Chapter 7
Beatrice: "You're worried about her aren't you I suppose?"
Subaru: "Yeah."
Subaru let out a big sigh, standing by the window, looking out at the night sky with Beatrice sat on the bed.
It had been two weeks since Felix had given Shaula her treatment and so far, nothing had changed in her condition.
Subaru had spent time with Rem, Beatrice, Meili and Spica to take his mind off how he felt about the sadness he felt about Shaula's situation.
And it had worked. But eventually, he was brought back to depression.
A fond memory of the scorpion came back to him.
"Uwaah, you were just colluding for the reward. But even so I caaaaaan't bear it. I'm a woman for Master's convenience, that's the meaning of my life."
Subaru then went up and hugged her tightly.
"You shouldn't think of yourself as just a woman for convenience, or things like that's. It was my bad."
Then he laughed to himself at the memory of her trying to kiss him afterwards.
Beatrice noticed him perk up.
He seemed truly happy. Something she hadn't seen a month after their return from Vollachia.
Subaru: "Hey Beako, can I ask you a question?"
Beatrice turned to look at her contractor.
Beatrice: "What is it, I suppose?"
Subaru sighed, walking over and sitting down next to Beatrice.
Subaru: "Do you think I'd be a good romantic partner?"
Beatrice turned to looker at her contractor.
Subaru: "If I got into a relationship with a woman...do you think I'd be a good partner?"
Beatrice narrowed her eyes, having some idea about why he was asking.
Beatrice: "This is about Emilia isn't it, I suppose?"
Subaru stayed silent, giving the great spirit an answer.
Sighing, Beatrice got up and moved herself onto her contractor's lap.
Subaru hugged her and rested his head on hers.
Beatrice: "Yes I would, in fact."
Subaru: "Huh?"
Beatrice: "I think you would be a great romantic partner. Any woman would be lucky to have a man like Betty's Subaru in their life, I suppose."
Subaru looked up at the ceiling and sighed, remembering the times he spent with Emilia.
Then the depression came back to him again.
Beatrice: "And I think you would be the best romantic partner if you entered a romance with Emilia."
Subaru flinched.
Subaru: "You really think so?"
Beatrice nodded
Beatrice: "I do, in fact. But the issue is that she doesn't appreciate your love or anything you do. She simply takes advantage of your kindness and doesn't bother trying to give any in return."
Subaru immediately tried to counter Beatrice's harsh words.
Subaru: "Come on Beako. Emilia-tan's not like that. She said she wanted to give me the best answer she could. And it's not really fair to rush her into a relationship. I don't even think I'm ready for a romance either."
Subaru's words touched a nerve with the great spirit, making her get up off his lap and immediately stand up in front of him.
Beatrice: "Rush her? Rush her?! Are you serious?!"
Subaru was caught off guard by Beatrice's sudden outburst.
Beatrice: "It's been an entire year and a half since you confessed to that selfish girl I suppose! And she still hasn't given you any answer at all, has she?"
Subaru flinched upon hearing his spirit's harsh words.
Beatrice: "And as for giving you the best answer she can, let me ask you this, in fact: are you expecting Emilia to give you a 2,000 essay or just a simple straightforward yes or no, I suppose?"
Beatrice took a deep breath. She didn't mean to lose her temper. But ever since he had returned from Vollachia, she had seen her contractor lie in his room, staring at the ceiling for hours.
Beatrice: "Because at this point in time, Emilia either loves you...or she doesn't, in fact. And if after all this time she still can't give you an honest answer to whether or not she loves you...and keeps making the same excuse of 'not understanding love' every single time...then...then..."
Beatrice started crying. She hated seeing her Subaru so miserable, and she started to hate Emilia for being so selfish and taking advantage of his affections to so long.
Beatrice: "...then you're just wasting your life waiting for her I suppose!"
Subaru was shocked. He hadn't expected Beatrice to lose her temper the way she did. He wanted to say something to argue back to what she was saying. But upon seeing her crying, he couldn't bring himself to retort.
Felix: "I'm sorry, did I come at the wrong time."
Subaru and Beatrice turned to see Felix standing in the open doorway of their bedroom.
Subaru: "Felix, what are you-?"
Beatrice: "No, you didn't, in fact. Betty's feeling tired so she's going to go to bed I suppose."
Felix: "I see."
Subaru noticed that Felix's eyes were downcast.
Subaru: "Hey, is something wrong?"
Felix sighed.
Felix: "We need to talk. Alone if possible Beatrice-sama."
Subaru felt nervous and uncertain about Felix's tone.
Beatrice: "If that is what you wish, I'll leave I suppose."
Felix: "There's no need. I wanted to discuss this in my lab."
Subaru: "Alright"
Subaru got up from the chair and followed Felix to his lab, leaving the miserable great spirit alone in the bedroom.
Subaru: "Y-you can't be serious Felix."
Felix: "I am serious. This may be hard to hear Subaru-kyun, but Shaula has been in that same state for the past two weeks. And there hasn't been any change in her condition."
Subaru flinched, gritting his teeth, he looked down.
Felix: "I know it may seem harsh, but I think it's time to let Shaula-"
Subaru: "No Felix."
Subaru interrupted Felix.
Subaru: "Shaula will make it. I...I know she will...she has to.!
Felix sighed
Felix: "Subaru-kyun I know this is hard to hear but-"
Subaru: "She just needs more time!"
Felix was surprised by Subaru's yelling.
Subaru: "We can't just give up on her now. Not when you've come so far!"
Felix: "Subaru-kyun calm down. I understand that this may be hard but-"
Subaru: "But what?!"
Subaru snapped back at the catboy.
Subaru gritted his teeth. He wasn't so blind to the situation that he didn't see how erratic he was being. He knew he was losing his temper and completely out of line. But he just couldn't stop himself.
Subaru: "Shaula spent over 400 years, waiting in that damn Watchtower! Being made to wait for her master who would never come for her, ordered to kill all who approach. Eating nothing but disgusting mabeast meat for four centuries!"
Tears started streaming down his face as he gritted his teeth.
Subaru: "She transformed into a monster against her will Felix. And now she's stuck in that form."
Subaru turned to look at Shaula who was lying there motionlessly.
Ever since she had reacted to Felix's treatment and entered a near-death state. Still alive, but inactive, not moving.
Subaru: "That...that isn't living. It's not a life worth living. I just want to give her a second chance. The life she never got to have."
Felix saw Subaru's face. He could see that Shaula's condition was causing him a lot of distress.
Felix wanted to say that it was alright and make his friend feel better.
But he couldn't.
Breaking bad news to people and being brutally honest was one thing he hated in his line of work. When there wasn't anything he could do to help a patient, telling their loved ones that he'd done all he could and that they had to let that person go.
He had done it a lot. More times than he could count. It got easier over time, but his hatred of giving someone the harsh truth was still something he loathed to this day.
Subaru: "Shaula's last words...before she reverted..."
"Master, I waited for you for so long. Now I need you to wait for me."
Subaru: "I said that I could wait for her. Give her time to come back and return to the way she was before. But I can't take it anymore."
Subaru looked up, taking a breath in and out.
Subaru: "I'm sorry Felix. I just-"
Felix: "Two days"
Subaru flinched at what Felix had said.
Subaru: "Huh?"
Felix: "Two more days is all I allow. Once that time is over and her condition doesn't change, I must insist that you let Shaula-san go."
Subaru was taken aback by Felix's words, but he regained his composure.
Subaru: "You're serious? For just a few more days?"
Felix: "Only TWO days Subaru-kyun."
Subaru: "O-of course. And I'm sorry for how I acted then. I didn't mean to-"
Felix cut Subaru off.
Felix: "It's alright. I've dealt with people who don't take bad news well before. So don't make a big deal about it."
Felix sighed
Felix: "But I will stress that I'm serious about the two days though. No more than two days Subaru-kyun. It would be cruel to continue her suffering any longer than this."
Subaru nodded his head. He then looked down at Shaula on the table.
Subaru: "Of course. I still have hope that Shaula will pull through. But if she doesn't change in those two days, I'll...I'll let her go."