AUTHOR NOTE: WOW, DIDN'T EXPECT PEOPLE TO BE READING THIS. I MEAN, I KINDA JUST PUT THE FIRST CHAPTER THEN CLOSED THE SITE FOR A WHILE. I THEN DECIDED TO DO MORE CHAPTERS, BUT I NEVER LOOKED TO SEE IF THERE WERE COMMENTS OR PEOPLE ACTUALLY READING IT.

THEN AFTER CHAPTE 5, I REALIZED THAT I HAD SOME COMMENTS AND PEOPLE WERE ACTUALLY READING. I HAVE MANY COOL IDEAS FOR THIS FANFIC AND WILL TRY TO CONTINUE AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE.

I ALSO THOUGHT ABOUT SOME OF THE PREVIOUS CHAPTERS AND REALIZED THAT IT WAS KINDA HARD TO TELL WHAT WAS SUBARU'S MEMORIES AND WHAT WAS THE CHARACTERS REACTING. I'VE THOUGHT OF WAYS TO FIX THAT AND WILL APPLY THEM TO FUTURE CHAPTERS.

ALSO, ANOTHER THING I NEED TO CLARIFY. I HAVEN'T READ THE LIGHT NOVELS OF WEB NOVELS OF RE ZERO YET AND HAVE ONLY WATCHED THE ANIME. SO APOLOGIES FOR ANYTHING IN THE FUTURE THAT WOULDN'T MAKE SENSE WITH WHAT'S BEEN STATED AND SHOWN IN FUTURE ARCS PAST ARC 4.

(I'M NOT INCLUDING ANYTHING STATED IN ARCS 5 ONWARDS) THIS WILL BE A SPOLIER FREE SERIES FOR THOSE WHO HAVE ONLY WATCHED THE ANIME.

CHAPTER 6: L MATHER SITUATION AND A DISCUSSION

In the middle of an intersection, the man stands confused. But the confusion soon turns to joy as a smile finds its way to his face.

"My, how iiiiiinterestiiiiiing."

He turns his head to look around in the dark of the night. He was just in the mansion not long ago, but now he was in an unfamiliar place.

Roswaal L Mathers.

Despite his happy expression, he felt strange. But this strange feeling wasn't a huge mystery. He already knew the cause. His magic. He was completely cut off from it.

Lying on his bed, Subaru could only stare at the ceiling as he thinks about his parents. He told them as much as he could about his life in another world without mentioning Return by Death. But their reactions told him that they knew he wasn't telling them everything. This only made him feel more guilt.

Meanwhile, Kenichi and Naoko sit at the kitchen table in silence, not knowing what to say. Kenichi is the one who breaks this silence.

"So, Naoko... Do you think he was telling the truth?" Kenichi couldn't even look at Naoko as he felt guilty just saying this. That he would doubt his own son hurt his heart.

Naoko just stared at the table surface, on the verge of tears. She didn't want to believe that Subaru had to face such dangerous things. Not only that, but the way her son spoke of himself making a scene in a castle and his fight with a girl named Emilia only made her realize how broken her son was. Yet, she couldn't do anything.

The one thing that made her feel better was how her son described his change to being better thanks to the help of a girl named Rem. It made her feel slightly better, but that didn't erase her entire feeling of guilt. It couldn't. Why couldn't she do something before he had to face such terrifying things.

She was so caught up in her own thoughts that she didn't even hear Kenichi's question. What was she supposed to think? What was she supposed to do? What could Subaru be hiding? So many thoughts, and no answers. All she knew for sure was that Subaru vanished one day, and not long ago, he came back better with stories of a fantasy world.

"Naoko?" Kenichi spoke again, getting her attention. "Do you believe what Subaru said?"

Naoko quickly avoided eye contact as she had no answer. Did she believe him? Or was that she wants to believe him? She couldn't tell. She knew that she wants to believe him. She really does. But does she actually believe him or is that all it is?

Subaru looks up at the ceiling, thinking to himself. He felt bad lying to his parents. He respected them more than anyone else, yet he still couldn't tell them about Return by Death. That also means he left out the part where he told Echidna about Return by Death. What else could he do? It was this stupid curse that didn't allow him to speak about anything.

He sat up on his bed and came to a conclusion. He was going to talk to his parents again. He got up and walked to the door. He opened it and walked to the kitchen. In the kitchen, Naoko was washing dishes. Her eyes still looked tired and stress, even if she had a smile. It looked fake. Despite noticing this, Subaru couldn't bring himself to ask about it.

He looked around to notice something else.

"Where is dad?" He asked, startling Naoko and almost making her drop a dish.

"Oh... Subaru." She spoke as she looked at Subaru with her fake smile. Despite the purpose of her smile being to make Subaru feel better, it only did the opposite, instead filling him with guilt because she has to fake her own smile.

Subaru put on a smile of his own as he looked away, rubbing the side of his head.

"Your father went to the store. Since you're back, we need to buy more food. I'm going to throw a party for your return."

Subaru's eyes twitched from what Naoko said. A party? For him? He didn't deserve such a thing. Plus, he still doesn't know just how he returned. What if he was suddenly taken back to Lugunica? He couldn't stand the thought of how his parents would react should he disappear again. He shook his head, not thinking of that. All he needed to focus on was the reason he was suddenly brought back to Japan.

The door to a convenience store opens. Kenichi steps in holding a plastic bag. A wide smile on his face. He starts making his way to the front counter but freezes upon seeing something rather bizarre.

In front of him was a tall man in strange attire. The man also had makeup on his face. He reminded Kenichi of a clown with his appearance. Both the strange man and the clerk look at Kenichi who had just stepped inside. The strange man had a wide smile as he looked at Kenichi.

"Isn't thiiiiis interestiiiiinnng."

"W-Who are you?" Kenichi spoke.

The clerk looked terrified as he said to Kenichi, "I have no idea who this guy is. He just came in here asking questions."

Kenichi takes a deep breath before putting on a smile. He looked up at the strange man and spoke.

"Well, what seems to be the problem? You lost?"

Roswaal turned to face the man who he knew had a strange resemblance to another.

"It appears so. Haaave you any ideaaaa where I may be?"

It seemed as if the strange clown was inspecting him. Kenichi opened his mouth to speak, but he was soon interrupted as the clown spoke suddenly.

"Sorry for my sudden ooooouuuutburst. But would you happen to be related to Subaru Natsuki?" The clown lost his accent halfway through as his voice took on a more serious tone to match his eyes.

Subaru's name coming out of this man's mouth took him off guard, startling him and making his flinch back.

Roswaal took note of this, and it confirmed he was right.

"I see. What is your relationship to Subaru?" The man wasn't even trying to hide the hostile-like tone in his voice.

Roswaal slowly moved away from the counter and toward the man who looked so much like Subaru. Despite the intimidation from the man, Kenichi kept a nervous smile.

"I... I am Subaru's father. May I ask how you know my son?"

Roswaal smiled at Kenichi's words before responding to his question with an unnerving smile.

"I guess you could say that me and him are working togetheeeeeer." Roswaal's accent returned as he looked down at the Kenichi. "Can I assume that Subaru is here as weeeeeeellllll?"

Kenichi couldn't hide how nervous he was in front of the clown now towering over him, but there was still something that bothered him.

Does Subaru really know this guy?

Then he noticed something.

A clown. Didn't Subaru describe a man like this? So they really know each other?

Kenichi took another deep breath before continuing the conversation.

"Well, I think we should introduce ourselves. Get ta know each other. My name is Kenichi Natsuki. Father of Subaru Natsuki."

Roswaal smiled once again. "Roswaal L Mathers. Also knows as Margrave Mathers of the Mathers' domain."

All of the nervousness Kenichi felt vanished as he felt calm again. Thank to Subaru's story, he had an idea of what the Mathers' domain is, and he knew this guy wasn't lying. This also means that Subaru was telling the truth. This brought relief to Kenichi as he hated the idea of having to doubt his own son.

"Now, since we've introduced ourselves, can you take me to see Subaru?" Roswaal spoke suddenly. He knew if anyone could explain what was happening, it would be Subaru. Subaru is the key for him to understand just where he is.

Back at the Natsuki household, Subaru sits at the kitchen table with Naoko sitting across from him. They sat in silence, not knowing what to say. Naoko had many questions. Questions like "What are you hiding?" And "Why are there scars on your arm?" So many, yet she couldn't say a word. How was she supposed to bring this up when she's never done anything to help him before.

She knew he was depressed, and she did nothing.

She couldn't do anything. And that made her angry.

Knowing something is wrong yet not being able to do anything. She detested it.

But the one she detested most was herself.

What kind of mother doesn't even try to help her son when he holes himself up in his room. She was utterly disgusting.

No one was worse than her. Noe one could ever be as bad as her. Not a single person. It was her fault he vanished in the first place, right?

He was just lying to make her feel better. He didn't get summoned to another world. There's no way such a thing is even possible.

It was her.

It was all her.

That's right. It's her fault.

Her fault.

Her fault.

Her fault.

It was all her.

But out of everything, there was thing thought she couldn't stand. Couldn't bear it. The thought that Subaru hates her.

It would make sense, right?

If he really ran away because of her, no wonder he would hate her.

But... that hurt. Just the thought brought her to the verge of tears.

What if he only came back to torture her?

To hurt her?

To show his disgust and hatred?

She couldn't bear it.

She wanted to get rid of the thought.

To put it away and never think about it again.

But that was far too hard to do as just looking at Subaru brought that thought to the front of her mind.

She could hate herself, but not even her own self-hatred and worthlessness could hurt her as much as Subaru hating her.

If that really was the truth, she'd rather curl up and fall into darkness while forgetting everything. How could she be so stupid.

Her thoughts are interrupted as the front door opens. Subaru and Naoko look toward the door to see Kenichi standing with a nervous smile. Subaru's eyes widened as he noticed who was with his father.

"Roswaal?" The words uttered from his mouth against his will as he was in too much shock.

What was Roswaal doing here? Why was he with Kenichi? So many thoughts rushed through his mind. All interrupted as Roswaal broke the silence.

"It's a pleasure to see you again, Subaaaaru." Roswaal placed a hand over his chest and bowed as he spoke. He then looked back up with a smile.

Subaru couldn't stop himself from jumping out of his chair and standing up as shock was clear on his face.

"What... are you doing here?"

Roswaal stood straight up and placed his hands at his side. "I was hooooping that yoooooouuuuu could explain just where exactly IIIIIIIIII am."

Naoko just looked at the strangely dressed man with surprise. Did Subaru know this man? That's when she noticed the man's attire. It was exactly as Subaru described of someone. Even the name "Roswaal" was someone he mentioned. Was Subaru telling the truth? Was he really summoned to another world? He didn't leave because he hated her? She started to see light again.

They all sat at the table, Naoko and Kenichi were wary of Roswaal who sat beside Subaru. Subaru looked down in thought with a hand on his chin. No there were even more questions. He already had the question of how he got here, and now Roswaal as well? How?

"I take it these are your parents?" Roswaal spoke, breaking Subaru's thinking. Subaru smiles at Roswaal before he says, "Right. These are my parents. The people I respect most in the entire world."

Naoko and Kenichi were caught off guard by the sudden compliment from Subaru. Roswaal turned to face Subaru's parents with a smile. "I see. It's niiiiiiice to meet yoooooouuuuu."

Roswaal then turns to Subaru and smiles. He drops his accent as he says, "Might you tell me where we are, Subaru?"

Subaru's face turns serious as he responds to Roswaal. "No need to get all serious. Are you telling me you aren't behind this?"

Roswaal turns away from Subaru as his accent comes back. "Myyyyy, you sound as if you don't truuuuuuust me. I'm sorry to say that I have noooooothing to do with this. I assure you."

Subaru turns away and looks down as he thinks to himself. "Yeah, yeah. I don't think even you could do something like crossing between worlds."

Roswaal's face turns serious at Subaru's words. "Crossing worlds?" His voice was deep, and his accent was gone. He also had a serious expression as he spoke those words toward Subaru.

Subaru looks up as he hears Roswaal's voice. Did he just tell Roswaal something he didn't need to know? Whatever, that didn't matter now. He just needs to find a reason for how he and Roswaal both came to Japan. As he thought of this, some people came to mind. People he cared about. His friends and... Emilia. What about them?

He was so caught up in everything else that he completely forgot them. How could he? He quickly turned to Roswaal with a nervous expression. He had an important question to ask Roswaal.

"Roswaal?" He said. Roswaal only turned to face him with a smug smile. "What about Emilia and the others?" This question made Roswaal's smile fade. "I have to assume that you haven't been here for long, right? So what about Emilia and the others?"

There was a moment of silence. A silence that only gave Subaru more to be nervous about. A silence that not even his parents wanted to break as they stared back and forth between the two. The silence felt like an eternity. An eternity that was broken when Roswaal sighed. His expression remained serious as he looked up at Subaru.

"I'm sorry to say, but I have no idea what's happening at the mansion. Everything was perfectly fine when I was there, but with your absence, who knows how they might react?"

This gave Subaru a realization. His friends really did love him. But how would they react if he disappeared? He only became more nervous as he thought about all the possibilities of what could be happening at the mansion with Emilia and the others... and Rem. He looked down with an expression of longing. After all that time he spent in the other world, he felt a sense of longing for Rem.

She helped him when he was at his lowest, and now, he couldn't even see her face. Naoko and Kenichi took note of this. It was not lost on them for what his expression meant. He missed his friends. Whoever they were, they made a positive impact on him. And for that, they were happy. Naoko got up from her seat and walked over to Subaru as he was lost in thought. And without hesitation, she stood behind him, leaned down, and wrapped her arms around him.

She hugged him tightly, startling Subaru and breaking him out of his longing state. Despite how she felt, she smiled. She smiled kindly and warmly as she hugged her son and comforted him.

"There is no need to have that expression. I know that you will see them again. All of them."

Tears formed in his eyes as he heard his mother's kind words. "H-How do you know that? They're... They're in another world completely. How could I ever see them again." Subaru began to raise his voice as he closed his eyes. The tears began to fall down his face. He began to cry. Once again, he was crying. Is he pathetic or what?

His eyes opened widely and suddenly as he heard the sound of a something being hit. His mother was also startled and looked up. In front of them, they had found that Kenichi punched Roswaal.

"D-Dad?" Subaru spoke in shock. Why did his dad suddenly punch Roswaal?

Roswaal was also shocked by this as he looked at Kenichi with a face matching his shock. Before anyone could speak to Kenichi, he spoke first.

"You..." He uttered as he looked at Roswaal with hatred clear in his eyes.

While everyone else was confused by Kenichi suddenly punching Roswaal, Kenichi was only angry. This clown was the one Subaru mentioned. He was also the one behind everything that happened in what Subaru called the sanctuary. He sent assassins to kill some maids in a mansion and also made it snow all to force Subaru to becomes someone who could only save one person. His rage was well understood whether everyone else understood it or not.

"You're the one who did those terrible things to Subaru and put him under so much stress." Kenichi finally spoke out. "How could you be so heartless?" Kenichi was beyond just angry with Roswaal. He was furious. This clown, the one who did all these bad things for his so-called goal, has guts to just enter their home where Subaru was and act like he did nothing.

Roswaal didn't deny what the man who had punched him was saying. He only looked down with his eyes closed as his smile fades. "I see. Subaru told you what I did."

"You're damn right he did." Kenichi shouts at Roswaal.

"Sweety?" Naoko called out to Kenichi. She didn't think any more about what Subaru had told them. She was only happy that it was the truth, and not some lie to make her feel better cause of his want to hide his hatred. Kenichi's eyes kept their hatred as he looked up at Naoko.

"Come on. This is the clown Subaru told us about. He hired assassins to kill those people Subaru told us about. Those people he cares about." Kenichi looked down as he said that last sentence, his eyes now showing sadness. Sadness for what his son had faced. All those terrible things. The stress his son had gone through, risking his life to save these people. Although some things didn't make sense, he couldn't deny the terrible things his son had saw with what he was told.

As Naoko understood what her husband was saying, she became enraged as she thought of everything Subaru told them. He was right. This clown was the one trying to force Subaru to make such a stressful decision. She couldn't utter a word, but she couldn't hide her sudden anger. It was noticed by both Roswaal and Subaru.

"Mom, calm down." Subaru spoke as he looked back up toward his mom whose anger was clear on her face. He knew why she and Kenichi were angry. "Everything's fine." Subaru spoke with a nervous smile, hoping to calm his parents down. "I already saved everyone. Roswaal isn't a danger anymore." He was going to say more but was interrupted by Roswaal.

"It's fine. I understaaaaaaand their anger. Afteraaaaaaall, what I did was no small thiiiiiiiiing. It's only fair they'd feel this waaaaaaaay." His smile found its way back on his face as he spoke. He didn't need to defend himself. If Subaru already told them everything he's done, then there isn't anything he can say.

Roswaal turned his eyes to look at Kenichi as his smile faded. "As Subaru has said, I am no longer a danger to him and his friends. I lost that bet after all. I also apologized for my actions." His accent was gone, and his voice was low and serious in tone. "If you want to resent me, I have no say. As I am now, I am working alongside Subaru and his friends."

For some reason, the more Roswaal spoke, the angrier Kenichi and Naoko became. It was like he thought of it as if he just lost a game. He wasn't really sorry. There was no way he was. What he did was unforgivable."

"How..." Kenichi spoke as he began shaking with anger. "How could you forgive someone like him?"

Subaru didn't want to admit it since he just reunited with his family, but their minds have been damaged by his disappearance. It was his fault for their sudden change from the last time he saw them. He placed his hand on his mother's as he looked up at her with a smile.

"Mom, it's alright." He then turned to face Roswaal and Kenichi as he continued. "I didn't forgive him. I never will, but I need his help. That was part of the bet after all. I won't ever forgive him for the crap he tried to pull, but I need him and his strength."

Roswaal turned to Subaru with a smile finding its way back on his face. "Well, sorry to disappoint. But right now, I can't use my magic. I've been cut off."

Subaru could only show shock at this. What does he mean by cut off. He already said he wasn't the reason for him being brought back, but now he can't even use his magic?

Subaru continued trying to calm his parents down and finally got them to sit back down across the table from him and Roswaal.

"Okay, listen. I need to do some thinking here. For some reason, I was brought back to Japan. Roswaal also seems to have been brought here. I need to find out why."

Naoko and Kenichi were just confused by what Subaru was saying. They looked at each other before turning back to Subaru. Naoko then stood up as she slammed her hands on the table.

"W-Why? Why do you need to find an answer. Can't you just enjoy being back with us? We've been so hurt since you disappeared. Can't you just stay with us?" Naoko had a wide-eyed expression with a nervous smile, like she was almost crazy. Her expression matched the same one Subaru showed in front of everyone in the castle when his mind was all messed up.

Subaru was shocked by Naoko's sudden outburst. Kenichi just reached out his hand and placed it on Naoko's shoulder, prompting her to sit back down. His expression didn't even try to hide the fact that he wanted to know the same thing as Naoko.

"L-Listen, I am happy to be back don't get me wrong. It's... It's just I want to see my friend again. Something bad could be happening. Plus, I still need to save Rem." His expression showcased his guilt as he spoke. "I really am happy to see you again, mom. But I have to be there for my friends. I'm sure they're all panicking about me going missing."

Then, he gets an idea. One that might sound crazy. His begins to smile brightly as this thought comes to his mind. "Hey, maybe I could bring you guys with me."

This sudden thought spoken out loud made everyone slightly flinch. "What do you mean?" Kenichi spoke in place of his wife with his hand still on her shoulder.

Subaru's eyes light up as he speaks his idea. "If I can find a way back to the other world, maybe I could bring you guys with me. You guys could come to Lugunica."

Roswaal was the first to respond to this in shock. "You're saying you want to bring them with you to the mansion?"

Subaru smiles at Roswaal and says, "Yep, that's exactly what I'm saying. " He turns back to his parents as he continues. "What do you guys think?"

Kenichi and Naoko were completely speechless. Them? Going to Lugunica? But... that would mean leaving their home in Japan. Could they actually do that? Do they have a choice? If their son is going to leave again to go back to another world, then do they have a choice on whether they want to go as well? And that's why, without hesitation, before Kenichi could even respond, Naoko stood up once again to respond.

"Yes!" She shouted. "If you're going, then we're going too!"

Subaru stood up with stars in his eyes and he stood just like his mother with his face close to hers. "Then it's a deal!" Subaru shouted in response to Naoko.

Kenichi and Roswaal just stared at the two with astonishment. It was like they weren't even there. These two just made the decision on their own.

Kenichi sighs before he says, "Well, looks like we're going back to wherever with you and Subaru. If there is a way to do so."

Roswaal smiles with his elbows on the desk and his hands together as he says, "Well, looks like things are going to get interesting when we get back."

AUTHOR NATE 2: WOW, IT IS REALLY HARD TO SOME UP WITH THINGS SURROUNDING SUBARU AND HIS FAMILY. IF ANYONE HAVE SUGGESTIONS, YOU CAN LEAVE IN THE COMMENTS. JUST REMEMBER THAT THIS SERIES IS ONLY INCLUDING WHAT HAS BEEN STATED AND SHOWN IN SEASONS 1 AND 2 OF THE ANIME.

I KNOW SEASON 3 IS OUT, BUT I'M NOT GONNA INCLUDE ANYTHING STATED THERE TO MAKE THINGS SIMPLER. I THINK I'LL FOCUS ON SUBARU'S FRIENDS IN THE NEXT CHAPTER WHILE I THINK OF WHAT TO DO WITH SUABRU AND HIS FAMILY NOW THAT ROSWAAL IS HERE. MAN, THIS IS TOUGH.