Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

… The sudden act of despair and deeply emotional distraught of another Anastasia were deeply worrying to say the least to all the figure that known of her personally, for others, they were mostly pinpoint focus on the appearance of their favorite boy, with more than enough context to his “curse”, yet when ever he were hurt or again rely on the “curse” to stay alive, they are more then felt the trauma brought forth each viewing.

It were and still very much like your heart and mind experiencing the worst kind of pain a living being can ever felt, it would brought them to tears, too anguish to speak, but it were still not enough to describe to another how much they are in pain.

So when another variant of one of them show up, they were at first quick to confused or alert but compose themselves faster then act with their anguish on their mind at the time.

Seeing her being in contact with Julius made them lazer focus on any context the girl could gave out when they heard she were with her Subaru.

The girls whom love the boy sense the emotional at the way the girl called her Subaru, were to say jealous is a minor ordeals, but as they were quick to form, were quick to snub out when they all heard her context as she are from the future and the screen show them some imagery about how they came to be.

But as always the accursed yet benevolent Screen show them much more of the boy pain and deaths.

Their inside felt once again, pain, heart throbbing pain, but then, the girl, that variant of their Anastasia, she, as if empower by some forces, she leap upon the stage below the screen, crying and sobbing uncontrollably.

They all felt much the same upon such display, but they must remain strong willed for the late stage much later to help their beloved Subaru, but a crack appear on that show of growth.

Anastasia accuse them of this, they blank out of their mind, the will they accumulate through growth with the knowledge of Subaru Journey, wish, dream and that “curse” abruptly crumble a bit.

But to Ana, she still see it in herself to uncovered how and why did she, the one she knew best-herself able to be this much, to be able to brought out such affection from her heart, for Subaru?.

While she, yes, developed a little likeness to the boy, but she wouldn’t pass it as actual affection, she herself knew her heart best, after all, her life wasn’t sunshine and fill with good people other might had got, she knew what she did and will do, all her later life, she knew, she always did, she won’t ever love another truly like what she have just saw.

So, how is she, a person who whole persona were to mark the world as a greedy girl was shown to be so whole heartedly in love that she would be raging like a storm full of hatred to those that once wronged Subaru, she, for the first time since forever, knew next to nothing about her own presumed future self.

After Variant Anastasia dissipated into light, the Theater gone quiet, only some able to start stir up noise, as they either didn’t affect much from a guilt they didn’t do or their mind grew pass such struggle of faults blamed.

“ Fascinating, while the showing certainty were entertaining, to be able to brought forth the sight of a despair fox, amusing!, even the screen is assure to bend to mine will” Priscilla hand move close her fan, tuck it away in her cleavages.

“ Mine self approve of such, show their failure, for their lowly mind yet to be evolve more than ape, word alone convince them not” Priscilla verbal education to creatures belong to the sole of her heels continue to tick some, nudge them out of their mind demon, such imbeciles monkeys,

‘Were it not for mine entertainment of a mind opener for their duty to the future, mine self would had send them off this world long ago, tho, it seem the turn of fate is change to the sly-kitstune.’

She wonder how will this one turn out, who know, she might grace them a smile.

“ Princess, you knew what they need to heard, but you shouldn’t lower your self to be their guidance in this”

‘Me and all of them, you include Princess, we had all been through these stuff enough time to grew pass all mental backlash we might get anyway.’

‘Why would you move even your thought for them, especially when they are indeed deserved to be left in that pitiful, self-destruction state’

“ Why trouble your self more for them, Princess”

“ Jester, least you got some mind to understand such, but to question my motive, mine’s will alone need not your concern over, nor dare to asked such. Enough. Bring me some thing for my thirst, a mere sweeten water will not cut it for mine most benevolent self to forgive such transgression”

“ YES!, Right away, Princess!”

“ CAN’T YOU STAY QUIET! YOU PRETENTIOUS BITCH!”

“ Felt-sama, languages! Please.”

“ Rein, you heard what that bitch said!”

“ Please, Felt-sama, no matter what circumstances or what concern plague over your mind are like, you can’t be seen used such foul word, it’d ruin you image!”

“HMMP!” Felt felt absolutely fuming!, much to her annoyance,

‘Why can’t Rein just take Oniichan already!, Oniichan would be in safe hand with me and Rein most capable hand, even if it will hurt them.’

Felt truly don’t have the mind to leave him in others hand anymore, maybe she should win this throne thing and order to had him live in the castle, away from all these people!’

Maybe the bunch of his friend, she will take in, they seems to had grow past their worst place, but she will still assign Rein to remain with Subaru for most of his duty times, she can’t deal with all this crap!

Must it be through his countless sacrifice to move past and forgave this bunch bullish! NO, NOT ANYMORE, she will move her hand from here on out.

“ Rein, we’re doing this, I ORDER IT!. When Oniichan wake up, force it on him your protection, I don’t need it more than Oniichan, I can handle any threat my self, that or remove the knight uniform off your self and move to end all possible threat, effective immidiately!”

“ Felt-sama…, I…, understood, Felt-sama, lineage of sword saint, Reinhard Van Astrea, will heed your command of the task”

Reinhard both time saw it, but his liege growth during all this hellish trial of mind is undeniably a great prospress for the kindom, it bring great happiness in him, but also troubling as she now see it in her to combat the world with Subaru, a friend he wishes to able to withstand the storm along side as well, but to bring her to that hellish and bloody struggle isn’t something he or anyone could support, but he can’t really said any undesired to the great lion ignites in her eyes during such spark of authority.

“ CAPTA`N ARE THE BEST, ANOTHER to the list of CAPT girl he CONQUERED, RIGHT BROTTO!”

“ Yes, Garf, yes, another, sigh`, though this one is troubling to say the least, what would the context be?”

Otto might as well get tipsy now, it’s been quite a while since they been here, tho Alpha, the witch of Time assure them all that she will brought all of them back to the exact time they got in this place.

It’s nice to all of them to had knowledge of Subaru journeys, but…

‘Sigh, can’t these showing bring some kind of advantage they can do for the nation already, least some new kind of brewing technique’

“ Garf!, Garf!, IS THIS MEAN MIMI AND GARF ARE FAMILY!. YAY! YATTA YATTA”

“ You little, GET OFF ME, YOU TWRITLE!” “ YATTE YETTA, MIMI WON!”

“ Sigh`, little brother, won’t you sit down and let her have her way, she won’t bite you”

“ Nee-san, IF I start doing that, won’t this TWERT gang up more later! ARggHHH!, STOP RoliNG AND SKAING!”

“ Nee-san… sigh, welt, least he aren’t too bad for her, Ricardo, please stop radiating such blood lust… it isn’t helping”

“ Hahhhh, this girl, always a world of chaos with her, tho I guess Garfield isn’t a terrible choice, but I’m not give him ANY BLESSING that SOON, NOPE!”

“ Can’t Subarnicompute wake up already, another girl… mister, you’re really pushing it,”

‘ Can’t you love only me, why are you getting more girl that aren’t me…’

“ Rem, can’t you hold Subaru heart firmly, why is he having more and more girl fawn all over him with each day passing…”

Subaru cheeks has been pulling by a really pouty half elf(:<) for a while now, ever since she and others been grace with Subaru more “peacfull” journey out of Alpha kindheart as to fresh out their emotion, Emilia been having trouble over her lovely knight kept gaining more girl pursuing him, first Crusch, then Sylphy, Shion…, now, even Priscilla just two steps away from yanking his body from her, next is another one, Anastasia, Emilia didn’t think she could get into involve as well, but (:<) as much as she hate it, Alpha been a really mean girl! Showing only beautiful visuals of Subaru lovely date TO ANOTHER GIRL! THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN HER, NOT THEM!

“ Rem is at a lost too, Emilia-san, Rem herself have been grace with Subaru charm at all time, and yet, she've failed to prevent his heart gone to more girl… Subaru-kun really want a must needed correction, isn’t he?(><)…!” Subaru arm is also been pinch for a while now, honestly, Rem herself is quite conflict with herself at the act she is doing, as Subaru isn’t entirely at faults for wooing so many, many girl… not at all… She flick his forehead in slight irritation.

“ You girl! STOP MESSING WITH SUBARU BODY, INFACT!”

Betty really kept loving her Subaru more and more with the knowledge that he will always be with her in all the world she had seen, but she would be not having it! If the maid and the half elf decide to abuse her Subaru, INFACT!

“Ah!, Beatrice-nee~, in this one, Subaru will attempt to make many ‘another’ contract, so please don’t be too mad, kay!~”

Beatrice hand pinch combo both Subaru cheeks in fast session, even Emilia quickly retrace her hand back in fright as she almost got pinch one too many times if she kept her hand there,

“STUPID, STUPIC CONTRACTOR, INFACT!”

“ STOP IT, STOP IT, BEATTY-CHAN, SU-SUBARU FACE!” Petra tried her hardest for her hero, as his heroine, to pulled Betty away from Subaru face, as  it came to be swollen mess,

” Uhh!, come one Betty-chan, let’s go ch-chiilled out abit, Okay-y”

“ Stupic, hic, stupid Subaru!”

“ Great, pervert Barusu claimed yet another maiden for his horrendous lust, Ram must prepare to protect her chastity in the present of such lustful beast in the future!”

“ Ram~, come now, no need to seeth such anger inside, it’s no problem for him to gain more girl if they all help him later~, now, let’s enjoy another show of his”

Roswal honestly already got the much needed knowledge on how to complete his goal now, only the showing is in his way, yet, he refrain from doing much beside sitting down and watch in the back,

“ As much as I would like, Subaru-kyun! Indeed need this much reward for all of his deed”

‘ Plus, I can get to see more fun thing that might make Teacher~happy, not much longer, a shame, since times seem to indeed stop outside of this realm, quite fascinating, but not the first time I seen such’

“ Yes, Roswall-sama, Ram will heed your order”

Ram honestly don’t have much to say, other than the fact, that her sissy is still foolishly in love with such a Barusu, and he has that much audacity to gaining her sissy more rival for his slutly heart. Mind you,

‘ Ram honestly glad Barusu seem much more lively natually around… a whole bunch of girl… Deep breath now RAM, my little brother being a lustful beast isn’t something new, you know that… YES! Pinch him for me Sissy, justice for all maiden’

“ Hmm~Hmmm~, Otōchan really bringing more into his life, not much of a surprise anymore, but when am I getting more sibling, right Spica-chan~?”

“UhhhUUH UUH!, UHGA GAA USHA uagh hahg…”

Meili and Spica been having quite the pleasant times during all this chaos, with a rather nice touch as she and her sister were also happen to appear all the time and always got to be with OtōBaru.

It’s brought her many smile, tho she hersefl were quietly sad at the fact that her big sis will always oppose to Subaru somehow and fate always make her turn away from him, either with death or she never met up with him.

A sad twist for her, yes, but she, honestly, pleasant with just Subaru in her life, in this life or many others, he accept her completely, and she in-turn will also accept him back, not as…, like some she knew now to completely mince meat them, given the chances, least them let their filthy word reach her father, she would love to care for Otōchan here tooo, but he yet to be awake.

“ Guess we will stay silent for now, lets hold hand, sissy!”

“ UMM! UMM!” ughh umm ugaa uhh!

‘ Louis life is complete, please let Spica stay with you forever, thanks you for such wramth,… Otōsan~’ Subaru swollen cheeks turn a bit more red for some reason.

“ Julius, stop yer scholar mind already, your logical mind won’t get to the point any times soon any way, best wait for hint to show more what the future will bring to all of us”

“… Yes, Anastasia-sama, I my self failed to guess of much info from your future self is of our past or able to figure her out at all, Where? Or how did you gotten involve with Subaru?”

“ I know my self enough to see she is affectionate enough to call it love, intriguingly enough, I also failed to see any hidden motive from her to Subaru too”

“ Uh, Alpha-chan, can you in yer boundless heart give us the privileges to see this one, pretty, please~?”

“ Hmm, it’s not completely in scheldue to show it this soon, but a bit of show should be good, as Father fairly treasure you greatly, even among others world, tho some, you had failed to see through him like this one… Hmm, alright, FOLK!, now you will be grace with some viewing as the oddness of Ana-pop appearance shown some result in some of you”

“Thus I permit the shift scheduled or the show!”

Some member of the theater before weren’t in their seat, now move back to their assign seat, one of them is Feris, who were just woke up from his nap, as he been shown Subaru love life one too many times, he was bore enough and with Alpha confirmation of there will be no bad viewing till the next week, he ask for Crusch permission to just go back to his room for a nap, and sure it was helping! Nyanh.

“ Crusch-sama, Nyow is the current viewing looks like? Feris-chan neyer seen Julius-kun look that focus, or that much stony, NYANH, DID FERIS SLEPT THROUGH A WHOLE NYEAK, NYAHH!”

“ Oh, Feris, it’s nice to see you with your energy back in full, it wasn’t such, but we will get a different viewing this time as one of many of Subaru-sama companion show up and cause quite the chaos, but mostly fine”

“ NyahH!, WERE CRUSCH-SAMA HURT ANY WHERE!?, FERIS IS SORRY, here, let Feris check” Feris attempted to check for any injuries to both Crusch and Willhelm but a reasuring hand clasp his shoulder,

“ Felix-dono, it’s quite alright, we’re fine, the chaos didn’t include any physical, only some emotional strains, as she were Anastasia of the future, we were now just waiting for the viewing to start”

Willhelm stir his own mind away from his inner turmoil to reassure his friend, when he notice some word like “Forgotten” or “Subaru had  to fled” he tried to trace back if there would be any point of contact of such word in the “futures” he had been shown.

“ Sit down, Feris, let the screen continue it show, least you are still quite bore of these viewing?” Crusch honestly fine for most, she and Wilhelm both caches those word, but she will wait it out, for her, the amount of patient she can show is incapable to be compare to some figures she had come to known about, and has seen how their life gotten so much brighter, all it took for them to get their fate aligns with Subaru, she won’t hesitate nor prideful like her past just to get back regret. Won’t you bless it, my journey to take his hand, Fourier…

In one corner of the Theater

She remain quiet, quietly observe their turmoil, emotion, joy, laughs and discussion. She care not for them but Subaru, her beloved, only he deserved the world, but the world remain quiet to his cry, his tears, his heart breaking every time another he knew of die, even to her.

Mmm~, she love him across time and back, from hell to beyond the star, even if he never look her way, even if he reject her, she remain perfectly please with such, only when he can smile with joy would she be more please.

Due to Alpha-chan great help over separating Envy in to tiny pieces and implant into Subaru Od, inturn heal his Od, Beatrice notice this of course, but she didn’t oppose to such, Envy remain bound to Subaru, in which Envy was please as well, she refuse to let him go, and fast to dissipate her own persona, mend into him forever, forever belong to him, never to leave again…

Satella happily allowed it, the Theater to help Subaru live happily again, tho she is a tad bit mad at her beloved to gain so many kids and her own but they are still at risk with their Envy.

‘Sigh, beloved, can’t you solve me first before getting to them… it’s won’t be that hard, I wonder what other me thought of it, do Alpha-chan help them too, or are they still fighting alone… ‘

“No matter, I know what they can and do, tho I can kept taking care of Beloved’s mother and father in his stead for now.” Emilia and Rem felt great disturbance in the Theater.

Chapter Text

“Alright-y, before we, I mean you all, see the changed viewing, let me re-fresh the knowledge you might has processed”

“You all had seen how Father got acknowledge for his deed, yet, fate always has more for him to face just right after,”

“Tried with all his might, he had overcome many, of course through the belief that there will be a welcome back waiting for him,”

“So what if there is a fated cross-road that denied him of such, not only completely cut off all his past deed, accomplishment, kindness from even his close friend and companion, but also turn them all, which mean even THOSE that present here… against his happiness,”

“Will he once again, force to face that fate, once again turn all odd to zero, rise to impossible height and reach his hand out across space and time to get you all back to him.”

“OR, fate were that much of a Priscilla to give him any glimpse of kindness, but enslave him with chained of past fantasy to simply wait for a change, all to rid himself of the world that HAD forsake all of him,”

For those that are in this place, they had been allowed to saw it all, theirs worst, theirs best, even theirs own final thought, but to Subaru’s, all they had seen in themselves, pale to his, never mind his “curse”.

His life, his thought, his goal, his finals, his undeniable greatness, all of it should had made them feel their self-worth be amount to nothing much of a average Joe, but knowing it is Subaru that they has known and get to be with throughout their journey.

Theirs resolve matter not, their thought matter not to fate, to Priscilla, and yet, there were him, Subaru once might have been a failures in his own assessment, but they has seen it.

Times and efforts out of kindness wouldn’t get you to much on your own, but he, he had lead others out of their own shadow, while he himself lost in the shadow, yet he shine, a light in the night of the ever consuming darkness, he is kind, is a knight to a rumored greatest evil, is the contractor to a child lost herself to despaired, a role model to a kid that learn to hate the world, a friend to a boy that rejected by his own kind, a hero that banished evil and a recluses weirdo precious pervert to his nee-sama.

They all remain silent, they learn, and have turn their mind away from any ill thought, their heart in pains, their gut felt twisted, their nerve refused to relax, yet, their mind steers clear from any it all.

They want to save him, so they must be there for him in what ever twisted present fate decide to throw at their beloved boy.

“... Go on, please.” Emilia were the first to speak, she long to hug her deep in slumber knight, but she must learn what might she need to face.

‘Even if it me or another, I won’t hesitate, if a another were to come here after harming Subaru in any form, I won’t allow her to go back like Ana did… ’

“Not yet, while I’d love to, but since Ana-pop got back safely, their world Envy is trying to locate us, few! Good thing I did erase her memory before she go back there, I’ll see it if she gone back yet, Envy-bitch got really close to our [view point]. Welt, see you all later, be a darling and wait a bit”

“Your attempt at humoring mine self is commendable, but if you were to stall the show any longer, mine self will see it as if you are vying your own demise, quickly now.”

“Wait a bit, it won’t take too much, here, a neck less of pristine ruby!”

“AH!, Princess, don’t just throw away something like this! Must less be my direction. It worth a bit of cash back there, you know?!”

“Jester…, kept it then, if it worth your attention, then go fetch me something light, the scramble below seem amusing somehow.”

“Sigh, Yes, Princess, right away.”

“Curse that you make me sharing that bitch opinion, come on, start it!”

“GET OFF!, we need to see this now.”

“... Wah!” Garfield just man or cat-handle Mimi by the hood of her cloak, now hanging like a kitty, she become a bit more, well less mischievous, and Garfield hand her to Ricardo just like that.

“Well, uh, thanks for the trouble of giving our Mimi back, any way, Ahem!, I’ll see it if you will be a good partner for our dear Mimi!”

“... Ricardo, -_-) stop, sit down, and watch out for Mimi mov--”

“Wh--?!,” *Bonk, well there’s one down.

“Mimi will decide that, and Mimi chose Garf, Mimi need no one else opinion, not even Garf!”

“Oh, welcome back little brother… what with that pinkish on your face?”

“Ah, nee-chan, just uh, nothing… “ Garfield hopelessly fallen, but as his camp shield, he allow himself non of it, least not yet.

‘Capta`n, what does affection felt like? Cause my glorious self felt tingling when ever she near me now, my heart kept beating loud like I about to fight, but there’s no enemy, is it Mimi. No! I felt a loud voice scream so when ever I think of fighting her, or potentially harming her if I move too much. Am I sick in love? Like how Cap` kept showing Princess how much he love her? I need your help, Cap`!’

“Rein, kept watch of any one involve of nii-chan misery, Kay! Even so much of a scratch will be getting put in the list.”

“Yes!, Felt-sama, so far, about half the book has been documented, from the looks of it, I should ask Alpha-sama for more, ah, do you need more refreshment, Felt-sama, I’d recommend this light beverages, it surprisingly healthy, told as one of my protection fo--”

“Enough with that! Just go, but bring me more of those, Uh, what ever in… Ah! Here, this!, bring me this!”

“Very well, Felt-sama, I wil--”

“JUST GO!”

“Ghhh, Tsk!, can’t Betty just be with her contractor all the times, how useless that Betty can be if her Subaru got into that much trouble, much you make me hate you more, you useless, useless, USELESS DOLL!, INFACT!”

“Beatrice-sama, please calm your self, Subaru-kun will be trouble if his precious spirit get angry to her other self that much.”

“... Maid, it seems Betty’d scream out loud her thought, sorry…, but Betty see that you had grown from all these viewing, before were it Betty and that child over there to nurse you out of that room.”

“Rem once again thanks Emilia-sama and Beatrice-sama for saving Rem from those dark days, but Rem still haven’t change much, it’s just Rem want to see and personally condemn those that dare harm Subaru-kun, Rem see it as the highest priority right now, but thank you Beatrice-sama for such kind word.”

“Ah!, ah sorry Rem, you were talking?”

“Nothing much you needed to hear, but while Betty wish it for you to just be with her Subaru to have him be happy, Betty will see if you are good enough to stand with him, or Betty will help shape you to Betty standard, I suppose?”

“UM, um, YES! Beatrice-sama, Emi will stride to heed it!”

“Rem know that she had pass Beatrice-sama test, but please, uh ch-chill out Emilia-sama, Subaru-kun are quite please with just Emilia. So please -_-)… drop the pose and sit down, Emilia… “

*Petra, Meili and Spica is gathering around Alpha… Alpha unknowingly become their big sister, turn out carrying the Natsuki genes really get your self a lot of fan of the minor age.

‘While Spica and Meili before were bad, but if they did change, I won’t see them as anything but friend. If it’s for Subaru sake, I will tolerant even the worst of the world…’

“... What is it, Feris?”

“Ah, Crusch-sama, Feris-chan were just hearing some talk from Anastasia-sama camp members, some were funny, but Julius really is lock-in right now, Nyahh!”

“Must be cause both Anastasia and Subaru both got bad gate and they now too got bad fate, he must be trying to verified what could happen or what he can do to make both not end up like what we just heard.”

“We might need to steal our heart and mind, Crusch-sama, Feris-dono, Subaru-dono journey this time seem treacherous, but it seem this time companion is quite capable.”

“Um, um, Wilhelm-san is right, Nyah, Anastasia-sama got a good head on her shoulder, and beside her gate, she doesn’t got too many limitation to weight Subaru-chan down.”

“Your analysis is good, Feris, but while she-fox won’t harm Subaru-sama in any way, his spirit must be wounded, watch and see if you can applicable his treatment to others.”

“Yes, Feris will get to it! Nyan, but Crusch-sama, what were you all watching before this, nya?”

“Ah, it were just some, high-ser-cool IF, where we were all in Subaru-dono world, you has missed many great thing, Feris-dono.”

“Nyah? Hi-ser-cold? Never mind then, can’t be anything good if Feris-chan didn’t get yoink from his room to it see then.”

‘Sigh, what the other me said, still linger around in my mind, refused to get away, the whole context is missing too much, we being forgotten, her family and camp abandoned her, Subaru too… What did she really mean as she love him? Subaru… would I fall for him too?’

“Hah, fine then, let’s see how will you woo this greedy gal then, Suba-kun, if it enough to woo a girl of my caliber to even declare her affection for you so whole heartedly, so physical, then you better be ready for me at the end too, Subaru!”

‘While I knew I will be forgotten after the battle, did those gluttony archbishop chose you, Subaru… And lady Anstasia too, will be harm by them, if my name is not loss but I lost you two… Krrgh! I can’t, I’ll lure them away from them, I must plan this more, be it my name or my memory, I’d rather lose them both if needed be, my friend, my lady, there’ll be no greater shame if I lost you both just because I lament my own lost.’

“(*small wishper) I swear on the spirits, the dragon, my sword and my whole being, Julius Juukulius to chase the evilest being of this world and slay them or bear their accurse ability in Their stead!”

“OK! We’re good to go, though let there be warn, there’s no point to question what act the viewing star will do, just know that they see the the other as ‘tool’ for their own personal li--.”

“JUST ROLL THE TAPE, DAMN IT!”

“Alright, here you go!”

The Theater light tune down and mellow out into the darkness, then the screen start to glow, as always, the sound of their source of freshly blanket trauma and beautiful story hum back to life.

Chapter 1: Prologue: Sharp Negotiation

“Quite the familiar word for this gal, do Natsuki-kun just work with me at the start?”

“Lady boss! Look it’s you!”

“Yes, yes Mimi, now, stay put and be silent for sometimes oka~y.”

“Mimi-chan, snack and drinks here so listen to Ana-bo, alright?”

“UM!, um, Mimi will stay put! and Snack!”

Anastasia Hoshin was down on her luck. To be fair, her starting hand was always rotten. Born and abandoned within the slums of Kararagi, her chances of surviving were abysmal. And yet she survived, no, flourished despite the odds.

By the time she was 23, she was the chairman of her own company, surrounded by loyal allies she can call family, and was in the running for becoming the king of her very own country. However, it all came crashing down without warning in Priestella.

‘Nothing much beside what I and others about to face in that city, so what change?’

“Ottobro, it this the same city we’re about to get into to beat them Ar bishop?”

“Yes, Garf, let’s see what change about the outcome of this one…”

The battle of Priestella was all but finished. The Archbishop of Greed was defeated and the Archbishop of Wrath was captured. Yet, in a cruel twist of fate, Gluttony struck her at her most vulnerable. With none of her campmates nearby, her name was taken and she ended up abandoned and forgotten.

“Hmm? Subaru-kun’s not getting mentioned here, could it be much later will he be showing up, nyan?”

“Like how we remembered, but with two additional victim then. What your take, Tivey?”

“Must be during the part where Lust get to our lady, with wording ’most vulnerable’ and none of us near by, but at that I wonder what had happen to Crusch-sama of that world.”

In the aftermath of the conflict, she wandered aimlessly, trying to scrounge up as much money as she could. While most of her assets were now under the Juukulius family, she had stored money and some contraband in discrete locations all around Lugunica in case of emergencies. Unfortunately, such emergencies were planned with the forethought that her allies would help secure the funds with efficiency. With only herself, it took her a whole month to gather enough money to start again.

“... Much apology, Anastasia-sama, our policy of resources management cost your other self great burden over your own wealth.”

“Now, hold on there, Julius, our system is finely tune with many good point, don’t hold it accountable for this mishap, and beside, when my other self show up, she look like she been living quite well, though that Star design mean it’s Subaru handmade…”

‘Either way I also want it for some reason, and that hair pin too!’

Now at the capital with her newly bought carriage, she took one last look at the city. A sense of nostalgia and melancholy rushed through her mind: memories of eating at a restaurant with a trio of cat demi-humans, memories of her negotiating with a certain honorable knight, and memories of her being given her star pin by a boisterous wolf-man. Out of habit, she reached for her neck to grasp her absent scarf and was left with only a bitter feeling of longing.

Anastasia Hoshin was truly alone.

“(*Sniffen), Boss-lady, we sorry, we won’t leave you! Mimi won’t leave you!”

“Haaa, luckily, later you later get to be with Bo-chan, so please excuse us this much!, kay.”

*Group hug, Anstasia are getting smolther in hugs of her camp member, even Julius, who were stone coldly watching and analyzing got drag in by Ricardo.

‘Sniff, I can’t imagine what it like, no, I don’t want to even thought of it. Got left behind and nothing left of me were in my hand, no, not now.’

“Let’s return to the viewing… “

 However, she was determined to start again. Sure, she had to start again from zero, but if she could do it once before, she can do once more. Such optimism would usually fill her with renewed hope… if she wasn’t currently being threatened at knifepoint.

*Blink?

“Huh… now who would that rag bag be, I suppose… It can’t be”

“We have prepare for this, but it’s still hurt to see him… “

“We still can’t see much of his feature but I can recognize his figure.”

“…Ya know, there are better ways to ask for a ride?” Anastasia joked.

Her current assailant had snuck up behind her while she was looking back at the city one last time. She silently chastised herself for letting her emotions keep her from escaping from the capital, especially since the guards were in a state of emergency trying to find an escaped Archbishop. Most of them were at the Royal Capital and noble district, trying to protect high value targets like the Sage Council from any harm.

“…” her assailant was silent.

“She… she fall for this guy…”

“Must be quite a hearth robing encounter, haha…ha.”

“Bro, come on now, life can’t be that tough to go for robbery.”

Anxiety crept up Anastasia’s throat, as the silence stretched from seconds to minutes. What was her assailant thinking?

“Bro, stop aura farming, it’s dark out, just say some thing already!”

‘No, no Julius, no matter what. You mustn’t, there must be a reason, there must be a reason why Subaru looks like that and doing THAT, UH! Cause it must be quite the big reason to aim a knife in her throat like that, KRGHHH!’

Before she could say something else, the figure behind her lowered the knife from her neck and pushed her forward. Quickly turning around, she noticed that the person accosting her was just a boy a few years younger than her. In fact, he was barely of average height and was visibly scrawny. However, what caught her attention was his scary narrow eyes, gaunt sunken cheeks, and white hair. The boy looked like he had seen hell but was peculiarly absent of any visible wounds, despite some blood and open crevices splotching his weird attire. To be frank, the boy looked like he had just risen from the grave as a ghost.

! *Several arm rest got broken at the sight of Subaru’s ghostly, near death looks.

“Father might’ve been a corpse at this point, but he’s fine for most part, well his mind at least.”

… Those that are close to him felt the pain but they remain silent to hear her word, not yet, they need more context, date and the like.

“…Why are you here, Anastasia?” the boy muttered.

What?

How did he know her name? She hadn’t given out her real name once since she lost it. Perhaps she said it accidentally without thinking? Has the boy been stalking her? She needed more information.

“Well, that is quite a rude way to start a conversation. Can’t a merchant leave when danger is afoot?”

He quickly pointed the knife at her.

“Worlly, quick to act, are we now!”

“Calm down now you three, it’s understandable.”

‘What did they do to you to become like this, Subaru…’

“ANSWER THE DAMN QUESTION!” Anastasia was startled by the sudden yelling. “Why is a royal candidate leaving the capital in the middle of the night with not a knight or mercenary in sight?”

“Hmm, he didn’t know I got forgotten? So he might have been forgotten sooner and got in trouble, or he later got trouble but because I wasn’t there able to help as I got forgotten and he got into trouble cause of me.”

‘Curse me, why don’t you, World! Two of my three most important people is like this, so what the me from that world is doing right now...’

So, he does recognize her, this wasn’t just a sudden mugging. He knew her from before Priestella.

Is he immune to the effects of Gluttony?

The boy looked frantic and almost paranoid, darting eyes every which way while keeping her in sight. As if he was prepared someone was waiting in the shadows, about to strike. She needed to be careful, lest the knife end her life.

“Subaru…”

“I seen no stain on that knife, proved that he didn’t injured any one, there’s only wound on his whole body, Anstasia looks mostly fine, but…”

“I haven’t seen Subaru-kun behave like this ever since that 7th loop.”

“Subaru-dono...”

‘Did we forsaken you? Is that why you become that distrust to even Anastasia…’ (Emilia btw)

She brought both her hands up, “…I ain’t a royal candidate anymore. Everyone forgot about me since the witch cult attacked Priestella. The Archbishop of Gluttony struck right at the end of the assault,” Anastasia answered honestly.

The answer startled the boy, he genuinely looked distraught. Almost, sympathetic of her plight.

“Oh Natsuki-san…”

“CAP`!”

“_Ic, Hic, Subaru…hic, infact.”

“Bo-chan… even when his whole body is full of scars and wound, he still felt distraught if other got any kind of fall out.”

“Sorry,” Anastasia rose an eyebrow, “It must have been rough having everyone you love forget about you.” The boy said bitterly while shaking his head.

“Haaah, Natsuki-san, I swear…, see your pain too, dumbass…”

“(*snifful) CAP`, you too! pay attention to your self too!”

“Hic, stupic contractor, Infact!”

‘...Subaru, didn’t we talk about this before, your self must be one of the to be saved, right? So why are you in that much pain, yet see other before you once again.’  (Satella btw)

“…You ain’t gotta apologize for that, not like you were responsible for it. Though an apology for almost slittin’ my throat would help.” Anastasia joked.

“... Not a word.”

“And here I thought bro got bad joke…”

…

The boy winced and lowered his knife, “Sorry. I wasn’t going to hurt you. Honest. I was just confused why someone important like you was all alone.”

The boy was a conundrum to Anastasia. On the one hand, he looked and acted like a maniac. On the other hand, the boy spouted empathy and kindness like it was second nature. She needs to figure out which was true and which was a ploy.

“Your sense of a joke must be low if that is enough to be confusing to you, I suppose.”

“Wonder how Ana-bo set her bar? To be honest, we really didn’t involved her much out in the field, eh, now we know.”

“I’ll just let you be on your way-“

“Now hold on,” Anastasia quickly interrupted, “Ya can’t just interrogate a young gal in the middle of the night without introducing yourself. It’s only fair.” She said with a smirk.

He’s the only one who remembers me. I can’t just let him slip away without understanding what makes him different.

“Careful now foxiean, mine self see this is how you might get your glimpse of death one day, best change that mindset before you tried it before mine self, might as well kept your light from getting snuff out before that.”

“Ah, yes, yes, best learn as much as I can from the great baroness then.”

“Ana-bo… unfortunately, even I see this as a sign of a bad light, luckily, you got us now, but if you ever experience what show on screen right now, best you mask it better, won’t you?”

…

“… Natsuki Subaru. Emilia’s former knight.”

Whatever she expected to hear, it wasn’t that. She never heard of his family name, much less recognized his peculiar appearance. The eyes and hair should be unique enough that someone who was a knight of the most hated royal candidate would be easily recognizable. That and the specific qualifier “former”-

“You lost your name as well, didn’t you?” Anastasia gambled.

“She playing her car a bit too much here, wonder how disastrous did the month before this were for her?”

‘Former knight…, did I failed you, Subaru, again? Forgotten? Haaa, Subaru, my knight, forget that girl if she did anything to you, please… that way I can strangle her and make leave your life for good.’

‘Haaa, useless, if he is forgotten and she wasn’t around, that mean that Betty had abandoned her contractor to fate worse then death it seems, can’t Betty meet that useless thing and throw her to the rabbits, infact?’

The boy startled, visibly shocked. “How did you-?” His reaction confirmed it, her bet paid off.

“It doesn’t take a genius to figure it out. Your unique appearance coupled with the fact that no one would pretend to be the knight of a half-elf. It’s obvious that ya got your name snatched and you’re in the same situation as me.”

To be honest, there was an equal chance that he was absolutely insane, simply being a self-proclaimed knight obsessing over a beautiful witch lookalike. But all signs say otherwise, now she just needed to figure out why he was so cautious of her in the first place.

“So, my only question now is: why are you here? Emilia’s camp is situated in the Miload domain. Her camp is also fairly nice and understandin’. I’m sure they would accept ya back all things considered.”

The boy’s shocked face quickly scowled. “Never. I’m not going back. Even if I wanted to, they’ll just throw me back into that hellish nightmare without a second thought. The only thing they care about was what I did for them, not who I was!”

‘NO! We don’t think of you like that. KIRG, THAT DAMN HALF ELF, NO THAT ENTIRE CAMP, sorry, Subaru, my knight, I must harm them to settle this rage in me, forgive me.’

“USE LESS DOLL, INFACT!”

‘I must still be a sleep but if I were awake… Maybe my morning Star aim should be for a raging beast that couldn’t be reason with, Ram of that world, Rem is sorry, but even you will not be spare.’

‘Ram understand sissy, do it, maybe Ram can’t with Rem of any world but if it Ram other self, know that she too won’t be unharm if she did anything unkind to Basuru.’

“... Never did I think I wish to see my own face in utter mess as much as right now, maybe we can wait for them to show up like she did.”

“Cap`… I, my glorious self too wish to meet up with my counter…”

‘Subaru-sama, please live happily, my other self might had report you if you show up, so even if you lenient with me as your big heart always do, but I can’t be lenient with her, if she did such thing, she has already forfeit her whole being, please forget her, Subaru.’

Natsuki raised his knife back at Anastasia. “And you still didn’t answer my original question: why are you here alone?! Where’s Julius, Ricardo, the triplets? Shouldn’t you have no difficulty returning to them?” 

Aaaaand we are back to square one.

“I would imagine myself do that and face the unfamiliar eyes… She must had in the beginning but unlike Juli here, she won’t get a Subaru to integrate her back to her friend and family.”

‘Tsk, I hate them, I truly hate them with my whole being, I imagine Joshua of this world suffer the same fate as my future, so they actually did it, they take out my Lady, my Brother and even my Friend, and Joshua won’t even get any one to take care of him too as Subaru won’t know Joshua got sleeping beauty, or even told Juluis of that world that he got a brother, or even I of that world even in the camp at all.”

“Julius, you’re saying it out loud, you know.” (btw, it’s Tivey here)

“Ah. Excuse me of my out burst.”

“It’s fine, Julius, Gluttony of this world do much more harm, we know.”

“Nya, I’ve never even seen Julius Tsk at all, but to speak his mind that much, this one must be having more toll on him then Feris thought of, nyah.”

“Feris, later please check on him if he shown more worse trait.”

“Yes, Crusch-sama, tho Feris see that Subaru here is pretty normal, in his mind I mean, though he show sign of restless and paranoid he is mostly reasonable and cooperative if he knew who he dealing with.”

“Yes, Subaru-dono felt a bit distrusted to Anstasia but he is willing to cooperative to her if he knew what she is doing or been through, and that knife look just like he just pick up somewhere, not the type of any formal blade, maybe a fruit vender knife?”

“Feris-chan also note that there some matching wound with the knife, but Feris see no trace of blood on the knife, must be a similar fashion of knife, or he got wounded with the same type slash that knife could produce, like a spear. Nyah?”

Sigh.

One wrong misstep and the tension that was about to dissipate is back to full. On the bright side, she now had a better understanding of the boy. He was scared. Time to gamble one last time.

She took a deep breath.

“Apologies, I didn’t mean to assume anything. To answer your question: I’m… afraid of what will happen if I reunite with them.”

She took a step towards him.

“That they’ll hate you and reject you?!” The boy spoke with shock and a tinge of bitterness, stepping back at the same time. This only confirmed her theory, the boy tried to reach out to his old friends and was soundly rejected. Of course, the boy was afraid, he was not only forgotten but all of his former allies turned against him.

“No, I’m afraid that the relationships I had will never be the same again.”

She took another step.

…

‘Is Echidna taking control? Or am I that much desperate to get that brave…’

“Anastasia-sama, please refrain from even think of doing this kind of act, moving close to a potential knife wielder, even if they are acting like Subaru, are too much of a risk, even if they are lowering their guard to you.”

“I get it, I get it Julius, any how, the exact date this might happen, Tivey?”

“About 35 days, if you include the date the moment we has appeared in this Theater, and Subaru-san body deem as malnourished but seem not due to him become homeless, as he look restless and ‘hellish place’ he must have escape some sort of imprisonment, but slavery is ban in Lugunica, while some in the outskirt own semi-slave, as this is the capital, it can only means, he is from the prison tower.

“Good job, Tivey, good analysis, and with that, we got some clues.

“It’s the knight… I recognize those type of injury, and with me lost of memory, I… might also one of them…”

“Julius, just stay sane and relax, okay, it won’t nor is your fault.”

“Yes, Anstasia-sama, I’d heed your word…”

‘Blasted, curse me more,  justify my rage and blood I might spill if I meet up with my counter. Subaru, forgive me if you don’t see any justice in my hand upon that encounter, for I wish to feel Satisfied upon it.’

She needed to be honest and precise, the boy may be manic, but he spoke honestly and sincerely. She needed to respond in kind to get him to trust her.

“That even if I try to reconnect, all of the memories I had of them.”

Another.

“All of the little quirks, all of the trials we faced, and all of the good we experienced: it would only be remembered by me.“

One foot over the other.

“That the family I cultivated would never come back.”

One final step.

Her heart wrenched with each word, but it was worth the effort. The boy was less frantic, as if her words were grounding him, as understanding and sympathy crept into his mind. She needed to seal the deal. She was almost face to face with him, the knife barely reaching her chest.

“So, I chose to leave and start again, instead of facing that cruel reality.”

 She softly added with a faint laugh,

“I’m truly slothful ain’t I?”

Seconds passed as Anastasia braced for the expected reaction. Suspicion, pity, indifference, all possible outcomes from her gambit.

…

“We know how Subaru would be like, don’t we?”

“Yes, Emilia-sama, Rem know.”

“Hic, Subaru!, Hic.”

Meili and Spica know of such, too. Would they be sad, no. Cause their Sabaru asked them to smile for tomorrow too. A much needed sense of respect for their father is to look away. Fot their father is too much of a softie and would even felt so much shame if they see his tears, he would hide his tears with a smile. To them, it’s not what they want, for their father to force himself to hide his tears, they won’t ever see it, not until they can force their Subaru to be able to tears of for them, and not hiding it for any reason.

‘Subaru-sama…’

“Hic, Subaru-sama, Fredericanee sama, waaaa, hold me please!”

“Shuu, shuu, here Petra, I’m here Petra-chan.”

“Boss-Lady, Mini-boss, WAAaaa, aaaa.”

“There, there Mimi, here, Tivey, come here too.”

“I’d rather not, but, here, I’m here, Mimi.”

Most males in the theater also look the other way, as they knew what Subaru would become in this type of situation, out of respect for their favorite boy, they would face the wall.

“Nii-chan…hic…hicup….”

“Ah, Felt-sama, here, some tissue.”

“No, not now, maybe a few piece, now look away.”

“Hic…hiccup…hic…”

Sniff. Sob.

But at last, they all knew, one of many why and how Subaru leave their heart pain and joy, he would cry if other told him their life, pain if they are in pain, troubles if they are facing it, even if they don’t do anything, he’d barge right in their story to right what he see as wrong and force them out to the light, his light.

But Anastasia Hoshin could not believe her eyes. The boy who was just recently holding her at knifepoint, the boy who was frantically paranoid of everything around him, the boy who looked like he had just left an active warzone: was on the verge of tears out of pure empathy for her woes.

“Wait-“

“Don’t say that,” the boy interrupted while wiping his eyes, “Anybody in your situation would have the same reaction. Sure, strong people may say the right way is to push on in spite of fear. But it’s easier to say than do. The feeling of despair, the isolation, grasping at what you lost. Those feelings are valid.”

With tears dotting his eyes, the knife he held clattering onto the cobblestone road, and while gently grasping Anastasia’s hands,

“It was hard, wasn’t it?”

“Haaaaaa, yes, it was suuuuuper(Sugokuuuuu) hard without you awake right now Subaru-dummy.”

‘Subaru, you remember those word, am the me from back then now the one you want to meet the most, I can do that, I can do more, but if you only need that much, I’ll do that and wait for you to ask more of me, Hihi. I’ll be the one to wait for you, my knight.’

‘Those line, from back then… Subaru-kun, this might be selfish of me but I truly wish you won’t take away my line (Zero Kara), Anstasia-san might be a good girl, but I want you to remember your Rem as Rem, not projecting it to any other girl.’ (spoiler, mf did that)

‘All it took was one right word, one right line and you’d see all the world riches, I stand by those words all of my life, and here it is, a right line, maybe not the me here, but that word do resonate all the same, might you be mine, I’d see you winning this greedy gal over.’

The dam within her heart broke. Days of sleepless nights, frantic searching for money and anyone who could remember her, and paranoia over her broken gate. A human can only hold back so much. And this boy. This stupidly kind boy, who looked like he had been through worse, is weeping for her sake. Anastasia could only cry in response.

‘Call it, you and your greedy gal my foot, you are as easy as any girl my dears Ana.’

‘No fair, you know me, and where has you been,’

‘I were just got spoil a bit of the later point, and now I might got the last game changer to our out of contrac fate,’

‘What you say?! no, don’t say anything to me now, I’ll see this to the end, otherwise, it’d be a distaste even to me.’

‘Suit yourself, I guess, but Subaru, huh, I like him, earnest and traditional, plus loyal beyond all else, ahh and eas--, two pea in a pod, I’d say, sshishishi!’

‘Stop it, I’ll see it my self till the end.’

‘Fine, ahh, I can spoil you this, he’ll make you a queen.’

‘Being vauge, ain’t we now? Hmm? Echidna? She gone to sleep? Ehh, forget it then.’

“…I was afraid. I was alone with everyone I knew possibly dead. And when I finally found them, they thought I was just a hapless civilian. I thought it was a joke, just one big nightmare. But that wasn’t just it. All of my work, the company I built, everything I accomplished: gone. Over 20 years of hard work, gone in an instant. The worst part wasn’t that. It was walking up to Julius and the Iron Fang, and all I could see in their eyes, was pity. No happiness, no recognition, not even a hint of familiar concern. Just pity towards a random girl found in a war torn city. I was a nobody again.”

The tears wouldn’t stop falling. If someone were witnessing this from afar, they would see a boy and a girl clutching each other, crying and wailing with no restraint. 

“I know. I know,” the boy softly cooed back between sobs, “You’re not alone. I know how you feel. You are not a nobody.”

Anastasia was clutching Natsuki’s chest while the boy patted her head to comfort her. For a moment, the two were in their own little world.

“It’s uncanny to unbelievable degree, I suppose.”

“Why, Beatrice?”

“Has you seen yourself with your knight at all, half-wit, watching both you fool make mine self felt like watching a owner training their pet, while here, you can see actual care, see that how you failed him in affection act, it’s for your own good to see to it, judge yourself.”

“... Why is that Baroness kept getting wiser, what is this horror?”

“Felt-sama, please, she is always like that, it’s just that she now shown more sincere care?”

“Huh? Who? That bitch? Wha-, know what, forget it, I too will forget that?”

“Sigh, as you wish, Felt-sama.”

“She right, I suppose.”

“Maid, be affectionate to Subaru the moment we walk out of here with a awaken Subaru to shown this child here what affection is truly like, I suppose.”

“)_0)?!”

“Ah! Yes, Beatrice-sama, Rem will see to it, being able to teach Emilia-sama will be bore fruit well for Subaru-kun!”

“Eh! Rem! No need to, I know what to do!”

“Rem assure you Emilia, Rem will teach you such, for Subaru-kun.”

“Uhhh, Beatrice stop teasing me about this, I know what to do, honest!”

“Sure, sure, later, I suppose.”

…

Stomp. Stomp. Clop. Clop.

Until both started to hear thundering footsteps and clattering armor getting closer to them. Anastasia could hear the boy’s heart start quickening in response.

“Heavy sigh, here they come, those lousy knight of this damn world…”

“Julius-bo, don’t force yourself, nowvcome here, come here and sit on my lap, might take your mind off things,”

“... kay.”

“0_0, he actually do it, nyah? Feris later really need to speak with Julius, truly this is concerning.”

‘Julius might be a great knight, but if his pride and the strength he boast is the one that one up his friend, he will lose it, huh, I’ve never seen him be this much, it’s like seeing arc3 Subaru-kyun, nyah. Too bad, nyah, Feris will for a moment bring Julius a Zerokara sence, nihihi, nyah.’

“No. nonononono-“The boy looked like he was having a panic attack. For a second, Anastasia was confused by the boy’s reaction, until she connected the puzzle pieces together.

Oh, what have they done to this poor boy? She thought to herself.

“Oh what They have done, indeed… I suuuuuuper(Suuugoku) curious, too”

‘Emilia kept getting more spiral ever since the episode start, not bad, Welt, this will be Father boon, won’t it, aunty Sala-chan,’

Thinking fast, she quickly held the boy’s hand and brought him to her carriage. Flinging the door open, she moved the supplies around and brought out a tarp.

“Ooh, quick thinking, good for you Ana-bo,”

“Um, yes, us knight usually won’t check Tarp cover cart, as they’re most of time are full to the brim, some tine over the cart and dragon limits.”

The thunder was getting louder.

“Quickly! Hide in here.” She whispered.

The boy only looked at her incredulously, “I-.”

“Trust me. Please.”

With a second of hesitation, the boy climbed in and hid himself under the tarp, surrounded by various goods and knickknacks.

“No matter what, stay here until I say it’s safe to come out.” Anastasia quietly closed the door and prepared herself. She was already disheveled, with bloodshot eyes and tear stains to boot, but quickly acted as if she was pushed onto the floor.

“Yoo, this one here a great actor, too bad, our Subaru would recognise it right off the bat.”

‘I did think of using it, but Subaru can really see through it? Know what, he might able to do it. Kuhh, easy to get, plush a detective? Can he able to tell if i gain weight, too? I might be mad at that if he dare say it…’

Right as the thundering was about to reach the corner of the street, she quickly screamed at the top of her lungs,

“HELP PLEASE!!”

Just as she did, a battalion of guards came rushing around the corner towards her. Their leader, a middle-aged man with blue hair strode up towards her and helped lift her up.

“Ma’am are you alright? What happened?” He said urgently.

Anastasia put on her best damsel-in-distress face,

“It was terrible, a man in a cloak came out of nowhere and threatened me with a knife!” She quickly pointed at said knife resting on the floor.

“H-he kept askin’ me about where the Karsten manor was, sayin somethin’ about takin’ revenge. I-I didn’t know anythin’ but he wouldn’t take no for an answer. I thought I was dead but I think he got scared from hearin’ y’alls footsteps because he suddenly sprinted off that way.” She pointed a finger opposite from where the knights had come from, deeper into the city.

“Great acting, Anastasia-sama, with this you both should be able to get most of them away.”

“Hmm? Most, not all?”

“Unfortunately, for them two, the knight got a set of law about escorting merchant to their safety if a outlaw is bound in the area, or a alert is to spread around the city, in this case, the capital, the task would be to vice captain of the squad, or prominent rookie if it was a minor crimina--”

“Alright, Julius, I get it, gosh, you and your knightly code.”

“Uh! Feris just got ptsd from all that, Nyah!”

“... Macros would be proud, but a possible headache for those two.”

Shaking his head, the guard captain looked to his men, “He must be trying to make his way towards the royal candidates. We’ll need to split up. Cornelius: take your squadron to the Karsten villa in the Noble district and secure the parameter. Meanwhile, I will lead the rest down the street towards his last known direction.”

Before the guards could start organizing toward their intended directions, Anastasia meekly grasped at the captain’s sleeve and looked up with her best puppy dog eyes,

“Sir please, if you don’t mind me askin’, could you let one of your men escort me out of the city?”

 ”Smart move, Anastasia, this way, they won’t suspect you as much, and might more believe in your story more.”

“Thanks ya, Karsten, but will this one go smoothly? I doubt it with Natsuki-kun luck, though I’d believe this to be his first meeting with me.”

“Please be safe, Subaru-kun.”

For a moment, the captain frowned, but before he could even ponder the request, Anastasia started bawling, “P-please sir, I’m so scared. I just want to take my wares and leave in peace. I-I’m afraid that bad man will come back to silence me.”

Visibly taken aback by the sudden tears, “O-of course miss, rest assured! I’ll send one of my best men to get you out of the city safe and sound.” With a swift cough and clearing of his throat:

“BECKLAM!”

“Y-yes captain!”

The captain sighed, “Take Miss, uh-“

“Anastasia.”

“Yes, Miss Anastasia towards the city gates and help her leave the capital safely. Afterwards, reconvene with the rest at the Karsten villa. Is that clear?”

“Yes captain!”

“Good. You take care miss, the knights will sort this all out.”

Anastasia only responded with her cutest smile.

While the rest of the battalion left towards their intended destination, the young knight helped escort Anastasia to the outskirts of the capital.

“Hmm, if the captain is like this then aren’t Subaru got himself quite the big crime? Though I ponder what would Subaru do to get him that kind of crime, this is the capital, Lady Anastasia isn’t aware of his name, as well, so one is he face crime grave enough to give himself some anonymity, or he isn’t suppose to be here and were transporting through the capital? Then again he lost his name…?”

“Thinking too much there, li`brother of mine, no matter, he is innocent through and through, it is only those knight and those that harm him are the criminal, Mimi would want to hit them harder and harder, Mimi want to his li`brother of that world too!”

“Sorry for the trouble Miss Anastasia.”

“Oh? What for?”

“No lady should be accosted at night, especially by some dirty witch cultist…”

… WHAT?!

“A CULTIST?! IN THE CAPITAL?! WHAT ARE THOSE BUM EVEN DOING”

“NO, NO?! HOW?! THEY CAN’T?!”

“ARE THEY DUMB ENOUGH TO BELIVE SUCH BUSSHIT, I SUPPOSE?!”

“GAHHH!!?!, I GAVE, I CAN’T WITH THIS FUCK ASS KINGDOM NO MORE! REIN, WE ARE BURNING THIS DUMB ASS KINGDOM, FOR ONCE I WANT TO SEE ALL OF THEM IN FLAME, WE REBUILDING IT, WHAT EVER LATER, FUCK IT, BOMB IT, ERASE THIS SHIT ASS COUNTRY, UNLEASH YOUR SWORD AND FUCK ASS THIS KING DOM!!!”

“First off all, Felt-sama, please, your mouth is for flowery poem and word of command, not word of such foul, and second yes, Julius and I should try to re-align our code of knight, maybe with the help of Subaru, as I do remember he like his world knight a lot.”

“REIN?! NO, NUKE THEM ASS, MY BRO GOT ALL KIND OF WOUND OF HIS BODY AND THAT ALL YOU CAN SAY, WHAT THE FUCK?! NO WHAT, I MIGHT JUST STORM THE CAPITAL AFTER ALL”

“What was that Aldebaran? Mine ear just heard something I’ve never heard before, mind repeating yourself, hmm?”

“AHhhh… Nothing, Princess, nothing at all, Ahh!, your wine is low, I’ll go get more then!”

‘Sigh, bunch of incompetent… Oh, Subaru, my knight, the only true knight, how I wish to seen your eyes again.’

‘Rem fears as much, Subaru-kun truly is curse by the world… Mmm! Rem will still stay beside you, Subaru-kun will always prevail afterall!’

“Oh of course, die in a ditch, won’t you, my counter part, your life truly hold no amount to praise, only amount to curse and beat down the truly worthy of praise and all the other knight, just drop your sword and uniform, you all truly disgusted me.”

‘My mind is spiraling, if it wasn’t of 76 of my Divine Protection of mind stability class, I’d have punch through those dimension and latch out on all of them! Is this amount truly all I can leak out as anger and rage? Even my sadness isn’t even getting out, why do I even have all these, if I can’t act upon it for my friend.’

‘Basuru… Did I… No, Ram can be sure she isn’t present nor will get any order to do anything in the Capital, Rem won’t be there, so that leave out half our camp with the potential to harm him. Least I can take solace in that, for now.’

‘Fate really isn’t kind to us both, heh, Subaru-kyun. The me of that world must have been be devastated from loosing all of his hope, the time frame must be just after the group departed for the Tower. So many sernario can happen, I can’t wasted my time for that, let’s see how you will proceed with such bad card, Subaru-kyun.’

Felt can see it in Reinhard eyes, that why she isn’t throwing any salt at his already gored wound, but she will rage, she WILL RAGE!.

“Oh here it is, their emotion is getting wild. Well that was fun,”

[SHUT]

…

Oh Felt can’t rage any more…

“Oh, it’s quite alright, I’m just thankful ya brave and handsome knights came to save little ole me.”

The young knight blushed at her response.

And thank you for the wonderful information you are about to give me. Anastasia thought.

“So, if you don’t mind me asking: how did the cultist escape?”

For a second the knight hesitated, “I don’t quite know myself miss, it’s a conundrum. From what the others were saying, it looked like the cultist just walked out. All of the guards were covered in wounds and knocked out.”

Yet, Natsuki was without any marks or scratches when I met him. Strange given that all signs point to a fight.

“That’s so scary! Thank goodness you’re here to protect me,” she said with a wink.

The knight blushed a deeper red, “O-of course ma’am! Though, I don’t think the guy will put that much of a fight.”

“Oh? Why is that?”

“I was one of the rotating guards for the prison. Last time I saw him, well that cultist was not looking too hot.”

“…What do you mean?”

The knight grimaced, “Oh apologies, I don’t think a lady should hear such uncouth things.”

…

They tortured him. They tortured a boy who would cry for a woman who suffered far less. Disgusting.

”No less then dog, it seem even the knight hood of this kingdom is truly, like she said, disgusting, Garf, we need to plan this out, Natsuki-san need help,”

“Auh! Right there with you, Brotto.”

“I feel bad for him.” Anastasia blurted out.

Visibly shocked, the guard replied “Oh no miss, such sympathies are worthless towards such scoundrels-“

Anastasia began tuning out the knight’s honest, yet misplaced, soliloquy. A part of her doesn’t understand why she said such a thing. It was illogical. It could have put her on the spot as a Witch Cult sympathizer. She should be grabbing as much information as she could. Yet, how could she not? When the supposed Archbishop of Pride as they were claiming him to be, was just a scared boy hiding right behind her.

“When he ran away, he looked so young. He didn’t look like he could hurt anybody.”

The young knight looked at Anastasia with pity, “Your heart is in the right place Miss. But remember: those witch cultists are a bunch of insane psychopaths. They may look like normal people, but they are anything but normal.”

“…I-“ A loud thud and crashing of objects from inside the carriage interrupted the conversation.

“What was that?!” the guard exclaimed.

Oh no, not now.

Thinking fast, “Ah! Uhh, it must have been one of the metias I’m selling.”

“Metias? Those must be expensive. Would you like to take a second to check if everything is secure?”

“Oh no, that is not necessary!” She said a little too fast, “I wouldn’t want to bother you.”

“Nonsense, if you would like, I could take a quick peek and see if everything is okay-”

“WAIT!” The guard’s eyes started to narrow with suspicion, “T-the thing is these metias are very special.”

“Well that should not-“

“Special for women.”

“…Elaborate.”

Faking a blush, “Well sometimes, young ladies like myself need a bit of… help now and then.”

Males, guy, knight, boy, all turn their head away, they DO NOT wish to know, except Al who are still getting Priscilla some wine…

“Oh.”

“Ooohhhhh,” the knight started connecting the dots, “A-apologies ma’am, I shouldn’t have been so invasive.”

“It’s quite alright…”

She could barely tell but Anastasia swears she could hear a faint snickering from within the carriage.

…

I take it all back. The boy is a little shit.

“Didn’t my counter say this nickname to Subaru?”

“HO! Finally, some ROMANCE, Ana-bo, best not dissapoint, Julius-kun here looks miserable, or not?”

‘Maybe my Lady and Subaru might be a good couple, a nice story of two forgotten souls, missed not by the rest of the world but one remember the other but the other care for him as if he were what she had lost. Nng, Subaru a world lead apart from some random noble child, he would be sure to lead my Lady to her happiness, tho my Lady though… to be frank, she isn’t exactly fit for him, but maybe it’ll work out, some how, like he always manage to, no matter the world see him as, he see only his love above the world.’

“I’m fine now, Ricardo-san, though I’d love to move, my feets seem lock their muscle, I can’t move…”

“Well, shut, and sit tight, Julius, and watch the show. Here come Ana-bo and all her quirky bad romance tales, Kahahaaha!”

“#O_O)!, #*_*)!,  Alright Ricardo! See it fit as I become Subaru number one! The fastest!

A certain half elf and an Oni had never heard such bullshit before.

“Stop it, I suppose… You two already has his heart, what are you two even doing this for, I suppose?”

The rest of the trip to the gates of the capital was done in an awkward silence.

At the gate, a lone soldier was waiting.

“Becklam!” He cried out, “I thought you left to join the others?”

“Well, I did initially, but the archbishop had a run-in with the young lady here.” Becklam pointed a thumb at Anastasia.

“I was given the job to escort her out of the city so she can continue with her business.”

“Well, I guess that makes sense. We’ll need to check her carriage before she leaves though.” The gate guard replied.

Anastasia’s heart started to beat faster.

Before she could reply, “Uh Arth,” Becklam coughed, “you got a minute?”

Arth confused, nodded. Becklam put an arm around Arth’s shoulder and started walking a bit away from Anastasia. “So, about Miss Anastasia’s business-“

As the conversation slowly dissipated from her ears, Anastasia sighed in relief. Taking a moment to collect her thoughts, she started realizing the exact situation she was in.

Oh my Od, I’m smuggling a wanted criminal out of the royal capital. I could be executed for this.

She thought back to all that happened in the last few hours: from being held at knifepoint to crying her heart out to putting on her best award-winning acting performance. It all felt surreal.

Did she regret it?

… Not really, no. Sure, the situation was tense. Sure, she might have put all her trust into what could be a psychopath that was tricking her into escaping. Sure, her overall state of affairs was still royally screwed.

But something in her gut was telling her she made the right call. That her bad hand was turning out in her favor.

Pfft, maybe the world is finally turning in my favor, eh baroness?

“Ooh! Bold of you to assume so, mhm, alright, I’ll allow just this once.”

Somewhere out in the deep south, in the country of Vollachia, a certain Sun Princess let out a cute sneeze. Followed by the metallic thud of her companion’s head getting smashed into the dirt.

“...Not a word.”

“Ah, Pricess, I’m bac--” *Got kick off the theater room.

‘Poor Al, but lmao’

Anastasia’s musing was interrupted by the pair of guards returning, with one having slightly pink cheeks.

Arth coughed, “Yeah you are free to go ma’am. Sorry for the wait.”

“I thank ya both kindly for your service,” Anastasia smiled in response.

“Oh, before you go, you think you could help my friend out. You see, his lover has a bit more energy than he does, so he’s having a bit of trouble-“

Becklam smacks him upside the head.

“OW- WHY?!”

“I don’t know,” Becklam responded, “Maybe it’s because I’m a man dying of thirst watching another man drowning in water?!”

“It ain’t my fault your dumb ass can’t keep a girl for more than two days.”

“Well, I would be able to if SOMEONE DIDN’T KEEP TELLING ALL THE GIRLS I FLIRT WITH ABOUT MY PREFERENCES.”

“I’M SAVING YOU THE TROUBLE, NO SANE GIRL IS GOING TO USE WATER MAGIC ON YOUR-“

 ... This is hell, but damn it! these damn bum!

This is hell. All of my choices led to this very moment. I deserve this.

Nursing back a migraine, and with a deep breath, “BOYS!”

The two quit their argument and turn their heads up toward the violet-haired maiden.

“It’s getting’ late, I think I’ll start movin’. Thank y’all so much again for all the help.” She said with her greatest professional smile.

“Yeah, uh no problem,” “Sorry miss. You take care.”

…

After a bit of driving, when the capital was slowly becoming smaller and smaller, Anastasia started to finally relax.

“We are out of the worse, if you all care at all.”

“Oh, finally, Subaru just kept having the worse right off the back, right Garf? Wait, Garf? Where you at? Huh?” look down and you will see that the abyss is looking up at you, nah it’s just a silent Garf but with Mimi holding on to his whole face.

“Brotto, heeeelp!”

“I want a drink… lets just get one then…”

“Looks like Feris didn’t need to cosplay Rem after all, Julius seem all that better that fast, huh, tho he seem to getting some sleepy leg, nyhahaha.”

…

“… Pfft…hehehe…”

She straightened her back again.

“Heheheheheh-”

She slowly turned her head back towards the carriage.

“BWAHAHAHHAHA!!!”

She slammed open the rectangular slit to look inside the boxed up carriage,

“LISTEN HERE YOU LITTLE SHIT-“

Anastasia briefly said in a rage, before noticing an interesting sight. The white haired boy, who was still laughing his head off, was giving the brightest genuine smile she has seen in months. Before, the paranoid boy was tense and on edge. Now he looked like he was having the time of his life. It was truly contagious.

“Pftt… bahahahHAHAHA!” Before long, Anastasia was laughing as well. They laughed, and laughed, until they were basically wheezing.

 ”Charming, laughing like idiots beneath the star filled sky, will there be a better view?”

‘Julius… you serious? Well, if he’s okay now, I guess it’s fine, Lady Anastasia seem just focusing on the sence for now, and the other, yeah, they all felt the same genuine joy from this sence. Now where is sister at, it’s been five minutes with out her near Lady Anastasia, Oh!, Sister, I didn’t think you would go that far that fast, or maybe it’s just her things, Hehe, I’d love see Hetaro reaction to this, might he be protective or go brawling with Garfield given the chances? Or would he be…? Nay, some other times then.’

“Hahaha… ha.”

 “Why did you do that?” Natsuki finally asked.

“… Well, I couldn’t just leave you to the wolves. Plus, with the city on high alert, I needed a way to easily get out without trouble. Having a guard escorting me would expedite it plus-“

“No, I mean: why did you trust me? You could have turned me in, most likely gotten a reward, and life would have been much easier for you. Now, you are harboring a wanted criminal, who very well could have been a Witch Cult Archbishop?”

“…Are you an Archbishop?” Anastasia asked.

“No! Absolutely not.” Natsuki denied.

“Well then, I believe you.”

“Again, the right line, and unwavering trust coming from her own logic, she might got this in the bag, hoo, I want to see more.”

‘Julius, I heard all of that… but I guess that much is fine, this is the July with those novel I think, too cheesy for me, but I guess the real thing would hook him more then he would bare to say it later.’

Looking back, she could see the boy’s jaw drop, as if he could not fathom her reasoning.

…

“There was no reason to trust me…” the boy looked down.

“You gave me ample reason.”

The boy looked up again, confused.

“All of the archbishops I met were not only complete psychopaths but were also incredibly strong and gave little to no regard to anyone around them. Sure, you did threaten me in the beginning. But not only did you apologize for that, you subsequently sympathized with me about my lost name and then proceeded to sincerely cry with me about it. You had many opportunities to kill me and leave. But you didn’t. So, yes, you gave me ample reason to trust you.”

 ”Again! Those damn bum, parasite of the kingdom!”

“Felt-sama.., wait, Julius?! “

Sniff. Sob.

She heard a familiar sound again. This time, she decided to give the boy some privacy, closing the slit behind her. She drove in silence for the next few hours.

…

“… Anastasia-san.”

The monotony was broken, “Yes?”

“Stop and let me out here.” She quickly looked around. They were getting close to a town but were still miles away from anything remotely civilized.

After a few seconds, “No.”

“What?! What do you mean-“

“You owe me.”

“I- uh. Er-“

“I smuggled you out of that city at my own risk. You’re an investment for me now. One I wish to capitalize on by having you repay your debt.”

Natsuki pondered for a bit, “… I don’t have any money. And well, I don’t think you’ll like my body that much-”

‘Rem would do anything for Subaru-kun. Subaru-kun worth are beyond measure.’

‘My knight really need to see that he worth the world, no, beyond the world worthiness to all those that love him.”

‘Betty would trade anything to get her Subaru any amount of happiness, Betty assure of that, infact!’

“Not that kind of repayment you idiot,” she sighed. Still, a part of her was happy that the boy seemed to have retained some humor despite all he went through.

“You were Emilia’s knight, correct? Well, as you can see, I am both knightless and resourceless. The latter will be resolved in due time, the former will be solved by you.”

“So, I protect you and you, do what you do best: make money and talk to people?”

“Essentially, yes. An equal partnership. Dissolved when both parties agree that they are no longer in need of each other’s service. I’ll provide you with opportunities and resources while you protect me from hoodlums and scourges of the Witch Cult.” Anastasia explained.

“…Sure.”

Anastasia was surprised, “That fast, huh? No bargaining or anything?”

“No, I’m sure. I’m broke beyond compare and got nothing besides my name. This is probably the best deal I can get.”

Anastasia sighed, “Remind me to teach you a bit about proper negotiation later. You shouldn’t so easily show your whole hand, otherwise you’ll get taken advantage of.”

Natsuki only smirked in response, “Funny you say that. Someone told me something similar in the past.”

“Wow, that person must have been the smartest person you laid eyes on. You must be so grateful,” she said sarcastically.

“Haha, you have no idea. I owe her more than you could ever realize…”

“Well this greedy girl really want that depth to be pay, if you’re willing,”

“Now now, Anastasia we just starting on this stage, you guys barely touch at all, kept it in a bit more.”

“Very well, Karsten, let’s me see how did ‘that’ came to be, as she did say she and Subaru got to it in the first day.”

WE REMEMBER THAT! #o_o)!

They finally made it to a town to rest the earth dragons and find a proper inn for a night’s rest. While getting far away from Lugunica was important, being sleep deprived would bring its own set of problems.

“You need a disguise. Here take this.” Anastasia handed him a cloak and a mask with a purple scar on the right eye with black feathers on the back.

“... Where did you get that?”

“I don’t know, what is it?

“Never mind, just know that it is a really bad side of Father.”

“Beatrice, take notes of that.”

“On it, I suppose.”

“… This looks ridiculous.”

“Well, I’m sorry, I wasn’t expecting to hide a criminal in plain sight, so this is all I have,” Anastasia huffed.

“Sorry, sorry. It just reminds me of what some people I knew used to wear when they were younger,” Natsuki shuddered with memories of people clutching their eye or arm in fake pain.

“You’ll also need an alias, can’t have people tracing your name, at least until we get to Kararagi.”

“…How about Atlas?”

“Is he actually?”

“Again, what is it, I suppose?!”

“... But, It can’t be, is Shion near this place?

“WHAT?! GET OUT OF THERE SUBARU, I CAN’T COMPETE WITH HER IN THIS ARC!”

“Worry not, it’s seem, there won’t be any Shion-Subaru in this one, too bad, but not too bad, as it seem Ana-pop got Subaru relatively fast, like just three months…”

“wah…”

“Cap` `s the Best…” * a still really flusher Garf on the chair with a Mimi scarf around his neck with her head beside him. (simp)

“Oh, Rem-san win afterall,”

“Why?”

“Hmm? Rem get Subaru to love her in two months, yes?”

“Fine, but I didn’t get ‘I love Emilia’, please?!”

“Oh just wait it out, won’t you.”

“Hmmm, not bad, does it mean anything?”

“It’s related to a story in my world as well as to my name. It was either that or Alcor but honestly that name sounded kind of dumb.”

“You’ll have to tell me more later, for now, try to follow my lead.”

After donning his disguise, the pair entered the inn.

“Two rooms ple-urgk!” Natsuki tried to start with until Anastasia elbowed his sides before quickly hugging his arm and edging close to him.

“What my darlin husband Atlas meant to say, was that we wanted one room with a single bed please?”

“Yeah, uh, whatever my honey bunny wants,” Natsuki grimaced while Anastasia stifled a laugh.

The old proprietor simply softly smiled at this and gave the two a key to their room in exchange for a few copper coins.

“*Clap, clap, I am astonish Anastasia Hosin, I didn’t expected this move, it’s truly your journeys.”

“*Blush.. AHh,AHh AHHH!, UH?!  OH, SHut it KArsten!, No, this ISN’T it, I Sweard!”

Those damn school if they’d seen never did such bullshit before, even when the girl asserted themselves, Subaru always manage to push them back with his might and reasoning, but with this Subaru from malnourished to weak will, he got lead in the room rather quickly.

*Some more armrest got snaps, tho only three distinct sound were heard, counted by Sword saint-san so it must be true.

“Huuuu, HMMM!, HUUUUU!, HIIIIIII!, no, I’ll not the fox, I’ll not the fock.”

“~-~) Rem is at peace, inner peace, inner palace….”

Unsurprisingly, Petra know of the act, but the armrest were snap by Frederica… (Not a Frede-Suba, guys, she just pissed that her kouhal know of it!)

“Damn! Even with that, bro will get some meat, finally -_-), `bout times Pal get any mea--.”

“Shut it Jester, any more and you’ll find that the word Eunuch are of fitting definition of your life onward!”

… AL zip himself from any noise…

“I doubt it… the odd of it is like being born between the four great nation and making it pass the age of ten in one fell swoop.”

“Ottobro, helppppp!”

“Nope, I can’t help you just this one thing, Garf, this is one of the trials fate has granted you.”

“Nooooooo!”

“Aww!, Garf is so cute and adorable now, he isn’t even resisting any more, but Mimi love him all the same.”

Once they were out of earshot, “What was that about?”

Anastasia rolled her eyes, “What? I got us a great deal on a room and now we have got a great alibi if anyone tries to come find us. See? This is why you need me.”

“Natsuki-kun, many thanks for such gentlemen sentiment, but.”

“My Lady, please refrain from any of such transgression, even if it was Subaru, we truly wouldn't want you to face any harm while all of us are not near to protect you.”

“It’s fine, Julius, while I have many apprehension to my own decision, it’s seem justify as the children we got still isn’t asleep, yet, so maybe Natsuki-kun just take the floor as bed?”

“Or you both gone at it like rabit, I suppose…”

There’s a glint of tiredness to Beatrice feature for a bit, but she gone back in a snap of a second, as if she didn’t spoken any at all.

‘Rem will withdraw for now, best let my mind breath a bit,’

“My knight looks is too precious in his sleep, here, I can see that most clearly. (*sigh) She too now will get to appreciate the same wonder…”

Natsuki only pinched his nose bridge and closed his eyes as a response. “Wait, I’m curious why do you talk like that only sometimes?”

“Like what sometimes?”

“Like that Kans- I mean, Kararagi accent. You used it with the guards or the innkeeper, but usually it goes away with me. So, what’s that about?”

Anastasia was silent for a moment before responding, “It helps me convince people.”

“You would see that it spark true, Nastuki-kun, merchant moves with intent and impression after all, that or they just move with deeds, depth, or you manipulate them to. Ehihi. Must to be learn there, Li’shit.”

‘My lady, to just adopt that foul word to address Subaru? Might I say, it is a terribly ill nickname, but it does felt like a her thing, moving on, what will you retaliate to that, Subaru.’

‘Yight!, goodluck to you Bo-chan, our Ana-bo need more then just the Natsuki-charm to tame.’

“Huh?”

“Kararagi is known for its economic power and its witty merchants. I figured an accent will help me sell the image that I’m a competent businesswoman. So, I do it out of habit, I guess.”

“…But you don’t do it with me becauseee?”

“I guess I trust you, Natsuki-san. You know who I am, despite Gluttony, and we are in a kind of partnership right now.”

Natsuki was silent for a bit as they entered their room.

“(*Sigh) Guess that one is due for our karma, I suppose.”

“We will get to it with Subaru-kun later, please be at ease, Beatrice-sama, Emilia-same.”

…

“… Call me Subaru.”

“Your family name, I mean if you prefer that-“

Subaru shook his head, “No. In my home country, we use a different naming format. My family name is Natsuki, while my personal name is Subaru. So, call me Subaru.”

“Huh. Alright Subaru-kun, where is your home country anyway?”

“It’s a small island country in the East.”

‘It’s still very much a wonder to me how fate aligned for us to meet, Subaru… The horror fate awaited for you made me many times over want to wish that we never had met, but I’ll never spoken any of it, for I want to see your smile cause of me, to me and for me. My knight, just wait a bit more, kay~.’

“…But Lugunica is the eastern most country. The only thing east is the Great Waterfall.”

Anastasia’s eyes widened.

“Yeah…I’m from a place beyond the Great Waterfall.”

Anastasia expected Subaru to laugh and say it was a joke but the boy looked at her sincerely.

“Well, that is hard for me to fully comprehend but I’ll trust your word.”

Anastasia promptly laid on the bed and patted an open area.

“Come on, let’s get some sleep.”

“Hoooh! Getting bold, aren’t we, Ana-bo, would you like to say something?”

“...No, there’s nothing to say, I’ll see it in me to keep watching.”

‘Echidna, is this you?! Tsk`, she still isn’t here yet, fine, let’s it be, I know Natsuki-kun is a gentlemen so he wouldn’t go for me that fast, right?…///’

Subaru blushed, “Y-yeah! I’ll uh, let you sleep first. I can keep watch for a bit OHHH-”

Before he could finish, Anastasia grabbed his arm and dragged him into bed.  Subaru was now nestled between her arms, blushing mad, trying to make sense of what was happening.

“Ohh! Damn! Here we go, finally some good stuff with Pal!”

‘/// Oh how easy to ma-women handle you, my knight, might I also do the same? You would forgive me, right my Knight?’

‘///What is it that I am feeling here? Seeing Subaru-kun easily get pulled in like that… too easy, Subaru-kun, please be more carefull, there’s many she-wolf in the world, but here, it a she-fox, Rem want her Subaru-kun to be careful of them, who know what might’ve happen.’

“Nope! We are both exhausted, and we both need to get some rest before heading out at dawn.”

“But what if someone tries to break in?! Or what if the guards catch up to us?!”

“Then we will deal with it then… Besides, I’m used to hugging something fluffy while sleeping,” memories of a certain fox flashed in her mind, “And you’re the closest substitute I got.”

And at that, Subaru promptly surrendered.

“Nii-chan… Too easy, Rein, can you train him if possible?”

“Yes, Felt-sama, I believe I can at least train him to be hard to fold over like that.”

“Pal… at least be a man, and take it, though you will get to be sleeping with a beauty.”

‘Li’shit is too easy… While that means he won’t be physical toward me, but he is too easy to just about any one… That push my button a abit there, Li’shit.’

“(*Sigh) Oh of course, it is Subaru after all, a heartfelt touch would easily place him in high cloud, with this much, he’d fold fast, too fast…”

“Of course, Basuru is too much of a wuss to do anything remarkable with any girl while being a pervert himself.”

‘While that trait of him is manipulable, I’d still not use that tactic, he too smart of who he chose as allied after all.’

“There’s nothing to be a shame of, Subaru-dono, this trait prove that you are earnest in gaining the heart of any maiden, must lest my younger day let many opportunity wash away, just cause of my flimsy pride.”

“That bit of information is in exchange for what you told me about your home.”

Subaru looked up at her.

“This was an equal partnership remember? So, whatever you give, I’ll give in equal compensation. Same vice versa. Although, you still owe me something.”

Subaru was now confused, “You mean for saving me? Again, my body isn’t for sale- ARGH!”

“Li’shit need to stop joking like that…”

Anastasia started pinching his cheek, “No you little shit! I meant when I told you all about how I felt after Gluttony. You still haven’t told me what happened to you.”

Subaru was silent now, his scary eyes in deep contemplation.

They too wish dearly to know, but they wouldn’t want his nightmare to resurface just for that.

Her eyes softened, “…You don’t have to tell me if you are uncomfortable. It must have been hard. Harder than I can ever imagine. But that’s why I want to know, I want to know so that burden doesn’t have to be only on your shoulders.”

And so that I can pay you back for the kindness you gave me. You don’t have to be alone either, Subaru-kun.

“AH! No, best believe Rem will hold that nickname for herself! Kept it out of even your mind there, Foxstasia!”

“I get it, I get it, must have been just a formal act of name call, sorry if it does anything to you, Rem-san.”

“Hmmp! Subaru-KUN is Rem alone, understand it is best, so thanks you for that.”

‘Ah, she has fell, but it still just a seed Subaru has sow, need many more to reap the fruit call love…’ (idk who spout this shit)

After a bit more silence, “I’ll tell… I don’t think I can tell you everything. Not yet at least. But I’ll tell you what I can.”

And so, the pair talked as the night passed, about all the horrors the boy faced for the last two months, before silently falling asleep in each other’s arms.

Hidden out of sight, two pairs of eyes silently watch over the pair of stars, waiting and planning in the shadows.

“Hmm? Betty is sure that there’s no one following these two, I suppose.”

“Planing in the shadow… It couldn’t be Rein, then.”

“While I delighted that you would see it that way, Felt-sama, but why it wouldn’t be me? Surely, the me of that world would notice the knight squad being mobilize, as is Julius, but I get that he and I won’t just wait it out if they see one of the two is who they were after?”

“Yeah, like what you just said, those bastard won’t just wait it out, they’d ignore the time and place and storm in during their time of rest.”

“Know that, it won’t be me either, as I in that world would not know of Subaru-kyun exsitance at all.”

“So that leave out three, who else?”

“... Wouldn’t be a surprise if those son of a bitch is here then, especially her…”

“Who is it, Emilia-sama?”

“Yeah, Princess, who is it?”

“Three peoples I could think of, and I truly hate them with all my gut…”

“The archbishops…”

“And their leader, I suppose…”

“Omega… She might, but she won’t show up here,”

“Baba then, sigh, if she does show up,”

“Best to wait for any answer, I suppose.”

‘Could it be you, please it be you, the me of that world need you…’

‘I’d love to wish the same, my dear Ana.’

“Ah, you’re back.”

“Hmm? Who is it Anastasia-sama?”

“Hm Hm, nah, it’s nothing?”

‘Glad to had you back to me, so did you have fun?’

‘Yes, dear Ana, Alpha-chan is such a sweetheart, she and I been bless with a lot of fun’

‘How jelous. But I won’t trade any thing for what I had got to see.’

‘Glad to see you got your own source of happiness from these viewing then.’

Chapter Text

The screen light up to a imagery of dreadful stone hallways, some knight and veteran of the theater cast find themselves to a feeling so hollow, it’s like a part of them refuse to acknowledge a certain boy were held here.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Sobs are heard here and there, the noise echos across a certain little one ears, but her mind only pick up the feed back of her own heart beat going slower by the seconds, or so her mind thought, the dread of what is show, add with the context she has know about him in this “world”, you’d think she would tear down the screen for daring to show such possibility existence.

A certain dry laughter come to be in the back of his mind, “Hrgh, hahahahahahahah, Hrgh! Hahahahahahahahahaha Hrgh! Hahhahahahahahahaha, Hrgh!”

It’ve come back to haunt him once more, even if the theater personal room got metia that shut away your thought the moment you want to sleep, but even through the silent of the mind, that laughs would still somehow resurface.

A pair of siblings turn silent as they begin to sense the coldness in the air, the unconditional response they’ve gain from their mercenary life maybe of help in battle, maybe in the wild too, but here?

Their mind are whispering there’s only sadness and helplessness ahead, a fate they can’t turn away, can’t escape from or even response to starting from here, their power? Their pride? Their instinct? None of that can give them any leeway in this place, so they just quiet down and hopefully prepare for the horror.

His hand although before would instantly grip down at a familiar handle but with the knowledge of what ever he’s allowed to do or power to be utilize, he is force to hold down his mostly sane mind to keep it together and keep on etches each and any detail down to the minus detail of each show they’ve seen and will be show, even if  he himself want to be knock unconscious to be relive of his duty.

Her hand no longer trembles, her power no longer burst or leak out uncontrollably, but still she refuse to sit near her knight any times a showing of “bad end” is shown, even if  the witch of time herself said to already lock down her might, she would still move away from her seat beside him to allow herself to not be a threat to her knight, much to a certain Oni sadness.

“The knight of knight. What a joke…!” Julius never allow the title to be sully out of grace nor allow himself to be beneath such expectation of the kingdom on him, but after much showing, and seen many times how Subaru and his world interpret Knight to be, he had adjust his own thinking, his mannerism, even critics his kingdom knight hood, he wished to be better example, to let Subaru to feel safe in Lugunica.

But at last, a dream are meant to be achieve, not to thrash around by a amnesia barbarian, “Tch, lousy damn poop for head, I hope Subaru to never forgive you, and your lady to kick you out like the dog you are, by the Dragon!”

A part of them wanted to scream, to hit, to slash, to kill themselves at the absurdity for why such a absurdity even allow to occur, even if you can argue that this isn’t a true definite future, they’d still allow to resent, to hate, to want to destroy it completely.

Within the royal capital of Lugunica lies the sturdy prison tower, where all manner of hoodlums and insane cultists reside as punishment for their wickedness. Within the muck and desolate atmosphere, lies the brightest black star of another world, falsely imprisoned and tortured for any information regarding the cult and its future activities.

“...” How she wish she can just burst all of them limb, bash them head in, to pierce them all the way through, to freeze them to death by even dare to think of her Hero that way, but as Subaru in one of past viewing show her love, resentful and forgiveness in one sitting, she will keep the kingdom off her list for now.

She grind her teeth in anger, frustration and in unjust, even if Subaru to meet her back in the days, she wouldn’t even think of him as a threat, or even unjustly harm him in anyway, maybe even befriend him, but to frame him of that kind of crime?

“THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH THEM BASTARD OF DRAGON SHIT!” Her mind seems to scream so.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

The star languishes in the dark, teetering between madness and somber resignation of his state. He only hears the faint dripping of water in the background. Echoes of a past he endeavors to recover and a future that no longer exists, again and again, haunt his very bones.

Barely holding back from showing any form of rejection from the imagery of their favorite person, lover, knight and friend in such a state, the cast ultimately resort to bite down their lip, grip the cold iron hand rest, or reach to fetch their sword, prepare to slice away any threat that reach their Subaru in this place.

“Subaru dono…” The duchess had learn the way of the sword and the possible injuries cause by it but even with just that, she can recognize the nature of those injury, barbaric and inhumanly stuck, for each is to etch the pain into the body and mind, not allowing a single glimmer of rest not accompany by the shearing pain,

“What horrendous present… Can’t we ever repay back gift without it plauge with misery and deaths?”

“Some novice strike, multyble experience slash, blunt hit to the limb, torso and head, brun spot on the clothes, slash apart patches of fabric all over the floor and his wound seen to be appied healing magic, multiple trauma…” Much like the Duchess, Wilhelm can point out the nature of each instance of harm that made Subaru form become what they are seeing, much to his anger and frustration.

He can vividly visualise each and every strike must had made the boy scream, cry, wish for mercy, snots flow across his face, and then the coldness of the wall and stone floor being the only solace to bear the pain…And the sense of helplessness. Waking up on the cold floor only to see himself still in that space, another day of repeated pain.

It’s haunting as he could even tell who was treating this boy by the overall amounts of the still gaping spot of flesh shown through out his entire body. It’s a shame to say, he know of the method being use in imprisonment, the tortured one he seen before, in that war, some corpes of some unknow demi human also bear the resemlance.

The feline in question trembles under the imagine eyes of those who know him and he himself recognize who can treat Subaru so thoroughly, if it wasn’t for his own vow then he would already bolt away or shut down on the spot.

Yet, that not what’s happening, he is fuming, at those who cause such harm, to himself to leave the trauma behind on Subaru, and most importantly at the absurdity of this situation, what could had happened for this showing to occur, he know of Subaru body like the back of his palm, he’s weak, he is 100% harmless to the kingdom. How? How could the kingdom condemned this boy of such level of crime? By the Dragon, this is even beyond just scheme or plots, this is just hell, a personal hell and with us all as the whips bearer.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

He regrets. He cries. He languishes. He screams. He loves. He hates. He rages. He defies. He dies. He dies. He dies. He dies. He dies. He dies. He dies. He dies. He dies. He dies. He dies. He dies. He dies. He-

“Again, again, again, again, again, he die… he die, why can’t he die?” A small soul lament his curse. Once she wishes a life only for her, till she came to know him, his life, his struggle, his curse and wish, did she felt true despair for the first time, even if she “live” many life before.

“Hello again, Archbishop-nyan!” A cheery voice broke the insanity.

“...” How they all wish to just twist that head of his backward, to snap his spine like a tree branch, to tear that neck of his out, even Feris himself felt such desire to do so, to this variant like Alpha the witch has teaches about, “it” doesn’t deserve any form of  goodness, any notions of care, only wickedness beyond imagination pop up in thought for those in the Theater.

With a creak of his neck, he looks up, and blinks slowly in response. The origin of the voice appears to be a young demi human with catlike features, wearing a knights uniform. The knight would usually be the picturesque symbol of feminine charm; if the disheveled hair, filthy clothing, and sunken eyes weren’t currently marring his physique.

“…”

“...” Anastasia from the start can only taking in all the information, she once wonder how did she would fall for Subaru but with the sight she being shown, she wonder if she were just seeing only this side of him? But even she too wasn’t very calm at the moment, it’s felt horrible, even back then, back when she were on the streets, even the slave kids back then didn’t get treated like this even if they killed someone, what madness.

“Come on, Archbishop-nyan! It’s quite rude to nyot say a greeting to a guest.”

“…”

Before she spiral into pure hatred and seething rage, she clasp her own little note down piece of paper, full of Subaru trauma and deaths, each in vivid details with the help of many, she hope to somehow able to relive Subaru of his “pain” to be of help to her path of happiness, but when she was the one too will be a possible girl that fall for Subaru, she take this note as definite action to take, she sense that this is one of the definite path of happiness she could get her hand on.

The knight simply shrugged in response to the silence and continued conversing, “Well then, I guess I’ll do the talking for the both of us. Aren’t you so grateful~!”

Taking a chair, he sat down in front of the dying star.

But now? She want to rack her brain back and forth again and again to help the Subaru of her here, to heal him, to allow that boy once smile so bright she see as fake, to be him, to not live like her, fake smile to even those closet to her, hide things from them and even move alone away from their eyes, never tell them anything yet fear them to leave when the bag is lost.

“What an idiots way to live, huh Natsuki kun..?”

“How was my day? Fine~, so fine. Thank you for asking! I got up bright and early today and helped Crusch-sama get ready for the day. Then, after breakfast and some paperwork, Crusch-sama and I went out on a walk along the garden.”

The knight sighed in false contentment, “It was really beautiful. The flowers just started blooming and everything looked so serene. We met Wilhelm there also. He’s been spending a lot of time there recently since we got back from Priestella. He’s doing a lot better now, especially after all that happened. I’ll let him know you’re thinking of him by the way~.”

“Julius, note that.” A piece of Intel of where the fall out happen is of great important, especially if they were the one responsible to bringing Subaru and other to that city first.

“On it, my Lady…!” Julius hear the command and promptly mark the mention of the city if not the next hell hole and the possible of a turning point is in that hell hole into his note, ‘One step at a time, Julius, one step at a times.’

“So the dragon shit show is even more shit, haah, not to mention it’s two months minimum of hell for Bo chan in there, ” Ricardo pondered,  “What a mess of dragon  shit, Hahh…hahh.”

“Priestella? That CLOSE?! BUT EVERYTHING WAS FINE BEFORE?!” Feris regain his sense just be almost lost to despair, his plan to pervent Lady Crusch from having her fall by Capella was already complete, but now with the implication of Subaru turning point is in the middle of that… “CAN’T NYAN STAY PUT FOR ONCE?! Why is it just has to be THERE?!”

“Princess! Otto-bro! T’at ‘s where we fought THEM!” Garfield too is shaken but when he got remind of where they were heading to and need to do, darn his high horse, even the great shield is shaken by his variant fault then he still need further training but not now!

“Do we turn back? But mothers and the city… No, Capt’ need to be there, can we… AarggggARgh!”

“Shhh, I know Graf, but to see that Subaru san being unable to get away from this mean this one we got to get out of, but we can’t leave the citizen and your family getting any harm either…” Otto too is scare at the THE FUCK HAPPEN coming up on their journey, ‘Shit of damn dung beetle, we still got things need to resolve but a another point of no return is upon us,’

“Emilia sama, can… No, we can’t hold him up, and leaving you out of the fight later will bring worse result, hmmm, maybe freeze him? No, he’d loop back if given the chance, could Rem san and Ram sama protect Natsuki kun before that, maybe not Ram sama… ” Otto felt the danger of the events unfolding is too much to account for, ‘Dang it, Natsuki san, if only you don’t dive head first into every danger zone, we can’t even tell him anything later… arggh!’

“... Rem, can you do that?” Emilia think hard and fought with her own mind, discuss on her own in her mind, she felt like she would fail many times if she only do her part, but with Rem and Ram, maybe Roswal help, they might be able to hold down the fort, it’s just that, ‘Subaru would be part of the battle, but if he will fall like this furtue, then should I knock him out?’

“Yes! Emilia sama, Subaru kun will win! Rem will move with her nee san magic, if Roswal help with her mana charge, we might make it to the first fight, if we can’t make it, please bonk him in Rem stead!” Rem while felt like Emilia sama had grown distant but it seems to be fine if it about Subaru kun, Rem too wanted Subaru kun to bathe in glamerous cheers and acknowledge like the original plan, but ‘Rem can’t fail! Subaru kun… need her…!’

“Basuru… Making my cute sissy overwork herself just to whip you into a fine young hero is one thing, but making me, your nee sama overwork too, heh heh, some kid just has to be taught to grow,” Ram while felt overwelimingly hurt by Subaru state, she don’t concern herself too much, she is sure that this future won’t happen, it’s her might that will break this future! For her sissy, yes. ‘Little brother is always the one that cause the most trouble to their older sibling, but if it trouble that find their way to you.. Well Ram will resolve that as the older one, back off destiny, it’s Ram right to troubles them!

The knight winked and posed in faux gratitude before continuing, “He and Reinhard are a bit tense right now. Well, Reinhard and I are also a bit tense at the moment. After our… disagreement, he hasn’t really been talking to me too much. And when we do, it usually devolves into shouting.”

“Rein, note that one down, but know that I am disappointed in the you of that world.”

Felt now know many of her lack of brain knight, his past, deeds and thought, and she just absolutely hate his fracture mind about his power and roles he had condition himself into, his given up mind is what she had hate the most, but this one she could not let slide, and she has to told it to him if it displease her about it or he would just blame himself for something his variant did. What complete nonsense! But he is one the nicer one like Subaru, so he’s worth keeping.

“Yes, Felt sama, I undertand.” Reinhardt already note it down, but when his name pop up, he felt sorrow and a small amount of anger to that Reinhardt.

Not only did that one fail to save his friend from danger but to face fall out to both his family and friend. Failure, for once he accept that moniker to be true to that Reinhardt, before, one of Rein variant got chew-out by Subaru, at that point in time, both Rein were astonish by Subaru word,

[Rein, one of these day your own wish, feeling and heart will be on the opposite shore of your duty, if you keep disregard your own feeling just cause of your guilt and imagine shame then… wait for these punch of mine to land on your perfect face, you idiot of a friend! And don’t you dare to shut any of your cheat down, I’ll succeed that part, I promised you that…!]

[.. Promised me one thing if  I can’t be there, please always follow through the hardest path you can think of if you still can’t decide yet, take it from this guy! The stubborn idiot that engrave even across the Star!]

Till now, Rein still don’t really understand what those word, yet reminding of it warm his being, as Subaru friend, he’d gladly kept up the promised even if wasn’t his Subaru.

The knight leans in smiling, and under the brief glint of candle light, the star could see there was no humane light to be found in the demi-human’s eyes.

“I blame you for that, you know?”

The air shifted, and for a moment, it felt like the shadows were coalescing around them.

“He kept asking about you. Asking how you have been doing since Wilhelm and I barred him from coming here. Even had to get the Sages to rally his attention somewhere else. Reinhard is a sweet guy. Too kind. Too nice. Too forgiving to a piece of shit like you.”

“...” Many felt indescribable amount of rage in this mocking tone of this damn bastard!

Emilia herself notice that shifting shadow and felt like word are lost for a moment, she felt immense disappointment, she had got over her hate for Satella many viewing ago, as her way of loving him is questionable but ultimately she was protecting and let him live freely, but if she had met this… she sigh, not the point of interest she want to care for now.

The shadows continued to gather, purple light ebbing and flowing, converging behind the knight.

“That’s why I must do this. Because Reinhard can’t. Julius wouldn’t. And Crusch-sama should not. But I will. Because that’s what being a knight is about. Shouldering the burdens of others for the good of all. Even if the very actions you take, disgust you. Even if the ones you do it for, will never forgive you!”

He slowly stood up and grabbed the remaining fragments of clothing that surrounded the star and hoisted him up to eye level.

“So, come on. Tell me! TELL ME WHERE THE CULT IS! TELL ME HOW TO CURE CRUSCH-SAMA’S ILLNESS!!”

The Duchess, her knight and butler all take in the information, and for once they all know, this is one of the turning point.

Feris turn back to the screen and begin to curse all that he could to the self on the screen in silent.

“Not only your art, your gift given, your worth, Subaru… BUT EVEN CRUSH SAMA! YOU RAT, YOU SACK OF SHIT, YOU PIECE OF DRAGON SHIT!, ARGGHHH!, I SWEAR YOU ARE NEVER COME TO BE, I SWEAR IT ON THE DRAGON! YOU DAMN WORTHLESS SHIT!…”

The knight’s lifeless manic eyes gazed into the abyss of the star’s.

“…”

“…Useless.” The knight muttered before dropping the star like a sack of tatoes.

“I know you’re still there, you can still hear me. We can do this like yesterday. And the day before!” He brandished a knife. “My offer still stands: give me what I NEED and I’ll make the pain stop.”

“Tch, bastard of a shit sack.” Al never thought Subaru journey to be full of flower nor all that bright if he interact with those sort of people but never did he think the entire kingdom is going after him?! ‘Maybe death is the kindess act in these land. At least to us two, ain’t that right?’

“... Prisestella. A flaw city is all it can be, anything can happen, yet even mine self didn’t know the kingdom can be this incompetent, though a kingdom that haven’t been rule by me can only be so barbaric and full of morons, yet this is lower then a bunch of buffoon performs in a circus, those entertain me, this just make me sick! Al, remind me to cleanse these lowly insect from my kingdom later.”

“... Sure, Princess, the knight now also tick many of my to hit box… Just for you, brother,” ‘Never say I din’t warn you so, my brother, being a hero ain’t the one that will turn the world, you can’t remember it but I can.’

Shadows pulsed and shuddered behind the knight, the very air around them shimmering.

“…”

“…Have it your way-“

The star twitched on the floor, briefly startling the knight. The shadows paused.

“…Felix,” the star whispered.

Desperately, Felix pounced on the opportunity, diving to the floor in a vain attempt to hear anything of use from the supposed witch cultist. The knife scattering onto the floor.

“…” Seconds passed by.

“I’m sorry…”

“...” Many was shudder at this, why must Subaru like this, even when down, tortured, he’d still help and felt the need to sorry, even to a traitor of such kindness.

“Subaru…” To a little girl of a small village, he wasn’t just a random kind person, he save her home, bow down to her village elder to save the same groups of people, he brings ten fold what he promised, he battle villains, fought monster, liberate city, command thousand with just his voice, save them many times over, protect the world many time over, even if it cost him lives,

Petra understand that her world is still small, but if her world got Subaru in it, she doesn’t care what the future might’ve been like, she just want him to be happy, and may herself to be happy with him, and as her mentor told story, she’d only laughs if Subaru is there to laughs with her, no matter what the world say.

Felix froze. 

Drip. Drip. Drip.

An eternity passes.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

And then the ocean breaks with hideous laughter.

His pain, his choices, he said,

‘His pain, his choice, but this isn’t his choice? Yet they laughs at it’

“...” Frederica doesn’t know what to say to her junior, beside take the small girl onto her lap and quietly pat her head, she’ve told people she is like her sister but sometimes, Petra felt too mature for that notions, and so, she just leaves her be in space she felt safe to be and gone quiet like this.

The knight threw his head up and cackled in disbelief.

“YOUR SORRY?!” He cried before laughing again at the sheer insanity of the situation.

“They reject him, and become his nightmare” Petra quietly murmur.

The laughter echoes throughout the tower.

“This isn’t real. This isn’t real! Not real, not real, not real, not real. No no no no no-”

“I’m sorry Crusch sama, but this variant of mine, please close your mind from his rambling, he isn’t worth you compasionned heart” Feris wanted to just bash that bastard that wear his skin to be lock up, hang, throw into a dark cell, banish by Crusch sama.

‘I understand this isn’t what the show is about, but I felt like Feris had more in control of himself lately, as I wasn’t in the picture itself, only mentioned, then the me in that world should just be a cursed failure, but none of that I’ll be.’

“Rest asure Feris, I aren’t blind or that gentle, even to you. I won’t be fooled by anything like the me that Feris claim to served.”

Wilhelm while hating what is shown, he don’t blame their Feris of any fault, not anymore, at least, he share a look with his lady, Crusch sama and move his hand to pat Feris shoulder, a nod to him, ensure that he know he is not to blame nor is anyone else.

He was becoming manic, bashing his head into the ground until his blood splashed onto the floor. He collapses onto the ground crying.

‘Reject by him, none can be save’ Petra know that Subaru would never do that, she… wishes that he would consider that.

“Nearly two months of work. Agonizing work to pry anything out of you. And the only thing you say is sorry?!”

“Two month at the least, considered the trip back from Pristella, then about three months minimum since his last check point, Natsuki san…”

Felix laughed and laughed and laughed again. As tears were shed, he vomited onto the floor.

“I can’t. I can’t. I can’t keep doing this Crusch. Fourier forgive me. Please forgive me. Disgusting. Your Ferris has become disgusting.”

The demi-human kept muttering the same words over and over, cradling himself right next to the star.

After what seemed like another eternity, Felix slowly stood up and started walking out of the prison. Using his water magic, he healed and cleaned up his self-made wounds.

Before exiting the star’s cell, he straightened his back, spun on his heel to briefly look at the star and shouted,

“That’s all for today, Archbishop-nyan! Ferris is feeling really tired today but don’t you worry~.”

With a faux smile, “I’ll be back soon,” before skipping out of the dungeon, humming a cheerful tune. 

“Tch! Just frop dead somewhere, bastard! Get out of her household why you are at it!” Feris can’t stand it, watching he got up and almost return to that world Crusch sama side! Should he please with Alpha sama to get that fleas bag here now?!

“...” Julius while dismay with the kingdom, he really displease with Feris action too, but seeing a defeated Subaru hurt him the most, ‘Must they done that much? When did the torture stop? When were his last meal? When did he stop resisting the insult…? Curse this showing, if he can, he will do his part but he will save him, never to allow this absurdity to be a reality, if he fail… ‘I can’t fail, fail don’t suit us both, Subaru, I won’t let you fail or ever become like this, I won’t allow it!’

Drip. Drip. Drip.

As the star laid on the floor, closing his eyes, echoes of the past began resurfacing once again.

Many felt like death has come for them, a sentence for each. Oh, Subaru, many titles, many achievement, many spoke of him, sung of him, yet some spoke ill of him, and now it’s their own voice that haunt him.

His life, his worth, he said,

His trauma, he laughs, they were fooled,

His nightmare, he hid it, they were ignore,

His family, mercilessly taken away, he accept it,

His love, none were give back, he don’t accept them,

His deserved love, all were taken away, he fought for it,

His nature, a kindness you can’t compare, they laugh at it,

His story, I’ve witness it, they’ve witness it, they’d reject him,

His future, none want to be out of it, they all want to be with him,

Himself, none truthfully deserve him, they don’t deserve his sacrifice.

Who are you? How do you have a contract with Betty?! This is not possible, in fact. Betty would have remembered... Betty would not have forgotten!

Her little hand rest on his hand which rest on her head, his other hand wrap around her small body which sit atop his lap, her mind swirling with many to say, but with each second pass, she become more relax and calm as she felt the warmth of his soul through their contact, even if she seen what she might’ve cause or what she had done to him, she still want to cling to him, to be near him, a world without him is not needed or care about, but it is her Subaru of another world that she is seeing, so she once more tuck in her special seat and watch her sanity gain and go.