Allies
There was something special about Lugunica's air. Not only was it bereft of Earth's pollution, but the magic that permeated the atmosphere intoxicated the senses.
Of touch, like a gentle massage brushing over his skin.
Of smell, like a freshly baked pie drifting out of a nearby window.
Of taste, like the sweetest of honey.
Of sight, like softly swaying grass in the breeze.
Of sound, like a conductor's masterful command over an orchestra.
Subaru was one of the lucky few capable of feeling mana in such a way, and he reveled in the sensation.
Satella, on the other hand, loved the air for an entirely different reason.
"I did it," she whispered in awe. Her eyes widened as she took in her surroundings. "I… I took off my hood… in public." She felt the tips of her ears. "The morning air… it feels so lovely."
Subaru chuckled as he fondly said, "You're easy to please, you know that?"
"You say that, but you're talking to someone who's never been able to show her face without people throwing stones."
He sobered at the reminder. It seemed that no matter what world you were in, people were racist bastards.
He plastered a grin on his face. "Well, you won't have to deal with that anymore, 'Sorceress.'"
She gave a coy smile. "Mhm. That makes me happy, 'Sage.'"
Satella and Subaru. The Sorceress and the Sage. They went from nobodies to veritable celebrities, and their reputation only grew in the following year. After all, they weren't exclusively healers; with time and practice, the two had become masters at all kinds of magic, though they still preferred one area.
Satella, true to her roots, was an expert healer. Mortal wounds and deadly diseases cowered before her gentle touch. Subaru couldn't help but compare her feats to those of biblical figures from his homeland.
Subaru, on the other hand, was a master of combat magic. It was a well-known fact that if a monster was terrorizing the countryside, the Sage would come to drive it off. Still, just like Satella, he was quite the accomplished healer. He doubted he'd ever reach her level, but that was fine with him.
Currently, they were traveling to the fledgling settlement of Priestella. According to some reports, they had been hit with a pandemic, and no healer was able to find a cure. In other words, the perfect job for them.
On the road, they found an unconscious man. Subaru was willing to write it off as a random drunk who wandered too far out of town, but there was something strange about his aura.
Satella must have noticed it, too, for she dashed towards the fallen man and kneeled before him. She held her palms out as the thick presence of her magic permeated the area. "He has no mana," she muttered. "That's not an issue for a normal human, but…"
Subaru sat beside her as she worked, idly noting, "He's not a human. He's a spirit."
She narrowed her eyes in thought. "But what spirit would have such a poor mana absorption rate? The only one I know with a problem like that is…" She trailed off and clenched her fists. A spark of anger, or perhaps hurt, entered her eyes. "So, she made another."
He looked at her in confusion. "Who made a what?"
Taking a shaky breath and steeling her gaze, she ignored Subaru's question in favor of giving him an instruction. "Get me my canteen," she ordered. "He'll be thirsty when I'm done with him."
He turned away for a moment to grab the water. When he came back, the man was gone. Subaru was hit with a spot of panic as he asked, "What did you do to him?!"
Satella's back was to him, so he couldn't read her expression. "The water, please."
"B-but he –"
"Water," she snapped.
"R-right, sorry," he said meekly. He handed her the canteen and caught a glimpse of what was in her lap. His eyes widened. "Is that…"
"That's him, yes."
Subaru couldn't help it. He threw his head back and laughed. "You gave him a new body, just like that. You're incredible, Ella."
She blushed. "It's nothing special, really," she insisted. "His current body stopped absorbing mana, so I gave him another one. Simple as that."
"Only you would call it simple," he said, amused at her modesty. "I'm still struggling to create functioning limbs consistently, and here you are, turning humanoid spirits into… well, I'm curious as to how he'll see this."
Satella smiled fondly at the spirit. "Hopefully, he takes it well. He's cute."
"Should I be jealous?" Subaru asked mischievously.
"Of a cat?" she asked with a laugh. "Of course not."
The spirit blearily opened his eyes and yawned. Satella rushed to drop some water into his mouth and he lapped it up greedily. After drinking his fill, he looked around, and his eyes landed on Subaru. The spirit opened his mouth…
…and screamed in terror. "M-m-monster!"
"Come on," Subaru whined. "I'm not that scary, am I?"
Satella covered her mouth in a vain attempt to hide her giggles. "We're not monsters, silly. You're just a bit shorter now."
The spirit whipped around and almost screamed again before looking down at himself. "Paws," he whispered in awe. "I have paws." He put said paws on his face and felt around. "I'm soft… and fluffy. Does this mean I'm… cute?" A grin split his face in two. "This is amazing! Thanks so much! I always wanted to be cute like Betty!"
"Not the expected reaction for a humanoid turning into a flying cat," Subaru said lightly, "but I'm not complaining." He froze as the spirit's words caught up to him. "Wait, Betty? You wouldn't happen to mean Beatrice, would you?"
The spirit cocked his head to the side. "Blonde pigtails, butterfly-shaped pupils, red dress, looks about twelve-years-old?"
Subaru matched his movements. "Adorable as hell, perpetual frown, always ends her sentences with 'I suppose,' 'in fact,' or 'I wonder'?"
The two looked at each other strangely. "Huh," they said together.
"How do you know Beatrice?" asked Subaru.
"She's my sister," the spirit explained. "How about you?"
Subaru's eyes widened with realization. "You were made by Echidna," he said instead of answering the question.
The spirit frowned, but whether it was at Subaru's knowledge or him dodging the question, he wasn't sure. "I see you know of my… loving mother," the spirit said cautiously as if something dreadful would happen if he revealed too much. Knowing Echidna, that was probably true.
"You don't have to tell us anything if you don't want to," Satella soothed. "We're familiar with Echidna's methods."
The spirit sagged in relief. "I'm not sure whether to thank you for your understanding or to apologize for her actions, whatever they were."
Subaru and Satella glanced at each other. Apparently, they had not been mentioned. It seemed that ten years was nothing to a Witch who aimed for immortality. Still, Subaru couldn't help but ask, "Did Beatrice say anything about us?" Realizing they didn't give their names yet, he quickly added, "I go by Flugel, and this is my wife, Satella."
The spirit put a paw to his chin in thought. "Betty once said that there were other people where she came from but never elaborated."
Did that mean she was mad at them? Did she hate them? Subaru wouldn't blame her for either. "How is she?" he asked hesitantly. "Is she… okay? Happy?"
The spirit, oblivious to Subaru's tumultuous thoughts, flashed a smile. "Betty's doing great," he chirped. "She even made a friend, though she'll never admit it."
Subaru breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good," he said sincerely. "As long as she's okay."
"I was so worried she'd be lonely without us," Satella interjected with a sad smile, "but it makes me happy to know that she made a friend." The words, "I just wish I could be there to see it," went unsaid.
Subaru cleared his throat. "Anyway," he said, changing the subject, "I don't think we caught your name." He managed a shaky smile. "Mind giving it to us before you go back to… wherever you were going?"
"Of course!" The spirit floated into the air and grinned. "My name is Puck. Thanks so much for saving me!"
It was fascinating, Subaru mused, how some things seemed fated to happen.
The confrontation with Elsa in the loot house was a given, but that's because Felt stole the insignia right after his save point. There was nothing he could do.
However, everything after that was different. They had killed multiple Sin Archbishops in the past few months, and the Lugunican people were whispering on the streets about the "half-elf that's keeping them safe."
Emilia also said she loved him, but that was beside the point.
Almost nothing happened as it did the last time around, and history was forever changed. After all, it is said that the beat of a butterfly's wings could cause a tsunami on the other side of the world. Subaru took that to the extreme and created a black hole, destroying an entire forest and hundreds of mabeasts. That should have astronomical implications.
Despite that, he came back to the same place: in Crusch Karsten's mansion, recovering from serious injuries and being eyed critically by Felix Argyle, Wilhelm Trias, and the lady herself.
Sure, things were a bit different now. First, he didn't make a fool of himself at the Royal Selection. Hell, that event hadn't even happened yet. Second, Rem was still unconscious from mana exhaustion, though Felix said she would be up in a couple of hours. Instead, Beatrice and Emilia were locked to his side, refusing to let him out of their sight. Third, Felix despised Subaru for giving up on life, but that was understandable. Subaru wasn't a fan of himself at that moment, either.
The fourth significant difference was their political situation. Crusch didn't have a deal with Emilia. This time, they were in debt.
Subaru knew they needed to proceed carefully. They had to show gratitude, of course. They certainly felt grateful. However, too much thankfulness placed them at a disadvantage. Crusch's Camp saved their lives. She could demand anything from them.
Perhaps Crusch would ask them to drop out of the Royal Selection. Then again, that would imply they were viewed as competition. Crusch Karsten had nothing to fear from a half-elf. Still, the way Crusch was studying them, it seemed that she had an idea of what their goal was, and why that made them such a threat to her Camp. Maybe she figured out that Emilia was the half-elf that the public was whispering about.
Subaru knew that if they were asked to drop out, Emilia would say yes. Despite how it would ruin her, and demolish her chances of saving the elves, she viewed promises and debts above all else. Such was the way of a Spirit Arts User.
He wouldn't let that happen. Gathering his thoughts and taking a deep breath, he –
"We are in your debt."
'What.'
Maybe he didn't hear that right. Did Crusch, leader of the Camp that saved their lives, just say –
"The Royal Knights were scrambling to figure out what happened," Crusch explained, "until we found a young woman on the scene. She identified herself as 'Number 172.'" Her mouth twisted in distaste. "The sheer amount of emotional abuse that poor girl had gone through was frightening. It took some time, but we got enough information out of her."
Her eyes lowered in shame. "To think that someone so vile was committing such atrocities while surrounded by hundreds of knights… A blow to our pride of this magnitude has not been seen for generations." She shook her head to clear it, saying, "Regardless of our inaction, I'm glad Felix was nearby when your maid crashed through the wall. It wasn't difficult to discern that you were the ones to solve the issue. Healing you was the least we could have done."
She bowed her head, Felix and Wilhelm following suit. "Thank you for defeating one of Lugunica's most dangerous enemies," she told them sincerely. "As the head of the Noble House that bears the crest of the Lion King, I would like to offer you a boon. Name it, and if it is within our power, we shall provide it.
Subaru's heart pounded. This was it. One of their greatest obstacles in the Royal Selection could be removed. It was that easy.
...But could he do it? He cared about Crusch. He really, truly did. However, not two hours ago, he promised to lead Emilia to victory. He couldn't throw that away, for he was done breaking promises.
Still... he couldn't do that to her: to Emilia or to Crusch. It was wrong, and he hated himself for even considering it. He truly was the Sage.
So, what could they do? They could get anything. What did they need? What would Emilia accept? What was –
Emilia gently placed her hand on his leg, dragging him out of his racing thoughts. Her eyes were stern, and their message was clear. They said, "Let me handle this."
He wanted more than anything to press forward, but he had long ago learned to trust her.
And... he wasn't in a good place right now, was he? His judgment was off. Maybe it was okay for him to stand down.
"We appreciate your generous offer, Lady Crusch," Emilia said politely.
Crusch waved her off. "Please, Crusch is fine. You have earned my respect, after all."
Emilia hummed noncommittally, but it was obvious to anyone paying attention that she appreciated the sentiment. It was not often that one trusted a half-elf, after all. "Thank you, Crusch," she amended. "To fulfill the debt you owe, I would like to propose an alliance between our Camps."
It took everything Subaru had to not gape at Emilia. Was this girl for real?
It appeared that Crusch was wondering something along the same lines if her raised eyebrows were any indication. "An… alliance," she muttered in disbelief. "You could have asked us to drop out of the Royal Selection, and all you ask for is… an alliance."
Emilia shook her head vehemently. "Of course not. I must also request that you not reveal what Felix walked in on when he came to heal us." She lowered her eyes as she sorrowfully said, "More specifically, the mental state my knight was in."
Subaru's mouth dried up as he folded in on himself. He ruined it, didn't he?
"In my experience," she continued, "the general populace is not very… understanding."
'I'm such a fuck-up,' he thought ruefully. His emotions must have spilled over to Beatrice because she gave his hand a comforting squeeze.
"I don't want to ruin my knight's reputation over a single mistake," Emilia said, sending a shaky smile in Subaru's direction, "especially when he should be lauded as a hero. I think those two conditions are a fair trade for our deeds, right?"
He didn't deserve her.
Felix glared at Subaru, but he couldn't find it in himself to glare back. "Someone as selfish and cowardly as him should nyot be lauded as a hero," the demi-human spat.
Crusch held up her hand, ending the fight before it could begin. "Hush, Felix," she scolded. "I am aware of your views towards people in Subaru's position, but I will not have you insult our honored guest," she scolded.
Felix grimaced like he'd swallowed a lemon but backed off. "Apologies, Lady Crush. I will keep my temper in check."
"Thank you," said Crusch before nodding to Emilia. "That seems to be a fair trade. I accept your terms, Lady Emilia."
Emilia managed a smile. "It's Emilia. Only Emilia. Thank you, Crusch."
Crusch interlaced her fingers in front of her face. "Now, back to business. You've eliminated the Sin Archbishop of Greed," she stated matter-of-factly. "Is it a fair assumption to say that you are the half-elf that took down the Bowel Hunter and the Sin Archbishop of Lust as well?"
Emilia smiled proudly. "It was my Camp, yes, but I give credit where credit is due. All three were defeated because of my knight."
Subaru knew that his typical denial would get them nowhere and would only discredit her words. So, despite his tumultuous thoughts, he pulled out E·M·H.
'I'm surprised they gave this back to me,' he mused. 'I suppose it would look strange for a knight to be weaponless.'
Pushing it out of his mind, he explained, "This was Capella's dagger. She wanted to use it against the Sin Archbishops of Sloth or Wrath, but apparently, I pissed her off so much that she deemed me worthy." He put his hand on Beatrice's head, but she didn't protest. She just continued to hold onto him. "My spirit and I took care of Capella, and I named this dagger after Emilia as an act of spite."
Crusch looked impressed. "You must have considerable strength to defeat a fearsome foe."
Subaru shook his head. "My strength lies in my allies," he admitted. "I've done a few things, yeah, but I'm mostly the tactician behind our group of misfits."
Crusch wasn't deterred as she insisted, "But surely, you must have some incredible power that you're not telling us about."
Despite the emotional exhaustion plaguing him, Subaru laughed disparagingly. She had no idea how right she was, but Subaru wasn't lying, either. "I'm serious, Crusch. I got a few tricks up my sleeve, and they're certainly useful, but they don't do much in combat. I just happen to make some stupid plans up on the spot, and they happen to work."
Emilia was about to speak up but Beatrice beat her to it, saying, "Subaru is too modest, I suppose." Everyone's attention went to the great spirit, who had remained silent up until that point. "He defeated the Bowel Hunter in one-to-one combat while on the verge of unconsciousness, in fact," she revealed with pride in her voice. "Using his own power, he reverted the effects of the Authority of Lust, something previously thought to be impossible, I suppose. He guided my power to create a trap that light could not escape, killing the Sin Archbishop of Lust."
Emilia piped up, saying, "I decapitated Capella, and she didn't die. It just goes to show that what Subaru did was reeaally amazing."
Waiting for a moment to let that sink in, Beatrice continued. "Regulus was even harder to kill because even if you put a knife to his throat, he wouldn't die. Subaru managed to kill him anyway, I suppose." Her eyes watered as she remembered how hurt her contractor was. "Subaru was moments away from dying, but he saved us all, in fact."
She sniffled but pressed forward, wanting to get her point across. "My contractor is not as strong as the other people in this room," she said softly, "but he uses what little power he has in such a way that he will always come out on top, I suppose."
He choked up, silently telling her, 'Thank you, Beako.'
She squeezed his arm tight as if she were afraid of letting go. 'Thank me by never forgetting that, I suppose.'
Emilia's features softened as she fondly said, "It's like I told you. My knight should be lauded as a hero."
Crusch looked contemplative before allowing herself a small smile. "I think this alliance would be more beneficial to my Camp than yours, but I digress. I accept your terms, Emilia."
It took some time to iron out exactly what the alliance meant, but it came down to a few key points.
One: No smear campaigns or sabotage of any kind against either Camp.
Two: If requested and the resources are available, the Camps must help each other in their battles.
Three: If one or both Camps is eliminated from the Royal Selection, they shall remain allies as a sign of good faith.
With their terms set, the contract was sealed. Subaru couldn't help but feel hopeful for the future. He knew more than anyone that having an ally like Crusch was no small boon.
Emilia, apparently, felt the same. "Thank you, Crusch," she said earnestly. "It will be an honor to stand by your side."
Felix spoke up with a playful grin. "Nyow, nyow, let's not get too excited. You may have just entered yourself into a life-or-death contract."
Crusch held up a hand but didn't look back. "So harsh, Felix," she said lightly. "No need to scare our honored guests."
"Bit too late, I suppose," muttered Beatrice.
"Ignoring my knight's attempt at humor, it would be nice to have your assistance, and…" Crusch's eyes shifted to Subaru for a moment, "…I'd hazard a guess that you're qualified."
'Oh, fuck,' he grumbled. 'She's gonna ask THAT.'
Beatrice looked at him questioningly. 'What, I wonder?'
Ignoring her question, he asked, 'How long until you're back to a reasonable power level if we don't have access to the Forbidden Library? Assuming Emilia helps, of course.'
She furrowed her eyebrows in thought. 'Define reasonable, I suppose.'
He paused for effect before telling her, 'Enough to take down the White Whale.'
'Wait, what –'
"Your fight is against the Witch's Cult," Crusch elaborated, unaware of the conversation happening before her, "and we've set our eyes on a… related entity, you could say." From behind her, Wilhelm tensed but remained silent. "I am talking, of course, about the White Whale."
Beatrice's eyes widened as she gaped at Subaru. 'How did you –'
'Can't tell you,' he said flatly.
'Gah, you're annoying, I suppose!'
Emilia looked nervous. "That's, um, quite the undertaking," she noted with a shaking voice.
Crusch's eyes gleamed. "Indeed, which is why it's relieving that we have an expert on our side."
All eyes turned to Subaru who sighed. "Let me guess," he muttered. "'Tell me everything you know about the White Whale.'"
Crusch raised an eyebrow, saying, "In more polite terms, but yes."
"You'll listen, even if the fundamentals go against common knowledge?"
"So, you do know something," she mused, leaning forward with interest.
He nodded. "Not enough to make things easier, but every piece of information helps, I guess." He placed his hand on his chin, trying to piece together the most relevant information. "Mana doesn't work against it, its mist can remove you from existence, it can split into three copies of itself, and its roar can break all but the most iron of wills. It was created four hundred years ago by D- the Witch of Gluttony, in a failed attempt to end world hunger."
Okay, maybe the last part wasn't critical, but he loved dropping truth bombs.
'Good job, I suppose,' Beatrice grouched. 'You took away their ability to speak, in fact.'
'That was my intention,' he told her, a bit smug at everyone's shocked face.
She huffed. 'Why don't you tell them that you used to make out with Satella while you're at it, I wonder?'
'…Who taught you how to talk like that?
"This is a joke, right?" Felix asked angrily. "Even children know that the mabeasts were created by the Witch of Envy." He turned to Emilia with a scowl. "You should keep your dog on a tighter leash. He might spread more lies."
Emilia frowned. "He's not lying," she insisted. "He simply has access to more information than most people do."
Felix let out a mocking laugh. "What, does he curate a massive library of forbidden knowledge or something like that?"
Emilia's eyes widened. "How did you know about the Forbidden Library?"
Felix rolled his eyes before realizing she was serious. "Wait, you're nyot kidding?" he asked incredulously. "What, is he some legendary scholar?"
"I prefer the term Sage," Subaru chimed in and promptly received a scowl from Crusch.
"That is a sacred title reserved for Lugunica's most revered hero," she said harshly. They may be allies, but Crusch's admiration of the Sage went far beyond any other loyalty. "While I applaud your accomplishments, I must ask that you refrain from calling yourself that."
Emilia let out a giggle before covering her mouth. Felix scowled at her, saying, "Your Camp's disregard to our legends and traditions nyotwithstanding, I'm curious as to why it's called the Forbidden Library."
Subaru gave a cheeky grin. "Now, now, it wouldn't be forbidden if I was allowed to tell you, now would it?" Felix looked disparagingly at him, and he relented. "Fine, fine. It's 'forbidden' because you need Beatrice's permission to access it, and she's picky about that kinda stuff." He looked fondly at the spirit who crossed her arms.
"Subaru only has access because I like him, I suppose."
Crusch looked thoughtful. "An archive of secrets viewed only on the whim of a great spirit," she mused as she eyed Subaru carefully. "I assume that's how you know about the White Whale's origins."
"It's a fair assumption," he said, narrowly falling under the radar of her Divine Protection. "All the mabeasts were created by Daphne. She was always hungry, so she tried making an alternative food source, but it backfired. They've caused untold harm to Lugunica, so I'm all for getting rid of them."
Emilia piped up, saying "I am, too. Where Subaru goes, I go."
From his corner of the room, Wilhelm smiled. "It almost seems like Sir Subaru is your leader, despite being your benefactor," he noted.
She smiled right back. "I wouldn't be here today if not for him."
After that, all they had left to do was plan.
Many hours later, Subaru collapsed onto his bed. "Nice of Crusch to let us stay here for a couple of days before we head to Reinhard's," he said idly. "I'm too tired to make it to an inn right now."
Beatrice sat on the edge of the bed and looked at him pitifully. "That's sad, I suppose. You did nothing all day, in fact."
Subaru cracked an eye open to glare half-heartedly at her. "Let me remind you that I'm still recovering," he grouched. "And hey, planning is hard. Don't you know how tiring it is to exercise the mind?"
"I read nonstop for four hundred years, I suppose," she informed him ever-so-helpfully. "Do you see me complaining, I wonder?"
He rolled his eyes. "You're not human. It doesn't count."
Emilia laid down beside him. "I don't know if it helps," she said with a yawn, "but I'm not human, and I'm reeaally tired."
Subaru froze. Was she in here this whole time?
She looked at him in concern. "Something wrong, Subaru?"
Was it just him, or was it getting hot in here? "Uh… Emilia-tan, you're, uh…"
'Help?' he pleaded. Beatrice stifled a laugh and ignored him.
Emilia looked worried. "Are you okay? Did I do something wrong?"
Subaru began to sweat. "N-not wrong, exactly, but… you're, uh…" he gulped. "In my bed."
She furrowed her eyebrows. "You were in my bed earlier," she pointed out."
He blushed. "How can you say that so casually?! And that was in the daytime, mind you!"
Emilia's eyes widened and she waved her hands in front of her face. "N-no! You're misreading my intentions!" she said quickly. "I just want to sleep with you!"
"That sentence doesn't make things better!" he cried.
With an impatient, huff, she shot back, "Well, I'm not leaving you alone, remember?"
Subaru's opened his mouth to respond before closing it with an audible click. "Should've known there were no hidden meanings," he mumbled.
"There's no need to tease me," she scolded gently. "I'm worried about you, Subaru."
"I'm –"
"Besides, Beatrice is in here," she reminded him.
His eyes glistened in hope. "So, if I kick her out…" He cut himself off at the twin glares he received. With a sigh, he told Emilia, "Look, it's kind of you to worry, but I'm fine."
She bit her lip. "I don't know that for sure," she pointed out. "I need to be here to keep you safe."
He squashed down the butterflies in his stomach as he protested, "B-but the scandal of a Royal Selection Candidate sleeping in her knight's bed –"
"Our alliance with Crusch forbids smear campaigns," she reminded him, and he felt his resistance slowly withering away.
He gulped. "Even so –"
She narrowed her eyes. "Subaru Natsuki, if you make me leave this room, then the moment you fall asleep, I will come in anyway. You're not getting out of this."
For a moment, he was surprised by the vehemence in her voice. Then, he laughed at his own stupidity. "Oh, what the hell," he said lightly. "Not like I haven't dreamed about this for ages."
She looked relieved. "So, you'll let me stay?"
"Yeah, you can stay." He adopted a stern expression and wiggled a finger in her face. "But no funny business, missy! I'll tell Puck!"
She pouted. "I had absolutely no plans, you pervert."
With a mischievous grin, he asked, "Should I be relieved, or insulted?"
She rolled her eyes but wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in the crook of his neck. Her warm breath sent shivers down his spine as he let himself relax. Not for the first time, and most certainly not the last, he asked himself what he did to deserve her.
"Just go to sleep, dummy," she mumbled fondly. Within a couple of minutes, her breathing evened out, and so did his. For the first time since he went back to zero, he slept without nightmares.
A few days of rest and recovery later, Subaru found himself in a carriage facing an embarrassed Emilia and an ashamed Beatrice as they left a very amused Crusch.
Subaru was too relieved to care.
Beatrice crossed her arms. "Was it worth it, I wonder?" she asked in disappointment.
Subaru nodded vehemently. "Without a doubt."
Emilia covered her face in her hands. "S-Subaru, you won't… do something like that in the Royal Selection, will you?"
"Of course, I wouldn't," he assured her. "I've already had that character development."
"I don't know what that means," she said, peeking through her fingers with a half-hearted glare, "but I'd be reeaally embarrassed if you pulled a stunt like that, mister!"
"Come on, it wasn't that bad," he defended. "All I did was –"
"Curl up and cry like an infant, I suppose," Beatrice said angrily.
He flinched at her glare. "They were trying to steal Patrasche from me!" he defended. That was a perfectly valid reason to throw a tantrum, wasn't it?
"No, you stole the ground dragon from them, in fact!" she shot back.
"I told you," Subaru explained impatiently, "I found her!"
"In Crusch's stables, I wonder?" she asked with biting sarcasm.
"In the Sanctuary, where you sent me!" At Beatrice's unimpressed look, he revealed, "Ella guided her there as a way to help me out."
Beatrice growled at her contractor's hopelessness. "That makes no sense, I suppose!" she snapped. "What, did she somehow possess Patrasche – from across the world, in fact – guide her all the way from Crusch's estate to the Sanctuary, maintain possession of her for days, lead her to you, and give up possession the moment you saw her?"
Subaru leaned back in his seat, satisfied. "I knew you'd understand," he said happily.
Beatrice gaped at his stupidity. "I was joking, I suppose!" she cried. "How would she know you were going to be at the Sanctuary, I wonder?"
Subaru waved a hand dismissively. "Ella's cool like that," he said flippantly.
They continued bickering until Rem interrupted them. "Subaru," she called from the front of the carriage. "Could you come here for a moment? I have a question."
"Got it, Rem-Rem," Subaru called back. Emilia's eyes followed him worriedly, and he sent her a reassuring smile. "I'm right here, Emilia-tan. Literally a few feet away. You can still see me." She didn't look happy but nodded, nonetheless.
'I messed her up,' he realized with a pang in his chest.
Pushing that out of his mind, he plopped down beside Rem and asked, "What's up?"
Her tone was light, but her face was carefully blank. "I wanted your opinion on where we should stable Patrasche for the night."
"Ah, so you called in the expert. How can I help?"
She tapped her nose twice. "I remember you told me that ground dragons sleep best when they're around a certain smell," she said with a bit of emphasis on the last word. "Considering your attachment to Patrasche, I was wondering if you happened to know hers."
Subaru stiffened. "What makes you think her preference isn't my smell?" he asked lowly.
She stared straight ahead, telling him, "Her focus is solely on something in the carriage directly in front of us.
Subaru narrowed his eyes. "Stable her at Reinhard's for now," he ordered. "Something tells me that whatever is in that carriage will show up at the Royal Selection. I want you to determine exactly what it is that Patrasche likes."
Rem nodded, her icy-blue eyes fixated on her upcoming task. "Understood. Should we ask Miss Emilia for her advice, as well?"
He shook his head. "No. She has enough to worry about. Let her give her speech and then we'll get her opinion." Subaru gripped her shoulder as he earnestly said, "Thank you, Rem. Seriously. We couldn't do this without you."
Despite their situation, she smiled, and his heart skipped a beat. "Well, I'll always be here. After all, you're hopeless without your allies."
He grinned right back. "That I am, Rem," he admitted without a hint of shame. "That I am."
Reinhard stood before an army of hundreds, head high and stance firm. The Dragon Sword Reid could not be drawn and not a single alternative weapon could be found. Because of the Manastone Bracelet he wore and the numerous Circles of Binding surrounding him, he was unable to use his Divine Protections.
He had naught but his fists and his fury.
Without a sound, Reinhard leaped forward at speeds unimaginable, tearing a hole through the stomach of his first foe. He whirled around and kicked an approaching enemy in the temple, sending it flying into a dozen more.
He grabbed another enemy and thoughtlessly tossed it to his right. Miles away, a woman screamed as a soldier crashed through her window.
Another soldier approached from behind, so Reinhard spun around and punched it, causing the head to explode. Its innards splattered over him, but he was not deterred.
Less than ten seconds later, the army was defeated. Reinhard stood tall, as tired as he would be if he had merely scratched behind his ear.
All around him, the magic training dummies disappeared into nothingness. Reinhard moved to activate the training protocol again: after all, this was only his two hundred and seventy-second repetition today. He needed to be stronger if he were to ever face someone like her again.
"Holy shit," a familiar voice exclaimed in awe.
Reinhard whipped around and, recognizing the voice's owner, smiled. "Good afternoon, Sir Subaru"
Subaru smiled back. "None of that "Sir" stuff," he said lightly. "I like to think we're friends, so Subaru works fine."
"I would be honored to call you my friend, Subaru," Reinhard said with the utmost sincerity. "You're a braver man than I could ever be."
It wasn't merely what he saw in Subaru's memories that led Reinhard to believe that. From what little he knew of the incident with Regulus Corneas, it wasn't difficult to discern that Subaru and Emilia were responsible. Reinhard was about to give his thanks when Subaru chuckle and said, "Your nice guy index is something else… Anyway, I'm sure you remember Emilia."
Reinhard turned his attention to the half-elf. "A pleasure to see you again, Lady Emilia," he greeted, making sure to use the proper title this time. "It brings me joy to know that you took my words to heart."
Emilia gave a kind smile. "Mhm. That I have, Sir Reinhard."
Reinhard's breath caught in his throat, but it was not because of Emilia's beauty. At that moment, he saw the monster from Subaru's memories. Cold hands wrapped around his neck and he couldn't breathe couldn't breathe –
He shook his head to clear it. This wasn't the Witch. Emilia was not lying when she told him that she had never been called 'Ella.' It was a potential nickname, sure, but it would make more sense for her to be dubbed 'Emma.'
But her eyes… that same mixture of kindness, love, and sorrow… There was a connection. There had to be.
"Hold on a moment," Subaru interrupted. "What did you tell her?"
Reinhard tore himself out of his musings. "Merely that you were a trustworthy individual. However, something tells me she already came to that conclusion."
Her smile was blinding, as if the Od Laguna itself was shining from her soul. "Mhm. Through thick and thin, Subaru and I have stuck together. I can't imagine a life without him," she said fondly.
Subaru couldn't meet her eyes. "Come on, EMT," he mumbled with a blush. "What happened to Miss 'Not in Public?'"
She cupped his cheek, forcing him to look at her. "Considering everything that's happened," she told him softly, "I think it's important that you hear me say that as much as possible."
Reinhard cleared his throat and the two jumped apart. "While I loath to interrupt," he said uncomfortably, "I believe it is only proper that I be introduced to the rest of your group."
"Right, right, sorry," Subaru muttered sheepishly. He pointed to a blonde child with butterfly pupils. "This adorable girl is Beatrice, Keeper of Secrets Most Ancient, and a great spirit," he explained. She didn't bother reacting. "I'm proud to say that I'm her contractor."
Reinhard raised an eyebrow. "A Spirit Knight, and to a great spirit, no less. My friend, Julius, would love to meet you."
Subaru scowled and Reinhard backtracked, quickly saying, "Apologies, Subaru. Whatever I said, I did not mean to offend you."
Subaru waved him off. "Don't worry about it. That name merely reminds me of a time that I'm…" He struggled with his words before settling on, "…not proud of. I'd be happy to meet your friend."
The last sentence sounded extremely forced, but Reinhard let it pass. "I see. And the lovely young lady in the back?"
The blue-haired girl looked like the woman in the snow. Countless nightmares flashed before his mind, but he shoved them down.
She stepped forward. "My name is Rem," she said, introducing herself with a bow. "I am a maid in service to Lord Roswaal L. Mathers. It is a pleasure to meet you, Sir Reinhard."
Reinhard plastered a smile on his face. "The pleasure is all mine." He jerked his head in the direction of his home, saying, "Please, come with me. While I would love to introduce you to the Lady I serve, I am afraid that she is unavailable at the moment."
Subaru's eyes widened before he let out a breathy laugh. He muttered something that sounded like "the butterfly effect is bullshit."
"Hmm?"
Subaru waved him off. "Nothing," he said dismissively. "Lead the way, Reinhard."
It was a quick tour, considering the size of the house. Reinhard crammed their brains with hundreds of years of Astrea Family History, and they absorbed the information like sponges. Divine Protections were useful for many things, and teaching was one of them.
At the conclusion of the tour, Reinhard turned to Emilia, saying, "If I may be so bold, I'd like to request a conversation with your knight."
Emilia looked confused. "Um, weren't you already –"
"Alone."
She was hit with a spot of panic as if leaving her knight alone would mean she would never see him again. Reinhard briefly closed his eyes in sadness. "There is nothing to worry about," he assured her. "I will not let him out of my sight for a single moment, and I like to think I'm proficient at protecting people."
She didn't calm down, so the blonde spirit grabbed her hand. "My connection with him will monitor his state, in fact. If anything happens, we will be right there, I suppose."
Taking the spirit's words to heart, Emilia took a deep breath and looked warily at Reinhard. Her amethyst eyes pierced his soul, and he wouldn't dare look away. "I'm trusting you, Sir Reinhard," she said softly.
He dipped his head in respect. "I'm honored, Lady Emilia. You will not regret this."
A whispered word and a quick hug later, Subaru was left alone with Reinhard. "You know." It wasn't a question.
"More like I recognize that look," Reinhard clarified. "The panic will disappear in a couple of days, but she will always worry. It will be at the back of her mind for the rest of her life."
Overwhelming guilt came over Subaru's face. "You're saying I broke her," he said, self-loathing etched across his features.
Reinhard shook his head. "She is still the same person," he told Subaru. "I'm saying that she was faced with the immediate possibility of losing someone precious to her, and she will always be afraid of it happening again."
Subaru considered Reinhard for a moment. "You speak from experience," Subaru realized sadly.
Reinhard looked off into the distance, drowning in memories. "I was blamed for the death of my beloved grandmother," he confessed. "My grandfather refuses to talk to me. My father is an abusive drunk. My mother is comatose. I am viewed as an international security threat. I am a monster first and a knight second."
He smiled ruefully as he admitted, "As an adolescent, I didn't take that well."
He knew the Od Laguna would not let him die. That didn't make the thoughts and feelings any healthier.
Unsure of how to respond, Subaru patted Reinhard's arm. "I can't claim to be in the same situation, but it seems we both know what it feels like to wonder if things would be better off if you just… disappeared."
Reinhard fiddled with his coat in an attempt to ground himself. "Indeed," he murmured. "It took a dear friend to pull me out of the abyss, and he had the same look in his eyes whenever I was about to leave his sight. Now, because of his help, I was able to discover my reasons to live." He eyed Subaru carefully. "I believe you had a strong reaction to his name earlier."
Subaru gaped before shaking his head to clear it, saying, "I don't know why I'm surprised. That kind of helpfulness defines Julius."
"Alongside his honor, loyalty, and mercy," Reinhard added. He wasn't sure how Subaru was acquainted with Julius, but from what little he knew of Subaru, he figured that questioning him would be pointless. "I feel like you would get along if you put aside your differences."
Subaru tensed, but he forced the words out. "I'm sure we would." Despite the angry tone, his eyes were genuine. Perhaps they would be good friends.
They stood in companionable silence for a moment before Subaru broke it. "You saw my memories."
"I did," Reinhard affirmed.
"I'm surprised she let you," Subaru told him, a bit of wonder in his tone. "I would have thought that you'd… I don't know, not die, because you're Reinhard, but at least –"
"The Witch of Envy almost killed me, yes." Reinhard's response was flippant, but it belied countless nightmares. "However, I seemed to have received some… permission… at the end of our encounter." He cast a sideways glance at Subaru, saying, "Perhaps it's just me, but it was as if I were confronting two separate people."
Subaru grimaced. "Yeah, pretty much. I know it's not in any history books, but the Witch Factor gave Satella an alternate personality. That's the one that doesn't let me talk about Re–"
Suddenly, he doubled over and clutched his heart, an expression of sheer terror on his face.
Reinhard grabbed Subaru by the shoulder with a steadying hand, asking, "Are you all right?"
Subaru took a deep, shuddering breath before standing a bit straighter. "I'm fine," he said weakly. "Just glad I didn't get my hopes up."
"I'm afraid I don't understand," Reinhard confessed. "What just happened?"
Subaru chuckled, but there was no humor to it. "Let's just say you weren't given as much permission as you thought."
Reinhard's face fell a bit. "I see," he muttered sadly. "So, you have suffered even more. After what I saw in the frozen wasteland…"
Subaru narrowed his eyes. "What exactly did you see? Were there any–" He shivered and stopped himself as if he remembered that he wasn't supposed to say anything. Reinhard couldn't help but wonder if the same power that almost ended his life was now threatening Subaru.
Getting himself back on track, he told Subaru, "Aside from my encounter with the Jealous Witch, I saw three events from your past life. The time she saved you in an alleyway, your proposal to her – my apologies for seeing such a sensitive moment – and your death in a frozen wasteland."
"Wait, but two of those were –" Subaru shook his head to clear it. "A-anyway… must be weird to know that the Sage was… well, me."
Reinhard gasped. Surely, he didn't hear that right. "You're… what?" he breathed.
Subaru, no, the Sage rubbed the back of his neck. "Oh, yeah, you probably didn't see any of that stuff," he said sheepishly. "Well, that's me: the biggest fuck-up in four hundred years."
Reinhard's hands shook as the words barely registered. "You're… the Sage? The man who saved Lugunica? The only man Reid Astrea respected as stronger than him? A being so powerful, even Volcanica bowed to his strength?"
The Sage blushed. "Th-that's, um –"
Reinhard placed a hand over his heart and bowed. His voice was thick with reverence and admiration. "This is a knight's – no, everyone's greatest dream. It is an honor to meet you, Shaula."
Reinhard's mind was racing. He was friends with the Sage. The Sage was in front of him. He could die happy, for he met the greatest hero to have ever walked the land.
The Sage was quiet. Did he not receive the Sage's approval? Was he not good enough? He glanced up to find the Sage… crying? A stricken look fell upon Reinhard's face. "My humblest of apologies," he said quickly. "I did not mean to offend you."
The Sage gave a choked laugh. "If you're sorry, then stop acting so… subservient," he mumbled. "It's just me."
Reinhard stood straight and tried to adopt a casual expression, failing miserably. Sweat rolled across his forehead from the exertion. "Why, yes, of course, Great Sage," he muttered before clearing his throat. "I mean, erm, Shaula."
That same look, like Reinhard had physically struck him. "Stop," the Sage whispered brokenly. "Stop using that name. I'm not… her."
Reinhard tilted his head, befuddled. "But… you're the Sage," he pointed out before berating himself. The man clearly knew who he was.
The Sage swallowed, like the words in his throat were physically paining him. "I was, but… Sh-Shaula… she was my apprentice. I made it so that all of my achievements were in her name." His face twisted as fresh tears ran down his cheeks. Loudly, he cried out, "She was so important to me, and I left her there! I did what Echidna did to Beatrice! And for what? An ambiguous instruction to wait?! She's alone, all alone because of me! Th-then, at the end, she probably… she might have been the one to… to find my…"
He stumbled slightly as if his emotions held a weight of their own. "I miss her so much!" he whimpered. "I want to see her, give her a hug, apologize, anything, but I can't! She's past that desert, and I can't cross it without M-Meili! It's my fault! She's all alone because of me, and I almost gave up my chance to save her!"
At that moment, Reinhard realized something that shattered his worldview: the Sage was not a great hero, but a man. A broken, guilt-ridden mess of a man who wanted nothing more than to have his loved ones back.
From his journey to repair Subaru's Od, Reinhard had learned that Satella was a good person, but had a split personality, presumably the Witch of Envy. For the Sword Saint to be so easily defeated, and to be saved by one whose name was taboo… It shook him to the core.
Three months ago, he would have proudly declared that some things in life were certain. The Sage was a valiant hero named Shaula. Reid Astrea was a gallant, chivalrous hero. Volcanica was a gracious, generous being, who offered his strength but would not fight. Satella was a being of pure evil, incapable of human speech or love. The entire continent knew these to be irrevocable truths.
Now, he didn't know what to believe. Everything had changed, except for two things.
One, his devotion to his Lady. He would do everything in his power to make her queen. Two, that the man in front of him was a good, albeit sad person trying to atone for unknown sins. These were not legends, passed down through the centuries. These were facts that he had seen with his own two eyes.
Subaru. Satella. Shaula. They were a family, torn asunder by mysterious circumstances. Reinhard vowed then and there to reunite them.
He grabbed a nearby ceremonial sword from its fixture on the wall. Then, he kneeled before Subaru, holding the flat of the blade in the palms of his hands.
Subaru's tears slowed to a mere trickle as his sadness was replaced by shock. "Wh-what are you doing?" he croaked, his throat raw from emotion.
"Please, indulge me," Reinhard said formally. "I have wanted to do this since I saw you in the wasteland. Your recent revelation has only strengthened my resolve." He lifted the blade so that it rested above his head.
"You are a stronger man than I, Sir Subaru Natsuki. For your defeat of the Sin Archbishops of Lust and Greed, for your actions in your past life, and for suffering as you have but standing proud today, you have my unwavering respect. The fact that you are the Sage only adds to my loyalty. While I cannot pledge my fealty, I would like to offer my assistance in any matter you desire. As long as your interests do not conflict with my Lady's, I will be at your beck and call. I, Sir Reinhard van Astrea, swear this on my honor as the Sword Saint."
Reinhard held his position, awaiting Subaru's response. Then, suddenly, Subaru broke out into hysterics.
Reinhard was taken aback. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't the tiniest bit hurt. "My apologies, but I don't see what's so funny."
Subaru gasped out a breath before doubling over again. "It's not you, it's just… my life is ridiculous!" he exclaimed. "I mean, seriously! Reincarnation, a love triangle between two girls who shouldn't even be two girls, and now Reinhard van Astrea is bowing to one of the weakest people in Lugunica!" Subaru grinned, albeit it wasn't indicative of happiness so much as instability. "I'm the Lolimancer, for fuck's sake! There's no way things can get any weirder!" He stopped short as abject horror overtook his features. "Oh, fuck, I just set a bunch of flags, didn't I? Knowing my luck, I just invited Pandora over for some tea."
Reinhard stood up, shaking his head to clear it. "You are a troubled man, Subaru. I would love to help you through it all, but I doubt I would be allowed to hear more than what you have told me."
"Not unless you like your heart being squeezed by a yandere Witch," Subaru muttered. He took a deep breath to calm himself before earnestly saying, "I'm glad to have you on my side, Reinhard."
"Of course," Reinhard said solemnly. "I would like to make something clear, however."
Subaru's face fell. "There's always a catch," he muttered, "isn't there?"
Reinhard didn't like to think of it that way, but he supposed it was true. "The way I understand it," he said slowly, gathering his thoughts, "the Witch of Envy is not Satella's original self, correct?"
Subaru nodded. "Satella was the gentlest person I've ever met," he said without a hint of deception. Had Reinhard not seen it himself, he might have sent Subaru to a healer for insanity.
For confirmation, Reinhard asked, "Do you intend to free her while eliminating the Witch of Envy?"
Subaru's eyes met Reinhard's resolutely. "I do. Do you intend to stop me?"
Reinhard shook his head. "No. However, if you fail, and the Witch of Envy remains the dominant personality…" His eyes hardened. "Well, you'll see why I'm known as a monster."
To his surprise, the younger knight only grinned. "Oh, that's it? Phew, I thought it would be something bad."
Reinhard scratched his cheek, saying, "I'll admit, I was expecting you to be a bit more intimidated."
"Well, that's only if I fail, right?" Subaru gave a thumbs-up and flashed a cocky grin. "I promised to save her, and that's the type of promise I'll never break."
A pause. Then, Reinhard smiled wider than he had all day, saying, "It seems I put my faith in the right person."
"Heh, glad you feel that way. So, you'll help me with anything, right?" At Reinhard's nod, Subaru leered and asked, "Aaaanything?"
Reinhard took a step back, warily saying, "I… may have left my offer too open."
Subaru dropped his façade and laughed. "Nothing like that," he said reassuringly. "I just wanted your help with a few fights, like against the White Whale. After all, I don't exactly have the same skillset as I used to."
Reinhard blinked. "That's… a more reasonable request." He'd have to ask Captain Marcus if he could leave the Royal Capital, but if he explained who he was helping, he was sure to get permission.
"Thought so," Subaru said with a smile. "I'll go check in with Emilia-tan; she's probably worried sick. Thanks again for letting us stay, Reinhard."
Of course, they would be allowed to stay. After all, they were friends.
But soon, they would be rivals in the Royal Selection.