Next Morning
-Emilia's Room-
Her face looks so much more peaceful compared to last night. That herbal tea worked wonders. I'll need to thank Ram for it later. I wonder what she saw that made her so distressed, but it'd be quite rude to ask.
Subaru thinks these thoughts as he watches over Emilia's figure in a wooden chair next to her bed. Last night after Rem finished her trial he carried her over to her room, being directed by Ram. Since she was struggling so much with the trial and appeared to have nightmares at first, he decided to stay with her the entire night in case anything happened.
Lifting up his left hand, he gives it a quick glance on both the front and back before lightly blushing. When he first woke up, he was completely shocked to find his left hand intertwined with Emilia's right hand. He nearly freaked out at the unexpected contact that presumably lasted for several hours. Thankfully, he kept himself quiet as he slowly let go of her hand. Admittedly, he did feel a bit saddened from losing this physical contact with her.
He doesn't remember ever making contact with her hand, so why in the world did this happen? Did he do it in his sleep unconsciously? Or did someone come in and interlock their fingers for some strange reason?
Nah, I definitely did this in my sleep. Sorry Emilia-tan, but I'm going to treasure this moment for the rest of my life. Gotta be more careful from now on though, what if she was the one who woke up first? I can't imagine what her reaction would be.
Happiness? Shock? Sadness? Anger? Knowing how pure and innocent Emilia is in the world of romance, Subaru wasn't sure if she'd even react that strongly to the touch at all. Perhaps she'd only think of this as a friendly gesture, as friends often tend to hold hands together. He frowns at the possibility of having the gesture be misinterpreted as such.
Well, regardless, he isn't about to tell her what happened. It's something he intends to keep known only to himself, for better or for worse.
A nearby fire pit, which had been burning all night long, suddenly makes one loud crackling sound due to embers popping. This causes Emilia to stir a little before slowly opening her eyes. They settle onto the man beside her.
"Subaru?" She whispers.
He gives a big warm smile towards her, "Morning Emilia-tan, did you sleep well?"
"Morning…did you stay with me all night?" Her eyes remain half open with an obvious look of sleepiness on her face.
He nods, "I wouldn't have been able to sleep in my room anyway. When I walked by Otto's room, which is next to mine, he was loudly talking in his sleep. Perhaps I should teach him a lesson in proper sleeping manners."
Teasing Otto doesn't make Emilia feel any better, as she shifts her eyes downwards and frowns, "I'm sorry about yesterday. I really lost my composure in the trial."
Subaru waves a hand, "No, I'm sorry for not staying with you at first. I had to take care of an emergency with Rem-tan. Otherwise I would've come much sooner."
"N-No, it's ok. Don't mind it." Subconsciously, Emilia reaches a hand out towards Subaru's arm and grasps it lightly, as if it's a natural thing for her to do.
Subaru gasps lightly and his eyes widen. Finally, Emilia realizes exactly what she just did and blushes. Lifting her hand a bit, she hurriedly explains in a more awake voice, "I-It's not like that! Woah, that's weird, why did I just…"
Her expression changes to one of both shock and embarrassment.
"Wow! Is Emilia-tan getting so brave that she's reaching out to me subconsciously now?!" She must've enjoyed us holding hands throughout the night! He thinks excitedly. Perhaps she's actually conscious of him as a man for once?
Smiling a stupid smile, Emilia waves both of her hands frantically, "No, no, no! I-It's nothing like that! I promise! I w-wasn't thinking!"
"Denied so fast! And you really weren't thinking?!" He expresses his frustration in a childlike way. Looks like he got too ahead of himself. The two settle down their emotions and he smiles again, "Well, as long as you can smile, then that's alright. You can try the trial again tonight."
Emilia looks back with a frightened expression, "Again…tonight…"
Subaru gives a frown in response to her reaction. He immediately begins to doubt what he just said.
Outside of the room, unbeknownst to two of them, Ram listens in, her guise being as neutral as ever.
-Outside Roswaal's Home-
Shortly after the conversation with Emilia, Subaru, Rem, and Ram begin to do some housework for Roswaal by putting up various sheets onto a clothesline. It was Ram who asked Subaru to help, while Rem insisted on assisting the two as well.
"Ram, I never got to say this last night, but thanks for making that herbal tea for Emilia-tan. It really helped calm her down."
She doesn't look at him but still replies in a neutral tone, "Doing that much was nothing. I would have preferred you stayed with her from the very beginning so that I wouldn't have had to be bothered to procure it. But, as I heard from Rem, it appeared you did greatly assist her in her time of need. So I'll say with graciousness that your priorities were set correctly this time."
Rem's eyes light up, "I haven't heard you speak so highly of Subaru-kun in quite some time Nee-sama! Though I am troubled that Emilia-sama was bothered more than necessary due to my shortcomings. I should properly apologize later."
Subaru shakes his head at Rem's suggestion, "It's not your fault Rem-tan. You had no idea that she would show up with the mabeasts and attack you. It's amazing that we were able to escape unscathed!"
"About that." Ram starts, "The barrier surrounding the Sanctuary and the residential area should've naturally repelled the mabeasts in order to protect the residents within it."
"Like that barrier around Arlam village?" Subaru asks.
"Something like that. The two barriers are fundamentally different, but they share the common trait of repelling mabeasts. Regardless, the Sanctuary is on the outskirts of Elior forest. Mabeasts should be a rarity here. It is rather disappointing that you didn't know that Barusu."
"I can't help it if I'm not a native around here!" He says with frustration.
"I agree with him Nee-sama, you can't expect him to know the surrounding landscape and their unique traits all that well."
"With the way you phrased that, that doesn't make me feel any better." Subaru says. Rem apologizes.
"Unnecessary apologies from Rem aside, are there any clues as to why so many mabeasts attacked you both?" Ram asks.
Rem answers, "Remember when we rescued some children from Arlam village from the mabeasts?"
She nods.
"There's one little girl among them with braided blue hair and she wears a purple flower clip. Actually, she was the last one to be found."
Ram thinks for a moment, "Maybe."
"She's the one that held that dog that ended up being a mabeast in disguise."
A look of realization washes over her face, "Ah yes, her. I remember her. She'd bring it out to play with the other children all the time. For being a mabeast, it was quite friendly in the village to everyone except Barusu. Probably because of how pathetic he looked."
Attempting one of her usual joking insults towards Subaru, she expected the typical response of rebuttal from the man in question. Yet, it didn't come. It becomes unusually quiet. She begins to wonder if she went overboard.
"Nee-sama, that was too far. That mabeast and the others were no joke to fight. You know that. They also cursed Subaru-kun. For everything Subaru-kun went through that day to help save everyone, he made it through it all while smiling proudly and without hardly a complaint. He's not pathetic at all, quite the opposite. He's brave. Very, very brave."
Faced with Rem's complete disapproval of Ram's supposed teasing, the latter couldn't help but widen her eyes. Subaru does the same. The reason they do so is for the same reason.
Rem has never talked back to her sister like this.
Sure, she would occasionally counter one of Ram's insults of Subaru with some sort of praise for him. However, that was the extent of her disagreement with Ram. Otherwise, the two hardly ever disagreed on anything and were often in sync with one another.
Even Rem herself was shocked by what came out of her mouth. She just got upset all of a sudden for Ram treating the mabeasts hostility to Subaru as something negligible.
Even if she got angry, she didn't feel like she needed to go that far to state her disapproval of it, especially since it was Ram saying it. But still, something deep within her compelled her to speak out, to disagree.
Since completing the trial, Rem has felt like her feelings towards Ram were changing, but she didn't have any words to describe what sort of change it was.
She definitely felt with that exchange of hugs and tears that they got much closer than they ever have before. Yet at the same time, she felt a small sense of separation too. As for why, she doesn't really know. It may be something she'll discover down the line.
"You're giving me too much credit, Rem-tan…" Subaru says in a quiet voice, the other two are barely able to hear him.
"I really don't see why you view Barusu so highly Rem. I really don't. But, I suppose I was a little inconsiderate. My apologies."
"Don't worry about it, I wasn't really bothered by it." Subaru half-lies. It is true that he really does generally brush off what Ram says about him. However, he wishes to obtain at least some of her respect. It doesn't have to be to the same extent as Rem, nor does he actually want her to treat him that highly. But still, not insulting him at every opportunity would be appreciated for everything he's done for her at this point.
He covers up his lie with a genuinely neutral tone, so neither of the sisters sense anything amiss. Rem says, "If you ever are, let me know, okay? Anyway, the girl who was handling the mabeast was Meili-san. Nee-sama, did you ever find it strange that for a mabeast, it was eerily friendly with her?"
"I never thought about it much, but now that you're mentioning it, yes. It is strange. Mabeasts tend to attack indiscriminately against any creature that isn't one of its own. More so if said creature is emitting miasma." After replying with this, it clicks. "Are you saying she is capable of controlling how the mabeasts feel?"
"Pretty much." Subaru instantly replies. "More like she's capable of commanding numerous mabeasts at once. She can order them to do whatever they want. Protect her, chase us, attack us, you name it. It was horrible. That girl is terrifying with the amount of powerful mabeasts she has under her command. We barely escaped with our lives!"
Ram tilts her head down and closes her eyes in meaningful thought, "I see, so that's how it is."
"What? Have you discovered something about her ability to control mabeasts?" Subaru asks.
"No, it just explains why so many mabeasts came and attacked you two last night."
"She likely has a Divine Protection of some sort that allows her to control them, since there's no way to tame them naturally." Rem says.
"Do you know where she ran off to?" Ram asks.
Subaru shakes his head, "No, but she said she and her Onee-sama always give back what they receive, or something like that."
"There's someone who can control mabeasts?!" An anxious voice rings out close by before revealing themselves. It turns out to be Otto.
"Woah, where did you come from? Have you been watching us?" Subaru is surprised by his sudden entrance.
"What's up with that sort of response?" He responds displeased, but continues nonetheless. "I was checking on all of the villagers when I overheard you three talking about mabeasts, so I came to check it out. So, there's a person capable of manipulating them?"
"Huh, you are surprisingly diligent to be looking after the villagers like that. Do you have a motherly side we're unaware of?" Subaru smirks as he asks this embarrassing question.
"N-no! Not at all! I'm a merchant. Isn't it natural to make sure my potential future clients are kept safe and sound?"
"I dunno, it sounds to me you're just being a big ole softie and who really cares about them!"
"A-Anyway!" Otto loudly coughs into his right fist before crossing his arms. "It was an opportunity to gather valuable intel."
"What sort of intel Otto-san?" Rem asks.
"Such as their opinions regarding the current state the Sanctuary is in. I expected most responses to be for the release of the barrier. But…"
"But?" Subaru repeats.
"The opinions are surprisingly divisive among the natives here. Many seem quite content here and don't really want to interact with the outside world. It's mostly the more warrior-like and aggressive people that are pushing for freedom."
"Great, that's going to make liberating the Sanctuary more troublesome than it already is." Subaru sighs in annoyance. However, his face reanimates at an idea. "Wait! What if we told the people about Meili-san's attack? Maybe that'd push the reluctant folks into wanting to leave."
"It could work, but it could also reinforce the idea that the outside world is dangerous and should not be interacted with. This Meili-san you keep mentioning, she isn't a resident here, right?" Otto says.
Subaru and Rem nod. The former says, "I've seen her at Arlam village. I thought she lived there, but I'm not so certain now."
"I think what we should be more concerned about is why she came and attacked Natsuki-san and Rem-san. Neither of them carry anything worth stealing, nor does the village have any sort of precious artifacts worth taking." Otto says.
"I know I'm broke and penniless beyond compare, but you didn't have to point it out like that!" Subaru exasperates in a dramatic manner before regaining composure and returning a thoughtful look. "But yeah, I haven't thought of that. Why did she come in the first place?"
Attempting to recall his two interactions with Meili yesterday, he remembers a certain line that he initially didn't pay much mind to at the time, but now concerns him.
"This is bothersome! You arrived much sooner than I expected! I was supposed to have finished that girl off before you came!"
By "that girl", she obviously meant Rem, as she was the only person she was fighting before he arrived. But why is Meili targeting her? He turns to Rem and asks, "Rem-tan, do you remember making Meili-san angry at any point?"
She shakes her head, "No. I rarely looked her way, let alone talked to her. Why do you ask?"
Subaru says the line he heard from her.
Ram furrows her eyebrows and her tone turns dark, "She's after my little sister, is that right? Then I should strike her down where she stands. Having even the thought of harming Rem is a sin in and of itself. Where did she go?"
"Why would I know?" Subaru asks in a semi-sarcastic tone.
"I didn't expect you to know the answer Barusu. Keep your mouth shut when it's not needed." She narrows her eyes a little more than usual.
From the way they've been talking about Meili, Otto deduces that the three are familiar with her from before this deadly encounter yesterday. "It seems that all three of you have been acquainted with her prior to yesterday, likely putting on a facade of kindness. Where did you meet with her before?"
"Arlam village." Rem answers immediately. Suddenly, her eyes widen immensely, "Oh…oh no!"
Subaru and Ram are about to ask what is wrong before they realize the same thing she does. "Crap! Arlam's in danger!" The former cries out. "Maybe even the mansion too! Beako, Frederica-san, and Petra-chan are all there!" He begins to run arbitrarily in a random direction.
"Barusu!" Ram shouts.
He stops and turns around.
"Don't tell me you're about to rush off with no plan. You're just asking to be killed, and Rem would feel devastated if you did that. So don't make me exert the effort to bring you back."
Hearing that Rem would be devastated at his death, Subaru is reminded of the time he died due to Petelguese taking over his body. He saw how distraught she was seeing his will losing out to Petelguese's. It was heartbreaking as he could feel the poor girl's heart crushing into a million tiny pieces right before him as she slowly realized there was no saving him.
"...right." He walks back towards them, additionally becoming aware that just running off like that won't solve anything. "Rem-tan, I'm sorry for having to ask this, but can you please come with me to Arlam village and Roschi's mansion? I'll make sure nothing serious happens to us, but we may run into Meili-san."
She gives a hesitant look, looks away for a brief moment, and returns her gaze to Subaru. "Subaru-kun, I want to. I really want to come with you. But…the trip is going to take several hours and by the time we return, I won't be able to take the second trial. Under normal circumstances, I'd just ignore it. However, I really, really feel like I need to take this trial."
"Oh, I understand! I'm sorry I didn't consider your feelings on the matter."
She frantically waves her hands, "No, no! I'm sorry for being so selfish in wanting to do this. But what about your second trial? What are you going to do about it?"
"I'm not taking it." He bluntly replies.
"You're not? How come?"
"Emilia-tan is the one who should pass the trials and free the Sanctuary, not me."
"Passing responsibility onto others? Why am I not even surprised Barusu." Ram scoffs as she parts her hair a little.
"Listen to me for a moment, will you?!" He shouts in frustration with Ram's constantly assuming the worst of him, "Even though she failed the trial, her desire and willingness to free the Sanctuary members has not decreased at all. I don't want to trample on her pure motives and goodwill. Additionally, if she frees the Sanctuary, naturally the credit will go to her. And when the news of her freeing the Sanctuary spreads around, she'll gain a lot more support both for the royal selection and in general!"
"Natsuki-san has a point there. Ever since Emilia-sama has been announced as one of the candidates there has been much discussion regarding her entry. Most of it has not been positive. She should be taking as many opportunities to raise her reputation as possible. So, with that in mind, wouldn't Rem-san's passing of the trials interfere with that gesture of goodwill?" Otto realizes Subaru's intentions and agrees with them, finding it rather honorable to give up his chance to free the Sanctuary so she can do so and take the credit to improve her reputation.
"I had no idea that was what you were planning Subaru-kun. You should've told me!" Rem expresses a bit of frustration with this lack of knowledge. Thankfully she quickly calms down. "Don't worry, I have no intentions of interfering with Emilia-sama's goal to free the Sanctuary. I only wish to take the second trial, I won't take the third one."
"Sorry about that. Thanks Rem-tan. Though if things fail to work out for some reason, we might have to consider other options. But for now, that's the ongoing plan."
She smiles at him before turning to Ram, "Nee-sama, can I ask a favor of you?"
She gives a small nod and a light smile in response, "As long as it's within my power, I'll do anything for my little sister."
"As I cannot go to Arlam village and Roswaal-sama's mansion with Subaru-kun, can you go with him in my stead?"
Ram's lips curl into a shape that appears to be a mixture of displeasure and anxiousness. "Rem, can I talk to you for a moment, in private?"
"Um…sure." Rem responds with slight uncertainty, mostly due to the new pensive look of her sister. But also due to the new small feelings of doubt lingering in the depths of her heart. She's been trying to extinguish these flames of doubt of Ram, but they always seem to flicker back to life no matter how hard she tries. She can't understand her behavior from last night regarding the Tome of Wisdom.
"Barusu, make sure you don't slack off while we're gone. More sheets need to be put up." Ram points to a wooden basket on a nearby stone block right next to Roswaal's house.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm on it." He handwaves her off as he gets to work. Meanwhile Otto dismisses himself to check on some other residents in the Sanctuary.
-Backside of Roswaal's House-
"What did you want to talk about Nee-sama?" Rem asks the obvious question. Ram decides to take her to the back part of Roswaal's house so as to be alone. She peaks around the corner of the wall to make sure Subaru is not trying to listen in, and finds that he is working as he was told to.
Turning back around, Ram gives her younger sister a look of concern. "Are you certain you want to take the trial tonight that badly?"
She nods, "Of course. I was finally able to overcome that dreadful night and learned new things. I really believe that if I take the trial tonight, I'll learn more about Subaru-kun and how to help him further."
"What if you don't?"
"Hm?" Rem tilts her head, not understanding what she's implying.
"I don't understand what drives you to learn more about Barusu. I feel there is nothing to be gained from learning more about him. But, what if this trial you feel so certain will reveal more about him doesn't actually do so? Rather, what if it instead reveals something dark and sinister that you'd end up regretting knowing about?"
"If Subaru-kun has a dark secret, then I'd do whatever I could to help him through it. There's no way I'd back down and abandon him." Rem states this without even a slight bit of hesitance. That's how much she trusts and cares about him.
"That's not what I meant exactly. Roswaal-sama and I are concerned that if you take this next trial, something will end up being revealed to you that you'd ultimately end up regretting and wishing you hadn't known."
"Like I said, if it's about Subaru-kun, then I'll do whatever I can within my power to help him. If it's something else. Well, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it."
Ram gives a thoughtful gaze towards her sister for a little while, which causes her to say, "Nee-sama?"
"Oh, I was just thinking about how much you've changed since you were little. Especially since Barusu came into our lives."
"I mean…he did save me after all." Rem puts her hands to her cheeks and blushes slightly. "Though I still have a lot to improve about myself."
Ram feels like she may understand just the teensiest bit more about why Rem adores Subaru as much as she does. "You don't need to take the trial to help him out. Even with as greedy as Barusu can be sometimes, I'm sure he's content with you being just the way you are. If he has a secret, then he'll tell you whenever he's ready to do so."
"That's the thing Nee-sama. He wants to tell me. I can tell he does and even admitted it once. But he can't. I don't know why, but it seems he literally cannot tell me. If the trial can give me the answers that he can't give me, then, well…" She trials off, "I'll leave it at that. I hope you understand why I wish to take the trial so badly Nee-sama."
Ram does understand why Rem wishes to take the trial as much as she does. At this point, she wants to give her blessing and just let her take it. However…
"I do Rem. I understand. Unfortunately, Roswaal-sama has given the order for you to not undertake the second trial."
She didn't want to do this, but indirectly discouraging her from taking the second trial didn't work. Thus, she's now resorting to telling her directly.
Rem's eyes narrow upon hearing that, "Huh?"
"He's quite concerned about you Rem. These trials are not well known, nor is it known why you and Barusu are the sole exceptions to the rule of only half-bloods being able to take them."
"Is he really?" She asks, tone heavily filled with doubt.
"Of course he is, he's always looked out for our well-being, as well as everyone else who lives in his mansion. Do you doubt him for some reason?"
"I…" Rem draws out the letter, not really sure what to say. Up until yesterday, she's never doubted Roswaal's judgment and has always found it to be fair and logical. Being one of the most powerful if not the most powerful mage in Lugunica, he's a well-esteemed man across the land. At the mansion too, he's quite the respected man as well, if not without his few weird quirks. He's respectful to everyone no matter who they are and is generally willing to take people under his wing to help them out in their life. He's done that with Ram, Frederica, Emilia, Subaru, and herself.
But now with everything that happened yesterday, Rem can no longer consider Roswaal as a pure man who isn't holding any potentially dark secrets within himself. Now having confirmed that he has some sort of connection with Echidna, a witch of all things, he's suddenly become quite suspicious in her eyes. It only further increased upon figuring out he has a great chance of being involved with the Tome of Wisdom, a book that can tell the future and is somewhat related to the gospels of the loathful Witch's Cult. Not to mention he may have known about the attack on her village in advance due to it. Sadly, she cannot confirm that, but just knowing that it's possible fills her heart with anxiety and dread.
What if…he could've prevented it, but didn't?
"I think Rem should take the trial if she wants to." A thoughtful woman's voice sounds out from behind them.
They quickly turn around and spot a white-haired half-elf standing before them, "Emilia-sama!" Rem lightly cries out due to her unexpected appearance.
"Emilia-sama, as a candidate for the Royal Selection, you should know it is quite rude to sneak up on individuals talking amongst themselves and eavesdrop. I'm disappointed." Ram shakes her head at Emilia's inappropriate behavior.
Emilia gives a bow of apology, "I'm sorry. I was walking by just now and couldn't help but overhear you two talking about the trials. I'll take note of this for the future."
"As you should. Anyway, yes, we were discussing the trials just now. I suppose you heard about Rem wanting to take the second trial and Roswaal-sama wishing she does not, correct?" Ram says.
She nods affirmingly, "Yes, I did. I know you two are Roswaal's maids and you should do as he says, but I think if you feel a strong conviction towards doing something, you should set out and do it!"
"Emilia-sama…" Rem puts a hand to her chest, feeling touched by the words she's saying.
"Are you certain about that? It could easily lead to recklessness and putting your life unnecessarily at risk." Ram says. "And besides that, you're quite bold to suggest us disobeying Roswaal-sama's explicit orders."
"Those are both true, Subaru's shown himself to be rash and careless sometimes. But, his desire to never give up is also a great strength of his. He believes in all of us and would do anything for the people he cares about, even if that means putting his life in unnecessary danger. I wish he would stop being so stubborn about that sometimes. But, it's also admirable, so I think it's ok to let him be."
Rem initially smiles at hearing all of these things about Subaru, agreeing with Emilia completely. However, she frowns shortly after upon remembering that Subaru was so close to giving up everything and running away. For a man as strong-willed as Subaru, even he has a breaking point. She clearly understands that, but she is quite clueless on how he got to such a point, as nothing supremely bad seemed to have happened to him after arriving in the capital. This is one of many mysteries she desperately wishes to solve.
"I'm not sure why the conversation switched over to Barusu, but I don't get your point." Ram says, sighing ever so slightly in annoyance.
"Subaru has overcome a lot of various obstacles to get to where he is today. I think it's his conviction that has led him along all this time."
Rem nods in understanding, "I get it. You're saying that while a strong conviction can lead to recklessness and danger, it can also guide someone towards a brighter and happy future, like with Subaru-kun, right?"
Emilia nods a few times in rapid succession, "Yeah! Something like that!"
Ram tilts her head downwards and lightly shakes her head, as if deep in thought. She raises it again after a moment and says, "I see. Thank you for that insight Emilia-sama, even if that was a roundabout way of explaining it." She turns to Rem and gives a heartwarming smile, "I'm convinced now. Take the trial Rem, and I pray it will lead you down the road to a happy future."
"Thank you so much Nee-sama. But what about Roswaal-sama?"
"Don't worry, I'll keep this a secret from him."
"Wow Ram, I didn't think you'd do something like keep a secret from your own master." Emilia says, slightly shocked.
"Well, it's for my dear younger sister after all."
With that, the conversation wraps up and Ram heads back to the front to hang up the remaining sheets and towels. Rem is about to follow her, when Emilia calls her from behind.
"Rem!"
She turns around, "Yes Emilia-sama?"
"I'm actually going to try to take the trial again tonight. Would it be alright if we entered together? I think I'd feel safer if someone went with me…" Her voice trails off, as she remembers what occurred last night. She quickly attempts to shove those thoughts aside so as to not be overwhelmed by them. It fails, and she quickly grows more and more anxious.
Emilia was informed earlier that morning about Subaru and Rem completing the trials. She was very happy for them but she was curious about how they were able to enter despite not being half-bloods. They were able to easily dodge the question by stating they weren't sure.
Rem's sweet reply cuts her off from those foul memories, "Of course. It'd be an honor to enter together with Emilia-sama. I'd like nothing more than for us both to walk out of those ruins with our hands held high in victory." She raises both of her hands high to demonstrate her point.
Later that Day
-Village-
Standing in the center of a large open area filled with nothing but dirt beneath them, Subaru, Emilia Rem, Ram, and Garfiel are all present. Surrounding them are various small buildings the villagers are residing in. Next to them is the carriage Subaru and the others arrived in, with Patrasche at the front.
In the end, Ram ultimately agreed to go with Subaru. Partially to help bail him out of a nasty situation should things go south and they meet Meili. And partially because Ram has her own personal feelings of disdain for the blue-haired, purple-flower wearing girl. Before she agreed, she went to Roswaal to ask his permission to go, to which he easily gave his approval. He did ask what Rem was going to do, as he was somewhat surprised she wasn't going to go with him. She responded that she would help Emilia. Which, to her credit, isn't a lie.
"Not sure how I feel about so many people being here for my departure, it's not like it's that grand or anything." Subaru scratches his chin with a single finger, looking a little perplexed at the situation before him.
"Nee-sama and Garfiel-san are going with you, so it's a given they're here. Me and Emilia-sama are here to give our wishes of support and for you all to have a safe trip!" Rem needlessly explains.
"I'd go with you if I could, but the barrier is kinda preventing me from going. And I still need to take the trial. Don't push yourself too hard Subaru! I know how stubborn you get when it comes to that." Emilia says, who can't help herself from worrying about Subaru at least a little.
He gives an earnest smile to the beloved angel known as Emilia, "I know, I know. I won't! I'll try avoiding getting involved with any suspicious entities, but if I do, Ram will perform a woosh woosh and a kapow! Our problems will be solved!" He dramatically performs various 180 degree swings with his arms both vertically and horizontally.
"First, I don't appreciate the implication that you're going to be lazy on this trip, Barusu. Second, my wind blades make no such thing as a 'kapow' sound. Third, I can only do that for so long. And fourth, stop making such creepy movements. You're making me want to belch."
"Four consecutive insults?! That's a new record!" Subaru announces loudly, feeling both proud and depressed at achieving this ultimately useless and pathetic result.
"I thought your moves were charming and cute." Rem tilts her head, closes her eyes, and smiles sweetly at Subaru.
"And Rem-tan comes in with the save! You're cute too! Oh, and Emilia-tan as well! You're both super cute!"
"Awww, stop teasing me Subaru." Emilia responds with a normal smile, not looking embarrassed like Subaru hoped she would. However, the intended effect does work on Rem, who can be seen to be lightly blushing if he was within a few feet of her. Unfortunately, he is not, so he doesn't see it.
"Alright! Can ya'll stop yer yappin? We've got a barrier to reach!" Garfiel growls a little with crossed arms while impatiently tapping his foot at least once a second.
"Sorry, thanks for volunteering to take us to the barrier." Subaru says as he walks over to Patrasche and gives her head a few rubs. She is delighted by it, evident by the calm, soothing sounds that rumble out of her beak.
"It's nothin'." He gives a small smirk while waving a hand in dismissal, acting surprisingly humble for the first time. Even if he is unable to cross it, Garfiel is still able to assist them in bringing them to it.
The three board the carriage and immediately set off. Garfiel and Subaru sit in the driver's seat while Ram sits in the back.
-Dirt Road-
Only about a minute into the ride, Ram calls for Subaru to come to the back.
"What is it?" He asks her.
"Hopefully it won't come to this, but if we run into Meili and the tides turn against us, there is someone we can turn to for assistance."
"Wait, really? Who?"
"Beatrice-sama."
Out of all the names he could've possibly expected to hear, Beatrice's was not one of them.
"Hold up, Beako? Really? Isn't she like a shut-in NEET with all those books she reads? Why would she help?"
She sighs, "Your usage of unfamiliar words irritates me, but yes. Roswaal-sama wanted me to give you this message. If you find yourself in a tight spot, turn to Beatrice-sama. Once you find her, tell her this, 'Roswaal said to ask the question'."
"Question?"
"I don't know the details, but when Beatrice-sama hears those exact words, everything will change. At least, according to Roswaal-sama."
"I see…" Subaru lowers his head and closes his eyes thoughtfully. What is this question Roswaal is talking about?
With that thought, he returns to the driver's seat.
"Y'know, small fry, I've been thinkin' about somethin'." Garfiel absentmindedly looks into the sky for a moment before refocusing on the road ahead of him.
"I have a name you know." Subaru groans, "But what is it?"
"Since you and Rem have 'ready passed teh firs' trial. Why don't one of ya take the rest 'n Emilia-sama's place?"
"Emilia-tan has a big, strong, gentle heart who jumps to help others without a moment of hesitance. Even though she failed the trial last night, her dedication towards her goal to set everyone free has not dimmed in the slightest. I don't want to infringe upon her pure intentions. Rem-tan understands that too, and is also willing to give her a chance to shine."
"I see…" Garfiel mumbles, not expecting this sort of answer that praises her so much. "Look out for 'er, alright? Even if 'er conviction's solid, 't could waver at any moment when teh pressure's let loose. If she fails again, don't expect such optimism."
"I have faith in Emilia-tan, I know she'll complete those trials." Subaru angrily frowns at him, not appreciating him doubting her abilities.
"'N that's fine. Just keep 'er feelin's in mind. Make sure she's certain she wants to 'vercome the trials."
"Right, her feelings." Thinking about this, he is reminded of the time of his and her argument back at the capital. He was very inconsiderate of her feelings and made a fool of both himself and her in front of all the royal candidates. He considers that part of his life a very shameful one.
Am I doing the right thing by letting her take on the trial? This question repeats itself over and over in his head. Is letting her into the trial just to potentially get traumatized by her past the right thing to do? Sadly, no matter how far in his mind he searches, no answer can be found to this question. Of course life wouldn't be that simple. There are risks to every decision one makes.
"We're gettin' close to the barrier now. Here." Garfiel hands over a necklace with a blue crystal attached to it. It's identical to the one Frederica gave them before they left for the Sanctuary.
He observes the crystal before looking at Garfiel expectantly. "Not gonna tell my reasons. But, if ya don't come back, we'll be the ones in trouble. If push comes to shove, show that to Frederica."
Nodding, Subaru grips the necklace tightly before putting it into his pocket.
"'Nyway, ya got any wise words ya wanna share Ram before my amazin' self gets off?" He asks her in a considerably more compassionate tone compared to how he's spoken to everyone else so far.
"No, though I suppose I'll say you and Barusu are getting along better than I expected."
"Really? Well, I guess he did give me a pretty rough welcome." Subaru sighs as he lifts his hands to comb through his hair idly.
"Sorry 'bout that. Didn't know you were associated with Ram, Rem, 'n the clown."
"I've been wondering this for a while but…you've been giving a lot of glancing looks at Ram since we've arrived. And you sound a lot different when talking with her. Do you like her or something?"
"She's hot, ain't she? Plus, my amazin' self doesn't think there's anythin' unusual about bein' attracted to a strong, capable girl like her."
"I heard all of that." Ram responds to his words, which is basically a love confession, with a harsh tone. "And I'd kindly like to ask you Garf to redirect those feelings of lust onto some other woman."
"Yikes, rejected. Can't say I didn't expect it though." Subaru says with a frown. He felt a little bad for Garfiel, but he honestly cannot see how he could be attracted to someone as rude, sarcastic, and lazy as Ram.
"The only other one with yer face is Rem, and I can't say I feel anythin' when I see her."
"Probably for the best, she's smitten with Barusu already." Ram says.
"Anyone can tell that from a mile away!" He grumbles in frustration that Subaru is having a far more successful love life than he is.
Subaru stays silent the whole time, unsure what to say about Rem's feelings towards him. However, he is quite grateful to know that Garfiel doesn't have any romantic feelings for Rem, unlike Ram.
They soon reach the barrier and Subaru and Ram continue on their own through the barrier.
That Evening
-Trial Ruins-
"Well, we're back to the trials." Rem states thoughtfully as the ruins glow in front of her.
"Yes we are. I…really hope this goes well." Emilia, standing right beside her, says with decreasing confidence.
In attendance with them are Otto and Ryuzu Bilma. They are present to keep watch over the ruins and assist the girls should anything go wrong.
Rem notices the sudden mood change and grabs her right hand with her left. Emilia looks at her in surprise.
Rem nods with a smile and says, "I believe things will go well Emilia-sama. Think about the person you care about the most and just how happy and proud he will be at seeing you complete the trial. I think that'll give you the power to face anything before you."
"Think about the person I care about the most…" She repeats while putting a finger to her chin, seriously considering her suggestion. After a moment, she gives a single nod of determination, "Thanks Rem. I'll try my best!"
"Stay safe you two. Come out immediately should anything go wrong, alright?" Otto says, already quite concerned for them both.
"Yes, thank you Otto-kun." Emilia gives a small smile to him before turning to face the trial. Making a large sigh, she lightly smacks her cheeks with her hands.
"Ready Emilia-sama?" Rem asks once Emilia finishes her self-confidence boosting preparations.
"Yes, let's go Rem."
Holding each other's hand for comfort, the girls enter the ruins and walk down the long hallway.
Once they get towards the end of it, the girls' legs cramp up and they collapse onto the floor, separating their hands in the process. They both go unconscious at once.
Emilia begins her second attempt at conquering her past.
Meanwhile, Rem begins her second trial when these words are pummeled into her mind.
"Behold an unthinkable present."
-Author's Corner-
A/N: We've arrived at the moment you all have been waiting for, Rem's second trial! From the single line given, are you able to tell what type of trial she will have? Well, in any case, her entire second trial will be covered in the next chapter. I'm actually rather surprised how many people have been anticipating her second trial. Hopefully I'm able to deliver.
In other news, I wasn't expecting to expand the canon conversation between Subaru and Ram as much as I ended up doing. I guess I saw it as a good opportunity to get everyone up to speed on the latest events in the Sanctuary. Also, I hope the conversation between Rem and Ram is satisfactory. Since they never really have disagreements in canon (that I'm aware of anyway), it was a little difficult figuring out how it'd most likely play out.
danielsantiago4545: Thanks! Hopefully you enjoyed Rem and Ram's conversation about the former taking the trial.
Guest: Thanks for pointing that out. I'll fix that.
DaRealMiz: No problem! Yeah, presuming that topic comes up again I think it would be quite heartwarming to have them discuss their pasts together.
Anon: I'm really happy to hear you enjoyed it so much that you binge read it! Yep, expect more suffering to come to at least Subaru in the future.
demon god noir: It's been quite rough for her, hasn't it? She's just getting more and more confused as time goes on, but maybe relief will come to her soon. Also thanks for pointing that out, I'll fix that.
Maximum Rhapsody: Since Rem has taken the first trial and overcame her past, she is starting to see Ram in a different light compared to before. You can see that in her internal monologue. As for Rem and Emilia, they got a bit of interaction together in this chapter. With how things are going, true friendship between them is totally possible.
Deathenglegamers1144: Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter. Thankfully Rem didn't have to overcome anything too drastic to take the second trial.
Dovahking2023: I can't imagine Rem's reaction to Satella would be all that welcoming. Not to mention the miasma Satella very likely leaks out has got to be very, very overwhelming. I think Rem would have a very difficult time surviving in her presence without Echidna's tea to counteract the effects.