A/N: Spoilers for LN, Webnovel and Anime content ahead. Actually, this entire story is spoilers. If you aren't sure how far, I'd say that this spoiler warning extends up to Arc 6 of the Web Novel. This is far past the current end of the anime, for anime-only watchers. Now then, let us continue on.
Prologue: Welcome to the Theater
On a certain day, at a certain time, a certain group of people passed by an empty stretch of woods and grasslands, riding a carriage on their way to the Water Gate City, the Blue Metropolis, Priestella.
Deep within this carriage, one could hear the voices of its' occupants from within, ironically louder than the very sound of their carriage riding along the bumpy dirt roads, likely having to do with the divine blessing associated with their travel.
"Aaaaaand….! Poof!" A playful voice, seeming like it came from a rambunctious, lively young man.
"What are you doing, I suppose?! I have told you many times that my hair is not a toy, in fact!" The exasperated voice of a much younger-sounding girl echoed out, sounding quite clearly annoyed, likely at the young man's antics.
The next passenger could only laugh, a very sweet, mellow and innocent laugh, coming from a young lady with an absolutely angelic voice.
"Natsuki-san, would you mind keeping it down for just a second? I do need to keep focused on the road..." The pleading voice of yet another young man, sounding absolutely exhausted at the antics going on behind him.
"S'no use, y'know how the Cap'n gets when he's messin' 'round with the miss and his spirit, Otto bro." A much more rougher, more amused sounding voice came, this one sounding younger than the other voices, as well.
Hmm...it seems as if there is something interesting going on inside...shall we investigate further, dear observer? That is what you are here for, is it not? I, however, have another mission in mind...
Moving to the inside of the carriage, the passengers and their countenances could be revealed. A black-haired plain-looking man sat on one end of the carriage, bringing his hands up and down while pressing and releasing something on his palms.
"Oh come on you guys...you can't blame me! Beako's hair is just too perfect and puffy! It's hard to call them drills anymore...they're more like boingy springs!" The jolly boy couldn't help but snicker, looking down to the unfortunate object of his mischief.
"Hmmmmph…!" Said person was in fact a young-looking blonde girl sitting in his lap, head tilted away from the boy and arms crossed in a disapproving gesture. Though despite her displeasure to his treatment of her hair, she seemed to smile slightly to his complimenting of her hair.
"If Subaru could spend such time treating Betty's perfect hair as a toy, then Subaru could also spend much more time paying attention to her properly, I suppose!" She huffed, showing a small pout on her face while continuing to refuse to look the boy's way.
The same innocent laughter from once more echoed through the carriage, with the origin being a silver-haired girl sitting opposite the two, her hand demurely covering her soft lips, though her amused smile could barely be hidden behind it.
"It's always soooooooo~ funny watching you and Beatrice, Subaru! Although, for how much you dote on her, you seem like the kid a lot of the time!"
The great spirit puffed her chest out in a clear display of pride, nodding in agreement to Emilia's spot-on description.
"But of course! It is this way, in fact. Betty is the true adult here that must deal with her childish contractor's antics. He should consider himself lucky to have such a merciful spirit, I suppose."
These comments from Emilia and Beatrice prompted Subaru to show a fake look of despair, with the melancholy-filled contractor sighing to himself as he too looked off to the side, away from Emilia and Beatrice with a low tone.
"Geez, Beako...you are great, but now you've got Emilia-tan laughing at me, all because you won't let me get my daily recharge of drill boings…" Subaru said with a clearly mocking aura of depression surrounding him. Although obviously fake, Beatrice was still all too easily swayed to look up at him in worry, her grumpiness wavering at her contractor's feigned sadness.
"When did such a recharge exist, in fact?! W-Well...well…! I suppose...yes, I suppose it is fine if you simply...pat Betty's hair instead, I suppose." She conceded, causing Subaru to immediately grin as his hands returned, lavishing her hair with attention from his hands.
Realizing that Subaru had simply tricked her, the spirit immediately let out a displeased sound towards her contractor's betrayal.
"Y-You…! You tricked Betty, I suppose!" The grumpy spirit said with a pout, though her complaints were quickly silenced by Subaru's godly head-patting technique.
With a last grumble she simply went still in her seat, allowing Subaru to continue patting her without any further complaints. Watching the two with warm eyes, Emilia couldn't help giving out yet another set of entertained giggles at their antics.
"You two are reeeeeeally~ just like peas in a pod, aren't you?" Emilia said with a joy-filled smile, tilting her head lightly to the side as she affixed her gaze on her knight, who immediately noticed it.
Seeing this incredibly cute gesture, Subaru could not help but momentarily bring his hand to cover his heart, looking away from the half elf candidate.
"Gah…! Emilia-tan's cute stare and her horribly out-of-date sayings…! It's enough to distract me from my recharge...and enough to pierce my heart all over again!" The boy would speak dramatically, causing Emilia to simply shake her head in dismissal, while Beatrice would sigh in disappointment to the halting of his hands' movement.
"You should not stop patting Betty just to offer some bad pick up lines, I suppose!" The spirit grumpily interrupted, causing Subaru to just snicker and resume running his fingers through Beatrice's hair, much to her satisfaction.
"Geez, Subaru. You really are a silly kid…" Emilia would once more show her characteristic beautiful smile...though it would falter a bit, as something seemed to cross her mind. Subaru immediately noticed this change from the corners of his eyes, and gave Emilia a worry-filled, yet completely understanding gaze.
As her knight, it was obvious to Subaru just what was on the half-elf's mind, and by the way she looked back at him, it was obvious that she knew as well. Yet, nobody spoke it, as if wanting to preserve the peace they had built up in the carriage.
"Emilia…" He spoke softly, causing the half-elf to be slightly taken aback by his direct addressal, her smile only fully returning once she realized she had began to lose it.
"H-Huh? What's wrong, Subaru?" As she spoke, a bit of redness showed on her cheeks, with her too flushed to even notice that now even Beatrice was looking at her. Yet, as flustered as her knight's gaze made her, especially with his tense eyes, she felt herself somewhat dreading what he would say next, rather than looking forward to it...
Only for Beatrice to break the tense silence with an absolutely tactless set of words.
"Hmph! It is obvious to anyone that thinks about it, in fact. Are you not troubled over losing Bubby? It is the purpose of this entire trip, I suppose...just about anyone can tell that you are miserable when reminded of-ow, in fact!" Beatrice's words were stopped by Subaru's gentlest flick to her forehead he could manage, with Subaru letting out a deep sigh. "Why did Betty's contractor have to flick her? Betty was simply speaking the truth!"
"Man, you really do need to learn to read the room better, Beako…I'm sorry for flicking you, but you gotta think about what you say a little more, alright?" Subaru said with a fatherly tone, one not filled with disapproval, but just with a genuine want for the spirit to understand her words better.
Beatrice surprisingly let Subaru off with a short 'Hmph!' And with the turning of her head away from her contractor, Subaru returned to speaking to Emilia, knowing he had to get to the bottom of her feelings, and now. "Emilia-tan...is that really how you feel?"
As Beatrice had mentioned, it was all too obvious. Subaru, and almost anyone could tell just how Emilia's mental state regarding Emilia's contracted spirit.
Reminders of Puck, even something as small as Subaru's antics with his own newly contracted spirit slightly dampened Emilia's mood every now and then. It had been over a year, since she'd lost Puck, but Emilia could never simply forget or move on from who was practically Emilia's only living family member.
Of course, the half-elf would never forget that she had her knight, always ready and waiting to rush to her side...but her relationship with Puck was just different.
"Well…" Emilia looked down for a second, her hands resting softly in her lap as she began to speak her mind freely, letting out emotions she had bottled up within her for far too long.
"Mmm, I'm so sorry, Subaru...it's just, seeing you and Beatrice get along so well...it makes me happy, but kind of sad, too? It's so much fun with you two...but it hurts a little, too." The half-elf admitted her true feelings with her smile turning bittersweet, eyes looking ready to tear up.
She expected Subaru to berate her, or perhaps for any of the other people riding the carriage to say something, anything, about how weak she was being.
"That's all?" Subaru's casual words to Emilia's plight made her look up in surprise, with Subaru blinking for a second, before fumbling over himself to quickly correct his words as he noticed Emilia's bewildered expression, mistaking it for some sort of negative reaction to him.
"What I mean is, Emilia...is that all that you are worrying about right now? Because if so...you don't have any reason to worry!" Subaru grinned, holding Beatrice by her sides up to the ceiling of the carriage. His words were just as confident as ever, and he spoke without a hint of doubt in his voice.
The half-elf looked like she wanted to interrupt him, say that he was wrong, and that there were any number of reasons to worry...but Beatrice managed to speak out first.
"W-Waaah, what are you doing, I suppose?!" She said in shock, with Subaru only snickering as he brought Beatrice back down to his lap. Not giving her a chance to put herself down, the nasty-eyed knight was quick to proceed with his words.
"You've got me, my adorable Beako here-" Beatrice could not help but be a bit flushed, herself, at his words, her previous annoyance now being replaced by an easy to see happiness at Subaru's unabashed compliment. " and the always reliable Garfiel!"
At that, a loud and proud exhale could be heard from the front of the carriage. "Damn right yer h've got me, Cap'n! I'll follow ya n' th' miss to the end a' th' world!" The demihuman exclaimed excitedly. Although nobody could see him, everyone could imagine him raising a fist to the air with his declaration.
Meanwhile, someone was being forgotten...
"What about me?! Do I simply not exist, Natsuki-san?!" A much more disturbed voice shouted out from the side of the exceedingly proud Garfiel, with Subaru sighing to this desperation to be noticed, and rolling his eyes as he continued speaking.
"...Alright fine dangit, Otto, too!" He admitted with a short chuckle, causing said merchant to let out a relieved breath at being included, leaving Garfiel to laugh at the almost left out merchant.
"Don't even say anything, Garfiel-san..." Otto would speak before he could once again get teased, leaving the front of the carriage silent as Subaru continued his antics.
"See? All of us are here not for ourselves, Emilia-tan. We're not even here to get anything for ourselves. We're here to help you. All of us want to see you back at your 100 percent, with your usual dazzling smile, at your max happiness, and have you get your overprotective, super fluffy dad back!" Subaru locked eyes directly with Emilia, giving her a sincere and comforting gaze, as much as he could.
Subaru knew that Emilia was understating...but he had also long learned that pushing anyone, when they are not ready, and especially when the time wasn't right, wasn't always good. All he could do was his best to comfort Emilia, and leave it at that.
Seeing him looking at her like that, combined along with his previous words, Emilia could not help but let a small smile show on her face, her eyes seeming to already radiate a small bit of true happiness.
"That's the Emilia-tan I know...strong and beautiful! Even more beautiful than you were a few seconds ago! It's like your beauty stat just keeps rising and rising!" Subaru grinned, with Beatrice huffing at his comments, and Emilia's smile turning into a full burst of laughter, with Subaru joining in as well.
The two shared this short, jovial moment, with both leaning forward a bit in their laughter, causing their gazes to meet...with their eyes locked on each other...Garfiel would promptly interrupt, poking his head through the curtains into the passengers area.
"'pologies for 'nterruptin', Cap'n, but we only got a bit more t'go! Make sure t'wrap it up all smooth with the Lady, eh?" said with a toothy grin, returning to focus entirely on the road ahead.
At that point, both Emilia and Subaru had fully retreated back to their seats, both entirely red. Admittedly, they had gotten carried away with the mood...and Beatrice wasn't about to let them get away with it, either.
"A-hem!" Beatrice would clear hear throat, drawing their attention. "If Betty may interrupt this annoyingly lovey-dovey moment...I believe that we can now see the city through the windows of the carriage, I suppose."
Without either Subaru or Emilia noticing, the artificial spirit had wiggled her way off Subaru's lap, standing on her tip-toes to stare outside of the window of the carriage on Subaru's side.
"Really?! Lemme see, lemme see, Beako!" He moved to the window, with Emilia following to look through it as well...only to notice that the scenery was quite...blank?
No...it was entirely white. As if the world outside the carriage had disappeared completely. One moment the scenery was there, and now...
Subaru stepped back, seeming entirely baffled, only to lose his footing and fall flat on his back. He looked around, only becoming even more confused with each passing second.
All around him was nothing but a formless...white...void.
"Wh...what?"
His bewilderment peaked, and he was unable to hold back what little calmness he had.
"No...no…!" Subaru immediately panicked, eyes narrowing down to pinpricks. His voice was frenzied, as he immediately lost his composure.
It was...it was like the opposite of when he had been smothered in the Witch of Envy's 'love'...different from the darkness he saw when speaking of Return by Death to anyone.
Yet...this was not natural...where was Emilia, Beatrice? Where were Otto and Garfiel…? Where was the entire scenery...where was the rest of the world?!
Subaru began to descend into further and further despair at suddenly losing everything, with no indication if he was even dead or not.
Would he have to kill himself? Take his own life just to get out of this situation? However, before he could fully lose his mind to his assumption of the situation...a small sound resonated through the void, like a drop of water falling into a river.
Suddenly, the white void began to move, swirling and collapsing and coalescing into one point, focusing into a singularity right in front of him.
Subaru could see this reality itself peeling away like it was being discarded like old wallpaper and forming into...something. A shape that he could not exactly put his finger on.
Before Subaru knew it...the white void disappeared, leaving him back in the carriage, on the floor by the window. He panted as he returned to the familiar feeling and scenery of the carriage, looking around in desperation. Without a single hint of worry for himself, he desperately looked around for the two girls he cared so much for...and found them.
Seeing Emilia and Beatrice still in place, he let out a sigh of relief, despite barely having any breath left in his lungs. They were still in the positions he'd left them in at the window, and they both at least looked fine.
But still...something was off. Neither girl was moving, in fact...nothing was moving. The carriage was entirely still, and neither Garfiel nor Otto said a single word from the front, either. He knew that there was a divine protection keeping them safe, but it was just too unnatural to just be called a 'smooth' ride.
The world...had just stopped.
Subaru was unsure of what was even happening anymore. It was clear he had not died. In fact, nobody had, but the entire world seemed to have just been...put on hold, like pausing a game or a video.
"Any answers…" Subaru muttered, giving a desperate chuckle and a thin, slightly crazed smile. He no longer even tried to think about the situation. "S-Someone...just tell me what the hell's going on…"
I suppose it's up to me to answer that call, isn't it?
"Huh?" Subaru looked up, snapping out of his stupor at the sound of a sudden, unknown voice in the carriage. No, it was less like a voice, and more like some person was beaming words directly into his head.
That is...surprisingly intuitive for a first guess. But, well, I should have expected no less, right?
"What the?" Subaru was only made more confused, standing and looking around...before coming face to face with...it. "You can hear my thoughts? No, more importantly..."
On his right side, a white ball hovered in place, a ghastly white aura surrounding it, burning and whipping the air like flames.
"Is that...you?" The boy asked, still giving the white ball a confused look. It spun in place as if pleased, before returning to its' original spot.
This is my current physical form, yes. So I suppose this is what you could call 'me'. I'm surprised that you even have the presence of mind to identify me, Natsuki Subaru. With your...experience, I was sure you might've done something rash to avoid this conversation.
Subaru looked away from the orb, thinking of how he had just had such thoughts, so easily thinking of killing himself just to get out of this situation. However, he realized he had to confront this thing head-on.
The nasty-eyed boy stared at the floating orb silently. Even with the thing's words alluding to his ability, he seemed entirely unfazed.
"Listen...I don't know what the hell you want...but leave us out of it. I don't know...how the hell you...know what you know. But I don't care." Without fear, he took a single step forward towards the orb.
"I won't let you put a single finger on anyone here...no matter what it takes. If you know me, then you should know that, too."
To Subaru's determined words, the orb simply sat in place, floating for a bit...before spinning uncontrollably, with the "voice" from within laughing.
Honestly, honestly?! I show up in front of you, with the power to stop the world itself, and the first thing you show is that insane determination of yours? What else could I have expected?
Yes. Good, Natsuki Subaru!
Subaru remained steadfast, prompting the orb's voice to sigh, with the sphere shaking from side to side in expressed disappointment to his lack of reaction.
You treat this situation so seriously, but I can fully understand. You have withstood many trials.
The boy was slightly taken aback as the orb's voice took on some sort of...somber tone? Rather than a grand being, it seemed a bit more...human. And its' words...had someone...had something other than witches truly seen his experiences firsthand?
Even if a stranger...was there someone else that was truly able to be witness to his suffering?
"Then if you get it...why are you doing this?" It was a simple question from Subaru.
A simple question, with an immeasurable response.
A feeling of pure power washed over him...he almost felt like he could double over and pass out just from it passing through him.
I can't tell you much, Natsuki Subaru. However, I can tell you one thing.
The future that awaits you is a future of pure despair. One you can't hope to tackle by yourself. It is unthinkable.
Subaru's eyes widened at the being's words. Did...did this thing have some sort of ability too?
Subaru could only bring the information he'd gotten through his own regrettable deaths, his own failures, but someone existed that could just...see the future.
"I don't know how you know that, or even if I can trust you...but what about it?! I know how weak I am, I know it...but you've got the power to stop time! Why are you even asking me?!"
He had long decided, he would do anything to protect Emilia and everyone else.
He was now her knight, and everyone else's hero, and he would exert all of his effort, without a single question.
Even if it meant listening to this being's words. Even if it meant degrading himself into the dust, like he once had, and begging something bigger than him for help.
Do not put yourself down so easily. The fate of this world is not in my hands.
The self-degrading boy was thrown off by the voice's immediate response, raising his gaze with confusion clouding his eyes.
Sage Candidate, the choice is entirely yours. You are the one that must choose.
Of course, the title 'Sage Candidate' meant nothing to him. He had no idea what it was. Yet, he somehow knew...somehow felt the weight of the choice that was being offered.
He could not help but feel an unsettling feeling descend onto his chest. Such an important decision, left up to someone like him? Shouldn't this sort of thing be left up to someone more fitting of it, like Reinhard?
"The fate of the world...on my hands…" His mind was far gone from the present now, as he stood, contemplating the future.
He thought of Emilia, Beatrice, Rem...everyone he loved and cared about in the Emilia camp.
Crusch, Felix, Old Man Wilhelm, the members of the Iron Fang, and Julius, who he had fought alongside and risked his life with.
The Greedy Anastasia, along with the members of the Iron Fang, both people who had, in the end, lent their support when he needed it most.
Felt, always full of life and energy...Reinhard, super overpowered, but kind, and the man who had saved so many lives, including his own, when nothing else could.
Priscilla, who...well no, nothing for Priscilla. He was at least fine with her knight, though. It would suck if his only fellow isekai-er died.
"Alright." Subaru finally spoke after a long moment of contemplation, looking up to the orb.
That look...have you made your decision?
"Hell yeah, I have. Whatever you're gonna do, do it, you damn weird orb!" His words came out without a single bit of hesitation, with the determined knight raising a fist to the floating object.
As expected, you truly are worthy of your title. I would've expected nothing less.
Now then...let us begin.
As the orb began to speak once more, Subaru felt his vision being filled up with a blinding white light, slowly overtaking his sight, and then overwhelming the rest of his senses.
He was no longer able to speak, but only able to watch, feeling a sort of numbness all over his body as he began to slowly lose consciousness.
This will be the first, and for the foreseeable future, last time we speak, Natsuki Subaru. However, you need not worry.
Neither you, nor those dear to you will be harmed.
Subaru did not resist the feeling, simply allowing sleep to fully take him. He felt the thoughts of those dearest to him slipping into his mind, at the very end.
When you wake up, be prepared.
With those final words, Subaru's consciousness faded away...and away...and aw-
Nothing will be the same.
"Let me see t-" Emilia had began to speak as she took her place next to her knight and his spirit...or at least, she thought she was doing so
Instead of feeling as if she were in the divinely-protected cart, she instead felt like she was in...some sort of...incredibly comfortable...soft and warm spot.
Her eyes took a second to adjust, as she found her new area much darker than the inside of the cart...only for her to be left in absolute shock.
Her eyes were wide open at where she now was. "How...did we get here?" She couldn't help but be entirely bewildered, her gaze also being able to quickly pick up on her traveling companions.
Beatrice, Garfiel, and Otto were here...and they were all dropped off here, into some...odd, completely closed room, with no doors. There were no windows either, yet it still was not entirely dark.
"Th' hell?! My amazin' self definitely wasn't here?! Where's th' earth dragons?! N' th' cart?!" The sharp-toothed warrior expressed his clear confusion.
"I'm not sure, Garfiel-san. It seems we have been...transported somewhere away from the cart, to say the least. It's nothing I have seen before." Otto was quite calmer, yet still just as lost as his louder brother-in-arms.
"The two of you should calm down, I suppose. Betty senses that we are not in any immediate danger, but she is still unsure of just what this place is. Hearing the sharp-toothed one's barking does not help either, I suppose." The blonde spirit-loli voiced her opinion next, leaving Garfiel to huff and quiet himself, knowing the girl was his captain's partner.
Emilia meanwhile looked down, and discovered the sensation she had felt. There were rows and rows of extremely luxurious-looking armchairs, the like of which the half-elf had never seen...let alone sat on in her life.
Beatrice, Garfiel, and Otto all shared her baffled expression, with the four's attention eventually being drawn towards an even more amazing sight in front of them.
"What...what is that?" The gray-haired merchant stared ahead at the object, his bright blue eyes almost sparkling in the darkness.
The best way their minds could comprehend it was that it was a giant window, the size of a decorative mirror you might find in a palace, shining the only source of light within the entirety of the room.
"Just what is this place...?" Emilia spoke, wonder and uncertainty in her voice in equal parts.
Finally taking in just how odd of a situation she was in, fear and hesitation began to now cloud her gaze, as she once more gazed at the rows of seats behind her, seemingly noticing something.
"Y'got m'wonderin' th' same question, princess...Where d'ya think we ev'n are?" Garfiel was the second to speak up, teeth grit as if he were pissed, yet his confusion seemed to overpower that for now.
Otto grabbed his hat atop his head while regaining his bearings, righting himself up in his chair. "It seems like some sort of luxurious room meant for a noble. Yet...I've never seen anything like it before." He admitted, entirely at a loss. "Perhaps the knowledgeable Great Spirit...?" He turned to the blonde spirit with a questioning gaze.
Emilia and Garfiel also looked at Beatrice, who seemed equally as unsure, if not even more than her front-row companions.
Feeling their gazes on her, the great spirit could do nothing but look from left to right in hopes that they were not looking at her, only to have to eventually give in, realizing she was the center of their attention. She huffed and folded her arms, giving in and providing the best answer she could.
"...Betty has never seen such a thing before. Neither the object on the wall, nor a room similar to this, I suppose. She supposes that perhaps her contractor may have mentioned something like it...but she simply cannot place a finger on it."
Seeing the extremely knowledgeable spirit herself admit defeat, everyone was left at a complete loss.
"Damn...so only th' Cap'n could give us n' answer now..."
At that mention of the nasty-eyed boy, a look of realization seemed to get ready to cross everyone's eyes, before Emilia would interrupt with a new piece of information.
"Actually, there's something I reeeeeeally wanted to say since we got here, but since nobody is going to bring it up…" Emilia, for the third time, looked at the many seats behind them, prompting Otto, Garfiel and Beatrice to follow suit and follow her gaze.
It turned out that the area wasn't as empty as they had assumed.
There were people from all of the other rival camps, with Crusch (alongside Felix and Wilhelm), Anastasia (only accompanied by Julius), Priscilla (only accompanied by her knight, Al) and…
"Felt-chan!" Emilia couldn't help but exclaim in a mix of surprise and happiness as she laid eyes on the little ex-thief, sitting beside Reinhard, the Sword Saint himself.
Said ex-thief smirked and sat up in her own arm chair, greeting the half-elf with a raise of her hand.
"Sup! I'll be honest, I didn't expect t'see you here, big sis! Thought you'd be off somewhere all busy with big bro Subaru!"
Emilia let out a soft chuckle, shaking her head at Felt. "I didn't really expect to see you here, either! I hope you're not stirring up too much trouble, like you did with that speech in the castle...and no more thieving?"
At those words, Felt flushed, looking embarrassed at Emilia's motherly words.
"H-Hey, at least I said sorry for that one time!" The scarlet-eyed girl rubbed the back of her head in exasperation, looking to Reinhard for some sort of support in arguing.
The fiery crimson-haired knight could only chuckle at Felt's antics, giving a short bow of his head to the half-elf royal candidate. Felt showed an adorable pout of betrayal as Reinhard seemed to completely give up on defending her.
"It is a pleasure to see you as well, Emilia-sama. Although...it is a shame that it has to be under such odd conditions. We too have no idea where we are."
At Reinhard's words, everyone in the room could only help but silently agree, including one other participant who decided to voice her concerns.
"The sword saint there's right. All a' us were in places that shoulda' been way too far from each other' to be all gathered like this, yeah? Especially considerin' that I didn't meet up with a single one a' y'all yet." A girl spoke up, wearing a pure white fur hat.
It was the merchant candidate, Anastasia Hoshin. Reinhard looked a little disheartened at being called the 'Sword Saint', but seemed to withstand it, knowing that he was not quite friendly with the scarf-wearing girl.
Emilia shook her head in reply to the greedy merchant's question.
"That's right...the last time I remember, we were actually on our way to Priestella to meet with you, Anastasia! At least, if my memory is correct."
"I see...n' what about you, little miss thief?" Anastasia grinned, as she went on to ask Felt on her information. Felt frowned, knowing that Anastasia wasn't the type to just let information like that go. Reinhard had told her about all the other candidates a long time ago.
Deciding to ignore it, Felt just replied calmly as everyone in the theater's eyes fell on her.
"No way we were around any of you guys. Me n' Reinhard were on our own too."
"I see...and what of you, Countess Barielle?" Julius' smooth voice suddenly cut through the theater, as he addressed the most volatile candidate there directly.
Everyone turned to the yet unspoken Priscilla, with the fiery noble simply turning from the group to her knight, Aldebaran, her gaze giving him some unspoken permission to speak.
"Right. Me and the princess here were on our own, too. We definitely didn't see any of you around, at least." He nonchalantly replied, remaining in his seat all the while.
"And...next would be...Ferris?" Taking the one armed-knight's answer, Julius would then turn his attention to the best healer in the kingdom, who was seated directly next to the candidate he served. He could not help but give his friend an understanding, solemn look. At times like these, a person with Crusch's disposition would be vital, but she was but a shadow of her former self...
The entirety of the group then fixed their gazes on Crusch, with everyone mostly expecting her feline knight to speak for her, only for the entire group to be immediately surprised.
"No. I do believe that it is the same for me and my camp. We had not come into contact with anyone prior to arriving here."
The resolute candidate spoke for herself without a bit of hesitation, just as she once had spoken, before...before she had lost everything. This simple sentence from her sent almost everyone present reeling, leaving Crusch to look around with confusion.
"What is it? Is it possible that I said something out of turn?"
"My lady..." Wilhelm's old, wise eyes filled up with the slightest hint of surprise, yet, his reaction paled in comparison to the feminine knight beside him.
"C-Crusch-sama…? Did nyou just…" He seemed entirely taken aback, his eyes looking unsure...yet filled with the slightest shimmer of hope.
He wanted nothing more to celebrate, to hug the woman he had promised to serve, to get out all the emotion he'd been holding in about how absolutely useless he was...but he wasn't sure.
Was it...was it really...his Crusch? Was it really...her?
"What? Have you forgotten me so soon, Ferris?" She would turn to face her knight with a questioning gaze, leaving Felix to stare at her with complete silence. A worried look crossed her features and she prepared to speak once more, only to be taken aback as she was suddenly tackled in a hug, her knight wrapping his arms around her in a desperate hug.
"I-I'm so...happy…!" The healer could only barely choke out words, as he began to spill tears directly into Crusch's military uniform.
Crusch seemed a little surprised at her knight's uncharacteristic behavior, looking to her steward for any sort of explanation.
The old, yet sharply dressed man only looked on at her with his usual passive expression, though he couldn't stop the smallest of smiles forming on his lips.
"It is good to have you back, Crusch-sama." He would say simply, refusing to add any more.
Emilia showed a genuine smile from her seat in the front, smiling at the tearful reunion between the true Crusch and her two camp members.
"It's so nice to see them like that...especially after what happened with Gluttony."
The half-elf's words were agreed with, with many sharing her sentiments...this went doubly for Julius and Reinhard, who shared a smile for their friend, their fellow knight finally receiving some well-deserved happiness.
Yet, the mention of the Sin Archbishop also left some tense, as they remembered the damage that he and his partner had wrecked, almost wiping out the returning force of the White Whale expedition, and erasing many from this world...
Crusch herself still seemed confused, looking between Emilia, Wilhelm, and her crying knight. Her mind was still not fully there...but in a few seconds, she felt the fog in her mind clear up, and every single one of her memories returned to her.
She remembered everything...including how she had completely lost herself, leaving her camp to deal with the fallout of carrying around an amnesiac leader.
"Ferris…" She would speak in an uncharacteristically soft voice, bringing her gloved hand down to gently pat her knight on the head. "I am sorry that I've been gone until now...but I won't leave you alone ever again."
At his mistress' promise, the feline knight's tears only flowed even harder, leaving Crusch to chuckle. She felt that they both needed to become a little stronger.
Emilia could not help but leave the two to their heartfelt exchange, with the Felt and Hoshin camp following suit, turning their gazes towards each other, instead.
Yet, the private moment was interrupted not by them, but by a scathing, haughty voice from above, originating from the last rows of chairs.
"I believe that that's enough of this farce." Priscilla herself would finally speak, bringing her fan down from her lips with a frown. "Mineself does not have time to waste on such emotional displays...no, more so a theatrical failure."
Priscilla's harsh words immediately drew the ire of everyone present, who turned to look at her, particularly Crusch, who affixed the candidate with a nasty glare.
"Just what are you saying, Countess? Do you find something like this a mere waste of time?" The militaristic candidate wasn't one to take such insults lightly, and Priscilla seemed ready to fire something right back...only to be interrupted by her knight's tired voice.
"Princess…" Al would sigh in exasperation. "Come on, we shouldn't piss off every royal candidate here."
Al's attempt at advice was halted as Priscilla slapped her fan directly in front of his helmet, immediately silencing him.
"Silence, Aldebaran! Since when were you allowed to offer mineself advice? These commoners are the ones in need of such words…" She smiled a most vicious smile, bringing her fan to slowly rise in front of her lips once more. "As they do not seem to realize what situation we truly are in…"
"Our...situation?" Otto was one of the few who seemed to take her words at face value, with the gears beginning to turn in his head.
Having the fellow sharp mind of a merchant, Anastasia caught wind of this wording too, allowing herself to think rather than get caught up in the emotional whirlwind everyone else was.
Not everyone was just taking her words as mere advice, however, especially the more emotional people present within the room.
Felt, looking incredibly pissed, stood up from her seat, pointing an accusatory finger towards the fan-holding woman, scowling as she yelled at her.
"And what gives you that right to tell us what to do, lady?! If you think we're gonna sit here and take any more of that bull-"
"Felt-sama!" Reinhard immediately interrupted, giving Felt a stern look. Felt turned on her heels to Reinhard, obviously looking frustrated, but the Sword Saint only met her gaze with his own strong, unwavering eyes.
"Ugh-! Fine…" She gave up, sitting back down on her seat and folding her arms. After she had given up, Priscilla's amused giggling could be heard behind her.
"You are lucky that your dog is well trained in holding his master's tongue...though I figure it should be the other way around, should it not?" Priscilla's words did not go unheard, almost riling up Felt all over again, but her temper was immediately put out as Reinhard placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, shaking his head at her.
Luckily, the blonde girl gave up the fight with a simple huff, vowing that she would stick it to the stuck-up, arrogant woman some other time. Crusch seemed to share this sentiment, silently withdrawing from the confrontation as well.
"Tch' th'lady has got some real shit comin' t'her in the future..." Garfiel grumbled to himself, barely managing to keep his own temper in control. He didn't know Crusch or many of the other people there, but he at least knew that nobody deserved to be spoken to like that. Especially when his own Captain had lost someone to Gluttony too...or at least, so he said.
"Well then. How about we continue what we were doing? Taking stock of our situation." The Finest Knight, Julius, was the next to speak up, breaking the tension that had now settled over the room.
"Indeed. I believe that, as alarming as Countess Barielle's words were, we do have a more pressing issue at hand...and we must understand our situation better before making any assumptions or moves." Otto seconded Julius' suggestion, finding himself one of the people that found their general situation more worrying than any spats they had in the moment.
Anastasia, alongside most of the occupants in the room nodded at her stern knight's and the timid merchant's suggestion, and the merchant-princess went on with her summarizing of the current known facts.
"So, first t'appear was us...then Crusch and the rest of her camp showed up, the blonde-girl over there and the Sword Saint next, an' Priscilla and her knight. Last to come was y'all. Don't seem like we really came in any sorta' order, does it?"
"It truly doesn't…" Crusch agreed with a shaking of her head, with her knight now leaning against her shoulder, still looking somewhat emotional as he silently laid on her. "Perhaps...perhaps this was accomplished by some sort of automated summoning magic?"
Nobody seemed to have a better theory yet, however, there was one occupant who was able to immediately refute this idea, speaking up from the front row.
"Betty will say that she has not experienced any summoning magic like this before, in fact. It is not even similar to teleportation magic, which very few can wield in the first place, I suppose. There were no spellcasters, no sources of mana big enough to move all of us at once, and especially no way to move us all from different areas of the plains either, I suppose. It is a mystery, even to Betty."
The great spirit's testimony only left the group even more lost and confused, as their one and only lead was suddenly stripped from them.
"So it ain't summoning magic, and it ain't that we all just waltz into here of our own volition...this is is pretty screwed up, man." Aldebaran's voice echoed from the back row, the more carefree man's tone not matching the hopeless words he spoke.
The Sword Saint was inclined to agree, realizing that not even he had faced such trickery or magic before, and none of his blessings were speaking of anything, either...in fact, he felt as if he could barely call on any mana, as alarming as it were.
"This cannot be overlooked, indeed. Someone, somehow, managed to summon all five princess candidates here, alongside their respective camps, from all of our separate locations, with only a bit of time lag. Our situation is a worrying one, that is for sure." The blue-eyed sword master could not help but show his concern clear on his face.
Hearing the sword saint say such words, everyone could not help but feel a little more on edge, despite having not been attacked or mistreated.
Whoever or whatever had accomplished this, they were not something that could be easily trifled with.
"Indeed. This makes me wonder...is whatever force that brought us here finished? Or are there more people to be brought?" Otto said, managing to keep his wits about him despite being in a room with nothing but extremely powerful people.
As if to answer his question, the room was enveloped in a bright light, and five more people appeared, all belonging to the Emilia camp, by the seats they were dumped into.
"Ahhhhhhh myyyy~…" A characteristic drawling voice echoed throughout the theater, as the kingdom's strongest magician, Roswaal L. Mathers sat up in his armchair.
"Roswaal?! I guess that everyone really is being brought here..." Emilia showed her surprise, though her reaction was not without its' unsureness. Considering his past behavior, it was not out of the question for Roswaal having been involved somehow...but he seemed as much of a victim as everyone else.
Everyone in the room immediately stiffened upon seeing the clown-makeup wearing oddity appear, especially Beatrice, who inadvertently shuffled slightly further from his side of the room.
"Good grief…I just know this has to be that idiot Barusu's fault somehow…" An aggressive sounding Oni-maid was the next to speak up, folding her arms as she sat up in her chair. "To think that Roswaal-sama would be brought here as well, however...it is a bit hard to believe just he could accomplish such a feat."
"Um...I'm not quite sure that you should blame big brother Subaru so quickly, Miss Ram…" A softer voice spoke up, as a girl with reddish-brown hair sat up from her seat.
Hearing her call Subaru big brother, Felt smirked, feeling a sort of kinship with the similarly young girl.
"Heck yeah, you tell her, sis!" She didn't hesitate to voice her support, leaving Petra to smile at the stranger, and causing Ram to click her tongue in annoyance.
"To think that he has managed to brainwash so many young, impressionable minds...truly a despicable man." These almost pitying words from Ram caused Felt to point a finger at her, yelling in protest.
"Hey, you better step off, sharp-mouthed maid!" The two seemed ready to cross words, but Reinhard once more interrupted Felt's outburst.
"Now, now, Felt-sama. I'm sure miss Ram here is just teasing about Subaru as always."
"Hah!" Ram gave up on pursuing an argument further, while Petra once more reluctantly pulled back...and Petra could not help but just look between the two with a bit of worry, having not meant to even start such an argument in the first place, although she secretly agreed Ram treated Subaru a bit too harshly.
The next was a sharp-toothed demihuman maid with blonde hair and striking green eyes, who looked about the theater in confusion as she arrived into her chair besides her junior maid-in-training.
"Oi, oi, y'gotta be kiddin' me!" Garfiel's annoyance could be heard, as he laid eyes on his older sister sitting not so far from him. "This whole thin' just got a 'hella lot more complicated."
"Where are we...wait, Garf?!" She spoke in surprise, immediately locking eyes with her younger brother.
Garfiel clicked his teeth, folding his arms and looking away from her.
"Damn, figures yer would b'here, sis'." The similarly sharp-toothed demihuman wasn't afraid to show his displeasure at his sister's sudden appearance.
"Now, now, you need not sound that way. I am at least relieved to see you, Emilia-sama, and Beatrice-sama safe and in good health."
Although Garfiel did not respond to her, only folding his arms and looking away, Emilia eagerly replied, with Beatrice's words coming in tow.
"It's nice to see you too, Frederica!"
"Yes, Betty is somewhat relieved to at least see someone familiar around here, I suppose."
"Hmmmmm? Aaaaam I not familiar, Beatrice?" Roswaal chimed in with a smile, with the great spirit only rolling her eyes in response to her antics.
"Betty could not care less for your presence, I suppose. I would have preferred you were not brought at all, in fact."
"Myyyyy~! Soooo haaarsh..."
Last but not least was...a mysterious blue-haired girl, one that looked extremely similar to Ram, yet...nobody in the room knew. Well, except for those in the front row of the Emilia camp.
Ram felt a pull at her heart, one that she couldn't put a finger on...one that she couldn't put a finger on since she had first seen her, presented by the nasty-eyed boy she was so prone to insult.
"Wait, ain't that...th'girl cap'n always takes care a'? Rem...was it?" Garfiel pointed at the newly appearing blue-haired maid, as he tried to recall the memories of the girl who he had always seen laying down, eyes closed.
"Right...it was assumed that she, too, was a victim to Gluttony alongside Karsten-sama...although to a much larger extent." Otto replied to the confused warrior, both turning to look at her.
Krusch herself felt some odd feeling in her heart upon seeing the girl, almost like she had fought alongside her or knew her...but as far as she knew, she had been the only one to fight against the archbishops, two-on-one.
Everyone now looked to the girl...who then eventually opened her eyes slowly, taking in the room. She remained silent, causing everyone to pause...and that silence was broken as she smiled, a warm, welcoming smile, as she laid eyes on Ram.
"S...sister! Rem is so happy to see you!" She spoke cheerfully, rushing up out of her seat to go in for a hug of the red-haired Oni...only to be stopped by Ram's outstretched hand.
"Hold it. Ram is unsure of just who you are...Barusu proclaimed that you were my sister, but...I am still unsure of how true it really is." Ram said surprisingly coldly, causing Rem to withdraw from her.
Rem was genuinely hurt, and Ram could see that, but...she had learned long ago just how dangerous it could be to accept words at face value.
Ram was not an entirely cold person, but rather was one that reserved judgement until she fully felt she could trust the other person...and right now, lost memories or not, this girl was a total stranger.
The blue-haired Oni maid slowly backed away, moisture building up in her eyes, as she looked among all the members of the audience, who seemed to have absolutely nothing in their eyes when seeing her.
"A...are you sure? Emilia-sama, Otto, even...Garfiel and Fredrica, Beatrice-sama...Roswaal-sama..is it true that none of you recognize Rem?" The girl asked with desperation, looking at each of the people they called off. "Not even...Karsten-sama?"
All of them shook their heads, with Emilia looking particularly sad as she had to deny the girls claim. Even Crusch, the woman who she had fought alongside with their lives on the line, had absolutely forgotten her.
"I...see."
Rem's eyes slightly dimmed, with her voice going somewhat low.
"'Pologies, mine amazin' self defint'ly wouldn't wanna forget a sis' a' Ram...but just looks like th'bastard Gluttony's pulled one over on all a' us."
"I'm sorry...we really don't have any idea who you are…" Emilia admitted sadly. "The only details we know is what Subaru told us, and how we lost our memo...wait…"
It was at that point that Emilia recognized something. No, everyone in the room realized it at once, now understanding that they had only failed to realize it due to the stress of their situation.
Between Emilia and Beatrice sat the most important person in their life, the mean-eyed, tracksuit-wearing, bad joke-making, hero...except...he seemed to be completely knocked out.
The room's atmosphere completely changed at this, with even Rem herself feeling worry, rather than sadness fill her being, as she laid eyes on her hero.
"Subaru!" Emilia shouted, her focus immediately shifting to him, her delicate hands resting on his. "He's...he's...!" Her voice peaked, as her own worry spilled out into her words.
"Calm down, Emilia-sama! Allowing worry to overtake you will only lead us to making rash decisions and assumptions!" Otto was the voice of reason as he stared at Subaru's unconscious forms.
"B-but, mister Otto..."
Little Petra was the next to speak up, having gotten from her own seat to walk over to him. Otto could not bare to look at her, or even respond, forcing himself up out of his seat instead to get a closer look.
Everyone in their chairs who knew and personally cared about the boy, those that couldn't, or moreso dared not to go down physically, only share worried looks and glances.
"I have no worry. Natsuki Subaru is not a man that would find himself dying here."
Julius, despite being incredibly close to the boy, found not a single bit of worry in his heart. Reinhard, though he remained silent, shared this exact same sentiment with him.
Anastasia could not help affix her knight with a curious gaze, never having understood just why he rated the boy so high. The most she'd seen him do personally was a half-decent negotiation, after all. She wasn't sure how much of the rest of his achievements was just rumors or exaggeration.
Priscilla looked down with cold eyes, finding herself still absolutely uncaring. This commoner meant nothing to her, but it was interesting that the Sword Saint himself, alongside so many of the other camps seemed to care so much for his existence...
Meanwhile, those in the front row seats, Emilia, Beatrice, Otto, Garfiel, Rem, and Petra...all went to check on the man who held their camp together.
"Betty has no idea what is wrong...why can she not just tell what is wrong?! Betty can still sense her contract with him, so he is not dead, I suppose...but it is as if she cannot feel his consciousness at all, in fact!" Beatrice's worried yells echoed throughout the room, with most pitying the young spirit's desperate voice.
"Cap'n, the hell's happn'd t'ya?"
Garfiel, gritting his teeth as he felt he'd failed to protect his mentor and leader.
"Natsuki-san…"
Otto, who was worried for his one and only best friend, the man who'd saved his life and turned his life around.
"Subaru…"
Rem, who was not allowed to come close, only able to look on as her hero sat there, resting like a doll...much like she must have been.
Okay, okay, enough melodrama.
A voice none of them recognized, a voice none of them had ever heard before, suddenly echoed through the theater, with the entire room suddenly turning into a white void.
"What happened?!" Reinhard immediately stood up from his seat with his hand set on his sword. It actually felt as if it were ready to be drawn...which was something that worried the knight.
Everyone was now on edge, looking around and keeping on their guard.
"Whatever it is, it surely cannot be good…" Julius followed up, with his minor spirits appearing around him.
Before either knights could set off any attack, the room returned to its' original odd form, with the white void having suddenly disappeared…
"The hell was that about?" Al spoke up from the back, slowly bringing his one hand away from the hilt of his sword.
Before anyone else could speak, a white orb appeared in front of the large mirror-like display in front of them, spinning in place.
"What is this sorcery?" Wilhelm spoke in displeasure, the Sword Demon's sharpened senses having immediately alarmed him that their situation had evolved to become even more far-fetched than it already was.
Ahhhh~, scary, scary. The Sword Saint, Finest Knight, and Aldebaran were about to draw their swords on me? That would've been scary…
Ah, don't think that I didn't see you there too, Garfiel.
The demi-human clicked his tongue as he brought down his arms, showing that he had began sneakily preparing his two shields for battle.
"Who are you?!" Crusch was the first to demand this information, standing up and setting determined eyes on the orb.
Felix looked worried for his mistress' outburst, but decided to back her up, narrowing his eyes at the orb, alongside Wilhelm, who followed suit.
"I have to agree with Crusch-sama...nyone of us have ever met you before! And having done that to Subaru-kyun, you aren't exactly leaving the best impression."
Priscilla moved her fan from her lips, showing an unamused frown.
"Indeed, just who do you think you are to hold mineself in such a place? You've not only bundled me in with these commoners, but forced me to watch their pathetic displays of useless and incessant shrieking."
Al sighed as everyone in the room once more felt their dislike of Priscilla spike up, but they all recognized who the true biggest threat was, leaving aside her minor problematic behavior to focus on the imminent threat.
Priscilla, of course, remained as oblivious and uncaring to their feelings as always.
Who am I, who am I? That's the second time I've gotten that question today. It's a good thing I can actually tell you all the answer.
My name is The Outsider. But you can call me The Attendant. I am here to be the attendant to your 'show' today, after all.
Everyone in the room was off-put by this answer.
The way the being phrased it, it was obvious that he was some sort of steward or servant...but to them? No, everyone figured it would be more correct to confer him to something of a host.
Ah, the host? I like it, I do like it. Then, call me that from now on. The Host.
At this display of near omniscience of collectively reading the group's thoughts, everyone in the theater felt chills run down their backs.
It could read minds, meaning that any sort of planning or scheming was effectively useless.
During this time when everyone seemed hesitant to say anything else, Roswaal was the next to speak, and all too cheerfully.
"A 'show', you say? Quuuuuuite interesting that you've draaaagged us all here juuuust for a mere show~." He spoke showing an intrigued smirk on his face. He took the entire situation in stride, looking more amused than worried.
"That's right. 'Cause if this is what you call entertainment, we definitely ain't laughing." Surprisingly, Anastasia spoke up, agreeing with the clown. She held her ground firm, and understood they needed to engage this thing to get more information about their situation.
Ram chimed in with her own potshot, narrowing her eyes and folding her arms as she backed up her master's words.
"It is just as Roswaal-sama says. You've brought us here, and you expect us to just believe we're going to look at some stupid performance?"
Ahh...you are right. On the other hand, with my sincerest apologies, could you cease talking for a bit?
The temperature within the room suddenly dropped, as if all warmth was sucked out.
Every magic user could instantly sense that there was a complete lack of mana in the atmosphere, dropping the temperature of the room dramatically as the orb seemed to absorb all of it directly.
Reinhard found himself wondering if the being had an ability similar to him, but knowing that there were no minor spirits in the atmosphere...the thing was just sucking in all of the energy directly.
"This energy..." The pressure on him forced Reinhard to speak, with a sweatdrop, a single sweatdrop falling from his forehead. Yet, this sweatdrop was all they needed to see the severity of the situation.
Seeing the Sword Saint tense, all of the fighters in the room once more raised their guards, but with the amount of malice pouring out, they were sure it would not be an easy battle, if they were to have to engage their mysterious Host.
There is something that has been left undone.
*Snap*
However, rather than an attack, another warm, blinding wave of light washed over them once again, though this time, nobody was summoned. Instead...their minds were once again refreshed, as memories filled their heads...
"Sister!" Ram was the first to speak up, looking to Rem with a new level of familiarity...and one of imminent guilt. "Sister, I am...I..." For once, the tough Ram looked vulnerable, surprising most that knew her properly.
Felt, who had felt a bit of animosity towards the foul-mouthed maid could not help but let a bit of it go upon seeing the look of melancholy upon her expression.
Rem looked towards her unsurely, still, she could not help but feel a bit of hope rise in her chest.
"Does that mean...you remember Rem?"
Ram took in a deep breath, gathering herself, regaining her composure the best she could...before giving her sister...her most cared for, loved sister the warmest smile she had shown for a long time.
"Of course. How could I...how could I ever forget you? No, it was more like, I was forced to forget you...there is not a single way I'd let my memories of you go if I had a choice."
At these words, Rem felt something in her finally break, as the tears began to fall from her eyes. Ram wanted so much to jump up and hug her sister, tell her that everything was okay...but she was overtaken by another emotion.
Wrath. Overwhelming, unending wrath.
She growled, her hands gripping her sleeves tightly. Knowing what had happened to her dear sister, knowing the bastard that had forced her, and everyone to forget about her amazing sister...
Garfiel moved from Subaru as a similar feeling of realization crossed his features, looking down to as he placed a hand on the blue-haired maid's shoulder. Despite his face barely being visible, it could be told he felt truly regretful.
"Sorry, Rem. My amazin' self weren't there t'help y'when y'needed it. Everyone here knows what happen'd now. Sorry...sorry we...sorry I let you an yer sister down."
Garfiel truly felt it...despite caring so much for the two maids, knowing them from birth, he'd just forgotten about Rem like it was natural. The ability of that Gluttony bastard...he just knew it was so fucked up how it did this so casually.
Rem looked at Garfiel, being able to sense the true regret in his eyes. She then turned to look at everyone else, a small, relieving smile coming to her face as their cold, unfamiliar gazes turned to those of understanding, regret, and sorrow.
"I'm...I'm so sorry, Rem..." Emilia gave her own heartfelt apology, tears coming to her own eyes as she realized she had completely left the girl forgotten. Despite not being incredibly close to the maid, she knew just how much she meant to Subaru...she remembered just how carelessly she had asked him who she even was...
"That bastard, Gluttony...he took not just me, but you as well...I can now remember how bravely you fought, Rem-dono."
Crusch nodded her head in respect to Rem, thinking about the two's last stand against Gluttony. She regretted forgetting Rem as well of course, but she recognized how important it was for at least somebody to recognize the girl's valor...her brave last stand, fighting to the end for the both of them.
The blue-haired Oni maid shook her head, giving a beautiful smile at Crusch's kind words toward her. She wiped her tears with her sleeves, looking up at the militiaristic candidate.
"No, we both did, Crusch-sama. We both fought the best we could, until we could no longer fight anymore."
At Rem's correction, Crusch returned her smile, giving her a sincere, respect filled nod.
With the remembering of Ram mostly finished, the group now again focused their attention on the passed out Natsuki Subaru.
"It waaaaaaas our Subaru-kun here that remembered both of you...if it weren't for him, it's likely you maaaay have simply been left to die, Rem~. I am thankful for him for keeping my maaaaaids alive and well."
Roswaal smirked, leaning back in his chair comfortably even as he spoke his incredibly disconcerting words. Despite it, Rem did not seem disturbed at all, but instead retained her pure smile, as her eyes fixated on Subaru.
He had saved her once again...kept her and insisted on having her by his side even when she meant nothing to anybody else.
Anyone watching could see the happiness on her, the relief that showed clear on her face. Whatever weight she had remaining on her heart, it all immediately lifted from her body.
"Of course...in a state like that, Rem would've preferred death if she hadn't seen any other way out...but knowing that her hero was watching over her...it makes me all too happy...and reminded of just how great he is."
Emilia could hear the admiration and care for Subaru in Ram's voice, and felt a small bit of jealousy...an impure pang of envy hitting her heart. She remembered Subaru's words. That despite loving her as well, he had a spot in his heart reserved just for Rem, at all times.
Crusch also felt a small twinge...though she could see what Subaru had meant by his words to her. Indeed, it would seem like he already had a well-deserved number one and two in his heart already. Though she still felt like she would have to think more on perhaps changing his mind...
Beautiful, beautiful. Very beautiful, this display is.
Everyone was dragged out of their thoughts by the returning of the voice. The Host had, in reality, never left the area, but it was only now that it resumed speaking after seemingly allowing the group a few good moments of interation.
Well then.
You're all here, and all of your memories have been restored.
It is obvious you are also wondering just where you are.
Julius nodded, sitting up in place while addressing the voice.
"Indeed, I've never seen a room such as this, let alone a device such as the one in front of us. To know that a Great Spirit bound to knowledge does not either is very pressing, as well."
"That is surprising...by Count Mathers' silence, it seems the same for him, as well." Wilhelm agreed with the knight, addressing the crafty magician in front of them.
Said Great Spirit huffed at the questioning of her knowledge, already having taken her place back in Subaru's lap, with Rem now taking Beatrice's seat next to him.
Roswaal seemed to not care much at the calling out of his lack of knowledge, just finding himself as curious to get answers as everyone else.
"That's true. I haven't seen any sort of mirror like this before...it looks sort of like something that belongs in a noble's house…"
Little Petra nodded in agreement to Julius' words, managing to speak up even though she felt incredibly timid in the presence of the extremely overwhelming presences in the room.
After she had voiced her wonder, there was a small moment of silence, though it wasn't as if nobody spoke in-between it.
"Huh…so that's what this is."
Al, Priscilla's knight whispered something under his breath, but kept his mouth shut, instead continuing to listen to the conversation between everyone else and the orb.
Priscilla looked to her side at Al with a questioning gaze, but seemed to withhold her questions, focusing on The Host, instead. Rather than receiving a boring answer, she preferred to listen to this beings' intriguing words.
Let's call it, the 'Theater'. It is my own conjuration based off of an already existing concept, albeit one you may not know. The device in front of you is called a digital screen.
To keep things simple, it will show you what I want you to see. Anything I desire, I can present to you.
"I see...so it's sort of like a suuuuuuper special metia that lets you show us anything? That seems really useful..." Emilia seemed to be more and more understanding of the situation, with everyone else's minds clearing up as well.
"That's a lot greater than what I was thinking about..." Petra said, staring at the 'screen' with a way more profound look of wonder.
Felt whistled, shaking her head at the revelation.
"Tell me about it, sis!"
Meanwhile, some were just thinking about just how valuable such an object was. Well, particularly one person.
"That's amazin'...this sort of device could sell for hundreds a' holy coins...no, that might be underpricin' it a lil'!" Anastasia's greed was, of course, brought forth by the idea of such a thing.
"Well, I don't think that Mr. Host here would just let you take it…" Emilia couldn't help but think that the being in front of them even needed money, in the first place.
Anastasia only let out a disappointed sigh to the half-elf's words, leaning back into her chair.
"We'll see 'bout that...everyone wants somethin'." The merchant princess gave up, just for the moment.
"As insightful as ever, Anastasia-sama." Julius smiled at the ever-present showing of his mistress' greedy nature, a smile which she returned in kind.
"That is amazing and everything, but..." Felix was not afraid to perk up and talk, having now fully regained his composure. "While we're at it, how did you bring back everyone's memories? And why is Subaru-kyun down there asleep, like that?"
The experienced healer could tell at a glance he was not dead, but he seemed to have something similar to what he'd noticed Rem had when he'd given her a look-over himself.
"Indeed, I am curious. As far as we have speculated, the only things that should've brought back our memories is the dragon's blood, or perhaps getting Gluttony to undo his authority, himself."
The Sword Demon was the next to speak up, now seeming completely unphased by their situation as he joined his fellow camp member in his questioning for information.
You should just know that, well...in terms of raw power, I'm something that can't be defined.
Let's just say that I have a unique skill set, that allows me to perform certain actions that others cannot.
One of them is accessing and editing memories. Another is that ability that allowed me to place Subaru into that deep sleep.
The two seemed satisfied by the information, leaning back in their chairs.
Emilia, Beatrice, Rem, and many others found themselves relieved in the knowledge that all Subaru was doing was 'sleeping'.
After they had relaxed, Otto managed to get out a question, one that had been on everyone's minds.
"Then...why are we here?"
Everyone seemed to be in agreement that this question was the most important, as even those who hadn't cared much for the proceedings, such as Priscilla, now stared at the Host, awaiting its answer.
I'm glad that you're all so curious…
Seeing that, I suppose that all of you are ready to see just what I have to show you.
The screen behind the Host's orb-body began to glow brightly, the display being taken over by a bright white light.
You're here not just to see a mere show. Nothing useless, like some of our guests may think.
The orb turned to face Ram, Anastasia and then Priscilla, before once spinning forward.
What you will see is a matter of life and death.
A matter of finding the truth.
A matter of protecting those you hold dear to you.
Perhaps for some of you, a matter of entertainment…
Whatever you seek in your lives, I assure you.
A glowing smoke-like white aura began to surround the orb, imposing an incredible weight on every attendee, forcing them down into their seats.
Even Reinhard found himself unable to move, the only difference he had from others being that he was quite barely able to twitch his fingers.
You will find it here. In this theater.
So make yourselves comfortable, guests.
Because by the end of this...nothing will be the same.
Let us proceed, and begin the story of our hero…
The first arc in our viewing, as our show begins.
The pressure on all of them suddenly disappeared, as the orb seemingly just blinked out of existence before them, leaving them with nothing but their seats, and the white screen.
Some looked on with interest for just what they were about to see.
A few showed barely concealed fear and hesitation at what would show.
There were those that remained absolutely dispassionate, not even knowing what they were about to see.
Yet they all shared one thing...just one feeling.
A slight, just barely felt budding sense of unease in the bottom of their spirits.
Yet, all of their thoughts were washed away by the screen, as it began to change to display text to them.
Episode 1 - Begin.
Aye lads, I'm kind of a new person here. The name's Destiny, and I'm just dipping my toes in the Re:Zero pool. Specifically, in the reaction pool.
I really like reaction stories, so I decided I would start here. I hope you enjoy, and I hope I'm actually able to stay committed to a story for once.
Each episode's gonna be described by me, with dialogue and stuff too, and I'll be using the Director's Cut version of the anime. Unsure of whether or not I'll go far enough to use the webnovel yet. We'll see.
Anyway, let's begin our journey together friends, see ya round!
**Rides off into the sunset on my majestic, imaginative horse**