6 (Part 2)

["Damn, I look so lame… I don't have time to spend whining," Subaru looked at his reflection. His tired beaten reflection.

"You idiot," He growled at himself.

Subaru slowly walked out of the bathroom and then out of the room that led to it while wiping his mouth with his sleeve.]

"Look what your two friends did to him, I suppose," Beatrice seethed from beside Emilia.

The silver-haired half-elf couldn't show her face to the angry spirit.

[The tired exhausted boy didn't notice a silver-haired girl standing right by the doorway, waiting for him.

"Subaru… " Emilia called out.

His expression changed to the fake one as he turned around to meet his mistress.

"Emilia-tan!-"

"Subaru, come with me." Emilia looked into the room he just left.]

"What's happening here?" Crusch asked as she leaned in.

Emilia just watched with her eyes tearing up. "This makes so much more sense now," She whispered as she played this same scene in her mind.

Garfiel and Otto looked confused by her words.

[Subaru recoiled back, keeping his fake expression in place. "Uh-oh! A personal request from Emilia-tan? How joyous! How embarrassing! How rare!"]

"I hate him like this, I suppose." Beatrice looked away with a flinch and a sad glint in her eyes.

"You are not the only one," considering that she's been seeing a lot of flaws in the boy the past few minutes, Crusch found it appropriate to mutter alongside the great spirit in an uncomfortable tone.

[Emilia looked disturbed and worried for her butler as he did a pose with every word he spoke.

"Say anything! Tell me to do anything! For you, I'd dive into fire, water, the loot house, anywhere!"

"Subaru…" she softly spoke while staring at him.

Subaru seemed to become more desperate by the second.

"Hey, come on! The Emilia-tan I know would say… Wait! Are you a fake?! But is anyone else capable of looking so gorgeous that I just want to hug her?"]

"What annoying filth," Priscilla snorted and looked away from the pathetic sight.

"How would ya have dealt with his situation, huh?!" Felt, extremely agitated by what she was watching and overcome with guilt for her role in letting him go with Emilia, shouted towards the cruel lady in red behind her.

An infuriated look passed Priscilla's face, uncharacteristically giving Felt the time of day, "Mineself would've made everyone in that mansion bow to me, as everyone should. It was that pig's insistence on treating the half-wit as a doll that caused such a pathetic attempt at mercy. He shouldn't have such a power in his grasp, and mineself is compelled to lock him away just to teach all of you a lesson for caring about such a weakling," the red princess didn't hold back on her biting venom and faced the crowd with her most hateful glare.

"Princess, I think you're being agitated by the screen too mu- OOOF!"

Although he tried to calm things down, the one-armed knight was struck by Priscilla's backhand to the floor.

"You'll do no such thing," Surprisingly, Roswaal was the one to rigidly reply to the princess and her threat.

Priscilla glared at the man in disgust but she was ignored by him in favor of watching the screen.

"C-Calm down guys!" Petra called out to everyone from her camp that began glaring at the frightening lady sitting above her.

Everyone seemed to calm down as they witnessed Priscilla take her anger out on the poor man sitting beside her and fall into silence herself.

[Seeing his frantic behavior continue, Emilia nodded her head and sternly glared at him. "All right." She quickly took his hand and pulled him along with her into the room.

"Subaru, come here."

"Wha-"

"Just come."

Emilia stood at the center of the room and pointed at the floor.

"Sit."

"Can't I sit on the bed or a chair? Why the floor?"

"Just sit!" Emilia sternly ordered.

"Yes ma'am!"]

"Why does he look excited?" Al and Ricardo had to chuckle a bit.

"It seems like what I said was true. Barusu is a pervert." Ram huffed and glared at her sister. Honestly, why couldn't she have picked a trash can instead? It would be leagues better than her choice now.

'A choice that saved Rem's life.'

Ram looked down with her eyes filled with… regret? Gratitude? The pink-haired Oni was just happy for her sister's life to be saved.

She was still going to appropriately torture the boy if he hurts her sister.

On the front side, Emilia was growing more anxious as she realized how revealing this scene will be for her and Subaru. She began growing more unsure about wanting this scene to be shown to her.

[Subaru quickly obeyed and sat before her with a stupid smile.

Emilia smiled down at him and closed her eyes. The silver-haired maiden slowly sat down beside him.

Subaru just looked confused as Emilia sat beside him in silence.

"Just this once, all right?"]

"Hm, whatcha doin'?" Anastasia mused with a finger on her chin.

"Emilia?" Crusch also gave the half-elf a look of interest, same as Garfiel and Otto looked at their boss with sly smiles.

"Nah!"

"Emilia-sama!"

The silver-haired girl blushed under the two boy's teasing grins and fiddled with her thumbs, "I-It's embarrassing for you all to watch like this."

"Unruly scum," Priscilla clicked her tongue and fanned herself to relieve some anger she held from the last scene.

[Subaru didn't have time to question what she meant as Emilia placed her hand on the side of his head and pulled him down until he laid on his side with his head on her thighs.

Emilia squirmed her naked thighs together as his hair was stuck between them.

"Your position is a little weird… and it tickles… "]

"Huh… Guess that is kinda nice for him," Al nodded his head and shrugged his shoulders when his liege aimed her scarlet glare on him.

"Barusu's taste isn't bad," Ram held a small smile at the scene, finally feeling relief and not guilt seeing something good happen to the boy.

"Is this a time you remember, Emilia-sama?" Crusch found herself questioning why the half-elf was more embarrassed than saddened that she didn't get to live this intimate moment between the two.

The half-elf looked taken by surprise at the question, "I-I thought you guys heard me. Yes. This is the one where Subaru lives… Though saying that really makes me feel disgusted."

Seeing the half-elf fall into a depressed state, the Duchess only nodded her head and pinned Emilia with a firm glare, "You must keep watching then, see how much pressure he puts on himself and try to understand where you can help him once he wakes up, Emilia-sama."

The half-elf stared at the floor for a moment, foregoing the gentle touch of Crusch's hand on her shoulder.

Anastasia only seemed interested in what was happening on the screen, so she didn't give the conversing candidates beside her the time of day.

"Should we really be watching something so intimate between a royal elect and her staff?" Julius found himself looking away from the screen in discomfort.

This made Anastasia's eyes leave the window as she moved to slap her knight on the back of his head.

"Oh hush! Julius ya need t' be more honest with your feelings and just say that ya don't wanna watch Natsuki-kun in a moment of weakness again~"

"... Milady..." the knight grunted while looking away at a wall.

"Ya know I'm right~" She turned away from him with a knowing grin on her face, unwilling to let him have the last reply and reading him like an open book.

Julius elegantly rubbed the back of his head and continued to watch in silence.

["You're letting me rest on your lap?"

"Don't say it out loud! It's embarrassing! And no looking up here. Close your eyes."

Emilia pushed his face away from her and covered his eyes with her palm.

"You're adorable when you're embarrassed, too, but… What's this about? When did I do something worthy of this kind of reward?"

Emilia smiled down at him. "You don't have to put on that weird tough act now."

Emilia began ruffling his hair slowly and gently. "Didn't you tell me to lend you my lap when you were exhausted? I can't do this all the time, but today is special."

Subaru closed his eyes as he enjoyed the moment.

"Special? It's only my second day. If I'm already completely worn out, what kind of weakling am I?" Subaru asked exasperated.]

Priscilla snorted in discontent, "The worst kind, no doubt of that."

"Come on, Princess," Al whined as his master continued to get on people's nerves.

["It's plain to see that you're overwhelmed. You won't tell me what's really going on, will you? I can't imagine this will make things any easier, but this is all I can do," Emilia softly whispered to the now trembling Subaru resting on her lap.

"Emilia-tan, come on, now… " Subaru leaned more on her thighs to hide his trembling face as he tried to keep the facade going.

Emilia just rubbed his head slowly and whispered to him. "Are you tired?"

"I'm totally fine."

"Are you troubled?"

"If you're this nice to me, I'm gonna fall in love with you… When you… I mean… like that… "

Subaru stopped and tried to hold it in…

Emilia leaned down and whispered into his ear… "It's been rough, hasn't it?"

Every flashing moment of death he's ever experienced played before him, covering him in this dark, empty void once again.

And with this beautiful girl's whisper… the void just shattered into nothing.

And that's… when Subaru stopped holding it in.

"It was rough."]

Petra's heart was broken by how weak he sounded.

[Tears fell down from his side turned eyes as he rested against Emilia's lap.

"It was so painful."]

Rem looked down and gritted her teeth so hard they almost shattered, "I'm sorry..."

Doing her best, the blue-haired girl unfolded her legs off of the chair and watched with a hardened face.

'I did this to him, I need to face how it affected him.'

["I was so scared."]

Beatrice looked away from her contractor and tried to hold her tears in. "I swear, Betty will protect you."

["I was so sad."]

Crusch and Anastasia watched with gazes spelling pity for him.

"Almost makes ya wanna hug him," Anastasia jested lightly but with a sad nuance.

Surprisingly, Crusch chuckled softly at this, "Indeed."

["It hurt so much, I thought I'd die."]

Otto and Garfiel watched with shock coursing through them.

To Garfiel, this was the true man that had saved him from the prison of his past.

To Otto, this was the boy that had saved him from unavoidable fate and horrors while taking everything on his shoulders as if he was some tragic hero.

Both understood a very important fact that shocked them to their core… He wasn't a hero. He was...

["Uh-huh." Emilia nodded and smiled warmly at the boy crying in her lap.

"I tried so hard… " He sniffled "I tried so hard!"]

Felt looked at the screen with anger roaming her entire soul. She should've been the one to take him in. She should've helped him somehow, but she was too busy being a slimy slum-dwelling idiot that cared for herself.

She understood it now… that boy, her big bro, wasn't some tough guy that forced his way into any situation.

No, he was...

["I was so desperate… So desperate to make everything right!"]

Roswaal's eyes widened as he watched something he wouldn't ever see again.

Subaru Natsuki, the boy that had burned his gospel and spat on his life's mission, the boy with an incredible nigh impossible will of steel.

He was...

["It's the truth. I've honestly never tried so hard at anything in my life!" Subaru yelled as he cried in her lap.]

Priscilla watched the scene with disgust… she was absolutely grossed out by such a display of total shame.

How could someone with such power be so weak? What was it with him and his humanity?

[Emilia nodded. "Uh-huh, I know."

"Because I loved this place… Because it was so important to me… I was so desperate to get it back…"]

When they first met, Frederica hadn't understood why so many people believed in him, trusted him, loved, and cared for him.

But now that she saw him like this…

When he was so…

["I was scared… I was so scared!"]

Ricardo and Wilhelm watched with solemn eyes. Whatever respect they had for the boy had now been justifiably amplified.

How could they not respect him more after this?

After he appeared so…

["I didn't want those eyes looking at me like that again… "]

Reinhard's face aimed down as his heart hung onto every single word.

He wouldn't ever doubt Subaru's heart again.

["And I hated myself so much for feeling that way!" Subaru screamed as Emilia gently patted his head.]

He was so human. The universal thought in everyone's heads was all about how weak of a human being he was.

Felix and Julius simply stared at the screen with shock.

The boy they had thought was a monster.

Was a witch cultist.

Was a fraud cheating the election from them.

He was a human.

A simple human boy. No power, talent, wealth, motive.

He was only a kid that had tasted death and could never speak about such horrid memories.

No relief and no one to help him.

Felix felt ashamed at his words now. His heart burned with the guilt and shame of his own spitefulness.

Julius felt so much worse than that. He could never call Subaru a friend after this. He wasn't a friend.

"A true friend stands by his friend's side. I failed." Julius grimly looked down as he whispered those final words.

The words that ended his friendship with Subaru the half-elf's knight. A friendship ended by nothing more than his own incompetence.

![Scene change…

It was now dark time and Emilia was still sitting on the floor of the room. She was smiling down at the sleeping boy.

"Subaru-kun…" Rem suddenly entered through the door and stopped with a surprised look on her face.

"Shhh." Emilia shushed the maid as she rubbed the boy's head resting on her lap.

"Is Subaru-kun just asleep?"

"Yes."

Rem stepped closer to look at the sleeping boy.

"He looks like a child, doesn't he?" Emilia smiled down at him.]

"He looks so at peace." Petra cooed while feeling the same relief as he did, it was odd. As if just watching Subaru gain some relief was therapeutic for her and the rest of the cast as well.

Crusch nodded her head while watching with a small smile.

["It doesn't look like Subaru-kun can do any more work today," Rem said as she looked at him.

Emilia giggled softly. "Yes, he's done for today. What a bad boy, taking a day off on just his second day of work," Emilia softly pinched his cheek.]

Emilia's gaze fell on the carpet. The half-elf's expression was one of deliberation. Silence roamed the room at the sight of the blue-haired maid inside of the scene.

Only the soft sniffles of distress could be heard in the silence.

Emilia did not turn her gaze away from where it was as she spoke, "Stop crying."

Rem flinched and tried to wipe her tears. Emilia's fragile tone echoed across the theater.

"I-I'm sorry, Emilia-sama-"

"Please… Just stop crying," Emilia's pleading tone confused everyone alongside the maid she was talking to. Rem stopped hiccuping and looked at the back of Emilia's head with a shocked expression.

["When he feels better, you can punish him."

"When I see him like this, I almost don't want to," Rem whispered softly as she stared at the unguarded boy.]

"So you stopped your cruelty toward him just because you saw him asleep? What happened to the witch's scent?" Anastasia sternly and curiously asked the maid.

Rem had slowly calmed down and felt the relief that had swarmed the theater after Subaru's breakdown.

"How could a deranged lunatic from that cult ever look at peace when he sleeps?" The maid questioned in a hoarse tired voice.

Anastasia turned away from Rem without any indication of pity or familiarity.

"Good then," the merchant queen nodded, her eyes focused on the screen, "One less obstacle to take care 'f. Now's the turn for that assassin mabeast gal and Natsuki-kun's pain is at an end."

"Mhm!" Petra showed more enthusiasm to the western girl's words by clapping happily.

[Emilia chuckled and nodded her head. "Yeah."

Rem continued to stare at the boy some more, her expression softening. She then turned around and began walking out.

"I'll inform my sister that Subaru-kun will be useless for today."

"Rem."

The maid stopped and looked back.

"Subaru is a good boy." Emilia smiled in earnest.

Rem's eyes widened for a second before she sealed her expression and bowed down to her superior in the household.

As she walked out, Emilia continued to smile happily as she played with his hair.]

"He really is a good boy," Frederica muttered as she wiped some tears from her eyes.

Almost everyone had their shocked widened eyes glued to the screen. Unbelieving at such a raw emotional impact being delivered by a mere lap pillow session.

Emilia nodded her head at the maid's words and played with her own Subaru's hair as she looked at him.

"You really are a good boy. You're the best."

Emilia understood why Subaru broke down like that.

"It's not because you were tired of work. You needed someone to vent out to." Emilia smiled wide and happy for the first time.

She actually felt elated that she helped.

'Even if I never asked for you to do any of this for me… Thank you. I'm sorry.'

[Scene change…

Subaru is seen walking around an uninterested Beatrice as he held his blushing cheeks in embarrassment.

"Did I really just bawl all over the girl I love and fall asleep with tears and snot all over my face?! What kind of shame play is that?! I'm totally hopeless!" Subaru whined as he circled around the spirit girl.]

"And then he comes to Betty to whine and moan about how helpless he is. Betty's Subaru is so selfish! Hmph!" As the spirit girl turned away from the screen, huffing in jealous anger, many giggled and chuckled around her.

"Beako's job is sooooo hard," Emilia giggled and teased the spirit. The princess now felt more willing to lay back and stop worrying, mainly because her heart was too tired from the guilt, or because her elation was high after seeing how much she helped him, but Emilia felt actually playful right now.

And teasing was fun! She understood why so many people did this to herself.

"I will show you Subaru," Emilia growled in frustration, realizing how much fun he's been having teasing her like this.

She will take revenge!

"I hope you wake up soon," she whispered softly as she took his hand in hers and watched the window with a smile.

["You burst in here late at night, and that's what you say, I suppose?" Beatrice growled in annoyance.

"Don't say that, Beako! We're tight, aren't we?"

"What kind of relationship do you think we-" Beatrice jerked her head up suddenly and looked at Subaru with a surprised stare. "Wait, what did you just call me?!"

Subaru stopped walking in circles and smiled at the girl. "Oh, Beako? I think pet names are indispensable in showing affection. So I'm gonna call you Beako. That's the best proof of my affection that I can give."

Beatrice glared at the pleased-looking Subaru.

"What sort of obtrusive display of goodwill is that? That's not just disgusting, it's revolting! Hmph!"]

"Same reaction!" Al laughed out loud as the Twins and Petra began imitating Beatrice's huff.

"Mine is better, look! Hmph!" Mimi turned her head away from the laughing Ricardo.

"No no! Mine is better! Hmph!" Felt joined in making Reinhard blow out a chuckle at his lady's adorableness.

"Stop this foolishness at once, I suppose. Hmph!" Beatrice did the thing and everyone was laughing their ass off even Roswaal had to lean on Ram as he held his stomach.

"Commoners and their simple monkey minds. Hmph!" Priscilla did the thing which stopped everyone's laughter immediately, even Roswaal was staring at her in complete surprise.

"What are you fools looking at?" The princess asked, unbothered by the stares.

"P-Princess…"

"What is Aldebaran, you useless knight?"

"H-How are you so good?"

….

….

…

…

..

.

Priscilla looked at the screen and ignored the retards around her.

She was a god! Of course, they wouldn't be better than her. Hmph!

"I can't believe that is how he treats a great spirit," Reinhard sounded a bit too amused at the hilarity of Subaru's treatment for Beatrice.

"Big bro just wants to have fun with friends, no need for the title nonsense. I wish he would teach you how to do this," Felt huffed and glared at her knight adorably.

"I'm sorry for being inadequate, Felt-sama," Reinhard bowed with a look of shame.

Felt facepalmed.

["Don't be so cold, Beako," Subaru's face turned serious as did Beatrice once she noticed it.

"Truth is…" Subaru bowed to the girl with a pleading look on his face. "I'm backed into a corner here. To be honest, I want your help with the curses I asked about."

"I told you that curses can't be undone once they're activated, I suppose."

"Yeah, you did. So can you detect curses before they're activated instead?"

"I am capable of discovering curses before they're activated," Beatrice explained.

Subaru's face brightened with a smile. He knelt down in front of the girl and asked in excitement.

"How are curses placed?"

"There is one rule of casting curses that cannot be broken, I suppose."

"A rule that can't be broken?"

"Physical contact with the target of the curse. That is the prerequisite," Beatrice answered.

Subaru began thinking. "The only people I've touched other than the ones in this mansion are the villagers at the base of the mountain. I was cursed in the village, it activated in the mansion that night, and then I died?"

"That would explain why the shaman got Rem last time. I didn't go to the village, so she ended up being the target."

"It fits… It all fits now! I've finally found a lead!" Subaru banged a bookshelf and looked relieved. "Damn it!" he smiled excitedly.]

"So that's how he came to the conclusion?" Otto asked in excitement as he watched his brother at work.

"Now he can deal with the shaman and work on Rem's trust," Ricardo mused out loud.

"It was all thanks to Beatrice-sama's knowledge. Barusu would never be able to do this on his own," Ram huffed and looked away, appearing frustrated.

"Not as good."

"No, not good at all."

Al and Ricardo nodded at each other as they both agreed that Ram can't do the thing.

Hmph! Wasn't in the Oni blood.

"Pathetic," Ram snorted at the two.

"Are you suuure you should be so relaxed, Raaam?" Roswaal asked his maid, surprised with how fast she had recovered from her depression and was back to insulting Subaru halfheartedly.

The pink-maid simply smiled at Roswaal, "If Barusu worked so hard to get mine and Rem's friendship, why should I define our relationship over a death he does not care for? It wouldn't be fair for him to lose my gracious insults, mhm."

The eccentric lord fell silent before his maid's attitude, unable to understand her point.

'You didn't say anything about forgiving yourself, Ram…'

He kept that question to himself for now. He wanted to let the girl enjoy her normality for now.

His heart broke once he realized that he was the only one not smiling at the screen as everyone began cheering Subaru's plan.

There was Felix and Priscilla who were already known as the designated outliers of perception on Subaru. Wilhelm and Julius were hardened enough to be perceived as statues anyway.

But the rest were smiling at the screen.

'Hmm, this is hardly fair.'

["Is that any attitude to take toward someone you asked for help, I suppose?" Beatrice sounded from her corner, annoyed at the boy's lack of consideration.

"If it was helpful to you, I think there's something you should say."

Subaru looked dumbfounded until he got what she was implying.

"Yeah, that's right!" Subaru suddenly picked up Beatrice, making the little girl shriek in embarrassment.

"You saved me! Thanks to you, I can see the light!" Subaru began spinning around with Beako. "I love you!"

"Put me down, I suppose!" Beatrice ordered and sent the boy flying with a magic spell.

"Dorowazu!" Subaru fell on his face.]

Julius and Reinhard had to let out the laughter bubbling in them since the beginning of the scene.

"How can someone so adorable be a great spirit?" Felix asked exasperated but had a grin.

"You two seem closer than the last loop even..." Anastasia seemed more enlightened to talk to the spirit girl than before. The merchant queen knew that this little one was the key to understanding everything about Subaru and his camp. Not that she wanted to gain an advantage so underhandedly, but she still had a thirst for knowledge and understanding about Subaru's world and what he brings with him.

"Betty's and Subaru's destinies are intertwined, in fact."

[Scene change…

"And so a lot has happened, but today is a fresh start! I'm a new me!" Subaru did his pose as he stood at the mansion's entrance with a wide fresh smile on his face.

"The lap pillow, right?" Rem asked from behind the boy.

"It was the lap pillow," Ram confirmed.]

"It was definitely the lap pillow~" Anastasia jived in delight, earning more chuckles from Crusch and Felt.

"Are lap pillows really that good or is it just a Subaru thing?" Reinhard asked curiously, happy that everyone seemed to be moving on from the dark emotions. Except for a very infuriated-looking Priscilla sitting above.

"I think it's just a thing Pal has for lap pillows," Al jested a reply for the knight. It surprised Reinhard how such a nice man could be enslaved by a woman like Priscilla.

But he had no right to come between them.

["Eh?" Subaru blushed at the twins' remarks. "Wait, you guys knew?!" Subaru looked at the twins as his face turned beet red in embarrassment.

"Good morning Subaru!"

"Emilia-tan?" Subaru quickly turned around, surprised that the beautiful half-elf stood so close beside him.

Emilia slowly stepped back and looked down as she smiled warmly. "Um, this is kind of embarrassing… "

She smiled and turned around with a red hue on her cheeks. "Are you feeling okay?" she asked kindly.

"I wasn't so sure until I heard your voice just now, but… " Subaru took a deep breath and smiled… a true smile this time. "I'm okay now."

He turned to Emilia and steeled his face to face her without blushing.

"So, um, I… I'm sorr-'' the boy stopped and smiled brightly. "I mean, thanks for everything."

Emilia smirked proudly. "You're welcome."

The two remained smiling at each other with rosy cheeks.]

Emilia felt her own cheeks heat up, the happy feeling growing in her chest made her feel as if she was going to burst.

"See what happens when you ask for help?" Emilia whispered in delight.

"So then how does he deal with the mabeast user if he still thinks it's a mere shaman?" Crusch found it appropriate to voice her main thought as the scene moved on.

Those of the Emilia camp that were not present during this event shrugged, but what surprised the Duchess and the Merchant queen's camps was that Rem, Ram, Beatrice, and even Roswaal shrugged with looks of confusion.

"You don't know how he did it?" Julius asked, keeping his eyes on the spirit at the front. She was Subaru's spirit, no way she didn't know how he identified the threat.

"I think we should all continue to watch as we've clearly seen that this window will show everything relating to Barusu's days in our mansion."

Julius relented on the fact that what was said is true.

[Scene change to Rem and Ram entering the kitchen with a blushing Subaru behind them.

"Well, shall we get started on this morning's work, Subaru-kun?" Rem asked while walking towards a counter.

"We need to begin our morning duties," Ram said as she followed her sister.

Subaru slapped his cheeks and quickly focused his mind on the task. "Before that, I have a favor to ask… "

"A lap pillow right?"

"It's a lap pillow."

"I'm not that unscrupulous!" The boy defended his honor from the mischievous maids.]

"It's so fun seeing him get teased!" Otto and Garfiel laughed while Beatrice and Emilia giggled.

Rem had to let out a few chuckles as well. She was slowly healing her heart.

["Actually, I want to go to the village. It's not far away, right? Do we have any plans to shop for anything?"

"If I recall, we are low on seasonings, so I was thinking of going to the village tomorrow," Rem told the two.

"Then why don't we go today instead? If we're running low, it never hurts to restock sooner!" Subaru asked excitedly.

Rem looked a little apprehensive. Ram noticed this and smiled at her sister. "I don't see a problem with that."

"Sister… " Rem looked at her twin in confusion.

"You do need to go shopping, and we have no urgent duties. And you have Barusu to carry your packages."

"If you say so, sister." Rem bowed to her sister, making the boy jump in place.

"All right!"

"But I'm going with you. You'll have a pretty flower on each arm, Barusu."

"Huh?" Subaru looked uncertain at the twins. "Uh, I just hope those flowers aren't poisonous… " he muttered as he stared at the two girls.

Title card:

I Cried, Cried My Lungs Out, and Stopped Crying]

"That's a clever plan he made on a whim." Felix honestly felt compelled to compliment him.

"Yes, but what is he intending to do in the village? How's he going to find the 'shaman' when they don't exist and how will he deal with… Meili, was it?"

Petra nodded her head giving Crusch her answer about the mabeast user's name.

"Still can't believe that little one is an assassin, sheesh," Ricardo shook his head sadly.

"They come in all shapes and sizes bro. It's a dark world we live in," Al shrugged his shoulders and responded without a care for the sad reality of his words.

[Scene change…

"And now for the final exercise! Swing your arms out wide, then cross them in front of you as you take slow, deep breaths. In… and out…"

Rem and Ram stood at the side of the town's center, watching as the black-haired boy did his warm-ups and taught them to the people of the village. He somehow coerced all the villager's kids and even most of the adults themselves into doing his radio calisthenics with him.]

"Whoa, he convinced all of these people to go along with his games from the get-go?" Ricardo asked as he was honestly impressed.

"hmmhm, Subaru-sama was always popular in the village! Everyone loves him!" Petra announced proudly.

"Even you?" Al had to tease the maid and he also had to laugh at how red she turned.

["I came to check on you since break time's almost over," Ram said to her sister as they both watched Subaru teaching the village how to do warm-ups.

"Things are quite lively," Rem told her sister as she kept her eyes on the boy.

"Alright… one more time! Victory!" Subaru stretched his arms wide, making the villagers follow his lead and shout while doing the same pose.

"VICTORY!"]

"Why don't Cap'n do that when he's with us?" Garfiel asked as he looked at the people on the screen with jealousy

"Jealous little brother?" Frederica cooed, making Garfiel flip her the bird.

[The sense of excitement and happiness was flowing through the air as Subaru's warm-up routine filled the villagers with energy. Everyone was laughing and congratulating one another with wide smiles of endearment and happiness present. From the old to the young, to every woman and man. Happiness was flowing through everyone's hearts because of Subaru's warm-up routine.

"All right!" Subaru laughed while high-fiving a man.

An old-looking lady slowly trotted behind Subaru and… smacked his but. ]

…

"Ohhhhhhhhhh"

…

"Hahahahahah"

…

"Hands off the merchandise!"

Everyone was laughing at the look on Subaru's face and they completely fell out of their seats at Emilia's yell.

[Subaru looked at the lady in flabbergast at the sexual assault against his bum bum that she had just committed.

"I feel so much younger," The lady said as she walked away from the traumatized boy.

Subaru's attention was on an older man that tapped his shoulder. The old man nodded at the boy with a happy smile and walked away.

Subaru smiled back and thought inside his head.

Okay, everyone has touched me now.

"Barusu…"

Subaru's thought was interrupted as he looked at the twins that were standing beside him.

"What sort of game is this?" Ram asked.

"Radio calisthenics. I think the fact that everyone, young and old, can enjoy it is the secret to its many long years of success!" Subaru smiled while holding a finger up… trying to hide his trauma from the sexual assault he was subjected to moments before.

"Who cares?" Ram asked, bored.

"Ram-chi, that was cold."

"Ram-chi, you're scary."

"Ram-chi, that was mean."]

"Ram-chi, that wasn't nice."

"Ram-chi, you're nasty."

"Ram-chi, you're-"

"One more and I will make you all eat soap to clean the filth out of you."

Petra and the twins quickly looked away with their mouths shut. They wished their comrades on the screen luck. Ram-chi was indeed scary.

"Huh? What's he mean by everyone touching him?" Ricardo questioned, ignoring his siblings' blight against Ram.

"Seems like he tricked the villagers with this game and will determine the shaman by the area where they touched him… Can he keep track of all of these faces though?" Crusch seemed unimpressed with this plan, even if it was cunningly underhanded, it was still hard to sell.

Especially since Subaru didn't have that kind of memory.

[Ram looked at the three kids that were smiling at her innocently.

"Did you teach these children to call me that?" Ram slowly looked at the boy before her.

"Well, it was more like… I wanted to spread some friendliness around?" Subaru looked smug.

Ram just sighed. "I don't mind, but what about Rem?" She asked knowing that this troll had something prepared for everyone…

"Rem-rin?"

"Rem-rin?"

"Rem-rin-rin?"

Rem looked at the three kids with a horrified look, her honor debased.

Ram shrugged. "And? Did you enjoy the village trip you wanted so much?"

"Nothing to worry about there. When Muraosa patted my shoulder at the end, my trip was complete." Subaru slowly looked back and saw… the blue-haired girl with green emerald eyes pulling on his coat.]

"That's the assassin?" Julius asked in disbelief.

"I don't see how she could be… does she have a divine blessing of some kind?" Crusch asked.

"Yes, she's the mabeast user that attacked the mansion," Otto sighed as he remembered the last time he saw the girl in the new estate prison.

[Subaru lowered himself to face her. "What's up? If you wanna say something, go out with it."

"U-Um… " the girl looked up and pointed at the edge of the village. "There."

Subaru looked at the twins, questioning.

Ram looked exasperated. "Have your way a bit longer."

"If you say so, sister." Rem nodded at him.

Subaru got up and smiled wide. "All right! I owe you both, Senpai!"

Subaru and the grouped-up kids all waited for the blue-haired girl as she stood at the fence of the outlines.

A small familiar black pup was running towards her, she quickly picked it up and showed it to Subaru and the kids.]

"How did you both not think it suspicious that a dog was conveniently running in and out of the barrier at this girl's will, in fact?" Beatrice asked the maids.

"We don't go to the village unless supplies are needed. Barusu is the reason why we got so intimate with the Irlam villager community."

Rem nodded at her sister's words.

"In any case, this is getting intense," Frederica seemed bothered by how unbothered Beatrice and Emilia seemed.

"Ah… I guess that's one way to go about finding everything out," Crusch leaned in with a look saying that she had figured everything out as soon as she saw the little black pup.

["That's right, there was an event like this, too," Subaru said to himself.

He moved his hand to touch the little puppy but it growled at him.

"And this still happens?" Subaru looked sad at this.

"She's usually so tame," Petra said

"She only gets mad at Subaru," another kid said.

"What'd you do to her, Subaru?" some kid asked.

"That's what I'd like to know. If it happened three times I guess we're just incompatible… Oh, now's my chance!" Subaru quickly noticed the growling pup close its eyes and sleep in the girl's grasp.

"If you'll excuse me…" Subaru began rubbing the pup's little paw and the underside of its jaw while smiling in content. "Hehe. There's the sensation I've longed to feel! Nice! For a stray, this is great! Hey, you've got a bald spot on the top of your head," Subaru noticed and began touching the spot. "Is it a scar? What did you walk int-"

The pup growled and instantly bit the boy.

"Yow!" Subaru pulled back and looked at his hand. "You even bit me in nearly the same spot… are you a time traveler?"]

"What a moron," Priscilla snorted.

"Aaaand he is cursed ain't he?" Al slumped in his chair again.

"He is, in fact. That beast didn't take a liking to Betty's Subaru, I suppose," Beatrice answered dully.

["You got carried away!"

"It's what you get for touching her so much."

"She is a girl, after all," Petra said with the two village kids.

"I don't think that's quite the problem here. Also, no one is worried about me? I'm gonna cry!"

The kids laughed at the despaired Subaru.

Scene change…

Subaru slowly lowered a huge barrel to the ground, looking tired out.

"I made it… I made it! Well done, me! Good job! Seriously good job!"

"Yes, yes, well done."

"Yes, yes, good work."

"Ah, I see the three of you are togeeeether. That will saaaave me some time."

The twins bowed to their lord as he walked out of the mansion wearing a black outfit.

"Roswaal-sama," the twins uttered bowing.

"Formal clothes?" Subaru asked.

"Well spotted. I'm seeing sooomeone who's a haaaaassle to deal with in normal attire, so I had no choice but to wear dress cloooothes."

Rem looked up at her employer in alarm.

"A visitor?"

"You're going out?"

"Ram is cooorrect. I'm going out." Roswaal pointed at the pink-haired maid. "I received a message that was a tad troublesome… " He quickly placed his hat on and smiled at the three servants. "So I'm off to make the rounds outside."

Roswaal set his sights on the butler of the three. Surprising Subaru.

"I don't expect to be hoooome tonight, so Ram and Rem, take caaaare of things."

"Yes, sir. As you command."

"Yes, sir. Even if it costs our lives."

As the magician began walking, Subaru stared at him surprised.

Roswaal didn't leave the mansion before…]

"Why?" Julius kept his question short and simple as he stared the clown down.

Many looked at Roswaal with suspicious gazes.

"Do you know something we don't?" Felt asked as she glared at the weird smiling man.

Roswaal noticed the tension, the aggression, the hostility, the impending question storm.

And he did one thing.

He bravely and slowly raised his arms up in the air as everyone prepared to jump him.

And he did something so shocking and unbelievable to many who were staring him down.

Roswaal of the Mathers family line… shrugged his shoulders and said, "Pfft! I don't know!"

[The boy was again surprised as Roswaal stopped to put a hand on Subaru's shoulder. As the butler looked up, he was faced with Roswaal's face mysteriously smiling down at him.

"I'm counting on you, too, Subaru-kun. Take good care of Emilia-sama," He said without an accent.

Subaru looked up at his employer. "Sure. You can definitely count on me for that!"

Roswaal stopped and sighed.

"Then look after things while I'm away." With that, the lord of L. Mathers estate began hovering to the clouds, stopping for a second and then rocketing at an insane speed over the terrain until he was no longer visible.

"He can fly?! Magic is incredible… " Subaru uttered as he searched the sky.

The boy shook his head and looked back towards the mansion, focused.

The difference in circumstances must have been triggered by my visit to the village.

That means my strategy of acting as a decoy is working as planned.]

"You're still very suspect!" Ricardo said as he and the rest of the knights backed down.

Roswaal just sighed… will he be safe from them when they get to the sanctuary stuff?

[Subaru smirked.

Scene change…

"And that's why I'm here for my long-awaited Beako time!" Subaru said while smiling at the increasingly annoyed Beatrice as he stood at the door to her library.

"Your face looks quite different than it did half a day ago. You've been busy, I suppose." Beatrice narrowed her butterfly-shaped eyes.

"I'd love to take it easy for a change, you know…but there's something I want you to check for me."

Subaru closed his eyes in concentration and looked at Beatrice donning a serious expression.

"I think I've been cursed. Could you find out for sure?"

Beatrice looked at the boy miffed out of her mind at his antics and jokes.

"What are you talking about?"

"I think I've been cursed. Could you find out for sure?" Subaru repeated.

"No one asked you to repeat yourself, I suppose!" Beatrice angrily stepped off her stool and glared up at the butler. "It's been half a day since I told you about shamans. You're far too impressionabl-"

Beatrice stopped in place with a look of disbelief. "Traces of a curse…" she whispered in bewilderment.

"You really have been cursed, I suppose?!" Beatrice looked up at Subaru surprised.

"So the shaman was one of the villagers, after all. Can you tell what kind of curse it is?"

"I can't say just from looking at the curse. But as I told you, once it's activated, chances are you'll die, I suppose."

…

…

...

Beatrice narrowed her eyes as Subaru showed no hint of a reaction at her words.

"You don't seem to be afraid of dying at all."]

"That's kind of hard to deny now…"

"Yeah…"

Julius and Reinhard grimaced.

Beatrice simply looked at Subaru with pity.

[Subaru had a degenerate look on his face as if what he heard was the dumbest thing that could be said in the world.

"Huh? Are you nuts? I'm insanely scared of dying! There's nothing in the world that scares me more than dying! I wish people who say "I'd rather die" would actually die before they say it!"

Subaru covered his face to hide his eyes. His tear-filled eyes.

"That's why, this time, I'll find a way out…"

He removed his hand and glared at nothing, determined.

"...Of this fate."

The butler smiled down at the spirit girl. "Okay, so get rid of this curse for me, would you? I don't have much time."

Beatrice humphed and looked away from him. "Why should I have to save your life, I suppose?"

"I expected an unlovable response like that, so I came prepared to convince you. If I die, Puck is bound to be sad."

"Huh?" Beatrice thought of a little cat crying his eyes out.

"Bubby wouldn't be all that disturbed if you died," Beatrice said in a bored tone.

Subaru had a crazed grin as he began explaining.

"Oh, no. If I were to die, Emilia would be at least a little shocked. When Emilia feels shocked, Puck takes damage, too, and if you could have stopped it, but didn't, what would he think of you?"]

"Man! Cap'n's seriously somethin' scary bro!"

"He does seem to know how to push people's right buttons to his advantage." Anastasia honestly felt a bit proud that this boy finally showed some wit and wordplay.

"Beatrice-sama and Puck-sama would've been sad for Subaru regardless!" Petra defended with her tongue out.

Even Beatrice seemed agitated by the way Emilia was looking at her, "Don't look at me like that, I suppose. Betty would've helped Subaru no matter the case, in fact, hmph!"

"I'm not looking at you because of that. I knew you would help him anyway… but Puck cares deeply for Subaru too… Don't talk about him like he's cold-hearted," Emilia said bitterly.

Beatrice simply looked away from the half-elf, not saying a word to the girl.

'You should've paid close attention, girl.'

[Beatrice stomped her foot in frustration. "I'll go along with your smooth talk this time, I suppose!" Beatrice growled out and looked away from the cunning bastard. "But after this, I'll have nothing more to do with you again."

"Sure! But I'll always come to ask for your help when I'm in trouble!" Subaru smiled brightly.]

"..." The spirit girl leaned closer on his arm and enjoyed just how happy this made her feel.

"I wish he'd do the same with us," Garfiel whined, watching the incredible smile cross Beatrice's face and feeling jealous of it.

[Beatrice simply ignored that part and activated a spell that made her hand glow.

"I'll destroy the spell used in the curse now, I suppose. The spell is burned into you on the spot that shaman touched, so that's our reference."

"I prepared for this. Don't worry."

The young men's leader with the crew cut… The old lady who felt so much younger that she brutally sexually assaulted my butt… and Muraosa, the fake village head. I made sure all the suspects touched different parts of me.]

"That's some really good execution." Reinhard nodded his head with a proud smile.

"He managed to make the entire village touch him just to find out who the killer was, using himself as bait." Julius was surprised by how tacky the plan was.

"That plan isn't as impressive as it seems, Julius-kun," Anastasia voiced her thoughts to her knight, making him look at her in surprise.

"He can't keep track of every villager… It's impressive he managed to get everyone to touch him but he couldn't memorize them all," Anastasia cleared the flaws to Subaru's plan, sternly.

Crusch nodded her head along with the merchant's words, agreeing with her disappointment.

"It's a good thing he managed it anyway. Thanks to Beatrice-sama as well," Otto seemed agitated by Anastasia's constant demoralization of Subaru's efforts and so he replied protectively.

[Subaru's eyes widened as the spot that was cursed started emitting black smoke.

He slowly looked down at his hand as the mist was rising from it.

It was the hand that had a bite mark on it.

"A black mist?"

"How abhorrent, I suppose," Beatrice whined in annoyance and clenched the black mist in her hand, making it disappear. "All done. You'll be fine now, I suppose," Beatrice waved her hand in disgust.

Subaru started shaking in place as he held his hand. "So the place that the black mist came from is where the shaman touched me, right?"

Beatrice nodded.

Subaru had a manic look of fear and dismay as he reached the conclusion.

"Could that puppy actually be… I have to get to the village. They just keep messing with me!" Subaru yelled and ran out the door.

Scene change…

"The village? What for?" Ram asked as she stood with her sister in front of Subaru.

"Beatrice said the one who gave me this wound is responsible for cursing me." Subaru held his hand in front of him. "It was the dog that the kids were playing with!"

Rem and Ram widened their eyes in shock.

"That dog-looking thing cursed everyone it bit! If I don't do something, they'll be in danger. If you don't trust me, you can come along. But we can't leave Emilia alone here. Only one of you can come!"

"You're making up your own rules… and if we are to obey Roswaal-sama's orders, there's no reason for either of us to go with you." Rem sternly reminded.

"No there's not. But was that the only order Roswaal gave me?" He retorted while looking at both of them with conviction.

"Very well, Barusu. I'll allow you to act on your judgment."]

"You're a loyal one," Al chuckled, "You gave up so easily once he referenced your master."

"Of course, Roswaal-sama is to be followed no matter the reason he may have," the pink maid showed conviction in her voice that struck even the most loyal.

Roswaal only sighed.

["Sister…" Rem looked at Ram, startled.

"Rem will accompany you." Ram declared while looking at Subaru.

"Just what I wanted to hear!" Subaru held his fist in excitement.]

"He wants to go with the girl that killed him?" Mimi asked, oblivious at how hurt Rem was hearing such a sentence.

"Good grief." Ricardo sighed.

["Rem, that's my decision, so please go. I'll confirm with Beatrice-sama and protect Emilia-sama. I'll keep an eye on that, too."

"Sister, you shouldn't… " Rem tried to argue with her sister.

"Subaru, are you going somewhere?"

Everyone looked back to see Emilia running down the stairs while holding her nightgown.

"I heard loud voices, so I came down to see what was going on… what happened?"

"Something might be happening. But you don't need to worry."

"You look like you're going to do something dangerous again!" Emilia ran towards the smiling Subaru with a worried look on her face.

"We were just wrapping up a dispute on that particular topic."

"I can't stop you, can I?" Emilia smiled tiredly.

"I guess not, no." Subaru rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"In fact, if you do, it'd be a hindrance in several ways… " Subaru looked apologetic.

"Fine, fine, I get it." Emilia sighed and smirked at him. "I won't stop you. It's probably no use telling you not to be rash or reckless, too, right?"

"Depending on what happens… I mean, it's not like I want to do any of that." Subaru smiled at her.

Emilia quickly extended her hand and touched Subaru's chest while looking down and whispering.

"May the blessing of the spirits be with you."

"Huh? Say what?" Subaru asked in bewilderment.

The half-elf princess smiled up at the boy. "It's a prayer to send you off. It means to come back safely."

Subaru nodded. "Got it, Emilia-tan."]

"Why didn't I go with him?" Emilia sighed in regret.

"You're not the only one who regrets it I suppose." Emilia smiled at the frustrated-looking Beako. At least she wasn't alone.

Rem looked at them with a bit of hurt showing in her eyes. Did they mistrust her too?

[Scene change…

"Okay, I'm off."

"Take care."

Emilia remained standing at the front of the mansion, looking at the boy as he ran with Rem towards the village.

Scene change to Subaru and Rem running inside of the village. The two looked around as the villagers were running around frantically with torches to see in the darkness of the night.

"Has something happened?" Rem asked a boy that was running around.

"Y-Yeah… several of the village children have gone missing. All the adults are looking for them." The young man explained.

"Was I too late?" Subaru scowled as he thought back to the last place he saw the kids.

The fence is at the edge of the village.

"There!"

"Subaru-kun?"

Rem and the young man ran after Subaru as he sped towards the fence.

Rem looked around and noticed a green stone that wasn't glowing on a tree.

"The barrier is broken." she pointed at the deactivated stone.

"What happens when the barrier is broken?"

"Mabeasts can cross the boundary."

"Mabeasts?" Subaru looked to Rem for an explanation.

"Mabeasts are creatures of the witch's creation. They're enemies of humanity that have magic powers," The scene showed the dense forest. "They live gregariously in the forest."

"Gregariously? You mean tons more dogs like that one are out there?"

Subaru looked down and noticed multiple footsteps implanted on the mud, leading into the forest.

"The kids are in there," Subaru turned to the young man. "Tell everyone!"

"Right!" the boy ran to spread the words.

Subaru turned towards the fence and stepped closer to it.

"Subaru-kun, what are you doing?"

Subaru leaned on the fence and looked into the darkness of the forest.

"I have to go save those kids!"]

"Of course he would do that!" Otto facepalmed, and began to sweat nervously.

"Cap'n is the best!" The blonde beside him cheered with no faith lost.

"He's an idiot!" Felix shouted with an impulsed glare, "He needs to call someone or else he will end up dying along with the kids."

"Subaru saved us anyway!" Petra pulled her tongue at the nasty cat boy, having her fill with him.

"You were there with the other kids, Petra-chan?" Frederica questioned with a look of horror crossing her face. She didn't think Petra was that deep into the danger when she heard the little one talk about how Subaru saved her village.

The little girl nodded her head with pride as if that's deserved when you're kidnapped by an evil monster of darkness.

"Subaru saved me along with the rest of my friends!"

This made Wilhelm smirk unequivocally.

["Wait! You can't make that decision on your own. With Roswaal-sama away from home, can you be sure that this isn't a ruse to divert attention from the mansion?" Rem asked in suspicion.

"What do we do, then? Ignore the kids who are in trouble right now, go back to the mansion, and tighten security? If you don't care when all the villagers are dead tomorrow, I guess that's an option," Subaru calmly retorted.

Rem tried to argue but her throat tightened.

"Rem, let's go. We're the only ones who can do something about this."

"Why go so far? Why should this village matter to you?" Rem asked Subaru, still not trusting him.

"You know, Petra… she wants to make clothes in the capital when she grows up."

"Huh?"

"Lucas wants to succeed the village's best woodcutter."

"Mildo wants to make a crown from flowers in the fields, and give it to his mother."

"Meina is going to have a baby sister soon."

"And the brothers, Dyne and Cain, are always fighting over who'll marry Petra."

Subaru shook his head and looked down with a smile.

"They do matter to me. I know their names, their faces, and what they want to do in the future, and I promised them we'd do radio calisthenics again tomorrow."

Rem looked down and found his hand shaking with fear.]

"So cool." Otto uttered as he too thought the same when he saw how shaken he was, but he never gave up.

Julius smiled at the kid he saw on the screen. It's like a fairy tale speech.

"Even though he's scared he still wants to help the kids?" Felix felt the amount of hatred for Subaru slowly diminish.

"That is just who this young man is, Ferris," Crusch affirmed as she rubbed her knight's head.

Rem looked to the floor as soon as Emilia turned to look at the maid from her seat. She couldn't meet anyone's eyes as her suspicion and mistrust were displayed to them. While Subaru was trying to save the children, she was more worried about him being a spy.

Emilia didn't show an emotion of negativity, she only turned to check if the young maid was still crying or not.

["I keep my promises and I make sure others keep there's too."]

Emilia immediately looked back to the screen with a small scowl of disgust.

"Liar."

["I'm going to do radio calisthenics with those kids again. So I'm going in there," Subaru gulped and looked into the forest.

Rem smiled for the first time in his presence. (in this loop)

"Very well. My orders were to keep an eye on you."

"Yeah, that's right. Make sure I don't do anything shady!"

"I will," Rem looked into the forest while standing beside him.]

"Huh… He's being very upfront about it with her… That's kinda cool of him," Tivey sounded his admiration for Subaru's bravery with Rem.

"He only trusted his friend," Mimi explained to her brother while nodding smugly. She loved being smarter than her siblings.

"See?" Ram whispered to her sister, "You and Barusu are a good team, sister. He's a pitiful man, but he has a heart of gold, Rem. You need to forgive yourself and make amends with him about it, later."

"... Yes… Sister," Rem's heart clenched because of her sister's worried tone.

[Subaru smiled and looked into the forest beside her.

*Sound of chains *

Subaru looked at the maid beside him and found her carrying the same mace as the one she used to kill him.

"Um, Rem-san, is that…"

"It's for protection."

"But that's… "

"It's for protection."

Rem simply replied and jumped over the fence.

Subaru followed.

Scene change…

"We're close. I smell something alive."

Subaru stopped walking through some bushes and looked at the blue haired maid as she sniffed the air.

"The kids?"

"I'm not sure, but it doesn't smell like animals." Rem started running through the bushes and trees.

Subaru followed her into a wide clearing that had no trees and something in the middle could be seen in the middle.

"The kids!" Subaru quickly ran towards them and reached to see if they were breathing or not.

"They're alive!"

"No, they're still breathing now, but they are very weak. If left alone… "

"Weak… The curse?" Subaru's eyes widened and looked at the kids.

Each one of them had a bite mark somewhere and they were all struggling and sweating.

"And we finally found them… Rem, can't you undo it?"

"I lack the skill for this. If only my sister were here to see them…but I will cast a healing spell to comfort them. When they're calm, we'll carry them back."

"Okay, I'll… Damn, I'm so useless." Subaru growled and looked around. "I'll keep watch-"]

"Indeed you are," Priscilla snorted once more, audibly less agitated than before.

"Princess, you're being too harsh-"

"He is the one that wishes to think so lowly of himself, Aldebaran. You have no need to keep protecting a pig's feelings."

"I'm not protecting anything though, Princess," Al said hesitantly.

Priscilla simply narrowed her eyes at the man before turning away.

["Subaru?"

The boy looked down to see who called his name.

"You're awake Petra? All right, good. You're a tough girl. Don't overdo it, though. I'll take you home where you can say goodbye to the pain. Just rest for-"

"One is… still… in the… " Petra fell unconscious.

"Hey, what'd you say? Petra!" Subaru looked at all the kids that were present.

He remembered. The blue-haired, emerald-eyed girl.

"Damn it, she's right. I don't see the little girl with the braid!" Subaru suddenly stood up.]

"Nasty little shit!" Garfiel growled as he understood the girl's plan.

"She made that plan to lure Subaru?" Reinhard asked in anger at how cunning and dirty that small child was.

"No, I think she just wanted the rest of the villagers to come instead," Crusch noted.

"How so?" Anastasia asked while keeping her eyes on the screen.

"How do you think the children left footsteps when they were unconscious from the curse this whole time?"

Anastasia clapped her hands in surprise. "That's really clever!"

"Crusch-sama is the smartest nyan!" Felix happily bragged.

["P-Please, wait! It's too dangerous, and if the mabeasts took her, it's already… "

"I get what you're saying! I do! But Rem… Petra says another girl was taken away. She showed concern for her friend before asking for my help. She put her friend before herself!" Subaru looked at the maid.]

"I wish I could take it back," Petra muttered as she watched with her heart clenched.

"You shouldn't be so hateful, Petra-chan," Frederica whispered to her pupil.

"But Meili-"

"It doesn't matter. It was master Subaru that forgave her as well as you, Petra."

The little maid remained silent to her mentor's words.

[She stared at him with a surprised expression.

"I want to respect Petra's feelings. If you take something on, you should make the effort to take it all on." Subaru slowly walked towards the forest.

"If you get too greedy, you might take on more than you can carry back," Rem mused as she healed the kids.

"That's why you're with me, isn't it?" Subaru smiled back.

"What's that got to do with me?"

"Those kids need you now. When the villagers show up, leave the kids with them and follow me." He smiled and began walking… he stopped when Rem held his hand.

"We don't know the threat our opponent presents, or when the villagers will arrive, and at worst there is a chance I won't be able to find you."

"It'll be fine. You won't lose me."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Even if no one else does, you can pick up my scent. The foul odor that hangs on me… The witch's scent. Right?"

Subaru smiled at Rem.

"Subaru-kun, how much do you know about… "

"No idea… there's a ton I don't understand. So much that no matter how many times I start over, I can't find the answer."

Subaru moved his hand away from the confused maid's and placed his pinky finger around hers.

"Just like there are things you want to ask me, there are tons of things I want to ask you. So when this is all taken care of, let's talk. Until our voices are hoarse! Promise?" Subaru smiled and shook her hand with his wrapped pinky.

Rem looked up at him, dumbfounded.

"I trust you, Rem. So I want to act in a way that makes you trust me. I'll make that promise right now!"

"Very well. Then that promise is made. I'll ask you many questions, so be ready."

"Sure!"

Subaru got up and smiled at Rem as she continued to heal the kids.

"Once the villagers come for the kids, I'll come join you."

"Don't do anything reckless."

"Don't worry! I'm demonically inspired today!"

Rem looked up at the boy with an expression of interest.

"Demonically?"

"It's the demon version of divine inspiration. It's my favorite phrase lately!" Subaru smiled and shot off into a sprint.

"Please be careful."]

"GODDAMN!" Al shouted.

"Not baaaad!" Ricardo howled with an impressed grin.

"Cap'n is a ladies man!" Garfiel clutched his chest as he watched Subaru with wide-open eyes. He was astounded at his captain's abilities to smoothly talk to a woman.

"How is he so smooth?!" Otto shouted in frustration.

"Is that how he earned your trust and love?" Crusch asked the girl with a smile.

Surprisingly, Rem shook her head as she watched the scene with a breathtaking smile.

"It comes later," She hoarsely whispered as she continued watching with a look of pure adoration in her eyes.

Emilia's eyes narrowed at Rem for a moment, feeling a pang of frustration that everyone seemed to ignore what Rem had done to Subaru and moved on to talk cheerfully about their interactions together.

[Scene change…

The boy was walking through some bushes on his own.

"If the one that cursed those kids really was that dog from today, there's no way I can lose, right?" Subaru asked himself, trying to convince himself to push on.

The boy smelled something in the air and glared forward. "I smell animals."

Subaru looked through some bushes and found the girl's legs as the rest of her body was hidden behind a tree trunk.

"Is it a trap?" Subaru stared at the girl's body.

Emilia wouldn't hesitate!]

"He's really fond of you, I suppose," Beatrice jealously muttered to the worried elf girl.

Emilia was a little happy that he was thinking about her in such a dangerous situation.

"How selfish can I be?" She asked herself as she clenched his hand.

[Subaru moved out of the bushes and knelt beside the girl, relieved as he saw her breathing.

"Thank goodness… "]

"So she's acting here?" Felt growled as many in the camp nodded.

The other camps looked at the girl on the screen with detested glares.

[* GROWLS*

Subaru quickly looked back as he heard growling noises all around him in the dark forest.

Out of the bushes, came a fierce-looking dog-like Mabeast with red shining eyes glaring towards Subaru as the dog growled hatefully.

"This is not what we discussed! Why is it so huge? And was it waiting for me to come for her?"

Subaru looked around frantically but kept his stare on the dog.

"Nowhere to run… "

The beast got ready in a stance to bounce on Subaru.

The butler of the Mathers estate quickly stood up and removed his coat.

"Damn it! If you wanna fight, bring it on!"

The boy wrapped the jacket around his arm and glared at the dog, keeping the little girl behind him.

Subaru was shocked, however… as the dog's form, the great mabeast's body, disappeared into the shadows of the forest.

Subaru looked all around him as the hidden beast growled and taunted from the darkness.

He could attack from any angle.

Subaru looked around for where it would attack him.

* WHHOOOOOSSHHHH*

Subaru quickly turned around and placed his jacket-covered arm into the beast's mouth.

"That… doesn't hurt!"

Subaru glared at the dog as it bit on his protected arm.

"You just bit me, didn't you, you moron?!"

Subaru quickly lifted his arm up, forcing the dog to fly through the air as it was still biting on it, and then quickly pushed the dog and implanted it on the tree trunk behind him, forcing a trunk of wood to impale the dog through the heart.

Subaru breathed heavily as he watched the dog's limping leg stop as it died.

Subaru sighed, tired. "I won… "]

"Oh shit!"

"He actually did it!"

Garf and Otto cheered him on as they saw how cool a powerless cornered Subaru was. Emilia was at awe at how cool her knight looked.

Julius and Reinhard shook their heads and watched with worried glints.

They knew what a mabeast breeding ground meant.

More than one.

[*GROOOOWWWWWLLLL! *

Subaru's eyes widened as he turned around slowly.

"You've gotta be kidding me…"

The entire dark forest… was filled with red shining eyes. Staring at him.

He stepped back from fear.

He looked at the sleeping girl.

Subaru glared at the horde of mabeasts.

"If you wanna fight, bring it on!" he declared as he put himself between the monsters and the girl.]

"I'm going to punish Meili once we get out of here," Emilia growled in anger, her fingers stuck to a pulsing motion as she imagined herself pinching the little girl's cheeks.

Frederica and Petra nodded their heads in fury.

"This is a tough one," Crusch muttered, invested enough into the fight Subaru was undertaking to feel worry for him.

[Five angry dogs charged towards Subaru, one dog jumped and almost bit the boy's face off…

until…

* WHOOOSH!*

Subaru looked beside him. At the person that just shot the dog's head off.

"The children have been safely returned to the village. Thank you for buying time."

Rem stood there with her mace in hand.

Subaru's face contorted in worry. "Rem watch ou-"

Before he could warn her, Rem quickly swung her mace behind her… killing the two oncoming beasts attacking her from behind.

Subaru looked at the headless carcass of the dog beside him and then up at the girl before him.

"Y-You're strong!"

"I'm not sure if that's a nice thing to say to a girl, Subaru-kun," Rem quickly shot her mace towards a dog, blowing its body into shreds.

Subaru quickly stood up with the girl in his arms. "I have no other words to describe you! You're seriously incredible!"

As he stood beside her, the hordes of mabeasts surrounded them.

"So, Rem, would you be able to take them all out in one shot, by chance?"

"We are outnumbered. With this many our situation is dire."

"Yeah, I guess it would be. In that case… there!" Subaru pointed at a horde closer to the forest's opening.

Rem quickly rammed her mace into the ground, forcing dust and mud to fill the air.

Subaru quickly ran through the blinded dogs with the girl in his hands.

Rem killed all the dogs that Subaru left behind.

She then shot off in another direction as the dogs began trailing her.

"Rem I don't know the way!" Subaru called out into the forest.

"Straight ahead! Once we cross the barrier the battle will end. Run toward the village bonfire!"

"Got it!"

Subaru and Rem ran in a straight line and stopped once the fire lights were visible.

"I see the light! We're almost to the barrier!"

Subaru gasped in shock as he took the maid's form in.

Rem was… bleeding all over.]

"Rem!" Petra yelled horrified at the morbid look of the maid.

"She's tough!" Al whistled loudly.

"It's crazy that we are now cheering for 'er after what we saw from her cruelty," Ricardo pointed out in amazement.

"She's the only one that's helping Cap'n, and the two of 'em had a really good bondin' moment," Garfiel immediately worked to help Rem once he saw how downtrodden she was.

The little smile she had was worth the heated glare he got from Beatrice and a side look from Emilia and the rest of the royal candidates minus Priscilla and Crusch.

These reactions forced Rem to drop her smile completely.

[Before he could say anything, the mabeast's leader quickly forced an earth attack where chunks of mud and rocks started flying at the butler, maid, and girl.

Rem quickly pushed Subaru out of the way.

And her body was hit by the earth attack.

And her body was sent flying.

Subaru stared at Rem's body as it fell with a shocked expression. With a horrified look.]

Emilia and Ram had their hands on their mouths as they watched the brutality of the scene.

[He instantly looked back where the attack was sent from.

Hordes of dogs were standing all around him and in the middle… Was that same small pup.

"Damn it…"

Subaru looked at the dogs and then to Rem's body in despair as he tried to think of a way out.]

Everyone was at the edge of their seats as they watched what might happen next.

"This is supposed to be the one!" Beatrice growled in frustration.

[And suddenly…

He looked back and was utterly amazed as Rem's body began standing up…

Rem's bleeding body was slowly standing up as a glowing horn shot out of her forehead.

Subaru stared… as Rem's crazed laugh filled the forest and muffled the beasts' growls, her eyes filled with crazed glints of madness as her lips emitted laughter that was on par with the joker.

Her horn, the one that suddenly materialized on her forehead, was glowing brightly a shade of pink and white.]

"Oni magic?" Reinhard whispered in surprise as he watched with great interest.

"I thought they were wiped out…" Anastasia commented as she thought about what she knew about the extinct clan.

Petra and the twins just stared at Rem on the screen and at the Rem beside them.

"One is scary and the other is cute," Tivey yelled loudly, confused as the other two children nodded.

Rem looked at the screen with a grimace as she was seeing how scared Subaru was of her.

[Subaru's eyes shook with terror at the grazing image before him.

Rem slowly trotted and stood in front of the monster horde.

A smirk on her face, she instantly shot her mace toward them, blowing each of their heads off.

"Mabeast! Mabeast! Mabeast! Mabeast! Mabeast! Witch!"

Rem was killing five of the dogs with each and every single word.

She was slaughtering them.

"Mabeast! Mabeast! Mabeast! Mabeast!Mabeast!"]

"Disgusting!" Priscilla scowled at the scene.

"This is very unsettling," Wilhelm spoke in a battle-hardened tone as he remembered some soldiers that fought like that, manic and insane.

"Such is the poooooower of an Oni's hoooorn," Roswaal said as he watched with emotionless eyes and a deep frown.

"Is that why you integrated them into your household?" Anastasia asked, narrowing her gaze on the man.

Roswaal simply nodded his head and looked at the screen with a thin lip and a darkened eye.

Emilia seemed aghast by how unaffected Ram seemed by all of this even though this was her own sister. Now that she took a good look, even Frederica didn't seem surprised by Rem's demonic form either.

Seems like she was the only one in the mansion without that knowledge.

The half-elf didn't know what to think of that so she focused on the blue-haired girl's reaction to herself.

'Why do you look so horrified, Rem? Isn't this a side of you? Something you willingly unleashed to hurt Subaru?'

Emilia's thoughts roamed her head as she kept her eyes on Rem for a few more seconds before moving back to see the massacre of dogs continue in the window.

[Subaru stared as Rem massacred the horde of monsters and cut each and every dog in half. The masses and piles of blood and humid monster flesh were all around her as red droplets sputtered and covered her form. Laughing maniacally all the time while smiling her insane crazed-out smile with wide eyes.

"She's a demon… " He uttered.]

"That's not nice…" Otto slowly looked at Rem and found her deeply hurt by his comment.

He felt pity for her.

[Rem had finished off most of the horde and looked at the last remaining three dogs.

Two big dogs… and the small pup.

The pup growled at the maid as she smirked at him.

Subaru's eyes widened as he noticed an oncoming second horde of dogs jumping from the sky at the unfocused Rem.

Quickly dropping the girl to the side, Subaru ran to the grinning Rem and pushed her out of the way.]

"What's the moron doin'?!" Anastasia asked with a shocked face.

"You were surprised by this?" Crusch lazily asked, raising a brow at the merchant queen.

"Excuse me for having faith in him!" Anastasia rubbed the scarf around her shoulders dryly.

"Faith? That he would run away? Natsuki?" Crusch continued to mock, easily getting under the company head's skin.

[As she fell… Rem's horn disappeared and her crazy smile morphed into a shocked expression as she returned into her old self.

She watched as Subaru took the attack that was meant for her. The dogs that were about to bite her surrounded the boy and bit him all over his body, fighting for chunks of his meat.

As his screams filled the air, Rem instantly got a hold of her mace and attacked the mabeasts that were eating him.

"Subaru-kun!"]

"This is supposed to be the one!" Emilia repeated Beatrice's words in anger and fear for her knight.

"Uh oh," Felt yelled, standing on her seat in anxiety.

[Rem quickly knelt beside his unconscious form.

"Don't die… Don't die! Don't die!" Rem begged as she held his head in her arms.

Subaru's eyes rolled into the back of his head.

Darkness…

"Don't die!"

Title card:

The Meaning of Courage

Episode 5 Director's Cut. End.]

"Oh, come on!" Garfiel shouted in despair.

"Please show us what happened next! Please Please Please!" Mimi begged while bowing her head to the screen along with her brother.

"I'd rather you stop this farce and get me out of this room this instant!" Priscilla ordered, finally taking her chance to show that she had lost patience with the screen's time-wasting on something that keeps making her question herself and her world's servitude.

"The world was made to please mineself. If it sent me here then 'twas for a reason. So far all I've seen is a pig failing to use his great power correctly to please an idiot half-wit. A few broken dogs that can't stay under their master's leash. A failure of a spirit guardian and pathetic instances of a boy crying constantly."

Priscilla raised her fan with fire cursing through the air around her, she bellowed her final warning, "Open the doors to this wretched place and free mineself this instant!"

As the sun princess demanded, all she got was a cooled voice.

[Nah]

A wave of power surged throughout the room once again, and Priscilla found herself standing without a single amber of flame around her. Trying, she found out that she could no longer use her magic.

The scarlet-clad lady glared murderously at the screen, ready to heave all hell upon its master.

"You dare-"

[Sit down.

Priscilla-sama, the road towards your greatest destiny requires a lot more patience for the weaklings around you.]

"..."

[If you don't see this through, you don't deserve the world's loyalty.]

For the first time… The red rose was at a loss.

And before she could reply, the Warden had already activated the screen's loading of the next viewing.