Things had been looking up for the Emilia Camp since their safe return from the Pleiades Watchtower expedition. Of the two main goals the group had set out to achieve, they managed to accomplish one and partially complete the other.
The first goal was a cure for those affected by the cursed dragon's blood of the Sin Archbishop of Lust, Capella, which they managed to obtain through the blood of the faux Divine Dragon Volcanica that inhabited the top floor of the Watchtower. Through careful magical and medical engineering, a cure was quickly developed and distributed to the victims of Lust's attacks in Pristella, including Crush and Subaru, who were relieved to have their bodies restored to their natural states.
The other goal was to find a way to undo the Sleeping Beauty condition caused by the three Sin Archbishops of Gluttony, Ley, Roy, and Louis. Ley had been killed through the combined efforts of Ram and Subaru, and Roy had been imprisoned and captured by Julius.
Louis, however, had appeared before Ram and Subaru moments before a surge of miasma overtook the Green Room. Thankfully, the 'brother-sister' duo managed to vacate the room's inhabitants just in the knick of time before the room caved in on itself, not a single person caught in the Witch of Envy's haze. Though she displayed a lack of memories and basic communication skills, she should've been tossed into a cell alongside her surviving brother. It was only because Rem, who had woken up without her memories after over a year of being in a technical coma, had vouched for the young girl's newfound ignorance, that she was instead released into the custody of the Roswaal estate. Upon returning to the mansion, both the amnesiac girls were put under Clind and Frederica's guidance as maids in training until such a time where their memories came back.
Things had finally seemed to settle back into the Emilia Camp's definition of normalcy, with the exception of one new addition to the team. This person had served as the guardian of the Pleiades Watchtower for over 400 years, assisted the expedition team for a few days before turning into a gigantic murder-scorpion killing-machine, but was eventually returned to normal and invited to leave the tower to come live with her beloved master.
She had the strength to lift a dragon carriage over her shoulder, the will to survive impossible conditions for hundreds of years, and enough firepower to systematically take down an entire country. The name of this stellar individual was-
Subaru: "Sh-Shaula!"
Shaula: "Goooood morning, Master~!"
The near-bare legs of Stars-Keeper Shaula straddled Subaru's still-waking form, her palms pressing into the mattress on each side of his head, smiling down at his confused face.
Subaru: "Get the hell off of me!"
Shaula: "Geez Master, most guys would appreciate having a beautiful woman wake them up in the morning. Ah, but Master does have some rather strange tastes…"
Subaru: "If wanting to wake up without you in my face makes me weird, then fine! Just-"
He put a hand on her shoulder to push her off, but her overbearing strength allowed her to hold her place over her master's body. However, after a few seconds of watching him struggle with all his might to move her, she rolled her eyes and allowed herself to be tossed to the other side of his bed. For a moment he was concerned about throwing her on top of his sleeping companion, but she seemed to be absent.
Shaula: "Master, throwing me around like your plaything~? It's a bit rough, but I'll accept your advances~!"
Subaru: "Shut up! Have you seen Beatrice? I could've sworn she was with me last night."
Shaula: "Eh? Who?"
Beatrice: "Betty is right here, in fact."
Beatrice's voice came from the floor on Subaru's side of the bed. She sat up and put a hand to her lower back, clearly uncomfortable from a night of sleeping on the hardwood floor.
Shaula: "Ah, you mean lil' ankle-biter! Oh yeah, I put her down there sometime during the night, taking up too much of me and Master's space, y'know? Ah, but don't worry Master, I didn't shove her out and wake everybody up like last time! Please, praise me!"
Subaru: "Moron! I was mad that you kicked Beatrice out of my bed, I don't care how gently you do it! Beako, are you alright?"
After yelling at Shaula, Subaru turned his attention to his spirit that had spent half the night asleep on the ground.
Beatrice: "Nnn… Betty's back hurts."
Subaru: "Tsk- Poor thing... C'mon, let's get some breakfast."
Beatrice: "That sounds nice, I suppose."
As Subaru stepped out of bed, Beatrice reached her hand out. He took hold of her dainty hand and swung her onto his shoulders with practiced precision. As the young man walked to the door carrying his spirit, the scorpion girl spoke up.
Shaula: "What about me, Master?"
Subaru: "You can come too if you want, but at least try to remember your table manners this time, okay?"
Shaula: "Okaaay~!"
Shaula had been at Subaru's side ever since their party departed from the Watchtower, all the way to Pristella to drop off the cure and pick up some more friends, then back to the mansion. While Otto and Garfiel were certainly surprised to have another addition to the group, nearly everyone in the mansion was shocked to hear that the legendary Sage Shaula of the Pleiades Watchtower would be staying as a permanent resident, even Roswaal himself was at a loss for words.
Until he wasn't. Then that clown smiled with delight.
Roswaal: "My my, isn't this quite the development? It looks like you got some much needed personal-defense on your side, Subaru-kuuuuuun. With the legendary Shaula acting as your bodyguard, you will no longer have to worry about your own safety while protecting your precious friends. Isn't that greeeeeeat?"
Subaru recalled what the Margrave had said when he met with him in his office upon their return. It made sense to keep Shaula on board. She was incredibly powerful, extremely loyal (to Subaru), and contained knowledge from 400 years ago that could come in handy (if she could recall any of it).
The main problem was how attached Shaula had become to her 'master'. After hundreds of years of isolation, waiting for her beloved master to return, after finally reuniting with him Shaula adamantly refused to let him out of her sight. She argued that he could disappear again the moment she lets her attention slip, claiming that her master was a notoriously fickle man who avoided attention at all costs.
For Subaru, this meant that he no longer had any sense of privacy. From sitting next to him at meals, to joining him in the bath, to peeking under the bathroom door, she was always there. She even declined having her own room, rather she insisted on sharing a room with her master. Subaru refused, Shaula whined, so they compromised by building an impromptu perch in the corner of his room, which was really just a small platform on top of a wooden post in the corner of his room. She got to stay in his room and overlook his bed, while he gave up as little space as possible and gave her a place to spend the night that wasn't at his bedside. He'd rather she stare at him while he slept from a distance rather than inches from his face, but it was a tossup if she would stay the entire night up there.
She had been living at the mansion for nearly a couple weeks now, and her progress on adapting to modern living was… slow, to say the least.
She hardly had the table manners that came standard to finer living. The maids had attempted to guide her towards proper etiquette, but it was in one ear and out the other with her. Even with Subaru's direct order to pay closer attention to what was being taught to her, she stubbornly refused to learn. Little by little, however, she would pick up on small things to improve on, such as using silverware when eating, or speaking in an inside voice, or not aiming a deadly spike cannon at the heads of new people. It was an understatement to say that the Stars-Keeper had a long way to go as far as integrating into modern Lugnican society.
Shaula: "Masterrrrrr, I'm done eating! Can't we just leave the others now?"
Subaru: "I'm still eating! And don't call everyone that isn't us 'the others', it's rude!"
She puffed her cheeks in protest, sitting to his left at the breakfast table with Emilia sitting to his right. A handful of the Emilia Camp's members were present at the table, most of whom had learned to just ignore Shaula's antics. Normally he would place himself between Emilia and Beatrice, but Shaula would whine and complain if she didn't get to sit next to Subaru at meals or meetings, so Beatrice had started sitting in his lap to make room. Subaru absolutely refused to be unable to sit next to Emilia, even Shaula was able to pick up on that.
Subaru: "Just wait a little bit longer. You gotta learn how to be patient."
Shaula: "Master, are you really going to say that to me? Your most loyal pupil who waited over four-"
Subaru: "'Four hundred years for Master to return!', I know! You say that almost too much!"
Beatrice: "Subaru is a growing boy that shouldn't be skipping any meals, in fact. He's already frail enough as it is, the last thing he needs is any more factors to stunt his growth."
Emilia: "I agree, Subaru needs all the food he can get. When Subaru is too hungry or tired, he gets reeeeally grouchy and short-tempered. Oh, and he also scrunches his face a lot more."
Subaru: "Eh, am I receiving help here or am I being secretly insulted?"
Subaru wondered out loud, scrunching his face into a scarier-than-usual expression of panic.
Otto: "Don't worry Natsuki-san, you can have my portion too if you'd like. I sit in an office all day, surely you need the extra energy more than I do. You are still a growing boy, after all."
Garfiel: "Eh, you sure 'bout that man? Last I checked, you were th' next closest one t' witherin' away int' dust, ya skinny green bis'nsman!"
Otto: "Sh-Shut up!"
Otto tried to play the role of the selfless older brother, but Garfiel called him out like the younger brother he was.
Petra: "Subaru always says breakfast is the most important meal of the day! How else will you get the energy you need to start off the morning?"
Ram: "If one's food intake is proportionate to what one does in a day, then Barusu shouldn't need much nourishment at all."
Petra, the ever supportive little sister, balanced out the sassy big sister vibes coming from Ram.
Subaru felt blessed to have such a close-knit group of people come together for his sake. He just wished that the reason for their unison was over something less stupid.
Subaru: "Hmmmm... I think I need new friends. Yep, that's what I need. Definitely."
His obviously sarcastic comment and nodding to himself got a small chuckle out of everyone, his unique brand of self-deprecating humor beginning to rub off on the Camp. Everyone except Shaula, who just looked unhappy and turned her face to the side in a huff.
Shaula: "Hmph!"
It was a beautiful day outside, perfect for Subaru to get some combat training in with his mentor.
Clind and his student took their positions on the back lawn, starting a respectable distance away from each other. Subaru took a combat stance with his whip at the ready, while Clind stood at attention with his hands behind his back, as if he were prepared to listen to a public official's speech. They held their positions for several seconds, both eager for a spar after months away from each other, until they both shared a mutual look that displayed the rush of combat.
Subaru made his move first, opting to rush Clind and lure him into thinking that he aimed to fight him head on, when in reality he was going to use his whip to trip him up and temporarily immobilize him. He saw Clind bend his knees, whether it was to attack or to dodge Subaru didn't know, but he would never find out which. When the distance between them was reduced to a few meters, a figure landed between them.
Shaula reared up from her landing pose and aimed a quadruple volley of Hell's Snipe at the butler's forehead, red dots targeting just above his brow.
Shaula: "Master! Just say the word and I'll blow this guy's head two, no, three towns over!"
Clind: "Hrk-"
Subaru: "Oioioioioi, nobody is blasting anybody's head off, stand down! Clind, I'm so sorry about her."
Subaru very quickly went from loud and angry at his subordinate to humble and apologetic to his teacher.
Clind: "Think nothing of it, Sir Natsuki. I am glad to see you are well protected. Precautionary."
Subaru: "Eh, it's more like she's overprotective and won't leave me alone even if I asked her to."
Clind: "Still, having such a powerful ally defending you could prove useful to your future endeavors. Aspiration."
Shaula: "Mmhmmmm~! See Master? Even mister butler here thinks I'm useful to have around!"
Clind: "'Mister butler'? Curious."
Subaru: "It's not that I don't think you're useful, it's just that your usefulness is offset by how clingy you are!"
Shaula: "Eh? Clingy, who's clingy? I'm not clingy!"
Shaula clung to his arm, disengaging her weaponry and smiling as she nuzzled into his sleeve.
Subaru: "Sorry sensei, looks like we're gonna have to pick this up another time. I mean, there are a few combo attacks with Shaula I had in mind that we could try out."
Shaula: "Oooh, sounds fun!"
Clind: "I'm afraid I will have to decline. I am a man of many talents to be sure, but I am also humble enough to recognize that I am no match for the legendary Shaula. Ah, but if I were back in my prime, then maybe…"
Subaru: "Your prime? Clind, exactly how old are yo-"
Clind: "I apologize, but I must be going now. With my schedule wide open, I have many chores to catch up on. Responsibility."
Without waiting for a reply, Clind bowed his head before hastily making his way inside.
Subaru: "Eh? Ignored just like that?"
Shaula: "IIIII would never ignore you, Master!"
Subaru: "I think it'd be best if you gave it a try sometime."
Subaru spoke somewhat coldly, turning his back to her and heading towards the wooded area further into the boundaries of the Mathers' domain.
Subaru: "I'm gonna go run the obstacle course a few times. You can come if you want, but don't interfere unless it looks like I'm gonna hit the ground."
Shaula hesitated for a moment out of spite, but it quickly washed away as the gap between her and her master grew. She jogged to catch up with him, but huffed as she did so.
Shaula: "Hmph!"
As the day went on the weather didn't change in the slightest, much to the satisfaction of the half-elf and her knight, who had planned a picnic date to celebrate their successful ventures, not to mention they have had little time to themselves since Pristella.
They laid on a picnic blanket beneath a tree, located on a hill that overlooked both the mansion and the setting sun, which had just begun to touch the horizon line. Subaru and Emilia were on their backs side by side, the steep decline of the hill allowing them to watch the view without having to sit up.
Subaru: "This is nice, isn't it Emilia-tan?"
Emilia: "Mmhm! This is reeeeally enjoyable, Subaru. Just you, me,"
She gazed at one of the branches directly above them.
Emilia: "and Shaula, watching over our every move..."
On that branch sat the third wheel of the date, casually munching on some of the contents of her master's picnic basket, which she had been placed in charge of holding. Even so-
Shaula: "Oh Mas-terrrrr~! We're all out of sandwich-eeeees~!"
The mabeast in human form waved a crumb-laden cloth in the air, shaking out the bread particles onto the two below. Emilia had a look that said 'Aha, typical Shaula…', whereas Subaru's expression said 'I would like nothing more than to throw Shaula into the sunset'. Before he let his temper get the better of him, he closed his eyes, inhaled through his nose, and let his anger exhale through his lips.
Subaru: "That's okay, I brought extra sandwich ingredients in case we wanted to make more. You didn't eat those too, did you?"
She peered into the picnic basket sitting in her lap.
Shaula: "Mmmmm... nope! Those are all still here!"
Subaru: "Alright, in that case we can-"
Shaula: "But I did finish off the jar of that 'mayonnaise' stuff!"
Subaru: "Y-... Wh-... You WHAT!?"
Just as he was about to relax, he looked up to see Shaula holding the mayonnaise jar he had brought upside-down. Not a single dollop fell out.
Shaula: "I tried a little and it was really good!"
Subaru: "You're damn right it's good, I made that batch with my own two hands specifically for this date! Now how am I supposed to make more sandwiches? Do you expect me to make dry sandwiches without any precious mayo to supplement the balance of the meal? OF COURSE NOT!"
He thought for a moment.
Subaru: "Also, why did you have it by itself?"
Shaula: "Eh? I didn't know it was supposed to go with anything, I was just eating it with a spoon while you two were busy talking."
Subaru: "Oh… my god."
Very slowly, Subaru's hands reached to cover his face in shame. He felt like he wanted to cry, but he didn't want to shed tears over something so trivial in front of Emilia, so he just covered his eyes to shut out the embarrassment.
Emilia: "I-It's alright Subaru, really! There's more to 'dayte-ing' than just the food, right? After all, we still have each others' company!"
Subaru lowered his hands and cracked a smile. Whenever he felt like he was getting too riled up, he could always rely on his silver bell chime to release him from-
Shaula: "Seeeee Master? Even the half-devil doesn't want you to be mad at me! So you can go ahead and forgive me nowwww~!"
Subaru: "THAT'S IT!"
He shouted out loud before he started to repeatedly kick the trunk of the tree like he was trying to kick a door in.
Subaru: "GET DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW! YOU STUPID, NOSY, SELFISH LITTLE-"
Shaula dropped down from her tree branch and landed flat on two feet in front of him.
Subaru: "Oh."
Shaula: "Hellooooo!"
Subaru: "HI. How many times have I told you not to call Emilia by that name?"
Shaula: "Mmmmmm, I dunno? Zero?"
He pinched the bridge of his nose, squeezing his eyes shut.
Subaru: "What you're saying is very offensive to Emilia-tan, and I'd really prefer it if you refrained from calling her that name again."
Shaula: "Offensive? I'm just saying what I'm seeing, y'know? You can't expect me to learn the names of every person I meet!"
Subaru: "What about me? You at least know what my name is, don't you?"
Shaula: "Master Flugel~!"
Subaru: "WRONG! What's the name that everyone else has been calling me? Ever since our party arrived at the Watchtower, what name have people been using to get my attention? Your memory can't possibly be that bad!"
Subaru grabbed her the shoulders and looked into each of her tri-pupil eyes, pleading with all his soul that there was some semblance of rational thought going on in that head of hers.
Shaula: "Mmmmmm… Nnnnnn… Uhhhhh..."
Her memory was truly abysmal. Both Subaru and Emilia felt a touch of pity for her.
Shaula: "Sorry Master, I'm not good at remembering names other than yours."
Subaru: "It's my name that you're unable to learn, so it sounds like you can't do that right either!"
That snap made Shaula wince, her face twisted in discomfort at the sound of her Master disapproving of her. He held his sour expression, but eventually Subaru softened up and sighed.
Subaru: "Half-elf. "
Shaula: "Huh?"
Subaru: "From now on, if you can't remember her name, call her the half-elf , not half-devil. Can you please do that for me?"
Shaula: "I- Okay Master, I'll try…"
With that, Subaru's date with Emilia came to a… strange end. While the princess and her knight walked back to the mansion side by side with smiles on their faces, Shaula lagged behind, clutching the basket handle with both hands. Though she was feeling down, she did her best to put on a smile in case her master decided to look back at her. He didn't even glance at her until he politely held the door to the mansion open, and even then it's like he hardly acknowledged her presence. She simply walked through the door, not bothering to give some sort of over-excited exclamation, moping as her master continued on about his evening. She looked down to the side at the tile floor.
Shaula: "Hmph…"
Subaru: "Gaaah! Man, what a day!"
After leaning backwards with his open palms against his lower back, Subaru was rewarded with a few relieving cracks from his spine.
Beatrice: "You hardly did anything, in fact. All you did today was run the obstacle course for a few hours and date Emilia."
Subaru: "Don't talk about my training regimen like I was just passing time!"
Beatrice: "Haven't you gotten tired of going through the same course over and over again? It must get repetitive at some point, does it not?"
Subaru: "Y'know, I have been meaning to give it a try with you on my shoulders. We're gonna be fighting as a duo, so it might benefit to go a few rounds with you."
Beatrice: "Betty wants as little to do with that death-trap as possible! The filth of the outdoors would ruin her nice clothes and perfect hair, in fact."
Subaru: "True, true. Personally, I love sparing Beako the harsh realities of combat, but sometimes fate is just too cruel."
He shrugged, then lifted his bed covers and hopped in. He looked over to his spirit companion and reached a hand out to her.
Subaru: "You coming?"
Beatrice: "..."
Beatrice looked down to the floor and lightly kicked at the ground, as if avoiding a response.
Subaru: "Hey, if this is one of those nights you want to sleep by yourself, I completely understand."
Her face grimaced in annoyance. She looked up to meet his eyes, very quickly shifted her focus on the area of the room behind him, then fixed her gaze back on him. Taking the hint, Subaru waited a few seconds before he whipped his head around to see Shaula on her perch, hugging her knees so she took up as little room as possible. Right as he turned to face her, she craned her head to look the other way. Even though she wasn't looking directly at him anymore, he could see her saddened face.
Subaru: "Hey Shaula, you doing alright?"
Shaula: "...Yes, Master."
Subaru: "You kinda hesitated there. You aren't lying to me, are you?"
He narrowed his eyes at her.
Shaula: "Master… Do you… not like me anymore?"
His face softened from suspicion to concern. He glanced back at Beatrice, who just shrugged, knowing full well that any words other than his own would just fall upon deaf ears.
Subaru: "I mean, I don't hate you if that's what you're asking. I know we had some… disagreements today, but ultimately I would say that you're my friend and one of my most trusted comrades."
He wanted to reassure her that she had a place in his heart, but he knew he had to be careful with his words, lest she take what he says a little too close to heart.
Shaula: "Master, you say that, but today you were laughing and playing and having fun with everyone except me! Even before when we were still in the Watchtower, it felt like Master was pushing me away! So I thought 'If Master doesn't like me anymore, I just need to prove to him that I'm worth keeping around!', so I aaaaalways make sure that Master is safe no matter what! After all, you won't leave me behind again if I'm useful, right Master?"
There was a strong sound of desperation in her question, he could see it in her bleary eyes as well when she looked to him for an answer.
His face went from concern to something close to dread. That look in her eyes was all too familiar to him. It was the look of someone who doesn't feel good enough for the person they love most, so they always fear abandonment and try to make up for it with bold and loud actions. It was the same look he saw in his bathroom mirror every now and then.
Subaru rolled to the other side of his bed and rolled out onto his feet, walking over to Shaula's mini-watchtower. He looked up at her curled-up form and into her scorpion eyes.
Subaru: "Y'know, I think I get mad at you a lot because you remind me of myself."
Shaula: "R-Really? I do?"
Subaru: "Yeah, you and I are pretty alike. You're a real bonehead sometimes, you know that? You're arrogant, picky, reckless, you can't read a room, and frankly, you don't seem all that smart."
Shaula: "Eh, am I being complimented or secretly insulted?"
Subaru: "But no matter what, you do whatever you can for the person that you love the most, someone who means the world to you, someone you love with all your heart. And I, for one, am very proud to be 'that person' for you."
Shaula: "Master…"
Subaru: "But I learned that you don't have to go through it alone. If you surround yourself with good people and be kind to them, they will be kind in return to you. My dream is to live a life where all my friends get along without strife and we're all living our happiest lives. You're in that dream too now, Shaula, and I want you to be happy alongside us all."
Shaula began to tear up for a completely different reason, her master's kind words and supportive smile and thumbs up were all she needed to feel at peace in the world. Beatrice meanwhile rolled her eyes, not entirely thrilled to see her contractor speak his feelings for another woman, let alone someone who can't even realize that her 'Master' and Subaru were two completely different people with no relation whatsoever.
Beatrice: "If you two are quite done being pathetic, Betty would like to rest her head, in fact."
Subaru: "Good call, Beako. And YOU!"
He turned to respond to Beatrice, but spun back around to stick his pointer finger at Shaula. He had a gutsy smile on his face.
Subaru: "Can I trust you to stay at your post tonight?"
Shaula beamed, perking her head up and bringing her hand to her forehead in salute.
Shaula: "You can count on me, Master! I'll watch over you and lil' ankle-biter with my life!"
Beatrice: "For the last time, stop calling me- WAAAH!"
Before she could undo his improvised pep-talk, Subaru dove across his bed and lifted Beatrice from under her arms and flung her onto the mattress with him.
Subaru: "Welp, I know I've had a long day and I'm sure you two are just as tired!"
Beatrice: "* sigh…* I suppose…"
Shaula: "Master, Master! I don't need sleep, what should I do in the meantime?"
The knight-spirit duo were about to settle in until the Stars-Keeper spoke up again. Beatrice just flopped into a pillow while Subaru skillfully swiped a layer of blankets from the bed, leaving Beatrice undisturbed like removing tablecloth from a set table. He rolled off the bed and approached Shaula's tower one more time.
Shaula sat at attention and happily glared at her approaching master, imagining the various things he could do to her with such linens. Before she could finish one of those thoughts, Subaru very casually and effortlessly draped the blanket of Shaula, covering her entirely.
Subaru: "There, that should help promote a good night's sleep."
Shaula: "I'm not a bird, Master! Also, I can still see through this."
Subaru: "I was talking about me! I can't sleep with those eyes of yours staring at me all night long!"
With that, Subaru turned back around, blew out his bedside candle, and collapsed onto his side of the bed. After shifting under the covers and resting his head on a pillow, he let out a long sigh and allowed himself to finally relax.
Shaula: "Good night Master."
Subaru: "Good night Shaula."
Shaula: "... Good night lil' ankle-biter."
Both Subaru and Beatrice opened their eyes and glanced at each other in surprise. This was the first time Shaula showed care for anyone aside from Subaru without being asked.
Beatrice: "Good night Shaula."
Shaula: "..."
Beatrice: "Good night Subaru."
Subaru: "Good night Beako."
Shaula: "Ack! I wanted to be the last one to talk to Master before he goes to sleep!"
Shaula complained from beneath her blanket.
Beatrice sighed.
Subaru frowned.