Chapter 32. The End of 400 Years Old Contract

"I want you to keep this library safe, they will come one day, and you will hand down all of this to them, and they will renew your contract. That is my last order, my last contract with you, Beatrice."

For 400 years, those words rang inside her head ever since her Mother parted away from her, and for 400 years she has been waiting for "they", for the right person to come.

For 400 years, she clutches the Book that is empty, showing nothing but blank pages, not a single clue or hint about the person that her Mother spoke of.

Guarding the library, keeping it safe, barring anyone from entering it save for those who she knew and yet they too, in the end, left her behind.

"Betty is my little sister, of course I will help you whenever I can."

Puck already left long ago, wandering around the World, seeking for his purpose. And only returned very recently, only this year, but even so…

"Mother? Who is that?"

He doesn't remember his origin, breaking a covenant that has been made and suffering the consequences.

"What a fine face you're making, Beatrice. I love that face of yours, second to Sensei's."

Roswaal who has accompanied her, even only for a short time, yet they both cherish Mother together, their talks were always about her and they also spend time talking about the creative way to utilize magic.

"I have to live! I have to survive! Even with this broken Gate and body! I have to keep going! For Sensei's sake! For her! All for her!"

Roswaal died, in his attempt and research to seek soul duplication to "save" her Mother as he claimed it. For all the madness and vigor that drove him in his study, in the end, he too, succumbed to Death.

"I would be very happy if Beatrice-sama is willing to teach me."

And Ryuzu Meyer, her very best friend, the girl that always follows and is happy whenever she meets her, so honest and sincere…

"Thank you for everything you have done for me in the past, and now. Goodbye, Beatrice-sama."

Ryuzu Meyer died, becoming core for the Sanctuary's barrier, in order to repel Warlock of Melancholy and protect Mother… not like it matter, Mother still died in the end, the Witch got her.

Only she, Beatrice, is still there, remaining in her library.

And so she waited, alone, by herself, waiting for that person to come.

For 400 years, she waited for that person to come. Some people could find the archive and requested her to open it, yet none of them were "They", they are not the one she was waiting for.

"Beatrice-sama, come with me! You have been spending decades here, more than a century even! Please! I can't! I can't in good conscience let you… just let's go together. You've already done enough. Let me save you!"

One of her friends even came, Toska, wishing to help her and yet, she still stay, adamant, her bound to the contract held firm.

"Save? Good conscience? Betty doesn't need your pity. This is Betty's job. This isn't something that you, who only lives for decades, should judge! Even if you are Betty's friend! Know your place, human!"

All for the sake of the last she made to her Mother.

And now finally, he is here, the promised man, the one that Mother has always been talking about, the one that she spoke with reverence and twinkling eyes.

"This holy sword wielder will be an interesting person for sure. With power and origin like that, I wonder, what choice will they make in the end? What kind of reaction will they have? I can make their model in my calculations but for some reason just imagining them is very exciting. Ah, if I have the chance to meet them…"

Capable of entering the Forbidden Library whenever he wants to meet her and banishing her loneliness, a powerful being, always being talked about by her Mother and moreover, he knew. He knew of her contract, of the years that she spent in this library, of the things that they shouldn't even know.

He meets the requirements, the requirements that she wished for, it has to be him, he is the one.

"Beatrice-san- no. Beatrice." He called her in a gentle and soft voice. "Tell me, why do you think I am your They?"

"Because it has to be you." She answered, voice firm but she knew there was a waver in there, and given this man is very sharp, he must have noticed it too. "The Book… it responds to you."

"The Book." Aaron's eyes fell to the book in her hand. "How does it respond to me?"

"You… you used that sword of yours, right?" She asked. "Around a few weeks ago, when you slay the Hakugei."

"Yes."

"The Book glows, in fact. Betty's Book glowing!" She exclaimed hastily. "The Book that has been blank and shows no reaction for 400 years! It's glowing, in fact!" She speaks in a rapid and loud voice with a euphoric expression that is bordering manic. "That was a sign! It must be a sign from Mother or at least a function that has been installed on it when your sword was unleashed! It can't be anything else, I suppose! It was…" She stopped, choking on her own, eyes watery and stared at him. "It was real, it wasn't meaningless, Betty 400 years is…"

Is not meaningless, it wasn't an empty promise, she wasn't abandoned. That was what she wants to rasp out, even if she can't bring herself to say it. Aaron perfectly knows that, he can tell just by how hard she struggled and cried.

Aaron clenches his teeth yet also keeps his face calm. 'There's no way unleashing Excalibur would give such a reaction. I mean, sure, its true power unleashed was around a few weeks ago but that wasn't the first time I unleashed Excalibur to the World.'

The first time Excalibur unleashed was when he fought Elsa Granhiert in that loot house. Sealed and covered by Invisible Wind, but even the power it exudes is still real, he remembered how Emi makes a comment about it, of how the spirits around them were in joy and happiness when he unsheathed the holy sword.

Yet the Book did not glow at that time.

Perhaps he is just reading into it a bit too much, for all he knows the requirement would be indeed when Excalibur was truly unleashed but…

'Roswaal did say that I am supposed to be "that person" but on what basis? As far as I know he also said to Subaru so he claimed himself as "that person" as well but…'

But the circumstances seem to be different here. Roswaal says that to Subaru to push the boy to get help. In here?

'I didn't get the chance to ask, that man dropped one bombshell after another, damn it.'

In the end, it didn't matter, what is important now is what is standing in front of him, the present.

The desperate girl who has been abandoned for 400 years.

"I am sorry, Beatrice." He said gently, prompting the girl's eyes to widen.

Fear. Denial. Madness. Despair.

It was very visible in her face and eyes.

Yet he goes on.

"I always want to be close to you."

The pseudo Saber stood, face set into a gentle and kind smile, one that already has been used many times that it has become part of his life, a twisted expression that was born from necessity and nurtured to the expert ever since he arrived in this World under the fear of his life.

"Ever since the first day when I met you, I have wanted nothing but to be close to you, to know you better, to be friends with you."

That was an honest declaration, he wants to be friends and close to her, for he pity her, the girl who was waiting in front of the door so someone can save her from centuries of loneliness.

He wants to alleviate that burden.

But she doesn't need pity, to her, this is a duty after all, she will accept one but she will not acknowledge it. Never. To do so would spit on her struggle and hardship, it would be an insult on another level.

Yet… pity is all she should get in Aaron's opinion.

But he didn't voice that aloud for he knew her, just like what she said, he knew almost everything about her.

And so he gave her a comforting smile.

"I am sorry I made you wait for 400 years." He declared.

"You… you are…" Beatrice choked on her own voice, eyes watery, body shaking and yet she still took a step forward, hands hesitatingly raised to his direction. "You are Betty's…"

"I am. Beatrice, you did a good job."

An acknowledgment, that is what she needed to hear, that her job is finally done. That she is free now and her struggle isn't in vain. Nothing else is more important than freedom for a being that has been prisoned for centuries.

And so the little girl broke down, fell to her knees, tears merged out from her eyes, crying her heart out, pouring out all the suffering and agony she buried for a very long time.

Aaron moved, approaching the spirit and pulling her into an embrace.

"It has been a hard journey, isn't it?" He whispered, voice soft and gentle.

That simple question made her entire body shudder, and words somehow began to spew out from her trembling lips.

"It's hard, in fact."

The time she spent sitting in front of the door, clutching a blank book.

"Betty… Betty is all alone!"

The time she spent all alone, waiting for a person to come and release her from the burden.

"Betty has no one! No one, in fact!"

The loneliness that swallows her, the sheer of quietness that echoes in the library save for her own breathing noise.

"Roswaal died! He died, not even giving any parting words! He just left me behind! He doesn't even talk to me in the library! All the time we spent together! Nothing!"

He claims that he loves her face, and yet he didn't say anything, he just sat there, in the library, reading one book after another, solely focusing only on his research.

Even in his dying breath, he didn't even try to call or say anything, leaving her behind just like that.

"And Bubby doesn't even remember her. He doesn't remember Mother, he doesn't even remember Toska! He left me all alone as well!"

Her big brother left her first, he wasn't even there when Mother needed him nor he was there when she made her pact, and when he finally returned… he didn't even remember.

Everyone left her behind, leaving her in this suffocating silence that drowns her for 400 years. Time has not been kind to her as it took everything from her.

"It was suffocating. It was so tiring. It was so painful."

Every time the door was pushed open, every time someone came in, her expectations rose.

Had That Person finally arrived?

But her hopes were always dashed. These visitors knew nothing of That Person's duty, nor did the Gospel left to her by Mother indicate any of them was That Person.

And this keeps going for centuries.

"Betty is always waiting, always expecting but… but… nothing! No one! Not a single soul! For 400 years!"

It was too much. The despair and overwhelming silence that isolated her were too enormous. For 400 years, she barely had a conversation let alone interaction with people, she was left alone and alone. No one responded or answered her lamentation and plea for help.

"Betty wants to die! I want to die! But I can't! I can't! I can't! I can't die! The contract… the last wish of Mother…"

Even the mercy of death was taken away from her, for the Contract made by her Mother bound her, the World doesn't allow her to pass on for she has vowed in very first place.

So she can't do anything but suffer, she can't do anything but to endure, to just stand still… and to hope, hope was all the only things she had. Hope that everything will be fine, everything she has gone through has a purpose and meaning, and her Mother has a plan for her.

"I was afraid! I was so afraid! Did I do something wrong? Would it never be over? Would this confinement have no end? Would Betty be trapped in this library forever?"

And yet time erodes that hope into despair.

"Did Mother actually abandon me? Did I make her mad somehow? Was it something I said? Was it because I didn't offer everything I had? Was it because I didn't try hard enough?"

For what's this suffering if not a punishment? An abandonment? For Beatrice knew her Mother, she will never give an instruction that's incomplete, she was just that great after all, the Witch that for all her infamous reputation but also called as a being of wisdom.

"If it is true then Betty is sorry! I am sorry! Please forgive me! I am so sorry! Please! Mother, forgive me! I will do anything but please! Please don't leave me alone like this! Please! Please! I want someone! Anyone!"

And so the blank book and no more instruction that left her in that small place for 400 years perhaps can be interpreted as a form of damnation for her, an eternal prison.

"I know."

A gentle and soft hand caressed her hair, prompting her to tilt her face up and find a gentle and benevolent smile shine upon her.

"I know of your struggle, of your plea but knowing is all I do."

A finger brushed her eyes, wiping the streaming tears, a pair of green orbs glimmering with unshed tears looked down on her.

For a brief moment, in Beatrice's eyes, the boy's appearance was replaced by a white haired beauty possessing kind and tender black eyes, one that she is familiar with.

It was a figure that she cherished the most in her whole life.

"It has been 400 years. I cannot fathom the pain you bear, but as someone who knows, I'd love to if you share your tale with me." He spoke tenderly. "After all, I've been trying to get to know you since my first day here."

And for the first time, ever since 400 years, a single ray of light is shed into a dark cage that isolates Beatrice.

They spoke for hours, bit by bit, Beatrice cried out her heart, her lamentation, her despair, her tales. Of how the contract started, of how she was feeling at that time, of how she spent her time in the library by herself.

And Aaron listened, nodding and making a small commentary in between, asking for clarification, paraphrasing her statement, or reflecting her feelings.

They started around noon, and now the sun has set, the blue sky turned dark, and stars showing themselves above the roof.

"You have been through so much, huh?"

In the end, that is the only thing Aaron can say.

The shorter blonde didn't reply, she was only quiet while looking down on the table.

"I know you left the majority of it and only spoke what you feel the most, but still, I can tell just by that fragment you really have endured so much."

To speak about 400 years of suffering in the spawn of a day would be impossible, it will take weeks or months and perhaps a year even at minimum.

"Betty has, in fact." Beatrice spoke in a low and solemn voice. "Betty has endured for a very long time."

"And you did a good job." Aaron commented with a nod. "Very good job, to be honest, I don't think I would be able to go through what you did and remain sane."

Beatrice glanced at him stoically, after a moment the edge of her lips curled up a bit. "Betty is just that great, I suppose." She remarked.

Judging by how her eyes widened and how she quickly looked down, that was unintentional but nonetheless, he praised her for it.

"That you are, as expected of you." He chuckled. The girl before him deserves compliments at least. "But be happy, Beatrice, your contract ends today, I am here after all."

"… you meet the requirements, you are Descendant of the Great Dragon, meaning you are bound to live a very long time, in fact. You also are powerful and have some intelligence, and Mother has spoken highly about you before your arrival."

'Requirements?' Aaron tilted his head. Something to investigate later, for now, another thing has piques his interest. "She did? Didn't Puck say…"

Beatrice shook her head, waving her hair. "Bubby's memory about Mother is partially restored, but not everything it seems, and he also didn't spend time as long as Betty has with Mother." She gave him a look. "Betty thought you knew about this."

"We already established that my vision is limited, very. It's like I said, I only know them, not understand. Those two are different matters." He leaned in his seat. "To be honest, I didn't even know I would be summoned to this World, I thought it would be…"

Natsuki Subaru, but let alone the boy, it was him, and he was summoned in a body that was not even his.

"But you are Betty's "They", not whoever you think of." She insisted with a frown. "Your vision doesn't sound very dependable."

"No, it is not. Rather than vision, I prefer to call it knowledge, I have yet to receive anything like the Hakugei's battle after all." And hopefully never, because to get said "vision" he has to die first. "Besides, the future is a fickle thing, did you know about the Butterfly Effect, Beatrice?"

Beatrice's eyes widened. "Yes, that is one of the many things that Mother shares with Betty privately." No one should know about it and yet, the man in front of her does. "That is one of her most favorite theories."

"She did? Well, given how she loves to learn new things then that just makes sense." He chuckled. "It is something like that. You can't predict how the future would be with 100% accuracy. Admittedly, it would be fun and good if things went according to your plan but… a little chaos sometimes could be fun too." He said wistfully. Strict order is not his taste after all.

"You…" Beatrice's eyes widened a bit. That was… that was almost exactly what Mother said as well in the past. "You are really that person." She mumbled.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, in fact." Beatrice shakes her head. "In any case, Betty's Contract is over, this library, the knowledge that Echidna, Witch of Greed, has gathered is yours now."

Aaron craned his head, taking a view of the whole library. "Well, I don't know where to start, this whole thing is big after all." He mused.

He will spend his time here for sure in the near future, tomorrow even, looking for things that possibly could help him to go home or investigate what the hell happened 400 years ago.

'And I also have to start practicing magic, or at least how to create stuff. I haven't got a chance to meditate or even tried to use even a single Caster's ability.' He mused, even now he is still in Caster's form instead of Saber.

He hasn't changed it yet and sees no reason why given he could do it anytime if he wished to but there would be a cooldown after changing class, so might as well use one that he wants to test first.

"I will need to have them all stored somewhere." Aaron commented thoughtfully. "I mean, I can't exactly bring this library anywhere."

"You intend to move this whole place?"

"I am not leaving it here so openly. You won't handle the security anymore after all, so the only choice is to take everything out. Knowledge is a good thing but too much will bring a disaster, especially in the wrong hands."

"… Betty can help you with that, I suppose." Beatrice offered. "We can make some kind of space pocket that is only accessible to you."

"That option crossed my mind but is that even possible? I mean, a bag or something like that is doable but the entire library?"

"It is possible with you. The amount of mana that should be used would be a lot and cost almost as much as casting a spell a hundred times but that won't be a problem for you."

"Casting a spell a hundred times? That sounds even too much with the reserves I have."

"You…" Beatrice gives him another look, her blue eyes vividly studying his posture. "You are really not aware of the uniqueness you have, huh?"

"Excuse me?"

"Hmph, even if you are Betty's that person, you are still in need of guidance, in fact." Beatrice sighed. "Listen, the mana you have, it is unlike any that this World has ever seen, in fact. The density and the power behind them are more potent than your usual mana." She makes a pondering expression. "In fact, Betty believes, we will need a new term for your energy power."

Aaron stared at the small spirit.

"Are you telling me that… Let me put it in an analogy, if mana is in liquid form then the normal one would be a watered sugar while mine is a syrup?"

"That's… a weird term but in general, yes, it is something like that, I suppose."

That… that was not a thing in Nasuverse as far he recalled, that sounds like some kind of random fanon bullshit that exists in shitty Harry Potter/Fate crossover! How is that even Work?! It's almost like this World has lower gravity or something like that in a sense!

'This explains Ram's and her reaction…' He mused as he recalled just how a drop of his mana sent them overdrive, he thought it was only the quantity, never thought it was the quality as well. He will need to have this confirmed later but for now. "So… what do I need to have these," He gestured to everything around them. "Stored and bound to me?"

"We need a pyroxene crystal."

"I will order one immediately." It will be easy with the political power and authority he has. "What else? Creating a Magic Circle to mark this entire place?"

"Normally yes, I suppose, but this library already has one and Betty is in control of it. We need to rearrange the circle to create actual space instead of borrowing like this one has."

"Create actual space… is that even possible?"

"With enough mana? Yes." Beatrice answered.

"Can't we just have this whole place sealed and then only can be accessed anywhere and anytime via the crystal instead of having to create a new space from zero?"

"That… is not impossible, I suppose. A bond between a sealed space to the crystal, that sounds simpler, in fact."

Indeed, a connection between two locations that attuned by the crystal. They only need to seal this room permanently and have access only via the crystal he will carry anywhere. It still will use this place as the space foundation, however, so it won't make the formula and inscription to be very complicated.

"That's great then, let's do that." Aaron said.

Beatrice nodded. "There will be a ritual and inscription that needs to be done, and you need to learn that spell first as well so you can access the isolated dimension. Betty can teach you or…"

She fell silent suddenly, prompting the man to turn to her. He was also quiet, only giving her an inquiring look. But after a moment he realized the small girl won't speak, probably too caught in her own stupor, so he did.

"Beatrice, while I am very happy you are so willing to help me, may I know the reason why?" He asked.

"Because this will be Betty's last job. Handing you the library is part of the contract and Betty wants to make sure everything is the best for you, for my last duty."

"But?"

"… there's no but, in fact."

"Betty…"

"Don't use that nickname! Only Bubby can!"

'Welp, I am using this, Subaru.' He thought. "Alright… Beako then?"

"… hmph!"

He smiled at the way the spirit pouted. "Beako, you are wondering what you plan to do after this, don't you?"

She twitched, once. "How do you know?"

"It is a simple thing." He smiled. It was actually very obvious, for someone who already wasted their whole life and suddenly achieved what they wanted, they will seek a new purpose immediately. Either that or…

"… I don't know." Beatrice whispered softly. "Betty… just tired. I want to rest." She exclaimed in a sad and low voice.

Or seek death.

"Then feel free to do so." Aaron replied in a calming voice. "And after that, make sure you enjoy yourself properly."

She blinked. "Enjoy yourself properly?" She repeated.

"Yes." He nodded. "After all, if I were in your position, I would go out and enjoy everything this World has to offer after spending my whole life in this cramped place." He gestured to everything around them. "Food, picking on people, asking to be pampered," He made a list while raising his fingers with each word. "Massages, trying new stuff, experimenting and researching new things, and so much more. I have 400 years of payback, after all."

Beatrice stared at the young man before her, face unreadable. "To travel around the World, while it sounds entertaining but it is not that easy, in fact."

"Indeed, to travel around the World and enjoy yourself to the fullest you will need money, authority, and a lot of things."

"And you happen to have them, I suppose?"

"Well, you are in the Dragon Kingdom, and I happen to be a descendant of said Dragon, my name and voice carry heavy weight in this nation."

"So you want Betty to work under you?"

"I'd love to but no, really, no. What I want is for you to truly enjoy your new path to the fullest." Aaron closed his eyes and sagged in his seat. "Beako, I already consider you as a friend, and I would love to see nothing but you being happy. You deserve that much after all for upholding your duty."

"… will you put me first, above everything else?"

"No." He denied it instantly. "No one in this World is my first, and I can't make an exception." He said. He can't promise that to anyone in this World, the meaning of "promise" perhaps is not so powerful for him but that is one of the things he wouldn't even try to make a joke of. "However, I can promise you this, Beako, no, Beatrice."

He stood and extended his hand down to her, expression benevolent like always.

"I can promise that you will never be lonely, if I died or left you behind, there will always be another contractor that would love and pamper you in my place, there will always be another duty for you that won't bound you back to your isolation, and there will always be a joyful moment in your life, small they are perhaps but they will always exist."

It was not a lie yet it was nothing but a sweet surface, a tip of the iceberg. For what he offered is actually not growth or something grand but simply love and affection, one that is almost similar to how a woman loves her kitten.

It was not salvation but a drug, a way to escape, a way just to lament her problem, a transient shelter.

Perhaps… Perhaps he could have done better from the beginning, starting things with pure honesty and not manipulation but… he is not someone like that.

'I am not you, Natsuki Subaru, if you were here, perhaps you would have picked differently.'

The Japanese teen is a good boy, one that would give honesty instead of lies. One that would be willing to accept and push the people around him forward, saving them, and walk alongside them with a smile.

But him?

"Betty… Betty will take that contract." Beatrice spoke in a tentative, soft and hopeful voice, taking his hand, intertwining their fingers together.

Aaron is a man who accepts and collects them. He is a man who nurtures them even if the method is dishonest and filthy, and eventually will leave them behind, a fleeting figure that is not unlike a dream.

He smiled and grasped her hand gently. "Call me Aaron, Beako, and I will gladly have you on my side. Let's talk about our contract then." He replied. 'I am sorry, Beako, let's hope this won't end in tragedy. After all, the road to hell is paved with a good intention.'

And dreams sometimes have to stay as dreams, no matter how beautiful they are.

"What a tiring day." Aaron grumbled as he dipped himself inside the bathtub, enjoying the hot water. Today he did nothing but talk but it was so exhausting.

It makes him wonder why. He was busier in the Capital than in this mansion yet he never once felt so… tired like this in the castle.

Not like it matters though, it is worth it. He manages to crack Emilia's faith on Roswaal, get more trust from Puck and now has Beatrice as his contracted spirit, today is a victory!

'This is like a dating game, alright, a dating game that mixed with Bloodborne or Dark Souls.' He thought with a sigh. Briefly he also wondered, that kind of analog, it has been a while since he thinks of that.

He soaked himself down, burying his head inside the hot water, allowing it to embrace him fully and-

-a cruel laughter, a fire that keep blazing even after nothing left to burn, cries of children and women resonated, scream of rage and despair echoes in the field, the sun blotted by-

He let out a garbled noise, his eyes snapped open immediately and he pushed his body upward, rising from the water with a choked voice.

He gasped, coughing, and panting heavily, desperately trying to flush out water that entered his lung and yet also to get oxygen as well.

It takes almost a minute for him to calm down, and the man now left kneeling on the ground and glare at the empty space before him.

'Fuck, can't I have at least one moment of peace without that?!'

That is something that occasionally happens recently. Sometimes, he… he remembers things. Sometimes, a scene flashing across his brain, so vivid and lucid that it almost felt like a reality for a brief moment.

And it was scary, so scary, almost comparable to standing in front of… that damned "Cthulhu" as a matter of fact.

He takes a deep breath, trying to calm himself, to blank his mind, to repress that scene, to just… banish it away. This is a practice that he has been doing whenever that moment came and so far, it works, not an easy feat to do but it works at least, it soothes him down and-

"Aaron-sama?" Rem's voice came out from behind the door. "Rem heard you're coughing, are you okay?"

"H-Huh? Rem?" He blinked, not expecting the oni to be there. "Yeah, I am fine, I just… imagining something and accidentally inhaling water in the tub because of it." He said, delivering incomplete truth smoothly as he breathed. "Why are you here?"

"Rem is Aaron-sama's personal maid, so of course it is just proper for Rem to accompany you anywhere."

"Not to the bathroom, woman." He deadpanned.

"Rem is not in the bathroom, Rem is in front of the bathroom."

"Talking technicality, aren't we?" He sighed. He is not in a mood for this. "Just… prepare my clothes and put it in there, I will go out in the next 5 minutes or so."

"Alright. Does Aaron-sama require assistance in clothing?"

"No." He answered flatly.

Somehow he can imagine the girl pouting behind that door but he paid no mind to her anymore and closed his eyes. He relaxed his muscles, stabilizing his breath, and after another minute, he can feel the effect as his mind now gets calmer.

'If this is in the middle of fighting, I would be dead.' He gritted his teeth in annoyance as he stood and went to the shower, rinsing himself once.

Just what are those images and scenes he saw? They weren't memories, he recognized none of them, a premonition perhaps?

He shudders just by imagining them, none of them are pretty, they show nothing but slaughter and despair, inhumane cruelty that would make Devil cackling in glee.

He stepped out from the shower and dried himself, wrapped his body in a towel and left the bathroom.

And came face to face with Rem.

"Rem," He blinked. "What are you doing here?"

"Rem is here to give Aaron-sama his clothes." She said with a smile while offering them to him.

"You do know you can just…" He trailed off and sigh. "Thank you, Rem." He took the clothes from her and she nodded happily.

"Your welcome, Aaron-sama. Can Rem get a pat on the head?"

'What are you? A dog?' He deadpanned but proceeded to do that nonetheless, patting the blue haired girl who beamed in response. "There, now, will you leave?"

"Yes, Rem shall be waiting outside then."

'No, no, you should go back to your room!' He thought as he watched the oni leaving but he would be lying if he said he didn't want that.

Company of a beautiful girl is always welcome after all, and he doesn't want to be alone for now after having that moment.

He dressed properly before going out of the room, hair still wet but dampened by a towel, he found the maid waiting for him like she said with a trolley in her arms.

"Rem wants to spend some time with Aaron-sama, can she?" She asked. "Rem also brought food."

"You brought a bribe." He corrected her wryly.

"Rem doesn't know what Aaron-sama said but she didn't hear any rejection, shall I take it as yes?"

"You know I won't say no." He sighed and shook his head. "Come on then. What did you make by the way?"

"Just a simple melted cheese and fried potatoes, one of the recipes that Aaron-sama gave."

A cheesy french fries, a midnight snack, that doesn't sound bad, he could use one and good company to end this day.

Both of them walked in silence, the bathroom isn't that far from his personal room and soon they reached it.

Putting down the towel on top of his head to a nearby basket, he sat on the bed and patted the mattress beside him.

"Sit, Rem, we can enjoy the treat together."

"Don't mind me then."

She smiled brightly and sat on his side… then proceeded to cuddle him, burying her face to his chest.

He felt his eyebrows twitching but didn't make any move to push her, instead, he patted her head gently.

"Not like I don't enjoy the treatment but… what is it? Do you also have something to talk about?"

The blue haired oni looked up and gave him a gentle and sympathetic smile. "Rem just thinks that Aaron-sama could use some relaxation today. Aaron-sama has been very active today, spending his time talking with Emilia-sama, Puck-sama, and Beatrice-sama. Rem can tell you were exhausted when about to enter the bath."

"True, but shouldn't you let me sleep instead of…"

"Rem thinks Aaron-sama could use some good company to help him relax."

"And it is you?"

In response she merely smiled, a small pink hue adorning her cheeks.

Aaron chuckled. "You don't need to be shy, Rem. You are worth that much."

The blue haired maid's face flushed further. "Aaron-sama… it is rude to read a maiden's heart and bluntly say it aloud like that." She chides him lightly.

"Maiden? Where? I don't see one."

She pouted at that and gave a light slap to his chest, making him let out another chuckle.

He picked one of the fries and popped it into his mouth. He relaxed his body and rested his chin on top of her head, allowing himself to be comforted by her, basking in the warmth she exudes and the love she gives.

He missed this. Not Rem in general but the affection. He isn't one that openly shows it but he is always affectionate towards his family, and they love him back too, especially his mother and little sister. To have them all taken away so suddenly and thrust into a World like this…

He missed a hug and love from his family and sister but he can't have them. This is the best thing he can get in this World.

This isn't healthy, he knew it, but what's more unhealthy is keeping it bottled up. So far he managed to stay neutral and keep everything on balance, maintaining himself properly.

But then he died, and not just death via assassination or battle but… died from driven insane, literally and metaphorically, and his control was broken.

He shudders, the memory was blurry yet also vivid, just imagining it sent a chill to his spine and he quickly banished that memory, he doesn't even want to think about it.

After his demise, part of him became desperate and fearful, the suffocating feeling when he was alone for a very long time without anyone he knew, the constant horrifying images that haunt him whenever he tries to relax like a moment ago.

And so here he is, still accepting affection from someone that loves him with all her heart despite how it possibly will result in nothing but tragedy in the end.

He didn't do this because he wanted to but because he feels it is necessary, he must have this, sense of comfort to keep him rooted in reality and not drown in paranoia.

'I should consider hiring a prostitute or something like that perhaps.' He sighed internally.

Accepting Rem's or his friends' affection like this doesn't feel right, not to mention it would be too personal for them, and Rem has a feeling for him. This will end up hurting her more in the end. A worker, however, would be another thing, the relationship would be strictly a business, not personal.

Admittedly he never interacts with them and he probably would be a nervous wreck if asked to spend time with them in that aspect but…

'Even if I wanted to – which I don't – that is not an option anymore, I have a PR to maintain now.' He grimaced at the idea of the public finding out their "Demigod" frolicking with prostitutes or whores.

He needs to find solutions for this, soon. Not for his friends but mainly for himself as well.

'Is there even a comfort woman or something like that in here, I wonder?'

Rem feels them of course, the way he shudders under her embrace, the way his breathing becomes out of rhythm for a brief moment, and the way his muscles clench.

"Aaron-sama, are you okay?" She asked, there was a concern in her voice as she looked up at him.

"I… no." Aaron admitted with a sigh. "I am just tired…"

"From today?"

"Yes but… I think this has been a problem for quite some time, what occurred today is just the trigger."

The talk about the Artifacts, the conversation about Roswaal with Emilia, the revelation with Puck and Beatrice, and the contact he made with the latter.

It's just… it seems like he has gone through so much while in reality, he didn't even go through half of the shit that Subaru faces.

But Subaru never faces the equivalent of Evil God and gets mindfucked, literally and metaphorically.

And it scares him, it makes him afraid of what will come, of what it will do to him. He already crossed one line, he doesn't want to cross another if possible but he knew that is very unlikely given the circumstance.

Because according to his calculations, unlike Subaru's case which is ranging only to a single group, village, or even a city if a problem comes, his would be the entire World.

"Aaron-sama is scared." Rem said aloud what was inside his mind.

"I am." He admitted.

"Of the future?"

"Yes. So many enemies, so many unknowns, my vision tells me only fragments of it but…"

But it was already too much, too big.

She tilted her head. "Aaron-sama, pardon Rem but… this isn't like you."

He blinked. "Huh?"

"Aaron-sama, Rem doesn't understand the burden you carry, or what you see through your future vision but Rem knows this, Aaron-sama knowing things cannot be bad, because it means you will have a plan for them."

"Obviously, problems should be nipped while they are in the bud after all."

"Yes, but things can always go wrong, can't they? And that is what Aaron-sama is afraid of, right?"

Aaron closed his eyes and nodded stiffly. "Correct." He whispered.

Then Rem smiled. "But things also can go right just as you planned, correct?"

"That…"

"Fearing of failure is something that is normal, Rem thinks even the Great Dragon is like that." As someone who is afraid to fail her sister and everyone's expectations, she knows how suffocating, how despairing, and how scary they could be. "But didn't Aaron-sama say this to Rem?"

She recalled the scene, the night where he broke her out from that fiery night.

"The world will always be cruel, we all have to find the strength to move on. Push it back. Stand on your feet, look to the front, and shove it back." She recited the words as if they were spoken just a moment ago. "Do not hesitate, do not waste your youth, move forward. Embrace every day with a smile, because right now your life is beautiful." She finished.

It was a mantra for her, it was those words that saved her from the darkness, from that fateful fiery night, and now those words are used to him, to someone who has thawed her frozen heart, to save him as well.

'To move forward, embrace every day with a smile, and push the World back. That was very easy to say but…'

But the deed was not easy, it wasn't, it never was, he knew this but…

'But it's not like I have any choice anyway.' He sighed, tired and exhausted mentally but he had no choice and Rem is correct as well. Do not hesitate, move forward, that is what humans should do in face of opposition.

And…

"Hope is what makes people strong. It is the reason why people band together. It is what people fighting for, and it is what they fight with when all else is lost."

Tear's words echoed inside his mind and he smiled. Hope. Yeah, Hope for the best, always Hope things will be better. It is what people fight for when all else is lost.

He briefly thinks about the red haired woman but he dismisses it immediately, he is not with her right now. He maybe doesn't harbor romantic feelings with Rem but for the affection she gave to him, the least he could do is to be polite and respect her, and thinking of another girl during intimate time like this is rudeness on another level.

He looked down to the blue haired girl in his lap and gave her an exasperated sigh.

"You are a very handful maid, aren't you?"

"Yes, Rem is Aaron-sama's personal maid after all." She answered easily.

"Hey, hey, what's with that answer? Are you implying I'm some kind of bad boss or something?"

"Nonsense, Aaron-sama is an amazing being, both in good and bad qualities."

"Insulting and complimenting at the same time, you seem to pick the bad side of me, that is unhealthy."

"Impossible, all Aaron-sama's traits are worthy to be assimilated, even the bad ones!"

The blond decided he had enough and pinched the oni's cheeks, hard, eliciting yelp from her.

"I know you intend to praise me but really, since when does this mouth become so sharp tongued, eh? Where's my adorable and cute Rem gone?" He teased her with a grin.

The blue haired girl flail wildly under his grasp "Awawawaw, pwueaswe whet Rwem gwo, Aawrwon-swama! Forwgwive Rwem!" She pleaded.

He snorted and decided to caress her cheeks with his thumbs a bit longer before letting her go. The poor girl immediately clutched her red, stinging cheeks.

"To be abused like this, while Rem doesn't mind Aaron-sama being forceful but it's not this kind of forceful." She huffed.

"Hmm, what is that? You want more?"

She quickly shook her head. The pain she gets from that is different from what she has in her mind.

Aaron smiled and softly brushed her bang, then he leaned forward and placed a chaste kiss on her forehead.

"Thank you, Rem." He whispered as he buried his face in her hair, inhaling her scent. What she just said to him, to be honest, it doesn't help much, really, but it gives him a start at least, and he appreciates it.

Rem's face flushed red – this time from embarrassment and affection – and she smiled brightly, nuzzling his neck lovingly.

"Anytime, Aaron-sama." She replied affectionately, basking in the warmth of the man she loved.

She feels so blessed right now, she feels so happy and joyful, to not just be able to help her hero but also share moments like this with him.

Even if she knew one day that this warmth will be gone but the present is what is truly important, and in this present, Rem can confidently say that she is the happiest woman in the World.

"To display such affection so blatantly, you both are really shameless, I suppose."

Rem let out a squeak and jumped from her beloved's lap, she hastily turned into the entrance and found a certain small spirit there with a blank and unamused face.

"B-Beatrice-sama!" She quickly stood and fixed her posture, giving a small bow to the spirit.

"You should learn to knock, Beako." Aaron said dryly.

"Well, Betty didn't expect for you to spend your time pervertedly like that." She crossed her arms with a small pout. "Not after you spend time alone with Betty and promise her you will pamper her."

"If you put it in that way, I guess, I am not blameless in this." He replied in a sheepish voice. "Sorry."

"Hmph! As you should be!" She declared haughtily. "Leave Maid, it is Betty's turn to be pampered by her Contractor."

Rem blinked once, twice. "Contractor?" She turned to Aaron who nodded.

"I plan to make the official announcement tomorrow, but yes, I am Beako's Contractor now." He said with a smile. "And now I have to pamper her every night whenever she wants to."

"N-Not every night, of course, Betty doesn't want to trouble her contractor if he is busy." Beatrice said in a low voice while tilting her gaze away.

"Yes, yes, O Great Spirit of Shadow, I understand, now come here." He makes a gesture with one hand while smiling. He briefly turned to Rem. "Sorry, Rem, it seems I can't spend any more time with you tonight."

"Rem… understand."

Despite saying that her face turned into a pout. 'So Beatrice-sama will spend every night with Aaron-sama from now on?' That's not fair! Now her time with him will decrease more!

And to prove her point, the spirit walked to him and then shamelessly hopped into his lap! The lap that she just sat on a moment ago!

Aaron laughed and gently brushed her hair. "I always wanted to do this, you know? You have soft hair."

"Naturally, Betty is the best after all." Beatrice said proudly.

Rem pout deepens and she gives a glare to the duo. "Rem will not lose!" She declared.

Aaron gives her a flabbergasted look. "Lose? In what? Is this even a competition?"

Beatrice meanwhile smirked and crossed her arms, reveling in her contractor's presence. "Hmph, you are welcome to challenge Betty anytime, maid." She declared pompously.

Blue eyes glaring at each other, one has butterfly shaped pupils while the other has slits, sparks blooming in between them.

And so mark the day where a new rivalry is born, for the blue oni has met her match in the form of a great spirit.

"Die."

Ice blooms across the field.

She stared.

"Die."

Ice blooms across the field.

She stared.

"Die!"

Ice exploded, and what was once a green and lustrous field turned white.

And she stared.

"Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! DIEEEEEEEEEE!"

The kid screamed and glacial spread to the entire forest and land, spikes of ice blooming like a stake and ravaging everything, nothing is safe from the wrathful ice.

It was ice that was born through hatred and despair, ice that held no salvation nor consideration, a cold abyss that swallowed and froze everything.

And yet…

"This is truly unfortunate."

A melodious voice echoed among the frozen land.

"Die!"

As soon she spoke, her entire beautiful figure was encased by the ice and shattered into pieces.

And then she appears again.

"Calm down, your anger while not misplaced-"

"Die!"

Ice flowers bloomed from her chest, painting everything in the vicinity with red and gore.

And then she appears again.

"But it is not beneficial for yourself. We can talk this over and-"

"Die!"

A pair of ice pillars rose from the frozen land and crushed her entire frame, painting them with a color of blood.

And then she appears again.

WHY WON'T YOU DIE?!

"What a problem. It seems to be having the opposite effect."

"Die!"

JUST DIE ALREADY! LEAVE ME ALONE!

"Unfortunately for you, I will not die." She spoke, still in a soft and melodic voice. "However, perhaps, we should talk after you calm down." She mused as she stared at their surroundings. "You freeze everything, the land, the people, you will fall into a deep slumber at this rate."

"Die! Die! Die! Die! DIE!"

"I hope in our reunion you won't be so mad at me like this, it will make me feel a bit lonely, we are kindred after all. Very well, daughter of the Witch."

She watched from the beginning till the end. Of how happy she was. Of how joyful her life was. Of how loved she was. Of how everything was taken away in a single day.

Of how she freezes everyone.

"And so from now on, Betty is contracted to Aaron, I suppose." Beatrice declared aloud while sitting in his lap.

It was breakfast time, everyone except for Roswaal who is on a trip is present, Emilia and Puck on the other side of the table, and the oni sisters stood in the corner.

"Congratulations, Betty." Puck is the first one that responded to the announcement, his voice is jovial and happy. "You finally found your contractor!" He said, very happy for his sister who finally found someone that could help her after 400 years. He gives a look to Aaron who is patting her. "Treat my sister right, Aaron. I will make you into an ice statue if you do her wrong."

"I don't think anybody in here will like it if you do that but fear not, I will be as good as I can with Beako." Aaron replied to his threat easily.

"We shall see, young man, we shall see."

"Well, since I already have your little sister, should I take your daughter's hands as well?"

"Ha?! As if I would allow such a thing!" Puck floated high and looked down on him. "Lia is too good for someone like you! Even if you are Volcanica himself, I still won't hand her over to you!"

"Hoo, that is quite a big standard for a cat."

"Hey, hey, I just happen to look like a cat! Not actually a cat!"

"So says the cat spirit." He said with a sagely nod.

Puck's right ear twitched, once, and then he threw an ice rock at him.

Aaron easily swatted it away with a smile.

Then he threw another one.

Aaron moved to block it again, but it melted and turned into water before he touched it, splashing his face wet.

"Hahahahaha!" Puck laughed while pointing at him.

"Bubby!" Beatrice yelled, hair wet since she is currently on Aaron's lap.

Aaron immediately picks up some napkins and starts to wipe her hair.

"Whoops! Sorry, Betty!" Puck apologized instantly.

"Me too, I am sorry Beako, for failing to protect you." He apologized, then he gave the small cat a disappointed look. "To throw water at your little sister, for a shame, brother, for a shame."

"Don't call me that! This is your fault to begin with!"

"I am not the one that starts throwing things, Onii-san."

"Gergh! Don't say that! You make my entire fur itchy! Lia! Help me rein this vulgar man here!"

"Vulgar? Really? Now you lost, you asked for someone's help? And that someone is your daughter to boot? For a shame, Onii-san."

"Gyaaa!"

"Enough!" Beatrice chimed in with twitching eyebrows. "Aaron, stop bullying Bubby. And Bubby, Aaron is just trying to say he loves you."

"That I am." Aaron said happily.

Beatrice slapped his chest, hard. "Don't get too cocky, I suppose "

"Omph! Sorry! Sorry!" He chuckled. "Sorry Beako, but I can't resist gloating a bit, especially since I have you now."

The blonde haired spirit flushed and puffed her chest a bit. "Of course, Betty is the best spirit you ever met, you will achieve greatness with me by your side!"

Aaron grinned and buried his face to her hair, eliciting a squeak from her. "Gosh, you are so cute! As expected of Beako!" He always hesitates to do this to her but now they are contracted and Beatrice also seems to be not so covert about wanting to be spoiled, he didn't see the reason why he should either.

"H-Hmph! N-Naturally! Kya! Aaron, that tickle! Stop this behavior, in fact!" Beatrice slapped him repeatedly on the arms.

The display of affection and close relationships made Puck smile, happy that Beatrice can open herself to another person. Rem meanwhile glaring with a small pout and Ram… wasn't there.

"Alright, alright. In all seriousness though, Puck, you…" He stopped when notice the half elf didn't say anything and was only silent from the beginning, even when Puck asked for her "assistance" moment ago. "Emi?" He called.

The silver haired girl blinked, her dazed expression banished and she shook her head. "Oh? Yes, yes! Congratulations, Beatrice, Aaron!" She congrats them with a smile. "I am happy that we both are Spirit Arts users now!"

"I… suppose?" He narrowed his eyes on her. "Emi, are you okay?"

"What? Me? Of course I am okay! I am… not." She let out a sigh when noticing the look he gave to her. No way she will be able to lie to him, she wasn't that stupid anymore. "I just have trouble sleeping, Aaron, this has been happening in the last few days."

"Trouble sleeping? Why?"

Emilia's lips pursed into a thin line. She seems to be in deep thought. "No, it is nothing." She told him. "I mean, nothing that I can't handle." She added hastily when noticing the man's narrowed eyes. "Aaron, this is… I have a guess of what it is, and honestly, I want to consult with you but this is private, this is a matter that I have to set on my own."

'A private matter that she wants to set by herself?' Curious, very curious. "Alright, if you say so then, I won't pry but do know I will be available if you need help, okay?"

One of his weird terms but she knew what it meant and Emilia nodded nonetheless. "Okay." She repeated.

"Good, then, eat your food now and take a short nap after this." Aaron ordered.

"What? But this is still morning! And I have a-"

"Emi, you are barely able to focus now. If you are going to study or do something in this condition, it won't stick inside your head, so take a small rest."

"Aaron is right, Lia." Puck agreed with him. "You don't need to take a long sleep, an hour or so will be fine."

"Indeed, and remember, we have a big event this weekend, we have to welcome the King of Gusteko, so you have to be in proper condition."

"I… guess." She agreed reluctantly at the mention of the big event that will come soon. "Yeah, I will take extra rest after this then."

"Good." Aaron nodded. "You also have a meeting with some nobles here in the next two days, right?"

"Yes. Do you remember Rohan Historia, Aaron?"

Aaron digs his brain to search for the name. "He was with us in the fight against Hakugei, correct?"

"Uhn." Emilia nodded. "His son and daughter want to meet me, something about opening trade for bokko fruits and magic stones mine we have."

"Ah, I see." He nodded back. "I will accompany you then."

"What? No, there's no need for that, I can handle the negotiation by myself." She needs to do this by herself so she can grow and get experience, if Aaron helps her then what's the point?

"I know you can but my presence there is necessary to show that I am backing your camp."

"That…" is a valid point actually. Emilia frowned a bit. It was actually a necessity, to show solidarity between them but… 'I want to try to do this by myself first.' The negotiation without a doubt will go in her favor immediately with Aaron's presence and while technically she knows she has to use that, taking advantage of his support, but she also wants to learn by herself, not like this.

Aaron is aware of what is in her mind and decides to give another suggestion. "How about I didn't come out until the meeting ended then?" He offered. "That way, we can leave a good impression while you also get to negotiate by yourself."

"Really?" She beamed but she quickly schooled her expression. "I mean, are you sure this is wise?"

"Yes, but do be careful and don't get tricked, alright?" He warned her. 'Besides, Puck will be there with you and he will tell me how the entire thing goes in the end.' If there's one of few things both of them agreed on, it is Emilia's safety and well-being.

"I will do my best, thank you, Aaron!" Emilia said sincerely.

"Your welcome, Emi." Aaron replied softly. "Now-"

"Aaron-sama." Ram's voice chimed in, making him turn to her direction, to see she just reentered the room. "There's a messenger from one of the Royal Candidates."

"One of the candidates?" Aaron blinked, of all things he expected to happen today, that was not it. His eyes narrowed a bit, there's an agreement that they should've sent a letter or something first a few days before the meeting if one of the candidates wants to meet him yet, now one just blatantly disregards that rule. 'Is it Priscilla?' If yes then he will throw this messenger to the forest, literally, etiquette be damned.

"Who is it?" Emilia asked, finding herself curious.

Ram's lips thinned slightly.

"It is the Sword Saint, Reinhard van Astrea of Felt-sama's Camp."

This came out faster than I expected, for some reason I was in the mood to write, ha. I guess you people's review brought back that old fire

(Chuckles)

Unfortunately, the next update will be guaranteed to be quite long before coming out, two weeks at minim or a month, or months. I will be busy starting from April after all.

On another note, before we talk about this chapter, let's answer the questions first! There are only two though but one of them is… boooy, it is a long one.

enumeaelish666: What if you make an omake of when Rem tells Emilia how babies are made in detail? I think it would be very funny. Another question I have is what would Satella do if Aaron began to transform into his alter state? kill him to prevent him from transforming into the black dragon

Writing Rem tells Emilia about the baby is too embarrassing even for me! I already tried and it ended up with me covering my face from embarrassment!

As for what Satella would do… well, she won't kill him for sure, she loves him but she also doesn't want him to transform, because if he did then everything would be for naught.

I leave the implication of that answer to your imagination.

Now onto the next one and… oh boy, it was very long alright, lemme answer it per part instead of everything as whole.

SasugaRezero(no account): hi, I am a new reader here, and I spent two days reading the whole story.

Hello and welcome! Thank you for reading this story and bullrushing it! I hope it didn't disappoint you though!

First of all, I want to say, wow, you aren't kidding, your grammar sucks, really, just like how your penname described. At least it wasn't that bad anymore, I have read your recent edit and ehhh, I will give it 6 out of 10, it is readable at least. You could use more vocabulary though. I suggest using thesaurus. A lot of words exist on that site, which is very useful.

Ah yes, thank you, this means quite a lot to me, I will check that site in the future.

Second, booy, I have so many things to say. The characters' development, the structure, the battle scene, the motherfucking Cthulhu's moment that is so random. I can see how Aaron pushes them all bit by bit, the feeling on Rem and Emilia also handled very well given their situation. I can tell that you will make Emilia in love with her, and all the Candidates too, and judging by the teasing with Ram, probably her too.

I am into a harem story but not just stupid harem where there's no development about them. So far you are doing great in that regard (Emilia, Rem, and Ram too) but Anastasia's moment seems to be a bit forced? I can tell you barely did a thing with Crusch and Priscilla and it is actually IC of them but boooy, Anastasia really went wild eh? I hope you will have her route developed properly in the future.

Well yeah, actually, this is a harem story but I am still considering how it would end regarding the pairing. As for the development you mentioned, I am sure I did at least decent development for Emilia and Rem. Priscilla and Crusch have no moments or something like that because they don't have very feelings for him, well maybe Priscilla wants him as her pet or attendant or something like that but hey, this is Priscilla, enough said.

Anastasia is actually not rushed, well maybe a little bit, but if you noticed it, she is actually the second candidate that interacts with Aaron the most, mainly because she is the one that is actively seeking for him. Priscilla was avoided directly by Aaron, Crusch was avoiding him, and Felt was very busy in her study – she was from the slum and the newest candidate, and she had a lot to catch up on. It is because he is a huge profit in Anastasia's eyes. And I did write Anastasia as someone that is a bit… eccentric or unhinged, in a way in this fanfic. Not like Shiro but has her own obsession with Greed.

Normally she wouldn't feel that strong to Aaron, let alone try to kiss him. However, Excalibur's light… did it job, I suppose, and it made her feel content, something that she wished for quite some time.

Originally her mind goes like this: Aaron Pendragon = Kingmaker = Profit = Must Get

In her mind it immediately goes like this after Excalibur: Aaron Pendragon is able to make her feel immense joy that she never felt anymore for a very long time, so IF she truly gets him then she will be able to feel more joy, moreover she has to thanks him in a way but she doesn't know what to give to a man that can have anything if he wished for and hey! It was aligned, she will take him for real then! Both in heart and body! She is a greedy gal after all!

You also seem going to include OC, that Tear girl, I think? Yeah, given how you draw her, you definitely seem going to include her but… is it just me or does she look familiar? Very familiar in fact. I put the Astella word in GT and checking several languages, it came out as "Star" in Latin. And you know who else has "Star" as their last name?

Motherfucking Astrea Family.

Is Tear by any chance related to the Astrea family or is it just coincidence? I mean, she has red hair and blue eyes, albeit you described them as darker in colors so…

… what the fuck? No, seriously, what the fuck? I don't even… was it too obvious? No, I'm pretty sure I hid it pretty well. Scary, my fan can be scary. No comment about this, it will be spoiling but yeah, in a way, she is related to the Astrea Family.

Third, I like how you also develop Aaron's character, it was… actually, among the others I found he is the least developed. Compare to Emilia who now show maturity and sharpness – and trying to understand her feeling, Rem who embrace her loves for him, Crusch who accepts Aaron as who she is, Wilhelm and Reinhard who started to repair their relationship (mind you the last three actually didn't shows up much), Aaron's development is small.

I don't see much of his development actually. No, it is more like he is developing, yes, he is getting smarter and wiser, he can act and read people better, he's about to change but then he stopped himself from changing. I dunno man, maybe I just read into it too much.

No comment as well for this but I will acknowledge you got a few points nailed in here regarding his character. I didn't try to hide this one that much though so…

Fourth, the twist of Witch Gene's being a thing that came from the Star or Space. Holy shit, I didn't see that coming, not at all. Not expecting it in the slightest. I was thinking how you will play with them but you make them like a Type. That could explain how there are still Witch Gene's running amok even after 400 years or after they were killed. Are we going to see some kind of Evil Alien God in the future?

No, you guys won't see Evil Alien God in the future, I can assure you that.

Fifth, ReZero's World actually has a name or at least what equivalent to Gaia from Nasuverse, it is called Od Laguna. Admittedly this information only popped near the end of Arc 6, and judging from how old this story is, I think it wasn't being published yet when you wrote this.

Yeah, I just discovered Od Laguna existence recently. The last time I read ReZero when writing Kosmos and Gaia, I just found out about Louis's existence. Fear not, this actually fits with the plan that I have for Kosmos and Gaia, what a good coincidence!

Sixth, the Artifacts and Second Generation, I was admittedly shocked in disappointment when you just spawned Cthulhu out of nowhere. Like fuck man, that is not even a thing WoE will able to kill and there's almost no foreshadowing or something like that as well, it just came out of nowhere and feels very forced. But then come the next few chapters and the identity of the "Cthulhu" revealed and then you go doing the Excaliblast scene and I was like… fuck, I take it back! I take it back! It was epic! 10/10 for sure!

I receive a lot of bad reviews and cites about that one, yeah, perhaps it has to do with the sudden appearance of gargantuan Lovecraft Monster that would make Witch of Envy look like a joke. I want to explain more about the sudden appearance but this thing will be mentioned in the story later.

I will, however, remind you all this now.

Gaia never approved Aaron's goal, in fact, she would hinder it if it is possible.

And lastly… well, actually I still have so much to talk about, about Jormungandr, his class, and everything else but the review post seems to be full and I feel like just writing an essay so I will stop. Thank you for this nice story and I will wait for the next chapter! I will make an account in the future to follow your story!

Well, your review is actually an amalgamation of 33 chapters reviews so it wasn't a surprise for it to be this long. Nevertheless, I am thankful for your review, this has been one of the most satisfying commentaries I get. I like it when my reader asks questions or makes a theory like a discussion like this so I will be veeeery happy if my reader not just offers gratitude for an update but also actively investigates my story. Perhaps I should start a forum in the future? We do have one in FF don't we? Eh, I will just check it later.

In any case, now that the review section is finished. Let's go back to talk about this chapter. God that was a long one, I might skip or shorten it in the future.

In this chapter Aaron finally made a pact with Beatrice and "saved" her as well – if you can call that saving that is as the path he took is different from Subaru – and we also get a glimpse of his inner thought about his situation that has been set by Echidna! And moreover we now get the Ancient Library! A vast amount of knowledge that God's knows what is in there! This is a major boost to Aaron, the knowledge it has, you can bet he will use it in the future!

And we see how the trauma settles in, strange visions that occur occasionally, fear and worry about the future due to one massive clusterfuck.

In his defense, that one clusterfuck ended very horribly.

And a comforting moment with Rem! I have a small smile while writing this, how he accepted the affection but still very reluctant to bask in it yet our sweet oni still goes on for him, ah, sasuga Rem-rin, she is really a favorite for a reason eh?

Aaron, you should forget about going home and just build a family with this girl, or girls in your case :v

And Emilia's memory started to resurface properly, one by one, she only has memories of Fortuna and Geuse before but now? She is going to face the truth. We also get a glimpse of Pandora and how the event actually is a little different from what happened to canon! Yeah, this is the point where we will diverge from canon.

Not gonna lie, Pandora is hot and pretty, she is 10/10 my type too! Sadly we didn't get much of her character so I can't write her properly!

And finally, last but not least, a new rivalry is born. The Blue Oni finally found her match as well! The Great Spirit of Yin! I am reaaaally looking forward to writing about their "rivalry" in the future! Poor Aaron will have his hands full with them in the future.

Also lo behold, Reinhard van Astrea is here, out of nowhere, the Strongest decides to just pop in! So unexpected!

The next chapter will be the talk with the Sword Saint and a glimpse of how Beatrice and Aaron will spend their time together! Stay tuned and keep reading if you are curious about it! And don't forget to give this story a Favorite, Follow, and Review

Ja Ne! XD

P.S: Here, have another two omakes as an extra gift!

P.S.S: I have edited chapters 16 and 17, I add an extra scene when Aaron is in a coma after his fight with Petelgeuse that foreshadows some of the present chapters after the battle against Caster's Monster end.

Omake (Non Canon): Early Arrival, The Frozen Bond.

White snow. No matter how far his eyes see, there's nothing but a land of snow.

Which is actually absurd, he was pretty sure he wasn't in the open field let alone on an island that has a winter season!

He blinked, once, twice. Then he pinched his cheek and winced from the pain.

This… this is real

"Did… Did I just get isekai'ed?!" He screamed to the white land.

Of course, the land didn't say anything back in response.

It takes quite some time for him to stop panicking and run in circles like a chicken just losing its head.

After he calmed down, he made sure to check his situation properly.

First, he is in the body of Arthur Pendragon somehow.

Second, he has Excalibur, the Excalibur, yes!

Third, he still has his belongings! Or some of it at least, only one set of clothes, a book, his wallet, his phone, portable charger, emergency battery, and two bottles of water.

That… is not a very good start actually. Except for water and his clothes, nothing else is useful.

Alas he doesn't have much choice so he only can start to explore the area.

And he found nothing for the next 30 minutes, nothing but a vast white land that was coated by snow.

And something that looked like a signboard, he couldn't read it but he found more and more of them in his tracks.

"If I follow this, I will find someone! Probably."

A signboard is either a sign of a direction or a warning usually but he doesn't have much choice now, even if it is dangerous, he just has to be careful about it.

So he continues his journey.

And eventually ran into some kind of white horned gorilla-like monster that immediately assaulted him on sight.

Shockingly, he dealt with it pretty easily.

Not only was the creature very slow in his vision but it was… weak, very weak. A single punch from him to his chest brought it to the knee, coughing blood, and dead.

'No, it wasn't weak, I am just strong. I have truly become a Servant.'

He thought as he looked down at the corpse of the monster. When he lashed out on instinct, he felt something flow beneath his body, like a jolt of electricity but somehow it felt neutral. To use them, he just feels like he needs to extend a leg.

"That was Mana Burst? Assuming I am in Arthur's body, that means, yes but…"

He frowned and looked down at his attire.

"Why am I a Lily?!"

Indeed, instead of the majestic King of Knight Arthur Pendragon, he is somehow the Lily version! Young boy and garbed in what looked like a male version of Artoria Lily's armor.

He was pretty sure he cosplayed as the proper King of Knight so why did he end up like this?!

"Ignoring that, is this thing even Excalibur? Or is it Caliburn in Invisible Wind?" He muttered as he raised his sword again.

His feeling says it is Excalibur but logically, it couldn't be, right? It should be-

He heard a noise and quickly turned around, noticing there was a… cart? A yes, a cart not far from him!

People! Finally!

He wasted no time running to them, eager to finally meet someone.

His eyes twitched rapidly as he glared down at the downed group, all of them have at least broken bones judging by how their arms and legs bend in weird angles.

"Repeat after me. When someone asks, politely, in a friendly tone, dodging all your attacks and not trying to harm you for a straight 1 minute, what will you do?" He hissed at the bearded man beneath his greaves.

Said bearded man only groaned.

He stomps his stomach, hard.

"Gahagg!"

"What?!"

"Sorry! I am sorry! I am sorry! Don't kill me! Please don't kill me!"

"Oh that is what you said? After I heard your so called plan to sell me as a slave? A boy that looked no older than 13? As a slave, is that it?"

"I… I…"

Aaron glared at him with disgust and then he stomped on his hand, hard, crushing the bones beneath it into a pulp and making him cry in agony.

Just his luck, not only he is transferred to a snowy land with no sign of civilization but the World happens to have a slavery system, and judging from the weapons this trash has, it is probably in the medieval era as well.

He looked at the cart and began to approach it.

"Let's see… what is this?"

A bottle with green liquid, a lot of them.

"A drink?"

He opened the cork and took a smell. It… smells sweet actually, yet for some reason, his Instinct warned him that these things are not safe for consumption.

He turned to the downed group.

"Oi, what is this?" He demanded.

No one talks.

He called out his Mana Burst, turquoise colored energy sparkling around him, and he glared at them.

"It's a drug!" One of them hastily answered. "It is an illegal drug that we are smuggling!"

"A drug for what?"

"For… for…"

He tilted his body fully, eyes cold. "Yes?"

"F-For the slave! It's to make them subservient!"

His eyes become colder. An addictive drug. Not just slavers but also drug dealers, these guys…

"The worst." He said coldly. "You guys, really are the worst." He sneered. "Your leader, which one?"

They pointed to a certain bearded man that was still gasping on the snow.

Why is he not surprised?

He walked to him and opened the cork of the bottle, grasping his face then dumped it on his mouth, making him gurgle.

"Drink, drink the drug you plan to use on people, taste your own medicine." He sneered mockingly. "Chokes on it."

He is not a cruel man or a good one but there are limits to just how much he can tolerate. Slavery? Drugs? And judging by these stereotypes, he is probably a sex slaver as well. The number of his victims must be countless already.

He is sure that in the future, looking back, perhaps he was too extreme about this but for now? He didn't care.

He makes sure he drinks the whole bottle, even when he is gasping and choking but he keeps doing so.

After he was done, he stood and turned to the group that stared at him fearfully.

'Now what should I-'

"That's far enough!"

A feminine and unfamiliar voice reached his ears and he turned around to find a… girl, a girl wearing a hood that obstructed her appearance.

"I don't know who you are but let these men go!" She declared at him with a loud voice.

Omake (Non Canon): Restarting from Zero (II)

Aaron doesn't know what to say, honest.

Not just he was transported into another World but apparently, he now has a Peggy Sue character pulling him as well! And not just your normal Peggy Sue, but one that is actually from the same timeline as him!

He wants to yell that this is a joke, wants to laugh in hysteria, wants to scream in rage, and yet…

He was too overwhelmed with… everything.

"Are you sure about this, Emilia-sama?" Reinhard van Astrea asked the half elf, voice polite and kind.

"Yes, I am sure, I can't tell you how I know buuut I promise you this, I will find a way to cure your mother and also let you find the last surviving Royal Family's member and the 5th Candidate if you agree to be my Knight."

Reinhard was quiet for a moment before replying. "The responsibility to find the missing children of the Royal Family has been entrusted to Astrea family for 15 years, it is a duty that we have thought of as nothing but a dream and fail to do. If what you said is true then you will not just grant me the honor to accomplish that mission yet also find the candidate for the next Royalty as well." He then fell to one knee and crossed one hand over his chest. "Very well, I, Reinhard van Astrea, swore that I will become your Knight and support you to be the next Queen of Lugnica."

And now said Peggy Sue character immediately recruited the Strongest Character in the series in an instant via bribing and using the future knowledge!

"I, Emilia, just Emilia, accept that vow." Emilia answered graciously. "Now come on, Reinhard, we have a veeery short time! Oh, Aaron, stay close to me, alright?" She said while tugging his arms and practically snuggling on him.

He blushed slightly at the sudden closeness. "Emilia-san, do-" He stopped when the girl placed a finger on his lips.

"Emi, call me Emi." She declared, face set into a pout. "You used to call me that, there's no honorifics between us."

"Emi…" the name sounds right and what would he come up with actually. "Right, Emi, ummm, mind not getting so close like this?" He gestured to their body contact. Not like he doesn't like it but… he feels awkward about it.

"Ah, sorry, it is a habit." Emilia apologized and removed her arms. "You used to like that after all, so…"

'Yeah… somehow I can see it and yet it makes me annoyed as well.' He thought. He didn't know much about his future self but being affectionate is actually one of his traits.

"Excuse me Emilia-sama, but this man, who is he?" Reinhard asked while giving him a querying look.

"Oh, this is Aaron Wilson Pendragon, he is my friend." Emilia introduced him happily… and proudly for some reason.

'She even knows my real last name and is turning it into a middle name!' Aaron thought flabbergasted. "Right, I am… Emi's friend, you can say we… are quite close."

Emilia nodded. "Very close! Aaron is my first friend and a great man to boot!" She declared joyfully while clutching his arm tighter.

"I see… this maybe late but allow me to introduce my-"

"Apapapap, we can do that later or while walking! We have to go to the loot house now, quick!"

Aaron remembers vividly how the first three episodes go in Re:Zero. How could he not? The suffering of Natsuki Subaru and his sudden death was so shocking, it's not every day you see the protagonist die in the very first episode of the anime.

And the Bowel Hunter has left quite an impression after all with his debut in Pride If and Arc 4. He has seen how skillful and dangerous she was, he actually has concerns about confronting her but with Reinhard on their side, he has nothing to worry about.

'Except we didn't need Reinhard. Not. At. All.' He thought with amazement and awe as he stared at the entire area that is now coated in ice.

The loot house has been destroyed, torn apart from the skirmish, blue crystal covering the structure and land a hundred meters around them at least.

To call it a battle would be an understatement, it was a slaughter frankly, Elsa Granhiert never stood a chance.

For all her speed, skills, and superhuman strength, Emilia just didn't give a damn about them. The moment they met, the half elf slammed her heel to the ground and everything became ice, a cold frozen land with spikes that skewered everything.

The assassin tried to do her best, hopping, running and dodging, but there was nothing much she can do when the very ground she used to walk becomes her enemy as well. The moment her foot stepped onto the ice, it was over, even after she sliced them off so she could escape but it just made her become easier to subdue, each contact with the frozen land makes ice start to crawl onto her body.

And then she displayed her monstrous regeneration, recovering in an instant after frozen solid and shattered into pieces…

Only for her to be frozen again, and again, and again, and again, and again. Even if she wanted – and she tried, Aaron saw it, how she crawled after being frozen – to escape or retreat, she didn't get any chance to do that, the frozen land did not allow her to.

The half elf did not allow her to.

And now there she is, the Bowel Hunter has become a frozen corpse, mutilated and dismembered, laying on the ground, no longer moving.

This is not Emilia, the Half Elf that made contact and was protected by Puck the Beast of End and needed help from Natsuki Subaru. This is Emilia, the Witch of Glacial, the one that turned the lustrous and green land of Elior Forest into a frozen tundra to this day.

And she has mastered her ability to the maximum level.

'OP! She is too OP! Did she even need anymore protection or help to begin with?!' Probably only the most OP characters in the entire Re:Zero could face her now! Betelgeuse? Hakugei? Gluttony? Lust? Wrath? Toasted! Or frozen in this case.

"Hmph, let's see how you regenerate from that, you dum-dum blood sucker." Emilia declared smugly while puffing her chest. "Oh wait, you can't! Ha! You can't regenerate if you can't think or order yourself, and your so-called curse won't work if it is frozen. Serve you right! You reaaally bring trouble for us with your weird fetish on Aaron's blood, you know?"

'Hold on, she has a what on me?!' He thought in bewilderment.

"Emilia-sama is truly powerful." Reinhard praised with his usual kind and polite voice. "But milady, perhaps try to minimize the damage next time?"

Emilia put on a sheepish look. "Sorry, I might be getting too emotional back there. She caused a looot of problems after all. Hold on, let me unfreeze the area around us." She said while starting to do so.

On the corner, Rom and Felt, who had their ankles frozen, paled at the display of power.

"And you robbed that person?! Really?! Really, Felt?!" Rom almost yelled at the kid in panic.

"Hey, hey! I wouldn't even dare to live in the same town as her if I knew she was that powerful let alone steals from her!" Felt squeaked fearfully.

"The fact you even tried to rob her after seeing her appearance made me doubt your intelligence, brat!"

"She is wearing a hood! I didn't see what she looked like! How am I supposed to know?!"

"Maybe don't accept stealing a job without knowing your target properly next time no matter how big the price?" Aaron offered in a dry voice, prompting the small blonde to glare at him. "Like, seriously, that is one of the basic rules in a shady job. You don't investigate your target's private life but you investigate their identity and capabilities at least." He gave her a disappointed look. "You live in a slum for your whole life but you didn't even know this, it makes me wonder how you survive this long."

Felt grimaced at his lecture, that hit hard alright, and worse, she deserves that judging by how fucked up her situation now. She still gave him a defiant look. "Screw you!"

"You are cute and pretty but no, maybe when you are 17." He deadpanned.

"I am cute? Really? Hehe I am-no! That's not what I want to say, arghh! Go die you, handsome bastard!"

"I prefer to be alive, and thank you for the compliment, that was a nice one from a girl like you."

"Uwahh, stop it, that sounds creepy!" She replied but there was no disgust in her voice somehow.

"Heh."

"There, I am finished." Emilia said as the ice around them has melted and turned into water, save for Elsa's corpse that still remained there. She approached them with a smiling face. "Now we are done here, Felt-chan, can I get my insignia back?" She asked while opening one hand.

Felt immediately threw back the stolen object like it was a burning ball.

Emilia caught it easily. "Thank you, did you see that glow before Reinhard?"

"I do." Reinhard nodded solemnly. "Felt, that is your name, correct?" He asked.

"Yeah, what about it? Are you going to bring me to the prison now or what?"

Felt is not stupid, she knew the situation now is hopeless, after seeing the way that half elf fought, no way she will be able to escape, not with Rom-jii, she may be fast but he isn't, and like hell she will abandon him.

Reinhard closed his eyes. "Emilia-sama, may I ask what your intention with Felt-sama is?"

"Huh? Felt-sama? Why did you call me that?" Felt asked.

She is ignored by them unfortunately as Emilia and Reinhard go on.

"It is simple, I will make an alliance with Felt-chan here, and she will become my advisor when dealing with the lower class citizens and those that are living in the slum. No one knows this better than her after all."

Aaron's eyebrows narrowed. "So in summary, you want to take her faction before she even starts one?" He asked.

"Yup!"

This girl… she can't be Emilia that Subaru fell in love with, she is too sly and devious compared to the canon Emilia who probably will give Felt a chance to compete at least.

"But of course, I will not just do it without her agreement, I will give her a chance to, and I am sure Roswaal or Reinhard here know some people who will agree to be her sponsor. As a matter of fact, Reinhard here could be one if he wished for it."

"That's not possible, Emilia-sama, I have sworn to be your Knight after all." Reinhard replied.

"True, but I only said if you wished for it. I am not going to force you to be in my servitude if you don't want it, do consider that, Reinhard."

"…"

Well… she still gives her a chance at least, that much is good but to be honest? Without Reinhard, Aaron didn't see much of a chance that Felt would participate let alone stand on par against the other candidates.

"Oi, oi, what are you talking about? Alliance? Faction?" Felt frowned. "Did you want to offer me a job or what?"

"Something like that, and I assure you, you will be paid dearly, Felt-chan." Emilia replied kindly but then she frowned a bit and flicked her forehead, making the smaller girl yelp. "And this time, I will make sure you get proper lessons in reading terms and conditions before doing a job. Seriously Felt-chan, you are really a baaad girl."

"I am sorry Onee-chan! I won't do that again so don't freeze me!"

"I won't freeze you, Felt-chan, I already consider you as a friend after all. We will talk more later in the manor, Reinhard, can you come to Mathers' estate tomorrow morning? I need your presence for the talk with Roswaal, it is kinda urgent."

"There's no need for that. If it is urgent then I will inform my superiors that I will stay with you until tomorrow night, Emilia-sama."

"If you say so then, but there's no need to push yourself, you know?"

"I am your Knight now, Emilia-sama so…"

"Well, yeah, but you are also a human being, I won't push you if you truly don't like it unless the situation demands it."

Reinhard's eyes widened briefly before a bright and genuine smile bloomed across his face. "To think I am being worried like this. Thank you, Emilia-sama."

Emilia tilted her head a bit and she nodded. "Your welcome, Reinhard." She replied kindly. "Really, you deserve that much."

'Aaaand just like that, she is guaranteed to be the next Maiden.' Aaron deadpanned. Crusch, Anastasia, Priscilla? What could they do against this girl who is not just one of the most powerful beings in the World – and probably has some kind of modern World knowledge as well given his influence, backed by what is equivalent to Merlin's version of this Kingdom and also having Reinhard on her side?

Nothing. If she truly wished for it, Aaron won't be surprised if she can unite the four kingdoms into one given time.

"Aaron, I am sorry if this is too sudden for you." Emilia put on a genuine regretful face. "I know you are confused but I will try to explain everything after we arrive at the manor if that is alright with you?"

"… it's not like I have much choices anyway." He said dryly. Which is the truth, to get more info he has to follow her.

It's not like he minds that much though it just… everything was very overwhelming.

She winced at that. "True but… I… I promise it will be worth it, everything will be fine, I swear." She declared. "So please… give me a chance?" She begged.

He closed his eyes. His mind still barely can comprehend what actually happened, and he also finds his situation to be weird and the implications seem to be not good at all frankly.

Why did he send Emilia back to the past in the first place? Assuming he takes the place of Subaru, that means he would have Return by Death as well, he already can control time to a degree so why? Was he stuck in a dead timeline or something?

Is there even a being that couldn't be beaten by Return by Death? An ability that would even be capable of besting Reinhard van Astrea?

That sounds very, very, concerning. Did he land in an AU or something? It is very likely given that he already has a different body instead of being a normal human.

Honestly, he is afraid, he is worried, and the future seems to be not good.

'Why me?' He asked no one. Why was he chosen? Why not Subaru? That man deserves it for all the shit that he goes through. Let him live his Isekai fantasy!

But…

It wasn't Subaru who is in here now, it is him, and now there are already ripple-no, a freaking tsunami crashed against the plot during episode 1!

This is madness, this is beyond him and yet…

That genuine voice, that sincerity, that plea for trust and help…

Whatever he has in his mind now, it was clear that the girl in front of him actually wants nothing but the best for him.

'Aaaand now she got me too.' He sighed as he raised his hand and patted the silver haired half elf. "Fine, Emi, let's go to your manor and have a talk." He trusted her that much at least, the girl before him will prioritize him, he can see it in her eyes.

Emilia's face under his palm was so bright that everything around her seemed to be sparkling.

"Thank you, Aaron! Thank you!" She said joyfully while embracing him in a hug. "I am happy you are here and trusting me!"

He blushed at the sudden affection, especially from a beautiful girl. He tentatively hugs her as well and gives a pat to her back.

In response it made her hug get tighter somehow and…

"Did you sniff me?" He asked in a shock.

The half elf quickly releases him, her face reddened but she quickly schooled it. "I have no idea what you are talking about."

"What? No, no, you don't get to pull that line on me you-"

She ignored him and turned to the red haired knight who was now talking with Rom. "Reinhard, I am going to find my maid, wait here, alright? And make sure those two stays there, knowing Felt-chan, she will try to escape, she is just that adorable after all!"

"In what way, me trying to escape, can be said as adorable?!" Felt yelled at her.

"I will, Emilia-sama, you can trust me."

"Thank you! Come on, Aaron!" She began to pull his arm. "Let's find Ram, I am sure you will be happy to meet her!" She exclaimed.

"Coming, Emi."

And now he found himself dragged by the girl once more, walking on the road.

"She is one of the strongest characters, having the strongest one on her side, possessing experience of being ruler or politics arts, benevolent and good looking. Do I even need to be here anymore?" He mumbled under his breath. "No, isn't this just makes me look like the heroine instead? I am not even the protagonist here but a capture target!"

He must be saying the last part too loud since the half elf stopped in her tracks and turned to him.

"That's right!" Emilia said aloud. "You are a capture target, Aaron, and I will make sure to capture your heart!" She declared with a small grin and wink.

That makes his jaw drop.

This is definitely not the Emilia he knew, and for some reason, he found himself to be charmed as well as he feel warmth seeping into his cheeks.

And how could he not? A powerful, kind, smart, and pretty girl wants to be with him! He sure as hell is not going to reject it!

Still…

"That line was too corny and cringey, Emi, like, really?"

She pouted. "I thought that was a cool and charming line though. You used that on me before."

"That was from the future me?! What is he even thinking?!"

"I don't know, you sometimes often laugh or make private jokes, you know? So I just picked one that I think is cool."

"... well, I am glad at least there's still part of you that remains unchanged, being too out of character is scary, you know?"

"Aaron, you dingbat, I am still me, you know, no need to be afraid."

"That weird and out of age term, yeah, you are Emilia, alright."

"That's rude! Aaron, you nincompoop."