Chapter 13 – Pile of Doubts

It was a new day within the Dragon's Kingdom of Lugunica and, like a wildfire, the news of the previous day's successful subjugation of the White Whale and Witch's Cult Sin Archbishop of Sloth. The busy streets and markets had not seen movement like this since the failed subjugation of the calamity or the Silver Flower Dance six months prior. However, unlike those troubling events that ended either in disaster or with the threat of border conflicts, the news this particular morning were much more joyful for the citizenry as a whole…

"DID YOU HEAR THE NEWS?!"

"Is it true?!"

"It is! My brother is one of the mercenaries that attended the expedition!"

"So they really are dead?!"

"Who are you guys talking about?"

"The White Whale a-and the Sin Archbishop of Sloth!"

"Wait, what?!"

"A Calamity slain?!"

"Someone touched the Witch's Cult… and lived?!"

"They didn't just live, they straight up defeated them!"

"HOLY SHIT!"

"Oh goodness!"

"Good riddance! Haha!"

"Was it the Sword Saint?!"

"'Bout damn time stinkin' lad did his job…"

"No, it wasn't him… Neither his Lady nor his Camp were in the Capital at the moment."

"Wait, what?!"

"Then who dunnit?!"

"…It might sound nuts… But I heard it was that half-elf chick…"

"Who?"

"The candidate! The one- The one that looks like the Witch…"

"As if!"

"Nah, I heard it was that Hoshin broad's mercenaries."

"I heard it was Duchess Karsten though?"

"The carriages did ride up from the Noble district…"

"No, no, it was that Vollachian woman. Prisci… What was it again?"

"Priscilla…? Oh! That redheaded chick!"

"You are all wrong!"

"Huh?"

"How ya mean?"

"Who did done them freaks in, then?"

"It was an alliance between the four!"

"What?!"

"Between FOUR of the five?!"

"HA! So the camps banded together to rally against that half-devil?!"

"You dickhead! The Sword Saint's camp wasn't at the Capital when it happened!"

"Wait- So the half-devil, the Vollachian, the Duchess and that Anastasia merchant are in cahoots' with one another?!"

"Seems like it!"

"But that's not all!"

"Huh?!"

"Whatcha mean dat ain't all?!"

"The one that organized the Alliance! The one that lead the subjugation was…!"

"Who?!"

"Who man?!"

"Subaru Natsuki! Spider-Man!"

"The guy from beyond the Great Waterfall?!"

"He commanded a four-camp army?!"

"Are you for real?!"

"I heard from my cousin at the castle that he was hailed a hero beyond the waterfall…"

"Well, he clearly is! Ha!"

"He's been here for what? Two months?"

"Sure am glad we finally have heroes of some measure around!"

"Yeah! He saved me the other day from a robbery!"

"He's the guy that crashed the Royal Selection, right?"

"Good to know! He really IS showin' them fuckers upstairs up!"

"Ha ha!"

"Tsk! They even have BETTER heroes over there… Beyond the waterfall…"

"All we have here are guys like that current Sword Saint… What's he done to earn his name?"

"Someone is jealous, eh?"

"It's truth! Truth, I tell ya! The previous Saint was at least a war hero! What's her grandson done since then?!"

"We get you were her follower… Shouldn't you be glad she's been avenged?"

"Ye'… Guess so…"

"But not BY her grandson!"

"He DID call himself an 'Avenger', didn't he?"

"Whatever an 'Avenger' is, I'm sure glad we have them now!"

"We have a new hero, I say!"

"I feel like this is just the beginning…"

"Subaru Natsuki is a hero!"

"Spider-Man!"

"Yeah!"

"I see him doing some more insane crap in the future!"

"Yeah! I'm sure he will!"

"Tonight's drinks are on me!"

"YEAH!"

The joy spread all across within the borders of the Capital, the news of a new hero for the people to latch onto caused even sad children to turn smiling as the image of one Natsuki Subaru was cheered for as Lugunica's new living legend. This atmosphere of celebration, unfortunately, did not precisely match the more tired and stressed demeanor of the man in question.

"AT-CHOO!"

*SNORT!*

"Ugh… Is someone talkin' about me?" Subaru said groggily while stretching in the Karsten Mansion's courtyard. He was wearing his casual clothes now instead of his suit, getting ready to board the carriage that would take Emilia back to the Mathers domain. "Nah… probably not…"

"Hey! Subaru!" As the young man contemplated the sky above him, the voice of a young woman called out to him from inside the mansion. "Over here!"

"Hey, Medium." The man waved at the blonde-haired woman with a rather neutral expression. "How you doin'? How's your brother?"

"Ah, Flop is coming along real well! His legs were both pierced, so he won't walk for a week at least… But that cat-guy is really good at what he does!"

"Felix is attending him?"

"Yeah!" The woman smiled. "He came into the injured bay last night and worked miracles! He looked like a ghost when he arrived… Tear stains and everything. Maybe he lost someone? Coulda' fooled me how good a healer he was in the end though!"

"So he's distracting himself with work, that Felix…" The boy replied with a dejected, tired smile.

"But if you ask me? He should rest a bit. He's been at it since Earth Time… And it's almost Fire Time!"

"…I'll tell Crusch to tell him later."

"But it sure looks different…"

"Huh?"

"The garden, I mean!" Medium turned to the side to stare at the now empty courtyard. "To think that just last night it was such a grim sight…" She said with some worry. "I do hope not many were forgotten… If only to give their families and friends some closure."

"…" Subaru refrained from commenting, still feeling uncomfortable by the product of his actions. No matter how he spun it, even after Priscilla's words, he still felt uncomfortable with the topic, making him frown.

"Ah, by the way!"

"Hm?"

"I heard you are leaving for the Margrave's territory again!" The beauty carelessly commented.

"Ah… Well! About that…" Subaru tried to justify himself. "I-I was gonna discuss the whole Metia thing with you and your brother when-!"

"Ah, don't worry!" Medium dismissed his worries with a chuckle. "Flop will take a while in healing anyways, so just focus on your thing! We'll be here when you come back, so no worries!"

"But what about money? If you really need some, I can give you the stuff in my bag. It should be enough to last you for a while."

"Did you forget, you silly?" The fighter joked around. "Flop and I came to the subjugation in the quality of Lady Priscilla's mercenaries! She paid a hefty sum, ya know?! I'm set for the entire month if necessary!"

"I sure am glad you at least got paid for all the trouble… But it's not enough for me."

"Huh?"

"When I'm back, we'll talk about what your brother wanted. THEN you'll see a real money maker! Pinky promise!" He vowed with an extended finger.

"Oh, um… sure!" Not one to deny his antics, Medium held onto Subaru's pinky with her own.

"Huh, I better get going anyways. To tell the truth, we should have left already… But Emilia has always had trouble waking up early! Still… All the way until roughly 12:00 AM… She sure must be tired."

"I don't know what an AM is, but don't let me stop you!"

"Smell you later!"

"Yeah! See you t- Hey! I don't smell!" The girl complained as Subaru walked away giggling.

Walking back into the mansion, Subaru took a detour back to Rem's room to retrieve his bag before leaving for the entrance hall to rendezvous with Emilia. Much like the previous night, there were a slew of knights lining up before it. However, unlike before, the knights were not in uniform but in fact in elegant suits, fitting for nobility and the like. Even worse, each of them had gifts or flowers in hand.

"Oh, not again!" One of the eager men said with frustration as he saw Subaru walk in their direction, his handsome smile deflating into a frown.

"Tsk! It's that idiot once more…"

"Are you kidding?!"

"Are you sure he's not blackmailing Rem-dono?"

"Oi, I heard that!" Subaru pointed at the crowd with a tired, petty scowl. "And stop bubbling about Rem's room! She needs her space to recover!"

"Then you get on with YOUR visit already, Natsuki!"

"Yeah!" The knights cheered to the man that had complained against Subaru.

"Tsk! What a…" The Avenger just grunted as veins popped in his forehead from the annoyance. Choosing to be the better man, he simply waved the insults away once more as he opened the door to Rem's room.

*CLA-CLACK!*

"Subaru-kun!" Rem greeted him from her bed, this time sitting by the side instead of resting within it.

"Well, look who's up!" The boy joked as he walked to her bed and sat by her side. "Guess you were really tired after all!"

"Honestly, I'm not exactly glad you saw Rem sleep…" The girl pouted whilst looking downwards.

"Is it because you drooled in your sleep?"

"Wha-?!" The maid furiously blushed with embarrassment.

"I'm kidding! I'm kidding…"

"Mu~!"

"Ahahaha…" Subaru chuckled as Rem pouted even further, inflating like a puff fish.

"*Sigh* In all seriousness, don't forget about what we talked about last night, okay?"

"You are saying okay too now." The boy smiled.

"Of course your Rem would be start talking like you eventually."

"…My… Rem?"

"…" Subaru's own embarrassed blush soon followed the girl's comment.

"O-Okay then… Um…" He pushed the furiously flirty comments to the back of his head once more as he concentrated in the important matters at hand. "I trust you, so… As promised, I'll hold back on the questions for Ros-chi… But he says something weird or, like, act loony again…"

"Rem understands…" The girl frowned a bit, understanding after a night of rest Subaru's position. "You work for ALL the candidates now… So clearing suspicions from the absent Lord is done for the sake of peace…"

"You don't really have to agree if it makes you uncomfortable, you know?" Subaru recommended while getting up from his seat on the bed, picking up the bag that was resting by its side.

"…" Rem remained worried, regardless.

"…Ah! Before I forget!" As Subaru was about to walk to the exit, he turned to look at Rem while reaching for something inside his bag. "Here!"

"Huh… What is-?!" The girl almost shouted in surprise as a furious red painted her expression. What Subaru had handed her was a Spider-Man plushy, similar to the one he had given Plum days earlier. Unlike the child's though, this plushy was unmasked, revealing a cartoonish Subaru face.

"I was originally planning to give that to Meili… But then I remembered that she wanted a mabeast plush!" He smiled while patting the maid's head. "Take good care of it! And… get some rest. You've done a lot already, so you deserve it."

"Hm!" Rem nodded with a dashing smile while hugging the toy.

*CLACK!*

"…Now… I really… Have to go…" Predicting the scowls outside the door, Subaru automated his response in a neutral voice while preparing to dash away from the noblemen.

*DASH!*

"NATSUKI!"

"This is a real sense of Deja-vu!" The boy muttered while rounding up a corner. As he did so, however, he came face to face with Emilia. "Uh-What?!" He jumped in the air, sticking to the ceiling to avoid the standing girl. "E-Emilia-tan!"

"…Oh?" The inattentive girl glanced upwards at the boy, an indifferent and tired face with baggy eyes looking back at him. "Subaru… What are you doing up there?"

"…You ask me what I'm doing up here, I ask you what are you doing standing in the middle of the hallway?" The confused hero inquired as he noticed the girl's features, noticing as well the distinct lack of a green crystal from her collar. So she really did reject you, eh Puck? "Are you… No, you are not alright…" He descended from the ceiling, standing in front of her as he laid a hand on her shoulder. "Mind talking about it?"

"…I…" Emilia's face almost contorted into a frown before she hugged the boy desperately, her face covered by his chest.

"…" Subaru was surprised for a second, but then resolved himself to just hug her back.

"Can I… Tell you in the carriage later?"

"Well… Sure…" He nodded slowly.

"Hm…" She broke the hug and smiled a fake grin at the boy, who couldn't help but flinch at her gesture. "Thank you…"

"Um… Were you… here to, like, fetch me?"

"Ah, hm…" She affirmed in a low tone. "Yes… Otto Is waiting outside."

"Oh! So Otto is driving us back?! What a good guy!" He tried to make fun of the situation, trying to lighten the mood. "C'mon! I'll carry your stuff and all!"

"That'd be a fatuous effort though… My bag is already in the carriage."

"…Emilia-tan? No one says 'fatuous' anymore."

"Mmmgh! Stop making fun of what I say!" The girl complained while patting her closed fist gently against Subaru, some life returning to her voice as she spoke.

"Hehe…"

Outside of Crusch's manor, Otto, Crusch and Wilhelm awaited the pair while making small talk.

"It seems that Felix took to helping others, just like Subaru-dono said." Wilhelm informed his Lady with some relief. "Perhaps he really is a capable servant after all."

"Time will tell. Although he might be a good medic, he still…" Crusch reminisced on the moment she visited her injured knights in the morning. "He snuck some disturbing glances at me. I couldn't really tell whether they were blaming glares or sorrowful frowns." She lamented with some pity.

"I assure you, Crusch-sama, if he really was as loyal to you as Subaru-dono stated, then such attitudes will pass as time moves on." Wilhelm reassured, remembering back in his younger days how he also scowled at the officers he served back when he was still a normal soldier in the middle of the war.

"Hopefully so." The woman nodded in agreement. "I just wish he can do so as well for Subaru-dono."

*CLAP-CLAP!*

"KUAAAAH!"

"GUAKH! GUAAHKH!"

"GUAKGHAKH GHAAAUK!"

"KUAAAA-KUAAAGH!"

"GHUAAGHK!"

"GHUAGHKGUAHK!"

"Looks like Otto is in his zone talking to the dragons…" Subaru smiled at the ridiculous interaction of Otto grunting at Patrasche and Frufroo in throaty moans.

"Does it always look like that?" Emilia said with worry. "I'm not one to judge, but… He looks sort of…"

"Mad? I know…" Subaru nodded, to which Emilia agreed. "Although, we probably sound mad for the dragons as well."

"Ah, Natsuki-san!" Otto finally managed to notice the pair watching him from the entrance. "Thank you so much for saving me yesterday!"

"Ah, ah~! Pipe it down, my guy!" Subaru waved at the merchant. "Don't worry about it! Just part of the job!"

"Emilia-dono, Subaru-dono." Crusch and Wilhelm turned to look at them as well. "I must admit, this past week has been most hectic… But I wouldn't call it bothersome in the slightest." The noblewoman smiled at the boy.

"Well, independent of how I wished things had gone better…" Subaru rubbed the back of his head with some sorrow slipping through his eyes. "I'm also glad I got to meet you, Crusch, Wilhelm." Before finishing his good-byes, Subaru got closer to the two and whispered. "Do take care of Felix though; I hear poor guy is trying to obsess over work…"

"Aye, lad." Wilhelm smiled at the young man with sincerity. "That aside, hopefully we can meet and spar together in the future."

"Mhm! I look forward to that! Do expect me to rob you of some moves though!" The boy chuckled as he joked with the old swordsman. However, he then realized a certain topic he had forgotten about in his scatterbrained antics. "OH! And one last thing!"

"Hm?" The pair of master and servant looked at him perplexed for some seconds while he searched around in his bag.

"Where is it… Where is it… Aha!" He produced a projector similar to Crusch's and Emilia's bracelets. However, this one clearly looked more hastily put together. "This is Felt's bracelet!"

"It looks… rather dubious in comparison." Emilia commented with some indifference.

"Hm…" Crusch agreed.

"Hey, hey! I put it together in one night with scrap and leftovers!" The boy complained in his defense. "There wasn't a blacksmith or somethin' available last night! So… I improvised!"

"Unlike ours though…" The pair looked at their left wrists. "Felt-dono's look made of copper and steel instead of silver and gold…"

"It looks like a piece of armor…" Wilhelm commented as well while scratching his beard.

"W-Well, I only had enough gold and silver for the inner cabling…" The boy grumbled with annoyance. "It doesn't look poor on purpose…"

"I understand." The noblewoman nodded, trying to relieve the young man as she pocketed the artifact. "I'll explain such matters to her were she to show up."

"Good! C-Cuz' I don't wanna look like a cheapskate." Subaru beamed Crusch a thumb's up.

"Crusch… There's so much I wish to say…" Emilia managed to smile at her fellow candidate with sincerity. "But, more than anything, a thank you comes to mind. You have… my gratitude, for coming to my aid. Truly."

"Remember, Emilia-dono." The Lady approached the half-elf with a neutral expression while extending her closed hand at her, seemingly wanting to give her something. "We are allies for the sake of the Kingdom's prosperity now; we needn't thank each other over everything."

"!" Emilia's eyes widened as the Karsten Lady handed her… The green crystal she had left behind; the lagmite symbolizing her contract with Puck.

"What?!" Subaru also noted the stone with surprise, not wanting to divulge with Crusch Emilia's secret but trying to protest it nonetheless.

"N-No!" Emilia almost swatted the crystal away, just before the Duchess explained herself.

"I understand that you had some sort of discussion with your contracted Spirit last night, Emilia-dono." The noblewoman stated with seriousness, interrupting the half-elf's shock.

"I-I…" Emilia looked downwards, averting her gaze. "I just… I don't wish to talk about it at the moment… Puck… I don't even…"

"I remember that last time you were in this Mansion, you had an argument with a certain someone." The Lady gazed at Subaru, making him tense up. "I realize that the context and reason might be wildly different this time around… But I would like for you to reconsider your thoughts in the matter. To make sure you are not doing something you'd regret eventually."

"…" Emilia stood silent, nevertheless, looking away from the crystal.

"…" Subaru remained silent as well, although his eyes grew wide as if an idea formulated in his mind.

"…I see." Crusch frowned with some disappointment before attempting to take back the crystal from Emilia's hand.

"Wait!" Subaru stopped her, grabbing the lagmite himself. "I'll take care of it… For the moment."

"Subaru?" Emilia turned to him in confusion. "Wh-what are you…?"

"In my world it was the duty of Doctor Strange, a sorcerer, to hold onto gems and articles of great power. Much like him, the Avengers were the ones responsible for protecting similar items and other such weaponry from parties that would use them for criminal activity and the like." Subaru explained stoically to the three his course of action. "Not just them, it was the responsibility of government organizations like S.H.I.E.L.D. as well to make sure beings like Puck weren't a danger to the public."

"A danger to the public?" Wilhelm perked up at the notion of Puck being dangerous. "How do you mean?"

"…The possibility of Puck going rogue or the like from breaking his contract with Emilia. Like the Earth Spirit, like Sloth." Subaru confirmed the possibility, surprising the three. "Let me take care of it for the moment, at least to ensure that… the Margrave can find a way of neutralizing the threat that another Great Spirit could represent without killing Puck. That or… getting rid of the crystal altogether."

"But…" Emilia turned to him with surprise, a mix of emotions within her. "Why would you…?"

"I told you, I just wanted Puck to be honest." He looked at the girl with a tired smile. "Sure, I'm glad he got a good ear-stretch from you… But in all honesty? I think things would be better if he could retract on the term of… you know what… and try to make up for his mistake."

"You want to- You want Puck and I to reconcile?!" The half-elf wondered in confusion.

"I want your argument to end in terms you are both satisfied with, or at least something you can both accept." He looked at Emilia sternly in the eye. "While what he has done is just… Unforgivable, to my eye, he has yet to actually act out on it. Which is why I'd like see if I can convince him to not do it… Or if I can take said power away from him."

"*Cough, Cough* You are speaking in rather vague terms for those that are present." Wilhelm excused himself to the pair.

"I'm sorry, Wil… I know this is dampening the farewell, but I'd like to discuss with Emilia in private about this."

"This is a dangerously arrogant way of thinking, Subaru-dono…" Crusch warned with a cautious tone. "I know I've seen you do what I thought was impossible… But making sure a Great Spirit cannot endanger others is a bit… You cannot hope to be on top of everything."

"I understand I ask for too much, but please, trust me." The young man pleaded with earnest eyes.

"…It is fine." The Lady concluded with some reluctance. "At this point, the very least I owe you is… some trust on such ominous matters."

"Thank you… And I'm sorry."

"Well, we are the ones holding you back, I suppose." Crusch bowed slightly. "Don't let us keep you here; safe travels, Subaru-dono, Emilia-dono."

"Likewise." The butler bowed as well. "Take care and… Good luck in your endeavor."

"Thank you." Subaru nodded before looking at Emilia.

"Yes…" Emilia nodded at them and then stood still to gaze at Subaru. "We are discussing this properly in the carriage, alright?"

"I know… And I'm sorry I'm making this whole mess so complicated… But I thought you ought to be entitled to the truth."

"…" Emilia looked at the crystal with both sadness and anger before attempting a more resolute and stoic gaze. "…I understand. You are just… trying to make sure I know every possible option before making a decision…"

"Yeah…"

"…And thank you, Subaru. Even if what you are doing isn't exactly something I'd like… At least I know it's done so I can make a decision I don't regret." She reasoned while resolving a melancholic smile.

"I told you, I may not be your direct servant anymore, but I'm your friend. Of course I'd want you to think this through." He answered with his own smirk.

"Now… Please put it away. It really dampens my mood at the moment."

"Oh, yeah! Sorry…"

"Now who's the one apologizing too much, eh?" Emilia finally managed to tease back.

"Oh, come on!" The young hero giggled.

Thus, the pair boarded the carriage up north, to Roswaal's Mansion once more.

As time went on, Subaru and Emilia took to discussing the topic of Puck the moment they could not see the Capital from the carriage's window anymore…

"Everything good there?" Otto's voice inquired to the two people within the luxurious carriage whilst opening the driver's side window to the interior cart.

"Yeah! Just a make-out session! No biggie!"

"A WHAT?!"

"WHA- St-Stop pranking him, Subaru!" The reddened Emilia called out to the boy's joke with some anger. Unbeknownst to Subaru, Emilia genuinely thought that the act of kissing implied something deeper than an expression of love. "I'm se-serious!"

"Sorry, sorry! It's just so fun to get a rise out of Otto!" Her animosity flew right over his head as the hero simply chuckled at the reaction of the driver.

"Please, Natsuki-san! I don't exactly like being the recipient of strange rumors!"

"A rumor, now? You are pretty much the only one I would have told such an outrageous joke. Were you planning on spreading it, hmm?"

"Otto was… planning such a scheme?" The half-elf turned to look at the merchant with worry and betrayal.

"H-Huh?" The direction of the conversation was confusing the grey hair.

"He is a rather shrewd merchant, isn't he? To try and exploit us for a few coins…" Subaru continued implying.

"I'm not- I would do no such thing! I'm-I'm not-!"

"I'm messing with you, dude! Look how easy it is to get you all flustered!"

"Gagh! Natsuki-san!" The merchant closed the window in frustration with a blush of his own.

"Ehehe!"

"*Sigh* …Seriously…" Emilia sighed in bafflement and exhaustion. "Don't imply such dirty jokes again…"

"Yeah, sorry!" The boy rubbed the back of his head apologetically. "Back to topic though…"

"Yeah…" Emilia nodded while composing herself. "Look, Subaru…"

"Hm?"

"I just... When it comes to Puck…" She gulped with nervousness as she glared towards the carriage's floor. "He told me… He explained that his contract with me implied two things."

Two? Subaru was a bit perplexed, thinking that the only hidden stipulation of the contract was the one that triggered an end of the world scenario. "…Go on…"

"The first one…" She dried some tears threatening to slip through her eyes before speaking. "The first one stated that his memories were sealed just as mine were."

"Memories?"

"I never mentioned it to you, did I?" She attempted a smile without much success. "I… For the past seven years, I lived with Puck in Elior Forest. When he found me… apparently I was encased in Ice. It wasn't until sometime after that when Roswaal approached me with the throne's proposal."

"…You were a popsicle?" Not like a Capsicle, but and Elfscile!

"Yes, I was- Hey!" Emilia complained to Subaru's jokes once again. "This is serious!"

"Alright, yeah, that one's on me… Please, continue."

"When the Ice melted… He became my guardian. But the memories from before… I know nothing of my childhood."

"I see."

"And the other…" She braced herself again before speaking, some sweat going down her forehead. "If I die… That he's going to move on to destroy the world…" She spat with disdain.

"Emilia… I understand you are not comfortable with such topics, but…"

"I know… That you are trying to do good here, Subaru."

"…"

"That… The Avengers are heroes that have saved your world many times from such events, so keeping a close watch over Puck's Crystal is your way as a member of such a group to ensure that he doesn't somehow act on it…"

"…"

"But…" She scowled. "How can you… stand by Puck's side even after you are the one that told him to be honest with me?"

"I…"

"Isn't this just how it was when Ram and Rem tried to kill you?"

"I told you, I don't want to judge people over their worst mistakes. I meant that." Subaru cut her depressive rant short. "I'm willing to believe… that such a contract was just Puck's absurd worry over you taking over. That he can change from such a mentality as well."

"He threatened to kill you!"

"I know!" He answered abruptly again. "I know… But I don't want you to make the mistake of losing another ally due to the lies... or because of my fault." He gazed intensely at Emilia in the eye.

"…" Emilia frowned awkwardly in response.

"If possible… If you could discuss once more with Puck… If you could somehow talk things over, make sure he does not follow such a path… Maybe then you needn't have to part ways."

"…I wish it were that easy…" She looked away, her eyes glittering with sadness.

"I'm sorry…"

"There's nothing you should apologize for, Subaru." The half-elf rejected his apology while forcing a smile once more. "After all… You are just doing your best as a hero, are you not? To save others… even from themselves."

"…Thank you, Emilia-tan." He answered back with his own grin.

As the sun descended into the horizon, the carriage finally reached the village of Arlam… Or at least, the half of it that wasn't destroyed in the conflict.

"Achaaa~…"

"Well, this is a mess."

"Ugh… It'll take a while to rebuild."

"Hey! Beatrice-sama reinstituted the barrier!"

"At least we are not getting raided while rebuilding, that's a relief."

"It's a relief on itself that we GET to rebuild…"

"True that!"

"Hm?"

"Oh, hey! Another carriage!"

"That one looks a bit luxurious…"

"Wait… Could it be-?!"

"Subaru-sama!"

"What?!"

"It's Subaru-sama and Emilia-sama!"

"Wooo!"

The villagers that were cleaning the surroundings congregated around the carriage as it came to a halt in movement, calling out to their hero.

"Um… Natsuki-san? There's… A whole village wanting to meet you here…" Otto advised from his seat to the man inside the carriage.

"Hm? Ah, it's the half of the village that departed in the morning…" Emilia confirmed.

"When you were sleeping?"

"Don't say that!" Emilia pouted.

"So… What do we do here?" Otto wondered.

"Oh… I'll get down there and help a bit. You and Emilia can go on ahead."

"…" As Subaru rose up from his seat, a hand went to reach for him.

"Ah?" The boy turned to see Emilia holding him by the arm as he attempted to exit the cart, a face of worry painting her expression. "Emilia-tan? I can't exactly go greet them if you hold my sleeve like that…"

"Subaru?" The half-elf noted his earlier words with some surprise. "You are not coming to the Mansion right away?"

"The entire mess out there of destroyed houses is kind of my fault? Honestly, if it helps the village get back on their feet; I suppose I ought to put some of my own effort as well in the rebuilding front!"

"*Sigh* Just remember not to exhaust yourself… Rem told me you haven't even slept these past few days." She pointed to the bags under Subaru's eyes. "Make sure to rest once you arrive to the Mansion, okay?"

"Yeah, okay!" He nodded while still looking at his arm. "So… can you let go now?"

"Ah!" Emilia finally took notice of her action and released her grip. "S-Sorry…"

The carriage rode away as the young man stuck around to lift the rubble and burnt wood from the ruined houses.

"Subaru-sama!" One of the young men called to him as he broke away a busted pillar. "Thank you so much!"

"Mhm, don't worry about it!"

"We are still glad you would come down to help, even after your disagreement with Emilia-sama…"

"Well, even if I'm not returning to the camp, I figured I ought to the community that welcomed me into this world in the first place!"

"Oh, that's right! Subaru-sama isn't just a foreigner; he really is from Beyond the Waterfall!"

"So the heroes and stuff you showed back during the Snow Festival were things from your world, huh?" Petra's father said with amusement. "To tell the truth, some of us really doubted the veracity of your claims when you first arrived."

"I can see why she's so smitten with you now…" The mother commented as well.

"The boys were all pretty jealous, to tell the truth!"

"Although, it seems she is quite disappointed with the fact that you won't be coming and going from the Mansion anymore."

"Hm? What are you two talking about?" The boy asked to the couple.

"Er- It's nothing, Subaru-sama! You-You'll find soon enough…" The pair looked at each other with some trouble.

"?" Subaru gazed at them for a bit, still confused about their comments.

"Still…" Another villager said. "I wonder how much longer it will take for the people in Sanctuary to come back…"

Sanctuary… The place Puck mentioned Roswaal went to during my 'vision'. Subaru thought briefly. "…They did mention that that's where Ram took the other half of the Village. What is Sanctuary, anyways?"

"Well, it's sort of a 'secret base' for the Margrave?" One of the elders said with some doubt, alerting Subaru to the mysterious nature of the place. "Honestly, all we really know is that it is a place every Margrave Mathers before him has frequented and protected, and he is not the exception. Beyond that, not even the oldest member of the village can tell you much, Subaru-sama…"

"Maybe Emilia-sama or Beatrice-sama will know more?"

"We are sorry!"

"It's fine, really." The boy remained in a pensive state. "Sanctuary… Got it."

"Ah! Subaru-sama! It's getting quite late!" One of the elders pointed to the sky, signaling that the stars were visible already. "You told Emilia-sama you'd return, right? We can handle the rest from here!"

"Are you sure? I've no problem staying over for a while longer."

"Ah, don't worry, don't worry! For those who still have no home, we can accommodate!"

"…If you insist." Subaru just nodded along and smiled. "If there's any more trouble, just call me, you know where to find me! I'm the friendly neighbor for a reason!"

"Hm! We will!"

"Good night! Subaru-sama!"

"See you around!" He turned to wave one last time as he walked towards the road guiding to the Mansion. "Phew! That was the workout for the day, I guess! Not too shabby, lifting and cleaning debris."

"Subaru." Karen called for her master. "Can we talk now? Now that there's no one to really interfere or listen in…"

"Karen? Is something wrong?"

"…Are you aware of what the candidates talked about you yesterday? Back when you were riding from the Tree to the village."

"After killing the Whale?"

"Yes." The machine continued. "And even earlier than that; why Emilia was so insistent of witnessing Sloth's demise."

"…"

"You know what I'm talking about, don't you."

"Hmm…" Subaru frowned, not liking where this conversation was going. "I don't really wish to talk about it Karen. It seems to imply that you…"

"I spied them, yes."

"What?! Karen, we-!"

"I won't mince my words, Subaru: I think you are being a hypocrite."

"HUH?!" Subaru felt insulted that his assistant A.I. would call him such a name. "How come?! S-Surely you have a reason to say that, right?!"

"I do." The program affirmed with confidence. "You've demonstrated this conduct before… But you trust these people too much."

"Well, they've earned my trust!" The hero countered. "We risked our lives together against an insurmountable foe; the least I owe them IS trust! Just like Crusch trusts me!"

"Crusch could be an exception to what I'm about to say… But that's it."

"Just what are you getting at?!" The confused man inquired.

"This." Karen played back an audio recording of the candidates' discussion for him to hear.

"Would ya' allow us access ta' the artifacts and information Natsuki Subaru holds?" Sounded Anastasia's voice.

"Karen, stop! I don't-!"

"You must!" The program ordered with defiance once more, surprising the nervous Subaru.

"And with that… independent of the fact that he didn't do it for the prestige, Natsuki Subaru's name will be at the center of it all…"

"The alliance will prevent the Candidates from openly declaring war to one another, preventing a bloodshed scenario."

"I already know this! It's pointless to…" Subaru tried to argue pointlessly against the continuing replay.

"Which means that the only road to becoming King would be through achievements, like hunting the rest of the cult and Great Mabeasts down... or the development of the country."

"Disregarding the manhunts; with technology beyond our years in sight… the Selection essentially becomes a race of which candidate can develop the Kingdom the best by using the boy's knowledge of an advanced civilization."

"…S-Stop…" He kept pleading.

"It's him against an entire country… He can't say no, especially so with the nobility and the knights being so petty and irritated by his attitude that they would use anything as an excuse to kill him."

"We could stand back and do nothing and the fools will still seek to put his head in a pike; it's the consequence of him defying their egos so openly. You witnessed how the knights just now condemn and mock him still, even after the Whale's death. Who is to say they won't pin some stupid crime on the boy the moment we return to the Capital just to have him arrested and executed somehow?"

"He is already part of the Selection, no matter what."

"In order ta' prevent it from breaking apart and the Selection devolving into a bloody mess, he has to continue cooperating with us, whether he likes ta' or not. An' that means whosoever makes the best use of his knowledge will come out on top."

"Regretfully, Natsuki Subaru has demonstrated to be a goody two-shoes."

Subaru tried to deny the words to no avail. "…Karen…"

"Do you realize now, Subaru?" Karen warned. "You are neither their ally nor their friend. You are their tool. The technological exchange would be one sided, and you'd lose at the end of it all."

"…I-It's fine that…"

"Who is to say THEY won't discard you once you've served your purpose? Once you provide enough tech, they could have you killed were you to become a threat to them."

"…"

"Let me rephrase what I said earlier." The program doubled down on her reproaching tone. "You are a hypocrite… Against yourself."

"H-How…?"

"It's a contradiction how you don't like to be lied to and want others like Puck and Emilia to tell the truth." She explained matter-of-factly. "Yet, ever since the alliance came to be, you are fine with them keeping secrets amongst each other or what their use for you shall be. As if just because it's for the 'greater good' or the sake of this world it's fine that you become someone else's tool."

"…I…"

"I understand that you put the idea of being a hero, of making the world a better place, atop everything else… But where's your happiness in that?"

"…"

"As for Emilia..." Karen continued her ruthless rant against the boy. "Regretfully, I have to state that I agree with Crusch's earlier comment. You are treading through a dangerously arrogant road meddling with Puck, trying to make sure he doesn't become a threat. Trying to make yourself responsible for every threat, every shadow under the bed. All while STILL trying to see the best in people. You are a walking paradox."

"B-But I just…" Subaru tried justifying himself. "I just want him a-and Emilia to reach an understanding! That- That it was unfair for her to remain ignorant to such a secret!"

"I understand that, and I am not reproaching the fact that you forced that damn cat to confess."

"Then what are you-?!"

"I'm saying: Why would you bother trying to redeem him?"

"…"

"What he did? Such a stipulation is not justifiable, it is no simple 'mistake' that you should ignore in order not to judge him."

"But I hate him, so I AM judging him!"

"If you really hated him as much as you claim, you would have tossed that crystal in the middle of the Highway for no one to ever find again. That, or handed it to Reinhard so he can destroy it with Puck inside."

"…"

"You are too forgiving. Even against Puck."

"…Listen, Karen…" Subaru said in a nervous tone while sweating a bit. "I understand… I might be pilling too much on myself. But… Please. Let me- Let me try to do things right with Puck. Let me at least try my approach!"

"And if it doesn't work?"

"…" He closed his as the sweat rolled down his cheek and onto the ground. "If it doesn't work… THEN we'll… get rid of Puck. But ONLY if it doesn't work, okay?!"

"…" The A.I. hesitated on whether she should agree with such a decision or not. After all, her priority, even before assisting Subaru, was to protect him and she had already failed in the past with allowing him to handle the Infinity Stones. Who was to say she wouldn't fail again if she indulged his self-sacrificial habits like this? And yet… it were those very habits that had saved the universe. Doubting HIM of all people… That, too, was against her program. Or she interpreted it as such, to be precise. "In truth, there was another recording I wanted you to hear, regarding Emilia… But I'll trust you once more."

"Karen…" Subaru frowned, still somewhat deflated from the conversation. "I… Thank you. For your trust."

"Don't mention it. I won't spy on the candidates again… for now, at least." She assured while projecting a smiley face from his wrist. "But if their intent against you were to turn malicious…" The face turned angry. "I won't hold neither my actions nor my affirmations back."

"…I understand." With a quiet tone, Subaru nodded and sank into the trees' shadows within the trail towards the Mansion. A while after the conversation, as the night fully realized in the sky, Subaru finally stood at the front gates to the building. Looking around, he felt somewhat bad about the decayed, ruined state of the place. Broken windows, cracked walls, uprooted trees, a flattened fountain, the garden full of holes, a twisted back fence, mounds of soil and ruined grass. "This place sure has seen better days…"

"You feel guilty about it, don't you?" Karen chastised.

"Ugh… That obvious?" He answered with disappointment while knocking on the door.

*KNOCK-KNOCK!*

After awaiting for some brief moments, the doors opened.

"Hey, uh-" Before Subaru could get a word in; he realized that the person at the door was not someone he could have hoped to have known beforehand. "Huh?" He stuttered with confusion at the woman before him.

"Greetings." A blonde maid, slightly taller than Subaru himself, bowed to the teenager as the light from the entrance hall basked the porch. "You must be Subaru-sama. Please, come inside."

"…" Subaru stared for a few seconds as the girl smiled at him. "Shark teeth!"

"Huh?" The woman quickly covered her grin with some embarrassment. "My apologies…"

"AH! Sorry about that!" Subaru bowed immediately in apology as well, the shame reddening his face a bit. "I blurted it out! I didn't mean to offend you or something!"

"I-It's fine." The maid said while still keeping a hand to her mouth. "Emilia-sama did state that you were prone to rambling and the like…"

"Ahahaha…" He rubbed his head sheepishly. "So-So you are…?"

"Hmm-Hmm, Frederica Baumman, Subaru-sama."

"Huh… Did Roswaal hire you to take care of the place in Rem's absence during her stay in the Capital?" Subaru commented casually while stepping inside.

"Actually, I've worked here in the past." She smiled as she closed the door, this time with her mouth closed.

"Oh~… So YOU were the previous head maid…"

"Ram contacted me shortly after the beginning of the Selection."

"Hehe, Ram WOULD need the help, of course…" The boy chuckled. "Just between you and me? I would have gone insane from eating steamed yams every day."

"Ufufu~." The maid giggled as well before composing her behavior once again. "My apologies, once more, Subaru-sama. She stated she needed help with the housekeeping, in case Rem's duty extended beyond the expected time."

"Er…" Subaru turned to look at the disaster outside the window with shame. "Sorry about the mess… I'll help clean and all…"

"It is no bother… But I will welcome the help, nonetheless."

"Ah, wait a moment…" Subaru interrupted her while gazing at the hallway.

"Hmm? Subaru-sama?" The maid looked in the same direction while wondering.

*CLINK-CLINK-CLINK!*

"AH!" Frederica yelled in shock. "It's that annoying bug again!"

"This is the-! Wait, what?" As the Iron Spider appeared in front of them, rushing towards them, the Avenger flinched as he heard the blonde woman call his armor a bug.

*FLAP!*

"Take that!" Grabbing a broom that was by one of the hall's tables, she began swatting against armor, forcing it to jump away and dance around the boy in a circle as the Frederica pursued it. "Stop dodging, you pesky bug!"

*CLINK-CLINK-CLINK!*

"U-Um…" Subaru tried to get a grip on the situation. "What's going on here?"

"Subaru-sama, my most sincere apologies!" Frederica spoke as she kept the chase. "This bug here appeared just as I arrived earlier today! Maybe it is some sort of Witch Cult remnant, but I've had no luck catching it!"

*CLINK-CLINK-CLINK!*

"Fortunately- EY!"

*FLAP!*

*CLINK-CLINK-CLINK!*

"…It doesn't seem capable of killing without given the order! All it has done this entire day is run away!"

"…That is not…" Subaru attempted to calm her down. "Just- Just let me deal with it, hm?"

"Huh?" Subaru got in-between the two, gazing at the machine with glee while extending his arms. "Karen?"

"Understood."

"Wha-?!" Frederica gazed in awe as the bug jumped on top of Subaru, seemingly spreading throughout his body like a suit. "Wh-What is this…?"

"Sorry, I guess Emilia-tan didn't get around to explaining you the details of how we organized the defense against the Cult, right?"

"No… I don't think she did…" She frowned, understanding immediately that the 'bug' was in fact one of Subaru's otherworldly constructs. "So is it a Metia from beyond the waterfall, then?"

"Yeah, something like that." He nodded. "It's called the iron Spider suit; it's my combat armor."

"…It looks a bit incomplete, without the arms I mean…"

"Well, I CAN spread the nanobots around to cover those areas… But I would expose other body parts if I did that. Say hello Karen!"

"Hello." The A.I. saluted the maid while waving one of the bladed limbs.

"Is that the 'Spirit-but-not-really' thing Emilia-sama mentioned?" She widened her eyes as a disembodied voice greeted her from Subaru's armored chest. "Karen-sama?"

"I guess that's a more understandable description of what an A.I. is for people of this world." He scratched his cheek in embarrassment at Emilia's explanation of Artificial Intelligence. "Karen is like my assistant… though she acts more like my mom as of late."

"Any more teasing and you are sleeping outside with the Earth Dragons, Subaru." The program warned.

"HARSH!" He shouted in betrayal and shock at his companion's reproachful tone. He then retracted the armor towards his back like a backpack.

"…Subaru-sama."

"Hm?"

"If you will." She indicated to one of the offices. "I understand that you must be tired, but I believe you should extend your greetings to Emilia-sama as well, as a guest to this Mansion in the absence of Roswaal-sama."

"She's in here, right?" He approached the door with the intention to salute Emilia, but midway through opening it, he noticed a familiar sensation. "Beako?"

"Who?" Frederica asked with confusion before seeing into the interior of the room. "Beatrice-sama!"

"At this point, I'm rather tired of how easily you find Betty's whereabouts in fact!" The little girl exclaimed in frustration the moment the young man crossed into her library. "Why are you here again?! And what's with the half-beast girl?!"

"Er, Frederica?" Subaru turned to look at the maid. "Can you go tell Emilia-tan I'll be busy talking some things over with Beako?"

"Huh?"

"What?" The pair of maid and Great Spirit sounded perplexed. "You would still ask a favor from Betty? Even after how much she ran the previous day, in fact?!" She stressed her last words with annoyance.

"Emilia-tan will know that I have something serious to talk with her, so please…" Subaru ignored the little girl's comments and kept talking to Frederica.

"Betty is here! Stop ignoring her!"

"Um…" The maid looked with some curiosity and nervousness, alternating her eyes between the two until deciding on a course of action. "Well… Emilia-sama did speak highly of you. Very well, Subaru-sama. I shall inform her so."

"Thank you." Subaru smiled at her as she closed the door before turning to the Spirit girl. "Beako… No, Beatrice. There's something I REALLY need to speak with you. So we might be here for a while." Referring to the girl by her name instead of a nickname denoted the seriousness of Subaru's approach.

"You have some gall!" The little blonde barked in outrage. "Thinking you can just invite yourself into Betty's library!" She raised her hand, shooting a gale of wind towards Subaru.

*FWOOM!*

"…" The boy simply stuck a hand to one of the shelfs and his feet firmly on the floor, the gust merely flipping his hair instead of expelling him from the room. "Beatrice."

"Don't resist it!" She shot again at the insolent man.

*FWOOM!*

"Beatrice, this is inane." Subaru ignored it once more, pulling out Puck's crystal as he began his inquiry. "Did you know about Puck's contract?"

"!" Her eyes widened, as she looked him in the eye. "What?"

"That's a bit suspicious. Your reaction, that is." He narrowed his gaze on her. "Did you know? That he sealed Emilia's memories. That he promised to end the world were she to die."

"Y-You…" She took a step back. "How did you…?"

"*Sigh* It's a yes or no question." Subaru signaled to the crystal once again. "Puck won't come out anymore. Whether it is because the contract is broken or because of Emilia being mad at him, he doesn't seem willing to talk about it since last night."

"…"

"So, I figured it'd be a good idea to ask either Roswaal or you about it. In your case, because you are a Great Spirit as well, all while also being quite close with Puck and having access to all this arcane knowledge."

"…Bubby's contract is not broken." Beatrice scowled towards the floor.

"What?"

"If he won't come out, then there might be a possibility that he simply cannot. The reasons, however, could be multiple…"

"Tsk… So he didn't even retract such a condition, that damn cat…" Subaru grabbed his head as though a headache he was having.

"It is your turn to speak, I suppose." Beatrice talked in a threatening tone, Subaru sensing her hostility as she gazed at him. "Do you… plan on harming Bubby? Just like you did with Geuse?"

"Geuse?" The boy raised an eyebrow, not noticing how his own A.I. realized instantly the nickname's origin. "I don't know who that is… But in the case of Puck, I simply consider such a measure a last resort."

"…How do you mean?"

"Unlike him, I won't go around killing people or threatening the safety of the world over some twisted view on love. My top priority is to save others." He stated whilst leaning on the shelf he had stuck to earlier.

"…"

"Beatrice." Subaru attempted to reason with her now. "I understand I'm coming forth as rather aggressive… But I HAVE to know if there's a chance for Puck to walk back on said stipulations; on remaking his contract with Emilia. Or at the very least… A way for his absurdly apocalyptic vow to be sealed somehow."

"Even if there was, I wouldn't tell it to an impudent brat like you!" She yelled with insult. "You come in here, into Betty's hallowed place, and you dare say such outrageous things such as… Such as that, you are going to break Bubby's contract! Do you even understand how important a contract is to a Spirit?!"

"You are right, I don't!" Subaru protested back. "But if such a contract robs the contractor of what's theirs, their memories…!" He remembered Felix, feeling how raw and unfair it was for him to be forgotten by everyone, how unjust it was that the memory of him was so easily robbed of Crusch and Wilhelm's minds. "…And if it even threatens the innocent… Then how can you expect me to sit idly by and let such an absurd threat go ignored?!"

"You don't comprehend the entire context! It's his contract, not yours!"

"Well, it became MY problem the moment his contract put everyone's lives at risk!"

"Tsk!" She scoffed aside while glaring at Subaru. "Betty does not care what YOU want boy… She has had enough with losing one friend recently; she shouldn't lose someone else over your delusions of grandeur… Over your 'hero' plays!"

"It is no play." He processed her words carefully. "Losing someone… Just who do you mean, Beatrice?"

"Geuse!" She declared heatedly. "I know… Betty knows… That when he became Sloth, when he took in the Witch Factor, that there was no going back for him… But even so… For him to have died like that…" Her fists trembled.

"Sloth…? Wait!" Subaru finally managed to make the connection. "By Geuse… You meant Petelgeuse, right?!"

"…"

"That's right… You knew Petelgeuse since before he became an Archbishop." He reasoned as he remembered some of the strategy meetings with the candidates. "But… What do you mean by Witch Factor?"

"You fought him… attempted to kill him without even knowing what it is?" She looked at him with confusion.

"Are you perhaps referring to his 'Authority' or whatever?"

"That is only the by-product of him taking in the Witch Factor…" She explained uncomfortably. "Absorbing them grants the power known as Authorities, and they will vary depending on the person. But… it is this very process that drives them insane if they are not fitting for such a power."

"…" Subaru processed the ominous words with some worry. "Are you implying that…?"

"You are the man that killed him… Are you not any different from yesterday?" She questioned with suspicion.

"…When he died… Petelgeuse, I mean… Nothing happened, I think." Subaru clarified, still confused about her outburst.

"What?" Beatrice's face turned perplexed once more. "You didn't… No changes?" The Witch Factor did not change him? But how can this be… Unless…!

"We hurried back to the Capital to see to our losses… But that was it. I didn't go insane. Or perhaps… I'm probably insane from the get go, if I go around claiming to be a hero when so many people died under my command…" He lamented the fallen with regret still.

"…There's no spell that can take Bubby's powers away." Her demeanor changed abruptly as the words of the young man sank in.

"I see…" He glared at the floor with the little girl's affirmation.

"But… there might be a way for the half-elf to regain her memories." Beatrice recommended to the boy.

"There is?!" He brimmed with hope again. "Please, tell me!" Maybe if she remembers her past… Emilia and Puck can reach an understanding or compromise on the contract!

"See how easily you end up using Betty as a tool…" She huffed with disappointment. "Head to Sanctuary. The answers you seek all lie there, I suppose."

"Again with Sanctuary…" Subaru muttered with tiredness. "What a loop this is."

"That's all the knowledge Betty can grant you, I suppose. Now…" She sat back down in her stool with an indifferent expression. "Please… Leave the library."

"…I'm sorry this almost devolved into an argument…" Subaru apologized as he headed for the door. "But… Thank you, Beatrice."

"…" She looked down while holding onto a book in the stool, this one going unnoticed by the hero.

*CLA-CLACK!*

As Subaru left the room, the Spirit opened the book, frantically flipping over its empty pages while begging for an answer, all to no avail.

"…Please…" She begged as she reached the last page, empty of any passage or writing, just like all the others. "Even if he is irritable… Even if he is spiteful… Even if he is meddlesome… Please, give Betty a signal… Tell her if he is the one… The one to make Betty his number one… Mother…" She hugged the book tightly as a tear fell from her eye.

As the Great Spirit wept, Subaru exited the Forbidden Library right into the office Frederica had signaled to him earlier in the hallway. Awaiting him inside were the assassin child Meili, the merchant Otto, the servant herself and the Royal Candidate.

Beatrice… Why did you look… Like you were about to cry as I left? Subaru thought that as he reminisced on the hurry the girl was in to expel him of her library.

"Ah! Natsuki-san!" Otto excitedly got up from his seat.

"Hey, Onii~san." The braided girl saluted with indifference.

"You came back, Subaru." Emilia greeted him with a smile.

"Hey, people." Subaru nodded to them in acknowledgement. "Sorry I took so long in returning to the Mansion… Had to help them clear out the wreckage and all."

"Hm, It's fine." The half-elf denied the apology. "You've done a looooooot to help the village; there is no reason to apologize for."

"If anything, I'm thinking they must be rather grateful if they can thank you so profusely!" The merchant chuckled remembering the sight of the surrounded carriage. "They must have quite the respect for you!"

"You speak as though you don't have a lot of respect for Onii-san as well, gree~n man." The assassin girl teased from his side.

"We-well…" Otto meekly blushed as he rubbed his head in embarrassment at the comment. "How can I not have respect for the man that saved my life?"

"So? What were we talking about?" The boy tried to catch up on their interactions.

"Well, Frederica had asked me about Rem's state." Emilia frowned as she recalled the injuries the oni maid had sustained.

"I'm just glad she is resting and recovering." The blonde woman attempted a weak smile. "Honestly, that girl… I heard she had changed ever since you arrived Subaru-sama. To hear that the once quiet Rem would be so vocal about her 'hero'…"

"Ahahahaha…" Subaru tried to laugh the label off, still awkward about Rem's attachment to him.

"We were also talking about the stuff you've made!" Meili announced.

"Hm, hm!" Otto accompanied her cheer while cupping a small bowl with remnants of ice cream in his hands. "These desserts you made were brilliant! I was really wondering on the potential of selling them!"

"Always about the clink of coin with you, eh? Green Onii-sa~n?" Meili asked with some derision.

"Huh…" Subaru widened his eyes at the interaction before him.

"Hm?" Otto faced Subaru's surprise from his seat. "Is something wrong? Natsuki-san?"

"It's just…" He smiled slightly. "I'm glad Meili is sitting around and laughing, is all."

"…" The girl in question stood silent at the commentary.

"Hopefully it is not an imitation of sorts." Emilia commented while remaining somewhat apprehensive of the girl.

"Uhm? What is that supposed to mean?" Otto asked in confusion. "Did I miss something?"

"Oh, you didn't know?" Subaru smirked smugly, knowing what was about to happen. "Meili used to be an assassin."

"…" Otto turned his head slowly to his right, where the malevolent grin of a little girl met him. "HIIII~!"

"Gahahaha!" Subaru laughed. "See how easily scared you are?!"

"That isn't funny!" The merchant claimed. "How was- How was I supposed to know this little girl was so dangerous?!"

"Green Onii-san lacks a spi~ne." The little girl mocked.

"Don't laugh, I said!"

"Now that I think about it… You did know about that, right Frederica?" The Avenger then locked eyes with the maid. "How much did Ram fill you in?"

"She left a letter in the master's office, explaining everything up until the cult's suspected arrival and that a task force was on its way." She confirmed.

"Heh~, that sure was up to date."

"When I arrived to see an empty Mansion, though… And looking towards the destroyed grounds… I feared for the worst." She sweated a little bit. "But once I realized that all the corpses were those of cultists, as well as the numerous track marks of carriages, I was hopeful about the residents escape."

"The note and the arrival of the first carriages just confirmed her relief." Emilia stated, followed by a confirming nod from the maid.

"I see."

"By the way… Subaru? What happened when you talked to Beatrice earlier?" The half-elf gazed at him with curiosity. "Did she want something?"

"On the topic of that…" Subaru directed his gaze towards Emilia. "I just asked Beatrice about Puck, Emilia. I think I was a bit disrespectful about it… But she gave me an answer."

"Huh?" The girl inched closer towards Subaru's position at the entrance from the sofa. "What… What did you ask her?"

"About your situation. Apparently, your contract with him is not yet broken."

"…" She frowned, wanting nothing to do with the being. "But I… He won't come out. Surely, that- that HAS to mean something, right?!" At the raise of her voice, everyone else that had not yet understood the importance of the conversation paid attention to the seriousness.

"Uh…"

"…"

"Should…" Otto tried to suggest. "Should we leave…? Is this too personal a topic or…"

"No, no." Subaru denied with confidence. "It concerns where we have to go to negotiate with the Margrave, Otto. You should stay and listen."

"Go to… negotiate?" The merchant raised an eyebrow. "Is the Margrave not coming back? I have to cross to Gusteko soon to sell my oils…" The grey hair frowned.

"Emilia." Subaru tried to calm the girl down. "We have to go to Sanctuary and meet Roswaal." He explained.

"But why? What exactly… did you converse with Beatrice?" Emilia managed to ask back as she took a breath.

"A way to regain your memories, the ones Puck sealed."

"!" Her eyes widened at the prospect.

"Perhaps if you obtain insight as to what happened in your past… You can set things straight with Puck. Maybe even remake your contract in better terms." He smiled as he recommended. "But for that, we have to go to Sanctuary."

"Um, what are you all talking about?" The lost Meili questioned, vexed by the situation.

"No idea…" Otto shook his head in exhaustion.

"Moreover, there's also the fact that the half of the village that went to the guy with Ram have not returned, even though the Witch Cult has been neutralized already."

"…" The maid narrowed her gaze at the intrusive man.

"And finally, I have to inquire Roswaal on his absence." Subaru affirmed with a reproachful voice.

"Roswaal's absence?" Emilia tilted her head.

"To begin with, the mission given to Rem was unreasonable." He continued explaining. "Why would you send a maid instead of a Lord or and envoy to a diplomatic mission? Had I not intervened… I do not even wish to think about it. Even worse, right when he leaves, a group of more than a hundred terrorists attacks your abode. And he just so happens to leave the day before… Groups that big don't happen spontaneously, especially when you throw a Calamity into the mix."

"We-Well… When you put it that way…" Otto lamented with nervousness his newfound suspicions.

"Roswaal could become suspicious in the eyes of the other candidates if the matter remains unchecked. In order to clear said suspicions I have to interrogate him."

"Hold on." Frederica interrupted the conversation. "I realize that, as a maid, my word might be lesser in comparison…"

"Frederica?" Emilia turned to look at her, followed soon by everyone else. "What do you mean?"

"Subaru-sama is an outsider that does not belong to your camp anymore, Emilia-sama."

"…" The half-elf remained silent.

"…Go on." Subaru simply leaned on the door with his arms crossed.

"The decision of going to Sanctuary should fall on the shoulders of Emilia-sama, not yourself." She continued with an educated yet stern tone. "You are a guest here; representing her alliance with the other candidates, yes, but a guest nonetheless. The responsibility of Sanctuary should fall to the Margrave and the candidate he endorses, not you. What's worse, using the aforementioned alliance as an excuse to interrogate a Margrave for the SLIGHT possibility that he might be responsible for the attempt against Emilia-sama's life is-!"

"It is fine, Frederica." Emilia immediately shut down the complaint.

"Emilia-sama?!" The maid flinched at the dismissal of her points. "But-!"

"I trust Subaru." She smiled at her, but the stare of the half-elf was a bit too focused or sure of herself, scaring the maid a bit. "He won't lie to me. And… I want him to trust me. That's why…" She got up from her seat. "He shall be coming with us; Otto, Subaru and myself are going to Sanctuary."

"Sorry for pulling my weight around like this, Frederica. You are loyal to your boss, I respect that." He smiled at her sincerely.

"…It is fine." She bowed in genuine apology. "I never meant any disrespect, even if I was confrontational as well… I overstepped in protesting, regardless. You are the man that saved the Margrave's territory, the least you are owed is an audience, independent of where he might be."

"Thank you."

"Well! I sure hope we can go there soon!" Otto cried pathetically. "My future is a month away from ending!"

"Sorry for the tense aura, by the way!" Subaru joked at the merchant.

"Seriously!" The man readjusted his hat while huffing. "When you began speaking about mysterious places and memories, I almost had an attack not knowing what I was dealing with. I'm just a desperate merchant!"

"Well, now I seem like an extra he~re…" Meili claimed while fidgeting around.

"I heard what you did for Rem, you know?" Subaru grinned at the little girl.

"What?" She tensed up.

"You little rascal… You give all this dismissive tone and indifference… But when push came to shove, you cared!"

"Wha-?!"

"Come here!"

"UuUuUuAaAaAaAaAhH!" Subaru picked up Meili and spun her around in circles. "S-StOp!"

"Nowaynowaynoway!" The boy kept repeating as he laughed.

"*Sigh*" Frederica exhaled at the tiring conversation.

"I'm really thankful you decided to trust me, Frederica." Emilia whispered as Subaru kept fooling with Meilli in the background.

"…Emilia-sama." The servant looked at her. "Subaru-sama seems to have his heart in the right place… But his suspicions of Roswaal-sama alarm me a bit still, if I'm being sincere."

"I understand that his sense of justice is a BIT too strong… but he does it all because he wants to clean Roswaal's name from any suspicions."

"I… Suppose that makes sense…"

"Well then!" Subaru said as he laid the nauseous Meili down.

"Uuuurgh…" The girl spun a bit before deflating on the sofa.

"We are going to Sanctuary in two days' time!" Subaru assured while looking around the room. "Any complaints left?!"

"Not here; I'd rather go as soon as possible… But I understand you must be exhausted." Emilia nodded along to Subaru's whim.

"I agree with Emilia-sama as well." Otto affirmed as well.

"Not much I can say… But do take care, Subaru-sama, Emilia-sama…" Frederica looked at them as she wished best fortunes with a vibrant smile. However, when the turn was on the eager Otto, she left him rather disappointed with her answer. "Ottotto-dono."

"It's Otto!" The green boy cried again.

"Uhmm…" Subaru interrupted the occasion again as Otto sank in despair.

"Is something wrong, Subaru-sama?" Frederica asked.

"…How do we get to Sanctuary, exactly?"

AUTHOR'S NOTES

So I finally got around reading the Prophecy of the Throne dialogues (I don't have the game UnU) and it turns out the translation for the Village's name is 'Arlam' and not 'Irlam', so I'll have to go around changing names… Again!

I guess that's what my dumb ass gets for reading the rough translations of WN chapters and the wiki when there's already proper OFFICIALLY translated crap around… I suppose I was too cautious of the Yen Press crap rep.

Do tell me if Frederica felt out of character though, or any other for that matter. Trying to write taking into account Rem wasn't forgotten Is tougher than I thought, oof!

Well, at any rate, we are finally moving onto Sanctuary! And onto our favorite 'Jar-of-Mayo' level I.Q. tiger-boy! See you next chapter!