"Oh no Subaru." Emilia told him. "You don't have to do that for me."
"Emilia, I know I don't usually act like one, by I am meant to be a butler, you know." Subaru chuckled.
Emilia just rolled her eyes. "The day I see you acting like a butler will be the day Reinhart loses a battle."
The metaphor was kind of lost on Subaru. Of course, he had met the knight, but for him to have his own expression seemed egregious.
"Is he really that strong?" Subaru asked.
"He's definitely the strongest in Lagunica. I wouldn't be surprised if he is the strongest in the world." She answered.
As she said this, Ram and Roswaal walked up to them.
"Are we ready to goooooo?" Roswaal inquired.
"Yup, I think I'm all set." Emilia gave a nod.
"Alright, then." He turned to Subaru. "We shall be off Subaruuuu. We should be back in 4 days."
Subaru bowed to Roswaal politely. "Very well. Please have a safe journey."
Roswaal gave Subaru a twisted smile "Ohhh very good Subaruuuuu. You've quite taken to being a butler, haven't you?" Subaru thought there was some threatening undertone to Roswaal's words.
Subaru just chuckled, trying to be polite. / God Roswaal. Do you always have to act like such a creep? /
"Barusu." Ram interjected. "Don't try anything funny. If you do..." Ram dragged ger finger across her neck, not bothering to finish her sentence.
"Ahh, of course not." he said sheepishly, avoiding eye contact with Ram.
Ram didn't seem to buy this. She gave him one last intimidating look, and then got on the carriage.
"Bye Subaru." Emilia walked up to Subaru.
"See ya Emilia."
"Subaru... Nothing bad will happen probably, but... Please. Don't get yourself in too much danger, okay?" Emilia told him. "Just keep her safe at least." Emilia looked up at the mansion. Who she was talking about was clear.
"Yeah. I will Emilia." Subaru had a determined expression as he said this.
"Okay." she smiled "Good." Emilia gave him a quick hug, and then joined Ram and Roswaal on the carriage.
They departed, and Subaru started walking back to the mansion. / Four days, huh? I wonder how Rem is gonna be... /
He looked up at the mansion. A shock of blue hair attracted Subaru's gaze. Rem was standing behind one of the windows, Subaru could see her looking at the carriage as it left the estate. / Rem... Are you, smiling? / It was hard to see from where he stood, but he could've sworn Rem had the biggest grin he had seen in his life.
*Scene Break*
Subaru got back to the mansion and joined Rem in changing the sheets in the guest rooms. They had agreed to work hard today, so that they could relax later while they had the place to themselves.
"I guess even a diligent maid like you needs a break from time to time?" Subaru remarked as they worked.
"Yes." She said as she removed the sheets from a bed. "Rem thinks everyone needs one."
The room went quiet after that as they continued to work. Not some awkward silence, but a comfortable silence. The rhythm of them working seemed to relax them both, and there was a certain satisfaction in working together.
They worked late into the night, not stopping till they were done. Then, they went to the kitchen and started cooking themselves dinner.
"Alright! That must be like, at least two days of work." Subaru stretched as he said that, trying to relieve the tiredness in his muscles.
Rem nodded in agreement. "Mmm-Hmmm. We definitely got a lot done. Rem thinks there will be plenty of free time now."
"Woohoo!" Subaru exclaimed enthusiatically. Rem giggled at his childish demeanour.
Subaru looked down at the vegetables he was cutting. He tightened his grip on the knife he was holding.
"Hey Rem." he said in a questioning voice. "Maybe, tomorrow we can go to the village then."
"The village?" she asked.
"Yeah, the village. We could have like, a pic-nic." Subaru laughed nervously to himself. "And maybe play with the village kids too, I'm sure they would love to see Rem-Rem."
Rem smiled as she looked over the boiling pot in front of her. "Yes Subaru-kun. Rem thinks that sounds lovely. But Rem knows that among the children, Subaru-kun is the more popular one."
"Yeah. I'm pretty awesome, so that's only natural." Subaru said boastfully.
"It's probably because they see you as one of their own." Rem theorised aloud.
"What- hey! Are you calling me a kid!?" Subaru feigned offense.
Rem laughed a little.
"May-be." Rem teased. "Rem doesn't dislike that side of Subaru though."
"Is that so..." Subaru snuck up behind Rem, holding a carrot in his hand. He pressed the carrot into her lower back. "Then you won't mind if I act like a little kid!"
"What the-" Rem let out a squeel. She turned around to see Subaru holding the carrot.
"You're not funny Subaru! You're just being a perv!" She admonished him.
"I'm being a perv huh? I wasn't the one who was grinning like an idiot when I saw the others leaving."
Rem turned bright red. / Critical hit! / Subaru thought to himself.
"Wh-What are you even talking about. Rem didn't-".
"Don't bother. I saw you in the window." He cut her off, wagging his hand in the air. Rem was still bright red. "What are the kids gonna say, when they find out Rem-Rem is happiest when she gets to be alone with me?"
"Now you've gone too far!" Rem shouted. She grabbed a spoon, and spooned out some tomato sauce, which she promptly flung at Subaru. "This is what happens when you think you can do whatever you want to Rem!"
Held his arms out, doing the "Come to papa" pose. "If that's all that happens, they maybe I really will do whatever I want to Rem." He removed the tomato sauce with his finger where it had clung to him. Then he stuck the finger in his mouth, savouring it loudly.
Rem turned back around, to embarrassed to face Subaru head-on. "Well... Rem does like it when Subaru takes some initiative."
It was Subaru's turn to go bright red. This was going further than he anticipated.
"Well, ummm, uhh." Subaru froze up. "I'll keep that in mind."
He turned back around to finish the cooking. Once the meal was prepared, they enjoyed pleasant conversation.
After that it was bedtime.
*Scene break*
When Subaru woke up, he felt super energized. / Here we go - date time with Rem! /
He went down to the dining hall, still in his pyjamas, and had breakfast with Rem. She was wearing her maid uniform.
"I was thinking, it could be nice if you wore your own clothes. Today isn't work after all."
Rem paused for a second "Hmmm. Rem doesn't have anything other than this type of outfit and her nightgown." She brightened up. "But I think I could borrow some of sister's clothes."
They finished up, and Subaru waited at the entrance of the mansion for his date with Rem. When she appeared, she was wearing a blue silk kimono.
"Wow. That is so awesome!" Subaru beamed. "It looks totally good on you Rem!"
"Ahaha. Thanks. Roswaal got this for my sister." She told him.
"Ehhh. That seems totally unfair, talk about favouritism!"
Rem nodded in agreement. "Ram is Roswaal's favourite. I don't think he dislikes me, but Ram seems to be extra-special to him."
"No way..." / Ram and Roswaal? Surely not. /
They left the mansion and headed down to the village. They walked through the surrounding fields, enjoying the scenery, chatting all the while. Soon enough they sat down in a field, and had their picnic. Ice tea, onigiri made by Rem, sandwiches made by Subaru, and some fruit. They layed down for a bit, to digest after they ate.
Soon enough though, they were ambushed by the kids.
"Rem-Rem is so pretty." one of them said.
"Your clothes are amazing onee-san!" said another.
Rem was surprised by the number of compliments she got.
They all got to play with Subaru, who ran around with the kids while Rem relaxed. Before they realized it, the evening was approaching, and they decided to head back.
"Okay see you all later!" Subaru called back to them as he and Rem walked away.
"Bye-Bye Su-su, Bye-Bye Rem-Rem." they yelled back in chorus.
/ Su-su? Those kids have a terrible naming sense. / Subaru thought as he left.
They got back to the quiet mansion. They were both a bit tired now, and few words were being exchaged between them.
They peacefully prepared dinner, ate, and then went off seperately.
As Subaru stood in the shower, letting himself enjoy the hot water, one thought reverberated through his head. / 'Rem does like it when Subaru takes some initiative.' / Those words played in his head on repeat.
He got out, and hesitated. If he took a right here, he would go back to his room, but if he took a left...
He cautiously stepped to the left, seemingly unsure of himself. Then his pace began to speed up. He didn't know if this was the right move, but after the amazing day he had, he felt like this was the natural next step.
He walked further until he got to his destination. Rem's room. He stood outside her door for a bit, mentally preparing himself. / Brace yourself, Subaru. This could very well be the day you become a man. /
He knocked gently on the door in front of him. He heard quiet footsteps. The door opened. Rem stood there in the moonlight, wearing her nightgown.
"Ahh Subaru-kun. What's up?" Rem asked him.
"It's nothing, I just couldn't sleep." Subaru lied. "I wondered if we could stay up and hang out for a bit?"
Rem broke out into a grin. "You want to hang out? You'll have to give Rem a better reason, she's been hanging out with you all day."
/ So that's how you want to play it, Rem? / He thought to himself.
He put on the most exagerrated pout he could manage. "I'm terribly lonely, and as my coworker, it is your job to keep me company!"
"Well, since Rem is feeling lonely today too..." Subaru saw a faint blush manifest on her cheeks. "You can join Rem in her room."
Subaru walked in. No lights were on, but the bright moonlight seemed to illuminate the room.
Rem sat on the bed by the window, and pat the spot next to her, signaling Subaru to sit with her. He complied, and positioned himself next to her. Then he felt her lean onto his shoulder.
"Subaru-kun. Rem thinks that today... was the best day of her life." she said quietly.
"Well of course! You got to spend the whole day with me!" Subaru started, but stopped when he realized she was being serious.
They just sat there quietly for a moment.
"That makes me really happy Rem! Really happy! Today may have been the best day, but I'm sure from now, we will have plenty of best days together." Subaru thought about his own life. He wasn't sure, but for him this might also have been the best day he had ever had. The way things were right now... It was just blissfull.
He turned to look at Rem, who was resting her head on his shoulder.
"Rem." he said.
"Yes." she looked up at him sweetly.
/3... 2... 1... /
He kissed her. He scent of Rem's shampoo filled his head. They held the kiss, and he felt Rem reciprocating him.
They broke apart, both of them breathing heavily. Rem stared into his eyes. Her big blue orbs reflecting the stars in the night sky. She leaned forward and kissed him, this time more deeply, and Subaru let himself go. His hands started to move, going places they hadn't gone before. And he could feel Rem doing the same, rubbing sensually against his body.
Subaru was only expecting a kiss on this night, but as things warmed up, he found it harder to resist. Right now, a month of built-up tension was being relieved in a single night of passion.
"Rem..." he muttered between kisses.
"Subaru-kun."
"...Let's do it."
Rem didn't even answer him. She just smiled, and then kissed him harder.
That night, in the capital, Ram felt something peculiar from her synethesia.
* Scene break *
When Subaru woke up. The first thing he saw was Rem sleeping on his chest, wearing nothing but his tracksuit top.
/ Holy shit! Good morning world! And an especially good morning to all you virgins out there! / he thought gleefully.
Rem slowly opened her eyes, having sensed the boy's slight movement.
She looked up at him with those big blue eyes. "Good morning Subaru-kun." she smiled at him.
/ Way too cute! / "Good morning."
"Hey, Rem. Last night was pretty good, wasn't it?" Subaru asked her.
"Yes, Subaru-kun, it was good." She got up from him, and went to get some clothes "It was Rem's first time you know? Rem didn't expect it to be like that."
Subaru just stared at her while she changed. Not breaking his gaze for even a second.
Rem didn't seem to appreciate this. She threw his tracksuit on his head to block his vision.
"It's fine to be a perv sometimes. But if you're gonna be a perv always, then Rem won't like you." she said.
"Noted." he responded.
He got up and walked over to where his bottoms had ended up. Rem seemed embarrassed to see him just flailing in the wind.
He went back to his room to get dressed for the day. As they ate breakfast, he made lewd gestures towards Rem, who seemed to get a bit pissed off. / Maybe I should quit while I'm ahead. / He was always joking, but Rem was sometimes serious. He would have to learn when the right time was for that sort of thing.
They attended to their duties. Playing hooky yesterday meant they were doing some catch-up today. Subaru noticed that the tension between them felt less. / I guess once you've seen everything, you don't feel so coy towards the other person. /
The day passed peacefully, and in the evening, Subaru brought Rem with him to visit Beatrice. He introduced them. Beatrice didn't seem too pleased.
"So not only do you invite yourself, but you bring unwanted plus ones too, I suppose!" She complained.
"Beatrice... Rem is really special to me, so would it kill you to at least get to know her?" He pleaded.
Beatrice crossed her arms and let out a dissatified "Hmmpf". Still, after that she at least tolerated Rem's presence as she read them a book about magic from the forbridden library.
The day ended after that.
The next day passed quickly too.
It was night again, and Rem and Subaru were eating dinner together.
They heard a loud knock on the door.
"Hello! Please! If anyone is there, please open up!" A voice rang out.
Rem and Subaru went to go get it, and they saw a villager standing there. Subaru had seen the man on trips to the village, but he seemed more agitated now.
"It's... There's been..." He was out of breath, panting. "An attack on the village. Witch cultists. We need help. A lot of people are dead!"
Subaru saw Rem tense up at the mention of witch cultists. / Hey, didn't she call me a witch cultist before, when she didn't like me? Who are they? /
"Rem. Let's go. We have to help them." Subaru said.
Rem nodded in agreement. "Okay." She looked at Subaru. She wanted to stop him, but she already knew he would come with her no matter what.
Without another word, Rem and Subaru ran together at full speed towards the village. When they got there they were greeted with total carnage.
In the center of the village, there was a burned pile of corpses. Black limbs stuck out unnaturally from the pile. There were at least twenty dead bodies in that heap.
"This is the work of the witch cult Subaru." Rem said to him.
"This is... I can't believe this!" Rem gave a panicked expression to Rem "We need to see if there are any survivors!"
They rushed around the village, going into houses to try a find somebody, anybody. No luck. It didn't seem like a single person had survived the onslaught.
He opened another door. There were three bodies in this house. One of them was... / Petra. / The little girl that was always teasing Rem about Subaru. She was laying dead on the floor. Her eyes had been violently gauged out, and her skin had turned unnaturally white due to blood loss.
/ What the hell! What the hell is this! / Subaru yelled in his mind as he saw the girl.
"Subaru." Rem was standing behind him, she was shaking with rage. "We have to keep going."
Subaru stood there, transfixed by the morbid sight in front of him. Eventually he left with Rem, but in his mind the image wouldn't go away. / Is this real? Who... Who would do this!? /
Their search ended, and it became clear to Rem and Subaru that any survivors had fled, like the one that had come to the mansion.
"What do we do?" Subaru asked. "What can we do?"
Rem looked at him. "We find the ones that did this, and Rem will kill them." There was an unmistakable wrath in the way she spoke.
Subaru didn't protest. In fact, he agreed with Rem. He also wanted revenge.
They ran towards a scent Rem had detected, towards the forest. As they made their way through, the woods became increasingly dark.
Suddenly, hooded figures emerged from the shadows. They lept towards Rem and Subaru, wielding their daggers towards the two of them.
Subaru managed to dodge one of them, and he punched him in the face. It seems his rage had given a small boost to his fighting. A second man came out of nowhere and jumped out at Subaru. Before he could stab the boy, the cultist's head was knocked off his body by Rem's morningstar.
"Thanks." He said between breaths.
"Just stay focused." Rem responded.
Rem and Subaru continued to fight, although Rem took down most of the attackers. Eventually, the supply of cultists seem to lessen, and Rem and Subaru found themselves alone once again.
"We need to keep moving." She pointed in front of her, to a cave. "The strongest scent is coming from there. That's where their boss is probably hiding."
They came out of the forest and approached the cave. Subaru thought they might get attacked again, but no one came. In fact, everything had become oddly quiet as Rem and Subaru entered the cave. As they got to the deepest reaches, they came onto a large room-like cavern.
At the far end stood a green-haired man drapped in the clothes of the witch cult.
"Ahhhh, yes. Here you are. Here. You. ARE!" he screamed out maniacally. "I have been waiting diligently diligently diligently diligently diligently BELIEVER IN LOVE." The mad man threw both of arms into the air, looking as if her were being stretched by some invisible force.
As they got closer to the madman, they could see the crazed look on his face. His pupils seemed to vibrate in his eyes, and blood covered his hands entirely.
"Who are you? Why have you done this!?" Rem yelled out angrily. "Answer me!"
"Unbelievable! Unthinkable! Unfathomable! I don't understand any of it!" He pointed at Subaru, his arm shacking wildly. "Who are YOU! That is is so loved? It is unacceptable!"
Then the lunatic's whole body stilled. "Tell me boy." He whispered. "Might you be the one known as PRIDE!" He screamed that last word out, and then lost himself in an uncontrollable laugh.
/ This guy is frickin nuts! / Subaru thought.
"I don't know what your game is you sicko. But for what you've done, you have to die." Subaru said angrily "Rem!"
Rem jumped into action, directing a powerful swing of her morningstar at the one in front of them. The sphere seemed to be on target. As it was about to hit the cultist, it suddenly stopped in mid-air, like it had been frozen in time.
"Ahhh. This is meager. Puny. Teeny-tiny. Microscopic." Betelgeuse held two pinched fingers in front of him. "It is not nearly enough! You must do better! RID YOURSELF OF SLOTH!".
The morningstar flew out in a perpendicular direction from where it had been aimed, slamming into the cave wall with incredible force.
/ His attacks... They're invisible! / Subaru realized.
"Rem." Subaru looked at the maid. "Don't get too close. His powers, I don't think we can see them."
"THAT'S RIGHT! VERY DILIGENT" the man bowed forward "I am Betelgeuse Romane-CONTI. And my unseen hand is UNKNOWABLE."
As he spoke this last word, Subaru felt a tremendous force smack into him, bringing him to the ground. He tried to get up, but Subaru felt as if he were under a ton of bricks.
Rem rushed forward, aiming her arm at the man.
"AL HYUMA!"
A giant shard of ice formed and was blasted towards the attacker. Again, as it approached Betelgeuse it ceased all movement, and fell to the ground unceremoniously. Rem let a "tcch" in frustration as she retreated.
She ran forward again, this time trying to engage him in close combat.
"HYUMA!".
A barrage of icicles flew towards Betelgeuse, as Rem tried to close the distance between them. The icicles were all blasted away as they got close to their target.
Suddenly, Rem felt something on her legs.
Something had grabbed her. She could no longer move freely, in fact she couldn't move at all. Her arms followed, as a similar force restrained her completely.
She struggled in vain, trying to break out of the invisible grasp Betelgeuse had caught her in.
"Observe, believer in love." Subaru felt something raise his head towards Rem, who floating in the air. It almost looked like a puppet show, with Rem as a marionette. Subaru grinded his teeth together viciously.
"This is what you get for rushing in without a plan. For doing nothing and expecting something in return." Betelgeuses voice trembled with disgust. "For your sloth, I shall grant a reward. By my authority of SLOTH."
/ Truly despicable... This man is truly despicable... Even if he kills me here, this man has to die! / Subaru raged internally.
Suddenly Rem's limbs seem to turn in their sockets. Subaru heard loud snapping as her bones were twisted out of place. Then Subaru heard a louder snap, as Rem's head was forcefully rotated to the point of breaking.
"NO! NO! Just stop it! Stop it!" drool escaped from Subaru's snarl. "I'll fucking kill you! You hear me! I'm going to kill you Betelgeuse!"
Betelgeuse ignored the threats coming from Subaru.
"As for you. You. You. You." Betelgeuse pointed at Subaru in rapid succession. "You who are so loved and who has come to me in the ordeal. I shall leave you. Yup. Indeed I shall. A test of love. If you are indeed loved, then you shall surely find your way back to me as you say."
Subaru felt the pressure lift off of him, and Betelgeuse was walking away. He got up, and went in to tackle the archbishop, but was stopped in his tracks by a forceful punch in the gut. The unseen hand had hit him where it hurts.
Subaru vomited. Gasping for air as he clutched his stomach. Betelgeuse left the cave unimpeeded.
A few moments passed, and Subaru just laid on the floor, totally broken. He closed his eyes. / So now, I know what I have to do. / He thought to himself.
He heard a scrapping sound. He sat up. Rem. She was shuffling towards him. Every bone in her body was broken, but somehow it seemed she was still alive.
Subaru got up and ran to her. He clutched her trembling body.
"Rem. Rem. Come on. Rem. I'm here. I'm here now." He tried to comfort her, but tears poured violently out of his eyes.
"Su..." a small whisper escaped her lips.
"What is it? Rem." Subaru's voice trembled.
Rem wasn't awake any more. He held his hand under her nose. He could feel faint breathing. She wasn't dead, yet, just unconscious.
Subaru steeled his resolve, his sad expression turning into one of fury. "Betelgeuse..." he growled. / I know what I have to do. /
He got Rem into his arms and carried her out. By now the sun was rising, and a faint glow lit up the forest around them.
"Just wait Rem. It'll be better soon." He whispered to himself.
With Rem in his arms, he walked towards the edge of the forest, until he reached a cliff.
He peered over the edge. Jagged rocks seemed to line the bottom of the cliff. He let out an audible gulp.
He looked one more time as the sunrise came over the landscape in front of him.
/ Please, whoever gave me this power, let me save her. /
He held Rem against him tightly.
"AHHHH!"
Subaru ran towards the edge of the cliff, and jumped. The wind rushed by him as he fell to certain death. He squeezed his eyes shut, and held Rem in a strong embrace.
"Please... Let me save her."
Those were the last words Subaru uttered before he splattered like a tomato.
"HAAAAAA"
Subaru shot up violently from the bed. He was back. This time it was...
He looked around him. Touching his body to check nothing was missing.
He was at the mansion, but this wasn't his room.
He heard sobbing from next to him. It was Rem, she wearing only his tracksuit. He had been brought back to Rem's room.
Her face was completely balled up, and she was crying her eyes out.
"Subaru... Subaru!" She wailed.
"Rem." He put his arms around her. "Shhhh Rem." His hands rubbed her back, and he felt his shoulder get wet as she cried into him.
/ Betelgeuse. I. AM. GOING. TO. KILL. YOU. /