The merchant district serves as the bustling heart of commerce in the kingdom's capital, where a diverse array of goods can be found, ranging from weapons and armor to antiques and textiles.
In the Traveler's Respite, a luxurious inn that rivals the finest buildings in the noble district, both wealthy merchants and nobles find lodging. Each room is essentially a suite, equipped with all the amenities and conveniences one could desire.
In a nutshell, this establishment was essentially a medieval version of a five-star hotel.
In the kitchen of this suite, a hardworking blue-haired oni maid was hard at work, carefully chopping and adding ingredients to her dish with great precision.
'Subaru-kun will love the appa pie Rem is making!' she thought, her adorable face focused, her tongue peeking out cutely as she poured the appa filling into the crust, ensuring it was just right.
The day before, Subaru and Emilia had returned with a bag full of appas, so Rem decided that for their final day in the capital, they would enjoy a full course of various appa dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Wiping the sweat from her brow, she admired her creation: a perfectly crafted appa pie, complete with a delicious filling and decorative touches to enhance its appeal.
It was a true masterpiece made by Rem, and she was confident her hero would love it.
After placing the pie in the oven, where the fire crystals began to work their magic, Rem removed her apron and baking gloves, feeling satisfied with her efforts.
She gazed out the window, taking in the stunning view of the city bathed in the warm orange glow of the setting sun.
Roswaal had chosen this location for a reason, after all.
'Roswaal-sama said they should return around this time,' she thought, glancing at the time crystal hanging on the wall. The crystal shimmered in blue, representing the water time. Right now it'd about one day-dark.
Just as she was about to set the dining table, a knock on the door startled her. She turned towards it and caught a familiar scent wafting through the air, instantly recognizing it. After all, she had been eagerly anticipating his arrival.
"Subaru-kun?! He's already here!" Although caught off guard, Rem felt a rush of happiness at the thought of her hero being there.
She opened the door, her smile brightening as she caught a glimpse of him. "Subaru-kun! You're back! Rem was waiting so patiently for your… Subaru-kun?"
However, her smile faded as she noticed his demeanor. He wasn't hurt, but the charming smile that usually made her heart flutter was missing. Instead, he looked dejected and lost.
"Subaru-kun, is something wrong? Did the meeting go well?" she asked, concern etched on her face.
"Rem…" he began, trailing off, "No, it didn't go well at all. It turned out worse than I expected." He ran a hand through his hair, avoiding her gaze as he stepped inside.
"Look, I'll just head to my room, okay? I think Emilia is upset with me," he said, walking away and leaving Rem feeling worried and sad.
Rem couldn't help but wonder what had happened between Subaru and Emilia. They were close friends! But alongside her concern, the thought of Subaru and Emilia's relationship brought about a twinge of jealousy crept in.
Subaru spent so much time with Emilia—talking, eating, and having fun together. It left little time for Rem, despite his promises to her.
She knew part of it was her fault for working long hours, but that didn't lessen her feelings.
She noticed how closer they had been getting lately, becoming a bit more affectionate over time, like when they held hands on their way back to the inn yesterday.
At this pace, they will end up as a couple, and Rem would be left behind!
"Rem won't let Emilia-sama win! Rem will win Subaru-kun's heart!" the oni-maid vowed.
Just then, she heard another knock at the door. When she opened it, she found none other than Emilia—the very lady she had just declared her love rivalry against.
"Welcome back, Emilia-sama. Rem is currently preparing dinner, and you've arrived just in time," she said, bowing respectfully as a servant should.
"Rem," Emilia replied, her gaze fixed on her. Rem straightened from her bow and met her eyes, noticing the sadness and confusion reflected in them.
"Emilia-sama? Is something the matter? Do you need anything from Rem?" she asked, her tone filled with concern.
"Where is Subaru? I need to talk to him about something important," Emilia said.
"Subaru-kun just returned; he's in his room right now," Rem answered, and Emilia nodded before heading in that direction.
"Wait!" Rem called out, stopping the half-elf. "Subaru-kun mentioned you might be upset with him. Did something happen?" she asked gently, as if speaking to a friend rather than a superior.
"Upset? No, I'm not upset. I'm just… hurt," the half-elf replied.
"Hurt? Did Subaru-kun do something wrong?" Rem inquired.
"Yes, he did. You should ask him if you want to know more. Now, if we're done, I need to speak with him," Emilia said, her tone becoming a bit more assertive as she continued toward his room, leaving a puzzled Rem behind.
'Subaru-kun, what did you do?'
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Emilia knocked on Subaru's door, and for a brief moment, silence filled the air before a voice called out, "Come in." She stepped into the room and found Subaru lying on his bed, staring blankly at the ceiling with his hands tucked under his head.
She couldn't see his eyes as he had his sunglasses on, but it was clear he was lost in thought.
In that moment, he seemed just as adrift as she felt.
Taking a seat at the desk, Emilia caught a glimpse of her reflection and noticed the sadness and confusion in her amethyst eyes. Her gaze then shifted to Subaru.
They both sat in an awkward silence, fully aware that a conversation was needed, yet neither could find the right words to start it.
After a while, a single word broke the stillness.
"Why?"
The question lingered in the air as Subaru continued to stare into space. Slowly, he turned his gaze toward her. Though his eyes were hidden, she could sense his intense focus on her, as if he were trying to understand her completely.
"Emilia," he said, disbelief evident in his voice, "Did you not hear what they said about you? How they mocked and laughed at you? How could I just stand by and let that happen while my friend was being insulted?"
He didn't raise his voice or show anger; his tone was calm and steady, simply laying out the truth.
"Subaru… That's not what I meant," she replied.
He paused, confusion crossing his face. "Huh?"
Emilia gently shook her head, offering him a small, albeit sad, smile. her smile would always bring him joy, but right now, it made his heart ache.
"Subaru, I don't know what you think or thought about me… but I'm actually happy you stood up for me… Seeing all those nobles mock and laugh at me was really painful. I thought I had grown strong enough to handle it, but I guess I was wrong."
Subaru remained silent, simply listening to her words.
"At first, I didn't want you to defend me because I was worried you might get hurt, and I had grown used to the insults, so I wanted you to stop. However, after thinking about everything that happened, I realized that I felt grateful that you chose to support me, even though I think it could have been done without the insults." She smiled at him, her expression more joyful than sorrowful, which made him smile lightly in return.
It was a tender moment, even amidst such a serious conversation; they both needed it.
But then, Emilia's smile faded, and a hint of sadness crept into her voice. "Subaru, when that councilman was speaking, why did you look like you were about to attack him?" The question made him flinch.
He wanted to deny it, to reassure her that he had no intention of harming a high-ranking official, that he was merely trying to intimidate him.
Yet deep down, he knew the truth—he understood what he would have done if he had gotten his hands on that man.
He would have killed him.
In his mind, the images of the sage council and the Jujutsu elders merged into one.
Subaru fell silent, struggling to find the words. It wasn't that he didn't want to speak; he just felt uneasy sharing his thoughts, even with Emilia.
Not to mention the challenge of explaining his background, which would be a whole other headache.
".." Seeing Subaru's silence, Emilia grasped his intentions from that moment, which only deepened her fears.
"Subaru," she said softly, drawing his attention, "Were you really going to kill him?"
He looked at her for a moment before nodding sadly.
"I see…" she murmured, her gaze dropping to the floor.
"What about Julius?" she asked.
Subaru turned to her sharply, "No!" he exclaimed, causing her to flinch. Seeing her react that way made him feel even worse.
"I wasn't going to kill him, Emilia," he admitted. "I just… wanted to teach him a lesson."
"A lesson?"
Subaru tightened his fist as memories of the purple-haired knight flooded back. "Yes, a lesson. Emilia, knights, from what I understand, are meant to embody justice and uphold virtues, To protect the innocent from danger. But, some of those so-called 'Knights' were mocking you, and instead of standing up for you, he chose to confront me, all because I 'offended' them, even though what I said was the truth."
He then met Emilia's gaze, "He didn't care about the truth, what he cared about was his bruised ego and to humiliate me in front of his buddies. Hell, he all but confirmed it he would have reacted the same way if our roles were reversed. That's why I accepted the duel; to humble him, to show him that the 'Knighthood' he parades around was as fake as his character."
Emilia stayed quiet, gazing at him for a moment, her eyes reflecting a mix of emotions before she finally spoke.
"Subaru… I understand that. But the injuries you did to Julius… they would take hours to heal, even with Felix's help. And Reinhard…" she hesitated.
"He mentioned that during the fight, you were smiling the entire time. And even when Julius couldn't defend himself, you still kept attacking him. You don't teach someone a lesson by beating them up, so why?" She said, looking deeply into his eyes.
He opened his mouth but then closed it again, struggling to find the right words. Yet, under her intense gaze, he felt compelled to speak.
So he confessed, "I… Before we started, I asked Felix if he was skilled in healing, given his title… When he confirmed it, I got a bit carried away. In a way, I… actually found it enjoyable, you know? Watching him cower and unable to fight back. I really did enjoy it."
He then looked at her pleadingly, "Emilia, please don't think of me as a monster. I know I messed up, big time, I don't enjoy hurting people, so please…" He said, his tone had a hint of desperation.
Emilia studied his earnest expression, the weight of regret and pain in his voice, and then she spoke the words that could change everything between them.
"Subaru… I believe you."
"Y-you do?!" He exclaimed, taken aback.
She nodded, a sad smile on her face. "If you were a monster, you wouldn't have helped me find my insignia, you wouldn't have encouraged me to take leadership, you wouldn't have helped me in preparing my speech, and you wouldn't have taught me things I could never have learned from books."
"Subaru, I don't think you are a monster. Because if you were, you wouldn't have made the past month the happiest time of my life."
Subaru gazed at Emilia as she spoke, a weight settling in his chest. Here was this lonely girl, mocked and despised because of her background. Just by being beside her and forming a friendship, he had turned her life around for the better.
Yet, he had to go and mess things up, nearly ruining her significant day.
At that moment, Subaru had never felt more ashamed of himself.
Enilia rose from her chair, drawing Subaru's attention. "So, Subaru, Roswaal and I are leaving the capital tonight at midnight," she told him.
Subaru fixated on the phrase "me and Roswaal," noting that she didn't include him or Rem
"But what about me?" he questioned, a hint of hurt creeping into his voice.
"Roswaal is downstairs extending the rent. I want you and Rem to stay in the capital for a few days while we return to the mansion," she explained.
Subaru opened his mouth to respond, but Emilia continued, "Subaru, you almost attacked a sage councilor, and you hurt Julius really badly. I don't want you to hurt anyone else because of me." Her gaze was full of sadness.
"Please, just stay in the capital until you've cleared your head. Then you can come back, alright?" she pleaded.
Subaru met her gaze, realizing that whether he liked it or not, he had to agree. The consequences of defiance were too severe.
"Okay, as you wish, Emilia."
Emilia nodded and began to leave. "I'll inform Rem about my decision,"
She paused at the door, glancing back at him. "And Subaru, thank you for understanding." With that, she exited.
Subaru remained in his spot, staring at the open door where Emilia had just been. Guilt washed over him as he realized he had made what should have been a significant day so much harder.
'Fuck, Emilia… I'm so sorry,'
With his actions, he may have potentially put a strain on their relationship, one that may never be washed away.