Chapter 16

Emilia lay on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. She had conflicting feelings inside her. She absolutely hated the fact that her knight had spent time with a Lord's daughter. Even though he said nothing happened and he never agreed to marry her, that unease in her heart refused to go away.

But what Shaula had shouted at her had shocked her and those words she'd said still persisted in her mind.

"EXACTLY! HE'S YOUR KNIGHT! NOT YOUR PROPERTY! SO WHO ARE YOU TO SAY HE CAN'T TALK TO OTHER WOMEN?! DO YOU HONESTLY DISTRUST HIM THAT MUCH?!"

'Distrust'. That word continued to echo in Emilia's mind. Shaula thought that Emilia didn't trust Subaru? No. Of course she trusted him. Ever since he'd supported her in the sanctuary and told her he loved her and promised to wait for her, of course she trusted him.

But for some reason, whenever she saw him with other girls or he got proposals from lords, it brought up feelings of...annoyance and discomfort which she couldn't understand.

Frederica had been in her room before and she had given Emilia some advice which also conflicted with Emilia.

"Emilia-sama. As much as I respect you and I do not condone the way Shaula-san spoke to you, she has a point."

Emilia felt hurt that Frederica thought that Shaula was right.

Frederica: "Subaru-sama may be your knight, but he has no obligation to focus only on you."

Emilia had remembered retorting, saying he Subaru loved her and he promised he'd wait for her. Frederica responded to her with:

Frederica: "Of course Emilia-sama. But does him talking with other women mean he loves you any less?"

Those words, combined with Shaula's words wouldn't leave her mind.

Frederica: "As someone who is in a relationship, the best advice I can give is that you need to let that person have a personal life outside of their love life."

Emilia: "A personal life?"

Frederica: "Of course I love Otto, and I know he loves me back. But I cannot force him to focus only on me. Of course Otto converses with other women, that's his choice. It doesn't hurt me because I know I love him, and that he loves me back."

Frederica's advice and Shaula's harsh words had resonated with Emilia.

Subaru made her feel really warm and happy inside. Maybe she was being a little irrational. Subaru loved her and he'd promised he'd wait for her just like she'd promised to give him an answer.

She couldn't understand these feelings inside her, and she wanted to love Subaru back the same way he loved her, but she just couldn't figure out what these feelings were inside her chest.

Emilia: "But I suppose it couldn't hurt if Subaru talked with other women."

Emilia said to herself. It's not like anything would happen. Subaru loved HER had promised to wait for her after all. So she had nothing to worry about.

He'd never go for any other girl but her.

The naïve half-elf decided she'd had a long day, so she went to bed early to get some sleep. There were about two more days of meetings with the nobles. But once that was over, she could go right back to spending time with Subaru again.

Subaru knocked on the door to Shaula's room.

Shortly after knocking, the door opened, Shaula standing in front of him.

She was no longer wearing her maid uniform. She was wearing casual clothes that had been designed for her.

She was wearing a black shirt with orange edges. Her short skirt was the same colour scheme. Her boots looked similar to the boots she wore in the Watchtower: black with orange soles and an orange top with the rest of her legs being covered by black tights.

Subaru blushed slightly upon seeing her.

Her long brown hair flowed down to her waist. Subaru admitted that he missed her scorpion tail, but her long hair made her even more beautiful. And her green eyes shone like a pair of emeralds. On top of that, her clothes slung to her body rather tightly. Not so tightly that it was uncomfortable, but tightly enough that they accentuated the curves and contours of Shaula's body. Her slender thighs, her thin waist and her prominent breas-

No, no, no! Your heart only belongs to Emilia-tan! Idiot!

Subaru slapped his cheeks and shook his head. After the disaster he'd had with Anne and how upset he'd made Emilia, he'd decided that it was better when he just stayed in love with only Emilia as to not cause trouble like he did.

Shaula: "Is something wrong Subaru?"

Subaru was snapped out of his thoughts by Shaula asking him a question.

Subaru focused back on why he came here.

Subaru: "Sorry Shaula. Just daydreaming a bit."

Shaula: "It's fine. I'm ready to start whenever you are."

Subaru: "Of course"

Subaru smiled. He entered Shaula's room. It was a rather small room she had. With a bed in the middle of the room, a bedside table on the left and her desk in the far left corner of the room.

Shaula took a seat at her desk. Subaru stood at the side of the desk, ready to start the lesson.

Subaru: "So how far have you managed to get with Ram in this past week?"

Shaula: "Um...we got up to Ro glyphs, I think. Wow. Now that I said that out loud, I sound stupid don't I?"

Shaula cast her eyes down. She had been finding learning extremely difficult. And Ram's snarky attitude and falling asleep mid-lesson didn't make it any easier.

She felt a hand on her shoulder.

Subaru: "Don't worry about it. Everyone learns at different paces. Don't force yourself to learn faster. Just take your time. I'll help you with anything you need."

Shaula gave a small smile. And so the lesson began.

Shaula asked questions about certain glyphs and Subaru responded to her questions. Shaula started to understand with Subaru's explanations.

Shaula made a joke about how he hadn't fallen asleep on her bed yet. Subaru responded saying that Ram's attitude can be annoying at times, but she's actually a really good teacher.

Shaula pouted, saying she had no idea how he thought she was a good teacher, and she honestly found it hard to work.

Subaru laughed, which made her pout even more, until she started laughing as well. They continued the lesson. It was strange to the amnesiac girl, but she was starting to enjoy the lesson. She was learning so much and it was only their first lesson.

They had been so invested in the lesson, time seemed to fly by and the lesson was over.

Shaula: "Thanks for your help Subaru."

Subaru: "Don't worry about it. You did all the work. I just stood by."

Shaula shook her head.

Shaula: "No really, I couldn't have done this without you."

Shaula blushed slightly, which caught her off guard. She shook her head, trying to focus.

Shaula: "So does the same time tomorrow work for you?"

Subaru: "Of course. I'd be happy to continue teaching you."

Shaula smiled warmly.

Shaula: "Thanks Subaru."

Shaula gave the brown-eyes man a peck on his cheek. Subaru responded by blushing slightly

Shaula saw this and blushed slightly in turn.

Shaula: "I think we're both tired. We should probably get some sleep."

Subaru: "I think that would be a good idea."

The two were avoiding each other's eyes, with slight blushed on their faces.

They both bid each other good night and went to their rooms. Subaru's room was a long walk from Shaula's. Meili had insisted Shaula have a room next to her so Shaula agreed.

After changing into the rather revealing blue dress Crusch had given her, Shaula climbed into bed and tried to go to sleep.

But she couldn't. Something was on her mind. No. Someone was on her mind. That someone made her body heat up and her cheeks turn red. She tried to think of anything else, but she always came back to thinking about that person.

Little did she know that that someone had the exact same problem as well.