(A/N: I gave you chapter! Give me the powerstones!)
...
{3rd Pov}
Subaru's family life continued to evolve as the years went by.
Now that he had not one but two children—each of them with their own quirks, unique personalities, and more energy than he could handle—Subaru thought it would be a good idea to bring a little more of his old world's culture into the city.
He figured that if he introduced some of the fun traditions he remembered from Japan, maybe his children would grow up with something special that set their family apart.
Thanks to Subaru's reputation and the fact that nearly everyone in the city knew him personally, it wasn't all that difficult.
He was friends with shopkeepers, workers, adventurers, and even the city guards.
People liked his personality, respected his work, and were curious about his "strange foreign customs."
So when Subaru suggested trying out something new for the community, most of them were happy to go along with it.
One of the events he brought over was a festival called "Setsubun."
Subaru explained to everyone that during this day, people would throw roasted beans at anyone pretending to be an Oni while shouting the phrase: "Demons out! Good fortune in!"
At first, people thought it was odd, but then they realized it was actually a lot of fun—especially for kids and families.
But there was a problem. Or rather, for one unlucky person in particular, it was a disaster.
After Rem had lost her horn years ago, the only Oni left in the entire city… was Rigel.
The result?
Rigel didn't just get picked as the Oni for the day—he became the Oni.
Wherever he went during the festival, no matter which street he turned down, roasted beans would fly at him like a hailstorm.
His neighbors laughed as they pelted him. His so-called friends joined in eagerly.
Even complete strangers who didn't know his name still threw beans the moment they spotted him.
By the end of the day, Rigel had eaten and swallowed more twisted beans than the amount of milk he'd ever drunk in his entire life.
It wasn't even a contest.
He was less of a participant and more like a walking target board for the entire city.
Frustrated to no end, Rigel stomped his way back home, clutching his sore arms and his bruised pride.
He burst into the house, ready to unload all his complaints at his parents. Surely they would understand his suffering, right? Surely they would finally take his side for once?
"DEMONS OUT! GOOD FORTUNE IN!"
The moment he opened his mouth, both of his parents turned on him without hesitation.
Subaru grinned mischievously while pelting him with beans, and Rem, with her superhuman strength and deadly aim, unleashed a barrage of roasted projectiles that were impossible for a child like Rigel to dodge.
The beans struck him in the forehead, the shoulders, and even bounced off the top of his head. It was a one-sided massacre.
Rigel collapsed onto the floor, spread-eagled, his face blank and his soul crushed.
'That's it. I'm giving up on life. It was nice while it lasted,' he thought in deadpan despair, staring at the ceiling as beans continued to rain down on him.
Then something changed.
He felt himself being pelted again, but this time the beans were lighter, softer, and came one at a time rather than in a constant storm.
Turning his head to the side, Rigel spotted his little sister, Spica.
At some point, she had waddled over and joined the fun, holding a tiny handful of beans and tossing them at him with all the strength her small arms could manage.
"Nii! Play!" Spica shouted in her adorable voice, smiling brightly.
Just two words.
That was all it took.
Rigel felt his exhaustion vanish and his broken spirit instantly rejuvenate.
His little sister wanted to play with him, and that made everything worth it. 'So what if I'm being pelted? So what if my pride is shattered? As long as my sister is happy and laughing, it's fine!' Wiping away the frustrated tears from his eyes, Rigel sat up and hugged Spica tightly.
"Hehe! Get ready, Spica! If you don't pelt me, I'll kidnap you!" he declared, puffing out his chest and roaring dramatically, trying to act like a scary villain even though his face was covered in bean dust.
Spica giggled, tossed another bean, and shouted, "Nii bad!"
Their parents watched the whole scene unfold, laughing together at the sight of their son's misery turning into playtime.
For Rigel, maybe Setsubun wasn't so bad after all.
...
Seeing how well the Setsubun festival had gone, Subaru didn't stop there.
He kept introducing more and more festivals from his own world to the city.
Each one was a little strange at first to the locals, but somehow, every single one of them became a huge hit.
People loved them, and soon the townsfolk even started asking Subaru what the next one would be.
Tia also began dropping by more frequently.
She seemed to enjoy the liveliness of the Natsuki household and the strange new customs Subaru was spreading around.
And of course, Halibel continued to visit whenever he had spare time, bringing his usual calm presence with him.
Rigel, however, found himself in a different kind of situation.
Tia had developed the habit of teasing him relentlessly, poking fun at him in ways that always left him flustered.
At first, Rigel hated it, but slowly, without realizing it, her teasing planted the seeds of a crush inside him—even though his sister complex made the whole thing awkward and confusing for the boy.
Just like that, time kept flowing forward.
Subaru, who had started earning a stable and even impressive amount of money, decided it was time to expand.
He bought several fields outside the city and hired workers to manage them.
He didn't just want to stick with the usual farming methods either—he started experimenting with new ideas, like introducing the four-crop rotation system from his old world.
It was ambitious, but Subaru had confidence in it.
Meanwhile, Rem continued her work as a teacher at the school. She had gained respect in the community for her dedication, and many of her students admired her.
Life seemed steady and almost peaceful for the Natsuki family.
But no matter how disconnected Subaru tried to stay from the greater world, news from outside eventually found its way in.
It happened on what seemed like an ordinary day.
The family was at employment center when they were approached by Crane, one of Subaru's demi-human friends.
Crane wasn't just anyone—he worked at the modest employment center, and he had been a big help to the Natsukis.
He was the one who first gave Rem her job, and because of her strong performance and work ethic, she was eventually selected as a permanent employee.
He had also given Subaru countless small jobs during their first year in Banan, helping him stay afloat until he managed to secure a more reliable position at Riften's.
In a way, Crane had been a cornerstone of their early stability.
And now, Crane arrived with shocking news.
"Did you hear about it? Vollachia kingdom has been completely destroyed," Crane said, folding his arms.
Subaru froze on the spot, his face pale. "W-What?" he stammered, completely caught off guard.
Rem's hands immediately went to her sleeves, gripping them tightly in a nervous habit.
Spica tilted her head curiously, not fully understanding, while Rigel's eyes lit up with interest at the mention of another nation being wiped out.
Crane looked at Subaru with an incredulous expression. "Don't tell me you seriously haven't heard the news?" he asked, one brow raised in disbelief.
Scratching the back of his head, Subaru let out a helpless laugh. "Honestly… I've been too busy. When we first got here to Banan, I spent all my time just trying to land any job I could, just barely scraping by. And after that, once things stabilized, I focused on work, then on my family. I kind of… ignored anything going on outside. Even when I read little bits of news about Kararagi, I never bothered to pay attention to the stuff about the other nations."
Crane sighed, shaking his head. "Man, that's Subaru for you," he said, half amused and half exasperated.
Rigel, quick to jump on the chance to tease his dad, nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, only Dad could be this clueless!" he declared proudly, as if exposing some grand truth.
Subaru threw his hands up, exasperated. "Oi, don't gang up on me! I'm being serious here!" he protested.
But deep down, he was trying to lighten the mood. He could see how heavy the atmosphere was getting from the news.
Still, while he played the fool on the surface, his eyes caught Rem's expression. She was quiet, her gaze downcast, and her usual gentle composure was weighed down by obvious worry.
Without thinking twice, Subaru reached out and gently took her hand, wrapping his palm around hers.
Rem hesitated, looking at him with uncertainty.
For a moment, it seemed like she might pull back, but then she bit her lip, nodded softly, and squeezed his hand in return.
Subaru turned toward Crane with a serious look on his face. "Alright then, how about you fill me in? Tell me what's been happening with Lugunica… and explain how Vollachia ended up being destroyed."
Crane let out a thoughtful hum, then finally nodded. "Fine. My work for the day is already finished anyway. Come with me into the private chambers. I'll go over everything in detail. But I'll warn you now—it's not light conversation."
Subaru, Rem, and even the children followed him into a smaller private meeting room. The air inside was quieter, and once the door shut behind them, the weight of the conversation seemed to settle in.
Crane leaned back in his chair and rubbed his chin. "So… where should I even begin? Ah, I suppose the best place to start is with Lugunica. After all, that's where things first began to take a darker turn."
He paused briefly, then launched into the explanation. "Several years ago, the Lugunican royal family was struck by a mysterious illness. One by one, they succumbed to it until eventually… the entire line was gone. With no heirs remaining, the kingdom was left leaderless. To resolve the crisis, the Divine Dragon—the very being Lugunica worships—intervened. It delivered a revelation. A new ruler would be chosen through what was called the Royal Selection. Five candidates were introduced, each one a potential successor to the throne."
Rigel leaned forward eagerly, his eyes sparkling with curiosity as if he were listening to a bedtime story filled with knights and kings.
But for Subaru, guilt clawed at his chest, and beside him Rem clenched her trembling hands tightly against her lap, barely holding herself together as the memories hit her.
Crane continued, oblivious to their reactions. "In fact, not long after the Royal Selection began, one of the candidates died. At first, people brushed it off. Many didn't care, since she was considered the most hated among the contenders. They thought the world was better off without her. But they didn't realize… her death was the prelude to everything that would spiral out of control afterward."
Subaru swallowed hard, his throat dry, as Crane's next words came down like a hammer.
"Her name was Emilia. She was sponsored by Roswaal, one of the most influential nobles in Lugunica at that time."
Rem's breath hitched, and her eyes immediately sharpened. "At that time…?" she asked quickly, her voice trembling ever so slightly. She had caught the subtle phrasing.
Crane exhaled and nodded with a heavy sigh. "Indeed. 'At that time.' Because Roswaal is no longer among the living. He's dead now."
Rem froze in shock. Subaru, on the other hand, felt his mouth go dry as he instinctively gulped down saliva, unable to form a proper response.
Crane's sharp eyes didn't miss their stiffened reactions. He frowned and leaned closer with a worried tone. "Wait a second… don't tell me the two of you are hiding something? You're not sick, are you? Or… have you been, well, trying for another child again?"
"Crane! Rigel is right here!" Subaru blurted out in a panic, pointing dramatically at his son as if that explained everything.
Rem, sitting beside him, nodded furiously in agreement, her face turning pink with embarrassment.
Rigel, however, only crossed his arms and puffed out his cheeks. "So what?! You two are acting like that secret ritual you do to make babies is something special! Everyone has already told me that once I grow up, I'll get to learn the ritual too!"
For a solid three seconds, silence filled the room.
Crane blinked.
Subaru froze with his mouth hanging open.
Rem's face stiffened as she tried to process what her son had just said.
Ritual? Subaru thought, his eye twitching.
If only the boy knew.
If only he realized that the noises he sometimes overheard at night—those moans, gasps, and the sound of flesh meeting flesh—weren't part of some divine chant or sacred ceremony.
Calling it a "ritual" was both painfully innocent and hilariously wrong.
Rem quickly cleared her throat, her face heating up.
"Ahem! Anyway… please, continue, Crane."
Her tone was forceful, practically begging him to move on before the conversation spiraled any further into awkward territory.
Crane, still raising an eyebrow at Rigel's boldness, gave a small shrug.
"Very well," he said, deciding to humor Rem and get back on track.
He launched into an explanation, giving a brief summary of the backgrounds of the five Royal Candidates who had been chosen to compete for Lugunica's throne.
He didn't hold back details, even mentioning the controversies surrounding each candidate.
Then he explained why one particular candidate, Emilia, had ended up being the most hated of them all.
"She carried the same race and appearance as Satella," Crane explained seriously. "Silver hair, that same aura… people couldn't see past it."
Rigel's eyes immediately lit up.
"Wait, really? She had the same hair as Satella? That's amazing! She must've looked super cool! Like some badass lady who—"
His excited rambling was cut short by a sharp pain in his ear. "Ouch! Ouch! Mom, stop! That hurts!"
Rem had reached over and pinched his ear between her fingers, twisting it mercilessly.
Her expression was calm but her voice turned cold enough to freeze his blood. "Rigel… it's not nice to make fun of others. If you continue… I will punish you."
Rigel shuddered instantly.
He knew that tone.
That was his mother's serious tone, the one that meant she wasn't bluffing.
If she said punishment was coming, then punishment was coming.
And he knew from experience that his mother's punishments were brutal.
It wasn't fair! His mother was so ridiculously biased.
If his dad, for example, accidentally destroyed the entire house by setting it on fire or collapsing the roof, she would just laugh it off and call Subaru "cute" or "hopeless" in that gentle, forgiving tone of hers.
But if Rigel so much as broke one chair?
He had to brace himself for his buttocks to be smacked until he couldn't even sit down properly for days.
If Subaru made a mess, Rem would giggle and call it "adorable."
If Rigel made the same mess, she would clap his cheeks—literally—and make sure the word disobedience packed its bags and left his vocabulary forever.
It was so unfair that sometimes Rigel wondered if he had even been born to this family.
One time, unable to hold back his frustration, he had actually asked his mother if he was adopted.
Without missing a beat, she had smiled sweetly and told him she picked him up out of a trash can.
That memory haunted him to this day.
So now, staring into his mother's stern eyes, Rigel knew better than to talk back.
His excitement deflated instantly, and he clamped his mouth shut.
He slouched in his seat and decided then and there to stay completely silent for the rest of the conversation.
Satisfied, Rem let go of his ear.
Finally, Crane cleared his throat, acting as though the interruption hadn't happened, and continued with his explanation.
To be continued...
{SHOUTOUT TO!
[Ant Lord]
[Daniel Thomsen]
[DandyMann]
[Astro]
[Gary Henderson]
[bob]
[Narwastu Vivaldi Galant]
[Kal Odinson]
For becoming Mommy Minerva's Sugar Child!
Give an applaud!
Thank you guys, for supporting me!}