--A bright, blue sky spread out above Subaru, who was lying face-up.
Looking back, it has been about a month and two weeks since I was summoned to another world.
During that time, I wonder how many times I have looked up at the blue sky in this way. Although the cumulonimbus clouds are blocking out the sunlight, the bright rays of the sun shining brightly near noon penetrate the thickness of the clouds and shine down on me.
The bright sunlight burned the back of his eyelids. Reflexively squinting his eyes, Subaru felt tears welling up deep inside his eyes, and suddenly a random thought occurred to him.
"Now that I think about it... I've never encountered a rainy day in this world yet."
I have yet to encounter a day where it rains heavily throughout the day.
There have been a few occasions when it rained lightly late at night, and the trees and grass were wet in the morning, but I have never experienced real rain here.
The temperature was just a little too hot to wear long sleeves - it felt like June in my original world, or early October. Considering the lack of rain, it might be the dry season in this world.
"Shall we finish up now?"
As Subaru was lost in his rambling thoughts, a voice suddenly called out to him.
Subaru glanced, still lying on his back, and slightly raised his head to check the direction of the voice - an old man was standing a few meters away from where he was lying on the ground.
He was slightly taller than Subaru, and despite his advanced age he had a thick layer of white hair that he carefully combed down. He was dressed in an all-black butler outfit, and exuded a taut aura that matched the starched outfit.
Her back is straight and her posture is good, but her beautiful posture is not the only thing that makes her appear relaxed, and her gentle face is adorned with gentle wrinkles.
However, in the old gentleman's hand he was holding a wooden sword with an unusually long blade.
"No, not yet. I was just philosophizing a bit."
"Oh, that's an interesting story. What were you thinking?"
"Big fires above, floods below... What is this?"
Raise both legs and then swing them down to gain momentum and stand up.
Though something heavy remained in the core of his body, the impact of the blow, which left no damage, was negligible. As he stood up, Subaru checked every part of his body, then spun the wooden sword he was still holding around and pointed it directly at Wilhelm.
"Well, please give me one more lesson."
"By the way, what was your answer to the philosophy question from earlier?"
"Ahh--I got mad because I wet the bed."
As he spoke he stepped forward, got into a low stance and struck the wooden sword in a semicircle from below.
The tip of the blade cut through the air, the force of the wind whipping around was so strong it could shatter bones. But,
"Grrr!"
"You're straining yourself too much. Your hands, your legs, your neck, your back, and your face."
Wilhelm's wooden sword was inserted into the trajectory of the strike, twisting and missing its target in a smooth circular motion. The blow aimed at the head went over the head of the taller opponent, leaving him disappointed, but the sword danced in the palm of the old man's hand as he turned and struck him with a devastating force.
The chin, throat, solar plexus, and groin - all of these are vital points on the human body that are connected along the midline. Wilhelm's wooden sword stroked these vital points carefully, and with just the impact of touching them, Subaru's body was sent flying.
The force of the blow was minimal as it only returned his own momentum. But the impact of being hit in a vital spot was enough to take his breath away, and the pain was enough to dye his vision red.
Subaru stumbled and flipped over, his body sinking in the same distance as he had stepped in. Once again, he was sprawled out on the ground, just like before, and when his vision cleared up, dyed red, he saw the blue sky looking down on him once again, mocking him.
"Shall we finish up now?"
Wilhelm called out without any intonation or hint of sarcasm or contempt.
How many times have I heard that voice questioning my intentions?
"The twenty-third time, no."
"Oh, you remembered properly."
"That's not fair. I may forget the memories of doing things that others dislike, but I can't forget the memories of people doing things that disliked me... that's the kind of guy I am."
While boasting about something he really shouldn't be proud of, Subaru slowly and carefully raised his body. The damage was minimal, as usual, his hand was held in perfect restraint.
He re-gripped the wooden sword and used it as support to stand up, then with a quick swing he cleaned the dirt from the tip of it, and once again pointed the tip at Wilhelm,
"One more, please."
"Any amount. Let's try something a little different this time."
As soon as he received the response of acceptance, Subaru shouted without listening to the rest.
He lowered his body and clung to his opponent's waist, and this time the strike wasn't a line but a point - in other words, he took revenge with a thrust that kept the range of the strike to a minimum.
No matter how hard he tried, it was impossible for an expert like the old man before him to strike four vital points in an instant. Therefore, Subaru's thrust was a single blow, and instead he put all his strength into it.
The aim was to hit the target's large torso, anywhere in the center――With that intention in mind, the tip of the wooden sword was slowly sucked into the center of the old man's black clothing,
"Did it hit――!?"
Although he had intended to hit the target, he was unsettled because he hadn't expected it to hit. However, the fact that the wooden sword should have hit him directly but didn't feel any impact from it took away from his joy.
"Fanburu――!?"
I felt like my feet were being swept away, I lost track of my weight, and the world was turned upside down.
My brain couldn't keep up with the sudden release from gravity, and the ground was shown in a close-up in my inverted field of vision. I was worried that my face would bear the weight of my body, and I instinctively closed my eyes, expecting a sharp pain.
"Magical!"
Just before his face fell from the force of his movements, he felt a hard rod being pressed against his stomach. The sensation was as if he had been hit with force by an iron bar, and his body, which had been upside down, flipped over once again――and his two feet reached the ground correctly against gravity.
The force of the force causes Subaru's arms to instinctively rise up and straighten out, and he stiffens in a pose similar to that of a gymnast who has just finished a floor routine.
I don't know what happened.
However, as a mysterious voice said in his head, "One spin?", Subaru suddenly realized that the wooden sword he had been holding so tightly had disappeared from his palm,
"Ahh."
As I frantically turned my head to look for it, my eyes met with a smiling old man standing next to me. I saw two wooden swords in his hands,
"It, it hurts."
Subaru's whole body was hit by countless gentle, light blows, and once again he was blown away without resistance, tumbling across the ground and covered in grass.
The taste of earth spreads in my mouth, and I spit it out while waiting for damage reports from each part of my body. My arms can move. My legs are numb but fine. My stomach is starting to get hungry. My face and eyes have always had a mean look in them. As always, it's the perfect balance of strength.
"It really gets you motivated."
This was my 24th rendezvous with the grassland.
To Subaru, who was lying face down with the powerful Wese in the dirt, the dignified voice came from an even higher position.
Rolling to the side to get a clearer view, Subaru turned his gaze in the direction of the voice, and there he saw a woman leaning against the terrace railing, looking down at him, sprawled out in the garden.
"I've only heard about it, but it seems like you're doing a lot of work."
"Has this, Lady Crusch, become a hindrance to your work?"
A green-haired woman was leaning her chin on her hand while leaning her weight against the banister - Crusch appeared. Wilhelm looked up at her from the same ground as Subaru and expressed his gratitude in his voice. However, there was no emotion in the tone of his voice, and Crusch, who was on the receiving end, waved her hand.
"No, I was just thinking about taking a break."
She replied to Wilhelm, and then added, "And,"
"Whether it's someone else's or my own, I won't be so arrogant as to think that working hard is a hindrance. I don't want to leave those I hire to do nothing. Please treat them well, old Wilhelm."
"I understand. However."
Wilhelm bowed deeply at Crusch's generous words, then cast a sidelong glance at Subaru,
"Shall we finish up now?"
"I don't think I'm so blind that I can say that this is the end of it."
Shaking off the grass-covered body, Subaru stood up, turned around and checked for a third time――no, a twenty-fourth time to make sure he was okay, then spat out the dirt in his mouth, and,
"Being fucked like crazy while being watched by a beautiful woman is pretty tough for a boy to handle. It's really draining my manhood gauge."
Subaru made a joke and turned his wrist, and Wilhelm silently tossed the wooden sword he had snatched from him. Subaru caught the spinning sword with ease, and, feeling the sensation in his palm, gave a wry smile.
"There's no need to worry. It's not the first time I've seen you hurt."
"Ugh."
"I have only been told the details, but I can't help but feel that Crusch-sama was a little too direct just now."
Subaru was clutching his chest and groaning, and Wilhelm looked at him with pity. Crusch raised her eyebrows and said with a harmless look, "Really?"
"It's only natural that you won't be able to reach an opponent whose strength is inferior to yours. Even so, if you have shown that you are determined to not bend, then you may regret it, but I don't think you need to feel ashamed."
Subaru felt a ticklish, uncomfortable sensation as Crusch spoke while touching his chin. It was surprising, at least, to hear such words appraising that disgrace, and no matter what anyone said, it didn't change the fact that the result couldn't be changed.
And that was why, before Subaru's eyes, she had――
"Plus, if being taught by a woman while being watched is painful, hasn't that already been repeated countless times?"
As Subaru sank into a sea of thoughts, Crusch said this and loosened her lips. Leaning half her body over the railing, she cast a meaningful glance across the terrace - her gaze passing over Subaru and Wilhelm, who faced each other directly below, towards the edge of the garden.
There,
"...It's a completely different feeling from being embarrassed in front of your family."
"I think it's a problem to keep exposing your hand to someone who will eventually become your enemy… but the fact that I've allowed someone like that into my mansion makes me the same kind of person. It's surprising how many times you don't even understand your own heart."
Consciously trying not to notice where Crusch's gaze was heading, Subaru accompanied her as she reflected upon herself above him.
And so, after a moment of reflection, she
"Wilhelm"
"teeth"
"I feel like I need to move my body a little. I'll finish up my remaining work and head down there now. It's earlier than planned, but I'd like you to guide me today."
"Understood. Please, no need to rush."
"Considering my current state of mind, that's a bit of a difficult request."
Smiling faintly and stepping away from the banister, Crusch turned towards the office with a dignified presence. Her long green hair swirled about in a dancing motion with her agile movements, sparkling brightly in the sunlight as she disappeared from Subaru's sight.
Seeing her off, Subaru released the slight tension he felt with a sigh.
Subaru chuckled at the sight of his body relaxing in obvious relief.
Even if Crusch was not good with this type of person, if she showed it in her attitude like this, the impression she gave others would remain terrible.
Anyway,
"Shall we finish up now?"
"So that's what it means when you say it's not a question."
Wilhelm spoke as he held his wooden sword in a swaying stance - and as he heard the question disappear from the end of his sentence, Subaru realized that this harsh yet peaceful time was coming to an end.
The old man closed one eye at Subaru's attitude, his disappointment clearly visible in his dark eyes.
"If Lady Crusch were to come down, I would have to act as her instructor as well. That's why I was employed by the Karsten family, after all."
"I won't be any more selfish than this. Even though he's giving me his free time, I'm still suffering because of this."
Although he felt a sense of sadness that the practice was coming to an end, he would be causing trouble for the other party if he had to stop moving because of it. He was already in a weak position and was asking for something shameless. He wanted to avoid incurring their displeasure. Although it may be a bit late now.
"-- I'll go."
"anytime"
Following his declaration, Subaru's body kicked up the dirt and leapt forward.
There was no holding back or anything. For his 25th and final challenge, Subaru chose to strike head-on, with no tricks whatsoever.
He raised the wooden sword high in the air, gripped it tightly in both hands, and swung it down with all his might.
The bamboo splitting shot cut through the air, its tip losing sight of its destination and piercing the ground, and Subaru, unable to stop the momentum, leaned forward and stepped on the tatara.
and,
「――――!!」
Subaru felt as if countless slashes had flashed before him, as he was being overwhelmed.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Two days had already passed since Subaru entered Crusch Karsten's mansion.
A mansion - in this case, it does not mean the main house of Crusch, the Duke of Karsten. As a duke, she owns land, but her main residence is not in the royal capital, and the mansion Subaru is staying in is a villa that is only used during her stay in the royal capital.
The mansion was located in a corner of the upper reaches of the royal capital - a particularly high-ranking aristocratic district lined with luxurious homes, a group of mansions rather than just houses.
While the scale of the mansion does not reach that of the Roswaal Mansion, which was built on a vast piece of countryside land that had been recklessly developed, even to the untrained eye the interior decoration and ornaments were on par, if not superior.
Considering the possibility of inviting guests to a place like the royal capital, it would be necessary for a duke's household to pay attention to such matters.
Crusch's practical nature shows that this is not simply a nouveau riche hobby. Although, I do think that the price is too high to be considered a necessary expense.
In that respect, the simplicity of the garden, which does not require such props, seems to reflect the temperament of the owner of the mansion and feels somehow comfortable.
The trees surrounding the house are carefully tended by the gardener, and the garden is entirely made up of low grass, with no unnecessary features. In any case, the simplicity of the garden is probably suited to its intended use.
Its main use was as a place for combat training, like the one Subaru had just been doing, and the fact that it had no need for a flower garden to please the eye seemed to reflect Crusch's character, who seemed to prefer iron over flowers.
"Can you stand up, Subaru-dono?"
Subaru, whose thoughts were drifting aimlessly, heard Wilhelm's voice from afar.
I raised my hand in silent response, listening to the old man's relief with the corners of my eardrums.
"Thank you again today."
"Well, I was just trying to help kill time as an old man. I'm ashamed to say that I'm not very good at teaching people things."
"Isn't it bad for someone employed as a sword instructor to do that?"
"Rather than teaching Crusch-sama, I'm simply accompanying her in preparing her for actual combat… that's how it is. I don't often teach her in words."
Responding to Subaru's words with a wry smile, Wilhelm then got ready with a cool, sweat-free face, and,
"You're probably too exhausted to move right now. There's still some time until Crusch-sama comes down. I think it would be best for you to stay like this until you're able to move."
「I'll do that. The feeling under my head feels amazing! I may be losing in every aspect, but just for this moment, I feel like I'm the winner!」
Wilhelm nodded slightly at Subaru, who was lying there in triumph while misbehaving, then he straightened his back and looked down at Subaru and the person beyond him,
"We will take a tour of the mansion. After the break, you may do as you like, just like yesterday. --Please take good care of Subaru-dono."
"--Yes, thank you for your concern."
Standing right beside the lying Subaru, the person who had never spoken a word up until now responded.
Still wearing her familiar black apron dress, she knelt on the ground and gently placed her knee under Subaru's head as he fell.
A girl with short blue hair and a white head dress dressed as a maid - it was Rem.
From the corner of the garden, she had been silently watching the entire mock battle between Subaru and Wilhelm - a training session in name only.
And so, having rushed to Subaru's side after he had struggled until he ran out of strength, she was now offering him a pillow in her lap to thank him for his efforts.
Her devoted attitude was the model of a servant, and the way she looked at Subaru with affection on his lap clearly hinted at feelings that went beyond those of a servant. However, Wilhelm, noticing this, made no mention of it.
That gaze was the same radiance he had witnessed countless times in this mansion every day.
Therefore, the old man did not touch the blue-haired girl's heart at all, and bowed down with a refined gesture,
"Well then, if you'll excuse me, Ferris will be back in the afternoon. It would be great if both Rem-sama and Subaru-sama could be in their rooms by then."
"Sorry for the inconvenience. Like that."
Rem quietly took in what Wilhelm had said. The old man looked pleased with her graceful response, tilted his chin in and narrowed his eyes slightly as he looked at Subaru.
Then, without a word, he turned away and disappeared from the garden once and for all.
As soon as the strange presence emanating from the old man's body disappeared, the garden was suddenly filled with a sense of freedom, as if the tension had been released.
Once the overwhelming feeling that even the plants were forbidden to breathe disappears, the garden transforms into an open grassland with nothing to block the wind or the birdsong.
Amidst all of this, Subaru simply closed his eyes and absentmindedly surrendered his entire body and mind to the soft sensation beneath his head.
Rem accepts this and says nothing.
She simply accepted Subaru's weight in silence as if to cherish it, and occasionally, as if to remind him that time had not stopped, she ran her fingers through Subaru's black hair and gently combed it.
"...I am."
Suddenly, during this time of little movement, Subaru makes a move.
Hearing the husky whisper, spun with trembling lips, Rem's fingertips stopped moving. Taking advantage of her kindness as she waited for him to speak, Subaru took his time to continue,
"Weak."
He muttered, a fact that didn't need to be denied.
The wind blew, and Rem's bangs, which she had been caressing, were blown about by the air, and the sensation made Rem shift her knees slightly and squirm.
"I agree"
After a moment of silence, Rem spoke in a short voice.
The affirmation was so natural that it took him a while to realise that it was a response to his own words earlier, and once he realised this, he accepted the contents of those words, and, still resting his head on her lap, looked up at the upside-down Rem, glaring at her,
"Hey, wouldn't this normally be the moment to say something like, 'That's not true. Subaru-kun is incredibly wonderful and cool and incredibly strong and I'm so happy, my heart is pounding' and liven things up?"
"If that's what you want, Subaru-kun."
Subaru voiced his request in a slightly high-pitched female voice, and Rem replied without changing her expression. Seeing her attitude, Subaru regained his composure and prefaced it with, "Okay."
「Well then, take two. I'm weak.」
"Yes, that's right."
"Did you hear what we just said?!"
"Subaru, were you actually listening to Rem's answer?"
When Subaru protested, stretching out his legs in protest at the unexpected retaliation, Rem simply tilted her head, still looking affectionate at Subaru's reaction.
Subaru's voice choked up at her words, and he slowly replayed what Rem had said in his head. And then,
"Rem is amazing."
"Yes, but your sister is even more amazing."
Subaru: "I don't understand that Ram-first mentality, but it's amazing."
Subaru relaxed his legs, forcing himself to feel as though every bone in his body had disappeared, and rested his body completely on Rem's lap.
Rem once again inserted her fingers into Subaru's bangs and played with them, as he closed his eyes.
"Rem is here to do what Subaru wants."
"...You're denying yourself and saying you're weak, but is that what I want you to do?"
"Is it different?"
Rem tilted her head in the opposite direction and asked with an innocent look in her eyes.
Subaru didn't say a word in response, he simply let out a long, deep breath through his nose and remained silent.
Quiet, undisturbed, lazy time flows by.
Before he could sink into the ocean of thoughts, Subaru was overcome by a rising wave of sleepiness and lost track of his place, lost in the gap between reality and dreams.
"Shall we head back soon? We mustn't get in the way of Lady Crusch and Lord Wilhelm."
But the passage of time swings evenly.
Subaru pondered on Rem's words as her knees shook, then he turned his head and shifted his position so that he was resting his cheek on her leg,
"Just a little longer. The feeling of your thighs feels so good."
"Yes. --If that's what you wish, Subaru-kun."
Rem, who had begun to tense up in her knees, relaxed them and accepted Subaru's proposal.
Taking advantage of that boundless kindness, Subaru didn't think about anything he didn't want to think about, and let himself sink deeper and deeper into the comfort of the mire.
--Three days had passed since the start of the Royal Selection was announced, and Subaru and Emilia had parted ways.
Natsuki Subaru was steadily rotting.