On the road to the Watergate City, Priestella, a carriage filled with many loud individuals blew past.
"Subaru! Stop treating Beako-chan like that!" A sweet voice sounded while holding a hint of amusement, faking a motherly tone.
A chuckle came out of another speaker, a black-haired boy holding a grumpy blonde girl in both arms. Grinning from ear to ear while the little girl pouted in angry while being held on his lap.
"Sorry, Emilia-tan~!" The boy chuckled while ruffling the blonde spirit's head. "I just want to give Beako all the attention she needs. I mean, we will be too busy gushing about once we reach the Watergate City itself. I wouldn't want to make this loli feel left out."
The little twin-tailed girl sitting on his lap huffed in anger and kicked her heel into his leg, crossing her arms. "You would be a horrible contractor if a mere grand city takes your attention off of Betty's cuteness, I suppose. Hmph!"
An angelic giggle filled the carriage as the silver-haired princess sitting across from Subaru held her hand to her mouth.
Her beautiful amethyst eyes were filled with amusement. Her smile wide as ever, showing how happy she was sitting with the boy and his spirit girl.
The black-haired young-man didn't notice the beautiful lady's gaze on him, the task of appeasing Beatrice's anger at the forefront of his mind.
"Come oooonnnnn, Beakoooooo!" Subaru whined exaggeratedly as he hugged the small girl tightly.
"Hmph! You're lucky Betty is the most gracious and noble-hearted spirit there ever was, I suppose. Make sure to please your spirit with more head pats until this trip is over, in fact." Beatrice contentedly held her head high as she was patted affectionately and delicately hugged by her doting idiot of a contractor.
Subaru looked at Emilia with an exaggerated look of exhaustion. "It's hard being such an awesome single father… If only I had a loving wife to help me~"
The half-elf simply chuckled and shook her head, aiming a smile of amusement at the boy. "You're such a silly kid, Subaru."
The boy held his chest in pain and began gasping on his seat. "Emilia-tan broke through my heart once again!" Subaru gasped, clenching his shirt in faked grief. "Only my Beako's awesome cuteness could help me now!" The boy moved to hug the elegant blonde once again. The spirit proudly held her head high and let herself be engulfed in his warm arms.
"That's right, I suppose." She mused proudly as she enjoyed Subaru's embrace.
"I'm glad you're treating Beako-chan well, Subaru. Spirits are like family. You should always treat them with love and care."
Subaru shook his head, a soft smile on his lips, gazing at Emilia with understanding eyes.
"You shouldn't deal with such a troubling situation alone, Emilia-tan." Subaru gazed softly at the lady, noticing how she flinched.
Emilia looked down with a saddened smile on her face.
"I...I guess that my mind wanders to what me and Puck used to do every time I look at you and Beako-chan." As Emilia looked down in shame and equal sadness, Beatrice took the opportunity to gloat once again.
"You should be jealous, infact. Bubby is a wonderful spirit but Betty and Subaru are the best, I suppos-EHHHH!"
"No gloating over heartbroken beautiful ladies, that's a rule we agreed upon, Beako." Subaru held his finger up with a look of disappointment and sternness as the small spirit agonized over her twin-tails being sprung once again.
"Don't do that, I suppose! Betty's contractor is allowed to touch her but when she allows it, infact!" The loli screamed in outrage while Subaru kept his fatherly frown for a moment before turning to the beautiful half-elf sitting silently infront of him.
"Emilia-tan."
Hearing her name called, the lady raised her eyes to meet the sharp, shining ones of her knight.
Subaru knelt before her seat and held her hand boldly, smiling confidently and gazing up at her with a reassuring gaze. "Don't worry, Emilia-tan."
The half-elf's eyes widened as her cheeks warmed up. She tried to resist the urge to turn away from the prince-like stance the boy had so suddenly taken.
"S-Subaru… I'm not sad at all… " The lady stuttered, embarrassed by this display of affection from her knight. She glanced away from him, her cheeks warm and her heart beating with increased speed.
"Emilia…. I know that you've been missing Puck ever since the Sanctuary. I know that you've been waiting patiently to get him back so you can scold him for being such a horrible dad… "
"That's… " Not wrong, she finished in her thoughts. For a moment, the lady could only hold a disappointed expression, her knight's words resonating with her own sentiments. Her spirit father wasn't as malevolent as she wished him to be… but he was still her Puck.
She needed him.
And Subaru understood that, he squeezed her hand tightly and gained her attention by smiling up at her.
Emilia felt his warmth and love through this action and could only smile back at him as she gazed into his sharp eyes.
"It's why we're here." Subaru softly assured the beautiful lady. "My heart burns every time Emilia-tan gazes at me and Beako with such saddened eyes."
Emilia's already red cheeks managed to heat up even more. Her heartbeat growing faster as the boy delivered his charming words.
She was loved, cared for, and filled with warmth.
She could feel all of these emotions as Subaru held her hand and gave her his signature smile. A smile she adored so much.
"You're both idiots, I suppose." The knight and his mistress both looked startled as the loli gazed at them with clear annoyance.
"Why should we waste time about this, I wonder? We're already going to the Watergate City so we could bring Bubby back, I suppose. There's no need to be worried this much, infact."
As the small spirit turned her head away with a pout, Subaru and Emilia grinned simultaneously, giving each other looks of understanding.