"Subaru?" A feminine voice chimed, reminiscent of silver bells. It was Emilia, standing at the entrance of her room, facing Subaru.
She felt a wave of joy seeing him back and in good health, grateful that he had taken the time to visit her after his work. However, the worry evident in his voice when he called out to her left her feeling uneasy.
"Emilia, it's great to see you again. But I'm in a bit of a pickle here and I really need your help with something important," he said, his tone laced with concern.
"O-oh, what is it? If something's bothering you, I'm here to help!" she replied eagerly.
He had done so much for her and brought her immense happiness, so naturally, she wanted to support him just as he had supported her. She might be a bit hasty when she says this, but Subaru has been the best thing to happen to her since she met Puck.
"First, can you cure curses?" he asked.
Emilia tilted her head, puzzled. "I can't, but Puck can. Why do you ask?" Then a hint of fear crept into her voice. "Wait, are you cursed? Should I have Puck heal you?"
"No, no, it's not that," he replied, shaking his head.
"When we visited the village, there was a little girl holding a dog with a bald spot on its forehead. It was a Mabeast," he explained.
"A Mabeast?" she parroted "That can't be right; Mabeasts can't get in; there should be a barrier in place to prevent that," she said, recalling that she was the one who had set it up.
"Well, here's the thing: one of the crystals maintaining the barrier was broken, and…" he hesitated for a moment. "I think that girl with the Mabeast might be the one who did it," he concluded.
Emilia knitted her brows together, trying to make sense of his words. The idea of a child somehow breaking the protective barrier around their village and deliberately letting a Mabeast in was unbelievable.
"Are you sure she's the one responsible? maybe the barrier was broken and she happened to find the mabeast,"
"No, it's just… I don't have time to explain right now. I need you to trust me on this. I promise I'll explain to you later," he urged her.
Emilia looked at him, and despite how absurd the story sounded, she could sense he was being honest. After all, they were friends, and friends trust one another.
She offered him a gentle smile. "Don't worry, Subaru, I believe you. I have plenty of questions, but I know I can count on you."
Subaru returned her smile, feeling a wave of relief wash over him; it seemed he had been worrying for nothing. Just then, a small cat floated from her hair.
"I don't know about this, Lia. It could be dangerous," he said, hovering in front of her. "What if you get hurt?"
Emilia opened her mouth to reply, but Subaru jumped in first. "She won't," he asserted. "I protected her from the Bowl Hunter, and I can do it again against some mutts."
"And besides, Roswaal just left and entrusted her safety to me, so there's no need to worry, Puck," he concluded.
Puck regarded him for a moment, then glanced back at Emilia, letting out a tired sigh. "I can't change your mind, can I? Fine, just be careful, okay?" he said before vanishing in an instant.
Emilia turned to him and said, "I'll grab my cloak and join you."
After Emilia retrieved her cloak, which Subaru quickly saw as enchanted with magic, they hurried out and reached the mansion's front door, where Ram was waiting.
"Emilia-sama, Barusu, what's going on?" she inquired, noticing the urgency in their pace. If she found out they were up to anything stupid, she'd punish them severly.
"Ram," Subaru said, not using the "Nickname" he had given her. Whatever it was must be serious. "A Mabeast just breached arlam village."
She blinked "A MaBeast? What are you talking about?"
"Nee-sama, what's happening?" Rem upon noticing the three standing at the doorway asked.
"Ram, Rem, Subaru mentioned that a Mabeast has entered the village, we're heading there right now," Emilia replied.
Subaru nodded in agreement. "One of the kids there was carrying it; her name is Meili. We're going just to make sure everyone is safe."
"I see…" Ram said, deep in thought, while Rem fixed her gaze on Subaru, scrutinizing him.
"I know this is a lot to take in, but we need to go there and not waste any more time." he insisted
"Ram thinks Emilia-sama should stay behind while one of us goes with you, Barusu," Ram suggested.
Emilia immediately protested. "No way! Subaru asked for my help, and I will! I'm not sitting this one out."
"I understand your reasoning, but Emilia-sama, your safety is our top priority. This could be a ruse to lure you outside. You should stay here while Barusu and Rem handle it."
"N-nee-sama…" Rem muttered, giving Subaru a look. She didn't like the idea of working with him.
"No, let Emilia come with us," Subaru insisted. "Before he left, Roswaal entrusted me with her safety. I saved her from the bowl hunter, so having her with me is the safest option."
Ram fell silent; she couldn't argue with him. He did save her from that assassin, and Barusu seemed capable—only in combat, he's hopeless everywhere else—so she figured he had a point.
"Fine, I'll concede. Rem, please go with Barusu and Emilia. I'll stay back to protect the mansion in case it's attacked," Ram said.
Rem wanted to protest but her sister shot her a look, "Rem, that's my decision, so please go,"
Rem looked at her sister and nodded stiffly. Subaru sighed internally; she still didn't like him one bit.
"Alright, let's get moving then."
Subaru, Emilia, and Rem headed toward the village, unaware that Rem was glaring at Subaru with a fierce intensity, a scowl on her face.
'So you've finally made your move, filthy Witch Cultist!'
---------------------------------
In just ten minutes, Subaru, Emilia, and Rem reached the village, which was in chaos. They noticed villagers bustling about, desperately searching for something. It must have been serious given the nervous and frantic looks on their face.
Approaching one of the frantic villagers, Subaru asked, "What's happening? Is everything alright?" The others followed closely behind him.
The man looked at them, particularly at Rem and Subaru, with a worried expression. "Y-you! are you from the lord's mansion?" he stammered.
"Yes, we are. Please, tell us what's going on," Subaru pressed, encouraging the anxious man to share.
"Several children from the village have gone missing! We're searching everywhere for them!" he explained.
'Shit! That brat was trouble after all,' Subaru grimaced, and Rem shared his concern, while Emilia frowned at the grim news.
"Emilia, Rem, the barrier was broken; they must have gone into the forest," he said, rushing toward the area where the damage was.
When they arrived, the crystal was still shattered. "Look, the crystal is broken; someone must have tampered with it," he pointed out.
"Subaru, look!" Emilia exclaimed, gesturing toward the ground beyond the fence, where they spotted children's footprints leading into the forest.
"That little—" he bit his lip, realizing now wasn't the time for anger; they needed to think clearly.
"Hey, tell everyone that the kids went into the forest, okay?" he instructed the villager, who nodded and hurried off.
"Emilia, what should we do?" he turned to Emilia, the only one with authority in this situation. She let out a surprised "Eh?"
"Roswaal isn't here, so as far as i'm concerned you're the one in charge. So what should we do?"
"Um-w-eh-ahh," Emilia stammered, staring at them both and making incoherent sounds.
"Emilia," Subaru said firmly, "You told me you're a candidate for the Throne of Lugunica, right? There will be times when you need to make quick decisions. This is one of those moments."
His voice softened as he continued, "I understand this might feel overwhelming, especially since I put you on the spot. But think of this as your first real challenge. You'll face even bigger situations in the future, so gaining some experience now is important." He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
Her amethyst eyes widened in surprise as she looked at him through his glasses. "You don't need to doubt yourself or feel afraid. I believe in your kind heart, and I know you'll make the right choice." He finished with a warm smile.
Emilia stared at him in disbelief. She had some doubts about herself. She was in a new environment, completely different from her home in Elior Forest and faced with new responsibilities ; yet here was her friend expressing his faith in her.
His resolve and determination touched her heart, filling her with warmth and happiness. She felt tears welling up, not from sadness, but from joy.
'Puck… Subaru… You both have faith in me… I promise I won't let you down!' She quickly shook her head, pushing back the tears. This wasn't the time for self-pity; it was time to rise to the occasion and make them proud.
With renewed determination in her gaze, she said, "Subaru, you found my insignia when I thought I couldn't. Now, I want you to go and search for the children."
Turning to Rem, she added, "Rem, you know this forest better than Subaru does. Please help him find the children. I'll stay here to reassure the villagers; they must be scared."
Subaru smiled as looked at Emilia and nodded, recognizing the leader he had been hoping to see. She was stepping up, ready to take on responsibility, and he knew she had the potential to lead a nation.
While she still had much to learn, way much since she is still naive in many aspects, this moment proved to him that she would make a remarkable ruler.
He'll be by her side through it all.
"Yes, Ma'am!" He gave her a playful salute, earning a smile from her in response.
"You heard her, Remmy. Let's go!" He dashed into the depths of the forest, with Rem trailing behind, her expression hard to read. Emilia watched Subaru as he disappeared into the trees.
"Thank you," she whispered before continuing with her work.
---------------------------------
"The children are this way, Rem," he said, taking the lead as he guided both of them towards them.
Using his Six Eyes, he had tracked down the children and discovered them lying on a small hill. What angered him beyond compare was the fact that they were all sick.
More specifically, they were cursed. He could see the black , fog-like curse creeping slowly toward their gate. He knew the consequences once it reached them, and he wouldn't allow it to happen.
'Over my dead body,' he growled internally as he hurried toward them.
Ofcourse, this didn't account for the brat, Meili, who, unsurprisingly, was not cursed.
"Come on, Rem, let's go—" he started, but was interrupted by a whirring sound approaching him. He ducked just in time as a spiked metal ball whizzed past his face, crashing into a tree and splintering it.
"Whoa, what the hell!" he shouted, spinning around, ready to obliterate against whoever had attacked him—
His train of thought came to a crawl as he recognized the attacker. It wasn't some unknown foe as he had expected; it was Rem herself, gripping a chain attached to the ball.
"Rem?" he asked, his voice steady, though a hint of betrayal crept in.
"Don't say my name! You filthy Witch Cultist!" she spat, her face twisted in rage.
With a swift pull, she sent the ball hurtling back at him, and he leapt aside as it obliterated the ground where he had stood.
"Whoa, take it easy, Rem! We can sort this out—" he began, but she interrupted him by launching the spiked ball again, forcing him to dodge once more.
"There's nothing to discuss, you filthy animal!" she growled. "You can't talk your way out of this with the witch's scent lies all over you!"
She continued to hurl the spiked ball at him repeatedly, and he kept evading each one.
"Huh?! I don't have a witch's scent! What the hell are you talking about?" he exclaimed, remembering the many stories he had read, including the one about the witch Rem was referring to.
"I'm not sure what kind of tricks you've pulled, witch cultist, but you can't hide it from me!" she yelled, charging at him and throwing the spiked ball. He dodged it, then Rem yanked it back and swung a punch at him. They froze mid-air.
"Rem, you've got it all wrong! I don't know why I smell like a witch, and I'm not part of any witch cult. Hell, I don't even know who they are!" he pleaded.
But Rem was unwavering in her judgment. She leaped back, drawing her weapon. "Then how do you know where they are?!"
"Who?"
"The children! Don't play dumb with me! How else would you know their whereabouts when the trail has gone cold, huh?!"
"…"
Subaru opened his mouth to respond but then shut it again. As much as he hated to admit it, he hadn't thought this through. His knowledge of their location was definitely suspicious. A mistake on his part.
"That's right. You're the one who led them there, aren't you?! You slipped away from me, broke the protective barrier, took the kids into the forest, and then came back pretending to be the concerned parent. You filthy scum!"
"…"
"What's your plan? To kill us all? To kill me? My sister? And for what? For that half-devil you worship?" She gripped her weapon tightly, the chain beginning to bend.
"…" He stayed silent, but his jaw tightened at the mention of "half-devil."
"I've watched you for an entire week, infiltrating our home, working here, getting along with everyone as if you weren't plotting to kill us all!"
"…"
"WASN'T DESTROYING OUR VILLAGE ENOUGH FOR YOU?! FIRST, YOU TOOK MY SISTER'S HORN, OUR PARENTS, AND NOW YOU'RE HERE TO TAKE OUR HOME?!" She screamed at him, venom dripping from her words.
"…Is that what happened to you? I'm sorry for your loss," he said softly, his tone calm and almost sympathetic.
This comment was the last straw. She let out a furious roar as a pink horn began to form on her forehead, pulsating with mana. He watched as the mana surged into her body, strengthening her.
She let out an animalistic roar, no longer the head maid of the Roswaal estate but a feral beast, charging toward Subaru with a clear intent to kill etched across her smiling face.
Just as she was about to reach him, lost in her frenzy, she failed to hear him whisper the word "Shamak."
A burst of black smoke erupted from him, enveloping the area in darkness. Though her senses were muted, the furious Rem pressed on without hesitation.
She gripped her weapon tightly and began to spin it, the force of her movements slicing through the thick black fog and obliterating everything in its path.
Eventually, she cleared the smoke, standing alone in a ravaged landscape of shattered trees and disturbed earth.
With a loud roar, she realized her target had vanished, but she was far from finished. That scum might carry a faint witch's scent, but she could still track him down with her now heightened senses
Taking a deep breath, she caught the foul odor of that despicable man and pinpointed his location—
She whirled around, fist poised to crush his face, but he tilted his head and grabbed her face.
"Sorry, Rem, but I can't let you stay like this," he said, and suddenly she felt a heavy weight pressing down on her brain.
She fought with all her strength; as long as that disgusting creature remained alive, she would never find peace. Only when his body lay in a ditch filled with manure would she—
But then she crumpled, like a puppet with its strings cut, her horn retracting into her skull as she fell. Subaru caught her before she hit the ground, and she lost consciousness.
'Here goes third of my mana' he internally sighed. He was ready for the broken faucet that was his gate and quickly shut it off when his mana surged. Still, he ended up losing a third of his total mana.
"Geez, Rem. If you were that suspicious of me, you should've said something. We could've sorted this out," he said while shaking his head, heading back to the village to drop her off. The sun was setting, and they were running out of time.
"But this isn't over; we'll have a long conversation once you wake up."