A cold yet dry breeze of wind swept through the garden. It blew a few flower petals on a journey with it, a relief from the slow yet gradual increase in temperature. It felt as if it were just yesterday that the lands now painted in vivid green, patches of vibrant flowers such as lilies and tulips were covered by a blanket of snow that slowly melted with the change of seasons.
An air of calmness settled over the manor, and as for the residents of the Milord Manor, time flowed slowly like a stream of sand sweeping through the desert. The atmosphere around the manor was warm. As the crowd gradually increased, the manor saw a sudden spike in footfall. After the unfortunate incident that caused the Margrave Manor to burn down, the House of Milord gladly accepted the request of Emilia Camp to declare it as their new residence.
So far, the only person having difficulty adjusting to the new manor was a certain raven-haired youth, Natsuki Subaru. Finally bestowed with the title of "Emilia's Knight," it was like a dream come true for him. Even though he had this faint lingering doubt about himself, "Am I really worthy of the title?" His mind reeling over the idea of him being honored with the title due to a misunderstanding, in his mind he was only answering the doubts of others while they took the lead in the battle against the whites. Even at the sanctuary, he just helped Emilia figure out her strengths and place her anxiousness behind, breaking free from the chains of the past that had tied her stagnant for years. He was always harsh on himself, never willing to acknowledge his achievements or even claim the fruits of the battles; it was exactly the type of person the selfless Natsuki Subaru was, but he was quick to disregard the thought. His current motivation was to live up to the expectations of his camp members. A knight, the camp members, always envisioned him to be.
Subaru was still new to the manor. He would always lose sight of his direction while passing through the seemingly endless maze of hallways, unlike his experience at the Margrave Manor where he'd memorized every detail through countless loops. Although it made him look suspicious, "But how was I even supposed to tell them about it?" was the thought he had while, with an anxious smile, he sighed, looking back on his shortcomings.
Every time he would get lost in the manor, the fresh smell of herbs and spices would linger around his nose, guiding him to the kitchen of the manor. Even though he was just recently a knight, he still insisted upon performing his duties as a butler. On this certain bright morning, he followed the same routine as he marched towards the kitchen.
"GOOD MORNING!" Subaru yelled from his lungs a voice loud enough to wake up the residents of the nearby rooms. His eyes surveyed the kitchen; from the freshly washed vegetables to the steam coming out of the pot, everything was in order. It became his usual routine to visit every morning. Subaru's eyes slowly drifted towards the occupants of the kitchen, but he was left in surprise, as rather than the occupants he comes across daily mostly the pink-haired Oni and the beast human maid, who usually are the first ones he would greet every day, he was met with the silver-haired half-elf who stood in front of a certain drill-haired spirit. All four of them stared at Subaru as soon as he entered.
Emilia the silver-haired Half-elf was sweating heavily upon the arrival of Subaru, while Ram, Frederica, and Beatrice were maintaining their usual expressions. "Good morning, Subaru-sama," Frederica greeted back at him out of her respect for the boy. "Hah!, typical Barusu. Like a glutton always making his way towards the kitchen, First thing in the morning," Ram spoke in a teasing tone.
"Betty's contractor seems to be in a good mood today; what may be the occasion, I suppose?" Beatrice spoke in curiosity. "Not really; you don't need to have something special going on in your life to portray joy on your face," Subaru stated while a sincere smile was drawn on his face.
"...Subaru?" Emilia called for his attention in a nervous tone, "Is there anything that you desire the most or just something that makes you happy?" She asked. Her voice was laced with genuine curiosity.
"Why are you asking so suddenly?" Subaru was struck with the question out of the blue, which was awkward for him. He never cared for any kind of gain in return for his assistance. He was always motivated by his own emotions and desire to save the ones he cared for; after all, they were all his most cherished allies.
"Ram can read your mind, you pervert!" Ram kept ruthlessly teasing him when he was drowning in his thoughts.
Subaru thought really, really hard. Frowning his brows, he propped his hand under his chin, closing his eyes. He compiled everything he liked and disliked to understand how he could answer without burdening them over it. Until it came to him naturally, "Seeing Emilia's angel-like face first thing in the morning is what I like the most." He spoke with a smile.
"Come on, answer more seriously!," Emilia responded back with a pout.
"..." Ram stood in between them with a blank expression that said, "I knew it."
Frederica held her hand over her face and gave a small smile while she observed the back and forth between them. "Hmph! Betty knows her contractor very well. After all, Betty has spent more time with him than anyone else!" Beatrice stated as her chest puffed up with pride for herself. Frederica, Emilia, and Subaru looked at each other and then back at Beatrice, giving a wholehearted laugh at the sweetest display of affection between Beatrice and Subaru.
"AH!" Subaru shrieks from the sudden realization "I'm late for my training! I have to make it quick! Or else..." Subaru's mind ran through the instances when he was late previously and got heavily scolded by Clind. He knew Clind was strict and did take being slothful very lightly. "Everyone, see you later," Subaru spoke in a comical tone, saluting his goodbyes. He ran out of the kitchen, racing through the hallways.
Emilia and Beatrice moved towards the closed kitchen door, making sure Subaru left for sure. With the confirmation of his departure, Emilia started the discussion, clapping both her hands together, "So what should we do for his birthday?"
"But, Emilia-sama," Frederica voiced her doubts. "When is Subaru-sama's birthday?"
"Ah!" Emilia knelt at the corner, hopeless, with a comical display of her disappointment with herself. Her face turned to a frown realizing she didn't even knew his birthday.
She felt bad for him. Subaru was the mysterious boy who, out of nowhere, decided to help her just a year ago, and now he was her knight. She blushed slightly while her expression turned into a more serious sadness. "I hope he doesn't hate us secretly for not appreciating him over his achievements."
"He always gives his best, even when people are not looking" Frederica whispered while she peeked from the kitchen window, witnessing Subaru waking up to Clind for his training. "Subaru-sama is always diligent and strong-willed," She further added.
Beatrice grinned with pride, "Beatrice-sama, do you have any idea?" Fredrica asked. The question grabbed Emilia's attention. She ran towards Beatrice, holding her tiny hands with tears in her eyes, smiling and blushing with joy. She thanked Beatrice "Thank you, Beatrice. You are a savior." Emilia grabbed her for a tight hug like a crying girl who was reaching out for her doll. "Unhand Betty immediately," Beatrice complained due to Emilia's sudden skinship.
Emilia, with her elven strength, picked Beatrice up like a kitten and turned her face towards her. "So, when is his birthday?" Emilia asked with her amethyst eyes sparkling like stars. Using her magic, Beatrice teleported herself from Emilia's grasp. She moved herself to the Annerose estate's library, where she always waited for her contractor to visit her every day after his training. Of course, she would occasionally take part in his training with him. Considering his new busy routine, it was harder for her to drain him of his excess mana that built up due to his broken gate. His overexertion of the underdeveloped gate caused by a lack of usage had led to the breaking of his gate, the mana-regulating organ now serving as a clock that needs unwinding lest he die.
She had to hold his hand three times a week; honestly, she just needed to hold his hand once a week, with the rest of the time being just for her affection towards the boy who saved her from herself, the self who restricted her from opening up to others and kept from making the wrong choice. Her mother's gospel was like training wheels for her bicycle ride through life. When the gospel stopped answering her, the wheels slowly broke away, and she lost balance. She was confused, yet she still held onto that one line from her mother: "Wait for 'that person," she said before bestowing upon her the duty to protect the library filled with her research and many other books of wisdom.
She waited….
And waited….
Every person who visited the doors of the library would make her heart pound with joy. "What if this is 'that person' mother predicted about?" But with every interaction, she was left with nothing. Until it was him, "Beatrice! Take my mind," recalled the instance where she found 'that person.' She learned it was never about who qualified to be that person. But rather who she chose. She fairly knew it, but she hated to accept it. And now… she is happy that she chose him, Natsuki Subaru.
The smile and joy quickly faded as she realized that even though Subaru shared with her stories and all the workings of his hometown, there was one thing he never brought up, "No He purposefully diverted them."Topics about the real Subaru were hidden behind the charismatic... selfless act he plays. Beatrice frowned, "Maybe Subaru and Betty are really not that close….," She thought to herself. Until she remembered the most important thing, "How should I commemorate his achievements, and make him realize how great he is?"
Beatrice glanced from the library window; her eyes fell on Subaru, who was as usual giving his all into his training. She had a small smile playing on her lips. "I hope these peaceful days continue for eternity," she spoke while her heart slowly melted looking at the boy, the same boy who was afraid and weak, trembling during his stay at the Margrave manor, not only freed her but saved everyone else from collapsing.
She knew how selfless he was, always putting others before himself; it made her angry; she gritted her teeth and delivered a punch to the window, "Ouch!" Her hand swelled up in pain. She looked at the glass and kept looking slowly; she spaced out.
Her mind drifted with her eyes, losing focus; she was staring at her reflection, empty-minded. "Ah!" until it finally clicked. "A mirror," she recalled the day Subaru shared the story from his hometown.
Beatrice and Subaru would occasionally spend time inside the library of the Milord estate. The smell of old books lingered around the library, and the place was dimly lit. Subaru and Beatrice sat opposite each other while Beatrice sipped on her tea. Subaru looked at Beatrice with an awkward expression on his face.
"Beako, come on now; don't be angry!" Subaru pleaded.
"Hmph! Betty has nothing to share with those who won't keep their promises, "she replied angrily. "Beako, I promise I will make more cinnamon rolls for you next time," Subaru tried to bribe his way out of the situation.
"Hmph!" But in the end, he received another cold shoulder from Beatrice. "Beako, what are you so angry about anyway?" Subaru asked in worry of what could be the cause for her anger. Beatrice kept her eyes averted from him, not willing to meet his gaze; she kept pouting at him. Subaru slowly walked around her, making sure she didn't notice. Beatrice opened her eyes slightly as she noticed how suddenly everything went silent.
Only for Subaru to be standing exactly behind her, he grabbed her cheeks and squeezed them, making her break her pout and give in, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" She screamed, "You will eventually find out." Subaru plotted as he tickled her.
"HAHAHAHA…STOP….ST…NO….more…HAHAH" Unable to withstand the torture she gave in. "So why were you so angry with me?" Subaru asked her while still holding her like a big brother would annoy his sister.
Beatrice spoke, barely sounding like a whisper; she blushed. "You promised to spend more time with me; the library is, and there are more people now in the camp whom I don't even know very well; it gets lonely sometimes, I suppose."
Subaru gave a hearty laugh, "How dare you laugh at Betty?" She spoke with anger, but her blush due to the embarrassment made her look contradictory to her anger. Beatrice delivered another pout to Subaru, this time more furious than before; she jumped off her seat and raised her arm to teleport away from him. "Wait, wait, STOP!" Subaru ran directly in front of her; he clasped his hands together, begging for her to wait and listen to him at least, but Beatrice refused to listen to a single word he would spout.
Subaru helplessly ran through his thoughts to somehow make Beatrice calm down. "Ah!" The idea clicked with him. "Sure, go ahead. I was about to share this story from my hometown with you, but I guess Petra would be more keen to listen to me," Subaru teased Beatrice, poking the jealous side of her. Beatrice huffed in annoyance as a drop of sweat strolled down her forehead while she spoke, "Betty shall be the judge of it first; I cannot let my contractor be laughed at if the story isn't good, I suppose."
Subaru's face displayed a soft smile. "Thank you for always looking after me, Beako." He spoke, he walked back to his chair, and making himself comfortable, he shared the tale of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." After Subaru finished sharing his story, he asked her, "So, what do you think?"
"The queen was truly a witch," she spat. "And for Snow White, how can someone be so naive when learning that the queen of a nation is after her?" "Now it's just a fairy tale, so you don't need to be so critical about it," Subaru said.
"While the only thing I believe could be true is the magic mirror," Beatrice spoke in a curiosity-laced tone. "Well, now that I think about it, it could work like how Metia's works." Subaru seriously gave it a thought himself as well. "I am thinking too much about a silly fairytale for kids," he said. "Hey, Betty is not a kid!" Beatrice yelled as she jumped onto him, scratching his face like a cat, and the two kept fighting.
Beatrice's mind raced with ideas; she hurriedly ran from shelf to shelf searching through her mother's collection of books, even though most of them were destroyed during the fire at the Margareve estate. Roswaal still couldn't let his devotion for the witch of greed go and scavenged through the remaining materials that were saved; while a few were sent for restoration, the rest were left in the hands of Beatrice as the librarian to protect. His devotion to the witch of greed still existed as the man who didn't falter over the course of 400 years, can not be diverted from his goals.
Beatrice knew her mother's greed was so vast that there was no way she didn't at least think of something like an evolved version of the metia she created.
And then she found a book covered with black leather; half of its pages were burned but still were slightly readable. She squeezed her eyes, trying to read what was written, but to no avail; even though the book was readable, it was still hard to decipher. Beatrice was about to give up on it and move to a different idea; her mind ran the thought, "Maybe that Half-Elf idea of asking him vaguely was far better." Beatrice was about to quit, but she made up her mind she wouldn't lose to Emilia; she kept searching the other shelves for anything else that would closely resemble that magic mirror. In her mind, she wanted the mirror to praise Subaru, boosting his morale about himself and also partly working as a communication device, but out of all of the reasons, her main reason was to understand Subaru's fears and make him feel better. After all, he was the one to pull her out of her downward-spiraling state; how could she ignore him? She wanted to make him realize he was worth much more than what he claimed to be, and that idea made her determined that she needed to do something.
She read through any possible information that she could find. Locking herself inside the library, she researched. The library felt so much more lively with the books finally being dusted and read. Each and every single document was read, and its information was learned as time passed. Like a stream of water flowing through the river, the sun went down and the moon was out. She kept herself engrossed in her research; nothing could break her concentration. Frederica's knocks remind her of dinner. Emilia dropped in to apologize for her actions; she felt as if she somehow made Beatrice feel uncomfortable, but Beatrice held onto her goal and kept on with the research. Subaru, being the type of person he was, sneaked in a few times, seeing Beatrice so engrossed in something, he smiled and walked away without disturbing her.
He never saw such an expression on her face other than the times Subaru spoke to her about the stories of his hometown; he knew that her curiosity would keep her busy and would help her out of the loneliness while he was away for training. This thought brought calm to Subaru's heart.
Beatrice kept staring at the pages as another day came, starting with the sun shining bright. Beatrice let out a sigh, lying in between the library, surrounded by scattered books and papers. She stared at the ceiling as the thought came into her mind, "Will you accept such a gift?" She knew very well how Subaru was always being there for everyone and doing so much without asking for something in return; it was admirable...and frustrating for her. "Why is my contractor such a handful, I suppose?" She asked herself, gripping the book she held tightly and gripping her She was angry at herself for being so cowardly and not being direct with him. Her lips were painted with a frown.
"NO" Beatrice spoke as she clenched her fists; she had been with him through all his sleepless nights when he was unable to fall asleep as nightmares haunted him. The events played on her mind, and Subaru would stay awake till the morning, scared of the nightmares that would haunt him. She would sometimes hold his hands to make him sleep peacefully, but sometimes those wouldn't work.
She would be woken up by the sounds of the rocking chair and scratching with Subaru breathing heavily. She is always terrified; she fails to understand what might have gone through that bestowed upon him such a strong trauma. She pitied him every morning when he would fall asleep after tiring himself. She would gently close the window, placing the blanket on his as she would heal his hand with tears welling up her face. She just felt disgusted in herself that she wasn't strong enough as a spirit to help her contractor be free of any dangers; even if it's just mere nightmares.
Deep within her eyes, a flame ignited again. She wanted more for Subaru as she plunged herself back into the books, searching for the knowledge she sought.
Meanwhile, Subaru is following his usual routine. He walked up to the kitchen. "GOOD MORNING!" he greeted everyone. "Huh!" He saw Frederica standing in an unusual manner, almost as if she were guarding something behind her. Subaru was confused trying to understand what was going on until a voice snapped him out: "Barusu, I can see you have nothing better to do; please bring this breakfast to Emillia-sama." Ram spoke to Subaru.
Subaru looked at the plate, and his face turned blank in an instant. "Why did I even expect anything else?" he spoke, glancing at Ram's signature dish of steamed tatoes. "Ram's steamed tatoes are the best; getting to taste it first thing in the morning, you all should be grateful," Ram spoke out, teasing Subaru as usual.
"Yes, yes, I have heard enough." Subaru stopped Ram from cutting her off in the middle of her speech on steamed tatoes "I guess I will deliver it to her quickly after all. Serving cold potatoes and calling it steamed is a different kind of disrespect," Subaru jokes.
Subaru left the kitchen with Ram helping him in opening the door and closing it behind him. Ram looked at Frederica, She let out a sigh of relief, "Glad that stupid Barusu left." Ram spat; Frederica also added, "A trouble; he keeps bargaining every morning." But unknown to them, Subaru stood behind the closed door, listening to all of their conversation. His eyes went wide in shock upon hearing the words coming out of their mouth. She knew he was busy in training and was able to properly sit down and spend time with each and everyone, but his image would deteriorate to this low; he never expected. His own overthinking was eating him alive until he smiled awkwardly. "I still don't know what they are talking about. Guess I shouldn't think much about it?" Subaru spoke.
Subaru walked up to Emilia's room, "Emilia-tan, can I come in?"
"I brought you breakfast" Subaru called for her. "Please come in," Emilia replied in a sad tone that Subaru was quick to catch on to as Subaru walked, settling the plate of steamed tatoes onto the table beside the window. He addressed the elephant in the room. "Emilia-tan? Is there something bothering you?". Emilia looked into his eyes in shock, as she realised how quick Subaru was to catch onto her mood. Imagine how she always burdens him and is never able to do anything for him. She indeed diverted the conversation and at least tried to.
"Well you see, it's not anything that might concern you deeply…. don't worry I am strong enough to handle it myself so don't worry about it Subaru, I have got everything into a plan and ready to work out and you might think I am lying but no I am not this is true I have it all planned so you don't need to think much about it" Emilia kept going on and on.
Subaru with an awkward expression listened to it, and he knew she was hiding something. This wasn't the first time she acted like this, nor was she good at lying anyway. He felt something in his heart, something that made him think "What is he supposed to do now?" a question he kept asking himself, how can he help Emilia in her run for the throne of the nation?
"Subaru!" Emilia called out to him, noticing his awkward expression she spoke "Subaru? Are you ok, your face looks pale" She spoke to him in worry. But Subaru was quick to disregard all of her worries, "No, it's completely fine, I just didn't have enough sleep last night," Subaru mentioned as he immediately found his best way to escape the conversation "AH! I am getting late again," He collapsed his hands together and replied "Sorry, Emilia-tan but can we catch up again some other time"
"It's alright we can talk again later" she mentioned as Subaru taking the chance ran out of her room closing the door from behind, He rested his back on the closed door his breathing heavy and his chest felt tight "What am I so scared about?" the thought lingered in his mind nonstop.
Emilia stood in her room, silently, she stared at the closed door with a frown.
Subaru didn't feel like attending his training today, something was bugging him, he didn't quite understand what it was, something was making his chest feel heavy. He talked with Clind and took a day off, strolling the manor's garden. He stared into the clouds, spacing out, as the gentle breeze blew his hair, calming him down a bit. Subaru closed his eyes taking a deep breath, he was almost about to doze off.
Until he felt small soft hands caressing his hair. He looked up slightly to find a young girl in a maid uniform with a red ribbon tying her hair neat and tidy. "Subaru-sama? Are you alright? She spoke. "I am just enjoying some time by myself. Thanks for worrying about me, Petra-chan, You are always so thoughtful of others," Subaru spoke. Petra blushed and smiled she took the compliment to heart after all she joined as a maid so she could appreciate her idol more and talk to him more and spend time with him more, seeing him in a state like this she felt sad, She held a basket on her hands searching from the basket full with flowers she brought out a crown of flowers and placed it onto Subaru's head.
"Here, I made this for you" She spoke with a bright smile brightening her face. Subaru sat up, accepting the crown, and he patted her head, "Thank you Petra" Both of them exchanged smiles and walked around the garden for the rest of the day, subaru was able to calm down for the time being he was able to get his resolve back to face another day with a smile. Thanking Petra, he walked back to the manor with her.
Subaru was calm, he walked through the hallways of the manor, the sunset created long shadows in the hallway. Subaru walked through the silence, which was deafening, as only his footsteps would echo in the empty passage. He felt a slight sweat break from his forehead, but ignoring it, he moved on and kept walking. He tried to reach out for the door of the dining room, thinking he would greet them. But he stopped mid-way as he was about to grab the door handle and just turned away and kept walking, something he felt made him think otherwise, something that he needed some rest, his overthinking habit was getting the better of him.
He walked towards his room, imagining Beatrice, "I will probably get scolded again." He laughed at himself, realizing how the vibe around him would be easily detected by her.
Beatrice was almost done with the meeting, she held the magic stone, and as the sunset's faint glow fell onto it, it glowed itself absorbing the light, and the mesmerizing glow surrounding it defined its purity. Beatrice placed it behind the mirror, completing the mirror she envisioned laced with her mother's magical knowledge and powered with the same crystal that once housed her old friend to power the seal of the Sanctuary, the mirror was complete, a mirror that reflected the person's soul and never lied. She stared into the mirror intending to try it out herself before giving it to Subaru. She kept staring into the mirror, the surface of the mirror generated ripples as it reflected her face in tears unable to understand the true meaning she tried to investigate deeper but was quickly snapped out of it by the sound of footsteps, Beatrice looked out the window and realized how late it was she in a rush jumped into the bathroom she left the mirror beside the bathtub.
She hopped onto the bed acting like she fell asleep with eyes slightly open trying to anticipate Subaru's arrival.
Subaru opened the door little by little, trying to take a peek before he entered. He saw Beatrice asleep on the bed, letting out a sigh. He walked in, he didn't want to cause her worry by letting her see him in such a state. Subaru stared at the pretending to be asleep Beatrice with a smile, "Thank you, Beako" He let out a small tank of gratitude as he walked to the washroom to freshen up before bed.
Beatrice, at this point, actually fell asleep after all the hard work and research took the best out of her, she was exhausted. As Subaru entered the washroom, he noticed the mirror lying on the washroom floor, facing the front. "Huh! Why is this lying on the floor?" He thought in confusion, "Did Ram stumble while cleaning the bathroom and break it?" His mind thought of multiple scenarios. He grabbed the mirror and slowly, putting it back in its place, hung it on the wall. The mirror was slightly heavy and round in shape, the design surrounding it made it look slightly expensive, but Subaru ignored it, he knew this was not the Roswaal manor anymore, and he was still new to things here, so he added it to a list of things in his book of cultural shock.
Subaru washed his hands and face slowly, rinsing his eyes, he looked into the mirror, "hm!" something unusual caught his eyes as if the mirror was hazy or the reflection was murky. He thought it was dirty using the towel, he tried to clear it as he bent forward and touched its surface, the mirror's surface created ripples like still water, "Huh!" Subaru was left stunned by this confusion. He tried to investigate, and judging the size and shape of the mirror, he moved in closer, hesitant he tried to touch its surface with bare hands only for his hands to be sucked in "AHH!" scared Subaru jumped back hitting the wall behind "ouch!" He hurt his head in panic but was very scared of the unknown mirror. His mind ran through the ideas of what this could cause for the other. The only possibility of the mirror being placed here was something Roswaal would do, "But? The spell should have already killed him if he tried to?" his mind ran the possibility before his accusation, causing him to disregard it quickly.
Subaru walked up to the mirror again, this time determined and with a stern look on his face. "Ok, here goes nothing" He spoke as he logged a punch towards the mirror only for him to drown in it, as if the surface of the mirror was liquid. The inside of the mirror was bright, his eyes hurt "Argh!" His vision slowly went blurry and he saw flashes of colors. The flashing lights gave him a headache "Arghhhh!" Subaru held his head in pain, his mind was unable to form a thought due to the pain.
Suddenly everything went silent…
It was deafening for him, his body riddled with sweat, his mouth dry, his breathing elevated as if he had some kind of a nightmare but it slowly calmed down. Subaru laid onto something soft, his brain was recovering from the pain and didn't realize the change in the surroundings.
Subaru slowly puts his hands over his face, blocking his eyes and holding his forehead, he squeezed his temples due to the stinging pain that had remained as the aftermath.
Subaru's senses slowly caught up to him, the soft bed under him registered his sense of touch while the dryness in his mouth, the saliva stuck on the crevices of his lips, made him feel uncomfortable and disgusted. He squeezed his eyes slowly, opening them, he blinked due to the suddenness of the exposure to light. Subaru sat straight onto the bed "Huh! Did I fall asleep yesterday?" He thought.
The sensations and experiences he had with the mirror were surreal, but not fake he could bet on it. The disturbing idea that something might have gone wrong finally registered onto him, he ran into the bathroom and flung the door open. With a glint in his eyes, he touched the surface of the mirror, tried scratching it, and even knocking on it, but nothing happened. This time, the mirror was perfectly reflecting his image.
Somehow partly relieved, Subaru raised other doubts in his mind, "Where is Beako?"
"Did she already leave? But normally she would make sure I am awake before leaving"
"Was it all a nightmare!" He thought, holding his head, he sat down on the bathroom floor, letting out a sigh. "I have been getting too many of these, it's just so hard to even rest properly," He spoke, staring at the bathroom ceiling with a blank expression.
He finally freshened up, and left his room, to follow his usual routine though his memories were still vivid and his hesitation about not willing to face them was easy to notice he didn't wish to stay stuck up in his room like the old self he wished to recover and become what he was expected to be. He made up his mind and marched towards the kitchen, his usual first stop, but this time no smell came to his nose, neither was the warm steam of the kitchen door that marked the breakfast being cooked. He was confused but ignored it quickly, for him it was a very minute detail to care for, of course, he also had another thought, "Maybe Frederica was on off and Ram is covering for her" The idea made him turn pale.
"I can't eat steamed tatoes all day," He thought, frustrated, he immediately flung the door open, "GOOD MORNING!" He screamed like usual. "Huh?" To his surprise, both Frederica and Ram were present in the kitchen, Frederica chopping vegetables while Ram washed them. Subaru felt a weird sensation lingering in the air, something was off-putting about it, he thought to himself.
He slowly walked up to Ram, "Hmm, what do we have here, Nee-sama woke up late today. Usually, she is the one who speaks so mightily, 'Barusu.., you need to get up early and stop being lazy' and all" Ram turned towards him with a threatening gaze, her expression spoke very well "Do not talk to me" even though she didn't speak. Subaru was hesitant to speak, stunned by the expression Ram always had, being the type to hide her true intentions and emotions while she would verbally cut down anybody with her sharp words. But he knew she was kind and her words toward him were not driven by malice or annoyance, but for some reason, her expression didn't sit well with him today, so he ignored it.
"Maybe she just had a bad day or something," He thought, the atmosphere was starting to get awkward quickly, and he made up a reason, imagining it was his overthinking again causing him to misunderstand and judge his friends too harshly over simple teasing.
CHOP*
CHOP*
The silence in the atmosphere was deafening, but was occasionally cut short by the knife hitting the chopping board as Frederica continued to cut the vegetables; each cut made a noise that slowly grew louder….
And louder in Subaru's head…. "Fred-" He was about to call out for her but the air around the kitchen made him unable to breathe, his own body recoiling as he walked out of the kitchen door to catch his breath. He grasped for air like a fish that jumped out of water.
He was unable to understand what was going on but decided to let it be as he walked off, his expression still held a lingering confusion, as Ram's expression resurfaced in his mind.
He wasn't gonna take the chance, so he turned back and ran towards Emilia's room, panicking that something might be wrong. The whole ordeal with the mirror, the sudden change in everyone's attitude was too unsettling for him. He hurried to her room. Upon reaching he stood in front of her door, placing his hand on his chest, he took a deep breath, calming himself down.
Knock*
Knock*
He knocked on the door, "Emilia-tan, Good morning", "If it's alright, may I have some of your time?" He asked. Normally he wouldn't be so formal, but being adjusted to the atmosphere around him his mind forcefully changed his tone.
He stood in front of the door as he received no reply from her. He took a huge gulp with his fears and his escalating anxiety. He held the door handle with his sweaty hand, hesitantly, he was ready to open the door "Emilia-tan, I'm opening the door!" he spoke so as not to startle her, he closed his eyes to bear the scene he flung open the door and stood there with his eyes squeezed shut. The silence was still deafening, but a sudden drop in temperature was noticeable, the cold was increasing. His fears took the best of him as he opened his eyes in panic.
Before him sat Emilia near the window of her room, the room was cold and dark as the sunlight entered from the window making her silver hair glow and made her look like an angel, also in contrast cast long shadows. She sat there looking outside the window. Subaru felt uneasy, the atmosphere was heavy. He opened his mouth to speak, but his voice didn't come out. dread ensued him, somehow managing to build up courage, he asked "Emilia-tan…..You made me worried"
"Why didn't you answer the door? Is everything alright?" He asked, still confused and scared of the looming dread over him.
After a long pause, Emilia replied "...Doesn't concern you" Subaru was taken back by her response in his mind, this felt like to out of character as Emilia would never react towards him in such a way he kept thinking of what might have happened what could have went wrong his mind kept reeling. "Urgh… Emilia-tan, are you angry with me? We can talk this out," He spoke, trying to de-escalate the situation.
"You see Emilia-tan for some reason, it feels weird and just have this hunch that something is going on?" Subaru spoke, trying to distract his uneasiness only to be cut off by Emilia's response "ENOUGH!".
"Subaru, you don't need to do anything, please don't get yourself into danger," Emilia spoke, her voice laced with worry as she turned towards Subaru.
"But if we don't do anything, things might start looking bad and… and feel like it's already started" Subaru was panicking. He never expected Emilia to be so off the charts with her responses, his mind was juggling between two things, "Why is she so angry?" and "What is actually going on?" Subaru was confused and his overthinking was getting the better of him. Unable to get a proper clarification, his mind fixated on the only answer it could think of,
"Is she finally done with me?" He bummed himself that his insecurities came true, his hate for himself was now embodied by those around him and he didn't know how to confront it. A part of his mind still did not wish to believe it. Subaru held his head, looking down at the floor, his breath became heavy and jagged.
His head was spinning and he felt like throwing up, the growing tension made his stomach uneasy.
"Subaru, You don't need to push yourself that hard," Emilia spoke disregarding Subaru's concerns. The world he built around her smile felt engulfed in shadows as he stared at Emilia's pitying gaze. His horrors came true. "Did Emilia always look upon him with pity?" the thought came to him. His eyes went wide in shock, unable to think of a response, he wished to avoid the confrontation as a whole. He turned, reached the door, opening it in a hurry to avoid any further interaction,
THUD*
Subaru fell on his back, he looked up, and holding his back in front of him stood the towering beast human maid Frederica, Who held Emilia's breakfast. her gaze piercing Subaru as if she was judging him. "Stop" Don't look at me!" Subaru got up and ran, avoiding eye contact, he wanted peace, he wanted solitude.
He ran, Ram's expression, Frederica's gaze, Emilia's reaction, everything kept running through his mind he needed to calm down he huffed out of breath standing alone in the middle of the hallway of the estate the sunshine pierced through the windows Subaru stood his mouth tasted dry the smell of dust and sunshine lingering around his nose he looked directly through the windows "erk!" but was partly blinded by the strong sunlight. He turned towards the other side of the hall with the lined-up rooms, and a familiar door came into view. Subaru's face was sweaty, and his hair was itchy. He moved close to the door, he knew the only place that brought him sadness and made him feel guilt, but also somehow brought him peace. "Rem" Subaru whispered with a soft grieving tone.
Subaru closed his eyes and opened the door. The smell of lilies greeted him. Subaru was looking down, his head hung low. The scent caught him off guard and his eyes widened in horror. He looked up slowly as the horror engulfed him. In front of him, wearing a blue chemise nightgown with a ribbon attached to its collars, her hair blue and eyes blue and vivid like the ocean, she sat on her bed. Subaru's voice was lost, he didn't understand it anymore, and he lost his ability to think.
His face twitched, his mouth open but no voice, his eyes watered but no tears, he didn't know himself what kind of expression he was portraying. His heartbeat rose heavily, his breath hitched, and he was sweating. In a hoarse voice, he spoke "...Rem?", "Yes, Subaru-kun?" sitting on the bed in front of him was Rem. Subaru couldn't fathom how the oni maid who was forgotten by the world due to the sick, vicious witch cult was awake. The Rem whom he felt guilty for not being able to save was, the Rem who fell into a coma for over a year, was now fine and awake sitting in front of him, he thought he was dreaming, but the long-awaited reunion forced his worries aside.
Subaru's mind didn't believe it but his heart told a different story, it was fragile, and it screamed for her embrace wishing to apologize to her. The thought of his failure that triggered this whole incident echoed in his mind. Although Rem was awake in front of him, the dilemma of his brain and heart caused him to follow whatever he could see in front of him as if his brain was switched off. Subaru jumped onto her side of the bed she sat on "REM…. REM… REM" he kept repeating himself unable to get enough of it he was so depressed to save her and he failed, he hated himself for it every day, every night, every moment of him being alive …but no more she was right in front of him.
The Rem, who was so full of expressions and lively, felt a familiar feeling the one he felt in his previous loop. The moment Subaru proposed to her to run away with him.
"Remm….I…I …I am" *SOB* "I am ... .sorry Rem" Subaru was barely able to speak, his trying to form a sentence was similar to baby speech at this point. Rem slowly placed her own on the wailing Subaru and gently caressed his hair, Subaru's eyes widened in shock for a moment, and his mind thought "The touch is real?". "It's her, it's DEFINITELY HER!" he continued to pour all his bottled-up emotion in front of her.
The sunlight came through the window, making her blue hair glow, her pair of blue eyes gently gazed at Subaru, as he was outpouring his emotions. Subaru's nose smelled the gentle smell of rem that brought him comfort, the calmness it brought him was immeasurable, he forgot all the incidents up to now, it was like a healing factor to him.
"It's ok, Subaru-kun, there is nothing to worry about now," Rem spoke, breaking the symphony of Subaru's cries. "Rem will protect her Hero no matter what"
"You can rest for now, it's ok to give up," Subaru's heart skipped a beat, hearing Rem's words. His face went pale with tears in his eyes, he looked up at Rem. Rem smiled through her eyes and her expression was gentle like always, but somehow he was deeply unsettled by it. Subarchokedng in his cries, he asked "Rem? Wha….What did you just say?".
"Subaru-kun?"
"I said I will protect you no matter what," She repeated.
"NO!" Subaru stood up in anger, his tears still streaming down, he yelled "REM, WHAT DID YOU SAY AFTER THAT?" Rem's gentle smile disappeared and was replaced with a stoic expression, "I said, it's OK TO GIVE UP" She replied in confusion with her brows furrowed.
"Subaru-kun? Is something wrong?" Rem asked in confusion.
Subaru faced down and trembled in place, he clenched his fists "Rem, I am sorry for not being able to save you, I still don't know how to cure you, but I need you to trust in me"
"What are you saying Subaru-kun, I am right here in front of you awake" Rem replied while letting out a small laugh. "NO!, you are not my Rem. She would never ask me to just give up"
"The Rem I know would tell me to move forward and fight, to push beyond my limit. That's what I love about her. She never dared to give up or just run away. That's MY REM"
Rem, feeling uneasy, reached her hand out for Subaru. Subaru panicked, stepping back, Rem's face frowned. She felt betrayed. Subaru turned his gaze aside, he couldn't bear to look at her expression "Urgh!" He slammed the door open and ran towards the possible cause of this all. "The mirror, it definitely did something. There is no way this is all real. Subaru was running through the hallways, his heartbeat elevated and his blood rose, he was at his limit but he still sped up, determined to end it all for good.
He finally reached his room slamming the door open he entered his room aggressively walking towards the bathroom door he flung it open, but the reveal made Subaru at a loss for words the door connected to the library Subaru turned back in a second but was taken aback by the empty black void that surrounded him leaving him with the only option to move forward Subaru took a huge gulp he knew it's now or never as he walked in surround by the bookshelves the smell of old books and dust wasn't new to him but this time it was more unsettling to him. He surveyed the surroundings with his eyes and found the mirror now standing tall to his height in the middle, Subaru with a shocked expression on his face, confirmed that this was the cause of it all.
Subaru walked closer to the mirror. The mirror's surface was murky and reflected his hazy appearance. "This is all your fault," Subaru said, gritting his teeth. He clenched his fists into a ball and raised his hand about to deliver a blow. "Subaru-kun" but was stopped by a familiar voice calling for him, Subaru turned back slowly, finding everyone standing circling something. "Ram? Frederica? Emilia-tan?" "Huh?" "Rem?" Confused and shocked, he counted all the people who refused to look at him but were staring at something that stood in the center of them all.
Curious Subaru walked into the center of the gathering, the horror ensued, it was him who sat at the center of them all, holding his head, sweating with his eyes wide open. Witnessing the second Subaru, Subaru was horrified, "Me?How?".
"Barusu, You are always annoying"
"Subaru-kun, just give up, you aren't strong enough"
"Subaru, please stop bringing in more trouble for us"
"Subaru-sama, it's better if you just stop"
All of them kept berating the second Subaru. Subaru stood petrified, tears made their way through his eyes. He felt numb. Nothing was there for him anymore, "Why?"
"Why do I feel this way?" He asked as he clutched his heart, "Isn't this what I always thought of myself?"
"Why?... Why does it hurt… so much more?" He thought to himself while his grip tightened around his heart. Subaru slowly felt dizzy, his vision disoriented the two Subarus collided and now Subaru sat in the middle of the circle which felt like a guillotine to him. "Why do I need to try so hard?" His body went numb, Bile rose up his throat, and He vomited onto the floor. He huffed for breath sweating purposefully, his blood pressure rose, and Natsuki Subaru lost consciousness.
Subaru felt like floating inside the void, he had no eyes but he could see, he had no mouth but he was able to hear himself, he had no ears but the white noise his brain broadcasted was louder than usual, He had no nose but the smell similar to the flower iris welcomed him.
"Such a sweet smell," Subaru thought to himself, mesmerized by the smell as if he was under a spell. Two shadow hands approached him. His partially open eyes darted at them as he gave a broken smile.
"I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU" The endless chant continued. Until the shadowy figure materialized in front of him, Caressing his cheeks she nudged him slightly with her nose.
"Why don't you get it, You have to be among the people whom you save"
"LOVE YOURSELF," she said as the shadow hands caressed his heart, a chilling sensation jolted him awake. Subaru out of breath woke up, he started at the circle of the illusion created after his friends still continued to berate him.
"I have had enough" He proclaimed as he slowly maintained his balance and stood up, Pointing his fingers at everyone he yelled, "STOP IT".
"YOU THINK IT ALL WAS SO EASY?" Subaru screamed
"DO YOU ALL EVEN UNDERSTAND HOW MANY TIMES I DIED, HOW MANY TIMES SACRIFICED MYSELF, JUST TO SAVE YOU ALL? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA?"
"Every night I have nightmares, so I am unable to sleep, I overthink, I don't feel worthy, but I STILL CAN BE LOVED, NO I WANT TO BE LOVED I WISH TO BE HELPFUL AND MATTER AS MUCH AS THE OTHERS DO"
"I MAY NOT BE AS STRONG AS RINEHARDT OR AS ELEGANT AS JULIUS BUT I AM ME!"
Subaru continued as the others didn't seem to stop at his declarations, Subaru's eyes fell onto the second Subaru who was about to lose consciousness due to a panic attack. Subaru grits his teeth and screams.
"I AM NATSUKI SUBARU!"
"THE SON OF NATSUKI KENIICHI AND NATSUKI NAOKO!" Subaru yelled at the top of his lungs.
The images disappeared from the library, became empty, and everything started shaking as if it was hit by an earthquake. "Woah!" Subaru's legs trembled. He knew what he needed to do. Subaru searched for something ."There it is," he picked up the chair. "And here I go".
"WOOAAAAAAAAH" Subaru ran, building momentum between him and the mirror as he threw the chair at it.
CRACK*
The mirror broke, each shard a different color representing Subaru's each and every emotion, it looked like cathedral glass. So vivid and colorful that it looked magnificent but Subaru looked at it with horror in his eyes.
CRASH*
A powerful blow of energy was dealt at him, It threatened to knock him back, "I WILL NOT FALTER ANYMORE" He screamed. "THIS IS MY SWEET VICTORY" he continued holding his ground, cementing himself in place. The small pieces shattered out of the mirror in Subaru's direction, He held his hand up in front of his face to shield him from the fragments.
The time around him stopped. Chunks of the mirror floated around him. Subaru was shocked he didn't know what was gonna happen but his mind expected the worst.
"Subaru-kun, You are my HERO"
"Subaru, My knight"
"Barusu, don't die on us"
"Subaru-sama, Thank you"
"THAT'S MAH CAP'N"
"Natsuki-san, you are my most precious friend"
"My contractor is stronger than you think he is"
Each glass shard resonated a cheer for Subaru, He teared up with a smile playing on his face. "You guys" *SOB* "thank you…" The words of appreciation were like healing magic for him, striking his doubts and killing his guilt, the voice echoed louder than his self-hate would ever reach. It was their trust in him, Their love for him, Their acceptance of him.
He no longer was a stranger who was iseka'id out of the blue, he was the Slayer of two witch beasts those which roamed free undisturbed by anyone, The slayer of the White Whale and the knight who brought an end to the great Hare. Emilia's Knight, NATSUKI SUBARU.
Subaru felt a gentle push from behind him, he looked back and was stunned in shock, finally, Subaru wasn't able to hold it in anymore. Behind him stood his mother and father. Pushing him to move forward and not hold back. "Mom…Dad" He broke into tears. "I am sorry…I am now proud that I can call myself the son of the Natsuki family. He huffed his chest in pride as tears rolled uncontrollably from his eyes.
He realized how he had stopped doing his best in the past, how naive he was, his thoughts from his childhood played all over his mind, all the people whom he left behind in his course of life, including his parents. The thought of them still worrying about him deeply pierced his heart. "If only I could thank them properly," He spoke as tears streamed down his face, but not holding back Subaru set his gaze straight up at them.
"I am sorry, there are lots of things I want to share, lots of things I wish to speak about, but there are people who need me," Subaru said. His mom and dad stood there with a gentle smile.
"We know"
"And I am proud of you Subaru"
"You will always be our baby boy," Naoko waved him goodbye as their image slowly disappeared, Keniichi delivering a thumbs up with the brightest grin, screamed "Do not give up, you are my son after all," giving Subaru the motivation to not hold back anymore.
The room turned into a completely white void, with floating doors, all of which were different from each other. Subaru took a deep breath and calmed himself down thinking how he could possibly know which one was the right one. His hands were shaking, he feared that he might make the wrong choice, "What will happen to me?" was the thought lingering in his mind
"Clam down!" Subaru yelled, slapping himself trying to get over his fear, he for once gave up thinking and let his heart decide for him, he walked…
And kept walking… But the path towards the door he chose didn't seem to end.
The white surrounding him now changed the scene, firstly just colors, but then it slowly materialized. The surroundings were covered in snow, everything was engulfed by the storm that threatened to freeze anyone who dared to face it. Subaru felt a familiarity with the setting, he was only able to see as far as his vision would lead him to and everything was hidden by the fierce storm.
Thud*
Thud*
Thud*
Thud*
The sound of footsteps was heard coming closer and closer, Subaru stood still as he faced the direction of the sound, ready to encounter whatever the next challenge was. Slowly the source of the sound was revealed as two figures appeared from the blazing storm, two figures stood in front of Subaru.
Subaru stood shocked as before him, stood his own self, holding Rem in his grasp, he trekked the snow towards the once proud Margrave manor, holding Rem as Subaru did in the previous loops that he deemed as failed. Subaru understood the mirror was a test, something akin to the trials he faced inside Echidna's tomb back at the sanctuary. "Why…..?" Subaru screamed as he bit his lips "Calm down ... calm down…calm down" He held his wrist trying to stop himself from trembling. Subaru grits his teeth with a newfound determination. He walked ahead, his mind now out of the mirror's illusion kept walking further toward the manor.
A giant beast erupted from the manor, its presence sent chills down his spine as he recalled the unpleasant memories, Subaru fell on his back, desperately walking on his knees trying to go back his way to escape from this hellish nightmare. He was scared. "It's all your fault!" a familiar voice whispered at him. Subaru looked up at the source, It was him, the illusion created after him and rem representing his failed loop. "IT'S YOUR FAULT" The illusion Subaru screamed, The giant beast roared slashing the illusion's throat in an instant. Subaru's heart sank by the horror. He realized how pathetic he looked. "Stop, it's just an illusion," He tried to convince himself, but it was no use, his mind was already starting to break.
Crunch*
Subaru bit his forearm, his eyes were red as his blood pressure rose, and his anger took over his sense of pain. His breath was heavy he huffed for breath. Subaru felt senseless in his arms as the blood flow was blocked, somehow managing to get back on his feet. Subaru ran towards the manor door, giving everything he had "Oooohhhh" He screamed as the adrenaline pumped in.
"I….Will…not..give up"
"For them"
"For everyone"
"For me"
He ran as the world behind him started to crumble, everything falling apart, what was left was an endless void. He gave it his all finally as the last step vanished from under his feet. Subaru jumped towards the door, barely managing to hold the door handle and balance himself onto the few steps of stairs built at the entrance.
He knew what needed to be done, and he no longer was held back by his past, with the determination to leave behind what's past, He walked forward. He held the door handle to the entrance of the manor,
"Here we go", pulling it open, the bright, shining light engulfed him, his eyes playing all the memories that he cherished over the years like a kaleidoscope, and a gentle smile drew on his face. Subaru felt a huge burden being dropped off his shoulders, his body felt light and a sense of satisfaction gripped him. He felt complete. He felt like himself and not the person he hated the most, this time he was NATSUKI SUBARU.
Subaru felt his surroundings change once more. Cautiously, he opened his eyes as he found himself back in his room.
He panicked, looking everywhere to see if there was something wrong. Subaru was in fear, enough that his mind brought up the thought "Wait? Where is Beako?" as the realization hit Subaru, he lay on his bed taking time to breathe, unable to think anymore, "No. Does this mean I am stuck here in this world of illusions forever?" He asked himself.
He slowly got up and checked the room, the bed was a mess and was soaked in his sweat. He was wearing a bathrobe that looked like it was somehow worn over his shirt and trousers to protect him from the cold. "Strange? I don't remember changing at all," He was lost in thought, breaking a sweat from his forehead.
"No!, This can't be. Subaru immediately got back on his feet, He checked the bathroom, "It's gone"
"Did I dream about it?"
"Was it all my nightmare?" Subaru gave it a thought of doubt.
"NO!" He ran out towards the kitchen. He didn't wish to be ignorant or a fool, he had to confirm it by himself.
He kept on thinking "Did he somehow loop back to the save point?" He ran through the hallways of the manor. He was drenched in sweat due to the panic he was in, his mind thinking of only one thing at the moment, "Please let this be the end!"
He finally stood in front of the kitchen door, His face reflected as if he was faced with true horror beyond the comprehension of a person's imagination. His breath was jagged, his throat went dry, and even he didn't realize where this sudden burst of strength came from.
As he reached the kitchen door, a sweet fragrance hit his nose. Subaru was partly relieved *Glup* he nervously closed his eyes, slowly turned the door handle, and opened the door.
The room was dark, but he kept his eyes closed. He was worried and had no more strength to fight, he just wished it was the end. Subaru faced a pair of soft lips touching his cheeks as he instantly opened his eyes in shock. The lights were turned on.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUBARU/BARUSU/CAP'N/NATSUKI-SAN/SUBARU-SAMA" Everyone screamed in cheer. Subaru's expression was in shock, he looked at Frederica, Ram, Beatrice, and the rest of the camp members, all lined up, cheering for him. Bright smiles made their faces glow. Emilia stood beside him slightly flustered, unable to look him in the eyes, She slowly looked at him, and with her face turning as red as a ruby, She gave a hearty smile along with everyone.
"They're smiling…" He thought, but his mind didn't wish to be tricked, he denied the possibility of it being real. Another illusion he screamed in his head.
His breath quickened. His hands were still shaking. He dropped on his knees ready to give up and spend his eternity trapped in the endless cycle of repentance for his sins.
"Subaru! Are you okay?" Emilia's warm hands held his shoulders, trying to calm him down. She thought the surprise was too much for him to handle.
He looked up at her. There was no pity in her eyes. Only warmth. Only love. His lips trembled, his voice barely a whisper. His breath slowed down, he was getting a grasp of himself, "I… I'm back."
A gentle smile graced Emilia's face as if she understood without needing to ask. "Welcome home, Subaru."
That was all it took. The dam inside him broke completely.
"Barusu, Stop being such a crybaby" Ram teased Subaru with a bright smile on her face.
"My contractor deserves all the treats there are to serve for today" Beatrice declared, as she snuck some cookies when they were all distracted. Petra giggled as she witnessed the scene.
"Understood Beatrice-sama" Frederica got her signal "Please, Subaru-sama, take your seat. We have prepared a feast in your honor." In the center of the table was a magnificent cake, decorated with frosting and colorful candles. "You see, Frederica tried her best to make this cake for you," Emilia said. "It was quite hard, when every morning I was preparing, you would burst. I was afraid I would ruin everyone's surprise." Frederica spoke out, with a slight amusement.
Subaru finally understood the strange behavior he had witnessed in the past few days. A wave of guilt washed over him, quickly followed by an overwhelming sense of gratitude. "Ah, so that was it".
"Everyone…Thank you for this wonderful surprise, I am sorry if I ever troubled you. But I will make sure to spend more time with you all from now on." With Subaru's declaration, the whole room cheered and screamed in joy. The celebration kept on as everyone enjoyed the feast.
His words were met with cheers. The room filled with laughter as the celebration began.
Plates of delicious food were served, roasted meats, fragrant rice, sweet pastries, and everyone's favorite steamed tatoes, Ram expressed pride in her recipe of tatoes. The atmosphere was lively. Everyone shared stories, laughed at jokes, and teased Subaru.
Petra, her eyes displaying her admiration, presented Subaru with a handmade card, decorated with a drawing of him as a brave knight. Otto, his face flushed with the warmth of the celebration, offered a toast to Subaru's courage, while Subaru held his lemon tea as he didn't drink. "Natsuki-san, you're a great friend"
"Thank you, Internal Affairs minister-san," Subaru said, teasing Otto.
"I have a name as well….., Why can't you call me by my name? Why?" Otto asked, his face looking like a kid being bullied. Subaru and the others laughed.
Even Garfiel, initially hesitant, clapped Subaru on the back with a laugh, acknowledging him as his captain. "HAPPIE BIRTHDAE CAP'N"
"I AM HAPPY TO HAVE SUCH A STRONG CAP'N, MAH AMAZIN SLEF HAVE BROUGHT A GIFT FOR YOU" Garfiel spoke as he pointed at himself.
"Uh?" Subaru looked at him confused.
"A DUEL WIT MAH AMAZIN'SELF" He proclaimed.
BAM*
"Ouch!"
"OI! BIG SIS, WHY?" Garfiel protested as Frederica dragged him by his ear while smacking him on his head "Don't cause any trouble for today".
He knew, with absolute certainty, that he was exactly where he was meant to be. Surrounded by the people he loved, celebrating life, and finally, truly happy.
Subaru was left alone with Beatrice for a moment as everyone got busy talking among themselves, "Urgh Beako?" Subaru called for her. "What is it, I suppose?" She replied.
"Have you heard of a mirror that would suck people in it and show them illusions?" Subaru asked. Beatrice's face went pale, her expression painted with a comical horror. "I….Don't know what you mean, I suppose"
"Betta hasn't seen any such mirror in the bath-" Beatrice dug her own grave.
"B-E-A-K-O" Subaru smiled, screaming as he leaned forward towards her. Beatrice trembled in a comical way, as she attempted to escape. "SO, it was you, wait here" Subaru screamed as he chased her all around the room, the other camp members burst into laughter at the display of the strong bond between them.
"Forgive Betty" Beatrice screamed as she ran from Subaru.
A strange warmth filled Beatrice's chest as Subaru followed her with light and carefree laughter. Then it hit her as she looked back at him, who was grinning honestly.
The purpose of the mirror was to reflect the kindness and strength she knew were inside of him. Desperate to create something that would finally help him see himself as she did, Beatrice had spent days scavenging over her mother's research.
However, the real answer was always hidden in the happiness on his face, the effortless friendship with his friends, and the unflinching resolve in his eyes when he encountered a problem.
He could see his value without a mirror. It was reflected in the love and respect of those around him, and so, amidst laughter and the scent of birthday cake, the day ended with Subaru finally catching a very flustered Beatrice, leaving the mirror's strange illusions far behind.
Subaru finally managed to catch up to Beatrice, picking her into his arms as she struggled playfully. The other camp members continued to laugh and cheer, but Subaru's mind was elsewhere. His eyes fell onto the corner of the kitchen, witnessing the shattered pieces of the mirror, Subaru blinked, but now the fragments were nowhere to be found. A shiver ran down his spine as he recalled the unsettling emotions the mirror made him witness.
Daring himself to never speak or recall this incident ever again. Forever locking it in the deepest, darkest parts of his mind, while learning from the experience he faced.
He looked down at Beatrice, her pouting face contrasted with the eeriness of the mirror fragments. A feeling of warmth washed over him. He stood, surrounded by the people he cared about, celebrating his birthday. The insecurities and doubts that had engulfed him felt distant now, replaced by a sense of gratitude.
It was already afternoon, the celebrations were moved outside to the garden. A gentle breeze rustled through the trees, carrying the scent of blooming flowers. The setting sun casts a golden glow. Subaru found himself alone in the garden, He smiled softly. He was still Natsuki Subaru, flawed and imperfect, but he was also strong, capable, and loved. He had faced his demons and emerged stronger.
"Subaru-sama look at this" Petra ran towards Subaru. In her tiny hands, she held multiple letters. "Hmmm?"
"Oi, Petra?"
"Who are these letters from?" Subaru asked in confusion. He doesn't recall anybody who he was so close with other than the camp members and then he remembered "Don't tell me!" Petra gave him a bright laugh. "I thought they wouldn't be able to make it today" Petra spoke while looking at the distance signaling Subaru who the senders were. Subaru looked into the distance towards the manor's exit and smiled and stood at the exit gates where all the Arlem village kids who admired him, They waved at him "Subaru-sama", "Subaru". He raised his hands and waved back at them screaming "Thank you everyone".
"Petra-chan WOOOHOOO" The kids cheered, calling out to Petra with teasing grins, noticing how close she was with Subaru.
"Hmph! Stupid" She blushed and ignored them. Her expression formed a pout.
Subaru patted her head as she giggled "And most importantly, Thank you, Petra" Subaru spoke as he looked at her proudly.
As he turned to head back inside, he caught Emilia's eye. She smiled warmly at him, and he knew that whatever challenges lay ahead, he wouldn't face them alone. The mirror might be gone, but its lessons were engraved in him, a reminder that true strength came not from chasing illusions, but from embracing the reality of genuine connection and self-acceptance.
A few hours later, the manor hallways basked under the moonlight, Beatrice woke up. Holding Subaru's hand who slept beside her, She used her magic to make him fall asleep without any nightmares "At least he deserves peace for today" the thought roamed in her head, "After what he has been through". But her expression turned into a stern look as she got off the bed and slowly opened the door. Using her magic of door crossing she teleported herself to the library.
She closed the door behind her, letting out a sigh of relief she spoke "Since when have you been observing over us"
"Mother"
Her gaze fell onto the broken mirror that was carefully placed on the chair of the library, with Beatrice glaring at it half heartedly, Cause even if this same mirror was the reason for Subaru's suffering it also was her creation and partly her fault. The mirror gave a faint glow as the voice echoed in Beatrice's mind "Since the day I handed you the word to wait for 'that person'"
Beatrice's eyes widened in surprise but soon managed to calm herself down. "One last thing" She claimed as she walked closer to the mirror which was slowly disappearing. "Did I choose the right person?"
"Beatrice, What do you think?" Mirror Echidna asked.
"I don't know, But I am happy" Beatrice spoke while tears spilled down her cheeks she smiled. With the final words exchanged the mirror completely disappeared transforming into raw mana that scattered around the atmosphere.
Beatrice held her hands together as she reminisced about her time spent with her mother. She walked onto the chair which previously held the broken mirror and gave a gentle smile.
"Mother," She whispered to herself. She cried alone in the library, and even though she was able to achieve her goal of making Subaru realize his importance, She still felt highly guilty of her methods. Her way of presenting it caused Subaru to suffer, by her hands she hated it she detested the feeling. "And yet again you choose to shoulder the burden alone".
"My beloved contractor, Sure, is the dumbest yet sweetest person, I suppose" She whispered. As a warm feeling embraced her, she walked over to the self beside her and took out a small diary. She sat on her tiny tea table and penned down her entire day.
The ink flowed, similar to her quiet tears, traced on her cheeks, each word a testament of truth. Her biggest realization was that the most profound reflections are found not in glass, but in the depths of a loving heart.