"Feeling better?" The red-haired stranger guided Subaru to a fountain, he didn't want the teen to stay in the alley where his recent fight happened. The sound of flowing water helped Subaru's overworked mind be at ease. His eyes were slightly red and puffy from crying, his gaze lingering on his hands in his lap where a bruise formed on the spot where one of the thugs twisted their heel. Subaru calmly took a deep breath.

And proceeded to hunch over and shout into his hands.

"AAAAAHHHH!" Subaru's muffled screams startled the stranger; he expected the young man to cry from stress, not from embarrassment. "I can't believe I cried in a grown man's arms!"

"Anyone would be in shock if they had to fight for their life. There's no shame in letting out your grief."

"Please stop reminding me!" Subaru continued to groan into his hands in embarrassment. "I got snot everywhere!"

"And I had a handkerchief to clean up," The stranger said. "You were mugged - anyone would have been shaken up."

"That's not the only thing that bothered me," Subaru let out a huff before he brushed his hands up to smooth out his ruffled hair. "...But thank you for helping me," He saw the man was wearing a white uniform of some kind and had a sword strapped to his hip. Thanking someone for their generosity felt so foreign as the Japanese teen spent so many loops having his pleas rejected, and ultimately having to do things on his own. It didn't stop him from offering his hand in gratitude. "I'm Natsuki Subaru - and you are?"

"Reinhard van Astrea," He introduced with a smile as they shook hands. "It's nice to meet you, Mister Subaru."

"Oh wait, no - 'Natsuki' is my family name!" Subaru hastily corrected, he finally met someone sane and kind and he was already screwing up! "I-It's Subaru - just call me Subaru. And drop the 'Mister' stuff - I ain't old!"

"So you have a power that allows you to detect people's emotional states?" Subaru asked at Reinhard's elaboration of his abilities as they walked down a street - people would glance at them, specifically at the redhead before turning away.

"My Divine Protection of Empathy led me to you in the alley," Reinhard gave Subaru a worried glance. "It also lets me know that something is bothering you."

"You wouldn't believe me even if I told you," Subaru still remembers the pleading and arguing he had with Emilia in previous loops and the magic cat that would float around her. "I need to warn some people, but getting them to believe me is the hard part."

"I'm not worried about being deceived. My Divine Protection of Wind Indication would help me know if you are lying."

Subaru glanced at the redhead. "I thought you had a Divine Protection of Empathy."

"I do in addition to the dozens of Divine Protections I currently have."

"Are Divine Protections common? Can other people get them?"

"You have to be lucky to be born with one," Reinhard explained. "Getting a Divine Protection that is useful is rarer than actually acquiring one, but having multiple is very strange - I'm just the exception among exceptions since I have every Divine Protection there is."

"Wait wait wait!" Subaru fully turned to the taller man. "So having Divine Protections are rare?"

"Yes."

"And getting a useful one is rarer?"

Reinhard nodded. "Any unique ones are even more unlikely too."

"But having more than one is absurd?"

"It's practically impossible unless it's under certain circumstances." Reinhard elaborated. It felt nice having someone to talk with. "My grandmother was born with the Divine Protection of the Death God, and she later inherited the Divine Protection of the Sword Saint due to her being in the Astrea family line - just like the previous Sword Saints before her."

"But you have every Divine Protection?"

"And some that are created to suit the situation."

"Hold on," They stopped when Subaru looked at Reinhard with a critical gaze as if he were a puzzle to solve. "Were you, uh… reincarnated perhaps?"

Reinhard was a bit put off by the question but answered with a smile nonetheless. "No, I'm afraid not."

"So you don't have any other memories? Perhaps some that don't match the ones here in this world?"

"Nope."

"Maybe something like getting hit by a truck while crossing a street?"

"I don't know what a 'truck' is, but if something were to physically collide with me it wouldn't do anything."

"Not even picking up an ordinary object and finding yourself here?"

"I wasn't teleported into existence," Reinhard said, his small smile still on his gentle face. It was rare he got to have casual - if not strange - conversations like a normal person. "I was born into this world like everyone else."

"Are you sure?" Subaru pressed on - maybe he missed a trope or two. "Not even memories of dying in one world and waking up in another?"

"I haven't faced anything capable of harming me."

"What about meeting a beautiful goddess?" Satella was their devil, so Subaru thought they had something to pray to. "Maybe one who gave you a boon and an objective?"

"I'm afraid I didn't have the pleasure."

"So all of your abilities just…" Subaru struggled to find the words, gesturing towards Reinhard with his hands. "...happened?"

Reinhard shrugged, his smile never faltering. "I guess so!" He let out a small laugh for the first in a long time; people would be terrified and see him as a monster when they discover his abilities, yet Subaru's presence made him feel like he was talking to a friend.

A friend who was mentally screaming, 'Why was I summoned when someone like him naturally exists?!'

"You are exactly what this situation needs!" Subaru said. "Listen, I need your help in recovering an insignia that was stolen!"

"An insignia?" Reinhard easily sensed the urgency in Subaru's voice. "What kind of insignia? A royal one? Sellsword insignia? Or one for the Merchant Guild?"

"I don't know there were multiple kinds," Emilia never told him and wanted to be secretive. Subaru didn't think too much about it. "I don't think that matters because people are going to die over it."

That got Reinhard's attention. "Do you know who is involved?" He asked with seriousness. "Any names? Can you give me a physical description?"

"A blonde girl living in the slums named Felt. She stole an insignia from a silver-haired half-elf named Emilia; I know it sounds ridiculous that she looks like the Witch of Envy but you have to believe me-!"

"I believe you," Reinhard patted Subaru's shoulder as a calming gesture. "Take in a deep breath and don't leave out any details."

Subaru did so, after nearly choking on his spit from Reinhard's reassurance. He never got this far when explaining the situation to someone without being yelled at or dismissed for being crazy. "Felt was hired by a woman named Elsa; with black hair, wears revealing clothing, and has a sadistic hobby of cutting people open and pulling their innards out."

"…Then it really must be Elsa Granhiert," Reinhard after a moment of thinking, pondering with a hand on his chin. "She is known as the Bowel Hunter."

"She is the WHAT hunter?" Subaru had a disturbed look on his face; Elsa's title explains way too much.

"She is known for disemboweling her victims, mostly using her knives to make it easier to pull your organs out," Reinhard explained. "If she is involved in this, then I should tag along."

"There is the loot house in the slums," Subaru said. "I can tell you how to get there - I just wish Emilia was here so we could warn her. She has no idea what is waiting for her."

Reinhard glanced behind them. "I think you're going to get what you want."

"What, why?"

"She's been following us."

Subaru turned around when a small 'eep!' was heard. He saw a familiar half-elf walk around the corner of a building as she pulled back the hood of her white cloak. Silver hair. Purple eyes. A look of embarrassment on her beautiful face. "See 'Lia?" Puck said, floating around her. "We could have just asked them."

"We cannot get other people involved." Emilia reminded. Subaru could never understand why Emilia was so secretive about her insignia. "We never met them and yet they know so much."

"And we know what's going to happen," Reinhard said, getting their attention as he walked towards Emilia with Subaru in tow. "I know you must have your reasons, but if you overheard our conversation about Elsa Granhiert, then for your safety we have to come with you."

"I… guess so," She nodded. Emilia looked at Reinhard. "I do apologize for eavesdropping, and I would be thankful for any assistance you can provide. I need to get my insignia back as soon as possible."

Subaru gave Reinhard a look. They had not only found Emilia, but she also overheard the future danger and accepted it quickly unlike previous loops where Subaru had to try and convince her. "…Does everything conveniently solve itself when you're around?"

"Not always," Reinhard said. "But when it does, it does a pretty good job."

"…you are the protagonist of this world, aren't you?"

"Why do I feel like that wasn't a compliment?"

"Just stating a fact," Subaru let out a huff before turning to Emilia. "Alright, you need to head into the slums and find the loot house - it's a shabby two-story building with a shed on the right side, and it's located at the edge of the wall that separates the third and fourth rings of the Capital's districts."

"So we're looking for a rundown building, in a place full of rundown buildings?" Emilia asked. "That doesn't narrow it down."

"The loot house is separate from the others. It has a lot of yard space, and there's a path leading to it." Subaru pointed in a direction. "Just head that way, and you'll eventually find the path - just follow it in the direction of the wall, and you'll make it." He could get there with his eyes closed, considering how many times Elsa butchered him there.

"You make it sound like you're not coming with us."

"I don't see how much help I can be. I don't have any magic and I get exhausted from a casual walk."

"But you are knowledgeable-"

"Unless my 'knowledge' can deflect an assassin's blade and override her regenerative immortality, then I think I should sit this one out."

"Hmm," Puck flew and bore his gaze into Subaru's eyes, with that skeptical tone that Subaru was familiar with. "I don't sense any malicious intent, and I can tell he genuinely wants to help but is not willing to follow through with it."

"Elsa terrifies you, doesn't she?" There was something about the boy Emilia could feel that was disturbed. It broke her heart to see someone so sad.

"...Is it so wrong that I don't want to face a woman who likes pulling people's organs out for pleasure?" Subaru unconsciously rubbed the area on his stomach where he was gutted, something everyone else took notice of. "Being disemboweled is painful, Emilia, which is what's going to happen to you."

"Don't worry 'Lia," Puck gave her a confident smile. "If Elsa does anything, I can take care of her! I can protect you from any danger coming your way, so you don't have to worry about anything."

Subaru knew Puck wasn't enough considering in previous loops Elsa was able to regrow her head, and how Emilia was brutally murdered.

"Then it never hurts to be more prepared," Reinhard said in a gentle yet assertive tone that made it clear he was going to help. Subaru wondered if the Sword Saint could somehow sense what he was about to say about Elsa, or could tell Puck and Emilia's strength alone wasn't enough to face the Bowl Hunter. But Subaru pondered if it was simply Reinhard's protagonist powers working their magic to solve things with minimal effort; there was a reason the Japanese teen got bored reading fantasy stories. "Shall we get going?"

"Wait," Emilia turned to Subaru. "Why are you trying to help me?"

"Easy, I don't want you to die."

"B-But I'm a half-elf."

"And I'm a malnourished teen who can throw things into a pocket dimension," He then pointed at the Sword Saint. "Reinhard has every Divine Protection there is, and Puck is a flying talking cat. So frankly, your pointy ears don't make a difference to me. I've seen way too many strange things already." Like Elsa regrowing her splattered head.

Emilia was stunned. She had met people who were apathetic to her existence and would never reach out to help her. Meeting someone like Subaru who went out of his way to help her situation, while indifferent to her being a half-elf, was refreshing.

This is why the smile she gave Subaru was genuine. "Thank you."

"Yeah, well, I am sorry for not coming with you," Subaru rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm not worth much given the current situation."

"Nope!" Emilia raised her finger to silence him. "I would rather hear a 'Thank you' instead of an 'I'm sorry'. Don't feel bad for something outside of your control."

Now it was Subaru's turn to be stunned. After so many loops he had forgotten why Emilia left such an impression on him; she was one of the first people to reach out and help him. She lied about her name in the first loop and was always in a secretive rush to get her insignia, yet seeing her trying to ward off his self-loathing - even though they had met for the first time and were strangers in this loop - touched Subaru's heart.

"Emilia," Subaru's voice was clear. "Thank you for understanding my fear about the situation and letting me stay behind. Good luck with getting your property back."

And so she left, with Reinhard and Puck in tow. When they were out of sight, Subaru felt a foreign sense of ease. "Huh, it was that easy," Subaru then shook his head at the absurdity of it all before walking away. "So many deaths for a problem and all that amounted to was me getting someone else to do it for me. I really can't do anything-"

"No!" Subaru lightly slapped his cheeks. "I can't think like that! Think positive thoughts!" It was too easy to fall into that pit of self-loathing his parents worked so hard to bring him out of. "I did make a difference. I realized my limits and found someone who can get the job done." For him to claim he could do everything alone would be arrogance. Asking for help is what got him to get over his issues back at home, and asking for help in this world allowed him to protect someone. It took a long time, and even more loops, but he found someone willing to assist him. "I'm not a hero - this world already has an OP character… so why am I even here?"

Subaru was met with silence. No notification. No indication of an answer. He let out a sigh before looking up. "What do I do now?" He had already solved the problem with Emilia and her insignia, Reinhard swore to protect those in the loot house, but now Subaru felt lost.

Until he saw the missed notification; with everything that happened and meeting powerful individuals, Subaru forgot about his powers.

[Quest: Triple Threat] - COMPLETE!

REWARD: 350 XP!

"I-I finished it…?" Subaru pulled up the quest's description before reading, "Survive against the thugs who will try to rob you - I just had to survive; I got my ass kicked but I still managed to finish the quest. I didn't know I could find another way to complete it."

Subaru let out a sigh and slapped himself on the forehead. "Alternate solutions are possible! I've been trying to find one to help Emilia this whole time - why couldn't I put that same energy into other quests?!"

His rant left him breathless, but he knew the reason why. "...I never really thought about anything else," Subaru said in a daze, walking without a proper sense of direction. "I focused so much on helping Emilia that I didn't think about doing anything else… When was the last time I thought about doing something for myself?"

Subaru couldn't remember. So many loops were spent trying to help others, and he unknowingly neglected himself. It felt no different than shutting himself in his room; doing nothing while wasting away, letting his negative thoughts get the better of him. It was a familiar feeling.

A feeling Subaru knew he had to get rid of.

"It's time I focused on making myself happy for once." His mother's words and his father's teaching rang out in the back of his mind. He is still homeless without a single coin to his name, Subaru would make due and take little steps toward improving his life. He already solved the issue of Emilia's safety and had already completed a quest. It was proof that he can do it. That he can progress in this foreign land.

He won't let himself wallow in self-pity.

Subaru watched a familiar little boy wander too close to the road, the markings showing evidence of active carriages using the path. Subaru remembered the loop where he shoved the child out of the way, only for his frail body to fail him.

It was time for a different solution.

"Showtime." Subaru quickly reached into his inventory and threw several pieces of colorful candy near the boy. The sound of their transparent, crinkling wrappers rolling on the ground was enough to distract the child.

"I AM SO SORRY!" Subaru pretended to be surprised as he ran up to get the boy's attention. "I was practicing a new spell and I almost hit you!"

"Can you make colorful rocks appear?" The child asked, at least he wasn't wandering in the middle of the road.

"Not just any rocks!" Subaru said, picking up one of the candies and taking off the wrapper. "It's rock candy - you can eat them!" He then flicked it into his mouth, and had to put on a face of enjoyment when it tasted like an actual rock; he wished he had his sense of taste back.

"Can I have some? Please!" The child was giddy, and Subaru knew he had their full attention.

"Sure, just uh-" Subaru picked up the candies on the ground before he placed a hand on the kid's shoulder to guide him away. "Don't wander into the road - dragon carriages roll by here, and we don't want you to get run over."

"I saw a kitty on the other side!" The child said with a smile and an innocent sense of curiosity. One that got Subaru killed when he pushed the boy out of harm's way in a failed loop.

"That's no excuse to be reckless," Subaru should take his advice. He has to work smarter, not harder. He placed the candies on the boy's hand when they were a safe distance away. A little while later a dragon carriage sped by. Subaru smiled. "So enjoy these, just don't chew or swallow them."

"Oh, and one more thing," Subaru reached into his inventory and pulled out an apple. Instantly the boy's eyes widened in awe when it appeared Subaru conjured it out of thin air. This is what Subaru implied it to be; saying 'it's magic' was a simple explanation for his inventory rather than the alternative of elaborating complicated video game mechanics as he did in previous loops. He gave the apple to the child before walking away. "Have some fruit, and remember to be safe!"

The little boy shifted the items into one arm before using his free one to wave goodbye. "Thank you, Food Wizard!"

"Food Wizard?" Subaru repeated when he was out of eyesight. "Ain't the worst thing I've been called."

[Quest: A Child In Danger] - COMPLETE!

REWARD: 50 XP!

"It isn't much, but it's a start!" Subaru felt optimistic about the future. He could solve problems his way. "I can do this!" It felt nice when he could let loose his eccentric nature.

He was then surprised by a new notification.

(New!) [Quest: Rise of the Food Wizard!]

"A little closer…" Subaru mumbled from his hiding spot behind the barrel in the general goods store, holding a measuring cup of cooking oil as he watched the shady man march up to the pregnant woman managing the counter. The guy looked like he hadn't eaten properly in weeks and was covered in filth.

It was one of the rare times Subaru was glad his sense of smell was reduced. Judging from the expression the woman had as she turned her attention from the book she was reading to the dirty man in the store.

Only to let out a scream when he pulled out a crude knife. "Give me all ya got before I carve that baby out of you-!"

Subaru threw the contents of the cup onto the floor where the man was about to step.

A startled shriek and the sound of a knife clattering on the ground were enough for Subaru to come out. The robber was on the ground, a nasty gash causing him to bleed on the floor to mix with the cooking oil. Subaru saw the bloodstain on the edge of the counter where the man hit his head when he slipped.

He walked up to the frightened woman hiding behind the counter, covered in terror-induced sweat as she held her pregnant stomach. Her eyes snapped towards Subaru, afraid of his sudden appearance. He figured she forgot he was also in the store.

Some of her fear turned into confusion when Subaru threw his measuring cup into his inventory and pulled out a candy bar. "Here," Subaru undid the wrapper before leaving it on the counter. "It's chocolate - it'll help calm you down."

[Quest: Hold Up] - COMPLETE!

REWARD: 200 XP!

Subaru saw the lean man pull a wooden box out of the ground before planting the shovel near a pile of dirt from the excavation. "Thanks for helping me dig this up."

"You got tired from the walk over here," The man said, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "I didn't think you could even lift a shovel. Is there anything else you need? I can give you some supplies considering what you did."

"I saved your wife because it was the right thing to do, not because I wanted something to gain." While he did get XP for the quest, Subaru was more at ease knowing that the woman was safe. "You already gave me some money and a bedroll - I'm good where I am."

With a shrug, the shopkeeper walked back to his store. Subaru walked back to the market with the small box in his hands, opening it to see what was so important that they would bury it, only to become disappointed.

"Some silver coins and a bag of weird fruit?" Subaru said as he tossed the items into his inventory. "I should feel bad for taking it… then again, last time I came here I got my head bashed in!"

Subaru didn't know who buried the contents of the cache in the ground, only that the person was willing to kill anyone for witnessing such an event. The Japanese teen felt a bit of spiteful satisfaction as he stole the contents within.

[Quest: Finders Keepers] - COMPLETE!

REWARD: 200 XP!

[Quest: A Child In Need] - COMPLETE!

REWARD: 50 XP!

Subaru silently dismissed the screen as he sat in Kadomon's home, the apple merchant he bumped into when he first arrived in this world. "Thanks for the meal."

"You hardly ate any of it," Raksha said as she started taking the dirty dishes away, she brushed away a strand of her purple hair from her face, showing concern about Subaru's absent appetite. "You look like you haven't eaten a decent meal in weeks."

"Don't worry, I had a large lunch," He lied. While the food Raksha made was from gratitude for finding her and Kadomon's daughter, Subaru didn't have it in him to criticize how it was bland; he knew the lack of flavor wasn't the fault of the cook, and the monotonous chewing and swallowing got boring quickly. "Besides, I can just…" Subaru used his fork to flick the leftovers into his inventory.

"See!" Plum said excitedly from her seat, the little girl's eyes were full of awe. "Told you he can make things disappear - he's the Food Wizard!"

"How are people already calling me that?" Subaru mumbled to himself. His eyes roamed around the room, snug and comfortable for a family of three, before spotting a crate of apples. The diminished quality was easily visible. "Although I can make some dessert with what you have over there."

Plum glanced at the apples in the crate. "Don't you have better apples you can use, Mr. Food Wizard?"

"Which he should," Kadomon said; the same stern voice even when he isn't at his apple stand. "I'm planning on selling what's in that crate."

"Now dear," Raksha said. "The nice boy is willing to make Plum a treat, and it's not even from your main supply of apples. Do you think your daughter's happiness is worth a few coins?"

"Main supply?" Subaru asked.

"My husband takes the apples that are no longer appetizing and sells them to the Merchant Guild."

"What does an entire guild of merchants need for undesirable apples?" Subaru asked. "What do they do with it?"

"All I know is that the apples I sell them end up as ground dragon feed." Kadomon shrugged. "It looks like with you around I won't be able to do that - ow!"

His wife pinched his ear, her smile hard as stone and sharper than a knife. "But you can spend time with your lovely wife and daughter… unless making extra coins on the side is more important?"

"No no no!" Kadomon felt her pinch harder. "I'm happy!"

"Good," Raksha let go of his ear. "Then it wouldn't be a problem to let the nice boy make his treats." She stated it as a fact, rather than a question that had room for input.

"Please!" Plum begged her father, and to Subaru, it was the most adorable thing in the world.

Kadomon let out a sigh, rubbing his reddened ear where his wife pinched it; he knew he was going to get a bruise later. "...The kitchen is all yours."

Subaru looked at the apples in the crate and saw that they were indeed unappetizing, yet he knew they weren't inedible. His mom taught him to cut off the bad parts and saved the rest for cooking. After taking enough apples to salvage, Subaru walked into the kitchen in the next room. It was pathetic compared to modern appliances back in Japan, but it would do.

After getting the other ingredients from his inventory, and preparing them, Subaru looked around the kitchen to use a frying pan - he lost the one he bought from his world in the alley - before filling it with cooking oil. He had no idea what the exact temperature the crude otherworldly stove was capable of, yet the red crystal in its center was able to provide enough heat.

"Where does it come from?" Plum asked as she saw him mix the eggs with milk and vanilla he plucked from his inventory.

"A wizard never reveals his secrets," Subaru started pouring the melted butter into the bowl. He then added the diced apples, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and a little salt - using a wooden spoon to fold all the ingredients together into a soft yet firm dough. "Now step back, hot oil is going to splatter everywhere if we're not careful."

The familiar hiss of frying dough brought a wave of nostalgia for Subaru. It made him so happy to use the recipe he learned to bond with his mother, his father's praise, and the sense of pride he felt for finding a sense of direction in his depressing life.

And the soul-crushing sadness when he realized he is on his own.

Subaru took in a deep breath before exhaling. It didn't make the pain go away, and he couldn't smell the golden-brown fried aroma, but it made it bearable for him to finish frying all the batter. He had to settle for placing the finished pastries on a plate instead of a wire rack to cool them down.

"It smells amazing!" Plum couldn't stop looking at them, her green eyes shining in curiosity. Subaru wished he could do the same. "What are these?"

"They're apple fritters. You've got to wait a bit before eating them," Subaru wiped the sweat from his forehead; frying foods always made the kitchen stuffy, and there wasn't a proper window in the house to let in the fresh air. "Fried food has to be cooked quickly at high temperatures or it'll end up soaking in oil. After it cools down, we glaze it with powdered sugar and a few drops of honey before eating it."

[Cooking Proficency] (F) has been created!

That only made Plum more excited to eat it. "I bet it's going to taste amazing!"

'It's fucking terrible.' Subaru silently thought as he looked at the tiny bite he took out of the apple fritter. He couldn't taste the vanilla nor the cinnamon, the apple bits inside the pastry only contributed to the moisture instead of the taste; any sweetness from the honey and sugar only tingled across his tongue before being mixed with his saliva into flavorless obscurity.

He could feel the oil he fried it in which only made him procrastinate swallowing the slush in his mouth until he reluctantly did. All that time standing in front of hot oil and frying batter; he couldn't enjoy the results.

Subaru just tossed pastry into his inventory, he glanced at the plate of apple fritters he set before the family of three, numbly wondering how they were enjoying it.

His dejection turned into shock when there was nothing but crumbs on the plate. "Well, that was quick!"

Raksha wiped her mouth with a napkin, an embarrassed smile on her face. "Sorry, I couldn't help myself." She then looked at her daughter. "I guess she couldn't help herself either."

Subaru glanced at Plum who was slumped over the table, eyes closed with a sweet mess on her face.

Raksha picked up her sleeping daughter before turning to her husband. "I'm going to clean her up and get her to a warm bed." Kadomon just nodded, stuffing his face with two apple fritters as his wife and child walked upstairs.

Subaru looked back at the empty plate and felt a small smile form on his face. Although he couldn't enjoy his cooking, seeing others enjoy his food replaced his former frustration with pride. 'Maybe it wasn't a complete waste of time after all.'

"I'm not gonna lie," The apple merchant finished chewing the last of his pastry before swallowing. "I was skeptical to give up any extra coin, but you're a damn good cook."

"If you're worried about money," I can sell these at your stand," Subaru proposed. Maybe he could fry the pastries outside instead of in a stuffy kitchen. "If we're smart about it, even with the extra ingredients needed, we can still churn out a profit.

"Don't worry about the money - look, I'm sorry for getting on your case about the extra apples," Kadomon shook his head. "Raksha has always brought that up ever since we moved, saying how money can't buy a daughter's happiness… I don't know - maybe she has a point."

"Maybe I can run your stand? You can spend as much time with your daughter as you like!"

"I'm not leaving you alone and untrained with my merchandise," Kadomon stated firmly. There was no maliciousness in his tone, just common sense. "Until you can consistently show me you can be trusted, then I'll have peace of mind leaving you alone with my goods."

"It's not like I'm going to steal them."

"My family lives in the third ring; it's the middle ground between the wealthy and those in poverty - and earlier I heard that the general goods store was almost robbed." While Subaru wanted to mention he defended the store, that didn't disprove Kadomon's argument of crime seeping into other areas. "We used to live in the second ring before things in Lagunica became worse; apples aren't exactly a popular fruit, and I can only do so much for my wife and daughter."

"It never hurts to ask for help," Subaru said. "As long as I have a place to stay, you won't have to pay me much - and I can make everyone dinner every night." It's not like he would be able to taste any of it."

"Are you trying to convince me to hire you?"

"Just showing how much I can contribute if you do." Subaru's parents taught him to value himself, and the lessons showed their results. He pulled out the apple fritter he put into his inventory earlier. "It's still fresh, and I can store and preserve any amount of product you want; you will never have to worry about your apples going bad."

Subaru gave the merchant a confident smile and matched the man's gaze with his own. When the silence stretched out a bit longer than he expected, Subaru wondered if he had overdone it.

Only for Kadomon to turn his gaze to the apple fritter. "…Give me what you have in your hand, and we have a deal."

"It has a bite taken out of it."

"Doesn't make it any less delicious." He said as Subaru shrugged before handing over the pastry. "Get some rest and be ready in the morning." Kadomon as he scarfed down the treat before standing up to go to bed. "We have a long day tomorrow."

Subaru settled on the floor of the living room. The house didn't have another room, and it was not insulated like his home back in Japan. If it wasn't for the extra blanket Kadomon let him have, his bedroll would barely keep him warm on the floor. It was far from the modern comforts of his home.

But Subaru smiled for tomorrow.

He felt proud of what he had done. He had managed to leave Emilia in capable hands, overcome his obstacles, and thrive where he struggled. All it took was a little humility to ask the right people for help.

His inner thoughts were interrupted when moonlight illuminated the room as he heard the front door of Kadomon's house open. Subaru could barely see a cloaked figure walk in, and found it odd they pointed a stick into the house.

"Ul Fula…!" whispered the stranger in a feminine voice.

Subaru heard the roar of destructive wind tearing into the home. Most of the destruction missed him and only nicked his skin.

The rest of the chaotic wind crashed into the kitchen, destroying the fire crystal in the crude stove, and engulfing the house in an explosion.

A/N: I had to revise my plans for this story as I wasn't satisfied writing it. I don't think I'm going to write long chapters like this anymore either. In any case, Subaru has learned that there is someone who cares, he just has to seek them out and has a journey of his own. It is a shame he can't enjoy what he cooks, but everyone else is amazed by his cooking.

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