The Lazy Genius: Natsuki Subaru.

by EdiNat

Summary:

Natsuki Subaru was a genius, but due to a certain event in his childhood he was scared of his own talents and got lazy.

But now, in this new world he has started to have fun.

Will he truly be able to reach his full potential or forever be titled as the lazy genius?

Chapter 1: Prodigy.

The scent of dust, old wood, and the metallic tang of blood filled the air of the loot house. This was the third time Subaru Natsuki had found himself in this exact, terrifying moment.

The first time, he had died a dog’s death, a flash of pain and darkness before he even registered the woman’s face. The second time, however, his eyes had been wide open. He hadn't just seen Elsa Granhiert; he had studied her. Every fluid step was a lesson, every twist of her wrist a lecture in anatomy and murder.

Now, in this fourth iteration, everything was different.

Emilia stood poised for a fight, her silver hair shimmering in the dim light, but Subaru’s focus was entirely on the Bowel Hunter. A strange, almost childlike smile played on his lips, a stark contrast to the grimace of fear he’d worn before. He couldn't believe it himself, the emotion bubbling up from a place he thought had been crushed by repeated, agonizing death.

He was having fun.

Back on Earth, his entire life had been a series of effortless victories. Sports, arts, academics, any hobby he picked up, he mastered with an infuriating, casual ease. Boredom was his constant companion. But here… here was a challenge he could never have dreamt of. A puzzle made of flesh and steel, where failure was measured in blood and the searing pain of a gut wound.

“Emilia, just hold her off for a moment!” he called out, his voice unnervingly light. He had already sent Felt scrambling out the back, a desperate gambit to find someone, anyone strong enough to tip the scales.

His eyes, sharp and analytical, tracked Elsa as she lunged, a black ribbon of death. A stray kukri, one of many she had thrown in their chaotic dance, lay glinting on the wooden floorboards. As Elsa engaged Emilia, Subaru didn't hesitate. He moved, not with the grace of a warrior, but with the precise economy of someone who knew exactly where he needed to be. He dropped to one knee, his fingers closing around the hilt of the discarded kukri.

The cool weight of the foreign blade felt strangely familiar in his hand. He wasn't a swordsman. He had no formal training. But he had seen this weapon in motion from three different perspectives, understood its balance in her hand, and now, his mind was already adapting, calculating trajectories and angles with a terrifying, lazy genius.

The very temperature in the room seemed to plummet. Emilia and Elsa, locked in their lethal dance, broke apart for a fraction of a second, their heads snapping toward Subaru.

He had taken a stance.

It was a perfect, mirror-image replica of Elsa’s own poised form, a flawless, predatory crouch that seemed to suck the air from the room. But the true shock wasn't the posture; it was the aura radiating from him. A deafening wave of bloodlust, so sharp and potent it felt like a physical weight, poured from the boy who had, moments ago, seemed like a frightened commoner. It was a perfect imitation of Elsa's own murderous intent, refined and amplified by a mind that understood intimidation on an instinctual level.

Emilia, her breath catching in her throat, instinctively took a step back. In that same heartbeat, Subaru launched himself forward, and Elsa met his charge, a flicker of genuine surprise in her amethyst eyes.

Shing!

Their blades met with a clean, high-pitched ring. It was not the desperate parry of an amateur, but the precise, calculated block of a master. To Elsa, it was like fighting a ghost of herself; every feint she anticipated was met, every subtle shift in weight mirrored. But Subaru was no mere duplicate. He was an innovator.

He blended Elsa's fluid, deadly technique with something raw and entirely foreign, unorthodox angles, footwork that spoke of earthly sports, and a reckless, predictive aggression that belonged to the 21st century. A kukri swipe was dodged not with a graceful leap, but with a grounded, boxer's sway, followed immediately by a thrust that aimed for her center of gravity, not a killing blow.

For the first time in a long, bloody forever, Elsa Granhiert was being systematically pushed back, not by brute force, but by a genius of adaptation she couldn't comprehend.

Both women watched, stunned, as this seemingly ordinary boy became a conduit for impossible skill. They didn't know, they couldn't know, that they were witnessing a once-in-a-lifetime genius, a mind so prodigious it could dissect and master a killing art in mere moments.

Subaru was overwhelming her, his movements a terrifyingly beautiful symphony of copied and original violence. Yet, he couldn't land a finishing blow. His mind operated at lightspeed, but his body, an under trained, commoner's body was beginning to rebel. Muscles screamed, tendons strained, unable to fully keep up with the brutal demands of the movements he was forcing upon it.

But it didn't matter. That struggle, that momentary stalemate, was all the time he needed to buy.

A firm, resonant voice, calm yet absolute, cut through the tension, seeming to vibrate the very wooden ceiling of the loothouse.

"That's far enough."

Reinhard Van Astrea had arrived.

Reinhard’s eyes widened, a minute flicker of pure, unadulterated shock that would have been invisible to anyone else. They saw a boy holding his own. But Reinhard, with the acute perception granted by his Divine Protections, saw the truth beneath the surface, a torrent of raw, untapped potential swirling around Subaru like a nascent storm.

He had not sensed it in the alleyway; it had been dormant, hidden beneath confusion. But here, in the heat of combat against a master assassin, it blazed brighter than anything he had ever witnessed. It was not polished skill, but a boundless, adaptive genius waiting to be forged.

His gaze, now cold and focused, shifted to the real threat. "Those clothes and that weapon... you must be the Bowel Hunter."

Elsa's smile returned, though it was tighter, more calculated. Her body was coiled, already assessing her escape. "That fiery red hair... I assume the Sword Saint has graced us with his presence?"

Before Reinhard could even move to engage, Elsa used the rubble near the wall as a springboard, leaping backward with elegant grace. She acknowledged the situation with a clinical detachment. "I have taken a great deal more injury than I had intended." Her eyes flicked down to Subaru for a split second, a flash of genuine, annoyed disbelief that she instantly masked behind her porcelain smile. "So I'm afraid I must take my leave!"

With a final, mocking wave, she launched a single, finely crafted dagger not at Subaru, nor at Reinhard, but directly toward Emilia. It was not a killing blow, but a calculated distraction, a surety that the Sword Saint would prioritize deflecting the projectile over immediate pursuit.

True to her prediction, Reinhard's sword moved in a blur, deflecting the dagger harmlessly into a wall. By the time the thwack of its impact echoed through the room, Elsa was gone, vanished into the shadows of the city. Reinhard took a half-step, the instinct to chase warring with his duty. He held back, his priority crystal clear: the protection of the Royal Candidate took precedence.

The sudden silence in the loot house was deafening. The only sound was Subaru's ragged breathing as he finally let his stance break, the stolen kukri clattering to the floor from his trembling, exhausted hand.

"Man, thanks a lot, Reinhard. I'm not sure we could've made it out alive without you!" Subaru said, the words punctuated by a relieved gasp for air. He offered the Sword Saint a genuine, if exhausted, smile.

Reinhard looked at the boy, his expression a mixture of courtesy and deep, lingering astonishment. "You are stronger than you seem, Subaru," he replied, the compliment carrying far more weight than a simple pleasantry.

Before Reinhard could continue his line of questioning, Emilia finally cut in, her silver brows furrowed in confusion and a hint of hurt.

"Subaru! Were you always that strong? Were you simply putting on an act to look weak?" she asked, a frown gracing her features.

Subaru quickly shook his head, his hands waving in a panicked, dismissive gesture. "No way! I wouldn't do that! That's way too much work," he admitted with a weak chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck. "I just... kinda stared at Elsa and tried copying what she was doing. It seemed like the obvious thing to do, you know?"

The silence that followed was profound.

Reinhard could scarcely believe what he was hearing. He just... copied her? he thought, his mind reeling. To replicate the fluid, deadly technique of one of Lugunica's most infamous assassins after mere moments of observation was beyond genius; it was preternatural, unheard of in any combat manual or legend. And yet, with his Divine Protection, he could perceive the utter, unvarnished truth in Subaru's words.

Emilia had a similar, if less perceptive, reaction. Her eyes widened. "You just... copied her?"

"Yeah, well, I tried to," Subaru clarified, a flicker of annoyance crossing his face as he looked down at his own trembling hands. "But my body wasn't able to keep up. It's so frustrating! If I had a bit more stamina, or if my muscles were just a little better, I could have defeated her myself. Arghh," he grumbled to himself, as if critiquing a slightly flawed piece of artwork.

Emilia's mind flashed back to the childlike smile he wore during the fight, the sheer, unadulterated fun she saw in his eyes. A cold trickle of unease ran down her spine, but she quickly pushed the thought away, attributing it to the high of the battle. Now was not the time for such questions.

"Subaru, you should come to my mansion," Emilia said, her smile softening as she looked at the exhausted boy. "I would like to properly thank you for helping me."

Subaru's face immediately lit up, the previous frustration vanishing as if it were never there. "Sure! I don't have a place to stay anyway, so it works out perfectly." The offer of shelter was, to him, a far greater reward than any coin.

From the side, Reinhard watched the exchange with a complex emotion stirring in his chest. It was a faint, uncharacteristic pang of jealousy. If Emilia had not spoken first, he would have undoubtedly invited Subaru to the Astrea estate himself. Such raw, dormant talent was a rarity that cried out for guidance. But he could not, and would not, counter the invitation of a Royal Candidate. He merely offered a polite nod, keeping his regret to himself with a soft, internal sigh.

Just then, Felt crept out from the shadows, her usual bravado replaced by a guilty slump in her shoulders. She shuffled up to Emilia, not meeting her eyes, and held out the stolen insignia.

"My... my payment," she mumbled, her voice barely audible.

Reinhard's gaze snapped to the insignia, and his eyes widened a fraction as he saw the faint, ethereal glow emanating from the crystal, a glow that had not been present before.

Emilia accepted it back, her expression gentle. "Thank you, Felt," she said, her voice free of accusation.

The moment was broken as Reinhard stepped forward, his demeanor shifting to one of formal duty. He took Felt's hand firmly, yet not unkindly.

"Lady Felt," he declared, his voice leaving no room for argument. "You will have to come with me."

"Hey! Wait a—" Felt began to protest, but Reinhard was already guiding her swiftly toward the door, his resolve as steady as his grip. The loot house door closed behind them, leaving Subaru and Emilia alone in the aftermath of the chaos.

Chapter 2: That Day.

Notes:

You guys really liked the first chapter so I decided to make this a full story

This chapter was such a headache to write I have deleted multiple drafts cause I wasn't feeling it

Hope yall enjoy this chapter aswell!

[Reuploaded this chapter due to an error]

The immediate danger had passed, but Subaru’s mind, ever-adapting, was already planning for the next. His eyes scanned the debris-strewn floor of the loot house, settling on two stray kukris left behind in Elsa’s hurried retreat. A grimace touched his lips as he remembered his first, helpless death in the loothouse. He wouldn't be caught unarmed again. He scooped them up, the weight unfamiliar but reassuring. They would do for now, a stopgap for self-defense.

Stepping out into the darkness of the night, Subaru followed Emilia, only to halt as he saw a waiting carriage. Standing beside it was a maid with striking pink hair and a demeanor as sharp as her gaze. Her eyes, the color of rose quartz, swept over Emilia with deference before narrowing on Subaru with undisguised suspicion.

"Lady Emilia, it is time to return," she stated, her voice flat and calm.

Emilia brightened. "Ram, this is Subaru. He helped me a great deal today! I wish to bring him to the mansion so Lord Roswaal can reward him."

Ram’s scrutinizing stare returned to Subaru, looking him up and down as if he were a stain on the cobblestones. "Lady Emilia, I do not know where you picked up this stray mutt, but we do not allow pets at the mansion."

"Hey!" Subaru interjected, pointing a finger at himself. "Do you mean me by a mutt? That's a bit harsh, isn't it?!"

Ram simply huffed, a sound of pure contempt.

"Ram!" Emilia's voice held a rare, chastising edge. "He is not a mutt. He is a good boy who helped me, and I insist."

Seeing the firmness in Emilia's expression, Ram finally released a long-suffering sigh, as if bearing the weight of the world's foolishness. Without another word, she opened the carriage door, her movements efficient and crisp.

Subaru shot her a half-hearted glare before climbing in after Emilia, settling into the plush seats. He leaned his head back, the two stolen kukris tugged in his sides, utterly unaware of the new challenges that awaited him at the end of this ride.

The rhythmic clatter of the carriage wheels provided a strange sense of calm, and for the first time since being summoned, a moment of quiet. Subaru gazed out the window at the passing, alien landscape, a forest with trees that seemed to shimmer with faint mana and a sky dotted with two moons. The staggering thought finally settled in his mind, not as a panic, but as a sobering fact: I am in a new world.

The carriage eventually rolled to a smooth halt before an imposing structure. Subaru jumped out, his eyes widening as he took in the sight of the grand mansion, its spires piercing the twilight sky.

"Woah?! Emilia, you didn't tell me you lived in such a fancy place!" he exclaimed, his voice a mix of awe and excitement.

Emilia offered a gentle, slightly rueful smile. "This mansion isn't mine, Subaru. It belongs to Roswaal. I... stay here for my own reasons."

Subaru raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. "Roswaal?"

"Yes," Emilia confirmed. "He is the master of this estate and the one who will decide your reward."

Before he could probe further, Ram's voice cut through the air, crisp and efficient. "Please follow me, Lady Emilia, and... guest." She turned on her heel, leading them up the pristine path towards the magnificent double doors.

As they approached, the doors swung open smoothly from within, revealing another maid. For a moment, Subaru thought his eyes were playing tricks. She was the spitting image of Ram, save for her hair, which was the color of a serene sky. But where Ram's expression was one of open disdain, this maid's face was a placid mask that shattered the instant her azure eyes landed on him. Her gaze narrowed into slits, and a palpable, chilling hostility radiated from her small frame. Subaru could almost smell a faint, acrid scent on the air, like rotten eggs.

Before the blue-haired maid could speak or act, Ram took a subtle half-step forward, positioning herself between her sister and Subaru.

"Rem, this is Subaru. He is a trusted guest of Lady Emilia," Ram stated, her tone deceptively flat and informational.

To an outsider, it was a simple introduction. But to Rem, it was a clear and urgent warning. The message was transmitted in the slight tension in Ram's shoulders and the unyielding finality in her voice: Stand down. Do not act on your instincts.

Rem’s expression smoothed back into a neutral, servile mask, though the coldness in her eyes remained undimmed. She gave a short, perfect bow. "I see. Welcome to the Mathers Mansion."

Emilia led the way inside, with Subaru following close behind, his head on a swivel. The interior of the Mathers Mansion was just as opulent as he had imagined. His eyes darted from valuable-looking porcelain vases to ornately framed portraits of severe-looking individuals.

Emilia turned to him, her silver hair shimmering in the soft light. "Subaru, it's already late into the night. You should get a good, long rest. You must be exhausted after such a long day," she said, her voice warm with concern as she clapped her hands together gently.

A grateful smile spread across Subaru's face. "Thanks a lot, Emilia. I really had nowhere to sleep. You're a huge help!"

"It's my pleasure," she replied sincerely. "You helped me so much today. This is the very least I can do for you." She then glanced at Ram, who had been standing at a respectful but attentive distance. "Ram, could you please show Subaru to one of the guest rooms so he can rest for the night?"

Ram gave a curt, precise nod. "As you wish, Lady Emilia." Her gaze, devoid of warmth, shifted to Subaru. "Guest, please follow me."

Without another word, she turned and began walking down a spacious hallway, her footsteps silent on the plush runner. Subaru shot one last smile at Emilia before hurrying after the pink-haired maid, his own steps echoing slightly in the vast, quiet hall. He followed her up a grand staircase and down another corridor, his mind finally beginning to quiet down as the promise of a safe, soft bed became a reality.

Ram opened a heavy oak door, revealing the guest room, and gestured for Subaru to enter.

His eyes widened slightly. The room was huge, far grander than any bedroom he'd ever seen. A large, canopied bed with soft-looking linens dominated the space, alongside a polished wardrobe and a writing desk. It was more than enough; it was everything he needed for a night of desperately needed respite.

Ram gave a formal, shallow bow. "If that is all, I shall take my leave." Without waiting for a response, she turned and exited, closing the door behind her with a soft but definitive click.

Finally, utterly alone, the day's tension drained from Subaru's body in a single, heavy sigh. He stumbled forward and collapsed onto the bed, the mattress embracing him with a cozy warmth that seemed to seep into his very bones. All the adrenaline, and the brutal fatigue washed away in an instant, pulling him down into a deep sleep before he could even think another thought.

As Subaru drifted into the embrace of sleep, the familiar dream began to unfold. He had been having this same dream, a ghost of a memory, for two consecutive years. Tonight, in this strange new world, would be no different.

It was the same familiar scene, rendered in perfect, aching detail. He stood on a sun-drenched podium, the weight of a gold medal around his neck. The roar of a crowd was a distant hum, his entire world narrowed to the feel of the polished wood beneath his feet and the presence of the person beside him. He turned, a genuine, effortless smile on his face, to see his best friend standing one step below, securing the second-place medal. Their eyes met, a shared universe of inside jokes and mutual respect passing between them in a single glance. They were celebrating as they always had in his mind, a perfect, frozen moment of triumph and camaraderie.

It was a memory he cherished.

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Subaru jolted awake, a gasp tearing from his lungs. He clutched at his chest, his heart hammering against his ribs. The opulent, alien room was swallowed by the darkness of his own mind, and for a long, terrifying moment, the pristine sheets and soft mattress felt like a foreign landscape. He was alone, his body coated in a cold sweat that had nothing to do with the day's battles, the echo of a perfect, broken memory the only thing he had brought with him from home.

Cold tears traced paths down Subaru's temples, soaking into the pillow. His chest ached, a hollow, constricting pain that made each breath feel like a struggle. Just then, he heard two voices, perfectly synchronized yet distinct.

"Rem, rem, it seems our guest had a bad dream."

"Sis, sis, it seems our guest had a nightmare."

His eyes snapped towards the sound. Ram and Rem were standing beside his bed, their expressions unreadable. Sunlight streamed through the window, it was clearly morning now.

Subaru quickly swiped the back of his hand across his eyes, forcing a scowl to cover his vulnerability. "Hey, come on! What's the big idea? Can you just barge in when a guy's sleeping?" he grumbled, his voice still thick with sleep and unshed tears.

Ram huffed, a sound of pure, unbothered dismissal. "Hmph. A stray who sleeps with such a pained expression might get lost in his own nightmares. If we let you sleep as long as you wished, you might never wake up."

Her words, callous as they seemed, held an odd, practical truth. Rem remained silent, her azure eyes fixed on him, missing nothing, the slight redness in his eyes, the faint tremor in his hands. The moment was broken, but the scrutiny had only intensified.

Subaru took a shaky, controlled breath, willing the tremors in his hands to still. Just as he was forcing his composure back into place, the door opened and Emilia walked in.

"Good morning, Subaru!" she chirped, her smile bright. But her amethyst eyes immediately softened with concern as they landed on him, taking in the slight, residual tremble in his shoulders and the forced rigidity of his posture. "Is... everything okay?" she asked, her voice gentler as she sat on the edge of the bed.

Subaru instantly plastered on a wide, practiced smile. It didn't quite reach his eyes. "Yes! Just a bad dream, that's all. Nothing to worry about!"

Emilia studied his face for a moment longer, her intuition telling her there was more to it. But seeing the defensive wall he had hastily erected, she decided to respect it. Pushing him now wouldn't help.

"I see," she said softly, giving a small, understanding nod. She then turned to the maids, her tone shifting back to its usual warmth, though with a note of authority. "Ram, Rem, please come with me. We should let Subaru get ready for the day."

With a final, slightly worried glance at Subaru, Emilia rose and swept out of the room, the two maids following silently in her wake.

After a moment to steady his breathing and push the lingering dread of his dream aside, Subaru finally got up. He freshened up in the restroom and changed back into his familiar tracksuit, the fabric a small comfort in this impossibly large mansion. Stepping out into the corridor, he began to walk, intending to find the dining room or perhaps Emilia.

He kept walking. And walking. The identical, opulent hallways stretched on in a seemingly endless loop, each turn revealing another familiar-looking portrait, another identical vase.

"Is this... looping?!" he shouted to himself, more annoyed than panicked. He came to a halt, bringing a thinking finger to his chin. His eyes, sharp and analytical, scanned the hallway. It wasn't magic he understood, but it was a pattern, a puzzle. His gaze settled on a seemingly normal door knob. A hunch, born from a mind that excelled at finding solutions.

He grabbed it and twisted. The door opened not to another bedroom, but to a vast, breathtaking library. Towering shelves reached towards a vaulted ceiling, packed with ancient-looking tombes. And in the center, sitting on a plush chair, was a small girl with drills of blonde hair and a large book open in her lap.

She looked up, her round blue eyes narrowing. "What an infuriating man you are, I suppose." Her voice was laced with centuries of weariness. "Barging into Betty's library without so much as a knock."

Subaru blinked, leaning against the doorframe. "What's a kid doing in a place like this? Are you some kind of NPC?"

Beatrice's eye twitched visibly. "Betty is not a child," she stated, her voice dipping into a low, irritated register. "You will call me Beatrice. And I do not know what an 'en-pie-see' is, but I do not like how that sounds, in fact."

Subaru wandered further into the room, his eyes skimming over the spines of the countless books. He let out an involuntary sigh. "Can't read a single word of this..."

Beatrice's frown deepened. "Barging into someone's room uninvited and then having the audacity to sigh? You truly have no manners, I suppose." She sniffed, turning her nose up. "Hmph. I do not want a man like you lingering. Betty does not want bugs in her library."

"Bugs?" Subaru asked, his tone genuinely curious as he glanced around the pristine room. "You got an infestation or something?" He started heading for the door to leave, the insult flying completely over his head. But halfway there, his brain finally processed her meaning. He spun around, pointing a finger at his own chest. "Hey! Wait a second! Did you just call me a bug?!"

"I should teach you a lesson for your insolence, I suppose," Beatrice declared, her voice dropping. She placed her book aside and walked towards him, her small hand pressing firmly against his torso. A strange, pulling sensation began in his core as she started to drain his mana.

"What are you doing...?" Subaru asked, more confused than pained. He just stood there, blinking, expecting something to happen.

Beatrice stared up at him, her wide blue eyes filling with sheer, unadulterated disbelief. This should have been agonizing. It should have forced him to his knees. Yet, he was just standing there, looking mildly puzzled. And then she felt it, the true scale of what lay within him. It wasn't a mere pool of mana; it was an ocean, vast, deep, and utterly dormant. Her own draining spell was nothing more than a tiny bucket trying to empty a sea. A flicker of something akin to fear crossed her features as she yanked her hand back as if burned.

She quickly walked back to her chair, trying to reclaim her composure, but her mind was reeling. How? How can a mere human contain such a thing?

"Well," she said, picking up her book with forced nonchalance, her voice slightly unsteady. "You... are not a bad person, I suppose." It was a dismissal, an attempt to hide her utter shock.

Subaru just shrugged, completely oblivious to the monumental discovery that had just taken place. "Weird loli," he muttered to himself, and walked out of the library, leaving a deeply unsettled Beatrice behind.

As he stepped out of the library and back into the seemingly normal hallway, a familiar, soft voice called out to him.

"Ah, Subaru! There you are! I had been looking for you everywhere," Emilia said, her expression a mix of relief and slight confusion.

"Oh, hey Emilia-tan!"

She raised a delicate eyebrow, a curious smile playing on her lips. "'Tan'? What does that mean?"

Subaru waved a hand dismissively, a practiced, easy-going gesture. "Ah, it's nothing! Just a friendly way of addressing someone from my home country. Don't worry about it!" He quickly pivoted, steering the conversation away from a topic he couldn't explain. "More importantly, let's go to the garden! I haven't had my morning exercise yet, and my body's feeling stiff."

Intrigued by his endless stream of peculiarities, Emilia nodded with a smile. "Alright."

They made their way to the mansion's expansive garden. Under the morning sun, Subaru immediately launched into a series of bizarre, rhythmic movements—deep knee bends, twisting his torso, and jogging in place while swinging his arms in wide arcs. To Emilia, it looked less like exercise and more like a strange, frantic dance from a foreign culture.

"What... what are you doing, Subaru?" she asked, unable to hide her bewilderment.

"Just some calisthenics! Gets the blood pumping!" he replied between breaths, his form unnervingly perfect despite the absurdity of the motions. He moved with an innate, fluid understanding of his body's mechanics, making the strange routine look effortless. "C'mon, Emilia-tan, try it with me!"

"Eh? M-me?" Reluctantly, and with a soft blush of self-consciousness, Emilia began to mimic his movements, her own attempts far more graceful but lacking his practiced, modern efficiency. As she awkwardly tried to follow along, she couldn't help but watch him, this enigmatic boy who faced assassins with a smile and did strange rituals in the garden, all while hiding a pain she could only glimpse in his unguarded moments.

"And... victory!" Subaru shouted, finishing his routine with a final, triumphant stretch towards the sky. He grinned at Emilia, gesturing for her to mimic the pose.

She reluctantly raised her arms, a soft, self-conscious laugh escaping her. Just then, a blue glow shimmered in the air, and Puck materialized, floating between them.

"Victory!" the little spirit chirped, copying the pose with his small paws before turning to Subaru. "Good morning, Subaru. Keeping my daughter active, I see."

"Yea, good morning to you too!" Subaru replied, already shifting into a new set of cool-down stretches with seamless, practiced ease.

Puck then floated over to Emilia, nuzzling her cheek. "Morning, Lia~. That was a close call yesterday in the loot house. I'm truly grateful to Subaru for being there." He then leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a whisper meant for her ears alone. "Lia~, this boy is truly special."

Emilia leaned back slightly, her amethyst eyes wide with confusion. "Special? What do you mean, Puck?"

Puck's usual playful demeanor was replaced by a rare, contemplative seriousness. "Subaru is... very talented. I can't even put it into words. He is one of those geniuses who only comes once a century." He paused, his star-like eyes following Subaru's precise, efficient movements. "If I were to compare him, his raw, untapped potential would be second only to the Sword Saint himself."

Emilia's breath hitched. Her gaze snapped back to Subaru, who was now effortlessly balancing on one leg, completely oblivious to the monumental praise. "S-Subaru is...? Second to Reinhard? " The image of him matching Elsa's movements, that childlike smile of intense focus, flashed in her mind. It wasn't luck; it was a glimpse of the prodigy Puck was describing.

Before she could process it further, Subaru dropped his stance, his energy instantly shifting. "Alright! That's enough warm-up. So, what's for breakfast, Emilia-tan? I'm starving!" He beamed at her, the supposed genius of the century now entirely focused on the prospect of food.

Just then, Ram emerged from the mansion, her posture as rigid and efficient as ever.

"Lady Emilia, Guest," she announced, her tone leaving no room for debate. "Lord Roswaal has returned. I request you both return to the mansion for breakfast."

Emilia and Subaru nodded, following her back inside. They were led to a grand dining hall where a long, ornate table was set. Already seated in one of the chairs was Beatrice, a small figure almost swallowed by its size.

Subaru pointed casually in her direction. "Oh, hey, it's the loli."

Beatrice's head snapped up, her drill-shaped pigtails seeming to quiver with indignation. "What does that word mean, I suppose?! Betty is certain it is nothing polite!"

Their bickering was interrupted as Rem entered, carrying a tray. Her eyes, ever watchful, swept over the scene. As Subaru shifted to take a seat, the fabric of his tracksuit jacket pulled taut, revealing the distinct outlines of two blades tucked into his waistband at the small of his back. Her azure eyes narrowed infinitesimally.

In the span of a single heartbeat, her expression smoothed back into an impeccable, unreadable mask. She placed the tray down with silent precision, her movements never faltering. But behind her calm exterior, a storm of questions began to brew. Why did this stranger, this so-called "guest," carry the weapons of an assassin?

Soon after, the dining hall doors opened to admit a truly flamboyant figure. Dressed in garish, multicolored clothing and with eccentric face paint, the man moved with an unnatural grace. Subaru stared for a long moment, his head tilting in genuine bewilderment, before speaking up.

"Man, I will never understand rich folks. You hired a clown for breakfast entertainment?"

Emilia brought a hand to her mouth to stifle a laugh, but the man merely waved a dismissive, gloved hand.

"It is fiiine, Lady Emilia~ Let me do the honors," he said, his voice a sing-song cadence that was instantly grating. He gave an elaborate, theatrical bow. "I am Roswaal L. Mathers, the master of this estate and the Margrave of this territory~ A pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Oh," Subaru mumbled, the sound dripping with a mixture of understanding and profound disbelief.

They all took their seats, and the meal was served by Ram and Rem with silent efficiency.

"Oh, this is incredible!" Subaru was the first to break the silence, his mouth full. "This is seriously good!"

"Isn't it juuust delightful~?" Roswaal crooned. "Our Rem is quite the talented chef."

"Roswaal," Emilia interjected, seizing the moment. "Subaru helped me a great deal in the capital. I would like you to properly reward him for his actions."

"But of cooourse, Lady Emilia," Roswaal replied, his heterochromatic eyes shifting to Subaru. "I have been fully inforrmed of the heroics of Natsuki Subaru. How he stood against the Bowel Hunter and managed to emerge alive... with the help of the Sword Saint, of cooourse." He let the last phrase hang, a subtle probe. "So, Natsuki Subaru, what is it you desire? Coin? A parcel of land?"

Subaru fell silent, his mind working with a swift, analytical clarity that belied his lazy posture. He was in a world he didn't understand. His short-term needs were simple, but critical: running water and food, knowledge to survive, and a roof over his head. He ran through the options. Money would run out. Land would be useless without context or skills. Only one request could grant him all three pillars at once.

A confident smile spread across his face. He looked directly at the clownish Margrave.

"Let me work in this mansion!"

The silence that followed was profound. Ram's eyes narrowed a fraction. Rem's grip on the empty tray she held tightened until her knuckles were white. Roswaal's ever-present smile merely widened, a glint of profound interest flashing in his yellow eye.

Emilia's eyes widened in concern. "Subaru... are you certain that's all you want? You could ask for much more, you know? Gold, or a title..."

Subaru shook his head, a knowing smirk playing on his lips as he wagged a finger. "Tch, tch, tch. You're not seeing the big picture, Emilia-tan. This one request gets me three fundamental things at once." He began counting them off on his fingers. "One: a roof over my head is provided if I live and work here. Two: running food and water is an obvious perk of the job. And three," he said, his tone shifting to something more earnest, "it gives me access to knowledge. I'm not from around here, I don't know this world, its customs, or even how to read the language. This mansion is the perfect place to learn everything I need to survive."

Before Emilia could formulate a response, Roswaal's lilting voice cut through the air, brimming with amusement. "Oh-ho~? I like a man who knows how to think strategically. To identify one's deficiencies and seek a solution that addresses them all at once... It is a truly smaaart request, given your unique circumstances."

His heterochromatic eyes gleamed with undisguised interest. "Very well. I, Roswaal L. Mathers, grant your request. Welcome to the staff, Natsuki Subaru."

"I should first inforrrm you about the... rather dire state of the kingdom, I suppose," Roswaal continued, his tone casual. "After all, the kingdom has been without a king for quite some time~"

Subaru's eyes widened slightly. He leaned back in his chair, a nervous laugh escaping him. "Whoa, okay. That sounds like some serious, top-secret information. Should I even be hearing this?"

Roswaal simply waved a gloved hand in a dismissive flutter. "Do not wooorry~ This is not a state secret. It is common knowledge to everyone in Lugunica."

Subaru let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, good. For a second there I thought you were about to make me a conspirator or something."

"To find the next ruler," Roswaal went on, his smile unwavering, "a royal selection is being held. Multiple Royal Candidates have been chosen, and from among them, one will be selected to become the next monarch~"

Subaru raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. "Royal Candidates? So, like, princesses and nobles? Who are they?"

In response, Roswaal didn't speak. Instead, he made an elaborate, graceful gesture with his hand, pointing directly at the girl sitting beside Subaru.

Subaru's head swiveled. His eyes moved from Roswaal's pointed finger to Emilia's face, which held a slightly sheepish, apologetic expression. The pieces clicked into place in his mind with almost audible force.

"HUH?!" he blurted out, his chair screeching as he jolted upright. "You're a candidate to lead the whole kingdom?!" He stared at Emilia, his image of the kind, slightly clumsy girl in the alleyway now completely overhauled.

"I'm sorry, Subaru," Emilia said, her silver hair swaying as she nodded. "I truly meant to tell you. I just... never found the right time."

Subaru slowly sank back into his chair, the weight of the revelation pressing down on him. "A royal candidate... I saved a royal candidate..." he mumbled to himself, the absurdity of his situation reaching new heights.

Roswaal gave an airy nod. "The insignia she carries is proof of her right to stand in the Selection~"

Subaru's head snapped toward Emilia, his expression a mix of awe and disbelief. "And you just... almost lost that thing? Like it was your house key?"

Emilia puffed her cheeks slightly, a faint blush of embarrassment coloring her cheeks. "Hey, I didn't lose it. It was stolen from me."

"It's the same thing, It was nearly gone!" he retorted, throwing his hands up.

"Well, that is the summary of it all," Roswaal interjected, smoothly steering the conversation back on track. He turned his gaze to the maids. "Ram will now be responsible for your education, ensuring you learn the language and customs of the country." His heterochromatic eyes shifted between the twin maids. "Ram, Rem. Please acquaint him with the mansion and his duties as a butler."

In perfect, unsettling sync, the two maids bowed their heads. but the look in their eyes promised a trial by fire rather than a warm welcome.

The meal concluded, and Subaru found himself trailing after the twin maids through the mansion's opulent halls.

"Subaru, so you are to work as our junior?" Rem questioned, her voice deceptively neutral.

"Barusu, you are our junior," Ram stated, already bestowing her chosen nickname.

Subaru shot her an indignant look. "Hey! How did you just turn my name into some kind of incantation?!"

"Barusu should just follow us," Ram said, completely ignoring his protest as she continued walking.

They eventually arrived at a dressing room where a butler's uniform was waiting. Subaru changed into it and emerged, straightening the jacket. Ram clicked her tongue in mock annoyance; she had been fully prepared to humiliate him if it looked awkward or ill-fitting, but the uniform suited him perfectly, lending him an air of unexpected refinement.

Noticing her reaction, Subaru crossed his arms with a theatrical huff. "What was that for, huh? Were you expecting me to look bad in it?"

"Do not assume whatever you wish. You are just a Barusu," Ram replied with mock formality, turning on her heel.

"How is my name a swear word now?!" he exclaimed, following them.

"Follow us, Barusu. We need to assess your kitchen skills."

They entered the spacious kitchen. Without a word, Ram picked up a knife and a potato, demonstrating a quick, efficient peeling technique. She placed the perfectly peeled potato on the counter and handed a new knife and potato to Subaru.

"Huh? This is easy. I can do that," he said with a shrug.

He took the tools and immediately began. His hands moved with a fluid, unconscious grace, the blade gliding in a continuous, unbroken spiral. In moments, he placed his finished potato next to Ram's. Both twins stared.

While Ram's work was neat and professional, Subaru's was a work of art, flawlessly smooth, with no blemishes or wasted flesh, as if peeled by a master chef who had dedicated his life to this single task.

Ram clicked her tongue again, the sound sharper this time. "Don't get a big head just because you are proficient at peeling vegetables, Barusu."

"Hey! I never said anything!" Subaru retorted, holding his hands up in innocent defense.

But the silent communication between the sisters was palpable. Ram's gaze lingered on the two potatoes, then drifted to Subaru's hands, a new, calculating depth in her eyes. The test was minor, but the result was undeniable. Their new junior was hiding a disconcerting level of talent behind his lazy exterior.

---

The day wore on, and Subaru moved from task to task with the same unnerving proficiency. He trimmed the garden bushes into geometrically perfect shapes, dusted every ledge until it gleamed, and polished the valuable vases with a curator's care. He left no room for error, no speck of dust for Ram to criticize. As the sun began to dip below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and purple, Ram finally broke the silence.

"Hm. You have done a satisfactory job today, Barusu."

Subaru wiped his brow, a confident smirk spreading across his face. "Satisfactory? You mean perfect, right? Admit it, I aced every chore you threw at me."

Ram clicked her tongue, turning her head away to hide what might have been a flicker of respect. "It was merely adequate. Something anyone with a basic level of competence could do."

Before he could fire back another retort, she continued, her tone shifting to one of mock severity. "It is time for your education, Barusu. Wait in your room; I will join you shortly. And you had better hope not to make any mistakes," she warned, a faint, almost imperceptible tease in her voice, "or I will have you clean the entire mansion alone tomorrow."

"Hey, isn't that a bit too much of a punishment?" he replied, playing along with the mock annoyance.

Subaru waited in his room, and after a few moments, Ram entered carrying a beginner's primer and a quil. Without ceremony, she sat opposite him and opened the book, launching into a blunt explanation of the Lugunican alphabet and basic grammar.

What followed was nothing short of phenomenal. For every single concept Ram introduced, Subaru's mind seemed to extrapolate a thousand corollaries. She watched, her stoic expression slowly giving way to incredulity, as he began reading aloud. His initial, halting pronunciation smoothed out with each sentence, his pace accelerating from a slow crawl to a confident, steady rhythm within minutes.

Ram closed the book with a soft thud, fixing him with a narrow-eyed stare. "...Were you lying about not knowing how to read and write?"

Subaru immediately shook his head, his expression earnest. "No way! I'm serious, this is my first time seeing any of this. I'm just... picking it up as we go!"

A familiar, arrogant smirk spread across his face. "What? Am I learning too fast for you?" he boasted, leaning back in his chair with a grin. "Feel free to compliment me as much as you wish! I can take it."

Ram clicked her tongue, the sound sharp in the quiet room. "It is nothing impressive. A Barusu should not get so ahead of himself. Memorizing a few letters is no great feat."

But her words lacked their usual bite. As Subaru simply chuckled and returned to practicing his script, the characters on the page already looking neat and deliberate, she could only watch in silent, grudging astonishment.

And just like that, within the span of a single hour, the foundation of the language was his. He could read simple sentences and construct his own, his grasp more than sufficient for day-to-day life. It was a level of mastery that should have taken weeks, achieved in a single sitting.

"Well, you were better than the average person, so I will give you that much credit," Ram stated, her tone implying it was a monumental concession.

Subaru's face broke into a triumphant grin. "That's the first genuinely nice thing you've said to me since I got here!"

Ram ignored his exuberance, already moving toward the door. "You may retire for the night, Barusu," she said, and with that, she stepped out and closed the door behind her, leaving Subaru alone with his newfound knowledge and a satisfying sense of accomplishment.

---
2nd Day
---

The sun had just begun to crest the horizon, bathing the mansion's garden in a soft, golden light. Subaru was in the middle of his usual set of stretches, his movements precise and fluid. Emilia watched from a nearby bench while Puck floated lazily in the cool morning air.

"So, Puck," Subaru began, not breaking his stride, "what kind of magic does Emilia-tan use, anyway?"

Puck twisted in the air to face him. "Well, technically, Lia isn't a magic user in the traditional sense. She uses the mana present in the atmosphere. She's a Spirit Arts User." The little spirit then drifted closer, his star-like eyes twinkling with curiosity. "Speaking of which, want me to see your elemental affinity?"

Subaru's face immediately lit up with a wide, eager smile. "Yes, of course! I wanna know my type!"

"Then hold still." Puck lowered himself and gently pressed the tip of his fluffy tail against Subaru's forehead.

Emilia stood and walked over, her own curiosity piqued. "I'm excited to see what it is!"

Puck was silent for a moment, his usual playful demeanor vanishing. His eyes widened in sheer disbelief. "...You have compatibility with all of them," he murmured, his voice laced with awe. "All six attributes... You can use any element you wish."

Emilia's hands flew to her mouth. "What?! Is that even possible?" she asked, looking frantically between Puck and a confused Subaru.

Puck stared at Subaru as if seeing him for the first time. "Well, it's theoretically possible... but there has been no recorded case in Lugunica's history... until now, that is."

Subaru finally processed the information, his shoulders slumping slightly. "Is that really that rare? Doesn't sound all that exciting compared to, you know, actually being able to do it."

"Yes!" Emilia exclaimed, her amethyst eyes wide. "You can use every element! It's unheard of!"

Puck, having recovered slightly, nodded in agreement. "You should try it out, Subaru." He then turned to his daughter. "Lia, why don't you show him one of your basic ice constructs? He can use it as a reference."

"Okay!" Emilia agreed, eagerly holding out her palm. A soft glow emanated from her hand as delicate particles of frost swirled and coalesced, forming a perfect, crystalline ice flower that hovered just above her skin. "Just try to feel the mana in the air and shape it, like this!"

Subaru stared at the crystalline flower, but his gaze seemed to look through it, analyzing the very flow of mana in the air and the delicate structure holding it together. He saw not just a beautiful object, but the blueprint of its creation.

He raised his own hand, palm open. With a faint shimmer, mana coalesced, perfectly replicating Emilia's ice flower. But then, he didn't stop. His brow furrowed in concentration, and the simple blossom began to evolve. More intricate leaves sprouted from its stem, the petals multiplied and curved into a more elegant shape, and the stem itself grew slightly longer and more graceful, creating a far more elaborate and ornate piece of ice flora.

Emilia watched, her breath catching in her throat. It was one thing to copy a spell, but to not only replicate it instantly and then intuitively improve upon its design was unheard of.

Puck floated forward, clapping his tiny paws together with soft, muffled thuds. "That's very good, Subaru! To refine the form on your first attempt... you really are full of surprises."

Subaru saw the awe on their faces, the same wide-eyed wonder and admiration he had seen his entire life. And in that moment, he absolutely hated it.

He had despised that look for two years. It was a reminder of a pedestal he never asked for, and of a past that ■■■■■ ■■ ■■■■■■■

His hand snapped shut, crushing the intricate ice flower into a shower of harmless, glittering dust.

Emilia flinched at the sudden, sharp motion, her expression shifting from awe to concern. "Subaru...?"

In an instant, the shadow vanished from his face. He looked up and plastered on that familiar, easy-going smile, the mask slipping back into place seamlessly.

"Ah, sorry about that, Emilia-tan! I must have lost my concentration for a second," he said, rubbing the back of his neck with a forced chuckle.

Puck, however, didn't miss a thing. As a spirit, he could feel the brief, violent surge of emotion that had ripped through Subaru, a complex web of pain, regret, and self-loathing that contradicted his cheerful words. The spirit's large eyes studied the boy for a long, silent moment.

But seeing the deliberate wall Subaru had just erected, Puck simply sighed inwardly. He would not push. Some wounds needed to be shared, not probed. He floated back to Emilia's shoulder, deciding to grant the boy his privacy until he was ready to speak.

Notes:

How was the pacing? It was the main headache I couldn't find a sweet spot

And I wonder what's going on with subaru 👀

DROP FEEDBACK AND THANKS ALOT FOR READING ❤️‍🩹

Chapter 3: Drowned in Blood.

---
Day 4
---

The sun cast long shadows across the manor grounds, painting the sky in hues of orange and purple. As Subaru finished tidying the main hall, Ram approached him, her expression as unreadable as ever.

"Barusu, you are to accompany Rem into the village to procure supplies. This will also serve as an opportunity for you to become familiar with some of the locals."

Subaru looked up and grinned. "Sure thing, Big Sis! I don't mind going with Rem at all."

Ram's eyes narrowed slightly. "Hmph. You had better not get any funny ideas. I know my little sister is cute, but keep your hands and your thoughts to yourself."

Subaru shot upright, a flush of embarrassment creeping up his neck. "I have no plans to do anything like that! What kind of guy do you think I am?"

From the doorway, Rem watched the exchange, her azure eyes narrowing a fraction. She offered no comment, simply turning and walking towards the main gate, fully expecting Subaru to follow.

He quickly caught up, falling into step beside her. "So? What's the plan? What are we getting?"

Rem continued walking, her gaze fixed ahead on the path to the village. "I will acquire the necessities. Your only task is to follow and not make any trouble for me," she replied, her voice as cold and crisp as the evening air.

Subaru winced internally at the frosty reception. Deciding that silence was the better part of valor for now, he simply nodded and kept pace with her, the only sound between them the crunch of their footsteps on the gravel path.

Soon, the quaint houses of the village came into view. Without a word, Rem diverged to make her rounds at the various shops. Left to his own devices, Subaru shoved his hands in his pockets and looked around, taking in the simple, rustic life of this new world.

Subaru’s eyes scanned the village square, eventually landing on a group of children playing a clapping game. A nostalgic smile touched his lips, and he decided to walk over.

The kids noticed his approach and stopped their game. One of the boys spoke up, "What do you want, old man?"

Subaru pointed a finger at his own chest, feigning outrage. "Old man?! I'm only seventeen!"

The children giggled at his dramatic reaction. His gaze then fell on a girl with distinctive purple braids who was cradling a small dog. "Hey there. Does it bite?" he asked, nodding toward the animal.

The girl, Meili, shook her head, her expression innocent. "Nope! He's a very good puppy!"

Trusting her word, Subaru reached out to pet the dog's head. The instant his fingers made contact, the animal snapped, its teeth clamping down on his hand with surprising force. He yelped and yanked his hand back, shaking it vigorously. "What part of that qualifies as a 'good puppy'?!"

The children erupted into laughter. Meili simply smiled sweetly. "Maybe he just doesn't like you!"

Just then, Rem's voice cut through the merriment. "Subaru, we are finished here." She stood a few feet away, her expression as impassive as ever, a basket of supplies in her arms.

Subaru sighed, waving a half-hearted goodbye to the snickering children as he fell into step beside Rem for the walk back to the mansion. Throughout the journey, he could feel her stealing occasional glances in his direction, but he decided not to comment, maintaining a comfortable silence.

By the time they arrived, night had fully fallen. Needing a moment to unwind, Subaru wandered out into the garden. The moon was bright, and he soon spotted a familiar figure sitting on a bench, her silver hair almost glowing in the moonlight.

"Hey, Emilia-tan!" he called out as he approached.

Emilia flinched, clutching her chest lightly. "Subaru! You scared me!" she scolded, though there was no real anger in her voice.

Subaru simply smiled, finding her slightly pouty, scolding expression incredibly cute. Without asking, he plopped down on the bench beside her, letting out a contented sigh.

"So? What's on your mind?" Subaru asked, breaking the comfortable silence.

Emilia sighed, her gaze fixed on the full moon hanging in the night sky. "All this studying for the royal selection is tiring me out... I just came out here to get a breather."

Subaru nodded. "Hmm, seems rough. Being a candidate to lead a whole country can't be easy."

Emilia offered a small, weary smile. "What about you, Subaru? Are you adjusting to life in the mansion?"

"Oh yeah, it's been really fun," he replied, his tone light. "After all, I get to see you every day."

A soft blush colored Emilia's cheeks. "Well... I'm glad you are comfortable here."

"Hey, Emilia-tan," Subaru began, a playful glint in his eye. "How about we go on a date tomorrow? We can go to the village and see the small animals together."

Emilia raised a delicate eyebrow. "What's a 'date'?"

Subaru sighed dramatically, as if explaining something to a child. "It's when two people go to a place together just to spend time with each other and have fun."

Emilia's smile returned, brighter this time. "Sure, we can go on a 'date' after I'm done with my morning studies."

Subaru's face broke into an ear-to-ear grin. "Great! I'll head back now; it's late. You should get to bed too, Emilia-tan."

Emilia nodded, and they both walked back to the mansion. After waving her goodnight at her door, Subaru turned toward his own room, but he stopped mid-stride. A mischievous smile crept onto his face. He changed course, heading for a certain door and opening it without knocking.

"Be-a-ko~" he sang as he entered the forbidden library.

Beatrice looked up from her book, her expression one of profound annoyance. "Why do you intent to annoy Betty, I wonder?"

"Come on, I know you don't hate me that much," he teased, strolling further into the room.

Beatrice shot back, "What do you think our relationship is, I wonder?!"

Subaru just chuckled. "Hey, can you take a look at this?" He showed her the red, slightly swollen bite mark on his hand.

Beatrice glanced at it, her eyes narrowing. "Hmph. Betty has no reason to help you."

"I knew you'd say that," Subaru grinned, his expression turning cunning. "So I brought material to blackmail you with!"

Before she could retort, he continued, "If something bad happens to me because of this bite, like, I don't know, I get really sick or die, Emilia-tan would be super sad. And if she's sad, Puck would be sad, too." He leaned in, his grin widening. "You don't want your dear 'bubby' to be sad, right?"

Beatrice clutched her book so hard her knuckles turned white. "How dare you treat Betty like this?!" she seethed. But finally, she conceded with a huff. "Fine." She pointed at his hand. "It's not a normal bite. You have been cursed. How do you even end up getting cursed?"

Subaru's eyes widened, all playfulness vanishing. "Cursed?! I just got bit by a dog in the village!"

"No normal dog can curse a person," Beatrice stated, her voice grave. "It must have been a mabeast." She reached out and took his hand, a soft light emanating from her palm as the swelling and redness vanished. "If this truly happened in the village, then the village might be in trouble, I suppose."

Subaru's eyes widened in horror as the stakes became terrifyingly clear. The children in the village, the ones who had just been laughing and playing were all in imminent danger.

He spun on his heel, bolting from the library and nearly crashing into Ram at the bottom of the stairs.

"Where are you going—" she began, but he cut her off, his voice frantic.

"The people in the village are in trouble! There's a mabeast loose!"

Ram's eyes widened a fraction. "What are you talking about, Barusu? How can you possibly know that?"

"I got bit by what I thought was a dog today, but I just showed Beatrice! She confirmed it was a mabeast's curse! It happened right in the village square!"

Ram's expression remained stern. "Even if that is true, Lord Roswaal has given strict orders for you to remain at the mansion. You cannot leave."

"Are you serious?!" Subaru's voice rose, a raw anger bubbling to the surface. "People's lives are at stake, and you're worried about me staying put?!"

"This could easily be a distraction," Ram countered coolly. "A ploy to isolate Lady Emilia at the mansion by drawing its defenders away. A perfect time for an attack."

"You guys can stay and protect the mansion, then! I'm going to save those kids!" he shouted, his decision final.

Ram stared at him for a long, calculating moment before she spoke. "Rem, go with him. I will confirm everything with Lady Beatrice."

Rem, who had appeared silently, gave a sharp nod. "Yes, Sister."

Without another word, Subaru burst through the main doors and into the night, Rem a silent, swift shadow just behind him. They ran the entire way, the cold air burning Subaru's lungs. When they reached the village, they found it in a state of panic. The village leader rushed over, her face pale with fear.

"All the children... they're gone! We've searched everywhere but the forest..." she cried, wringing her hands.

"Please, everyone, stay calm. We will look for them," Rem announced, her voice steadying the adults.

Subaru didn't wait. "Come on, Rem, we have to hurry!" He sprinted towards the dark tree line, Rem following closely.

They made their way deeper into the forest, the darkness broken only by the pale moonlight filtering through the canopy. After a frantic search, they stumbled into a small clearing where the group of children lay unconscious on the forest floor.

Subaru's heart leapt into his throat. He immediately knelt, gently lifting the girl, Petra, into his arms. He shook her shoulder softly. "Come on, wake up..."

Slowly, Petra's eyes fluttered open. "Subaru...?" she mumbled, her voice thick with sleep and confusion.

Subaru let out a shaky sigh of relief. "Yeah, it's me. You're safe now."

One by one, the other children began to stir, with Rem quietly and efficiently helping them to their feet, her expression unreadable.

Petra suddenly grabbed Subaru's sleeve, her eyes wide with renewed fear. "One of my friends... Meili... she's still in the forest! We got separated!"

Subaru looked at the group of now-awake children, his voice firm but calm. "Listen, Rem and I will go find Meili. You all need to get back to the village as soon as possible. Don't stop for anything."

The children, frightened but trusting, immediately nodded and scurried off in the direction of the village.

Subaru turned to Rem, his urgency returning. "Come on, we need to hurry!"

Rem didn't reply, but fell into step behind him once more. They pushed deeper into the woods, until Subaru's eyes finally landed on a small form lying motionless near a thicket. It was Meili.

"There she is!"

Suddenly, a sharp, brutal impact slammed into Subaru's left side. A searing pain erupted, and his entire arm went numb. He stumbled back, gasping, only to see Rem standing before him, her morning star held ready, its chain still swaying.

"Rem...?" he choked out, disbelief drowning the pain. "What are you doing...?"

"Silence, Witch Cultist," Rem's voice was colder than he had ever heard it, sharp enough to cut glass. "First, you arrive with hidden daggers. Then, you cunningly secure a position within the mansion to find our weaknesses. And now, you orchestrate this charade to lead me into a trap? How low will you sink?"

Subaru shook his head, the motion making his vision swim. "What are you talking about?! I'm trying to save her!" he yelled, gesturing desperately towards Meili's still form.

Rem's eyes held no mercy. "A perfect performance. But the scent of the Witch is all over you. It clouds my judgment and confirms your guilt."

She launched her morning star again in a deadly arc. Subaru's eyes widened, his body moving on pure instinct. He bent his hips sharply, the spiked ball whistling past his face. With his one good arm, he desperately yanked the kukri from his waistband, the familiar weight of Elsa's blade a grim comfort in his hand.

"Rem, please! Listen to me! I'm not your enemy!" he pleaded, his voice cracking with desperation and pain, holding the weapon in a defensive stance. His mind raced, not to defeat her, but to find the words that would make her see the truth.

Rem ignored his plea, her assault relentless. She lunged again, the morning star aimed squarely at his heart.

With a sharp clang, Subaru used the kukri to parry the blow, the impact jarring his good arm. "Rem, think! Why would I save the children if I were attacking the village? It doesn't make any sense!"

"That is what I would like you to confess!" she retorted, her voice icy. "Do not worry; I will torture every last secret from a cultist like you!"

He was forced onto the defensive, parrying another savage swing. It was then that the forest around them came alive. Dozens of glowing red eyes ignited in the darkness, surrounding them completely. The mabeasts had arrived.

Distilled by her rage and suspicion, Rem didn't notice. She saw only the enemy in front of her and launched her next attack.

But Subaru's eyes widened, looking past her. He didn't retreat. Instead, he surged forward, meeting her charge and deflecting the morning star in a shower of sparks. Rem braced for a counter-attack that never came. Instead, Subaru shoved past her, throwing his already-numb and bleeding left arm directly into the snapping jaws of a mabeast that had been poised to tear out her back.

The beast's fangs sank deep into his flesh.

Rem's eyes shot wide open, her breath catching in her throat. "W-why would you...?"

"Just go!" Subaru roared, ignoring the fresh wave of agony as he delivered a powerful kick to her side, not to hurt her, but to shove her toward the unconscious Meili. "Take her and get back to the village! Find help!"

Before her reeling mind could form a protest, Subaru shouted again, his voice raw and desperate. "HURRY! I'll buy you time!"

The command broke her trance. Shaking with disbelief, she scooped up Meili and fled, tears of confusion and dawning horror streaming down her face. A single, terrifying thought echoed in her mind: Did I make a mistake?

Alone, Subaru wrenched his arm free, his kukri flashing to stab the mabeast in the eye. He staggered back, putting a large rock at his back to protect it. He was surrounded. The horde of wolgram closed in, their growls a promise of a bloody end.

Death. A killer instinct hung in the air.

Subaru didn't want this to be the end. Gritting his teeth, he tightened his grip on the kukri and dropped into a low stance, his vision hazy from the pain. His left arm hung useless at his side. Only one side would walk away from this.

---

Rem burst from the tree line, where she found Ram had just arrived with the village guards.

"Sister!" Rem cried out, her voice strained.

Ram's gaze snapped to her, taking in her disheveled state and the girl in her arms. "What is wrong?"

"It's Subaru...! He stayed behind! He's acting as bait against the mabeast pack to let us escape!" Rem explained rapidly, gently laying Meili down.

Ram's eyes widened. "Then we have no time to waste. We must go back, now!"

Rem nodded, fresh guilt washing over her as they sprinted back towards the forest. As they ran, the confession tore itself from her lips, her voice breaking. "I-I attacked him, Sister... I was so certain... I thought he was a Witch Cultist..."

Ram’s eyes widened at Rem's confession, a sharp retort dying on her lips. Why would you—? She bit it back. Recriminations could come later. Right now, they had to find him.

They followed the trail of destruction, splintered trees, deep gouges in the earth, and the ever-increasing splatters of blood, both black from mabeasts and shocking crimson. The snarls had long since faded, replaced by an unnerving, heavy silence that clung to the air. After a few minutes of frantic searching, they burst into the clearing where Rem had left him.

And what they saw that day would be etched into their memories forever.

The small clearing was no longer a part of the forest; it was a slaughterhouse. The pale moonlight illuminated a scene of carnage so complete it was difficult to comprehend. Dozens, perhaps hundreds, of wolgram lay dead and dismembered, their forms creating a macabre ring around a single, still point.

In the center of it all, knelt Subaru.

He was unconscious, propped up on his knees by sheer stubbornness, his head dropped low, his chin nearly touching his chest. He was drenched, absolutely saturated, in the dark, foul blood of his enemies. It matted his hair, soaked his suit, and pooled on the ground around him, a stark contrast to the terrible, sluggishly bleeding wound on his shoulder and the deep gashes visible across his body.

The kukri was still clenched in his right hand, its blade stained black.

Around him, the pile of corpses was not just a number; it was a testament. It spoke of a battle that should have been impossible, a last stand that defied all logic. The wounds on the mabeasts were precise, brutal, and efficient, throats slit, eyes pierced, limbs severed. He hadn't flailed; he had executed.

A choked gasp escaped Rem's lips, her hand flying to her mouth. Ram stood utterly still, her usual composure shattered, her crimson eyes wide with a mixture of horror and dawning, profound awe.

Ram did not hesitate. She surged forward, ignoring the foul, coppery smell and the warm slickness that soaked instantly into her pristine maid uniform as she scooped Subaru’s limp form into her arms.

"Rem, do not dawdle! We must get him back, now!" Ram commanded, her voice uncharacteristically sharp with urgency.

Rem, her face pale with shock and guilt, could only nod, falling in step as they sprinted back towards the village.

They found Emilia waiting at the village's edge, her hands clasped tightly together. Her hopeful expression shattered the second she saw them. A sharp, horrified gasp escaped her lips.

"Subaru!"

He was a nightmare vision, cradled in Ram's arms, a boy painted in gore, his body limp and his breathing shallow and ragged.

"Lady Emilia, your healing! Now! He is critical!" Ram instructed, gently laying Subaru on the soft grass.

Emilia dropped to her knees, her tears falling freely as she placed her hands over his chest. A soft, silver light emanated from her palms, her magic knitting together the most severe of his wounds. Her mind screamed with questions, How? Why?, but she silenced them. Nothing mattered more than the fragile life beneath her hands. The rest could wait.

Once the immediate danger had passed and his breathing steadied, the magical glow faded. "The emergency healing is done," Emilia whispered, her voice thick. "But Beatrice will need to handle the rest..."

She finally lifted her head, her amethyst eyes, still glistening with tears, hardening as they turned to the twins. "How? What happened to him?"

Ram’s gaze flickered to her sister. Rem bit her lip so hard she drew blood, her shoulders trembling.

"S-Subaru... he only wanted to save the children," Rem began, her voice a broken whisper. "But I... I was so blind. I thought he was a Witch Cultist. I attacked him from behind... I injured his arm..." She choked on a sob. "He tried to tell me. He tried to reason, but I wouldn't listen. Then the mabeasts came... and even then, he didn't retaliate. He pushed me out of the way of an attack... he let one bite him to save me. He shouted at me to take the children and run... that he would buy us time."

She gestured helplessly back towards the dark forest. "When we returned to help him... we found... we found hundreds of them. All dead. And he was... he was in the middle of it all."

Emilia listened, her expression shifting from concern to disbelief, then to a cold, quiet fury. She rose to her feet, her movements deliberate. The sound of her hand connecting with Rem's cheek was a sharp, shocking crack in the tense silence.

"How could you?!" Emilia's voice was low, trembling with a mix of heartbreak and rage. "He is kind, and good, and he would never be one of them! And you—!"

"Lady Emilia," Ram interjected firmly, stepping slightly between them. "You are right. But Barusu needs proper rest and treatment that only the mansion can provide. We can decide Rem's punishment later. His well-being is the priority now."

Emilia shot Rem one last, scorching glare, a look that promised this was not over. She then turned, her anger melting back into profound worry. She gently lifted Subaru, cradling his head against her shoulder with a tenderness that contrasted the violence he had endured. Without a backward glance, she carried him to the waiting carriage, Ram following closely behind.

They left Rem standing alone in the moonlight, the stinging imprint on her cheek a pale shadow compared to the guilt threatening to consume her whole.

---

Subaru was having a dream.

He stood before a familiar door, the one he had visited a thousand times in his memories. It swung open slowly, and he saw ■■■ ■■■■.

He jolted awake, a silent scream caught in his throat.

Sunlight streamed into the room. It was morning.

"Subaru!"

A worried voice cut through the remnants of his nightmare. Emilia was at his bedside, her amethyst eyes rimmed with red from a sleepless night spent watching over him.

Subaru slowly pushed himself up, wincing as a dull ache flared across his body. His eyes widened as he looked down at himself, wrapped head-to-torso in clean, white bandages. The memories came flooding back.

"The kids! Is everyone okay?!" he asked, his voice hoarse but urgent.

Emilia's face softened with relief, but it was quickly replaced by a scolding frown. "Y-yes, everyone is fine, thanks to you. But you should worry about yourself first! How could you be so reckless? Taking on all those mabeasts alone..." Her words trailed off as fresh tears welled in her eyes, betraying her anger as profound fear.

"I-I'm sorry," he stuttered, shrinking back slightly. "I just... I didn't want Rem or any of the kids to get hurt. I couldn't let them die..."

"And what about you?!" Emilia shot back, her voice cracking. "What if something had happened to you?"

Subaru froze. The question, filled with such raw, personal concern, struck him dumb. Me...? She's really... crying for me?

Before he could form a response, the door opened and Ram entered. Her usual aloof demeanor was gone, replaced by a stiff formality. She stopped at the foot of his bed and bowed deeply from the waist, her pink hair sweeping forward.

"I must offer my sincerest apologies for the actions of my little sister, Barusu," she stated, her voice low and unwavering.

"Whoa, hey! Big Sis, come on, you don't gotta do all that!" Subaru said quickly, waving his one good hand in a flustered motion. "Straighten up, will you? It's weird seeing you be so serious!"

Ram rose, her expression unyielding. "No, Barusu, this is quite serious. A maid of the Mathers Mansion accused a fellow worker of being a cultist and attacked them without conclusive proof. Lord Roswaal has returned and wishes to hold a meeting to decide what shall be done."

Before Subaru could protest further, Ram turned and left the room, her departure leaving a heavy silence in her wake.

Emilia slowly stood. "Come on, Subaru, can you get up? We should go down and decide what should be done."

"Y-yea, I can walk fine..." Subaru nodded, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. He stood slowly, and Emilia immediately moved to his side, her hand hovering near his elbow, ready to support him if he faltered as they made their way to Roswaal's study.

The atmosphere in the study was thick with tension. Roswaal sat behind his grand desk, Ram standing dutifully beside him. On a nearby couch, Rem sat with her head bowed so low her blue hair curtained her face, her shoulders hunched as if awaiting an executioner's blow. Emilia and Subaru took the seats opposite them.

Roswaal steepled his gloved fingers, his ever-present smile firmly in place. "Quite an eventful night while I was gone, was it not~?"

"Roswaal, this isn't the time for small talk!" Emilia interjected, her voice sharp. "Rem hurt Subaru! Seriously!"

"Yeees, and that is precisely why we are here," Roswaal replied calmly. "To decide her punishment. Now, I could decide it myself, but I would not want my own... biases... to affect the judgment. Therefore, I would like Subaru, the one most affected by this, to decide."

Subaru pointed at himself, his eyes wide. "Me?!"

"Yeees, of course, you," Roswaal confirmed, his smile unwavering. "After all, you are the one wrapped in bandages."

Subaru's gaze drifted to Rem, who flinched as if struck despite him not saying a word. He could feel the sheer weight of her guilt and shame. He thought for a long moment, the silence stretching, before a huge, disarming grin spread across his face.

"I know! I want Rem to stay at the mansion and be forced to live with a 'witch cultist'!"

Rem's head snapped up, her wide, azure eyes filled with pure, uncomprehending disbelief.

Emilia stared at him. "S-Subaru... this isn't the time for jokes! She hurt you, badly..."

"Come on, Emilia-tan," Subaru continued, his tone softening but his grin remaining. "I'm not some cheap villain who forces two sisters to be split apart. I can see the guilt on her face. I can see how much she truly regrets it." He met Rem's tear-filled gaze directly, his expression full of a gentle understanding that seemed to belong to someone far older. "It's fine. Really."

Roswaal's eyes narrowed, his smile taking on a new, intrigued quality. "If that is what you truly wish, then I will make sure of it. Rem will be 'forced' to share the mansion with a 'witch cultist.' Consider it her sentence."

Ram, who had been prepared for hatred, for curses, for the permanent exile of her little sister, could only stare at Subaru. The composure she had meticulously maintained finally cracked, and she mumbled under her breath, voice thick with emotion, "Barusu... is far too kind for his own good."

A broken sob escaped Rem's lips. The tension drained from her body, replaced by a wave of overwhelming relief and shame. "I-I'm sorry... I'm so, so sorry... Thank you..." she mumbled weakly, tears streaming down her face as she bowed her head again, this time not in fear, but in gratitude for a mercy she knew she did not deserve.

Notes:

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[Reuploaded this chapter]

Chapter 4: The Resolve Of a Genius.

The walk back from the village was a quiet, pleasant affair, the late  sun casting shadows across the path. As the Mathers Mansion came into view, Subaru and Emilia both noticed a new arrival: a sleek, official-looking carriage parked prominently at the front, its crest polished to a shine.

Standing at rigid attention beside it was an elderly knight, his posture exuding a lifetime of discipline. His sharp, grey eyes tracked their approach, and he offered a formal bow.

"I apologize for the imposition of parking here, Lady Emilia," he said, his voice a gravelly baritone, respectful and steady.

Emilia offered a gentle smile, clearly recognizing him. "It's perfectly fine, Wilhelm. Is Felix inside?"

Wilhelm gave a single, curt nod. "He is awaiting you in the main hall, my lady."

Emilia nodded, then turned to Subaru. "Subaru, I have to attend an important meeting. Would you mind keeping Wilhelm company for a little while?"

"Yea, sure thing, Emilia-tan! I'll hold down the fort out here," Subaru said, giving a thumbs-up with his good hand.

With a final, grateful smile, Emilia hurried inside, leaving the two men alone in the courtyard. The atmosphere shifted subtly. Wilhelm's assessing gaze, which had been politely deferential to Emilia, now settled on Subaru with the weight of a seasoned warrior's scrutiny.

"I see," Wilhelm stated, his tone neutral. "You must be Natsuki Subaru."

Subaru's face broke into a grin. "Whoa, am I famous or something?"

A faint, almost imperceptible softening touched Wilhelm's stern features. "I have heard of you from Reinhard. You provided critical aid to Lady Emilia during the incident at the loot house."

Subaru rubbed the back of his neck, a nervous habit. "Oh, that? Yeah, I guess that happened. But we kinda got bailed out by Reinhard in the end. He did all the heavy lifting."

Wilhelm shook his head, his gaze unwavering. "Do not downgrade your achievement. To engage the Bowel Hunter in single combat and stall her until reinforcement arrived is a notable feat. Very few can claim to have crossed blades with that particular shadow and emerged with all their limbs intact."

Subaru rubbed the back of his neck, a familiar gesture of deflecting praise. "So, what's the big meeting inside about anyway? Something serious?"

Wilhelm's expression remained impassive, a mask of formal professionalism. "It is a formal conference between the royal camps. While you are clearly close to Lady Emilia, the contents of such meetings are not for me to disclose to an outsider."

Subaru sighed, not surprised. "Yeah, I kinda saw that coming."

Just then, the mansion's main door opened, and a cheerful voice called out. "Sorry for making you wait, Wilhelm!"

Felix Argyle bounded down the steps, his tail swishing lightly. His sharp eyes immediately landed on Subaru, and he tilted his head with a curious, feline expression. "Nyan?" He leaned in slightly, peering at Subaru as if examining an interesting specimen.

Subaru took an instinctive half-step back. "W-what? Can I help you?"

Felix straightened up, a bright, friendly smile replacing his look of scrutiny. "It's nothing~! You must be Natsuki Subaru, right? I'm Felix! It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

"Y-yeah, that's me..." Subaru replied, still slightly off-balance from the intense, if brief, inspection.

With a final, polite nod to Subaru, Felix turned and climbed into the carriage, Wilhelm following with a last, measured glance at the boy. Soon, the carriage was rolling away, leaving Subaru alone in the courtyard.

Inside the carriage, the atmosphere shifted from public formality to private candor.

"So," Felix began, stretching lazily against the seat, "what did you think of him, Wilhelm?"

The old knight stared out the window for a long moment, the landscape passing in a blur. "I have lived a long life dedicated to the blade," he said, his voice low and thoughtful. "I have crossed swords with legends and seen prodigies rise and fall. Yet, I have not often encountered raw, untamed talent of that particular caliber."

A rare, dry chuckle escaped him. "I must confess, I did not think I would feel a spark of something like jealousy at my age. Reinhard's report did not do the boy justice."

Felix's smile turned knowing. "If he chooses to stand with Lady Emilia's camp when the Selection truly begins, things could get very interesting, nyan?"

Wilhelm gave a single, slow nod, his gaze still distant, as if already envisioning future battles. "Indeed. They very well could." The carriage continued on its way, carrying with it a newfound and significant appraisal of the mansion's newest resident.

Subaru wandered back into the mansion’s main hall, finding Emilia seated by the fireplace, a pensive look on her face. He plopped down onto the couch opposite her.

“So, what was all that about, Emilia-tan?”

Emilia looked up, her expression brightening. “Ah, Subaru! Thank you for keeping Wilhelm company. We were meeting with Felix to finalize details for the conference between the royal candidates. It’s been scheduled for tomorrow.”

Subaru’s eyes lit up instantly. “Oh! That’s the huge thing you’ve been studying for, right?” He leaned forward, a familiar, eager grin spreading across his face. “I wanna come along!”

Emilia sighed softly, a mix of affection and concern in her eyes. “Subaru… you just recovered from a serious injury. You were surrounded by mabeasts only yesterday.”

“I’m fine now!” he protested, flexing his newly healed arm for emphasis. “Beako patched me up good as new! Come on, I wanna be there! I’ll be your moral support!”

From the doorway, a lilting voice chimed in. “It’s perfectly fiiine, isn’t it~?” Roswaal stood leaning against the frame, his heterochromatic eyes glinting with amusement. “A bit of extra support for our candidate could be valuable~.”

Emilia looked between Roswaal’s suggestive smile and Subaru’s pleading, puppy-dog eyes. She finally released a long, surrendering sigh. “Fine. You may come.” She pointed a finger at him, her expression turning stern. “But you must be on your best behavior, Subaru. This is a very formal and important gathering. Promise me you won’t cause any trouble.”

Subaru’s grin turned triumphant. He placed a hand over his heart with exaggerated solemnity. “Of course I won’t! I’m not some kid, you know. You can count on me, Emilia-tan!”

Emilia couldn’t help but return a small, hopeful smile, though a flicker of anxiety remained in her eyes. She had seen firsthand the kind of “trouble” Subaru’s particular brand of genius and loyalty could attract.

The journey to the royal capital was a quiet one, the rhythmic clatter of carriage wheels marking the passage of time. By the time they reached the soaring gates, the sun was high overhead, gleaming on the white stone walls.

A stern-faced guard stepped forward, offering a crisp bow. "I greet you, Lady Emilia, Lord Mathers."

His eyes then flicked to the third member of their party—a boy in a strange tracksuit, looking decidedly out of place beside the Margrave and the silver-haired candidate. "May I inquire as to who this gentleman is?" he asked, his tone polite but edged with suspicion.

Roswaal leaned forward, his ever-present smile widening just a fraction. "He is a veeery important member of our camp~. An esteemed associate."

The guard’s gaze lingered on Subaru for another moment, clearly dubious, but the authority in Roswaal’s voice and the status of his companions left no room for further challenge. He bowed again and waved them through.

As they proceeded into the bustling capital, they hadn't gone far before another figure intercepted them. A knight with elegant purple hair and an air of refined dignity offered a perfect salute.

"I greet you, Lady Emilia, Lord Mathers. I am glad you were able to make it."

Emilia offered a small, polite smile. "It has been a while, Julius."

Julius Juukulius nodded, his calm demeanor unwavering. Then, his violet eyes shifted to Subaru, taking in his informal attire with a barely perceptible flicker of assessment. "And who might you be?"

Subaru grinned, utterly unfazed by the knight's imposing presence. "I'm Natsuki Subaru! Nice to meetcha!"

A faint, cool recognition dawned in Julius's eyes. "I see. So you are Natsuki Subaru." He paused, his voice measured. "I have heard of you from Reinhard."

Before Subaru could formulate a response whether a boast or a question Julius gave another slight nod, a clear dismissal, and turned on his heel to continue his duties.

Roswaal gently nudged the group forward. "We should not tarry~. Being late would not set a favorable impression."

With a shared glance, Emilia and Subaru followed, the massive doors of the grand hall looming ahead. Subaru shoved his hands in his pockets, his casual stride a stark contrast to the formality around him. The stage was set, and he could feel the weight of countless eyes and unspoken judgments settling upon them.

The grand hall was a sea of polished armor, fine silks, and watchful eyes. Emilia leaned towards Subaru, her voice a low murmur only he could hear. "You can't follow us to the stage. Go ahead and stand with the other knights, alright?"

Subaru nodded, giving her a thumbs-up for reassurance before she turned to join the other candidates on the raised dais. He scanned the crowd of attendees, his gaze landing on two familiar figures.

"Oh, Felix! Reinhard!"

He weaved his way through the clusters of people toward them. The two knights stopped their conversation as he approached.

Felix’s cat-like eyes crinkled with a smile. "Ah, Subaru-nyan! So you came along as well."

"Yep! It was tough to convince Emilia-tan, but she finally gave in," Subaru replied, rocking back on his heels with a grin.

Reinhard offered a slight, formal bow, a hint of genuine warmth in his blue eyes. "It has been a while, Subaru. It is good to see you again."

"Same! Last time was pretty hectic, huh?" Subaru said, recalling the loot house.

Before they could converse further, another knight joined them, a man wearing a distinctive helmet. "Hey, everyone. It's been a while."

"Nice to see you, Al," Reinhard greeted politely.

Al's helmet tilted as he took in the group, his gaze settling on the newcomer. "And who are you?"

"Name's Natsuki Subaru."

"Ah, nice to meet you, pal. I'm Al, knight to Lady Priscilla." Al introduced himself with a casual, if slightly tired, air.

Subaru opened his mouth to ask who 'Lady Priscilla' was, but a sharp, commanding clap of hands echoed from the front of the hall, cutting through all murmurs. The elder sage, Miklotov McMahon, stood before the assembled crowd, the five royal candidates seated in a row behind him.

"I would like to thank everyone for attending this—" Miklotov began, his voice solemn.

He was immediately cut off by a sharp, business-like voice. Anastasia Hoshin, the merchant candidate, leaned forward in her seat, a calculating smile on her lips. "I get you wanna make a proper atmosphere, old man, but can ya hurry it up? Time is money, and I'm a very busy woman, ya know?"

Miklotov sighed, the sound carrying a weight of long-suffering patience. "Even so, we must at least inform everyone of the reason for this gathering."

Emilia, her hands folded neatly in her lap, spoke up with gentle firmness. "I think that's a good idea. We should all hear—"

"I don't remember askin' for your opinion." Anastasia interjected without even looking at her, her words dripping with casual contempt.

The dismissive barb hung in the air. From the sidelines, Subaru’s easygoing smile vanished. His eyes, sharp and analytical, flicked from Anastasia's expression to the slight, barely perceptible flinch in Emilia's shoulders. He saw it instantly the unspoken dynamic, the pattern of disrespect she was forced to endure simply for existing. A cold, familiar anger, quiet and focused, began to simmer in his chest. This wasn't just rudeness; it was a targeted campaign. And he was now a very interested observer.

The formal introductions began, each candidate laying bare their ambition or, in some cases, their disdain for the process. Priscilla dismissed the selection as a farce, declaring herself the only natural sovereign. Crusch Karsten, her gaze unwavering, vowed to sever the kingdom's reliance on the Dragon and return it to the hands of its people. Anastasia Hoshin confessed her driving motive with a sharp-toothed smile: pure, unadulterated greed. Emilia, standing tall despite the hostile atmosphere, spoke of her wish for a nation where no one was born into chains of prejudice.

Then, all eyes fell on Felt.

"Hey, wait a minute!" she protested, crossing her arms. "I never agreed to any of this! I don't wanna be some stuffed-shirt royal candidate!"

Miklotov regarded her calmly. "...So, are you formally withdrawing, Lady Felt?"

"Damn right I am!" she declared, her voice echoing in the suddenly silent hall.

This was the final straw. A nobleman near the front shot to his feet, his face red with indignation. "This is a joke!" he bellowed. "I've overlooked the absurdity thus far due to our dire circumstances, but to drag this charade out so long is senseless!"

"He's right!" another joined in, pointing a trembling finger. "First, the Astrea family dredges up a gutter rat to propose as our ruler, and now Margrave Mathers insists on endorsing a half-devil? This is utter foolishness!"

A cold wave of silence followed the slur. Emilia, her expression pained but resolved, spoke softly into the void. "It isn't at all nice to call a half-elf a 'half-devil.'"

Her quiet correction acted like a spark on tinder. The noble's contempt exploded into pure vitriol. "That silver-haired witch matches the description of the Witch of Envy passed down for generations! Why does no one see it? Allowing that filthy woman to pollute this throne room is a disgrace!"

The word "filthy" seemed to hang in the air, thicker than any shout. From his place among the knights, Subaru’s observational mind, which had been coolly cataloging the factions and their biases, went utterly still. The analytical part shut down, overridden by a surge of protective fury so intense it turned his vision sharp and narrow.

He stood. The movement was not a jerk of rage, but a smooth, deliberate uncoiling. Every eye in the hall swiveled to him. He was brimming with an anger that threatened to boil over, but this was a familiar stage. His whole life had been a performance under a spotlight, with a waiting audience eager for a single misstep, a single emotional slip they could use to dismantle him. He knew, better than anyone present, that logic was the only weapon that could win this fight.

Emilia’s soft, worried voice reached him. “S-subaru…?”

He didn’t look at her, not yet. He couldn’t afford to see the hurt in her eyes and maintain his composure. Instead, he began walking toward the front of the hall, his footsteps echoing in the profound silence. The pressure of a hundred noble stares was a physical weight, but he carried it effortlessly, his posture relaxed, his expression not one of outrage, but of cold, clear assessment.

He stopped, turning to face the assembly. When he spoke, his voice was calm, projecting easily to the far corners of the room.

“I would like to formally introduce myself,” he began, a faint, almost diplomatic smile on his lips. “I am Natsuki Subaru, a member of the Emilia Camp. And, for the purposes of today, I will act as her knight.”

He paused, letting the declaration settle. Emilia watched, her hands clasped tightly in her lap, a mixture of anxiety and awe on her face. Behind her, Roswaal’s painted smile remained, but his heterochromatic eyes were sharp with focused interest.

“I have only recently arrived in Lugunica,” Subaru continued, his tone conversational, as if explaining a simple puzzle. “So, I am not yet fully aware of all your customs. Allow me to speak aloud what I have learned so far from this gathering.”

The nobles shifted, uneasy. This was not the shouted defense or sputtered insult they expected.

Subaru paused again, mastering the silence, making them wait for his verdict. The air grew taut.

“I have learned,” he said, each word dropping like a stone into a still pond, “that in Lugunica, rightful candidates, chosen by your own holy Dragon can be accused and defamed not for their actions, but for their background.”

His gaze, cool and unwavering, swept over the nobles who had spoken. Then he raised a hand, not in accusation, but in simple indication, first toward Felt.

“Lady Felt is from the slums. But does anyone here believe she chose that life? Did any of you, in your cradles of silk, choose the wealth you were born into?”

He then turned his hand toward Emilia, his gesture protective yet gentle. “And does anyone believe Lady Emilia chose to be born with the appearance she has? To bear a resemblance that frightens you?”

He finally let his calm mask slip, just enough for the steel beneath to show. His voice hardened, ringing with a clarity that came from a lifetime of being judged. “So, I must ask. How can you condemn someone… for the simple crime of being born?”

The question hung in the air, unanswerable. The group of nobles who had been so vocal moments before found no retort. Their arguments, built on the sand of prejudice, crumbled under the simple, damning logic of circumstance.

Reinhard watched, a complex pain in his heart. He knew Subaru spoke the absolute truth, a truth he had felt for years but which his station as the Sword Saint, a pillar of the very system being challenged, had never allowed him to voice.

It was then that Julius stepped forward, his own knightly dignity a counterpoint to Subaru’s informal gravity. “Natsuki Subaru. You name yourself a knight. But who bestowed that title upon you? By what right do you claim it?”

Subaru looked at Julius, and instead of defiance, he offered a faint, curious smile. He replied with a question of his own. “What makes a knight a knight, Julius?”

Julius remained silent, allowing him to continue.

“Is a knight someone who corrupts his way to the top?” Subaru asked, his eyes briefly scanning the noble assembly. “Is a knight someone who simply stands and watches in the face of injustice? Is a knight merely a title… or is it a person?” He paused, his sarcastic smile returning. “If it is only a title, then I would very much like to meet a real knight one day.”

He took a half-step forward, his voice dropping yet losing none of its power, becoming more intimate, more definitive.

“A knight is someone who protects,” he stated, his eyes finding Emilia’s for a brief, solidifying moment. “A knight is someone who stands up in the face of injustice. A knight is not just a wall for the weak…” His gaze swept the room, including Felt, the villagers, everyone who had ever been overlooked. “He is also support for the strong, to remind them of their strength’s true purpose.”

A deafening silence crashed down upon the grand hall. It was not the silence of boredom or inattention, but the stunned, profound quiet that follows a truth too long unspoken.

Emilia’s hands were pressed to her mouth, her amethyst eyes glistening with unshed tears, not of sadness, but of a stunned, overwhelming validation.

Felt stared at Subaru, her usual bravado replaced by open-mouthed shock, seeing someone defend her not for a political end, but on principle alone.

Roswaal’s smile widened into something genuine and deeply intrigued.

Reinhard’s posture softened minutely, a weight of lonely responsibility seeming to lighten for a fraction of a second.

Julius, the Perfect Knight, stood perfectly still, his own ideals confronted and challenged not by rudeness, but by a purer, more fundamental definition of his own code.

And the nobles who had hurled insults found they could not meet the gaze of the boy in the strange clothes, who had, with a few quiet sentences, exposed the hollow core of their grandeur. Subaru Natsuki had not just defended his candidate; he had held up a mirror to the entire kingdom, and in the resulting silence, the reflection was unmistakably clear.

The stunned silence shattered as a noble near the front, his face purple with apoplectic rage, shot to his feet and pointed a trembling finger.

"C-Cease him! He has openly accused the kingdom of corruption and insulted the dignity of the nobility!"

On command, two armored knights from the perimeter broke formation and rushed toward Subaru, their hands on their sword hilts. Subaru watched them come with a look of profound exasperation. As the first reached for him, Subaru didn't retreat. Instead, he stepped into the charge, his movements a blur of efficient motion. He caught the knight's outstretched arm, used his own momentum against him, and in one smooth, twisting motion, sent the man flipping through the air to land with a heavy crash. The second knight met a similar fate, tripped and redirected with such precise force that he sprawled beside his companion.

Subaru dusted his hands off, sighing as if dealing with a minor nuisance. "Come on, is this really necessary? I don't want a petty fight. Can't you just listen to the truth for once?"

It was then that Julius stepped fully into the space between Subaru and the assembled nobles, his violet eyes calm but resolved. The scattered murmurs died instantly.

"I am afraid that may no longer be possible, Natsuki Subaru," Julius stated, his voice carrying formal weight. "You have claimed the role of an acting knight for Lady Emilia. You have voiced your beliefs before the entire assembly. Now, the question remains: can you back them with more than words?"

He placed a hand over his heart, his posture erect. "I, Julius Juukulius, challenge you to a formal duel. Let our blades, rather than insults, determine the validity of the ideals we each hold."

Subaru looked at the Perfect Knight, then at the expectant, hostile faces of the nobility, and finally at Emilia's worried expression. He let out a long, slow breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

Well, he thought, a wry, familiar resignation settling in his chest. There goes any chance of living a quiet life.

---

The training ground of the royal palace had become an impromptu colosseum. Subaru stood at its center, the roar of the gathered nobility a distant hum in his ears. Spectators lined the edges—knights, officials, and the royal candidates themselves, all drawn to the unprecedented spectacle.

Emilia watched from the front, her hands clasped tightly together. Puck nestled on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Lia," he murmured, his starry eyes fixed on the arena. "I'm sure the result will be... interesting."

Nearby, Felix tilted his head, his tail twitching. "It's obvious this fight will be one-sided, nyan? Julius is the Finest of Knights."

Reinhard stood with his arms crossed, his gaze analytical. "...I am not entirely sure about that," he replied quietly, his eyes never leaving Subaru.

Subaru hefted the wooden practice sword in his hand, testing its weight and balance. The grip felt foreign, clumsy. He looked up, squinting at the vast, clear blue sky.

It was sunny on that day, too... he thought, a flicker of an old memory passing through his mind before he locked it away.

Julius stepped forward, closing the distance. His voice, when he spoke, was low, meant only for Subaru's ears. "Natsuki Subaru. Why go to such lengths? Why invite this confrontation?"

Subaru lowered his gaze, meeting Julius's violet eyes. There was no arrogance in his expression, only a simple, weary resolve. "Julius, I hate the spotlight. All I ever wanted was a quiet life." He adjusted his grip on the sword, his knuckles whitening. "But that's not who I am. I was raised to believe that turning a blind eye to wrong is the same as committing it. So even if I lose here," he said, a faint, determined smile touching his lips, "I'll fall knowing I stood up for the right reason."

Julius studied him for a long moment, then gave a slight, respectful nod. He assumed his signature stance, fluid and perfect, the picture of knightly grace.

Subaru raised his own sword. He had no stance. No formal posture. He simply held the weapon, his body relaxed, his eyes fixed on Julius with an unnerving, total focus.

The signal was given.

The opening moments were a masterclass in one-sided dominance. Julius moved with breathtaking speed and precision, a whirlwind of controlled strikes. Subaru was forced purely onto the defensive, scrambling to parry and block. His movements were awkward, his footwork stumbling. He looked every bit the novice completely out of his depth, save for one thing: his eyes. They never wavered. They tracked every feint, every shift of Julius's shoulders, the minute rotations of his wrists.

Then, something changed.

A flick of Julius’s wrist became a predictable lunge. A weight shift betrayed a coming thrust. Subaru’s clumsy parry became a precise deflection. Julius’s eyes widened a fraction as his next strike, which should have been a sure hit, was cleanly swept aside with a sharp crack of wood.

Another blow came, faster. Subaru didn't just block it; he deflected it with a force that knocked Julius’s guard wide open, leaving the knight momentarily unbalanced.

A slow, fierce grin spread across Subaru’s face, the focused joy of a puzzle coming together. He reset his stance, but it was different now more stable, more economical. It wasn't a knight's stance; it was his stance.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Subaru said, his voice calm, almost conversational. "I've never held a sword before. It took a second to get the feel for it."

Julius’s breath hitched. The realization was a cold splash of understanding. Natsuki Subaru was not a skilled swordsman. He was something far more dangerous in a fight: the worst kind of genius to face, the kind that learned, adapted, and evolved in the moment, turning observation into instinct at a terrifying rate. The duel was no longer a formality. It had just begun.

Julius corrected his stance, his expression a mask of focused determination. But Subaru was already moving beyond imitation. He didn't just copy Julius’s form, he refined it. He eliminated unnecessary flourishes, streamlined the footwork, and sharpened the angles, creating a style that was recognizably derived from the knight's own, yet distilled into something brutally efficient.

From the sidelines, Reinhard’s eyes narrowed. The raw, tempestuous talent he had sensed in Subaru before was no longer just radiating it was flaring, burning brighter and hotter than it had even in the loot house. It was talent being forged into skill in real time.

For the first time since the duel began, Subaru launched a true offense. He didn’t use Julius’s measured pace. Instead, he borrowed the blinding, predatory speed he had witnessed in Elsa Granhiert, closing the gap between himself and Julius in the space of a single heartbeat.

It was so fast that, for one critical moment, Julius lost sight of him. Instinct and years of drilled reflexes were all that saved him. He brought his wooden sword up in a desperate, last-instant parry, the impact jolting up his arm as he barely deflected a strike aimed at his shoulder.

The two disengaged, the air between them crackling with a new intensity. Julius, his breath slightly uneven, studied his opponent. The question escaped him, driven by sheer, bewildered respect. “Natsuki Subaru. You possess a talent that borders on the preternatural. So why? Why would someone like you ever wish for a quiet life?”

Subaru lowered his wooden sword a fraction, the fierce grin fading into something more somber. The noise of the crowd seemed to recede. “I don’t deserve the spotlight,” he said, his voice dropping, layered with a history he would not voice. “Not anymore.”

Julius heard the finality in those words, the weight of a private story buried within them. He sensed it was not a topic for a dueling ground. He gave a single, slow nod, acknowledging the boundary. The confession changed nothing about the fight, and yet, it changed everything about the boy he faced. The knight reset his stance, his respect now tempered with a deepened resolve. The duel was not merely about ideals anymore; it was a confrontation with a mystery a genius running from his own brilliance.

Julius’s words hung in the air, but Subaru’s response was quieter, more personal. “Julius… if it’s possible, I never want to step into a spotlight like this again.”

His gaze drifted past the knight, finding Emilia in the crowd. She was watching, her hands clasped so tightly her knuckles were white, her amethyst eyes wide with a mixture of fear and hope.

“I just want to see her happy,” Subaru said, the admission simple and stark. “I couldn’t stand seeing her hurt… hated just for being born. That’s all.”

He looked back at Julius, and his expression solidified. The reluctance was gone, replaced by a clear, unshakeable purpose.

This time, Julius initiated the attack, a blinding series of thrusts and cuts meant to overwhelm. But Subaru’s eyes, sharp and analytical, tracked every movement. He wasn’t just reacting; he was calculating. He parried the final, powerful swing not with brute force, but with a precise redirect, using Julius’s own momentum against him. In the opening that created, Subaru stepped inside Julius’s guard and drove a hard kick into the knight’s ribs, sending him stumbling back.

But Subaru didn’t stop. He moved with that borrowed, terrifying speed, flowing into Julius’s blind spot as the knight fought to recover his balance. His grip on the wooden sword was firm, his swing a controlled, horizontal arc.

Thwack.

The sound was sharp, final. The wooden blade struck true, not with the flat, but with the edge, a testament to Subaru’s impossible, instant mastery. It tore through the fine fabric of Julius’s knightly uniform, leaving a long, ragged seam across his torso. A thin, immediate line of red welled up beneath the torn cloth.

The reaction was instantaneous and profound.

A collective gasp ripped through the crowd, followed by a silence so complete the only sound was the faint rustle of the breeze. The impossible had happened. The Perfect Knight had been marked.

Emilia’s hands flew to her mouth, her eyes swimming with tears, not of fear, but of a heart-wrenching understanding. He was doing this for her.

Reinhard stood perfectly still, but his azure eyes were blazing with intense, focused insight.

Felix’s playful demeanor vanished. His feline eyes were wide, his tail rigid. “Nyan… He really…”

Roswaal’s ever-present smile finally reached his eyes, a glint of deep, satisfied curiosity.

Felt whistled low, a grin spreading across her face. “No way…”

The noble spectators were a sea of stunned, pale faces. Their symbol of untouchable nobility had just been cut down, literally and figuratively, by the common-born boy they had scorned.

Julius himself looked down at the tear in his uniform, at the thin line of blood. He didn’t seem angry or pained. He touched the cut, then looked back at Subaru, his expression one of pure, unadulterated astonishment. The duel was more than a test of skill now. It was a revelation. Natsuki Subaru had just proven that his words were not just ideals, they were a will strong enough to scar perfection itself.

Julius’s voice was a low murmur, meant only for the space between them. “Fine. You are worthy, Natsuki Subaru.”

Before the words could even register, Julius was a blur of motion. He closed the distance in an instant, his wooden sword a streak of focused intent. There was no flourish, no warning just a devastating, precise thrust that drove the air from Subaru’s lungs and tore a line of fire across his torso.

Subaru gasped, scrambling backward to create space, but Julius was relentless. He flowed forward like a tide, his next swing a controlled arc that traced a searing cut across Subaru’s shoulder, sending a spray of crimson droplets into the air.

Subaru stumbled, the world tilting. His body, pushed far beyond its limits, was overheating, every muscle screaming in protest. The adrenaline that had sharpened his senses now began to fray at the edges.

He slowly, painfully, looked up past Julius, past the roaring crowd, to the vast, indifferent blue sky.

“Julius,” Subaru said, his voice suddenly calm amidst the storm of his ragged breathing. “Why do you wield your sword?”

Julius paused, his stance perfect, his expression composed. “Of course. It is for Lady Anastasia, and for the kingdom I serve.”

Subaru shook his head, a faint, sad smile touching his bloodied lips. “You know that’s not what I meant.”

Julius remained silent, his violet eyes watchful.

Subaru kept his gaze on the heavens, as if confessing to the clouds themselves. The noise of the crowd seemed to fade into a distant hum.

“Julius,” he said, the words dropping into the sudden quiet like stones into a deep well. “I have killed someone before.”

The Perfect Knight did not react for a long moment. Then, his eyes widened not in judgment, but in stunned comprehension of the profound weight behind such a statement.

Subaru continued, his voice hollow, detached, as if recounting a story about someone else. “Someone… very close to me.”

The confession hung in the air, heavier than any blade. The duel, the politics, the spectacle all of it fell away, leaving only two young men in a circle of dust, one bearing the physical cuts of combat, the other bearing scars of a soul-deep guilt no victory could ever heal. The melancholia that settled over Subaru was palpable, a chilling drop in temperature that had nothing to do with the weather.

Subaru lowered his stance, his body humming with pain and exhaustion, his eyes growing slightly hazy. Yet, his voice was clear, final.

“I’ll be ending this now, Julius. It was fun while it lasted.”

In the same breath, he moved. There was no wind-up, no telegraph just pure, explosive motion as he closed the gap between them.

Julius’s instincts screamed to leap back and reset, but his feet refused to obey. He glanced down, shock flashing across his features a sheet of glistening ice had sealed his boots to the ground, a perfect, sudden trap. Ice magic? When did he—?

He had no time to finish the thought. Subaru’s wooden sword descended in a sharp, clean arc, striking across Julius’s torso with a sound that was less a thwack and more a crunch. A bright, searing line of red bloomed against the white of his shirt.

With a grunt of effort, Julius shattered the ice and threw himself backward. But Subaru was already flowing, a phantom in a zigzag pattern Julius couldn’t predict. A heavy kick landed in the small of his back, sending him crashing into the stone wall of the training ground with a force that knocked the wind from his lungs.

Gasping, Julius pushed off the wall, raising his sword for a final, desperate overhead swing. Subaru didn’t parry. Instead, he raised his left hand his empty, already bruised hand and caught the wooden blade in mid-air. The impact jarred up his arm, and the sickening sound of wood crushing against bone was audible even from the stands. His fingers visibly bruised, swelling instantly, but his grip was iron.

He tightened his fist.

The practice sword, reinforced for knights, splintered in his grasp, shards of wood scattering to the dust.

Subaru stood over him, his own sword raised for the final, decisive strike. The crowd was deathly silent, waiting for the blow to fall.

But it didn’t.

Subaru hesitated. He looked at Julius not at the knight, but at the person pinned, wounded, and defeated. The fiery focus in his eyes dimmed, replaced by that same, deep melancholy. He saw not an opponent, but another soul pushed to its limit on a public stage.

With a slow, deliberate motion, he turned his back on Julius. He dropped his own wooden sword over his shoulder, letting it clatter uselessly to the ground between them. The sound echoed in the silence.

“I give up.”

The three words rang out, not in defeat, but in a profound, wilful surrender. He had won the duel in every way that mattered, and then chose to reject the victory. The spectacle was over. All that remained was a boy with bloodied hands, refusing to take the final step into the spotlight he so despised.

Priscilla, who had been observing from the stands with a languid, disinterested air, snapped her fan open with a crisp, decisive sound. Her crimson eyes, sharp as broken glass, followed Subaru’s retreating form. She spoke to Al without turning her head.

"Who is that commoner? I want him."

Al sighed from within his helmet, the sound muffled and weary. "Princess, he just declared himself for the Emilia Camp in front of the whole kingdom. After that performance? He’s not switching sides."

"Tch." Priscilla clicked her tongue, a flash of genuine irritation crossing her flawless features. She was a woman accustomed to owning anything that caught her eye, and the raw, adaptive talent on display was a jewel too brilliant to ignore. To see it willingly belong to another, especially the half-elf, was an offense to her very nature. "A wasted treasure," she murmured, her fan fluttering with suppressed avarice.

---

Subaru, his hands tucked into the pockets of his bloodied tracksuit, walked into the quiet of the stone tunnel leading away from the grounds. He found Reinhard waiting, a solitary figure leaning against the wall.

"Why did you not claim the victory?" Reinhard asked, his voice calm but his blue eyes searching. "The match was yours by every right."

Subaru leaned against the opposite wall, letting out a long, tired breath. He rubbed the back of his neck, a gesture that was becoming familiar. "Julius was never my real opponent. He was just... fighting for the kingdom's idea of order. Beating him wouldn't have changed any minds up there. It would've just been another spectacle." He met Reinhard's gaze. "Defeating a good man who's just doing his duty doesn't accomplish anything. It just makes more rubble."

Reinhard stared at him for a long moment, the weight of his own station and the constraints it imposed hanging unspoken between them. A profound gratitude, simple and deep, settled in his chest. "Thank you," Reinhard said, the words more heartfelt than any formal commendation. "Thank you for understanding."

A genuine, if weary, smile broke through Subaru's solemn expression. "Come on, man, no need to be so formal between us! We're basically buddies at this point."

Before Reinhard could reply, the rapid click of heels on stone echoed down the tunnel, followed by a voice tight with worry.

"S-Subaru!"

Emilia appeared, her silver hair flying behind her, her amethyst eyes wide with panic. She rushed forward, ignoring protocol and propriety, and gently took his injured hands in hers. "Are you okay?! Your hands, your side—!"

A soft glow immediately enveloped her palms as she began to heal the worst of his bruises and the shallow cut. "I-I'm fine, Emilia-tan, really! You don't need to worry so much," Subaru protested, but he didn't pull away, letting her work.

"How could you just accept a duel like that? You could have been seriously hurt! You are hurt!" she scolded, her voice trembling as she focused on her healing magic. The anger in her words was thin, a fragile veil over the sheer terror she had felt watching him fight.

Reinhard watched the interaction silently. He saw the transformation in Subaru in real time. The lonely, melanchoric figure who spoke of killing someone close, the fierce genius who dominated a duel, all of it melted away under Emilia's touch and worried words. What remained was just a boy, slightly embarrassed, immensely grateful, and utterly, transparently in love. The stark contrast was more telling than any victory could have been.

Emilia stared at him, the scolding fading from her eyes, replaced by a deep, shimmering understanding. "You promised not to do anything crazy, and yet..."

"Emilia-tan," Subaru said, his voice firm but gentle. "I couldn't just watch. I couldn't listen to them degrade you and Felt. I promised not to do anything crazy, but if I had turned a blind eye to that... I wouldn't have been able to look at myself in the mirror again." He offered a small, weary smile. "I'm just not built that way. I wasn't raised to stand by when something is wrong."

Emilia’s gaze softened, all remaining reproach melting away. She gave his healed hands a gentle squeeze. "Thank you," she whispered, the words carrying the weight of more than just gratitude for today.

---

Alone in the center of the scarred training ground, Julius finally allowed his posture to slump. The adrenaline was gone, leaving only the sting of his wounds and a heavier ache within. He stared up at the vast, indifferent blue sky, the same sky Subaru had looked to during their fight.

"I lost," he mumbled to the empty air, closing his eyes against the sun.

The physical defeat was clear, but it was the ideological one that echoed in the silence. Natsuki Subaru... you were right. The acknowledgment was a quiet, private surrender. But my duty required me to stand against you. To defend the order, even if the order itself was wrong.

For the first time, the perfect facade of the knight felt like a shell. The titles, the traditions, the unspoken hierarchy, he had seen its rot laid bare today by a boy who wielded a borrowed sword and an unbending heart.

This country has grown arrogant, he thought, the realization settling like a stone in his gut. Arrogant with titles, drunk on hollow power. We confuse heritage with honor, and station with worth.

He opened his eyes, the blue sky offering no answers. A faint, grim hope flickered within the fatigue.

I hope... that today will be the day things begin to change.

Notes:

Hope yall enjoyed it writing the fight scene was really tricky I had no clue how to do it

I didn't just wanna write a

Subaru strong = easy win no plot type of fight

Did yall enjoy it???