Chapter 2 is here, it took a while because IRL stuff and ADHD is a thing. Thankfully, I plan on making up for it and the first step is doing a double update. One for this one, and one for No Damage.
Anyway, enough talk!
Chapter 2 – First Obstacle and The Clown
I don't own anything except some stuff
Emilia quickly went to Rom's side as he tried to stand up. "Ye youngins gotta get outta here. This ain't yer fight." The old giant coughed out as he gripped his club tightly. I chuckle as I grip my bow tightly. "Sorry, but I only have a little bit in me before I pass out from exhaustion." I smile weakly, wiping some sweat off my cheek.
"And besides," I glanced at Emilia. "I doubt our cute Emilia here will go and leave someone in trouble."
Elsa laughs as she flips through the air before landing on the floor. Her bloodied dagger still looked sharp and dangerous. "You got guts, boy." She giggles before licking her lips. "If you give yourself up to me, then I'll think about letting everyone else go~"
I frowned as I aimed my bow at her. "First things first, ew...and secondly, no." I shot an arrow at her, which she easily dodged.
She lets out a disappointed sigh before shrugging. "Shame. Well, time to gut you all then." And just like that, she rushed towards me, her dagger ready to cut me open.
But instead of me getting gutted, I shot another arrow at her, grazing her shoulder. "You got the looks, but that's not enough for me. You gotta stop going for the guts, you disgusting bitch!" I snarled out as I fired another arrow at her, which she narrowly dodged by doing a backflip.
"Fucking playing with us again..."
'Ken, I need you to stall for us as much as possible,' I heard Puck.
"You're quite interesting, boy." She said with a sultry smile. "Let's see if you can entertain me more." I quickly glanced at Puck and gave him a subtle nod. Glaring at Elsa, I forced my heavy legs to move, trying to keep her attention on me.
"Alright, let's see what I can do." I muttered under my breath. Aiming carefully, I shoot another arrow at her. As expected, she dodged it easily even with her injuries. Just how fast is this woman?
"Wolf!" I called out to Wolf. He growls and rushes at her, keeping her distracted long enough for me to gather my magic, forcing me to grit my teeth as I bit my lip in an effort to keep myself from passing out.
Just like I thought, I don't have enough strength to keep this up. Gonna have to hope that Emilia and Puck can do the finishing blow. "But first," I grunt as I charged. I can't rely on Wolf alone to land my shots. The solution? Charge in there!
CLANG!
"An interesting strategy, boy." Her lips curl into a smile as she once again goes on a stalemate against Wolf, his teeth grinding against the blade of her dagger. "I was expecting you to be all talk, but it seems you got a lot of tricks up your sleeves." She glanced towards me charging towards her and laughed.
"I got plenty more you ha-URGH!" My eyes widened as I felt her foot colliding against my stomach. "I really like you, boy. You have such an interesting smell. Not many can keep me occupied this long." Her sultry voice did not help with the way her heel dug into my stomach.
"Mmm...I wonder what your guts would look like?" She giggled, enjoying herself immensely as I felt her pushing her heel deeper into my stomach. "F-Fuck..." I coughed out, my fingers losing strength as I dropped my bow.
"Ken!" I heard Emilia's cry as I dropped to my knees. I could hear Rom struggling to get up while Puck seemed to be cursing.
But...
"Hold her down, Wolf!" I growled out as I wrapped my arms around her legs.
"Wha-?!" Elsa's eyes widened as Wolf's teeth snapped her dagger before biting down on her arm. "You..." She scowls and tries to get herself free by hitting me with her free hand.
THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!
And holy hell she hits like a fucking truck.
Pain bloomed across my face as she punched me repeatedly. But I held on tightly, refusing to let go despite my injuries.
"It's fine!" I cried out, forcing myself to ignore the pain. "Whatever you had planned, do it now, Puck!" I grit my teeth as I pushed through the pain. "Although I would prefer it if I don't di-GAH!" I shouted in pain as she slammed me to the ground.
But I still didn't let go even with my back screaming in agony.
"Puck!"
In an instant, Emilia raised her hands as she channeled her magic. A white glow surrounded her body and an icy mist formed in front of her. Elsa noticed this and immediately tried to pry Wolf off of her, but he refused to let go. "This is beginning to annoy me!" She growled before grabbing her shattered dagger.
"A little too late for that~!" Puck sang out. The cold mist in front of her turned into multiple shards of ice, each one glowing brightly as they floated above them. "I'll make sure you and your spirit won't get hit!" He said with a strained smile.
"Good night~!" And then with a swipe of her hand, the shards shot towards us, aiming at Elsa.
"Heh," I let out a grin as I turned to Elssa...only for my eyes to widen as that smile she always held was still there. "Ken. I'll remember that name," she gripped her broken dagger tightly before quickly cutting off her arm and kicking me hard with her other foot. The shock of her willingly cutting off her arm forced me to let go.
"Hmph," she jumped up to a hole in the roof, barely escaping the shards of ice. She looked down at me before giving us a wave. "Keep your bowels clean for me, especially you, Ken. Fufufufu..." With a burst of wind, she disappears from our sight.
"She got away..." Emilia muttered in disbelief. I lay on the floor, staring blankly at where Elsa once was. I felt numb all over as I tried to process what had happened. "She got...away..." I groan weakly, wincing as I put a hand on my stomach. My body is screaming in pain, but I refuse to give up now.
"Not gonna lie, I think I'm dying..." I chuckle weakly as I try to force myself to stand up. But the moment I stood, my legs gave way and I fell back on the floor. I let out a grunt of pain before looking around. Emilia is already rushing to help me while Wolf circled around us protectively. Rom is slumped against the wall, still breathing heavily, and Puck is sitting on Emilia's head, smiling weakly at me.
"Thanks for stopping, Ken. You really helped us back there." He chuckled tiredly, his body going transparent. "But don't push yourself so hard next time, okay?"
I let out a wheezy laugh as I nod slowly. "Yeah..."
"Hold on tight, Ken. I'm...nngh..." Puck rubs a paw on his eyes, yawning slightly. "I'm going to sleep so Lia can heal you. So good night..." In an instant, he glows and dissolves into motes of light.
Emilia quickly kneels beside me and gently places her hands on my chest. "Don't worry, Ken! I'll heal you in no time!" She smiles warmly at me, her hands glowing with healing magic. However, I could see it straining with how worried she was. "Just focus on staying awake, okay?"
I stare at her for a few moments before letting out a small smile. "Yeah...don't mind if I do, princess~" I sigh in comfort, feeling the warmth of her healing magic washing over my injuries. The pain faded as her magic healed me and I soon found myself relaxing in her soft embrace.
"Oh? Looks like I'm a little late..." I turned to the side, straining my eyes to see a handsome man with striking red hair and blue eyes approaching us. He lets out a relieved smile as he looks at Emilia, who is still busy healing my wounds. The sword beside his waist and his fancy clothes tell me he is someone important.
"Reinhard Van Astrea, at your service," he greeted us with an easygoing smile.
"Mmhm...nice to meet you...? Amakawa Ken..." I blinked, unable to muster enough strength even to reply.
"Lady Emilia, are you alright?" He asked her with a frown. He took a glance at me and winced slightly. "I apologize for arriving late, you wouldn't be in this state if I had arrived sooner." He bowed apologetically.
What a nice guy, I honestly expected him to be a dick or something.
"No worries. Thanks to you, I've finally made it through." She said with a smile. I frowned a little as I noticed her trying to hide her exhaustion. Reinhard seemed to notice this as well but didn't comment on it. I closed my eyes, smiling softly as I felt my wounds closing slowly. "She pushed her heel deep," Emilia muttered with a frown. "It's taking me a while to close them."
"It's fine, just take your time. It's not like I'm going anywhere," I smiled as I felt my stomach fully recover. I turn to Wolf and smile softly. "Hey, can you do me a favor, Wolf?"
He stared at me silently for a few moments before growling. "You want me to go back so that I can help Lamb calm down Lillia, right?" He tilted his head curiously. I nodded weakly. "That would be great. If possible, can you tell Lillia to give me some good dreams?" I chuckle weakly, shivering from the cold breeze. "I think I need a good dream to take my mind off from a psychotic killer with the goal of gutting me alive."
Wolf growled softly as he pressed his head against mine. "Sure, I'll let her know. Good night, Ken." And with that, he disappears in a puff of smoke.
"What an odd spirit," Emilia comments quietly. I smile softly before turning to her. "Thanks for healing me up. I was worried that you were gonna pass out from exhaustion," I teased her. She puffed her cheeks and huffed at me. "Hmph! As if I'm going to let you die on me! Not when you did your best to save us!"
"You're surprisingly strong too, Ken. To think that you could hold Elsa long enough for Puck and me to get ready..." She smiled, seemingly proud of what I've done. I shrugged in response.
"Guess I'm a bit stronger than I look."
Reinhard smiled as he watched our interaction. "I am truly glad to see that you two are safe." He turned towards the giant and waved at Rom, who was staring at him.
"An-"
"Old man Rom!" We heard Felt's voice before rushing towards the old giant with tears in her eyes. She hugged him tightly, crying into his chest. "Are you okay? You're not hurt, are ya?!"
"Geez, don't cry now, Felt." Rom grunted in pain as he hugged her back gently. "I'm fine. Although, I may need to sleep for a while after this..." He coughed out, making Felt tear up again.
"No fair! Don't talk like that, Rom!" She cried out, burying herself deeper into his embrace. "It sounds like you're about to kick the bucket! So stop it, dammit!"
Rom laughed as he patted her head comfortingly. "Don't worry! I ain't kicking the bucket anytime soon." He gave her a warm smile before turning to me. My lips curled into a small smile as I watched their warm interaction.
"Thank ye fer helping us. Ye really saved us back there." He thanked me with a small bow. "Without yer help, we wouldn't be talkin' right now." He chuckled, rubbing his head sheepishly. "Ye got guts, kid. Even though ye're clearly exhausted, ye still went and fought against her. That takes some serious balls, haha!"
I grin tiredly as I chuckle back.
"No problem," I turned to Emilia. "It was supposed to be an errand to get back Emilia's Insignia," I turned to Felt. "Which reminds me, can Emilia have that back? I don't like doing this, but we did save your life, so it should count for something."
Felt frowned as she looked at Emilia and then at the insignia. She clenched her hands tightly as her body trembled. After a few moments, she shakes her head. "The buyer, which was that lady from earlier, didn't intend to keep her end of the bargain. She was planning on killing me and taking the insignia anyway, so no point keeping it." She sighed deeply, looking crestfallen.
"Besides," she said with a soft smile. "This thing is just a worthless trinket, so it's not worth anything to me anymore." She tossed the insignia to Emilia, who caught it easily. She held it close to her chest and smiled warmly at the blonde girl.
"Thank you for giving it back, Felt." I said with a soft smile. If I had some strength in my body left, I would walk over to her and give her a pat on the head. But alas, I am too ti-
"Wait," I blinked as Reinhard swiftly walked over to Felt, a serious expression on his face. "I swore I saw it..." He mutters loudly before grabbing Felt's wrist, surprising all of us and causing me to narrow my eyes towards the redhead.
"Ow! What the hell?! Let go of me!" She shouts angrily, struggling to free herself from his iron grip. He ignored her and instead focused on the insignia on Emilia's hand, his brows furrowing in confusion. "Could it be...?" He muttered under his breath.
"What do you think you're doing?!" I growled out. "You better let her go right now!" Reinhard glanced at me before letting go of Felt's hand. "Apologies, I didn't mean to harm her." He turns to Felt, who is glaring daggers at him. "But I must look into this further," he turns to me and Emilia. "Apologies Lady Emilia, but I'll have to take my leave first." He turned to Felt, "and I will have to take her with me to the castle. I have a feeling..." He pursed his lips before nodding to himself. "No, I'm certain I saw it!"
In an instant, he held out his hand towards Felt and Rom's faces. Both of them fell down to the floor instantly. I winced slightly, expecting a loud thud but only heard a soft 'thump'. "Hey! You can't just knock people unconscious like that!" I shouted angrily, frowning at how nonchalant he is. "And what's with this 'feeling' you're talking about?" I swear if he hurt them in any way...
"They won't feel anything afterwards," Reinhard reassured me with a smile. "And as for your question, I'll answer it once I confirm my suspicions. So for now, please rest and recover." He bowed politely to us before leaving the hideout with Felt slung over his shoulder. "Farewell and have a good evening, Lady Emilia, Ken." And with that, he disappeared from our sight.
We stared at each other silently for a few seconds before looking away. Emilia blushed softly while I cleared my throat awkwardly. "So uh...what just happened?" I asked her. She shrugged helplessly as she looked around the hideout, seeing nothing else but a destroyed interior.
"Don't ask me..." She sighed deeply before standing up slowly. "Let's go, Ken. We need to ma-" She paused, noticing me dozing off. "Ken? Are you still awake?" She poked my cheek gently.
"S-Sorry, Emilia..." I murmur softly, feeling my eyes grow heavy. "Leaving it...up to you..." I closed my eyes, exhaustion finally catching up to me. I can hear her call out to me again but having to fight a psycho of a woman and doing it tired as all hell has its consequences.
I'll just sleep it off and then deal with everything later on, yeah. Sounds good.
Next day...
When I woke up, I found myself wearing different clothes and staring at a very fancy looking ceiling. And my comment is simply...
"Who the hell has enough money to decorate their ceiling to this much detail?!" I grumbled grumpily as I sat up and stretched. The room is quite spacious and decorated with many fancy furniture. On the opposite side of the room, I see a large wardrobe, a table, a couple of chairs, and even a large mirror.
"But I have to admit," I pursed my lips as I took in the rather grandiose room. "If I had enough money, I would do the same..." I mutter, the side of me that enjoys cosplaying and making costumes getting excited at the thought of making something similar.
"My, that's something a hick would say." A soft voice said, making one of my brows twitch. "Indeed, truly those words are those who do not know what luxury is like." Another twitch.
"And who're you calling a hick?!" I growl, gritting my teeth...only to pause as I take in the young twins before me, each of them wearing a maid outfit.
"Wha..." I can only utter in surprise, my mind racing as my hobby as someone who both cosplays and makes costumes surfaced. The way they hold each other's hands while looking innocent, the frills of their skirts, their outfits in general, and even their medium silky smooth hair is so damn perfect that it's almost unreal! And don't even get me started with how their hair blocks one side of their eyes! It's just so freaking cu-!
Wait hang on a second?!
"Who are you calling a hick?!" I snapped back to reality.
"Sister, it seems our guest is cranky in the morning." The blue one said, tilting her head slightly to look at her sister. Her voice sounded soft and gentle. The pink-haired girl nodded in agreement. "Yes, Rem. It appears that our guest is very loud as well. Shall we force him to stay in bed?"
"Oi, don't talk like I'm not in front of you!" I glared at them, faltering slightly as I felt myself getting flustered at how cute these twins are.
'Oh my god, why are they so adorable?!' I screamed internally. 'I have so many costumes in my mind that they would pull off perfectly!'
"Hmm, I suppose he can be forgiven for his actions due to his ignorance, Rem." She turns to her sister, her pink eyes glinting playfully. "Shall we show our guests some mercy, Rem?"
"Yes, Sister. Perhaps if we treat him with kindness, he might stop shouting at us." Rem smiles gently, her blue eyes shining brightly.
"Yeah yeah, I heard ya," I sighed as I got up from the bed. "So, for starters, where am I? And where's Emilia? Is she safe too?" I asked them.
The twins glanced at each other before turning to me. "We are at the Manor of our lord, Roswaal," Rem answered with a deadpan tone. "And Miss Emilia is currently in her room."
"...even with that tone of voice, you still sound really cute," I muttered under my breath.
"Rem, it seems that our guest has plans on violating you," Ram stated calmly. "Perhaps we should have Lord Roswaal remove him immediately."
"Hell no! Like I can even think of violating someone so...so...cute!" I inhaled loudly, my face twitching slightly as I struggled to contain my excitement. "Look, let's start over. Hi there, nice to meet you two. My name is Ken Amakawa, and I would love to work here and make costumes for you two."
They stared at me with blank expressions, neither of them saying anything for a few seconds.
"Rem, it seems that our guest intends to make costumes for us to fuel his depraved fantasies," Ram said casually, ignoring my outburst. "Shall we report this deviant to Lord Roswaal?"
"Yes, Sister. It appears that we need to call a doctor to check on our guest's mental condition," Rem said quietly, her eyes boring into mine.
"Wha-no! " I cried out in frustration. "And I'm not a deviant for crying out loud!" I took a deep breath and forced myself to calm down. "Okay look. First off, my name is Ken Amakawa. And secondly, all I want to do is make you two some really cool costumes. That's all!" I explained to them hurriedly.
This time, they stared at me silently for a whole minute before turning towards each other again. "Sister, it appears that our guest has finally come to his senses," Rem whispered to her sister.
"It does appear so, Rem." She glanced towards me. "But we must remain vigilant until we know for sure that he won't try anything funny."
I let out a long sigh, wondering what sort of weird world I had stumbled upon. But I shake my head quickly before looking at them seriously.
"Alright then," I held my hands up placatingly. "I apologize for being rude earlier. I guess I'm still tired and cranky from yesterday. So, why don't we start over? My name is Ken Amakawa. And you two are?" I asked them politely.
The pink one stares at me for a few seconds before bowing. "I am Ram, it seems that our guest has learned his lesson. Although, I still have my doubts about his sanity."
"Rem is also present," the blue one bowed slightly, copying her sister's action. "Our guest has been quite amusing."
"Glad to be of service," I rolled my eyes, smiling despite myself. These two are just too cute...
"Anyway," I turned towards the door. "Since you two seem alright, then I suppose I should go see Emilia now." Before I could even take a step, the door opens. And standing there with an amused, if exasperated smile is Emilia. "Its early in the morning and yet you're already causing trouble, Ken..." She muttered with a small sigh, shaking her head slightly.
"Emilia?" I blinked, surprised at seeing her suddenly enter. "Why didn't you wake me up sooner?"
Before she can answer my question...
"Miss Emilia, my dear sister has been violated by that man's eyes ever since he woke up." Rem pointed a finger towards me.
"Please listen, Miss Emilia. That man was talking about dressing up Rem and fulfilling his depraved fantasies." Ram also points a finger towards me.
"OI!" I shouted angrily, glaring at the twins. "You two were the ones who came in here and started calling me names! Not once did I even mention anything sexual!" I argued back, clenching my fists tightly.
"Ken, please stop shouting," Emilia pleaded softly, placing a hand on my shoulder comfortingly. "And you two, don't tease him too much." She chastised them softly.
"Yes, Miss Emilia, my sister is very sorry."
"Yes, Miss Emilia, Rem is sorry as well." The twins bowed respectfully to Emilia.
I stared at them with wide eyes before sighing deeply. "I'm usually a morning person, but now I suddenly feel tired..." I mutter, giving up on understanding how their minds work. "So, mind explaining where we are exactly?" I asked her.
Emilia nodded before gesturing towards the door behind us. "This place is Roswaal's mansion," she explained with a smile. "Want to take a walk with me? Breakfast will be ready soon."
I rubbed my eyes and just nodded with a sigh. "Yeah, a walk will do me some good." I turn to the twins and Emilia, a thought came to mind. "Now that I think about it, who changed me when I was sleeping?" I asked them curiously.
Ram answered first, "I am a maid. However, Rem is a better maid so of course she changed your clothes while you slept."
Rem spoke up after her, "Yes, Sister is correct. It is only natural for a maid like myself to change our guest's clothes. But don't worry, Rem didn't see any of your naughty bits."
"...okay, now where are my...clothes that I was wearing yesterday?" I asked them warily.
"Oh, those robes you were wearing? Rem had just finished cleaning them earlier," Rem replied before grabbing the cosplaying robes that I painstakingly made for weeks. "Of course, Rem has fixed any holes that Rem found along the way."
Please, keep speaking in third person, you cute maid you!
"Ah, I see," I took the robes from her outstretched hands and checked it over, noticing that indeed, all the cuts and tears were gone. "Thank you, Rem. Your sewing skills with sewing are amazing!" I smiled warmly at her, she merely responded with a nod. "Really..." I admire her work once again. "Your skills are amazing," I turn to her with a small grin, my passion for creating costumes resurfacing. "In fact," I quickly grabbed her hands, my eyes shining in excitement. "I would be happy if the-" I paused as I felt her hands tremble. It was only for a brief moment, but I still noticed it.
Shaking myself out of my stupor, I let go of her hand and gave her a sheepish smile while bowing apologetically. "Sorry, I got a little too excited there." I really need to learn how to control my excitement...
Ram huffed before taking her sister's hand. "It seems that our guest has some semblance of control." She narrowed her eyes towards me. "I will need to prepare some purifying reagents to clean Rem's hands that you touched."
"Sister, it is fine." Rem shook her head. "I still need to prepare breakfast for our guests, so I must excuse myself." She bowed to Emilia and then to me.
"Rem is right. We must prepare food for our guests and for Lord Roswaal," Ram said as she followed Rem. "Please be wary of the filth that is our guest, Miss Emilia." She gave me one last glance before bowing towards me.
"I-" I held my tongue, pursing my lips as I sighed. "I apologize for touching her without permission. And please make sure to give me some of the purifying reagents later," I grinned at her. "I'm quite the neat freak. You won't have to worry about anything dirty sticking to your sister."
Ram stared at me silently before giving Emilia a slight bow. "Very well. I shall take your word for it since you seem sincere. However," she looks at me again, this time with an intense gaze that almost made me flinch. "Please be more considerate next time." And with that, she left the room, leaving me alone with Emilia.
I scratched my cheek awkwardly. "What a way to start the day...right? Emilia?" I asked her nervously, glancing at the door where the twins had just disappeared through. "Did I mess up there? Should I apologize more profusely?" The last thing I need are enemies in this place.
"No no, not at all Ken!" Emilia waved her hands in front of her face, shaking her head rapidly. "You didn't do anything wrong. Ram is just a bit protective of Rem is all. That's why she reacted like that." She smiled reassuringly at me, patting my arm comfortingly. "For now, how about we just walk around the garden?" She tilted her head with a warm smile, making my eyes widen as I finally saw what she's wearing.
A shoulderless pink dress with sleeves reaching her wrists, the white frilly collar, the garter stockings, even her hair clips look like they're made of crystal...and holy hell, I can barely contain myself from shouting!
"Wow...Emilia, you look really good in that!" I blurted out loudly, unable to stop myself as my passion for cosplaying and costumes resurfaced again. "I mean, just wow!" My mind raced as I tried to think of an appropriate outfit for her, but sadly, nothing came up.
"Hahaha..." Emilia chuckled softly, placing a hand over her mouth as she giggled quietly. "Thank you for saying so, Ken. It makes me happy when I see you happy." She smiles brightly.
An Angel! An Angel with silver hair, amethyst-like eyes, and elvish ears appeared before me!
"Ken...?" She called out to me worriedly as I fell silent, staring blankly at her with wide eyes. "Are you okay? You're spacing out."
"Oh yeah," I blinked rapidly as I snapped back to reality. "Sorry, got distracted there," I chuckle sheepishly, rubbing my neck awkwardly. "Its just that I can't help but admire the way you look." I gave her a thumbs up. "Like I told you before, I love making clothes and if you allow me, I will make you shine brighter than any star in the sky!"
She blushed lightly, giggling happily as she placed her hands on her cheeks. "Hearing such nice things from you makes me feel special," she smiled sweetly at me. "But I'm not perfect though, Ken."
I raised a brow at her. "Eh? Why would you think that? From what I've seen so far, you're pretty much perfect." I cross my arms before shaking my head. "Anyway, can you wait for me outside? I'll be changing into my robes." I turn to my clothes and smile, it still looks brand new even though I went through a life or death battle yesterday...
I will have to apologize and thank Rem later after this.
"Huh? Do I have to reaaaally wait outside while you change?"
Eh?
I blink in confusion before nodding slowly. "Yes...you do," I stare at her dumbly, wondering why she's asking me that. "Is there something wrong?"
She stares at me with a tilt of her head before nodding with a confused look on her face. "If you say so," she turns around and walks away, giving me one last wave goodbye. "I'll go ahead then. Make sure to come outside quickly!" And with that, she leaves the room, leaving me alone.
"...I'm a man...and you're a woman...does she not know common sense?" I asked myself in bewilderment. "No no, wait! Think about it again! This is another world! Perhaps the women here are different! Maybe they don't care if a guy changes his clothes in front of them! Maybe it's perfectly fine!" I reasoned with myself as I took off my shirt.
After all, how else could those two maids dress me without seeing anything...
"I..." I closed my eyes and sighed loudly. "It's fine, Ken. You've dealt with people who lack common sense, both in game and real life. Just keep your calm and everything will turn out alright." I open my eyes and continue changing my clothes. "Although...that only adds to her cuteness..." I murmur quietly, smiling softly as I imagine her cute reactions when I tease her.
10 minutes later...
Standing in a yard, I stare at the 'mansion'. "Emilia," I called out to my silver haired friend beside me. "This place...is way too big to be a mansion." I mutter incredulously as I gawk at the huge building before us. "Isn't this more like a castle?" I turn towards her with a raised brow, but she just smiles.
"You think so?" Puck suddenly appears on top of Emilia's head. "Well, I suppose it does resemble one," he shrugs casually. "But enough about that!" He floats down towards Emilia's hands.
"Good morning, Puck." She greets him with a smile as his tail curls around one of her fingers. "Morning, Lia." He greets back before turning to me. "You too, Ken. Without you and your spirit friend helping us out yesterday, I don't think we would be able to survive that psycho lady."
"Yeah well," I shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm glad that I'm able to help." Especially since it's my first time fighting like that. I've fought and even killed others before, but they're not a psychotic lady that loves to gut her victims and is capable of slicing off her arm...
"So," I turn to Emilia. "About your spirit, can I talk to them?" Humming with a nod, I closed my eyes and brought my tattooed hand closer to me.
'Lamb, Wolf...' I paused before shaking my head. 'Lillia...'
In an instant, my tattooed hand glowed and out came Kindred, otherwise known as Lamb and Wolf, and Lillia...who seems to have been crying from how red her eyes are.
Lamb turned to me, her lips pursed before speaking, "Ke-"
"Ken!" Lillia rushed towards me before she could call my name, wrapping her hands around me tightly. "Ken! You made me worried sick! I thought you were going to die!" She cried loudly, burying herself deeper into my embrace.
"Haha, sorry for worrying you Lillia..." I patted her head comfortingly, smiling warmly at the fawn spirit.
"...what's with the way she speaks?" I hear Puck question himself, referring to Lillia's Scottish accent.
"What? It's not like there's anything wrong with her speaking like this." I answered back with a shrug. "Besides, it's pretty unique in its own way." I glanced down at Lillia who was staring at me with teary eyes. "And besides, it makes it easier to tell her apart from the others," I chuckled lightly before patting her head again.
Her fluffy round tail wagged cutely in response.
"Anyway..." I turned towards Kindred, to be specific, towards Lamb. "Lamb, thank you for letting me use your powers to save Rom yesterday." I force out a smile upon noticing the small frown on her doll-like face. "I know that it was a risk that left me exhausted during the fight, but I didn't want to leave someone to die when I could've saved him."
She stared at me silently for a few moments before nodding slowly. "From the short time that I have formed a contract with you, Ken, I already realized that you are a kind person," she sighed quietly. "Although, your kindness may come back to bite you one day," she warned me sternly.
I frowned slightly but nodded nonetheless. "Yeah, I guess so..."
"Aww~ what's wrong with being kind?" Lillia chirped cheerfully, giggling happily while clapping her hands together. "Ken is such a nice person after all! So there's nothing wrong with having him be kind!"
"A-Amazing!" I blinked and turned to Emilia. Her eyes were shining as she stared at my spirits. "You're contracted to 3 spirits! That's amazing, Ken!"
Lamb turned to her and shook her head. "Two, actually." Wolf grinned as he circled around her, being a head has its perks after all. "Lamb and Wolf are one spirit." Lamb nodded. "Wherever Lamb goes," she starts, "Wolf follows!" The bodiless wolf spirit finishes with a toothy grin.
"Eh?! Wait, does this mean that they share the same soul or something?!" She asked us excitedly. Looking at Lamb and Wolf respectively, I pondered if I should explain how Kindred came to be, their origin is both interesting and pretty damn dark considering the fact that Death itself decided to split himself into two just because he was lonely...
Not to mention the fact that I don't know how spirits in this world came to be. The last thing I need is for her to freak out on me when I explain everything.
"That's right! We are one!" Wolf nods excitedly while Lamb merely stays silent. "We're bound together by the strongest of bonds!" He exclaims proudly. Emilia stares at them curiously, looking from Wolf to Lamb and vice versa, observing them carefully.
"Well," she smiles warmly at them. "You both seem quite close."
"Yup! Of course we do!" Wolf grins widely...before frowning. "I just wish I can get one win whenever we play hide and seek."
I sigh, shaking my head slightly. "Just give up already, Wolf," I mutter dryly, remembering that he still hasn't won a single game against Lamb. "You always growl, which makes it easy to find you."
"But-"
"No buts, Wolf." Lamb interjected with a playful tone; her arms crossed under her breasts. "Stop complaining and start getting better at hiding."
Emilia giggled softly, watching our interactions closely. "You three seem very close," she turned to Lillia, who happily hummed as a few birds flew around her, a few of them perched on her horns. "And you too Lillia!" She said cheerfully, making the fawn spirit turn towards her in surprise.
"Eep! S-Sorry! Were you talking to me?" She blushed shyly, scratching her cheek while averting eye contact with the silver haired half-elf. She blinked in confusion as I walked over to Lillia and gently held her shoulder. "Don't worry, Lillia," I turn to Emilia with a soft chuckle. "She's not used to people interacting with her. So, it may take her some time to adjust to you and everyone else." I glanced at Lamb and Wolf and gave them a soft smile.
Being her friends in the spirit realm, I'm sure that they'll help her out when she needs it. And besides, it's good for her to interact with more people and make new friends.
"Oh..." Emilia trailed off quietly before smiling brightly. "I see!" She claps her hands together with an excited glint in her eyes. "Well, I'll try my best to get along with Lillia then!"
Puck nodded his agreement. "Yes, yes! It's important to make new friends! She looks like she'll fit ri-"
"Achoo!" Puck was interrupted as Lillia suddenly sneezed; the cause was that one of the birds decided that her censer is a good spot to rest on, which caused some of her censer's Dream Dust to waft into the air and tickle her nose.
Lillia sniffed cutely, wiping away the tears that were forming in her eyes. "Ah~ excuse me," she apologizes softly while smiling sheepishly. Looking up, she blinked as the bird suddenly fell off her censer and landed on the ground.
The other birds also began to fall until all of them had fallen to the floor, lying motionless.
"Eh?!" Emilia gasped loudly, rushing over to the birds and bending down beside them. "What happened to them?!" She asked frantically, her hands hovering above the birds worriedly.
Lillia stared at the birds for a few seconds before bending her knees and gently scooping the bird into her hands. "They've just fallen asleep," she explained calmly as she looked at the sleeping bird, her ears twitching slightly. "Happens all the time!" She giggled slightly before turning to me. "Reminds me of when I formed a contract with you, Ken." She smiled brightly as she cradled the bird lovingly.
"Really? How so?" Emilia asks curiously, glancing from the bird to Lillia and back again.
"Well," she hummed as she tilted her head while pondering on what to say next. "When I formed a contract with Ken, he accidentally inhaled some Dream Dust and got really sleepy." She giggled softly, her tail wagging slowly as she remembered the memory fondly. "He started dozing off but he still managed to make a contract with me!" She beamed happily as she gently petted the bird's feathers.
"I remember that it was you that made the contract, not me." I reply with a roll of my eyes. "You made me hold your cheek and then I fell asleep a few seconds after. I didn't even know that we were making a contract." I shrugged nonchalantly before adding with a deadpan tone. "But I guess it's nice knowing that you wanted to make a contract with me, though."
"Yeah! The dreams you had were wonderful! It made me happy seeing them!"
"Hmm~" Puck hums thoughtfully while floating in front of Lillia, staring intently at the fawn spirit. "So, this is what happens when someone breathes in those things." He scratches his chin for a moment before nodding in understanding. "Well, thanks for telling us about that, Lillia." He smiles gratefully at the fawn spirit, who blushes and nods shyly in response.
"Y-Yeah! Dreams are...very important to me after all." Her tail wagged happily before her cheeks reddened once more. "Seeing happy dreams makes me happy too! And Ken's dreams are so sweet!" Her eyes gained a shine as her hooves clacked together excitedly. "Like one where he was dressing up children from the streets!"
Geh! Lillia, phrasing please!
"Oh, wow! That sounds amazing!" Emilia exclaimed, her eyes sparkling as she listened attentively. "Would it be okay if I asked you to let me see your dream as well?" She asked politely, tilting her head slightly in anticipation.
"I...I don't know," I glanced at Lillia with an unsure expression. "For one thing, I don't know if Lillia can even share what she see-"
"I can!" Lillia interrupted me with a bright smile; her censer swaying slightly. "I can share what I see with anyone!" She turned to me, "how else did I convince Lamb and Wolf to form a contract with you? I simply showed them your dreams!"
Lamb and Wolf nodded in unison. "That's right," Wolf replied with a toothy grin. "You treat pups well, Ken!" He barked loudly, his tongue hanging out of his mouth. "I like you!"
Lam sighed and rolled her eyes before turning to me. "Ken-" Her eyes widened slightly before closing her eyes and turning to Wolf. "We need to go," she muttered softly. "Wolf and I have...business to attend to." She glanced at me, asking for permission.
Since I know bits of their lore in the game, it didn't take much time for me to figure out why. Someone is dying, and it's their job to make sure that they die peacefully if they accept their death, or die struggling should they fight against it.
Die by Lamb's arrows in peace, or die by being ripped to shreds by Wolf...yeah, I know who I would choose...
"Of course," I nod understandingly, smiling softly at them. "Stay safe out there, both of you."
They stare at me silently before nodding once again. "Very well, we shall return soon." Lamb bows her head before dissipating into mist along with Wolf. Emilia stares at the space the two spirits occupied with a curious gaze.
"What business do you think they have to go to?" She asks curiously. I shook my head in reply, "I'm afraid I don't know." It's not like I can tell her that Wolf and Lamb are actually the spirit of death itself. "But," I turn to her, a small smile on my face. "I'm sure that whatever it is, they'll be back soon."
I looked up to the sky and sighed. Man this place looks peac-
Growl!
I paused, holding on to my stomach as a loud growl suddenly erupted from within. "What a way to..." I pursed my lips before shaking my head slowly.
"I see that our guest is still rather loud," Ram's voice made me look towards her, seeing her and Rem walking towards us from the mansion. "It is like our guest's stomach can be heard even from inside the manor."
"Oh? What brings you two here?" Emilia asked them curiously.
"Our Lord, Master Roswaal, has returned. Please come inside." They said in sync, their tone completely monotone and expressionless. But despite this, I can tell that they are being polite and respectful...even with Ram's snarky comment about my stomach.
"Ah! Then we should get going then!" Emilia turned to me, "Come on, Ken!" She grabbed my hand and began pulling me along. "We shouldn't keep him waiting!" She smiled brightly, dragging me towards the mansion with a skip in her step.
"Wait, Emilia!" I turned to Lillia, the fawn spirit just smiled and waved as she played with the birds that were still asleep. "Don't worry, I'll be fine!" She assured me cheerfully. "I'll catch up later!"
"...right." I nod before focusing on following Emilia. The last thing I want to do is let go of her hand, especially with how big this place is...
Dining Room...
The dining room was spacious, with high ceilings and an impressive array of expensive paintings and other decorations around us. It looked more like a fancy restaurant than a place for eating breakfast. In fact, with how the room looks, it's like a private room in a restaurant. The long table stretched out before us. It's empty, but I smelled something really delicious when we were on our way here.
Walking in the room, I nodded in appreciation. I may not like spending money willy nilly, especially since the materials I need to make my costumes work are expensive, but I won't lie and say that it doesn't look nice…yes, making my costumes for cosplays is important.
"I was watching you from upstairs, and you know what?" I blinked as a somewhat haughty and squeaky voice came to the side of the door. Turning, I raised a brow as I turned to a young girl wearing a pink, frilly ornate dress, long drilled twintails, lots of pink ribbons, and a small crown on her head standing to the side. Her blue eyes and pink butterfly-like iris are so pretty!
"A fashionable loli...I approve..." I nod with a thumbs up.
She furrowed her brows as she turned to me. "What does that word even mean? For some reason I find it irritating, I suppose."
I merely shrugged at her words. "Oh, nothing much. Just means that you're cute and that you dress yourself well." I grin as I put my hand on my chin, taking in the full details. "Yes, you look like a treasure, like any child should be." I nod in approval.
"...I can tolerate that child's comment since it makes Betty sound pretty, I suppose." She said slowly, nodding slightly with a pleased expression. I turned to her with a raised brow of amusement.
I've seen what she looks like a decent amount of times before. While most Re:Zero cosplayers I've met and seen are cosplaying as either Emilia or Rem, there are a fair few that have cosplayed as Beatrice. I even remember some that have cosplayed into the catgirl and the green haired woman that looks like she's from the military or something.
I may have not watched the anime or read the manga, but that doesn't mean I'm 100% clueless.
"Hey Betty!" Puck waves from Emilia's shoulder before slowly floating towards her. "Have you been doing well?" He asks her, making her turn to him with her hands out and a bright smile on her face.
"Bubby!"
How...adorable.
"I've been waiting for you to come home for 4 days! Will you stay with me today, do you suppose?" She asked him hopefully, clasping her hands together as she stares at the cat spirit with puppy dog eyes.
"Yeah, let's relax together today!"
"Ah~ yay!" Her cheeks redden slightly before she turns to me again, staring at me with a curious gaze. "And who might you be, I wonder?" She tilts her head slightly as she takes in my appearance.
"Name's Ken," I bow slightly. "It's nice to meet you, Betty." I greet politely, catching her by surprise as she blinks rapidly.
"You're surprisingly polite, I suppose." She mutters quietly, before turning her attention back to Puck. "But call me 'Beatrice', I suppose." She frowns before glancing towards me. "Bubby, can I?" She mutters to Puck, making him turn to her with a tilt of his head. "Can you wh-oh..." Puck pauses before turning to me sheepishly.
"Sorry, Ken, but stay still and it won't hurt much," I blink in confusion as Beatrice walks over to me and puts a hand on my stomach. "Wait, what do you me-urgh! AH!" I suddenly grunted loudly as I felt an intense pain inside my gut, causing me to fall on one knee while clutching my stomach tightly.
"What did you do, Beatrice?!" Emilia gasped, rushing to my side immediately as she helped me up.
"I suppose it's because of your strange mana." She crosses her arms and nods sagely. "That man is abnormal, I suppose." She frowns. "His mana is plentiful and wild. He can't control it properly, I suppose."
Emilia stares at me with wide eyes. "Ken..." Emilia starts before shaking her head and wrapping her arms around me comfortingly. "Are you okay?! How are you feeling?"
"I...am fine..." I replied weakly, grunting as I forced myself onto my feet despite my legs feeling like jelly. "My body feels stiff, though," I rubbed my neck slowly as I stretched it out. "Nothing a little breakfast won't fix." I chuckle lightly before patting Emilia's head gently.
"You don't need to worry so much about me," I grin reassuringly. "I've dealt with worse than this." I said nonchalantly, remembering how I nearly died multiple times during that battle yesterday. "But yeah, thanks for worrying though." I add softly.
"...okay," she smiles slightly before nodding slowly. "As long as you're fine." I notice how Beatrice stares at me curiously, tilting her head slightly, pursing her lips, seemingly deep in thought before shaking her head. "In any case, your magic is strong, I suppose." She nods slowly. "Strong but you have no control over it," Puck floated towards me, deep in thought.
"That's probably why you got tired after healing the old man." Emilia mutters, trying to help keep me steady. "Makes me wonder how you managed to keep pushing yourself despite being tired."
"Tenacity, I suppose?" I replied with a grin, taking Beatrice's verbal tic. "Although, I think my mana would be stronger if I had a better understanding of it," I scratch my cheek awkwardly.
"I seeee~!" We all blinked as a man with blue hair, wearing a fancy flamboyant suit, and sporting a makeup that's usually reserved for clowns and circus people appeared behind us, startling everyone in the room. "Interestingggg!" He drawled, his voice sounding very...exuberant.
He looked exactly like how he was drawn in the anime and manga.
"Roswaal!" Emilia cried out, startled by his sudden appearance. "When did you get here?" She asked in surprise.
"A minute ago, perhaps? It seems that you were too preoccupied to notice me, Miss Emilia." He turns to me, his blue and yellow eyes boring into me with interest and amusement. "So, what might your name be, young man?"
I nodded politely towards him. "Ken," I answered simply. "It is nice to meet you Roswaal, sir."
"I seeeee~!" He chuckled cheerfully while rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "What an interesting fellow! I am the looord of this manor, Margrave Roswaal L. Mathers! You seem quite friendly, Ken. I must say that it makes me happy to hear such words from a guest of mine," he smiled widely before turning back towards the table. "But fiiiirst, we must take a seat! My precious maids are giving our meal some finishing touches before they seeeerve us, after all!"
As if on cue, the door opens and the twin maids come in with a tray. "We apologize for making you wait, Master Roswaal." They said together. Ram sets down a cup of tea in front of each person seated at the table. Rem does the same.
I won't say it out loud, but Roswaal is very...weird and it's not just because he looks like a clown with all that makeup, clothes, and jewelry. But then again, most people would be weirded out if someone suddenly appeared out of thin air like that.
After setting the last glass of water before me, both sisters stood up straight, stood beside Roswaal, and bowed their heads slightly. "Please enjoy your meal everyone." They both said at the same time, remaining beside Roswaal with a blank expression on their faces.
The food that the twins brought out made my mouth water as I drooled quietly. On the plate in front of me was a bowl of creamy soup, a loaf of bread, and a salad. Gulping, I suppressed the urge to devour everything right then and there, instead waiting patiently for Roswaal to start eating first.
"By all meaaaans, dig in," Roswaal encouraged everyone as he lifted his spoon. "There is plenty to go around, so please eat as much as you liiiike." He smiled widely at everyone, but I could tell that his eyes were focused on me.
With everyone's permission given, I began digging into my meal, grabbing the spoon in front of me and scooping some soup into it. Without hesitation, I put the spoon into my mouth and...
Heavenly! This soup tastes like heaven itself!
"This is delicious! Amazing!" I exclaimed excitedly, smiling brightly as I continued to savor every spoonful. "Thank you so much for the food!"
Roswaal chuckled happily, nodding slowly at me. "Mhm! You're welcome! I am glad that you are enjoying your food," he held out his hand towards Rem. "Rem here cooks wonderfuuuully~! Well, as the head maid, that is expected of her."
"I am merely doing my duty, Master Roswaal," Rem bows deeply.
"I see..." I look down at my soup, smiling softly. Having this food in front of me reminds me of the many times I would blow most of my money to buy the materials I need for my cosplaying hobby. The many times where I had to endure hunger, working many part times, and hiding from loan sharks...all the sweat, tears, blood, and dedication that I poured into getting what I have today.
It made me smile, knowing that despite how crappy my life was, it all paid off in the end, especially since I got isekai'd into this world…even if it's a really dark world.
"Ken? Is something wrong?" Emilia asks worriedly, staring at me intently.
"Oh no, nothing's wrong," I reassured her with a smile. "I was just reminiscing about things." I replied as I took a bite out of the bread. Its fluffy texture made me sigh contently.
"I see..." She muttered quietly before returning to her own meal. Everyone ate in relative silence, though Puck and Beatrice were chatting quietly with each other while enjoying their food.
"You are a strange man, Ken." I blinked as I turned my attention to Roswaal. His lips curled into a smile that does anything but instill confidence. "To be able to defeat that woman, it is truly impressive indeed," he nods slowly, crossing his arms as he stares at me with a serious gaze.
"That woman...you mean Elsa Granhiert?" I asked him, making him raise a brow.
"Yes, her moniker is the Bowel Hunter, I'm suuuure you've heard of her? She has quite the reputation, after all." I pursed my lips with my eyes closed before shaking my head. "Sorry, but I just found out about her yesterday." I said honestly. No need to lie to the person that is keeping me fed and sheltered.
"I see..." He rubs his chin slowly, "I have said it once and I will say it once again, Ken. You are a strange maaaan." He drawled loudly, making me frown slightly.
"So I've been told..." I reply with a mutter, focusing back on my food. I can feel his gaze still locked onto me, observing me silently. It made me shift uncomfortably, but I didn't want to seem rude by asking him to stop. So, I continued eating my food with everyone else.
"Do you know the situation around Lugunica, Ken?" He asked me curiously, seemingly interested in my answer.
I blinked at the question before looking down and biting my lip. I have already been honest to him once, experience tells me to just lie and keep silent. But my gut feeling tells me that he would know if I lie to him, and if I lie to someone that looks like they're important then it might bite me in the ass later on...
So, there's only one thing I can do...
"I'm sorry, but I don't know."
I can only be honest here. I'm in an unknown place. It would have been a different story if I had watched the anime or read the manga, but I only know bits and pieces from spoilers and memes that I've seen on the internet.
"I seeee~!" He chuckled loudly before clasping his hands together and leaning forward. "Then how abooout this? Do you know who the current king of this land is?"
I blinked at the question, shaking my head. "No, sir."
He hums in reply before continuing his questions. "What about the Royal Selection, do you know anything about that?" He asks me curiously.
"Nope."
"I find your ignorance rather interesting," he said suddenly. "Perhaps we could come to some sort of agreement? I may even be willing to grant you a boon for your honesty, hmm?"
I turn to him with a wary expression on my face, it must've been obvious because Roswaal's smile seemed to widen ever so slightly. "A boon?" I ask cautiously, trying not to show too much interest in whatever he wants to offer me.
"Why yes, of course! Why would I lie about something like thaaaat?" He laughed heartily before waving his hand dismissively. "But fiiirst, I must ask you another questiooon." He said calmly as he leaned back into his chair. "Ken, what is your full name?"
I paused before sighing out. "Amakawa Ken, why do you ask?"
"Hmmm..." He hums quietly before nodding slowly. "Very well, Amakawa-"
"Please," I interjected politely while bowing slightly. "Just call me Ken."
"Well then, Ken. For helping Miss Emilia in her time of need, I wish to offer you a reward." He spreads his arms. "Now theeen, what do you wish for? Money? Power? Or perhaps something elsssee?" He offered with a wide smile on his face.
With those words, my mind was racing. What I want is simple, really, I just want to make sure that I can live comfortably without any worries, while living out my hobby of sewing together beautiful costumes and helping children. And the best way to do that is to get enough money to afford everything I'll ever need. But first...
"I only have one wish," I start as I turn to look at him. "I only have one desire right now," I glance towards Emilia with a smile. "Hoh? And what is your desire, Ken?" Roswaal asked with great interest as he stared at me intently.
I turned to him, my lips spreading into a grin as I point a thumb to myself. "I wish to work as Emilia's personal tailor!" I exclaimed proudly.
"Huh?!" Emilia gasped loudly, almost choking on her soup while staring at me with wide eyes. Roswaal didn't seem surprised by my request though as his smile seemed to widen further. "I seeeee~! That is quite an interesting desiiire!" He exclaims cheerfully, clapping his hands together.
"W-Wait, Ken! You don't have to go that far just for me!" She stood up from her seat and waved her hands frantically. I turned to her with a confident smirk. "What are you saying, Emilia? Remember what I told you yesterday? I want to make you stand out! To give you a dress that makes people pay attention to you! It's the same reason why I want to be your tailor!" I declare passionately, grinning brightly.
"Eh?!" Her eyes widened in surprise before her cheeks turned red, causing her to cover her face with her hands. "T-That's not fair!" She stuttered out while glaring at me weakly. "How am I supposed to say no if you put it like that?!"
Puck giggled playfully, "Lia looks cute when she gets all flustered like that," he turns to me with a glint in his eyes. "Go on ahead, Ken! Make my daughter shine brighter than the other royal candidates!"
I raised a brow. Daughter? Candidates? Royalty?
The gears in my head slowly turned as I processed the information before finally clicking into place. My eyes widened in realization before I looked at Emilia dumbfoundedly.
"Wait, so you're telling me that you're a candidate for the throne?!" I exclaimed loudly, making her nod slowly while peeking through her fingers. "Y-Yeah..." She mutters shyly.
"Th-Then..." I clenched my fist and turned to Roswaal. Even if Emilia takes me in as her personal tailor, it will all be for nothing if there's no support and funding!
"Rose! You're a Margrave does this mean that you have connections with the kingdom?" I asked him eagerly. If he does then there's a chance for me to get more money for my business!
He seemed surprised by the sudden nickname but he nodded calmly. "Indeed. As Lugunica's Court Mage, I, Roswaal L. Mathers, do have certain connections within the capital." He answered proudly as he puffed out his chest. "Now, about your desire to be Emilia's private tailor." He started, catching my attention immediately. "I will help you financially," he grinned widely. "However, I will have conditions, hmmm?"
"Of course, anything!" I replied quickly, eager to hear what he had to say. "First, I wish to see your skills in action." He said, pointing a finger towards me. "If your skills in creating clothes and such are too poor, then I'm afraid that I cannot accept you as Miss Emilia's personal tailor. Is that understood?"
I nodded firmly, understanding his reasoning perfectly. "Of course! And the second condition?"
"Second, you must also make some outfits for myself," he crossed his arms before continuing. "As you can see, as Miss Emilia's benefactor, it is only natural that I should receive some form of compensation as well." He smiles widely, his teeth showing slightly.
"And third," he glanced towards Emilia before smiling. "You will keep Miss Emilia sa-"
"No need to say it because I will do it anyway." I cut him off with a confident grin. "I shall make sure that Emilia stays safe and sound until the very end!"
Roswaal blinked at my interruption but just smiled happily in response. "I seeeee~! Well spoken, Ken!" He clapped his hands together loudly. "Then let us seal our agreement!" He declared loudly, standing up from his seat before offering me his right hand.
I went to grasp his hand, only to stop. I remember seeing the many signs of various shops when I walked around the capital with Emilia and Puck yesterday...and I can't read a single one of them!
"Uhh...do you mind if I add a tiny favor?" I ask him sheepishly. Roswaal merely tilts his head curiously.
"That depends on the favor, what is it?"
"Ah, it's simple really. Do you think you could teach me how to read?"
Roswaal raised an eyebrow at my request. "Why do you want to learn how to read, hmm? Is there something wrong with your current knowledge?" He asked curiously while scratching his chin thoughtfully.
"No, there isn't anything wrong with my knowledge...it's just that I can't read this place's alphabet." I admit sheepishly, nothing more embarrassing than being enthusiastic about work yet not able to read a thing. "I tried reading a few signs when I was out yesterday with Emilia and Puck but I couldn't make sense of any of them," I sigh quietly, rubbing my neck awkwardly.
Roswaal chuckled lightly, nodding his head slowly. "Very well then, I suppose I can grant you this small boon." He said as he extended his hand once more. "Ram and Rem can teach you. Now, do we have a deal?" He held out his hand once again.
I stared at it silently, hesitating for a moment before nodding firmly and accepting his offer. The two of us shook hands, sealing the deal. "In return for aiding your job as Miss Emilia's personal tailor and for getting tutored, you will assist in creating some new clothing for myself. Is that clear, Ken?" Roswaal stated firmly, staring into my eyes with his own heterochromatic pair.
"I understand," I nod, feeling my heart thumping loudly as I shake his hand. "A personal tailor and a bodyguard in one person...you're certainly an interesting man, Ken." He said with a chuckle, releasing my hand as he sat back down on his seat.
"...I've been told." I mutter quietly before sighing out slowly. "Thank you for accepting my request, Rose."
"Think nothing of it, Ken. I am merely doing my duuuty as Miss Emilia's sponsor," he waved dismissively before taking a sip of tea. "Now, I believe that we should enjoy our food while its still warm, hmm?"
"Ken..." I turned to Emilia with a raised brow. She looks...annoyed and pouty. "I thought I told you yesterday that I wanted to talk with you about that, instead of just making an agreement with Roswaal behind my back!" She exclaimed while crossing her arms.
"Uhh..." I chuckle sheepishly before shrugging helplessly. "Sorry Emilia, but I'm afraid that I don't really care all that much about things like royalty and politics." I scratched my cheek awkwardly, "But I assure you, I'm going to make everyone be in awe of your presence." I give her my most sincere smile.
She pursed her lips, glaring at me slightly. "You better keep your word, you nincompoop!"
Who the hell still says nincompoop?!
"Don't worry, Emilia. Trust me," I grin widely. "With me by your side, we'll win this royal selection no problem!" I'm confident in my skills as a tailor and I also have my spirits to help me protect Emilia from any assassins or whatever. Not to mention the fact that there are 19 champions that are a part of the Spirit Blossom skinline, 2 of them are in a contract with me.
Which means I can form a contract with the 17 other spirits. The more spirits I have, the better I can protect my muse that is Emilia.
And that is good.
CUT!
10k words worth of reading not counting AN, almost 11k worth of content which is a bit of a bummer but that's fine.
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