Chapter 5: An Evening Stroll
After getting a tour of the mansion and being fitted for work uniforms, YN 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 then the work YN did, which was "If you see it, work on it".
The day for YN 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 he could finish up and be ready for supper.
After dinner though, YN was in a slightly frustrating situation however. While everything was set out for tomorrow morning, his 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 mansions gardens and familiarize himself with what he may have to do tomorrow, YN went to retrieve his jacket, the one he had still been wearing when he was brought to the mansion. Adorning himself, he felt a familiar box in the jacket's pocket from the last time be wore it.
Pulling it out, it revealed itself to be the solar charger for his phone.
Wow I forgot I had this on me. I should check to see if my phone even still has charge.
Walking over to his desk drawer, he pulled his phone out and realized it was dead.
YN: I think I'll set this up in the window and let this thing charge up over the next few days, it might come in handy.
He set up the panel just behind a curtain with his phone plugged right in.
Putting on his jacket for real this time, YN walked down the hall and down the stairs, hands in his jacket pockets all the while.
Just before reaching the door leading to the back court yard, someone called to him.
?: NY
YN: Hmm?
Whoever had just called for him had said what was close to his name, but with the syllables swapped in order, making a crude sounding name.
Ram: Just were do you think you're off to? Rem went up to your room only to find it empty and went looking for you.
YN: 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.
Not wanting to cause any friction, YN returned to his room.
Opening the door and entering the room, YN took his jacket off before shutting the door, only to hear the door slam shut behind him with one arm halfway through the jacket's sleeve.
YN 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.
YN: Goodness gracious, Rem, you about 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? YN thought, trying to rack his mind looking for an answer for her.
YN turned to the window and saw nothing.
YN: But there isn't anything on the window?
Rem: Oh? Then please move the drape and enlighten Rem.
YN: The blind? Why—
YN stopped his words. He knew exactly what Rem was on about.
YN: Ooooooohhhh. You probably mean the charger. Yeah I can see how that drew suspicion.
She could only slightly tilt her head and repeat YN in a slightly less serious tone.
Rem: Charger-er?
YN: Yeah. My phone charger. For my phone. Subaru showed you, Ram, and Emilia his right?
Rem: While I have not personally born 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.
YN: You could say that, yes. Mine is a lot newer and useful then his though. I wouldn't be caught dead with one as old and slow as his.
Rem: And as for the plate in the window?
YN: 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.
Rem stared at YN with confusion, giving him the same familiar feeling as when he described his 'dragonless carriage'. With no sneeze to free him from the pause, he finally decided to end it himself.
YN: I can uhhhh, show you?
Rem: If YN would.
YN: Let's just see how far the charge got.
YN unplugged the phone and powered it on.
YN: Four percent huh? Just enough.
He looked over to Rem and readied the camera.
YN: 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.
YN: 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 cuuuuute.
YN 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.
YN: Nope, mine and Subaru's both take images like this, exactly how you'd see it. It's called photography.
Rem: I see.
YN could practically grab the curiosity of hers right out of the air when she spoke. But instead, he began to hatch a more mischievous idea in his head.
Pointing the phone back to her, he started to record a video, starting step one of his master plan.
YN: Say Rem, did you know Subaru thinks Ram is ugly?
Rem immediately frowned.
Rem: What prompted YN to bring up such a rude topic?! How could anyone think Nee-sama is ugly?!
With a *Bink!* YN 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 YN's voice is in it too!
YN: 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 along side 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 YN's phone that was still pointed toward her. YN could hear the wanderlust on
YN: Well, that's not all.
YN turned the phone back to himself and started fanegaling with the phone.
YN: 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, he 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 YN get to say that!? Rem would never say—
YN: Ah! But you did! Don't you remember?
With that YN played the full clip he had taken his snippet out of.
Video Rem: What prompted YN to bring up such a rude topic!? How could anyone think Nee-sama is ugly?!
YN: 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...
YN: It's funny Rem, if I just went and told Ram you thought she was ugly she'd call me a lier... 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 YN.
Rem: Hmmm—! How did—?! This is slander! Dishonest! Lies!
YN laughed at her frustrations while admiring her cuteness.
Rem: R-R-Rem will—!
YN: You'll what?
Rem could only stand there in frustrating, angry at YN.
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 him do this? If YN really can't be trusted and is one of… them, isn't Rem letting him manipulate a divide between me and Nee-sama?? She thought.
Seeing the new look on Rem's face, YN sighed and closed his eyes.
YN: Caaaalm down Rem. I wouldn't do something so mean like that out if the blue.
With her serious face returning to a more neutral one, YN continued his statement.
YN: However, I'll only get rid of the captured moment if—
Rem: There's a stipulation.
YN: Yes. All you have to do is—!
With a flash of a finger gun to Rem, YN gave his condition.
YN: Accompany me on my walk!
Rem's face softened a bit as she heard the request.
Rem: That's all? And YN won't show Nee-sama?
YN: 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 YN deleted his prank video, but decided to keep his photo of her smiling. Putting his phone back on his charger YN threw his jacket back on.
Rem and YN 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 YN's right side.
Rem: Umm, YN.
YN: Hmm?
Rem: Why did Rem's voice sound different in the moving painting but YN's wasn't?
YN: Haha!
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!
YN: You, spare me and Subaru, are probably the only person 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.
YN: Truth be told, everyone experiences that. When you hear your own voice it's through your head more then 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 chitchat, mostly about the day's work. Rem had praised her older sister several times throughout their conversation, making YN take note of how Rem perceived her older sister, somewhat contradictory to how YN had observed her.
At this point they were on the far side of the garden from the mansion, heading back.
Rem: Also, YN.
YN: Yeah?
Rem: YN 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?
YN: 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, YN quickly fumbled out an excuse.
YN: Oh you know, just an expression! Almost everyone from where we're from has!
Rem: And where is that?
Oh God, what do I tell her?
YN: 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, would be Kararagi.
YN: Ah, nonetheless, let's talk about something different!
Scratching the back of his head somewhat nervously, YN tried desperate to change the conversation topic away from classified information.
Rem: Okay... So umm... What was it like for YN before coming here?
YN: Well...
He went on to explain roughly what his life was like before, the situation he'd found himself in, the opportunity he was offered by the company that made the app on his phone, but worded it in a way to sound "of this world."
YN: And what about you? You and your sister seem like you've been here for awhile.
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? Remdoesn't think YN did anything to prompt that. Rem thought.
YN almost responded with "And rescued you two?" but had a thought of his own eclipse his mind. What if that was like me earlier, with me saying "in this world?"
He 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. YN figured inquiring further might upset Rem, something he didn't wish to do to keep good relations.
YN: Yeah I imagine that was quite the kind of thing for him to do, rescue a few girls from poverty stricken village 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 "poverty stricken" like he had said. Everyone worked hard together to make it a nice place to live.
She at the moment had an inkling he knew what she really meant. He brought an easy target for her to dodge the question because he knew she had misspoken, and was now trying to calm any tension between the two, a classic trait of an infiltrator...
As she thought this, YN 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 YN was some agent of the them. Only, the more Rem tried to convince herself, the more it seemed unfeasible. It was irrational to think YN was being malicious from the simple dialog she had exchanged with him so far. He 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 him or Subaru.
After a few more moments of silence in conversation in their walk, Rem had come to only one remaining theory: he 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 YN, at least at this juncture.
But why was she also feeling this way? It was more then just having a kind gesture given to her. It was...
With that, Rem strolled ahead of YN, and looked back towards him and smiled, the wind gently blew, blowing her hair, it exposed both her blue eyes.
YN 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: YN… kun.
Hearing her say his name in the most sincere tone he had yet heard from her, YN stopped to face the blue haired maid who stood before him, basking in the orange hue of the evening sky. Still taking in the beautiful scene he'd just seen, he stuttered a reply of "yes."
Rem: The next time you want to go on a walk like this with Rem, there's no need to threaten something I know you wouldn't do.
Rem said this as she tilted her head and smiled, he bangs swaying downward covering her exposed eye and showing the eye she normally kept concealed by them.
She knew it now. She knew he wouldn't have done anything had she refused to go on the walk, and she knew why he'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 way she hadn't even felt for anyone before.
The two began re-approaching the steps back up to mansion when she turned to YN to smile once more. She had remembered another thing she was loathing but had now come to look forward to.
This of course caused YN to trip on the steps for real this time from distraction.
Returning from the outside though the rear entrance to the mansion, YN took his jacket and threw it over his shoulder.
YN: Well Rem, thanks for going in the 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 YN, small fists raised up to her chest, determined to get her word in.
The prospect of continuing along with YN, anywhere, to do anything, was exactly what Rem wanted to do right now.
A blush had appeared on YN surprised face.
YN: Uhhhh, ummm Rem, I think—
She can't mean what I think she means—
And as if reading his mind, she replied, with a blush on her face as well.
Rem: Rem has a reason you know! YN-kun 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 suspected.
YN: That's right, huh. Well, let's get at it then.
With that, Rem followed YN back up to his room. Purposely walking just behind him, out of his vision, she could keep her smile of excitement hidden.