Cultists like you deserve the slowest of deaths."

Everyone gasped. The Witch Cult! One of them!

From behind the officer appeared a blond man in a blood-red cloak. "Gah…subhuman filth. The Cult wants you to spy on us? Don't worry, you'll send them a message, but it won't be in words."

The officer handed his superior a cross-guarded dagger. "This was in her sleeve, Armand."

"Perfect," Metrac spoke, holding the dagger in his hands. "Let's send the Cult our message: be they Archbishops or mere grunts, all will burn in the holy light of Vollachia."

He grabbed the dagger by its blade, positioned it in his hand, and threw it at the woman like a knife.

It embedded itself in her neck.

As she bled out, Metrac turned to his officer and said, "Burn that book. Then, search everyone's belongings. If anyone else has these…things, send a message."

"Your wish's my command."

"To think this is necessary for your goal disturbs me. Unpleasant."

In the study of the Mathers manor were two people.

One was a young girl in her late teens. Long indigo hair ran down her back, and her eyes – one blue and the other yellow – were dull and lifeless.

The other was a man with short blue hair. His face was adorned with a monocle.

"Clind," the girl said. "Please do not que~stion this. I am simply doing what is neede~d."

"I am still partly unsettled by this. Startling."

The girl sighed. "The end of this ju~stifies the means…yes, it does. It ha~s to. It will."

Clind nodded.

"You are dismi~ssed," the girl said, and her butler bowed and left.

She opened a drawer within her father's desk and picked up a black book.

A Tome.

Roswaal J. Mathers would be the final one.

A few weeks later, Subaru found his opportunity.

He sat on a desk in his room, paying only half of his attention to the letters before him. It was the usual workload and more. Some of these were this world's equivalent of junk mail (he had rejected the same 60% off discount on some restaurant he had never even heard of at least twice now).

Among the letters, one stood out: it bore the Astreas' sigil.

He opened it and was both pleased and disappointed to find that it was an invitation to a party.

"Who would've guessed?" he sarcastically muttered to himself.

By now, he had realized that the Astreas were into parties more than they were into defending the kingdom. Maybe it was just a way to escape the fact that they were practically considered weapons and not people, or maybe they were bored that there was no war going on.

Opening the letter, he found that it was a party to celebrate Veltol and Tishua having a fourth child.

Those two were really trying to create an army of Sword Saints…

No matter. The Astreas were his oldest friends since he came to this world, and he had not seen them in quite a while. Besides, the party was a good chance to socialize…and finally put that ring to use.

With that last thought on his mind, he looked at the ornate ring sitting within a box in his hand.

Just like all the other times he had been here, Subaru was impressed by the Astrea mansion's sheer size.

It was gigantic, and it kind of looked like the few pictures he had seen of the Vatican. Right atop the main entrance sat the Astreas' sigil: the Dragon Sword Reid.

"Subaru!" a voice called out as soon as he got off his carriage. "How splendid to have you back!"

The inventor looked at the first friend he had ever made in Lugnica and smiled. "Fribal! Slay any bad guys lately?"

Fribal walked over to greet him and gave him a pat on the back. "I wish! It's so quiet lately…it really makes all of us jumpy. The army guys I met with hate the word 'drill' more than Vollachia, right now!"

Before Subaru could say anything, the Sword Saint raised a hand.

"Anyway, that's enough politics," Fribal declared. "How are you? I swear, it's got to be stressful, running a company like yours. Did you grow gray hair yet?"

"Is this gray hair thing some sort of inside joke between everyone but me? You're the second person to say that!"

Grinning, the redhead gave a shrug. "Why, of course we'd say that. Look at me: we're decades apart, but it's easy to tell which of us is the more handsome one. The ladies like a red fox, after all."

"Cut it out," he sighed. "I'll tell the king you're being mean! Then you'll have to kiss your nobility goo-"

"Subaru!"

From the entrance emerged another man, who looked like an almost perfect replica of the Sword Saint, except that this man had a beard and was less muscular. His name was Veltol Astrea, and he was Fribal's brother.

"I ought to thank my brother," the Sword Saint spoke. "He's the reason I can invite you here so often."

Veltol waved his hand, denying it. "Please, an event like this one is needed. What with all that stuff happening ri-"

The younger Astrea stopped talking when he saw his brother's expression, which warned him to not mention such a thing.

"What's happening?" Subaru asked, oblivious to the tension brought about by this mysterious topic.

It was Fribal who answered, though he did so with hesitation. "Everything's calm right now, but Vollachia is up to something. Based on trustworthy reports from there, dozens of soldiers have abandoned their posts in the army, including a 3rd-class general. Either Drizen has some big move planned, or he's facing the biggest rebellion in the country's history."

"But let's not get all gloomy about that," Veltol interrupted. "Come inside, Subaru. We'll drink to Vollachia!"

"If you're going to drink to anything, brother, you should do it to something more deserving."

"Fine, fine. A toast to Drizen Vollachia, then!"

While Fribal pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head, Veltol laughed and led Subaru inside.

"Pardon me, but you are Natsuki Subaru, yes?"

One of the few guests already in the mansion approached him with that question, which he replied to with, "Yeah, that's me."

The woman who asked him that question was clearly a noble, but he could not recognize her. Still, he could swear he had seen her before. She had lapis-blue hair and eyes, and her dress was a mix of Vollachian and Lugnican army uniforms, so she was not particularly easy to miss.

Seeing the inventor's confusion, the woman extended her hand. "Safir Bluhart, though I believed we had met before."

"I'm sorry, but I don't remember that," he explained, shaking her hand.

"I see. In any case, you wouldn't happen to know about Yorghan Zerzel, no?"

For a second, Subaru froze up. "What about him?"

"His death, specifically."

"He died, yeah…or I kind of hope he did."

Safir's expression turned pensive. "Would you happen to know how he passed?"

The question made him think. "You weren't told?"

"I'm afraid not. All I know is that he is gone, but nothing else of importance."

Subaru wondered whether or not he should reveal what occurred, but he could not leave Safir without an answer. "I…he was killed. A man named Grifas killed him. He died…saving me."

Unexpectedly, the noblewoman's expression changed to a smirk. "Indeed, that is what happened. I thank you for telling the truth. The delegate will most surely be missed."

He stood there, stupefied. "Did you already know!? Why'd you ask me, then!?"

"Please, you should know. Kararagi believes you to be responsible, and I had to check if that was true."

Again, he remained confused, but he could not ask anything else as the noblewoman nodded and walked away from him.

Well, that was…strange. What even was her connection to the delegate? Had they met before? It was all too suspicious, but it definitely was not his business. If he stuck his nose where it did not belong, he would have another Spotlight on his trail.

Hopefully there were no others like him…

Someone hugged him from behind, and he did not have to turn to know who it was. "Glad you could make it."

"Oh, please, when have I ever missed a party?" Emerada asked, then coughed. "You know how great these parties are! So~ many people to pick on."

She let him go, and he turned to face her. Just like last time they had been in the Astrea mansion, she was in a magnificent emerald-green dress fit for royals. Unlike last time, she seemed a tiny bit paler, and the mischief in her eyes was the friendly kind.

"Niko?" the inventor asked.

"He's outside. War stories, you know?"

Subaru nodded. "Believe me, I know."

"Veltol was talking about Vollachia," she spoke. "You know, if those two talk for one second, he's going to bring up that one story."

"Poor Veltol."

"Eh, he would've deserved it."

Seeing the mostly-empty main hall, Subaru offered Emerada his hand. "Care for a dance, oh most glorious princess?"

She took his hand, laughed, coughed, and said, "Why, I'd love to dance."

The party was just as he expected.

Everything, from the nobles discussing their own matters and trying to gain the Sword Saint's favor to the royals' arrival, was exactly as he expected. It was like a repeat of the last time he was here, except that there was no malevolent clown or evil delegate.

Just like last time, Emerada led him to the mansion's garden.

"Remember this place?" she asked with a tired smile and pointed at the rose on her hair. "I visit it every time I come here, you know?"

Subaru took her hand in his own and smiled as well. "Truth be told, I forgot about this place. What makes it so important?"

"I swear, Subaru, I am going to slap you."

Both of them sat down and looked at the sky. It was dusk, but the moon had risen while the stars had not.

Emerada pointed at the moon and spoke, "Does your homeland have any tales about the moon?"

"Plenty," he answered. "Oh, there's a lot of them. In my homeland, some of the countries sent people up there! And they put down flags!"

"You're joking! People went up there!? To the moon!?"

He nodded. "Yeah, and now they're trying to go beyond as well! The moon is just the first step."

Emerada had a twinkle in her eyes as she said, "Oh, do you know how to get there!? Take me! Take me there, I want to see!"

"It takes years in my homeland, and I'm not sure it can even be done here…"

"Fine," she replied, giving a light cough and pouting. "Then tell me more tales about it!"

"Alright, so…they say that the part of the moon that we see is always the same, so what's on the other side? Some people back home said that there were creatures living there, and others said it was just a normal place."

"The former interests me more…"

"There's tales about the sun, too! People used to believe that it was dragged by a carriage, which was driven by a god. Others used to say that the sun revolved around the world."

"It doesn't!?"

Subaru looked at the princess, who was completely shocked by the revelation. "I forgot you guys don't know that…anyway, there's a lot of mythology about the sky where I'm from. Each star and constellation has a story behind it."

"Tell me some!"

"So, there's the myth of the star Capella, in the constellation Auriga, which is rumored to have been a goat that helped raise a god. There's the constellation Orion, named after a mythical hunter. There's the star Acubens, in the constellation Cancer, which was named after a crab that pleased a goddess by attacking her enemy. There's a star named Polaris, which is at the northernmost point of the world."

"Your people have too much free time," Emerada chuckled. "Which is your favorite star?"

He thought about it before saying, "The Pleiades. I'm named after them. Their story is that they were sisters whose father, Atlas, was punished to hold up the world on his shoulders, so a god turned the sisters to stars to protect them as Atlas could no longer do it."

"That god sounds like a nice guy…"

"He's responsible for every bad thing in most stories."

The princess nodded. "I rescind my previous statement."

She lay against his shoulder and sighed contentedly. With care and the utmost stealth he could summon, Subaru reached into his pocket, where the ring was.

"My stomach hurts," she complained with exaggeration. "Do your fancy invention thing and get me something that'll help."

"I don't know how to make medicine," he responded, slowly digging out the box with the ring.

"And my head's killing me," Emerada added, brushing her forehead against his arm. "My feet hurt too, but I know that's because of these shoes."

"There's nothing I can do to help…"

"Yeah, you can carry me to bed. Oh, and bring me the rabbit plush."

Chuckling, he let go of her hand and stood. "Hm, I can do something better than that."

He faced her and saw her confusion. Her eyes scanned him for any hint that something was wrong.

And then he got down on one knee.

"Emerada. If I'm being honest, then…when we first met, I really didn't like you. You were kind of scary and evil. But I was an idiot back then. I thought I was a hero and this world would be my playground. Nothing could've been further from the truth. I'm not a hero, and this world doesn't belong to me, but I don't need the world when I have you. We've been through a lot: the aquarium, the pond, the assassin. Every time, we came out of it together. In Banan, you said I should think of you, and I do. Back then, I was a fool who thought he could carry every burden and protect everyone from every bad thing, but I'm not like that anymore. I've realized my weakness, and that's because you are my strength. I love you, Emma. You gave me light in this world. You gave me everything."

Subaru grinned as he said his final line.

"Emma, will you marry me?"

Emerada looked at him, absolutely still. Then, she looked at the ring, which shone the colors of crimson and emerald. A second or two passed before tears welled up in her eyes and she giggled.

"You're an idiot if you don't know my answer, Natsuki Subaru."

The veterans were rowdy and ill-mannered to such a point that Subaru thought every stereotype one could think about them was truer than expected.

Across from him, a woman with a prosthetic leg slammed her empty beer glass on the bar's table, shattering it into a thousand pieces. "Yer kiddin'! An' whatcha do next!?"

Glued to his right and drunk off his ass, Niko answered, "Well, whaddya think!? One doesn' just turn down an Evil Eye, ya know!"

"Niko, you dirty bastard!" a golden-toothed man sitting beside the woman said. "Those fuckers will leave ya with enough curses to bend your intestines inward!"

"Shut it, Tarvan! Ya know I'm right! I betcha you're jealous! Liza, he's jealous, ain't he!?"

"I bet my good leg he's jealous!"

Subaru tapped Niko on the shoulder. "Hey, Niko…what the hell's all this?"

"You mean it ain't clear? It's your bachelor's party, boy!"

"Kid looks like he's not havin' fun," Tarvan chuckled. "Let's get 'im somethin' nice! There, that waitress is cute enough!"

The inventor raised his hands in protest, but Niko interrupted. "Tar, I've one eye an' even I can tell she ain't his type. Besides, we aren't here to get'im into bed with someone!"

Both knight and inventor nodded.

"Nah, we're here to make 'im a man!" Niko spoke with conviction. "An' every man's in at least one fight in their life! C'mon, we're gonna go find us some Vollachians!"

"Niko, no!" he protested.

"Niko, yer a fuckin' genius!" Liza yelled.

Before Subaru could protest, Niko grabbed him by the arm and dragged him outside the bar, with Liza and Tarvan following close behind. "Liza, you ol' hag, go find us some Vollachians!"

She struck a salute and hiccupped. "Yessir! Commander's orders're absolute!"

"Niko, stop this!" the young craftsman urged. "I'm not fighting anyone!"

"Ah, thas what they a~ll say, bud. You'll grow outta it soon!"

Suddenly, someone approached them. A demi-human man with deer-like antlers on his head and a short tail.

"Hey, you all!" he said. "What's this I'm hearing about Vollachia? Do you all have a problem with Vollachia?"

"Our problem's that they're all a buncha bums with sticks up they asses!" Liza laughed, wiping away a tear on her face. "When a Vollachian's outta mana, they beat someone to death with that stick!"

The demi-human's face was one of seething rage as he spoke, "As if! I served in their army for years! Maybe you Lugnicans ought to try a real military service and stop playing pretend!"

Behind Niko, Tarvan put up his fists like a boxer. "Aight, then, c'mon! I'll shove my boot so far up yours rear they'll be findin' leather in your teeth!"

Clearly, Tarvan was not intimidated by the fact that the demi-human was at least a head taller than him and better-built.

"Tar, Tar, cut it out, ya'll embarrass yourself," Niko said, unbuttoning his coat. "Come on, antlers, let strength decide who's better."

As the two veterans cheered their friend on, Subaru panicked and stepped between the two men. "For God's sake, stop this! You're gonna get killed! This isn't a bachelor's party, this is your own damn fantasy!"

"Out the way, boy," the deer-man bellowed. "A challenge issued between warriors is sacred."

"Shut it, deer! Niko, come on, don't do this! Think of Emma!"

In response, Niko shoved him away and strode toward the demi-human. The two faced each other down, as if daring their rival to strike first. Niko rubbed his hands together and drew his arm back, preparing a punch.

The deer-man did the exact same, and Subaru stood paralyzed from fear.

But, instead of hitting each other, their hands met in the middle, and the two men exchanged a firm and loud handshake.

"Litwin, you empty-headed pillock, ah, you bastard!" he chortled. "You sure can act!"

"Oh, Cees, you ancient tree! I knew ya had in you!"

Right next to Subaru, who remained frozen, the veterans whooped and laughed.

"You should see your face," Niko said, putting his coat back on. "Didja really think I'd lose to Cees? Please, I saved 'is antlered ass personally. Cost me an eye, though!"

"Sorry about that," Cees spoke sheepishly. "I didn't know you would fight him head-on…"

"Don't worry, ol' man. I'll find Talil again an' teach him a lesson, with regards from all of us!"

"Hear, hear!" the other three veterans chanted.

Balling his fists, Subaru coldly said, "Niko…you are so dead for this."

"C'mon, kid, this'll pass."

With the biggest, smuggest grin he could muster, the inventor said, "Emerada's going to find out about this…"

Niko's smile fell, and his eyebrow went up. "Shit, you keep it quiet, before I tell Cees to hit ya instead."

Subaru only shrugged.

Niko spent the entire carriage ride to the castle giving him the stink eye, which was particularly easy given that he only had one.

Subaru decided to talk about something to break the tension. "So, that deer guy cost you your eye? Did he poke it out on those antlers?"

"Nope, it's…a long story," the knight sighed. "It started more than a decade ago. This guy in the Vollachian army, Talil Lunzow, started huntin' spies and traitors, which endangered the Kingdom's secret ops. I was dispatched to get Cees out of his garrison before Talil sniffed the scent of treason."

"I'm guessing it didn't go smoothly."

"Oh ho, no it didn't. We had Cees all the way out of the garrison when hundreds, and I mean hundreds, of spirits showed up, casting little spells here and there. No one told us, but this spy-'unter was a spirit arts user."

"Aren't they rare?" he questioned, tilting his head.

"Sure, but we just 'ad terrible luck, ya know? I got Liza to take Cees across th' border while I distracted the guy, but…you can tell how it ended."

"Oh, no."

"Ah, yeah. Bastard was older than me and somehow moved aroun' like a snake. Could barely graze him, an' he got my eye."

Subaru sighed. "That's tough."

"It is," he affirmed. "But I'm used to it. Trust me. Water magic does wonders for healin'. An' so long as I got the princess – so long as I got somethin' to fight for – then I'm fuckin' invincible."

As if to confirm it, Niko raised his fist, which shone a light blue with the color of water magic.

"So long as I got the princess, I'm unkillable," he repeated with a dangerous grin.

The Holy Temple of the Divine Dragon was an extraordinary place, and Subaru could tell it had been built with the utmost care and reverence.

Now, the main hall was adorned with white, and chairs were laid about, forming a narrow corridor to the altar.

Subaru himself was in the finest suit he owned, which came as a gift from his employees. At Emerada's suggestion, he had let his hair down.

Today was the day.

He looked at the altar. In a few hours, he would walk back here, to the main hall's entrance, and begin his married life. He had heard countless jokes about this moment, almost none positive, but he felt unbelievably overjoyed.

"A~h, Natsuki Subaru," a female voice spoke behind him. "I bid you great tidings on this day."

He faced the voice and found a tall woman clad head-to-toe in a white cloak, and who's only distinguishing feature was the sharp-toothed smile visible under her veil.

"A pleasure to meet you, miss…?"

"You must enjoy your marriage," she spoke, completely ignoring his question. "One only appreciates things when they end, after all. Do not make such a mistake."

Those sentences were all she said, as she turned and walked away, leaving him alone to ponder what had occurred.

It did not matter. Right now, there were more important things to think about than creepy and ominous white witches.

He turned toward the altar and smiled.

Night had long ago engulfed the royal castle, but the newlyweds were still awake.

Clothes were strewn about in the floor, and the only illumination came from a lone candle on a nightstand.

On the bed, as Subaru rested his head on the pillow and laughed, Emereda snuggled up to him, holding a plushie rabbit. "Su~baru, we might've traumatized poor Wullow."

"Wullow?" he asked, turning to his side to fully embrace the princess.

"Yep! Wullow! I never told you his name? Shame on me and my bloodline!"

She nuzzled her head into the crook of his neck and sighed contentedly, clutching the plushie closer to her bare chest. Subaru pulled her closer and twirled her long strand of hair around his finger, thinking about how pale she looked in the candlelight.

"This is better than what you got me for my bi~rthday," she teased in a sing-song voice, then gave a cough. "For the next one, maybe you can get me something for this headache…"

"You got a headache from this?" he said with a mischievous smirk. "I feel honored."

"Don't be a funny guy…I feel a little sick. Laughter is the best medicine, right? Let me laugh at you."

"I didn't hear any laughter right now."

She looked up at him and flicked him on the forehead.

As retaliation, he booped her nose.

Emerada smiled and pulled him close, planting a kiss on his lips.

The moment they broke away from each other, he muttered, "Love you, Emma."

She grinned. "Funny you mention that right now…did I ever tell you what I thought of love?"

"No, I don't think so."

"For a long while, I used to think love was purely physical," she explained, running her hand down his chest. "Of course, then I fell in love with you, and you look like a wet rag, so I thought 'That can't be it.'"

"Hey!"

She giggled and once again rested her head against his neck. "You're predictable…have I said how much I love that about you?"

Subaru patted her head. "Yeah, you've told me."

"Don't get all sentimental on me now, though," Emerada mused. "None of that 'I love you because of your heart, your nobility, your gentleness, your compassion, your open mind,' blah, blah, blah. Such flowery words are something I can't stand."

"Then how shall I show mine love, Your Majesty?"

Pushing him onto his back, she smiled and answered.

"Physically."

AN: Buongiorno, principessa!