I'm somewhat satisfied I've tackled methods of conflict for Subaru, or eluded to them, like the crazy challenge with Cecilus (probably the only one to have done that, unfortunately). So now I finally get to tap into a more mysterious side of possible threats and their meaning, or as little as it can be made out from the few things in canon.
Please, enjoy!
You know the one named Subaru?
"'Bring back Meckart'. I take it some people started turning to another lord?"
Subaru gingerly ran a hand along a well's century old ridge stone. Daringly, the black-haired knight peeked over the rim. Achromatic reflections danced bellow.
"Ah." Slight hesitation colored the old knight's tone. "It would seem… calling unto a solidified figure appeals in recent times." With a tentative hum, Wilhelm rubbed his chin in thought.
"Just saw the placards. Not that many, but definitely there." Speaking in a matter of fact way, Subaru referred in speech to Wilhelm, but his eyes did not budge from the well's depths. "Closer to the garrisons than the old center or main Duchy. Judging from passing talk. That and I only saw them when looking for Wilhelm-san."
"Certainly not a pleasant addition to sightseeing. But it is indeed hard for this change not to be an eyesore."
Wetting his lips while struggling in thought over parting with the reflection or continuing to stare, Subaru further probed Wilhelm's awareness.
"If it's an established figure and is set up so close to the garrison; obviously not by just any townsfolk; …can I dare to ask, Wilhelm-san?"
Right after admitting his curiosity to the man he respected most, Subaru heard behind the dashing feet of ground dragons and strained wooden wheels of carriages. A burst of ankle-high dust followed suit their claws which scraped stone and dirt.
"It is perhaps no place for me to bother with undue repetition." An easy smile decorated the accomplished knight's mien. "Yet it does not fail to delight observing Subaru-dono's racing mind."
"I can also stop pestering." With an unspoken effort to part with the reflection, Subaru tactfully joked while turning to face the man in question, presenting his counterfeit grin.
Not to ever dare say he gained no enjoyment from conversing with Wilhelm or anyone he liked the presence of in particular. Oh, no.
However it was also false to say Subaru could still successfully maintain that happy and outgoing air he forced for so long. It lately became surprisingly exhausting to bother mustering those kinds of expressions.
Naturally he slackened his hold on them.
It simply became more accessible to fall back on a good ol' reliable and abuse his forced appeal. It was an old habit that did not represent him, yes, he could maybe admit. Yet by now it could potentially seem too weird for him to change.
There was no need to try and test how much it would take to be distanced by others from being too himself.
So, begrudgingly, Subaru smiled.
"Mh, no need to feel underhandedly denied, Subaru-dono." Quickly came Wilhelm's reply, understanding as ever. "Merely old man talk; if it should be chalked to anything what I mentioned. As for answering your observation, yes. Asking on behalf of lady Crusch, it is clear, the seasoned soldiers have started this movement. No secret to be held about it."
"I'm guessing the Duchy's folk feel uneasy? With the many events going about and the border?" Bringing a hand up to rub his chin, Subaru looked for signs of confirmation in Wilhelm's expression.
"Such reasoning isn't wrong, however…"
It seemed his deduction wasn't quite the truth.
"Shamelessly as I am to do, I transmit only on behalf of those supporting this desire: some of the duchy's occupants have deigned it properly for lord Meckart to return at the helm as leader." Closing his eyes and halfheartedly schooling his features, Wilhelm exuded a regretful air.
"'Lord' Meckart? The past duke, I take it?" Raising his eyebrows, Subaru momentarily highlighted his nearly gaunt face. "Is he related to Crusch-sama?"
"Hmhm, naturally, yes." With a rarely seen mirth, Wilhelm lightly chuckled. "Although Crusch-sama may possess the qualities of a fiery leader and the decision-making ability inherent of her mother, she is still very much Sir Meckart's daughter."
"…Owh! …Ouch." Cringing lightly at the reveal of familial ties, Subaru started regretting questioning this subject. "I can't imagine the feeling to be good when people start comparing… I-uh, yeah, please, excuse me." Bowed the younger knight lightly.
"How unnecessary." Kindly responded Wilhelm with an understanding nod. "I had not taken any word as insult whatsoever. Please, Subaru-dono, I dare to claim I know you better than flippantly interpreting you." Waved the old knight his hand languidly as if to dispel the bother away.
"To get this much understanding from Wilhelm-san, really is like an achievement in itself!" With a burst of vigor, Subaru brightly reacted to the honest belief of Wilhelm.
Although the full appreciation Subaru experienced remained internalized, he also grew accustomed to the idea that between him and Wilhelm it wasn't even all that required to be vocal about gratitude.
If anything, by now his small bursts of glee were merely for the sake of theatrics.
"Tis unnecessary generosity to offer a codger such value, Subaru-dono." Brushed off Wilhelm in a graceful way. Though not emotionlessly so, judging from the amusement in his voice.
Nearly two years later since meeting, and Wilhelm still could hardly understand how he earned the admiration reflected from Subaru's eyes.
Certainly, they both held numerous things in a common standard of value. In fact, perhaps Subaru was one of the few, or maybe even only, that understood him before trying to make a change in himself nowadays. Wilhelm knew very well the type of sour company he exuded before letting out some venom on the White Whale's corpse and professing to his wife.
But even so, with all that between them settled. Wilhelm still questioned himself.
Why be given this much respect? When those exact principles he and Subaru could agree on to prioritize, Wilhelm disgraced.
Why be given this companionship when all he ever did was to avenge what he failed to uphold in the first place?
By that view, he and Subaru were nothing alike at all. Quite the opposite, in fact.
Yes, that was a very apt way of describing it. That separation, was like night and day. The kind he only knew another individual exemplify in their life to him…
So even when knowing this discordance of unfulfilled want and ability to overcome between them, Wilhelm still could not bring himself from wishing to not receive this companionship he personally didn't feel he deserved.
Indeed, Wilhelm had not begun taking a liking to Subaru due to them sharing resemblances. But rather, due to Subaru living up to the same virtues someone truly great did. Funnily enough, she was even as much of a handful at times as the young knight could be. How ironic.
It always fascinated Wilhelm: how incredibly amusing are the bonds that tie everyone.
A shame they never met on better terms…
"Hm. Perhaps that may be why Subaru-dono is as great as I know him." The old knight's murmur escaped his lips without restraint. He purely voiced his thoughts.
"Be-cause we're friends?" With a smirk and little more cheer, joked cluelessly Subaru. Of course, his obliviousness to the Astrea's blights was a given. If that ignorance was out of respect to not look too much into it, or out of a feeling of inadequacy to dare ask, was unknown.
"…ah-hm-hm. Undoubtedly that too." Once more Wilhelm permitted a faint smile grace his laden features.
"That too, and yourself, Subaru-dono."
"Hopefully this isn't about feelings of debt or the like, Wilhelm-san." Smiling more confidently, already prepared with material to joke off, Subaru tapped his booted foot over the soil. "I already got my head into a monkey's nest with Felt over the same debate. Ptch. 'Debate'." He snorted after palming his temple to mimic stress. A daring smirk defined the nature of his 'talk' with Felt already. "That had to be the closest lil' brat got to being proper and civil! Next time maybe we'll progress to the point of eating right at the table!"
"Then to this 'debate' with lady Felt, I shall strive to abstain my curiosity." Replying in kind to the mention, Wilhelm moved away to indicate they started strolling along.
"And as for feelings of debt, though many; no. I cannot say I'd be as lowly as to reason for those representing Subaru-dono's worth."
"Really? Phew! Thank God for that much; was already starting to dread something like that talk." Relieved as if from a burden, he gave off an exhale worth to shake the dust off the road. Such was the good mood Subaru experienced as he kicked off to walk with Wilhelm.
"But then again~…" With the faintest glint of deviousness in his tempered eyes, Subaru scooted closer and palmed a hand near his face. "Hearing Wilhelm-san speak off with something elusive by nature is warranted to be curious over."
"Should I prepare myself for another tea-bribe, Subaru-dono?" Played off the old knight with an air of disbelief. "Admittedly however, the madam Ram you had mentioned back then did indeed know how to select tea leaves."
"Would that buy me more insight on the vagueness?"
"Ah, un uncertain matter. I presume it shall be dealt with at the moment of truth."
"How sly! For a youthful soul like Wilhelm to subtly raise the cost! Damn, am I the one starting to get old?" Both pleased and frustrated over the prolonged mystery, Subaru took it in stride and simply reasoned for those terms as an excuse in the future to just kill some time with Wilhelm.
At last, an honest smile appeared on his disheveled expression.
Confidently saying this as they walked along the Duchy's walls, Subaru inhaled with satisfaction. "I really missed this."
"Ah." With a mirroring attitude, Wilhelm nodded.
There was no need to elaborate.
The sun too was beginning to raise higher and higher over the horizon and the cluttering noises of busied people began filling the air.
An obvious difference from the Land of the Wolf. But a much needed one.
And if this was what he could look forward to, then Subaru could start maybe letting up on his unvoiced tension and maybe even forget the demi-beasts that prowl around and attacked…
"Oh, Wilhelm-san, I meant to ask-"
"So, these fugly things are…"
With a scrunched nose and one eye squinted, his expression leaking distaste, Subaru tentatively stepped up to give a light nock on the icy surface.
Once, then twice, his knuckle rang a dull hum against the solid dome.
"Hmm… always thought it'd sound hollower…? Points to flattery, I guess." With a scrutinizing glare, Barusu tapped once more his knuckles the cold bulk. "But again, these fugly constructs are…?"
"Though I would word this much differently, they are as you rightly suppose, Subaru-dono." Justifiably surprised by this turn of events, Wilhelm eyed carefully the, perhaps, once in a lifetime event of a man death-staring himself in ice-sculpted shape.
"Ok, but why?!" And it seemed the original took some type of offense to these 'pretenders'. "Is it like the new model or something I should be worried about for being replaced with?"
Without much subtlety, Subaru dryly kneed the glacial lookalike in the thigh as if to test for a reaction of some kind.
Though maybe it was for the best the unnerving thing didn't do much beside stand there like a weirdo and sometimes look around, as unnatural as it was to describe as.
Afterall, ice wasn't meant to 'move like the living'!
"I was starting to adjust with a fantasy setting, not a Terminator world Skynet scenario."
"While I cannot say to grasp the unease Subaru-dono may harbor to these constructs, I can say for certain they have only been brought about as a reflection of good in your shape." Tried Wilhelm to dispel whatever apprehension Subaru oddly held against the ice soldiers.
"Of course not! Wilhelm-san is irreplaceable, so he can't possibly experience this feeling! A magic construct can't ever be dreamt to even approach mimicking you." Unfortunately to the elder Astrea's aim, Subaru stubbornly kept his stance on the matter. And those remarks… were not helping either…
"But these freaks might just give me the slip and start an identity war!"
"Hardly possible." Waving off with a gloved hand, Wilhelm approached to gesture towards all the glacial golems placed on standby here at the Duchy's old walls. "Emilia-sama had fashioned such constructs purely out of the want to know some measure of Subaru-dono were present, to successfully protect the Duchy from further raids of demi-beasts."
"Really now…?" A bit amused and slightly relaxed with that notion, Subaru felt like taking control of the subject's direction. "Well, kind of an uninspired move on Emilia's part, huh?"
Strutting beside the ice soldier he probed just now, Barusu leaned an arm on his lookalike's shoulder and smirked.
"I mean, c'mon, what can this bozo do besides give cold shoulders?" Careful to not stick his coat of arms against the shoulder in question, Subaru continued. "Well I guess they did make for some kind of distraction at least? But wow… Emilia must be on a whole other level if that is the case! I'll have to congratulate her on taking her magic so far. Couldn't have been easy even on her mana reserves." Widening his eyes while regarding the few dozens of golems, Subaru did not notice the light confusion in Wilhelm's eyes.
"Ah, I assume Subaru-dono was aware of the high maintenance required to keep such magic constructs?"
"Maintenance?" Bewildered for totally different reasons, Subaru would have spat had his throat not began drying up.
"Ah. Emilia-sama endeavored to mend whatever harm would have come unto the frost golems." With a hint of pride, Wilhelm elaborated on the few details he gathered before his departure to Flanders.
"Wait! These things weren't cannon fodder?!" With a more accentuated nervousness, Subaru smacked with his palm the unshaken face of the glacial golem beside him. "Then what were they meant to do?!"
"Naturally they fought the creatures recently patrolling the nights around the Duchy." Nodding to the old Duchy's center, Wilhelm explained. "Since most manpower was distributed to the main body of the domain, much of the Karsten family's grounds were left undefended. But with these constructs made by lady Emilia, the few guards had a counter to being in more places at once."
"…"
Conveniently, the silence adopted by Subaru together with his gradually calming expression made for a prime opportunity of asking a budding curiosity.
Since they had touched upon this matter and the subtle connotations and 'jokes' had reaffirmed Wilhelm's suspicions, well, the old knight couldn't help but ask.
"Subaru-dono?" Tentatively calling out, Wilhelm glanced over the indifferent ice soldier. "I do not mean to be intrusive, and yet, cannot help but question. Have you spoken abou-"
"S-sir Wilhelm…?"
Intruding with the shyest of tone, or at least as shy as imaginable from Subaru's perspective, the faint voice of a young guard reached them.
His wavering form was highlighted by the trembling finger the man instinctively kept pointed at an object worth the obsession.
In fact, a company of armored soldiers stiffly sat some ways off, tensely keeping their eyes fixated over the same thing the younger of the group pointed to.
Some muffled their mutterings in palms to help keep composure. Others remained stunned like dears caught in headlights. And the most part tensely shuffled from one foot to another while bulging their eyes in mad attention.
All of those reactions, for a meagre orange, battered, coat.
"…"
"…"
Subaru looked at Wilhelm and wordlessly decided to not try continuing from his unfinished point.
Differently however, Wilhelm settled to ask again in better surroundings. Respect was as much of a blessing as it was a detriment it seemed. Or at least so was the reasoning of the Astrea.
After all, he could detect how certain things Subaru dealt with or hid remained undiscussed. And without surprise, he would be willing to wager it being done out of respect to not intrude if anything.
"Now I know I don't look the part gents, what with my rough mug and all." Replied Subaru with a louder tone and exuberant air to the awkward stillness. "But I am a knight! …Or at least something like that? All's cool!" Waved Barusu a hand with mustered joy as he took some steps towards the unsettled men.
"See? More like a trophy and less a banner for war."
Putting one and one together, Subaru picked up on the source of discomfort and faced it as he deigned it… well, best?
Unhooking the coat of arms from around his shoulders, Barusu presented the tattered but vibrant garment to the company of guards.
The emblazoned beast head, thrice pierced by swords, fluttered on the exotic colored fabric.
Though torn at places and charred in corners, the marks of conflict only appeared as medals of honor, suitable to something originating from a nation as Vollachia.
In fact, some could argue, this presentation was mandatory! If it were belonging to one distinguished among those warmongers.
"Uh-gh-…"
Gulping down drily while stumbling over how to breathe, some guards closer to the duo of Subaru and Wilhelm felt like their blood froze over and burst!
"Pf-hf—y-your na-nh—"
"Uhh… Something wrong?" A tad disheartened; Subaru halted in spot. A once over the soldiers revealed they had not gained any more heart than earlier, no matter what his attempt at placating worries was worth. "I mean… it is pretty cool, right?" Grasping at straws in the face of this unnamed distance between them, Subaru could admit to feeling even more uncomfortable now than when first laying eyes on the ice sculpture freakshow.
"I—Identi-ty… Gh—your name, please." With great mental effort, proven by the presence of a distinct sheen of sweat coating his reddened face, the first guard to have spoken mumbled out.
"Oh…" Rounding his mouth in an 'o' shape and raising his eyebrows at the somewhat clarified request, Subaru felt another wave of awkwardness wash over him.
"Ugh, Natsuki Subaru. Maybe the title too? I guess I'm written somewhere as a recently made knight? Is… that helpful?"
"Hm-hm, if you desire to let them stew in fear some more, probably yes." With a knowing smile, Wilhelm placed a calm hand over Subaru's shoulder. His assuring presence was like a shake to reality. Dispelling worries away to remind him to not overthink the problem.
"Knights can be many, and even more so those using others name as cover."
Looking thoughtfully over his shoulder and sizing the numerous ice soldiers behind, Wilhelm nodded to himself. Afterwards, tuning with a glint in his eyes, the type of glimmer that one would expect from a smug friend readying to deliver with satisfaction the words of 'I told you so', Wilhelm tapped Subaru's head.
"And I can now certainly say with proof Subaru-dono should take the repeated reminders to heart and start tending to his appearance. Being careless can only go so far as an excuse."
Following Wilhelm's line of sight, Subaru observed the sculptures one by one. Doubtfully, at the end, he sneaked a glance down to his feet.
If he were to consider Wilhelm's words now… did he really look this bad?
Sure, he maybe lost some weight, and his hair could be styled for another thing… maybe even rest more. Maybe his face was as rough looking as he joked earlier?
Gliding a hand over his face, Subaru could distinguish without a shadow of doubt his hollowing cheeks and prickly feel of stubble. Were a mirror close by, he'd maybe take a moment to contemplate his undue look.
Maybe.
A hobo knight through and through!
"…Oh…"
"S—Subaru-sama?"
The moment of realization enforced by Wilhelm echoed over the conscious of all those present at the garrison.
"Oi, that's gotta be how Felt sees the whole '-sama- spiel, huh?" With a sour face, Subaru scratched his head, gingerly placing back over his shoulders the coat of arms. "Ah well, live and learn, I guess. I'll try to remember asking Crusch for a place to tidy up."
"Subaru-sama! Is it true?! Have you toppled the Tower at the World's end?!" The first spark of recognition flashed. Enthusiasm.
"Fek tha'! Wha' about tha' vollachians! With that sheit on back, 's it true ya pulled through them barbarians' forests?!" A second voice was replete with rejuvenated hope. Joy.
"Oi, oi, how fookin' dumb could we be?! 'Course it was Subaru-sama ta do it!" Another voice resounded with an unshakable certainty. No, it exuded a specific confidence.
"Wau! Those are reactions, alright?" Pulling into himself just a bit as if to try making himself disappear, Barusu attempted whispering to the Astrea. "Why the sudden racket?"
"Should it not be obvious?" Humored by the result, Wilhelm coyly walked around the question.
"Ya hear that?! Tis the fucking Od Lagna at work, nothing else!" Quick to celebrate, one of the guards, returned from patrol, ran over in tow with an ice soldier before Subaru.
"If there's anyone ta know how ta shove back 'em beast fuckwads, hah, then surely 's ta one tha' held Priestella together!"
"Right, no pressure I take it." Cringed Subaru at the exceedingly piling hopes directed his way.
However…
It wasn't really all that bad.
Pretentious from his ability to deliver? Judging from his point: certainly!
Yet, Subaru couldn't also just not heartwarmingly accept all those calls to him. In many ways, this was exactly what he was looking for so long.
It wasn't all bad.
"But seeing how Wilhelm-san is here, I doubt I'll even need to do much." With rising spirits, Subaru broke into an honest smile! His ashen complexion livened up. His drying eyes glimmered in the sun. His thinned cheeks filled with a breath of confidence!
"Fuck'n hell! I wish to see this one!" Smashing an armored hand against their helmed head, a soldier boastfully agreed. "If ballads go about Sir Wilhelm's might, then I've gotta see what history comes out of this!"
"Ya don't say! Today's goota be sent by gods!"
Quickly, the earlier mood of apprehension twisted on itself!
A full 180, continuing to aim for the sky. The young and older guards got together and cheerily made for a scene worth its capture in painted liking.
And with such an open attitude from everyone, Subaru couldn't help but ask:
"Hah-ha-ha! You won't even have to sweat it, this'll be all remembered as children's stories from a castle of dreams. But hey, say-" Smugly observing the ice soldier trudged along by the returning guards standing there all useless, Subaru couldn't help but wish to poke fun.
Don't ever bother asking why, by now it was simply his vicious delight.
"-Has anyone kept a score of the ice lumps? I've gotta now just how bad they performed to make a statement later." With his hands on hips, Natsuki huffed a breath before one of the frost golems in the group.
"Score o' 'em? Hah! Ain't possible ta even dream that Subaru-sama!" Was nearly immediate the response from a guard.
For some reason, this idea was greatly irritating.
"Ay, these fuckers tough!" Another soldier stepped closer to pat the back of a cold copy.
He could maybe chalk this irritation to an irrational origin. Either way it was, it surely felt like it stung and pulled at his brain! Like a headache. He felt this bother like striking his cranium.
"Gotta be more manpower in 'em than any average soldier out there, that much 's for sure."
Trembling.
Gradually, Subaru's mien darkened. And his scornful eyes smoothly settled over the golem beside.
"'Sides. Emilia-sama wouldn't let 'em tear up." The following notion was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. "Not that it was really all tha' needed. Them bastards showed us up each time! Heck, they could give some royal knights a run for their money!"
The pupils of Subaru's sanpaku eyes contracted, his nose flared and his skin felt like crawling.
▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅!
Ice shavings flew above the company after a screeching impact.
"Is this not a way of aberration?"
Calmly, inquired an old and tall knight. His humble garb, a deep dark butler suit, contrasted the armored company. His well-kept silvered hair, tied at his back, rested over a shoulder.
"Or in the least, worrisome to do?"
"…"
Another figure, the one talked to by Wilhelm, disgustedly recoiled its fingers. Subsequently letting go of the torn ice carrion to hit the ground with a chunky resonance.
"Mmm… Felt right enough to not lose thoughts over." Grumbling with a grumpy tone, as far as it could be understood with the distance, the figure moved towards another ice soldier. "I haven't the foggiest what these can be-"
"And continuing is something correct?"
"Yes."
▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅!
Another harrowing noise rang as a second frost statue was savagely rendered limb from limb.
It was a horror exposition for how vindictively the construct was ripped! Thank the Od for it to be made of ice and not flesh. Otherwise even the garrison around would feel queasy.
For the magic constructs, born of a candor directed to help this domain's inhabitants, exposed first to a sincere appreciation upon creation, this end was unlike anything it could have been made to experience.
Should one be felled at the claws and teeth of demi-beasts, it was only animalistic. Instinctual. An end not too dissimilar to how survival was dictated in the wild. Nothing particularly aimed to instill certain pain. Simply a decisive fight.
But this?
The ice constructs born of a sincere candor, molded after a longing emotion, met an end their existence could never be justified for.
Their meagre comprehension bestowed to fulfill their task was exposed to a torrent of malignant will. A deluge of voluntarily inflicted scorn tore at their existence, drowning it suddenly and cruelly! Like a bug, meticulously crumpled in a toddler's hands.
They're end was as if designed in way of execution.
Unlike their hands of creation, cold but gentle, delicate and welcoming. These bare hands felt like the scorching sun. Rough and brutish. Vicious and unforgiving.
The ice didn't even melt to leave behind something.
It merely returned to the atmosphere as the invisible force it was once composed of.
Flashing motes of mana.
"It feels therapeutic. And besides, who cares about them?"
▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅!
This statue's eyes were aimed for, in particular.
…
…
…
"Otto-bro?" With a dried throat, Garfiel mindlessly let out the name of his friend. By now it could have been used as a way to make sure the faction minister was still there. To be expected when your undivided attention was captured so brutishly.
"Garf, I know you must feel like jumping in. But please…" Otto gulped in dry, his eyes stinging from the cold mana released in the ambient. "Wilhelm-san is there. Maybe things can be solved without danger."
"I know-I know…" Reluctantly, and surprisingly, Garf did not jump to action as perhaps he'd once do.
Having learned to pick his battles, the demi warrior kept sure to not go headfirst.
Last time, Kurgan's mindless carrion cost him not only his wellbeing but others' too. Even if the danger varied, Garfiel would be careful.
"Bu' wha' ya say ta do?" Clenching his fist, the tiger demi-human breathed in and out, steadily calming himself. "Them soldiers weren't easy on Emilia-sama ta make and maintain."
"Let's leave it at that Garf. Better constructs than anyone alive, they served their purpose." Analytic as he'd wish to remain, at least from this safe distance, Otto held Garfiel's shoulder and assured the young warrior to take this event as a win instead of a loss. "It's better this is the most damage done. Let's not rush and change that now."
"Ay, 's right ta say, br-Otto, but-" With a sorrowful face and thinned lips, Garfiel regrettably remarked in a lower tone. "-S was 'bout how Emilia-sama would take it."
"Let's worry about it later, now there is a pretty big issue in front!" Nervously, Otto nodded and agreed along with Grafiel's more emotional side of the view, but in the end the true distress they had to face was still there.
"That's a Vollachian, alright? In the flesh, right in Lugnica. And a pretty rough looking one too."
"Think's dangerous? Old man Wilhelm-san's there all cool." Squinting his eyes, Garfiel easily could see how the old knight was rather relaxed in the presence of the rival country's representant. "And everyone knows tha' Sword Demon ain't holdin' any softness ta anything Vollachian related."
"Exactly, you dumbass!"
"Br-Otto, voice! Ya wanna be found?!"
"No, of course not! I just meant to say Wilhelm there clearly knows things are alright."
"Ya didn't make it sound tha' good!"
"Garfiel, you have to learn to start reading between the lines! You hopeless moron!"
"Anything you want to share with the class?"
Their blood froze over in their veins.
A booming voice, clearly riding over the waves of whatever emotions it carried during the executions of the golems, was aimed their way.
"Now you've done it Garf…!" / "There, ya bust us now, br-Otto!"
"Not the time!" Exasperated with the boy's rueful disposition, Otto thought fast on his legs and tore their travel clothes, plopping them over their figures in a hurry before the warmonger approached.
"Please don't give us away Garf, just play it off."
"Hm?"
The rough looking Vollachian furrowed his brow in a menacing scowl and fixed his mean eyes on them.
"Are we just going to stare at each other?"
"Shit…! Garf, this barbarian's bloodthirsty! If it comes to it, we need first to see what Wilhelm does, but don't challenge needlessly."
"Otto. Be silent now."
With that forced reply, Otto felt his breath hitch. The reason was simple.
Garfiel was trembling. Hie previous muttering came like the whispers of a ghost.
"You." The Vollachian gruffly spoke, his mood was not a pleased one if anything. "That getup. Are you travelers?"
"Otto…" Garfiel's hands lightly trembled. Beneath his hasty disguise of travel robes, the ex-merchant could barely distinguish, his warrior friend felt distressed. The two of them must have appeared reminiscent if that was pointed out. Had they met before? Had they passed one another?
Speaking of whom.
"What is your destination?" Taking a step forward, the Vollachian in tow with Wilhelm, made to approach. "I've seen your group scuttering about."
"Emilia-sama? Everyone…?" Otto felt a lump of led plummet down his gullet. His back felt iced over. The unusual gaze of the neighboring countryman was both striking and oh so familiar! Perhaps that was a reason why it was easy to meet it head on.
"Otto…!" Garfiel strained his jaw and ground his teeth. The audible noise of inhaling, as if smelling deeply for a scent, sounded from the young warrior.
"You've been looking for us, no?" Now close enough to be a stick's throw away, the Vollachian and Wilhelm stopped. "Is there a vendetta against us?"
Inexplicably, Otto could not look away. But neither could he respond.
The internal affairs minister was aware this struck as the worst kind of first impression, but he just couldn't help it.
Something about the barbarian was impossibly familiar!
Otto heard the royal family of Rupgana boasted of intrepid features, but something about this rough looking warmonger was just too unusual!
"You." However, these thoughts halted.
The Vollachian looked straight at the once merchant, dead in the eyes. Otto counted his lucky stars for having had the foresight to hide himself and Garfiel.
"Why do you not avert your gaze?"
Surprise? It sounded as if the barbarian expected that kind of reaction from them. How come? Was there a confusion at the middle?
'Most likely', reasoned Otto.
And just as he was about to gather the courage and speak up, what he feared, for different reasons, happened!
"Why do ya smell like Cap'n?! Wha' d'ja do with 'im?!"
Garfiel tensed with a bellowing scream, and lunged towards the warmonger!
"Garfiel?!"
▅▅▅■■▅▅▅■!
Garfiel's fists flew one after the other in a flurry!
The first punch collided dead center against the Vollachian himself!
The second sent to his skull bounced off, perfectly deflected by the intervention of a cool metal body.
"O-oh, Wilhelm-san… I should have guessed this was just a bad scenario…" Fearfully mumbled Otto as he dazedly approached the stilling episode of alarm. In his hands, held tight, precious jewels cluttered.
"Hk-ah?!"
Garfiel was reduced to a dumbstruck statue of his usual self. His jaw fell slack and his eyes widened not unlike to how a cat dilates its pupils.
"Agh! Fuck, Garf! You still hit like a truck!"
Having honed his hearing and taking a reaaaally good look, Garfiel couldn't believe his eyes.
Garfiel's initial strike, the fist planted against an open palm, retracted no different to how a cut off puppet would.
Said open palm was unharmed, without mark even. It looked as good as it had prior to the hit, nothing ever happened to it.
However, the same inhuman condition wasn't applied from just above the elbow and bellow. A distinct strain rang along the bones of the limb used in blocking. But not much was voiced of this issue to the boy who accumulated tears, ready to stain his frozen visage.
"Hmh, I'll chalk it to Otto's uninspired brilliance to suddenly hide yourselves." A veritable smile lightened his wizened face. "But I thought I was confronting some of the pilgrims arrived. Heh. My bad as well for getting carried away."
Not a barbarian.
Not a warmonger.
Not a bloodthirsty fighter.
His hollowed mien brought along an air of silent hardship. His eyes looked dry, exhausted to the point he didn't seem able to produce tears anymore. His hair was disheveled, longer and unkept, left in some parts to drape uncaringly over his intrepid face. Even some stubble, likely now forgotten to be delighted to possess, decorated roughly his jaw.
"C-…cap'n-" Garfiel didn't know what to say. His world felt like starting over and brightening up again. As if a sign to say, everything became alright again! Once more, he was proven right, against many anxieties, how his leader was indeed undefeatable!
"Natsuki-san…" Otto's soft yet firm voice echoed Garfiel's own train of thoughts. It bordered disbelief. "You…"
"Look like a cock-wart?" A brilliant smile, unfit for his scornful look, adorned his visage with an honest happiness. "So what? That would've been your best excuse to not hug it out?!"
"Natsuki-san, I see you haven't changed some aspects ab-AGH!"
"NO FEKIN WAY I'D MAKE AN 'XCUSE FER THIS!"
Otto couldn't even start to get a word in edgewise or even buid up to one, as Garfiel moved far beyond his speed of perception! One moment he tried acting composed, the next he was smothered in the gruffest and most heartfelt hug he'd experienced in a long, long, time.
"WELCOME BACK CAP'N!"
"Thank you for returning alright, Natsuki-san."
"Gh-hum!" With a graceful cough, caught by the back of his hand, Subaru caught the knowing smile let by Wilhelm. "As Subaru-dono coined the term: 'I told you so'." Smugly uttered the old knight while delicately sheathing his spotless sword.
"…"
To say pleasantly surprised would be a great disservice to the moment he was gifted with. It was like the beginning of puzzling back what deep down one could suspect to never be the same again. It was a hopeful welcoming replete with warmth.
"Then…-"
Finding the reason to keep that brilliant smile, Subaru brought around his arms to squeeze closer the two crybabies. …Bah! …Fine, make it three.
Though he will never admit it to having felt that emotional!
"-Thanks for having me back."
Having experienced a plethora of wide-ranging emotions, many of them which could be considered negative, this new sensation was another addition worthy of mulling over for a greatly unsettled noble.
"For bringing this subject in discussion, I am aware to be lacking tact, however…" The knight's slender sword clicked against its bearer's side in rhythm with their nervous movements. "Madam Bauman, I truly wish for your first decision to have been informing me post-haste. That way someone would have been at least in constant contact with Subaru."
"Uh-hm, yes, perhaps in retrospect I may have acted on emotion alone…" Admitting with a twinge of uncontained embarrassment, Frederica fidgeted along the cubic stone path leading down from the Karsten family house. With her frustrations vented mindlessly on the fistfuls of her dress' trim, the blonde maid could not bring herself to remain still.
"Nevertheless, that is also so very Subaru-like to behave as." Pursing his lips once delivering the sarcastic claim, Julius rose a hand to brush aside some strands of hair away from his eyes. "And so, I can assure you, madam Bauman, stationing at the Karsten household to wait for lady Emilia is the better choice against scouring the town for her or Subaru."
Julius had come to experience a range of once self-prohibited emotions.
Many whom were detrimental, he'd repeat this to himself.
Days earlier, he even began spiraling down a perpetual questioning between loyalty and responsibility. One could not look at that episode with a good opinion.
A 'hot take', yes, yes, he knew. Nothing astonishing there.
But thinking it over, Julius realized the very source of this self-confrontation was the very same he now restlessly waited to reunite with.
Was this a proper opportunity for him to have a discussion regarding purpose? Was it finally a good time to have a heart to heart? There were definitely things to tackle ever since the Tower at the world's end. Too many things to even enumerate.
Again, it was a maelstrom of unfamiliar emotions raging inside the knight of Hoshin.
Maybe it all went to show, just how much he was looking forward to this day.
Could there be taken any modicum of satisfaction from this as Julius imagined? Probably not… In his mind's eye, he always envisioned this event unfolding more like: Subaru facing hardship and himself scooping in to gallantly save his tsundere arse.
Yeah… "Hm-…ha-ha…" That idea would have definitely bothered Subaru. And definitely would have entertained Julius.
But this whole fiasco turned out to be more of a waiting party… A, very downtrodden welcoming party…
Od. They were in the dumps! Or well, Julius for certain, at least.
He waited like a miserable and lost man on divine answers to come knocking. Some great help he was, serving as mere brawn on a travel cut short!
"…hmnh…"
Julius had plenty things to work out.
He really hoped he'd have the chance to speak them with the only friend he could confined in later.
More importantly now- "Ah, right on time." Gracefully, the knight of Hoshin smoothed his voice with a delicate hum and took stance as one properly would when welcoming a carriage barring down the lane like a ride from hell!
Or as when one prepared to hear the storm of enthusiasm that was Emilia. That too.
The poor teamster, didn't even get to halt the dragons properly before the carriage door was shoved open!
A swishing gaze over the entire surroundings, faster then the sky's birds, was all it took for the pair of lavender eyes to hone in on the fiddling maid.
"Uh-Emilia-sama, my gratitude for such an immediate return." Quick to the action, Frederica smoothened her dress and stepped towards her lady. With brightened cheeks the demi-human maid was greeted with a 'mother hen' bundle. On behest of Emilia having adorned herself with Subaru's grumpy marauders.
"I wish to infor-"
"Ah, thank you for being here Frederica!" Emilia's hands darted to grasp the maid's own with startling speed. "I understand Subaru isn't with anyone at Crusch-sama's mansion. Yes, that must be why Frederica and Julius-san are here waiting so patiently."
"O-oh, well, miss Emi-"
"It is as described, lady Emilia. I myself was holding the hope of your return at arm with Subaru." Immediately intervened Julius over the baffled maid.
"Mhm, the idea alone reaaaaly is incredible, but it will be alright as it is." Not one to lose any more time, Emilia already thought in advance with the new addition of companions. "Forgive me for appearing off as demanding, however as I see only Frederica-san and Julius-san present here, is it acceptable to ask you accompany me to the garrison?"
"The garrison?!" Frederica could feel her legs begin to wobble.
"Ah, yes, with the condition I take from you waiting for us all to regroup, it is safe to conclude Subaru is with Garfiel and Otto in the guard's station."
"Garfiel too!" Frederica felt numb.
"I shall trust Emilia-sama's decision as already a preestablished plan then." Smiling subtly, Julius took the haphazard news in stride and uncaringly passed Frederica in all her clueless chaos.
"B-bu- Garf! With, Subaru-sama at the guard's station?! Now! Wh-why?! I just saw him, how could thi-"
"You saw Subaru?!"
"Ah!"
Thrice, the question/imperative rang intensely in Frederica's ears. The sudden lively vigor her slipup breathed in the anxious girls hugged close to Emilia, and the half-elf included, was more than enough to earn her that reaction.
"How is he, is he alright? Was he uninjured? How is Subaru feeling?" Emilia bared with questions on the agitated Frederica.
"Did fath-S-…Subaru say anything… did, he ask about anyone…?" Meili's shy but playful tone instantly perked up to carefully word her own curiosity.
"Has Betty's Subaru complained of any pain, discomfort, illness of any kind?! Betty must know of his condition as soon as possible, I suppose!" Expectedly, the bundle of pink shades struggled against the livelier two with her high-pitched demand.
"Indeed. How is the condition of the one called Subaru? …You claimed to have met him."
!
!
!
"May I ask for you intention? Sir…?"
All joy and enthusiasm fell cut and replaced with dread.
"I would rather ask for your names. It would not do to needlessly make confusions."
A wave of apprehension washed over the small group.
Julius' sheath hit the soil with an unsettling clutter. His sword pointed against the stranger's presence, and motes of light warningly manifested beside him.
"Upon established code, during the unfolding election for the nation's rule, esteemed nobles of any origin may not be allowed to suddenly intrude unannounced a royal candidate's presence."
Stiffly speaking, tightly gripping the wrapped sword's handle, unwaveringly maintaining eye contact, with spirits pulsating in silent threat, Julius eloquently tried directing off the stranger.
"Oh, forgive me, truly, my apologies." Blackened hair, like charred, not pigmented; thick and heavy travel garbs; towering in height; muddy dark eyes; an uncaring tone with a baritone voice; flashes of tempered steel beneath the layers of cloth; …a chilling scent of frost upon him…
"Yet, we may come to a compromise. I seek no audience with candidates for the Lugnican rite to rule."
"Regardless of your aim, to bring in context a royal candidate by one with your standing…" Julius' eyes kept obsessively focused on the gray and white crest emblazoned over the stranger's garb. "Is strictly prohibited to be under such circumstances. I insist you rethink this approach."
He sounded sure.
Julius explained clearly.
…
Julius could also hear his blood rushing through his fucking temples and could feel every pulse beat inside his brain!
His divine protection of 『Spirits gatherer』 felt like a net of heated iron wire folding over his bones… Sinking in and searing him slowly.
He felt overwhelmed.
He pulled his sword on instinct…!
He assumed this stance by nature of danger!
Julius prayed this wasn't true.
"An irrelevant excuse, knight of Anastasia." The stranger's words felt like progressively loading the atmosphere with tension. His existence here alone was forbidden!
His awareness of their status was madness inducing.
Simple why. The stranger's presence here could mean national conflict.
"I am the one to insist: Is it true?" Soft thumping against the stone path denoted various individuals approaching to look over them.
Travel coats; gray and white fabrics; …spirits all around them.
"That you are connected to the one named Subaru?"
Wind artificially manifested due to such a change in space. A pressure that could become palpable appeared with every new mote in the air.
Snow? They were so many! But no, it was not snow.
Spirits all! Embers of light fogged the ambient around.
And the stranger's frigid crest billowed under that pressure.
A crest befitting a glacial theocracy.
I was always intrigued by what kind of impact these specific elements of the story could bring if it were to appear in canon. This way, I can at least kind of explore it to some degree.