Subaru backs up towards the headboard of her bed, away from Rem.
Subaru: (Rem... he killed me like that...)
Rem: [Are you alright, Ma'am?]
Her eyes twitch in fear as Rem reaches out. She closes her eyes, terrified.
Emilio: [Are you alright? I heard screaming.]
Ram: [She began screaming when she woke up. She's scared of Ram's cute little brother for some odd reason.]
Emilio turned to Subaru.
Emilio: [Did something happen?]
Subaru looked down.
Subaru: [Nothing happened between me and them.]
Emilio sighed and looked to Ram.
Emilio: [She suffered a reaaally bad injury to her stomach, so maybe she's scared because of that. Just let me handle this, okay?]
The twins nodded and left the room. Subaru calmed down, watching as Rem left.
Subaru: [Emilio-Kun. Um... Good mo... morning. I... I don't know what got to me for a second there. I'm all better now, okay?]
She tried to fake a smile as Emilio sat next to her.
Emilio: [You're scared, right?]
Subaru: [I... I am.]
Emilio: [You got reaaally hurt because you were trying to help me. I'm sorry for causing you trouble.]
Subaru: [It's not your fault.]
Emilio: [You're scared because of Elsa, right?]
Subaru: [No.]
Emilio: [What is it then? You can talk to me.]
Subaru: (If I could tell him about it, I would. Wait...)
Subaru: [That's it.]
Subaru: (I shouldn't try to just shoulder this alone, right? I can tell him, right?]
Emilio: [Are you sure you're alright?]
Subaru: [There's something I want you to know.]
Emilio: [Okay.]
Subaru: [Emilio... Several times up until now, I've di...]
The world froze as a black fog engulfed the area around her, and a black hand reached out to her. It twisted around her and reached at her back, grabbing her heart from behind.
Subaru: [Argh!]
Emilio: [Are you okay? What happened all of a sudden?]
Subaru: (For a second, I felt like... I was going to die. I couldn't move or speak. I... Ugh...)
Subaru was shivering in fear, her pupils shrunken.
Emilio: [Wh... what's wrong? You're acting reaaally strange. If something is going on...]
Subaru: [I'm scared... of everything.]
Emilio: [Of... everything?]
Subaru: [Ever since I came to this country, I feel like my life... has been hanging on a thin thread.]
Emilio: [... It's okay. I'll protect you.]
Subaru: [Protect me... how?]
Emilio: [We can make sure someone is with you at all times. We'll keep you safe.]
Subaru: [Then...]
Emilio: [Hm?]
Subaru: [I want Beatrice to take first watch.]
Emilio: [Beatrice? Well... alright.]
Emilio: (I wanted her to depend on me, but...)
He slowly walked out of the room.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Subaru sat in her bed thinking about everything.
Subaru: (I'm scared. I only died twice in the capital. What if that's the limit of my power? What if it's like those video games where you get three lives? What if this is my last life for this checkpoint? If I die again, will it... be permanent?)
She had a haunted expression on her face.
Beatrice: [That's quite the cowardly look on your face, I suppose.]
Subaru turned to see Beatrice.
Subaru: [You came.]
Beatrice: [It's infuriating that I'm tasked with protecting you, I suppose. But since Bubby asked, I'll do it.]
Subaru: [I see. So Emilio asked Puck to convince you, huh?]
Beatrice: [Consider yourself lucky, I suppose.]
Subaru: [Lucky...]
Subaru let out a soft chuckle for a second. It was devoid of joy.
Beatrice: [Hm? Not as energetic as before are you, I suppose.]
Subaru: [I want to ask you some things.]
Beatrice: [Hm? Betty never agreed to that, I suppose.]
Subaru: [Please just... at least consider my question.]
Subaru's voice cracked as she said this. Beatrice sighed in response.
Beatrice: [You're truly hopeless, in fact. Betty will answer it if it isn't a stupid question, I suppose.]
Subaru: [Is there any kind of magic that weakens someone and kills them as if putting them to sleep?]
Beatrice: [There is, I suppose. But it's not so much magic as it is a curse, I suppose. There are many such things among the spells that shamans specialise in.]
Subaru: [Sha...mans?]
Beatrice: [Magicians. However, shamans are a subclass of magic and spirit arts users that originate in the northern nation of Gusteco, I suppose. They're all quite useless and not to be taken seriously. But there is an easier method than a curse, I suppose.]
Subaru: (There's an even easier way to kill me. Great.)
Beatrice: [Mana is a fundamentally important part of any person's life force. If that mana were to be drained to an excessive degree, it could cause what you described, I suppose.]
Subaru: [Can... can anyone do that mana-sucking thing?]
Beatrice: [That's an absolutely terrible way to put it, I suppose. In this mansion, only Bubby and I can. Even Roswaal can't.]
Subaru: [You... wouldn't have any reason to use that on me, would you?]
Beatrice: [Betty doesn't have time to do such a thing to you, I suppose.]
Subaru: [Then it's a pretty rare ability, is it?]
Subaru: (Would Puck do it? No. I saved Emilio-Kun at the loothouse, so I don't think he'd repay that by killing me.)
Subaru: [Then please continue to not find the time to use that on me. I'm short on blood, so I'd die in an instant.]
Beatrice: [Yes, all your organs were restored, but your blood wasn't replaced, I suppose. Well, Betty has no obligation to do that, anyway, in fact.]
Subaru: [My organs... were restored?]
She looked down at her stomach.
Subaru: [You're making it sound like you were the one who healed me.]
Beatrice: [Bubby and that girl stabilised you while I healed you, I suppose.]
Subaru: [It did seem like Emilio-Kun's tank was running low.]
Beatrice: [Tank?]
Subaru: [Uh, it's nothing. Don't worry about it. And um...]
She got up and bowed.
Subaru: [Thank you for saving me, Beako.]
Beatrice: [Hm... Betty will accept your gratitude if you give her sweets, I suppose.]
Subaru: [I'll make sure to repay you. I promise.]
Beatrice: [Hm... make sure you do, in fact.]
Subaru nodded. Beatrice put down some books on Subaru's bed.
Beatrice: [At least distract yourself reading these and don't bother Betty, I suppose.]
Subaru picked them up.
Subaru: (I might as well read these again.)
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Ram walked into the room, relieving Beatrice.
Subaru: [So it's your turn to babysit me.]
Ram: [It seems like you've calmed down, Ma'am.]
Subaru: [You guys are keeping me safe, so yes, I'm feeling a bit better.]
Ram: [Can Ram ask? What brought about that reaction in regards to Ram's cute little brother?]
Subaru flinched.
Subaru: [I um... for some reason, he reminded me of a very bad memory.]
Ram: [I don't understand why Ram's cute little brother would trigger such a response from you.]
Subaru: [An unfortunately similar... hairstyle.]
Ram: [I see.]
Ram was suspicious but could tell Subaru wasn't lying. She sat down on Subaru's bed and drank some tea.
Ram: [Would you like some, Ma'am?]
Subaru: [I could go for some tea.]
Ram poured some out for her into a cup and handed it to her. Subaru took a sip.
Subaru: [Sorry to say, but this tea isn't really very good.]
Ram: [It's wasted on you.]
Subaru sighed.
Subaru: (She's the same as always... but in that last loop...)
"'Ram: [I'm sorry, Bara... Subaru. I'm going to find out what caused this.]'"
Subaru: (She really did care...)
Subaru looked into Ram's eyes.
Subaru: (Why is her brother different? ... wait... the『Warlock's Scent』. Ram told me about it. But did I really smell that bad that he killed me like that?)
Ram: [I heard Beatrice-sama gave you some books to read. Did you enjoy them?]
Subaru: [Yeah, they were nice. The morals were just slightly different from the stories I read in my home.]
Ram: [Your home. Then, as Emilio-sama said, you are not from Lugunica.]
Subaru: [I'm not. I'm from a completely different world.]
Ram: [Claiming to be from beyond the『Great Waterfall』? You're aware that...]
Subaru: [Most people who say that are con artists, but I'm serious.]
Ram: [...]
Subaru: [My world is so much more peaceful. At least in the places where most people live. You don't generally have to worry about getting killed in your sleep or anything like that.]
Ram: [You say that as if someone has attempted to do that to you.]
Subaru: [...]
Ram: [Hm...]
Subaru: [What is it?]
Ram: [Tell me about your world.]
Subaru: [You're... actually interested?]
Ram: [Don't bore me by making me wait, Ma'am. If I have nothing better to do, I might as well indulge your fantasies.]
Subaru began talking about her world as Ram listened to her.
Ram: [So you're saying your world doesn't have magic?]
Subaru: [Well, I can't be certain of that after everything, but if you went to my world and told them you could use magic, they'd assume you're a con artist or laugh at you.]
Ram: [Everything you've described... It's too detailed to be a lie.]
Subaru: [Oh... how about I tell you about some fairy tales from my world?]
Ram: [Hm?]
Subaru: [You guys gave me books to read about your fairy tales, so I should return the favour.]
Ram: [Very well. Ram will continue to indulge you.]
Subaru: [How about... The Red Oni That Cried.]
Ram looked surprised.
Ram: [The Red Oni That Cried?]
Subaru: [Oh, you look interested. Listen closely, okay?]
Subaru then told her the story.
Ram: [That's a sad story.]
Subaru: [Yeah, it is. I think the lesson of that story was to treasure what you have and not...]
Ram: [All the characters are stupid.]
Subaru: [Eh?]
Ram: [All of them.]
Subaru: [I can't say I disagree. I both love and hate that story a lot. The blue oni's self-sacrifice is really appealing, but it's stupid because he gets nothing out of it. I'm the type that likes to be rewarded for the effort I put in, and I want others to be rewarded for their effort, too.]
Ram: [So that's what you think, but I think it's the red oni that is beyond help. He dragged the blue ogre into his own desires, and as a result, he lost nothing.]
Subaru: [Then... what should they have done?]
Ram: [The red oni should have broken off his horn if he really wanted to become friends with the humans.]
Subaru: [That's... really extreme.]
Ram: [I guess that it is.]
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Days passed as everyone but Rem took shifts watching Subaru. Roswaal informed Subaru of her Royal Candidate status as she faked surprise. Subaru had nightmares of Rem killing her, but then she remembered a sensation. As if... someone had held her hands. Then it came. The final day. The fourth and final day. Subaru woke up to see Beatrice watching over her.
Subaru: (The fourth day... I made it.)
Subaru smiled, feeling full of energy.
Subaru: [I... really made it.]
Beatrice: [Hm? What's got you so excited now, I suppose?]
Subaru: [I'm alive!]
Beatrice looked at her, confused.
Subaru: [Beako. You didn't hold my hand in your sleep, did you?]
Beatrice: [Betty didn't, I suppose.]
Subaru: [Flat out denial, huh?]
Subaru walked out of her room.
Beatrice: [You're leaving, I suppose?]
Beatrice followed behind, confused at her sudden behaviour.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Subaru walked outside and saw the sun through the window.
Subaru: [It's really the next day. I'm really alive.]
Beatrice: [What are you going on about, I suppose? Hm? I've been called.]
Subaru: [Called?]
Beatrice walked away, and Subaru then saw Emilio.
Emilio: [You're outside your room, Subaru-sama...]
Subaru smiled.
Subaru: [Just call me Subaru. I'm feeling great right now.]
Emilio: [You are?]
Subaru: [Yeah. But...]
Subaru saw how Emilio looked. He seemed unhappy.
Subaru: [Are you okay?]
Emilio: [Subaru... something happened.]
Subaru: [Something happened?]
Emilio: [Could you come with me?]
Subaru nodded as Emilio led him to a room, and Subaru heard Ram crying out.
Ram: [No!!!]
Subaru: [Wha...?]
They entered the room as Subaru saw Ram crying over Rem's body. He was dead.
Subaru: [How... Why is Rem dead?]
Roswaal: [He died of weakness. It was as if he just fell asleep.
Subaru: [Huh?]
Roswaal: [The method was more of a curse than a spell.]
Subaru: [A curse...]
Subaru: (Like the one that killed me?)
Subaru slowly walked over.
Subaru: [Ram...]
Ram ignored her, just continuing to cry. Subaru gritted her teeth.
Subaru: (Why... why is this happening? I don't understand. Was I not the target? Then this curse... is indiscriminate?)
Roswaal: [Hm? Cooould it be that you know something Suuubaru-sama?]
Subaru: [No... I don't... but let me think.)
Subaru: (Just like any teenage girl, many of my days were filled with angsty true crime documentaries. Looks like I'll have to solve this mystery.)
She thought this energetically but sighed.
Emilio: [Subaru?]
Subaru: [Please give me some time to think this through.]
Emilio nodded.
Subaru: (Let's figure this out. I was the first person to be cursed, but since I stayed in the mansion, I wasn't cursed, which means leaving the mansion is the trigger for the curse.)
Subaru: [Did Rem leave the mansion at some point?]
Ram: [Yes... he did.]
Subaru: [I'm assuming that everyone has at least a good enough relationship as to not kill each other, so it should be obvious that this happened while Rem was outside. Did he go to Irlam village?]
Ram looked to Subaru.
Subaru: (You wanted to find out who it was in my last loop. I'm going to do the same for you.)
Ram: [Yes... he did. To...]
She held in her sobs.
Ram: [... to restock our... supplies.]
Subaru: [Was there anyone in the village who was suspicious?]
Ram: [Suspicious? In what way?]
Her tears were staining her face, but she looked determined.
Subaru: [It's actually better if we go down there and check it out.]
Subaru turned to the door.
Subaru: [If you want to stay with Rem, that's fine too.]
Emilio walked over.
Emilio: [If someone cursed Rem, then you'll be in danger too!]
Subaru: [This was either unintentional or... something without human intelligence did it.]
Ram: [Without human intelligence?]
Subaru: [Think about it. Who would curse a butler? Rem didn't have any enemies, right?]
Ram: [No... Ram's little brother... doesn't have enemies.]
Subaru: [Even if it was possible for it to be unintentional, shamans are super rare, right?]
Beatrice: [Betty can confirm this, I suppose.]
Beatrice: (The questions she asked before are suspicious, but there was always someone watching her, and her expression really showed that she was shocked, so... she's likely innocent, I suppose.)
Beatrice: [Then it's likely a mabeast, I suppose.]
Emilio: [That's not possible, the barriers should still be in place.)
Subaru: [Let's go and investigate.]
Subaru, Ram and Emilio left the room.
Subaru: (It's like I've been cursed, and I don't mean by a shaman.)
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To Be Continued
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Rating Out Of 10 For This Part:
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