Chapter IX:

Foolish Oni

The last thing Rem remembered was being in the middle of the forest when a storm of Wolgrams descended upon her. She had called upon her horn, and then… lost herself.

It was a bit of a surprise when she awoke in a foreign bed, her entire body aching. Looking around, she had a vague sense that she was probably somewhere in Arlam. The dim lighting filtering through the wooden window panels confirmed it was still early.

Pushing herself up, she scanned the room before her eyes landed on the man slumped in the chair beside her bed—Subaru Natsuki. His head rested against his shoulder, his arms crossed in a way that suggested he'd fallen asleep in an attempt to stay upright. Even in slumber, his expression was lax, his breathing slow and steady.

For a moment, she inhaled sharply. The stench of the Witch still clung to him, though it had faded somewhat since last night. Instinct told her to recoil, to reinforce her initial suspicions. But then… she hesitated.

Was he truly terrible?

Subaru had raised the alarm about the missing children, organized the search party, and, by all accounts, risked his life alongside Lady Emilia. Focusing harder, fragmented memories of the previous night surfaced—flashes of Emilia launching ice lances, Subaru cutting through the beasts with a borrowed sword, and then… Beatrice. It was all hazy, like a dream viewed through frosted glass, but one thing was certain: she had been in danger. And Subaru had come for her.

Pushing aside the covers, Rem sat at the edge of the bed, turning her head to look at him properly for the first time. His dark hair was slightly tousled, his usual smirk absent in the stillness of sleep. He was… rather handsome, she realized. A warm flush crept onto her cheeks at the thought, and she quickly shook her head to banish it.

Before she could dwell on it further, a soft knock at the door made her sit up straighter.

"C-come in," she said quickly.

The door swung open, and her twin sister entered, carrying a fresh uniform draped over her arm and a basket filled with steaming potatoes.

"You're awake, Rem," Ram noted, walking over to the nearby table and setting down the clothes and food.

"I am, Sister," Rem replied, standing to give a small bow. "Do you know what happened last evening?"

"So, you did use your horn," Ram observed. "It appears Lord Roswaal's apprentice and Lady Emilia achieved their goals, though only because Lady Beatrice intervened."

Rem frowned, piecing together what little she remembered. "I don't recall much, but I do think I was in trouble before they arrived."

"Then it is good Subaru and Lady Emilia came to your aid," Ram said, taking a potato from the basket and offering it to her. "Freshly steamed."

Rem accepted it, taking a bite. The warmth spread through her, soothing the lingering exhaustion. "Very good. I approve."

Ram smirked before glancing at Subaru. "Shall I wake our colleague so you may change? I also brought fresh garments for him, though it would be inappropriate—"

"No," Rem blurted, a little too quickly. She cleared her throat, regaining composure. "I mean… I will wake him. Thank you, Sister."

Ram raised an eyebrow but said nothing, merely setting aside two extra potatoes for Subaru before taking her leave.

As the door clicked shut, Rem turned back to Subaru. For the first time, she felt… foolish.

Had she truly judged him so wrongly?

The scent of the Witch was undeniable, but his actions contradicted everything she had assumed. He had saved Lady Emilia, earned the trust of Lord Roswaal, and risked his life for the children of the village. He had even come to her aid, and, despite being injured himself, had stayed at her bedside all night.

She exhaled slowly, perplexed and—more than anything—ashamed.

Taking a breath, she walked over and poked his cheek.

Subaru only snorted in response, shifting slightly but not waking.

Again, she poked him—once, twice—then—

"I'm awake, Mom, I swear!" Subaru jolted upright, his voice thick with sleep, eyes still half-lidded

Rem quickly pulled her hand back as Subaru shook off the last traces of sleep, his gaze focusing on her as he fully registered his surroundings.

"Oh, you're awake," he mumbled, rubbing his eyes. "Didn't even realize I fell asleep." He attempted to push himself up from the chair, but the moment he shifted his weight, he winced, favoring his right side.

"L-let me help," Rem said quickly, stepping forward to steady him before he could protest.

Subaru hesitated for a second but then nodded. "Thanks," he muttered, leaning into her support just enough to find his footing.

The moment he was standing, Rem instinctively stepped back, her hands clasping in front of her as an unfamiliar awkwardness settled between them. She glanced at the floor, shifting slightly, struggling to voice the thoughts swirling in her mind.

"I'm sorry," she blurted out at last, her voice quiet but firm.

Subaru blinked, caught off guard. "Sorry? For what?"

"For… misjudging you," she admitted after a long pause, before quickly shaking her head as if to clear her thoughts. "There are fresh clothes and food. You should change and eat."

Before Subaru could respond, before he could flash that knowing smirk or make some teasing remark, Rem snatched up her own uniform and practically fled the room. The door shut behind her with a decisive thud, leaving her standing in the crisp morning air, her heart pounding harder than she expected.

What is wrong with me?

She had no explanation for the strange warmth settling in her chest or the lingering sensation of his weight against her arm. It was foreign. Unfamiliar.

Shaking her head, Rem forced herself to push aside the foolish thoughts. This was no time for distractions. She needed to find a place to change, and after that, she had a uniform to mend—assuming it was salvageable.

The rest of the day, Rem avoided the mage apprentice. She spent her time assisting her sister with helping the villagers with their chores while Lady Emilia, accompanied by her contracted spirit, Puck, performed check-ups on the children. At Emilia's insistence, Puck played with the little ones, lifting their spirits after the prior night's ordeal.

By evening, everything had been deemed in order, and with their work in the village concluded, they prepared to return to the manor.

Rem lingered behind, carrying a basket full of fresh produce, her eyes subtly drawn toward Subaru and Rom. The pair stood apart from the others, engaged in deep discussion. From what little she could overhear, Subaru was talking about repairing a damaged sword. The familiarity between them was evident—the easy camaraderie, the way they spoke without the need for formalities. It was clear that Rom was not just a guardian to Subaru, but someone the young man regarded as family.

The rest of the evening proceeded as usual—preparing dinner for the household and organizing tasks for the next morning. Rem made sure to avoid bringing Subaru his meal, quietly leaving that task to Ram.

The next morning, Lord Roswaal returned.

Sweeping into the manor still dressed in his formal attire—an unusual sight given his usual flamboyant preferences—he made his way to the grand foyer, where both Rem and Ram awaited him.

"Aaaaaah, how did things gooooo in my absence?" he drawled, his ever-present smirk curling at the edges of his lips.

"There was some trouble in Arlam the night of your departure, Master Roswaal," Ram reported, bowing.

"Oh dear, what soooort of trouble?" His tone was light, but there was a knowing gleam in his mismatched eyes.

"The barrier failed in a small section. There was a witchbeast attack on the children. Thanks to your new apprentice's luck, it was discovered in time and dealt with by Lady Emilia," Ram explained succinctly.

"Interesting," Roswaal mused, his smirk widening just slightly. "I will have to speak with him then." He turned his gaze to Rem, studying her with a casual, knowing glance. "Rem, be a darling and fetch our young mage-in-progress. Bring him to my study."

Rem felt a small pang of unease but bowed without hesitation.

"Yes, sir."

Rem had never felt particularly nervous about seeing someone before, especially when it was simply to deliver a summons. Yet, as she knocked on Subaru's door, a strange swirling sensation twisted in her gut.

Pushing the door open, she immediately felt heat rise to her cheeks. Subaru was in the middle of sliding a fresh dress shirt on, his bare shoulders still visible as he pulled the fabric over his arms.

"S-Subaru, Master Roswaal has summoned you to his study," she blurted out, her voice slightly more hurried than intended as she tried to regain her composure.

Why was she feeling like this? Just days ago, she had despised the very idea of him, convinced he was the worst sort of person. But now that she had realized he wasn't the scum she had assumed him to be…

"Oh, thanks. I'll be right up," Subaru said, turning to look at her.

For some reason, that simple glance sent her pulse into an uneven rhythm. Feeling like a child caught stealing sweets, she quickly bowed, turned on her heels, and left without another word.

The rest of the week, Rem avoided Subaru like being near him might give her mana sickness. For all she knew, it might—considering how seeing him was making her feel.

Ram had taken notice of her odd behavior, casually inquiring if Subaru had said or done something to her. Rem flatly denied it, brushing off the very idea as foolish and silly. Whether or not her sister believed her, she couldn't say. Still, she found herself watching Subaru more than she cared to admit.

Most of the time, she caught glimpses of him in the gardens, a book in one hand and that pulsing purple gem in the other. Lord Roswaal had shifted his duties away from housework and toward his studies, a change that seemed to suit him well enough.

Yet, despite her best efforts to stay away, her eyes had a habit of wandering in his direction. It was getting harder and harder not to steal glances at him, and one evening before dinner—

"Ahhh, young Rem, it seeeems you've taken quite the interest in our newest member of the household," her master's voice rang from behind.

Rem nearly jumped out of her skin. Spinning around, she quickly bowed to Roswaal, struggling to keep her expression neutral. "Apologies, Master Roswaal," she said as calmly as she could. "I should be focusing on my work."

"Nothing wroooong with a little people-watching," Roswaal chuckled, his ever-present smirk in place. "After all, he iiiis quite an interesting one, don't you agree?"

Rem remained silent, unsure of how to respond.

"Well then," Roswaal continued, "I must ask you to take him his dinner this evening. I'll be occupied with your sister tonight."

That wasn't unusual. Ram often spent late evenings conferring with their master. As her sister's spare, Rem had long accepted it as routine, never questioning what these meetings were about.

Dinner was prepared with care, consisting of roasted appas, a fresh garden salad, steaming soup, garlic-infused meat, and a glass of red wine—hot tea in Lady Emilia's case. Ram had personally taken a tray to their master, while Rem maneuvered a dolly carrying the remaining trays. She followed her usual routine, first delivering dinner to Emilia in her study, then to the giant Rom in his quarters… and finally.

Coming to a stop in front of Subaru's study, she took a breath before pushing open the door. Stepping inside, she carried the silver tray with practiced precision. "I have your dinner," she announced, keeping her tone as flat and professional as possible.

Subaru was lounging at his desk, feet kicked up, a book in hand, and the pulsing gem idly rolling between his fingers. The moment she entered, his feet dropped from the desk as if caught in some offense, his expression somewhere between sheepish and guilty. Rem considered scolding him for such improper posture, but she decided to leave that to her sister.

Crossing the room, she set the tray down with a light clink and gave a short bow, intending to leave as quickly as possible. However, Subaru cleared his throat.

"Can we talk?"

Rem stiffened. She had been dreading this moment. For a brief second, she considered sweeping out of the room as though she hadn't heard him. But she planted her feet and turned to face him. "O-of course."

Subaru studied her carefully before snapping his book shut and setting the gem aside. He stood, meeting her gaze, and for some reason, her heart pounded harder than she would have liked.

"Do you still have a problem with me?" he asked, his voice firm.

Rem blinked. "What? N-no! Nothing like that!" she responded hastily.

"You've been avoiding me."

"Well… yes…" Rem admitted, shifting her gaze to the floor. "I guess I'm just a bit embarrassed about how I acted toward you before."

Subaru seemed taken aback by this. Then, to her complete bewilderment, he chuckled—before breaking into full-on laughter.

"H-hey! It's not nice to laugh when someone says something like that, you know!" Rem huffed, heat creeping into her face.

"N-no, it's not that," Subaru said, trying to stifle his laughter. He took a breath, shaking his head with amusement. "It's just… I expected something else."

Rem's brows furrowed, her embarrassment quickly giving way to irritation. "What do you mean exactly?!" she asked, her tone sharpening.

"It's just… you'd been avoiding me, and I saw you glaring at me like before, so I assumed you were still acting the same way," Subaru wiped away a stray tear from his fit of laughter. "Honestly, this is a relief for me."

"Y-you saw me looking at you?" Rem felt a rush of heat rise to her cheeks, a mix of embarrassment and foolishness washing over her.

"You're not that subtle, you know," Subaru chuckled, shaking his head.

Rem wanted to disappear. The thought that he had noticed her watching him—and worse, misinterpreted it—made her stomach twist. For a moment, she considered fleeing the room entirely. "I guess… I'm the one who ought to be sorry for misjudging you now."

"N-no, think nothing of it!" Rem said quickly, too flustered to think straight.

Subaru smiled, rubbing the back of his neck as an awkward silence settled between them. "Well… now that we've cleared the air…"

"Y-yeah…" Rem rocked on her heels, searching for something to say before settling on the question that had been gnawing at her. "Why did you come looking for me? In the forest, I mean."

"What? Was I supposed to just leave you?" Subaru arched an eyebrow.

"I mean… I said I thought you were a cultist," Rem admitted, her voice quieter now. "There aren't many worse things you can accuse a person of being." The weight of her own words settled in her chest like a stone. For weeks, she had treated him with suspicion and disdain, and yet, when she had been in danger, he hadn't hesitated to save her.

"Well, that's true," Subaru said with a thoughtful hum. "But I've seen how hard you work, and despite it all, you were willing to put that aside to help me save the children."

"I wasn't willing to save that Meili girl," Rem murmured, shame creeping into her voice.

"I never said you were perfect," Subaru admitted. "And you were being pragmatic—I'm just an optimist."

Rem studied him carefully. "You're being too kind now. I'm not worth it."

"What do you mean exactly?"

Rem opened her mouth but hesitated, her heart tightening. She didn't know why she felt so open with Subaru, why she wanted to let him see this vulnerable side of her—but for once, she didn't stop herself. "I am just my sister's spare. The one who stole her other horn… The world would be better off if I was never born. You would have been better off too… I misjudged you. Maybe even hated you."

Subaru's expression shifted—shock flickering across his face, but not pity.

"An Oni is usually born with two horns," she continued, her voice wavering. "But twins… twins only get one each. We're seen as abominations, and most are not allowed to live after birth." Her hands clenched into fists at her sides. "The only reason I was allowed to live was because of Ram—because she was special." Her breath hitched. "All my life, she was the strongest, the gifted one, and I was just… a spare."

The words poured out of her like a waterfall breaking free from a dam, years of emotions, guilt, and burdens she had carried alone spilling forth to a relative stranger.

"Ram is the gifted one. When the cultists came and slaughtered our village, her horn was cut…" Rem felt her chest tighten, the weight of her confession pressing down on her. "I-I-I… I was happy… For once, I was better. For once, I was happy." Her breath hitched as shame twisted in her gut. "Then I realized how terrible that was. Everything I do… all my work… it's to atone for that."

Tears burned hot trails down her cheeks as the admission clawed its way out of her. "So when you came, I smelled her on you. I assumed you were just like the ones who hurt my sister, so I-I… I mistrusted you… I hated you."

Her voice broke, and for the first time in years, she allowed herself to weep openly. "So… it's only natural if you hate me too," she whispered, her vision blurred by tears.

A long silence stretched between them. Rem braced herself, waiting for the scolding, the disgust, the condemnation she had convinced herself she deserved. He would tell her she was horrible, that she was just a spare. And that was fine. That was what she had always been.

"I don't hate you, Rem."

Rem's breath hitched. She looked up at him, her tear-streaked face searching his for deception, for cruelty, for anything that would make sense. But all she found was kindness.

"W-what?"

"I don't hate you," Subaru repeated, his voice steady.

She blinked, fresh tears spilling over. "Why? Why not?! I'm horrible! I might have killed you!"

"Probably," Subaru admitted with a small, wry smile.

"So why?!" Rem pressed, her voice cracking.

"Honestly… I wanted to hate you," Subaru admitted. His voice was steady, but there was weight behind it. "Part of me still doesn't want to forgive you. It would be so easy to just give in to that."

Rem's heart clenched at his words, but he wasn't done.

"I won't lie—I was furious that you thought I was one of them. That you saw me as a monster. But… holding onto that anger would only be selfish."

Rem lowered her head, guilt clawing at her insides. She wished he would just berate her, tell her she was awful, that she deserved his hatred. But Subaru wasn't that kind of person.

"These past few days, I did some thinking," Subaru continued, his expression turning solemn. "And I realized… I think I understand how you feel."

Rem's breath hitched.

"I have a family too. I would do anything for them. For Rom. For Felt. That's why I wanted to be Roswaal's apprentice—to give them a better life. To make sure they could smile." Subaru clenched his fists. "And I know that if anything got in the way of that, I wouldn't hesitate to protect them."

Rem's knees wobbled. The weight of his words pressed down on her, heavier than any burden she had ever carried. But Subaru wasn't finished.

"And from what you've told me," he said, softer now, "I also think you're too hard on yourself."

"No…" Rem's voice was barely a whisper. "Not hard enough."

Subaru frowned. "You're a person, an individual—not some spare. That's crap," he said firmly.

The words struck her deeper than any blade ever could.

"I watched the two of you," Subaru went on. "You're hardworking, and Ram is… well, useless." He let out a teasing chuckle. "You're great at cooking—Ram? She can barely do more than steam things. You can clean, you can tend the garden. Ram? She can't fold a fitted sheet to save her life."

A soft, watery laugh slipped through Rem's lips before she could stop it.

Subaru's expression softened. "Ram is cold. But you… you have warmth. You have joy when you choose to show it." He met her gaze, unwavering. "The mistakes we made in the past don't have to define us. We're all imperfect, Rem. So don't carry your sins to the grave."

Rem swallowed hard. She felt… raw. Exposed.

"How… how can you say that?" She wiped at her tears, her voice thick with emotion. "We barely know each other."

Subaru smirked. "Well… I do have eyes." He crossed his arms. "And I suppose I'll only know if my observations are correct if you let me."

Rem searched his face, looking for even the faintest trace of insincerity. Instead, all she found was warmth. Kindness. Understanding.

A chuckle bubbled up through her tears. "You want to get to know a demon like me?"

"Why not?" Subaru grinned, extending his hand toward her. "I'm the son of a Giant, after all."

Rem's breath hitched as she stared at his offered hand. Her tears continued to fall, but they no longer carried the weight of despair.

This feeling… was different.

Lighter.

"You are a strange one, Subaru," she murmured.

With only a moment's hesitation, she reached out and took his hand.

Maybe… it's okay to be a bit foolish.

A/N: Hope you liked this one! I have a feeling that depending on how you feel about Rem it will be hit or miss. I am planning to get next weeks chapter out on 2/19, it will be a Felt POV, and then another on 2/23. Onto reviews!

XxXxX

Guest: I Feel like the next chapter is going to be a Felt Chapter

Good guess! Just one chapter off, instead you got the rare Rem Chapter! Might be a hot minute before we get another Subaru POV chapter, but still deciding.

Knight of the Thorn crown: & so, the shipping war begins in full, it has. (I'm for team Rem, but I cam except Suba-Rem-Ilia just as easily.

Love Rem, but Subaru while Subaru doesn't "hate" her, he's not about to fall for a women who killed Rom in a past life. At least not at this point in time.

Guest: according to tappei if emilia helped in arc 2 then no one would have gotten hurt and subaru wouldn't have needed to be taken care of by ferris

About how I saw it too. Though, Emilia in this situation was fighting both Rem and the Wolgrams. I think if Betty didn't show up it would have worked out in the long run, but Subaru would have been messed up.

Boris 0-0: Good one, at first i din't want to read it, glad i did

Thanks for giving it a try! Hope you enjoy it moving forward too!

aldorojas2001: Gran cap mi estimado autor

¡Gracias por darte una lectura! Siempre me alegra tener lectores extranjeros.

XxXxX

Thanks for reading! See you 2/19/25.