L18. The Girl Gradually Understood Everything
"On the surface, Subaru seems like just an ordinary servant gradually fitting into the mansion, but he..."
After returning to the mansion, Otto, who had been asked to monitor Subaru, reported on his condition.
A strong sense of wariness appeared in Otto's eyes due to Subaru's actions.
Looking at the documents Otto handed over, Reinhild also understood Otto's concerns.
In just a day and a half, the boy named Natsuki Subaru had built a good rapport with the mansion's most elite people.
"If you map out his movements, you'll see he practically seized every opportunity to be alone with each strong individual.
I even tried making a strategy guide for how to most efficiently gain favor with powerful figures—but Subaru's movements were even more perfect than mine.
Lady Reinhild, you get what I mean, right?"
Reinhild certainly understood Otto's implication.
But recalling the boy's condition when she had left, the girl hesitated—then shook her head.
"He's my benefactor. He hasn't done anything harmful to the mansion. But I do understand your concerns—I'll use a Divine Protection to confirm it."
Reinhild made her decision.
As expected, she "coincidentally" encountered Subaru based on Otto's projected movement path.
"Reinhild?"
The boy's voice was filled with surprise—pure, honest surprise, as if her appearance here was utterly inconceivable, to the point the mask on his face slipped off.
"Subaru?"
"Sorry... just surprised. Didn't expect you to come back so soon."
It was as if the boy had been certain she wouldn't return today.
Yet when she did come back early, his emotion was joy.
For the first time, Reinhild found herself facing something so completely inexplicable—or rather, ever since meeting Subaru, she had felt lost every single day.
In any case, the boy bore no ill will.
If he truly did, there's no way he would have been happy about her return.
Speaking of the capital, Reinhild suddenly recalled what Roswaal had said.
Looking left and right, she still couldn't sense any of that supposed affection (like Wilhelm's gaze).
—Should I ask directly?
Then...
Reinhild hesitated.
She wasn't the type to beat around the bush, but she was also considering the consequences.
Even if she asked, what would it change?
Right now, the most she could do was see Subaru as a friend.
Even if she truly did come to like him, for the sake of the country, she could never agree to such feelings.
If he doesn't like me, that's fine. But if he does...
Reinhild could feel the heavy negativity in Subaru's heart, and she paused.
Swiftly cutting through might lessen his hurt in the short term, but right now, even that "lesser pain" could be the final straw that breaks him.
"How was yesterday? Did you sleep well? Getting used to work?"
"Need a boost? Subaru, if you're having trouble, you can come to me."
"Mhm. See you tomorrow."
"...This is the letter he asked to be passed to the blue-haired maid. The other party should be related to the Oni race."
Although Reinhild had guessed from Subaru's nervousness yesterday what he might do today, hearing her subordinate's report still left her a bit shocked.
"Lady Reinhild, what do you plan to do?"
Faced with Otto's question, Reinhild hesitated.
Originally, Otto had people tailing Subaru.
If she hadn't swapped them out for gentler ones, Subaru wouldn't have been able to cause such a commotion.
Fiddling with the letter in her hands, thinking of how Subaru constantly refused to ask her for help, recalling his fear over the past few days, remembering what he did today—Reinhild finally made a decision.
"Witch Cult Sin Archbishop! Leader of an assassination group! Authority of body transformation!"
After reading the letter's contents, although many questions remained, several things started to connect: what Subaru was facing, what he was afraid of, why he couldn't sleep.
"I should have realized it sooner.
With someone who emits such dense witch miasma, there's no way the Witch Cult would leave him alone.
Otto, find those twin maids—but don't act, just keep eyes on them."
"What will you do?"
"Whether it's repaying my debt to him, or fulfilling my duty as a member of the Royal Knights—I have no reason to let a Sin Archbishop of the Witch Cult go."
"Indeed."
After resolving the mercenary situation, Reinhild headed to Subaru's room.
Her thoughts were simple: if he couldn't sleep because he feared assassination by a Sin Archbishop, then she'd stand guard for him. If the enemy came, even better.
"Disguises mean nothing to me—and that tear-streaked smile is far too fake."
For the first time, she saw Subaru's true expression behind the mask.
It was a weak one, like a child awaiting parental scolding.
But Reinhild had no intention of blaming him.
Everything he had done was merely to protect himself.
"...I'll be here reading."
In that moment, Subaru fell silent.
His eyes were filled with nostalgia, tears forming.
Instinctively, his hand reached toward her.
Love surged in his eyes—but then turned into overwhelming guilt and pain.
"Planning to interrogate me once I'm rested? Actually, people are easier to break when tired—TV shows always have exhausted interrogations. Do I really look that frail, like the world's weakest person in all history..."
Once again, Subaru began bluffing.
Reinhild gradually understood: Roswaal was partly right.
Subaru really didn't love Emilia. But he also didn't love Reinhild.
He loved a dead girl who looked very much like Reinhild.
—That's good. That's better. Because I'm Sword Saint Reinhild.
"Well, not yet. Physically intact. I'll be fine after one cup of coffee..."
The boy forced himself.
"No, I'm just scared... really scared."
The boy stood firm.
"—It's been so hard! It hurts so much!"
"!"
"So very... I can't do anything, can't accomplish anything. I keep thinking and thinking, but I can never find the path to success..."
"Mhm."
"I tried... I kept fighting in this hell!"
"Mhm, I know."
"I love it here... I worked so hard to bring back peace... I couldn't explain it to them, so I had to do it myself. I had to make myself hated... hated but... ugh."
"Is that so... Then I swear on my sword, I will help you reclaim peace."
"Reinhild, this is—"
Shhh.
Using the Blessing of Silence, Reinhild cut off all sound around Subaru.
Being held by the hand, she nodded at Otto.
"He cried himself to sleep at last.
Subaru is a good kid.
Though because of the Witch Cult, he likes to shoulder everything alone.
But his goal is to protect the everyday lives of those he loves. Someday, he'll become part of this place."
"I see. We found them—but it seems they're tied up right now."
"Probably... back when his heart was broken, a girl once held his hand like this so he could fall asleep in peace. I'm just that girl's stand-in."
"Is that so? Even the Witch Cult has people like that?"
"Mhm. Tonight might be the last peaceful moon-viewing we'll have——"