Since before the sun had even come up this morning, Subaru had done nothing but lay across his bed and be alone with his thoughts. And now that the sun was beaming through the windows, this would have been the time where he would have gotten up, put on his uniform, and then got to work for the day. But, the situation had changed. Subaru simply didn't know if he could go back to that life.
"If I'm being honest, wanting to be near Emilia is the reason I did a lot of the things I did when I decided to work here." Sure, there were definitely some practical benefits, but, unless he was intending to become a lifelong butler, things could not stay the way that they were. In this mansion, Subaru had learned to read the language of this world and been prevented from aimlessly wandering the streets of the capital. And, considering all the situations he encountered in the city, this was a far better alternative.
But even still, where was he going to go from here? Did he even belong here?
Looking back, Subaru could not help but kick himself for some of the choices that he made and some of the things that he thought were good ideas. His delusional belief in that he could succeed in making Emilia the new ruler of this nation being chief among them.
It wasn't that Subaru held her goal in contempt. Far from it. Rather, he'd simply overestimated his own ability to even contribute to such a thing.
When he really looked at the situation, Subaru had to admit that he knew very little about Lugunica. Its history, its future, etc. "Yeah, you don't just say you'll help someone get on the throne without even knowing what will need to go into all of it." It was like those idiots who voted for someone without truly researching to know exactly what they were supporting. Subaru was that idiot, once upon a time. He really didn't know anything about politics or what it took to lead a whole country. Especially one with a population of 50 million or so. It was naive of him to even think he could contribute anything to a goal that couldn't be further from his own
But that was okay. Because he'd already promised to meet with a certain loli who always had her nose in a book. Besides, he was sure there were some things she also wanted to talk with him about, too.
There technically wasn't a specific part of the mansion that led into her room. But, Subaru had always been able to locate her just fine, regardless. Having allowed his instincts to guide him, he felt confident that the door he was standing outside of was the correct one.
This time, he did as he promised and knocked on the door a few times. In truth, Subaru didn't know what kinds of hours the loli librarian kept. He'd seen her all times of the day and night when he'd decided to barge into her room. But, he felt confident she was awake behind the door. After waiting for a few seconds, Subaru didn't attempt to walk in and there was no answer from the other side. And for a moment, all he could think was, "Did I finally get it wrong...?"
Out of the hundreds of doors in this mansion, Subaru had always been unusually keen at selecting just the right one that led to the forbidden library. But, all luck had to run out at some point. Was he really going to be made to open and close every single door? This, he didn't look forward to.
But, to his surprise, his extra few seconds paid off and Subaru saw the door opening all on its own. On the other side, Subaru was greeted to a large room with a black and white tiled floor. And spread throughout the entire room were bookshelves as far as the eye could see, each one of them packed with a text that was probably far older than Subaru, himself. Sitting further back on an uncomfortable-looking stool was just the person he was looking for!
Judging by her physical appearance, one would be forgiven for thinking she was a child. Though, in Subaru's opinion, she still acted like one, despite having claimed to be centuries old. But, compared to a lot of the other people in this strange mansion, the loli librarian's look could be called the most normal. Her blonde hair was styled into big, poofy drills that would have instantly made her stand out no matter what crows she may have been among. Not that Subaru could see her as even wanting to be among so many people.
"Morning, Beatrice."
Subaru greeted the girl in a way that was devoid of his usual energy. This was not because she was the first person he had spoken to since leaving his room for the morning. There were simply so many things on his mind that he could not gather up the enthusiasm to tease her right now. Too bad.
Wordlessly, the librarian looked up from her book. As he neared closer, Subaru could see that the characters inside were ones he had absolutely no hope of comprehending.
"Sleep well?" He inquired, hoping to get at least a few words out of her. She'd opened the door for him, so surely he was welcomed, yes? After a few more seconds, he was thankful to find that she hadn't suddenly become mute.
"Betty has not slept, in fact."
"Really? The only thing I wanted to do when I saw that bed was to hop in and go to sleep!"
"After having done battle with one of the Three Great Mabeasts and a Sin Archbishop of the Witch's Cult, a long rest is deserved, I suppose."
Though her tone remained as flat as ever, Subaru felt that was probably the closest thing that he had ever received to a compliment from Beatrice. Now that he thought about it, from the very first moment that the two of them met with one another, he had pretty much done nothing but poke at her. Though he'd never meant any harm in it. Maybe this was her way of finally acknowledging him? He had accomplished two incredible feats, after all.
Before Subaru could even open his mouth, to his surprise, Beatrice was the one who spoke first. "You seem...different from the last time we spoke, I suppose. Though it has been less than a fortnight, you do not have the same displeasing feeling about you, I suppose. Though, that repulsive smell surrounding you has become noticeably stronger."
Upon hearing this, Subaru couldn't hide it on his face that he was surprised to hear this! "That's right! Beatrice can smell the miasma, too!" He'd conveniently forgotten about it since this was only spoken of when he'd first come to the mansion. And at the time, Subaru hadn't been thinking about much else except not getting killed by that mabeast shaman, or Rem.
Figuring he needed to play it cool, he brushed his hair back and said, "So, you can smell it, too? That's weird. Most people who know about this instantly wanna attack me."
But, he knew Beatrice would do no such thing. He'd had no real violent interactions with her. Well, except for the first time that the two of them met. And even then, it was nothing lethal. But still, it was an experience that he didn't ever want to go through again.
"Why would Betty want to even engage in such frivolity. Having been marked by the Witch's Scent simply means one is unlucky enough to have drawn the Witch's attention, whether for good or ill."
Subaru didn't want to hear this. "Yeah, but I bet most people who have this stink on them don't have it as bad as me."
"When I fought the Archbishop of Sloth, he said that I'd received the love of the Witch. I think the guy was just too crazy to really explain what he means, but maybe this love is the same thing you mean when you say I have attracted her attention."
But the question was, why? Why him? Of what interest could a plain-ass teenager from another world be to a world-ending Witch?
Crossing his arms, Subaru closed his eyes in thought for a few moments. And he was so distracted that he failed to notice Beatrice's eyes wandering away from her book. Locked onto him, or rather, something on him, Subaru didn't get much time to speak before Beatrice decided she had a curiosity of her own to indulge.
"What is that thing, I suppose?"
"Eh? What thing?"
Looking around, he of course saw nothing but books. This was her room, after all. How would she not know everything that was in here?
"That, on your wrist. You have never worn that item before, in fact."
He wasn't wearing his jersey, which would have usually concealed his new accessory underneath his long sleeves, so it was natural that Beatrice took notice.
She was of course referring to the item that had been an invaluable help in accomplishing everything that he had over the past few days! This immediate change of subject was something that seemed to put a little bit more enthusiasm into Subaru. "You really wanna know?" He inquired, a ready smile forming on his face. He felt like the kid at the playground who was ready to show off a new toy.
With a familiar mental command, the trinket that looked just like a normal bangle began to change shape. What once looked like a normal wrist ornament had turned into a gauntlet that extended all the way up to his shoulder. The metal was plated and of a sleek, almost reflective black alloy. And, despite the way it looked, it didn't weigh Subaru's arm down in the slightest. The gauntlet's fingers were tipped with razor-sharp claws on each end that were capable of easily carving straight through stone, as Subaru had tested out. But, what was likely the oddest feature, was that on the palm of his hand was a disturbing-looking eye that didn't seem to be purely ornamental. Indeed, Subaru often had the feeling it was bio-organic.
For once, Subaru saw Beatrice's expression turn to something that wasn't total disinterest or haughty annoyance. She even got up off her stool, placing her book on the small table beside her, and began to inspect Subaru's arm curiously.
"...What is this thing, I suppose. Betty has never seen a metia like this in her life."
"This, my dear loli, is part of the secret of my success! Feast your eyes on the Hand of Algol" Subaru couldn't help but show off a little bit. Not only did he finally have some measure of power to back him up in case of danger, but he was the only person in the world who had something like this.
Silently, Beatrice tapped the hard plates of the gauntlet, even flicking it with her finger one time. "Who or what is this Algol you speak of. And what sort of material is this made from? Where did you of all people happen upon a creation like this, I wonder?"
That was actually quite a lot of questions she had. But, Subaru was happy to answer whatever he could. "Unfortunately, I don't know who made it. But the genius engineer who constructed this bad boy clearly has a love for the heavens! Algol is the name of the Demon Star! And apparently, it's made of a metal called adamantite. I received it from one of my new associates before we fought the White Whale and it really helped me out."
But really, that was an understatement. This magic item was equipped with spells that he'd never seen anyone in this world use. And because of this, it gave Subaru something of an element of surprise.
Beatrice continued to silently inspect what she found to be something completely foreign to her. "A metia like this...who could have created such a thing. Betty does not think anything like this is familiar in the slightest." She could only assume that the mysterious new contacts of his had access to resources that some people would find to be truly valuable.
"And with his, you were even able to overcome the Sin Archbishop and his Authority?"
"Yeah. Once he realized that I knew about his power, he kinda got all flustered and I was able to take advantage of his confusion."
When he thought back to it, the idea of being attacked by something that was completely invisible and capable of rending one's body limb from limb was a truly terrifying experience. But, when Subaru realized he could perceive the Unseen Hands, along with being gifted a weapon to fight back with, the threat level seemed to drop so tremendously.
And it helped that his opponent was too insane to stay focused on the small details.
"So, Beatrice...just what is an Authority. I don't know much about it, but I'm guessing it's some kinda power that only certain people have?"
"One might be able to say that an Authority is the backward version of the Divine Protections, I suppose. Unlike the latter, which are bestowed by the world at birth, when the Authorities were taken in by the Sin Archbishops, they became the Witch Factors that allowed them to wreak havoc throughout the world."
"Witch...Factors?"
There was that word again. Why were so many mysterious things in this world linked to the term witch?
"They were originally owned by the seven Witches of Sin in the past. But, the Witch of Envy supposedly consumed them all in her rampage. Or so the story goes. Each one of the Witches of Sin roamed the world and made names for themselves by their incredible and vile deeds. But as Betty is certain you already know, the Witch of Envy is the foulest among them."
Subaru could not help but kick himself for not immediately remembering that she had once said something like this to him before in a failed loop. But, typical of him at the time, he did not give much thought to it. "So stupid! If there's supposed to be six Archbishops, excluding the position of Envy because only their precious Witch is worthy of it, it makes complete sense that there were Witches of Pride and Greed and so on..."
Subaru instantly felt an increase in frustration. Why was he so stupid?! Why didn't he think about these things, before?
"I don't know why, but the worst evil in this world has her eye on me in a way that's probably worse than all the other Witch Cultists, combined. How could I not wonder more about his crap? How'd I just keep going on, thinking about stupid stuff and not this mess that will prevent me from living a normal life?"
He felt like punching a wall.
But, with this in mind, it only cemented something he confirmed to himself, earlier. "I'm not learning everything I need to learn."
Calming himself down, Subaru felt thankful for having this conversation. When he really thought about it, Beatrice had given him a lot of help just now, and in the past. And in the end, he hadn't done anything for her at all. "Just taking from other people is no way to really get close to them. You can't just come to other people when you need something and then expect them to love you back for it."
Subaru spoke these words to himself inside his heart, feeling that there must be something he could do.
"Hey, Beatrice. I really appreciate everything you've told me. It's all a bunch of stuff I needed to hear."
The blonde loli silently looked up at him, seemingly sensing that he wanted to say more. Typically, Beatrice did not care for company or extended conversation. But the black-haired boy had stirred her attention with his unprecedented deeds.
"Don't tell anyone this, but, I'm gonna be...going away for a while. There are some things I need to take care of. Things I need to learn. And the truth is, I don't think that I can do it here in this mansion." it hurt to say these words because he didn't want to feel as if he was rejecting everything that he had been given. But, Subaru could ignore his feelings. Something inside him felt so incomplete. And he had known it from the moment they'd defeated the White Whale.
"I don't know how long I'll be gone, but when I do come back...why don't you let me take you out of this place?"
Until he'd spoken those words, Beatrice had only been listening with half interest, but listening, nonetheless. It didn't concern her if he was planning to go away. People always came and went. But, upon hearing him say he'd like to take her away, the words ignited a feeling inside her heart that she'd long since forgotten how to recognize, until now.
Her eyes widening, the librarian's voice was suddenly several tones softer, and she could barely speak out the next words. "You...take Betty away?"
Subaru nodded to confirm she had indeed heard what she thought she had. "I know, I know you're an old and wise spirit, but even still, you spend way too much time in this room by yourself. There's a whole world out there of stuff to experience and you should have the opportunity to go out there and see it. There's only so much you can learn from books. So, when I return to this place, the two of us will get out of here and have a good time! But, I can't promise that we won't get into trouble along the way."
Beatrice was frozen in place. She couldn't believe the words that were being spoken to her. Was this it? Was this the moment she had been waiting for all this time? Had all of her patience finally come to reward her. "Are you...that person?" She felt as if her heart had both slowed and quickened all at the same time. In a way that was truly uncharacteristic of her, Beatrice clutched her body in a fragile embrace.
Was this the time when her contract was meant to come to an end? Could she finally leave this place after having spent so many years alone?
Subaru, though he didn't speak, was not unaware as to her unusual response. But he did misunderstand her feelings. "Hey, you don't hafta look like that. We still have some time to think about the future. Because like I said, I have to get some things in line for myself, first. Can't show you a good time if I'm being held down by excess baggage, right?"
This was the decision he had made.
But he also felt it was probably a lot for the loli librarian to take in. That was why he wanted to give her all the time she wanted in order to think things over. When he returned to this place, he hoped that he would have everything he needed to repay all the help Beatrice had given. Even if she would never know that she had saved his life by watching over him, he knew he had to give something back.
He wanted to make this little girl smile. From ear to ear.
"There are some other things that I have to talk to people in the mansion about. So I'll just leave you alone for now. I didn't mean to intrude for so long, after all." He felt he now had a good deal more knowledge on things that were unclear, before. And he didn't have to essentially scam the other person into talking, either.
As Subaru turned to leave, he have his casual goodbyes to the Great Spirit of the library. But, because Subaru had turned away, he never noticed Beatrice's arm outstretched, silently begging him to become that person.
The sound of the library door closing made this room feel even more lonely than she was already accustomed to.
"Why...why did he look like he is so far away, I suppose?"
It had been a long time since Subaru actually walked the halls of the mansion with nothing in particular he had to do. Well, at least as far as putting up measures to save his life from impending doom. But that was no longer a concern, fortunately.
"I got Beatrice out of the way. Now all I have to do is focus on everyone else in the house. I just don't know how I'm gonna break the news to everyone..." Leaning against a wall, Subaru glanced out the window and saw two individuals. One was the person he was most anxious to speak with. And the other was someone who Subaru would be fine if he had minimal contact with for the rest of his life.
Emilia and Puck.
The silver-haired half-elf was doing her morning routine. He could tell just by the way she was interacting with some of the lesser spirits that had gathered around her. Subaru knew he couldn't keep putting this off, but every time he saw her, all he could feel was this drowning sense of stress.
A bead of sweat trickled down his temple as he felt his nerves increasing. "Not yet. I'm not ready yet."
He only had a few more days. Three days, and three more people to tell of his upcoming plans. It was best to get it all out of the way as soon as possible. Subaru knew that he couldn't drop this on everyone at the very last minute.
Turning his attention away, Subaru knew that he needed to get back on track.
And to his fortune, a welcome distraction presented itself in the form of a certain pink-haired maid who appeared from around the corner.
It was Ram. And she was carrying a load of what he immediately detected to be clean laundry in a basket that was even bigger than she was. Subaru found himself shaking his head with an amused smile. "These oni sisters and their freakish strength."
Subaru had the urge to pull a prank on her while her vision was obscured, but before he could even take a step forward, Ram's stoic voice interrupted anything he might have done. "Well, if it isn't the apprentice butler who mocks me for doing things at my own pace, but isn't even in his uniform, yet."
A displeased grimace crossed Subaru's face, knowing his surprise attack was over before it even began.
Approaching her, Subaru responded with an equally snarky reply, "Y'know, I have half a mind to knock that clean linen out of your hands just to be a jerk. That's no way to treat a hero, y'know? I haven't gotten any hugs from you, no breakfast in bed, and not even a single parade thrown in my honor. What a massive letdown."
Without even knowing it happened, his earlier mood seemed to have vanished. Talking with Ram could definitely be difficult, but Subaru oftentimes found their interactions to be just what the soul needed.
Placing the basket of laundry down in front of what Subaru knew was a closet, he finally saw Ram's face. And suffice it to say, she looked unimpressed. "I can only promise one of those things. And if it is a hug that Barusu desires, I will not be able to promise you will not walk away from it with crushed bones."
As if to taunt him, she opened her arms as if to say "I dare you."
"Oooh! Would you look at that! I feel like I'm suddenly coming down with the well-known, Must Remain Five Feet Away From Snarky Maids disease. Must be something in the air that's making me not feel too safe around you. Guess I'll hafta go and get that hug from Rem."
Ram turned her nose up at him, making Subaru believe he'd emerged victorious from this verbal exchange. However, what she said next immediately brought him back down. "Feel free to do so if you wish. But I can only warn that my dear sister may be overcome with very powerful emotions. And I shall take no responsibility if Barusu ends up truly being crushed."
A look of both indignation at having the situation turned on him and slight apprehension filled his face. Subaru now felt he may as well just cut his losses.
"Fine! You win! Just quit talking about crushing. I've already been underneath too much weight, lately!"
As Ram opened the door to the linen closet, Subaru felt as if he saw what looked to be a sort of victorious smirk on her face before she disappeared inside to put away her freshly washed and dried contents.
"But, seriously, Ram. There is something I wanted to talk to you about. I know you're on duty right now, but I was hoping you could spare some time. This...really can't wait for long. I'm sorry." He knew that when it came to her duties that she didn't truly slack, even if she always did things in her own time. If he had to guess, Subaru would have assumed that she was glad to have her younger sister back home so that she could take on the other half of the workload that had been so unsurprisingly dumped on her while he and Rem were away.
Reappearing from the closet after having put everything away, the pink-haired maid locked eyes with him for a few seconds before saying, "I believe I have a few minutes of freedom. What is it within the mind of Barusu that he wishes to express?"
Unable to resist rolling his eyes, Subaru wished she would just be serious for a minute!
"Well, first of all, I was just wondering how you're doing? I know you were basically doing all the housework by yourself for all the time me and Rem were away. Must have been pretty hard on you being left with all that work." Considering that the mansion was in the same state that they had left it, Subaru could only assume that when she wanted to do so, the pink-haired maid was just as competent as anyone else.
"That is a question I feel is a better fit for you, Barusu. After everything you have been through in the past week or so, you should be more exhausted than anyone else. Who would have thought that after making such a fool of yourself in the capital that you would end up doing battle with the White Whale and the Witch's Cult." She always believed that their new butler had an impeccable sense of timing if nothing else. Though Ram would of course find it difficult to admit this out loud.
If someone else had said this to him, then he probably would have taken the comment more in stride, but since it was someone that he felt closer to, that Subaru could not help but feel a little bit more bashful. "I didn't do anything by myself. I had help. Especially Rem. I couldn't have done it all without her. Your sister is really amazing, you know?"
"Of course I am aware. Sister is sister, therefore she is amazing by default."
When the group discussion had finished yesterday, all Subaru had wanted to do was finally get into his own bed and harassed. But, since he woke up to freshly cleaned clothes, he could only assume that the twins had performed some of their maidly duties even after he retired. And because of this, Subaru could not help but ask "So, what did Rem tell you?" He decided to sink down onto the floor and rest against the wall, feeling this talk was going to be one where he needed to get comfortable.
He could think of no closer bond than that of twins. And considering how the blue and pink-haired maids oftentimes even spoke in tandem, Subaru had to believe that the younger sister had given the older one more information of their White Whale hunt.
To Subaru's surprise, Ram approached and she sat down right next to him. And for a few moments, she said nothing.
"She spoke of how determined you were. How you would absolutely not accept anything less than victory in the fight with the White Whale. How you would not allow it to come into the Mathers domain under any circumstances. And, that you were the one who came up with the strategy that eventually claimed its life."
"I can't take that much credit, really. You should have seen the final attack that Rem gave to the Whale. I've never seen an ice attack that amazing in my life." In terms of sheer area effect, the overwhelming snowstorm generated by an unleashed Puck may have been of greater destructive power. But Subaru found no beauty in it the way he did when Rem fought. There was just no comparison.
And besides, impaling a gigantic whale on a harpoon of ice? There was just something poetic about that. Captain Ahab would be envious, Subaru felt.
"Also, I think you reserve some credit, too, Ram."
These words took the maid by surprise. She didn't think she had done anything that would have been worthy of praise, considering that she was absent for the entire ordeal. But, his meaning was soon made clear to her.
"I really appreciate you backing up my plan to escort the villagers to the mansion. I know that you consider this place to basically be untouchable to people who aren't welcome. You made sure that nothing happened to them on the way up to the house. For all we know, there could have been other members of the Witch Cult hanging around the property. But you got everybody up here safe. I can't thank you enough for that."
No deaths on their side. Subaru would not have tolerated a single loss. Even one fatality would have been unacceptable to him. He didn't want any more people that he cared about to die.
"As a servant of the Mathers territory, I simply did my duty in ensuring that those who live upon these lands came to no harm. This is also one of my responsibilities." She spoke in her usual, stoic tone, seemingly taking no real pride in her part. But Subaru saw through this almost immediately.
"But, if you thought my plan sucked or that I was talking nonsense, you'd have never let it happen, right?" He couldn't resist allowing himself a knowing smile.
Ram did not answer. But she knew this to be true. It was a mystery as to what prompted this...transformation in Barusu. But whatever it was, it resulted in a most favorable end result for everyone.
Subaru knew that Ram had been informed of his behavior in the royal selection. And based on that, Subaru wouldn't have blamed her if she thought anything that came out of his mouth was untrustworthy garbage. He could only be thankful that he returned to the village with proof that he hadn't simply been out in the world idling around.
Silence reigned the world around them as Subaru began to muster the will to say what he simply needed to get out. If he was being perfectly honest, Subaru did not truly want to be having this conversation. However, over the past few days, he began to understand that there was a very strong difference between what he specifically wanted and what he needed to do.
"Ram...I dunno how to say this, so I'll just come out with it. I'm...gonna be leaving the mansion, soon."
The black-haired butler's words were something that the older twin never expected to hear from him. And her surprise was so great that she turned toward her coworker wearing an uncharacteristically shocked expression. "You...are leaving?" It was not the concept of going away that she found to be surprising. Ram had lived and worked in his mansion for over half her life. And during those years, other servants came and went for a variety of reasons. And Ram found it difficult to believe that he would even consider leaving when the person he was most greatly attached to was still here.
Nodding, he confirmed that this was no joke. Subaru was completely serious. "There's a lot of stuff I need to do. Stuff I need to learn. The Witch's Cult is still out there, making who knows what kinds of dirty plans. This isn't going to be the last we see of them. I was able to get ahead of them this time, but what about the next?"
If this was anyone else, Ram would have said it was foolish to think anyone could predict the actions of the Witch Cult. But that was because she was talking to someone who had done just that. And succeeded.
"Ram, I know that those monsters took your home away from you. For no reason. You lost part of your body because of them. I know I wasn't around at that point, but even thinking that those bastards touched you pisses me off." He knew that Ram had once told him she had no regrets in regards to losing her horn, considering that she had also supposedly gained things in exchange.
But even still, it was due to her lack of a horn that she'd lost so much power. You couldn't survive in this world with no power. He already knew this.
Power.
And strength.
He knew from his conversations with Sebas that these two were not the same thing. But he also now believed that if he needed, and wanted both.
Subaru had some power, now. But he would not delude himself into thinking that this was the peak of what he could achieve. He didn't need to blow up mountains by waving his hand. But he did want the strength to never again be a victim of this world. And of himself. Yes. Subaru Natsuki now understood that the enemy he needed to defeat was inside himself.
"Are you going away with that man who came with you to the village? The one who was leading that Witch Cultist by the neck?" She didn't mean this literally, but the way the now dead cultist followed made it clear he was being moved by an invisible leash.
"Demiurge? Yeah. Him and his partner, Sebas. I plan to meet up with the two of them in a few days. And to be honest with you, none of this can wait." He was tired of sitting around and just letting things happen.
Having brought up the name of the suspicious man in red, Ram now felt she could ask a question that had been bothering her all this time. "Barusu, do you have any idea what that person was? He did not look like any sort of demihuman that I have ever seen," Though she would not claim to be familiar with all people in this world. There was just a certain sinister feeling she'd received when in the presence of that stranger. And she didn't like it.
But, to Ram's surprise, her coworker simply snorted in amusement. "C'mon, Ram. Don't you know it's rude to ask someone about their race so suddenly?" But even if he said this, Subaru could not pretend as if he had not wondered the exact same thing period the only reason he had not indulged in this curiosity is that he did not want to damage a potentially fragile arrangement. And, his hesitation turned out to work for the better.
He'd been given a personal invitation to meet Sebas and Demiurge's superior. His questions would be answered straight from the source.
It was difficult for her to voice her feelings. Ram knew people came and went. But she was not wholly comfortable with the idea of their sole butler leaving. Not after he had proven himself this worthy to be a member of their household.
But with that in mind, if he did go and come back with knowledge that could arm them against threats in the future, could Ram truly say it was not for the best? This was the third time Barusu had proven that his seemingly crazy schemes could be beneficial in the end.
With a light sigh, Ram knew she could say nothing to convince him otherwise. But there was something she could add. "Barusu. Thank you for taking care of my little sister. Rem might be strong, but I dislike the idea of her being out there by herself. And you made certain that she never was. For that, I thank you. If whatever it is you have to do will protect Rem and us, I will give you my full encouragement."
It was difficult to believe that she was now talking to the same person who could barely cut up vegetables without turning his own hand bloody.
How times had changed.
"Oh? Is my Ram Ram finally starting to warm up to me? Because those sounded like a whole lot of compliments and gestures of good faith. I might have to tell the whole house about this! Maybe next time I'll even be able to protect Ram's body, too! Is this proof that our relationship has moved to the next level?"
The black-haired teen had leaned in uncomfortably close to her as he spewed out those obnoxious words. Ram, overcome with an unbearable sense of annoyance and embarrassment gracefully stood up, brushed off her maid uniform, and decided to demonstrate just how far their so-called relationship had progressed.
"Since when am I your Ram Ram?" A being bulged on her forehead, but fortunately for her, the maid's pink bangs obscured this undignified sight. Grabbing her irritating coworker by the collar of his shirt, with one toss, Ram lifted Subaru up off the ground as easily as if he was a pillowcase, tossing him straight into the linen closet, then throwing the now empty basket at him before she closed the door and locked it from the outside.
"Hey! You can't do this to a hero, Ram Ram! I'm telling your sister on you! A door can't stop the great and legendary Subaru Natsuki! Ram! RAM?!"
But it was no use. The not exactly trapped Subaru's words could no longer be heard, for the elder twin had already vanished from the corridor, a pleased, genuinely happy smile on her youthful face. "No matter what, it seems Barusu will always be Barusu."
Being locked in a closet was annoying, but it was nothing Subaru couldn't escape from. [Dimensional Move] was a spell made for stuff like this...provided thee wasn't a great distance he needed to traverse. Fortunately, short-range teleportation through a door was nothing.
"That Ram...I swear I'm gonna dunk a bucket of water on her head or something like that one of these days!" Subaru stomped off around the mansion, in search of another maid. This was the part where he knew things were going to become truly difficult. He didn't even know how he was going to explain things to Rem, much less how she was going to take the news.
It was such a big mansion and only three servants were working here at the time. Well, it was soon to be two. Subaru truly felt as if Roswaal need to do some kind of hiring fair. It wasn't like he didn't have the money to spare. Two young girls shouldn't have been doing all of this work, even if they were capable of it. There was so much to do and so much ground to cover. Subaru really didn't feel like going all over the entire building, which was why he commissioned the aid of his stealthy friend for help.
"Shadow Demon. Find Rem and come back to me. Just locate her, don't make contact."
The two-dimensional entity darted off so quickly that Subaru could not even detect its movement. It made no sound and it interacted with nothing as it did what it did best, which was serve as a secretive recon agent.
It took less than three minutes before the Shadow Deon returned to inform him that Rem was in the front gardens tending to the hedges. In some ways, Subaru even fell a little bit annoyed that he didn't have more time with his thoughts and decide what he was going to say. And he was not unaware of this. When it came to these important conversations, his nerves told him that he should just put it off until later. But Subaru knew that was impossible. He didn't have a later.
Sighing out heavily, he spoke to no one in particular before he set off. "I'm not gonna enjoy this..."
He knew he had to get down there quickly. Rem was such an efficient worker that he wouldn't put it past her to finish up her duties and move to the next on her list before he could even get to the front door.
He found himself outside the mansion and was immediately hit by the warm weather. It felt like forever since he was able to do something as simple as just look up at the sky and enjoy it without seeing anything but clouds of impending disaster.
She hadn't noticed him, yet. But he saw her.
The younger of the twin maids was working so diligently that one would have never even thought she'd participated in the defeat of a continent-level disaster just the other day. Subaru didn't know where Rem got her work ethic from.
Even looking at her face, Subaru couldn't even pretend to smile, knowing what was coming next. He'd already prevented multiple disasters and not a single one of those things compared to what he knew was going to break the heart of a girl he cared so much for. For as much as he was thankful for the assistance he'd received from Demiurge and Sebas, there was one person who Subaru felt deserved all the thanks and praise in the world. And it was the blue-haired maid in front of him.
Approaching enough so that she could know he was there, Rem looked up from where she was watering the plants and finally took notice.
It was him. Her dashing hero who'd done all the things she knew he was capable of!
The most heart-melting smile appeared on Rem's fae, and Subaru felt like such a loser from his inability to return such a thing.
"Good morning, Subaru. I take it you slept well? It was a well-deserved rest, if I say so." Indeed, after all the stress that he endured, she would even go so far as to say it would not have been unusual if he did something like take the rest of the week off in order to regain his mental energies.
"Yeah. And I mean real good. There's nothing like sleeping in your own bed, am I right?" Before they'd returned here, both Subaru and Rem had been temporarily staying at the Karsten house in the capital. And while it was no less luxurious, Subaru just couldn't help but feel something wasn't right while he was there.
The pleasant smile on her face slowly turned into one of curious confusion when she got a got look at him. Rem could usually tell when Subaru was feeling some kind of complex emotion, and he knew he couldn't hide this from her. "Subaru...is there something the matter?" From her perspective, he should have been bouncing around with the same energy and fanatical passion that she had come to love so much about him. But instead, her hero seemed so unusually somber.
"Sorta, yeah." Subaru rubbed the back of his head, knowing that the longer he put this off or attempted to make small talk, the worse things would end up. "Rem, let's...sit down. There's something I need to talk to you about and it isn't easy."
Rem's expression was unreadable to Subaru. It reminded him of the way she behaved when the two of them first met where everything about her behavior was stiffly professional and impersonal. He already knew from prior experience that she was scarily competent at putting on a face that did not necessarily reflect what she was thinking about.
Per his instruction, Rem decided to sit down at one of the nearby gazebos that was located on the eastern half of the lawn. It made for a comfortable, yet secluded spot for them to talk in private.
"Subaru, please inform Rem if there is anything at all that is troubling you. If that is the case, then Rem will do anything possible to assist you."
The Japanese teenager averted his gaze from her for a few seconds. He couldn't stand to look at her face so full of a desire to help him, all while knowing what it was he had to say to her.
"Rem, I'm going to be going away for a while. With Sebas and Demiurge."
The only solace that he could take was that she had been the one with him throughout the entire ordeal. Everything he knew, she knew. There was nothing that Subaru needed to hide from her. And in knowing this, he felt he should have no fear in telling her what was to come next. But, what he knew did not penetrate into his heart. It didn't prevent this sense of unease from him knowing he would be going say from her to a place where she could not follow.
Upon hearing this decision, Rem froze where she stood. "He's...leaving. Leaving me?" For a second, she wanted to believe that her hearing was failing her. But she knew that her Subaru would not tell this kind of joke. All she could do was choke out a strained, "But why?"
It was at this point that Subaru once more felt something he never wanted to experience again. It was that familiar sense of self-loathing that came when he was the cause of someone he cared about experiencing pain and distress that he was the cause of.
But, Subaru knew that he could not buckle under this pressure.
"The Witch's Cult. They're still out there, Rem. Sloth told me about how many other Archbishops there were. There should be about four more. They wanted to come here, Rem. And kill everyone in the whole area. We got lucky in stopping them. But what if some of the others want revenge? Or just to make sure the people capable of dealing them so much damage are taken out? I want to be ahead of them. I don't want them to ever show up again in the middle of the night and do something like what they've done to you and your people, Rem."
Even though the blue-haired maid understood exactly what her coworker was saying, emotionally speaking, Rem found it difficult to accept.
They'd defeated the White Whale and Subaru had managed to even kill one of the leading figures of the Witch's Cult. Was that not enough? Why did it have to be him who continued to put himself on the line against such insurmountable odds? It was not as if he was the only hero in the world.
He was, however, the only hero that she could acknowledge. He was the person who pulled her out of a hole of despair that she thought she would never emerge from. It was this person who made Rem see that her own life had value beyond what she'd told herself for so many years. And it was he who chose her as the person to ride with him into a battle that no one but the bravest of souls would ever enter into.
Even now, he was thinking of how to save even more people. Subaru had never even met the entirety of the oni are, but he felt this desire to avenge their loss at the hands of the foulest villains this world knew. And it made Rem's heart sing his praises. Yes, she was the only one who truly understood how amazing her hero was.
And this was exactly why she couldn't bear the idea of being separated from him.
She didn't doubt that he would be safe with the mysterious duo that the two of them had allied with. But the fact was, they still knew so little about them. Rem would acknowledge that at every turn the two of them kept their word and provided all the assistance they would need for what was otherwise a crazy endeavor. But she had been with Subaru the entire time, always there to ensure nothing wrong could happen to him. Could she truly be confident and feel safe with him out of her sight for who knew how long?
"But, Subaru, where are you going to go? What are you going to do with the two of them?"
This was something that the black-haired teen from another world could answer with gusto. "I don't know where I will be going, specifically. But, I got a message. And I've been given an opportunity to meet with the person that Sebas and Demiurge work for." And this was an offer he just couldn't refuse. Wherever they came from, Sebas and Demiurge had access to resources that absolutely didn't exist in this world as far as Subaru knew. Demiurge had personally called in a creature that made short work of the White Whale, a monster so feard that many people likely thought it was better to simply avoid it rather than consider it an enemy.
Both Subaru and Rem know that Evil Lord Wrath dealt 80% of the damage to the mabeast with his immense physical strength.
And not only that, the Shadow Demon that lurked within Subaru's own shadow at this very moment had already proved to be a seriously valuable companion. Its quiet ability to stealthily deliver messages had already saved Subaru from what could have absolutely ended up being a very cold and soul-crushing end.
These people were powerful. And they'd selected Subaru as being someone worthy to be granted an audience with the person they worked for.
"As for what I'm gonna do? I already know." Rem listened intently, keenly focused on what plans her hero could have had in mind, but also fearing what was to come next. Irrational thoughts entered her mind like him never returning to this place, or coming back and not being the same Subaru that she loved. And as best she tried to push those fears away, they remained at the forefront of her mind.
"I'm gonna start training. I'm gonna start learning. I'm going to become a better version of myself. And when I come back, I'm gonna make sure that the Witch's Cult never even looks in our direction ever again. If they think crawling back into their holes is gonna be good enough, they're dead wrong." Determination and what was unmistakably an expression of contempt took over his face.
They had only attained a temporary victory. And Subaru intended to keep riding this wave.
It was funny, in the past, he felt such an unimaginable sense of fear and paranoia around Rem, unable to understand her hostility toward the Witch's Cult that he knew nothing about.
Now he understood. He knew exactly how she felt and where the source of her anger came from. No, he didn't simply understand. He empathized. He agreed with every fiber of his existence.
"Witch Cultists are our enemy, Rem. You understand this, right?"
Subaru was completely aware that at one point he had been guilty of thinking that somebody would understand his feelings without him having explained anything. But this time was different. He knew from personal experience how the younger twin felt toward those people. And it was this time that his assumption had been validated.
Rem was confused as to why Subaru had so suddenly come to this radical decision. But when the topic turned to the Witch Cult, all she could do was nod in agreement. She did not consider the lives of anyone who owned one of those infernal Gospels to be a life that had any value. The Witch Cult were the ones who had taken away her beloved sister's horn and their ancestral home.
The blue-haired oni felt a new sense of kinship with Subaru as he voiced his loathing of the same people she could not bear to breathe the same air as.
"When I talked with Sloth, he actually had the nerve to think that I was going to become the new Archbishop of Pride. Apparently, there hasn't been someone occupying that position for a long time. I think that's why he kept letting his guard down around me."
This new information threw Rem for a loop.
Another Archbishop was in the making? And her hero was mistaken to be that person?
Rem found this idea to be so repulsive that it showed on her face, marring her otherwise beautiful features. "Subaru would never have anything to do with such vile people. Rem already knows this to be true." There was no way that someone as self-sacrificing and caring as him would ever join the likes of the Witch Cult. And the fact that Rem ever once thought him to be suspicious because of the unpleasant smell surrounding him filled her with great shame. Yes, how could she have ever thought such a thing when she had seen with her own eyes that Subaru used that very same scent to save lives?
"Thanks for the vote of confidence. It's stuff like this that I need to understand more about. If I can stay ahead of them, then maybe we can prevent more of their activities in the future, you know? And that's exactly why I have a favor to ask you, Rem. Sorry to say, but it's kind of a really big thing. And it could be dangerous."
Even though he said this, his words had no hesitation in them. And it was this confidence that gave Rem the strength to respond. "For Subaru's sake, Rem will put this body through anything."
While this was yet another boost to his confidence, and even his ego, Subaru knew that he could not accomplish what he wanted to by himself. There were things that should have been accomplished by one's own hand, but there were also times where one would also need to lean on the people around them. And the Japanese teen knew that the oni maid in front of him was the one who he could rely on above all else in this world.
Getting up out of his seat, Subaru crossed the small distance that separated the two of them and he did something Rem never expected. He held out a hand.
"When the time comes to protect the people I care about, I want you to be my partner again, Rem." When he was so weak and undeserving of anyone's pity, she was there. When he decided to run into certain death against insurmountable odds, she was there. When he asked for trust where he had already proven untrustworthy, she was there.
Rem was the pillar that had supported him in the darkest and most desperate loop, ever. And for her loyalty and support, Subaru couldn't choose anyone else he wanted to have by his side. She had earned it time and time again.
How could anyone else come before her?
From his words, Rem's heart was flooded with a mess of complex emotions. On the one hand, she didn't want him to leave. She couldn't bear the thought of Subaru going to a far-off place where she couldn't see him every day. But then there was the knowledge that he was doing all this for a good cause. No, the right cause. How could she not respond to the call of someone who wanted to do what so many others in this world turned their heads away from?
Hot tears of gratitude filled her eyes, overjoyed at having been given this level of trust by the person who held such a high place in her mind.
Taking the offered hand, Rem felt as if she was not simply being lifted up to her feet, but off them, being loftily floated from the solid ground to a place in the sky where there were only the most blissful of feelings. "Rem...does not want to see Subaru leave this place. But when you say all of those things, I know what you have to go and do what a hero does."
Making a girl cry was something Subaru didn't take any pleasure in, even if she was constantly giving him words of encouragement. It was difficult to maintain eye contact with her, for he looked away a few times in his teenage embarrassment.
Subaru really didn't think of himself as being a hero. He hadn't done anything he had for any sort of glory or accolades. The truth was, all he wanted was the freedom to continue living life in the way he wanted. In a way that was better for him and the people he cared about. And the White Whale and the Witch's Cult were in his way. The latter still were.
But, when Rem praised him the way she did, Subaru couldn't help but feel like there was nothing he could not do.
"When I come back here, I promise I'll be smarter and stronger. I'll become a better Subaru Natsuki than you've ever seen. And maybe then I'll actually feel worthy of being called a hero."
"Other people may not see what Rem does. But Rem knows that Subaru is the hero that we need." She already knew this because he was the same hero who saved her, the village next door to them, and countless others from a 400-year-old terror that had finally been put to rest. "But one day, Rem knows everyone else will acknowledge the Subaru that she loves and know how amazing you are!"
And Rem took great pleasure in being the one who knew it first.
She would wait for him to return to them. To her. But, there was one thing that she could not put off any longer. She had been selfishly containing these...desires. And the oni maid knew that this was finally the time to release them.
"But, there is one thing Rem would like in exchange from Subaru. And it isn't anything that will risk anyone's lives."
She said this in a way that was so pleasant that Subaru couldn't help but feel both excited to hear she had something danger-free in mind, but also somewhat anxious in thinking that perhaps she would spring something like a nightmare-ish chore-session on him as a going-away present. But still, Subaru pressed on with fanaticism that would be worthy of any real demon. After all the things she had done for him, Rem deserved anything he could give her. "Alright then, go ahead. Hit me!"
And hit him she did.
Before Subaru could react, Rem released his hand and threw her arms around his neck. Rising up on her toes to compensate for the difference in height, the blue-haired oni pressed her lips onto Subaru's, enveloping him in a kiss that made him feel as if his mind was melting away into a world of rapture where time didn't exist. He didn't have time to think. He didn't have time to resist.
And he didn't want to.
He didn't even realize that he'd wrapped arms around the maid's slender waist, wholly accepting her surprise kiss. Subaru didn't even realize that Rem had pushed him onto the wall of the gazebo, pressing herself against him. And it would have been a lie if he didn't say he thoroughly enjoyed the feeling of the softness of her breasts pushing onto him.
This was something that Rem had been holding in for a long time. And now, she finally had what she considered to be permission to release an affection that had been building up inside her heart for far too long. Her tears of being recognized as someone worthy of his trust turned to ones of erotic passion at having done something she'd desperately wished for.
Neither of them truly knew how much time had passed, but it was Rem who'd finally decided to break away from what was a spine-tingling kiss. Even though she was the one who'd initiated, she still couldn't help but blush uncontrollably. "Rem...has been waiting to do that for a very long time."
He heard the words, but it took a little bit longer for Subaru to truly realize he was still in the real world and that this was not some sort of delusion that his imagination had cooked up. But, upon truly comprehending what he had been told, the Japanese teenager knew that he had just experienced his first real kiss.
With no ability to control his facial expression, Subaru's cheeks flooded with color, having nothing cool to say in response. "That was...wow. I mean, I've never really done that before. Not that I didn't like it. 'Cause I did! It was just...so sudden." He was babbling. He knew he must have sounded so lame, but he knew Rem would not judge him. At this moment, Subaru felt like one of those guys in a romantic comedy light novel who he'd poked fun at when they ended up in the very same situation. But now, he could only feel a sense of invisible camaraderie for every teenage boy, real and imagined who'd ever been where he was right now.
He wanted to say something that would assure her that not only did he appreciate her affections, but he also enjoyed them. But logic did not exist in his mind where only a jumbled mess of teenage emotions reigned supreme.
The moment he opened his mouth to speak, unknowing of what words would come out, he felt a slender finger come to his lips, silencing him. "This is a reward that a hero deserves."
Subaru did not know why or how, but his face scrunched up in a way that showed he was attempting to hold in his emotions. But he failed.
For the first time in a long time, Subaru Natsuki cried. Not tears of soul-crushing grief or ones born out of searing anger, but tears that fell to express the unimaginable gratitude he felt toward the girl in front of him. He didn't know how he ended up deserving this. All he wanted to do was save everyone and then move on to something new.
And he'd never, not in 1000 years, expected this.
"Rem...Rem." His voice cracked as he sobbed out her name, unable to keep his voice steady, his head leaning onto her shoulder. "Thank you for everything! I don't deserve a friend like you! And I couldn't have lasted if you weren't there with me the entire time." A while ago, Subaru would have told himself that he owed her a debt that he couldn't ever repay.
But that was wrong.
He couldn't think of the relationships he'd built as being ones that were based on who helped who and what one owed the other in exchange. That way of thinking had already led him to a place where he had no desire to return. He'd saved her. She'd saved him. There didn't need to be anything more to it than that. They'd both gone to such lengths purely for the reason of caring about one another.
And that was the exact reason Rem knew she had to let him go. For now.
The moment Subaru looked up from her, he quickly attempted to wipe his own tears away, not out of embarrassment, but due to the difficulty of seeing the girl in front of him through tear-stained eyes. And he was elated to hear her next words. "Subaru, you deserve this. And so much more."
She'd meant what she said. Rem was no soothsayer, but she had faith that at some point, everyone in Lugunica would know the name Subaru Natsuki.
The two of them stood there in silence for a few moments before Rem decided she needed to get back to her duties. Yes, if she remained here with him for much longer, then the blue-haired maid was uncertain if she may be able to prevent herself from becoming more extreme. It was best to let the two of them marinate in what had transpired between them. For the moment.
"There are still chores for Rem to complete, now. And I think Subaru likely has other people to explain his future plans to." She was right. There was one more person that Subaru needed to talk to. The one he'd been avoiding all this time.
"You're...right. Please, don't let me keep you. I know you're the best when it comes t these types of chores." He swept his hair back in an impotent attempt to look casual. It did not work. His cheeks were still red with color and his eyes remained puffy.
Rem attempted to depart to fulfill her jobs, but she very slowly let go of Subaru's hand as she left the gazebo. In a flash, she'd returned to using the posture of a practiced and dutiful maid. Watching her from behind, Subaru would have never guessed she'd just done as she did if he hadn't been here to experience it.
As Rem vanished from the front, a question suddenly came to mind.
"Hey, Shadow Demon. Was anyone...watching the two of us just now?"
Subaru felt a wave of unease. Surely no one was watching from a window or something, right? Seconds later, he received his answer. And it was one that greatly calmed his nerves. The strange, but quiet voice of the stealthy creature responded with a single word,
"No."
Breathing a sigh of relief, Subaru almost slid back-first down the wall of the gazebo. This was good. It would have been a massive disaster if that person witnessed any of what just happened.
"If Ram saw me kissing her precious little sister...she'd have kicked my ass up and down this garden." He felt nervous drops of sweat form on his forehead at the thought of such a thing. In a state of comedic fury, Subaru kicked out, hitting nothing but the air. "Ugh, Rem! What're you thinking, talking about how that won't risk anyone's life?! You could have just gotten me killed out here!" He raged at no one, knowing that he was now alone.
But, maybe all of that was worthy of a big sister's wrath?