"I'm surprised, you're barely even reacting to the pain."
"Well, I've suffered this type of torture too many times to count by now, I stopped counting after the the first hundred times."
"Your pain tolerance is too high for someone who doesn't even bear any scars, do you perhaps have a divine protection that negates pain?"
I laugh. "As if! I may not bear any scars but I have suffered enough times to be able to at least keep my cool with my guts hanging out."
She adorns a smile. "Well, you are unusually resistant to pain, I'll accept that, but your body still suffers the same as anyone else. The blood loss is obviously hampering your cognitive functions with how you're talking."
"Nope! I really have suffered in a great many ways, a couple times to you as well."
She scoffs. "Well, that just proves my point, I have never met you before and yet you say that I've hurt you in some way. But you somehow knew about mama, so your asinine claims may bear some weight. I have got to ask Meili if she's ever run into a man fitting your description."
"Meili?"
"Whoops, let that slip now did I? Well, it doesn't matter. Now shall we start the information exchange before you die?"
"Gladly, though I should warn you that you've never been able to crack me. Whore."
"There is that nonsense again, and really? Calling me that in your position? You seem almost like mama's…" She trails off.
"Aw, not gonna finish that sentence?"
She eyes me. "Do you perhaps carry a small black book on you?"
"Nope, family has been secular for generations. I don't carry the bible on me if that's what you're asking."
"In that case, let's start."
—
"Hey! Hey, kid, you alright?" Kadomon's voice once again wakes me up and brings me back to the present.
I place my right hand to my heart and bow to the fruit merchant. "I apologize for spacing out. Yes, I am fine, I am currently not in possession of any money, but one day I'll come back to buy an appa from you."
"Whoa, Kid! That's a bit much. What are you, a knight?" Kadomon brings his hands up to the sides of his head.
"Not yet. My name is Natsuki Subaru, The Aspiring knight. When I next come back, it will be after I've built a name for myself. Good day, Kadomon."
I waved a hand at the flustered merchant and turned around to start my preparations.
"Whatever you say kid! Keep yourself safe!" He shouted. Leaving him to mutter to himself as I left.
I walked away from Kadomon through the crowded streets of the commercial district. Countless small stands on both sides of me, filled with people bartering, buying, and talking about the different wares.
I took in the sight of the unorganized chaotic, but peaceful atmosphere. Not like anybody but me would think that its peaceful, but when you've fought the Bowel Hunter for as long as I have, almost anything becomes more peaceful in comparison. The disorganized crowds were organized for me. Seeing the same people walking the same routes doing the same things gives me peace of mind. That everything is going as it should, that I am the only one able to control the flow of the events going around me.
I am the one who controls these events. If I so wished, I could change the organized future into a chaotic one. I can disturb the routes of the people walking these roads, make them move as I want them to.
I am the one playing with these pieces. I am the one who makes these pawns move. They follow their predetermined routes until I step in, ready to use them.
I am the king of this chessboard, and as far as I know, the only one in the world.
I am close, I have been Diligent, and the loop that I finally defeat the Bowel Hunter in is almost upon me. So I have to make sure that each one of my actions make the best possible permanent future.
I have to make sure that I have the best possible image. This is my debut, my first showing, my glorious entrance that will entrance the people I will be saving, the knight in shining armor that will step in to slay the hideous beast that is the Bowel Hunter.
And as such. I have to make the best possible impression on everybody I meet. I can not let a single person know of a false image of me. One in which I am anything but the Diligent Hero that garners respect. The Aspiring knight that succeeds in his long hunt and finally achieves knighthood.
Anything after the first entrance can be solved, fixed, replaced through the use of Diligence. But nobody forgets the first entrance, the first impression.
So I cannot mess this up.
But It is tiring to keep the facade up. That is why I only keep it up when necessary. Speaking with merchants who can easily be swayed for information by the use of coin.
There is certainly one person I know who wouldn't hesitate to take such an action just for some information.
And those are the types of people I have to look out for. The shrewd ones who may try to find a shink in my shining armor, in my reputation.
It does sadden me that I cannot be myself. But being myself has only led to bad things, to Sloth, and that can not be allowed.
But being the Hero is worth any momentary pain. I can take the facade down with people I will soon come to call permanent friends, friends not lost to the inevitable resets caused by Elsa.
For now, I am alone. But that is a small price to pay. I can take it.
My legs have subconsciously led me to the usual alleyway. I don't even have to think about where to go anymore. Each step I take, I have already taken before, it is easy to fall into the patterns I've created, and I'm allowed just a tiny bit of relaxation between each event I have to clear with the steps I take between them.
And the second event of the loop is now upon me.
I walk into the alleyway and stand on top of the steps that I had sat down upon in the first loop. And I wait.
And as usual, the trio steps out.
"Well lookie here, it seems a stray dog has gone into our territory. Hand over your stuff!"
I look over the nostalgic trio. The number of times we've bantered, punched, and killed each other are almost innumerable.
But I stopped those events from happening a while ago.
"You are Rachins, Gaston, and Camberley, right?" I ask them in my trained authoritative voice, pointing at them in succession.
They look surprised for a moment before Rachins pipes up. "Y-yeah! So what? You should know what we do to people who don't listen to what we say!"
Their flustered expressions invoked that same calm feeling of control in me.
"I do know what you would do. But that does not concern me. I have a proposition that I believe you would be interested in."
Camberley takes a step forward. "Screw your proposition! We told you to hand over yo-"
"I have nothing of value on me at this moment." Well, the phone is definitely valuable. "But if you agree to my proposition then you three will get to share one holy coin between you."
Their eyes widened at my words. A holy coin would set them up for a bit of luxury for a little while. They always fell for the trap.
"What is it you want us to do? Want somebody beaten up?" Gaston puts himself into the conversation.
"Something like that. I will iron out the details with you later. Grab whatever weapons you have and make your way to old man Rom's loot house. I will meet you inside there later today." I say half-heartedly as I turn around and wave my hand at them.
"Why can't you just say it here?" Rachins says, his suspicious tone not going unnoticed by me.
"Because I need to make preparations, and discussing job details here would dumb."
I walk out of the alleyway without even trying to hear their answer. They always accept the job anyway.
This event would be impossible to do if I announced myself as the Aspiring knight, or was too courteous. Doing that only scares them away. Probably due to them thinking I was trying to get them arrested.
I will reveal my self-made title at the end of the upcoming battle anyways.
With the second event of the day cleared, I quickly hurry my steps. The next couple events will be the most risky to try and achieve. Any time spent idling could lead to a failed loop due to missing the events right after.
I make my way to Market street, The main road, and the fastest route to the first building I need to get to. Power walking and dodging the people coming my way.
The dragon-drawn carriages whizz by on my right. I have yet to get the chance to go on one in my hundred days since I arrived here. I couldn't imagine that it would be much different from riding in a horse-drawn carriage, but it's not like I'd ever had the chance to experience that either.
Riding on the actual dragon instead of a carriage may be even more fun. And a Hero should have a trusted steed to ride into battle on.
Maybe one day.
But for now. The third event is soon to be upon me, and after having walked a substantial distance with the sun pounding on me I was letting out small pants from the heat and exertion. But not enough to let it be noticeable to any outside parties.
I turned off the main road and made my way to the steps of the Merchant's Guild and walked up them to be greeted by the sight of the entire Guild Hall filled with people. The hall was always bustling around this time. Just before the latter part of the day came.
I had made it on time, and I quickly made my way to one of the windows manned by a clerk. Fortunately, this specific window wasn't very busy, as most of the people who went to the guild did so for contracts, paperwork, and other such things.
And, fortunately, I did not come here to become a merchant or anything like the rest.
"Hello, how can I help you today?" The clerk, a woman with brown hair greeted me.
I pulled my cell phone out and placed it on the counter. "I'm looking to sell this metia to the guild for auction. I want to quicksell it." I rattled off.
The woman quickly pulled out a quill and paper. "May I have your name and occupation?"
"Natsuki Subaru, unemployed, but aspiring knight."
She quickly wrote down some, to me, unreadable glyphs on the paper. Before asking me another question. "What does the Metia do?"
I quickly picked the phone back up and took a picture of the clerk before turning it towards her. "The metia can freeze moments in time so you can review those moments at a later date. I've had it appraised to be worth at least twenty holy coins."
She looked over the photo and then took the phone out of my hands, eying it warily and inspecting it.
"It certainly is a one of a kind metia. I don't believe I've seen anything like it. I do think that your previous appraisal may have been right. But because of the nature of this transaction I can only offer you fifteen holy coins, just to be safe."
"That is perfectly fine with me." I give her a small smile.
She pulled a piece of paper from behind the counter and gave me the quill. "You just need to sign this contract here to show that you accept the one time payment of fifteen holy coins in exchange for the metia, and that any and all profits made at the auction for this item are reserved for the Merchant's guild because of your choice of selling method."
This deal is really unfair to me, but because of my situation and circumstances I can't really do anything about it.
As Rom had said, the phone could easily go way above twenty holy coins, but how much it was actually worth was unknown to me.
But since I didn't have time to wait for the whole auction process to take place over a couple days, it meant that I had to choose the quicksell option, where I could sell it to the guild for a lower price but instantly get the payout.
Which of course meant that I would get a way smaller sum of money. But lamenting the loss of a couple holy coins was not something I should do. I need this money and I need it now.
Question is, how much it would actually sell for on the auction house. Something I could perhaps find out after this death loop is over.
I picked the quill up and signed the contract where the attendant had pointed at. And when I finished writing it, I prepared for the inevitable reaction.
"I don't believe I have ever seen a signature like this.."
"It's my signature, and it doesn't really matter now, does it?"
She didn't mull it over for too long. She took the contract and the phone and placed them somewhere behind the counter. She pulled out a pouch and placed it down on the counter and the coins inside clinked against each other.
I picked the pouch up and gave the attendant another smile. "Thank you, have a good day."
The attendant gave me a wry smile."You too, aspiring knight."
With the third event completed I turn my eyes towards the entrance of guild hall, and two familiar figures walk in.
Two heads of violet hair and clothed in white, Anastasia and Julius had just entered.
Julius seemed to have noticed my gaze and met it. I walked towards him and stopped a respectable distance away from him.
I put my feet together, put my hand over my heart and bowed. "Greetings Julius-sama. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
He had seemed a bit suspicious before I bowed, but that suspicion quickly evaporated with my trained knightley bow.
"Greetings to you as well, judging by your bow, are you perhaps one of my juniors?"
I straightened my back and looked him in the eyes. "Unfortunately, no, not yet, my name is Natsuki Subaru, aspiring knight."
His face took a surprised expression before he quickly calmed it down. He swiped his purple locks out of the way. "I have to commend you on your conduct, it is certainly on the level of a knight. Is there anything I can help you with?"
"No there is not, I simply wanted to say that you are truly an inspiration for those of us who yearn to serve this country as its best. I will not take any more time from you or your lady. Good day." I quickly answered.
A small smile grew on Julius' face. "Thank you for the kind words, but I'm simply doing what is needed of me. Good day to you too, and I hope to see you achieve your goals."
I turned to the exit and walked out of the guild hall.
"Hey, Julius, what was that about?" The voice of my lady brought me back from my thoughts.
I turned to face my lady. "Nothing too important, but it is good to see that I'm able to inspire young men to do good for this kingdom."
My lady seemed to have fallen into thought. "Was there anything you noticed about him, Anastasia-sama?"
She hummed for a bit before redirecting her gaze towards the doors of the guild hall, where the young man who'd proclaimed himself as the aspiring knight had left through. "There was something behind those eyes of his."
I was confused by her assertion. "Whatever could you mean, Anastasia-sama?"
The young man had been nothing but polite. He'd certainly gained my attention.
"Those eyes of his… It's nothing, but should ya' meet him then you should keep yourself on guard."
My lady, ever wise, had given me advice, I could not say that I understood what it was that she was thinking, but..
"As you say, Lady Anastasia." The boy had seemed inconspicuous, but if my lady said she saw something of concern, then she could be nothing but right.
"Pretentious prick." I muttered as I walked away from the hall.
That Julius guy was annoying as crap. Something about him just wouldn't sit right with me.
These feelings hadn't been too bad the first couple times I'd met him. Same for his lady.
I had, of course, gone to trade for more information from Anastasia. General information about the world, specific persons, and other such things. Those loops had been slothful, but they were going to work in my favor.
But each time I met them, their arrogance and smugness just kept chipping away at my tolerance.
But that Julius guy will work as a good in with the knight corp. So flattering him and getting his good will is a must.
Anastasia is a bit too dangerous for me to try and make real contact with. She would probably just find some way to use me. I have yet to outsmart her, so she's off limits for now.
With the preparations made, I started speed walking to the next place I had in mind. The preparations for my meeting with Emilia, to make a good impression.
The sun was still staying strong on the blue sky where it resided, and my dark tracksuit was soaking up all the sunlight, and with my tempo I had started lightly sweating again.
But I was going to change my clothes anyway, it doesn't matter whether these get slightly sweaty in the process of getting them. To think that I would be using such, at first sight, insignificant knowledge such as where certain stores and buildings were to beat Elsa.
Fortunately, the stores I would be visiting were close in proximity with the Merchant's guild, and it did not take me long to get to the first store.
The clothing store was placed on a more high value street, closer to the noble district, it wasn't reserved for nobles or people of higher rank, but the prices of each article of clothing certainly made it seem as if that was the case.
The prices were truly outrageous, but the clothes made the man, so I would have to bite the bullet and sacrifice just a bit of the small-fortune I had made from selling the phone.
Behind the windows of the clothing store stood dresses and suits on display, the quality of the clothes and materials being way higher than the people living in the slums and the people living on the outskirts of the fourth district could ever only dream of even feeling between their hands.
I wasn't going to go for anything as fancy as what they had on display. I wasn't going to go attend a business meeting or a ball.
I went to the door of the shop and pushed it open. A bell rang out to announce my entrance.
The store was almost empty of people, I could see a, what I assumed to be, high-class merchant picking out some clothes at the back of the store, and a couple going over a suit and some wedding dresses on display.
A man with blue hair spotted me and made his way to me. "Hello good sir, welcome to my establishment, is there any way I could help you?" He said with a smile.
I put a hand up. "I do not require any assistance, I already know what I want to buy. I'll be up to pay for the clothes I'm looking for in a moment."
He bowed a tiny bit. "As you say." He said before walking off.
I quickly made my way through the store and picked up the five items I wanted to get.
I brought them up to the register where the man I'd just met before was standing, ready to make the transaction.
"Interesting outfit you've put together here. Are you perhaps a revered mercenary I haven't heard of yet?"
I chuckle at his guess. "Something like that, but not quiet. Just a temporary outfit until I achieve knighthood."
"Oh really now? Mind telling me your name so I can boast about you having come to my shop in case you become some sort of hero?" He chuckles a bit as well.
"Natsuki Subaru, the Aspiring knight." I say Proudly.
"I don't believe I've heard of a house bearing the name 'Natsuki', but, if you do become some sort of bigshot then I'll use your name."
I smile. "You have my blessing. Now, how much do I owe you?"
"Two holy coins for all of it."
This shit cost's too fucking much. It still hurts as much each time I hear the cost.
I kept my smile up even as hesitantly pinched two coins out of the coin pouch and placed them on the counter. "Is it alright if I use the changing room?"
The clerk smiled. "No problem, go right ahead. Pleasure doing business with you!"
"Likewise."
In front of me stood a man wearing black shoes, white pants, black shirt, and a white cloak with a black bag on his back.
"Still fits. And fuck do I look good."
I turned away from the mirror and placed my former clothes inside the bag. I walked out of the changing room, and waved goodbye to the clerk manning the store as I pulled the door to the outside and left.
The bell rang as I left the store, I picked up the pace to reach the next and last stop for the preparations.
I'd picked out the items closest resembling the knight's uniform that Julius wore. I had yet to see anybody else bearing the same clothes throughout any of the loops. I had seen guards throughout the commercial district who wore full plate armor, but nothing close to what Julius was wearing.
Which made sense. He was part of the Royal Guard, and those false heroes only served the crown, not like Reinhard, that guy is the only one who I can truly respect, even if my Envy tries to stand in my way.
I'll make sure that I make a good impression on him as well. It's hard to remember that long lost loop, but I'll make sure to meet him soon as well. I have to learn more from his Diligence. I have to figure out how he does it, how he can be so strong. How long did he train to attain what he has?
If I keep myself as Diligent as I've been since I got here, and with some time to gain some muscle, then I can reach his level.
Right?
"Welcome to my establishment dear customer! What can I get ya'?" The stout woman behind the counter to the left of the entrance shouted.
I immediately walked up to the counter and pointed at the sword hanging on the wall behind her. "I would like to buy that sword you've hung up, a sheath for that sword, and a suitable sword belt as well."
Her eyes widened. "Oh my, that's my most prized work. If ya want this one then it's gonna cost ya!"
She turned around and took the sword from the display. It was a bastard sword, longer than the one Rachins used but not too much longer or different to the point where I'd have to re-learn how to sword-fight
Its hilt was made out of some sort of dark Mabeast hide that was incredibly grippy and made it easier to hold on to. A cross guard separating the dark mabeast hide from the double edged pure white steel of the sword.
It may have been this blacksmith's most prized possession but it wasn't like it gave much more of an edge in combat than the shortsword that Rachins uses. Its hefty price probably stemmed from the durability of the sword rather than it being able to cut any material in its path, or granting the wielder some sort of immense strength.
There were apparently no sword's that did anything close to those things, the closest thing I'd heard of being some sort of "Swords of power" that the shopkeeper had talked about.
Truly lamentable, it would have been nice to get some endgame gear on my first day here. But I would have to settle for a sword that fit my outfit and could hold for a long time.
I told the shopkeeper to wait for me to pick up some additional items and walked to the back of the store, picking up five small plain knives that I brought back to the counter.
"I would like to buy these as well, and that will be all."
She looked over the items thoughtfully. "The hell kid, are ya' going to war or something?"
"Close guess, you'll probably hear about it later. Name's Natsuki Subaru, in case you want to use it to boost your sales."
She put a hand to her chin. "Talking like you're gonna be a bigshot, sure, I'll remember your name for now."
I chuckled for a bit and then pinched the amount of coins this would all cost me. "How much do I owe you?"
"The sword is five holy coins, the belt, sheath, and knives all come out to a holy coin together. So ya' owe me six holy coins."
I placed the coins on the counter and then immediately started equipping the sword belt. I sheathed the sword in the black sheath and hung it on my left hip and made sure it was well hidden beneath the cloak. I placed the knives on the belt on my right hip and hid them as well.
The woman addressed me after I finished putting everything on. "It's been good doing business with ya' Natsuki-san, if ya' ever need any other blades then feel free to come back and I'll sort it out for ya'."
I bowed and put my hand over my heart. "It would be my pleasure, have a good day."
I straightened up and walked out of the shop.
"That's the preparations done." I mutter.
I have made good time, I have all the items I need and I'll have a good amount of people who've heard of my name as well.
The loop is going to start for real from now on.
"You gonna eat her or something?!"
The words dug into me. I was only trying to do good, why would they think I was going to do something as horrible as-
"Witch!"
There it was. There is the reason why. Once again, my appearance gets in my way. Why can't they just let me try to show them that I'm good. That I mean no harm.
Because they won't trust me, because of my appearance resembling her. Will I ever be free from the torment that she has caused me?
Is there nobody but Puck that will accept me for who I am?
It doesn't help that my only way of showing my good side and changing these peoples' minds has been stolen from me. If I don't get the insignia back then how am I supposed to fix this?
I've been trying to change their minds day to day, even now, before the selection has started, but it just won't help on a big scale.
Not the scale I need to have to make any sort of difference.
Puck tells me that it's fine, that I don't have to prove anything. But he's such a dunderhead and doesn't understand that I want more than just his approval, goodwill, and acceptance.
I want friends, people who'll accept me for who I am.
"Filthy half-de-!"
But, just as the crowd surrounding me starts to heat up, just as they are starting to become more hostile. A confident voice goes through the crowd.
"That's enough!"
From my kneeling position, I see a person's back to me, they're facing the crowd.
"...Huh?"
—
Emilia had chosen to sit on the ledge of the bridge. I was standing just a couple meters away.
"Are you alright after that? That crowd certainly hurled some very mean words at you after all."
She brought a hand to her face. "Yes, I'm fine, I'm used to it, they just don't really understand me because of… Well…"
I placed my hand on my hip. "Because of your heritage?"
She muttered something close to a yes.
"It's unfortunate, but you shouldn't take what they say to heart. They don't know you, so how could they possibly make any sort of observation or guesses about you?"
She looked into my eyes. "I guess so…" She hopped off the ledge and stood before me, she bowed a little. "In any case, thank you for helping me out back there, stopping the crowd and for helping with finding Plum's mother."
I laughed her thanks away. "No need, I was just doing what was right."
Her eyes went over my clothes. "So, who are you? You seem to be pretty well dressed.. Are you perhaps a knight?"
I chuckled at that as well before doing my usual bow. "No, I am not, I'm Natsuki Subaru, Aspiring knight. What's your name?"
She seemed to mull something over for a couple seconds. "I'm Emilia, just Emilia."
"That's a pretty name."
She blushed a tiny bit. "T-Thank you. But I'm actually in a hurry to do something, and I would reaaaally like to thank you in some way but I don't have any money or anything."
I raise the hand on my hip and wave her worries away. "Don't worry, I don't want any payment, I'm just doing what a knight would do. It is what I'm aspiring to do. You said that you needed to do something, did you lose anything?"
She let out a "huh" of surprise at my "observation." "How did you..?"
"I'm really good at figuring stuff out. If I can help in any way then please tell me."
She hummed for a bit. "Actually… Do you know anything about a fast little blonde haired girl in ragged clothes?"
I put a smile on my face. "Yes, actually, that must be Felt, a thief residing in the slums."
She lit up like a lightbulb. "Really?! Can you tell me where I can find her?"
"I'll show you the way to where she is most likely going. If she's stolen something from you then there is really only one place."
She waved her hands at me. "There's no need to show the way, as long as you can tell me where to go then that will be all the help I'll need. You've already helped me enough as it is, I reaaaally can't pay you back."
I shook my head. "No, I already told you that I'm not interested in payment. I'm helping you because it's the right thing to do, and it also aligns with my goal of becoming a knight."
She turned away. "So.. You don't have a problem helping me out… Even when I resemble…?"
"No, I do not. Such things have never mattered to me, Emilia."
I saw her eyes widen, she turned her back to me. "Dunderhead…" She muttered.
"Y'know, Subaru, you really are weird you know that?" The androgynous voice of Puck said as he flew out of Emilia's hair.
My face remained stoic in the face of his teasing. He was prodding me, but I wouldn't let him.
"Don't call me weird, I simply follow logical thinking. Your appearance doesn't matter. Your personality, values, and actions do."
Emilia turned back to me after I said that.
I gave her a smile. "Hey, let's get going, daylight's wasting, we have a long walk ahead of us."
We were walking side by side, Puck hiding in Emilia's hair as we were.
It had taken a few too many loops more than calculated for my emotion hiding training with Elsa to take effect, it had, eventually, worked well enough for me to start befriending Emilia throughout the loops without being attacked by Puck.
But I hadn't really solved the problem. Hiding my emotions and thoughts had only done, just that, hide. I was able to hide those, but replacing them wasn't possible. I wouldn't know until Puck brought it up, but what he was sensing from me, was nothing at all.
I was guessing that to Puck, I was an unknown, so I had to get creative with how I convinced him that I meant no harm to his adopted daughter. Combining high-end clothing, knightly conduct, and reassuring actions had been enough while also being able to simultaneously create a better heroic image of myself.
I didn't have to befriend Puck, he would always fight Elsa with a level-head, only because Emilia was there. So I didn't need his blessing, he would do the things needed to protect his daughter.
Even if he always failed in doing just that. He's a bit like old man Rom, just way more obnoxious and annoying.
"Sooooo, you said you wanted to be a knight?" The silver-bell-like voice suddenly asked.
I turned my head to her. "That is correct, it's been a goal of mine for some time now."
"Why do you want to become one?"
The answer was obvious to me, I didn't even hesitate to answer. "To help people in need."
It wasn't entirely truthful, the reason I wanted to become a knight was simply to give myself the best possible chance at becoming the Hero. Which did entail helping people.
"That's a pretty virtuous goal to have Subaru." Puck said under Emilia's hair.
"Mhm, so that's why you wanted to help me, right, Subaru?"
I saw an opportunity, and I took it. "Getting the opportunity to help such a pretty girl was also an extra bonus." I winked at her.
A light blush went over her cheeks. "D-Don't just say that! D-dunderhead!"
I let a chuckle out. "Just wanted to tease you, sorry."
Her eyes turned back to me and she pouted. "J-Just be more considerate."
Puck didn't seem to like my flirting and teasing as he flew out of Emilia's hair and flew up before my eyes. "Take it easy there, mister, that's my daughter you're talking to."
Puck's passive-aggressive nature was truly annoying, keeping the mask I wore up while he got angry and started warning me was as difficult each and every time.
"Whoa there Puck, I wouldn't dare try to court your daughter right in front of you!"
Puck's eyebrow twitched, and Emilia got even more flustered than when I'd teased her before. "S-Subaru! I just told you to not do that!"
I waved my hands defensively in the air. "Alright, alright! I'm sorry!"
Actions as demeaning as these pierce straight through my Pride, but I have to do this, to gain her trust. My Diligence is of, and always will be, of the utmost importance.
Through our march, our path led us upon a large open square in the middle of a multitude of different buildings that surrounded it. A plethora of different types of people and demi-humans walked through, stood in clumped groups, or sat down on the many benches placed around it. A water fountain stood in the middle of the square with benches surrounding it as well.
"We should take a little break for now. We still have a lot of time on our hands, and with the sun beating down on us like this we may get sweaty." I suggested.
Emilia turned towards me and put a finger to her chin thoughtfully. "Is that so? I feel just fine right now."
Of course you do, having ice powers must be really useful huh!
"Maybe so, but that isn't the case for me. Besides, it could be a good opportunity to learn more about each other at the same time?"
The real reason for stopping was to gain more of her trust, without Puck's blessing with how he can read emotions and thoughts, it was way harder to gain that trust from her.
It wouldn't have been too bad had it been any other person, but due to her probably being ostracized for her entire life, and her seeming dependance on Puck's judgment, it made the situation way harder to solve than it should have been.
Emilia didn't answer immediately, choosing to mull over my words. Finally with a sigh, she spoke. "Well, as long as we still have time, it's fine with me."
I gave her a small smile and pointed to one of the benches by the water fountain, suggesting that we should sit down on one of them. Emilia agreed with my choice and we made our way through the square until we reached the fountain and sat down.
We exchanged small pleasantries with each other as we sat by the fountain. I was using my knowledge of previous loops to bring up topics she liked to speak about. First and foremost, talking about magic.
I told Emilia that I had the yin attribute, she acted surprised as Puck butted in and once again told me that his friend was the best yin magic user in the world. Emilia went on to explain that she used fire magic.
The first time I'd heard that the magic she'd been using had, in actuality, not been water magic, but fire magic, I'd been confused.
I'd quickly chalked it up to this world, once again, not making any sense and just went on to question her about the supposed fire magic and its differences with water magic.
Apparently, fire magic controlled temperature, while water magic controlled "life", whatever that meant. So fire magic users could choose between using ice based attacks, or fire based attacks.
It only got more confusing when she and Puck said that water magic could be used to heal people, but also that certain water magic users were also able to use ice magic.
As said, confusing.
We continued talking from there, Puck and Emilia downplaying yin magic for a bit, which made me have to will my forced smile to stay on my face as they mocked my bad luck for having that attribute.
Yin magic was way harder to actually make usable in a fight or day to day life compared to the other attributes. With it being harder to control and being way more mana consuming than the other elements.
My control had gotten good, but I was currently locked from making much progress in that respect without an actual teacher to help me out. And the amount of mana I had couldn't be improved either.
But I would never lament having this attribute, as it probably had a multitude of other uses than what I currently knew. Which, if I had the chance to explore, would probably have made this deathloop easier to solve than it currently was.
Even with what little I knew, I was already able to stun Elsa with spells akin to beginner level. And that at least meant something.
After Emilia and Puck were finished, I brought up the topic of Puck, asking if he was a contracted spirit.
The spirit arts were something I knew Emilia could prattle on about for ages. And it seemed useful, if I actually had an affinity for it, then that could have helped me out massively, but I had yet to hear anything about it.
Not from Julius, who called himself a "spirit knight", nor from Emilia or Puck, who were also spirit arts users.
Had I been able to use more mana than I currently had, like spirit arts users did, then that would have been an additional leg up that I could use against Elsa.
As I'd also learned, after being confused as to how Emilia used healing magic when she said she used fire magic, that had also been attributed to her spirit arts.
She could use her minor spirits to heal others. A massive cheat if you ask me, even more so considering that water spirits existed, whose sole purpose was to heal.
Just another thing to be filed away in the "doesn't make sense" cabinet.
Emilia broke me out of my thoughts. "Soooo, where are you from Subaru? Do you live here in the capital?"
An apt question.
Saying I'm from another world would just make her think I'm insane, and that's not a view I wish for her to have in the eventual final loop. Thankfully, looping lets you come up with some good answers.
I turned to her. "I don't have a permanent residence, but I've been residing in the capital for some time now while preparing to become a knight."
"That makes sense, but where did you come from before that?"
"I used to live in a very small village residing in the Aihiya swamp with my parents."
"The Aihiya swamp? That's pretty remote, but I can see that being the case since you have rare black hair, and the swamp borders Vollachia. Were your parents perhaps Vollachian?"
I laughed off the observation. "In truth, I do not know, my parents never told me."
"Haven't you asked them?" She said innocently.
This was the perfect cover story. I had gone over a map many loops ago, a map covering the entire continent. I couldn't actually read the map so I had someone else read some of the locations off to me by offering them a holy coin in exchange.
I had settled on the Aihiya swamp to be my false place of birth. It was incredibly remote, and I could use that remoteness to explain away any mannerisms or lack of common sense that people might notice me to have by simply saying "I never learned of it, I lived out in the wilderness."
Not only that, should anybody actually try to pry into my backstory, I had a trump card.
And I could now use that trump card to permanently stop Emilia from prying any further.
I took on a false look of somber and turned away from Emilia, I started muttering my answer. "I never got the chance, the entire village was slaughtered when I was very young. I would prefer not talking too much about it."
I could hear Emilia's breath hitching. "Oh! I'm sorry for asking! I didn't kn-"
I turned back to her with another small smile, and I waved off her concerns. "Don't worry, it's impossible for you to know anything about it."
She had her hand hanging over her chest. "If you say so…"
I had done a good job so far, now it was just about cheering her up. I injected my body with some energy and placed my hand on her shoulder.
"Hey! Cheer up! It hurts to see such a cute girl be down!"
I could hear Puck grinding his teeth together.
"D-Dunderhead!"
This boy… This boy wishing to be a knight… I already have acquaintances who tolerate me.. But he acts.. Friendly. He's like Puck, he acts like we've known each other for a reaaaally long time, but we've only known each other's names for a couple hours.
Of the people I know, Roswaal, the maids, or even Julius don't act this closely.
Not a single person other than Puck acts like this.
Is this how friends…
"You okay there, Emilia?"
The nasty eyed boy had turned to face me as he said that.
I could feel the smile growing on my face. "Um, mhm, yes! There's no problem at all!"
I fiddled with my hands for a bit, and tried to gather my resolve.
"So… This might be a weird question to ask… But.. How come you don't resent me?"
Subaru turned to me, with an almost knowing look, like he'd expected that question. "Do you perhaps mean your heritage?"
"Y-Yes.."
A small chuckle escaped him. "I simply don't care for such things, the only thing I find to be truly important in a person, is their drive to enact diligence."
Diligence? That is…
I brought a finger up to my lips in thought. "I don't think I've ever met someone who placed that amount of value in something like that."
Subaru had turned his head to face forward. "I suppose so. But to me, diligence is everything."
He paused for a moment. Before…
"The amount of effort, and time, you put into everything you do, is one of the most important qualities in a person. diligence will always, no matter what, give well earned results. No matter the amount of time it takes. Anybody who seriously devotes themselves to achieve everything they want, can, and need to do, earns my respect. On the other end, somebody who does not do exactly that, earns my complete and utter ire. I will not fault anybody for falling into sloth, for staying in that sloth, but that only counts up until they learn the word of diligence. Should somebody who sins hear the true word of diligence and choose to not follow it then they are truly lost. To let oneself stay in sloth for perpetuity is no better than dying itself, perhaps even worse as in death you do not waste others' diligent work by taking what they've earned away from them. To consume another's fruits of labor without giving even the slightest effort back. I do not fault people for failing, as long as they try to achieve results with their entire being, because you will eventually achieve anything you want to do through diligence, no matter how many times you fail."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"...What?" I said as I rubbed my temples.
"Were you not listening?"
"..No, I was listening, I just didn't quite understand all of what you said? Did you mean that hard work is rewarded?"
"...Yes."
The orange sky created by the setting sun hung above us. We walked on the dirt roads surrounded by houses that have long since fallen into disrepair. The starving people of the slums dressed in rags regarded us with contempt, while the ones who noticed the peculiar features of my companion regarded us with fear, giving a wide berth in the road between us and them.
I would not fault them for viewing us in either of those ways. To them, we were spoiled rotten kids, given everything we wanted on a silver platter thanks to the work of our progenitors.
I could not speak for Emilia's situation, I did not know everything about her, nor her living situation, but from the outlook, she had in some way been coddled her entire life, which had led to childish ways of thinking and acting.
I could not fault her for that, I could only at this point assume that she was the way she was due to the way her parents raised her.
When this loop is over, I will teach her the word of Diligence, what happened after that, would be up to her. If she chose to keep her behavior as it was, then she was a lost cause. And she would be outside my control.
To nurture and lead pieces who refuse my good hand would be idiotic. I have no need for pieces who move in their own unguided ways when I know what is best for them. When I was the only one who knew the future.
I am the only one able to lead these weak pieces to victory, it would do them well to listen.
"We are almost there, Emilia. I don't think we will meet much resistance when we arrive, but stay on your guard and don't do anything rash."
Emilia turned to smile at me. "Don't worry, I'm capable of handling myself, I am a half-elf and a spirit arts user."
Naive.
"..."
"Does it sadden you to see these people live as they do, Emilia."
"That's… Quite sudden." She said while quieting down a bit.
"Yes, it does sadden me. But there is nothing we can do for them now.. But I know I'll be able to help everyone in this nation.. If I.."
If you become queen.
"You have a good heart, Emilia."
"Huh?!"
That hadn't changed through the loops. She did have a good heart. A part of that heart was as it was due to her childish nature, yes, but it was still a quality to be respected.
"Hey! What'd I say about flirting with my daughter!"
Puck had flown out of the blushing Emilia's hair to hover in front of me.
My latest comment seemed to have been more acceptable by the cat's standards considering that he was speaking more playfully than aggressively.
"Come on Puck, aren't you glad that your daughter gets to have her own knight-to-be to flirt with?"
Emilia's eyes widened at the remark, a blush coming over her face. "My… Own knight…!"
My words had evoked the expected and wanted reaction from the half-elf.
But… There were was also an unwanted reaction from someone else…
"What'd I say about doing that! Subaru!" The cat gnashed his teeth together.
He was practically fuming by this point. To prevent Puck from forcing a restart on me, I hurriedly pointed at the building standing on the top of the slanted dirt road.
"Look! We're here!"
My companions looked towards where I'd pointed, the blushing half-elf and fuming spirit calmed down for just a moment.
"Here's the plan, we're going to go inside and peacefully get the insignia back. I would prefer it if you let me talk to the ones inside, is that alright with you, Emilia?"
The half-elf nodded. "You seem to know what you're doing, I'll leave it to you, Subaru."
I gave her a smile and then walked up to the loot house door.
I knocked on the old wooden door, I heard whatever conversation happening inside die down, and heavy footsteps growing close to the door.
"For a rat?"
"Poison."
"For the white whale?"
"A harpoon."
"To the divine dragon we are?"
"Shit bags."
Return By Death really was a cheat ability. Being able to use information one shouldn't have allowed for easy access to different parts of the world that you shouldn't have had. Including the secret code needed to get into the loot house.
Not that not having the code would have stopped me from entering this specific building. Old man Rom would allow you entry anyhow if you had a good reason for it. Or I could simply kick the door down.
But I don't believe Rom would have liked an action like that very much.
The door was pulled inwards, and we were greeted by the sight of a towering man, Rom.
"Huh? Who are- Wait! You're the one who sent those kiddos here aren't ya'!?"
I laughed at the observation. "Yes I am! I have some business with them, and with you and Felt as well."
Rom scratched the top of his head. "Felt? I can't say you fit the description of her employer, at all." Rom turned his gaze and saw Emilia. "And neither does your friend there."
Emilia, who'd hardened her gaze in preparation for the confrontation, adopted a more questioning look as she turned to me. "What is this about you sending people here, Subaru? I trust you, but what's going on?"
I wore a relaxed look as I responded. "I believe it would be better to explain inside." I turned to Rom. "Is that alright with you?"
Rom had a suspicious look on him, but he sighed before relenting. He stepped aside and made room for us to move into the loot house.
"Hey, old man Rom! Who's at the door?" The high-pitched voice shouted across the loot house.
I took my first steps inside and was greeted to the view of Felt sitting at a round table with a glass of milk, facing the doorway, with the three thugs, Camberley, Rachins, and Gaston with their backs turned towards us.
Felt noticed me and drew a suspicious look. "Who the hell are you?"
The three thugs turned around to face the doorway as well. The first one to speak was the leader of the troop,Rachins, was the first to speak.
"Took ya' long enough! Where the hell were you?! And what's up with the new get-up?"
Camberley was the next to speak in his pipsqueak voice. "You got the money you were talking about?"
"Easy there, guys. I was just preoccupied with-"
Felt suddenly jumped up from the table and pointed behind me. "What the hell! Why's she here?!"
I turned to see Emilia looking warily over people inside the loot house. "Be glad that my f-friend over here told me to trust him and not attack you!" Emilia got flustered for a small second at the word "friend".
Felt turned to me. "She's with you!?" She put her hand to the hilt of her dagger. "You better start talking or I'm-"
We weren't getting anywhere with this. The confusion and aggression swirling around was only working to slow me down. I stomped my foot and shouted. "Quiet!"
Everybody did exactly that. I heard Rom close the door and saw him take up his place behind the bar in silence.
I finally addressed the waiting people. "There are many things we have to discuss, and I will not have everybody losing their heads needlessly! Everything will be resolved and everybody will leave here happy."
Gaston sighed. "Well, as long as we get paid, we'll be happy, so why did you send us here, to old man Rom's place?"
I gestured to Emilia to follow me. We moved to the table where the thugs and Felt sat. We took our seats to the side of the table, between the two parties.
"Do not worry, I had to retrieve the money and I just had to do some shopping as well. I also met this girl here, Emilia."
Emilia seemed unsure about the current predicament, only letting out a quiet "Hi" to the other people inside.
Rom noticed Emilia's features. "Hey, miss, with those ears… You an elf?"
Everybody started take notice of Emilia's features. "Just half."
Everybody paled at her words. "Wait!" Felt said as she stood up from the table and backed up. "Silver hair, and a half-elf-"
"I'm not her!" Emilia waved her hands around. "I simply bear an unwanted similarity to her. And it's only trouble for me!"
I tried to assuage everybodies fears as well. "She has my blessing, settle down people. Do you guys really think Satella herself would go to some random loot house in the slums?"
Rachins slammed his hands down onto the table. "HEY! Don't say her name like that!"
Everybody agreed with his words, letting out words such as "he's right" and "watch your tongue".
Emilia looked uncomfortable with the whole situation. Placing her hands in her lap.
A silence overtook the loot house. Rom sighed as he broke it. "I guess the kid is right, but don't just say her name like that!"
I nodded at his words. Everybody seemed to have calmed down for now. Felt sat down on her chair at the table again.
Felt seemed irritated as she started talking. "So why'd you bring her here? And why did you send these guys here as well? Who even are you for that matter? A snobby noble? Can't imagine one of you coming down here to the slums for any good reason."
I chuckled at her guess. "No, I am not a noble, I am an aspiring knight, Natsuki Subaru."
The thugs looked aggressively at me now. "A knight?" Rachins started. "You better not be thinking about arresting us or something."
"I will not be doing that, I gathered you here because I wanted some information, and that is when I met Emilia."
Emilia looked at me. "How do I tie into this, Subaru?"
I turned back to the table. "I believe that the person I've been hunting for many days now, who is also extremely dangerous, will be showing up here today."
Everybody looked questioningly at me.
I let the silence sit for a little bit.
"I wanted to ask you three, Camberley, Rachins, and Gaston, for information and some other things concerning this person, but after I met Emilia, and found out that she'd had her insignia stolen, I realized that the chances of them being behind the this job were very high."
Felt's eyes bore into me. "Who exactly is this person?"
I turned to her. "Just to confirm, did you get your employer's name?"
Felt looked incredulously at me. "How did you know that it was a planned job?"
I took a sheepish smile. "Rom said that I didn't look like your employer back at the door."
Felt turned and growled a bit at Rom behind the bar. "My bad, Felt:"
She sighed and relaxed back into her seat. "Yeah, you're right, it was a commission, some woman named 'Elsa'."
"So I was right."
I let the silence sit again as they all waited for me to speak up.
"The person who employed you, Felt, and the one I've been hunting, is an assassin from Gusteko."
Everybody in the loot house looked surprised at my assertion.
"The Bowel Hunter, Elsa Granhiert." I said.
The atmosphere turned icy, the same amount of fear that I'd just created from uttering the name "Satella" settled in.
But those emotions failed to reach one particular being.
Puck finally made his presence known. "That's it! I tolerated your earlier behavior because you were nice enough with Lia! But leading her to an assassin-"
"Don't be an idiot Puck!" I growled as I slammed my hands down onto the table.
"Now listen here boy-!"
"No! You listen!" I said firmly. "First of all, I only had a suspicion that she could be involved with this." I lied through my teeth. "Second of all, if I hadn't led Emilia here, then would she not have come here anyways?"
Puck was grinding his teeth together loudly enough for everybody to hear. He knew I was completely right, and he knew he couldn't retort.
Everybody else was still either shocked, or in fear. Rom was the first one of them to shake either off.
"Alright, Felt, we're getting out of here."
I quickly turned around to face Rom. "You can't."
"What?!" Felt shouted back at me. "Do you even know who you're talking about?! How can we do anything but get away from here!"
"Because I do know who I'm talking about, did you not hear me earlier?" I retorted.
Gaston jumped up from his chair. "You're a fucking nutcase! What the hell are you saying we do, if not run!"
"We fight." I said coldly.
Emilia shook her head to get out any lingering shock. "You said you were hunting her? Why?"
The rest of the people focused on me. Rom had moved over beside the sitting Felt to shield her from any sort of danger for now.
"Because of personal reasons. I won't tell you right now, but here's the deal." I pointed to the door. "If you walk out there right now, then you will die."
Expressions of disbelief ran over the faces of the less stoic ones in the group. Rom, Puck, and Emilia being close to unaffected.
"I know how Elsa works, in and out, I know her behavior, her strength's, her weaknesses. And I know that she does not leave a single witness behind."
Camberley lost his nerves. "What- What the hell do you mean!?"
"She's either outside right now, watching the loot house, or will find you later and take you out after she's slaughtered the rest of us."
Camberley turned as white as a ghost.
Felt brightened a bit after having thought of something. "Wait! Since you've been hunting her, that means you can beat her, right?"
"... No."
She lost whatever hope she'd had, slumping down.
"But."
A grin grew across my face. "If all of you do exactly as I say, then Elsa won't stand a chance."
Felt and the thugs got their hope back. Rom didn't seem very enthusiastic about the prospect of facing the infamous Bowel Hunter, Puck wore an irritated frown, and Emilia took on a resolute gaze.
A bit of silence grew, and Rom was the first to speak up.
"Well, kid, what's the plan?"
A/N
Sorry about the very long wait, and also for miscalculating. I thought this was going to be the last chap of arc 1 but seems not. The next one has a 100% chance of being the last one though.
I don't really have an excuse for being so tardy with writing this chap.
In any case. Chapter 5 will be the last of this arc. Loot house crew versus Elsa and more than 100 loops of experiences. I also left it a bit ambigous as to how many times Subaru has looped by now. Its not more than 150 loops though, but you'll have to guess the amount of loops for yourself.
In any case, see ya next time.