Subaru: "There are footprints, if we follow them it should lead us to the kids."

Out in the forest where Mabeasts roamed, there were sets of footprints belonging to young children who had gone missing. Time was running out, if they weren't found before the curse activated, they would surely die.

Ram: "It's very dangerous out there, but Roswaal-sama would be displeased if we let harm come to his territory."

Rem: "Since Roswaal-sama told us to assist Subaru-kun, we will go with you. However, if the danger is too great, we will head back at once."

The maids both understood the danger, but it was their job to protect their master and his reputation. This village was right next to the mansion. What would the people think of a lord who couldn't even protect those who were staying right next to him?

As they were about to enter the forest, Rem and Ram readied their weapons. Ram pulled out a wand, and Rem grabbed her Mourningstar.

Subaru immediately took notice of Rem's weapon. The sounds of the rustling chains right next to him brought back memories that he would rather forget.

He was about to enter a forest full of monsters that would attack them on site. They had no clue how many there were, or how strong. He was afraid, he had every right to be. However, if he failed now what would that make him? A failure who couldn't even save a few children? A fraud who talked a big game only to fail when it got tough? No, he couldn't fail now.

Subaru: "Alright, let's save those kids."

Together, they all ran into the forest.

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Rem: "I smell something alive… It is close."

Subaru: "Is it the kids?."

Rem: "I do not know, but it is not an animal smell."

They had been trying to follow the tracks as closely as they could, but it was dark out. After a while, they started relying on Rem's sense of smell.

Subaru: "That's enough to go on."

As they rushed forward they entered a clearing. The moon illuminated the scenery in front of them. There was a green slope in the middle.

Subaru: "The kids!"

On top of the slope, Subaru could see them. Once he made it to the top he saw there were six bodies on the ground. They weren't conscious but they were breathing, and their bodies were warm to the touch.

Subaru: "They're alive. They're alive! We made it in time!"

He was shouting out in joy. But the twins next to him had stern looks on their faces.

Rem: "No, they are still breathing, but they are heavily debilitated. At this rate…"

Subaru: "Debilitated…? The curse?"

When he looked closer he saw that their faces were pale, and their breathing was short and ragged. They were covered in a cold sweat with pained expressions on their faces.

Subaru: "After we finally found them… Rem, can't you lift the curses?"

Rem: "My skill is insufficient. At any rate, I'll use healing magic to put them at ease. We shall carry them once they calm down."

Subaru: "Got it. I'll… Shit, I'm so useless. I'll keep an eye out for trouble with Ram."

He couldn't fight, and couldn't even ease their pain. Ram could actually do something if there was an attack, but what could he do? Meanwhile, Rem infused her palm with healing magic and began to treat the children. At the rate they were calming down, they could bring the kids back to the mansion and ask Beatrice to lift the c-

Just as Subaru was putting his mental plans in order, a girl lightly opened her eyes and called his name.

Petra: "Suba…ru?"

She looked troubled, so Subaru took her hand.

Subaru: "You're awake, Petra? Okay, good girl, you're a strong girl. We'll be taking you back real soon and making the reason you're suffering go bye-bye, so right now you need to just rest…"

Petra: "There's one in… Still… The forest…"

She was pointing at the forest.

Subaru: "—Hey, what did you say?"

His words did not reach her as she fell unconscious once again. However, her words gave him a bad feeling. Subaru patted the sleeping Petra's forehead and urgently rushed to the other children, looking them over. Then…

Subaru: "Aw, crap… She's right. I don't see the youngest one here."

He recognized all the children here, but the shy, withdrawn girl, was missing.

Subaru: "Damn it all!"

He suddenly started tearing at his hair. Rem and Ram, who had seen the exchange with Petra, widened their eyes, apparently alarmed at Subaru's behavior.

He started to walk out into the forest.

Ram: "Barusu wait. I know you want to help, but if she's been taken away by the Mabeasts there's nothing-"

Subaru: "Then explain to me what I'm supposed to do Ram. You heard it too right? Petra asked me to go get the last one of them before anything else. I'm not going to give up now after we've come this far, I can't."

Someone had died every time he had gone through this series of events. He couldn't just sacrifice someone just because someone said it was "no good".

Subaru: "I want to do what Petra asked. So I'm gonna go."

Ram: "You're way too greedy Barusu. If you try to pick everything you might end up dropping it all on the floor."

Subaru: "You two are here to make sure that doesn't happen. I can't do anything here. I can't use healing magic, and there's no way I can bring the kids back by myself. If so, I should use myself as effectively as I can, right?"

He couldn't stand by and do nothing, if he did that, he couldn't forgive himself.

Subaru: "Ram can you come with me?"

Ram: "You want me to help you?"

Subaru: "Rem needs to conserve her strength to focus on healing and carrying the children. She can come and find us after she hands off the kids to the young men in the village. While doing that, we'll go deeper in and look for the last kid. If it's the worst case we'll come running right back."

While they were discussing their plans on how to save the last kid, Rem decided to speak up.

Rem: "Is it ok relying on me to take care of the kids?"

Subaru: "It's alright Rem, I believe in you. So I wanna act based on that trust. How about we promise here."

Rem: "..."

Subaru: "I keep my promises, and I expect others to keep theirs. So don't worry, be happy."

Rem: "Happy?"

Subaru: "Ya, so let's make a promise Rem. I promise to bring your sister back safe and sound, and afterward you'll cut my hair."

Rem: "Cut your hair?"

Subaru: "Ya, I noticed you were staring at me a lot, that's because my hair was really badly kept right?"

He knew that wasn't the reason she was staring, but she had offered to cut his hair before, so he wanted to keep that promise from a previous loop.

Subaru: "Please cut it so that Emilia-tan will fall for me the second she lays eyes on me."

Rem sighed and chuckled to herself quietly.

Rem: "Given what I'm starting with, even I have limits."

Subaru: "Could you please put facts like that in a less direct way?"

He then stuck out his pinkie at Rem.

Rem: "What are you doing?"

Subaru: "It's called a pinkie promise. In my hometown, when you do it, it means you're making a promise that you can't break no matter what."

She quietly took out her hand and wrapped her pinkie around Subaru's.

Rem: "Please be careful. Nee-sama, please keep an eye on Subaru."

Ram: "Of course, he's bound to get into trouble after all."

Subaru: "Don't worry, today I'm Demoniclly inspired."

Ram: "Demonically inspired?"

Subaru: "Ya, I don't know why, but it's been my favorite saying lately."

As Subaru looked at the forest, he hardened his resolve.

Subaru: "Ok Ram, let's go."

Ram: "Right."

As Subaru and Ram hurried back into the forest, Subaru slapped his cheeks.

Subaru: "All right, let's do this."

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Ram: "Barusu, up ahead."

Subaru: "Thanks Ram."

Thanks to her clairvoyance they were able to track down the girl in no time. There was a small clearing up ahead. They had found the last missing child, but…

Subaru: "This looks like a trap."

Ram: "My thoughts exactly, it's like they're using her as bait."

She was laying down face up in the middle of the clearing. It was like the beasts wanted them to find her.

Subaru: "It's a golden opportunity… What should we do?"

Ram: "I'm not sure, maybe we should wait for Rem so we have a better chance?"

Subaru: "We can't afford to wait, if we're too late then she'll die from the curse."

He wracked his brains trying to think of a plan. Should they wait, or get her now? The longer they waited, the more the danger increased. The more he tried to think of a plan, the more he couldn't help asking why he, Natsuki Subaru, was here.

What if it had been Roswaal? Or Beatrice? Or Reinhard? They all had amazing abilities, but he was just a normal person. All that separated him from the average human was his ability to Return by Death. Was it enough to save the kid in front of him, would he make it out of this alive? Or would he die, and be forced to start over?

His rational mind told him to wait for Rem so they would have a better chance, but…

Subaru: "Emilia wouldn't hesitate."

The instant he thought that, his legs bolted forward.

Ram: "Barusu, wait!"

Subaru: "Keep an eye out, the second I get her we're running straight back to Rem."

He reached the little girl. She was pale, her breathing was ragged but…

Subaru: "She's alive!"

Ram: "Great job Barusu, now get back here before you become Mabeast food."

As Subaru turned around he saw a pair of red eyes behind Ram.

Subaru: "Behind you!"

As the Mabeast pounced towards Ram, she flicked her wand, and the Mabeast was cleaved in two.

Subaru: "Wow, you can use magic too?"

Ram: "Just because you're useless Barusu, doesn't mean I am."

Just then, more red eyes started glowing in the dark.

Subaru: "Ram!"

Ram: "I know. Do you think you'll be of any use?"

Subaru: "It seems like they're more focused on me, so I can act as bait."

Ram: "It seems your lot in life is to be beaten and discarded by the world Barusu. I pity you."

With another flick of her wand, Ram cut another Mabeast in half. More and more started coming and Ram cut them down over and over. Subaru was stunned, he didn't know magic could be this powerful.

After a while, Ram's movements became more sluggish, she seemed disoriented, and blood was dripping from her forehead.

Subaru: "Are you ok?"

Ram: "It seems I've reached my limit."

Just then, she fainted. Subaru rushed to her before she hit the ground.

Subaru: "You really shouldn't be pushing yourself this hard."

With the Ram down, all the Mabeasts rushed Subaru. But before they could reach him, their heads were blown off.

Subaru: "Huh?"

Rem: "It seems like I was just in time."

Subaru: "Rem!"

Another group of Mabeasts rushed them, but Rem effortlessly dispatched them.

Subaru: "Wow Rem, you're strong."

Rem: "Are those appropriate words to speak to a girl, Subaru-kun?"

Subaru: "I meant it as a compliment. You really are amazing."

He knew Rem was strong, but he didn't expect this. It goes to show that she didn't use much effort against him during the previous loop.

Subaru: "Do you think you can fend them all off?"

Rem: "I can smell more coming, it is too much for me to handle."

Subaru: "Ok then, there's only one thing left to do. Run!"

He sprinted into the forest with Ram and the little girl in his arms. Subaru ran in front while Rem covered them from behind.

Rem: "The village is straight ahead. We need to get past the barrier."

He couldn't tell which was forward in the darkness, so he ran. He ran as fast as he could. His side hurt, he was scared, and his arms were tired from carrying the weight of the unconscious girls in his hands. But still, he ran.

Eventually, he could make out some light in the distance.

Subaru: "Hey Rem. I think I can see the vill-"

Suddenly the ground beneath Subaru exploded and he fell forward. He rolled to protect the girls in his arms, then got back up. When he looked back he saw a Mabeast, smaller than the others glowing, having unleashed its magical power. It was the same Mabeast that had cursed him.

When he looked around he saw Rem rushing out towards him with her hand outstretched. He then looked to the side and saw three Mabeasts jumping at him.

Then in a fraction of a second, he was on the ground. When he looked back, he saw Rem had traded places with him.

Subaru: "Rem!"

The Mabeasts had pounced on her. Her maid uniform was torn blood dripped from her body, joints bent the wrong way.

Subaru: "No!"

Why had she sacrificed herself? Why did she save him? Was it because he had her sister in his arms? She knew about his powers, so why did she save him?

Suddenly, the Mabeasts on top of Rem exploded into gore. It seemed impossible, but Rem slowly got up. Her wounds healed, and a single white horn protruded from her forehead.

Rem: "Hahahahahahaha!"

She cackled like a…

Subaru: "Demon."

In an instant Rem had rushed the Mabeasts, killing a group of them in a single blow.

Rem: "Mabeast! Mabeast! Mabeast! Mabeast! Witch!"

She continued to yell while overpowering the Mabeasts that kept coming at them. Subaru had dropped to his knees, taking in the scene unfolding in front of him. Blood, skulls, and entrails of Mabeasts were flung all over the place. She was faster and stronger than before, but…

Subaru: "Even if she's in her Ultimate Mode, there's no way she can hold out against enemies with infinite spawn!"

The tiny Mabeast kept its distance from the melee. Instead opting to use magic. The more Mabeasts Rem killed, the more that came at her. A seemingly endless cycle. However, Subaru could tell that wasn't truly the case. Rem became more sluggish, more sloppy. For a second, she stopped moving, and a pack of Mabeasts seized their chance, leaping at her all at once.

It was instantaneous. He reached for Rem's back before a single thought had entered his mind. Her breath had caught when she felt the impact. Her face stiffened in shock and unrest. Her empty eyes had regained their luster, and her smile had dropped away.

Subaru: "Ah, You can make a face like that too."

The next second, he felt it.

Subaru: "Gaaaaahhhhh!"

Something had crushed his wrist. His legs felt like they were being torn off. He felt fangs sinking into his back.

Subaru: "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Rem: "Subaru!"

He thought he heard a shriek. Even though he tried to look at it, he couldn't. He could hear the sounds of gains, and bones crunching. Were they his bones? Or someone else's? He didn't know.

He could feel his life draining away. He would probably die again, and have to start all over. Could he get this far again? Could he convince everyone in the mansion that he was telling the truth for a second time?

These were Natsuki Subaru's thoughts as his consciousness slipped away.

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Authors Note

You weren't expecting another chapter so soon, did you?

As you can see this chapter also followed canon a lot. Personally, I can't see a way these events would diverge a lot. Of course, we're still very early on in the story. The farther we get the more the dominos will fall, and the more unpredictable the future becomes.