Interlude 4 – The Left Behind
"*Sigh*" An exhale of boredom escaped Felix as he rode the carriage back to the Capital. After slaying the White Whale, the groups carrying the injured men and the beast's head were entrusted to his care. As such, for the past few hours, they had marched without pauses.
"Are you tired, sir?" One of the injured soldiers called to the cat-boy with worry; ever since leaving the site of the Flugel Tree, Blue had dedicated himself to healing the most grievously wounded with no rest. "You can rest, if you need."
"Huh?" The cat wondered.
"Yeah! We are all fine already!" Another soldier chimed-in, attempting to reassure the exhausted healer. "All the wounded here need is a nap and an ale, that'll be it!"
"Yeah!"
"Hmm!"
"Oh… Nyow, don't worry guys, it's nothing." Felix quickly denied their preoccupation with a smile. "I was just wondering how nyaa army must be doing, is all."
"Well, considering Priscilla-sama and Crusch-sama are with them, I'd say that there is nothing to worry about!"
"Counting Natsuki-san and his maid, too!"
"Yeah, they cannot lose!"
"…Nyes, I suppose it's useless to worry." Felix relaxed as they spoke praises of the army his Lady was leading. "With Crusch-sama at the head, then there is nothing that could go-"
*BOOM!*
"!" Felix and the soldiers turned to look in front of them, seeing the carriages at the helm of the formation suddenly explode, all of their occupants turning into chunks before their very eyes.
"What the-?!"
"What was that?!"
"HUH?!"
"What is-?!"
The carriages behind Felix also noticed the attack, in particular a couple belonging to the Kararagian Iron Fang. "Hetaro-sama!"
"You don't have to tell me!" The orange child turned to look at his fellow mercenaries. "We are under attack!"
*BOOM!*
*BOOM!*
*BOOM!*
"Dodge!" Felix told to the carriage's driver.
"HNNNGH!" The driver pulled the reins, making the terrified Earth Dragons swerve aside of the main road.
"GRARGH! GRARGH!" The steeds barked at the danger.
Imitating these tactics, Hetaro's carriages pulled aside as well, narrowly avoiding the destruction as the Ligers ran at top speeds away from the danger.
*KA-BOOM!*
"ARGH!"
"DAGH!"
"GUGHAGH!"
"NO!" Felix shouted in despair as he witnessed the carnage before him. The carriages ahead of him, as well as the handful that did not manage to evade the attack, turned into nothing as their occupants screamed in pain before their end. "Ah…"
"How rude you savages are!" A white-haired young man in all equally white clothes mocked from amidst the decay, seemingly untouched by the fumes and dust of the raging craters. "I was just standing here, exercising my rights to contemplate the surrounding world at peace when your band of uncaring, nonchalant rabble attempted to rob me of what is rightfully mine! Can you not stop, cease your incomprehensible actions for a fraction of a moment and reflect on how such uncaring attitudes disturb the surroundings as the people that enjoy them?"
"!" Hetaro and his men called forth with scowls while drawing their weapons. "Who's there?!"
"Who's there? Why, isn't it just incommensurably rude to yell at someone such an arrogant inquiry of their identity without first presenting yourself and your credentials first? It is, quite clearly might my humble self add, a violation to my rights to privacy! I have no duty nor obligation to anyone entity or group to introduce myself, especially so to those that have the gall to ignore me as well as those that-!"
"Final warning, you sick bastard!" The soldiers Felix had healed rallied together, approaching the man with rage clear in their eyes. "State your name or you shall be cut down where you stand!"
"You interrupt me yet again?!" The man complained with irritation clear in his voice and stare. "Do you not comprehend the abhorrent nature of what your ignorant selves are doing?! You are infringing upon my right to speech! As though my humble self, which is completely and utterly free to express-!"
"CHARGE!" The wrathful soldiers yelled while rushing at the man. In return, he resolved to just smirk and stand still.
"Wait, wait!" Felix pleaded to the men to no avail.
"Hah… How vexing and exhausting the ignorant masses are…" The man barely lifted his foot. This action, this simple motion, however… sealed the soldiers' fate.
*BOOM!*
*ZOOM!*
*ZOOM!*
"DAAAAAGH!"
"ERGHK!"
"KUHHH!"
"STOOOOOOOOOOOOOP!" Felix begged with a heartfelt cry as his allies and friends died in droves, disfigured body parts and blood spraying on the ground before him as though they were rain. "St- *Hic!* S-Stop… Please…" He fell to his knees while attempting to reason with the mysterious and deadly man.
"O-Oh no…" Hetaro and his men trembled in despair at the sight.
"Ah~!" As if the person before them was not enough trouble, a second figure appeared from behind.
"What now?!" One of the Iron Fang soldiers wondered in alarm.
"I keep eating and I keep eating, yet it is not enough!" A child with long, black brown colored hair stated in a cheerful tone as though a festival he were celebrating. "It is not enough! No matter how much I eat, devour, gorge, gnaw, munch, chew, bite, crunch… it is not enough! Ah~! Pure Gluttony!" He swung a pair of blades attached to his arms around, almost tearing up as he dried the mix of blood and drool dropping from his mouth. "I thank you for this feast! Truly, I do!"
"Wh-who are you?!" Hetaro asked in terror as the child approached his group.
"Within the Witch's Cult… Sin Archbishop representing Gluttony, Lye Batenkaitos tsu~!" The child answered while licking the leftover blood on his face.
"Sin Archbishop representing Greed, Regulus Corneas." The white haired young man smiled sadistically while introducing himself.
"Witch Cult?!" The almost catatonic Felix responded with panic, regaining his senses momentarily.
"Hetaro-sama!" One of the orange cat's subordinates whispered to the boy, who had held onto his carriage's reins. "Please take our injured and flee to the Capital! We'll hold them off somehow!"
"Are you kidding?! I can't leave yo-!"
"Please!" The handful of soldiers begged. "If you survive, then we are fine with the outcome! Please, leave!"
"I…" Hetaro hesitated briefly, tearing up a bit before bitterly nodding along. "-I'm sorry!"
*WHIP*
"GRAAAARGH!" The Ligers barked and rushed into a sprint as Hetaro drove the Fang's carriage away from the disaster.
"Oi, oi. Is it not rude of you to just leave us like that? Leaving US, the men that had so graciously granted you people a fraction of our precious time, the scarcest resource on this world might I so generously add, behind. Surely, your brethren and parents taught you the proper manners of a true-"
"Protect the carriages!" The men grouped up in-between the two Archbishops.
"AH~! Such courage! Such delectable resolve! How truly delicious this sight is! How savory your actions are!" Lye drooled at the sight of the men throwing their lives away to protect Hetaro.
"DIE!" The soldiers charged at the two Archbishops, even after knowing how fruitless of an endeavor it was. Inspired by Subaru's bravery and their duty to their fellow mercenaries, the soldiers gave it their all… Even though it was futile.
*ZOOM!*
*ZOOM!*
"ARGH!"
"GRAGH!"
*MUNCH!*
*CRUNCH!*
"KYEHHH!"
"GYAGH!"
All around Felix, the brave mercenaries of the Fang died and bled, painting the ground red; the cries of his companions doing nothing but crush his mind further. "Ah… Ah…" The cat-boy rocked back and forth on his knees while holding his head, trying to cover his ears and deny the reality around him. "Ah… Ah… Ah… Ah… Ah… Ah… Ah… Ah… Ah…"
"Ah~ ah, they are all tiny now…" Once Regulus was done slaughtering his half, he gazed dejectedly in the direction Hetaro's carriage had rushed towards. "I can't exactly observe them within the horizon… Are they the pathetic speck over there? Or maybe, perchance, the one to its right?" The man raised his two hands, threatening to shoot at the carriage in the distance, making a game out of murdering the retreating injured. As he was about to obliterate them, a sudden jolt coursed through both him and Lye, making them stare at each other before checking their Gospels simultaneously.
"…Huh~?"
"He failed?!" Greed screamed in confusion. "How ridiculous is this notion?! I understand Sloth was a weakling; a pathetic and pitiful excuse of a man who just could not, for the life of him, do anything meaningful for his diminutive self-betterment, unlike me myself, who humbly preaches to others out of the benevolence and kindness of my heart how to improve their wasteful lives. But to fail on the ritual?! He truly boasted more than he could deliver, the asinine Spirit! *Sigh* It truly is a wonder what Pandora-sama saw in such a reverend imbecile."
"So the meal ends-tsu~? How… How sad! How miserable, depressing, sorrowful, astounding, devastating! Ah~, for the banquet to end short…" Lye teared up as he slurped on his drool.
"*Sigh* Your tirades revolving thy alimentation tire me, Lye. Have you not any consideration for those your diatribes over food disturb, pray tell?" Regulus scoffed at his companion's antics before noticing the sole survivor of the massacre. "Hmm?"
"Ah… Ah… Ah… Ah… Ah… Ah… Ah…" Felix kept muttering while trembling and crying, a expression of sorrow and pain stuck on his face.
"Well… Out of the kindness of my heart, to the fellow Sin Archbishop who just so luckily happens to be mine partner in this sunny afternoon, it would appear you might yet have one last snack for this time of the day, Lye." Greed pointed at Felix with a malicious grin. "Merry eating; it is within your rights this day to enjoy your meal!"
"TSU~! Thank you, Archbishop Corneas!" Gluttony played along, mocking the knight in front of him. "A good snack as a preemptive for lunch!"
"Ah…?" The Argyle boy managed to snap out of his stupor just as the monsters to his sides took the final decision over his existence. "Ah… Ah!"
*DASH*
"EHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE!" Gluttony laughed aloud as he charged the defenseless feline.
"CRUSCH-SAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Felix cried before his consciousness faded to black.
*GULP*
"Thanks for the meal, tsu~!" Batenkaitos celebrated.
Hours later…
"Phew!" Petra exclaimed while dropping into the carriage's floor with relief. "Subaru won… Hehe!" The Leyte girl concluded her laugh with a blush as she hugged the Doraemon plushy earned during the Snow Festival months prior.
"Was there any doubt?! Subaru is awesome!" The boys, Dyne and Cain, cheered while imitating his nimble movements all around the carriage. "He's a hero! No! A SUPERHERO!"
"Thwip! Thwip!" Lucas followed as well, imitating the sound of his webbing while waving his hands around. "Take this! And that!"
"You guys are so childish…" the little Meina said with a disappointed pout, receiving a furious nod from Petra.
"It is not nearly as amazing as when Subaru does it. Hmph!" Said orange girl criticized the boys' playful act.
"Ahahaha…" Emilia chuckled from her seat. "Cut them some slack, Petra-chan. They just… Like to feel as if their hero were here."
"Well, unlike them, you don't have that problem." Petra frowned in response to Emilia's statement, much to the half-elf's confusion.
"How do you mean?"
"I mean that I also want a bracelet! I want to talk with Subaru from the other side of the world as well!" She complained while her red ribbon bounced as a result from her movements of protest to the candidate.
"You know that these web-shooters are a result of the Royal Selection… They are not toys." She calmly explained to the children to no avail.
"Wait, your bracelets are web-shooters Nee-chan?! Like Subaru's?!" Mildo turned to gaze intently at Emilia's wrists, a smile on his face. "Please, shoot!"
"What?! No! That's… Subaru said they are a tool, not a toy!"
"But Subaru always makes swings and cool hammocks with his webs!" The rest of the boys pleaded along.
"Ugh… I should have expected him to play around with something he then tells me is serious…" Emilia frowned in response.
"Please, shoot some! Onee-chan!"
"Onee-chan!"
"Please, please, please, please, please, please, please!"
"Please! Emilia-sama!" Petra did a complete 180° from her previous behavior and begged the Lady as well, as the kid she was.
"You…! Um-! I-!" Emilia failed at containing the outburst of the little ones and simply chose to get such a loud situation resolved already. "F-Fine! But only once!"
"YAY!" The kids rocked the carriage with their merriness.
Facing the opening in the back of the carriage, Emilia raised her wrist and pointed her hand into the distance. "Uhm… How did he press it again?"
"Uh- I think he used one finger?"
"No, he used three!"
"You are all wrong! He made a fist and it shot out!"
"Wasn't it a thumb's up?"
"Subaru raises his hand and presses the middle and ring fingers together at the same time against the trigger." Karen was quick to advice, hearing the confusion the children had found themselves in. "And depending on the pressure of the press, it determines the amount of web fluid shot out."
"Karen-chi!" The kids exclaimed at the bracelet.
"…Please tell me you came up with that nickname yourselves." The A.I. suggested, not wanting to acknowledge the possibility of Subaru giving HER a childish nickname.
"Ah, thank you, Karen." Emilia nodded happily at the instructions. "The trigger… this protrusion with a button at the end…"
"It's no problem. Remember, I'm always here for your convenience. It's part of the deal of carrying a web-shooter."
"Hm!" The half-elf nodded, readying her shot as she aimed at the road.
"Three! Two! One!" The boys counted as Emilia braced herself.
"Ey!" She pressed the trigger.
*THWIP!*
*SNATCH!*
"Wow!" Emilia was caught off-guard as the web she shot stuck on a tree by the side of the road, almost making her jump out of the carriage due to the pull. "Hnngh!"
*CRA-CRACK!*
"Woah!" The kids beamed in surprise as Emilia used her elven strength to uproot the tree and avoid falling over the carriage.
*THUD!*
*THUD!*
"K-Karen! How do I let go?!" The panicking elf-girl called for the program's help as she grabbed onto the web, making the tree bounce around after the carriage.
"Just let go of the web."
"Uh-Uh- Right!" Emilia freed the string from her grasp, the tree leaving a bunch of broken branches and pieces of trunk scattered on the road. "*Sigh* This is harder to use than it looks!"
"Ahahahahaha!" The children cheered loudly once again. "That was awesome!"
"Yeah!"
"Hehe!"
"…Hm." The silver girl just smiled at them, enjoying the mood as the kids played around. "It'll take some getting used to… But I'm sure I'll be able to use them properly in no time!"
"Hoho…" From the driver's seat ahead of the carriage, Wilhelm chuckled as he heard the entirety of the shenanigans behind him. The fact the kids could celebrate so eagerly must have meant that the mission had been a success. Truly, Natsuki Subaru had demonstrated his worth as a hero to them, and to the elder as well. "Ah, to be young again… Hmm?"
"Move! Move!"
"What the hell?!"
"Good lord!"
"Are those chunks the Whale's head?!"
"Is that blood?!"
"!" Wilhelm's smile faded the moment he saw the carriages ahead of the formation stop abruptly, the voices of the concerned villagers and soldiers attempting to figure out what had happened just ahead.
*SKREEEET!*
"KUAAAH!" The Earth Dragons roared as Wilhelm held the reins firmly, preventing them from running.
"Wilhelm-san?" Emilia wondered to the butler as the cart came to a sudden halt. "What's wrong? Is everything alright?"
"…Emilia-sama." The old man turned to face her as he descended the carriage and held onto his sword. "It's best you remain here. I'll go check on the commotion up ahead."
"Is something wrong?"
"Huh?"
"Hmm?"
"Please, take care of the little ones." Wilhelm requested of the candidate as he rushed away from the carriage.
"Ah, wait- …He's gone." Emilia frowned as the swordsman headed for the mass of people reuniting before them.
"Where did grandpa go?"
"Is that smoke in the front?"
"Emilia-sama?" Petra wondered with some worry. "Is everything okay?"
"I don't know, Petra-chan…"
"Help me here!" One of the soldiers yelled while lifting a broken carriage, discovering the mutilated bodies underneath it.
"You! Make way! Injured coming through!" Another handful of soldiers and villagers rushed around as they carried unconscious mercenaries and knights that were stained red, from head to toe.
"Tsk!" Wilhelm scoffed as he witnessed the disaster before him. The road was in a state of total decay, as though a large-scale fire or a tornado had coursed through it. The worst part, however, were the ruins left behind: The remains of the convoy carrying the injured and the White Whale's head.
"Ngh…"
"!" The butler turned around, looking at a demi-human with a knight's attire slumped on the floor, moaning in pain.
"Ugh…"
"Are you alright?!" The old man hastily lent a shoulder, lifting the cat-boy from his place on the ground.
"I… AH!" Felix woke up, his legs almost giving in as he regained consciousness. "No! No!"
"Please, calm down!"
"No! NO!" Felix kept screaming while shaking his head like a madman, forcing Wilhelm to restrain him.
"Please! At ease!" The butler forced the feline to stare at him. "Are you fine?! Are you injured?! What happened here?!"
"Ah… Ah…" Felix hesitated a bit as he dropped to his knees. "Wilhelm… The… The Witch Cult… They…"
"The Witch Cult?!" The swordsman reacted with frustration. "So there were forces we did not take into account?!"
"Wi-Wilhelm…!" The cat-boy cried as he rushed the old man into a hug. "They- They killed them! The injured Crusch-sama entrusted to me! They killed them! They killed them!"
"…" Wilhelm noticed the state of shock of the young man, but he hesitated on how to approach him. After all, it was the first time he had met a Demi-human wearing a Royal Knight's uniform. For all he knew, he could be an impostor planted by the Cult. "First things first… I can tell you are not injured."
"Eh?" Felix raised his head as Wilhelm grabbed him by the shoulders, perplexed by the old man's doubtful tone.
"How do you know Crusch-sama?"
"…Huh?" Felix flinched in confusion at the question.
At the same time, back at the mansion…
"REM!" Subaru rushed through the Mather's gates, running past the shed and towards the carriages. "REM! REM!"
"Subaru-kun!" The maid yelled in response to the alarming call of her beloved. "Rem is in here! Inside the carriage!"
"Rem!" Subaru boarded the carriage to the left of the Mansion's entrance, seeing the oni maid immobilized as she laid in a stretcher. "Oh, thank goodness! Are you-?! No, screw that! I know you aren't 'okay'!"
"She needs some rest, I suppose." Beatrice suggested. Before Subaru arrived, the little Spirit had been performing her healing arts on the injured girl.
"Huh?! Oh! Beatrice!"
"Beatrice-sama has been taking care of Rem, Subaru-kun." The maid explained from the stretcher. "After Meili gave me first aid, she went to fetch her immediately."
"Meili helped?!" The surprised hero answered with a smile. "Oh, that little-! Hm? Where is she anyways?"
"Aldebaran-san escorted her back into her cell with her toys afterwards."
"Nevertheless, the blue girl here is in no condition to be moving about. She lost a lot of blood, but Betty managed to heal the nerves and tendons. Everything else, she has to heal on her own over time or with-"
"Beako!" Subaru hugged her immediately. "Oh, thank you! Thank you, thank you, and thank you! You are the best! I love you!" He repeated as he swung her around in a circle.
"UaAaAaAaAaAaAh!" The blond girl cried. "LeT gO oF BeTtY!"
*Fwoom!*
"Santiago!" Subaru grunted as Beatrice shot a gust of wind at him, expelling him from the carriage. "Ugh…"
*PAF!*
"Oof!" He moaned in pain as the Great Spirit landed on top of him.
"Betty has done more than enough for the day, in fact! If you want the maid to make a full recovery, have her rest with healers at the ready in a risk free environment! Hmph!" She walked into the mansion, activating her door crossing and disappearing into her library.
"…Yes, mom…" Subaru muttered as he got up.
"Ufufu, she chewed you out~!" The oni laughed.
"Ahahaha…"
"Hey bro." Aldebaran interrupted in the conversation. "Everything's been dealt with here already. If you are back, then is it good to assume that-?"
"Yeah, yeah. Petelgeuse is dead meat." Subaru confirmed much to the relief of everyone around.
"Ooh!"
"YES!"
"Finally!"
"Atta boy!"
"So he's finally dead…" Rem muttered with exhaustion.
"Can't say I'm proud of it… But yeah, I got him to crush himself on a bunch of boulders." Subaru responded dejectedly to the maid.
"…Thank you, Subaru-kun." The girl answered him with a smile.
"Well, that sure is good news!" The one-armed man rubbed the back of his helm. "Your girlfriend here was the sole injured during this disaster… So that's a happy ending, I think."
"…" Subaru frowned at the man's expression, followed quickly by the rest of the knights.
"Er-! Sorry! I kinda just…"
"Didn't think it through?" Priscilla suggested as her and the rest of the army appeared from behind. "Well, you aren't the only non-thinking mongrel here, Aldebaran."
"Ah! Princess!" The knight turned just in time to see his liege dismounting.
"Will you explain already what exactly were you attempting to do when you ran away like a monkey, imbecile?" The Baroness criticized Subaru the moment he looked at her. "Or does mineself need to remind you of thy place in the hierarchy here? With an apt punishment, of course."
"Wait, what's Princess talking about?"
"Barielle is asking about why Subaru-dono ran all the way back here after slaying the Archbishop." Crusch suggested to the man. "We were talking about the injured when he suddenly…"
"I feel as though something is wrong here… So I got worried." Subaru stressed.
"Something is wrong?" Julius perked up at the notion. "Hmm… You've proven your instincts to be sharp before, Subaru."
"Perhaps he's sensing some new danger coming?" Al theorized.
"Perhaps so…" Subaru nodded with sweat trickling down his forehead, making everyone tense up. "…Say, guys?"
"Hm? What is it?" Juukulius asked.
"Do you… really NOT know a man named Felix? A cat demi-human, clear brown hair, about my height, Julius age, somewhat effeminate… Uhm… He's a knight!" The Avenger desperately pleaded.
"A demi-human knight?" Priscilla raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Ha! In Lugunica, you'd be hard-pressed!"
"I'm… sure we would have known of such a man." Julius scratched his head, perplexed at the idea. "I'm the one that rounded all the younger knights for the expedition…"
"Are you sure you didn't hit your head, pal?" Al patted Subaru's shoulder in reassurance.
"…Shit…" Subaru muttered with a scowl as his fists trembled. "If you can't remember… maybe something has gone wrong with our injured…"
"Huh?" Karsten noticed his frustration, prompting her to question him cautiously. "Subaru-dono, how do you mean?"
"Our injured, the ones we sent with the Whale's head!"
"Subaru!" As if on cue, Emilia and Anastasia's faces appeared from his wrist. "It's terrible!" She said with urgency and an aghast expression.
"Emilia-tan?!" The boy called in alarm, prompting everyone around to stare intensely as well. "What's wrong?!"
"The convoy! The one that came before us, carrying the Whale's remains!" The girl paused as she regained her breath. "It was attacked by the Witch Cult!"
"What?!" Anastasia and Crusch shouted in shock and indignation.
"I've been helping the injured, but… We need help! We don't have enough carriages or healers!"
"Shit! We are on our way!" Subaru shouted while boarding the carriage with Rem. "Everyone, we have to move! NOW!"
In a hurry, all of the carriages within the village and the mansion grounds rushed towards the Lifaus Highway.
Thus, by night at the Karsten manor, back in the Capital…
"Worry about the weaponry later! Lead the injured inside!"
"Lay the corpses on the yard… We have to prioritize the living."
"Help me here! He's bleeding out!"
"More incoming!"
"We are losing him!"
"Shit. Shit!"
"Tsk!" Subaru grunted as he rushed another set of injured men inside for the healers and medics to attend.
"This is… It's horrible!" Medium exclaimed as she helped him, overlooking the total of corpses scattered about. "Goodness…"
"Is Flop alright, Medium?" The hero turned to look at her with nervousness.
"Ah… Y-Yes! He's just… His wounds weren't so life-threatening, so he's in a room inside, like Rem…" The girl affirmed, calming Subaru down. "But this is…"
"This is horrible…" Subaru grunted in anger and sorrow. "For the Cult to have attacked while we were still busy with Sloth… Goddammit!"
*BLAM!*
"!" Medium watched in alarm and preoccupation as Subaru punched through a tree. "Subaru! You are gonna get injured as well if you do that!"
"…"
"She's right, Subaru-dono." The first responder to the attack, Wilhelm, called the boy's action out as well. "We can ill afford another wounded, so please, refrain from such foolish actions." He sternly reproached while grabbing his arm.
"…I'm sorry, you two." Subaru nodded, feeling ashamed over what he'd just done and retracting his fist from the broken trunk.
"…Subaru-dono, if you will…" Wilhelm then indicated to the inside of the Mansion. "The soldiers and healers have everything under control now; we've already recounted all of the casualties. The candidates wish to speak with you."
"…Thank you, Wilhelm. Medium, take care of things here; I'll speak with you and Flop later."
"G-Got it…" The blonde beauty nodded along.
"Let's go." The two men then walked silently into one of the office, the same one in which the negotiations for the Whale's hunt had been conducted.
"Sure took you long enough, boy." An irritated Priscilla said from her seat. Surrounding a large, circular table, the four candidates had sat on each side, with their respective subordinates standing behind them. "Now, shall we begin?"
"*sigh* For all intents and purposes, the mission was a success." Anastasia began speaking with a tired and angered voice. "We managed ta' perform what we set out ta' do, but…"
"We failed to account for the Cult to attack our injured." Subaru finished her sentence, much to everyone's frustration.
"…To be fair, Sloth was trouble enough; we HAD no way to know that Greed and Gluttony would attack our rear…" Aldebaran suggested.
"Except, we DID have a way to see them before they did…" Subaru dejectedly responded.
"Oh, I'm not havin' this depressive whatcha ma callit'!" Anastasia was quick to cut Subaru's monologue off. "We were using that satellite of yours ta' monitor Sloth! We HAD no way ta' know, so shove it into yer' thick skull already!"
"…I'm sorry…" Subaru apologized with shame again, making some in the room feel uncomfortable.
"…" Emilia frowned before speaking up as well. "Do we know who was it that identified the attackers? How we know it was the Archbishops?"
"…We have one conscious person that said he saw the attack, but…" Crusch answered with some hesitation. "…"
"Crusch?"
"…The man doesn't exist within our registry of who attended the hunt." Wilhelm confirmed ominously.
"Huh?"
"There could be a possibility he's Vollachian." Priscilla reasoned. "After all, most of the mercenaries from my territory were not accounted for except by mineself and Al."
"We thought that at first…" Crusch debunked her fellow's claim. "He was so… frantic when he spoke to me, as if we knew each other…"
"What?" The Avenger noted with curiosity.
"I doubt he'd be of much use…"
"Please, let him in." Subaru requested to the Duchess. "I need- I think I might be able to confirm his identity."
"…Wilhelm." The noblewoman indicated, burying her doubts.
"Understood, Crusch-sama." The butler left the room.
"While we wait, I have to wonder though…" Subaru turned to the Merchant Princess and Julius. "I thought the two of you would stay behind in Irlam, Ana, Julius."
"…I had ta' make sure if Hetaro was fine." The woman responded matter-of-factly. "The Fang lost many a good men today. I may be a merchant, but I'm not heartless…"
"And how is he holding up?"
"…" The Mauve girl frowned at the image in her mind.
"I'm- I'm sorry! My Lady!"
Hetaro cried in her memory whilst desperately hugging her, Ricardo and his siblings. His sister Mimi and his brother Tivey did not fare that well either, sinking into a tear fest the moment they reunited.
"…He'll be fine. He just… needs time with Tivey and Mimi, is all…"
"I'm sorry if it was too personal a question…"
"Don't worry. I'm… glad yer worried 'bout them, in fact." The Mauve girl regained her smile.
"And you, Julius? I know you had to return to your Lady and all, but-"
"I promised the O'Connell man treatment, and I was truthful about it." The man proudly stated.
"Mighty kind of you, really." Subaru thanked the knight, much to his surprise.
"This, however, does not mean that I'm not going ta' get a look at that tech, boy!" Riding on her regained cheer, Anastasia pointed at Subaru. "I might not go today or tomorrow, but once the dealings here are done, I'm heading straight for Mathers territory again! Ya' lot ain't freeing yourselves so easily of this sweet little gal's butt!"
"Wait, are you still on about that?!" Subaru tiredly asked. "E-Emilia-tan! Tell me she at least-!"
"We discussed it thoroughly. She'll be staying a couple of days, but she'll be coming later in the week, so we'll have to prepare things accordingly for her arrival."
"Hm?" Priscilla raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "Are you returning again to the half-elf's domain, monkey?"
"Well, most of my tech is still there… I left the Iron Spider as well because of the urgency to return… So I'll be going back with Emilia-tan and return after I retrieve my stuff."
"On the topic of that…" Crusch put her pair of visors on the table. Immediately after, Priscilla did so as well. "I believe these are yours, Subaru-dono."
"Yeah, thanks!" Subaru grabbed the lenses, the pair quickly integrating into his web-shooters.
"Crusch-sama." As they returned his belongings, Subaru and the rest turned to the open door to see Wilhelm. And behind the butler… The trembling, fidgety form of Felix Argyle.
"Felix!" Subaru exclaimed in relief, much to everyone's surprise. "Oh, thank the Flying Spaghetti Monster, you are alright!" He dashed at the boy to try to fix him into a hug, but…
"Crusch-sama!" The demi-human bolted past Subaru and towards the surprised Crusch.
"Huh?!" Subaru muttered, vexed by his erratic behavior. Just as he did so, Julius stopped the running feline.
"Stop right there!" The purple knight shouted while restraining his arms.
"Ju-Julius, what are you doing?!" The cat wondered with baggy eyes. "I-It's me! Felix! Felix Argyle!"
"…" Julius stood silent as he gazed with confusion at the man claiming to know him. "My apologies, but I… I know not of anyone that goes by that name."
"Don't you remember me?! It-It's me! Blue!" He looked around the room, seeing everyone's either indifferent or worried faces. "Felix Argyle! A healer! Cr-Crusch-sama's knight!" He looked at his mistress with pleading eyes and an ugly expression.
"…" Crusch observed with caution the movements of the boy before her. Argyle? As in the ruined house?
"C-Crusch-sama…" Felix muttered amidst cries again. "D-Don't you remember? It's me… Y-Your knight… Your fr-friend… Ferris! We- we were always together… since way back when…"
"I…" The noblewoman muttered with a perplexed face.
"Wh-When I was nine… You saved me… From that dungeon… From that darkness… YOU saved ME…"
"What a pathetic display." Priscilla glared at the boy before looking away.
"I-It was always the three of us… You… Fourier-sama and… me… Always p-playing around and- and getting into tr-trouble…"
"…" The noblewoman felt somewhat insulted that the boy would attempt to use Fourier's name as a bargaining chip to earn her trust, making her frown.
"F-Fourier-sama himself recommended me for the Guard! He- He allowed me to become a healer for the Kingdom! It's… It's how I met Reinhard and Julius!" He looked at the knight restraining him with desperation, only to see a nervous glare back.
"Using Fourier-sama's name… Even though he meant so much for Crusch-sama…" Wilhelm growled in a low voice while judging the boy.
"You-You accepted me… Even allowing me to become YOUR knight… Even- Even allowing Ferris to be your companion during the Selection…"
"I'm sorry." Crusch stated with some pity.
"!" Felix paused in shock.
"I just… I don't remember you. Even if Subaru-dono tells me he knows you… I don't."
"Ah… Ah…"
"My apologi-" As she bowed her head, a scream interrupted her motion.
"WHY CAN'T YOU REMEMBER?!" He yelled with rage at his liege as he managed to free himself from Julius' hold, insult clear in his eyes as he dashed at her once more.
"!" Wilhelm and Crusch perked up at his yell, prompting the butler to push the boy away from them. "Back off!"
*Thud!*
"F-Felix!" Subaru yelled while grabbing onto the boy that had fallen to the floor. "Wi-Wilhelm, please! I… I don't understand how it has come to this… Or why you can't remember him, but-!" As Subaru lent his hand for the boy to take and get up, his Spider-senses activated, indicating danger. "What the-?!"
"TSK!" Felix uttered as the Avenger pulled his hand away from his grasp.
"Fe-Felix… You-!" Subaru noticed what the boy had attempted just now. During the trip to the Flugel Tree, Felix had told him about his ability to fry the circulatory system of enemies using water mana. That very same deadly ability... is what the cat-boy had attempted against Subaru just now.
"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" Felix screamed at the top of his lungs, cursing Subaru's existence. "IF YOU- IF YOU HADN'T SHOWN UP-! IF YOU HADN'T SHOWN UP, NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED! FERRIS WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN FORGOTTEN! I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN FORGOTTEN! NO ONE WOULD BE DEAD!"
"He's insane…" Al stated with some nervousness.
"…" Crusch and Wilhelm stared with caution as well, reaching for their weapons.
"How creepy…" Anastasia averted her gaze from the disgraced boy.
"Fe-Felix…" Subaru stared in disbelief and sadness at the demi-human, clearly hurt by his comment. Just the previous morning, they had joked around while fighting together, but now, there was nothing but scorn for him in his shining yellow eyes.
"YOU ARE A MONSTER, SUBARU NATSUKI! A MONSTER JUST AS GUILTY AS THE SIN ARCHBISHOPS OR- OR THE WHITE WHALE! YOU MURDERER!"
*SLAP!*
"!" Subaru, along with everyone else, stared in surprise as Emilia slapped Felix across the face. "E-Emilia-tan…?"
"Apologize to Subaru, right now!" The half-elf requested with anger.
"Wh-What?!" Felix answered, still scowling at Subaru.
"It's because of him that you are in this Mansion right now instead of the streets!" Emilia reproached with a serious, harsh tone. "He's the man responsible for the successful hunt of both the Whale and Sloth… As well as the ONLY man willing to vouch for your identity!" She glared heatedly at the feline.
"In comparison to YOU, cat-boy… Hmph, he's clearly the better man." Priscilla mocked with her own derisive attitude.
"I… I am…!" Contrary to their expectations, Felix did not calm down, doubling down on his dangerous antics.
"P-Please, everyone!" Subaru stepped in, keeping what Felix had attempted against him a secret and begging to the authorities in the room to be lenient with him. "Felix is under a lot of stress right now! He… The Archbishops of Greed and Gluttony clearly have some… sort of power similar to the White Whale. The power to ERASE people from existence! He's confused! He just- He just needs some time to-!"
"TSK!" Despising the man defending his life, Felix ran out of the room while wiping his tears off.
*SLAM!*
"Ah, Felix!" Subaru called from the room's entrance. "I-I'm sorry! I have to go and-!"
"Don't bother." Crusch reassured from her seat. "There are guards stationed outside and if what you tell me is true, he is no fighter."
"If he USED to be a knight, then he wouldn't do anything foolish, like running far away." Wilhelm supported his Lady.
"…*Sigh*" Subaru exhaled with a tired and melancholic frown. "I'm sorry… About that."
"It isn't your fault that such a pitiful being chose to trample on your efforts to clean his name, boy." Priscilla claimed with some irritation in her voice. "After what you've done this day, it's ridiculous that anyone that witnessed such actions would still have the contempt to insult you so freely, especially so in front of Royal Candidates. That is a privilege reserved for women of mine caliber, after all! Ha!" She managed to laugh at her own implication.
"R-right…"
"At any rate… you tell me he used to be my knight, Subaru-dono?" Crusch looked at the hero, still some doubt in her eye. "How come you remember him when we don't?"
"Well…" Subaru scratched his head, attempting to find an answer. "I SUPPOSE it's because I haven't been in your world for long?"
"You might be right." Aldebaran interrupted, trying to back his theory. "Even though I've been in this world longer, I forgot about kitten-boy as well. But you? Chances are that you are not affected by the rules of this Land, pal. Not yet, at least."
"Even so…" Crusch stared through the window, catching in time Felix's figure dropping on all fours in the courtyard and crying. "I just… I can't believe that such an unstable man was ever under my employ…"
Everyone else caught onto what she was looking at, hearing the cat-boy's wails in the distance.
"I... I know he wasn't what you were expecting… But please! I cannot even fathom what he must be going through right now, the irrationality of the situation…"
"Subaru-dono…" Crusch was amazed by how Subaru could still defend a man that so clearly hated him, a bit worried about the young man. "But even so…"
"Please!"
*Thud!*
"!" Everyone in the room stepped back in surprise at what Subaru did as he plead for Felix's identity to be recognized.
"Please, give Felix a chance!" Subaru bowed on the floor, forehead down as he implored Crusch. "He's a great healer! The greatest I've ever met! And- And he helped us against the Whale!"
"Subaru…" Emilia's eyes widened at his action. Seeing him so desperate to defend someone like Felix left her astonished.
"He's a good guy! Maybe one to hold grudges… But he cares about saving people, he really does!"
"What the… you…" Priscilla stared in confusion, not comprehending how Subaru could still defend such behavior. "How can you… Still protect such a pest…?"
"You really are a softie, ain't cha?" Anastasia suggested while rubbing her scarf for relaxation. "*Sigh*"
"…" Al and Julius looked at one another in clear befuddlement, not knowing what to say.
"I-I know he's rude, but so am I! A-And you gave ME a chance to prove my worth… So please, Crusch! Wilhelm! Give Felix a chance!"
"Subaru-dono…" Both the astounded Crusch and the shocked Wilhelm murmured before looking at each other and smiling.
"*Sigh* Very well." The Duchess smiled a tired smirk while suspiring, looking at the hero at her feet fondly. "Please, stand up."
"H-Huh?" Subaru looked upwards, towards his benefactors, with hope. "S-So are you…"
"I owe you that much, remember?" She declared before composing herself once more. "However, it shall be one chance and no more. If he fails…"
"If he fails, I'll take care of him!" Subaru declared while wiping his almost tearful eyes. "Were that to happen, I promise to make sure he becomes a knight once more!" He vowed with a shaky voice.
"Well then… It seems he has a rather loyal friend, that Felix." Anastasia smirked in amusement.
"Hmph, more than he deserves, anyhow…" The Baroness huffed at the hero's begging. "Waste of time, truly…"
"If he really was my friend… Then I'll attempt to make amends as well." Julius promised with a dashing smile while patting Subaru's shoulder.
"Julius!" Subaru, for the first time, smiled brilliantly at the knight.
"I cannot say it shall go smoothly or that I hold YOU in a high esteem… But I owe it nonetheless, as well."
"Haha… You just had to slip a joke in there, didn't you?" Subaru chuckled at his rival's antics with relief. "But… thank you, Juli."
"Hmm." Julius smiled.
"Now… Back to alliance matters." Priscilla interrupted the little moment to focus on the task ahead. "As you lot know, this act today marks the beginning of the Kingdom's war with the Witch's Cult."
"Hm." Emilia nodded in agreement with a stern aura about her. "As such, the possibilities that not just me, but another candidate's life might be attempted against in retaliation are rather high…"
"In such a situation, just as we did today, the alliance shall come together to fend off and neutralize the threat, if possible." Crusch declared with conviction.
"Are we not gonna address the other point?" Anastasia suggested care freely. "I mean, even though it's obvious what should be done if she were ta´ appear…"
"You talkin' about Felt?" Subaru wondered.
"Indeed." The Vollachian noblewoman nodded. "Mineself supposes inevitable that the little slum dweller will come crawling, begging for us to let her join."
"I'd appreciate it if you could not insult your fellow candidate… But you are right, Barielle." The Duchess gave Priscilla the reason. "In such case, we'd have to allow her, if only to prevent a conflict of interests."
"That's pretty cut and dry." Emilia had guessed it would be more complicated to have someone such as Felt join them, especially with the comments shared during the Royal Selection's inauguration; as such, she was relieved the rest were not against her and her Camp joining as well. "In such a case though, we'd have to grant her a bracelet as well." All four girls stared at Subaru at the same time.
"Yeah, yeah… I'll have it done by tomorrow morning." The boy scratched his head in exhaustion. "Another all-nighter, geez…"
"I'm sorry for putting such pressure over you, Subaru…" The half-elf worried.
"You are breaking your code again! Where did the 'thank yous' go?!" Subaru teased, making Emilia pout.
"Mo~, take it seriously!"
"I am, I am, hehehe…" He giggled at her expression. "Don't worry; it'll be ready for when we leave tomorrow. Speaking of which, can one of you deliver it to her, were I not to be here when she comes?"
"I'll gladly act as a representative." Crusch concluded with a nod.
"Thank you, Crusch!"
"At any rate, it's been a long day. I'm sure everyone is exhausted enough as you are…" The Duchess continued. "Subaru-dono, we can discuss your official tittle once you return from the Margrave's territory."
"Official tittle, huh?" Subaru questioned with some awe. "Is it gonna be like 'Royal Advisor'? Or perhaps 'Counselor'?"
"Witnessing today's achievement, you'll probably be knighted. If only to ensure your allegiance to the Kingdom." Julius suggested with some dejection. "Hah… Truly, a sad day…"
"Oh, shove it!" Subaru was quick to complain to the chuckling man. "But knighted, huh?" He looked at Emilia playfully.
"It su~re came full circle, huh?" The half-elf responded with equal cheer.
"It's a shame it won't be as your knight… But at least we can be friends, nevertheless!"
"Hmm!" The half-elf smiled back at him.
"Hehe!"
As the candidates and knights retired for the night, Subaru decided to address some issues he left pending still…
Walking down the Karsten manor's hallway, Subaru noticed in the distance a couple dozen knights waiting outside of a room: they were the men that went to Roswaal's Mansion with Crusch and Priscilla.
"Took you long enough!" One of the knights complained, glaring at Subaru.
"Uh, wait, what?" The young man stared at the scowling group with confusion. "Did I miss something?"
"Rem-dono has been waiting for you for quite some time! Get inside already!" Another irate knight insisted, the group grunting loudly.
"Tsk! What does she even see in him…?" And yet another of the noblemen whispered, igniting a wave of insulting murmuring.
"Ugly eyes."
"Short."
"Scary face."
"Hmph!"
"Uh… huh…" Subaru nodded with a creeped out face while entering the room, trying to ignore the jealous comments of the men.
*Clack*
"!" The door sounded as it opened and closed, telling the maid of his presence.
"Hey Rem." Subaru came into the room with a basketful of apples, a small knife to the side of them for peeling. "How you holding up?"
"Ah! Subaru-kun!" The girl turned her head to look at him from her seated position on the bed. "Rem is- I'm fine, really!"
"Are you sure about that?" He inquired while sitting by her side, setting the basket aside on a piece of furniture.
"Of course! It's barely a scratch, reall- Gakh!" She attempted to flex her arm to indicate healthiness, only for the movement to backfire and make the pain return.
"Hey, hey, hey!" Subaru quickly went to grab her arm, laying it down gently as Rem sat down once more. "Easy there, easy… You are injured, so no jumping around for the moment."
"Mhm…" The oni nodded with a blush. "I'm sorry…"
"What for?" He grabbed the knife and a couple of apples, proceeding to peel and cut them apart.
"For… being a burden."
"This again… You are no burden, Rem."
"But I-! I…" Rem struggled with speaking. "I was there when the Archbishop came back to life… and I didn't stop him…"
"Hmm…"
"I put my life in danger for no reason and then Subaru-kun had to fight him off…"
"Well, you know that's not true." The Avenger eagerly denied, laying the plate of cut apples apart and grabbing her hand.
"S-Subaru-kun?!" The maid furiously blushed. "What are you-?!"
"I heard the knights… You chose to protect them." He affirmed with a confident smile. "That's pretty heroic, I say!"
"I just… Rem just thought about… what Subaru-kun would have done in such a situation…"
"And I'm really proud of you!" He cheered her on, much to her reddened face's dismay. "I mean, it sure sucks that you were injured… But you saved them! Not me! You!"
"I-I…" The oni looked at him hesitantly.
"You are amazing, Rem. Please, don't discredit yourself; that selfless act of yours went a long way after all! You don't save some knights' butts every day, right? Look at that fan club of yours out there! They wouldn't be wishing you a speedy recovery for nothing!"
"Rem isn't exactly glad that she has men other than Subaru-kun cheering her on, though…" The girl pouted at him.
"Uh, what was that?" He asked with some confusion.
"Hmph!"
"Well… at least you seem more cheerful than before, so I'll just take that as a plus!" He resolved with a grin while getting up.
"Ah! You are…"
"Hm?" He turned to look at her. "What is it?"
"Are you… leaving already?" The oni worried.
"Well… there's some stuff I want… no, I MUST discuss with Emilia-tan. Specifically with that cat of hers…"
"B-But tomorrow… Where will you go?"
"…I suppose I had to say it eventually." Subaru concluded while sitting down once again. "Rem… You know how I'm… suspicious of Roswaal?"
"Roswaal-sama… If it's-! If it's about him not being there for the Witch Cult's attack, then that is simply because-!"
"The Gospel seems a tad too inconsistent as an excuse, for my taste." The boy interrupted her, triggering her panic. "Rem, these attacks take time to organize… especially with such a large force. Roswaal is quite the versed mage and aristocrat, from what I hear. Surely, if anyone could have predicted and intercepted such a disaster, it had to have been a man with his resources."
"But he…"
"It's beyond suspicious that, right when the Royal Selection begins, HIM of all people is absent from his own territory. The cult would not have attacked so recklessly had they known he was present to interfere."
"…"
"Add to that the fact that it was him instead of Emilia that gave you the order to remain here in the Capital to secure an alliance. I might be full of myself saying this, but if you ask me, he was hoping I would pity you and beg my way back into the Emilia camp. What other reason would he have to give such an unreasonable mission to a maid?"
"…" The girl looked away from him, her face unreadable to the boy.
"Look… I'm sorry I'm laying it down on you like this… But I have to return with Emilia, if only to clear said suspicions. Who knows? Maybe I AM a conspiracy theorist and I'm just seeing signs where there's none!"
"…I… I understand Roswaal-sama isn't the most upfront person… But Nee-sama has faith in him, so…" Rem stared at Subaru with some apprehension. "Please, if you can't trust him, trust Nee-sama and myself. Roswaal-sama isn't… He is not a bad person. He saved us, just as you saved me, Subaru-kun. Please…"
"…"
"Please."
"It's fine… I'll trust you." Subaru nodded with a reluctant smile. "I'll… dial it down with the doubts… I owe you that much… But I still have to go get my stuff, so I might have to question him regardless."
"*Sigh* Rem just hopes everything can return to normal soon…"
"Are you worried I might wimp out on our date? Eh?" Subaru teased while walking towards the door.
"Please, Subaru-kun still owes Rem a present… apart from the date that is…" The girl pouted with a blush once more.
"Hehehe! Don't worry, I'll make sure to be there once you've made a full recovery! We are touring the Capital's restaurants then, so you best have an empty stomach!"
"Hm!" Before he left though, the blue oni called for the hero one last time. "Ah! Subaru-kun, wait! Rem forgot something! O-one more thing!"
"Huh? What is it?"
"Uhmm… I know it is somewhat weird for me to say this… But… Can you…" She seemed to have difficulty stating her next words.
"I'm… listening…" Subaru indicated while leaning on the door.
"Could you…" She blushed into a deeper shade of red before looking him in the eye and hurriedly speaking. "Could you spend the night with Rem?!"
"…Huh?" The boy raised his eyebrows as his own blush penetrated into his tough-guy façade. "Wait, what?! Re-Rem! Th-That's a bit-! I me-mean! Y-Y-Y-Y-You know?!"
"Uh, I didn't- Rem didn't mean it like that!" Noticing his nervousness, the oni answered in kind with her own. "Rem just! She just meant like, s-s-spending the night he-here! As-As in… accompanying her for a while as she recovers! Hmm! Just that!" She furiously nodded, attempting to justify her careless words.
"O-Oh… We-well… yeah, I have no problems with that…" His blush receded a bit as he took a breath. "*Sigh* Yeah, I can… do that."
"Although… Rem wouldn't really mind if Subaru-kun DID do something dirty to her while she's defenseless…" She looked to the ground with embarrassment as she whispered her last words.
"R-Rem! What the hell?!" Subaru exclaimed, his blush returning full force. "L-Look! I'll come back later! When-When you've cooled down, so! So! Eat your appas, got it?!"
"Y-Yes…" She nodded with some disappointment as the young man finally exited the room.
Subaru exited the room only to see the reddened, angry expressions of the knights. All. Looking. At. Him.
"…I… have to… go." He calmly indicated to his right, towards the other side of the hallway, before quickly rushing into a sprint on the opposite direction as everyone looked away.
"NASTUKI!" The men yelled with envy.
"Phew!" Once Subaru was far enough from the group, he set out for Emilia's quarters for the night. Finally approaching the door of the half-elf, he knocked a few times and awaited the silver girl's answer.
*Knock-Knock!*
"Yes?" Her bell voice inquired.
"Hey Emilia-tan." He quickly responded.
"Oh, Subaru! What is it?"
"Can we…" He paused for a second, nervously thinking his ideas over. "Can we talk?"
"Oh… Well, aren't we talking right now?"
"You clueless-! No! I mean…" He retracted his words before specifying. "Alright, okay, that's on me."
"Hm?"
"I meant… Can I come in?"
"Well… Sure! Come in!"
*Clack!*
"Hey!" The girl answered in her pajamas, the usual nightgown he would see back at the Mansion.
"…Hey." He muttered while closing the door.
"What is it?" The half-elf turned to worry as Subaru's tone turned serious. "Is something wrong?"
"…Emilia-tan?"
"Y-Yes…?"
"You noticed how… I've been treating Puck differently lately?"
"Well…" Emilia recalled the ways Subaru had been so casually insulting her parental figure as of late with a slight preoccupation. "Yes… But… I figured it had something to do with you still being mad at me or the like…"
"…It has to do with you, yeah… But it's not your fault. It doesn't have anything to do with our argument, even… It's more serious than that." Subaru declared with a frown. "Can you call him?"
"What?"
"I know it's late, but-" He motioned his hands, as if to say he was stressed about something. "I HAVE to talk to him… To both of you… It's very important."
"Is it really so important I have to materialize?" Puck spoke to the irritated boy from the crystal with irritation if his own.
"It's about your secret, you damn cat." Subaru immediately insulted while staring heatedly at Emilia's crystal.
"Wha- Subaru!" Emilia reproached hastily. "That's so rude! I know I've had fights with Puck, but- but you can't just insult him out of nowhere!"
"It's not out of nowhere, Emilia-tan." The boy kept glaring. "Show yourself."
"…" A million light particles appeared, dancing together until fusing into the form of the gray cat, floating behind Emilia. "What is it that you want, you rude boy?" He questioned in indignation with a scowl of his own.
"Why don't you tell her about the contract, eh?" Subaru scowled at Puck the moment he materialized, the Spirit's eyes widening as Emilia turned to look at the boy.
"!"
"Eh?" The perplexed half-elf muttered. "Subaru? Wh-what are you talking about? What contract?"
"Lia! It's nothing! He's just shaken by our losses still, so-!" The gray feline tried to dismiss the boy's words in a panic, but Subaru pushed onwards regardless.
"His contract with you." He mercilessly stated with no hesitation in his voice. "Come on, Puck. Stop beating around the bush. Tell her, straight up!"
"Stop meddling, you-!"
"Puck!"
*SCHWING*
An ice crystal materialized before Subaru's neck; Puck glared heatedly at the boy who had forced himself into his privacy, threatening to kill him if he so much as poked around any of his business.
"Quite bold of you, I have to say." Subaru joked as Emilia panicked at his side.
"PUCK, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Emilia yelled while interfering in the discussion.
"Just back away, Emilia!" The Spirit nervously uttered. "This guy… He's dangerous! We can't- we can't trust him!"
"We can trust him!" The girl retorted with indignation. "After saving Irlam… Killing the Whale! Just to save us! You- you would doubt that?! Puck!"
"He's trying to separate us Lia!"
"I'm trying to get you to be honest with her, you shithead!" Subaru insulted back, demanding an answer from the cat. "Tell her about your contract! Either that or you can kill me! Right here! Right now! In the middle of the territory of one of her political rivals! Ah, but if you do that, you would be throwing all of her efforts into the mud! Your actions would be blamed on her! She would get expelled from the Royal Selection, and it'd all be YOUR fault!"
"You-!" Puck's glare turned into a full-blown scowl at that point.
"Subaru! What are you saying?!" Emilia urged him to explain as to what exactly was he staking his life on. "Please! Explain!"
"It's no use if I'm the one that explains, Emilia."
"!" The girl noted with alarm how he was referring to her with no endearing nicknames or suffixes. "Wh- What…?"
"Tell her, Puck!" Subaru barked once more. "Tell her the specifics you never told her! What YOU are hiding from her!"
"Hgk!" Puck began showing his fangs, the air in the room freezing as the temperature dropped to below 0° almost instantly.
*SPLURT*
"…" Subaru remained silent, stuck on his scowl against the cat, even when said cat's ice spear was grazing his skin and cutting around his collarbone. "Tell. Her. Puck." A small trickle of blood dropped from the icicle's side.
"PUCK!" Emilia noticed the red dripping from the ice and got in-between the two, glaring heatedly at the Great Spirit. "YOU STOP THIS! RIGHT NOW!" She ordered while grabbing the sharp spear with her bare hands, cutting one of her palms.
"!" The alarmed Spirit noticed this and deactivated his spell. "Lia! Go get your hand healed! You are-!"
"I'm not leaving or getting treated until you tell me what is going on!" The girl ordered while shoving her bleeding hand on him, grabbing his body completely as she spoke to his face with tears in her eyes. "Talk to me! What are you hiding?! What is he talking about?!"
"Whatever it is, it isn't true! I-!"
"If it weren't true, then attacking me would have been pointless." Subaru debunked sternly while laying a hand on Emilia's shoulder. "The gig is up. It's best you talk it with her and settle things… Or I'll just settle them by telling on everyone else about your little trick."
"You wouldn't!"
"Care to try me?" The young man smirked while glaring still.
"!"
"Puck!" Emilia shouted once again. "No more roundabouts! You tell me! Right now!"
"Talk to Emilia. Just talk to her."
"…KHG!" The Spirit closed his eyes while weighing his options. To his dismay, there was no path left for him. "…I-In private!"
"Huh?" Subaru raised an eyebrow in confusion. "You want-?"
"I-I'll tell her, but you have to leave!" The Great Spirit demanded while pointing with his paw at Subaru.
"No! He has to stay here to-!"
"No, no. It's alright. I'll leave." Subaru reassured Emilia while grabbing her bloody hand, speaking in a more gentle tone to denote his support. "Sorry if it hurts… But I'll ask you later about what he told you."
"Huh? But what about- How would you know if he doesn't lie?"
"Don't worry. If he lies… Or if, for some reason, were I NOT to wake up tomorrow… Karen will send a message to all candidates about my death and whose fault it was, as well as the reason as to why I died."
"It shall be done." Karen stated monotonously.
"Die?! Why is it that serious?! What are you not telling me Puck?!" Emilia worried evermore about the dreaded answer.
"…" The trembling Spirit remained silent, awaiting for Subaru to leave.
Subaru then turned to see the nervous cat with disdain as he let go of Emilia's hand and headed for the door. "Don't fuck this up for Emilia. Just confess already, you goddamn psycho!"
*SLAM!*
The teenager exited with a loud sound, prompting the girl to turn back for a moment before looking at her 'father figure' once again. "…Talk Puck. Just… tell me! Tell me… Why would you threaten to kill Subaru?!" She cried, no, DEMANDED amidst glares and tears.
"…I…"
Subaru stood on the corridor for a few moments before heading towards one of the exits of Crusch's manor. As he walked down the hallway, he could hear the distant wails of the silver girl, assuring him that Puck had been candid in telling her about the contract.
"I HATE YOU!" Were the words he heard the half-elf exclaim as he walked into the courtyard, a sour mood bothering him and making his fists shake in a mix of sadness and anger.
"*Sigh*"
As the night went on, Subaru decided to take a walk around the gardens of the Karsten Estate, gazing from a distance at the bodies of the mercenaries, knights and soldiers that gave their lives in the hunt for the White Whale and Sloth.
"*Hic!*"
"Kuh…"
"How could you die?! How could you…"
"…" Having left the manor on a sour note, Subaru felt a wave of remorse and guilt as he contemplated the view; the loved ones of the deceased were mourning their departed in front of him, all while he reaped the benefits with the alliance.
"YOU ARE A MONSTER, SUBARU NATSUKI! A MONSTER JUST AS GUILTY AS THE SIN ARCHBISHOPS OR- OR THE WHITE WHALE! YOU MURDERER!"
"…Fuck…" He whispered to himself in a self-deprecating tone as he remembered Felix's words. "I'm such an… idiot…"
Subaru reached for his arm, clenching his fingernails on it. Although it wasn't nearly enough to even draw blood or scratch into the flesh, the imprints were quickly leaving their red marks across his skin. "A 'hero' my ass… I let all these people die and I call myself a hero? What a bad joke…"
"Well, well! And here mineself awaited for you to drop down on all fours and wail as though a wounded dog you were! Just like the pitiful cat-boy!"
"…Priscilla."
"What a disappointment!"
Subaru turned to his left, seeing the arrogant Baroness' smiling face mock him. "I'm not really in the mood to humor your… ego. Or maybe your arrogance? I just came from yet ANOTHER shit-show…"
"My arrogance AND ego speak true regardless; I thought you valued that, mongrel? The truth?"
"Look, I-" Before he could argue, the woman interrupted with a chuckle.
"Ha! You are so pathetic!" She shook her head at his antics of devaluation. "You denigrate yourself. Even though everyone resting here came of their own volition to the battle, knowing full well they might not return, you lament as though it were your entire fault that they met such ends. Including that rude mongrel that cannot comprehend what efforts you were pulling for HIS sake!"
"…Is it not my fault though?" He glared at the grass to his feet.
"Of course it is! But so is theirs!" The noblewoman reasoned in her snarky tone. "You are so stupid; to think that they shouldn't be held accountable for their own demise or being forgotten to the world."
"But I'm the one that rallied them up! The one that made the decisions! And because of that… they died… and Felix… his name was-!"
"As a commander, there is only so much you can do for your men; but all of their deaths or injuries are your fault nonetheless. You have to live with that, lest you succumb to the weight of your own hubris." The Baroness stated matter-of-factly, stopping him right as he was about to vent out.
"Huh?!"
"Do you really not get it? Goodness me, the boy is both a genius AND a fool simultaneously!" She laughed aloud at Subaru's shock.
"What are you trying to say?! That I… That I should blame them for their deaths?! For being forgotten?!"
"That you should move on from them already, you absolute moron!" The infuriated Barielle grabbed the boy by the collar. "You should know, no one speaks to me on that tone and gets away with it, imbecile!"
"Then why am I still alive then?! Why haven't you tried to kill me?! Even though it's my fault that your men died or-or the fact that I'm being disrespectful to you?!" The frustrated boy answered while grabbing her left arm with his right hand.
"Because your life has a purpose." The noblewoman answered nonchalantly, letting go of his neck. "Mine divine self believes that people should live AND die usefully; mineself still has use for the likes of you, ergo, I can overlook your childish tantrums. To a certain extent, at the very least."
"So what, the moment they are not useful you'd toss them aside?"
"Naturally." She said with clear indifference. "The world belongs to the living. The dead are dead. The forgotten can AT LEAST hope to be remembered one day; that or rebuild from scratch. Only a fool should concern themselves with mourning."
"So the people that serve you, that follow you of their own free will, the people that'd MOURN you… they are all fools?!" Subaru concluded with some pity. "Sure must be sad for you; if the reality you believe is true, then no one will miss you once you pass on."
"It is idiotic to think of the world AFTER one's passing; you won't live to see it, boy. So why bother, pray tell?"
"Because the people YOU value will live to see it?"
"The people I value are all subordinates and serfs; they'd have already served their purposes by then."
"…*Sigh* Good lord… Still, I… thank you for the words, I guess." He dismissed sheepishly while rubbing the back of his head.
"What did you say?"
"What a complicated way of lifting someone's spirits…"
"Excuse me?" Priscilla made a confused expression at the wording.
"That's what you were going for with this little chat, right?" Subaru gazed at her incredulously. "Cheer me up 'cause I was down because of Greed and Gluttony's attack? In a weird, cosmic sort of way at least. You tried, so… It's the thought that counts, I guess?"
"…" The Vollachian stood silent for some moments, eyes wide at the boy in front of her.
"…Um… Pris-?" The woman herself cut his call for a response short.
"MINESELF?! CHEER A COMMONER UP?!" The noblewoman stated in shock before bursting into laughter. "Hahahahahahahaha! Oh! The rich notions of the monkey! Ahahahahahahahahaha!"
"…It-It's really not that funny…" He murmured with a bit of shame at his clearly wrong idea.
"My divinity came to mock you whilst mine carriage was prepared, you brute! And how did mineself laugh today! Ha!"
"…Come on…"
"If you managed to feel inspired from mine ridicule, then you are quite the masochist pig! Fitting, mineself says, fitting! Ha!" She finished her tiresome mockery with a chuckle.
"…Are you- Are you done?"
"Ha… You are a capable man to some degree; I'll respect that." She wiped a tear of laughter from her eye with a handkerchief before speaking once more. "However, do not confuse thy head. At the end of the day, you are but one man; unlike mineself, your limits are quite clear, so it is pointless to dwell on the maybes. You did all you could have possibly done, and the results were victory against two ancestral enemies with some casualties from our side. Yes, the soldiers' deaths are your fault as much as our enemies; but you have to live with that and vow to do better next time. Make honor on that stupid little tittle you pride your small self to be and LIVE to AVENGE them."
"!" Subaru's eyes widened in surprise as the Baroness' turned around to leave. "Priscilla, I…"
"Hmph!" The crimson Lady walked away into the night with a smile from ear to ear.
"…Thank you!" The boy waved at her back, the gesture going unnoticed.
Priscilla… She might be hella rude… But she KINDA cares. Possibly not enough to lift a finger if she has nothing to gain… But a tiny little smudge in her heart of hearts DOES give a crap. Probably. BIG probably…
"Live to avenge, huh?" His fist clenched with resolve as he looked up to the night sky.
With the vow to do better for those that have died or were forgotten, the will to live to avenge the fallen, Subaru returned to the mansion and back to Rem's room as he had promised earlier.
AUTHOR'S NOTES
Sorry to all the Felix fans out there, but let's be real here, he IS quite scornful.
Having said that, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter- Er… Interlude!
It'll take a bit before the next chapter comes out, so I hope you can hold on for a bit longer.
Looking forward to your comments and… actually, not much else to comment other than that, I guess… But well!
ONTO ARC 4!
To Infinity… And Beyond!