"A bard's coming to the village?" Subaru said in surprise, repeating the unexpected word as if to confirm he'd heard it right.
He turned around, holding a dust cloth in one hand. As usual, he wore his butler uniform—still not quite a natural fit on him—and was awkwardly wiping the window.
The Witchbeast attack that had surrounded both Roswaal's mansion and Arlam Village—located nearby—had been resolved without any casualties, but not without scars. Subaru's own wounds were a literal mark of that hard-earned victory. Now that the chaos had settled, life in the mansion and the village was returning to normal. While still in recovery, Subaru threw himself into chores around the mansion, using them as part of his rehab.
"Yes, a bard! Ram told me about it when she came back from the village. Have you ever seen one before?" Emilia responded, her voice as light and clear as a silver bell.
Her long, silver hair swayed slightly as she moved. She was so beautiful that even skilled artists would hesitate to try capturing her on canvas. But it wasn't just her beauty—it was her wonder-filled, amethyst eyes and the blush on her cheeks from barely contained excitement that truly lit up her face. Seeing her like that, even Subaru couldn't help but show a little childish awe himself.
"EMT!" Subaru blurted out reflexively.
"Huh? What was that you just said?" Emilia tilted her head, puzzled by the random outburst.
The girl in front of him was Emilia—his benefactor, and someone he deeply adored. Subaru grinned at her innocent reaction and shrugged.
"I've never actually seen one with my own eyes… But Emilia-tan, you seem really excited about it."
"It's not just that I seem excited, I am! Bards tell stories with singing and dancing, right? They must know all kinds of tales... Hey, Subaru, could you—? Well, if you can't come with me, maybe I could ask Kaeya instead."
She said it with complete sincerity, her expression thoughtful.
"I was not sure if he'd say yes, though… I don't know if bards are his kind of thing. That's why i thought of asking you first."
Subaru blinked.
His bucket dropped from his hand with a clatter right there in the hallway.
"WH—Absolutely not! I mean—I AM COMING. I'm free. So free. Bard-level free!"
Emilia blinked at the sudden escalation. "Oh! You don't have to force yourself if you're still recovering—"
"This isn't about recovery! This is about honor! about duty! About keeping Kaeya's handsome face from stealing my date!"
"Huh? It was a date?"
"It is now!" Subaru announced, puffing out his chest and grabbing his dust cloth like a cape. "Subaru Natsuki accepts your quest, Lady Emilia!"
She stared at him, half-bemused. "Okay, okay. I'm glad you're coming."
"Gladness achieved," he said with a self-satisfied grin.
.
.
Elsewhere, not too far from the mansion's garden, Kaeya stood alone in a wide clearing.
And then—
"—Achoo!"
Kaeya blinked, pausing mid-form as a sneeze caught him completely off guard.
"Am I… catching a cold?" he muttered aloud, genuinely confused.
He stood there in silence for a beat longer, staring at the grass beneath his boots.
"Maybe someone's just talking about me, Probably Subaru or something."
.
.
"Well then, I will now sing. Please listen.――The dolphin betrayed by the sunset."
It was a melody that was depressing with its melancholy and it seemed sad, but it flowed through the village's plaza like the rain of a day during Rain season.
What stood on the rough stage made up of only lumber in the middle of the plaza was a person playing a wooden stringed instrument, something that looked like a cross between a guitar and a ukulele.
The musical instrument, marked with a geometric pattern, seemed naturally upbeat, but the sadness it carried now showed how much the mood depended on the player's skill. That was how impressive this gloomy atmosphere that wrapped up the village was to the villagers.
They were moved by the very depressing melody and the lyrics of the piece. The villagers acting as the audience had emotionless, hollow eyes. Judging by the appearance of old ladies breaking down and crying like they were witnessing the end of the world, it was possible that this was the most painful thing they'd ever experienced—even more so than the recent Witchbeast attack.
"If it's this sad, then I'd rather die. I won't die. They won't let me die…"
In the midst of the song, the dolphin—betrayed by her friend and fiancée—was being protected by the setting sun on top of a bridge where an important promise had once been exchanged. This seemed to be the climax of the story, where she was choosing whether or not to drown herself.
The singer continued to play her instrument. Whether she was truly singing enough to call it a song didn't matter—her gestures conveyed the story. It felt so real, like a full world had been developed before them. When tears trickled down her cheeks, the audience's own tears followed.
"It spits bubbles and sinks into the silent sea. Oh, dolphin. Oh, oh, dolphin…"
It seemed that the dolphin boldly sank to the riverbed. The breeze and flowers that could do nothing but watch her sorrow simply mourned her miserable end, and the performance came to a close――
"As if this could be a tune chosen for performance recitals, my god!!" Subaru finally shouted, no longer able to hold it in, even as the final notes still lingered in the air.
"Ooohyai!" Emilia squeaked in surprise.
The poet who had sung the tragic ballad jumped in place, surprising the audience, and the immersive world spun by the story shattered. The villagers, having been completely absorbed by the tale, blinked and looked around at one another.
"Ah, eh…"
"Wow, look at that. I cried a lot."
"Aw man, the tears come quickly when you get old…"
"Dolphin, you are another version of myself!"
"The poet girl is cuuuute."
One after another, they shared their thoughts through teary eyes. While everyone was still caught up discussing their impressions, someone turned to look at Subaru, who had snuck to the furthest back row to escape.
"――You are ruining the mood, Subaru-sama!!" Petra shouted.
And he got shouted at, which startled him so much that it made him jump.
.
.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am the bard of the flow. I'm called Liliana," said the girl, bowing quickly with a cute, childish energy still clinging to her.
She had eyes full of cheer and curiosity, and yellow hair that matched her spirited personality. Her hair was tied in pigtails, and beneath her light cloak, she wore dancer-like clothing decorated with ornaments made from nuts and animal bones. Though she was small in stature, her arms and legs were long, and her exposed skin had a healthy bronze glow. Everything about her screamed wandering performer.
"Well then, thank youuu for your politeness," Subaru responded, dramatically placing a hand on his chest. "My name is Natsuki Subaru. I am a tumultuous, luxurious, and gorgeous legman. At the mansion just across the road, I serve as an all-round star of the servant world."
"Tumultu-what…?" Emilia muttered, then smiled and let it go. "Ah, never mind. Hello. Nice to meet you."
Subaru was introducing himself as casually and chaotically as ever, even to someone he'd just met. Liliana smiled awkwardly, clearly unsure how to react but doing her best not to offend them—especially once she learned they were affiliated with the local lord.
But Emilia's next words blew right past any of Liliana's caution.
"That song was reeeaally good," Emilia said, taking Liliana's hands with both of hers, her eyes shining. "I might burst into tears any minute, so…"
Liliana blinked, surprised by the sudden gesture, but then caught on that she was being praised—and her face lit up.
"Nooo! I'm so glad you listened so kindly!" Liliana beamed. "I'm still learning, but just hearing that from you—huh!?"
Liliana's praise came to a sudden stop. Her expression froze in place, mouth slightly open, eyes wide. Subaru and Emilia looked at her, puzzled.
"A-are you a goddess…?" she whispered.
"――Eh?" Emilia blinked in surprise.
"I-I mean, I've never seen such a lovely person before!" Liliana practically bounced where she stood. "Woww, woww! Is this what happens when you actually take care of your hair and skin!? Are we really the same species!?"
She hopped around like a rabbit, completely overwhelmed by Emilia's appearance. Emilia was thrown off by the reaction, but Subaru nodded in quiet agreement. Emilia often didn't realize how extraordinary her looks were—something that made her all the more charming.
Suddenly, Liliana raised her instrument and bowed.
"I just came up with a good idea. Please listen. ――Ohh, Goddess."
She inhaled deeply, then plucked the strings of her instrument with gentle precision. A smooth rhythm carried the beginning of her spontaneous tune.
"So profound to the point of being entrancing, light like a gem, eyes with bluish-purple pyroxene in them. The flowy, silver hair of the moon's tears. Delicate looks that cause Divine Protection to swoop down onto the fingertips of doll makers. Unbeknowing of how her skin, similar to white snow that falls and piles up, tramples on others. Slightly long ears that… ears that… ears thatttt?"
Subaru and Emilia stared at her silently.
Liliana's song came to a sharp halt. Her golden eyes flickered through three distinct emotions—doubt, realization, and then shock. She stared at Emilia's ears, and then muttered the next words:
"The length of her ears, her silver hair… no way, the Witch of Envy!"
"Alright, stop!" Subaru cut in immediately, rushing over and clapping a hand over Liliana's mouth. "Nice song, really. But I suspect that just got flagged for copyright. We'll have to delay your debut indefinitely. For now, we're severing all ties…"
"――Subaru."
The voice that interrupted him was Emilia's. Calm, but with a clear warning tone.
Subaru froze, still covering Liliana's mouth. Emilia had her arms folded and was pouting ever so slightly.
"I'm happy you're worried about me," she said. "But it's not okay to be rude to girls. Tsk tsk―"
"Haven't heard a «tsk tsk» in a while…" Subaru muttered. "But seriously, Emilia-tan…"
"It's fine," she replied with a firm nod. "Trying to cover it up now won't fix anything. She's already noticed."
Her words were confident and composed, but they made Subaru uncomfortable. She was exposing herself to misunderstanding without defense, and that gnawed at him.
――Emilia was a half-elf, born of both human and elf blood. Though many races existed in this world, demi-humans—especially half-elves—were subject to heavy discrimination. Emilia had endured much alone.
Still, with Emilia having forgiven Liliana, Subaru had no reason to keep restraining her. He reluctantly let go of the bard, whose limbs he had managed to restrain from nearly every angle.
"Pant My chest! My chestt!" Liliana cried, clutching herself. "Don't attack things vital for my job! What kind of maid-san restrains a girl like that!?"
"I just want to be the kind of man who uses his strength to protect what's important to him," Subaru replied with a sigh. "Also… I'm sorry, but even with all my experience, you're a strong contender for least lady-like skin, missy."
In this world filled with beautiful women, Liliana ranked near the bottom in Subaru's unofficial list of "least ladylike ladies." Beatrice took first place, Felt second, and Liliana proudly claimed third.
"Alright! So you restrain a girl and insult her skin too! But! But!" Liliana declared, practically squeaking with emotion.
She darted in front of Emilia with the agility of a mouse. Her expression turned serious for a moment.
"Not only are you noble in beauty, but you're noble at heart. That moved me."
"Eh? Ah, yeah. Really?" Emilia responded, unsure.
"Yess! I'm sorry for my careless behavior earlier. If the maid hadn't held me back, I probably would've been hunted down by her family for being rude!"
"You're the type to energetically self-destruct, huh?" Subaru muttered.
Despite his quip, Liliana simply began strumming her instrument again, this time with a lively rhythm.
"I may look like I'm overly sensitive, but when inspiration hits me, I can't hold back! So now, I shall craft a tale combining Emilia-sama's beauty, grace, and those certain racial matters we don't speak of publicly!"
"You're definitely a new type. I've never met someone like you before," Subaru said, rubbing his temples.
Liliana's personality overflowed with energy. She was loud, but not annoyingly so—it was part of her charm. And her voice, with its rich, soothing timbre, was clearly born for storytelling.
"Or maybe she's the kind who sells scam products to old people like water purifiers and futons," Subaru added dryly.
"What!?" Liliana gasped. "That felt like such a cruel comment!"
She flailed exaggeratedly, ignoring the compliment buried beneath the jab.
Beside him, Subaru noticed Emilia smiling at the girl's wild behavior.
"Still, even though I'm grateful for the praise," Emilia said softly, "I really don't think I'm a beauty."
"Ah! Ahhh!" Liliana gasped again. "That awakened something unforgivable in me as a fellow woman! I've got it! Please listen. ――Oh Goddess…"
"Shut up!" Subaru cried. "But also, yes, Emilia-tan's self-image needs correcting!"
Both Subaru and Liliana protested at the same time, while Emilia tilted her head, clearly confused why what she said was so hard to believe.