The clear sky stretched endlessly overhead, filling Subaru's vision as he lay flat on his back.
Thinking about it, a little over a month had passed since he'd been summoned to this other world.
He wondered how many times he had stared up at the sky like this during that time.
Too many.
The moon was different. The world was flat. And yet somehow the same constellations still hung overhead.
Trying to reconcile those facts always gave him a headache.
At first, he hadn't thought too deeply about the "different world" thing. In the beginning he'd assumed this was just some overpowered protagonist power fantasy. The kind of setting where a normal guy from Japan suddenly becomes the hero of a medieval adventure.
Except reality had turned out… less convenient.
This world relied on mana and magic stones instead of technology. No phones. No internet. No television. No games.
Nearly every form of entertainment he had grown up with had vanished.
Books existed, sure.
But they were written in another language.
Luckily, thanks to Ram's merciless tutoring, Subaru's reading comprehension had climbed past elementary level in just two weeks. Still, the thought of what would've happened if the people of Lugunica didn't speak Japanese made him shudder.
Yeah.
He would have been absolutely screwed.
Above him, thick cumulonimbus clouds drifted through the sky. Rays of sunlight broke through the gaps like golden spears, scattering across the courtyard.
Even through his closed eyelids the sunlight burned his vision.
And then a thought crossed his mind.
"…Come to think of it," Subaru muttered.
He frowned.
"I haven't seen it rain once since I got here."
The temperature in Lugunica was warm enough that long sleeves felt unbearable most days. Maybe this was just the dry season?
Rolling his head lazily to the side, Subaru spoke to the small great spirit clutching a book nearby.
"Hey, Beako… does it rain a lot in Lugunica? I don't think I've seen it rain even once."
Beatrice crossed her arms.
"Yes, it does rain, I suppose," she replied haughtily. "Not often, but far more frequently than in Kararagi."
She paused.
Then her voice sharpened.
"But Subaru—"
"Subaru!"
Her tone snapped from annoyed to outright irritated.
Subaru's ears perked up immediately.
"Yes, my most intelligent and adorable little loli?"
Beatrice stared down at him with a mixture of irritation and secondhand embarrassment.
"I think zoning out immediately after requesting guidance from the Sword Demon is extremely rude, I suppose."
"…Oh."
Right.
Training.
Subaru slowly lifted his head and looked toward the older man standing nearby.
Wilhelm van Astrea stood perfectly straight, dressed in his immaculate black servant's attire. Despite his age, his body was lean and powerful, the posture of a warrior who had never once allowed himself to grow soft.
His white hair was combed neatly, his refined appearance matching the calm dignity etched into his face.
At least… it normally did.
Right now, his expression held a faint trace of disappointment.
Subaru's wooden sword still rested loosely in his hand, though his complete lack of enthusiasm made it obvious how seriously he was taking the exercise.
Still, Wilhelm's hand remained firmly wrapped around his own practice blade.
A promise was a promise.
"Shall we bring this to an end?" Wilhelm asked calmly.
Subaru blinked up at him.
"Nah, not yet," he said lazily. "I was just thinking about something."
Wilhelm tilted his head slightly.
"Oh? How interesting. And what were you pondering?"
Subaru swung both legs upward before slamming them down, using the motion to pull himself to his feet.
His body felt heavy.
Not physically heavy.
Just… tired.
Still, he rolled his shoulders and tested his grip on the wooden sword.
Then he suddenly lunged forward, thrusting straight toward Wilhelm.
The sneak attack lasted exactly half a second.
Wilhelm casually deflected the strike.
The wooden sword flew straight out of Subaru's hands.
"…One more lesson, if you please," Subaru said, already jogging to retrieve it.
Wilhelm watched him patiently.
"So," the old swordsman continued, "what philosophical question occupied your thoughts?"
Subaru hesitated.
Then he scratched the back of his head.
"…If I told you I had a method that could fix any problem," he said slowly, "but the result was that someone had to die to make it happen… would you still want me to use that method?"
Wilhelm didn't answer immediately.
Subaru swallowed.
Talking in vague hypotheticals felt embarrassing. Cowardly.
Still—
"A friend told me… that if I had an ability like that…" Subaru continued quietly.
"…I shouldn't use it."
Before the silence could linger, Subaru stepped forward and swung his wooden sword in a wide arc.
The strike whipped through the air with full force.
"Unah!!"
Wilhelm moved.
Effortlessly.
Subaru felt intense loneliness as the training once again approached its repetitive conclusion.
He'd quit kendo in middle school, but he'd still picked up the basics of swordplay. Seeing Subaru's straight posture and quiet disposition, Wilhelm's face abandoned all trace of softness.
"—En garde."
"You are using too much energy," the old man said calmly.
His sword flicked once.
Subaru's attack veered harmlessly overhead.
"In your hands… your feet… your neck… your hips…"
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Wilhelm's blade struck three precise points in an instant: Subaru's head, throat, and solar plexus.
"And most of all…"
Tap.
"…in your head."
Subaru's body flew backward.
"GWOEH—!"
He crashed onto the ground with a wheeze.
Thankfully, Wilhelm had held back.
The damage was basically nothing.
Still.
Getting your vitals lightly tapped by the Sword Demon had a way of reminding your lungs how optional breathing could be.
Wilhelm looked down at him.
"I do not believe your friend is entirely wrong," he said quietly.
Subaru blinked up at him.
"An ability that allows one to judge the value of another's life… can easily create a detached mind."
Wilhelm's voice was calm.
Almost gentle.
"When someone begins measuring whether a life is an acceptable price… it is easy to grow sick in the head."
Subaru stared at the sky again.
"But," Wilhelm continued, "context matters."
"If a problem is left alone too long, it can rot and fester. The cost of solving it may grow far beyond what it once was."
He gave a quiet sigh.
"I am merely an old man. You may take whatever wisdom you wish from my ramblings."
Subaru lay there silently.
"…Shall we bring this to an end?" Wilhelm asked again.
No sarcasm or pressure.
Just a quiet concern.
Before Subaru could answer, another voice cut in.
"It seems you are working hard."
Subaru lifted his head.
A woman stood on the terrace above them, gazing down at the courtyard.
Crusch Karsten.
"Betty's Subaru is working the hardest, in fact!" Beatrice declared defensively.
Crusch smiled politely.
"I only heard your voices, but it certainly sounds lively."
Beatrice suddenly ran toward Subaru.
And immediately, she elbow-dropped his stomach.
"Ooooof—!"
"Get up, Subaru! You're making Betty look bad, I suppose!"
Subaru wheezed.
"Friendly fire… Beako… seriously…"
He forced himself upright.
"Sorry. My bad."
Crusch leaned against the railing, observing them.
Her long green hair shone in the sunlight, and her posture radiated the same natural pride and strength Subaru remembered.
Except…
Her body was wrapped almost completely in white bandages.
From neck to arms.
Even across her torso.
Subaru blinked.
Wilhelm froze.
"My… Lady Crusch!"
The old man stepped forward immediately.
"What happened?"
Crusch waved her hand casually.
"There is no need for concern. Felix will perform the final procedure at noon."
Wilhelm's brow furrowed.
"My lady, please tell me what occurred. And why is Felix not healing you immediately?"
Crusch hesitated.
"Do you truly wish to know?"
Wilhelm looked almost offended.
"Do you consider this old man untrustworthy?"
Crusch quickly shook her head.
"That is not what I meant."
She sighed and turned her gaze toward Subaru.
"I simply did not wish to appear so haughty as to interrupt the earnest efforts of others."
Her tone softened.
"Employees require rest. By all means, use yours, Wilhelm. You are my loyal vassal, not a servant chained to my side."
Wilhelm bowed deeply.
But his face looked deeply troubled.
"While your kindness is appreciated… under such circumstances, I ask that you inform me immediately."
Crusch's proud expression faltered.
"…Understood."
She paused.
Then spoke quietly.
"…Something frightening happened today."
Wilhelm stiffened.
Seeing his lady on the verge of tears, the old swordsman turned toward Subaru.
"Shall we conclude today's exercise?" he asked calmly. "I am feeling rather tired."
Subaru understood instantly.
Wilhelm was politely telling him to leave.
Unfortunately for everyone involved, Subaru's brain had already latched onto a single thought.
Ignoring the pain in his body, he forced himself to stand.
"Crusch—!"
His voice cracked.
"Is Emilia okay?!"
He shouted the question so loudly that Beatrice tumbled off him and covered her ears.
"Subaru!"
She glared at him.
But he didn't even notice.
Crusch and Wilhelm exchanged a glance.
They could both tell immediately.
Subaru wasn't leaving until he got an answer.
Crusch sighed.
"She is fine."
Subaru froze.
"After you lost consciousness, we sent you here directly for convenience. That half-elf used a personal favor to have your Gate examined and any potential dangers healed."
Subaru exhaled slowly.
Relief washed through him.
But it didn't last.
Because the look on Crusch's face still carried something heavy.
Something… concerning.
And Subaru had the horrible feeling the real explanation hadn't even started yet.
Wilhelm once again turned toward Subaru, subtly gesturing for him to leave now that he had confirmation of Emilia's safety.
But Subaru didn't move.
Something in his gut told him he was missing crucial information.
And if he left now…
He would regret it.
Subaru scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"I know I'm a bumbling idiot who can't read the room," he admitted with a crooked smile, "but before I go… at least tell me who did that to you."
Wilhelm frowned slightly.
As much as he had grown fond of Subaru, the boy was dangerously close to overstepping.
Crusch was a duchess of the kingdom.
She spoke respectfully to Subaru out of courtesy, not obligation. If Emilia were not a royal candidate, Subaru could easily be imprisoned for speaking so casually to a noble.
Yet Crusch, clearly exhausted and not in the right state of mind, simply wanted this conversation to end so she could speak privately with Wilhelm.
Her lips tightened.
She looked directly at Subaru.
Then she spoke quietly.
"These bandages…"
Her voice caught slightly.
"…are the work of Reinhard."
Subaru blinked.
"The Sword Saint," she clarified bitterly.
Crusch shook her head as if trying to push away the memory. When she looked back at Subaru, her expression had hardened into a glare.
"Your Gate has already been examined. Felix found nothing wrong with it."
"That was Betty's doing, I suppose."
Her voice grew colder.
"You are free to leave."
The way she said it carried a growing irritation.
In her mind, doubts were already forming.
Was Emilia truly concerned about Subaru's Gate… or had that half-elf simply used it as an excuse to secure favor with the Duchy of Karsten?
Crusch dismissed the thought quickly.
No.
That girl wasn't that calculating.
Still…
With four candidates remaining in the Royal Selection, opportunities like this could not be ignored.
Anastasia would bear the public backlash for what happened today.
Which meant now was the perfect moment to consolidate power.
Recruit more conservatives.
Win over the dissatisfied.
Strengthen her legitimacy to the throne.
Crusch's eyes drifted away from Subaru, her gaze growing distant.
"Wilhelm," she said quietly, "we must prepare to take advantage of the loss of a competitor."
Her voice carried a cold resolve.
"That boy was rude," she continued calmly, "but he had courage. His disappearance may create a valuable opportunity."
Subaru's mind screeched to a halt.
Loss of a competitor.
Sword Saint.
His brain scrambled to connect the pieces.
Wait.
Did that bastard… actually drop out?
Putting aside the humiliation from the previous day when he had been knocked unconscious by a single punch in front of a massive audience, Subaru scratched his cheek awkwardly.
Then he laughed.
"…Ta-ha-ha."
It was a dry, hollow laugh.
The only reaction he could manage was when remembering what had happened less than half a day ago.
As he walked away with Beatrice waddling beside him, a sour feeling twisted inside his chest.
He felt disgusting.
Selfish.
He was aware of the feelings in his heart.
He wanted Emilia to be in danger.
He wanted to save her from that danger.
Because that was where he derived his own worth.
When he jumped in front of Crimson, who was berating her.
He felt joy from her tears; he felt joy from the thought of jumping into save the day.
To receive her gratitude, to hear her say that she needed him.
Were his feelings insincere?
He had become the kind of person he hated most, a hypocrite.
If he could talk to Toyota right now, maybe he'd feel a little better.
He had originally planned to talk to Rom.
But now he was out of the castle, he didnt know when they'd meet next.
But the only place he knew to find the old giant was that back-alley shop.
Which meant he wouldn't see old man Rom for a while.
Behind him, the courtyard slowly faded into the distance.
Beatrice walked beside him, holding his hand.
After several silent steps, she glanced up at his face. Subaru's expression was distant, lost somewhere far away in his own thoughts.
Her small voice broke the silence.
"…Does Betty not exist?"
Subaru blinked in surprise at the quiet question.
His face immediately shifted into the same placating smile he always used around her.
But Beatrice didn't let it slide this time.
"You are Betty's contractor," she said firmly, her voice wavering slightly. "But you do not talk to Betty."
She looked down at the ground.
"Why do you look so sad?"
Subaru felt his cheeks stiffen.
The smile faded, and his expression slowly returned to normal.
"…Beako," he said quietly.
He hesitated.
"Do you think I have worth?"
Beatrice immediately looked offended.
"Of course Betty's contractor has worth," she said, crossing her arms. "Betty's contractor is Betty's contractor."
Subaru only stared down at her.
He was too tired to explain the question properly.
"…But you were told I was 'that person' by Toyota, right?" he said after a moment.
His voice was quieter now.
"So what did I actually do? Wasn't everything because he said so?"
Subaru looked away.
"What if he was lying? Or mistaken?"
He laughed weakly.
"What if there really is no 'that person'?"
Beatrice stopped walking.
"Even if you are not that person,"
She spoke slowly, counting on her fingers as if listing evidence.
"You help play with the children in the village."
"You helped Rem overcome her inferiority complex."
"You teach Emilia new words and phrases."
"You invented mayonnaise."
"You saved the village from the ulgarm attack."
She puffed out her cheeks.
"Betty's Subaru has plenty of worth."
Her voice softened.
"So do not disparage yourself so much, I suppose."
Subaru rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.
"…Really, a lot of those things happened by accident," he muttered.
His voice carried clear doubt.
Beatrice grabbed his sleeve.
"You promised Betty we would play in the sun," she said stubbornly.
"We even made a pinky promise."
Her voice trembled.
"So do not die."
She looked down, her small shoulders shaking.
"Betty does not want to be alone again… in fact."
Subaru stopped in the doorway of their shared room.
For a moment he just stared.
Seeing Beatrice crying was… unfair.
Slowly, he knelt down and wrapped his arms around her in a gentle hug, softly patting her back.
"I… I'll try not to die," he said quietly.
Beatrice hiccupped against his chest.
"Don't leave Betty alone…"
Subaru sighed softly.
"…Yeah. I get it."
At that moment, the door slid open.
"Subaru—!"
Rem stepped into the room, excitement lighting up her face when she saw him.
But the moment she noticed the hiccupping great spirit in his arms…
She froze.
And somewhere in the tangled threads of fate, the story had already begun to diverge.
The unscheduled meeting with Reinhard, the Sword Saint, who should have appeared at the Crusch estate to visit Subaru…
…would never happen.
The butterfly effect had already begun.
And its wings were only starting to beat harder.
(AN:)
I was browsing through some of the most popular recent fanfics the other day and noticed something… depressing. A huge chunk of them look like they were written entirely by AI, and somehow the authors still have the audacity to link a Patreon for it. That alone was enough to give me my daily dose of homicidal rage.
On a different note, I recently went back and reread my first few chapters. It was a strange experience. My writing style back then feels almost alien now, like reading an old childhood journal entry. Compared to my current chapters, the earlier ones are much less dense and a lot rougher.
That said, I've also started posting my other new fanfiction, and it's doing pretty well; when I last checked it was 25th for popularity.
The main problem is time. My schedule is pretty packed right now: online classes all day Sunday and Tuesday, work Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, and church on Saturday. So my free time for writing is pretty limited.
I'll still do my best to keep posting chapters whenever I can. Thanks for sticking around and supporting the story.
[2927 Words]