Chapter 28: A Sister's Request

Having spotted each other, the two ventured over to Beatrice. Meeting at roughly halfway between the two, the three stood off to the side of the market square.

Being the first to speak, Subaru broke what could have ended up being a silent awkward stare.

Subaru: Wow Beako, fancy seeing you out of the library, especially out of the mansion entirely as well.

With a twitch of irritation growing on her face, the drill haired girl's already seemingly unamused expression grew more sour.

Beatrice: Betty still does not remember allowing you to refer to her in such a casual manner I suppose.

Closing her eyes and crossing her small arms, she nodded as if confirming this to herself. Wincing at her instant rebuttal to Subaru, YN decided to try and improve Beatrice's mood.

YN: Umm, Beatrice...

One of Beatrice's eyes opened to YN, looking at him with irritation.

YN: —hk! B-Beatrice-s-sama.

Beatrice: What is it, I suppose?

Bowing forward, YN spoke.

YN: Thank you for healing me. I heard my injuries were very serious and I have you to thank for fixing them.

Before Beatrice could answer, the three were interrupted by two of the remaining villagers that were lingering around in the market square.

Petra's Father: Subaru! We were looking all over for you!

Petra's Mother: Petra had something she wanted to give you for all your efforts last night.

Between the two adults stood a small, auburn haired girl, holding a handmade trinket in her hands.

Subaru: Oh Petra! How thoughtful. You really shouldn't have.

Taking a few paces away from YN and Beatrice, Subaru knelt down next to and spoke to the young girl, just out of earshot of the two.

Beatrice: How rude, I suppose. Running off with someone else in the middle of a conversation. Hmph!

Not sure what to say, YN simply thanked Beatrice again.

YN: But again, thank you.

Beatrice: Not a million 'thank-you's' would ever repay the amount of mana Betty had to use healing you.

Extending his hand out at her response, YN responded.

YN: O-oh! If it's a matter of mana, since you zapped mine before, I can pay you back the mana you used over time, if you'd like. I have better control over my Gate now so—

Beatrice: Betty does not want your mana, I suppose. Especially from someone who's an anomaly.

Freezing in spot from her response, YN's mind sensed a vague familiarity with the term Beatrice had just used.

Didn't Roswaal call me that on the first day when asking for our favor? That's... strange she would use it too, considering the two seem to dislike each other...

Beatrice continued in a much less offended time

Beatrice: Besides, Betty has a feeling YN is going to want all his mana once Beatty tells you what she had meant to tell you.

Returning, Subaru rejoined the group. Catching the last thing Beatrice had said, Subaru asked a question.

Subaru: Hmm? What is it you need to tell us?

Beatrice: Betty will inform you, but rather in some place where she won't be interrupted again, I suppose.

Beatrice: You look rather calm for someone who was just told he was going to die, I suppose.

Subaru stood, resolute, staring at the scars still on his forearms like he was earlier.

Beatrice had taken YN and Subaru away from the marketplace, and the three had ended up in the outskirts of the village. They now stood in a secluded location at the bottom of a retaining wall of stone bricks meant to separate the village from the small plot of farming land where the three now gathered.

Perhaps it was in-between the growing seasons or this particular field was out of rotation, but there was no harm in being there at this moment.

YN bit his lip at the thought of losing all their progress again and having to restart. Beatrice could sense their annoyance at the concept of death rather than dread, however, she did not question it.

YN: And you're sure you can't undo the curses?

Nodding, Beatrice explained.

Beatrice: Removing curses is a lot like undoing a knot, I suppose. When there is a large tangled mess, it becomes impossible.

Subaru stared at his scars a moment more before finally rolling his sleeve back up.

Subaru: And you're certain YN doesn't have any?

Beatrice: He does not, in fact. He was not bitten like you were. Betty would not have even looked for the curses again on Subaru if the younger maid sister hadn't mentioned it.

YN: 'The younger maid sister'? You spoke with Rem recently?

Nodding with crossed arms, Beatrice answered.

Beatrice: Yes. That's the other reason Betty decided to speak with you two I suppose. The younger maid came to see you two while Betty was still treating the new groundskeeper when she said something about the bites on Subaru. It was just before morning, before Bubby woke up.

It weighed heavy on YN's mind that Rem had come back so soon after having been taken away by Ram to go rest. She had certainly not allowed herself enough time to recover before letting her worries get the better of her to come and check on Subaru and him.

Subaru: So other than YN and you, Rem is the only one who knows about the mess of curses on me then.

Beatrice: Which brings Betty to her second point. Have either of you seen the younger maid since waking up?

YN and Subaru looked at each other and both shook their heads before looking back to Beatrice.

Beatrice: Before she left, the younger maid asked if there were other ways to remove the curses.

YN: And is there?

Nodding, the drill haired girl explained.

Beatrice: The mabeasts use the curse as a way of feeding, it allows them to absorb mana, and ultimately the Od of the person inflicted with the curse. The only way to prevent the curse from triggering without removing it is not allow the beast to eat.

Subaru: You have to prevent them from eating, in other words, you have to kill them.

Beatrice: Exactly, I suppose.

Subaru: With as many that bit me, and not knowing which ones did, you'd have to kill the entire pack—

YN: —hk! Beatrice-sama!

Cutting him off, Subaru stared confusingly at YN's sudden brash reaction.

Subaru: — — ? — ?

First looking at YN, then to Beatrice for a clue, the drill haired girl stared right at YN. An air of expectation to YN's reaction was on her eyes.

YN: —Rem! She didn't, did she?!

Thoroughly confused now, Subaru chimed back in before being interrupted again.

Subaru: 'She didn't' what? She—

Ram: If you know where Rem is, Ram would like very much to know just where she's gone.

The three turned their vision up to the top of the retaining wall. Masked by the light of the sun behind her, Ram's silhouette posed the question Beatrice had been waiting for.

Jumping down to their level, Ram began to have small wisps of wind magic begin encircling her. Staring back at her, Beatrice paid the enraged maid no caution.

YN: S-She went into the forest, didn't she?! To try and kill all the mabeasts...

Clenching her fists, Ram walked up to Beatrice, wind magic emanating from her.

Ram: Why? Why did you tell Rem that when you knew she would act irrationally? That she would go into the forest and get killed trying to redeem herself!

Trying to keep her composure, Ram now stood right in front of Beatrice, making her hair drills and dress flutter and wave in the winds she gave off.

Without any reaction to her, Beatrice remained calm when answering.

Beatrice: It does not concern Betty what the younger maid does, I suppose.

In a low, annoyed tone, Ram responded to Beatrice's seemingly indifferent response.

Ram: You knew Rem would act irrationally and go into the forest, didn't you?

Beatrice continued to look up at the openly hostile maid not saying a word, still having her hair and dress flutter from the winds being put off by Ram's rage.

Reaching a boiling point, but not letting her anger take control, Ram spun on one heel, and began marching away. With distance between them now, Beatrice finally spoke.

Beatrice: And just what will you do now, I suppose?

Stopping and turning, Ram responded.

Ram: I'm going to go find Rem.

Subaru: W-wait Ram! Shouldn't you slow down for a second and maybe strategize? Do you even know what direction—

Ram: I can find her with Clairvoyance.

YN: Clairvoyance?

Ram: It's an ability that lets me see through the eyes of animals and insects that are on my wavelength.

Upon hearing Ram's ability, YN went into a momentary deep thought.

Thinking back on it, Ram being clairvoyant makes a lot of sense. Like when me and Subaru were staking out the mansion...

Shaking his head, YN snapped himself back to the present.

Subaru: So I take it then you're the kind of maid that fights, too?

Looking down in an almost dejected manor, Ram bit her lip before going to answer.

Ram: If you're asking if Ram can enter an Oni transformation, then the answer would be 'no.' Unlike Rem, Ram is hornless...

With the low emotion on her face stronger now, YN felt compelled to at least bring the conversation to a lighter tone.

YN: Regardless, you've still got your wind magic that's extremely powerful. And Clairvoyance.

Seeing Ram's expression lighten just a little, YN continued.

YN: You're the best person I can think of to find Rem. And if me and Subaru help you—

Ram: No. You will only slow Ram down.

Subaru: Can you really just expect us to stay back and do nothing?

YN: Exactly, it's like Subaru says... And as being the, uhh—

Looking around at the three others that stood before him, and remembering Emilia was present in the village right now, YN deducted his current standings.

YN: —probably the, err... fourth strongest magic user in the village, it would be a waste for me not to come, right?

With a look of hesitancy on her face still, Ram was trying to come up with a counter argument to them accompanying her still until Beatrice chimed in again.

Beatrice: You would be giving up on saving your own life if you go to help in retrieving the younger maid sister. Betty doubts you would be able to save her, and kill the mabeasts that still hold their curses on you, all in the time you have left, I suppose.

Subaru: Well, it's not quite like that.

Closing his eyes, Subaru took a breath and continued.

Subaru: I'm a greedy guy, I want to live, and find Rem. I might slow you down as I pathetically try to and help, but after seeing how you all went to such great lengths to save and heal YN and I, I can't just sit back and do nothing!

Opening his eyes and clenching his fist in front of himself, Subaru kept his speech going.

Subaru: Life is extremely precious and getting into a habit of giving up just because you're going to die is a terrible excuse to have. Saving YN, saving me, saving the village children... It wouldn't make sense to not try and save Rem now. So I'm going with you. For better or for worse.

Taking his clenched fist and pounding it into his open palm, Subaru gave himself one last hurrah.

Subaru: We're going to make sure we all get to see how this story plays out. Every last one of us is going to be a-okay!

Walking through the forest, YN could hear each step the trio took. Leaves crackling under Ram's heels, himself stepping on a dry stick, and finally, the noise of a sword scabbard clinging against the ground a good amount of paces behind him, being used as a walking stick no less.

Ram: After such a spirited speech, Ram would have expected much more energy out of you then this.

After having set out from the village, the trio of Ram, Subaru, and YN had been forging out, deeper into the forest in search of Rem. It hadn't been long since their departure from the village, but already Subaru was lagging behind Ram and YN.

With Ram and YN stopping to allow Subaru to catch up, and before responding to Ram, Subaru huffed and puffed for air.

Subaru: *Huff* Gimme a break, alright? *Huff* I lost a lot of blood before I was healed ya know. I'm still technically recovering so my energy is low...

Ram: Regardless, that is no way to treat a loaned tool, especially a sword. Absolutely reprehensible.

Having been leaning on his "walking stick" that was actually a sheathed sword while answering Ram, she snorted at his continued misuse of a valuable item on loan.

YN: She has a bit of a point, Subaru.

Looking up and giving him an accusatory finger-point, Subaru barked out a response in frustration.

Subaru: You're one to talk! How aren't you just as winded as I am?!

After having set out from the village, not once had YN not kept up pace with Ram.

Sighing, YN looked down.

YN: No offense Subaru, and I don't mean to deny your own ambition, but right now, I'm more determined than ever.

Looking back up, YN went on.

YN: I'm going to make sure Rem makes it home safely, and I'm going to make sure we do what needs to be done to keep you alive.

Clenching his fist, YN finished.

YN: That's why I can't afford to falter.

Acknowledging how YN felt, Subaru hung his head in acceptance.

Subaru: I guess I gotta step it up then.

With that, Ram and YN turned to continue their trek into the forest. With a few more minutes of walking, Subaru was lagging behind once more.

YN: At least he's keeping up this time.

Ram: For the moment.

There was another minute of silence between the two as they walked with Subaru still struggling to keep up behind them.

Ram's seemed a bit distant since Subaru asked her about fighting, that then led to the discussion about her horn. Was that a rude thing to ask?

YN: Hey Ram.

With YN walking to Ram's left, he could not see if she had turned her attention to him, and could not see her eye either, as her bangs covered her face from his angle.

Without a response from Ram, YN fell back a pace or two, and quickened his own pace briefly again once on her right, allowing him to see her expression now.

Upon matching her pace once more, YN saw Ram's expression was one of patience, with her eyes shut, as if waiting for YN to have done so.

Opening her eyes, Ram finally answered.

Ram: You're used to walking on Rem's left side in order to see her face, aren't you?

Thinking about it for a moment, YN's mind concluded the same idea and shrugged.

YN: Force of habit, I guess.

Nodding at YN's agreement, Ram responded.

Ram: There is something Ram wants to know from you.

Putting his hands in his pocket, YN answered, still walking beside her.

YN: Funny, I was going to ask you something too.

Extending her hand out, palm up, in her maid like fashion, Ram replied.

Ram: Then by all means.

YN knew that Ram's response was one that allowed her to take the majority of the social capital here. By her deferring to him asking first, he would be obligated to answer whatever question Ram had next for him.

These maids are obviously trained in more than just combat and housekeeping. Negotiating, intrigue... they're full fledged confidants.

Taking a breath before asking, YN spoke his question.

YN: So, what's the story on the whole 'no horn' thing?

Ram was slightly startled at YN's question, not expecting him to ask outright. With her face moving to the same one of dejection from earlier, YN backpedaled slightly.

YN: O-or if it's too much trouble or—

Ram: Ram was foolish and it ended with it coding her horn... Oni normally have two, but when twins are born, the horn is split.

YN: Rem's horn was your other horn, and yours was Rem's other.

Nodding in confirmation to YN's analysis, Ram continued.

Ram: In a way, yes. Normally when twins are born into the Oni Clan, they are killed. But—

YN: You two were special for some reason or another.

Ram: I excelled at magic, and because of that, we were both spared, but Rem was not as talented.

Looking down as they two continued to walk, Ram spoke in a lower voice.

Ram: Rem in a way, lived in Ram's shadow when we were young. However, where Ram excelled, Rem found her own way.

YN: Like the cooking and cleaning?

Smiling slightly at notion, Ram replied.

Ram: Precisely. After losing my horn, I came to rely on Rem. She can do everything better than I can, and—

Putting a hand to her chest, closing her eyes, Ram continued.

Ram: —all the while, Rem continues to look up to her Nee-sama, admiring her and holding her in the highest regard, despite her never being able to rely on her, or anyone, in turn.

Lowering her hand and giving YN a look of determination, Ram went on.

Ram: But despite that, I will never waiver from her position as her Nee-sama. But that brings me what I wanted to ask of you.

YN: Hmm?

Somewhat surprised how his question had been spun into what she wanted to ask, YN listened To what Ram had to ask.

Ram: Rem needs someone to rely on, to lean on. And as much as it hurts my honor as her Nee-sama, I can't be that.

Shaking her head, Ram's expression went somber.

Ram: That's why...

Stopping, Ram posed the question she wanted answered to ask YN.

Ram: Ram would like you to be the one Rem can rely on.

YN's heart took a quick flutter and it felt like his knees were going to buckle. All the moisture in his mouth seemed to have dried up, making him unable to respond.

Ram: Even if it's only temporary, it would be good for Rem to learn to lean on someone.

YN's eyes were fixed with Ram's single eye visible from her bangs.

YN: I-I-I—

Be the one for Rem to rely on? Me? Why though? Why?

?: *Huff* Hey, *puff* why are we stopped?

A voice called out from the way they had come from. Turning to meet the voice of their familiar companion, Ram and YN began walking again to keep their conversation to themselves.

Subaru: W-wait, I thought we were taking a break!

Getting a good distance between them and Subaru once more, Ram followed up on her previous request.

Ram: Well?

YN: It... it doesn't make sense though, Ram. Why me of all people. I've only been here for a few days.

Ram: And in those few days you've managed to not only have Rem open up to you, but—

Ram was silent for a moment before she looked down and spoke again.

Ram: But you also were there to save her, something her Nee-sama couldn't do.

Stopping again, YN looked to Ram who stopped a few paces in front of him.

YN: So what is it you're asking me to do? What do you want me and Rem to be—

Ram: Whatever is appropriate. It's obvious you care for her in some fashion, your actions prove as much.

YN: I—

Turning and starting to walk again, Ram continued, not expecting YN to answer her question now.

Ram: Ram is not looking for an answer right now. It's something that can wait—

YN: I will.

Stopping and quickly turning her head, Ram looked back at YN, eyes wide open.

Looking at him for a moment, Ram relaxed her eyes once more, regaining her composure. YN continued to give Ram a look of determination, waiting for her response. Rather, she did respond, but not to him. Looking past him, Ram spoke.

Ram: Barasu.

Subaru: Why do you guys keep stopping if you aren't going to wait *huff* up for me.

Ram: We're far enough into the forest now. Ram will use her clairvoyance now.

Closing her eyes and looking upward to the tree canopy above, Ram was silent.

After a moment of silence, YN looked over to Subaru for any insight. With none, Subaru could only shrug. About to look away and back to Ram, the slightest moment in the brush right behind Subaru caught YN's attention.

Ram: Something is watching us.

With Ram's sudden and ominous observation from her clairvoyance, YN acted.

That's all I need to know.

Grabbing Subaru's shoulder and pulling him towards himself, YN got Subaru further away from the suspect undergrowth.

Swimhooking his arm over Subaru's shoulder now, YN pushed him further along with his elbow, trying to get his exposed back further away, and got himself between Subaru and from whatever was lunging out or the undergrowth.

Allowing his mana to circulate, YN felt it begin to pool in his hand, ready to strike at the foe.

Going to raise his hand, it made it's leaping escape from the brush.

A mabeast. Just like the ones from before, except—

I misjudged! That thing is gonna reach me before I can get my hand up to vaporize it!

Only fractions of a second before it's impact with YN, the sound of a razor slicing through meat could be heard.

Suddenly the mabeasts lunging to YN had its forward inertia redirected, and cascaded to the side just far enough to not impact YN, with a sudden additional, mabeasts colored mass diverging to the opposite side as the first, the only thing between the two halves of mabeast was a veil of dark crimson.

The two halves crashed onto the ground on both sides of YN, with a large amount of blood between the two.

Letting the mana in his hand return to within him, YN looked to the origin of the sound of cutting, only to see Ram walking away from the scene all together.

Silence, shock, and confusion covered YN's entire psyche.

What just happened?

His trance was only broken by Subaru calling out to Ram, following her.

Subaru: Hey don't just walk away!

Realizing what Ram had just done, and how only thanks to her he was unharmed, YN got himself together and chased up after her.

Catching up to her, YN matched her pace as they continued walking through the forest.

YN: That was some really well timed wind magic. I didn't have nearly enough opportunity to focus my mana, but you instantly handled it.

Ram: Your words of flattery are wasted. Ram only acted in preventing harm to the person who agreed to help Rem.

YN: Well, regardless, thank you.

There was a pause of silence before responding in a low voice, Ram spoke.

Ram: However, Ram appreciates your recognition of her actions.

Yep. That's just her way of saying 'You're welcome." Isn't it?

Hearing the peddle of footsteps catching up to them, Subaru finally caught up.

Subaru: Where are we headed now? Did you see anything useful with clairvoyance?

Shaking her head, Ram responded.

Ram: Nothing, that's why we're heading deeper into the forest.

The trio walked three wide though the forest for a few minutes more before coming to a river. Seeing it, Ram headed ahead, jumping across the flat rocks, and waited for YN and Subaru. In a low voice so that Ram couldn't hear, Subaru voiced his concern with YN.

Subaru: I don't remember coming across a river last night...

Taking the first step up onto the first flat rock, YN responded.

YN: Yeah me neither. We're not going to find Rem this way.

Hopping to the next rock, Subaru jumped where YN had been before, and while they both caught their balance, Subaru responded.

Subaru: I've got an idea though.

Taking the last hop to the other side of the river, YN landed and turned to hear Subaru's idea.

YN: Yeah? What's that?

Taking his final hop, Subaru landed next to YN and answered.

Subaru: Rem is looking for the mabeasts, right? Instead of looking for Rem, let's bring her to us by bringing the mabeasts to us.

YN: And just how are we going to do that?

Butting in, Ram inquired about what the two were speaking about.

Ram: Barasu, if you have some sort of idea at least say it so that Ram can find the problem with your thinking.

Subaru: So harsh! Would it kill you to have some faith?

Ram: Hah. I'm not foolish enough to put any unnecessary amount of expectation in your ability.

Subaru: *Sigh*. Anyway.

Walking up to Ram and taking a deep breath, Subaru calmly spoke his "idea" to Ram.

Subaru: Ram, the truth is... I can return by d—

YN & Subaru: AUGHG!

Nearly falling to his knees in pain, YN had not prepared, nor expected to feel the shock Return By Death gives when trying to inform someone of it.

Having known it was going to happen though, Subaru's composure, while also upset, had handled the shock much better.

Not knowing as to why her two fellow search members were now writhing in pain, Ram made her confusion known.

Ram: Barasu! YN! Why are you acting this—

Immediately cutting herself off and looking behind her, Ram went silent. Not a fraction of a second later, all of the birds in the trees took flight, as if also disturbed. The forest grew ominously quiet.

Ram: Barasu. What did you—

Stopping herself again, Rem looked around herself once more.

Ram: That's the smell of wild animals. Of—

Stepping into view from the treeline, several mabeasts made themselves known. More glowing red eyes could be seen in the forest beyond that. More and more began to appear.

Regaining his composure completely now, YN steadied himself.

YN: I think I understand your plan now. I just wish you could have prepared me for that at least.

Unsheathing his walking sword, Subaru also readied himself.

Subaru: Hey Nee-sama, I hope you know we'll be relying on you to do most of the fighting.

Taking her wand and preparing herself, Ram replied.

Ram: How selfish. Fine. But Ram will make sure she is repaid when this is all over.

With her response, the first of the beasts cleared the treeline in a full charge towards the trio. With a flick of her wrist, Ram cast the first spell of the battle.

A/N: Well, there's this week's set of chapters. I'm making you all wait for the grand-finale of this arc till next week, so look forward to it.