It had been a few months since Enkidu was officially declared a guest of the Mathers mansion.
By now, everyone had settled into a comfortable routine. Emilia had returned to her usual self—kind, bright, a little awkward—but no longer trying to force herself into some idealized version of nobility whenever Enkidu was around. He had insisted on talking to him privately and clearing up this nobel lady act.
"You don't need to pretend around me," he had told her.
"I thought I had to act proper," she said, tugging at her sleeve. "Like a lady. You know... for appearances."
"You already are a lady. Just be you. Plus you're my friend."
After that, their conversations became easier—more honest. Emilia appreciated that. And so did he.
The maids were another story.
Rem had been the first to truly warm up to him. She was quiet, deferential, and always focused on her tasks—but sometimes Enkidu would catch her muttering to herself in the halls. One time, hidden around a corner, he overheard her say:
"Lady Enkidu... is so composed. I think... I think I made a friend."
He had stifled a laugh at the time, but later, alone in his room, the words stuck with him. She was trying. And that was something.
Ram, however, was much stranger.
She didn't exactly like him, but she had developed what Enkidu could only describe as a strange obsession. Not romantic—not even emotional, really. She just... wanted to dress him up. Constantly.
"Try this," she said one afternoon, holding out a frilly black-and-white dress with a lace bonnet.
"No."
"This one has bloomers," she added helpfully.
"No."
"You're no fun."
"I'm not your doll."
"You'd look divine."
She never stopped trying.
He never gave in.
Despite those oddities—and Roswaal's occasional cryptic, slightly unsettling conversations—life at the mansion was peaceful. Quiet. Almost too quiet.
Well... except for one tiny thing.
Beatrice.
Or as Enkidu liked to call her—Betty.
From the second week of his stay, Enkidu made it a point to visit her every single day. Five minutes, no more, no less. He would talk. She would scoff. He would poke. She would pout.
In the beginning, she hated it.
By the end of the first month, she merely tolerated it.
Now? She didn't quite say she liked it, but she had begun to leave a second chair out near her reading table. A small, wordless invitation.
Sometimes he brought her sweets. Other times, he brought stories.
He was making progress. Even if she never admitted it.
Everything, on the surface, was good.
But Enkidu was uneasy.
It had been months.
Nothing had happened.
And that was a problem.
He sat beneath the shade of the garden's tallest tree, eyes fixed on the sky. Butterflies danced through the roses, and Rem's distant humming drifted through the windows.
Peaceful. Serene.
Wrong.
In the anime, things went to hell quickly. Subaru hadn't even spent a full week at the mansion before his first death. But here? Enkidu had been here for months. No curses. No assassins. No witches. No looping timelines.
Was this an alternate universe? Had his presence disrupted the flow of events? Had he thrown the entire story off course with a few well-timed words?
The silence was beginning to feel heavy. Like the world was holding its breath.
As Enkidu sat lost in thought, a soft voice called out behind him.
"Lady Enkidu?"
He turned. Rem stood in the sunlight, a gentle smile on her face and a small satchel over her shoulder.
"We're low on certain herbs and vegetables. I'm heading to the village for resupply. Would you like to accompany me?"
His breath caught.
In the anime, this is where it began. The village trip. The meeting with the kids. The first sign of the curse. The spiral into death and despair.
The peaceful air suddenly felt sharp around the edges.
He rose slowly.
"Yes," he said. "I'd like that."
Rem bowed slightly. "I'll prepare the cart."
As she turned to leave, Enkidu's gaze lingered on the path ahead.
Maybe nothing would happen.
Maybe everything would.
But one thing was certain:
The stillness was ending.
And the storm—whether delayed or altered—was finally on its way.
AN: Okay, it's been decided. This ff is cancelled. JK. what I actually wanted to say is that I will release 2 chapters per week.