Chapter 5: An Evening Stroll
After getting a tour of the mansion and being fitted for work uniforms, Lyra and Subaru retired for the evening.
The next morning was an early one, up with the sun. The entire morning was mainly spent explaining duties and showing they could be completed with no help or supervision.
Subaru's duties, while mainly domestic, seemed to be much more regimented than the work Lyra did, which was "If you see it, work on it".
The day for Lyra was spent cutting grass, edging the stone walkway, trimming shrubs, and sweeping dirt off the back patio, until Ram came out early in the evening to tell him she could finish up and be ready for supper.
After dinner though, Lyra was in a slightly frustrating situation however. While everything was set out for tomorrow morning, her uniform and everything else, it was still too early to retire to bed, as it wasn't even twilight yet.
Deciding to take a walk around the mansion's gardens and familiarize herself with what she may have to do tomorrow, Lyra went to retrieve her jacket, the one she had still been wearing when she was brought to the mansion. Adorning himself, she felt a familiar box in the jacket's pocket from the last time she wore it.
Pulling it out, it revealed itself to be the solar charger for her phone.
Wow I forgot I had this on me. I should check to see if my phone even still has charge.
Walking over to her desk drawer, she pulled her phone out and realized it was dead.
Lyra: *sigh* I think I'll just have to set this up in the window and let this thing charge up over the next few days...who knows, though? It might come in handy someday.
She set up the panel just behind a curtain with her phone plugged right in.
Putting on her jacket for real this time, Lyra walked down the hall and down the stairs, hands in her jacket pockets all the while.
Just before reaching the door leading to the back courtyard, someone called to her.
?: Raly.
Lyra: H-huh?
Whoever had just called for her had said what was close to her name, but with the syllables swapped in order, making a crude sounding name.
Ram: Just where do you think you're off to? Rem went up to your room only to find it empty and went looking for you.
Lyra: Huh? I just left my room and came right here. We would have had to have passed each other.
Ram: Well I suggest you head back up and wait for her there. I will inform her that I was able to locate you.
Lyra: Right. I will head back to my room right away, then.
Not wanting to cause any friction, Lyra returned to her room.
Opening the door and entering the room, Lyra took her jacket off before shutting the door, only to hear the door slam shut behind him with one arm halfway through the jacket's sleeve.
Lyra spun around to see Rem with a hand in the door, shut as if she were standing behind the opened door on the inside of the room.
Lyra: G-geez, Rem! You almost scared me half to death—
Rem moved her arm still on the door forward, bringing her index finger to a point, and aimed it toward the window, and spoke in a serious, cold voice.
Rem: May Rem ask what you've put in the window of your room? Perhaps a signal to inform someone?
Window? Signal? Lyra thought, trying to rack his mind looking for an answer for her.
Lyra turned to the window and saw nothing.
Lyra: But there isn't anything on the window?
Rem: Oh? Then please move the drape and enlighten Rem.
Lyra: The blind? Why—
Lyra stopped her words.She knew exactly what Rem was on about.
Lyra: Ooooooohhhh. You probably mean the charger. Yeah I can see how that drew suspicion. Sorry about that!
She could only slightly tilt her head and repeat Lyra in a slightly less serious tone.
Rem: Charger-er?
Lyra: Yeah. My phone charger. For my phone. Subaru showed you, Ram, and Emilia his right?
Rem: While I have not personally been witness to it, Emilia-sama told us of a metia that could capture a moment in time forever. Do you have a metia like his too?
The last question she asked had been a return to the serious cold voice of before.
Lyra: You could say that, yes. Mine is a lot newer and more useful than his though. I honestly wouldn't be caught dead with one as old and slow as his!
Rem: And as for the plate in the window?
Lyra: Well, you see, these things have batteries in them, and this one is restored by using the sun's light. Kind of like your crystal lights, in a way.
Rem stared at Lyra with confusion, giving her the same familiar feeling as when she described her 'dragonless carriage'. With no sneeze to free her from the pause, she finally decided to end it herself.
Lyra: I could show you, if you want.
Rem: If Lyra would.
Lyra: Let's just see how far the charge got...
Lyra unplugged the phone and powered it on.
Lyra: Four percent huh? Just enough for now, I guess.
She looked over to Rem and readied the camera.
Lyra: Alright Rem, get ready.
Somewhat familiar with the idea of what was going to happen. Rem patted her dress and stood up straight, giving a blank expression.
Lyra: Oh come on Rem. Smile!
With some hesitation, Rem gave a smile.
Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever seen her smile. It's so cuuuute!!
Lyra took the photo, and turned it to Rem to show her. Rem stood and stared at the small painting of herself.
Slowly Rem brought her hand up to her bangs, feeling the hair covering her eye, and then finally speaking up.
Rem: Rem... Rem expected to see what you see in a mirror... Where things are opposite.
Lyra: Nope, mine and Subaru's both take images like this, exactly how someone else would see you if they looked at you. It's called photography.
Rem: I see.
Lyra could practically grab the curiosity of hers right out of the air when she spoke. But instead, she began to hatch a more mischievous idea in his head.
Pointing the phone back to her, she started to record a video, starting step one of her master plan.
Lyra: Say Rem, did you know Subaru thinks Ram is ugly?
Rem immediately frowned.
Rem: What prompted Lyra to bring up such a rude topic?! How could anyone think Nee-sama is ugly?!
With a *Bink!* Lyra stopped the recording, and turned the phone back over to Rem, playing the video, audio and all.
Rem could only watch, mouth agape.
A picture. But only it moved, and the image of her spoke! It spoke exactly what she had said.
Rem: Rem—, Rem cannot believe it.
Rem stood back and shook her head, totally forgetting the previous conversation even though it was being broadcasted right back at her.
Rem: Is that really Rem? And Lyra's voice is in it too!
Lyra: Yeah Rem, this is a video. It's taking a bunch of photos all at once and putting them together to make the motion, and then playing a recording of the sounds alongside it. Pretty cool huh?
Rem: Yes! Just think of all the amazing things one could do with this! Never having to memorize anything again, and if there was a 'video' of something like cooking or fixing something, one could always figure out how they did it again!
Rem stood continuing to stare at the little image of herself on Lyra's phone that was still pointed toward her. Lyra could hear the wanderlust on
Lyra: Well, that's not all.
Lyra turned the phone back to herself and started messing with the phone.
Lyra: You can also cut out the parts you don't like with enough skill, making it seem like something it wasn't.
And with that, she turned the phone back to Rem, reducing the previous video down to a short segment of just Rem, mid sentence.
Video Rem: Nee-sama is ugly.
Rem frowned in confusion.
Rem: How did Lyra get Rem to appear to be saying that!? Rem would never say—
Lyra: Yes you did! Don't you remember?
With that Lyra played the full clip she had taken her snippet out of.
Video Rem: What prompted Lyra to bring up such a rude topic!? How could anyone think Nee-sama is ugly?!
Lyra: I cut out everything but the last half of your last sentence. Really changes the message of it, huh?
Rem: But it's not true! It's a lie...
Lyra: It's funny Rem, if I just went and told Ram you thought she was ugly she'd call me a liar... but if I showed her this...
Rem's eyes opened wide. She knew that he had fabricated "proof" for his lie.
With her face turning red, a frown forming, and her hands on her hips and leaning forward, she tried to scold Lyra.
Rem: Hmmm—! How did—?! This is slander! Dishonesty! Lies!
Lyra laughed at her frustrations while admiring her cuteness.
Rem: R-R-Rem will—!
Lyra: You'll what?
Rem could only stand there in frustration, angry at Lyra.
Rem: Hmph!
She turned her head upwards and away, eyes closed, before bringing them back down and opening them, a more serious look on her face.
Why is Rem letting her do this? If Lyra really can't be trusted and is one of… them, isn't Rem letting her manipulate a divide between me and Nee-sama?? She thought.
Seeing the new look on Rem's face, Lyra sighed and closed his eyes.
Lyra: Calm down, Rem. I wouldn't do something so mean like that out of the blue for no reason.
With her serious face returning to a more neutral one, Lyra continued her statement.
Lyra: However, I'll only get rid of the captured moment if—
Rem: There's a stipulation.
Lyra: Yes. All you have to do is—!
With a flash of a finger gun to Rem, Lyra gave her condition.
Lyra: Accompany me on my walk! Uh...please!
Rem's face softened a bit as she heard the request.
Rem: That's all? And Lyra won't show Nee-sama?
Lyra I'll do you one better, I'll destroy it, that way I can't show her.
Rem smiled a smile of relief.
With that Lyra deleted her prank video, but decided to keep the photo of Rem smiling. Lyra put her phone back on its charger and threw her jacket back on.
Rem and Lyra walked back down to the rear exit of the mansion leading down to the fountain area, and began their walk in the evening light.
The two took the final steps off the back patio, having not said a word to each other until now. Being the first to speak up and break the silence between them as they stepped onto the paved pathway, Rem walked to Lyra's right side.
Rem: Umm, Lyra?
Lyra: Hmm?
Rem: Why did Rem's voice sound different in the moving painting yet Lyra's didn't?
Lyra giggled.
Rem puffed her cheeks out, pouting and raised her hands to her chest in frustration.
Rem: What's so funny? Rem just wants to know why she sounded so odd!
Lyra: You, spare me and Subaru, are probably the only people in the whole world here that's heard your own voice spoken back to you.
Rem's pout turned into an expression of light fascination, her eyes slightly sparkled with a bit of pride, and with a smile of excitement.
Lyra: Truth be told, everyone experiences that. When you hear your own voice it's through your head more than it is echoing back at you from your mouth. No one sounds like how they think they do.
Rem: Hmmm, Rem thinks she understands.
The two continued to walk and have light, idle chit chat, mostly about the day's work. Rem had praised her older sister several times throughout their conversation, making Lyra take note of how Rem perceived her older sister, somewhat contradictory to how Lyra had observed her.
At this point they were on the far side of the garden from the mansion, heading back.
Rem: Also, Lyra?
Lyra: Yeah?
Rem: Lyra said except for him and Subaru, and now Rem, that we're the only ones in the world who have experienced hearing their own voice. How is that?
Lyra: Hk-!
Oh God, I'm such a goof. I just accidentally leaked top secret info! I can't let her know about mine and Subaru's shared origin, it'll cause too much trouble.
With Rem waiting for a response, Lyra quickly fumbled out an excuse.
Lyra: Oh you know, just an expression! Almost everyone from where we're from has said it at some point!
Rem: And where is that?
Oh God, what do I tell her?
Lyra: Uhh, well, if you've ever heard of a plucky nation far to the west that's probably it.
Rem shook her head.
Rem: As far as Rem can think west is, it would be Kararagi.
Lyra: U-um...well..l-let's talk about something different!
Scratching the back of her head somewhat nervously, Lyra tried desperately to change the conversation topic away from classified information.
Rem: Okay... So umm... What was it like for Lyra before coming here?
Lyra: Well...
She went on to explain roughly what her life was like before, the situation she'd found himself in, the apartment complex that had allowed her to move into it, but worded it in a way to sound "of this world."
Lyra: And what about you? You and your sister seem like you've been here for a while.
Rem nodded.
Rem: Yes, we've been here since we were very young. Roswaal-sama rescued us from our vill-
Rem stopped what she was saying abruptly, eyes wide open in surprise at what she'd so carelessly spoken.
Why did that come out so easily? Rem doesn't think Lyra did anything to prompt that. Rem thought.
Lyra almost responded with "And rescued you two?" but had a thought of her own eclipse her mind. What if that was like me earlier, with me saying "in this world?"
She instead decided on a way to give her a way out of what she just said, it looked like that might be necessary with the expression on her face she was trying to suppress. Lyra figured inquiring further might upset Rem, something he didn't wish to do to keep good relations.
Lyra: Yeah I imagine that was quite the kind of thing for him to do, rescue a few girls from a tough living situation and allow them to work in his estate, not many people get that opportunity.
Rem almost wanted to respond in anger. The village her and her sister grew up in was not "a tough living situation" like she had said. Everyone worked hard together to make it a nice place to live.
She at the moment had an inkling she knew what she really meant. She brought an easy target for her to dodge the question because she knew she had misspoken, and was now trying to calm any tension between the two, a classic trait of an infiltrator...
As sbe thought this, Lyra could see from the side of Rem's face, her one uncovered eye, deep in thought. I wonder if I was too blunt about that, or maybe I hit the nail right on the head?
Rem, still deep in thought, was almost trying to convince herself that Lyra was some agent or spy of sorts. However, the more Rem tried to convince herself, the more it seemed unfeasible. It was irrational to think Lyra was being malicious from the simple dialog she had exchanged with her so far. She had not sought to conceal anything, and had not been dishonest once towards her, as far as she could tell. Puck had even said he sensed no malice from either her or Subaru.
After a few more moments of silence in conversation in their walk, Rem had come to only one remaining theory: she was simply being nice.
Looking down at her feet, she brought a hand to her chest, partially relieved that she hadn't needed to suspect anything of Lyra, at least at this juncture.
But why was she also feeling this way? It was more than just having a kind gesture given to her. It was...
With that, Rem strolled ahead of Lyra, and looked back towards her and smiled, the wind gently blew, blowing her hair, it exposed both her blue eyes.
Lyra almost had tripped over flat ground at the sheer sight of her cuteness.
Rem was the first to break their thought-filled silence of almost a minute.
Rem: Lyra...chan...?
Hearing her say her name in the most sincere tone she had yet heard from her, Lyra stopped to face the blue haired maid who stood before him, basking in the orange hue of the evening sky. She started blushing, and her heart started racing.
Lyra: Y-yes, Rem?
Rem: The next time you want to go on a walk like this with Rem, there's no need to threaten to do something she knows you wouldn't do.
Rem said this as she tilted her head and smiled, her bangs swaying downward covering her exposed eye and showing the eye she normally kept concealed by them.
She knew it now. She knew she wouldn't have done anything had she refused to go on the walk, and she knew why she'd tried to give her a way out of her misspoken words, and it was for the same reason.
A reason that began to warm Rem's heart in a way she hadn't even felt for anyone before.
Lyra smiled back at the blue-haired maid in front of her and continued her walk with her.
The two began re-approaching the steps back up to the mansion when she turned to Lyra to smile once more. She had remembered another thing she was once loathing, but had now had come to look forward to.
This of course caused Lyra to trip on the steps for real this time from distraction, with Rem helping her back up on her feet and Lyra again becoming flustered afterwards.
Returning from the outside though the rear entrance to the mansion, Lyra took her jacket and threw it over her shoulder.
Lyra: Well Rem, thanks for going on that walk with me. I'm going to go head back up to my bedroom and—
Rem: Rem is going there too!
Rem blurted this out to extinguish any threat to more time with Lyra, small fists raised up to her chest, determined to get her word in.
The prospect of continuing along with Lyra, anywhere, to do anything, was exactly what Rem wanted to do right now.
A blush had appeared on Lyra's surprised face.
Lyra: Uhhhh, ummm R-Rem, I think—
She can't mean what I think she means—
And as if reading her mind, she replied, with a blush on her face as well.
Rem: Rem has a reason you know! Lyra-chan asked Roswaal-sama for tutoring and Rem was given that responsibility.
This had been the thing that the Rem of not long ago had been loathing to do. She could not have imagined that anything could be done to make her actually want to spend time with the person who she was wary of.
Lyra: Oh yeah, that's right! Well then, let's get started!
With that, Rem followed Lyra back up to her room. Purposely walking just behind her, out of her vision, she could keep her smile of excitement hidden. Lyra also happened to have a smile of excitement on her face as well, which, of course, was hidden from Rem's view