Chapter 69: Puck's Little Scheme
Looking at Ram kneeling in the snow with a completely defeated expression, Subaru Natsuki shook his head helplessly.
"So this is how it turned out. If you guys had made a proper statue, I might have given you a high score. But now, you'll just have to wait until next time. I'm going to check out other people's works."
Leaving Ram and Rem behind, Subaru continued scoring the hard work everyone had put into their creations.
As time slowly passed, nearly all the works had been rated—except for one person's.
When Subaru reached where Emilia and Beatrice were, holding his score sheet, he stopped in his tracks, staring blankly at the sculpture before him, his mind momentarily shutting down.
It wasn't because the work was impressive, nor was it hideously ugly, but rather an indescribable mix of surprise and speechlessness.
"Yo, Subaru, you're here! Check out the sculpture me and Lia made. It's pretty good, huh?" Puck floated down from the snow sculpture and stopped in front of Subaru, crossing his arms proudly.
At Puck's words, Subaru's stalled mind finally began working again. He glanced at Puck's proud look, then at the sculpture, and pointed a finger at it.
"Puck, you say this is yours and Emilia's work?"
"Yeah! What do you think? Isn't it amazing?"
"Yeah, it is amazing... but I have a few questions."
"Hm? What's wrong with it?" Seeing Subaru's expression, Puck looked puzzled and turned to look at the sculpture again. It seemed like he hadn't noticed anything strange.
"That guy is me, right?"
"Right."
"Then what's under his feet...?"
"Of course, it's the beast Ulgram."
Subaru nodded in understanding. "Oh, so this is depicting me fighting those beasts... but why does it look like I'm holding someone?"
"Nope, remember? You were in a sorry state back then. If I hadn't arrived just in time, those beasts would have torn you to pieces. So this is a tribute to your heroic figure," Puck said excitedly.
He didn't notice Subaru's increasingly uneasy expression.
"The inspiration came from the villagers. While I was scoring other works with you, I saw many people sculpting statues of you. So I thought, to make everyone aware of Subaru Natsuki's heroic deeds, I made this piece."
"The boy named Subaru Natsuki, to save the village and a certain girl, fought numerous beasts alone. After a bloody battle, he successfully rescued the girl, Emilia."
"So the person I'm holding is Emilia?"
"Isn't that obvious?"
"What's obvious about it! This is wrong! Why make such a humiliating statue that looks embarrassing to anyone who sees it!
Also, Subaru's facial expression is clearly off—it looks like 'I'm the best in the world and no one can beat me.' And Emilia's face doesn't look like someone who's been saved—it looks like she's about to cry! If the villagers see this, they'd think I'm some kind of villain who forcibly took a woman!"
"Really? I don't think it's bad at all. Emilia's expression doesn't look like she's crying; it's clearly a shy blush. And Subaru, that expression of yours looks cool."
"Cool my foot! What are you thinking?"
"Subaru."
"Hm?" Subaru looked at Puck, whose expression had become serious, confused about what he meant.
"Are you not satisfied with Lia? Don't you want to be the hero who saves her and wins her heart?"
"That's not it! Sure, every guy dreams about being a hero saving a beauty, and capturing Emilia's heart, someone so pretty, is definitely satisfying. But that expression of 'Subaru' is just too punchable—it makes me want to just give up and atone for it!"
Subaru spoke quickly, looking like he had a toothache, then sighed helplessly and picked up his score sheet to write a grade.
"Although I really want to give you zero, putting my feelings aside, this is actually a pretty good piece. So I'll give you..."
"Give?"
"Three points."
"Huh?!"
"Yeah, that's it! I'm the type to act based on my emotions, and three points is already out of our friendship!"
"Does that mean our friendship is only worth three points to you?! Besides, this isn't just your work alone."
"Ah... seven points then... I'm going to check Beatrice's work now. Have fun on your own."
As Subaru walked away, Puck smiled faintly and called out.
"Subaru, if one day Lia is in trouble, isolated and helpless, and if saving her means you'll die, will you still save her?"
Subaru stopped in his tracks, looked sideways at Puck with a dumbfounded expression, and said,
"Are you stupid? Do you even need to ask? Of course, I'd save her."
"You'd die."
"That's no reason to turn a blind eye. It's just death, after all. If that day comes, I'll die countless times until I rescue Emilia. Don't ask such obvious questions—it's a bit embarrassing to talk about. Now, I'm off."
Watching Subaru walk towards Beatrice, Puck's face calmed.
He clearly understood what Subaru would do in that situation—not because of Emilia's special status, but because Subaru would do that for anyone.
Understanding this, Puck had no intention of telling the person who had been eavesdropping behind the statue.
Floating slowly behind the statue, Puck looked at Emilia crouching on the ground covering her face and said,
"That's what he said."
Emilia didn't respond, but Puck knew exactly how she was feeling right now.
"Puck... I didn't mishear, did I...?"
"Nope, he really said that, and that's how he feels. So, Lia, you've got to work harder!"
"Ugh~~~~~"
Meanwhile, Subaru hadn't noticed the trap Puck had set.
He was still staring silently at the statue next to Beatrice. He couldn't say a word.
Because this sculpture was just like the first one Emilia made.
Again, it was a statue of Puck, but this time the two sculptures lacked any imagination whatsoever.
At the very least, there should have been some resemblance—like the tail, the ears—but none. This made Subaru suspicious that Puck might have other forms.
Thinking this, Subaru looked at Beatrice's sculpture, his body shuddering as fear took hold of his thoughts.