"Bring me to him."
"Again, I can't."
"Yet, you don't tell me why you can't. So, I don't have any reason to believe you."
"I just can't! Stop being a child and give it up."
Stopping myself from yelling out at her and getting the attention of the mansion's residents, I grit my teeth. "Fine…"
"There you go, honestly, if yo-"
"If you won't do it, I'll just do it myself." Reaching into my inventory, I pull out the kukri knife I got from the quest. Sucking in a breath, I grip onto the blade of the knife. It cut my skin easily, immediately spilling my blood onto the blanket.
-13 HP
"Ren stop!"
I didn't. As my HP trickled down one by one, more blood shed onto the bed under me. 'It hurts…but it isn't as bad as…' The pain would hit me, but would fade soon after.
HP: 117/175
"Ren! You don't have any guarantee that you'll meet him, even if you do die! So, stop!"
I just ignored her, as I held the knife in my hand. '...I'm…going to die again…'
HP: 61/175
"Ren, please…j-just listen to m-"
'...I don't care…I've already accepted my death.'
HP: 61/175
'...Huh?' Everything had gone silent, I could no longer hear 2B's cries for me to stop…and my hand was no longer bleeding.
"Have you?"
"You're here, Lide."
Exploring Other Worlds
"When I sent you here, I never expected for you to develop such suicidal tendencies." He remarks, his orb-like form unchanging.
"Don't try to bullshit me. You're this strong and you didn't look into my future?" Ren scoffs, unimpressed. "Yeah, right."
"Indeed, I very well could." He answers. "But in doing so, I would lose all interest in you."
Ren kept quiet this time, knowing that while he may want for that to happen, Lide did not.
"...I do not believe that is everything you wished to say?"
"Why bring me here? It took me a while, but this is Re:Zero, isn't it?" Ren asked, as most of his previous anger had already disappeared, and was instead replaced by an overwhelming amount of emptiness.
"I did not choose this place, I simply left it to chance. And, yes, yes it is."
"Then…everyone I have met here is f-"
"They are very real. Capable of thinking for themselves, whether it be out of self interest, or not."
Silence overtook the room as both of them did not make a sound, though Ren was the first to break. "...If I were to die here, what happens?"
"You'd die. Then, I would bring you back to the Ethereal Plane." Lide responds, coldly.
"Then what? Heaven? Hell?" Ren asks, curious.
"..." Lide, however, doesn't give him an answer this time.
"You're not telling me? You answered all of my previous questions, why stop now?"
Lide sighs. "...Do not try this again, for I won't stop you next time." With that, the orb dissipates to thin air.
"What..?"
Mansion Hall
Walking down the hall at the same pace, almost perfectly in sync, both demon maids approach the room they left Emilia's guest in.
One of them harbored indifference for the guest, while the other found the young man suspicious.
Stopping at the door, the pink haired maid, Ram, turned the door handle and entered alongside her sister, Rem. "Guest, it is-" Her words get stuck in her throat as she looks on in both shock and fear.
Blood stained most of the sheets, and some even reached the floor.
Steeling her nerves, Ram turns to Rem, who was without emotion. "Sister, go find lady Emilia and inform her of the situation. I will do the same with Lord Roswaal."
"..." Without a response, Rem simply walks out and reaches under her skirt, pulling out her chained morningstar.
???
Ren
"How are you still alive, in fact?" Staring at the massive shelves littered with books, I feel my head begin to hurt, more than it already does. …But it doesn't matter.
'Status.'
Name: Ren Fujimura
Level: 28 (110/140)
Job: World Wanderer
Title: None
HP: 117/175
MP: 50/50
Strength: 1
Agility: 1
Endurance: 4
Intelligence: 1
Wisdom: 1
Luck: 1
Available Stat Points: 135
'...I'm alive because…I was lucky. I don't have return by death or any other bullshit ability that can keep me alive.' I pause. 'Lucky, huh? Fuck it.' If this system follows the traditional rewarded stat skill once you reach a milestone…
Luck has reached 100!
Skill Associated To Luck…
Generated.
Lucky Break - (Lvl Max)
You have a chance (Current Chance: 1%) to make things go your way.
(For every 1 Stat Point in Luck, Chance Increases by .01%)
Skill Duration Varies.
Skill Cooldown Varies.
'...Damn it.' It wasn't a bad skill, but useless to me at the moment. 'Should I use the rest of my Stat Points on luck?' Shaking my head, I use the remaining thirty six Stat Points on strength, agility, and endurance. Now at fourteen each, I close the window and breathe out a sigh.
"Answer, I suppose! Who are you exactly?"
Glancing down to my right, a short blonde haired girl frowns at me.
"I'm…" I need to leave here. This place is too dangerous. But… "Ren Fujimura. It's a pleasure to meet you, Beatrice." She was a powerful spirit if I remember correctly, kind of like Emilia's own spirit. 'If I could…'
"You didn't answer Betty's previous question. How are you alive, I suppose? A normal human should have run out of blood by this point, especially after yesterday's injuries." Did Emilia's cat tell her? ...Probably.
"I guess, I'm not normal."
"Hmph. Obviously."
Brat. "...Why did you bring me here?" I ask, not really bothered by it, just curious.
"The blue maid is likely to see you as a threat now. In fact."
"Why?" It's not like I have the smell of the Witch. "...And, why are you trying to save me?"
"How could she not? Even Betty thought you were sent by a political enemy of that child." An enemy of Emilia? …I guess she is a candidate for the throne, but me? Really? "Your disappearance and blood stains do not help." She answers my first, but doesn't respond to my other question.
"What changed your mind?"
"Your sheer incompetence."
Brat. "...It couldn't hurt to be a bit nicer, you know?"
"It wouldn't hurt, but this will." Raising her hand in my direction, I immediately remembered how she would kick out Subaru.
"Wait!" I try to stop her, though it's a futile effo…
Lucky Break Activated
Everything will go your way for the next forty seconds.
'My way..?' I immediately grin, feeling giddy inside at all the possibilities. "I would like to form a contract with you, Beatrice."
"...A contract?" She pauses for a moment, before turning to me with thinly veiled hope. "Could you be… That Person?"
"I'm not sure what you mean by That Person, but I still want a contract with you." I lie to her. Damnit, stop fucking me over Echidna!
She turns away, pulling out a book and flips through the pages. After a few seconds, she lands on a page with a few sentences that I can't quite read from my current distance. 'Damn it, hurry up!' I nervously rush her in my head.
"Mother…" Turning back to me, with tears in her eyes, Beatrice extended her hands toward me.
I felt a satisfied smile gracing my lips as I approached her, only for me to be tackled by the very same spirit.
Contract With Minor Yin Spirit Voided.
Soul Contract Formed With Great Spirit Of Yin, Beatrice.
Lucky Break Has Ended, Cooldown: 7 Days and 2 Minutes
"OOMPH! …Awfully excited, aren't we?" The pain was temporary, disappearing quickly as Gamer's Body came into effect. 'That was too close.' Sighing in relief, I hug the girl back.
We stayed in a hug for a few moments longer, which I don't mind too much considering the time she has spent here by herself. 'Wait…Did I seriously just cheat my way past fixing her hundreds of years of trauma? That's…both cool and not cool.'
Separating herself from me, Beatrice immediately pouts with a cross of her arms, she turns away with a huff. "Hmph! Just because Betty has accepted your contract, doesn't mean she's an easy spirit. In fact!" That's kinda adorable.
"...Right." I nod, not sure of what to say now.
"But…If you really are who Mother chose for me, then Betty has no choice but to agree."
"Mother?" I ask, surprised. 'Echidna got involved? Lucky Break might be too op, no nerf plz.'
"Betty's creator and Mother, the Witch of Greed, Echidna."
"So you didn't accept me for my good looks?" I jokingly act hurt.
"Hmph, Betty hardly knows you, I suppose."
"...True. So, uh…let's fix that. I'm Ren Fuji…Wait, you already know that. Uhh…" I swear I have a personality! I'm just under a lot of stress!
"Please stop, Betty can barely handle the second-hand embarrassment."
"...Right, sorry." Averting my eyes, I decide to take a seat on the ground. The silence that encompassed us was by no means comfortable, but she didn't make an effort to break it.
My headache persisted, and now there was a knot in my stomach as I realized what I had just done. 'Lucky Break is…'
Obviously, what I had just done was not a morally right thing, but… 'Fuck.' Once the guilt settled in, I immediately crumbled. '...Fuck, indeed.'
...
"...There's a lot we need to do." I finally say.
"Perhaps, Betty's Contractor should first deal with the demon maids?"
After a long pause, I breathe in and sigh immediately after. "Yeah, I probably should. Do you think you can help me?"
"Hmph! Obviously."
"Oh, uh…thanks." I guess despite our barely knowing each other, she was still loyal to me now. 'But, what's our plan of action? This isn't a case of bad smell, and I don't blame them for thinking I'm a spy, but I'm also not looking forward to fighting them.' Wait, fighting them? Why did I immediately default to violence?
Shaking my head, I immediately turn to Beatrice. "Do you have any ideas? I'm coming up blank here."
"Betty can deal with both of them…" Little girls shouldn't talk like that, you know?
"Preferably with everyone coming out alive?" I rephrase. "It'd be really stupid to make ourselves enemies of Roswaal." I don't know the true extent of his power, but his battle against Ram made it clear as to how fucked I'd be.
"Then, that is your answer. In fact." Beatrice points at my robe provided by the maids because my previous clothes had a few holes. Guess the hoodie and jeans weren't built for magic fights, shocker.
"Uhh?" I try to connect the dots, but come up with…absolutely nothing.
"You were injured by the assassin, correct?"
Manor Hall
Walking out the library, I'm immediately face to face with Ram. Who was eyeing me warily, a greater sense of distrust in her eyes than before. "Guest, what were you doing in the servant quarters?"
"Huh?" I dumbly respond. "But…I was just in a library? Um, A girl…Beatrice, she healed my injury. It…uh, reopened in my sleep last night." I awkwardly laugh, as I blush slightly in embarrassment.
Ram continued to stare at me, probably looking for any indication of a lie.
Looking past her, and out the window, I notice the already setting sun. "Wait, it's almost night time?!"
Sighing, Ram looks at me with eyes from before. "You have missed both breakfast and lunch, we will have dinner in two hours, Mutt." Still a bitch. "But, before that. Lord Roswaal wishes to speak with you."
"Oh. Sure?"
Her eyes trail over me again, a noticeable disturbed look in her eyes. "First, let's get you washed and a change of clothes." Oh, right, I'm still covered in blood.
"Good Ide-" The headache comes back in full force…No, it'd be a migraine at this point. '…Headache? Migraine? With both Gamer's Mind and Body? This doesn-'
Losing my footing, my vision blurs and all my other senses fail me as darkness embraces me.???I wake up to the sound of humming in my ear, turning slightly, I feel my pillow react to my movements. "Wait, this isn't a…" Opening my eyes, I meet the eyes…Wait, no, she's blindfolded. Well, let's just say I meet the "eyes" of a certain Yorha android.
"You're awake." I nearly scoff at her observation, but decide not to once I realize the position I'm in.
Trying to get off her admittedly soft lap, she pulls my head back down with a frown. "Don't. You're still recovering."
"What?" I feel extreme confusion at her words. "Shouldn't Ga-"
"I'm not talking about your physical body. Your mental state however, was in severe condition. Especially with you pushing down any negative thought or feeling into your subconscious, making it impossible for Gamer's Mind to pick it up."
I stay silent at that, moving my eyes away from her face, I finally notice my surroundings. "...Where are we?" Similar to the realm I woke up in the day before, there was only void.
"Your soul." She responds.
"Huh." I responded. "Wait, wut?"
"Your soul." She repeats.
"Huh." I repeat. "Why does it look like this?"
"Who knows?" Being vague? Tsk, whatever.
"Huh." I repeat, again. "Did you bring me here?"
"I did." She confirms.
"Huh." I repeat, once more. "Can Lide see us here?"
"...He can." Fuck.
"I guess you won't tell me what happens after I die?"
"..."
"Do you know?"
"...No."
"You're being surprisingly honest."
"You believe me?"
"Do you have any reason to lie?"
"No."
"Did Lide tell you to lie to me?"
"No."
"Then, I'll believe you for now." I finally get off her lap, and force myself to stand. "...Thanks, but I need to get going now."
"Why?" Her face now sporting a desperate look, a possible ploy to get my guard down.
'Because I don't trust you.' Of course, I don't voice my thoughts, and her expression doesn't change so I'm under the assumption she can't read my every thought, only the ones I convey directly to her. "I have things to do."
"Only ten minutes have passed since you fell unconscious. I won't stop you, but you can see how that can be seen as suspicious, can't you? Especially when the mansion residents think you're suffering from blood loss." She argues, and to my annoyance, brings up a good point.
With an exhale, I sit down across from her. "So? What is it?"
Mather's Manor
Opening my eyes to see the same ceiling as before, I sit up and stretch my unused limbs. I didn't feel any lingering exhaustion, so I just got out of bed.
"Finally awake, I suppose?" I hear a familiar voice from behind me.
Turning to face my now contracted spirit, I find her in the bed I was just in, beside where I slept. Hiding any uncomfortable feelings from showing, I just nod. 'Considering the fact I'm still alive and in the mansion, Roswaal and the maids have probably come to the conclusion that I'm a non-threat. Since Beatrice is beside me, they likely also know of our contracted relationship.' With a sigh of relief escaping my lips, I turn back to the window, the sun's light shining into my eyes. "How long was I asleep?" I voice my question.
"Less than a day, in fact."
I just grunt, as I begin to think things through again. 'I can't stay here for long, but I also can't leave Ram or Rem to die to the curse. It's the least I can do for Emilia's camp, and if I can somehow convince the beast tamer to help me, then all the better. Although she is related to Elsa if I remember correctly…'
"If you continue to stare at the sun, you will go blind, I suppose."
Breaking my focus, my retinas yell at me to either shut my eyes or look away, both of which I do. "Gah! The hell?"
"Betty chooses to forget this happened, for she cannot believe that you are that stupid, in fact."
I don't comment on her insult and instead blink in rapid succession. The light was burned into my eyes, after all.
After a short while, I finally focused my eyes on the blue screen that appeared sometime between my blinks.
Daily Quest Started
Meet the Lord of the Manor - 0/1
Rewards - 3 Stat Points, Status Recovery, Random Rarity Gacha Coin
'Hm? Gacha coin?'
"The Random Loot Box has been renamed to that."
'Oh. Good to know, any other changes I should know about?'
"None that you would know of."
'...Right.'
"Did anything happen while I was asleep?" I asked the spirit who had been observing me silently, as I fixed the rose's waist belt.
"Bubby and that girl came, so did the clown." Really bold of her to assume that I'd recognize those nicknames. "And the maids have both returned to normal, and have treated you as they should, I suppose."
"I'm guessing they know about our contract?" Turning to the closest mirror, I frown at the state of my hair.
"Indeed."
Running a hand through my hair, it doesn't do much to the bird's nest on my head. "That's no good." I mumble with slight irritation.
"Betty does not see the point in hiding it."
"What?" I curiously glance her way.
"What?" She parrots, with crossed arms.
"Nevermind."
Returning to the foot of the bed, I extend my hand to the spirit.
"Let's do this, Beatrice." I smile after she takes my hand in hers.
Dining Hall
"My~, Well isn't this quite the surrrprise? Our sleeeeeping beauty finally awoke." Roswaal starts, as I enter.
The man had yet to take his seat, so our eyes met at the same height, or roughly around there. "You could say that. I guess all it took was a kiss to wake me, and I wonder who it was who did it?"
"Ren, you're awake!" Getting out of her chair, Emilia is immediately at my side, checking me for injuries. "Does your tummy still hurt? I could heal you if you like!" She asks, grabbing both my hands in hers, much to Beatrice's chagrin.
'...Cute.' With a small flush in my face, I wave off her concern with a smile. "Thank you, Emilia, but I'm fine now."
"Oh, well…" She pauses, before letting go with a flush in her own face that extends to her elven features. "Th-That's good!"
'Double cute! Subar-ow!' My right hand is suddenly pinched by who I can only assume is Beatrice. An annoyed one at that.
"Focus, in fact."
Looking back at the table, I notice two very concerning things. A very interested Roswaal, now seated with both maids standing behind him, expressionless. The other? A glaring Puck, who was looking at me with killing intent, or I assumed as such.
"Pleeease, take a seat, young man." The lord smiles, making a chill run down my spine.
With a nod, I choose to sit to his left, opposite Emilia, much to her apparent disappointment.
Now seated, a plate is served for both Beatrice and I, a dish I wasn't familiar with. My lack of knowledge did not detract from its appealing look and smell, but before I could begin, a thought crossed my mind. 'What if it's poisoned?'
It was a logical thought with some merit. Just a few hours ago, I was seen as a possible spy and/or threat by the staff and maybe even the lord. Who's to say they don't feel the same now? Beatrice's assumptions simply weren't enough to discredit the thought.
Turning to face Roswaal, an amused look in his eyes greeted me. He knew what I was thinking, and found amusement in it, the bastard.
Clearing my throat, I begin. "Lord Roswaal? I understand that you wished to speak with me?" Despite his…eccentric tastes in clothes, this man was still of noble birth and was stronger than maybe even Beatrice, so I should at least show him a good amount of respect.
"That is indeeeed so, but our timetables simply did not aliiign."
"...I apologize for that." I apologize with a little bit of shame creeping up on me.
"It is of no issue." Smiling at me, I notice the more serious expression on his face. "Anyway. As you may know, Lady Emilia is a candidate for the throne." To which I nod at. "What you didn't know is that the insignia you helped retrieve was far more important than just a simple jewel."
'I do now, but they don't need to know that.' I raise an eyebrow, to make myself seem confused. "It is? I thought most nobles had one, to show off their position." …That came off as a little rude, no?
He simply continues to smile, but I can see the amused look in his multicolored eyes.
"They do, but you can imagine what would happen if this were to be revealed to the public. A Queen hopeful losing their insignia? Her very position would likely start to be questioned." He explains.
"That's…bad." Bad didn't even cut it, adding in Emilia's looks didn't help either. "...But, why tell me this? I'd likely never make the connection-" I would. "-And, wouldn't it be better to have less people in the know?"
"That, I'm afraid I cannot do." Okay, is this it? "I cannot, in good conscience, leave such a tremendous debt go unpaid."
"A ground dragon along with a carriage, twenty holy dragon coins, and letting me stay here until you get these things for me."
"Eh?" I hear Emilia mutter across from me. Even the maids looked shocked, but…
Roswaal's expression didn't change. He stared at me, and I stared back. "...Done."
I nod, appreciatively. "I'll be sure to keep my mouth shut." All this flowery talk aside, this was basically a bribe to keep me from talking, not that I would, but they don't know that.
"I…don't understand." Emilia states, looking to Roswaal, then to me, only to go back to Roswaal, and finally end with me. "...But, you're leaving?"
My smile soon turns sour as I notice the hurt look on Emilia's face. "I'm afraid so, yeah. I'm not suited for things like this, if I were to stay here longer, I'd likely be used against you by your enemies."
"You don't kno-"
"I do." I sigh, with a frown now adorning my lips. "I didn't want to bring it up since you've been extremely kind to me, but you're a silver haired elf with eyes like amethysts." That gained a very heated glare from her father, a sad look from the elf in question, and frowns from the lord and maids to my right, but I didn't stop on their behalf. "You may not be the Witch, but the idiotic masses can't let go of their hate so easily."
"If my staying here means that I'm seen as your ally or supporter, I will likely be targeted. I'd like to avoid that."
"Bastard…" Dear old daddy didn't like that? Too bad. "I didn't trust you from the start, now I have a reason to kill you after you spit all over Lia's kindness."
"Puck!"
"Betty is not above attacking you Bubby, especially to protect her Contractor."
Gazing to my right, Roswaal waits for me to respond.
"...You're not wrong, Puck, was it? I'm not deserving of such kindness. Call me a coward if you will, but I value my life, and if I have to run away from this situation to preserve it, I will-"
"I understand." My eyes widen in surprise, looking over at Emilia, she looks back at me with a sad smile. "Thank you, Ren…Excuse me." Standing up from her chair, she grabs Puck and leaves the room.
…
Silence. That was what remained. "...Fuck." I breathe out a curse, to the surprise of everyone else. Taking in a deep breath, I turn to Beatrice with an unsure look. "Was that..?"
"Good enough, I suppose."
"So not a complete failure…" I sigh again, but this time in relief. Turning to face the lord once more, I forced a smile but even I could tell it was no good. "Once again, I'm sorry for any trouble I have caused, and…thank you for not killing me just because I was suspicious."
"...Was it all an act?" Roswaal asks, but I knew he knew it wasn't.
"No. I was just…in the wrong place, at the wrong time…or, I guess the opposite? I don't know, sorry." I lean back into the chair, feeling most of the stiffness in my shoulders be relieved.
"Please, do not apologize, young man. I understand your situation completely."
"Really? Then you're letting me leave?"
"I could not force you to stay, to begin with."
"Thank you…I'm sorry, but how long will it take?"
"Now, if you like."
To Be Continued..?
Gamer is bullshit, I know. It's not like Ren won't have to confront Beatrice's trauma, but that's not until later, when she opens up. Or something else happens, who knows?
Bye, or Whatever.