"---This way, this way! If we don't hurry, we'll be caught up."
"I know, I know, wait a second..."
Pulling me by the arm, I ran across the uneven ground.
It was a narrow alley. Even though it was mid-afternoon, the sunlight did not reach there, and the dimly lit road formed a complex, narrow passage that seemed to block the two of them from escaping.
For Subaru, who was unfamiliar with the area, this situation was not particularly favorable.
I hope that at least the person leading the way knows the path to follow,
"You're going further and further into the dark, do you even know the way?!"
"--I don't know!"
Retorting in a voice so refreshingly loud, Subaru put his hand to his forehead in despair and said, "I thought so..."
It was a response he'd expected, since the person leading Subaru's hand was dressed so extravagantly that it was hard to believe they were familiar with the atmosphere of a back alley like this.
A red dress made of a fluttering, expensive-looking material. A sparkling necklace that reflected the light. Her exposed skin was white and lustrously beautiful, and it was only possible for someone of that upbringing to wear it.
Above all, the vibrant orange color of her hair asserted the nobility of her existence, and her cheerful presence that was far removed from a place like a slum.
Checking her appearance once again, Subaru realized once again that he was carrying a problem.
They could hear multiple footsteps chasing them from behind, and it was not a situation that allowed them to stop and take the time to calm down.
I wonder how it came to this...
Out of breath and grimacing from the pain in his lungs, Subaru's mind was filled with such doubts.
--The incident began about two days ago, when Subaru had a question.
※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※
--For Natsuki Subaru, morning meant sleep time, or at least it was not the time of day when he was most active.
Though it may be an exaggeration to say that he melted in the beautiful morning sunlight, he did in fact feel the Natsuki Subaru DNA that made up his body dying.
For Subaru, the reality of standing in front of a large crowd doing radio exercises in the early morning sunlight was something he had never imagined until just a month ago.
--If you think about it, being summoned to another world in the first place was unexpected.
The change was so great that one could only assume that he had hit his head hard. In fact, I remember hitting my head hard enough that it would not have been surprising if he had changed his way of thinking a little, so there are some aspects that I cannot completely deny.
However, even taking all of that into account, it was true that the situation wasn't particularly unfortunate.
"And finally, stretch your arms into the sky and finish - victory!"
"Victory!!"
As Subaru raised his hands and spoke his closing lines, the crowd joined in, bringing the radio exercise to an end. As he listened to the cheers, Subaru lightly wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked ahead.
In front - surrounding Subaru were the residents of the village closest to Roswaal Mansion. Roughly half of them had gathered there.
It was a radio exercise that he had started on a whim, but it seems to have struck a chord with the people of the other world. It has now become a major movement in the village, and even Subaru, who has a reputation for giving up after three days, is forced into a situation where he cannot quit.
However,
"Subaru, you've finished your exercise!" "Stamp, stamp!" "Emo! Emo!"
"Hey! Stop swarming around early in the morning, shut up! You guys are so energetic, it's great to be young! There's no need to rush, the stamps won't run away, just line them up."
Subaru was greeted by the children who had gathered around him, and a wry smile was etched on his face as he responded. However, there was no sign of denial there.
The children followed his instructions and lined up in a perfect straight line in front of Subaru. Seeing this, Subaru nodded in satisfaction before turning around and saying,
"Well then, Emilia-tan, please."
"--Yes, yes, please."
Emilia, who was standing directly behind him, handed the small bag she was holding to Subaru, her lips curled in what was either a wry smile or a smile.
When he opened the package he was given, what emerged was a raw potato shaved into thin pieces the size of a roll. The children let out squeals upon seeing the thin potato, and Subaru responded by holding up the potato as if in response to their high-pitched squeals.
"Okay then, let's push it. Let it out!"
She dipped the tip of the potato into the ink container that was in the bag, then pressed the tip onto the paper that the lined-up children handed her. Emilia watched as the children's faces lit up with joy at the pictures that emerged,
"You cut the flat side of a potato and make a potato shape. Subaru really does come up with all the weirdest ideas."
"If you scrape off the ink-covered surface, it can become an emergency food item, and surprisingly, this picture shows a lot of flair. By the way, today's is a masterpiece - the 'Monday Pack'."
What emerges from the paper is a picture of a deformed kitten that exudes a somewhat ennui-like atmosphere. It captures the cat's characteristics so well that anyone who sees it will know who the model is at a glance. Actually, the name is included in the title.
"...I'm really surprised. It looks just like Puck to me. Subaru, you're really good at drawing."
"Well, I wasted a lot of time practicing my drawing skills, and that experience paid off. I gave up midway through, so I'm only doing the basics though."
Any otaku will have to go through the path of painting training at some point. Whether or not he can establish his own style and become famous as an artist depends on how the water flows. Subaru, by the way, couldn't do that.
"All I can do is carve pictures of cats into potatoes in a world where there's no custom of potato stamping, and be fawned over by innocent children."
"That sounds really unpleasant... and besides, doesn't this picture of Puck seem a little lacking in energy?"
"I told you, it's a 'Monday Pack'. I tried to create a feeling of melancholy, of a new week about to begin. The flattened ears are the key."
In response to Emilia's comments, Subaru passionately explains his own ambitious work. Meanwhile, at his persuasive request, he stamps the papers handed to him by the children, collecting proof of their participation in the radio exercises.
It's a little prank that Subaru came up with, following the stamp rally during summer vacation. Every day before going to bed, Subaru carves a new potato stamp, so many children look forward to seeing what picture will be stamped on it.
Subaru displayed dexterity in strange ways, appealing to the childlike spirit within him.
We chat with the happy, squealing children, promise to do radio calisthenics together tomorrow, and then wave goodbye.
While exchanging light-hearted jokes with the other adult participants, he and Emilia headed back to the mansion.
Recently, spending the early morning hours like this in the village had become Subaru's daily routine.
The reason behind this was that his body was still not fully recovered, meaning that he was unable to join in the morning work at the mansion, but Subaru was strong enough to dismiss this pitiful feeling and use the time to relax with Emilia.
"Ah, I'm so tired. I'm sorry, Emilia-tan, for making you join me every morning."
"It's fine. Subaru's health isn't perfect yet, and Ram and Rem have work to do at the mansion. I don't mind doing this either."
"You wouldn't mind spending the morning with me?"
"Boo. Getting involved with people from the village that I've never had any contact with before. I feel like I've been drawing a line between myself and them up until now."
Emilia rudely cuts off Subaru's heavy breathing and then smiles faintly. Under the hood she is wearing, she can see the crimson shining on her pale face, and Subaru feels the blood rise to his cheeks at how adorable she is.
Emilia's current attire was similar to the one she had worn when they first met in the royal capital: a white robe with hawk-like embroidery worn over a light, short-skirted outfit, the hood of which completely covered her beautiful silver hair.
Meanwhile, Subaru, standing next to him, was wearing a dirty, cheap-looking grey tracksuit. They had been friends since they'd first entered the other world, and although it was in pretty bad shape, it had been repaired by Rem and returned to him. Although, some of the frayed parts had been sewn up by Subaru himself.
Comparing my own clothing, appearance, and other specs with Emilia, all I could do was sigh inwardly.
We are doing our best to maintain equilibrium. We are in a position where we must start by clinging to the ring first.
"Even so..."
Instead of Subaru, who was silent with deep emotion, it was Emilia who started the conversation.
With her hands clasped together, she leaned her torso forward and looked up at Subaru from below,
"Subaru has really settled into the village. Maybe he's even more famous than Ram and Rem?"
"Well, in a way, I'm like a hero for saving those kids! Maybe I'll be remembered as a hero who saved them?"
Though it was said jokingly, the truth is that Subaru's work is such that it wouldn't be surprising if he were to be told that, so it wasn't really a joke.
However, Emilia, hearing Subaru's teasing words, shuts up and says, "Umm," and tilts her head, placing a finger over her lips.
"Maybe I'm not the type of hero who saves us."
"Ah, so the rumors are true after all. But, if it wasn't the incident in the forest, perhaps there was something else."
Since the rescue was hardly what one would call dashing, perhaps the content was not all praise. However, Subaru's speculation was soon revealed to be skewed off course by Emilia's next words.
Emilia lets out a small sigh, her pink lips breaking into a smile,
"Subaru's reputation in the village right now is that he's a hero who saved the children, but it seems the rumor that he's an expert is stronger."
"Shikisha...? I can't lead an orchestra or anything like that. I have no sense of pitch."
He is a legendary figure who volunteered to play the bass drum in the elementary school drum corps and brilliantly fulfilled the instruction to "just pretend to play." It is intimidating for someone with zero sense of pitch to play the bass drum. It is still a mystery to me why there was no part change in the middle of the performance.
In response to this expected joke, Emilia shook her head and said, "That's not it."
"An intellectual. A foolish wise man, as Muraosa put it."
"That doesn't sound like a compliment… I have an image of someone who is good at studying but is stupid. Or rather, have I ever done anything to sound intellectual…"
"mayonnaise"
Emilia pointed her finger at him and spoke one word succinctly.
Subaru was convinced by her words. Since the recent incident, the spread of mayonnaise has been extremely good. Due to opinions (mainly from Emilia) that it would be a waste to keep it only in the Roswaal Mansion, the mayonnaise and the recipe were distributed to the nearby villages.
It's only been a few days and it seems to have generated quite a stir.
As a mayonnaise lover, I was happy to see that mayonnaise had made a definite step into another world. May mayonnaise live forever.
but,
"It's great to see the greatness of mayonnaise being spread around, but... my comeback from a desperate situation is worse than Shiroi Koibito's..."
The fact that he is better known as a mayonnaise evangelist rather than treated as a hero means that this is how the public perceives him.
Feeling helpless, Subaru slumped his shoulders in dejected despair.
Seeing his attitude, Emilia slapped him on the shoulder in a panic,
"Oh, well, of course, everyone is grateful that you helped the children. But it was Rem who actually brought them back from the forest, and rumors spread that Roswaal was the one who ended up dealing with the final blow to the Forest of Demonic Beasts..."
The follow-up also tapered off in the second half.
Her thoughtfulness hurt, but Subaru could not help but look back and be shocked at the fact that he could not deny a single word of what she said.
Even when he brought the children back, Subaru returned with serious injuries, having been bitten all over his body, and as for wiping out the demonic beasts, apart from restoring Rem to her senses he left it all to Roswaal, and after that he just ran out of gas and went to sleep. He was surprised at himself.
"I didn't do anything other than what I thought I would!"
I was just flapping my body about.
Subaru feels as if the time he spent working hard has been denied, and his body becomes smaller and smaller.
Emilia was at a loss for what to say to Subaru, and faltered, saying things like, "Um," and "You see, it's not that..."
"I don't worry about such trivial things anymore."
"But, Emilia-tan..."
"Those who know Subaru are well aware of how hard he's worked. Not Roswaal, Ram, or even Rem."
Emilia said in a teasing tone, poking Subaru's cheek with her index finger. When Subaru shot her a pathetic look at the sharp sensation, Emilia replied, "Really?" and took a quick trot forward.
In front of me, Emilia turns around. Her hood is blown off by the force, and her long silver hair glitters in the morning sunlight and flows down her back.
Subaru stops in his tracks at the sight of her fantastical figure. Then, in front of him, she places her hands on her hips and, as if scolding a poor younger brother,
"Me too."
"--fart?"
"I know how hard you've worked, Subaru. So don't be depressed. Got it?"
Tilting her head, Emilia asks, "What was your reply?"
Subaru, who had been stunned by those words, quickly regained his composure and shook his head up and down vigorously. Emilia's reaction made her smile,
"Now, what's next? You're acting like a broken toy. That's what you always do."
"No, I didn't do that on purpose… I mean, if I wasn't doing it on purpose, then Emilia-tan would be a hundred times more cowardly. No matter how hard I try, I'm sure I'll fall in love with you again…"
"Yes, yes. I think it's a bad habit to try and cover things up like that."
They were speaking their true feelings to each other, but the smiling Emilia had no ears to listen. Standing next to her as she combed her flowing silver hair back with one hand, Subaru realized once again that he would never be able to match her.
Subaru couldn't even count the number of times they had walked side by side like this, but every time he felt a different freshness from Emilia.
Emilia is never the same. If he misses today, he will never get to meet her like today again. He never thought he would spend his days wasting time and looking forward to tomorrow.
"Working energetically and deepening my relationship with the girl of my dreams -- what a healthy lifestyle. No one can call me a hikikomori anymore!"
"It's only natural for a boy to act tough like that, but you also need to take care of your body properly. There's nothing good in pushing yourself right now. Just be honest with Rem and Ram… mostly Rem, but take advantage of their kindness."
Emilia complained to Subaru, who was gushing out in an oblique direction, with a slight misunderstanding.
In her mind, Subaru seems to have achieved the status of a well-behaved, good-natured young man. To the point where she might push herself too hard and work hard.
Of course, the real Subaru is far from having that kind of work ethic; if he could live without working, he'd rather just eat and sleep all day long.
Of course, I'm not so honest that I would go out of my way to correct that friendly misunderstanding.
As they continued to talk, the Roswaal Mansion came into view across the road. At this point, it was only a matter of minutes until they reached their destination - and the end of their pleasant morning conversation was in sight.
"When we're talking, time flies... Wait, what happened when you suddenly became so slow?"
Subaru: "I'm reluctant to let this moment go, so I'm putting up a sissy resistance – a slow-walk tactic. Why don't I just enjoy this refreshing early morning air alone? With who? With me!"
"I think if we're too late, we'll incur their displeasure... I told you not to push yourself too hard, but you have to abide by what's been agreed upon. I also have a vow with the spirits, after all."
Subaru: "I'm a bit weak when people say it's the truth… If Puck wakes up, then I won't have a chance to have a lovey-dovey chat with Emilia-tan without anyone getting in the way."
He is weak when things like the oath he takes as a spiritist are brought up.
Although deep inside he was holding back tears of blood, Subaru hid this behind his facial expression,
"Okay... let's go back. Shit, I could have done better...!"
"I don't know what's bothering you so much, but when I have time, I'll listen to you, so don't be so sulky."
A gesture that had become familiar when interacting with Subaru―― Emilia smiled awkwardly and placed a finger on her lips, and once again he was entranced.
Then, right in front of Subaru, Emilia quietly muttered, "Huh?"
"In front of the mansion...the dragon carriage is parked."
"Hmm?"
Attracted by her murmur, Subaru's gaze fell on her, and he narrowed his eyes as he acknowledged her presence.
In front of the main gate of Roswaal Mansion, there was a carriage-like vehicle. It was described as a carriage-like vehicle because at a glance, Subaru could tell that it was different from the carriages he knew.
After all, the creature pulling the carriage isn't a horse, but a lizard the size of a horse.
Therefore, it cannot be called a carriage, and can only be described as carriage-like, so please forgive me.
And Subaru seemed familiar with this ridiculous looking vehicle.
"If I remember correctly, even in the royal capital, they would cross the street normally."
On the first day of my summoning to the other world, I remember seeing it galloping through the streets facing the market, kicking up a cloud of dust. The word "carriage" is used, so I can confirm that there are horses, but the fact that I've often seen lizards pulling carriages like this suggests that these creatures are the norm here.
"If I'm not mistaken, you called that a dragon carriage?"
"...? Yes. Since the earth dragon pulls the carriage, it's obviously called a dragon carriage, right? Eh, no way, don't tell me this is also wrong? Is there a proper name for it?"
Emilia, who had zero knowledge of the subject, seemed to have become frightened by the vagueness of her own knowledge after answering Subaru's questions. She panicked, reading too much into what he said, and Subaru waved his hand and said, "No, no."
"I'm just lacking in knowledge. Maybe Emilia-tan is right. Let's have confidence."
"Really? You're not kidding me. Let's talk about something we only vaguely remember in a proper place, so we don't have to embarrass ourselves. If you lie, I'll hit you."
"You're so annoying, you never listen to me these days..."
While we were talking, we arrived in front of the dragon carriage.
When they got closer, they were surprised at how big and realistic the lizard was. And the cart it was pulling - a cart for carrying people - had a driver-like figure sitting on it, and as soon as he noticed the two of them approaching, he immediately got off on the same ground,
"Welcome back. I'm sorry to interrupt your visit to the gate."
An old gentleman - the carriage driver's demeanor makes you stand up straighter. With a person like this in tow, the passengers on the carriage must be of a certain status.
I took a quick peek inside, but there was no one in the room.
"The messenger is already inside the mansion. He is currently being presented to Margrave Mathers."
"Oh, how kind of you to be so polite. Actually, it's embarrassing to be sneaking a peek. I'm not used to this situation so please be lenient."
Subaru was overwhelmed by the overly honest response, and his response was a mess, masquerading as a polite one. However, Emilia next to him gave him a look that said, "So you can speak properly after all," making Subaru keenly aware of just how low his and her social class levels were.
And so, in place of the silent Subaru, Emilia stepped forward and turned to face the driver,
"You said you were a messenger... perhaps?"
The question had no subject, but the driver, as if he knew what he was talking about, bowed and said,
"As you may have guessed, Lady Emilia, this is probably something to do with the royal selection."
Subaru raised his head at the mention of the word "Royal Selection."
It's a keyword that I haven't even heard of for a while now.
Emilia's expression naturally tightened, while Subaru frowned at the suspicious situation. Seeing their reactions, the old gentleman continued on, bending over at the waist.
"I believe a messenger will be sending you a formal statement. Please return to the mansion."
"--- A summons, I suppose."
"Please listen to what the messenger has to say."
At the driver's well-informed response, Emilia replied, "I understand," with a stiff expression on her face and her chin inclined. And then,
"--Let's go."
After concluding her statement, she walked away without even turning to look at Subaru.
The entrance to the mansion, heading in that direction.
Panicking, Subaru followed her lead and took off running.
A final glance back.
The coachman still bowed to them and continued to see them off in silence.
The two were seen off by the coachman and entered the lobby of the mansion.
"Welcome home, Lady Emilia."
And with that, all emotion vanished from her handsome face, and her voice lost all warmth as Rem gave up.
She raised her head and showed a blank expression that he hadn't seen in quite a long time. Recently, within the mansion - and mainly in front of Subaru - she had started to smile (a smug look, if you like) more often, but from her attitude, it was clear that she was wearing a mask for the outside world.
The fact that he ignored Subaru's presence when they returned together and only spoke to Emilia was proof of this.
"I'm back. Sorry for leaving the mansion. --It seems you have a visitor?"
"An emissary has arrived from the royal capital. Lord Roswaal is currently attending to him, but would it be alright if you were to join him?"
"Of course. It's my problem, so I can't be left out of the loop."
Emilia nodded in response to Rem's question and headed towards the stairs leading to the upper floors. Then, she looked back at the confused Subaru,
"Um… what about Subaru? Can you get back to your room by yourself?"
"Am I a child? I mean, I can't join in too..."
Subaru spoke to Emilia, who tilted her head, her tension fading slightly. However, it wasn't Emilia, with a troubled look on her face, who interrupted him.
"My sister is sitting with me. There is no need for any additional servants. Do you understand, Subaru-kun?"
"nothing..."
Subaru choked on Rem's words, which left no room for argument.
Subaru couldn't even think of a counterargument, so Emilia raised one hand and said,
"That's why I'm sorry. Rem, show me the way."
"Yes. Subaru-kun, please return to your room."
After throwing out words of apology, Emilia doesn't look back at Subaru again. Rem delivers the final blow to the lost Subaru, and Emilia, following her lead, disappears upstairs, her silver hair swinging.
"Oh shit, that's not fun."
As soon as the two of them were out of sight, a curse mixed with a sigh escaped his mouth.
I feel left behind -- both physically and mentally.
"That's true, but what use would someone with such poor knowledge of another world like me be here?"
Two weeks had already passed since he came to the mansion (a month and a half according to his own experience), but all Subaru had learned in that time was some basic housework and learning to read and write. In other words, he was on the same level as the village children helping out around the house.
With such abilities, it would be too ambitious to even think of being involved in a peripheral exchange between nobles, much less one that determines the pinnacle of a country.
Therefore, I understand why I was left behind. That doesn't mean I'm not dissatisfied, though.
"Even so, I'm not so honest as to just go back to my room and sleep off like this."
If he followed Emilia and Rem's advice, he would probably prefer to go back to his room and go back to sleep, or perhaps review what he had done the night before. Or, as a second-best option, he might as well go and complain to the indoor girl who was holed up behind the mansion's doors.
It's not bad, but there's more that can be done.
"If that's the case, let's go to the kitchen."
Subaru plans his course of action, cheeks grimacing with wickedness, and his feet begin to move.
Our destination is literally the kitchen - so let's start by making some hot tea.
※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※
"Don't you get bored waiting outside all the time? Would you like to have a smoke?"
The old man sitting on the driver's seat looked down at Subaru as he returned with a tray in his hands, his eyes widening slightly in surprise.
The location was once again outside the mansion, right next to the dragon carriage parked in front of the main gate.
Subaru was still a little intimidated by the unfamiliar, gigantic lizard's body, but as he handed him the tea he looked up at the surprised old gentleman with a half-smile. And,
"My apologies. I was a bit surprised, so I shouldn't have been so rude as to speak to you like that."
As soon as he recovered from the initial shock, the old gentleman glided down from the driver's seat to the ground, his landing so barely audible that Subaru gasped slightly.
The driver's seat was high enough that it would be more accurate to say he had jumped off. The seat was slightly higher than Subaru's eye level, and it seemed likely that he would have to prepare himself for his feet to go numb if he were to climb down without support.
However, contrary to Subaru's speculation, the old gentleman walked calmly and bowed gracefully in front of the tray that was being presented to him,
"I'll take you up on that offer. I was a little thirsty, to be honest."
"Oh, hello there. I don't know what your preferences are, so I'll go with the most expensive tea for now."
As he handed over the tray, the old gentleman put on a gentle smile. Subaru watched as the wrinkles of age appeared around his mouth, stepping closer to him and observing him closely.
He was slightly taller than Subaru, and his hair was completely dyed white and thick with no signs of thinning. He was dressed in black formal attire that was far too formal for a driver. His back was perfectly straight, and underneath his clothes, his body was sharp and sharp, belying his age.
In short, he's the kind of guy who makes you nervous whether you like it or not, just by standing in front of him.
"You instantly rewrote the rankings of the elderly in the other world that I know. Farewell, old man Rom. But to be honest, I have never seen you in action."
Although the setting seemed deep with the giants, he leaves without having a chance to show off his skills.
I haven't been able to confirm what happened after that, but I was a little worried that he might have hit his head hard and that this might have made him even more disappointed.
"---It's just an old bone. There's no need to be wary of it."
As Subaru was absentmindedly thinking about such things, a gentle voice suddenly called out to him.
The old man had spoken a word before taking the cup and bringing it to his mouth. Noticing that he had been staring at him rudely, the old man laughed at the embarrassed Subaru,
"It tastes good. I imagine you must have splurged quite a bit though..."
"This is not an exaggeration, it's seriously the most expensive tea. The pink-haired maid would probably get really angry if she found out that I had drunk it without permission."
Although he may look rough, Ram has a surprisingly delicate palate when it comes to tea leaves and the like.
If it was discovered that he had used the finest tea leaves without permission, which were strictly prohibited from being taken out, he could expect a proper scolding.
"I wonder if I can convince you with Ikkyu-san's theory that the tea leaves were not taken out of the kitchen, but were made inside and then taken outside..."
"Hmm, what a strategist."
"Unfortunately, it's entirely down to luck whether this sophistry will work."
Moreover, it was a gamble with a 70% chance of losing. It was foolish to even take on the challenge.
It is only because I believe the risk is worth taking that I am having this chat over tea.
The old man tilted his cup once more, let out a deep sigh, and
"So, what would you like to feed your old bones with this tea?"
The old man asked with one eye closed and a questioning look on his face.
Subaru slumped his shoulders at his sharp attitude,
"Hmm. Of all the people I've met so far, he's the second hardest to deal with after Roswaal."
"It is an honor to be treated the same as Margrave Mathers."
「In the end, you're treating me like a pervert, you know? I was prepared to get yelled at for what I said just now.」
He brushed it off with a cool look on his face, and Subaru once again felt let down. He was a seasoned veteran, or should I say a veteran, but Subaru, who had little or no life experience, was no match for him. He was completely different from some big, balding old man.
In that case, all Subaru could do was raise the white flag,
"I'm here. My name is Natsuki Subaru. I am currently working as an apprentice servant here at Roswaal Mansion. I would like to know your name at the very least."
If you are young, the best you can do is acknowledge that you are young and rely on the mercy of those older than you.
Subaru bowed obediently, and the old gentleman's cheeks relaxed slightly,
"Thank you very much for your kindness. My name is Wilhelm. I currently serve the Karsten family and have been given a job."
The old gentleman introduced himself as Wilhelm, and Subaru rolled the name around on his tongue once,
"Thank you for telling me your name. While you're at it, could you at least tell me the reason for your visit today… no, could you go into the details?"
"I believe the messenger is currently discussing that matter inside."
"That's true, but I was treated as if I was banned from participating in the event. It wouldn't be any fun if the story continued without me participating in the event, so I decided to approach it in my own way."
Subaru knows from his first impression and previous conversations that she is not an easy person to get to talk. However, even so, getting close to someone is Subaru's specialty. It's not like he has had many experiences where he was isolated because he couldn't understand other people's feelings.
Wilhelm was momentarily at a loss for words at Subaru's greedy attitude,
Subaru: "You don't get angry when your expectations are thwarted, but rather go ahead with it having already been taken into account. And even when your thoughts are seen through, far from feeling guilty, you just become defiant. ーーIf it's the person you're dealing with, it's a losing personality that will only incur their wrath."
At first glance, the words were harsh. However, Wilhelm's expression was gentle as he spoke them. If what he had just said was accurate, Subaru's attitude should have been unpleasant even to Wilhelm, but it seemed that his broad-mindedness as an elder allowed him to brush it off.
Then, Subaru raised his head,
"Is it okay to just touch it?"
"I don't know what position you hold in the mansion, so I can't say anything rash. Thank you for your understanding."
Subaru was at a loss as to how to deal with Wilhelm, who politely responded to Subaru's rather rude attitude. Subaru had no way of knowing how to negotiate with such a stubborn person.
Subaru was at a loss as to what to do, thinking that if he continued like this, he would just be bringing out expensive tea and fulfilling the conditions for Ram to get angry with him.
"However, from what you said earlier, I could tell that you are on friendly terms with Lady Emilia, who is a candidate for the royal election."
"D-D-Did you see it? Did you see Emilia-tan and I having an intimate, happy, embarrassed, blushing conversation?"
"sputum...?"
Wilhelm frowned curiously at the way he was addressed, then gave a wry smile at Subaru's self-centered attitude.
"You will be walking a rough road. You are facing a person who may become the next Queen of Lugnica, you know?"
"The current situation is just that you're an extremely cute girl and a dull servant. The future is limitless, so if you only talk about possibilities you'll end up being stuck in a bind. Wilhelm-san, did you not get married because you thought your wife might be the cutest in the world?"
"My wife--"
Subaru's extreme words left Wilhelm speechless for a moment.
However, as she quickly looked back at Subaru, a look of admiration flashed in her eyes,
"I see, you're right. I also thought my wife was the most beautiful woman in the world. I felt like everyone was looking at her. It's a shame to think we might not be a good match."
"Right? Rather than handing it over to someone else, I'd rather make it mine even if I don't think it's worthy. Somehow or other, I'd like her to be within my reach, and then I'd like to make progress day by day until we're on equal footing, and then it'd be a win-win situation. That'd be the ideal."
That's how Subaru has been feeling lately, pondering the future of his love.
The reason why Subaru still couldn't sense her sincerity was probably because he didn't possess what it took to reach that level.
So now I'm thinking that I should somehow make it happen.
Subaru: "That's why I want to avoid having no involvement in Emilia-tan's affairs. Even though she's walking quite far ahead of me, if I let my guard down, she'll start running at a trot―― Of course, I'll sprint to catch up with her, but I'm also the type who'll use any shortcut I can find."
"You are a person who operates on a very interesting theory. It is truly intriguing. However, I am a little troubled by the fact that you are asking me for more than that."
He held his palm out in an apologetic manner, but Wilhelm shook his head.
While maintaining his sincere attitude to the end, he tried to calm Subaru down,
"I'm just a driver, after all. I don't know much about the situation. I don't think I can be of much help to you."
"I guess so. You were aware of Emilia-tan's background even though she was wearing a hoodie, so don't you think the excuse that you're just a coachman is a bit harsh?"
"――――"
Subaru's carefree words caused Wilhelm to suddenly go silent. Glancing at him from the side, Subaru raised one finger,
"Well, if there is someone approaching the mansion, it might be possible to guess, but it can't be called certain. However, Wilhelm-san recognized Emilia-tan immediately."
"You may have met Lady Emilia before."
Subaru: "In that case, Emilia-tan would have said hello. It's hard to imagine that Emilia-tan, who loves to teach others, wouldn't introduce her acquaintance to me, who was sitting next to her――and in the first place, the moment you decided that Emilia-tan was Emilia-tan because she was wearing a hood, I think it's a bit harsh to assume that Wilhelm-san is just a coachman."
She looked at Subaru silently, asking for an explanation. Subaru waved his hand and said, "No, no."
"The robe Emilia-tan was wearing seems to have a complicated magic formula woven into it, and it seems to have the effect of obstructing the recognition of everything, you know? Unless Emilia-tan gives her permission, or there is someone who can get around the effect, Emilia-tan can't see it."
She was probably wearing that robe when we first met in the royal capital.
Subaru now somehow understood that this was due to her origins - perhaps to avoid any trouble that might result from the fact that she was a half-elf.
It was enough to give a sense of just how harsh a handicap she, a silver-haired half-elf, faces in living in this world.
Wilhelm, ignoring Subaru's deep thoughts, slumped his shoulders as if resigned to the explanation. "My, my," he said, shaking his head weakly in surprise,
"So you were judging us from the very beginning... you're quite the wicked person."
"I don't think I'm that clever. I just thought, 'Hey, isn't that strange?' while I was making tea at the mansion. It was just a coincidence."
Still, it was thanks to Subaru's own determination that he was able to get a hold of that clue. He wanted to keep Emilia out of danger.
Including the incident with the demonic beasts, Subaru had painfully come to realize just how much danger this world was filled with. In order to keep those fangs even a little away from her, the best Subaru could do right now was to show her his affection in a way that was like pouring water on a hot stone.
So grab whatever you need to grab and check whatever you need to check.
Despite his frivolous grin, Subaru had no intention of letting Wilhelm slip away. The moment he accepted the first invitation to tea, the old gentleman had been pulled into Subaru's space-time.
Subaru is in a comfortable space-time where he completely ignores the other person's position and circumstances and only imposes his own convenience on others.
"Isn't the excuse that I'm just a coachman acceptable? ...As you may have guessed, I am indeed related to the Royal Selection――No, I should say I am related to someone related to the related party."
"Those involved, those involved..."
Wilhelm was defeated. To fulfill his duty as a loser, he began to speak slowly, carefully choosing his words.
Subaru ruminated on that content, trying to break down the meaning of the words in his head,
"In other words, in terms of standing, you're in a position similar to mine?"
"I guess the difference between you and me is that we don't care about the reason."
"Well, if you have the most beautiful wife in the world, you wouldn't even think about cheating. In terms of cuteness, I think Emilia-tan is even cuter."
"No, my wife is even cuter than me."
He had intended to make fun of her, but she stubbornly retorted, causing Subaru to involuntarily flinch.
Subaru twisted the corners of his mouth into a smile, glared at Wilhelm who had spoken so decisively,
"Unexpectedly, you're sticking around in strange places, Wilhelm-san. …You're more playful than I thought."
"I hope you will see this as the pride of an old man who has been outmaneuvered by someone younger than him."
Considering that, that statement seemed serious, but Subaru resisted the urge to retort, and turned his head around, trying to find out more.
It seemed like maybe I could somehow trick them and appeal to their humanity in a sneaky way, but――
"---It looks like we're out of time."
"fart?"
Subaru let out a silly voice. Wilhelm silently pursed his lips and gestured towards the mansion.
Following that, I turned around and saw the front door of the mansion open in the distance.
"The one who came out was Rem and... who was it?"
A familiar blue-haired maid appeared from behind the double doors, accompanied by a stranger.
Judging from the flow of the conversation and Wilhelm's attitude, that person was probably the messenger they were talking about.
"How can I put it -- it really feels like a fantasy?"
The reason why such a comment came out of my mouth without thinking may have been because the appearance of that person gave off an aura that was completely unsuitable for the word "messenger."
When that person noticed Subaru staring at him, he smiled mischievously and came towards him - towards the dragon carriage,
"Hey, hey. Just because there's a beautiful woman, it's rude to stare at her like that."
As soon as she stood in front of Subaru, she pointed a white finger in his direction and declared with one eye closed.
The person who was most likely a messenger was a girl with a lovely face and short, short flaxen hair.
She was tall for a woman, roughly the same height as Subaru, but her slenderness was naturally incomparable, and every one of her movements was feminine - or rather, had a dazzling, girlish quality to it.
Her flaxen hair was decorated with white ribbons, and her large eyes sparkled with curiosity, making her almost cat-like and charming.
"Finally contact, cat ears that aren't mob"
"Meow meow?"
As if responding to her murmur, the animal's ears, the same color as her hair, trembled and asserted their presence on her head. In a world where demi-humans were commonplace, she had never had the opportunity to come into contact with one other than those she had seen in the royal capital, but seeing one in person like this was overwhelming.
After all,
"My soul as a Mohristo is craving the presence before me… Shit, calm down, my right hand…!"
Even from the sidelines, he could imagine the feel of her fluffy cat ears, and her mere presence in front of Subaru was deadly.
With a look of determination on his face, he holds down his trembling right arm and somehow manages to back away from her.
She looked at Subaru with a puzzled expression as he behaved suspiciously,
"Oh dear, maybe she hates me now? I messed up, Feli-chan."
The girl hits her head with her fist and sticks out her tongue.
The gesture sent a different kind of chill down his spine, and Subaru's throat froze in shock.
-- After tapping his head, he winked with his tongue out?!
It was a classic, worn-out, legendary "cutesy" pattern that was rarely seen in Subaru's original world. It was so obvious that he had made up his mind that if anyone actually did something like that, he would one day beat them down, but――
"When you're faced with the real thing, its destructive power is so great that you can't do anything...!"
The meaning is that her cuteness is so excessive that it takes away the energy to even try to make a move. And the meaning is that if the person tries it, they'll get so addicted to it that they won't be able to make a move because it's so cute. These two meanings overlap, and as a result, Subaru had no choice but to pass on it.
While Subaru was trembling in fear of what the next day might bring, the girl silently bowed, then turned to Wilhelm to greet him,
"I'm back, Grandpa Vil. Sorry for making you wait outside. It was boring, wasn't it?"
"No, no. You were kind enough to talk to this old man, and we had a much more enjoyable time than we expected."
"Hmm?"
The girl reacted sharply to Wilhelm's words, embellishing the conversation from earlier, and put her fingers to her cheek. The pupils of her cat's eyes narrowed, and her mouth somehow seemed to take on a deformed omega shape. And,
"Oh, oh, oh, I see. I see, so you are the boy Emilia-sama was talking about. I see."
After looking Subaru over from top to bottom, the girl clapped her hands in approval. Subaru instinctively covered his body with his hands and twisted his body to avoid her gaze.
"No, stop it. Even though I'm a guy, it's embarrassing to be stared at like that."
"Don't say that, honey. You have a nice body with very little excess fat. If you didn't belong to someone else I'd love to taste you."
As Subaru gets carried away, the girl jumps on board with her hands throbbing in excitement.
Normally, Subaru would start to get carried away by this exchange of cutesy words with a girl, but...
"For some reason, I don't feel motivated. What is this feeling... is it something physiological?"
It wasn't disgust or anything like that, but Subaru's instincts had been making a loud noise for a while now.
The mischievous-eyed girl standing before him was clearly a natural enemy to the person called Natsuki Subaru.
A slug against a snake. A slug against a frog. A frog against a snake. Subaru and her compatibility was such that he was always the weaker side and she the stronger side - that was what she instinctively realised.
Therefore, Subaru didn't act inappropriately like usual. However, in contrast to Subaru who was completely out of sorts, the girl kept pressing down on the accelerator.
Specifically, she stretched out her hand, gently wrapped her arms around Subaru's neck and pulled him to her.
"Uh, huh, huh?!"
"Don't move. I'm just checking it out now."
Since they were almost the same height, her face was right next to his as she embraced him. Her voice was whispered close to his ear, sending a tickling sensation through his whole body.
Subaru's face flushes red at the touch of the embrace, but then his expression turns pale when he spots Rem standing at the entrance to the mansion, as if pleading for help.
Even from afar, it was clear that Rem's face, which had always had an expressionless work look, had lost all warmth.
As Subaru continued to open and close his mouth, Rem suddenly raised both hands and made some kind of gesture with them.
Even though there hadn't been any particular agreement regarding the code, Subaru could clearly understand what her declaration of intent indicated.
"--I will tell Lady Emilia."
"Stop――!!"
Subaru's body moved in an instant, and he somehow managed to pull the girl away from him. That said, he didn't push her away roughly, he simply grabbed her shoulders and pushed her away. In fact, it was Subaru who fell on his bottom afterwards, staggering backwards.
Subaru was unable to process all the various emotions that had occurred to him in those past ten or so seconds, so he sat down coolly and pressed his sleeve to his eyes,
Subaru: "Why is this happening, regardless of my will… I am devoted to Emilia-tan."
Subaru was pretending to cry as he was feeling pessimistic about the reality of the situation. Then, he felt a gentle tap on his shoulder. He instinctively raised his eyes and saw that it was Wilhelm who had placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I understand."
"Thank you," he said gently, clutching a white towel in his hand. Subaru placed it over his eyes and replied, "Thank you," as he stood up.
Such adult tolerance - witnessing this, Subaru felt the urge to cling to it, but he scolded his own weakness and pulled it back.
"Because that man has a wife he loves more than anyone else -- and while I was acting out my little act, I finished sorting out my emotions. So, can I ask you what that was just now?"
Returning the towel to Wilhelm, without having been used to wipe anything in particular, Subaru demanded an explanation from the girl regarding her previous actions.
The girl curled her lips in thought at his words, but,
"--Just as I've heard in the past, the water in your body has stagnated. I'd like to do something about it, but I don't have time right now."
After making a suggestive remark, the girl resolved the issue herself.
Before Subaru could ask what that meant, she turned around and stretched her hands out to the sky,
"Well then, let's hurry and return to our beloved Lady Crusch, Old Vil. If we leave her for too long, we don't know what she'll do."
"--As you say."
Wilhelm silently complied with the girl who was briskly explaining the plan.
He finally bowed to Subaru, then placed the empty cup back on the tray that had fallen to the ground, and,
"Thank you for the meal. Well then, Subaru-dono, I wish you good health."
Wilhelm nimbly jumped onto the driver's seat and took the rope to control the lizard.
As Subaru watched the gesture without a word, the girl then put her hands together in prayer,
"Well, I haven't even said hello yet, but I'm busy so I'm sorry."
Leaving a wink as she landed on the board, the girl turned towards the dragon carriage. I quickly reached out to her back and tried to voice the question that was running through my mind, but...
"Wait. There are so many things I want to ask..."
"I think it would be best to just ask Lady Emilia honestly. Well then, if fate allows, let's meet again in the royal capital. Bye."
Cutting off the question, the girl left with a smile and headed into the dragon carriage.
Realizing that he had been completely caught up in the other person's pace, Subaru withdrew his hand in frustration. Wilhelm left him with a "Well then," and the dragon carriage departed, accompanied by a lizard's neigh.
The car creaks and the wheels begin to turn.
The lizard stepped forward with several powerful stomps on the ground - and accelerated immediately afterwards.
Once the wheels start moving forward and the car starts moving, it moves quickly.
The dragon carriage quickly picks up speed, clears the road, and quickly zooms off into the distance, kicking up a cloud of dust.
In the end, all that was left behind was a thoroughly defeated Subaru, and the lingering scent of high-quality tea that had almost gone unspent.
※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※
Meanwhile, on the dragon carriage heading away from Roswaal Mansion.
"---Have you fulfilled your role as an emissary?"
"Of course. There's no way that Feli-chan would fail what Crusch-sama asked her to do. Old man Vil is such a worrier."
The conversation took place in the driver's seat controlling the dragon carriage.
Wilhelm was sitting in the driver's seat, effortlessly controlling the lizard. Right behind him, a flaxen-haired girl was peeking out from the window of the compartment the lizard was pulling.
The dragon carriage must have been traveling at a fair speed, but as it was covered by the protection of the wind, the strong wind had no effect on it, and there was no need to worry about the sound being blocked when talking.
In a way, there may never have been better conditions for a secret conversation.
Wilhelm gave a wry smile at the girl's response and replied, "That was unnecessary worry." The girl responded, "More importantly,"
"For me, it was more surprising that Old Man Vil was talking to people while he was waiting. I mean, Old Man Vil hates talking to people, right?"
"That's a huge misunderstanding."
The girl immediately denied it, waving her hands and saying, "Oh, no, no."
"That's right, sorry sorry. I just prefer slashing to talking."
"...That's also a terrible misunderstanding."
Wilhelm didn't say anything more to the girl's mocking words.
The girl pouted in dissatisfaction at the lack of reaction to her provocative remark.
"It's boring. Is your conversation with Feli less interesting than the one with the boy from earlier? Do you really like her that much?"
A sulky voice, like a child whose parents aren't paying attention to him.
As if trying to draw out a reaction from Wilhelm, who was showing little reaction, the girl leaned further out of the window and got closer to him.
"I didn't sense anything special, but did it resonate with Old Man Vil? I saw a glimpse of his talent, that he was actually very strong even though he was like that!"
"No. There's not much difference in my opinion of him. He's an amateur - a complete amateur. And he doesn't have any talents that really catch your eye. There's no doubt that he's a mediocre person."
"Then why? Isn't rubbish the thing Old Vil hates the most?"
The girl was constantly trying to paint Wilhelm as a person with a personality disorder. Wilhelm didn't even smile wryly at her words, but quietly raised his hand and pointed to his own eye,
"My eyes."
"--eye?"
Hearing the girl's question, Wilhelm tilted his chin and raised his gaze as if recalling something.
"I was a bit concerned about the boy's eyes. They are the eyes of someone who has stepped into the realm of death many times. There are several who have escaped at the last moment and returned. However…"
Wilhelm stopped speaking and quietly closed his eyes.
"I don't know of any being who has returned from the realm of death not once but several times. That's why I'm intrigued."
"Hmm, I don't really get it."
However, Wilhelm's words, mixed with admiration, were cut off by the girl with words of incomprehension.
This time Wilhelm gave a wry smile, but the girl continued, "But…"
"Whatever Old Man Vil just said, it's not going to be an easy road for that child."
The girl also narrowed her eyes as if remembering something, then she stared intently at the broad back of the man sitting on the driver's seat,
"Being favored by the 『Sword Demon』 Wilhelm van Astrea is no different from being bewitched by a witch