Re: Avenger

by Just-Another-Marvel-DC-Geek

CONTINUATION IN CROSSOVER SECTION The arrival of a certain young hero shows the world of the Od Laguna just how small it truly is. Basically, Subaru is MCU Spidey and the Re:Zero cast meet Marvel Multiverse madness. Sounds fun, right? (First fic. Shamelessly posting in both regular and crossover sections for reach.)

45. Interlude 7

Interlude 7 – Cleanup

Dawn approached quickly in the horizon once more for Lugunica's Capital, although it did not feel like a good day was coming ahead from the perspective of most citizens.

Gathered in the limit of the Residential District, nearing the conjunction of most minor roads with the Main Street, a large mob of commoners of all occupations and lifestyles had gathered in an attempt to reclaim their belongings from possible looters and rioters.

"Hey, is this far enough?" A young knight inquired to his senior with doubt, as the pair established with difficulty a barrier between the Districts.

"Stop asking that! Just keep people away from the rubble!" The older knight responded with irritation whilst reinforcing the piles of sandbags and broken carriages they were using as a fence.

"Tough to do that when half the Capital is rubble-!" As the young knight retorted, a yell abruptly cut short the banter between the two.

"OI! When the hell do I get to go home, huh?! I've got business to attend to!" A lizard demi-human cried with outrage, a worried pair of his own children behind him looking at the knights with worry.

"My apologies sir, but the road ahead is still being clea-!"

"Don't get ahead of the line, I was here first!" A chestnut-haired middle-aged woman complained with anger as the lizard and his family cut her off in the crowd.

"Huh?! Who cares?!" Another demi-human, a younger man with dog-ears and such features, reproached the woman in defense of the lizardman. "Unlike you humans, we actually have to earn our bread here!"

"HEY! Don't talk to my wife like that, you freak!" And yet another disruptor, a dark blue-haired older man, exclaimed back at the demi-humans in the crowd for pointing to his wife.

"What do you mean 'you freak' huh?! Trynna start somethin', eh?!" The dog demi-human inquired with a infuriated expression.

"You know what it means, freak… What business would your kind have on the Market District anyways? Prolly' going there to loot our properties, aren'tcha?!" The old man responded with vitriol and disgust in his voice, as he produced a dagger from his pocket.

"Yeah!"

"Go away from the market, assholes!"

"Oi! Knights! Kick these guys out already!"

A good amount of the humans in the crowd cheered on for the old man as he insulted the demi-humans, spurring a confrontation between the two.

"Oh, you are fucking on, you despicable shithead!" The dog-man bared his teeth with spite as he too brandished a knife in preparation to leap at the old man, the demi-humans in the crowd behind him calling for blood after the insult to his kind.

"Kill that guy!"

"Kick his ass!"

"Yeah, fuck'em up!"

"A-a-ah, this is bad!" The junior knight mumbled in alarm as the crowd grew rowdy and violent, the barricade barely holding them back as words and insults flew around him. Soon the fighting would break out, and a handful of knights and soldiers wouldn't be enough to hold back thousands of people from killing each other. "S-Senpai, what do we do?!"

"Tsk! What can we do?!" The senior sweated with frustration as he analyzed the situation. "If we jump in, we'll get demolished. We could try an arrest, but the fighting would continue somewhere else!"

"Sh-Should we…?"

"…Aye, draw your sword." The senior nodded with reluctance. "I'm not particularly looking forward to this, but if push comes to shove, we'll have to take a few lives to calm the riots-"

*THWIP!*

*SNATCH!*

"HUH?!"

"WHAT-?!"

The dog-man and the old man both fell down as a strange mesh of white strings glued their feet to the ground. They then tried to stand up in a hurry, but they soon found out their armed hands were too stuck to the ground by webs of unknown origin.

*Thud!*

"I can understand getting frustrated with your neighbor, especially when they yammer about as rudely as oldie here…" Spider-Man said to the dog-man as he landed between him and the old man. "But the knives are a bit too much, don't you think? Did your mom never warn you about poking an eye out running around with those?"

"That's scissors you are talking about, not knives…" The old man responded incredulously.

"My bad then, they are both rather pointy. But the point still stands-!" Spider-Man joked without much care as the pair of men both grew infuriated.

"Oi, freak! Let me go already!" The dog-man demanded with anger in his voice.

"*GASPS!* Hey! Now YOU are calling others 'freaks' here! That's not nice at all!" Spidey shot back with condescension as he aimed at the dog-man's snout. "Time out for you!"

*THWIP!*

"HMMNGH-!" The dog-man moaned unintelligibly as the web closed his mouth shut, his irritation turning to confusion quickly.

"Heh! About damn time the fuckin' demi shut u-"

*SLAP!*

"-YOWZA!" As he relished in the disgrace of the dog-man, a slap to the back of the head caught the old man by surprise. "What the hell was that for?! Oi!"

"Apologize." Spidey demanded with monotony.

"Apology?! For wh-!"

*SLAP!*

"-OW?!" Another slapping sound reverberated throughout the crowd as the old man squirmed embarrassingly.

"You know why; A-PO-LO-GI-ZE." Spider-Man ordered again whilst pointing at the dog-man.

"A-As if I had to apologize for anyth-!"

"Next I'll give you a wedgie, I swear to Odin…" Spider-Man chuckled as he raised his hands ominously, his fingers wiggling around like tentacles, terrifying the old man.

"A-A-A-ALRIGHT, I-I-I-I-I GET IT, I'M SORRY!" The old man cried with terror as he imagined with dread what a 'wedgie' even was. "JU-JUST DON'T TOUCH ME!"

"Hmm… Somehow, that answer still doesn't satisfy me… But I'll let it pass for now." Spider-Man commented as he grabbed the knives out of the two men's hands, proceeding then to release them both from the webbing with them.

*RIP!*

"Gagh!" The dog-man suspired with relief when he was able to breathe properly again, relishing in the air with delight.

"A-are you good, bud?" The lizard man wondered with vexation for his canine friend.

"Kuh… How humiliating!" The old man complained with a red face as he quickly stood up, the pair of demi-humans in front looked right back at him with frustration.

"Dear…" His wife tried consoling him, but to no use.

"Okay, okay… Do you two, or anyone else here for that matter, STILL rear for a fight? You wanna be the next ones on the ground, covered in sticky white web, begging for mercy? Is that it?!"

"Huh…"

"…"

"Ew…"

"Pervert…"

"Crud- that came out horribly wrong-! Strange's weirdness is rubbing off on me-!" Spider-Man face-palmed as he realized the dubiousness of what he just said. "POINT IS, stop fighting and let us do the cleanup properly, okay?! The knights and the soldiers all have their hands full already dealing with collapses and exploding androids; last thing they need is a riot! You can go back to your homes WHEN it is determined that it is safe enough to go back home! Until then, stick to the encampments and follow the instructions given by the soldiers, there is plenty of supplies for everyone there, free of charge! Now, back to YOU two jobbers!"

"Huh?"

"Er-?"

The old man and the dog-man, taken aback by the whole situation, stared back at Spidey with fear whilst he reproached them; and they were right to fear him, because-!

*THWIP!*

"BWHA-?!"

"OH COME ON-!"

In a moment, shorter than a blink, the two men were stuck together by the arms; an intricate web enveloped their torsos whole, limiting their movements severely as they became an amalgam of a creature.

"Gagh- What in the blazes-?! Hey gimp! Get this guy off me-!" The dog-man cried with bafflement.

"That's my line, dickhead! G-Gimp, unstuck us right now! This guy smells like wet dog!" The old man demanded whilst covering his nose.

"Would you stop calling me gimp?! The name's Spider-Man, an Avenger!"

"?!" Everyone in the crowd froze in shock as the hero namedropped his title.

"S-Spider…"

"The-The guy…?"

"The guy that crashed the Selection…?"

"Killed the Whale and Sloth-?!"

"DEFEATED THE HEAD IN THE SKY?!"

"THAT SPIDER-MAN?!"

"Listen guys, that's your 'get along' shirt, I lowered the density of the webbing so it dissolves in an hour or so. Use that time to cool off and talk things through, okay?" Spidey recommended with a smug tone as the two men stared in humiliation back at him. "Who knows? Maybe you'll find out that you have a LOT more in common than you think, apart from being far too prone to stabbing other people, hehe! On the topic of that, I'm keeping the knives, by the way."

"E-Er, huh…" The old man calmed down as he recognized the authority of Subaru's word, not willing to discuss with the man that beat the monster that bested the Sword Saint.

"Hmngh…" Likewise, the dog-man's animosity dissipated into thin air as he shook in his boots from facing the Avenger again.

"I'll come back around here when the web dissolves; if I found out you all are getting bratty again… I'll give the BOTH of you wedgies!"

"EEP!" The two men cowered pitifully when Spidey spoke his final threat, and then-

*THWIP!*

Before anyone could question what had even occurred, Spider-Man disappeared in a flash from amidst the crowd. The encounter had been as ridiculous as it was tense, but it had served its purpose nonetheless… The mob had calmed down, and a riot was averted.

"…What's a wedgie?" The junior knight asked as the hero swung away into the light of dawn.

"Dunno…" The senior responded tiredly.

In the past day since the end of the battle, situations like this had become common occurrence outside of the refuges, so Subaru, Garfiel, Julius and others had taken it upon themselves to address the budding riots once Search and Rescue operations had ceased.

"ORA!" Garfiel exclaimed as he punched a rioter in the face.

*SMACK!*

"DERFGH-!" A bear demi-human man fainted from the shock of Tinsel's fist. He had attempted to instigate mass looting by killing the knights and soldiers roaming around the backstreets of the Market District, but he made the mistake of confusing Garfiel of all people for a mercenary AND an average human.

"How ya like dem appas, huh?! Dickhead!" Garfiel laughed derisively as he lifted the two-meter tall man over his shoulder. "Alright-o! Dat makes… What? Sixth now? Man, guys really lack sum' balls if dey think a catastrophe's a good excuse fer robbery… Welp, least m'amazin' self gets ta practice a few swings at 'em! So all's well!"

*SWIFT!*

"Garfiel, was it?" Reinhard asked as he spontaneously manifested above the stalls Garfiel was patrolling. "Good job in apprehending that rioter; I saw everything from above."

"An' look who it is… Da Sword Saint himself!" Garfiel responded with a grin as he threw the unconscious robber to the curb. "I've been waitin' fer dis, just da two of us alone! How 'bout a spar, huh?!"

"I'd advise you against it? We are still not done with the-" Reinhard tried to recommend as he worried over the man on the ground but then.

*FWOOSH!*

*CATCH!*

"-cleanup… If you wish for a mock battle, we could always do so after dealing with the current predicament. I am quite sure there is much you can improve in your technique if you came to practice with us knights at the arena. Provided with Emilia-sama's permit, of course; I wouldn't really wish for a repeat of Julius and Subaru's scandal." Reinhard continued speaking politely, undeterred by the supersonic kick he just caught in midair.

"…Yeah, figures ya'd catch dat." Garfiel's grin diminished slightly as Reinhard ignored his strength, dismissing the swordsman's proposal as his gaze shifted around the collapsing buildings around them. "After all dat movin' 'round da city, ya still didn't get tired at all, huh? Gotta hand it ta da Sword Saint, dat's fer sure…"

"Were you… Expecting me to be weakened?" Reinhard inquired with worry, sensing something underneath Garfiel's preoccupation over him.

"Nah; as the sayin' goes, nothin' escapes Reinhard, so ya gettin' tired is completely out of da window. Me'amazin' self was just gaugin' how much trainin' I need ta give ya sum' trouble, is all… " Garfiel dismissed whilst picking the bear-man again, a melancholic gleam in his eyes as he reflected on the battle properly. "But I ain't gonna improve from mere workout alone, if even da other knights struggled with da big guys…"

He had lacked the power to take down even one Hulkbuster; the likes of Roswaal struggled with containing them too due to their sheer resilience, as though magic simply bounced off their armor.

The only one in the last stretch of the fight with a record of having slayed dozens of them singlehanded was, as expected, Reinhard himself; in contrast, Garfiel's own fists, his prideful claws thought of as textbook examples of strength by the members of the Emilia Camp... shattered after the first punch.

Realizing this, the only answer Garfiel saw for moving forward from his perceived defeat was to understand his weakness and address it. And what best way than measuring the distance between himself and the Sword Saint?

"If you have captured a criminal, I suggest reporting it right away to the knight's barracks. I can accompany you if you don't know the location." Reinhard advised again, shaking Garfiel out of his pensive mood.

"Hunh? Nah, I know where dey are already; dis ain't ma first catch." The blonde denied the help with a grin. "Barracks dungeon was almost full though… Don't ya have 'nother prison where ta chuck da dipshit at?"

"Unfortunately, the Prison Tower near the Castle collapsed during the battle…" Reinhard lamented as he remembered Ultron throwing him through the tower, turning it into a pile of rubble.

"Ah, what dat bitch Elsa escaped from huh? A bit weird though… Ya all still had prisoners in da tower, even durin' da fight?"

"…We released the minor offenders, such as petty robbers and pickpockets. They were with the rest of the civilians when the Capital was evacuated before the battle… Even if we did arrest the majority again for looting afterwards." Reinhard affirmed with difficulty, his face visibly upset. "Thieves of expertise, spies, assassins, murderers and rapists were all still within the tower when it collapsed however…"

"So no one of worth was lost then, gotcha. Phew! Dat's a relief; though me'self woulda liked if dat bitch had perished alongside dem… Ya don't get ta threaten ma Sis an' escape unscathed. Tougher dan a cockroach, dat's a truth." Garfiel complained as Reinhard cringed with lament; it was now especially difficult for the Sword Saint, realizing that he had stood to protect Elsa even after she had attempted to kill the boy's sister. "Then? Whatcha doin here? Did dat tall grass-head told ya ta come lookin' here for me great self?"

"Grass-head…? Oh, you mean Sir Marcos! In fact, yes, I am currently rounding up all leftover armors from the battle, whilst advising all soldiers around to finish the Search and Rescue operation definitively; all injured and combatants have been accounted for already by Sir Marcos and Crusch-sama." Reinhard affirmed as he collected the broken pieces of a legionnaire's arm strewn about by the street. "Moreover, it'd be difficult for Karen-dono to recall all armors still intact if everyone around them panicked at the sight of them moving about once more."

"Huh? Whatcha mean by dat?" Garfiel asked in confusion.

*Crash!*

"WOAH-?!" A legionnaire missing an arm suddenly burst forth from a pile of broken wooden stalls and stone pillars, alarming the blonde boy. "Shit, are we still-?!"

"Calm down, please." Reinhard advised as he grabbed Garfiel's shoulder, calming him down. "This is what I was telling you about; the armors are soon to leave the Capital, back to Ultron's base so that Karen-dono can deactivate them…"

"Erh… Don't really get dat though…" Garfiel's vexation however wasn't so easily quelled. "All me'self really knows is that I shoudn't be worried? Dat it?"

"Yes; look for yourself." Reinhard explained as he calmly approached the android. As he stepped close, he handed over the pieces of its arm so it could carry them away from the scene. "Karen-dono? Do you hear me? Another Legionnaire with remains coming your way."

"…Yes, I can hear you." The legionnaire responded with Karen's voice. "Get to the next point, two blocks from here; there's more remains to be found there."

"Understood." Reinhard nodded solemnly, and soon, the legionnaire took off into the air, leaving both the Sword Saint and Garfiel behind.

"Dis what ya been doin' da whole time? Sending off those things one by one?"

"I figured it was better for them to leave one by one sneakily than trying to explain to the populace why a hundred are suddenly flying over the Capital. Now, if you'll excuse me, Garfiel…" Reinhard smiled before walking away again, ready to take to the next set of armors.

"He~…" Garfiel mumbled with intrigue as he carted off back to the Main Street with his prisoner. "…Cap'n's World just sounds more complicated by da second, lookin' at dis… Might as well ask 'im for a story time next I see 'im!"

By noon of that very day, Reinhard and Karen had finally finished their operation of collecting all dangerous material left by Ultron's army, and after a diligent overview by Marcos, Crusch and Anastasia's forces around the Capital, the general clean-up and rescue operations concluded. As these procedures came to a stop, all Camps and their relevant members rendezvoused back at Crusch's Estate, the 'Nobility Encampent', to discuss Strange's gift and the next course of actions in the following days…

"A Quinjet, huh?!" Subaru spoke with awe as he and Julius arrived on the scene, the black-haired boy rushing through the rubble and between luxury tents and carriages towards the jet-black vehicle parked on the garden. "Figures an apology gift from that guy had to be overblown, just about everything he does is!"

"Look who's talking. Nevertheless, a vehicle of some kind, huh? It has wheels underneath it, but the shape is rather odd; in comparison to a carriage's, they are too small for a long journey." Julius pointed out with curiosity as well, but unlike the Avenger, doing well enough in hiding it under a veneer of seriousness.

"It's because it's meant for flying, not driving!"

"You have to drive it to fly it however…"

"You know what I mean!"

"That explains the bird-like appearance and folded wings. Then? Do you know how to pilot this?"

"Uh… Not… really? I mean, it's a military vehicle, a-a-and as you know, I was rookie material on the team back on Earth, s-so…"

"You don't know, got it." Julius nodded, dismissing anything else Subaru wanted to say before approaching the Quinjet.

"Oi! I wasn't done excusing myself- Err, hey! Listen to me Juli!" Subaru rushed behind him.

"Hmm… I cannot determine a clear entry." Julius indicated with intrigue whilst walking in a circle around the jet. "One could think of the frontal windows… However, they stand at too awkward an angle. If it's a military craft, then much like a combat carriage, it should possess an ample exit for deploying soldiers quickly. Then… The back is a hatch of some sort? It's the flatter surface aside of the wings, but I can't determine an opening mechanism though."

"Indeed impressive. Wager that, out of everyone, you'd be observant enough to notice that detail without prior explanation Julius." Karen praised as she exited the red tent where the Candidates were reunited in.

"Your praise honors me, Karen-dono." Julius bowed respectfully before turning back to look at the access hatch.

"Oi Karen! Can you access this thing?! I wanna see the insides already!" Subaru demanded clumsily, far too excited for his own good.

"You can really act like a childish brat when you get the chance, huh?" Karen shook her head with disappointment.

"Every man has a boyish heart, you know this!"

"Put a halt to your fervor Subaru, the last thing we want is you activating the defensive systems on accident."

"Pfft! I'm not THAT clumsy! I wouldn't make it explode or anything!" Subaru laughed off the idea he could harm the vehicle at all.

"…" Both Julius and Karen looked back at the Avenger with deadpanned faces, not believing a word coming out of his careless mouth.

"…Not on purpose, okay? Stop staring at me like that!" The hero cried pettily.

"You two are being far too mean on Betty's Subaru, in fact." Beatrice appeared from inside the tent as well, from behind Karen, arguing in favor of her contractor. "He's rightfully earned the privilege of acting on a whim when faced with the awing, I suppose. Otherwise, what was the purpose of saving the World, I wonder?"

"You are spoiling him rotten, Beatrice. Subaru needs a little harshness and restrain here and there to level his excitable nature." Karen debated however, professing an understanding of the Avenger's behavioral patterns. "Just because you have a bag of candy doesn't mean you should eat them all at once."

"You do realize I'm here, right?! Why are you BOTH treating me like a little kid?!" Subaru protested aloud.

"Shush you!" Beatrice and Karen both shushed the boy simultaneously.

"Uwaaa… That's so cruel of you…"

"Hmph; it almost looks like a pair of sisters scolding the middle brother." Julius chuckled with amusement, pitying Subaru's position.

"Last thing I needed was YOU coming to pester me like that…" The knight and the Avenger bantered parallel to the Spirit and the Synthezoid. "What's the big idea anyways? Even if you aren't letting me pilot it right away, I can still AT LEAST peek inside, right?"

"…If it's just the insides, with you away from the weapons' system." Karen concluded with reluctance, as she approached the hatch slowly, placing a hand on the jet.

"What is she doing now, I wonder?" Beatrice questioned now with visible curiosity.

"Must be communicating with the ship's in-built A.I.; it's less advanced than Karen's, so she'll overwrite it in no time, like with Ultron's bots." Subaru explained to Julius and Beatrice with brevity. Unfortunately, even if the Great Spirit got the gist of it, the 'Knight of Knights' was at a complete loss.

"That sounds ever so worrying… Was the comparison not made of Karen-dono and other such A.I. resembling Spirits?" Julius asked with dread the vexed pair of Subaru and Beatrice. "That'd be like saying that Karen-dono is devouring minor Spirits…"

"Ah, it ain't so barbaric Juli." Subaru replied with a worried tone in his voice, wondering if he had made a mistake in explaining himself. "Ehrr… Simply put, just because A.I. 'kinda' resemble Spirits, they are not 'Completely' like Spirits. There are A.I. like Karen, sure. A.I. that are so advanced in every front that you'd have to call them people; because at the end of the day, they can reason and possess their own ideas and all. Then, there are A.I. that are more, uh- 'basic' in nature… That follow only concrete commands or- or are programmed to not develop past a certain point, you know?"

"I still don't quite comprehend it all… I'll have to delve deeper into it with Karen-dono herself, being that the A.I. should understand this 'difference' you speak of better." Julius brought a hand to his chin as he pondered on Subaru's explanation for a brief moment.

"Be my guest then; she'd probably tear your ear off explaining it to you for hours until you get it."

"I'd appreciate that over your own redundant explanations."

"…Really prick? You HAD to turn it into mockery?"

"It's done." Karen stated with monotony as she disrupted the two's foolery. "Open: Cargo Bay Hatch."

*FSHHH-!*

"Oh… This is exciting!" Subaru's mood shifted sporadically as the door to the Quinjet burst open.

"I'll admit that much as true; a military vessel from beyond the stars… it's impressive, to put it mildly." Julius mumbled whilst raising his eyebrows with interest; maybe what Subaru said about boyish hearts was true after all.

*Klang!*

The hatch opened completely, deploying a staircase welcoming the group inside. Subaru, of course, was the first to enter, followed close behind by Beatrice and Julius, and lastly Karen.

"Whew! Sure is spacious in here! More than I thought anyways…" Subaru commented with hands immediately rubbing on the inner walls.

"Stop touching everything, you child; did you not hear Karen-dono tell you not to do anything hasty?" Julius reproached with exasperation.

"I am not touching ANYTHING that could pose a problem, mom! It is just the inner wall's paneling! If I really wanted to cause a show, I would have rushed directly for the main panel at the front, or the driver's seat! Or- or that box over there!" Subaru justified himself with an irritated expression, staring daggers at the sighing noble knight. "…A box? A big, black box?"

"That's… Interesting?" Karen mouthed with surprise as she approached Subaru and Beatrice's side.

"What is it, I wonder? Why are you two looking at the black box with such interest?" Beatrice inquired with impatience, feeling out of the loop.

"It says 'Stark Industries' on top… A-And I think I've seen these before, in documentaries about the company and the Avengers…" Subaru explained with awe as he realized the potential of the machine.

"It was used for constructing their equipment and other such gadgets in short notice…" The Synthezoid spoke with increased cheer as she evaluated the utility of the machine. "It's a Stark Industries Fabricator! You can use it to analyze, design and construct any utility tool you might need in minutes! Provided, of course, proper maintenance and processed material available."

"Hey! I thought we watched the same documentaries?! How'd you know all that and I didn't?!" Subaru asked with clear impression, taken aback by his partner's knowledge.

"Your first suit was made in one Subaru! I WAS MADE IN ONE! How do you think Tony prepared you for Germany in such a short notice?!"

"Te-Technically speaking, I made my first suit myse-"

"It was a sweater and a pair of painted boots."

"Don't forget the ski-mask- ugh- actually, forget about it!"

"Hmph… So you can use this little thing to make such complicated crafts from scratch, in fact." Beatrice noted with awe, looking at the Fabricator intensely.

"Considering that the box alone is bigger than you…" Karen made fun of Beatrice with an offhanded comment, making the Great Spirit glance her way with an attitude.

"Gadgets in short notice? Mayhap it will see some use in revising my equipment. A lack of pockets for medicine and first aid was made clear in the design of the knights' uniforms after the battle; a flaw that could be corrected with equipment that made a suit as advanced as Subaru's." Julius seemed more than delighted with the explanation of the fabricator, already envisioning its use for the improvement of the Kingdom.

"More than that! We could make your cape fireproof! Imagine that, walking through a building up in flames without a scratch!" Subaru interjected with his own impressions and ideas.

"Hmm, a fine implementation to add, but we can go further. How about a utility belt?"

"Ooh! Like Batman! If so, adding the capability for gliding to your cape could also be-!"

"I see you two can be more alike than I thought. Just a minute ago you were knocking each other out with mockery, yet you are already bouncing off ideas from one another like colleagues..." Karen commented with surprise, catching Subaru and Julius off-guard.

"Huh?! What are you talking about?!" Subaru protested first with clear insult. "Me?! Fitting in with THIS chump?! Psh! As if!"

"Please don't confuse your thoughts so, Karen-dono." Julius flipped his hair elegantly before speaking his piece, all whilst looking down on the sneering Subaru. "While it may be true we had a shared opinion on the usefulness of the… 'Fabricator', there is little the likes of Subaru and I have in common. For one, my manners are significantly better."

"And for two, I'm not a smug little dipsh-!" The hero wanted to insult the knight as he turned away from his side, looking around the ship for a distraction away from Julius' gaze. "Huh… Now THAT clearly doesn't belong in here…"

"Hmm? What is it?" Julius inquired with confusion; he expected another back and forth with Subaru to occur, but the sudden shift in the mood of the Avenger shook him off from the discussion.

"THAT is it…" Subaru pointed to the opposite side of the Fabricator. Standing parallel to the machine within the Quinjet, a most odd sight was reflected on the eyes of those present: it was the other Universe's Mjolnir, resting atop an old and musty wooden crate.

"This weapon-?! Was that not the one shown in the Throne Room by Strange?!" Julius rapidly stated in shock, taken aback by the Uru hammer's presence.

"It's the Mjolnir from Ultron's Universe… Thor didn't take it with himself?" The Synthezoid assumed with interest whilst approaching the weapon. "Hmm… Hup!"

*FWISH!*

"You-?! You lifted the Mjolnir?! Karen!" Subaru fell on his butt, bursting with amazement at the feat. "Holy shit! You LIFTED the Mjolnir!"

"Is that really such an achievement, Subaru?" Beatrice asked indifferently, not really impressed in the least.

"The Mjolnir is Thor's weapon, the Thunder God's weapon!" Subaru mumbled rapidly, clearly giddy at the notion. "Legend says that only those worthy of his power can lift it! K-Karen, you feel any different?!"

"…Not really? On the contrary, it feels like a hunk of metal, more than anything." Karen stated as she laid the hammer down in the Quinjet's floor.

"Huh?" Subaru frowned with vexation, rather weirded out by her assessment. "That's not right… You sure you cannot fire lightning, or- and, er, can you- can you fly?"

"I can already fly Subaru; I don't need a magical hammer for that." Karen admitted, unimpressed by the situation. "In my opinion, the hammer perceived me as an inanimate object at best; thus, it doesn't sense my intention of using it… For certain, I know I simply wish to move it aside; it's blocking the way as it is."

"WhaaaaT? It doesn't lend you any power?" Subaru deduced with disillusion. "Damn. And here I thought I was about to have my own mechanical Valkyrie."

"You little fool; I'm not about to parade around in Asgardian cosplay." Karen shook her head with disappointment.

"…Is it 'depowered' then? Could anyone lift such a mythic weapon?" Julius wondered as he walked towards the hammer; he slowly grasped the hilt and soon pulled with the intention of lifting it, but as expected… "HMNGH-?!"

"Nope, seems like the divine kick is still all there." Subaru concluded as Julius tried and failed to lift the hammer, standing back up with a smug grin plastered on his face.

"HAH-!" Julius sighed with disappointment over himself as he let go of the hammer, feeling defeated by a mere immobile object. "By the Od! This hammer is just… You can feel the raw power emanating from its touch alone, yet trying to move it an inch felt monumental, impossible!"

"Figures you couldn't lift it Juli; that thing is pretty much the Asgardian proof of royalty." Subaru laughed at Julius's expense as he described the lore of the item. "There's no way some 'random' like you could wield it!"

"Proof of Royalty? Like the Dragon's Insignias?" The knight noted in astonishment.

"You know, I hadn't THOUGHT about it like that!" The hero pointed out with interest. "Maybe one of the Candidates could lift it…? Imagine! Emilia-tan wielding the thunder, how cool does THAT sound?!"

"Are you just lusting for a Valkyrie?! I thought you more decent than that!" Karen reproached like a mother the boy's hasty comments. "No wait, of course you would; you are still a hormonal teenager in the end…"

"I'm not saying it with bad intentions, geez! I just think… Come on now… It'd be neat if SOMEONE could lift it…" Subaru uttered awkwardly, sulking a bit. "It ain't my fault the only ones I considered were the girls I know! It's all Julius's fault for suggesting the comparison to the Insignias!"

"Oh yes, just blame me for your lecherousness." Julius suspired with irritation.

"Lecherous-?! Are you kidding?! I'm a good boy! I- I have NO such intentions with anyone! I SWEAR! Pinky promise!" Subaru claimed with embarrassment as both Karen and Julius stared back at him with disappointment.

"…Don't believe you." Julius turned away from him whilst shaking his head. "Just another trait of you I ought to beat out with some diligent training. You won't be thinking impure thoughts of Emilia-sama, or anyone for that matter, once I have thoroughly pushed decency into your head."

"Oh come on! As if you were an ascetic monk yourself you prude!"

"…For the record, Betty believes her Subaru's intentions were pure." Beatrice consoled the poor guy with a loving voice and a cherubic smile.

"Uuu… Beako…" Subaru cried pitifully.

"Even if he does lust for the half-elf girlie, he shall have Betty's full support in fact."

"That's not helping! Is it 'bully Subaru day' today?! Where's Otto when you need a shield?!"

"Well, why don't YOU try lifting it Subaru?" Julius recommended, following along with the teasing mood.

"Huh? Oh… Nah, I'm good, I'm fine." Subaru quickly dismissed the proposal, the very idea of him moving Mjolnir.

"What? With the praise you just gave the weapon, I thought…" Julius looked dumbfounded by the rapid denial from the Avenger, feeling as though the cheer from before had dissipated into thin air as Subaru's mood dulled. "I thought you'd be beside yourself wanting to lift it…"

"Subaru, you lifted Mjolnir when we fought Ultron in his Universe; surely that means you are wo-" Karen tried explaining to the teen, but he refused the attempt still.

"Nope; not happening. I know I'm not worthy." Subaru shook his head again, not considering the rebuttal whilst keeping away from the weapon. "Back then, I was possessed by a gajillion souls through the Enigma force; by that logic, at least ONE should have allowed me to wield the Mjolnir. It wasn't me who lifted the hammer; that was all Captain Universe's power in action, so drop the implication."

"Subaru…" Karen mumbled with concern the name of her partner, worried that there was still much to work when it came to his self-esteem. For what would have been something to look forward to previously in life, the chance of to prove the worthiness of a hero, he was now in adamant denial of deserving the chance at all...

"Look what a mess you've made knight; Betty's Subaru is all gloomy again!" Beatrice reproached Julius for his recommendation. "You should be thankful Betty finds your presence tolerable enough, or else, she'd have thrown you out of the vehicle this instant!"

"M-My apologies, Beatrice-sama… I did not think this would be a matter Subaru would be so staunchly defensive about." Julius apologized to the pouting Great Spirit for the dampened mood of her Contractor. As he looked around for a way to deviate the conversation, much like Subaru had done so before, Julius honed on the crate that came with Mjolnir. "Subaru? I think there might be more to investigate here after all… Look."

"Hmm? The crate, huh?" Subaru acknowledged Julius' signaling, the pair crouching down low inside the Quinjet to examine the old wooden crate. A closer inspection revealed it to be covered in moss and dust, like a coffer or treasure come from a land of antiquity. "Now what did our favorite wizard pack for bento? Hopefully something we can actually use, unlike Mjolnir… Oh?"

"This writing… I can't read it." Julius admitted as he inspected a rustic-looking letter attached to the front of the crate. "Is it writing from your world, from Earth?"

"Egh… Doctor's handwriting…" Subaru spoke with annoyance as he squinted his eyes, trying to decipher Strange's messy letter. "'A medical supply for… Ram? Should cover mana deficiency for- for-' I don't know WHAT the hell he wrote there, but I think that's an 'm' for 'Months' maybe? It is something meant for Ram then. Didn't really seem like she was sick or anything though-"

"So that filthy Sorcerer took into consideration Ram's condition when he snatched Roswaal-sama? Perhaps he was much more thoughtful than he seemed." The pink oni spoke aloud with a haughty voice from the entrance to the Quinjet.

"Hey Nee-sama! I've got something for you here-!" Subaru pointed to the crate as he lifted it.

"Give that here; it was already made clear it was meant for Ram, not you." The maid demanded as she snatched the box from Subaru's hands.

"Aw, don't be like that! I'm still not done reading your prescription! For all we know, that box could contain a gremlin or something, and you'd be none the wiser by ignoring me!"

"…I don't know what a 'gremlin' is, but if even the being called 'Barusu' fears it, then there might be some truth to the warning." Ram wondered with caution as she held the crate's handles tightly.

"What do you mean with the 'being called Barusu'?! My name isn't a curse, we've been over this!" Subaru protested with tears bordering his eyes.

"…Heh!" Ram chuckled derisively as Subaru stared with disillusion. "Just cease the pitiful wails and read the letter already; Ram has not the time to grace your ramblings."

"Man… and my attitude is supposed to be rotten? You ought to be the least charitable maid around." Subaru shook his head as he continued deciphering Strange's messy writing, careful to not misread his sentence. "'It's a- uh- oh, a batch of Asgardian Elixirs of Recovery… For mana retention, helps regulate its flow within a person and bo-balance it out… Also improves the no-natural healing factor'? Not really clear on that last one, but I guess it's like a light healing magic then. Huh… Does it have to do with that broken horn of yours?"

"Took you that long to figure it out?" Ram mocked the boy with indifference. "Without Roswaal-sama around, attending the need of Ram's unique flaw would become difficult… That Sorcerer really did think of everything, didn't he?"

"Wouldn't wanna ask how he knew about it though…" Subaru implied as he recalled Strange's knowledge of people usually meant he spied them through the mirror dimension.

"So he's a voyeur like yourself?" Ram inquired with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm NOT a pervert! How is that so hard for all of you to understand?!"

"A pervert would dress like a gimp and hump walls though." Ram continued cruelly, destroying the Avenger's heart in the process.

"*GASPS!* I don't hump walls, I climb them! And it's not a gimp's-! You know what?! I'm done! Clearly you all lack CREATIVITY if your first insult at seeing my suit is 'Gimp'! Maybe YOU are the perverts here! Hmph!" Subaru huffed with petty fury, looking away from the crowd, his face so red it rivalled a tomato.

"Look at that, now YOU made him mad, maid." Beatrice complained to Ram with an annoyed glare.

"My apologies Beatrice-sama, but it is not Ram's fault that Barusu cannot take the teasing." Ram bowed respectfully to the Yin Spirit before continuing her words. "But disregarding Barusu's infantile mannerisms, Emilia-sama and the other Candidates have sent for Ram to fetch him and that Juukulius knight, right away."

"Anastasia-sama too?" Julius wondered as he and Subaru looked at each other. "Did you do something else, Subaru?"

"Oh, that's rich! Why are you assuming I did something?!" Subaru looked miffed as Julius implied it was his fault they were suddenly summoned. "Could perfectly be something YOU overlooked, and they just want me to be there to laugh along at you!"

"You are the one adding a negative connotation to it; I wished to say they may be planning on rewarding you for your assistance. However, looking at it in hindsight, maybe they really DO wish to scold you for something… Hmph, as expected." Julius was rather annoyed by Subaru's attitude, so he too responded with apprehension as he assumed a defensive tone and flipped his hair elegantly.

"Enough of the two-fool acts and get to the meeting already! Emilia-sama doesn't have all day!" Ram demanded as the knight and hero both flinched on the spot with embarrassment.

Reluctantly, the pair walked side by side to the tent where the reunion was occurring, and upon entering, they were quickly made aware of the situation for their summoning.

"You are ALL leaving already?!" Subaru mumbled with shock as all five girls stared back at him.

"What were ya expectin', all of us stickin' like this forever in the Capital? Even with the status of political allegiance, I can barely STAND the thought of hangin' around the clock with miss 'Divinity' over here…" Anastasia affirmed whilst scratching her fox scarf gently for comfort.

"Likewise, mineself tires of looking at these vixens every so often; we could do most positively with a throne and sight that ACTUALLY accommodates to mine tastes, like those back in the Baronial territories." Priscilla admitted as well, dreading another second around the other Candidates.

"I-I-It's just- It's just… I thought you'd stick around longer, what with needing to fix the Capital and all." Subaru eyed the table, realizing at last that the tension in the room was quite tangible, despite the 'technical' peace the Alliance achieved. "I understood that Emilia-tan would have to leave early, she still has to calm the Lords in the North, but everyone leaving on the same night?"

"You have to understand Subaru; whilst we, and all present in the Capital for that matter, bore witness to a Calamity comparable to the Witch herself, the rest of the nation has absolutely no idea what just occurred." Crusch explained with a pensive voice, considering her position with carefulness. "My father, as well as the subjects within my duchy, must all be sending letters to the Capital in desperation at this very moment, wondering what the status of the central government is after the threats of Ultron."

"Yeah… I guess that is right… It'd make sense everyone would be losing their minds, even outside the city." He assimilated the Duchess's words quietly.

"Hmph, that Marcos isn't taking too kindly to the mercenaries of Vollachian origin amongst mine ranks; he's asking for their return to the border immediately." Priscilla rolled her eyes with boredom as she described the Knights Captain's discontent with her disregard of border policies. "Whilst not explicitly critical of the help they were in battle… He cannot keep their presence hidden for much longer from the eyes of Bordeaux and the Council."

"In Marco Polo's defense, what you did WAS kind of grievously illegal Priscilla; you really risking a border conflict acting that carefree-" Subaru tried to argue, just to receive a glare from the Matriarch.

"So is vigilantism, and mineself sees not one of us trying to arrest you for delving in such practices on a gimp's outfit." Priscilla argued with a stern attitude, earning Subaru's most displeased glare after being nicknamed 'gimp' yet again.

"Regardless of you two's opinions, the fact remains we were all affected severely by the attack. My own forces dwindled harshly post battle… Earning men of trust isn't an easy task, and training an army after losing so many effectives will prove difficult." Crusch explained severely, stressed by the thought of conducting a mass draft.

"Although harsh, we cannot keep supplies for the Capital comin' for much longer. The encampments made ta contain the general population will last one more week at most, after that, the civilians will be on their own." Anastasia concluded with finality, showing sheets full of monetary calculations to the knight and the hero. "A city of over the three-hundred thousand cannot remain in assistance forever, not even after a disaster. Eventually, despite being amidst reconstructions, the markets an' businesses will have ta open shop again, lest the Capital Lords and the Council lose their status an' we get more situations like the threats of uprising in the North. Only this time around, comin' directly from within the Capital itself."

"I plan to quell those disturbances most quickly everyone, after all, they were mostly fabrication under Roswaal's order." Emilia assured the other Candidates with self-assurance, not leaving room for doubt.

"Alas, any other uprising after that stunt WON'T be fabrications of a madman, half-elf. They'll be a result of neglect from the Government of this city." Priscilla reiterated with annoyance. "The citizens of the Capital have to pick up their slack and get to work; neither knights nor Camps have the time to attend their every need."

"…You are awfully silent about this Felt." Subaru pointed out to the blonde girl as Priscilla confessed to having no patience for coddling the citizens affected by the battle. "What's your input?"

"My input?! Ha! If it were up to me, I'd stick it to those old dulls of the Council any day!" Felt declared proudly before her tone turned solemn. "But… Yeah, they are right. Even if the Slums people were to rebel or somethin' from inside the encampments, we'd still stand atop a bunch of destroyed buildings after the fight. And a defunct city just means… no food for anyone, an' I don't fancy dismantling the Kingdom's structure on an empty stomach."

"Huh… You can be surprisingly understanding of the problem!" Subaru commented carelessly.

"Wha-?! What's that supposed to mean, huh?! Ya callin' me a moron?!" Felt shot back with irritation.

"Uh- no, I didn't mean it like-! Ugh, me and my big mouth… Just- just go on."

"Hmph… Well anyways, me an' Reinhard are transporting that bitch Elsa back to Flanders for imprisonment. After that, Rein said I had to conduct a formal ceremony, and then communicate to the city about the status of the Capital and yadda, yadda, yadda… Boring shit." The blonde royal recounted with annoyance the hurdles of her new position at the forefront of the nation.

"Sounds tough; then in that time you guys are away, am I supposed to just help rebuild and stuff? Make it so that the Market and the economy both return to 'normalcy'? As if you could after such a commotion…" The Avenger sighed tiredly, holding his head in preemptive defeat. "The whole monetary business sounds like Ana's forte anyways, not mine…"

"Your sole duty is to keep crime at the minimum as the Capital returns to normalcy, dullard." Priscilla chastised, miffed by Subaru's mannerisms.

"And for that… Marcos requested Julius here assists ya, Natsuki-kun." Anastasia indicated to her knight with a smile.

"Myself? I… Didn't hear of this…" Julius looked rather surprised by the decision taken by his superior. "I thought I'd be escorting Anastasia-sama as she leaves for Priestella?"

"That was the original plan Julius, but unfortunately, after losin' so many of his subordinates, Marcos needs help organizin' the funerary rites and other such endeavors. He'll need the extra hands for handlin' crime in a destroyed Capital for a while, and I suspect ya would have proposed stayin' behind to help him anyways, so…" The Mauve merchant princess informed her worried knight, implying his own willingness to stay back, which he did not protest. "Relax, will ya? It's not like I'll be gone for long! Plus, Ricardo an' the triplets will be there for me! I gotta conduct funerary rites and mercenary deals for the Fang anyways, so I won't be doin' anythin' that requires a knight that much."

"I… guess that's correct. I'd be of more direct use here than with you than in the Kararagian border." Julius admitted bitterly, feeling read like a book.

"Oh, and Marcos also wished for your help in something else Julius." Emilia added as she remembered the other duty entrusted to the 'Finest Knight'.

"Emilia-sama?"

"Emilia-tan?"

Both Julius and Subaru looked vexed whence they perceived a rather excitable tone in Emilia's words, as though she was eager about speaking her next words.

"He needs your help organizing Subaru's knighting ceremony, two weeks from now!" Emilia explained with wonder; it seems she was really looking forward to informing Subaru of his knighting herself.

"WOAH! Two weeks from now?!" Subaru himself looked quite astounded by the idea. "That seems rather… soon-ish?! Two weeks isn't a lot, considering the state of the Capital!"

"Not in the least-!" On the contrary, Julius looked appalled by the idea, the color of life departing from his face instantly. "Even with a month of anticipation, there are so many preparations to take into account! But two weeks?! With how horrid the Castle's halls looked?! What were the Council and Sir Marcos thinking?!"

"Clearly they trust ya a great deal if they passed the duty of plannin' Natsuki-kun's knighting ta ya, Julius!" Anastasia praised with a smug smirk.

"Whilst I'm thankful for the appreciation Anastasia-sama, I quite think this will be detrimental to my health…"

"And your sleep schedule too my dude." Subaru commented with an evil grin, content that Julius was about to suffer from the sheer stress of organizing an event to honor himself of all people. "A~h, the woes of being Juli, trusted by everyone like no other…"

"You are clearly enjoying this, aren't you?" Julius wished to say more to Subaru, irritated by his triumphant smirk; however, he knew better than bantering in a room full of future rulers, and especially so in front of his own Lady. "*Sigh* If that is the case, then I ought to make the appropriate contacts immediately. Not to mention my report to Sir Marcos as well… If you shall excuse me, Anastasia-sama, Emilia-sama, Crusch-sama, Fe-"

"AAAAAAH! Why are you saying goodbyes individually?! That is SO annoying!" Felt chastised with irritation, kicking Julius out of the tent. "Get going already!"

"…I guess I should return to patrol the Capital as well; not much use to lazing around when there could be more looting going underway." Subaru commented, feeling just the slightest pity for Julius's stressful situation. "It'll be tough looking for a tent to stay the night though, what with all being occupied by the civilians. Maybe I should spend the night in one of the broken carriages. That looked comfortable… But I don't imagine either Beako or Karen would approve."

"Subaru? Why are you talking as if you had no accommodations?" Emilia inquired with worry. "Did Rem fail to inform you?"

"Rem? She has been busy helping others with Frederica, hasn't she? I haven't seen her since last night." Subaru responded with confusion. "I was planning on meeting with her after coming back here for Beako though…?"

"And where did you spend the night then, if not with the maid?" Priscilla asked with a frown.

"I spent the entirety of last night with Julius in Search and Rescue…? I don't understand the question, weren't we on the same page 'bout that?" Subaru questioned again, when the Baroness gave him an exasperated look.

"Mineself begins to wonder if your self-centeredness has become detrimental for decision making. Perhaps it was a waste of time informing the maid first if the boy does not even know WHEN to take respite." The redheaded woman sighed as she spoke, irritated by Subaru's attitude.

"Now hold on 'Princess', you are the most self-centered person here! What are you talking about?!" The Avenger inquired yet again, at his wit's end after the entire ordeal of allusions to his ignorance. "Come clear! What did y'all tell Rem and didn't tell me?! What were you trying to sneak past by me again?!"

"Subaru, we requested Rem-dono inform you that you are to use as base for the Alliance the remains of my Estate." Crusch affirmed with a displeased look. "We figured you'd go to Rem-dono when you got tired… We didn't expect you to patrol all night long and until dawn."

"Now that's all on YOU, not me; you could have just called me like Emilia-tan did last night! I made it pretty clear from the get-go that- Wait, back it up a little." Subaru paused midsentence as he figured something out regarding Crusch's statement. "The Alliance… Using your Mansion as a base?"

"Remains technically; reconstruction will take some time, but we'll all foot the bill together, so don't worry 'bout it. Is there somethin' yer not gettin'?" Anastasia asked now, with patience, unlike her peers.

"Uh- yeah? This is Crusch's Manor; you are almost making it sound like…"

"Like I'm giving it to you? Yes, I am." The Duchess confirmed with utmost sincerity, not a shred of doubt or insincerity as she spoke.

"You what-?! Cru-Crusch, it's your house we are talking about here!" Subaru sweated bullets as Crusch made her bold declaration. "I cannot take it from you?! What am I, a squatter?!"

"I'm not 'simply' giving away my Manor, Subaru. To begin with, my real home is back in my own lands, away from the Capital. Additionally, it isn't as though I'm losing out on properties anyways." Crusch explained with a knowing gaze and tone. "See, one of my former supporters offered his own terrains in the Capital as compensation for backing away from my following-"

"Then wouldn't it make more sense to relocate me to that terrain than give me your Mansion?!"

"…Let me finish, you panicking dolt." Crusch shook her head at last, feeling the exact same exasperation Priscilla felt. "The 'reason' I'm handing you my Mansion is because of the importance of the decisions taken within it. The Alliance formed to hunt Sloth and the Whale, as well as the Alliance that protected the Capital… All of these decisions were taken in this very land we are standing on; and the public and nobility will come to know that soon enough."

"Ah, it's a political statement then?" Subaru understood, bowing apologetically. "I-It's still a tad bit… Making you guys pay for it is just…"

"If it's any consolation, ya aren't just gettin' it for free. You'll be working yer butt off ta pay for the brand new home Natsuki-kun." Anastasia 'consoled' with a devious smile. "This house will become a hub for meetings an' such regarding future decisions, so ya won't be takin' days off that often."

"Oh yippee… More work…" Subaru held his head tiredly before remembering his own concerns, his own pending works himself. "Wait, actually- There is one last thing I want to ask of you guys before leaving."

"Subaru? What's wrong?" Emilia asked as the Avenger managed to intrigue all present in the tent.

"There's some… new tools Julius and I came about in the Quinjet- er- the bird-like vehicle in your lawn, Crusch… Maybe technically MY lawn now, but that still feels- forget that!" Subaru motioned weirdly, all whilst making an indication to their wrists. "Long story short, can you leave your projectors here? I can upgrade them like you WOULDN'T imagine with the Fabricator back in the jet!"

"Upgrade them huh…" Crusch smiled as she considered the idea, eyeing her bracelet with expectation.

"Quinjet? Is that the name for mine new vessel?" Priscilla smiled as she heard the ship's name.

"Me personally? I'm planning on renaming it 'The Marveller', so you could say-" Subaru attempted to correct, but he was quickly disrupted by Anastasia.

"OUR new vessel, Barielle. You are not the sole owner of that ship." The Mauve merchant yelled loudly, sweeping the Avenger of his feet.

"Technically speaking, it is collective property of all present, as members of the Alliance. Just as the Satellite orbiting above us." Emilia continued off Anastasia's explanation.

"At least it is 'our' collective property, contrary to that shitty Cocoon…" Felt spoke with disillusion whilst leaning tiredly on her seat.

"Why are you talking about Ultron's Mothership as though it were somebody else's problem?" Subaru looked confused as Felt made her statement, making everyone in the room fall silent in surprise. "What? Why are you guys looking at me like that? Did I say something weird? Let me guess, I'm ignoring something… AGAIN."

"…Do you seriously not realize your position? Natsuki… Are you daft?" Priscilla asked with equal measures disappointment and awe.

"Eeeh?" Subaru squinted his eyes with confusion.

"Subaru… we KNOW you are our ally, our friend, and that you wouldn't hurt us… Not in any way, not on purpose…" Emilia spoke slowly, considering Subaru's feelings. "I don't think I could ask for a better friend. I really, REA~LLY appreciate you, like you wouldn't believe…"

"…Emilia-tan, I'm giddy AND flattered by all the praise, but what's with the entire preamble? Just what's the deal here?! I'm freaking out!" Subaru sat down beside Emilia, worrying about the tension permeating the tent.

"According ta the law of the battlefield, which even the most basic and rookie mercenaries follow…" Anastasia continued with a neutral tone, looking at Subaru intensely. "The spoils of battle belong ta the victor. An' just like the Iron Fang claimed possession of Sloth's supplies when we fought his insurgence over a week ago… With the Council and the nobility's recognition of yer status as the 'hero' who defeated Ultron, and what with not wantin' ta incur Strange's wrath…"

"The Cocoon belongs to you Subaru." Crusch finalized with a stern voice, although a droplet of nervous sweat did drop from her brow as she concluded. "Not to the Alliance, but to you directly, Subaru. That is the interpretation of the populace at least… Reason why you'd be critical in keeping the peace right now: as the man that beat Ultron and saved the World, they'd fear your presence too much to risk a rebellion."

"Wait- Wait, wait- Fear me?! Spider-Man?! But I- I didn't-! I'm NOT someone to be feared-! I mean, I guess I'd like it if a villain feared me, but the WHOLE City?!" Subaru looked baffled, even defeated as the Candidates revealed to him the public's opinion of the 'Avenger'. "Man… Where the hell did the 'Friendly Neighbor' idea went to?!"

"Because of the public's perception that you could be a threat, that you could destroy the Capital and that the Cocoon and its armies of armors are your property as the victor… The Council is rushing your knighting ceremony, to make a show out of it. As if to tell all nations and detractors that Spider-Man is Lugunica's hero, not its enemy." Crusch justified the reason behind the ceremony occurring so soon, all whilst giving motive to the popular fear. "Even if you become a knight of Lugunica, the Cocoon would still be your property alone. After all, none of us understands how to even operate it, let alone what to do with it. The 'Quinjet' we could at least learn through you, but I doubt we could occupy the Cocoon to its full extent without Karen-dono's influence, and that order goes directly by YOU, first and foremost."

"Uh-Uh-huh…" Subaru nodded slowly, feeling defeated by the realization that, outside of the precious few that were in the Throne Room yesterday, everyone else in Lugunica neither liked nor respected him but feared him outright. He defeated Ultron, only for Lugunica to be TERRIFIED of him; no wonder they wanted to give him a Mansion, it was a peace offering!

"You save the World, yet the World trembles for it instead of expressing the due gratitude… How ungrateful the uncouth masses can be." Priscilla huffed with disapproval of the populace.

"That's just 'cuz they are uneducated! If they knew Big Bro like us, they'd know he's just like Rein-!" Felt expressed her ire in an attempt to console the Avenger.

"An unstoppable force of nature? That phrase doesn't help much after the spectacle your knight made of the night sky when clashing with the machine." However, Priscilla interrupted her, clarifying that making a comparison to the Sword Saint was of no help. "Quite ironic that the 'Slum Dweller' was the first to point to someone else's education…"

"Ya know what I mean, ya bimbo! Big Bro isn't an enemy, he'd never be!"

"…" Subaru could not accept those words though. In his mind, in his memories, in his very soul he could feel the falsehood of that statement. In another life, in another time, under other circumstances… Subaru would be the greatest enemy to all present in the room, and the fact THEY didn't know the extent of his Variants' cruelty crushed him on the inside.

"Subaru… Please, look at me." Noticing his lamenting look, Emilia consoled the boy, prompting him to look back at her when she inched close to his face. "I understand being feared."

"Uh- Emilia-tan…?!" Subaru shied with a slight blush as the half-elf approached him.

"They fear you right now, I understand that." Emilia spoke with seriousness, inching even closer to his face, almost to the point that their noses touched. "But you are not alone; I'm here. Rem, Ram, Beatrice, Frederica, Petra, Garfiel, Otto, and everyone else, we are all here. So long as we are around, we will not let anyone think you are a bad person or that you are there to harm them; if someone insults you, I'll be the first to defend you. Just as you came to protect me, from now on, I will protect you too! Even when you are not around to defend yourself, I'll defend you! Please, trust that!"

"U-U-U-U-U-U-UH-I get it-! Just-!" Subaru stuttered with embarrassment on his seat, looking directly into Emilia's eager amethyst eyes with his nervous black-brown pair. "Yo-You- You are a bit…!"

"*Cough-Cough!*" Crusch coughed aloud, regaining Emilia's attention. "Whilst we share the sentiment Emilia-dono… Getting that close is…"

"Rather bold of the half-elf to flirt that intensely in front of others…" Priscilla commented with a tinge of amusement.

"Huh?" Emilia tilted her head with intrigue, wondering what could her fellow Candidates were implying.

"Big Sis… Look at Big Bro…" The reddened Felt pointed to the blushing Subaru as she spoke to Emilia awkwardly.

"Were you about ta kiss him or somethin'? Ya got awfully chummy with Natsuki-kun when he got all sulky." Anastasia raised an eyebrow as she teased Emilia, a smile of genuine hilarity painting her face. "Don't mind us though! Carry on, carry on…"

"…AH!" Emilia realized the closeness of her face to Subaru's, noticing that she was so incredibly near him she could smell his breath as he could hers, their lips almost touching. In one swift movement, the embarrassed half-elf sat back down on her own seat, returning to a more formal behavior around the table. "I'm- I'm… S-Sorr…"

"I-It's fine, Emilia-tan…!" Subaru mumbled with a smile, relishing in the sweetness of the half-elf, in the lingering, angelic scent of strawberries of her perfume and the silky touch of her silver hair.

If we had been alone, I'm willing to bet I would have done something REAL bad right then and there!

"I'm- g-glad you want to help me that much… Th-Thank you… S-S-So anyways… Your bracelets, pretty please?"

Therefore, having collected the Candidates' projectors for modifications, Subaru escorted Emilia and her Camp to the Capital's Northern Gates as they set out to leave…

"Are you sure about staying Rem? We could still…" Ram tried to convince her sister one last time to come with them, to which Rem shook her head slowly in response.

"Ram, Rem wishes to- I wish to see what I'm capable of doing here by myself, what I can do away from Roswaal's influence." Rem spoke politely, with a certain distance from her twin. "In honesty, I still feel conflicted about it all, betrayed fundamentally… So I'd like the time to…"

"…Cool your head off? Something that Barusu told you to do, most likely." The pink oni frowned as she continued her sibling's words.

"I wish you could speak Subaru-kun's name without such resentment clear in your tone, Ram." Rem frowned right back, lamenting that she could perceive the inherent hostility of her sister towards the man she loved.

"That obvious huh… Barusu himself seemed none the wiser when we talked earlier." Ram admitted as she herself realized the anger in her voice might have been present since she met Subaru in the Quinjet.

"Roswaal's departure is more an influence of Sorcerer Strange than Subaru-kun; resenting him after all the difficulties he went through to save us personally feels rather…"

"Ungrateful, Ram understands." Ram nodded slowly, comprehending that her position was quite unfair when one considered all events previous into account.

"Then please also understand that Rem feels more than just grateful to Subaru-kun. Let her- Let me stay by his side, Ram…"

"…" But Ram remained silent, conflicted with her own emotions and wants. It wasn't logical, most certainly selfish… but was she wrong in wanting to remain close to her twin?

"Hngh… Suppose me'self shoulda feel glad da clown is gone; but here Ram is lookin' all glum an' crap now…" A few meters away, sitting on the carriage besides Otto, Garfiel mouthed with bitterness when observing Ram and Rem's conflict.

"Seems like a serious case of unrequited love Garf-" Otto joked with a teasing smile…

*SmAcK!*

"GYAOW!" …Before Garfiel punched him on the shoulder with embarrassment clear on his face.

"Don't tease me'self like dat Brotto! Ya know, a little support fer ya boy's heart would help a lil'…" The troubled blonde boy spoke whilst blushing.

"That doesn't mean punching me should be your first resort… Ergh- Do you even KNOW how strong you are?! That almost tore my arm off!" Otto cried whilst rubbing his numb left arm. "That'll leave a bruise for sure…"

"Haha, yer such a wuss! Yer arms are like slim twigs Brotto; ya should train with me amazin' self a little! See if I can make a man outta ya!" Garfiel laughed as he insisted Otto trained with him. "Just a heads up, me'self ain't one fer holdin' back when honin' ma claws, so be mindful of dodgin'!"

"…As it so happens, I'm fond of being alive Garfiel; I'd rather coop up inside with work than risk your punches turning me into mush." Otto denied the offer whilst sweating bullets, dreading the possibility of ending a cripple from receiving a full-force blow from Garfiel.

"Gahaha! Yer hilarious!"

"How is it hilarious NOT wanting to die?!"

"And what is the straight man crying for this time? Is your oil debt still kicking you in the groin or something?" Subaru asked as he approached the two from the side of the carriage.

"Oh! Cap'n!" Garfiel beamed a grin as he saw Subaru, impressed by his armor. "Man… Now dat me'self takes a closer look, dat some fine shit yer wearin', haute couture armor! Fancy ya could make an amazin' suit fer me too, eh?"

"Sure, just hand over a hundred holy gold and it'll be ready within the year, with an extended warranty of six months-" Subaru joked whilst acting like a used cars dealer; the gesture flew over Garfiel's head however.

"HUNDRED HOLY GOLD?! I BARELY HAVE A COPPER IN THESE TROUSERS!" The boy that had never seen real use for money locked up in Sanctuary trembled with fear as Subaru namedropped the price for a suit of the Iron Spider's caliber.

"Garfiel? He's just joking." Otto calmed the blonde boy down, avoiding a sudden panic attack.

"Oh… Ah, I see! O'course, Cap'n would overblow da price, huh?! Man, totally looked like a yappin' hen right now! Sheesh-!"

"Clearly an armor as advanced as Natsuki-san's would border on the million holy gold at least."

"MILLION-!" Garfiel fell over backwards in shock; that was the highest number he had ever come about with in his short lifetime.

"Fine, fine, if it's Garf asking, I could MAYBE make an exception and whip up something… Just kidding." Subaru chuckled when Garfiel at last calmed down from the shock of the monetary revelation. "It'll be a while before I can craft Vibranium nano-bots compatible with the suit. Maybe there is stuff I've glossed over in the Mothership? But I'd had to check… 'Til then, the sole fact I have an armor suit is a privilege."

"Damn, dat sucks." Garfiel lamented with a petty frown. "What with me shields gone an' all, coulda used with a step up in da equipment department."

"Shields then? Well now… THAT I might have an idea on, hehe…" Subaru thought maliciously whilst making a mental reminder for himself.

"So you leave already, girlie?" Contrary to the front of the carriage, Emilia and Beatrice were having a discussion of their own in the back, with the Yin Spirit inquiring about the half-elf's rush. "Those loud mouths of the Council already sent a letter acknowledging the North's demand, I suppose. Is it really that necessary for you to retire thus?"

"I'm afraid so." Emilia admitted with reluctance. "There's still much to do; I promised to aid those in Sanctuary, I've YET to help even those in Arlam… And now I answer directly for all of the Mathers territories."

"Roswaal really tied your hands with his last minute games, in fact. Perhaps it'd be better to simply give your candidacy u-?"

"Hnn, I think that's the last path I'd wish to take Beatrice." Emilia smiled as she denied Beatrice's proposal, her eyes bursting with life as she refuted. "If I rejected this responsibility I've been granted, there's no way I could ever look Subaru in the eye again. Even if it is hard, I will make it work! That's… what my best friend in the whole world has taught me."

"…Whilst Betty is happy Bubby's contractor has turned a new leaf in her life, she is also quite miffed by the fact her own contractor would feel conflicted from hearing you calling him 'best friend', in fact." Beatrice pouted as she made a troubled face, leaving Emilia confused as to the meaning of her words.

"Huh? Why would Subaru feel troubled from hearing I consider him my best friend?" Emilia worried, her pleading irises begging Beatrice for an answer.

"Nothing of importance I suppose…"

"Wait, Beatrice-?! Don't leave me confused! Beako-!"

"Emilia-sama? I think it's about time we go." Frederica announced as she indicated to her time crystal, pointing to the coming of Water Time. "It'll soon get dark; the sooner we reach Fleur, the better for our tight schedule. You still need to report to Annerose-sama personally."

"Ah, yes!" Emilia realized her tardiness, deciding that her priorities lied elsewhere at the moment. "Uhmm… Subaru?"

"Yep, yep, that's me." Subaru smiled as he responded from the front of the carriage. "What's up, Emilia-tan?"

"We'll be leaving in short- A-And I'll make sure to tell everyone in Arlam about your situation, so you needn't worry about Petra-chan or Meili, all right?" Emilia spoke fast as Subaru stared back at her with a neutral expression.

"Do tell Meili to eat her vegetables, okay? Last thing I want is for the little savage to gorge only on meat." Subaru responded like a worried parent as the topic of Meili came up. "Now she MAY get rowdy, but you have to limit the amount of sweets she can eat depending on how well she behaves! Also, if she gets aggressive, don't doubt about taking her dolls away- A little toughness does well in teaching-!"

"You are the last person qualified for talking like a father Barusu." Ram spouted with boredom, disrupting Subaru's concerned rant.

"Nee-sama, please; we KNOW Meili respects me the most out of everyone here." Subaru insinuated with a defiant stare.

"More like she knows who to wag her tail for to receive a sweet treat." Ram corrected nastily.

"Woah, keep the comments to yourself perv! That's a kid you are talking about, and me personally, I don't work like that." Subaru smirked as he managed to get the gain the lead over Ram's dirty jokes at last; he tricked her into saying a tasteless comment about a child.

"Damn Ram, even me'amazin' self knows dat's just... Ew." Garfiel tilted his head with disappointment.

"That's quite inappropriate of you, miss Ram…" Otto shook his head with disapproval.

"…" Rem smiled silently in the background, surprised by how glad she felt over seeing her twin's jests turned on her.

"Surprising of you Ram, I thought you more well-mannered." Frederica frowned as she spoke in a low tone.

"…Expect the fury of a million onis in your future Barusu." Ram's irritation peaked as she received the bad end of the stick from everyone, her face turning into a 'hannya mask' for a brief second in Subaru's vision.

"Scary! Did no one else see that?!" Subaru asked as he looked dumbfounded around himself, vexed by their confused faces. "M-Maybe it was a mistake trying to turn the tables on Ram's teasing…?"

"Subaru." Emilia called out to the hero once again before boarding the carriage with everyone else. "There's so much I ought to thank you for; so much, I think I could go entire days and nights bowing my head and still feel it was nearly enough of a show of gratitude…"

"Aw, Emilia-tan! It's fine-!" Subaru tried reassuring, but Emilia would not let him.

"Even if it's fine for you, it is not fine for me. Not yet…" Emilia shook her head vehemently, turning to look at Subaru once more with determination. "I swear, promise to you right here and now Natsuki Subaru: the day will come when I can consider myself worthy of standing next to you, next to whom I admire the most. So until then… Until then…"

"Emilia…" Subaru looked surprised as Emilia held Puck's broken crystal with trembling hands before speaking, gathering strength from it before she could continue her declaration.

"Like Puck did once upon a time… Keep looking out for me, okay?" Emilia's smile was dashing in the sunset light, in the orange gleam that so brilliantly bounced off from her silver silks and contrasted with her mysterious amethysts. Such a captivating sight, such a resolute yet pure determination to reach out to him, Subaru felt his heartbeat accelerate, his heart about to burst from his chest from merely staring at Emilia's sincere smirk.

…Seriously, it is unfair just how cute one girl can be. I have to keep these feelings in check or I'll really become irredeemably obsessed with her.

"…Take care of weird men and cars on the road, Emilia-tan!" Subaru bid her farewell as he beamed her a thumbs up and a silly smirk. Then the Avenger approached the front of the carriage, where Otto and Garfiel were sitting, to express his farewells to the two young men. "You guys take care as well, okay? I don't want my favorite two-man comedy act getting killed by some rando bandit on the way to my own gala."

"Don't be so morbid! With a bodyguard like Garfiel around, there's no way some bandit could approach this carriage and NOT get turned into a slab on the road!" Otto promised with a tired demeanor.

"Damn right! If some dipshit so much as glare at Brotto on the road, me'self will rip 'em a new hole!" Garfiel threatened whilst cracking his knuckles resoundingly.

"Just keep the bloodshed to a minimum, Garf; the last thing we need is MORE rumors surrounding the dangerousness of the Candidates and their associates." Frederica recommended from the interior of the carriage, overhearing her brother's words with trouble.

"You keep a tight leash on your little bro Frederica! I'm sure he'll need a good scolding whenever he drops the ball, even without me around!" Subaru teased Garfiel by implying his propensity to violence.

"C-C-C'mon Cap'n…! I ain't gonna act so silly again-!"

"'I'?! Whatever happened with 'me'amazin' self'?! Haha!"

"Mugh…"

"Don't worry Subaru-sama; I'll be most sure of implanting some manners on Garf once we reach Costuul." Frederica smiled toothily as she assured Subaru she would care for Garfiel properly now that they were together again.

"And you too girl… Take care of everyone on the road, will ya?" Subaru asked Patrasche as he scratched her scaly snout softly. "And don't fight too much with Frufroo either; you two get along too, 'kay?"

"KUAAAAAA!" Patrasche growled excitedly before she and Frufroo began pulling the cart full-force, moving onto the road and into the northern horizon in an instant.

*DASH!*

"BYE CAP'N! SEE YA WHEN YA AT YER BALL!"

"YEAH! SEE YOU THEN TOO GARF-!" Subaru yelled back with energy before turning to his other companions. "And… They are gone… Two weeks? That might seem like a short time but…"

"All the increasingly disturbing events we've bore witness to have occurred under that exact timeframe, in fact." Beatrice related, preoccupied by the hectic last few days.

"Don't jinx it Beako! The last thing I need is ANOTHER disaster coming my way right now!" Subaru cried pathetically whilst holding his head. "A~h! This is bad! Maybe I shouldn't have asked them to hand me their projectors?! What if an emergency does pop up?! I'd have no way of knowing-!"

"If another emergency does sprung up, your Rem will be sure to support you with all she can offer Subaru-kun." Rem reassured with a gentle voice, hugging the young hero from behind.

"…I'm getting comforted by too many girls today, something bad is definitely coming!" Subaru panicked again as Rem's tenderness produced the opposite effect in his mind. "Seriously, things are looking TOO up from my perspective! This isn't normal!"

"Who would have known Betty's contractor would turn out to be such a worrywart? Regardless, it seems Betty's duty to comfort him in his moments of desperation, such as now in fact." Beatrice shook her head as she opened her arms and hugged Subaru by the waist. "Come; let Betty coddle you just a little longer too."

"You two are enjoying my panic, aren't you?!"

"Rem is of the opinion even Subaru-kun's obnoxious crying is cute in its own way." Rem responded with a cute laugh.

"Auuugh, so even my cries are funny? Otto should have really stayed behind; it was way easier when we could all just bother him instead of bothering me…" Subaru lamented with pity for himself.

"When it comes to merchants, that guy has to have the worst luck in friends I suppose." Beatrice mocked Otto as well, sympathizing with her contractor's heart. "Getting roped up in world-threatening events simply from an oil debt gone wrong, how lacking must one's fortune be? Surely, even the merchants serving the other Candidates were lucky in avoiding the battlefield, but that mop of gray hair is just… Pitiful, in fact."

"Whilst I do pity Otto slightly, Rem does know of other merchants that had it just as rough Beatrice-sama." Rem commented with curiosity.

"Really now? Out with it then, maid; if these merchants had it rough too, then it likely relates to Betty's Subaru's influence as well." Beatrice seemed interested in the identity of the other merchants indebted, or rather, endangered by Subaru's rush into action. She insisted on Rem retelling the hardships of these individuals, if only to understand her contractor's own. "Betty does not wish to miss even a detail of what transpired since the beginning of the Selection, I suppose."

"Are you two really about to have a conversation whilst hugging me?! We look like a human sandwich- and I'M the human!" Subaru protested with embarrassment.

"The merchant's in question came along with Priscilla-sama's convoy of soldiers and supplies; it seemed as though they were Vollachian mercenaries that got roped up in wanting a word with the 'man from beyond the waterfall'-"

"OH SHOOT!" Subaru screamed in astonishment, interrupting Rem's explanation whilst releasing himself from her and Beatrice's hug. "I totally forgot about them, this is bad! Real bad-!"

"Subaru-kun?! What's wrong?!" Rem inquired with hasty worry, realizing the panic in the boy's voice.

"I-I-I gotta go! Back to the South Gate, right away!" Subaru declared as the Iron Spider's mask activated, covering his face and head completely. "If Priscilla and her forces are about to leave, then that means Medium and Flop are leaving this night as well! I never repaid him for their help like I promised!"

*THWIP!*

"Subaru-?! Wait, don't leave so hurriedly-!" Beatrice shouted with surprise as Spider-Man shot webs between the houses lining the Main Street, ricocheting into the air.

"Be right back, promise! Ju-Just wait for me back in the Mansion!" Subaru claimed as he swung into the air, in the direction of the Southern Gate and Priscilla Barielle's convoy.

"…Seriously, Betty's Subaru needs to learn how to listen to others input before jumping around like a monkey. He just went and left Betty behind, hmph!" Beatrice said whilst her little rosy cheeks puffed up and she pouted with frustration.

"At least this time we know where he is, so that's enough for Rem." Rem smiled however, relieved to know he'd come back to her eventually. "…Let's go home, Beatrice-sama."

A little later, in the streets leading to the Capital's Southern Gate…

"Phew! Will you look at that Schult…" Aldebaran pointed out somberly as he boarded a luxurious crimson carriage with golden accents. "When we first went to hunt the Whale, our forces numbered at least on the triple digits… We have now gone from a full convoy to a meager dozen carriages or so. A brutal fight that whole mess was…"

"And that still doesn't take for our losses…" A prepubescent, pink-haired boy sitting in the carriage's driver seat responded respectfully with sorrow in his voice. "I'm only relieved Priscilla-sama made it out safely."

"Yeah… Me too…" Al nodded as he patted the boy's head, ruffling up his hairdo messily. "But I also got a great consolation from this whole ordeal, so perhaps it's wrong to say Princess' is the sole reason I'm happy we lived."

"A consolation?" The driver boy asked with wonder.

"A consolation, in the form of a brother." Al affirmed with a slightly more cheerful tone. "From now on, I can say with a smile that I'm not alone, that I wasn't delusional in thinking about a world beyond the waterfall… Not that I'd show that smile to anyone other than Princess though."

"Aldebaran!" Julius shouted as he approached to the one-armed warrior at a steady pace, returning from the Southern Gates with some papers in hand.

"Ah, Sir Perfect is here…" Al spoke without too much emotion, disliking the sound of his own name coming out of the knight's mouth.

"Here you go; the permit for Priscilla-sama's convoy." Not hearing the condescension in his voice, or even his nickname for him for that matter, Julius closed the distance to toward Al with a brisk pace. Then, inn a swift movement as they stood right next to each other, Julius handed a set of papers to Al. "It has Sir Marcos's explicit orders, along with a signature and family seal inscribed on it for verification. It shall allow the swift transportation of your… foreign troops to the other side of the border without arising suspicion from the border patrol."

"Neat…" Al exhaled tiredly as he examined the permit, verifying the validity. "Heh…"

"Is something wrong?" Julius inquired with confusion as Al chuckled.

"It's nothing of importance, just… I never expected a Lugunican knight, let alone one of your caliber, do something as illegal as throwing Vollachians back to the other side of the border." Aldebaran spoke with an intrigued voice, amused by the idea of Julius's odd act. "Have you done this before? You acted rather quickly on the matter."

"…Do I really have a say on the matter? It was a direct order from Sir Marcos, in order to prevent causing some another distraction that could derail the Council's concentration from their draft of repairing the Capital." Julius shook his head tiredly, looking right back at Al with conflict. "We wouldn't need to resort to shady alternatives, such as ignoring the Council's intervention, if Priscilla-sama hadn't smuggled soldiers from Vollachia to begin with."

"Princess had her reasons, I am sure." Al's voice returned to a neutral tone as Julius's reproach became stern, almost sanctimonious.

"Suppose Ultron had never happened, never occurred: Do you think her actions WOULDN'T have been thought of as treason? She would have been right beside Roswaal on the stand; that is how risky it was! It gambled too much on the likes of Bordeaux-sama not interpreting her intentions as rebellious!" Julius attempted to argue, but it was all to deaf ears.

"If she saw fit to smuggle mercs to fight the Whale, then she likely had a reason! Or perhaps she just did it out of boredom, but even then, it's not my say in the matter either pal!"

"It's still a rather delicate matter you should have advised her against, Aldebaran! The treaty with the Empire exists for a reason; lives were lost in order to gain such a deal with a nation so openly hostile to Lugunica's ways!" Julius lamented as he reminisced on the fights prior to Subaru's arrival, whence he and Reinhard intervened with Vollachia for the sake of peace after the Royal Family's demise.

"Look man, I may 'technically' hold the rank of one, but I ain't so keen on you knights. Sole one I could tolerate was you, and that's because Princess ordered me to." Aldebaran affirmed with severity, not breaking stance or harshness as he tried to get rid of Julius. "If she decided on one way, then lay off her case already. Somehow, it will work out; somehow, it always does. In her own words: 'that's just how the world works around mine divine self'."

"Clearly there is not much we can discuss on this front. I don't desire you ill, but I sincerely hope we needn't cooperate so frequently again." Julius sighed with disappointment, turning away from Aldebaran with visible tiredness.

"Too true, I could barely stand the likes of the uniform and the sword myself, so that suits me fine…" Aldebaran admitted amidst grumbles.

"Then you won't like it when Subaru himself is knighted?" Julius stopped on his feet, looking back at Al with genuine expectation.

"…If Bro's content with that, I'm not going to rain on his parade." It was difficult to hear, but paying attention, one could discern a certain fondness in Al's voice when talking about Subaru's knighting ceremony. "In that case, maybe there is soon to be one knight I can stand without losing my patience."

"…I really cannot wrap my head around men like you; Subaru and you both baffle me." Julius reached to his cheekbone, lightly face-palming from attempting to have a non-hostile one on one conversation with Al. "Simply… Warn Priscilla-sama off from such practices again; we needn't risk a border dispute like this…"

The finest knight walked melancholically back to the Southern Gates at a slower pace than he had taken when approaching Aldebaran's carriage, feeling conflicted by the interaction.

The attitude of the Candidates is worrying, but so is that of their supporters. Even if they can ultimately agree on decisions for the sake of protecting the Kingdom, their backers just might prove dangerous to the Alliance's integrity itself.

I may not know much about it, but there seems to exist a tangible tension in Reinhard's personal life, if he supports one Felt-sama whilst Sir Wilhelm backs Crusch-sama. Heinkel-dono… He's clearly displeased with Felt-sama, and his own relationship with Reinhard and Wilhelm is dubious at best; then, he might break off from his son's decision and decide on another Candidate altogether.

Roswaal supported Emilia-sama, to the point he would sabotage the Kingdom just to keep her in power. If Emilia-sama's candidacy is what enables his nefarious objective of resurrecting a Witch, then… Then standing by Emilia-sama's side might genuinely be for the worst. Nevertheless, attempting to bring this up might incur not her wrath, but that of Sorcerer Strange that took Roswaal in to begin with. With powers like his added into the mix… I worry her current entourage may find it hard to correctly support her without encouraging a self-detrimental behavior along the way.

Moreover, if we talk about self-detriments… Aldebaran seemed calm enough initially, but now, his mindset is clear enough to me: he is too lax in correcting or dissuading his mistress from committing a mistake. Too agreeable, too servile, not enough hindsight. If he is like this, then one day Priscilla-sama may commit an error far too difficult to fix on her own, and the Alliance and Lugunica themselves shall be dragged along just to save them.

For how strong and tightly knit we may have seemed against the Archbishop of Sin and Ultron, the reality of it all is that Subaru's webs are stretched thin holding so many volatile variables around himself. If Anastasia-sama is not careful maneuvering around this, knowing how to utilize Subaru to his full potential while keeping the other Candidates in check, then the road to the Throne will be a rather rocky one… Ah, perhaps THAT was the real reason behind me staying in the Capital to 'assist' Subaru and his knighting ceremony.

Anastasia-sama needs me to become accustomed to handling him, to know how to control him… I would not much approve such a decision though; it is about as underhanded as what Marcos and I did just now for the Priscilla Camp's convoy. No, maybe even worse; we would be manipulating the trust of a man that saved our lives... All when we know danger is already on the horizon due to Strange's warnings…

What an unenviable situation ours is.

"Hmm… Maybe it is this kind thought and intention that keeps me from being worthy of lifting such a masterful weapon." Julius regretted his current thoughts, attributing them to the stress of the Selection and the reconstruction effort. It was unbecoming of a knight as trusted as him to be thinking of how to manipulate others, even if it was for the sake of Lugunica or his master. "I… need more discipline. Anastasia-sama wouldn't wish to hear me say such horrid things-"

"Move those crates a little more to the right Medium-! No! Not your right, mine!"

"Just hold on a second, these are heav- AH!"

*DASH!*

*CRASH!*

"…Are you alright Medium-dono?" Julius asked the blonde Vollachian whilst holding onto a crate of exotic fruit that almost fell on top of her.

"Oh, Mister Julius! Thank you so much!" Medium beamed Julius a smile as he saved her, the beauty recovering her stability as she began holding onto the same crate Julius was. "Hehe, I almost got squashed right now. Almost became a fruit salad myself!"

"Mister Julius!" Flop called out to the knight with relief, seeing his sister safe. "Oh goodness, thank you! For a moment there I thought we'd have to call for a healer again…"

"A-Again? Has this happened more than once?!" Julius stuttered with curiosity as Flop and Medium both simply bowed their heads apologetically.

"Medium you see… She's a good fighter and good muscle too-!"

"Hey now! I'm a lady as well! Don't sell me as just some- some BOX mover!"

"But as you can see, she's can also be such a chirpy, carefree girl… We've lost crates of good produce in the past just because she'd let them fall right out of her hands." Flop chuckled whilst remembering images of his sibling messing up an order in the past.

"That doesn't seem like a good business strategy, for your muscle to have butterfingers is just…" Julius smiled gently as he pictured such a happening with amusement.

"Well if you BOTH think I have such a slippery touch, then here!" Medium spoke whilst pouting as she lifted two boxfuls of Lugunican products, ready for commerce. "See if I don't need help carrying thes-UWA-!"

"Don't lift so many in one go, Medium-dono!" Julius advised, helping her yet again by taking off one of her loads. "Just tell me where to move these, it'd be my pleasure to help you along."

"Oh… Well, THANK YOU then! See Flop? THAT'S real chivalry! Unlike the brother that can rattle on his own sister for fun! Bleh!" Medium stuck out her tongue for her brother as she and Julius departed to the carriages by the front.

"Just make sure not to trouble Mister Julius further! He's a knight of Lugunica!" Flop yelled whilst smiling back at them, but soon, his grin dissipated into nothing. "Right… He's a knight of Lugunica, isn't he? Hmm…"

*THWIP!*

"And I thought I saw a familiar streak of gold from above! Flop!" Spider-Man said as he landed right atop the carriage Flop was unloading.

"Natsuki-san!" Flop reacted with awe as the Avenger made his appearance.

"Heya, miss me?!" Spidey laughed along as he saluted the merchant. "Sorry I couldn't come visit after you got injured… Lot of things happened. Kinda-sorta hunted down the Rabbit? Then, spawns a giant head in the sky, psh! Not an easy week, I'll tell you that!"

"No, it's- it's fine, Natsuki-san…" Flop reassured with nervousness, ignoring how to approach the situation.

"Now then, to business!" Spider-Man declared as he jumped off from atop the carriage, standing right next to Flop in fact. "Back when we first met, you said you wanted to talk about an invention?"

"I-It was more along the line of wanting to buy something from beyond the Waterfall from you…" Flop admitted with reluctance, ready to get scolded for his boldness.

"Ah, so you wanted a product from Earth! I see… Welp, not much I can do about that right now." The hero lamented with regret. "My original plan was to talk about Earth and all that when we had the time. You know, after the Whale and Sloth? But I lost the track of it all when Ultron appeared. I feel like a prick, knowing I left you wanting… So now, I owe you."

"Owe-?! Natsuki-san, what are you talking about?!" Flop was overwhelmed by Subaru's implication, and that took the Avenger by surprise.

"Well I owe you, don't I?" The boy reasoned with incredulity. "I mean, you wanted an idea to help improve your home in Vollachia, to help everyone! Yet here I am, after making a big show of it all, not making good on my end of the deal-"

"That was never-! Natsuki-san… I think we are seriously misunderstanding each other here…" Flop assured with a hurt expression. "You don't owe me a thing! You- You saved the Kingdom just now, the whole world! How could I ask you something after such a feat?! I'd be-!"

"Ah, but we are skipping over something important here!" Spidey chuckled as he pointed back at the merchant. "You saved Ana from Petelgeuse's attack, and I never repaid you for that."

"…" The statement of the hero simply left Flop dumbfounded. "Did you… You are still hanging onto that…?"

"Of course I'd be! Sloth was my fight, yet you got injured protecting others while I was KICKNG ASS…" Subaru spoke critical of himself with a bitter tone; angered by the fact Flop was injured. "You could have died right then and there, and I would have been none the wiser until the fight was over. Even if Julius and Ana repaid you and footed the healer's bill, I cannot shake the feeling of gratitude to you. So… I owe you."

"Natsuki-san… You are just… You are just too trusting…" Flop hurt on the inside as Spider-Man talked, feeling resentful of his own words back when they met in Crusch's Manor. "Meanwhile I'm just- I'm just-!"

"Wow bud! Are you crying-?! Flop?!" Subaru held the tearful man as he sat on the carriage's back, seemingly in pain. "Are you still hurt?! Shit! I'm calling a-!"

"No! I am NOT hurt! I'm just-!" Flop hastily dried the tears as his face returned to his neutral look, ready to make a confession. "Natsuki-san, there's something I must talk to you about."

"Huh? Uh- Sure Flop… Go on." Subaru sat beside him, looking straight into his blue eyes with intrigue.

"Natsuki-san, what I said back in Crusch-sama's Estate, about wanting to buy a Metia from an otherworldly visitor… That was a lie." Flop admitted with shame, making a rather disgusted face for himself.

"…" Spider-Man stared in silence however, not reacting to the information.

"We- No… Medium wasn't in on it. To be truthful, I tricked her by my lonesome into thinking we came here to see the 'Man from Beyond the Great Waterfall'. Even before that, I tricked her into crossing into Baroness Barielle's territories by saying we could conduct a lucrative deal on some exotic Vollachian fruit within the Lugunican border, and despite the risk, that wonderful girl followed me. I don't deserve such a great sister, especially when the truth is much more… egotistical in nature."

"Flop, I'm not here to judge you… I'll say, I'm a bit hurt to hear that you were just using me as an excuse to come to the Capital in a short notice, but I don't resent you. As far as it goes, you are not even the worst manipulator I've come about since landing in the Kingdom! You are like… Bottom three on the list?" Subaru laughed, regaining some of the previous cheer the merchant had. "So? What was the idea here? Why trick Medium and me and cross into Lugunica, come into the Capital?"

"…I had… A 'brother' once." Flop confessed with difficulty before regaining his composure. "He, Medium and I were inseparable… A-And he was successful in so many things, we truly admired him. I looked up to him tremendously, thought that he was an example of what good a man could be, even amongst the hardships of living in Vollachia, Empire of Wolves… But then, nearly a year to the date… he was murdered."

"…And you suspected the murderer was in Lugunica?"

"Medium and I mourned him greatly, but we knew for certain we stood no chance of avenging him, or of justice ever being done to his name." The blonde merchant glared at the ground as he professed his impotence, his powerlessness before all. "That's why Medium and I lived by the creed of 'Easy Revenge'. To live our lives to the fullest, helping others when they might need it, to control what we CAN control… So as to tell 'life' that it didn't triumph over us; that the Vollachia couldn't stomp on our happiness, even after taking away someone so precious from our side."

"But you still decided to come to the Kingdom the murderer is in, didn't you?"

"…Medium and I were able to live by that creed initially, but I- I had my doubts still. I could not simply accept that he was taken from us and that we could do nothing for him. In the end, I used my contacts with other merchants and arms dealers to find out what had occurred to my 'brother', but all I could find out about his case without infuriating Vollachian authorities was… It was that the murderer was a knight from Lugunica. No name, no appearance, no title, just his rank." Flop bit his lip as he spoke with frustration.

"You wanted to kill a knight? I know you feel- might think you inherently deserve revenge, but that's somewhat…"

"No! Goodness no, Natsuki-san…" The merchant denied while shaking his hands vehemently. "But I… I wanted to meet the man that killed my brother; look him in the eye- KNOW who he was, who he is… To tell him he did not crush us, neither Medium nor me. I wanted some closure."

"Uh-huh…"

"I dabbled on crossing the border for a while, but it was just a whim, an impulse that drove me to finally go through with the idea. I packed a light cargo in case we had to run away and told Medium about my fake plan of selling fruit for a quick coin. She bought into it and… and we came here, with her standing by the stall in the Barielle towns and villages whilst I walked around, asking other merchants about recent events."

"And along came a spider and you rushed to the Capital, where you knew you could find knights by the dozens aiming for the Whale's expedition, open to commerce and all manners of merchants." The image became clearer for Subaru as Flop began explaining to detail.

"Not quite; after all, the Whale expedition was organized AFTER we rushed to the Capital. Nevertheless… Your status as the 'Man from Beyond' really served as a handy excuse to approach the Capital with a convoy for escorting behind us. I would not have otherwise risked Medium's safety in the unknown roads of Lugunica without the extra muscle and mercenaries. The opportunity of the expedition really suited me like a ring however."

"Meeting up with me allowed you to close the gap with many knights in one go through…" Subaru finally understood completely, giving Flop a knowing stare. "Sure thought out a good deal in such a short while! You may be a softy, but you got the spunk of a merchant alright!"

"I wouldn't think so that clearly, Natsuki-san… I really took advantage of everyone's kindness, and everyone's pain. In that way, Miss Hoshin was right to suspect me; the soldiers wanted to hunt the Calamity that terrorized our world, even Medium wanted to help, but here I was, thinking about myself!"

"I can relate to that, wanting something without realizing who you could hurt in the process, I really understand that Flop! I've been there, so of course I'd get you!" The Avenger said while patting Flop in the back gently.

"You… do, don't you? Huh… You are much too kind, Natsuki-san." Flop smirked weakly as Subaru consoled him.

"So? Did you manage to find the knight responsible for your brother's murder?"

"No… Even now, I still don't know a thing beyond his rank and affiliation to Lugunica… But maybe…" Flop wondered with conflicted feelings. "Natsuki-san? About that favor… Can I hold you to it?"

"Huh?" Spidey tilted his head in confusion, wondering what the merchant wished to say.

"I'll understand if you don't wish to do it, I won't hold it against you! However... You'll be staying in Lugunica for the foreseeable future, won't you?" Flop asked seriously, with a clear voice as he was about to make his request. "Please, look for the man that murdered my brother!"

"Ah… S-So… Huh…"

"I understand I'm in no right to ask this, but please! You don't have to punish him- or- or capture him! But if I can know if he died during the battle, or if he's still alive, or if he's retired- Anything! You needn't even tell me who he is; just knowing grants me enough conclusion! If I know, I can at last live and have my 'Easy Revenge' in peace!" Flop begged while bowing his head to the carriage's floor.

"I wouldn't be telling you unless you come to Lugunica again… And that might be tough considering… yeah." Subaru concluded with doubt as he stared at the convoy, almost ready for departure.

"I-I know it may be, but if we could ever meet once more, I-!"

"…You know what? What the hell, I'll do it!" Subaru nodded energetically as he spoke, revealing a smiling face behind the mask. "I'll be asking some questions though, like why he did it and all, buuuuut I'll try my best finding out whodunit."

"You-Y-You will?! Truly, Natsuki-san…! You are- You are truly a hero-!" Flop's eyes looked sincerely thankful as they stared deeply into Subaru's own.

"Calm down there bucko! There are still details I need to know here! If I'm looking for a murderer, then I oughtta know the victim right? So? Can I assume he was 'something-something' O'Connell?" Spidey inquired whilst Flop wiped the newly formed droplets from his eyes.

"N-No… That's why I said he's- he was something like a 'brother' to us…" Flop felt his will to live renewed as he prepared to speak the name of his 'brother'… "My 'brother's' name was Balleroy Temeglyph, and he was a Vollachian soldier."

Meanwhile, nearer to the front of the Convoy…

"That should be the end of the boxes Medium! We'll be departing soon, return to your own carriage!" A Vollachian mercenary advised as he secured a truckload of supplies into a security carriage.

"Yeah, thanks for the help!" Medium thanked him as she and Julius turned away from the cart, ready to walk back towards Flop's location. "Ah~! After such a long day… I'm really looking forward to a good night's sleep, getting rocked along by the road under the carriage!"

"It wouldn't be exactly safe to sleep in a carriage, Medium-dono." Julius warned with worry for the girl. "Aren't you supposed to be your brother's bodyguard? He spoke of you as his muscle-"

"Oh, forget THAT already! I'm not a walking knuckle like Flop makes it out to be!" Medium protested with a blush. "As I said, I'm a lady too! For how much of a softy he is, he can sure be rude at times!"

"That's… sounds along the lines someone I know would say." Julius responded with a tired comment.

"Oh? Is it someone interesting? They sure sound like we would get along!" The O'Connell girl wondered excitedly.

"You know him already: Subaru… He can be so obnoxious, it's a wonder we can keep a conversation going coherently most of the time." Julius shook his head with a worried expression.

"What a roundabout way of calling a girl obnoxious." The girl pouted with pettiness.

"I wasn't-! Medium-dono, please forget my prior comment if it offended you so." The finest knight bowed apologetically, surprising Medium.

"You are such a riot! I was teasing you, dummy!" Medium giggled, now the one surprised was Julius. "If anything, I take it as a compliment you'd compare me to Subaru of all people. Who wouldn't wanna be called a hero like him?!"

"I don't… Exactly think I'd wish to. Subaru's mannerisms, more often than not, fail to live to the expectations of his current position." Julius justified with a slight sweat of nervousness. "But that'll surely pass, once he is knighted. If I can impose some discipline and straightness to his life, I'm certain even the people of his world will appreciate it."

"Eh, who knows? Maybe he'll end up sticking some of his friendliness onto you! The people of THIS world would be thankful to know their knights aren't so rigid all the time!"

"Do I come off as unfriendly? Unfortunately, my duty is to protect and serve the country, so not much I could do about the attitude." He argued against the girl regarding his position as a knight, his demeanor as one. "If anything, my act is quite the appropriate one for a man in my profession."

"So it IS an act, eh?! You are not scowling all day, every day?!" Medium giggled again, making Julius flinch in shock.

"Was I-?! I haven't frowned in the slightest since we've met, let alone-!"

"I'm joking you worrywart!" The girl spoke with odd cheer as she played around with Julius' like a fiddle. "You know? I thought you knights of Lugunica were real stickups… And you are!"

"Usually those words come with a correction of your prior notions, Medium-dono…"

"Ah, I'm not finished!" Medium interrupted Julius again as she spoke affably to him. "You are real fun to tease, and you don't get all pissy about it to boot!"

"I'd beg to differ, Medium." Subaru's voice interrupted the two's conversation, taking Medium by surprise. "This guy can get REAL petty when it counts; depends on how you tease him."

"Subaru!" Medium saluted the hero excitedly as she and Julius arrived by her carriage.

"Heya! Been a while! Like… A week before the battle-?" Subaru tried to say hello to Medium, but a rather irritated knight disrupted him.

"Correction: it depends on WHO teases me. I've little patience for people of lax demeanor such as yourself, Subaru." Julius voiced with annoyance, shocking the Avenger.

"As if! You handle the likes of Ricardo and Mimi perfectly well!"

"Unlike you, Ricardo and Mimi both have a sense of dignity when speaking to their men. Mimi's an even more impressive when you consider her age. More often than not, YOU act like a child when things go badly."

"And you act like an old woman with a stick 24/7! Can never STOP swinging it around, telling people how annoying they are!"

"No, only with you."

"GAAAAAAAGH!"

"Haha! They are acting like little children, fighting with their sibling!" Medium chuckled as Subaru and Julius bantered loudly.

"You'd know; we do that all the time Medium…" Flop sighed tiredly as he prepared the carriage for takeoff.

*CLANG-CLANG!*

"READY ALL?!" A man by the front of the convoy yelled aloud whilst swinging a big silver bell on his right hand, taking the attention of all present by storm.

"That's our signal Medium… We have to go." Flop announced melancholically as he looked back at his sister and the other two young men. "Natsuki-san, Mister Julius… I cannot profess how grateful I am of having met the two of you… Thank you, from the bottom of my heart."

"It goes both ways, Flop-dono. You protected Anastasia-sama and assisted us during both the Whale expedition and against Ultron. My gratitude for your presence is… Underestimated, to say the least." Julius and Flop shook hands firmly, smiling at one another with sincerity. "Although, I do recommend not crossing into Lugunica again, for the time being. The last thing I'd want is arrest a friend."

"Don't worry; I'm… I'm sure the relationship between our countries will see an improvement in the future, after the Selection. When that time comes, let me invite you for a drink." Flop assured with an honest smile.

"Much appreciated." Julius nodded, returning a smirk.

"See ya around you two!" Medium said before jumping into the carriage's copilot seat.

"Yeah! Be seeing you, Medium! Flop!" Subaru waved his hand at the two, and soon after, their carriage and the convoy disappeared into the Southern night… "And… There they go as well. What were you doing here anyways Juli?"

"My duties to Sir Marcos. The more I get done right away, the sooner can I focus on your ceremony and catch some sleep…" Julius complained with stress.

"Sure must be a pain in the ass dealing with all that, hehe!"

"About as much as your presence is…"

"Woah, rude!"

"You are the only one being rude here, with your base language."

"I'm so, SO sorry I can't be on my best the entire day, but-!"

"You'll have to be once you become a knight!"

"Geez, alright! Okay, I get it… No need to yell at me, I've got sensitive ears…"

"Seriously… Were you this foulmouthed back in your own home?"

"Not really… But then again, I was a masked vigilante with a double identity back there. Being able to be myself, in and out of costume now is just… Liberating, I'd say."

"Perhaps TOO liberating… *Sigh*" Julius held his head tiredly for the umpteenth time that day as he confronted Subaru for his behavior. "Regardless… Let us return to Crusch-sama's- The Alliance's Estate. There's much to plan still."

"…Don't you mean 'MY' Estate?" Subaru corrected with annoyance.

"…No, the ALLIANCE'S ESTATE. Just because you'll be living there doesn't mean it is all your property." Julius corrected the correction with even greater annoyance.

"Dah, please! If I can't even call it my crib, then what's the point of having it?!"

"Having a place to return to after a long day's work?"

"That's… Not wrong, but I should still be able to call it mine!"

"When you earn the right."

"And when will that be?!"

"When you earn the right! Stop asking the useless!"

"You are the worst! At least be clear when explaining things!"

"What hypocrisy is this?! You are the last person that has the right to say such a thing! Half of your own descriptions are pointless diatribe!"

"At least I'm saying something! You either keep things short or don't say anything! That's even worse!"

"If you lack the mind to understand briefness, then that is completely on you!"

"Oh sure! Call the guy with a 4.0 GPA an idiot! See how stupid you sound?!"

"I don't even know what a 'jee-pee-ay' is, but it must surely be a rather lackluster scale if you succeeded on it!"

"Oh- You-! GUUUUURNGH! You are insufferable!"

And so, the odd pair of obnoxious knight and annoying hero both walked into the dark of twilight, amidst destroyed buildings, back to the pile of rubble they could call their base for the night.

AUTHOR'S NOTES

Gueeeeess who just returned from watching Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania?!

Not gonna spoil you guys, but I think it was definitely better than the mess of Wakanda Forever.

SPOILERS FOR BLACK PANTHER 2 AHEAD

SPOILERS FOR BLACK PANTHER 2 AHEAD

SPOILERS FOR BLACK PANTHER 2 AHEAD

Before anyone lynches me, I'll say that I liked Shuri overall after a second viewing, and that the start is REALLY strong; problems came later, like with Riri's introduction, her instant trust of Wakanda, the whole problem of Wakanda versus Talokans INSIDE the ocean (Seriously, how the hell do you best a merman in the water?! ESPECIALLY ones with super strength?!) and many other stuff I found that didn't quite stick the landing.

Namor is… Still iffy on him being Mesoamerican as opposed to Mediterranean/Greek, but I'll let it slide. There's interesting things you can do with him, but it'll depend on how the MCU handles his solo property.

NOW, for Quantumania, there is a lot that Marvel could have done better; some stuff came REALLY out of nowhere, with almost no setup or reason other than comedic effect.

MODOK wasn't really… MODOK? There was SO much more to his character than what we saw, but whatever…

Kang was… Honestly, it was solid, but not amazing. He DID say some interesting stuff, which would do wonders for the fic though, so I'll keep them in mind...

Not sold on Cassie, but Scott was STUPID GOOD in this movie, loved every moment of him. Hope/Wasp was just kinda there though, didn't do much until near the end.

Lots of Micronauts inspiration in the film though, you'll know what I'm talking about.

As promised, next chapter will be the knighting ceremony, and from there onwards, a few Side Stories and then a time skip to the next Arc.

And if you need a mental image of what Subaru's hand movements were when threatening a wedgie… Imagine Kazuma's finger movements from Konosuba. Anyone would be terrified by the idea of that!

See you next chapter!