A/N: Sorry this took a while– I think after getting this chapter right, the rest should be much easier to write!~ So don't forget to tell me how it's going!~ Your suggestions are always super helpful ^^~

(Apologies in advance that Anastasia, Julius, and the Iron Fangs won't be in the story this arc— But there will be an EX chapter about the Royal Selection near the end of the Arc where they take center stage!)

Also, enjoy the cold open—-

Fire reflected off of the beads of sweat that matted Subaru's face. His eyes were locked on the limp bodies of those around him, impossible to tell who was who from the intense heat of the air around him and the sheer amount of debris covering everything.

Aside from his right arm that was sprawled out on the ground before him, Subaru couldn't feel the rest of his body. He reached forward, trying to desperately drag himself forward… But it was no use. His strength was fading quickly, and it was getting harder and harder to breathe amongst the smoke.

"Is this… the limit of love? Hmm…"

The chittery voice that spoke grated against Subaru's ears. He scowled, wanting nothing more than to yell obscenities at them.

"This is all so… So so so so… Enlightening!"

SLAM! Something hit Subaru in the back, knocking the breath out of him. Then he was slowly pulled up into the air, panting and coughing hard, the person who had destroyed Roswaal's Manor gazing at him with wide eyes and an eternal smile that held nothing but insanity.

"Will you continue to stand in the way of the Ordeal? Is it due to a sort of endearing love?~" The last part of the man's sentence went high-pitched and mocking. "Truly… TRULY…! I cannot fathom it–!"

Subaru felt the crushing grip of whatever was holding onto him begin to tighten more and more, til he could hear something breaking… His bones shattering.

"Ah… Yes, the limits of one's fragile, slothful soul…"

SNAP!

"My brain trembles…!"

Chapter Eleven

Scars on the Wind

One Week Earlier…

When the mansion came into sight, Subaru couldn't help but gawk at how magnificent it was, even larger and grander than he could have ever imagined.

"Man, couldn't see this sort of thing back home.. Well, I guess you could, but not in my city," Subaru said, mostly to himself, hardly paying attention to the Earth Dragons he was driving.

"Subaru, I think we should be slowing about now," Otto said nervously beside him.

"Yeah yeah, I know– Gah!" They came across the front entranceway quicker than he had anticipated, pulling on the reins and nearly flying off of the front seat as the dragons slowed incredibly fast. "Ow ow…" He looked at his hands, blowing on them, feeling a bit of a burn from how tightly he had gripped the straps.

The door to the carriage flew open, and very quickly, Subaru found himself being jabbed in the side, letting out a yelp and looking down at the young girl who stood glaring up at him.

"I suppose this was to be expected," Joshua commented as he exited, rubbing his head from a likely bump he got from the sudden stop.

"I-I'm sorry," Otto said, "He would get onto me if I judged him too much."

"Well, I just wanted some hands-off learning! Nobody likes a handsy person," Subaru retorted.

"Handsy…?" Meili and Joshua both questioned it at once, sharing a look.

Otto turned away, scowling. Subaru hopped down from the seat and looked up at the magnificent building and the pristine compound around it.

"To keep a place as tidy as this, there has to be…" His eyes settled on the front door, which had opened. "Maids…!"

Two nearly identical maids stood side-by-side, bowing towards their guests. One with blue hair and blue eyes, and another…

Subaru felt his blood freeze over as he gazed at the other, a girl with pink hair and red eyes, her unforgettable face etched into his mind.

"Welcome, beloved Guests," the girls spoke in unison. "To the manor of Roswaal L Mathers."

"Hm..? Twins?" The two girls nodded to Meili's question, before motioning to each other.

"This is my younger sister, Rem."

"This is my older sister, Ram."

Subaru couldn't break his gaze on Ram, the girl finally acknowledging his intense look. Recalling how this very girl had killed him twice in the past, Subaru had tried to mentally prepare himself for this reunion.

This is for the best, no matter what I think of these people, Subaru had decided at some point, but now seeing her in the flesh was.. a little difficult. If Ram could tell how he was feeling at that moment, she showed no sign of it at least.

"I am Joshua Juukulius, head servant to Lady Anastasia Hoshin," the violet-haired boy stated with a bow. "Along with Meili Portroute of the Iron Fangs, we have accompanied Natsuki Subaru here at your Master's gracious summons."

Meili seemed delighted by her title, while Subaru was still conflicted on whether he liked Joshua being a walking thesaurus of fancy words. Either way, it certainly worked, whether it was annoying or not. Ram returned his bow.

"Our Master is pleased that you have accepted his invitation… It is unfortunate that he is gone for the time being," Ram stated.

"Gone? It is quite unusual to be summoned while the Master of the household is absent," Joshua commented sternly as he rose from his bow. Subaru could tell by his scrutinizing look that he wanted to say something more intense and lecturing, but was holding back due to the situation.

"There are important matters to do with the Royal Selection," Rem stated. "He apologizes, and will not return until a little over a week from now when the ceremonies have ended."

"A week… So after the Royal Selection ceremony has already concluded," Subaru muttered. He looked to Joshua, who nodded solemnly.

A major reason for them accepting the invitation was to try and help Anastasia's competition, the half-elf girl named Emilia. If they could not accomplish that goal, then it was quite possible that the entire selection could be in jeopardy.

Does this Roswaal guy not know this? Subaru wondered. Surely he'd be here doing everything he could to save her.

Anastasia had made it clear that Roswaal's actions were always strange and seemingly random, based on several accounts she had heard. That was why it was important to investigate themselves, to see what was going on before interfering with anything.

It was all on Joshua's call as well— He would decide what happened, depending on the results of their time here. Luckily, Joshua was quite reliable, and usually knew how to steer the situation in the direction they needed.

"Understandable. Then shall we go inside to discuss things further?"

The maids bowed and turned to escort them inside. Subaru warily followed, keeping his distance from the girl named Ram. Her sister moved behind them, and an elicited noise of surprise made Subaru look back to see her blocking Otto from entering.

"Only the invited guest and those from Lady Hoshin are allowed by the Master to enter," the blue-haired girl stated firmly.

"Eh..? B-But—" Otto looked past her at the group leaving him behind.

Subaru waved a hand. "Maybe go check out that village we saw on the way here?"

Otto hung his head defeatedly, raising a hand to say something else, only for Rem to shut the doors on him.

The mansion's interior was as grand and elegant as Subaru would have expected. He and Meili both looked around in awe as they walked, while Joshua kept a much more composed aura about him.

"Li, have you ever been in a place as crazy extravagant as this?"

"W-Why even ask me that? What do you think.."

"Eh, I don't know… Maybe like, an Assassin mission or something..?" Meili side-eyed him. Subaru chuckled and shrugged. "Hey, I'm just saying—"

At that moment, Subaru felt a shiver crawl up his spine. He nearly looked behind himself, but could see that Meili also had a distraught look on her face.

Was it just their imagination..? Or was the maid following not far behind them glaring at them with an intensity that it could be felt?

I'm glad it's not just me, Subaru thought. While Ram was certainly somebody he distrusted, perhaps it did make sense to be wary of her sister as well… But what reason would she have to feel anger towards them exactly?

Joshua cleared his throat, getting their attention and slowing his walk to get closer to them, maximizing his distance from the pink-haired maid ahead of them.

"We do not have long," Joshua stated in a low voice. "Do not forget our duty here."

"Right, we do the important stuff and Subaru messes around," Meili said.

"Precisely." Joshua and the girl smirked, and Subaru raised an eyebrow, wondering where this strange combination attack against his character came from.

They arrived at a room full of many windows, with a few couch-like seats and tables within. It was large enough to host a small event, but must be used as a sort of tea room in the meantime.

"I will return shortly with tea. My sister can assist in the meantime if needed, honored guests."

With that, the girl left, silently closing the door behind her. Joshua approached one of the many windows to the room, while Subaru side-eyed Rem, the girl standing near the doorway at attention. Any sense of malice they might have felt earlier was no longer apparent.

It would be difficult to discuss the plan— Luckily, their week of travel to reach the Mathers Domain had given them plenty of time to figure it all out.

Joshua would help with Subaru's training on house work, but would find time to complete his own investigation of the Mansion when he could, searching for where Emilia might be held.

Meili was going to spend a lot of time in the nearby Irlam Village, befriending the denizens there to hopefully gather some information from them. With Otto practically being banished from the Mansion immediately, that made Subaru feel a little better that she wasn't going to be out there completely alone.

Subaru, as he should have easily expected, was practically the bait of the operation. He would learn and improve his skill set, while keeping the eyes of the maids on himself. Since Roswaal was nowhere to be found, that could be even easier than anticipated.

"He's quite the eccentric man," Anastasia had told him in Picoutatte. "Ya' would need to move carefully if he's around."

Guess I'm glad I won't have to deal with that, he thought, though there was still the issue of Ram, the girl who had hunted him down in the Capital. As she returned to the room with tea, Subaru watched her every move, his body tensing up. Gotta… calm down…!

Thankfully, Meili must have noticed his turmoil. She was already sitting nearby, and reached out to grab his hand. He took a deep breath and sat as well, nodding in silent thanks to her.

"It is our understanding that you are willing to mentor Subaru here," Joshua began after taking a sip of the prepared tea in front of him. "That is correct?"

Ram nodded as she sat across from them. "Yes, my sister and I can teach all that we know. We have been instructed to allow you all to stay here as guests when you are not working."

"That is suitable then. We will hopefully not impede your work here."

"Not at all, it is our job, after all."

Subaru was shaking his leg impatiently as he tried his best to not say anything. It was difficult for the boy who had become well known to those around him as being rash and loud.

I think if I have to do small talk for too long, I might explode..!

Thankfully for his impatience, Ram offered a suggestion: "Sister, would you be able to show Subaru around the grounds?"

Looking over at the blue-haired maid nearby, the girl seemed surprised by the suggestion, but quickly bowed.

"O-Of course, sister."

Subaru gulped and quickly downed the tea he had been given, before standing up and bowing suddenly to Ram.

"I'll… do my best!"

With that, he trudged very stiffly away to follow Rem out of the room. As he stood up, he had heard a snicker and a sly comment from Meili.

"…It's so unfitting for him!"

I chose this path, I gotta stick with it! He wanted to say aloud, trying to block memories from his mind of his cool Iron Fangs jacket he'd barely gotten to wear in another loop, before exiting the room.

The tour around the mansion helped to ease his mind a bit. Rem showed him the various wings and notable locations, such as the large extravagant bath, the well-stocked kitchen, and the dining hall.

It was a bit awkward for Subaru, being alone with a cute girl who probably would have excited him to no end in his previous life… But now he had to act composed and diligent, and in doing so, came across as a bit… off.

"Sir, are you feeling ill?" The maid's question came after she finally stopped, seemingly noticing how the boy would often walk very far apart from her and avoid looking in her direction.

"N-No, not at all!" He took a deep breath. "Just uh… You can call me Subaru, if ya' want."

Rem tilted her head slightly. "That would be improper, until you begin your work here."

Subaru sighed, trying his best to recall his time spent talking with Anastasia. Why wasn't it as awkward as this was for him? Was the strange, hidden malice he could feel from this girl throwing him off?

No, it's probably because someone like Ana feels so out of my league! He realized. It had never really occurred to him to feel anything weird around her, even though remembering how she'd comforted him made a slight blush appear on his face— This maid he knew nothing about was another story. Their positions were technically one in the same, weren't they?

After finishing their tour of the main building, Subaru decided to put more of a pep into his step, to try and act a bit more normal.

"This place is pretty damn grand. Your Master must like to throw a hell of a party," Subaru commented.

"Master Roswaal is an important figure for the Kingdom, and many important guests do enjoy gathering here," Rem stated, in a roundabout way of telling Subaru he was correct.

"Right… Ah, well, is it really just you and your sister taking care of things here? It's gotta be tough… I bet a place like this would usually need like, fifty maids to be this well off!"

Rem seemed to ignore his flattering words, much to his dismay, but as they came to the garden on the building's outskirts, he tried again, pointing to the expertly trimmed hedges that lined some areas of the space.

"Wow, you guys do all of this yourselves?" He got a closer look, acting like he was admiring the craftsmanship closely. "This probably takes forever to get down—"

Subaru tripped during his antics, landing face first in an empty patch of dirt. He quickly got up, spitting some up and wiping it off as best he could from his uniform.

"S-Sorry, nothing was planted there, was it?"

Rem blinked at him, then turned away before saying plainly, "Not yet, but fresh manure had been laid out earlier today."

For a moment, Subaru had to take that knowledge in, the scent of the 'dirt' finally registering to his nose. He watched Rem continue on, not sure if he even wanted to follow, his spirit crushed by his now-crappy attire.

"I will show you to the launderette," Rem said after finally noticing he was not following.

"P-Please and thank you…!" Subaru quickly caught up with the girl, who watched his antics with a slightly puzzled expression.

Subaru let out a sigh of relief. While his uniform was being washed, he had wandered off to the washroom to clean himself up a bit, changing into a black shirt and slacks in the meantime.

How useless am I? I already gave them extra work to do instead of putting in some work myself!

He stopped and looked around, realizing that he wasn't quite sure where he was. It would be easy to wander til he made it back to the main entryway, but perhaps getting more familiarized with the place wasn't a bad idea.

Thus, Subaru approached the nearest door, closing his eyes as he touched the handle.

This is… A guest bedroom!

He threw the door open confidently, finding it to be a small storage space. From what he remembered of the brief tour earlier, there were quite a few guest rooms, so it was a very unlikely chance that his guess could be so incredibly far off.

"Well, I guess today is one where I get all the bad luck," Subaru muttered to himself as he closed the door and moved along…

But then he suddenly went to the next door and flung it wide open, as if trying to surprise the mansion.

"—-That's what I'd say if I was a quitter!… Huh?"

Once again, there wasn't a guest bedroom behind this door. Instead, what looked like a large library of sorts with a black-and-white tiled flooring and olive-green walls lie before him. The room was two stories and wide enough to overlap with the others beside it, making it certainly seem impossible for it to exist.

Yet, somehow, the strange room wasn't the most interesting sight to behold. As he stepped inside, he gazed upon the strangely vibrant girl that sat just ahead of him.

"Someone terrible has found their way in, I suppose."

The girl looked very much like a living doll. She had long, blonde drill-shaped twintails and a flowing red and white dress. There were accents of pink across her person as well, on the ribbons in her hair, the ends of her drills, and parts of her outfit.

The way she looked jumped out at Subaru's memory, but he couldn't quite place it. An old children's story perhaps?

"Is that the way you greet everybody?" Subaru smiled as he did a slight bow, wondering if it would even have the same effect since he was currently in casual attire. "I expected something way cuter. I'm Natsuki Subaru, and you are..?"

The girl didn't seem very pleased with his words. She promptly closed the book that had been open on her lap, gazing intensely at Subaru.

"You are bold to step in here after what has happened, I suppose," the girl stated. The way she spoke, and the general air about her… Subaru got the impression that her looks were deceiving.

Is this… A ten-thousand year old loli?!

Of all the things in his strange Isekai journey thus far, this seemed to be one of the trademarks he might've expected on his first day. After what he'd been through thus far, it was a bit of a throwback, almost.

"Uh… I don't know what you mean. Is it because of the manure smell? I thought I'd managed to get it mostly out—"

Suddenly, the open doors behind Subaru slammed shut. He turned to look at them for a moment, and by the time he looked back, the girl was now standing right in front of him, glaring at him with her blue eyes that held a peculiar pink butterfly shape within them.

"Betty has to know if you might have been part of hurting Bubby," she stated, reaching a hand towards him. "This is the only way, I suppose."

Subaru chuckled nervously. "Eh? I don't even know who tha—"

A sudden jolt of pain resounded through Subaru, lasting only a few moments. By the time he could think about what had happened, he was lying on the ground, twitching slightly from the shock.

"Wha… What.. did you.. do..?"

The girl's eyes seemed to sadden as she looked down at him, before she turned away.

"So it was not your fault then… You have no ties to him, I suppose," she muttered. "I drained your mana, and that told Betty all she needed to know."

Barely able to move his body, Subaru propped himself up onto one arm, teeth gritting from the effort, his body feeling as though he'd run an entire marathon in a second. If this was what being out of mana felt like, then it was no wonder Julius had warned him about training his magic alone.

Since leaving Picoutatte, Subaru had done very minimal training after hearing how his Gate could possibly explode if he overdid it— After all, Julius had mentioned after they'd left the Capital that Subaru's Gate was as untrained and volatile as a child's.

However, it was this little bit of training and understanding of his Gate that allowed Subaru to at least stay conscious after the sudden assault on his mana.

"You did introduce yourself, I suppose…" The girl seemed to take a deep breath before facing him again. "I am called Beatrice. I am contracted to protect the Forbidden Library here."

"You…" It was tough for Subaru to speak. "Can't.. act normal.. after.. attacking.. someone.."

"Hmph… These are not 'normal' times," Beatrice said in her defense. "Betty feels like there is something happening… Like something must be done, I suppose."

Subaru groaned as he managed to get up to his knees, panting from the effort. He pushed on his will to slowly look up at the girl, who had returned to her seat, as if paying him no more mind.

"What the… hell are you… on about…"

"There is little time for this. Natsuki Subaru…" Beatrice opened her book again, gazing down at it with an empty look. "If the knowledge in this library cannot save us, then it is all lost, I suppose."

Subaru tried to stand, but instantly found himself collapsing, his body finally giving in to exhaustion. He muttered something barely audible to himself, hearing Beatrice's voice before he fully passed out.

"—where has that man gone at a time like this…?"

Awakening from the darkness of his dreams in an unfamiliar bed, Subaru sat up and looked around in a panic.

"You really can't be left alone, Dumbaru…"

He looked to his right, where Meili was sitting in a desk chair, rubbing at her eyes and yawning. That's when he noticed the lack of sunlight hitting the closed curtains nearby, and looked around the guest room he seemed to be in.

"How long have I been out…?"

"A few hours have passed," came another voice that made him jump a bit. "Beatrice informed us of your condition, and we were able to get you to a room."

Ram had seemingly just entered, bringing in Subaru's folded uniform and placing it atop a nearby dresser. He eyed her suspiciously the entire time.

"You've got some pretty good timing huh," he pointed out.

"She's been checking in on you every once in a while," Meili told him. Subaru looked at her in surprise, and she shrugged. "You like to wake up and cause trouble, so don't do it when it's not needed," the young girl berated him.

"I… It's not that easy—"

Meili reached out and poked his cheek. "Drop. It."

He searched her eyes for a moment, the girl not relenting. With a sigh, Subaru turned to Ram again and bowed his head to her.

"T-Thanks… I just have a lot going through my mind," he said bitterly.

Ram looked towards the door, seemingly thinking deeply about something. After a moment, she shook her head and turned to them again.

"Do you have ill feelings towards me?"

The direct question threw Subaru off a bit. "I… Uh… It's just…"

Of course I do! He clutched the bed covers tightly in his hands, frustrated that he couldn't tell them everything about the Capital.

"I… I just wanna know what happened that day," he finally said. "And why you were stalking around me."

Ram nodded in understanding. "I cannot disclose my Master's wishes, but… I can tell what had occurred, in some capacity."

The maid told what she could, about her trip with Emilia into the Capital. Then she told how Julius had approached her and the brief interrogation and then conversation about Emilia, before the Knight quickly left. Afterwards, Ram had gone to find the girl, only to instead discover Subaru in a battle against a strange creature.

"It was not in my place to interfere, so I did not."

"Yeah yeah… I survived at least," Subaru said, though from the corner of his eye he could see how Meili looked distraught from remembering that event.

"Afterwards, I had returned to the Mansion to report what had happened," Ram concluded. "Since then, I have remained here with my duties."

Subaru raised an eyebrow at that. "You're totally leaving out something big from that story.."

"I assure you, I do not know what you mean."

The fact that the girl hadn't mentioned the battle in the warehouse and Emilia's fate was suspicious. It proved, to Subaru at least, that they were hiding something about it all… But what? Didn't they want Emilia to become the next ruler?

Subaru opened his mouth to say something about it, but quickly stopped himself.

I can't expose what we know either, he thought. I'd totally be going against what Anastasia wanted if I blab out useful info!

"Please do not think ill of our Master," Ram said suddenly, bowing to him. "For what you believe I have done to you."

Subaru blinked at the girl, a bit surprised. "Your Master…?"

Of course, Roswaal L Mathers… The man's orders were why she had attacked him. It was easy to blame Ram for those painful moments, but there was clearly more going on than he would ever know.

Holding onto a grudge forever… That'll be a good look for sure, Subaru thought. Especially when Meili is right here! What kind of

A maid who tried to kill him before, another who seemed like she wanted to kill him now, and a strange girl that practically killed him today…

This is gonna be tough… I wish I could just yell and rush headfirst through this situation like I always do!

Their time in the Mathers Mansion wasn't going to be easy— And if he didn't get on the good side of those living here, there was no way for him to accomplish his goals.

Thus, Subaru reached out a hand towards Ram, offering a smile.

"Whatever happened is in the past… We should all just…start fresh," Subaru suggested. "That way I can give my work all I've got!"

Ram looked at his outstretched hand. "You seem to have some odd impressions of us already."

"Well… Since the last time we met, I've gotten smacked around a bit. So… I think I've just got a lot to work on." Subaru shook his head. "I'll… do my best, for Lady Anastasia, and for your Master's sake."

Maybe it was his imagination, but he might've seen the slightest hint of amusement in Ram's expression, before the girl gently took his hand.

"Then we shall look forward to it, sir—"

"That's Subaru. Screw the formal crap."

"Hm.. I will try to remember that."

With that, Subaru had made some slight amends to his past trauma— Even if it was mainly for the sake of Meili beside him, knowing how important it would be to guide her down the right path.

I've gotta set a good example! I'll become the best damned butler ever, just you guys wait—!

Subaru's bold thoughts were dashed immediately over the next couple of days, upon realizing just how terrible he was at cooking, cleaning, and most other household chores.

By the time the third day was over, his hands were a mess of bandages from cuts he'd suffered while slicing vegetables.

The Captain would never let me live this down, he thought bitterly, remembering how good the wolfkin was at cooking.

It was a treat to see a more normal side of the maids, however. After all, it seemed that Rem was the one who was good at most things, while Ram worked hard and struggled to keep up. It was oddly endearing, but if he made another comment about it, he wasn't sure he'd survive the next onslaught of disparaging words thrown his way.

Flexing his injured hands a bit, Subaru stopped suddenly, realizing he was at the door where the Forbidden Library was. He gulped, approaching it and placing his hand on the handle.

Just a peek…!

He slowly opened the door… And gawked at the sight inside.

It was a plain bedroom, similar to the one he had been given to use. Confused, Subaru closed the door and looked around. He was completely sure that this was the door he'd taken yesterday.

What the hell is up with this place…?

The mystery of Roswaal's manor only grew, as did Subaru's worry that they would be able to complete their goal of finding Emilia. After returning to his room, he sat at the desk and picked up the quill from the inkwell.

There was a piece of parchment with his scribbled attempts at learning to write this world's language. He moved the pen towards the bottom, writing his name in Japanese:

ナツキ スバル

He stared at the writing, feeling oddly homesick at knowing it meant nothing here. That was when a knock sounded out, before the door opened and footsteps approached.

"If you have time to doodle like that, then you should continue improving your lines," Ram commented as she peered over his shoulder, setting a candle nearby.

Subaru sighed and drew a line through his name.

"Yeah yeah, I got it, teach…"

To Be Continued

Next Chapter: Complacency and Sin

A/N: I hope it isn't boring to return to a somewhat normal era of the canon~ The plot will truck along in plenty of unexpected ways, so I hope you all continue to enjoy!~