Author Note: You guys love this story, right? So I have published another one like this—
What if Subaru was isekai'd as Satella?
or
'The Day I Became The Witch Of Envy'
Check it out in my profile. Oh, and here's a new chapter. Hope you enjoy it.
Chapter 14
Subaru woke up feeling like she'd been run over by a herd of stampeding elephants. Every inch of her body ached, a dull throbbing pain spreading through her limbs. She tried to move—big mistake. A sharp jolt shot up her side, and she barely bit back a groan. Holy hell. The MaBeast attack. The fight. Rem. Petra. Roswaal. It all came rushing back in a tangled mess of memories, but before she could fully process it, a voice cut through her haze.
"Stay down, Echidna-sama," Ram's voice, dry as ever, drifted from beside her. "You are more sorry than I thought. What a fragile creature you are."
Subaru blinked, her vision still unfocused, but she could make out Ram standing beside the bed, arms crossed, a mixture of amusement and exasperation on her face.
"The kids?" Subaru croaked, her throat dry.
"Safe," Ram replied smoothly. "You're in the manor right now."
"Oh—" Subaru shifted slightly, trying to sit up, but then she noticed something odd. Her entire body was wrapped in bandages. Thick, layered wrappings from head to toe, even—wait.
Her eyes widened in horror. "Why the hell am I wrapped up like a damn mummy?! And why—why do I feel bandages on my buttocks?! You pervy Oni!"
Ram sighed, rubbing her temple as if she were dealing with an unruly child. "I had no intention of seeing your pale posterior, but I was ordered to."
Subaru gawked at her. "Ordered to what? Look at my butt?!"
"To tend to your wounds," Ram clarified, unfazed. "You had seventy-five cuts, bruises, and gashes. Be grateful."
Subaru scowled, crossing her arms—or at least, trying to. Even that simple movement sent a twinge of pain through her. Seventy-five wounds? No wonder she felt like she'd been through a meat grinder.
She exhaled, forcing herself to calm down. "Where's Rem?"
"Resting," Ram said. "You should be eternally grateful to her. She risked her life for someone like you."
Subaru caught the slight bite in her words. "You really hate me, don't you?"
Ram tilted her head, expression unreadable. "Perhaps."
Well. At least she was honest about it.
Subaru let her gaze drift, and that's when she noticed a small figure curled up beside her, clutching her hand tightly.
Beatrice.
Her tiny fingers were wrapped around Subaru's, her head resting on the edge of the bed, soft breaths escaping her lips. She was snoring faintly, her usually neat blonde curls a little messier than usual. Subaru stared for a long moment, something warm and unexplainable twisting in her chest.
Ram followed her gaze. "Beatrice-sama has stayed by your side since yesterday."
Subaru's head snapped back to her. "Wait. Yesterday? You mean—"
"You were unconscious for a full day," Ram confirmed.
Subaru blinked, stunned. A whole day. She'd been out cold for that long? No wonder Beatrice looked like she hadn't moved from that spot.
Her fingers twitched slightly in Beatrice's grasp, and the tiny spirit stirred, shifting closer, murmuring something under her breath. Subaru felt her throat tighten.
Slowly, she let herself relax against the pillows.
For once, she didn't argue.
Subaru barely had time to process the warmth of Beatrice's tiny hand wrapped around hers before the door swung open with a sharp creak. A flurry of silver and violet rushed into the room, and before Subaru could react, she found herself nearly crushed by a pair of trembling arms.
"Subaru!" Emilia's voice wavered, her grip tightening like she was afraid Subaru would disappear. "I was so worried! You weren't waking up, and Beatrice wouldn't stop crying, and Roswaal kept saying it was fine, but it wasn't fine!"
"Ow, ow—Emilia-tan, easy!" Subaru winced, feeling her bruises protest against the sudden embrace. "I just got my ass handed to me by a horde of fanged monsters. My frail, delicate body can't take any more abuse."
Emilia immediately pulled back, guilt flashing across her face. "S-Sorry! I just—"
Before she could finish, a choked sob broke through the room.
Subaru barely had time to turn her head before Beatrice, who had been silent just moments ago, suddenly bolted upright, her tiny body shaking. Her usual pouty face was nowhere to be seen—her eyes were red, her cheeks damp, and her lips wobbled as if she were trying to hold back another sob.
"You idiot!" Beatrice practically screamed, throwing herself onto Subaru's chest, not caring about the bandages, the bruises, or the sheer pain Subaru was in. "You stupid, reckless, self-sacrificing idiot, I suppose! Do you know how worried I was?! Do you know how many times I thought you were going to die?!"
Subaru stiffened. "Oof—okay, I deserve that, but also—ow."
Beatrice's grip only tightened. "You are not allowed to die, I suppose!" she sobbed, burying her face into Subaru's chest like a child clinging to their mother. "Not again, not ever! You promised, you damn well promised!"
Subaru blinked, feeling an odd lump form in her throat. Slowly, painfully, she raised a hand, placing it on top of Beatrice's head. "Hey now, don't cry so much, princess. Your eyeliner's gonna smudge."
Beatrice let out a watery hiccup but refused to let go.
Emilia, watching the scene, wiped her own eyes, her usual bright expression dampened with worry. "Subaru… You really scared us."
Subaru sighed, letting her body sink into the pillows. "Guess I have a bad habit of doing that, huh?"
"That's not funny," Emilia muttered, lips pressing together.
"Wasn't trying to be," Subaru admitted.
The room was heavy with emotion. Emilia, Beatrice—hell, even Ram standing by the bedside had a look that wasn't entirely smug for once.
Then the door creaked open again.
A familiar voice, unusually soft and solemn, spoke.
"I must apologize, dear master," Roswaal murmured, stepping into the room. His usual singsong tone was gone, replaced by something almost… regretful. "I have been quite the disappointing student, haven't I?"
Subaru, still half-trapped under Beatrice's death grip, turned her head weakly toward him. "Huh? What's this about?"
Roswaal sighed, looking far too composed for someone who had probably just vaporized a horde of MaBeasts. "Despite my years under your tutelage—"
"Whoa, hold up," Subaru interrupted. "I was your teacher? Since when?"
Roswaal gave her a knowing smile, his mismatched eyes glinting with something unreadable. "You do not remember, but I do. And I should have done better. I should not have let things escalate to such an extent that you were left in such a state."
Subaru frowned, trying to process what he was saying. She didn't remember teaching Roswaal anything, but… she was Echidna now. And Echidna had history with him. Just how deep did it go?
Still, she wasn't really in the mood for a philosophical discussion about past lives and ancient debts. Her stomach let out an embarrassingly loud growl, cutting through the heavy atmosphere like a knife.
"Okay, okay, enough with the guilt trip," Subaru groaned, shifting slightly under Beatrice's weight. "I appreciate the concern, I really do, but let's focus on what's really important right now."
Ram raised an eyebrow. "And what, pray tell, would that be?"
Subaru let out a dramatic sigh. "Food. Witch of Greed or not, a maiden still needs to eat, y'know."
There was a beat of silence.
Then Beatrice, still hiccupping from earlier, let out a watery sniffle and muttered, "You're so stupid, I suppose."
But she didn't let go.
Y—Y
Beatrice had an unnervingly serious expression as she sat beside Subaru, a determined glint in her big blue eyes. Subaru had barely finished swallowing one bite before another spoonful was shoved toward her lips, the tiny spirit practically vibrating with excitement. Subaru, on the other hand, was struggling to keep up.
"Betty, hold up! I can feed myself, you know," Subaru managed between hurried chews, leaning back slightly to avoid getting another spoonful shoved into her already full mouth.
Beatrice huffed, clearly unimpressed. "Nonsense, Mother is injured, I suppose. Betty shall tend to her needs, in fact!"
Tend to her needs? More like force-feed her to the brink of suffocation.
Subaru sighed, but there was no escape. The spoon was already pressing insistently against her lips again, so she begrudgingly accepted another bite. Crumbs tumbled from the corners of her mouth, but before she could wipe them away, Beatrice had already caught them with a napkin, her movements quick and precise.
It would have been endearing if it weren't so overwhelming.
The worst part? Everyone was watching.
Subaru could feel the weight of their stares pressing down on her, the silent scrutiny making her want to curl into herself. Emilia was sitting across the table, hands folded neatly, her amethyst eyes filled with warmth and admiration. Puck was floating beside her, his tail flicking, his expression unreadable. Ram sat elegantly, her chin resting against her palm, her usual smirk slightly subdued but still present. And then there was Roswaal.
Subaru could feel his gaze the most.
She shuddered, finally swallowing the food before turning her head sharply toward him. "Okay, everyone, stop staring! Especially you, Ros-chi! I am literally wearing nothing but bandages. That's disgusting, y'know!"
Roswaal merely smiled, his fingers tapping idly against the table. "My deeepest apologies, maaaaster," he drawled, but there was amusement dancing in his mismatched eyes. "But my eyes couldn't resist your elegant naaature and mesmerizing movements."
Subaru nearly choked.
"Oh, for the love of—just stop being creepy for five minutes!" she snapped, flailing her free arm in frustration.
Roswaal chuckled but said nothing further.
Beatrice, unbothered by the tension, stuffed another spoonful of food into Subaru's mouth, effectively silencing any further complaints. Subaru groaned, barely chewing before forcing herself to swallow.
She couldn't even sigh properly.
"Subaru," Emilia said gently, cutting through the chaos. "We wanted to thank you properly."
Subaru blinked, looking at her.
"For saving the children," Emilia continued, a genuine smile on her lips. "You were incredibly brave."
Subaru felt heat creep up her neck. "Oh, well, y'know. Just doing what anyone else would have done."
"Not just anyone," Puck interjected, his golden eyes narrowing slightly. "You knew about the MaBeast before anyone else did."
Subaru stiffened at his tone.
She could feel the tension in the air shift, subtle but noticeable. Puck had been watching her closely since the moment she woke up, and while he was smiling, there was something in his expression that unsettled her. Suspicion, maybe?
Subaru forced a grin, tilting her head slightly. "Well, I am the Witch of Greed, after all," she said, trying to sound playful. "I have my ways of knowing things."
Puck didn't look convinced.
Before the conversation could take a sharper turn, Subaru quickly pointed her spoon toward Ram, who had been unusually quiet. "Like how Ram loves to eat cheese, for example."
Ram, who had been sipping her tea, slowly placed her cup down and gave Subaru a blank stare. "Stalker."
Subaru grinned, relieved that she had successfully diverted the conversation. "I prefer the term 'observant genius,' actually."
To her surprise, even Rem, who had been silent for most of the meal, let out a small huff. It wasn't quite a laugh, but it wasn't pure hostility either.
"Thank you," Rem said quietly, her eyes fixed on her plate.
Subaru nearly dropped her spoon.
It was subtle, almost hesitant, but it was there. Rem had just thanked her. The same Rem who had tried to kill her in multiple timelines.
She felt something loosen in her chest.
Maybe—just maybe—she had a chance now.
Maybe Rem wouldn't try to murder her in her sleep.
Probably.
Y—Y
Days passed, and Subaru had settled into a strange but oddly satisfying rhythm in the Roswaal estate. She had earned herself quite a reputation in the nearby village, not only for her magic tricks and storytelling but also for the way she effortlessly charmed the children and even the grumpy old merchants who were initially wary of her. The once-cautious villagers had come to appreciate her presence, greeting her warmly whenever she visited with Rem for supplies. Some of them still whispered behind her back—after all, the white-haired girl with coal-black eyes and an uncanny resemblance to the infamous Witch of Greed wasn't exactly a common sight—but none dared to treat her with outright hostility.
Not yet, at least.
It was on one of these peaceful days that Roswaal decided to drop a bombshell at breakfast.
"The Roooyal Selection Gathering is approaching," he said, his usual sing-song tone laced with a hint of something unreadable. "We must prepare to leave for the capital soooon."
Subaru, who had just taken a bite of her toast, nearly choked. She slammed her hand against her chest, coughing as Beatrice gave her a deadpan stare.
"You should chew before you swallow, I suppose," the little spirit muttered, sipping her tea.
Ignoring that, Subaru turned wide eyes toward Roswaal. "Wait, what? The capital? Like, big fancy city, full of nobles and politics and all that jazz?"
Roswaal tilted his head, smiling. "Indeeeed. That is where the selection of our next ruuuler shall take place."
Subaru barely contained her excitement. She had wanted to see the capital ever since she realized she was stuck in this fantasy world, and now, here was the perfect opportunity.
"I'm coming," she announced, slamming her palm on the table for emphasis.
Emilia, who had been calmly sipping her tea, blinked. "Eh?"
"I'm coming with you guys to the capital," Subaru repeated, nodding to herself as if she had just made the most obvious decision in the world. "No way am I missing out on seeing a medieval fantasy kingdom's political drama unfold in real time!"
To her surprise, Roswaal simply hummed, tapping his fingers together. "If that is what you wish, then you may accompany us."
That was… suspiciously easy.
Subaru narrowed her eyes. "You're not gonna fight me on this?"
"Not at aaall," Roswaal said smoothly. "It is only natural that my maaaster should witness the grand workings of the kingdom firsthand."
Puck, however, didn't seem convinced. The small cat spirit floated beside Emilia, his golden eyes sharp as he crossed his tiny arms. "Are you seriously thinking of parading around a witch in the capital?"
Subaru flinched. "Ouch. You don't have to say it like that."
"You are a witch," Puck pointed out bluntly. "Or, well, you look like one. And not just any witch—the Witch of Greed. The one who was supposed to have been devoured by Satella centuries ago."
"Wait, devoured?" Subaru sat up straighter. "As in, eaten?"
Emilia shifted uncomfortably. "It's… a long story."
"Okay, yeah, great, totally normal reaction to learning I was supposed to be someone's lunch," Subaru grumbled. "But putting that aside, what's the big deal? I mean, sure, I look a bit too witchy, but it's not like people are gonna start throwing rocks at me on sight, right?"
"That's exactly what they might do," Puck countered. "Lia already has a hard enough time because of her resemblance to Satella. Imagine what the kingdom will think if the real Witch of Greed—who they assumed was long dead—just waltzes into the capital with her."
Subaru winced. Yeah, okay, that was a fair point.
"Uh… surprise?" Emilia suggested hopefully.
Puck groaned. "That is not how politics works, Lia."
Roswaal, however, waved a hand dismissively. "There is no need for concern. Master Echidna was a renowned figure in history. Many scholars would love the opportunity to seek knowledge from her."
"Okay, but what if those scholars also come with, I dunno, torches and pitchforks?" Subaru asked dryly.
Roswaal chuckled. "They wooon't. Trust me."
That was the least trustworthy thing she had ever heard.
Subaru frowned, tapping her fingers against the table. There was no way she was letting this opportunity slip by, but she really didn't want to deal with an angry mob.
Beatrice, who had been silent for most of the conversation, suddenly perked up. "Then Betty shall go as well, I suppose."
Subaru turned to her. "Huh?"
"If Mother is going to such a place, then Betty must be there to protect her, in fact!" The little spirit puffed up her chest.
Subaru softened, feeling a small tug of warmth in her chest. "That's sweet, Beako. But someone has to stay behind and look after the library, right?"
Beatrice pouted. "But…"
"I'll be fine," Subaru reassured her, ruffling the spirit's twin drills. "Just hold down the fort while I'm gone, okay?"
Beatrice crossed her arms, clearly displeased, but she didn't argue further.
So, with that decision made, their traveling party was set.
Subaru, Emilia, Rem, and Roswaal would be heading to the capital.
And if Subaru had any say in it, she was going to make damn sure she lived long enough to enjoy it.
Y—Y
Author Note: What could possibly go wrong, right?
Thanks for reading this chapter. Drop your thoughts in the review section. Your words motivate me to write better, larger and with more depth.
Until next time!
