Subaru: "I recognize that ceiling."

Subaru awoke to a scene he had seen before. He thought he had died again for a moment, but when he looked to his side…

Subaru: "Emilia?"

She was sound asleep at his side.

Puck: "Well well, look who's finally woken up."

Suddenly in the middle of his vision, a tiny grey cat spirit appeared.

Subaru: "Seems like I didn't die this time. That's a relief."

Puck: "It was quite a close call. I'm shocked you managed to survive."

Once he said that, Subaru suddenly could feel pain radiating throughout his body. He felt pain in his arms and legs when he tried moving them even the tiniest amount. If he shifted his body weight even slightly, he could feel the wounds in his back start to reopen.

Puck: "If it wasn't for the maid with the blue hair, you would be much worse for wear."

Subaru: "Wait, is Rem okay?"

Puck: "Her Oni form allows her wounds to heal very quickly. So she's fine."

Subaru: "Thank god."

A deep sigh of relief left Subaru's mouth. He didn't know how he would feel if he heard that she had gotten herself severely injured for his sake.

Subaru: "So, what happened after I passed out?"

It was nighttime when he passed out, currently, it was day. Although he couldn't tell what time it was.

Puck: "Oh not much. Betty removed the curse on the kids. Then Lia and Betty spent all night healing you. You ended up with a bunch of curses on you from those Mabeasts, so Roswaal had to go into the forest and kill every last one of them he could find."

Subaru: "Wait, that's actually a lot of things!"

At Subaru's outburst to his rambling, Puck chuckled.

Puck: "Well everything is resolved now, so there's no need for you to worry."

Subaru: "Well are you sure? You said I got a bunch of curses from those Mabeasts."

Puck: "The curse won't activate if the one who placed it dies. Since Roswaal killed a bunch of them, you'll be fine."

Subaru: "Seems like I owe Roswaal a bunch after this."

He'd gotten hurt and someone had to save him again. Just how much trouble was he causing for others?

Puck: "I don't think that will be much of a problem. You helped stop a Mabeast attack on the village and helped make sure none of his staff were killed. I'd say it's him who owes you."

While Puck's assessment of the situation was correct, it still didn't sit right with Subaru.

Subaru: "I get what you're saying, but I just can't help but feel like I was completely useless. I couldn't fight or protect anyone. I just walked beside everyone and thought I was making a difference. But Roswaal and the others did a bunch of the heavy lifting. I could have just stayed back at the mansion and they probably would have taken care of everything themselves."

Rem healed the kids and fought off the Mabeasts. Ram tracked down the location of the last missing kid and bought time for Rem to arrive. Beatrice had removed the cruses. And Roswaal had killed the remaining Mabeasts.

Puck: "But without you, we wouldn't have known any of that was going to happen."

Subaru looked back up at Puck. He didn't expect to hear those words, especially from him.

Puck: "It's true that you needed a lot of help. But if we didn't know that it was going to happen. If you hadn't taken charge, and come up with a plan, a lot of bad things would have happened. I know you feel like you did nothing, but if it weren't for you, a lot of people would be dead."

Subaru: "..."

He didn't expect those words out of Puck. The same Puck that only cared about his daughter, that would constantly make light of the situation, was cheering him up, telling him that he did a good job.

Puck: "And thanks to you succeeding, Lia won't be sad"

Of course, there was nothing and no one Puck cared for more than Emilia.

Puck: "But I wasn't lying, you really did a good job."

Subaru: "Yeah, yeah."

Puck: "In the meantime, you should keep resting, you're not fully healed after all."

Puck then went back into his gemstone.

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Without anything to do, Subaru lay in his bed watching Emilia asleep at his side. She looked like an angel resting after a hard day's work. The peaceful expression on her face complimented her soft features quite nicely. Her hair laying on, and flowing off the bed like a silver waterfall.

After staring at her for what could be considered an eternity, and a short moment at the same time, her amethyst eyes slowly started to open.

Subaru: "Good morning. Or maybe good afternoon, I don't know what time it is."

Emilia: "Subaru?"

Subaru: "Yes Emilia-tan?"

Emilia: "Are you ok?"

Subaru: "Well my arms and legs were being torn apart. A bunch of my bones were broken, I'm missing a lot of blood. So not too bad."

Emilia: "Well that's good to hear- Wait, that's terrible."

Subaru: "Well I survived didn't I, which is good enough for me. Hahaha- Ouch."

When he tried to laugh it hurt.

Subaru: "We made it through, and everyone survived, that's all that matters."

Those were Subaru's genuine thoughts. Too many times had he failed and watched everyone die. After failed attempt, after failed attempts, he finally arrived at this outcome.

Emilia was saddened to see this kind of reasoning in Subaru. She was happy to see that he had survived, but it had clearly come at a cost.

Emilia: "I understand why you feel that way, but don't you think it was too much of a close call.?"

Subaru: "Huh?"

Emilia: "Yes it's good that everyone survived, but I want you to take better care of yourself ok. I wanted to help, but I was stuck here in the mansion while Puck and Roswaal kept an eye on me to make sure I didn't go out and help you."

Subaru: "Emila-tan, you're helping me plenty, just by being here and talking to me."

Emilia: "But I wanted to actually help out there. Seeing you getting hurt over and over again isn't something I enjoy watching. You even got terribly hurt at the loot house."

Subaru: "..."

Emilia: "I know because of your powers you think it doesn't matter what happens to you, but I care. We all care about you Subaru. You know that if it's too much you can always ask us for help. This burden doesn't have to be yours alone to bear. So let me help sometimes, ok?"

He didn't know how to feel, but those were the words he needed to hear. They cared about him, not just what he could do, but him. Of course, it hurt when he died, but it was worth it if everyone around him had survived. But Emilia was trying to tell him to value his own life a bit more.

Subaru: "Yeah, I'll try, thank you Emilia-tan."

He earnestly meant those words.

Emilia: "Thank you Subaru. And please, try not to do everything yourself."

Subaru: "If I have trouble, I'll try relying on Emilia-tan a bit."

Emilia: "Good boy."

She smiled warmly at him, happy to see that he was thoroughly listening to her words.

Subaru: "By the way…"

Emilia: "Yes?"

Subaru: "Since I helped save the village, I was wondering if I could get a reward from Emilia-tan."

Emilia: "Goodness, if I can afford it. If it is within my power, then… Wait, last time, you asked me for my name."

Subaru: "Hahahahaha. Don't underestimate my greed. There's only one thing I want, and I won't rest until I get it."

After seeing Subaru worked up to such a degree, she sat back in her chair to properly face him.

Emilia: "What would you like for your reward?"

Subaru: "I want…"

He snapped his fingers.

Subaru: "A date with Emilia-tan."

Emilia: "A date? What is a date?"

Subaru: "It means we go out and see the same things, and have the same experience, and make memories together."

After he asked for her name as a reward last time, she didn't know what to expect from him. He truly was unpredictable.

Emilia: "That's all you want?"

Subaru: "That's all I want."

Emilia: "I see."

Subaru: "It doesn't have to be right now. Anytime you're free works."

Emilia: "Sure thing Subaru, let's go out on a date."

She smiled warmly at him.

Subaru: "E.M.T."

Seeing how cute she looked, Subaru couldn't help but shout that out.

Emilia: "Ok Subaru, I have to go and get back to studying now, make sure you stay in bed and rest like a good boy."

Subaru: "No worry Emilia-tan, I'll follow your every word."

She let out a little chuckle at Subaru's puppy-like demeanor as she left the room to let Subaru rest.

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Authors Note

Here we are. Another chapter down. But don't worry, this isn't the end of arc 2 yet. We've still got a couple of chapters left.

So far you've probably noticed that Subaru has had it a lot easier in this version of Arc 2, which I truly believe is what would have happened. However, if things continue to stay that way is yet to be seen.