By the time Subaru and Rem arrived at their suite via teleportation, the sun had finally set, ushering in the night.
Rem was amazed to discover Subaru's teleportation ability, exclaiming, "Rem's hero is always full of surprises." The impact of her words on his ego was undeniable.
His ego soared to such heights that even Rammy couldn't bring him back down!
Yet, as the adrenaline of the day faded and the reality of the day settled in, Subaru found himself on the balcony, leaning against the railing.
The glow of a fire lamp illuminated his face as he gazed out over the city, where lights twinkled between buildings and along the roads, resembling stars scattered across a dark canvas.
With a sigh, he lost himself in the view, not really focusing on it, but rather staring into the void.
His expression was one of tiredness, clearly showing his fatigue. He let out another weary sigh, the second one that evening.
He heard the door slide open behind him; it was Rem, carrying a tray with two cups of tea. He didn't need to look to know it was his favourite.
"Subaru-kun, Rem made some tea. Your favorite," she said as she placed the tray down.
"Thanks," he replied, taking a cup and savoring the floral flavor, complemented by a hint of mint and sweetness.
Rem had a talent for making the best tea.
As the door quietly closed, Subaru sensed he wasn't alone; Rem had taken the second cup and stood beside him.
They enjoyed a moment of silence, relishing the taste of their freshly brewed tea while gazing at the darkened city, appreciating the view—at least from Rem's perspective.
Subaru, however, continued to stare blankly into the distance, his mind racing with thoughts about recent events: their arrival, the castle, the impromptu date with Rem, and the fight that had just occurred.
He let out a sigh, marking the third time that night.
"Subaru-kun, are you okay? You seem really tired," Rem said, her expression filled with concern as she looked at him.
"I'm fine Rem, just thinking about stuff," he replied, though it was clear that wasn't entirely true.
"But you really do look worn out. Rem thinks something might be bothering you. Is there anything wrong?" she pressed gently.
Subaru sighed; the conversation was going to be a bit tiresome, he could tell.
"…There's just a lot on my mind, Rem. It's kind of weighing me down," he admitted.
"If that's the case," Rem set her cup of tea down, "I'd love to hear what's troubling my hero. If it will help lighten his burden."
Subaru noticed the eager look on Rem's face, and the smile she wore made it hard for him to resist opening up.
"Even if I said no, you'd still find a way to get me to talk, wouldn't you?" He chuckled softly, and Rem giggled in response.
"Subaru-kun knows Rem well! She won't let her hero feel down without putting up a fight!"
Their laughter faded, and they both turned their gaze back to the city.
"Where should I even begin?" he asked.
"Start wherever you feel is best," she suggested.
"The best place…" he pondered. What part of his story felt right to share? His background? His childhood? His arrival here?
He thought for a moment, then chose the most fitting starting point for his feelings.
"I usually tell people, 'I'm just an average guy trying to live an average life,'" he began, with Rem listening intently. "You know that, right?"
Rem nodded, "Yes. Nee-sama mentioned it to me once she heard it. She called it, 'A deadbeat introduction fitting for a flea-ridden mutt.'"
"She really said that? How charming," he replied sarcastically.
"Nee-sama is just wonderful, isn't she?"
Subaru barely held back an eye roll that could have sent his eyes flying out of their sockets.
Ram being wonderful? Sure, and he could fly.
Actually, he could do that…
"We're getting off topic," he said, shaking his head.
"I know you might think this is just a funny introduction or a joke I tell people, considering I'm far from being a normal guy, right?" Rem nodded in agreement.
"But honestly… What I tell them is exactly what I desire," he admitted, prompting Rem to look at him curiously.
"What does Subaru-kun mean by that?" she asked, her brows furrowed in confusion. Why would her hero want to be just a regular person? With his strength and kindness, he could be a great hero—no, even greater than the Sword Saint!
"Yeah, I get that this might sound confusing. I mean, someone with my abilities wanting a simple, quiet life? That's absurd. But that's genuinely what I want," he explained.
He then turned to Rem, his eyes peeking over his glasses. "You know how unique my eyes are, right?"
A slight shiver ran through Rem as she glanced at his striking azure-blue eyes. She couldn't deny it; ever since she had seen them after her mess up, she had longed to see them again. They were the most stunning eyes she had ever seen .
Regaining her composure, she replied, "Yes, Subaru-kun mentioned how special his eyes are and the extraordinary things he can perceive with them."
Subaru nodded and then gazed back at the city. "You're right; my eyes are indeed special, along with my powers as a whole."
He paused for a moment before continuing, "From the moment I was born, I was always treated differently. Not in an abusive way, but in a more… prestigious sense? Yeah, let's go with that."
Subaru wasn't the best at articulating his feelings and personal experiences, but he pressed on. "I was different, and that treatment followed suit. I was placed on a pedestal because of my abilities—always favored, always pampered. As I grew older, my family began to train me, honing my skills and powers to help me reach where I am today."
He reflected on the past, recalling the rigorous training and challenges he faced as a child—experiences that no kid his age should have had to endure.
"I never really had a normal childhood; it was all about training and learning, with nothing else in between. Whenever I protested, my family would insist it was all for my own good. I eventually accepted that and pushed through, After all, my family has my best interest at heart, right?"
He posed the question without expecting a reply, and Rem remained silent.
She wasn't naive; she sensed where he was heading, and it pained her heart.
"But in reality, they didn't care. I was merely a tool, a means for them to achieve success and status. I was labeled the 'Pride of the family,' burdened with responsibilities and a fate I had to follow. After all, family loyalty is important, right?"
Rem listened quietly, taking in his words.
"I despised it. Every moment was filled with resentment; my family never truly cared for me. Because of that, I felt isolated and lonely. I had no idea what I wanted or what I longed for. I was tired of it all, yet I didn't have the courage to make a change." He inhaled deeply, trying to ease the ache in his heart.
"But there was one person who always stood by me, even in my loneliest moments."
That… was a half-truth. There was someone else who had been there for him.
But just thinking about that person caused him immense pain.
"…Who was it?" Rem finally inquired.
"Satoru, my younger cousin. Even though he was four years younger than me, he was the only family member I truly connected with. He was always there to lift me up when I was feeling down. Not even my grandfather, whom I tolerated, could come close to the bond I shared with him."
Memories flooded back of Satoru, that loud, cocky kid who would come over to hang out. They would chat, play video games, and just enjoy each other's company. Those were genuinely joyful times.
"Before I left my family, do you know what he said to me?" He continued. "'You deserve to be happy; be selfish for once.'"
While those words were aimed at Subaru, she couldn't help but feel they were meant for her as well.
She had always idolized her sister, constantly trying to follow in her footsteps and striving to be the substitute she felt she needed to be, as if to make up for the fact that her existence had caused her sister to lose her horn. Yet, she had never considered being selfish for her own happiness.
That all changed when Subaru entered her life. The once dull and colorless world transformed into a vibrant and beautiful place. The monotonous solitude of the mansion turned into a source of joy.
Perhaps, in some ways, they weren't so different after all?
"That's when I realized I had enough. I decided I wouldn't live by anyone's expectations or fate; I would carve my own path. And when the chance came, I took it without hesitation," he shared.
"And I was genuinely happy, you know? Working as a butler in a new mansion was kinda scary at first, but it was also entertaining. I could do what I wanted without worrying about anyone's judgment. For a long time, I felt… Happy. Just as I had always wished."
Hearing this made Rem want to smile. Learning that her hero found joy in working and living with her in the mansion almost eased her discomfort.
But it was never that simple.
"But…?"
"But then the capital happened," he replied.
"Is Subaru-kun sad about coming here?" she asked, but he shook his head.
"No, it's not that. When Emilia asked me to join her, I hesitated. I'm just a regular butler now, so why should I get involved in matters that are beyond my role? I'm just a regular guy now."
"But when I saw Emilia's pleading face and how she wanted my support and encouragement, I couldn't bring myself to refuse. I really wanted the best for her, so I agreed to come. After all, what kind of friend would I be if I didn't offer my help, right?"
Subaru then slumped slightly, "But when the time came… I fucked it up."
Subaru mentally prepared himself to share the events of that fateful day. "So, as you know, it was during the royal selection when they announced the fifth candidate, Felt—the same girl who stole milia's insignia. Funny how small the world can be at times?" He chuckled briefly before stopping, now is not the time for jokes.
"Anyway, they were all asked to declare their goals and intentions, which led to Emilia's vision for equality and fairness in the kingdom. Can you guess how that went over?"
He locked eyes with Rem, his expression intense.
"Mockery. They laughed at her, ridiculed her, and humiliated her. It hurt Emilia deeply. Watching it all happen, especially with the so-called 'Protectors of the kingdom' joining in, I lost it."
Rem began to grasp the whole situation.
"Seeing the humiliation and injustice she faced made me want them to experience the same. I told them that mocking Emilia was like disrespecting the Holy Dragon's choice, which was a greater heresy than me insulting them.."
Rem blinked, realizing he had a valid point. Disrespecting Emilia as a candidate was, in a way, disrespecting the Great Dragon Volcanica.
"What happened next?" she asked.
"Well, I ordered the nobles to lie down and roll around, begging for forgiveness like the good dogs they were," he replied.
"Wow." Rem couldn't help but imagine how entertaining that would have been.
But then Subaru's expression shifted to one of guilt, wiping away any amusement.
"Then, one of the sage councilmen tried to intervene, and I… well…" He took a deep breath. "I almost attacked him."
"Y-you did what?!" Rem gasped in shock. Attacking a sage councilman would be a one-way ticket to the gallows If he actually did—
"Almost! I said almost! I didn't go through with it! Emilia stopped me!" he exclaimed, raising his voice slightly, which helped Rem to relax.
"Rem is sorry, but she was worried that her hero might end up executed," she sighed with relief.
"Don't worry, that won't happen," he reassured her.
Subaru continued, "Emilia asked me to leave, and I did, but not before I insulted the knights too."
"Even them?" Rem inquired, starting to piece everything together.
"Yeah, I called them out for their hypocrisy, saying they had no chivalry and honor and didn't care about their duties. I guess they didn't take it well because one of them challenged me to a mock duel."
"A duel? Who was it? I've never heard of a duel happening there," she said.
"Do you remember Julius? 'The Finest of Hypocrites' I told you about before? It was him. He challenged me to a duel, probably to restore fix his ego or something. I didn't ask for the details, so I'm not sure."
"And Subaru-kun won, right?" She didn't really need to ask; the outcome was pretty clear based on what she had seen earlier.
"Yeah, I won," he replied flatly, lacking any smugness or arrogance in his tone, just a quiet, dry acknowledgment.
"…Did something bad happen?" She looked at him with concern.
"I wanted to teach him a lesson… so I went all in. I hurt him pretty badly," he admitted. "It was brutal, Rem. I went too far, and I didn't mean to. But you know what? I was enjoying it; I had a big smile on my face as I kept hitting him with his own sword."
Rem fell silent, now fully grasping the entire situation—why Subaru was left behind in the capital, why Emilia had asked her to keep an eye on him, and why they were attacked by the knights.
She felt a wave of sadness for her hero. She could sense the regret in his voice, and even though he tried to hide his eyes, she could see the guilt reflected in them.
"I'm sure you know everything else that happened after that," he finally said, looking even more exhausted than before.
"After everything that happened, I feel lost. I've already sabotaged my goal before I even had a chance to enjoy it. I'm sure that soon the entire city will hear about the duel, not to mention those morons who tried to ambush us. And I feel guilty because I really fucked up big time, especially on Emilia's big day. So yeah, that's what I feel, Rem." He finally let out all the emotions he had been bottling up.
Subaru looked down, drained and tired from the emotional release he just experienced. All he wanted right now was a nap.
Suddenly, he felt arms wrap around him, followed by a warm presence pressing against his side. He turned to see Rem hugging him tightly, so tightly that it might have broken someone else's back.
"Rem?" he asked, puzzled. But she placed her fingers on his lips, signaling him to be quiet, and then turned him around to embrace him properly, resting her face against his chest.
A warmth and nervousness washed over Subaru, reminiscent of how he felt around Emilia.
Rem eventually pulled back from the hug and looked at Subaru with a small smile that held an emotion he couldn't quite understand.
"As Emilia-sama would say, Subaru-kun is a bad boy for making Rem suffer."
He blinked in confusion. "What?"
"Subaru-kun, Rem has had to watch you be sad and down without any explanation, which hurt her deeply. She couldn't bear it any longer. But now, she's so happy that her hero has finally opened his heart to her." she smiled brightly at him.
"Rem…" Subaru's voice trailed off. "I'm sorry for making you feel that way. I wanted to tell you, but you know what happened today."
Rem nodded, she was confident that her hero would eventually share his feelings with her, and she would be there to listen.
"Subaru-kun shouldn't feel so down," she said, looking at him with determination, her blue eyes practically sparkling. "Because Rem has the solution to all his problems!" she declared.
Subaru looked at her in surprise, "You do?"
She nodded enthusiastically, "Absolutely! Subaru-kun is feeling down because he thinks he can't reach his goal. But the answer to that is quite simple."
She locked eyes with him as she continued, "If achieving a peaceful life seems out of reach, then Rem believes it's time to set a new goal—one that can lead to the happiness Subaru-kun wants."
"Another goal?" He pondered the idea. It made sense; if his initial aim was unattainable, finding a new one could be the way forward.
"But what should that new goal be?" he asked.
"That's something Subaru-kun must find for himself. No one knows you better than you do," Rem said, placing her hand gently on his chest. "So, Rem suggests you follow the path your heart leads you to."
'Follow the path my heart leads me to?' He gazed down, deep in thought. What did he truly desire? Happiness and the chance to shape his own future.
But how could he make that happen?
He doesn't want any responsibility or a destiny forced into him, and the only way he could think of doing it was to just live a quiet life.
So, what should his next goal be?
"When it comes to Emilia-sama, all Subaru-kun needs to do is apologize," she advised.
"Apologize?" he echoed, surprised.
Rem nodded again, "Subaru-kun is Emilia-sama's closest friend, right? He just needs to talk to her and clear the air. Emilia-sama is a kind person, so Rem believes she will forgive him for his mistakes."
Subaru listened quietly to her words and found himself agreeing. The solutions seemed so simple, so why had he been so hard on himself?
"Right," he said, a smile breaking across his face. "You're absolutely right, Remmy. You really have all the answers to my problems."
Rem beamed back at him, her heart swelling with joy as she saw Subaru's smile return.
Bathed in a gentle orange glow and overlooking the charming city, the serene breeze enveloped them, creating an idyllic atmosphere.
At that moment, Rem decided to take a leap of faith.
"S-subaru-kun," she started, her gaze dropping as her confidence wavered, a shift that Subaru noticed immediately.
"What's up, Remmy? And why do you look so flustered?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Rem has something to confess," she stammered.
Seeing his silence as a cue to continue, she mustered her courage and finally spoke the words she had been holding onto for a month.
"I love you," she whispered.
"…"
"Before you entered my life, my time was frozen. I had nothing to aspire to except atoning for my existence. My days were monotonous—work, eat, sleep—nothing more, nothing less,"
"…"
"Then you came along. My life began anew, and my love for you has filled me with such joy I wish to share with you,"
"…"
"You became my hero, Rem's hero, the one who rescued me from that dull existence I was destined to, the one who brings a smile to my face no matter what. So, Subaru-kun;"
"I love you,"
Rem lowered her gaze, lacking the courage to witness his reaction. Would he accept her feelings? Or would he turn her down? The thought of rejection was too painful to bear.
Finally, she found the strength to look up, only to see Subaru with his mouth agape, a blush spreading across his cheeks.
"Huh?" was all he managed to say.
His mind raced as he processed her words, 'Rem… Loves me?'
Subaru felt a mix of lightness and warmth, his face flushing and his heart racing. Alongside that, an overwhelming sense of comfort and joy washed over him as he absorbed her confession.
It was…
'The same feeling I have whenever I'm with Emilia,' he realized, a revelation that shook him to his very core.
He couldn't quite understand why he felt so anxious around Emilia ever since that night at the ice castle. It was all new territory for him, and he was unsure how to proceed with it.
Sure, he knew that countless girls showed interest in him before, and he was fully aware of that. However, he had never reciprocated those feelings because he simply didn't feel anything towards them.
But now? He was certain of it—the unmistakable signs of love.
Love that he had for both Emilia and Rem
'Wow, I really do love both of them, don't I?' he chuckled to himself. 'How the hell did I not see that? I'm such a dense moron…'
But now he found himself in a dilemma; he had feelings for both of them.
What should he do next?
"Rem…" he started, catching her attention. "I truly appreciate what you shared with me, but…"
Rem felt her heart drop, fearing this was the moment he would turn her down. Would he confess his love for someone else? Did he already have feelings for Emilia? Had she already lost her chance?
Tears began to well up in her eyes as he—
"I can't give you a clear answer right now. My emotions are… all over the place, so I ask for your patience, please?"
Rem let out a huge sigh of relief, the impending heartache dissipating before it could take hold.
She looked at her hero and nodded, "Of course, Rem understands what her hero is going through. But please, don't play with her heart and take too long. She might not be able to handle it."
Subaru chuckled at her words, "I promise, I'll give you an answer, Remmy."
He then took off his glasses, showing her his beautiful blue eyes, "So, how about we continue enjoying our tea together?" He flashed her a warm smile.
Rem nodded back, her own smile brightening, "Absolutely, Rem would love that."
And so, Subaru and Rem spent their time together, quietly watching the city and the sky. Any weight or sadness in their hearts vanished, replaced by a comforting sense of happiness and, most importantly,
love.