There was a peculiar sense of relief that had filtered through Subaru's uncertain aspirations.

Throughout the course of the last hour of so, he had come to an unfamiliar world with nothing but the most pathetic starting gear seen since his initial journey through Monster Hunter World.

Sure, he had intricately designed his character to be a drop-dead gorgeous silver haired sword and shield wielding warrior. But after a couple of boss fights, he quickly realized that his character build didn't really suite his play-style, which were normally a flail or mage builds in most of the MMORPGs that he's played. Which had constantly resulted in terrible fates for his female warrior.

But nevertheless, that did not stop Subaru from giving it his all in order to surpass his hardest foes and move on to quash his most formidable foes with utmost prejudice.

It was through Subaru's seemingly endless determination which had contributed to an incredible rise in his character's level with a span of a few routine sessions.

And towards the end of his journey, he was glad of his pride and joy that he had cultivated from those countless failures, had finally turned out to be a formidable force of nature.

Those memories had conveyed a certain sense of deja vu which had parsed through Subaru's core, reassuring him that there was nothing that could deter him from overcoming his most challenging obstacle yet. Which had given him a definitive motivational boost at his most uncertain hour since coming to this world.

He made it an oath to not falter in the face of the most tumultuous foe's opposition, which was composed by the two newest additions to his heroic party. His beautiful companion had already seemed to have taken a particular liking to him, as well as a potentially powerful and somewhat playful cat spirit.

These acquisitions had consequentially struck a remarkable achievement within Subaru's impromptu checklist. However, there was still a massive rift that had distinguished the two sets of individuals, as they made their journey towards an obscure location.

Subaru had only known his contested royal companion for less than a few minutes, still trying to collect his overall thoughts on what he had thought about the girl.

There was a whole deluge of unsorted information that could potentially be derived from their first meeting.

From what Subaru could gather; Lia had seemed to emit a partially strained and reclusive aura around her that had shut off her own personal feelings, yet she could also conversely radiate a sense of generosity, kindness, and compassion for those of unfortunate backgrounds and those familiar to her.

To what extent, Subaru did not know, but he could see the protective layers that she had built around her heart. Because much like her, he too was plagued by those emotional distresses on an intimate level.

Yet despite these remarkable similarities, there was also a sense of uneasiness, pulsating through Subaru's heart at his companion's seemingly dangerous nature. He had scarcely recalled the gang's terrified reaction from her initial entry, and that encounter was enough to send chills creeping down his spine.

Subaru had settled on leaving personal matters out of their conversations until the time arises, lest he becomes the target of her ire.

It wasn't like she would be willing to confide to him any personal matters any time soon, considering her stiff tone in her voice. After-all, she didn't owe him anything, and he had already paid off one debt to her. If she really wanted to, she could abandon the boy and leave him to fend for himself, but she didn't.

She clearly had something that was bothering her within the inner workings of her mind, despite that teasing and surprising laid-back personality that she showed on the outside. Which had contrasted against the rigid demeanor of her posture and stride that she had carried with her wherever she went.

Also, it wasn't like he was in a rush to talk about his own personal problems either. Settling on leaving those matters off the table for the time being, Subaru had decided to elevate his spirits by shifting his focus onto her more prevalent conundrum.

There was already enough on their plate to deal with, due in part to the shenanigans of a certain thief that had conveniently decided to steal an important item from the main heroine before the main quest had arrived. At least, that was the predictable development that Subaru had scripted out in his head in order to keep track of those anticipated events in real-time.

Which had reminded him, he still hasn't properly introduced himself to the main heroine yet.

In his mind, it was completely out of left field for him to have not done so, and he had seized the opportunity to make a lasting first impression, despite missing that crucial speech check only a couple of minutes ago.

Subaru had strutted in his most remarkable pose that was unique to the Natsuki bloodline. Which consisted of his index finger pointing towards the sky and the canting of his hips as if to show off a sense of confidence towards his seemingly unprepared companion.

The woman in question had sensed his theatrics and turned on her heel with a bemused expression, the clinking of her armor pieces had given it a much more impactful reaction.

It was precisely the reaction that he was looking for, despite showcasing it in front of a live audience who had skirted around him like the plague.

"I don't think you caught wind of my name, but it's best to get to know who my partner in crime is before we do anything too daring."

Subaru had put on his best performance since he had come to this world, striking his finger down and leveling it towards his companion with a moving boldness in his delivery.

"My name is Natsuki Subaru. Not only am I clueless, but I am also broke beyond compare!"

"That much has already been made evident. Considering the sense of urgency in your voice, and clueless wonder saturated in your eyes. But I guess that much can't be helped."

The woman had bluntly remarked, before arching forward and striking her arm across her chest-plate in a flawless elegant bow. Subaru decided to take her remarks in stride and eagerly anticipated her own revelation.

"My name is Emilia Elior. Some affiliate me with the calamitous Witch of Envy, others know me by my moniker 'The Silver Death'. Besides those pseudonyms that had scathingly stuck to me like a curse throughout my travels, there is nothing too remarkable about my own personal life. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Natsuki Subaru."

"Emilia Elior, such a pretty name for such a pretty girl."

Subaru had muttered to himself. Unbeknownst to him, that Emilia had caught wind of his monologue.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I also hail from an island far towards the East! It's well renown for its luscious cherry blossoms, its traditional architecture, and its hundreds of hair-raising folk-tails that incited both awe and terror when I was a kid."

"There is no known island towards the East. And if there were, they would be directly located past the Great Cascade.

Also the culture you were describing awfully resembles those of Kararagian origin, which could also explain your foreign appearance.

The only notable thing that you would find further East would be the scorching desert sands of the Augria Sand Dunes. Which are laden with terrible mabeasts that could decimate an entire Lugunican Knight Order if they are caught unprepared.

At least, the most striking feature of those blasted deserts would be the Pleiades Watchtower, which is rumored to host the Sage himself. Who attentively watches over the seal of the Witch of Envy.

Moreover, if you still wish to traverse those scorching sands, you would only find yourself at the precipice of an endless waterfall that flows into directly into the mouth of the abyss itself."

Emilia had candidly explained, with a tone that one might expect a primary school teacher to deliver in order to educate her students on the aspects of geography.

Subaru on the other hand, had let out a gasp at this shocking revelation. There was a subtle patch of incredibility that had parsed throughout his being, accompanied by a dreadful feeling over the fact that he might never see his parents again.

"No way, so there's nothing towards the East then?"

Subaru had inquired as if to reinforce his belief that there might have been something homely situated towards the East.

Once again, Emilia had shook her head as if to assure him that he was not going crazy.

"Not unless you want to traipse off the edge of the world like some frenzied black talon Griffon at the height of their mating period.

Frankly, there could be some orphic landmass floating beyond the edges of the world, but my hands are quite tied at the moment to investigate."

Emilia had replied, confirming Subaru's worst fears as he had continued to follow Emilia's strides towards their next checkpoint with a craven glum look.

Emilia on the other hand, was ruminating over the token amounts of omission that the foreign boy had provided for her. She knew that there was something unusual about the boy that she couldn't quite put her finger on, which had involuntarily invoked a subtle smile to crease her lips.

She had noted the way he had introduced himself to her, without immediately shrinking back, which had put an emphasis on some of the suppositions that she had on the boy. Subaru had struck her as someone who was completely oblivious to those ill-omen attributes that had associated her with the Witch of Envy, Satella. Someone who genuinely wore his heart on his sleeve.

It was the Witch who had destroyed half the world all those centuries back, and tainted the world with her malice.

Since she had left that frozen icescape that she called home all those years back, Emilia's hatred for the Witch of Envy had grown to an astronomical level.

From the suffering that the Witch had inflicted on the world, to the radicalization of the infamous Witch's Cult led by that whore Pandora, to the misfortunes that followed her through every dreary moment of her life. Emilia had cursed the names of the Witch and Pandora with every fiber of her being.

They were an affront to the prospect of peace that Emilia had strived to seek, something that she had to eliminate by any means necessary. Especially that vixen whore Pandora, who had taken everything from her since that tragedy unfolded all those years back.

Which had made Emilia involuntarily grit her teeth from that rage inducing face that had once again dared to cross her mind.

"Hmmm… Hey, hold on a minute. Those are some pretty ominous names that you had tossed out. I mean, they're kind of cool in their own regard, but you clearly didn't seem too happy when you mentioned them.

I remember some of the kids in my junior High School who were relentlessly bullied because of their looks. It sure as hell upset me when I saw some of those kids getting picked on, but everyone always seemed to ignore it. So it peeves me to see those glaring aspects of my old life remain a constant."

Subaru had commented with a tinge of disgust at those glaring memories, trying to stray from his original shocking revelation that surfaced on his mind. To which Emilia had raised a curious eyebrow towards his concluding omission.

He remembered one time in his middle school career when he had stuck up for a kid that was being relentlessly bullied by his peers. The next day, everyone in his class had seemed to ostracize him for his intervention on that kid's behalf.

Not even a week had gone by before those bullies had decided to carry out their revenge on the boy. To which Subaru had successfully fended them off thanks to his dad's calisthenics and wrestling routines that he had done since he was a little boy.

Unfortunately for him, his school had caught wind of his fight, and had decided to discipline HIM, instead of the bullies, for being the victim in that situation.

For a time, that encounter had distorted Subaru's perception on the belief that people were cruel, selfish, and irredeemable pricks who only looked out for themselves in modern society.

But after talking to a couple of his MMORPG friends and his parents. That cynical mindset was quickly remediated, and had granted Subaru the ability to see people through a broader scope that separated the good from the bad. Which had made him aware of the harmful impacts that such a cynical attitude had created within his close relationships.

Subaru had believed that Emilia was just another victim whose worldview had been contorted as well just because of a few bad apples in the mix, so he had intended to gain her trust by showing her that he is willing to be open to dialogue with the stoic girl.

"Perhaps there was a time in which those pseudonyms had affected me. Not that that matters anymore, considering that tears will not create the harmonic peace that I desire.

I've adjusted and I've settled to live my own life for quite some time now, marked by the gliding winds of unequivocal freedom. People tend to fear things they don't understand. While others hate what they cannot grasp within the palm of their hands."

Emilia had reasoned with indifference to his remark, despite her own personal hatred for the Witch herself.

Subaru had felt a peculiar ripple of dread start to dwell in the pit of his stomach. He couldn't find it within himself to challenge her claims that it was not alright to accept such insults at face value. Yet all he had to show for it were his emotional scars, which had chipped away at his tenuous psyche with each passing hour.

"But perhaps there might be some truth to those noms de guerre. After all, I did leave quite a lasting impact within the Kingdom's history over 50 years ago."

"That long, huh? You look fairly young for someone who's lived for over 50 years."

Subaru had sputtered out, before quickly realizing that he might have indirectly insulted the woman's age.

The woman had narrowed her eyes at the boy's unintended disrespectful remark. Before sighing at the boy's simple minded observation.

She knew that a lot of human women were quite sensitive about their ages, but Emilia had cared more about her own survival over anything else. A long lifespan was just another side benefit that allowed her to hone her skill. And she would be damned to have lived this long just to simply drop dead due to a pebble on a road.

"I'm actually 114 years old, but you wouldn't know that from just a curt glance."

The woman had clarified, leaving Subaru in awe at the incomprehensible figure that had left out of her mouth.

She had then pulled back a lock of hair that had framed the side of her beautiful face, to reveal a set of elf ears. "I hope that satisfies you."

"An elf, and a drop dead gorgeous one at that? That's frickin awesome!"

Subaru had exclaimed with a happy-go-lucky voice, pumping his fists as if to emphasize his enthusiasm.

His 'blessed' companion had given him a pensive slide-glance at his indecent public display, but then had shifted her focus towards an encroaching forked intersection that had siphoned two potential avenues for trade and commerce.

It was the left side that had attracted the more affluent merchants, based on Emilia's previous observations that she had made in order to compare how much had changed since she had last set foot in the capital. She had pointed towards a certain street-corner shop that had come into view just up the hill from their location.

Subaru had noted some of the fancy décor that had started to become more apparent the further up the hill that they went. He wondered if the architecture would become more disgustingly ostentatious the further they climbed up the hegemonic ladder. It was a common trend in the nobility back when he was still on Earth.

"Normally demi-humans are not allowed to roam freely in this district, due to the segregation policies established by those pompous aristocrats in the noble's district. But most of my anatomical features aren't palpable to those unfamiliar with my half-elf, half-human heritage. So you don't need to worry about me not being able to mingle in with the crowd. And besides, this is where my longer hair finds its use."

Emilia had presumably reassured her companion, going on the basis that he's already seen some of the darker aspects of Lugunician society with his own two eyes.

Subaru had nodded as if to understand her concerns, despite only seeing his fair share of this new world. He knew that he needed to keep an open mind if he were to survive and acquire the right information for the world-saving quest in the long run.

"I would argue and say that you already won at birth, considering the longevity of your lifespan and your natural beauty that comes with it. But I guess that would come across as self-fulfilling flattery for someone in your shoes, to each his own."

Subaru had enthusiastically praised his companion, though it did come as a surprise to him his companion mentioned that she was actually a half-elf.

In the lustful corners of his mind, it had occurred to him that there could be a roaming possibility where he sees himself being able to have a cute baby with his beautiful companion due to her half-elf descent. But like any normal teenage boy, he staved off that ridiculous thought from his head, and shifted his focus towards their main objective at the moment.

His half-elf companion didn't say anything on the matter, due in part to the unexpected compliments that the boy had given her. Her lips had curled up in a soft smile, she had a good feeling about this man. Like a much needed breath of fresh air in this intoxicating swamp that she called Lugunica.

"Oh yeah, that reminds me. Why exactly am I cross-dressing for this?"

"I will let you know once we have you properly outfitted. Your facial features provide the perfect foundation for my highlighted plan, no puns intended."

Emilia had quipped, which had caused Subaru to nearly roll his eyes at the sudden cheesy remark that his companion had unexpectedly delivered.

He's heard his own fair share of dad-jokes from his old man back on Earth. But he didn't expect for those jokes to follow him to this fantasy world.

"Wow, I didn't take you for the joking type. But I guess I should have expected some parallels to follow me into this foreign land."

Subaru had remarked with a slack jaw, which had caused Emilia to smirk at him with a self-satisfied look on her face. "

Speaking of jokers, where did your companion go? Don't tell me we lost him within that crowd back there."

"I'm right here, you know? Lia and I are basically inseparable due to our memories together.. It's just that she doesn't really like drawing too much of the crowd's attention simply because of personal matters at the moment. Which saddens me considering that I am the second cutest thing that has ever roamed this land."

Puck had reappeared with a puffed up look on his face, as he had self-servingly worshiped his appearance. Which had caused Subaru to roll his eyes at the unusual display.

"Oh really, then who's the first?" Subaru had decided to entertain his claims, crossing his arms over his chest as if to express his annoyance with the spirit.

"Lia of course, no matter what type of denigrator crosses paths with her." Puck had established, which had caused Subaru to fervently nod in agreement with assessment.

"You definitely got me there. Her beauty is unparalleled, even by this world's standards. I'm sure most guys would either feel intimidated by her or fall to the ground starstruck by her otherworldly appearance.

Jokes aside though, at least I feel comfortable knowing that someone at least offered a helping hand during that life or death encounter. Who knows what would have happened otherwise."

Subaru had acknowledged, which had caused Emilia to audibly sigh at her companion's shenanigans. To which the spirit and the boy had shared a grateful exchange of looks between men.

"Come on you two, we have to retrieve that insignia at all costs."

Emilia had asserted with a hint of annoyance in her voice, as they had both entered the lavishly decorated establishment that had hosted a variety of women's fashion and jewelry.

The boutique had showcased an impressive display of ballgowns, a variety of layered and frilly dresses and nightgowns with the typical intricate designs and gems associated with them, beautiful hats with flower patterns and gems, a massive collection of heeled shoes, countless accessories, and even the forbidden lingerie gallery as well that came standard with every boutique.

Fitted on the displays were a mixture of Victorian era, as well as Baroque style clothing that had suited some of the noble district's strict demands. But Subaru had noted that some of the clothing items had their own fantasy spin to them as well. They were pretty suitable addons considering the aesthetic of this era.

There was an awkward tension that had permeated the air as Subaru had gulped from the tremendous humiliation that he would have to undergo in the next few minutes. It had finally occurred to Subaru, the potential ramifications of his situation, should things start to go south.

For instance, if he were to be caught cross-dressing, he may never be able to show his face to society again. Or worse, be paraded by a some stringent religious order that had persecuted potential homosexuals just like in medieval times in his old world.

He did sign up for this retrieval quest on his own volition, but to what extent would he be able to see this through? And more importantly, what type of master plan did Emilia have in store for him? She didn't seem like the type that would have him play dress up just for laughs.

"Greetings valued patrons, if there's anything that potentially piques your interest. Feel free to ask one of our esteemed seamstresses about anything that may interest you.

We offer a variety of raiment for the discerning customer that would suit you for any immediate occasion that you need. But if you would like to have a dress commissioned, then we offer those services too as well with an added expense."

The workers had ambiguously greeted, almost with a forceful tone of merriment in order to appease their clients.

Uncertainty had started to saturate Subaru's mind from the unknown plan that his companion had concocted, but he felt it would be best just to go with the flow of it.

Although, he had started to feel uncomfortable with all the fearful and skeptical glares bearing down his back due to his foreign appearance and the fact that a man had dared to enter what should have been a women's sanctuary.

Emilia on the other-hand had barely acknowledged the simulated greeting from the nearly robotic workers and had marched over to the counter with overflowing confidence.

She had pulled out another bag of coins from an obscure location, and presented it before the head seamstress. The seamstress didn't seem too impressed by the currency presented before her, but nevertheless had attentively tended to what could be another noble's request.

It had been made apparent that the girl before was someone of noble stature, although she did find it odd that her client had donned an immaculate suit of armor. Nevertheless, the amount of coins could only mean one thing.

"While I do have a personal commission I would like to have made for a later occasion. I would like to speak to you in private concerning a special service that you may offer. Do you perhaps have a private room where we could talk?"

Emilia had opened up negotiations, as the seamstresses had raised an eyebrow at her potential patron's strange request.

"I see, right this way then." The seamstress had acknowledged before leading her patron towards a private room.

Emilia had gestured for Subaru to follow her, and he could barely contain his internal humiliation as he had staggered over to where she was at. He didn't know why, but he felt like this would become a common occurrence if he were to potentially pull it off.

He still had his own reservations on Emilia, and her complex personality. But at least, this would be the ultimate favor that he would be doing for the woman. The woman who had taken his hand when no one else even acknowledged him.

Seeing that she has been nothing but kind to him since their initial meeting, Subaru could not simply walk away from his savior. Who despite her kindness, had omitted some of the personality traits of someone was deeply hurting from the inside. Someone who he could potentially relate to. And he would be damned if he left her alone to suffer within that vicious cycle.

As such after a hard-pressed series of deliberation within his conflicting consciousness, he made the ultimate decision to stash away the last of his internal reservations. Riding on that firm resolution, his posture had straightened up and he had begun to walk with a confident stride. Marking the debut of the ultimate weapon in his arsenal.

Thus, this had become a historical moment for all of Lugunica. For the glamorous and seductive queen Natsumi Schwarz had officially made her debut into society. And she would certainly take this world by storm.