Chapter 1 - Julius Juukulius
"You know, Otto, I've been wondering something…"
"What is it, Natsuki-san?"
Both Otto and Subaru were seated at the counter, sharing a round of drinks. Of course, Subaru was still a minor in his world, but apparently 15 was old enough to be considered an adult here. There were all types of questions he had to that...but he decided to take the chance to actually try his own drinks, every now and then.
Today's drink was a simple strawberry daiquiri – a nice little drink that had some rum, syrup, lime juice, and, of course, strawberries. Really good for a hot day, such as the day they were having.
"...How can you afford to keep coming here, when you're knee-deep in debt? No, more like...fully submerged in debt?"
At the sudden question, Otto's shoulders slumped, with the merchant averting his guilt-ridden eyes away from his drinking companion.
"At least allow a man wallowing in his own sorrows a minute's respite, Natsuki-san…"
Subaru could only chuckle at Otto' misfortune, though he could only make light of it so easily due to the fact that he was in a similar, if not even worse situation.
"Well, anyways." Subaru placed his glass down on the counter, supporting his chin with his hand. "I've been thinking...about that Royal Selection thing you mentioned earlier. And...do none of them have, like, bodyguards? They're basically princesses, right?"
"Ah! I'm surprised that you would actually think of that, Natsuki-san!"
"Hey-!"
"Well, yes. It's only natural." Otto answered, twirling his glass around in his hands. "In fact, each of these candidates have what you would call a 'camp', a following of people that they have chosen to officially support them."
"A 'camp', huh? Almost sounds kind of cheesy…but then again, when I think about it, 'party' sounds just as cheesy, too. Maybe these sorts of things only feel weird when you think about it too much…?" Subaru muttered, though his words only left Otto more and more confused.
"P-Party? Is that what they call political camps back where you come from, Natsuki-san?"
"Well, I guess also yeah…? But then they were way bigger than camps to be comparable...ah, whatever, forget about it! Just keep goin'!" Subaru dismissively waved his hand, a gesture which Otto could only sigh in exasperation towards.
"Well...this is what I meant, yesterday, by them searching for 'capable people'. Among a camp can be merchants, political or financial backers, friends, family, mercenaries…" The merchant paused his list making, and smiled, a smile which Subaru was easily able to catch on to.
"...And their bodyguards."
"Right on the money, Natsuki-san!" Otto took yet another sip of his daiquiri, relishing the sweet, soft strawberry flavor...before continuing to speak. "That is where knights come in. As I mentioned, a royal candidate can hire any amount of mercenaries or other warriors they wish, but they all have a single, personal 'bodyguard', called a knight."
"A knight?" Subaru tilted his head, looking confused. "You mean like those guys who dress in that fancy white and purple uniform that I've seen around from time to time?"
"Well...yes and no?" Otto chuckled. "While some of the candidates do have knights sworn to duty from the Royal Knights – the knights which you say in those uniforms – one does not necessarily have to be a Royal Knight, or even a knight at all to be considered the knight of a candidate...they simply have to choose you, and officiate you as one."
"I see...I was thinking that it was going to be some cliché of being raised up to serve one person your who life, or something like that." Subaru admitted, only for Otto to shake his head.
"I'm not sure of the personal relationships between the knights and their candidates, but at the very least, there are cases such as the candidate Priscilla, who simply brought her own personal knight from her territory, and the candidate Emilia, who is without an official knight."
"Man...this whole thing is a lot more complicated than I thought it was gonna be. Almost hurts my head. And to think one of these rich, talented, super powerful people could come at me any time..." Subaru groaned, only for Otto to grin, which Subaru raised his eyebrow at.
"Now, now, Natsuki-san...we have the perfect stress relievers in our hands right now, do we not?"
"You know, Otto...sometimes I just gotta give up and agree with you." Subaru returned Otto's grin, with the two young men clinking their glasses together for a momentary toast.
They spent a bit more time drinking, but soon enough, Subaru had to get back behind the counter. The only reason he'd really come out to share a drink with Otto was because business had been extremely slow through the day, for whatever reason.
"You know, I'm really thankful that it's only midday. Otherwise, you'd already be halfway on your way to being drunk enough to pass out...no, maybe even beyond halfway." Subaru muttered, while shining a few glasses off with his signature pristine white cloth.
"Usually I would interject...but I already know you're just trying to get revenge for my earlier words. I won't be drawn in, Natsuki-san." Subaru blinked at Otto's calm and even tone, then smiled widely,
"Oh, my boy's grown up! To think you'd become this mature so quick-"
"Argh, you make it impossible to try and be the bigger person here, Natsuki-san!" Otto yelled in frustration, with Subaru just laughing his ass off at finally receiving the sort of reaction he was looking for.
Just like this, time passed peacefully in the bar, with Otto taking a temporary leave for the day as lunch time came around, and the bar became a little more crowded than usual...which is to say, there were 4 people in the bar.
However, the day quickly turned from regular to unusual when one particular customer walked into the bar. On any other day, he wouldn't have thought much about it, but considering the conversation he'd had with Otto only moments ago, the sight stuck out in his mind.
As the customer sat down at the bar, Subaru looked up with a welcoming smile.
"Hello th-!"
He began to greet the customer like usual, but found himself stuck mid-sentence upon laying eyes on who was in front of him.
A purple-haired handsome man, dressed in a certain bright white uniform.
"Good day, bartender." The man looked up with a slight smile gracing his features, a smile which both irritated, and slightly frightened Subaru at the same time.
"...What'll you be having?" Despite the twisted feeling in the pit of his stomach, Subaru was still under obligation to answer to this man who had shown up in the bar for almost no reason – this extremely out of place Royal Knight.
"Well...I am certainly not much of a drinker, so, I'll be having something light, yet expensive. Some sort of wine, perhaps? I have heard that you're rather talented at making interesting creations…" The sly knight smirked slightly, setting off alarm bells in Subaru's head.
He wasn't exactly a mind-reader, but Subaru didn't need to be to know that this guy was here to purposefully probe Subaru's capabilities...or worse, like Otto had gauged, to recruit him into something.
But, at the same time, Subaru considered that he could simply be overthinking it. After all, Otto did mention that not all Royal Knights were associated with a candidate. For all he knew, this guy could just be a completely solo knight who waltzed in for a drink.
Either way…
"Strawberry Wine Punch it is!" Subaru exclaimed with a smile, turning around and beginning the items for mixing. The man looked at him with raised eyebrows.
"Strawberry wine punch…?" The knight asked, with Subaru just smiling as he went through the process of mixing it all together.
Usually, he'd explain it out loud, but it was only Otto that he shared his secrets with. For some reason, he felt like letting this guy get any grasp of his techniques or what he was making was gonna be dangerous for him.
In any case, the recipe for this one was pretty simple – wine, a strawberry daiquiri mix, some carbonated lemon water (the closest thing Subaru could get to Sprite in this world, and something he used for almost every one of his drinks), and lastly, a fresh strawberry to put on top.
"It really does look interesting watching it be made…" The man commented, a hand on his chin as he carefully watched Subaru's hands move.
"Heh, if you think it looks nice being made, wait till you try it, Mr. Knight!" Subaru said confidently, leaving the man to smirk.
"With that level of confidence, I do hope that you have the skills to back it up."
"Who do you think you're talkin' to, here? You can judge me after you taste it, don't you think?" The bartender fired right back, putting down the purple-haired knight's drink right in front of him.
It was a bubbling, light-pink looking drink, small cubes of ice floating within, and a big, ripe strawberry sitting atop the drink.
The knight took the small round cup that was presented to him, gently swirling it around in his hand.
"Hmm...then, I'll be giving it a taste, bartender." He muttered, taking a slight sip, while Subaru looked at him with expectant, yet confident eyes.
As the drink hit his taste buds...the knights' eyes widened. The strawberry wine punch, as simple and mild as the light-pink color made it seem, was unlike anything he'd had before. A pure, concentrated sweetness, over the bitter taste of alcohol, which he could barely taste, mixed with the refreshing carbonation…
"T-This is…!"
"Right?" Subaru smirked, leaning against the bar shelf with confidence written on his face. "Stuff just looks like regular fruit juice, but then, bang! The flavors hit you like a hammer! Told ya, I know what I'm doing, Mr. Knight!"
"I suppose so…" The man admitted, eyes fixated on his glass as he took sip after sip. "It's supposed to be alcohol, but unlike anything else I've had before, I feel like I could continue to drink it forever…"
"Glad to hear you've got a tongue that can pick it out! Most guys just say, 'tastes good' in an ultra-gruff voice, then just leave after finishing." The boy picked up some miscellaneous glasses, polishing them as he continued to speak. "But to be honest, I'd rather see just one cute girl walk in here rather than all those guys…"
"...I'm not sure if a simple bartender should be holding such ulterior motives." The knight chided, giving Subaru an incredulous look, to which he could only snicker and shrug.
"Hey, you can't blame a guy for being honest, huh?"
"Still...not even a single female customer? With drinks this flavorful and mild, I find that hard to believe." The knight's words gave Subaru pause, as he looked down in thought for a bit.
"I mean...yeah, there's one lady who comes in here every now and then. And she's not exactly bad-looking, but...she has a real sort of...dangerous feel around her, you know? At least she's pretty lighthearted, so it makes her easier to talk to, but you don't exactly feel fully relaxed around a bear just because it isn't attacking you, right?" Subaru sighed, only for the knight to give him a look of utter confusion.
"A...bear?"
"...Nobody really likes people who feel threatening to be around, right?" Subaru asked, simplifying his words.
"...I suppose not." The customer replied after a bit of deliberation, enjoying the rest of his drink in silence. After he was finished, the man let out a refreshed sigh, looking up to the bartender with a curious glance. "What do I owe you?"
"Oh, that? Only 4 copper coins, for now." Subaru mentioned, laughing as he saw the stunned expression on the knight's face.
"O-Only 4 copper coins? How are you possibly running a proper business here? Even the cheapest, most water down ales are worth, at the very least, 2 silvers."
"Well, this place doesn't get that many customers, so business is pretty slow...and it's not like I'm giving you an exact full cup of alcohol, am I?" Subaru put down the last glass he was polishing, making his way to grab the customer's now empty glass. "Just a small glass like this...it's really not that much, right?"
"But even so, you're still mixing in multiple other ingredients, aren't you? I'm not sure of everything that went into it, but, those can't be cheap, either."
"Ain't my business, man!" Subaru admitted, beginning to wash off the glass. "I mean, I'm not really the one who decides the prices, or gets ingredients, or anything like that...I'm just someone else's worker. You know...sort of like…" He trailed off, unable to find the right words...but the knight in front of him, used to the disgusting underbelly of the Kingdom, needed to hear no more.
"A...'worker', is it? I...understand very well. I apologize if the topic is a sensitive one for you. I...have never experienced such circumstances myself, but...I know well what it can do to a person. My dearest apologies." The knight interrupted, bowing his head in sincere apology. Subaru, only made uncomfortable by the super-formal gesture held both hands out, shaking his head.
"N-No way you need to apologize for that! It was just my own stupid mistake, anyways...besides, a knight's got no business bowing down to a guy like me…" Subaru smiled. Lifting his head to watch him, the knight could not help but feel that the young-looking bartender's smile was a little too bitter.
"Well then...I'll be taking my leave." Feeling it was his cue to depart, the man got up from the table, and headed for the door. The bar was silent, only for the knight to be stopped in his tracks by Subaru's voice.
"Hold up a 'sec! Since it looks like you might be a new regular, what's your name, Mr. Knight?" Subaru asked. At this request, the knight turned around, facing Subaru with a low smile.
"My name is Julius. Julius Juukulius, the Finest Knight. I am looking forward to speaking to you some more in the future, Natsuki Subaru-san." Julius spoke, exiting the establishment after his introduction.
Subaru watched the door with awe in his eyes...before fear and realization hit him all at once.
"W-Wait...I never told him what my name was, in the first place, so how the heck did he just casually say it?! Aaaah...this might turn out to be a real pain later…" The bartender muttered, returning his attention to get his mind off of the impending sensation of doom he felt.
Within a near-silent, closed-off location, two figured thinly veiled in darkness stood, one looking forward with a barely visible look of surprise.
"This boy? Are you quite sure about this? Once a contract is issued, I never go back on my word, you know…?"
A sickeningly-sweet, yet mature voice filled the dark room, as the person in question accepted a piece of paper into their hands. A detailed drawing of their target, the one that the person in front of them had just asked to be killed.
"I'm never unsure of any decisions I make. Besides, that boy has had it too easy for quite too long. If he dies, then I gain the support of a most powerful ally. And, of course, if he doesn't...then...I suppose he will have proven his worth to me."
So said the customer, completely detached from the fate of the person whose life they were practically handing over, without even batting an eyelash.
"Well...it is rather like you to say such things, is it not? However, I find it quite a shame...I rather liked this boy. Especially those wonderful drinks he made. But...a job is a job. Perhaps the color of his guts shall make up for the loss of that wonderful taste…?~"
"And you call me ruthless? Even a shameless woman like me finds your words to be devoid of any true warmth...but I suppose that's to be expected from someone of your caliber...Bowel Hunter."
The Bowel Hunter, Elsa Granhiert, merely smirked, as she turned around, departing silently from the presence of her newest employer. The woman cloaked in darkness merely remained in silence, before finally speaking up after a few seconds had passed.
"Now, then...show me the worth that I saw inside of you...Natsuki Subaru."
Still, out of everything, the girl felt one thing was off…
'Of all the people to wish for that boy's death...I wonder exactly why he would have such a high-up enemy? I suppose some things are best left alone, however...I'm not one to simply be satisfied with the answers provided to me.'
The girl headed for the one exit in the room, which Elsa had somehow almost left untouched, despite clearly leaving only seconds ago. "Hrm...her degree of skill certainly isn't to be underestimated. However, this isn't quite the right time to be left in awe. ...I have my own job to accomplish."
"...And that is the end of my report, my lady." Julius, on his knees, finished his words, looking up from his position on the floor to his lady, who was sitting at a table, covered by business reports, market trends, deals, and paperwork, as usual.
"I see...so, he's got some mysterious 'employer' we ain't aware of...but it's more likely he's some sorta' debt slave." Anastasia hummed, leaning back in her chair and folding her arms. Watching her, Julius was aware that the mere mention of the term, 'slave' had filled her with varying types of mixed emotions...but he dared not speak to interrupt her thoughts.
"But...that don't match up with what we found out about him, does it? In fact, he's supposed ta' be a free man, albeit, one without any sorta' discernible past...but I guess this'd explain why he's barely got any documentation 'bout him."
"Indeed. I assume he's an informal debt slave. Likely roped into some contract without properly understanding it, and forced to work in that bar to pay off whatever debt he accrued. However, it seemed he bore no markings of a slave, neither any collars or chains, so I am not aware, at this point, why he has not left...though, looking to his eyes...I do not sense much strength. As if...he's simply accepted his situation."
"Well, it goes without sayin' that there's some reason he can't jus' leave. Maybe this 'employer' has got some dirt on him, or some sort of hostage...or maybe he's just plain given up?" Anastasia shrugged. "Either way, I can't just let him be. He's too much of a potential goldmine ta' just rot in that small bar. Don't ya think, Julius?"
Anastasia's knight was silent for a few seconds, as he thought back on his first meeting with the bartender.
"I...suppose so. There is an odd sense of...familiarity that I felt, talking to him. It has been ages since I was treated so simply." Julius admitted, with a small smile.
It went without saying, he believed in absolute decorum, in manners, and in carrying one's self properly at all times...but in a way, it was relieving to not be treated so stiffly. To be treated almost as if he were among his friends, who he had not gotten to see so recently due to his business in the Royal Selection.
"That so?" Anastasia smirked, finding herself more and more intrigued by the boy every second. Beyond a simple economical worth, Anastasia wondered if he might have some sort of other hidden potential she hadn't seen...either way, she wasn't waiting to find out, and she wasn't just going to let someone snatch him up, either.
"Then, it looks like we'll hafta' start makin' our own moves. I'm sure a certain someone'll be interested in tha' news that a merchant is snappin' up debt slaves without the proper documentation."
Anastasia Hoshin hated slavery more than anyone else, but she knew how to make the greed of those involved in the trade work for her.
"Man...sometimes I wish Otto wasn't so right all the time…at least when it came to talking about me. Guy can't take his own advice for anything." Subaru chuckled, already laying in his small bed cot and staring up at the ceiling.
It was uncomfortable, his room was practically empty, and compared to how extravagant the bar looked downstairs, his upstairs room almost felt like a shack to him…
"And here I was thinking I was finally getting used to living like this…" Subaru murmured, closing his eyes tightly as he tried to shut out the depressing reality that completely surrounded him.
Even if some regulars visited every now and then, he was completely alone...he couldn't even leave the bar of his own will, and people were staring to come after him.
He didn't want to deal with any of this anymore...he just wanted to drink himself to sleep, even though he wasn't too much of a drinker (ironic, considering his current profession).
Earlier in the week, he had remember thanking Otto for simply being there to come into the bar.
Now...he was hoping.
Hoping against someone returning to the bar.
Hoping that he could at least hold on to the life he was finally becoming used to, even if it meant continually experiencing the loneliness that he felt at that moment forever.
"Julius Juukulius...please don't come back."
Even if he was alone, or sad, or so frustrated that he could break down these walls...Subaru's heart was finally getting used to his fate of being stuck here. And he didn't need someone to come and rock the boat.
With the admittance of his weakness into an uncaring, uncompromising world...the barkeep sleeps.
Hey guys, Destiny here. Just continuing this new thing, so don't mind me.
Just needed to write something again.
See you around.