Travel Plans

Meanwhile, aboard the dragon carriage leaving Roswaal's mansion—

"—Have you fulfilled your duty as an emissary?"

"But of course! There's no way Ferri-chan would fail at something entrusted to her by Crusch-sama. Geez, Vil-ji, you worry too much!"

This exchange took place on the coachman's seat.

Wilhelm, seated as the coachman, handled the lizard's reins with practiced ease, while behind him, a girl with flaxen hair peeked her face out from the window of the carriage's private compartment.

Despite the considerable speed at which the dragon carriage moved, the protective winds surrounding it kept strong gusts from interfering, making conversation easy.

It was, in a way, an ideal environment for a confidential discussion.

Wilhelm gave a wry smile at the girl's response. "I suppose my worries were unnecessary."

The girl, however, replied with a teasing remark.

"More than that, I was surprised that you were talking to someone while waiting. You hate talking to people, don't you, Vil-ji?"

"That is a terrible misunderstanding."

He denied it immediately, prompting the girl to wave her hands in correction.

"Ahh, no, no, my bad. What I meant to say is—you just prefer cutting people down rather than talking to them, right?"

"…That, too, is a terrible misunderstanding."

Wilhelm didn't rise to the bait of her playful provocation.

Seeing his lack of reaction, the girl pouted like a child denied attention.

"Boooring. So you are saying chatting with Ferri-chan isn't as fun as your chat with those boys? You liked them that much?"

Her voice carried the sulky tone of a child left out.

As if trying to draw out more of a reaction from Wilhelm, she leaned further out the window, moving closer to him.

"I didn't feel anything special from the one I inspected, and the other one plainly avoided me... He seemed to know who I was. But did you notice something after talking to them? Like a hidden talent or something?"

"For Natsuki-dono, my evaluation of him is unchanged. He is a complete amateur—he hasn't even grown any fangs yet. I saw no exceptional talent in him. He is, without a doubt, an ordinary existence."

"But you seemed to like him, then why? Worthless people are the ones you despise most, aren't they, Vil-ji?"

The girl spoke as though trying to paint Wilhelm as a sociopath.

Wilhelm, however, didn't even offer a smile in response. Instead, he quietly raised a hand and pointed to his own eyes.

"His eyes."

"—His eyes?"

She tilted her head in question, and Wilhelm lifted his gaze, as if recalling something.

"That boy's eyes caught my interest. They were the eyes of someone who has stepped into the domain of death multiple times."

"Some manage to turn back before crossing the threshold. But…"

He paused, then closed his eyes briefly before continuing.

"I have never known anyone who has returned from death's doorstep not just once, but multiple times. That is what intrigued me."

"Hmmm. I don't really get it. What about the other guy?"

This time, Wilhelm did let out a wry smile.

"I don't know."

"Hmm?" Felix's ears rose up, a mix of surprise and curiosity after Wilhelm's response.

"I didn't sense anything from him, whether he was strong or weak, naive or mature . I couldn't extract anything from our brief exchange or rather.. He didn't let me."

Despite him trying to intimidate him with his gaze, he didn't show any emotion, he hid them to an extent that could almost be called creepy.

She narrowed her eyes as if recalling something, then stared intently at Wilhelm's broad back.

"Being noticed by the 'Sword Demon' Wilhelm van Astrea is no different from being cursed by a witch."

***************************************************************************************

"You're heading to the royal capital, right? I'm coming with you!"

As soon as the guest left and the reception room finally had a moment of peace, Subaru shattered that tranquility with his opening remark.

Without any prior notice, he swung open the door, placed a tray carrying tea on the table, and handed cups to the two people sitting in discussion, all while saying, "Here, here," as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"And remember, snacks are limited to 300 yen, and just because you're excited about the trip doesn't mean you can stay up late."

"Sorry for the intrusion."

Subaru spoke with an air of confidence, as though his presence on the journey was a given. The two who received the tea—Emilia and Roswaal—exchanged glances before responding.

"See?"

"…Yes, I suppose so."

Roswaal smirked, raising an eyebrow, while Emilia let out a sigh of exhaustion.

Displeased with how the two seemed to understand each other without words, Subaru twisted his body slightly in protest.

"Don't just communicate with your eyes! That's jealousy right there! Let me in on the conversation, mix me in, sing me a lullaby!"

"Wait… how did you even find out about the trip to the royal capital? Did I accidentally let it slip…?"

Placing a hand on her forehead as if embarrassed by her own mistake.

"It wasn't you... The messenger said something along the lines 'Let's meet again at the capital!' and he came to conclusion that you are going there."

 Emilia gently shook her head before turning to Subaru and, in a tone as if explaining something to a child, said:

"This isn't a trip for fun. I was summoned for an important matter… something really important."

"I know that. It's about the Royal Selection, right? A huge event that could shake the entire kingdom—I get it. But even knowing that, please, let me come!"

Subaru dropped to his knees on the carpet, clasping his hands together in an exaggerated gesture of pleading.

Unsure how to respond to his desperate request, Emilia glanced around the room for help. However…

"Hmm? Ah, don't mind me. Feel free to choose according to your heart's desire."

Another person—Roswaal—continued to smirk, content to spectate.

"The aroma of this tea… Could it be from Ram's secret stash? No… that would be unthinkable… But knowing Barusu, it's not impossible…! Hey Tanuki!"

I quickly averted my gaze, unwilling to be dragged into Subaru's mess.

"What? I don't know anything…"

And then, there was the last person…

"I don't see the harm. He seems so eager to go, so why not take him along? Besides, Subaru-Kun has acquaintances in the royal capital, and he was originally brought to the mansion after being injured. It would be good for them to see that he's well and ease their worries."

The one person Subaru had expected to be reasonable had now, surprisingly, become his advocate.

"Yes! Nice assist! Rem, Rem, Reeem, come over here!"

"Yes!"

Responding cheerfully to Subaru's beckoning, Rem glided to his side. As if it were second nature by now, she leaned forward and offered her head, allowing Subaru to ruffle her blue hair with expert precision, making sure not to mess it up too much.

Watching Rem purr in contentment, Emilia barely managed to suppress the urge to try it herself, before refocusing on the matter at hand.

"But Subaru, what exactly do you plan to do if you come along? The Royal Selection is indeed important, but it doesn't really concern you…"

"If you say something sad like 'it doesn't concern me,' I might just start crying. This is the critical moment where we find out if Emilia-tan will become the king… or rather, the queen. I want to be involved, even if it's just from the sidelines. And to do that, I need to be close by."

"That's exactly why I can't bring you along," Emilia countered, furrowing her brows as she met his determined gaze.

She was grateful for his feelings, but she had already been saved by him more than enough. He had risked his life to save so many people just a few days ago.

The debt she owed him was immeasurable. And now, if she let him come along, she knew without a doubt that he would push himself too hard again. That was something she could not allow.

"If I take you with me, you'll just end up overexerting yourself again. I won't let that happen. Do you understand?"

"Emilia-tan, you don't get it. I hate doing reckless, dangerous, and impossible things. I never do anything beyond my capacity."

Subaru crossed his arms and puffed out his chest, still kneeling on the carpet, as if to proudly declare his responsible nature.

"But if it's within my reach, that's a different story. And if it's about you, Emilia-tan, then even more so. You understand, right?"

"…I don't understand at all…"Emilia couldn't comprehend why Subaru was so insistent.

She was grateful for his feelings, but she had already been saved by him more than enough. He had risked his life to save so many people not so long ago.

The debt she owed him was immeasurable. And now, if she let him come along, she knew without a doubt that he would push himself too hard again. That was something she could not allow.

Before she could respond further, I raised my hand.

"I think… I want to go to the capital as well."

Everyone turned to look at me, clearly surprised.

"Tanaka? You want to go too?" Emilia asked in surprise.

"Wait! Why is there such a big difference in your reaction? And earlier, you said you didn't care about the Royal Selection?"

"That's right. I have no interest in the Royal Selection."

I exhaled, my gaze steady.

"It's just that… it's been a month since I came here. I've tried researching ways to go home, but I think the best thing I can do now is ask people. Travelers, merchants—people who might actually know something."

"Tanaka-kun, you said your hometown is far away. Are you sure it's not somewhere in the Vollachian Empire? If so, we could find a way to help you."

I shook my head firmly.

"Yeah, I'm sure. Like Beatrice said when we first arrived, I got here through yin magic—some sort of teleportation. I don't know the way back, and I doubt anyone here is familiar with my hometown. That's why I have to take my chances and ask people who travel a lot. Maybe, just maybe, I'll come across a lead."

The atmosphere grew heavier, the room falling into thoughtful silence.

And then—

Clap!

"Alright, that's enough—"

—Roswaal literally clapped his hands, shattering the atmosphere.

He had been watching the exchange between the two with deep interest, but then—"

"Since this conversation doesn't seem to be getting anywhere, I'll go ahead and settle it quickly. Tanaka-Kun, Subaru-Kun, you'll be coming to the royal capital. That's an order from your lord."

"Roswaal!?" Emilia turned to him, startled by the abrupt declaration.

"Yes! Finally, I can talk to you, Roz-chi!"

Roswaal disregarded Emilia's reluctance without hesitation. Emilia was caught off guard, while Subaru gave a triumphant thumbs-up in excitement.

But Roswaal wagged his finger, "Tsk, tsk, tsk," and added—"

However, You two are only coming to the capital for medical treatment. It has absolutely nothing to do with the royal selection, understood?" And I suppose I can permit Tanaka-Kun to gather information."

"Treatment…?"

Subaru and I exchanged confused looks.

As he tried to stand up—perhaps forgetting that his legs had gone numb from sitting in seiza—he promptly fell forward. Rem, who was beside him, quickly grabbed him by the scruff of his neck to stop his fall.

"Guh! ...Nice assist, Rem. But next time, try to do it a little more smoothly."

"Muu… No head pats for me, then?"

As Subaru rubbed his throat, making a dry remark, Rem dejectedly stepped back. Then, Subaru turned back to Roswaal and leaned forward, pressing for clarification—

"So, what do you mean by 'for treatment' I hate to say it, but aside from a few scars, my injuries are pretty much healed. Sure, I could use a bit of rehab, but that's about it."

He swung his arms in circles, demonstrating his physical capability. However, everyone in the mansion, including Emilia, knew that he wasn't fully recovered.

"There's no point in hiding it. Everyone knows your body has lingering aftereffects. You overexerted yourself while your mana was depleted. You were bitten by Urgarms and marked with too many curses. These are the main causes, and because of them, the flow of mana in your body is now extremely sluggish. It's like sludge."

"…You're telling me I'm feeling off because of something I can't even see?"

"Subaru, the mana flowing through your body is essentially your lifeline. If that flow is disrupted, it means your body's entire life force is in jeopardy… Please, take this seriously."

Perhaps feeling guilty for having his condition called out, Subaru lowered his eyes. Emilia's sincere plea seemed to reach him, and he mumbled a small—

"…Sorry."

"Alright, I get that my body's in trouble. But what does that have to do with getting treatment in the capital?"

"For your treatment, we need the power of an expert in water mana. Subaru-Kun, did you meet the messenger who was just here?"

"You mean that tall, cat-eared, cutesy guy? Honestly, not my type."

"That person happens to be one of the most skilled water mana users in the royal capital. With their help, your condition might be fully cured."

Subaru made a sour face at Roswaal's words.

Emilia, though silent, seemed to agree—neither of them were fond of that person's way of seeing through people and speaking in riddles.

That messenger had come under the pretense of inviting them to the capital, but they had also forced them into discussions neither of them wanted to have.

Even so—

"That person went out of their way to owe a favor to ensure your treatment could happen. Don't you think you should be grateful for Emilia-sama's kindness?"

"…Huh?"

"Hey, Roswaal! That's—"

Emilia stormed up to Roswaal, furious at his blatant revelation. But he simply ignored her angry voice with a composed smile.

"Emilia-sama isn't fond of that person either. But because of your condition, she put up with them, patiently negotiated, and managed to secure a compromise for your treatment. Isn't she just the sweetest?"

"R-O-Z-W-A-A-L!"

Her name was spat out, each syllable laced with anger, as Emilia's silver hair trembled with fury. Blood rushed to her face, a mixture of indignation and humiliation.

She felt the urge to let loose her mana in rage and strike his long, indigo hair—but—

"Wait, Emilia-tan… is that true?"

At Subaru's questioning look, her anger wavered.

As he sought confirmation, Emilia turned her face away, looking uncomfortable.

"Well… Subaru, the reason your body isn't healing properly is partly my fault. You came to this mansion because you protected me. And the incident in the Demon Beast Forest…"

"Emilia-tan, your phrasing is so stiff. It sounds so formal that it's ruining the impact."

Subaru waved his hands, cutting in with a lighthearted tone. Emilia, however, insisted—

A silence settled over the room, and I—watching this entire exchange—found my expression darkening.

Emilia must have noticed, because she turned toward me, concern flickering in her amethyst eyes.

"Is there something wrong, Tanaka?"

I exhaled slowly.

"Frankly… I don't like the sound of this."

Emilia blinked. "Huh? What do you mean by that?"

I crossed my arms, my gaze hard.

"We've talked about this—the Royal Selection is about to start. Do you really think this is the right time to be owing favors to anyone? And not just anyone, but a rival camp?"

Emilia's lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to argue, but no words came out.

Still, she quickly steeled herself.

"That was supposed to be my responsibility, but you took it on instead. So this is just my way of repaying that debt… or rather, making proper amends for your loss—"

"I didn't lose anything, the actions I took I hold full responsibility for and I wasn't expecting you to feel indebted to me."

My gaze slowly shifted toward Roswaal.

"And aren't you her sponsor? Shouldn't you be advising her not to do things like this? This kind of deal could harm the campaign in the long run."

Roswaal chuckled softly, his gaze filled with amusement.

"Even if I were to intervene, what makes you think I could convince Emilia-sama otherwise?" He spread his arms, shrugging dramatically. "Besides, your accomplishments deserved this much, wouldn't you say?"

I sighed, shaking my head.

"Hah, you have to learn to be a little selfish, you kn— Ow! Ow! Ow!"

The words barely left my mouth before Emilia seized my ear and pulled.

Her face was puffed up in a pout, her expression filled with unmistakable displeasure.

"You worked so hard, so you have an obligation to accept this repayment," she huffed. "Otherwise, I won't be able to face you on equal terms. If I have to see you every morning and feel guilty all over again, then this is for my sake too!"

"Okay! Okay! I yield!"

Only then did she finally let go. I immediately clutched my poor, abused ear, eyes stinging from the sharp pain.

"You almost ripped it off…" I muttered under my breath. Her strength was no joke—then again, no one in this mansion was remotely normal in that regard.

Still, something continued to nag at me.

"I get why Subaru needs treatment, but…" I glanced around. "I wasn't cursed or anything."

For some reason, everyone in the room stared at me. Their expressions were hard to decipher.

"What?"

Ram sighed dramatically, shaking her head.

"Watching Tanuki try to grasp the obvious is like watching Barusu try to be useful—pointless and painful."

"Hey!" Subaru immediately shot back. "Why am I catching strays!? That was uncalled for!"

Instead, Rem turned to me, her gentle blue eyes filled with concern.

"Tanaka-Kun, your case is likely more serious than Subaru-Kun's," she explained softly. "You've depleted your mana multiple times—far beyond your limit. And each time, you've pushed yourself to the point of bleeding out and collapsing."

I frowned slightly, brows furrowing.

"I just thought that was normal since I wasn't used to wielding magic."

Emilia, who had been listening, suddenly cut in.

"In any case," she said, her voice firm but warm, "be a good boy and accept your treatment."

I blinked.

If that came from anyone else, it would have felt somewhat condescending. But the way she said it... It felt oddly genuine... 

Even Subaru, watching the exchange, seemed to pick up on it. He crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes slightly before muttering under his breath—

"So, in the end, Emilia-tan was actually in favor of me going to the capital all along. Then why did you act like you were against it at first?"

"If I just let you have your way too easily, you'd get carried away and overdo it. I know how reckless you are, you mischievous little rascal."

"A mischievous little rascal? Nobody says that anymore…"

Muttering in a low voice, Subaru tilted his head in confusion. In response, Emilia stuck out her tongue at him in a petty act of defiance.

***************************************************************************************

Some time had passed since I left the room. My footsteps echoed faintly in the long corridor as I made my way toward a particular destination.

The mansion's hallways stretched before me, lined with countless identical doors. Each one looked the same—elegant woodwork, polished handles, and no real distinguishing marks. But despite their uniform appearance, I walked with certainty, knowing exactly where I needed to go.

Then, I stopped.

There it was.

I couldn't explain how I knew. Unlike Subaru, who found the library through sheer luck, I wasn't guessing. Every time I sought out Beatrice's door, I simply knew where it would be.

My hand hovered over the doorknob. As soon as my fingers brushed against it, I felt the shift—the aura surrounding the door wavered, then dispersed. When I pushed it open, the door revealed… a storage room.

I sighed.

"As I thought, she's still mad."

For a brief moment, I considered leaving it alone. Just turning around and pretending this didn't matter. But the thought left a bitter taste in my mouth.

I clenched my fists, shook my head, and exhaled sharply.

No.

I tilted my head, scanning the corridor once more, widening my vision to take in every door at once. None of them stood out.

Until I turned around.

There.

A door behind me pulsed with fluctuating mana, as if struggling between revealing itself and vanishing entirely.

Without hesitation, I walked toward it and raised my hand.

This time, I knocked.

"Hey, Beatrice. It's me..."

The moment my knuckles met the wood, the mana around it began to shift—an unmistakable sign that she was about to move the library elsewhere.

Panic surged through me.

"Wait, Beatrice!" I blurted out. "I'm not coming in! Just... please listen to what I have to say."

The fluctuations slowed but didn't stop.

I took a breath, steadying myself.

"I know you're angry, and you have every right to be."

Silence.

"I have no excuses."

"I'm heading to the capital. At the same time, I have to look for a way back home. But no matter what happens, I won't leave without helping you figure things out first."

Still no response.

But I knew she was listening.

"I don't know anything yet. But all I'm asking is for you to wait just a little longer. Not for four hundred years. Just a little longer."

I hesitated for a moment before adding—

"As soon as I find a clue, I'll come and tell you. I promise."

Another pause.

Then, I exhaled, stepping back from the door.

"Well… I'll be going now. Take care, Beatrice."

I turned, walking away without waiting for a reply.

The door remained closed.

***************************************************************************************

With the plan finalized and us joining the journey to the royal capital, the departure was set for the day after tomorrow.

Despite the hectic schedule, the servants still had to carry out their daily tasks around the mansion as usual. In order to kill some time, I decided to take the simple task of tidying up the guest rooms.

"So, that means you're staying behind, huh, Ram?"

While carefully arranging the bedsheets in the guest room, I asked the question to Ram, who stood behind him.

Ram, who was supposedly helping but was actually doing nothing, nodded lazily in response.

"Yes. We can't have the entire mansion left empty. Normally, Rem would stay behind, but this time she insisted on going. So I allowed it."

As she spoke of giving in to her younger sister's request, Ram's lips curled ever so slightly into a small smile.

Despite her usual sharp tongue, she had a clear soft spot for her younger sister. Even though she would be separated from her beloved Roswaal, she showed no signs of being particularly unhappy about it.

"You look kinda happy about it."

"Happy… Maybe so. That child used to only think about doing her best with what she was given. But now, she has her own desires and opinions. That might make me happy."

She stared outside where Subaru and Emilia stood in the garden, deep in conversation. Subaru, as always, was animated, grinning and gesturing wildly, while Emilia smiled in amusement.

A shadow of a frown crossed Ram's face.

"The only part I don't like is that the reason behind it is that guy."

I smirked, sensing an opportunity. "Heh, what is it? Do you also have a crush on him?"

Ram scoffed, turning her sharp gaze on me. "If I were to fall for any of you, I'd simply hit my head against a rock until the pain became romantic."

"Pfft—" I barely stifled a laugh.

"Well, if I wanted you to fall for me, all I need to do is wear a clown make up."

"Fura."

"Whoa!?" With a single incantation, a gust of wind burst forth, lifting Tanaka off his feet and tossing him onto the freshly made bed.

His landing completely messed up the neatly arranged sheets, and as he surfaced from the sea of white fabric, he groaned.

"Hey! Magic is cheating! Retaliating with magic just because you lost in a verbal exchange—that's seriously unfair!"

"It wasn't retaliation. I simply vented the dark emotions festering in my stomach by directing them at Tanuki."

"That's literally the definition of retaliation! Or more like, venting your frustration! Or even just stress relief!"

Ignoring my protest, Ram turned her head away.

"That aside, being a driver, an attendant, a bodyguard, and a guide… Rem really is ridiculously versatile."

"You forgot the one title she recently started calling herself—'Subaru-Kun's caretaker.'"

"That's not even an official title!"

Not that I could strongly deny it. Ever since the incident, she was following him like a Pokémon.

In any case, the core members of this trip were Five people from the Roswaal mansion.

There was Emilia, the one at the center of it all. Roswaal, her patron. Me, with the intention to gather information Subaru, who had whined his way into securing a ticket. And Rem, who would be handling the group's needs.

That left Ram and Beatrice as the ones staying behind—but...

"Now that I think about it, I'm kinda worried about the ones staying behind. Are you two gonna be okay?"

"Don't worry. A demon can survive three days without food or water."

"You weren't even planning to cook, were you!?"

I gawked at Ram's blatant abandonment of responsibility.

"And what about Beatrice? I can totally picture her stomping down the stairs, realizing there's no food, and going, 'What is the meaning of this, I suppose!?' before throwing a massive tantrum."

"If she hears you say that, she'll definitely blow you away. She should just come along."

"Don't just casually admit you don't want to take care of her! You're supposed to be the caretaker! Just make some pizza or steam some sweet potatoes!"

I frowned as I thought about the situation.

"If just the food situation is already this concerning, what about everything else? Are you actually going to keep the mansion in order?"

"A foolish question, Tanuki. I'm better at cleaning than cooking."

"Yeah, but Rem is still better at cleaning than you! The only thing that makes you the older sister is literally just the fact that you were born first!"

"Exactly. And that is everything."

With nothing even being decided, Ram flashed him the most confident smirk.

I scratched my cheek, unsure how to react.

"So, what happens to the mansion's upkeep?"

"I made a deal with Rem in exchange for letting her go to the royal capital."

"Let's hear it."

"It's simple. When she gets back, she has to make up for all the missed work in a single day."

I processed her words and was left utterly speechless.

I gave Ram a doubtful look, only to see her smirking triumphantly.

"Now, you will come to understand what it truly means to leave the mansion in my hands."

—What I had expected was exceeded by a clear and shameless declaration of complete neglect.

In that moment, I resolved myself that, regardless if I finally reconcile with Beatrice. I will be lend my hand and help Rem with her work.