Subaru's POV
"W-why is it so cold?" I complained as I woke up in my room with ice on the windows. Is this another one of Kazuma's pranks?
I hurried over on my tippy toes to get my suit on as quickly as possible. It was as well, cold, but I did some morning exercises to get my heat back. Just after I had done some jumping jacks someone knocked on the door.
"Who is it?"
"It is Rem, may I enter?"
"Sure I am dressed, so just come in."
"Very well," Rem said before she opened the door, and a gust of cold air rushed into the room. It felt like the room froze over, as the cold bit me in the face.
"D-do you know why it's so cold right now?"
"Unfortunately, I don't know why it has become so cold all of the sudden, but here I made this for you, it should help keep you warm," Rem said as she handed me another similar butler suit to my own, but it was thicker.
"Thank you, Rem, I will change then."
"Good, when you are done, you can join me and big sister out in the courtyard shoveling snow," Rem said with a slight smile as she left and closed the door behind her.
The moment Rem had left I basically jumped out of my suit and into this stuffed suit, and not only was it stuffed, someone had heated it in advance. What a good start to my morning.
After taking a few minutes to get outside, I spotted Rem shoveling snow as Ram stood there shivering in a giant pink pelt. But then something cold hit me in the back of the head.
"Who was that!?" I yelled and turned around to only see some bushes and the mansion itself. Wait, if I can't see them, that means Kazuma is using one of his abilities again, he could be anywhere.
"B-Barusu, s-stop fooling around and get to w-work," Ram ordered while shaking furiously.
"But-" I was about to explain, but as soon as I turned my head, another snowball hit me in the back of my head. "STOP IT KAZUMA!" I roared in frustration, as I saw some snow falling back down, close to a bush on my left-hand side.
I picked up a handful of snow and packed it tightly into a ball. I slowly walked up on the bush before I threw myself forward and tossed the snowball right in Felt's face.
In return, she slammed a big snowball she had prepared right on my head as I was laying on the ground.
"That's for thinking I was Kazuma, I can also be sneaky," She said, clearly offended.
"Wait, if you are here, where is Kazuma?"
"He barricaded himself into his bedroom, and doesn't want to go outside, he says it's too cold," Felt complained, still wearing her usual outfit.
"Aren't you cold?"
"I'm used to it, just need to move more around than usual, eat more, and I am good to go," She said with confidence before she started jogging away.
"Barusu, get over here and help us!" Ram commanded before she sneezed.
"Alright, alright, I was just talking to Felt," I excused, as I grabbed a shovel and started shoveling snow.
"I-if Felt was here, where i-is Kazuma?" Ram asked.
"Felt said he had barricaded himself in his room, and refused to go outside because it was too cold," I responded.
"W-well, I should make sure that our g-guest is properly taken care of, I will s-see to him," Ram said before she waddled off into the mansion.
"Rem is it usual for the temperature to drop this drastically all of the sudden, it was so warm we were sweating yesterday?" I asked, causing Rem to stop and think.
"I do have to admit, that the sudden temperature shift is unusual," Rem answered, as she got back to shoveling.
Kazuma's POV
Ah yes, this kotatsu table is great, I'm glad I got it done just before this cold front hit. Without Beatrice helping me make some heating stones, I would never have gotten a good enough heating source.
"Kazuma, it is R-Ram, I have cookies and t-tea, is that fine for me to come in?" I heard Ram shivering outside, but the thoughts of some cookies and tea on this cold morning sounded nice.
"Sure, but you have to open the door yourself, I am too comfortable right now," I said, while barely sticking my head outside of the Kotatsu.
When the door was opened, an extremely cold gust of air crashed into my face. Then I thought a pink bear had barged into my room, but on second viewing I could see it was just Ram dressed in a massive fur coat holding a tray of cookies and a kettle.
"Just put it on top of the table, I'll get it after you have closed the door behind you," I instructed.
"I-is it warm u-under there?" She asked with a desperate look on her face, I might be able to earn some money out of this.
"If you want to come and lay here with me, you have to pay me a silver coin," I said, and she immediately dragged the fur coat off and handed me a coin, before she hurriedly got under the table.
"Ah, sweet warmth, finally out of this cursed cold," Ram said before she turned towards me. "Why are you still here?"
"What, I am not going to be out there in the cold, also you paid for being under here with me, not to be alone," I argued, as I forced myself out to grab the tea and cookies.
"You know what. if you just don't look at me I will allow it," Ram said as she turned back around.
"You don't make rules in my kotatsu!"
"I'm a paying customer, and the customer is always right," she argued back.
"That only works if you are not your own boss," I countered.
"Ok fine, just leave me alone, and I will leave you to your cookies and tea," she finally proposed something good as I poured myself a cup of tea, and started to eat my cookie.
"Kazuma are you in here, I wonder?" Beatrice asked from the opened door, dammit Ram you forgot to close the door.
I popped my head out into the bitter cold, where I saw Beatrice also suffering from the sniffles, "Yes, I am here, could you be so kind to close the door behind you?" I asked politely.
"Yes, I can in fact," Beatrice said as she closed the door. "Is it working properly?"
"Indeed it is, very warm and cozy," I admitted, and that was apparently all she needed to know to crawl into it, getting herself between myself and Ram.
"Why is the maid also here, I wonder?" Beatrice asked in surprise.
"I'm trying to hide away from the cold, Lady Beatrice," Ram said with some annoyance present in her voice.
"You won't mind me being here, I suppose."
"I won't mind it, given you don't take up too much space," Ram replied sheepishly.
"What about me, you didn't ask me if it was fine!" I said a little offended.
"I'm your contracted spirit, things like this should go without saying, I suppose," Beatrice argued as she hugged herself tightly to my chest.
"And you hugging yourself to my chest is also a part of that?" I asked with a monotone voice.
"I'm tired from all the work I have done today, I need to recharge, I suppose."
"Ok, fine, just let me eat in peace for now," I responded, a little defeated as poured myself a cup of tea and just as I was about to eat a cookie.
"Kazuma, it's fine that you don't want to come outside, but can I please come inside?" Felt asked, politely of all things.
"You can come inside if you don't steal my cookies."
"That's fine," Felt said before she walked in and slammed the door shut behind herself. "Where are you?"
"Under the table sitting on a blanket with blankets around it," I explained.
She lifted up the blanket by our feet, "Wow, everyone is huddled up in here, is there even space in here?"
"There is space if you give me a silver coin," I said stretching my arm out.
"That's not fair, I helped you when were hunting those Mabeasts!"
"You barely did anything, I did most of the work!"
"W-well, I at least deserve something for helping out with the crazy girl!"
"FINE! Just get in here before all of the heat is gone," I finally gave in, and Felt dropped the blanket, walked over to my side of the kotatsu, and put herself against my back.
Finally, I could eat my cookies and drink my tea in peace, as the others started to sleep, like I assumed Ram had done, given how silent she was.
Ram's POV
What, Beatrice went into a contract with Kazuma, I should report this to Master Roswaal immediately, but it's also very cozy here right now, and it's not like there's any real hurry.
Chris' POV
"Hey, you better wake up, we have caught up with your green guy," Al told me, as he shook me awake.
"Ahhh, oh good, I'll be right there," I responded before I got up and jumped out of the carriage.
"He is behind that carriage complaining about his life," Al said, pointing to the carriage filled with barrels.
"Yeah, that sounds like him," I said confidently, as I snuck up on the carriage, after having activated {Lurk}.
As I got around the carriage I could see some of his green mantle, and I could hear him slamming his hand into the carriage itself.
"SURPRISE! Happy to see me?" I yelled as I jumped out of lurk, and scared… a total stranger.
"WAAH! Do I know you?" A boy/young man in a green hat, with ashen grey hair, and blue eyes screamed as he fell down onto the ground.
"No, I'm sorry about that, I thought you were my friend," I excused myself, a little shocked over not finding Kazuma immediately. Did my powers get affected by resisting the time reversal?
"No, my name is Otto Suwen, I'm a merchant, or rather I'm about to be bankrupt!" He exclaimed in frustration as he punched one of his barrels, which he quickly came to regret. "Au, au!"
A merchant, well Kazuma does enjoy a lazy lifestyle, so it could be that he tries to make his stolen inventions from Japan and sell them to the locals here, so it could be smart to already have a foot in with the local merchants.
"Why are you about to be bankrupt Otto?"
"I misread the market and bought all this oil and now nobody wants to buy it, I am in so much debt because of it," He complained while rubbing his sore hand.
"Hmm, how much would you have to sell the oil for to cover your debt?" I asked.
"Like 5 copper coins to cover the debt itself, but with interest, I would have to sell each barrel for 6 each," He said as he looked at a piece of paper.
"Well, you are in luck Otto, I can pay that much, but I am only willing to do so under two conditions," I offered, making his face light up.
"Really, what conditions did you have in mind?"
"First, you will be doing your normal merchant work, but you will be on the lookout for anyone named Kazuma Satou, if I know him correctly he will start selling something very soon."
"What about the second condition?"
"Whenever you are about to do a business deal, run it by me first," I said, stretching my hand out.
"That's a deal!" Otto excitedly agreed as he shook my hand.
"Ok, here is your pay for the oil, you can drop it off at Priscilla's estate in the city," I said before I tossed him the cash and left him to count the money.
"Al, we are riding back, this wasn't the guy I was looking for," I said, jumping back onto the carriage.
"Fine, let's get back to the city."
Subaru's POV
When we finally got done shoveling all of the snow on the pathways, I saw Emilia coming outside. "Hey, Millie!"
She jumped a little when I called her name, "H-hey Subaru," she said either nervously or because she was cold.
"Weird weather we are having, right?" I said with a smile.
"Eh, no, this isn't out of the ordinary, I don't even feel cold, well good talk, bye!" Emilia said before dashing inside the mansion again.
"Hmm, that was odd," I noted.
"Should we go and check on Miss Emilia?" Rem asked.
"Yes, we should," I agreed immediately.
5 minutes later, by Emilia's room
"Roswaal what are you doing here?" I asked.
"Well, I siiimply had to see how looong it took you to investigate the reason for this cooold," he said in his usual fashion.
"So you are telling me Emilia has something to do with this sudden cold?"
Roswaal knocked on the door before saying, "Lady Emilia, Sorry for bothering you, but do you have a moooment?"
"Roswaal? Err… Ehm… wait for just a second! Okay?" She frantically shot out, as I could hear things falling over,
"Subaruuu, if you would," Roswaal said while gesturing to the door.
I stretched my hand out to the door handle, but when I grabbed the doorknob, it was so cold it felt like my hand burned so I pulled away, with extreme elegance and a stoic demeanor.
"So cold! What the hell is this!?" I yelled.
"Millie! Are you okay!?" I asked while clutching my hand.
"Wait, is Subaru also there?" She asked in shock.
"Yes, I'm here! But more importantly, don't you have something else to say!?" I exclaimed in a very cool manner.
"Eh, something to say… ah yes! Good morning!"
"Hmm, yes very good. Properly starting with a greeting, that's a very well-behaved girl- That's not it! I'm opening the door! If you are changing, then thank you!" I yelled out, now grabbing the door knob with a little of my shirt acting as an insulator from the cold.
The moment the door went up, I was met with a literal snowstorm that blew me back, but luckily Rem was there to catch me.
"So this is the source of all the cold!" I exclaimed, finally having figured it out.
"Subaru, you know it's rude barging into someone's room like that before getting permission," Millie said in just the most adorable way while trying to hide away something behind her back.
"As the owner of this mansion, I say permiiision granted, go right ahead." The moment I got Roswaal's go-ahead, I pushed myself off Rem and rushed inside the room.
"So, the cause of the cold was-"
"Cause? What cause?" Millie interrupted me as I got closer. "I have no idea… well, maybe just a little bit… But I don't know!"
"It's okay, Lia. We can't hide it from them any longer," Puck said from the bed, causing Millie to turn around.
"Puck, you idiot! I was just one simple step away from deceiving them!" Millie scolded with full conviction, very cute.
"No, that wouldn't have happened in a hundred years," I said, before stepping forward to find Puck huddled up in a thick blanket.
"I'm sorry for having caused so much trouble for you, please don't get mad at Lia and Betty, they were only covering for me," Puck said with a cute smile.
"That's fine, but you need to come and explain yourself, but first, let's move to a bit warmer area," I demanded.
"Excellent idea, Rem go and fetch the others, weee are going to have a meeting in the dining hall and I want everyone preeesent," Roswaal said, as he waved Rem off to do the task.
5 minutes later in the dining hall
"Why do you four look so grumpy?" I asked, as Kazuma, Felt, Beatrice and Ram walked into the room.
"So where do you want me to put this?" Rem asked as she came in carrying…
"Is that a real kotatsu!" I squealed out in glee.
"Put it down, I will handle the rest, I suppose," Beatrice said, as Ram, Kazuma, Beatrice, and Felt hurried to get their feet inside. The moment they were all sitting down Beatrice chanted, "{Murak}" and all four of them and the Kotatsu started floating.
Kazuma then pulled out his ropes and got Rom's attention before he chanted "{Bind}" and the end of the rope clutched around his hand. "See, now we won't float around uncontrollably."
"You look like a balloon," I pointed out to them, as they floated over us.
"Yeah, but it works," Kazuma retorted.
"Why are we here, I was sleeping so well?" Felt complained.
"We found the source as to why it suddenly got so cold," I said, directing their attention over to Puck.
"Hey Betty, they found us out, but thanks for trying," Puck complimented.
"Wait, you knew he was behind it?" Ram asked incredulously.
"I helped the half-elf in containing the effects of Bubby's magic release period, I suppose," Beatrice defended.
"And what is that exactly?" I asked.
"It is a phenomenon that only affects beings with potent magical energy. A person's magical power highly depends on their Od's attributes. In that sense, its output is very restricted," Rem explained.
"Od… is that something different from mana and gates?" I asked.
"You don't even know what an Od is… I'm really starting to question if you have any common sense," Ram mocked from above me, clearly warm enough in the kotatsu to not insult me as harshly.
"To put it simply, an Od is a vessel of magical power, a device that stocks up the magical energy extracted from the gate, I suppose," Beatrice helpfully explained.
"Does that make you my Od?" Kazuma questioned, which made Beatrice cover her reddening face with the kotatsu's side blanket.
"Anyways, once the limit is reached the Od needs to release the maaagical energy," Roswaal finished.
"Ah, so you need to let it out before your stomach explodes… So it's basically just constipation," I suggested.
"Heh," Kazuma and Felt chuckled from above.
"So Puck just had to relieve himself," Kazuma suggested, with a grin.
"Both of you stop talking, I suppose!" Beatrice commanded with a very flustered face while pointing at both of me and Kazuma.
"Yeah, it's totally natural so let's just snow blast this," Felt added, making herself and Kazuma giggle, much to Beatrice's chagrin.
As Kazuma got done giggling he began suggesting, "Well, we now know the cause of the cold, do you want to find a solution on how to fix/combat it?"
"I mean we could use the mansion's fire stones and-"
"No, the firestones stay where they are!" Ram interrupted me, before leaning her face on the table.
"O-ok then, how well have you been able to contain the effects of Puck's constipation magic?" I asked directing my attention toward Beatrice and Millie.
"We contained it to the mansion's gate and fences, so past that there is no snow," Millie said, which Beatrice reaffirmed with a nod.
"Good, then we could just do some camping outside until all of this blows over," I suggested, which made Roswaal stand up from his seat as he for the first time looked really menacing.
"You want meee, the owner of this mansion to sleep OUTSIDE!" He said clearly offended.
"Ok, forget that idea as well then," I relented.
"Couldn't we just travel to the royal capital, we got to be there anyway for the royal selection to take place?" Kazuma suggested before he put more of his body into the kotatsu.
"Hmm, I would be willing to sponsor a caaarriage for miss Felt, but who would go with her to keep her safe?" Roswaal queried.
"Clearly I will go!" Rom responded with no hesitation.
"Kazuma, you are coming with right?" Felt asked, to which Kazuma responded with an unsure, "ehh."
"You still haven't taught me how to use {Steal} so you have to come with!" Felt interjected.
"Fine, I'll come with you, what about you Beatrice?"
"Of course, the contract can't be fulfilled otherwise, I suppose," Beatrice also answered with no hesitation, which seemed to make Roswaal take a step backward in surprise.
"Beatrice and Kazuma, in a contract, very well, let us make suuure to meet when I also arrive in the Royal Caaapital," Roswaal said with his usual composure.
"Sure, we can do that, if you want to pay for the food," Kazuma joked.
"Of course, I will be glad to paaay for it, I will arrange for a carriage shortly, until then please feel at hooome," Roswaal said before he hurriedly left the room.
1 hour later
"Well, I guess this is goodbye for now," Kazuma said as he checked over all his gear.
"I guess so," I answered back, with Felt, Rom, and Beatrice already in the carriage.
"You still got your whip?" Kazuma asked.
"Yeah, it's in my room right now," I confirmed.
"That's dumb, you should always have it on you."
"Wow, thanks for the advice," I replied a little annoyed by that comment.
"Just keep it in mind, and don't you die before we meet again," Kazuma joked, which made me remember back to choking to death with him.
"Y-yeah, you too," I said a little shakily.
"Chill dude, it was just a joke, you look like you saw a ghost," Kazuma said while lightly punching my shoulder.
"Don't start with those stupid ice puns," I said more confidently, as I punched him back a little harder in the stomach.
"Ugh, o-ok see you later then," Kazuma said as he keeled over and slumped himself into the carriage. Did I really hit him that hard?
Felt's POV
"Are you feeling better now, I wonder?" Beatrice asked while holding her glowing hand over his stomach.
"Yeah, that feels better, I am going to sleep, wake me up when we get there," Kazuma said, before adjusting himself so his legs were laying in my lap, and his head rested on Beatrice's lap.
"I'll permit it, just this once, I suppose," she also said before starting to read a book she had brought.
"Are you ok with this?" Rom asked me.
"Yeah, I'm fine with his legs here, he is warm enough," I responded happily, drumming my fingers on his kneecaps.
"No, I mean, are you ok with mingling with these elites that have always looked down on us?"
"I mean, it's better than starving out in the slums, I guess."
"What about this royal selection thingy, do you really want to join it?"
"Roswaal said we needed to find a sponsor if I do, and I don't want some arrogant noble," I said, remembering people in nice clothes that had walked passed me and laughed, while I had stolen their money.
"What kind of noble do you want?" Rom asked as I looked down at the two legs in my lap.
"I will think about it," I said, getting a brilliant idea.
"Just know that, no matter what you choose, I will always have your back," Rom reassured me.
"Thanks, Old man Rom."
3rd POV in Roswaal's study
(Hmm, Echidna did say that Beatrice would have to wait for "that person," but to think it happened so soon. Even if I would want Beatrice here for what is written to happen, this might be for the best. However, he might pose a genuine threat now, if not to me directly he could come to oppose my plan to resurrect you, my dear Echidna.) Roswaal pondered as he looked down at his book bound in black.
(Right now it's best to let them be, I do not wish to complicate things by making an enemy of them) He thought reading over the book once more.
(But I will first make sure our prisoner hasn't died) Roswaal thought tactfully as he walked towards Meili's cell, before opening it to reveal a little blue-haired girl sitting bound in a chair.
"Let me out of here, so I can kill that brown-haired piece of shit!" Meili yelled at Roswaal the moment he stepped inside.
"I believe at the moment you are in no position to bargain, prisoneeer," Roswaal said calmly as he stood over her to be as imposing as possible.
"You don't scare me!" She spat out while making her face as stoic as possible.
"I do not, and why is thaaat?" Roswaal inquired, as he caught her stoic gaze in his cold yellow and blue eyes.
"Hah, don't make me laugh, you are nothing compared to Mother!" Meili said confidently.
"Ah, so you still were not working alooone, and this attack was not out of revenge originally, but an attempt to weaken my people's trust in me, however your wish for revenge and sloppy execution of it is what brought you down," Roswaal noted with a satisfied smirk, as he looked at the taken-a-back little girl.
"I would also guess this "Mother" you speak of to be someone that frightens you, which leads me to my second point," Roswaal said, as he toned down his intimidation factor.
"What is that?" Meili questioned.
"I can offer you my house's protection from this "Mother," in exchangeee I want you to help me keep track of the man that you so haaate," Roswaal offered.
"Can I kill him?" She asked instantly.
"Only if I deem it necessary, but until then you will only have the Mabeasts you control in raaange to spy on the boy," Roswaal elaborated.
"Will you feed me?"
"Naturally, but I will have to keep you away from the others, so as to not arise suspicion around our partnership."
"That is fine, I don't really like being around people in general," Meili said.
"Well, we will have to make a soul-binding contract, otherwise one of us can double-cross the other without much hesitation," Roswaal said as he placed his hand on her head.
"Smart, don't trust people, I like this partnership already, especially if I get to kill that monster," Meili said excitedly.
"Not unless I order it, understood?"
"Yes sir."
When Roswaal had made sure that the pact was in place, he released her from her bindings.
Chris' POV. Back in Priscilla's camp.
I cracked my knuckles as the carriage came to a stop, before jumping off and walking inside the mansion where I was met with a judging glare from Priscilla.
"I take it that by your happy demeanor, you found the lousy boy!" She exclaimed even more arrogantly than ever before.
"No, but I am a step closer to finding him, but do you have a place I can store some barrels of oil?" I asked as I continued to stretch my legs.
"Oil!?" She said as if she questioned my sanity.
"Yeah oil, I just bought some, do you have space for it?"
"Hmm, yeah, there should still be some place left in the third storage room, but I won't help you unload your worthless wares."
"That's fine, I am sure Al would be willing to help me and Otto unload," I assured her before trying to walk off to get myself something to eat.
"Al is an extension of me, you unload it yourself and with whatever help you hired, my help extends to assistance in finding your lost friend, not handling your worthless wares," She said before I got the chance to even take a step.
"Fine! I am sure Otto will be enough, no I will go and eat something," I said, clearly showing my annoyance with her.
"Annoying boy," I could hear her complain in a whisper as I walked past her. Don't tell me she also thought I was a boy or was she simply finding the search for Kazuma annoying.
Let me just get myself a beer and some cooked food and let's not think about this bitch, even if she sounds like my senior.
Kazuma's POV, at the inn
"So we just have to wait a few days here and keep a low profile, until you need to show yourself at the royal court?"
"That is what stood in the letter the innkeeper gave me, until then you have probably taught me {Steal}!" Felt exclaimed excitedly.
"You shouldn't get your hopes up, I still don't really have the slightest idea on how to do it exactly," I said as I sat down on my bed.
"Can I ask a favor from you?" Felt asked.
"Depends on what it is," I replied, a little suspicious of her motive.
She sat down next to me on the bed before she asked, "Could you help get me a good sponsor when we are looking for a noble house to represent me?"
"Hmm, sure I can help with that, but now I am going to sleep, you should also go to your room," I said before lying down in my bed.
"Fine," Felt said after a few seconds of silence before she slowly got up and left the room.
Knock, knock, knock. I was startled awake as someone knocked on my window. When I got to it, the light from the streets showed me Beatrice floating outside. I opened the window to drag her in.
"What do you want?" I inquired as she ended her weightless spell, I could learn it, just didn't have enough experience to unlock it.
"I had trouble sleeping since it is my first time away from the library in so long, and I thought sleeping with you could help, I suppose," She said timidly, compared to her usual brashness.
"Fine, you can sleep here, since you are feeling homesick, I suppose," I mimicked as I slumped myself back into bed still tired from the long trip. Beatrice decided to use my stomach as a pillow given the bed only had one pillow.
"Goodnight Kazuma."
"Yeah, goodnight Beatrice," I mumbled before finally passing out.
Subaru's POV
"Heh, drunk Millie and Rem are so cute together," I mumbled out a little tipsy myself, before taking a picture of them leaning on each other.
Oh yeah, that one is getting saved as my wallpaper. Wait, I was supposed to give the phone to Kazuma… eh, he will get it when we get to the capital in a few days.
"Hey Ram, did they also forget the kotatsu behind?" I asked, looking at her relaxing in it.
"No Barusu, I bought it off Kazuma, *hic*."
"How much did he make you pay?"
"19 silver coins, *hic*."
"Was it worth it?"
Ram leaned deeper into the kotatsu, "Yes!"
The next day, Kazuma's POV
Felt wanted to walk around the better parts of the city, but not like a normal person.
"Do we really have to be on top of the roof?" I asked a little exhausted from all the running around.
"Well, if this royal selection goes bad I need something to fall back on," she said while scouting over the wealthier citizens of the capital walk around,
"What, you are gonna go back to being a thief that steals from the wealthy while sitting on top of the roofs?" I inquired, as she stretched her hand out and mumbled {Steal}. Naturally, nothing happened when she said it.
"It's what I know, and you already have some talent for it, so if I botch the royal selection-"
"I will just be a merchant and inventor, it's easier and less stressful," I interrupted her, sure I could do stealing, Big Boss had taught me most of what I know. However, it's too much work.
"Oh yeah, I guess you will do pretty well on your own," She said with a disappointed tone.
"I would probably need some muscle to help me load and unload the wares, and I would need someone that is as fast as the wind to pick up orders, both paid very handsomely of course," I elaborated, causing Felt to perk up and look at me.
"What a roundabout way to say you will take care of us," She said with a smile.
"I didn't say that, you both will have to earn your keep, I am not running a charity," I said while looking away from her. "Anyway, have you thought anything about what plan you want to present at the royal selection?" I asked, hoping to change the topic.
"You know, at the beginning when you guys showed up, it was scary-"
"Yeah knife-wielding maniacs tend to be scary," I agreed.
"Not my point, but yeah that as well, I was afraid of all the changes, I thought all nobles were scum, and that the people better off than me just cheated by stepping on others…" Felt paused as she looked down to the street again.
"But?" I prodded, wanting her to continue.
"But, you were nice to me, you fed me, helped me train, and all at the same time you didn't seem to care about where I came from, just what I did, you just treated me like an equal," She said before hiding her face in her thighs.
"I live by the motto of true gender equality, if you kick me I won't care if you are a girl or boy, I will dropkick you jn return."
"Heh, or steal their panties," Felt jokingly remarked.
"That is completely on accident!" I insisted.
"Sure, the first time it happens with a girl, but with you, it's way too consistent," she argued.
"Ok, elaborate," I challenged.
"You stole my panties first of all, and then you stole the maid's panties in the little showcase of your skill, that is two for two!" Damn, that girl actually has a point. I also stole Chris' panties on my first use, but I won't help her win the argument.
"The sample size is too small, it could just simply be down to that," I countered, which made her grin.
"Then use your skill on me again, I bet you one request that can't be denied, that you will get my panties when you use {Steal}!" She said resolutely, I could just refuse her bet, but that would mean I give up by default.
"Hmm, and what if I don't steal your panties?" I asked.
"If you steal anything other than my panties, you can request something from me at any point, without me being able to refuse," She answered with the speed of a pinball hitting the edge of the flipper.
I could try planting something on her that I know is valuable, that could give me a better chance of not taking her panties, but she would probably notice if I used my stealth skills.
"Very well, I will accept your bet {STEAL}!" I yelled as a blue light emitted from my hand, and when it resided I stood there with… blue panties.
"Yes, it worked, I WIN!" Felt yelled out in excitement, which made me feel tricked so I did the only natural thing, I used {Steal} again.
"Hey, Kazuma it's enough now," she said nervously, as she tried to back away from me, while I was holding a pair of white panties.
"No, we have to do this more times to figure out if you are correct, you know increase the sample size and all that," I said while grinning, I might have lost, but maybe I could get her to use her request up already.
"Create earth, wind breath!" She yelled out as she threw some sand up she had in her pocket up in the air before she dashed away with her wind magic, causing the sand to hit me in the face.
"What a dirty trick!" I yelled out, mostly out of annoyance, but also a little bit of pride.
"I learned from the best!" Felt shot back, her voice faint from the long distance she had already made on the rooftops,
"Now, I can either chase after her and get exhausted," I said while equipping my bow and sandbag arrow, "Or I can {Snipe}!" I chanted as I let my non-lethal arrow fly.
While Felt was jumping up and down the rooftops, she was doing so in a very straight line, and if my prediction was correct, she and the arrow would hit when she leaped between two rooftops spaced apart because of the street. Luckily for me, it hit her right in the back of her head, throwing her off balance and making her fall to the-
"What exactly do you think you are doing!" A very familiar voice screamed out, which made me rush over quicker than I would have thought possible.
When I looked down to see who it was, I think this might be the first time I was disappointed to not see Aqua, but instead a busty girl with orange hair, in a fancy black and red dress. Which was exactly whom Felt had crash-landed on. I equipped my mask and hurried down.
"I apologize, we were just playing, and it got a little out of hand," I said, with the most sincerity I could muster present in my voice, as I covered Felt's face and backed away from the busty girl, who I might have given one, two, or maybe even five glances.
"Be sure that it doesn't happen again, peasant!" I know I should have been really mad at her remark, but it was odd how comforting hearing a self-important threat in Aqua's voice was.
"Yeah, yeah, goddess of toilets," I let out immediately before even thinking about it before I rounded the corner and activated {Concealment}. Because my enemy detection flared up the instant I had gotten the words out.
Not a moment later the busty girl breached around the corner in a gust of hot air, with a fire burning in her eyes. Before she took a quick choice of which way to go and ran the way we had hidden, but luckily she passed by me and Felt.
"So much for low profile," Felt whispered, before she looked over at me in my mask, "Oh smart, you thought ahead."
I just covered her mouth with one hand and signaled for her to be quiet with the other. That girl might be the complete opposite of Aqua. If Aqua was a typhoon at worst, that woman was a forest fire.
"Ok, I think she is gone," Felt said as got out of my grasp, and walked into the street, with me still using {Concealment}. She held out her hand for me to take it, and after a few awkward moments of her standing there, I spotted a shop that would come in handy, right behind her.
I got out of my stealth, "Hey, Felt are you going to give being a royal candidate a proper try?" I asked.
"Yeah, for now at least," She replied.
"Good, then we need to stop by here first," I said, before turning her head around to look at the shop filled with high-end dresses and suits.
"No, I am not going in there, I get sick just looking at the prices," She immediately protested.
"If you are going to present yourself in front of a bunch of hoity-toity nobles and rich people, you're are going to have to look like them, otherwise they might throw us out before you even get a word in," I argued.
"Dresses like that just make you unable to move, that is something I refuse to wear. Like what if someone tries to kidnap me, or they try to attack me, but the dress is so bulky I can't move properly, or end up falling over."
"That's the beauty of it Felt, at these places you can get your dress custom-made," I explained.
"One where I can have my knife easily accessible?" She asked, suddenly more open to the idea.
"Yeah, but in this version, your shortsword can be the centerpiece, and if that doesn't work it can be hidden under it," I said, still not convinced that such a massive blade could be classified as a knife.
"Fine, we can talk with the. Uhm... dress… maker person."
"Finally, now let's go meet the tailor," I said pushing her in the door.
"Excuse me, what kind of riff-raff is bursting into my beloved shop?" A woman working on a dress with white fluffy balls complained as we got in the door.
"OUR shop!" a man working on what looked to be a military suit with golden shoulder pads objected.
"I am willing to pay for my friend here to get a custom-made dress, according to her specifications."
"Do you think we make dresses for just-" I interrupted her as I slammed a bag of newly exchanged currency, the guy that bought it liked them so much that he paid more than Rom had evaluated them at.
"This should be enough to cover the consultation, and production," I said, as the woman stopped her work and opened the bag, and got an enormous grin.
"Tay, stop your work, this man is now our most valued customer, please come with me miss and we will get your dress done, just as you specify," The woman said as Tay followed after her over to a rotating stand for Felt to stand on, and pulled out a paper for her to draw on.
I just sat myself down, as Felt started to explain what she wanted, with drawing after drawing getting rejected.
Chris' POV
I was just about to go back out when a furious Priscilla rushed in the door with a wave of hot air hitting me in the face as she tried to rush past me.
"Aldebaran!" She roared, as the knight rushed into the room.
"I told you I don't like that you use that name," he responded clearly unfazed by her anger.
"Get a search party together, we are looking for a despicable man wearing a black and white mask, and a street urchin with orange hair!" She barked out orders, which got Al from being annoyed to running off and doing as he was told.
When Al was gone she furiously muttered, "Nobody calls me a goddess of toilets and just gets away with it!"
"Where was the last place you saw them?"
"By the tailor shop, where I just picked up my newly made dress, before those two cretins eluded me!"
"Ok, I'll go check that place out, maybe they left a clue," I shot in before hurrying off to the tailor shop.
If my intuition was right, that masked man was Kazuma, and if my luck was still with me he would have dropped something I could use to track him down.
When I got to the street with the tailor shop, I looked around on the ground for anything they might have dropped, and I spotted something white, and something blue.
"Yeah, I am pretty sure Kazuma was here, given the panties laying around in the same area he needed to make a quick escape," I muttered to myself, before I decided to walk into the tailor shop, maybe they saw where he went afterward.
"Excuse us, but we are busy with an important customer right now, please come back later," A woman said as she measured a little girl with orange hair, while a man was showcasing her different types of orange fabric.
"I prefer this one," She said, as the man nodded before waving through a pile of discarded paper over to what I guessed was the final design.
"Hey boy, please leave our store, or else we will call the guards," The man threatened when he saw I had still not left.
"Of course, I'll leave at once," I said before opening the door back up. Coming face to face with Kazuma chewing on an apple, it took a second before he realized who he was looking at. He was mid-bite and slowly finished his bite.
Then he pinched me, "Holy shit, you're really here!" He erupted with glee getting apple bits all over my face.
"Yeah, happy to see you too," I said before wiping the bits of apple off my face.
"Sorry about that, wait if you are here, does that mean-"
"No, it's only me I'm afraid," I interrupted, causing his smile to tone down significantly.
"Well, let's go inside and talk, I brought food," he said lifting up the basket he had held in his other hand.
"Yeah, that is probably best for now," I agreed.
"She is with me," Kazuma said pointing to me with his thumb, as he held his apple.
"Very well sir, we are soon finished with the measurements, and then you can come back tomorrow and see the result then," The woman said, as she held the orange-haired kid's head back from turning around to look at me. "Please miss, to get this done as fast as possible I need you to stand still," the woman sternly said, getting the kid to give up the wrestling.
As soon as we had sat ourselves down I asked him something I needed to know in a hushed whisper, "can you remember dying here?"
"No, agh," Kazuma grabbed ahold of his head as soon as the words left his mouth.
"Kazuma, you have died three times," I continued making him go pale white.
"H-how exactly did I die?" he asked a little shakily.
"The first two times you got your head chopped off, the third time you died from a mix of mana exhaustion and asphyxiation," he instinctively grabbed his neck as I told him that.
"Yeah, ok, but why don't I remember these deaths?"
"Ok how to explain this, a piece of your soul was ripped apart from you with those memories by some incredibly powerful force that can reset this world, as well as break into heaven and drag your soul back into this world."
"That explanation just worsened my headache," He complained.
"Kazuma, if your soul splits more than 8 times before recovering, your soul can't repair itself over time, which also makes you incapable of perceiving anything else other than the pain in your head, for the rest of your life," I explained, trying to get him to understand the severity.
"So you are telling me, I got to keep myself alive, or I am going to end up with an eternal headache?" He questioned as he got even paler.
"It won't be eternal, just until you die, but after that, you will cease to exist since your soul has been scattered too much after that," I answered.
"Well, you're a goddess, can't you fix it now?"
"This body is just an avatar, and I can't get soul pieces out of heaven, but I could get you into heaven, but that would mean killing you, and since I don't know what resets the world, I wouldn't be guaranteed to finish it in time," I explained.
"Ok I get it, enough doom and gloom, how are the girls holding up?" Kazuma asked, clearly exhausted from the conversation.
"Megumin is only able to sleep in your room, or while wearing your tracksuit, Iris has ordered the best mages to do research on the 1 million-sided dice that got us here, Aqua is in massive debt and Darkness is doing her best to keep your affairs in order," I summarized quickly.
"Megumin… is smart, and with Iris there, I am sure they can figure something out, thankfully Darkness is keeping Aqua's debt from spilling into my estate, I should smack her when I get back there," Kazuma said in a longing tone, he clearly missed the girls.
I put a hand on his shoulder and gave him a confident smile, "We'll get back home."
"Yeah, it might just-"
"Kazuma who is this?" The girl with orange hair and incredible fashion sense asked.
"Ehm, Felt this is my friend Chris, Chris this is Felt."
"Pleasure to meet you Felt, so how did you and Kazuma meet?" I asked as she got a little red around the cheeks. My guess was he stole her panties.
"He killed a psychopathic murderer that tried to double-cross and murder me, by stabbing her from behind," She explained, making me look at him in shock.
"You did what?" I asked in genuine surprise.
"I saw an opportunity to end it, and I did," He answered simply.
"Ok, you got to tell me more, but first let's go get something to eat, my treat," I said before getting up from the coach and leading the way to a little bar I had found.
Megumin's POV
"Ok, so what did you get from the magical researchers you hired?" I asked while eating some of Kazuma's snacks.
"They came to the conclusion that it has some sort of concentrated transportation magic on it, which seems to only be connected to the red dot, the rest of the dice is completely normal," Iris said.
"I bet the curse only activates when the dice lands with the red dot up."
"If that is the case, we could either try rolling it or use strong magic to force it to activate," Iris suggested.
"What about creating some contraption that makes it roll on the red dot perfectly every time?" I added, maybe that is something Kazuma would do.
"I mean, that sounds less intensive than making Rain and Claire collect tons of manatite," Iris agreed, while Claire just stood there neutrally.
"I will get Aqua to construct it, hopefully, her creative powers are able to do it fast," I said while trying to get up, as Rain placed a hand on my shoulder and pushed me down again.
"You must rest, you have been awake for 2 days straight, I will deliver the message to Lady Aqua," Rain said as I felt the sleep rush over me again.
"Maybe, just a little nap," I said, before grabbing Kazuma's tracksuit and going to his room.
Time Kazuma has been missing: 11 days
Kazuma's POV
"So that is about everything that has happened so far," I finished, as Felt finished her third bowl of meat stew.
"Well, that is a lot to take in," Chris said.
"In the meantime, you were looking for Kazuma?" Felt queried after she finished her food.
"Yeah, won a bet with a rich noble, so she has to house me until I find him, which I might still not have done," Chris said while giving me and Felt a devious wink.
"So you taught Kazuma {Steal} could you also teach me how to do that?" Felt asked, can't she just give it a rest already.
"Hmm, I mean, give me a few days and I can try to find a solution to that," Chris said after thinking about it for a bit.
"Felt, we better get going back to the inn, Rom and Beatrice are probably bored there without us."
"You're probably right," Felt said as she grabbed another piece of bread.
"We'll be at the castle in a few days for this royal selection, I'm sure there will be downtime, in the meantime, I will see if I can figure out what causes the time here to reverse," I whispered before joining Felt.
"See you in a few days then!" Chris yelled back as we left.
Chris' POV
When I got back to the mansion I could see an annoyed Priscilla sitting in her nightgown and drinking tea.
"I see your day was as fruitless as mine," I shot in before going to bed, now I could at least give a sign to Darkness about Kazuma being alive.
"Calm yourself, I still have a matter to discuss with you."
"Which is?"
"I will in a few days partake in the royal selection, do you believe accompanying me would help you in finding your friend?"
"Yeah, he tends to get in the good graces of some nobles if I know him right, so maybe he could be there," I answered honestly.
"Very well, you will be allowed to accompany me to the castle, but if you are to be there, I will request that you wear something more appropriate, I would die of shame if I was seen with someone in such shotty attire," She said while waving her fan over all of me.
"I will accept that, now if you'll excuse me, I will return to my bed and rest."
"It's none of my concern, you may sleep as you desire," Priscilla said as she looked away and waved me off with her fan.
Three days later at the castle
Subaru's POV
I know Emilia asked me not to be here, but I can't just let that bastard Julius get any closer to her, how dare he touch her, much less kiss her hand. Not even I have done that yet.
"Servant holds those appas properly or you won't be allowed into the castle with me," Priscilla said, the girl that didn't know appas are naturally red. I had helped her chase away the same bandits that attacked Kazuma and me, and it was definitely not because they thought Kazuma was around.
She had a guy in a suit with silver hair and a guy in just a knight's helmet with her. When we finally walked inside the room I could see rows upon rows of different knights. I spotted the other candidates immediately, especially my lovely Millie, she was surprised to see me, but she probably thinks this is endearing.
"Now with all the other candidates ready, let me introduce the last royal candidate," An old man in the higher seats overlooking the room declared as the doors opened to reveal Felt, Kazuma, Rom, and Beatrice.
Felt was wearing an orange dress that reminded me of something me and my parents had been watching in a documentary from the 1920s in the US. The only difference was a little flower on the right side of her hip.
"Now miss Felt, it is to my knowledge that you have yet to receive a sponsor, is that still the case?"
"Yes, that is the case, but I have chosen a method of picking someone to represent me," Felt said with confidence, as Kazuma stepped forward and whispered something to her.
"Of course, you have to do it, I won the bet," She shot back.
"Knights of Lugnica, since I believe that only the most capable person can represent my house, anyone wishing to sponsor me must first beat my head chef Kazuma Satou in a duel," Felt declared, which got the knights around the room to start murmuring as Kazuma stepped forward.
"I assume that is your friend," I could hear Priscilla say to the guy in the suit.
"Yes, that is correct," he responded in an instant.
"This should be interesting," Priscilla said, as a knight stepped forward.
"I challenge you Mister Satou to duel!" A knight with brown hair said.
"Fine, but since you challenged me, I get to pick the rules for it," Kazuma replied, seemingly calm.
"That is only natural, but when I beat you my family name will be lifted out of the dust," The knight declared confidently.
5 minutes later in the fight arena.
"I have decided, the win condition for this duel is to bind your opponent with this rope, if you cut the rope you also lose," Kazuma said as he laid a rope on the ground.
"That should be easy enough, I accept," The knight said as he drew his sword.
"Good, we can start then, {Bind}" Kazuma chanted making the rope shoot towards the knight, which he was about to cut, but he hesitated, which caused the rope to wrap around him easily.
"Kazuma Satou is the winner!" The judge declared, much to the shock of the other knights.
"You cheated, you barely gave me chance to react," The bound knight yelled.
"An enemy won't give you a chance to react, you lost, deal with it," Kazuma said before leaving the arena.
With that, I end the chapter that has taken me very long to finish. Hopefully, you enjoyed it. In other news, I have started writing a consistent 500 words per day. So chapters can come out sooner now. However, I won't promise anything other than I will get this story done, at some point.