Author's Note:

Special thanks to my beta readers, [EmiliaNatsuki] & [LookingGlassInsect], whose continuous help throughout the whole creative process, answers to countless questions, and of course many writing tips were and are of immeasurable value.

Please also check out their stories, if you haven't already! They were among those, which inspired me to write an own fic, so I cannot recommend them enough!

Also a shoutout to [TheColourPurple123], whose many writing and creative tips were of great help too, don't hesitate to check out his stories as well!

And another shoutout to the artist of the wonderful cover artwork, [RealBarto / "at" ZeroBarto]. Check out his twitter for more amazing artworks! Permission was granted by the person who commissioned it, [LookingGlassInsect]. Thank you very much again!


"Behold the Star of an unknown sky, its light may bring ruination surpassing the Witch, or lead to salvation for all it shines upon."

Prophecy can be a wonderful thing. It ensnares the future of the world with unbreakable and inescapable chains, ordaining the fate of the world and all its inhabitants onto a singular path.

I invite you to partake in the journey of a starlight boy through his never-ending struggle to find his way in a myriad of worlds. What will become of him this time? Which path will he choose to walk? Maybe that of a broken Hero, foolish Sage, or loveless King? Or perhaps he will surrender to become a lone murderer, spineless coward, or a deranged lunatic?

No matter what path he will choose to walk, no matter what decisions he will make on his journey—he will always remain human. Or…was it become human? That matters little. Ultimately all paths will lead him back to zero, the eternal cycle beginning anew. Trapped in neverending loops, unless the world itself be torn asunder.

But maybe this time, the cycle will be broken. Maybe this time, ever-distant salvation can be found. But maybe not. After all, every change bears just as much chance for hope as it does for disaster. So who can guarantee... that the sin of breaking that which is preordained, is not followed solely by ruination?

Some would say the struggle of man against the order of the world and the course of nature is futile, but I do not share such sentiment. Nothing stands above My will, after all. Neither a heart trapped in perpetual ice, cursed with a branded love, strangled by a white lie and a black truth; nor those that fill the role as fate's guardians and observers, sending their whispers into the world, hindering those that challenge fate itself. How very futile all of their endeavors are. Seeking their strength in numbers, yet leaving the struggle to one alone. Begetting sin by remaining ignorant.

And who else can lord over the nature of the world, than the embodiments of sin themselves?

The immaculate man was sitting in his mansion surrounded by his wives, looking at their perfect, expressionless faces, when he could feel the urge to reach for the object stored inside his mantle, an urge he curiously followed, wondering what it could be that should have his attention, after all he was the most—loyal of Her believers, completely devoted to Her, always chasing for Her love, enacting Her love, spreading Her love, the love he devoted his existence to, which guides his every move in life, guided by Her messages, which he diligently followed, for the eleventh time today he flipped through the pages knowing that Her love would guide him again, hearing Her call, not heeding it being slothful, so he flipped through the pages feeling—unbearable hunger, the constant need to gnaw, bite, chew, chomp, munch, crunch, always longing for a new meal, a meal that was worthy, a meal that was tasty, yummy, dainty, delicious, filling, gourmet, the results of their mouth-watering hunts, chasing what could satiate them best, looking out for them, for they cared for each other, cared for—her husband, who burned with such misguided passion, humbling her who was unworthy of his love, yet truly wanting it nonetheless, constantly following him, bringing love to those she meets, sharing their feelings, their experiences, making them understand each other truly in becoming one, making sure they feel true love in their last moments, for she knew most about—love that was owed to her and her alone, this lovely lady who took care of so many children, nursed them, gave them a home, a place to stay and return to, asked for nothing in return but the love a mother is owed, is owed to her, for the greatest, best, most caring mother, the sole loveable thing in the world, and yet there was the feeling, the urge to check her gospel, for something interesting might appear, and so—I smile knowingly, for the message that was sent to all the gospels at once:

The Star has arrived.


This was the pivotal turning point in his life, he could feel it. No longer would those around him think of him as some truant loser, their endless gazes of pity and disdain now as irrelevant as he once was back home. Amidst this medieval city with houses built high and narrow, closely interwoven without any sense of design, and an imposing palace at the horizon—a human boy, Natsuki Subaru, envisioned his new life. He had been summoned to another world! There was no doubt in his mind that he was summoned to become the hero, to rid this land of all its problems. What task awaited him? To slay the demon king and marry the princess after his valiant adventure? To revolutionize this world through science, bringing never seen prosperity? Or perhaps he would be the greatest mage to have ever walked the land, casting Meteor or Ultima—did magic even exist here? The possibilities were endless!

From nearby, one could almost see the many thoughts coursing through the boys mind, with his eyes sparkling, his smile becoming wider and wider, and his gait being occasionally broken by a jubilant jump. But as he looked around, taking in a landscape that his mind had already conquered, a jarring fact quickly dawned upon him.

This is worse.

But it had all started so promisingly! Not only were there humans like him, there were also fantasy races—people with animal-like features, ranging from simple cat or dog ears straight up to a fur-covered body, and even lizard-like people with scales. It was just like in any fantasy game he had ever played, and it was all so real!

Unfortunately for Subaru, his enthusiasm was not returned. He strolled through the city flashing his brightest smile, letting anyone around him know about his excitement. And yet wherever he went, when people looked at him, their expressions darkened. Guarded, afraid, unsettled, angry. When he innocently looked back, some quickly averted their gaze away, some narrowed theirs in an almost disgusted way. Entire groups of both humans and non-human species exchanged whispered words in his direction, pointing not-so-subtle fingers at him behind his back as if he were an animal.

While he was plenty familiar with obvious indifference or the feeling of being ignored, these reactions were new. And not the good kind of new. His experience here didn't just rival his bad memories of Earth…

This is worse.

"Well, there you have it. The first impression I make in this new world goes about as well as my last first impression. Bummer. Either something's majorly off with my face, my clothes are that strange, or I'm even more of an infamous loser here than back home," he said to himself—a peculiar habit of his—and finished with a sigh, "I really hope it's the tracksuit."

The same nasty reactions again and again…he couldn't let it get to him. Perhaps the people here were just exhausted and stressed from their travels, which in turn soured their mood. Yes, that must have been it. Because the alternative was… If it wasn't something wrong with them, then… Subaru shook his head. He wouldn't let such thoughts drag his mood down.

He continued to walk down the busy main street, occupying his thoughts with things that wouldn't remind him of his own self-image. This inattentiveness, however, would not be without consequence. Lost in his thoughts, Subaru had casually walked head-on into something. No, someone. A someone almost two heads taller than him…and much, much broader. He was almost entirely muscle, his shoulder veins themselves probably thicker than Subaru's waist.

Well, maybe not, but either way—this man was enormous, dwarfing the boy. To say Subaru was startled would be a funny understatement.

"Sorry, I wasn't looking," Subaru mumbled apologetically, trying his best to avoid further confrontation with this colossus.

The man turned around, narrowed his eyes and made an attempt to block Subaru's way.

"Stay away from me, you disgusting freak," he spat, his tone littered with cruel anger and raw contempt.

Subaru was taken aback. What did he do to provoke such a strong reaction? And why would he block his path and demand distance despite of it? The boy was too startled to say anything to the aggressive man. And before he could take a step back, the man continued his tirade.

"How did something like you even get into the city?" the man spat, His voice was more like a roar than coherent speech now, his anger echoing throughout the street.

"Wish I knew myself," he answered, ignoring the obvious hostile undertone to the man's words. Not that he had an idea how to explain dimensional teleportation. And even if he knew, he didn't feel particularly inclined to share it with some freaking out stranger.

"Oh, trying to be a smartass?" the man asked, rearing up. His posture resembled more that of an aggressive black bear than a human.

A small crowd started to gather around the enraged man and the mean-eyed boy, nosy as to find out the cause of the growing commotion. Agitated whispers arose, condemning those who broke the peace. But as much as Subaru looked around, his gaze showing a plea for assistance, none of them intervened. They were amused spectators, not helpers. That much was made clear.

"Look, I just wasn't paying attention to where I was going. No need to pick a fight over that," Subaru tried to reason, yet his attitude seemingly upset the man more, and roused the crowd's murmur into a rising chant, amplified by the newcoming onlookers.

"Oh, I can make this a fight, that what you want!?" the man's face flared up in anger, and he curled up his fists before hurling a punch in Subaru's direction. The sudden and viscous nature of his attack caught Subaru completely off guard. The almost cartoonish punch caught him perfectly, sending him stumbling backwards.

Subaru's head rang as his mind feverishly attempted to register what had just happened. The other man had now raised his fists, expecting Subaru to retaliate…yet the boy simply stood there with a dazed look plastered on his face, his hand cupping the side of his head which took the impact.

While Subaru took his time to recover from the initial attack, still unsure if taking a fight against a clearly superior foe in public was his most logical option, the attacker appeared to have no such qualms. With his head clearing up, the boy now was able to focus on his opponent and the fight as a whole.

He planted both feet firmly into the ground, fixing his stance in preparation to block any further attacks… or at least attempted to do so. Merely seconds later, a sharp jolt of pain surged through his leg. He blocked an incoming kick aimed at his legs by turning one to absorb the impact—its sheer force sure to have sent him falling to the ground had it fully connected. Instead it only made him giving way for a split-second, as he did his best to quickly picked himself up again.

However, before the fight could escalate any further, a voice thundered through the crowd, the flock of eager onlookers hastily dodging out of the way.

"What's going on here?"

The assailant was quick to assume a passive stance, feigning innocence, while Subaru had still raised his fists, ready to retaliate.

"That freak wanted to pick a fight, tried to 'fend myself s'all, Sir," the man lied through his teeth, trying his best to wipe his bloodied knuckles clean.

"That's not how it is at all! That guy attacked me after I bumped into him by accident!" Subaru interjected, his voice enraged at the display of pure cowardice before him. He had by now dropped his guard, but the deep scowl on his face remained firm.

It was only then that Subaru took a closer look at the man that had positioned himself between the two. While the man's stern gaze had kept them both in check, his red hair was far more a noticeable feature, making him stand out immediately. But not only his physique, but also his clothing separated him from the crowd. An expensive-looking white coat with golden buttons, and a fine looking sword hefted to his side finished his distinguished appearance.

"You shouldn't make any more of a scene here. It'd be best if you each go your own way. You've both caused enough trouble for one day," the imposing figure warned them. The crowd slowly dispersed, both through fear and a lack of entertainment.

"You heard me? Leave and don't cause another ruckus," the red-haired man repeated, his gaze firmly fixed upon Subaru, expecting him to get up and do as he said, as the other troublemaker was already making his leave.

Subaru got up wordlessly and quickly left the scene, wanting nothing but to be done with his first unruly encounter in this world.

What the hell was that guy's problem? First he called me a disgusting freak and to top it, just attacked. And then I got reprimanded, as if it had been my fault to begin with.

The disgruntled youth disappeared into the crowd, hoping this was just some bad luck.


He could feel the pressure, the uneasiness, the tension within the populace. Where there once was life and vibrancy in the city, now a certain agitation and hecticness predominated. The reason for this was not hard to determine—one would have needed to actively try and ignore one's surroundings for it to remain unknown.

For months now the situation within the Kingdom had continuously deteriorated. Discontentment, unrest, tensions between humans and demi-humans, disgruntled nobles and overworked knights.

And I still haven't made any progress with my mission.

The red-haired man in a white mantle walked down the streets lost in thought. Not because he was weary of his knightly duties—that would be unthinkable for the Knight of Knights—but because no matter what he did, the state of the Kingdom would not improve without him finding the missing person, and the last part of the prophecy being fulfilled. Yet the more he was needed to reduce unrest within the Kingdom, the less he could actually search for her. He could feel the responsibility that rested on his shoulders. It was for this exact reason that the knight used every chance he had to roam the city in search of the one all of the Kingdom were awaiting.

As he patrolled the city, a growing commotion caught his attention. Gatherings and protests weren't uncommon these days, yet this one was noticeably more rowdy. More and more people were flocking to it, wanting to watch the spectacle that seemed to unfold itself.

It was obviously getting out of control when the first onlookers began to stand on the road, causing the dragon carriages to slow down if not grind to a halt, thus effectively blocking the biggest traffic route of the entire city. It needed intervention. As his duty commanded, the knight marched towards the crowd, eager to resolve whichever issue was at hand and dealing with it accordingly. But the sound of a familiar voice stopped him, causing the man to stiffen up, if only for the blink of an eye.

Father.

Seeing that there was already someone taking care of the matter and the crowd beginning to thin out with more and more people moving away, the knight was about to turn away as well, wishing simply to avoid having to interact with his father… But the glimpse of a peculiar face had forced his attention back to it. The person originally at the center of the crowd—possibly one of the perpetrators—was now shuffling through it, trying their hardest to get away from the commotion. That alone would hardly have been noteworthy. But it wasn't the action that caught the knight's attention. Rather, it was the person themselves. It was a boy—a human boy, with black hair and mean eyes.

That's… could it truly be?

Before the man was sure of who or what exactly he might just have seen, or what feeling exactly had caused the knight to remain, the boy had already disappeared into the crowd.

Perhaps I should patrol this district a while longer.


Continuing his exploration of the foreign city, the boy found himself in a street full of market stalls, where a variety of vendors of all races offered their wares for sale. Subaru browsed from stand to stand, looking at all kinds of goods. Some fruits and vegetables looked familiar to him, while others had such a strange texture, shape, or color that he was sure they didn't exist in his old world, making him wonder how they'd taste or what kind of other food would be found in this world.

After checking out several signs, he had come to yet another disappointing conclusion. As he stood before a market stand that had an extensive sortiment of apples he realized…

I can't read any of that. But the numbers at least seem to be the same, even though the symbol after them doesn't look like that for the Japanese Yen.

"Hey kid, you gonna buy an appa?" the market stall owner asked Subaru, who stood idly, lost in his thoughts. The boy snapped back into reality, whereupon he mustered the salesman. A man in his late thirties or forties, who looked like he could have been a soldier in the past, judging by the scars on his face and his trained body. Though he curiously enough had some farn he chew on, revealing some kind of playful or relaxed side to him.

"Uh, sure. But I only have these coins with me," Subaru answered. He reached for his wallet and presented a few coins from Japan to the appa salesman.

The man inspected them intently, letting his fingers glide over the fine surface. But eventually, he gave them back, shaking his head and frowned. "Sorry kid, can't use these coins, move it if you don't have real money with you!" he said, waving his hand dismissively.

Subaru left the market stand with yet another disappointing experience. The stranger in these unknown lands wasn't quite sure what to think of all of this, and tried to make sense of the happenings he had found himself in so far.

My start is being made unnecessary difficult! This is completely unfitting to my protagonist status!

Deciding he'd best try to calm down and collect himself, he sat down in a side alley, placing the plastic bag he was carrying beside him.

Potato chips and a cup of ramen, along with his trusty tracksuit. Now that's some heroic starting gear. But an idea came to his mind… Maybe, just maybe, one object he carried with him had some use. And so he checked his phone.

No, of course not. No signal. Well, at least it's still working, but I wonder how long the battery will last.

At first Subaru fidgeted around with his phone, but realizing that battery charge might be something irrecoverable here—meaning not something he should mindlessly waste—he put it away. But as he was busy doing so, a noise startled him, forcing his attention to be aimed at its source instead. Three men entered the alleyway from the opposite direction.

"Well, well, look what we have here," said one of the three men, a predatory grin spread across his face.

Subaru gazed up. He'd finally come here just so he'd have some quiet time to think, so hearing someone else surprised him. He didn't expect someone else would wander into a secluded alley.

One of them was short, barely taller than a child. But his eyes radiated a malice that stood in no relation to his body size. Then there was a lanky one. He grinned wolfishly, which in combination with looking so emaciated that he seemed able to wear a dog collar—it even had a few links of a broken chain dangling from it—and letting his pierced tongue hang out of his mouth, gave the overall impression of a rabid dog. The third in the group was wider than the other two combined. While not quite as hulking as the attacker from earlier, he definitely gave the impression of brute force without too much intelligence behind it, his expression being dull, but his muscles being clearly tensed up.

They look like trouble. Real trouble. Can't I catch a break for once? What is it with this random encounter chance? Or if it's scripted, screw that, introduce me to the cute and powerful summoner already! I don't even have any starting gear besides some foodstuff!

The three men closed in on Subaru, who in turn stood up, the danger he was in suddenly dawning in on him. Hesitation could cost him his life, and he wouldn't be caught unprepared again. No, even better—this time, he would be the one to dish out damage first.

"There is a toll for passing through this alley, you know? Spit out some coins and we can all go our happy ways," the man said with a dangerous glint in his eyes—his vile smirk and attitude further substantiating his rotten character.

"I have about as much money on me as I have the willingness to comply," Subaru said with a crisp voice. With all his might he charged at the biggest guy and managed to knock him out with a singular punch. Damn, punching someone full force really hurts! But I have to finish my cool line. "None," he said, brimming with confidence.

Subaru had learned his lesson, a first strike should give him some advantage, even in a one versus three situations. Especially when the remaining two seemed too stunned to fight back, too surprised by the reversal of the attacker and victim. This gave him enough time to spin around and kick the shorter man into the wall, knocking him out as well. It had come close to a fair fight, one versus one.

"Now, I'll crush you as well!" Subaru shouted. With an overconfident grin, he stretched out a fist, signaling the man how he's going to bring him down. Full of himself, he dashed forward, gaining as much momentum as he could for his final punch— until the thug pulled out two daggers, assuming a battle-ready position. Subaru froze in his tracks, his heart having dropped into his gut.

Oh shit.

"On the other hand, I'm sure we can leave it at that, right? Might need to apologize for reacting a bit harshly against your friends, please forgive me for that.", Subaru said with a voice devoid of any fighting spirit, bordering on pathetically apologetic. This was further emphasized by his cowardly posture. Were his head any lower, he might have been able to lick the man's boots directly. But he didn't care about that.

I just need to avoid getting stabbed or sliced open for now.

As the other two stood up again, lanky put his daggers away.

"You think you're getting away alive after pulling that stunt?" he asked while cracking his knuckles. The other two were also readying themselves to return the favors Subaru dished out. The boy gulped, his eyes frantically looking for an opening that wasn't there. He was slowly backing down until he could feel a wall to his side, pressing against the cold stone that wouldn't budge.

Subaru clenched his teeth. He realized there was no way out of this situation. If there wouldn't be someone randomly appearing to help him, this was it.

But nobody came.

He mustered all his resolve to not look away when the burly man swung his fist. He would try to stand his ground as long as he could. Which was exactly one punch in the stomach.

The boy had already decided it'd be best not to put up any resistance, else lanky might use his knives after all. However, no mental readiness could have made him prepare for a punch that almost hit his solar plexus, causing him to go down in a matter of seconds. Subaru tried to catch his fall by steadying himself on the wall but fell to the ground all the same. Grunts of pain were the only kind of noise he could make, as he instinctively put his hands over his gut.

Ow ow ow. This hurts, it really really hurts.

The three men closed in on him and began to kick and stomp the overconfident boy. His priority shifted to protect his face as best as he could from the attacks. Kick after kick he endured, hoping they would relent after some time. He hoped when they could see blood trickling from his mouth, maybe then they would stop. They didn't. When he could feel blood on his hands, maybe then... they didn't.

Finally, he had taken a hard hit to his head and felt it first ringing. Then, hammering. And with these feelings, his senses began to dull, all his efforts now spent to remain conscious, his mind racing, thinking what might happen if he would faint here. He was scared, this could be it. But it was to no avail, his struggle proven to be meaningless, as the world began to blacken around him. The last thing he saw was the wicked smiles of the ones responsible for his, this pain.


Subaru jerked up, gasping for air. His eyes shot wide open as he came to consciousness again. Disoriented at first, he barely registered where he was, couldn't remember what had happened.

His entire body ached worse than when he'd fallen in the track field back in middle school. Even as he held his head, awaiting the return of his senses through the searing headache, all he could think of was the bruises he'd undoubtedly end up with after his torment.

After a moment of repeated blinking, his eyes registered more than blurring. His gaze wandered down to his right hand. There were dark, red specks on it. Looks like blood? Dried blood.

"Whose blood?" he wondered.

His gaze wandered down at the ground. More blood, where he had lain before. Finally, the memories came back. A fight. Thugs. Vile smirks. Pain. My blood, huh. But… looks like I'm alive.

Although his whole body ached, he was relieved. Not only about his survival, but about the fact that, from what he could see, his injuries weren't severe. He still had all his teeth, nose and eyes were fine and his bones too, from what he could estimate.

He had attempted to move, but even the most careful movement sent a surge of pain through his body. So he just lay there for a while, hoping it would subside. From time to time he made cautious stretches, which hurt less with each time he repeated them, until he could eventually look around a bit without straining anything.

"I'm still in the same place I lost consciousness, but I've got no idea how long I've been out," he said as he checked his surroundings. "Guess it also wasn't needed to hide me—who would wander here through some random alleyway anyway?"

He cursed his luck and attempted to get up. The first try ended with him falling on his knees, and only the second got him fully up again. Though now he could feel every muscle and hit spot burn, each eagerly reporting their endured mistreatment.

Don't even want to know how many bruises that left. But all are better than a broken bone, or worse.

He shuddered at the thought and began to look around. It was then that he noticed the distinct lack of his valuable starting gear lying around.

Seems like they looted me. No, I should probably stop using that stupid game language. This hurts far too much to be some game. But that means my other stuff is probably gone too. Huh… at least they didn't touch my clothes. At least I was spared going barefoot…

To check his assumption of being looted he reached for his phone and wallet, but neither were there anymore. Yep, this is it. Now I'm even worse off than before. Completely broke. It can only go upwards from here, at least.

But it didn't. For the next hour, Subaru walked through the city with no goal, no guide, and no idea what to do, becoming more and more disillusioned with his situation.

At first, his mind was occupied with the pain that pulsated through his body. Each step hurt, but he wanted at least to do something. So he forced himself forward until the pain became bearable, albeit never disappearing completely.

The boy dragged himself through the vast streets of this foreign city in hopes to find some form of water. He wanted to get rid of the remaining few traces of dried blood on his hands—he didn't need more reminders of his shameful defeat.

Passing by an almost empty plaza, Subaru found what he had looked in the form of a small well. Some few women were chatting here, probably going about their everyday lives. But when the boy went near the well, they fell silent and he could feel their eyes piercing his back.

Cupping his hands under the stream, Subaru began to scrub the dried blood away. Whispers started to arise around him and his scrubbing became erratic—hasty. He just wanted to get away from it. Before eventually moving on, he decided to catch a glimpse of his own reflection, as he had no idea how beat up he looked until that point—not that his face ever earned him much sympathy to begin with. With a click of his tongue he hurriedly left.

He looked dejected… broken. His posture shrunk him down, his head hung low and his hands buried inside of his pockets. Barely anybody took notice of him, he was nothing special now, was he? After all, who would waste a second look at some beat-up kid? At least he didn't have to endure the scorn from those around him. Or maybe he just didn't register it anymore.

Faced with this dire outlook, he once again opted to disappear into a side alley to collect his thoughts, hiding away from the world like he was used to. He needed to figure out why he was here to begin with. He got summoned to another world after all! How could it be that there was no one waiting for him and there was nothing to do here other than getting attacked and robbed, that is. Did I screw up? Have I failed already? Is it still the same as—?

However, as if this world had it out for him, he once again got disrupted in his attempt to collect his thoughts, and even more ironically—Are you kidding me?

"Hey, it's that kid from before!" A voice echoed through the alley, turning into a laugh.

At the mouth of the alley once again stood three men.

"It's you thugs again," Subaru said with a snarl, shooting up.

"Haven't had enough, are you not thankful that you're still breathing?" the short one asked, while the group closed in on the beaten boy. "You don't look like you've learned your lesson."

The boy glared at the group of thugs, wishing nothing more than to take revenge on them. But no matter how I look at it, I'm still unarmed and they probably still have their weapons on them. What can I do? His mind raced to find an opening.

"Back down. We've gotten rid of your stuff already and no reason to beat you again," the burly one said, advising the mean-eyed boy to stand down.

"What do you mean, gotten rid of?" the boy asked, tensing up.

"We sold it. Here," the lanky one said, showing a small pouch that jingled when shaken. "Five gold coins will get us some nice days and sweet nights," he taunted.

The boy twisted his mouth at the thought of what the man meant.

"Now, move it, I ain't wasting any more time with you," the short one barked, pushing Subaru to the side.

But Subaru wouldn't just let them go, he tried to block the short one's way. This was his chance to set things right, to show them—

The lanky one moved in and lifted Subaru by the collar, pinning him to the wall.

"Listen, weakling. The only reason you're still breathing is that you were too pathetic to waste more time on, but it seems you really want to push your luck. Maybe we should do the world a favor and take care of one of your eyes," the short man snickered, playing with the bag of coins that now rested in his hand, watching the spectacle.

Subaru tried to escape from the grip of the man, but he held on tight. As the boy was struggling, he didn't notice the other two men shifting their attention elsewhere.

"It's not worth it, let's just go," he heard them say in a shaky tone.

After some hesitation , lanky dropped Subaru to the ground, which caused pain to soar once again through his body. Lying on the ground he could see the three men walking away from the alley into the sunny market street, leaving him to lie in the dirt.

Subaru couldn't resolve himself to do more than sit up. Weakling, huh? He's right. I can't fight them. I can't do anything here. Why am I-?

He wanted to get rid of these thoughts again, but this time, they gave it their all to persist. Subaru curled up, no longer able to ward them off. After all, what could he refute them with? He failed in this world just like back home. No one cared about him, no, far worse. All he got was bruises and belittling. He dug his head deep into his chest.

It was only after he noticed someone coming close again that his train of thought got interrupted, causing him to flinch, still hurled together as he was. He raised his shaking hands and uttered, "Please, no more," in anticipation of what would inevitably follow again.

"It's alright, you're safe now."

The voice was feminine, smoother than the finest silk, adorned with the elegance of grace and dignity. Compassion led her tone, yet she did not pity him—rather she felt bad, as if it was her fault.

Subaru cautiously turned his head towards the voice and opened his eyes. He had expected to be attacked again, but what he saw instead simply left him stunned—his heart did not only skip one, but several beats.

Before him stood a beautiful girl. His eyes were instantly captivated by her long, shining, silver hair, which enveloped her slender figure down to her thighs, where it was tied together. His eyes curiously followed it upwards. She wore a speckless white dress adorned with a few purple accents. Yet what it lacked in ornamentation, the big green crystal resting above her chest made up for. She radiated purity and nobility. Most important of all, her face was beyond cute. Her soft smile, her purple eyes filled with compassion, and a trace of pain—had someone asked him at this very moment, he would have said an angel must have descended.

Shocked in place, Subaru just stared wide-eyed at his savior, failing to properly form any sentence.

"I- I- Huh?"

"You seem to be quite injured, hold still," the girl said, concerned. She knelt down beside him, ignoring what would have been regarded as the proper distance between them. Moving her delicate hands over the back of his head, the reason she needed to ignore etiquette was quickly revealed.

Subaru flinched again when she searched for his wounds, but then did as she commanded. For the first time in what felt like an eternity for him, but in reality was probably no more than an hour or two, the pain faded away and he was able to relax, a sense of calm flowing throughout his body.

—Or he would have, had his heart rate not again increased considerably, though this time not out of discomfort. He looked awestruck at the girl displaying her abilities, not daring to move an inch, merely letting his eyes drink up all the fantastical elements that were now before him. Not only was she healing him, which looked like some ethereal glowing over whatever wound he had, there were also shards of ice floating behind her, reflecting and glowing through the healing light as well. Ice and healing magic… that's… "Awesome…"

"What was that?" the girl inquired, still letting her hands guide the healing mana flow to the boy's many bruises, showing unbroken concentration towards his well-being.

"You're awesome!" the boy said with a grin, now for the first time properly looking her in the eyes. He drowned in her stunningly deep amethyst eyes, not dissimilar to gemstones, broken up by striking blue pupils. They were mesmerizing, captivating—beautiful. But he quickly averted his gaze again, blushing furiously. It had been too much for the boy, who had overstepped his bravery in complimenting a girl while being this close to her.

The girl studied the boy's face for a bit before she sighed. "Well, it seems you're better now," she said, as if she hadn't heard his words and concluded his treatment.

It was then that the third party present in the alley made its presence known.

"So you did help him, huh?" a voice asked in a teasing manner, coincided by the disappearance of the ice shards and a slight increase in temperature, which Subaru so far had failed to notice.

"Shush," the girl said startled, turning to Subaru again, "I've only helped you because I had to come through here anyway." Her words sounded harsh, yet had little to no force behind them. No, as she gently touched the red flower pin that rested above her heart—it truly did not seem like this reflected her true feelings.

"Sure, Lia," the flying grey cat answered, audibly amused and equally unconvinced.

Subaru looked somewhat baffled at the pet. I mean, if magic exists, why not flying talking cats, that doesn't seem too far-fetched.

The girl on the other hand seemed dismissive of its words, staying focused on Subaru. "But since you're better now, I'll be going," she said, standing up. It became apparent that this would be the end of their encounter, that Subaru would again be alone from now on.

"Try to stay out of trouble, maybe don't linger around in dangerous places if you can't defend yourself. Farewell." These parting words of advice would end their interaction, as she turned away.

"W- Wait, hold on," Subaru said, staggering to his feet and stepping after her.

The girl turned around, surprise evident on her gorgeous face.

"What is it?"

"You've really helped me here," the boy said, "is there anything I can do to repay you? Ah, but I don't really have anything on me. Is there maybe something you need help with?"

"Just walk away and stay out of trouble. Like I said, I didn't help you because I cared or anything," the girl reiterated her position. The cat floating beside her shook its head.

"I don't think that's true," he said with a surprising amount of pathos, causing the girl to look once more surprised and intrigued at him. "There is no reason for you to stop here, you could have just walked past me," the boy continued, "but you took your time to heal all of my wounds. So I believe you do care and I really owe you for that."

The girl sighed.

"While I do appreciate you acknowledging your debt, I reeaally don't think that's a good idea. Besides, how could you help me with anything?" she asked, open and direct, striking at the core issue, to which Subaru had no idea how to reply. After all, what could he do? He didn't have the best track record in this world so far. Subaru's face began to show signs of his inner turmoil, contorting at the realization of him lacking any helpful skills.

There now lingered a silence between the three. Subaru began fidgeting with his fingers and after a while, flinched under the girl's gaze. I can't think of anything. It was foolish to get my hopes up. As if anyone would need my help, lest want my company. He was sure he'd get left behind again, being unable to find a justification.

Yet before he could continue his series of self-deprecating thoughts, the girl spoke up again, causing Subaru to look up.

"I thought about what you said before," the girl said to the flying cat at her side.

The cat looked baffled, yet didn't reply.

"That it is dangerous to go alone. But you know that it is necessary and part of why I've come here," the girl said to the cat, making clear they talked about this issue before.

"Yes, and how you would do your father a great favor if you don't go there. That place is not something for a young girl to just walk into," the cat said, worry clouding his tone.

"No, you said that it would be bad to go there alone," she said, emphasizing the last word, "so…"

"Lia, don't tell me…" the cat said mortified, its tail having lost all movement.

"Why not? You tried your best to dissuade me to go alone," she said, pointing to her cat, "and you appear to reeaally want to help me, no?" she turned to Subaru. "So I offer you this: you accompany me, and maybe an opportunity for you to help will arise. And if not, we will work something out."

The boy regarded her with a beaming smile, trying his hardest to keep a neutral expression, not wanting to show his excitement about the prospect of accompanying her, "That sounds okay. Like I said, I'll help you with anything, whatever comes up."

"But I don't want to endanger you out of a feeling of guilt. You don't seem to be particularly strong, and it could be dangerous," the girl warned.

"It's fine, I can take a beating," the boy said, but then facepalmed at how pathetic and weak that sounded. "What I meant to say is, that you don't need to worry about me. And if it really could be dangerous, that is all the more reason to escort you."

"It will take up the rest of the day and you will not get anything out of it," the girl continued.

"That's more than fine, really. I just…" his voice grew quieter. I just don't want to be alone again. He thought dejectedly. "I just really want to repay you properly for helping me."

The girl nodded, "It's settled then. But first, let us get out of this alley, I'll explain the rest to you in more pleasant surroundings."

Thus, the group of three set out.


What a strange day this had turned out to be. The better part of it had been spent exploring the city, familiarizing herself with the world she had so little interaction with. And yet, instead of her next destination, her path had led her into some random alley.

One moment ago she was sitting on a small wall, getting into a discussion with her father about their next stop—

"Lia, don't worry too much." she heard within her thoughts. The words of her father tried to ease her worries, despite him having been against coming here to begin with.

"You can always just go back if you've seen enough," the grey cat reminded her. As to where exactly that "back" had referred to, that was left open.

"So do you really have to go there as well?" the cat asked her, for the third time this day.

But the girl had planned to spend at least a full day here in order to gain a proper impression, if not more. With a pout she looked into her palms, eyeing the cat that rested in them.

"Yes, the slums are an important place to visit as well. How am I supposed to get a full picture without having seen each aspect of life in the city?" the girl shot back in her thoughts.

"Just please make sure that you're leaving that place before the sun sets. It really isn't a place for a girl to be, especially alone," the cat pleaded.

—And the next moment she saw some thugs letting off their victim under threats of her ice shards. She had looked down some random alley of the city, where she could see a fight brewing. While her father was still trying to convince her to reconsider, the girl instead intently watched the unfolding scene. When she had caught a glimpse of the person in duress, she shot up. That sudden movement had startled both, her and the cat, who now floated beside her.. The girl was surprised how strong a reaction such a sight would evoke from her.

With a confident stride, she made her way to the alley, summoning several ice shards and confronted two of the men. The third one was still occupied with taunting their victim, spewing the hate that had gotten her to move.

"Hold it right there, scoundrels!", she commanded the assailants. The magical shards of ice had forced the men's attention to her.

The thugs seemed at first irritated by the newcomer intruding in their business. Then, taking a closer look, the short one shrieked in horror, "The Witch! The Witch's come to get him!"

Her gaze became even sharper at the mention of that word. Of her being named as such. She raised her hand, indicating that she'd attack any moment now.

Burly's eyes widened in shock as he murmured, "W-, Wait! Come on, we've already got what we wanted, let's get out of here," he said, as he turned to his accomplices. The short one nodded eagerly, looking like he'd run away any moment. But the lanky man hadn't paid them attention yet, so burly gave him a tap on the shoulder. "It's not worth it, let's just go."

The third attacker seemed really angry, until he saw the reason for his friends' change of mind as he narrowed his eyes in disgust. He dropped the other person to the ground, before joining the men in their leave under the girl's stern gaze. She didn't lower her guard until they had made a good bit of distance.

"That went surprisingly well," the grey cat mused. "Now what?"

It was clear what the cat was alluding to. Would she continue her exploration of the city or look after the person that got attacked? Even more so, she knew why the cat asked. But unbeknownst to him, she had already made her decision when she confronted the thugs.

The girl walked up to the still curled up sitting boy, who was hugging his knees close to his chest, with his head buried. He jerked up when she stood almost beside him and was visibly scared. She tried to calm him, and after she realized he was quite injured, healed him as well. It was only then when her father caught a glimpse of his face.

"Lia, he's…" the cat sent telepathically, but the girl had already seen as much herself. Although this surely was a cruel fate to be had, first and foremost he had to be healed, she could worry afterward.

Him complimenting her took her by surprise, leaving her unsure what to make of it. So she studied him for a bit, that black-haired, mean-eyed human boy that had crossed her path. In the end, she just acknowledged his apparent recovery, not wanting to draw out their interaction.

She bid him farewell with some well-meant advice, but the boy ran after her, expressing his wish to repay her. To help her. "He's telling the truth, Lia, he honestly wants to help you," the flying cat informed her to her surprise. But what was more surprising was the force he put behind it, even after she had tried to push him away. She didn't like to admit it, but he was somewhat right. She did go out of her way to help him, although perhaps for a different reason than he assumed.

The cat sensed her hesitation to outright refuse him again.

"Lia, while helping him might have been the right thing to do, I really think letting him tag along could be a bad idea," her father telepathically voiced his concerns. And she was rather inclined to agree. But after her question as to how he intended to help, she saw it. His expression. How he seemed to crumble.

"Say, is he afraid?", the girl inquired through their bond. The cat did hesitate for a moment, before admitting "…Yes, he seems to be terribly afraid, but it's not directed at us."

The girl took another closer look at the boy. Black hair, mean eyes. There could hardly be any doubt as to why he might be afraid, but even more telling was how desperate he had to be.

It was for this reason she came up with the idea that would enable him to eventually help her. It would keep him safe and would ease her father's worries. An avid observer might ask, what exactly she was getting out of this, but the girl would deny that this idea was born out of anything but selfish reasons to begin with.

"Well, aren't you happy now?" the girl teased the cat in her thoughts.

But the cat simply replied, "Very much so."


Subaru filled his nose with the fresh air that surrounded them, as they now stood atop a small hill. The girl had guided them here, to emphasize what she had set out to do.

"Look at that city," Subaru gestured over the sheer endless rows of houses that stretched before them in every direction. "This place is seriously huge. And you want to explore all of that?" the boy asked in a doubtful manner.

"Well, this is the capital city of Lugnica, so it is to be expected. Aren't you from around here?" the girl wondered.

"Ah, no. One could say I just arrived here, and I don't think I'm even remotely close to home, as that 'Lugnica?' you mentioned doesn't ring a bell," the boy admitted. And what should I answer anyway? "I'm from Earth? Japan?" Should probably stay as vague as possible. Maybe just say "I'm lost"?

The girl threw him a curious glance. Never heard of Lugnica? Although, if he lived in isolation, it might be possible. "Where are you from, if you've never heard of Lugnica?"

The boy smiled wryly, "Ah, let's just say from an island nation to the far east, you've probably never heard of it."

The girl raised an eyebrow, "Lugnica is the easternmost nation, there is nothing east beside the Great Waterfall," she asserted.

Subaru gulped, "Now, I told you you've probably never heard of it. But more importantly than where we come from, shouldn't we at least introduce ourselves?" the boy proposed. "Let me begin," he exclaimed, as he struck his signature pose. His left hand placed on his presented hip and his right hand raised towards the sky, the index finger piercing the sun itself. "My name is Natsuki Subaru, not only am I completely lost, I'm also broke beyond compare!" he proudly proclaimed, flashing his brightest smile, showing that he regained his spirit after the troubled start.

"Well then Subaru, I am Puck, and despite your weird mannerisms it's nice to meet you!", the grey flying talking cat introduced itself, shaking Subaru's hand with both paws.

"Astounding. It's rare for someone to be able to touch spirits so casually, not to mention a great spirit," the girl said surprised, eyeing the boy with a spark of curiosity.

"In that case I feel most honored, oh great spirit, to be able to appreciate your soft fur," Subaru said mockingly, pressing Puck to his cheek.

The boy got rewarded with a pinch. "Now, now, Subaru, don't let that get to your head, that's Lia's privilege. We can talk about that if you prove to be really dependable. Can't say I don't look forward to it," the cat purred.

Subaru rubbed his reddened cheek, "I'll give it my all! It's the least I can do for you and… uhh."

"Emilia", the girl said firmly. "Just Emilia."

"A beautiful name for a beautiful girl", Subaru cheekily remarked.

"You really shouldn't kid around like that," Emilia rebuked.

Subaru feigned to be hurt, going down on a knee and stretching out his arms to the heavens, "Forgive me for I meant the greatest beauty to ever exist."

"Subaru," the girl said tersely, clenching her fists, which caused him to tense up. "I'm a half-elf.".

The boy tilted his head to look for a feature elves supposedly had, and indeed, the tip of her ear was pointy. "Ah, I see," the boy nodded to himself, which caused Emilia to tense up further.

"Though I fail to see what that changes? Elves are renowned for their beauty after all," he insisted, snapping his finger at her, as he flashed a grin.

Baffled, neither Emilia nor Puck knew how to handle that statement. While Puck had begun to joke around with Subaru, expressing his joy overcoming his gnawing concerns, it was not as easy for Emilia to simply accept what was just said. Is that how you deal with it? Accepting and denying it altogether? And do you expect me to just play along? Instead of fighting for a non-wretched existence just live in denial and pretend to already have obtained it? To just forgo all pain and struggle?

As Emilia was lost in thoughts, she didn't notice Subaru and Puck both expectantly looking at her, both wondering how she'll react this time. Natsuki Subaru. Either you are a true fool or much more daring than you'd evince, and whichever is the truth makes you a "Nincompoop."

"Who even says nincompoop in this day and age?" Subaru jokingly remarked, which Emilia rewarded with a pout, elating the mean-eyed boy.

"But, to return to your original question," Emilia said, trying to regain her composure, "yes, I do intend to explore the city. Not everything mind you, that would take far too long and serve little purpose. But at least each district and several important places. I was already in the noble district and at the palace."

She pointed to the grand structure towering over all of the city, as well as the higher lying houses that allowed the nobles to look down on the city as well.

"We were in the merchant district a moment ago. But now I was on my way to the lower class districts. Ah, well I might as well name them as they are. The slums." she said, pointing to a point far away, right at the city walls and lower laying than any other district.

"Slums huh, so they exist here as well. No wonder Puck didn't want to let you go alone there. It's not really a good place to be in, from what little I've heard about such places," the boy said. Then, he grinned widely. "Guess it really was fate then that we met, solving that issue."

"Yes, I feel so much safer now," Emilia remarked, piercing Subaru with irony and sending him tumbling. "I just hope you're as good at detecting danger as you are at making silly remarks or jokes."

"I'll give it my all to not only fulfill, but exceed your expectations," the boy said. And depending on how low they are, that shouldn't be too difficult.

"We'll see about that," the girl said, signaling the boy to get moving. "Let's go, if all things work out well we are out of the slums before sunset."


If it had gone well, that is. But the sun had already begun to set when they reached the presumed borders of the slums. It took them quite longer to get there than they had anticipated, both not being familiar with the streets of the city and giving each other ill advice for deciding on the right way.

"Well, seems like we're here," Subaru said. The whole area looked run down, the streets were nothing more than dirt roads, and even that was a stretch. "Are you looking for anything in particular?"

Emilia seemed to look around intently, taking in the atmosphere of the rundown place. "No, it is more the general picture I'm interested in. Though I do wonder. This place sure is in a bad state," she said, pointing to the houses, all of them either lacking spots of color, facade, or being outright damaged and sloppily repaired with large pieces of cloth.

"It certainly is. Shows that we're really in the poorest parts of the city. I guess places like these exist everywhere," Subaru remarked.

"Does that mean where you're from–wherever that might be–there's places like these as well?" Emilia inquired.

"...No. Not like that," Subaru reluctantly admitted, "I've only heard of places in such a bad state in different countries, but there are far more countries with than without these."

"So it is possible to avoid such things," the girl said with a thoughtful voice.

They continued their way deeper into the slums, taking a tour around a place most people would avoid even thinking about, and most certainly not ever set a foot in if they could avoid it. And yet Emilia had not only come here, she even did so against the wishes of her spirit, and would even have done so alone. The black-haired boy thought about the reason for such a resolve, but couldn't find anything beyond mere curiosity.

Another thing the mean-eyed boy wasn't able to understand was the continued, if not intensified, fear that other people had when they saw him. Or now, them. Most slum dwellers seemed to be even more hostile or cautious than the inhabitants in the upper parts of the city.

Curiously enough though, not all of them sent them those glares. A select few—mainly erledrly people—seemed to even throw weak smiles at them. What's up with that? It seems almost like they're pitying us. Then again, I guess I just really suck at reading people.

They were already deep within the poorest part of the city when a prolonged "Yaaawn," drew their attention.

"I'm sorry Lia, but my time will be up soon," Puck said tiredly.

"What do you mean, your time will be up?" Subaru asked somewhat baffled.

"For a spirit to manifest in a physical form consumes a great deal of mana and overnight I recover that again. Which ideally means I'm around from nine to five," the cat explained.

"Nine to five, what are you, a civil servant!? Are there spirit unions!?", Subaru wondered, but then noticed the cat becoming increasingly transparent. Damn, it rather looks like he's dying.

"Quite the dark thought Subaru, though that'd be something to witness, wouldn't it? But don't worry, you'd turn into ice way before my last breath," the cat said dryly, freezing Subaru to his core. Not only were his thoughts just exposed, the boy got the feeling that no matter how friendly the cat seemed, there was a dark truth to that statement.

"How did you…?" Subaru asked baffled.

"I was only guessing. Despite my initial worries, you've been a good kid so far, so there is no need to worry about something like that. I wouldn't leave my daughter with someone I don't trust to some extent," he said with a wink.

Unsure whether to take the threat to heart or the implied trust as some sort of praise, all the boy could bring himself to was to nod.

Wait, did Puck just say "my daughter"?

Emilia, upon seeing Puck reaching his limit, removed the green crystal that rested above her chest and placed it in her palm. "Rest well Puck, I'll see you tomorrow. I'm sure we can do the rest by ourselves."

"Don't be too reckless, my daughter, and if all goes south use your Od to force me out again," the cat warned.

"I'm not a kid Puck, I can take care of myself," Emilia retorted.

"I sure hope so, Lia," the cat said, tapping on Emilia's hand. Then Puck turned to the black-haired boy, "I'm counting on you to ensure that, Subaru."

The boy struck his chest, "You can leave it to me, my danger radar's all set!"

The girl and her father exchanged a questioning look, but another yawn of Puck signified the end of his day. As he crawled on top of the crystal in Emilia's hand, she wished him a good night. The cat dissolved into many light orbs which dived into the crystal.

Subaru looked in awe at the magical light spectacle, deducing that the crystal would hold Puck's essence or at least function as his physical resting spot.

After Emilia had fastened the crystal again, she turned to Subaru, "Don't think you can try anything funny now that we're alone."

Subaru put his hands up defensively, "You have nothing to worry about," he said with a nervous voice. But judging by the glare Emilia gave him, she didn't quite believe it.

"No, really! The last time I've been alone with a girl aside from my mother was years ago—no wait, that sounds really pathetic!" he said, burying his face into his palms, trying to shut out the shame.

It had at least the desired effect, as Emilia seemed to relax a bit. And even though it cost Subaru a fair bit of self-confidence, he took what win he could get. He didn't notice the sadness her gaze contained.

"With that made clear, I should warn you about something else. Without Puck I can't keep an eye on you all the time. This place might be dangerous and you're really weak, so stay close behind me and on guard," the girl warned.

"My heart flutters with how concerned you are for my well-being," Subaru said, his voice brimming with joy.

"How can you say something like that?" Emilia asked, disbelief prevalent in her voice.

"I just say what I'm thinking and feeling at this very moment," Subaru said, doubling down. He sensed that Emilia still wasn't fully relaxed, or at least not as much as Subaru had hoped. Thus he had made a resolution. Before they continued, he would see her smile.

"Meeting you and being with you was the best thing to occur for me in a long time," he said, smiling sheepishly. It was nothing like his Earth days after all, where he could not even have dreamt of talking to a girl—and in stark contrast to his miserable beginning in this fantasy world.

Emilia remained speechless. Instead of making her smile, it seems he shocked her, as she did not say anything to what he just had shared. A creeping feeling grew inside him, thinking that he might have gone a bit too far—lack of experience having made him say too much.

But then the corners of her mouth rose up, forming a cute and warm smile. Subaru's eyes sparkled at the sight—it was even better than he had expected, the reward for his smiling quest being a sight to behold.

The boy could barely contain his grin, as they shared each other's happiness.

With inspired spirit, the two of them set off, continuing their exploration of the slums. There didn't seem to be too many places of interest here—well, there probably were, but not for people without any knowledge or familiarity with the area—so the girl focused more on the state of the place. Her interest was valid for its inhabitants as well, ranging from random pedestrians, hooded figures hustling through the spreading darkness, or scared children hiding behind broken windows.

The final straw was reached when they passed through a group of slum dwellers. Their previously lively conversation quickly died off, and their eyes never left the duo, scrutinizing them with an intensity that was hard to ignore. Emilia appeared to remain unfazed, but when Subaru noticed it, he gathered his courage and asked what he had wanted to ask for a while now:

"Say Emilia, do you know why people look at us weirdly all the time? Is something wrong with my face?"

The mean-eyed boy had once more managed to confuse the half-elf. What do you mean with that? Do you so adamantly wish to play this ignorant charade? Or… do you really not know? Is that why you're so carefree? But if that were the case, then...

"You are fine as you are," she said with a surprising firmness, "but I cannot deny the notion of us getting looked at strangely. I'm afraid we will stand out no matter what. The people here must be much more worried than those in the upper districts, so it is no wonder they are even more mistrusting of… outsiders. And in the end, it is better if they keep their distance, we don't want to get into trouble after all."

"I guess that makes sense. Sorry if I'm asking obvious questions," Subaru said with a wry smile, scratching the back of his head. He was happy that she rejected his self-depreciative worry with such force, but some thoughts about it lingered. It wasn't exclusive to the slums, the people in the upper parts of the city hadn't eyed him any friendlier. So hadn't there to be more to it?

"Mhm, don't worry too much about it, I couldn't have made that connection myself too long ago either. It is only recently that I've become attentive to such things, and this is the first time I've seen them. That is why we came here after all," the girl explained.

"But you made me conscious of that change. I wonder if having you around has been more helpful than I at first had thought," Emilia mumbled in her hand, thinking.

Hearing the last part, Subaru couldn't help but grin. "Well, then let's continue why you've come here, no? Is there anything else you were looking for in the slums? As you just said, this isn't the most hospitable place to be," he said. And I really don't want to find out what happens if some of them find the need to get rid of outsiders.

"No, I think I've seen enough. It's already later than I had planned for, so we shouldn't prolong our stay here," Emilia said, sharing Subaru's estimation of their surroundings. The sun had completely set by now, leaving only overcast moonlight to illuminate their path.

On their way to leave the slums, Emilia turned to Subaru, surprising him. "You know, I was thinking about something. What are you going to do after we're done exploring the city?"

"I haven't planned anything in particular, why do you ask?" he wondered.

"Because you've said before that you are completely broke and lost, right?"

Subaru's face scrunched up. "Ah, did I really say something like that?" Why does she bring that up now? I could say it was exaggerated, but that would be a lie, and… it seems like she wants to get at something with it. "Yeah. It's true," he admitted, downtrodden.

"So when we return to the merchant district, and our ways separate, then…"

Subaru gulped. He hadn't really put much thought into it, but she was right. Realization hit him. When they their paths separated, he would—

"—you would have nowhere to go, in a foreign place, with not a single coin," Emilia concluded. She eyed the boy, who was visibly shaken. "That's why I thought about offering you something. You keep accompanying me, and I'll find you a place to stay."

His mean eyes lit up. "Why?" he blurted out, "I mean, I'm super grateful, but why do you suddenly care? Has my charm finally reached you?" he asked, trying to mask his relief.

"People might get a reeaally wrong idea if they hear you say these things," the girl chided, "and besides, it's not like I truly care, you dunderhead. You still owe me, so it is only natural that I wouldn't let you off the hook so easily. And if you accept, you would even owe me twice," she doubled down.

Subaru clenched his heart. "Shot down once again," but then continued in a more serious tone, "while I again somewhat doubt the sincerity of that explanation, I don't think I'm in a position to voice my disbelief too much."

"You don't have to accept. I can understand if you rather wish to try and find a way on your own. It was already quite a risk to wander around together after all," the girl said.

You make it sound like it was riskier for me to walk around with you than alone.

But the boy didn't have to spend a single thought on the issue, "If you really mean it, I'll gladly accept your offer. Even without the pretense of being lost and broke I'd more than happily go with you."

"Alright then, let us retu—," but before she could finish her sentence, a high-pitched scream tore through the night, alerting the pair and sending chills down Subaru's spine.

Emilia raised her palm and pulled Subaru close to her, readying herself to block something.

Under normal circumstances, the boy would have enjoyed every second of such closeness—even the mere thought helped against the uneasiness and shock he felt—but right now all he could focus on was to locate the origin of the person in distress. "I think the scream came from back there," Subaru said, pointing to the alley they had run past some moments ago.

They exchanged a short nod and stood moments later at the mouth of said alley, still standing close to each other. When the moonlight broke through the passing clouds, it revealed a young blonde-haired girl lying on the ground, with a rapidly expanding pool of red liquid forming around her.

Subaru wanted to speak, but the words got stuck in his throat. His eyes were widened in shock. Nothing could have prepared him to see the death of another human—and even worse, this one looked like a child. "Is… Is she really…?" was all he could utter after the initial shock had dissipated a bit. But his hands were still shaking tremendously.

Accompanied with the first rush of adrenaline he shouted, "Quick, we have to help her!" But he was held back by Emilia.

"Calm down and take a close look," she said, "this is a dead end. So where is the attacker?"

Subaru stopped struggling against her grip and narrowed his eyes. "Attacker… I can't see anyone. But what do you want to do? Just let her bleed out!?" He tried to shut out the fear with anger, but it was neither effective nor well-directed.

The half-elf shook her head, "No, but I'm not running blindly into a trap. You stay here, keep your eyes open. I'll see what I can do. Immediately shout if something seems wrong."

With these short instructions, Emilia made her way to the fallen girl.

Subaru could feel how his body was fighting against the nausea such a sight induced, how his shaky legs wanted nothing but to run after Emilia—take her and get her away to safety. How he wanted to help the wounded girl just as well. And how it all got eclipsed by his tremendous fear and panic—being this unhinged was an utterly overwhelming sensation.

In an attempt to regain his composure, he forced his senses to pay attention to their surroundings. Emilia was right, danger could still lure closely, so he turned around, and—

Warmth. He could feel a sudden warmth. One that swiftly turned to a scalding heat.

What? Someone stood before him. Who is that? When did they get so close? Why do I feel so warm all of a sudden?

"Emi—", his voice croaked. He tried to say her name, call out to her, shout it, but instead he coughed, could feel a spreading metallic taste.

Then the ground came closer. He didn't register the tried to move, but his body felt heavy, his breathing becoming jagged and irregular. After much exertion he was able to move his right hand. He tried to touch the spot that radiated this warmth. But where he expected to find something, the hand continued further inward. It felt wrong. He stopped and looked at his hand. It was drenched fully in red. Ah, not warmth. Not heat. Pain. Blood…

In the corner of his vision he could see flashes of white and black clashing. "Subaru, say something!" he could hear a voice pleading. "Emil… ia, run!" His vocal cords ached. More coughing. More blood. No, less blood.

Why less blood?

He needed to fight. Do something.

A yelp caught his attention. Another thud. He turned his head and saw Emilia lying beside him. No, no, Emilia, please. His heart and mind raced alike, feeling like they were exploding.

He could hear her strained breathing.

I have to do something. Anything.

But he couldn't even see their attacker, let alone stop them. All he saw was them both drowning in a crimson lake.

"My oh my Miss half-elf. What a lovely color," a sickly sweet voice said, causing nothing but revulsion. "How exciting, eliminating two targets in one day, and such exquisite ones at that."

With all the strength he could muster, Subaru dragged himself closer to her. It felt like he was tearing himself apart. But it didn't matter.

"I'm sorry, Suba...ru," he could hear, her voice even now cutting clear through the night.

He reached out to her. His hand being grasped by hers. Squeezing. The last feeling he would register. His world began to darken. With his dying breath, with all the strength residing in his body and mind, he promised, vowed, "Just you wait… I will definitely… save you."

At that moment, Natsuki Subaru lost his life.