Konosuba/Re: Zero. Kazuma Satou, Subaru Natsuki. Chapter 2.
Kazuma, Felt and Subaru were all put into their own rooms after Beatrice had fully healed them. Then Beatrice put them in each their own endless hallway to see how they would escape from it. Of course there was a possibility to open the correct door on first try, but the odds of that happening was 1/300, and each time they closed a door it would just be added back to the odds. The intended way to solve it is by leaving the doors open as you keep opening them until you either give up or find the way out. So let us see how they each solve it.
Subaru's POV
"I don't know this ceiling," I muttered to myself before I sat up in this giant bed, with an extremely well-decorated room. The walls were white with what looked like wheat put on the walls in either gold or gold paint. This was very different from my old stinky room. It smelled clean and I couldn't see any signs of dust.
The wound in my shoulder is gone, and so is the wound in my back, must have been Emilia with her healing powers and all. Well can't stay here for forever, I got to find someone or else I might starve to death. I guess getting healed makes one hungry.
Ok, cool painting. Well, it would be rude of me to keep this door open might as well just close it.
Well, at any rate I didn't have to use Return by death this time around thanks to Kazuma, I guess I have to thank him for that, on the other hand he did leave me for those bullies so he kind of owed me.
Why do I have to walk around in this hallway, isn't a cute girl supposed to be by my side when I wake up that cutely asks "Are you awake?" while she spent all night caring for me while I was asleep and healing, so far this fantasy world is kind of lame.
Third time I have gone past that painting, am I in a looping hallway. I quickly opened a door to check my theory and the room was completely empty. So I can't escape this hallway until I find the correct door, the typical pattern dictates that the first door is likely the goal.
"What a profoundly irritating and aggravating man you are, I suppose" a little drill-loli in a red-pinkish dress said the moment I came in the door.
"The first NPC found, you are going to ruin your cute little face with that cold attitude of yours, come on smile, smile for me," I mocked the little girl sitting on her chair while inspecting what seemed like a giant library.
"The only smile appropriate to give you is a derisive sneer," she said keeping up her cold façade, so this is probably the usual tsundere character I see in my video games.
"Are you upset because I guessed the right door so quickly," I continued to mock her, it was pretty fun after all.
"I have always been pretty lucky when it comes to stuff like that," I kept on while stretching a little. "I can understand why the gamemasters would make me want to see all the cutscenes, but sorry, so what is this place anyway?" I asked dropping the condescending tone as I asked for a genuine answer.
"Betty's multi-purpose room, which serves as a library and bedroom, I suppose" she quickly recited, I was a little disappointed by the quick and blunt response.
"Talk about your token response, so are you one of those manual girls?" I asked again, maybe a little too snarky because she slammed her book together in what seemed like anger but on her it just looked cute.
"Betty had just about enough of you, I think it is time to teach you a lesson, I suppose," she tried to act intimidating as she walked over to me with her cute little legs, but I will play along.
"Hang on, what are you going to do to me," I acted scared as I backed away.
"Stay right there and don't you dare move!" Her tone shifted completely which sent a genuine shiver down my spine, this loli might be more powerful than I first thought.
"Anything you would like to say?" She asked in an overly-cute voice, ok I had definitely taken my teasing too far, let me see if I can smooth thing over.
"How about don't hurt me, he heh," I tried to laugh off the intimidating aura she put off right now, as I gave her the best smile I was able to muster. In response she gently put her hand on my chest, it was so small and-
"AHHHHOWW!" It felt like someone just electrocuted me and then started to steal all my energy, before I collapsed to the floor, not even able to stand anymore.
"What did you do to me you drill-haired loli?" I barely managed to utter as things started to go black.
"I only collected the mana from your body, I suppose, by doing so I have confirmed that you are not an enemy," she answered in her non-cholent tone like she didn't just beat my whole body with a fucking hammer.
"Y-you little freak, you are not human are you, I mean outside of your sparkling personality," I couldn't stop myself from getting in a jab.
"Took you long enough to notice I suppose," she smiled, clearly taking pleasure in my pain.
"I take it back your personality isn't human either," I jabbed again with some of my last energy.
"Do not measure a proud noble being such as myself by your standards, human," She said as she turned her back on me, the last thing I saw before everything went black was the back of her dress.
Felt's POV, she woke up at the same time as Subaru
Where the fuck am I, huh, why am I in a pink bathrobe? Did that elf girl kidnap me? Where are all my clothes? I quickly tried to pry the window open but it wouldn't budge. I then tried to open the door, which luckily worked leading me out in a hallway. I tried to rush down the hallway to find a way out of it, but when I had seen the same painting a few times I understood that this hallway was looping.
I quickly opened a door, but the room was completely empty. They have trapped me in a magical pocket, how do I escape from this. I have never seen this before. I quickly rushed down the hallway checking 20 doors in the blink of an eye. But it seemed like the wind I created in the hallway shut all the doors I had opened. After having opened around 500 doors I needed to relax, clearly, this wasn't working.
"Maybe if I keep the doors open, I can see if the exit appears in one of the rooms, but that means I have to open doors for the next hour, why does this have to be so tedious," I openly complained, which my captors probably enjoyed.
Meanwhile with Kazuma, awakes at Felt's 200th normal door opening
Ok, I am sleeping in a bed that has been newly washed, the bed is just as big as I am used to, I don't feel any wounds or pain in my stomach, surely it was all a bad dream and I will open my eyes and see my… room.
"Oh Fuck!" I swore loudly to myself as I got out of bed and checked that I had been equipped with a green bathrobe, I wonder if I can get to keep this, it is very comfortable after all.
"Wonder who healed me, usually only Aqua can heal me this good, and Fakeumin isn't on her level from what I can tell, so another powerful healer has to be in this mansion," I noted to myself, would have to note it down when I got my stuff back.
"I need to find the kitchen, since I am hungry, they wouldn't mind that after I saved Fakeumin, right?" I questioned myself as I opened the door and looked into the hallway filled with doors when I suddenly felt a sudden urge to pee.
"Got to find the toilet first then, could it be this door?" I asked myself as I opened the door to see a little drill-haired loli in a pink dress looking at something extremely funny, she suddenly slammed the book together and gave me a death stare. I had clearly interrupted something, and from experience, I know that lolis are the most OP people you can meet in a fantasy world, so better apologize and leave.
"Sorry for interrupting," I quickly shot in before she got to say anything as I shut the door.
"Ok, now back to finding the toilet and then the kitchen," I reiterated to myself as I opened a door parallel to this drill-haired loli's library, not really thinking much about it, and I walked straight back into the library, and I think must have had the same face of confusion as her, but I quickly bolted out of the room, slamming the door behind me.
"Ok, that was stupid of me, of course, that big library would have to entrances, but if I go across the hallway, there is no chance of me walking in on her again," I loudly said to myself, as I opened the door and walked inside without looking, until I was stopped by a tiny hand on my chest, and I could feel a chill go down my spine as I looked down, to see none other than the same girl, with an even more irritated facial expression.
"Just go to sleep, I suppose," she said with an icy-cold voice, as I on instinct put my hand on her chest and started {Drain touch} at just the same time as she started to drain my mana.
I felt pain all across my body, with the only thing giving me some relief being my arm. I grit my teeth together as I tried to fight through the pain.
"P-please… stop," I begged her but she wouldn't stop, I tried to look into her eyes for some mercy, but all I saw was… tears. I did my best to blink away my tears that had accumulated in my eyes, and I managed to keep an eye open long enough that tears were indeed rolling down her face. I guess me using {Drain touch} on her hurt me just as much as it hurt her, well if she would stop I would also stop. I was practically just doing this in self-defense.
"FINALLY!" Another voice rang out from behind me, as I heard the door to the library was slammed open. I wasn't able to turn my head but managed one thing.
"H-help!" I barely managed to sputter out, hopefully, the newcomer would help me get rid of this merciless girl.
"Huh, oh I recognize you, you are the rich guy right, but I haven't seen you before, why are you both crying, with such pained expression," It was Felt, Felt was on the left side of me wondering why we were in pain, couldn't she see that we were sucking each other's mana out in an attempt to make the other one pass out.
"G-get h-her o-off m-me," I tried my best to say, but each word was really hard to get out my mouth, and it made my throat feel dry, which again made it even more difficult to breathe.
"Ok, I guess since you killed that crazy bitch I can get this "super dangerous" little girl off you," She teased me, I swear if she doesn't get me off this torturous loli, I am punching her if I survive this.
"HIYAH!" Felt yelled before she sent a strong kick into my chest, which did indeed get the pink little girl off of me, but it also knocked the air out of me.
"Cough, cough, w-was that really necessary?" I complained as I laid on the cold checkerboard floor, heaving for air as my natural pain-killer kicked in, blessed be endorphins.
"I did get her off you, didn't I?" Felt teased again, this girl was getting on my nerves, but before I was able to come up with a response-
"OUT!" The little girl yelled, her voice cracking, as both I and Felt were thrown out of the library by some invisible force. I crashed into a soft carpet, which was lucky until Felt landed on top of me.
"Ouch," both I and Felt complained as she rushed off me and forced the door open, I could feel she wanted to retaliate for the loli's little stunt. But when she opened the door, it was a toilet there, which was super lucky for me, I hurriedly pushed her to the side and rushed inside, quickly slamming the door behind me.
"Just in time," I uttered in pure bliss as I relieved myself.
"HIYAH!" Felt yelled as I barely managed to dodge her kick this time. She quickly tried to take another jab at me but I dodged that too, as I stepped off the carpet and quickly yanked it away from under her.
"Stop that, you have hurt me enough for today, let us just work together on finding some food to eat for now," I suggested, mentioning food always worked on Megumin and Komekko, might work on this girl too.
"Hmm, ok, but don't try anything funny rich guy," She warned me as she got up off from the floor, she was pretty cute in that pink bathrobe.
"Funny you call me rich, I just recently got out of a ton of debt," I informed her with a smile as I lead the way down the hallway.
"An actual turn, HOORAY!" She suddenly exclaimed, surprising me.
"What is up with you, why are you so happy that there is a sudden left turn?" I asked with clear curiosity.
"Weren't you also stuck in that endless hallway? I had to open so many doors, and can you believe that when there are 1 out of hundreds of doors that it is the last door I pick I find something else than an empty room in," She complained while waving wildly with her arms.
"I had the opposite problem, every door I tried lead to that library, I even tried three different doors, the last one I just walked in without looking and then I ended up in having a mana draining battle, I do not recommend trying it by the way," I quickly added as she just stared wide-eyed at me.
"Are you telling me, you got the correct room three times in a row?" She asked in a tone of astonishment.
"I guess…"
"Every time I opened something it was an empty room," She said as she tried to prove her saying by opening a door, that leads straight to the kitchen.
"We can talk more about our hardships over a meal," I noted as Felt stood totally still and marveled at the bread on the table, before she threw herself at it and practically inhaled it, a little faster than even Komekko would be able to.
"I haven't eaten so well, in AGES, oh did you want some?" She asked me when there only was a few crumbs left.
"I'll rather try and cook something together with what I can find here, than eating some of your leftover crumbs," I told her as I activated my {Cooking} skill.
"Ok, suit yourself, snob," She whispered the last word, but I didn't care, I saw so many delicious ingredients all around me, and with my cooking skill active I could already map out all the different recipes I could make, so I began.
Felt's POV
The bread was maybe the most food I have had all week, and then this guy just turns down totally fresh crumbs, like make something better if you can, but don't look down on crumbs, food is food after all.
When I looked up from all the crumbs I had been able to eat I looked back to see something magical. This dude was quickly chopping potatoes up in little dices, with one hand, as he prepared the stove with some fire magic.
He then put one frying pan on with some oil in it as he suddenly held a piece of meat in his other hand, which he started to cut into super tiny slices with just one hand.
I gazed back to the stove and there was a pot with boiling water in it, how did he get boiling water so quickly.
The potatoes then all landed in the pot perfectly, at the same time as the thinly-sliced meat perfectly spread out in the air and landed in the frying pan, with each millimeter perfectly accounted for.
I tried to see what the guy was doing now, and he had already peeled and chopped some carrots, which quickly flew into the same pot with the potatoes.
Mesmerized by how he was always able to get the ingredients in the right spot without fail, I totally missed that he had spiced and flipped the meat.
Before I even knew it this guy had flipped all the contents of the frying pan into two separate things. In a smaller pot, he had collected all the fluids and oil from the cooking as he drained the meat for its last drop of fat, making my mouth fill with saliva as the smell hit me.
He then placed the meat evenly on two white dishes, which I never saw him get.
The little pot he had collected the frying pan's juices with he put back on the stove as he proceeded to make a sauce out of it, which was also spread out on the meat, before he drained away all the boiling water from the pot and mashed its contents with butter and spices, before putting it on the dish.
"I present you some food a [snob] like me would eat," He put extra pressure on the word, he had clearly heard my insult, how embarrassing.
"Thanks!" I quickly said as I tried to get a bite of the food, but he snatched it away from me before I even got my hands on the dish with the heavenly food.
"HEY! I said thanks, why can't I have-" I tried to protest but he cut me off.
"If you eat too much very quick you are going to get sick, my friend's sister was malnourished and ate like no tomorrow before she threw up, so take it slow," He said to me in a calm voice, when I nodded in agreement he handed the plate back to me, and I took my first bite at it was to put it simply, heavenly.
"Ish leally good," I managed to utter as I quickly went in for another bite, before the plate was snatched away, AGAIN.
"Don't talk with food in your mouth, and didn't I just tell you to eat slowly," He scolded me as he gulped down the spoonful I had gotten.
"I am not a dog, you can't just take away my food all the time, just let me eat in peace, why do you even care about how I eat?!" I asked as he looked at me with a dumbfounded expression for a quick second before he changed to something totally unreadable.
"Yeah, why do I even care about you, here eat it if you want, don't say I didn't warn you," He said in a cold tone before he left the kitchen. He didn't even touch his plate of food, but I actually took his advice as I slowly but surely started to eat my food, each bite was so good that I actually started to cry a little.
"My, oh my, what do we have heeere," a man in really weird clothes said in a weird tone as he entered the kitchen and looked at the plate of food Kazuma had left.
"Who are you?" I interrogated the best I could as I backed away from him with my plate of food.
"Do not worry, I won't harm youuuu, and as for who I am, I am the lord of this mansion Roswaal L Mathers, which meeeans that this kitchen and aaaall its content belong to me," this peculiar guy stated as he took a bite of the food that other guy in the green bathrobe had prepared, I could see that for a split-second he reacted to the food with a slight smile, before returning to his "normal" expression.
"What are you going to do to me?" I asked, while I did my best to hide my fear.
"You have nooothing to fear, you aaare my guest after aaall, was it you that made this wonderful diiish?" He asked in what I guess was a curious tone, as I was able to relax a bit more, but I still didn't sit back down next to him.
"No, the guy in the green bathrobe made this, wait he even cleaned it all up," I was even more astonished when I actually noticed that there were no traces of the food other than on the plates.
"Hmm, interesting, I will have to take a taaalk with him later," He noted as we finished both our plates in about the same time. We both studied each other keeping an eye on what the other did before we returned our attention back to the food.
I thought for sure he would have taken my plate away at any time, but he just kept on being silent. He might have just been enjoying the food, I know I was, but I still felt something off about this guy.
"Ram, would you pleeease escort this candidate back to her roooom," He said as a red-pink haired maid with red eyes emerged from the shadows.
"As you wish Lord Roswaal," She quickly said as she bowed to the lord guy and directed her attention back at me. "If you would please follow me, miss…"
"Felt, just call me Felt," I quickly shot in.
"Very well, if you would please follow me, Miss Felt, I will show you your new room," Ram was it, said before she escorted me to a giant room, this bedroom, could pretty much go for a house on its own. Rom even sat there with an almost identical maid, except for the blue hair and eyes, guess they were twins.
"Oh Felt, how good to finally see you in person, I was this close to bust down the wall myself and go looking for you," Rom said, like the big grandpa he was.
"Rem has this brute behaved, or have you had difficulties handling him," Ram asked in a cold tone.
"No big sister, he has behaved most excellently expect for the threats about if he didn't see his granddaughter by the next hour he would tear the wall down," Rem answered, with a slight smile I barely picked up on.
"Now that I know she is safe I can go to sleep," Rom stated before he quickly fell asleep on the spot and started to snore loudly.
"Miss Felt, if you want we can remove your grandpa to another room, to let you rest in peace," Ram offered.
"No need, it is good to see him again, might as well just sleep on the other side of the room, you can leave now," I said as I tried to push them outside, which they quickly complied to.
"Too used to you snoring anyway, so sleeping without it would just feel unnatural," I told to the sleeping giant before I jumped onto the giant bed and promptly fell asleep.
Kazuma's POV
Tears? Why am I crying? All she asked was why I cared about her, even I don't know why I practically just met the girl. Why did I just leave like that, I was hungry as well. I wiped away my tears as I took hurried steps down the hallway.
"Are you ok?" Megumin's voice rang out behind me, I turned around so quickly I could have given myself whiplash.
"Oh, it's you," I bluntly said as I felt immeasurable disappointment rush over me when I saw Fakeumin.
"I am sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you," She quickly excused herself as she backed away from me, probably to give me some space.
"No, it is fine, what did you want?" I asked as I turned my head away from her, to look out the window. It was pitch dark outside, so it was probably night.
"I wanted to thank you for helping me get rid of that attacker, what would you want as a reward?" she asked, while carefully taking a step closer on my right side.
"Get me back home," I whispered to myself, without thinking over my words.
"Ok, I will do my best to get you back home, so where are you from?" She suddenly asked so she could hear me with those ears, FUCK!
"I am from the same country as Subaru, but I don't live there anymore," I told her, which I meant quite literally.
"So, where do you live… Kazuma?" She seemed to recall from when Subaru blurted it out or did he make us introduce ourselves to each other. Man, my memory is groggy.
I didn't know what to say, this was a different world, she probably wanted some details, but it needed to sound like a place that could also be from here. Ok, think, what is probably something another country of this world must have, which also Belzberg has. The strongest military, yeah that could be it, ok I got to hope this country doesn't have the strongest army or else I am fucked.
"You know, I come from the country with the greatest military investments in the world," I said, with a poker face.
"My oh my, sooo you are from Vollachia Empire, hooow exciting," A guy suddenly said as he appeared behind Fakeumin, his outfit was one of a kind, and he wore it with confidence, which could only mean that he was either a noble or a clown.
"I bet you are a noble," I quickly shot in, which made his smile a little wider.
"My, how perceeeptive, smart and good cook on top of thaaat, you are indeed aaa very interesting individual," He said, which made my skin crawl, my experience told me something was off about this noble, or that might just be my bias talking.
"Thanks, now do you guys know what happened to all my stuff?" I asked since I felt Fakeumin would agree to return my stuff, which hopefully would push this lord to comply with my demands.
"Indeeed, your equipment should be in your room, I will leeead you there," The Lord said as he put a hand out to silently inquire me to walk by his side.
"I don't believe you have introduced yourself, isn't that common courtesy around here," I shot in if I could build some goodwill with this lord I would probably be able to use his name later down the line to get out of a tight spot.
"Oh how rude of meee, my name is Roswaal L Mathers I am the Lord of this mansion, and this is Emilia, the one I support as the next hero candidate," He said as he gestured to the silver-haired girl. Fuck, I know her name now, this is what I didn't want to happen.
"Ok, and the whole insignia thing probably proves who's a worthy candidate, like it did with Felt," I just blurted out, too hungry to really think.
"Indeed, and if it weren't for youuu and your compaaanion, we would still be waiting for the 5th candidaaate, so thanks to you the prooocess of picking the next ruler can soooon begin," Roswaal said as he started to walk, me and Emilia quickly following.
"So both Emilia and Felt can become the next ruler of Lugnica, which means that they are in essence princesses, but you can't support two ruler candidates so for the picking process to start, you need another noble family to support her," I deduced.
"Are you familiar with politiiics, since you deduced all of that in such a shooort time?" He was prodding me for information.
"I am used to dealing with nobles, so I am familiar with how power moves work most of the time," I relented, but I wouldn't give him any more information.
"Oh, but do teeell, why did you help miss Emilia help recover her stooolen insignia?" he was still interrogating me, but I guess I could be more open about this subject.
"She saved Subaru from the stab wound, and it seemed he knew where to go, so I just let him lead the way, I didn't know that any of the other things would go down, honest," I answered honestly.
"He is a very ruuude young man, your companion that is, imagine calling poor Emilia by the witch of Eeenvy's name," He kept on with his weird manner of talking.
"I think he just mistook you for her, Felt was also about to say the same thing, right? So should probably not hold that too much against that idiot, plus we wouldn't have found the insignia or Felt without him," I actually defended him, don't really know why though.
"You did help us, so I will forever be thankful to you for that kindness," Emilia said to me, but hearing her voice created a clump in my throat making me unable to speak, so I just nodded in agreement.
"Well, here weee are, I hope you sleep well, even if it is on an empty stomach, Kazuma," Roswaal suddenly shot in as he stopped and opened a door to what I guess was my new since all my stuff was neatly put on my bed.
"Good night, Kazuma," Emilia said before I went inside, again I just nodded as a response.
I closed the door behind me and picked up my notebook, the magic seal was still in place, so nobody had been perusing it. Time to make some updates before I go to bed.
Kazuma's notes:
Fakeumin Emilia
Usefulness: Abilities of a Crimson Demon, but without the crazy theatrics
Intelligence: Average, maybe above
Naïve: still unclear
Equipment: Green gem, worn around her neck
Age: looks between 16-19, (Has elf ears = probably older)
Cheat item/ability: Yes, little grey-white probably OP cat.
Roswaal L Mathers
Usefulness:?
Intelligence: Probably high
Naïve: Not at all
Equipment: Rainbow clothes
Age: looks between 29-40
Cheat item/ability: Probably a stupid amount of abilities
Felt
Usefulness: Average
Intelligence: Average
Naïve: Nope
Equipment: Huge dagger/Short sword
Age: looks between 12-15
Cheat item/ability: Can use wind magic to move fast
Side note: Cute
Drill-haired loli
Usefulness:? probably very dangerous
Intelligence: Probably extremely high since she lives in a library
Naïve: NOPE
Equipment: A pink dress and a tiny crown
Age: looks between 8-12, (Weird eyes, suspecting much older)
Cheat item/ability: Yes, little grey-white probably OP cat.
I guess I can upgrade Subaru's usefulness to average. Well, time for bed. Ah, at least I won't suffer too much when it comes to the beds being similar to what they are back in Axel. Wonder how the girls are holding up.
Meanwhile in Axel
"Has anyone seen Kazuma?" Megumin asked as she was ready to go for her daily explosion.
"If I remember correctly I think he went to Wiz's shop earlier today," Darkness recalled.
"Ok, thanks I will see if he is still there," Megumin cheerfully said as she started to walk down to Wiz's shop.
After a bit of walking, Megumin arrived at the failing store and walked in, and she was greeted by Vanir.
"Oh, if it isn't the crimson demon girl that just confessed her feelings to the little brat, and now hope to talk with him about last night, while on her daily destruction of the environment," Vanir instantly blurted out, making Megumin blush profusely as she tried to smack Vanir with her wand, with him easily dodging.
"Yes, all these dark emotions of utter shame as Moi reveal the crazy explosion girl's secrets, hahaha, truly delectable," Vanir laughed heartily as he kept dodging her staff strikes.
"SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT, UP!" She screamed her face totally red with embarrassment.
"Oh, but then Moi can't tell you about where the young brat is, but since you insist Moi will keep Moi's mouth shut," Vanir cheekily said as he did a motion to mimic that he had sealed his lips and thrown away the key.
"If I buy something useless Wiz bought, will you tell me where I can find Kazuma?" Megumin asked a little tired of this devil's antics.
"Buy this 1 million sided dice that you can only roll once, for 10 000 Eris, and Moi will tell you where I last saw the young brat," He said while presenting a metal ball with a little red dot on it.
"Fine, here take it, and tell me where you last saw Kazuma," She demanded as she handed him the money, while he packed the ball down for her.
"Moi lastly saw the brat by that shelf over there before Moi went downstairs to check on the newly acquired wares, and when Moi comes back he was gone without a trace, not even with Moi's divination is Moi able to see where he currently finds himself," Vanir said with a smirk.
"Wait, WHAT!" Megumin suddenly burst out as she understood the severity of what Vanir just said.
Checkpoint reached, Subaru wakes up for the 2nd time in the mansion.
I enjoyed making this chapter, hopefully you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed making it. Next time we will see what happens when they meet again at the dinner table.
Side note: I am still working on chapter 11 for "The Iwatani family," I just need more time.