Subaru looked at the child in his father's arms in shock.
Subaru: [I... have a sister?]
Kenichi: [We found out your mother was pregnant not long after you disappeared.]
Naoko: [We weren't trying to replace you. I promise.]
Naoko said this with a slight bit of desperation. Subaru looked at his mother, concerned. Her eyes were still baggy.
Subaru: (Mom...)
Subaru smiled.
Subaru: [It's alright. I know. Besides, you two could never replace me.]
He smirked slightly. He felt awkward saying this. It wasn't like him at all, but he wanted to make his mother smile. And he managed it. A small smile graced her lips.
Subaru: (Good. I did it. I made her smile.)
Emilia walked over.
Emilia: [So cute!]
Subaru: [But you really went and named her Natsumi?]
Naoko: [We wanted... we wanted to keep a part of you close to us even if it was in this way.]
Emilia: [Right, I met a woman called Natsumi-san many times. Oh. Does she have something to do with you, Subaru?]
Subaru: [Uh... um...]
Beatrice sighed.
Subaru: [Well, um... Natsumi was well... it was me dressing up as a girl.]
Kenichi: [You actually told her just like that? Damn, you grew some balls of steel, son.]
Emilia: [Eh?!!]
Subaru looked embarrassed.
Emilia: [But it looked so real!]
Subaru: [Well, um...]
Emilia: [Can I ask why you do it?]
Naoko: [Um... that's actually my fault. I used to dress him up as a girl a lot when he was younger since the clothes fit him really well, so it must have become a habit that stuck.]
Emilia: [I see. Well, it was reaaally good.]
Kenichi: (Damn, she's an angel.)
Subaru looked embarrassed at this while Beatrice just sighed.
Subaru: [Guess I'll have to change the name of my alter-ego since it belongs to my little sis now.]
He stared at the little girl. She had brown tufts of hair like Naoko, but had eyes similar to Kenichi.
Subaru: [My little sis... I'm a big brother...]
Subaru looked to Kenichi.
Subaru: [Can I... hold her?]
Kenichi: [Huh? Of course you can. Here.]
Kenichi gently handed Natsumi to Subaru, who held his sister gently.
Subaru: [She's so adorable.]
Subaru's eyes were filled with stars.
Subaru: [Natsumi... my little... sister.]
Kenichi smiled.
Kenichi: [Why don't you spend some time with her while we get to know your friends?]
Subaru nodded, sitting down on the floor and placing Natsumi down as she crawled around, as Subaru smiled. Kenichi, Naoko, Beatrice and Emilia walked out of the room.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Naoko bowed to Emilia and Beatrice.
Naoko: [Thank you for being friends with my Subaru. He's... always had trouble making friends, so I...]
Emilia: (Subaru... was lonely like me?)
Emilia shook her head.
Emilia: [It was Subaru who helped me. If it wasn't for him, I'd still be... alone.]
Naoko: [I see...]
Beatrice: [Any foolish enough not to become friends with Betty's Subaru are not worth his time, I suppose.]
Naoko smiled.
Naoko: [You're so sweet. Thank you.]
Beatrice puffed up her cheek in pride.
Beatrice: [Betty's Subaru is amazing, in fact.]
Kenichi: [My son really made a name for himself, huh?]
Emilia nods.
Emilia: [Subaru contributed a lot to our world.]
Kenichi: [It can't be that much, right?]
Beatrice: [Betty's Subaru even saved our world at one point, in fact. Without his constant guidance, our world would be in shambles, I suppose.]
Naoko's eyes twitched for a second at the thought of her son being in danger.
Naoko: [What... do you mean?]
Emilia: [There was a huge disaster. If Subaru hadn't been there, a lot of people would have died. He fought so hard for everyone.]
Naoko paled a little.
Emilia: [Don't worry. Subaru didn't get badly injured or anything.]
Emilia: (Unless...)
She shook off the thought.
Kenichi: [So how did you two meet?]
Emilia: [Well, when we first met, he was trying to help me recover something that was stolen from me. But I hadn't ever met him before. At first I thought he was reaaally weird.]
Emilia: (Could it be that he used that even back then?)
She remembered what Subaru had said.
"'Subaru: [Because you saved me.]'"
She smiled a little.
Emilia: (I'm glad I was able to help you.)
Kenichi sniggered.
Subaru: [I can hear you laughing, you shitty old man.]
Subaru's voice rang out from inside the room as Naoko's eyes sharpened, harnessing their already scary visage.
Naoko: [Subaru! Watch your language around Natsumi!]
Subaru: [Sorry!]
The raven-haired boy's nervous voice echoed throughout the house as Emilia giggled.
Subaru: [Your giggles are like an angelic rhythm in my ear, Emilia-tan. EMT!!!]
Kenichi sighed at his son's sheer ridiculousness, but a small smile took form on his face. His life had felt so empty since Subaru had gone missing. To have him back. Back in the house at that. It brought him a sense of comfort that no one else could give him but his son.
Kenichi: [In your world was... Subaru happy?]
Emilia: [We all... went through difficult times and Subaru is...]
Beatrice: [Betty's Subaru is the type to hide his pain with a smile, I suppose.]
Emilia nods.
Emilia: [I'm sure he was happy, but I know he's suffered a lot too.]
Emilia bowed to Subaru's parents.
Emilia: [I'm sorry for not being able to take care of him better.]
Naoko: [The fact that you can apologise for that shows that you care. Thank you.]
She smiled. Her words were meant to forgive Emilia but also put forward the fact that she should do better. Emilia didn't need to catch the deeper meaning as she already felt it in her heart. She wanted to do better by Subaru.
Beatrice: [Betty is well aware of the half-elf's nature, I suppose. She's foolish and naive, but... she does truly care for Betty's Subaru.]
Emilia: (Beatrice is right. I am like that.)
Emilia sighed internally.
Emilia: (I have to learn to do better. For Subaru.)
Naoko: [Does Subaru have other friends... over there?]
Emilia nods.
Emilia: [He has a lot of friends. We all reaaally love Subaru.]
Beatrice looked at the half-elf curiously.
Beatrice: (It seems the half-elf's feelings are certain now, I suppose.)
Naoko smiled.
Naoko: [I'm glad.]
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
They walked back into the room.
Subaru was sitting as he jingled a toy ring of plastic keys above Natsumi with a bright smile on his face, as Natsumi giggled in joy. Emilia blushed at the sight. That smile on Subaru's face. She'd missed it. Ever since Al had captured him, her heart had longed to see that look on his face again, to see him smile like that at her. He turned to face her.
Subaru: [Emilia-tan. Come sit down.]
He patted the spot next to him as Emilia sat down. Subaru tickled Natsumi's chin, who giggled.
Subaru: [Isn't my little sister so cute?]
But her gaze was directed at him.
Emilia: (Subaru...)
She smiled before looking at Natsumi.
Emilia: [She is reaaally cute.]
Beatrice sat next to Subaru.
Beatrice: [Betty must agree with you both, in fact.]
Beatrice reached out her hand as Natsumi grabbed her finger. Beatrice felt a warmth invade her heart as she smiled at the child.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Later, Subaru and Emilia sat outside.
Subaru: [Emilia-tan. What happened while I was sealed?]
Emilia: [...]
Emilia didn't know how to say it. How could she tell him? That Otto's memories had been eaten? That Petra had become a Witch to save him? That Roswaal had died? That Aldebaran. The man who kidnapped him looked like an aged version of him. How could she tell him all this? Then she decided. She had to tell him the good news first.
Emilia: [Subaru... Rem...]
Subaru's heart clenched.
Subaru: [What happened to Rem?]
Emilia: [Her memories returned. We remember her too.]
Subaru's eyes widened for a second as he sat there. Unable to believe his ears when tears flowed from his eyes and down his cheeks. He began to cry.
Subaru: [Rem is...]
Emilia nodded, hugging her knight in a tight embrace.
Emilia: [She's back.]
Subaru smiled, calming down but just barely.
Subaru: [I'm so happy that I might start bawling my eyes out again.]
After everything. After all the hardship he had endured, one of his goals had been accomplished. A part of him was disappointed that he himself couldn't achieve it, but it was silenced by the overwhelming rest of him that was happy Rem was back. Then something else festered in his heart.
Subaru: [I'll... never be able to see her again. I'll never be able to see any of them again.]
Emilia's face showed the same pain.
Subaru: [Emilia-tan?]
Emilia: [Subaru I... want to save my people but now I...]
She wanted to stay strong, but she couldn't any more. Subaru hugged her.
Subaru: [Hey, hey. Don't worry. Everyone knows you're doing this to save the elves.]
Emilia: [They... do?]
Subaru: [Yeah.]
Emilia: [But how would that?]
Subaru: [They'll likely join up with Felt's camp.]
Emilia: [Then they're...]
Subaru: [They're fighting for your dream. Don't worry. Have faith in them.]
Emilia: [I... I wanted to...]
Subaru: [I know Emilia. I know, but what's important is that they'll all be safe.]
Emilia nods as Subaru pats her head, comforting her.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Ram was at a funeral being held for the Court Mage of Lugunica. Roswaal L. Mathers. Her bitterness was clear to all. Her eyes were devoid of joy. Her usual prideful demeanour was completely gone.
Ram: (I failed to protect Roswaal-sama. I forgot my own sister. I failed to help her get past her insecurities. A man completely unrelated to us had to step in to help her, and worse yet, that man who had become like a little brother to me... I failed to help him when he needed me most. All I ever did was berate him for stupid things. Things that didn't matter. Even if I was just teasing him, I should have... acknowledged him.)
Ram clicked her tongue.
Ram: (Prodigy of the Oni Clan. As if.)
She walked over to the casket.
Ram: [Rest now, Roswaal-sama... I... I won't ever forget you.]
She said this with a shaky voice as Rem stood next to her.
Rem: [It will be okay, Onee-sama.]
Her voice was dejected. There were so many things she wanted to say to Subaru. "I'm sorry for being a burden", "Please let me stay by your side" and... "I love you". But it was over. He was gone.
Rem: (It's all because of my own failure. I was beaten by Gluttony. I lay in a coma uselessly for months while everyone else protected me. When I woke up, I was nothing but a burden to Subaru-Kun. If only... if during the great disaster I had fought harder, then maybe... maybe Priscilla-sama wouldn't have died... then Al wouldn't have...)
Tears soaked her cheeks, not for the man whose funeral she was attending, but for the man she loved. Garf stood off to the side, gritting his teeth.
Garf: (Shitty fucking clown. Makin' Ram cry like this.)
He thought this, but inside his turmoil came from the fact that he'd never see his Captain again.
Garf: [Captain...]
Frederica: [Garf. Subaru-sama is back home. He's with his parents. With Emilia-sama and Beatrice-sama. He's with people who love him. You don't have to worry about him.]
Garf: [I'm... never gonna see 'im again...]
Frederica realised how her brother was truly feeling.
Frederica: [Garf... even if Subaru-sama can't be here in person, he's still in here.]
She touches his chest, her hand where his heart would be.
Frederica: [You just need to remember him and trust that he'll remember you. It shouldn't be hard. Subaru-sama is your Captain, after all. Right?]
Garf's face seemed to lighten from this as he looked down with a soft smile.
Garf: [Yeah, he's my captain. He's fought for so long. He probably deserves a nice long rest anyway.]
Garf: (Still, I want to see him. Just one last time.)
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
The Emilia Camp stood inside the Miload Manor.
Rem: [Anerose-sama is likely very angry that Emilia-sama is gone.]
Garf: [We're gonna get an earful then.]
Ram: [Did Ram have to come here?]
That's when Annerose walked down the steps, her face covered with clown makeup.
Annerose: [Oh myyyy. It seeems that you're aaall here.]
Ram's eyes locked onto her.
Ram: [Ros...waal-sama?]
Garf: [The fuck is this shit?]
Rem: [What is going on?]
Annerose : [My apooologies. It seems that I wiiill have to explain myself.]
Ram: [Is that you... Roswaal-sama?]
Annerose: [Indeeed, it is me, Ram.]
Petra glared at her.
Petra: [You're Roswaal? What did you do to Annerose?]
The Phantom Subaru was gone, but she already knew he'd be disgusted if he saw what was in front of her right now. Garf walked up to Roswaal.
Garf: [You bastard! Get out of her...]
Roswaal: [I'm afraaaid that's not possiiible.]
Garf: [You...]
Ram: [Garf. Stop.]
Garf: [But Ram. Don't tell me you...]
Ram: [I'm afraid even I find this revelation disturbing, but now is not the time for fights.]
In her heart, she was glad Roswaal was alive, even if through this disturbing method. She had no desire to watch him die again.
Roswaal: [I think it's tiiime to turn our attentiiion to more pressing maaatters.]
Garf: [More pressing matters. The hell you...]
Roswaal: [I'm referring to the loss of our dear Emilia-sama, Natsuki Subaru and Beatrice.]
Garf closed his mouth, gritting his teeth.
Garf: (The Captain, Princess, and... Beatrice. The three of them...)
Garf: [Wait... you sayin' there's somethin' we can do?]
Roswaal: [I've maaanaged to gather informaaation from our prisoner Aldebaran. He was cooperative.]
Garf: [From that bastard?]
Roswaal: [He said he has no problem if we want to go to him.]
Ram: (Barasu...)
Roswaal: [However, there is no way to return Natsuki Subaru to our world. We do not possess the power for it. Only Satella or Echidna would have the power to do that. However, my dear teacher would also require the blood of the Divine Dragon Volcanica.]
Petra clicked her tongue.
Petra: [Her? Is that what you're trying to do to convince us to help you?]
Roswaal: [Indeed. One of us would step into the Geyser and, with a magical thread soaked in the Divine Dragon's blood. Then that person would tie the rope around themselves, Emilia-sama, Subaru-Kun and Beatrice and with all their heart express the desire to return to our world.]
Petra: [I...]
Rem: [I'll do it.]
Petra looked to Rem.
Petra: (I want to see Subaru again, but... so does Rem. And Subaru wants to see her.)
Ram: [Rem...]
Garf gritted his teeth.
Garf: (Damn it. I want to do it. I could go there and ask... if he was really happier over there.)
Roswaal: [If anyone could, it would be you. As for when we can attempt this. That would be in 3 years.]
Garf: [3 Years? You gotta be fuckin' kidding me!]
Roswaal: [Unfortunately, the Geyser will only activate again in 3 years. The rope will keep the Geyser open and allow Rem and the two of them to return. Of course, the rope wouldn't be able to hold open the barrier on its own. Teacher would be required to help hold it open.]
Roswaal's gaze fixed on Rem.
Roswaal: [The rope can also be tugged to transmit messages. We can create a code for it. I'm sure you'll be eaaager to learn.]
Rem nods.
Rem: [Rem will work hard to bring back Subaru-Kun.]
Roswaal clapped.
Roswaal: [very good.]
Ram: [Roswaal-sama. The Royal Selection will end before the Geyser opens again...]
Roswaal nods.
Roswaal: [That is precisely why we must ally ourselves with a camp and focus our efforts to ensure that person ascends to the throne. I personally think it should be Felt-sama. It would be easy to say it was in gratitude for her assistance during this entire debacle.]
Rem: [But we'd be betraying...]
Roswaal: [On the contrary. With Emilia-sama missing, her victory is no longer realistic.]
Rem looked down.
Rem: (It should have been me. I should have been the one to go with Subaru-Kun. I want to think that I feel that way because that way Emilia-sama would still be able to achieve her dream, but in truth. In truth, it's just a selfish wish to be with my hero. With Subaru-Kun.)
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To Be Continued
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Rating Out Of 10 For This Part:
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