Chapter 686 - 10 (part 2)

"That Karsten gal ain't gonna be trouble for me. She's actually growin' on Barielle's nerves!"

She hears a bombastically western accent that felt like she was hearing gibberish half the sentence from the other side. Petra closes in, finding it appropriate to nudge the door from its tiny opening to expand.

'Anastasia-sama left her door unclosed? While she is speaking to someone?'

Petra leans to the opening so she can hear the interesting conversation between Anastasia and her camp member about the noble lady Karsten and that cruel nasty beauty in red.

'Frederica-senpai should be mad at me for not using the proper titles of our royal candidates.'

As Petra smiles fondly, she hears the lady she knew to be the western candidate speak inside the room.

"How'd ya think I forced em to come to Pristella in the first place? I dunno why this Warden fella is out to get me, but I sure 's hell Imma kill em once we meet!"

'She sounds so angry!'

Petra leans back and moves away from the door. She reserved to walk away from the room with her mind plaguing her once again.

Before long, she finally had her hand to the handle of her room's door. Closing it behind her and resting her back against it, Petra fell into a darkness as her emotions got the better of her.

Full force, Petra stepped with closed eyes so she could kick the mattress on her bed as hard as she could.

The hit was stress relieving as well as heart pumping for her. She could only breathe steadily for a moment after lowering her foot.

She was finally glad to be alone. No one could see that reaction out of her. No one would take her seriously if she threw tantrums around.

"Frederica-sama taught me more discipline than that." She whispers to herself as her breath finally stabilizes.

She opened her eyes finally, looking for where the table was so she could drink something.

"WHO ARE YOU?!" And all she could do was shout as she found someone sitting on her chair.

It was a man in a pitch black coat and outfit from gloves to boots with little metal braces connected on the clothing here and there. His hair was black and his eyes were not clear enough for her to extinguish from behind the goggles he wore. This looked like a dangerous man sitting in her room. Worst part was that she wouldn't be able to see his expression before he did something terrible to her since he has a mask.

Petra was mortified once he spoke through his mask.

"What did the mattress ever do to you, eh? It's a perfectly innocent mattress."

"Wh-... YOU!" The girl points, mouth agape.

"I swear to god it wasn't me that stole your candy from the drawer. It was Frederica." The man said in what seemed to be a humorous voice but Petra couldn't breathe let alone process that the Warden of the prison she had been in for the last couple of…— days? — was right before her.

"Hi." The obscure man waves his hand and tilts his head to the point his hair waves in the air.

"I'll go grab that candy from Frederica-senpai." Petra calmly and composedly bows her head while raising the sides of her skirt like a noble lady would before walking towards the door with no haste in her step.

"I lied. I was the one who stole it."

Petra tried but her temper got the better of her at the blasphemous casual tone this man took.

"YOU SWORE TO GOD!" She points at him with a glare.

"I HAVE A PERFECT EXPLANATION!"

"I don't wanna hear it!"

"The fu- Child! I haven't eaten it yet!" Petra didn't know why, but she can tell this man was a foolish and irritating one.

"Give it here then!" Petra pouts and extends her open palm.

"... Maybe we can share?"

The little girl had a fire in her eyes that genuinely seemed to scare the masked grown man into submission.

"Give. It." She orders.

Warden simply shook his head and threw the chocolate bar towards her palm.

Petra caught it, almost tripping and held the treasure close to her chest, throwing a glare at the hunched man as he despaired over the lost food in silence.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"*SNIFF*"

"I'm not sharing." Petra says as she throws the bar in her bed drawer, paying no mind to the supposed entity behind her.

"You're a mean one." She could see him relax in his chair, done with the fake crying and speaking with her casually.

Petra turns towards the black cloak and bravely faces him.

"You don't sound so mighty or scary as you do from behind that big window." She replies so coldly, the man had to unclench his fist and clap with a hearty laugh.

"Yo! That was a nice zing!"

"...Why are you here?" Petra gets serious, unamused by the attitude.

The man straightens his back suddenly and nods his head.

"Sure. Let's get into it. Ah," he runs a hand through his hair. "Ah. Welp. I know that you've been having trouble with all of these things that you've watched lately."

"How would you know? You forced me in here!" She grumbles angrily.

"And I'm sorry for that. I never wanted to put you through this, Petra. I simply wish to…" Warden trails off, stopping his plea to the little girl and glances off to the side all of a sudden.

"Wish to what? Why do you sound so… sincere with me? Do I know you?" She tried grabbing his attention off the wall. Petra saw something in those goggles for a moment that might have resembled human eyes. Normal human eyes.

This man was a human being. Not an all powerful entity that trapped her and her friends.

"You don't trust me. I know that." Warden suddenly speaks after moments of silence. His neck turned and he looked at her. She can clearly see some darkness behind those goggles.

"But I want to remind you that no matter how hard things will get, you have people to talk it over with."

"Huh?!" Petra sounds in confusion, weirded out by the conflicting demeanor of someone who was supposed to be cruel enough to let her see Subaru die.

"Why do you care?!" Petra asks in full blown bafflement.

"Ah it's not that I care. It's what will happen to Subaru should you fail to hold on to yourself here, dear village girl."

"Hold on to myself?" Petra whispers in more confusion.

"Yes." He nods his head. His fingers turn to a fist and he knocks on the table once. "You are now being hit by different truths about your world. Most of them are unpleasant for now. They are making you regret some preeeetty important choices you've made."

"H…Uh?" She couldn't help but sound.

"I can't tell you to get better so I won't. But what I can do–" he knocks on the table once again by which after a portal seeped into existence before Petra and the man.

"What is this?!" Petra shouts while looking at the swirling hole of particles.

"It's a portal back home." Warden nods proudly.

Petra turns to him with her jaw hung.

"Oh don't look at me like that." He shrugs and leans back casually. "This is a one time opportunity, kid. Go in and get home to your parents. Or stay trapped here and be destroyed by what Subaru has gone through."

"Why are you giving me this choice?" Petra sounded almost scared to ask, the air from the portal feeling like hot scorching fire on her skin or maybe it was her nerves coating her with hypersensitivity.

"Why does it matter?" The man tilts his head, "You aren't getting anything except for disappointment after disappointment in this place. Watching him die again and again."

Her eyes widened with horror as she refocused her attention from the enigmatic person that was her Warden and looked at the shivering circle before her– the portal.

"You want me to go back home… Alone?" Petra didn't receive a verbal answer. A mere nod of the head from the relaxed man. "... Without Subaru and the rest…"

"You won't like them enough to want them coming back either way, Petra." He cryptically shrugs, "I won't take more of your time, kiddo." Warden stands up, stepping away from the table and beginning to circle in the air by his finger. A portal opens before him that is colored in the same oily red that Petra's own portal is in.

"You're going back to my world?" She asks, making the man pause.

"Eh? I forgot you were smarter than most in here," he chuckles lightly. "But yes. I'm going to your world. I have people that need me there and I've angered them by coming back inside this theater place to see you."

"You will leave me to make the choice alone?" Petra knew she couldn't ask all the questions in her mind so she asked the most important one.

"Well… You will either go here," he points at the portal to her right, "And be with your family and village people where you will wait for the rest here to finish my business." Warden takes a turn and points to her room's closed door. "Or you will go there. This portal closes for good. And you will have to watch the horrifying way Subaru found your village and friends."

"..."

Warden lowered his head in a small nod of comfort, clearly sympathetic to the horror on Petra's face.

"Like I said. You're a smart one, Petra." Warden whispered with a hint of emotion, "but you must never take on a truth you can never fight or live with. I gave you this choice just this once because of my own little sister."

The black coat ruffles as the man swipes it behind him. Warden gave another chuckle, "You're just like her. Just as kind as well."

His goggles glimmered in the portal lumination, the mask didn't convey any emotion other than observance. Yet his voice held a tremble of emotion that made Petra forced to see the man with a new outlook.

"Whatever you choose, there will never be a right answer. Take care," he waves robotically before stepping inside of the swirling hole in the air.

As the first one closed, Petra was left with one magical luminescent doorway and another non-magical totally wooden door.

Two choices that she wouldn't have realized she had without that man's help.

"Subaru…" the little girl called out, looking like she was about to cry. "I don't wanna see you die again, Subaru…" Petra whimpered as she crumpled in between her choices, her hair fluttering from the bursts of air from the portal. "I don't wanna see any of my parents die like you have." The images of her village played like a vision from one of those viewing sessions.

Her parents were probably baffled to where she was right now. Even though Petra had told them she would succeed in serving the master of their domain and earning enough to buy that dressing shop in the capital. What would they think after she left her master, the entire camp she was supposedly serving, and the boy who'd been her hero?

"What should I do… What will happen to Subaru if these guys abandon him?"

Leave or stay.

"I'm sorry…"

Petra's tears rolled down her cheeks as she stood up from her despair, and walked toward her choice.

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"Now that was an awesome nap!" Felt shouts while swinging her legs to jump off the bed.

"Lady, Felt-sama? Are you awake yet?" Reinhard calls out from behind the door.

"What?! Have ya been waitin' there for the entire time I was asleep?!" Felt shrieks, stomping and opening the door in half a second with a red face.

The redhead smiles and rubs the back of his head. "I had just come around, Felt-sama. I was about to wake you and get you to the Theater room."

"Oh. We've been called?" Felt loses her embarrassment and raises her brow at the knight.

Reinhard nods with thin lips. "It seems everyone is… Greatly overwhelmed. I feel as if everyone's on edge-"

"-and ya would rather I keep my mouth shut so as to not cause any fights." Felt cuts him off.

He nods sheepishly, "If you would not put it in any other term, yes."

"Whateva'!" She rolls her eyes and pushes past him. "Les' just see how far these idiots are gonna fall!"

Reinhard frowns but follows the blonde chaotic girl nonetheless.

"What's up with ya, Rein?" Felt asks while walking down the path, hands behind her head casually.

"Hm?" Reinhard hums, perking a glance at her.

"Why ya not annoyin' me about stayin' in line and stuff?"

"... I wouldn't dare show any mistrust towards your competence, milady." Reinhard mutters an answer, looking away.

"Mhm." Felt eyes him suspiciously for a moment but shakes her head. "Yeah, well keep me posted."

"I sure will, milady." Reinhard replies monotonically.

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Entering the theater, many of the camps have now been splintered into different groups and seating arrangements. Counting down what would be the first row, Emilia took her seat beside the sleeping Subaru on the right. Able to look Rem in the eye with a look of uncomfortableness while the maid refused to acknowledge her presence as she sat behind Subaru.

"Aren't you going to…" When Emilia tried to point out that Rem should be taking a seat next to Subaru's left, parallel to herself, she received a scathing glance from the furious maid.

"Rem won't sit in a place given to her by your pity. Thank you very much, Emilia-sama."

Emilia flinched on herself before looking away, unable to take how severely she damaged the relationship with the other girl in Subaru's heart.

"I wonder why you'd think it's given out of pity. You were the one falling into a pit of despair for your crimes, I suppose." voice interjects with harsh words for Rem, causing Emilia to glance at the spirit sitting on Subaru's lap.

"... I knew you weren't telling the truth either, Beatrice-sama." Rem muttered dryly, causing Emilia to sink in her seat.

Beatrice hummed in response, uncaring for what Rem was speaking about while sinking on Subaru's chest.

As the screen began illuminating the room with its flashing motions, Wilhelm and Crusch would enter the room together, the pair seemed to look past the front row and to where a hunched Felix was sat, at the farthest end of the second row's left side.

"He's been here this whole time?" Crusch asks, concerned for her knight's well being.

"I think Ferris needs some time alone right now, Crusch-sama." Wilhelm cautions compassionately.

Mistrustful of the statement but not the man, the duchess narrowed her eyes to get a better look at the huddled boy in a skirt. She hated how alone and abandoned he looked.

"Something happened to him, Wilhelm-dono." Crusch's fists trembled with fury.

"I'll take care of it. Do not set your heart on this matter before you solve what's already troubling you. You might become emotional and take it out on him like you've done hours ago."

"I had every right to be disappointed with him," the duchess says firmly, "He disrespected–"

"Out of mine way, commoners!" Without a thought, Crusch watched Priscilla slide between her and Wilhelm to get into the aisle stairs.

"You are a rude one, Barielle." Crusch seethed, receiving no answer from the nasty crimson beauty.

"Leave her." Wilhelm gestures to Crusch via a wave of his hand, "You have an action you need to decide on, Crusch-sama. Your fight with Ferris is not solved and clearly your emotions will get the better of you should he say the wrong thing… and I think we both know that is destined to happen."

The Karsten matriarch looked past the old man toward her knight, feeling a bout of remorse for what she had said to him before the last viewing had finished.

"Please take care of him for me," she whispers trustingly.

"Of course, my lady." He bows slightly before gesturing to a seat on the high row above Rem. "You could take that seat. You'd be in between Priscilla-sama's knight and Roswaal-sama's maid, Ram."

The Duchess pursed her lip in discontent. Something that the old knight beside her notices right away.

"I realize how… unfortunate it is." Wilhelm lowers his hand, "but you don't have many choices other than that one and…"

Crusch looks to where Wilhelm's eyes widened suddenly. Once she found what he had, the smirk on her face was smug and equally predatory.

"Well," he coughs into a fist. "I'm guessing there won't be any need for speculation then."

"Not even close, Wilhelm-dono." Crusch chuckles and walks away from the old swordsman to furnish the conflicted girls around one Natsuki Subaru with a sweet smile.

"Crusch-sama?"

"Hello Emilia-sama. I wouldn't have caught you at a bad time would I?"

"You were the one that came here… Ah. No. This is not a bad time at all." Emilia stumbles on herself, confused by the Duchess and her appearance on her row.

Crusch moves to look at Rem, giving the maid the same smile. "Rem."

"Crusch-sama." The maid bows, giving a pleased smile towards the woman as well.

Emilia looked between the two with a bit of an obscure look of realization.

"May I take your previous seat next to Natsuki Subaru? You don't seem to be needing it anymore." The Duchess earned a small humph of annoyance from Beatrice at this bold ask, but to Emilia's surprise and jealousy, Rem replied with a simple bow of respect.

"Rem trusts Crusch-sama. Please follow your comfort."

The matriarch of House Karsten gave the maid the same bow of respect standing up that Rem gave her. Emilia watched the two parallel each other with her mouth open.

She couldn't form the words once the bold lady of steel turned to face her.

"Emilia-sama, if I may?" Crusch asks.

"A-Are you asking my permission?!" Emilia stutters, unable to cope with the impersonal behavior from Crusch.

"Yes, he is your knight after all."

"... Please take a seat, Crusch-sama. We are glad to have you." Emilia tries to give her the most welcoming smile she could.

Crusch nods her head and gives Beatrice a long look.

"Hmph. Just take the seat, I suppose. You won't be crushing his hand anymore than these two anyway."

"Thank you." Crusch dutifully ignored that last part and bowed slightly for the great spirit. Then finally she took a rest beside Subaru's side.

"Is he always this peaceful when he's sleeping?" Crusch asks curiously for her first thing she noticed. Looking at Subaru, the Duchess had no qualms with overseeing the boy sitting beside her and analyzing him.

"Yes!" Emilia replies rigidly. "Subaru is indeed very cute when he is sleeping."

"I never said cute." Crusch blinks with curiosity at Emilia, to which the girl adorably fiddles with her ear.

"I think it slipped out. Sorry."

"You don't need to keep apologizing, Emilia-sama." Crusch reassured firmly.

Rem and Beatrice glared between the two girls staring at the screen.

"Subaru-kun is cute." "Betty no longer respects your opinion, hmph."

As Priscilla walked past Felix's row and slid into her own, she was displeased to find her knight sitting comfortably in the second row's middle section where a pink-haired maid was sitting beside him.

"Aldebaran, you unfaithful dog." Priscilla mutters, reserving to sit alone while her whore of a knight sat and talked with the boring pink maid. She never wondered what they were talking about. Her eyes were busy nitpicking whatever she could see from the flashing visions rapidly flowing in small flashes on the window.

"Sooooo having trouble in paradise?" Al broke the solid twenty minutes of silence with a one liner stupid enough to make Ram react.

"Hmph. Not like it's your business."

"Aw come on! You're the one who started butting into mine first!" Al rejects her rejection with outrage, but Ram raises a brow.

"But I was helping a pitiful animal get back into its master's good graces. You are trying to butt into Ram's troubles, there is a difference." She replies cruelly.

"...So Ram is having troubles, ey?" Al retorts casually, making her glare at him in annoyance.

"Hey hey, come now. I'm just trying to help you like you've done me."

"You've kept me company long enough. Now please leave to your master." Ram gestures him away with a wave.

But Al decides to ignore that and watch the show of flashing pictures behind his helmet.

"Company is all someone needs sometimes," he says cryptically.

Ram doesn't face him. "You are a… torable pet, I suppose."

"And you are a nasty devil!"

Al wasn't as outraged at her as his statement sounded. And Ram's smirk showed that she knew.

Once the two had settled their differences, Wilhelm had moved to sit beside Felix, silently eyeing the knight while the boy gave no indication of talking to the old man.

Before long, Anastasia had entered while rubbing the scarf around her neck. "What the hell's this?!"

It was at this moment that Priscilla's eyes moved from the screen to look at the scene below.

"...Problem, Anastasia-sama?" Crusch blinks innocently while the foxy girl glared death at her.

"What are ya doin' sittin' there?!" Anastasia points at Crusch blasphemously. But the Duchess simply gave a smirk.

"Rem was kind enough to share."

"That so?" Anastasia smiled with gritted teeth, "then ya wouldn't mind my company ey?"

"Not at all. Please join us." Crusch spoke in a pleased tone that seemed to irritate Anastasia on purpose. "I already have a good seat myself."

"..." Anastasia clenched her scarf tightly and shook her head. She took the seat right beside the smug Duchess with a begrudging attitude.

"Mind if I join you, my lady?"

Anastasia looked up to find a freshly clothed Julius smiling down at her with eloquence.

"O'course!" Anastasia giggles and pats the last seat on the left side of the first row.

As soon as Julius had taken the seat beside his lady, a shrieking Felt demanded the attention of the entire room.

"To hell with ya!" Felt points at the line of Crusch, Anastasia, and Julius.

"Those were ours!" She rages, scrapping Reinhard's hand and trying to wiggle out of his grip so she could unleash absolute fury on the girls.

"Finders keepers kiddo~" Anastasia winks while Crusch makes no move to change seats.

"I am sure there are other seats available in the back." Crusch nods her head to Reinhard, instilling a way out for the knight.

One he was grateful to take, "Y-Yes. Let's go to the seats where Anastasia-sama and Julius left behind. It's the best view in the room."

"I'll kill ya! The lot of ya!" Felt scrambled like a wild dog in his hold, but Reinhard kept her tight to his chest.

"What a raging farm of pigs." Priscilla bemoaned in disgust. "Fighting, scrambling, whoring themselves out of pitiful need to control what's already out of their hands."

The crimson beauty moved her eyes from the pack of girls to the boy in the middle of them. Her lips pursed while jealousy danced within her ruby eyes.

Otto and Garfiel finally took their seats beside Emilia's side, filling up the entire front row.

Second row was all but filled up, with the child twins needing to take the place of Ram beside Roswaal on the third row. The magic lord had slipped into the back without anyone noticing him while the commotion was happening.

"Oi, sis! Sit down well ya?!" Garfiel shouts to his sister.

Frederica was the only one in the room to remain standing, looking into the hallway one foot into the theater room.

"I don't see Petra-chan." Frederica spoke anxiously, looking between the room and the hallway of doors.

"Isn't she still in her room still?" Otto questions from where his seat was.

Frederica bit her lip harshly, "I tried knocking. But she wouldn't answer me."

"Why're ya so worried anyway?" Anastasia voices curiously. "No one's gonna be leavin' here soon. Kid's probably still asleep."

"Petra-chan never oversleeps." Ram decided to point out in a low voice.

"That girl is dear to Subaru, in fact." Beatrice glared at the hallway and looked like she was about to hop off from Subaru's lap to look with Frederica.

Until the little girl entered the theater room with a small smile of embarrassment. "H-Hi! Hope I didn't keep you all waiting." Petra stood beside Frederica and bowed deeply to the crowd, "I apologize for my tardiness!"

"Take your seat then lil one. Ya haven't delayed us by much." Anastasia smiles kindly while giving Frederica a wink.

The blonde maid gave a sigh of relief. "I don't know why… but I felt you'd never join us here for some reason."

"Hm? Why would I not? Subaru won't be able to handle it if he knew I quit on learning and accepting his pain." Petra puts a hand on her hip while gesturing towards the sleeping boy with a nod.

Frederica narrowed her eyes at the little girl. "You speak as if there was another way."

"Yes there was." Petra answered with a strange smile. "But that's just a boring way. Imagine if I had to sleep all through this session!" Petra giggles while hopping toward the empty seats between Roswaal and Priscilla in the third row. Her mentor gave her a small shake of the head and a smile while following to sit beside her.

"Here we go…" Ricardo speaks groggy, wiping the sleep from his eyes as the screen brightly flashed.

"We haven't even discussed what we might see." Rem says in realization.

"That is correct." Julius nods with her, frowning with discontent.

"Most of ya had feelings t' work out." Anastasia tells while focusing on the screen.

"This one's not gonna be fun after that nasty fight, ay?" Al shakes his head.

Nobody answered him as the screen stopped and went dark. Lighting up again to begin playing a tone.

[Opening Theme 2: Paradisus-Paradoxum

A flock of birds is shown flying around one another in a circle across an orange sky.]

"A new opening?" The merchant wonders to himself, making Ram scoff from above.

"Obviously from the weird chants in the background."

"It's ominous." Tivey whispers in distress while his sister displays excitement for the upcoming song.

[The screen slowly pans down as the sounds of Whales could be heard and water bubbles could be seen flying up towards the orange bright sky from the deep dark sea.]

"These just keep getting weirder and weirder!" Emilia shivers at the sight of the water effects and realistic sound of water waves.

"I do agree that these sequences are kind of unneeded." Crusch pipes, earning a small glare from Anastasia.

[Subaru is laying at the very bottom of the dark sea with his eyes closed and bubbles are all around him.]

"What's this?!" Felt distressed over Subaru's body being in the water.

"I think this is a metaphor for something?" Tivey expresses while playing with his monocle. "These musical sections kinda have themes and images to foreshadow whatever is going to happen in a couple of viewing sessions."

"What if the water holding Subaru down when he's trying to swim up means that he can't get away from his fears in life?" Petra states, wondering what the scene was about.

"Maybe it's guilt?" Said Rem with a sour expression.

[He opens his eyes to reveal tears at the corners as flashbacks to Emilia yelling at him play and make him flinch in guilt and embarrassment.]

"Oooof! Ya may have been right!" Ricardo puckers his lips in agony at the memory of the nasty fight replaying.

Emilia looks saddened by it and how Subaru is depicted to be held down just because of a fight he had with her.

"It could be anything from his embarrassment to his guilt for treating you like a prize to be won that made him sink, Emilia-sama." Crusch forces Emilia to look at her by the firm tone she was using.

"Ah." The half elf finds herself unable to look away from Crusch's appraising amber orbs. "Thank you… Even though Puck was right about this all."

"Alright." Crusch's gaze moved from Emilia to the candidate sitting to her side. Anastasia had the same look of distrust as Crusch when Puck was mentioned by Emilia.

[The screen pans from the laying Subaru to the demented red sky above the sea that he was in as the title card appears.

Emilia and Subaru could be seen smiling at one another with the world around them bright and delightful. They pass each other and suddenly the world goes dark and both have exhausted and sad faces.]

"It's no puzzle what this means to tell us, I suppose." Beatrice dryly says while Emilia purses her lips from beside her.

"You'd think it would be put in a more subtle way." Rem bites angrily, surprising Emilia that she was mad for her.

"The screen is only showing Emilia-sama what doesn't need to be said. She's in a 'rough patch' with Subaru, as he would say it," Rem speaks using a term from Subaru's strange language.

"Besides," Emilia and Rem look over to Garfiel, who was smirking at the silver-haired lady with confidence, "Ya and Cap'n fixed yer differences before ya met with me. Keep that in mind, will ya?"

Emilia blinks rapidly, unwilling to let her tears flow down at the strange support she seemed to be getting. She only nodded to Rem and Garfiel.

[Scene changes to show Emilia with her back to the door of the room Subaru was in when she left him. It shows Subaru hugging her coat from the other side of the room. The screen flickers between the two scenes and changes…]

"Have you noticed anything other than the fight between these two in the flashes?" Tivey asked his sister, but Mimi only shook her head.

"I don't think anything else was theeeere." Roswaal suddenly voices himself, scaring the young boy.

"Ah. Thanks?" Tivey said, trying not to look at the clown dressed man much.

[Subaru is walking through a snowing dark road with Rem slowly following him.]

"This is showing that Rem-san will be playing a bigger part again?" Otto theorizes while glancing at the maid.

Rem only frowned towards the way Subaru was aimlessly walking towards the darkness and cold. Emilia seemed to dislike the specific emphasis of the snow too.

"I'd rather this be explained rather than be showcased in such a way." Priscilla snarked spitefully, her eyes full of interest as the musical charms fully engrossed her.

[Subaru slowly holds his head in frustration as images of a smiling Rem and a smiling Emilia play making him more manic and frustrated.]

"He's gonna be in for a rouuugh time!" Ricardo shakes his head at the dark path foreshadowed here.

"I'm surprised he's having such a hard time with all them ladies– oof!" Al was cut from an elbow by Ram.

"That's my sister, sleazy man!"

"Sorry, sorry."

"Hmph!" Priscilla laughs cruelly at the sight of her traitor knight getting abused so soon by the very maid he chose to sit next to.

[The screen changes to show the many characters in the area.

Crusch, Felix and Wilhelm.

Al feeding Priscilla.

Anastasia eating with Mimi.

Emilia, resting her head on her desk with a sad look while Puck rubs his head with his paw.

Julius is shown holding a wooden sword with a determined face as Subaru stands behind him with his own sword on the dueling grounds.]

"Julius?" Reinhard calls from behind the front row, trying to see if his friend is seeing this.

"We will have to see the consequences of the fight anyways, Reinhard. I'm okay with that." Julius calmly reassured without turning to face the Sword Saint.

[The screen flickers and suddenly, a huge eye and a man with dark black hands are shown staring at Subaru.]

"Who the hell's that?!" Garfiel shouts once he sees the eyes of the man and what's inside of them.

"That's…" Julius tries to speak but Anastasia closes his mouth, shaking her head.

"... I knew that he would appear to me." Beatrice speaks cryptically, glaring at the screen.

"I wouldn't have to give a warning here not to dwell on this? We will see it all so please unhold the freeze on the window's vision." Crusch urges everyone to stop their speculation and panic so they can move on.

And everyone eventually let it go. Except for Emilia.

For some reason, she had a tear in her eyes.

[As the music picks up, Subaru and Rem are shown riding Patrasche together.]

"Where is this, I wonder?" Beatrice questions, suddenly interested.

"It's no wonder where this is. It's the great plains." Wilhelm answers from the back.

"Then this song is showcasing the fall of the White Whale?" Otto asks, looking at Crusch or Wilhelm for an answer.

"Yes. It does." Felix was the one who answered hoarsely, sounding like a wounded animal than what he used to be.

[Through a foggy plain, the screen shows Crusch standing at the ready in front of a giant whale opening its mouth through the fog with men all around her on their knees or unconscious on the ground.

Crusch smirks wide at the monster.]

"Hm, you were confident against that thing." Felt hums, a little salty but still impressed.

Crusch shakes her head, brushing off the impressed stares from Emilia and Rem, "The battle was nothing as easy for me as this shows." The Duchess left everyone wondering if the battle was even that one sided as the tales told.

[Subaru is seen holding Rem on top of a sunny hill.]

"Where was this, sister?" Ram asks.

Rem flinches with a pursed lip, not expecting to see this moment so soon.

Emilia notices this and frowns in sadness. "At least it's a nice hill!"

"As if that is what's important right now." Felt coughs while overlooking the scene between Rem and Subaru with a bit of compassion.

"This must've been a crucial moment between you and Natsuki Subaru. Congratulations, Rem."

The capable maid could only duck her head to hide her blush at Crusch's sly comment. Emilia looked at the two with curiosity.

[Scene changes to Rem slamming her mace into cultists in a forest.]

"... Then there's no doubt about it." Reinhard winces deliberately so he can stop thinking of all the possibilities.

"Witch's Cult is here." Rem growls, losing her girlish reaction from before and glaring at the screen with hatred.

"I wish I was there… Ya got the coolest moments in this second openin' and I barely appeared t' help my Cap'n yet!" Garfiel shouts in frustration. The blonde looked desperate to be involved in the ass kicking happening on the screen with Rem.

"Subaru-dono will be facing them head on, no doubt about it." Wilhelm comments with a small frown. "I suppose that it's not needed to be said that he will be facing a tougher challenge than what he previously dealt with."

At the old man's pointing words, everyone realized what the scene of Rem fighting a cultist really entailed.

"Big bro is gonna be facing some horrid deaths." Felt shakes her head as she blurts out the truth no one seemed to voice. "It's just what's gonna happen…"

While the blonde princess in the second row showed an expression of fury and disgust for what was expected to happen, another girl in the same row held a frown of discomfort.

"... I hope he won't feel too lonely."

Petra's soft plea raised a few heads towards her. Mainly the four maidens around Subaru's sleeping form.

"It's just… So sad. Hearing about him facing all of this… Unable to ask anyone for help." Petra repeated something she said a few sessions ago. The little maid earned looks of sadness and sympathy from Felix and Ricardo.

"The young one's village was under the cross mark of the Cult's attack…" Crusch's words seemed to hit Emilia, Rem, and even Beatrice as the three immediately understood what the iron lady was trying to say.

The Duchess turned away from Petra, noticing that the little girl was on the verge of breaking almost as soon as she laid eyes on her. She couldn't look anymore. Her fury would force her to do something rash and unpleasant.

"This damn Warden will pay… To torture a child like this and expect her to see things the same way we do… Disgusting!" Crusch cursed under her breath, slamming a hand on her armrest.

Anastasia glances at the gloved hand in thought. "Seems like she's just as pissed with this tool as we are."

[Witch cultists surround her with blades appearing in their palms.]

Roswaal was the one to turn his head away from the sight on the screen. His gaze fell on the peach-colored hair of Ram instead. Her head seemed the only appropriate sight the lord could look at without giving a reaction.

Ram's neck turned and her eye caught Roswaal's in a moment of accident.

The maid's silent look was filled with emotions Roswaal could not explain or understand.

It must've been her anger. Her fury that her sister would be fighting because of his plans.

It must have been her hatred for him and his Gospel.

"Teacher's gospel…" Roswaal corrected the thought within his head.

Ram continued to look at her master in the back until Al spoke up beside her.

"Ya know. I think he took the look of reassurance you tried to give him wrongly… but that's just me." Al shrugs and turns from looking between the maid and the magic lord to face the screen.

The maid seemed disinclined to answer the knight.

[Purple effect plays as the screen flashes everything backwards.

The scene stops on Subaru, standing in the middle of a huge flat plain with his fist closed.

He looks back to find Emilia standing in front of a gigantic tree trunk with dark hands coming for her.]

"Those hands!" Reinhard's eyes widened in shock.

"They are just like the Witch's!" Rem growls with alarm.

Emilia seemed just as disturbed as one would expect by this scene. Resulting in her moving closer to the sleeping boy that sat beside her.

[Subaru grits his teeth and runs as the black hands get closer to Emilia.

The princess slowly looks back and smiles at the boy as he frantically opens his palm and extends his arm for her.

Emilia smiles and takes his hand as her face is completely covered by the shadow palms of the many long hands.

Subaru grips her hand harder and pulls.

Screen goes dark.

Theme end.]

"Wha… What…" Emilia stuttered frantically without end, facing the screen with a horrified white face, unable to make sense of what she had just seen with her friends.

Nearly everyone was staring at the static screen in absolute curiosity and or excitement in the case of Garfiel and Anastasia.

"I don't suppose we have to remind you that these sequences are not important to our viewing, Emilia-sama?" Crusch questions curiously.

"B-But… " Emilia looked at her side to find that Beatrice and Rem were staring at her with pity. She swallows nervously, not able to take the stares without feeling great amounts of shame.

"Subaru will be saving you, I suppose." Beatrice sighs with annoyance. Emilia assumes it to be an attempt to cheer her up from the spirit.

"Will Subaru-kun be able to handle the Witch?" Rem's soft whispered question made Emilia flinch with guilt.

Yet again, the maid proved to be more compassionate about her knight than Emilia could ever be.

"I'm sure he'll be fine," the merchant to Emilia's side interjected. "Emilia-sama and Natsuki-san both made it out happier than ever afterall!"

Even though Otto's words were filled with hope and determination, Emilia's gaze couldn't bother to look at the boy. She wouldn't want to notice how fake his smile was. It was clear that this was another tactic from the Minister of her camp to cheer her up.

"Getting coddled like a broken house pet that can't walk on its legs. How fitting a sight for a girl that can barely sink a thought into her brains." Priscilla insulted from above with a dry, uninterested voice. As if the insult itself was an act unimportant and insignificant to her. All while Emilia's pride and heart got crushed thoroughly from Priscilla's cruel words.

"Oi! Keep yer mouth shu-" Garfiel was put down by Otto's hand clamping his mouth shut.

"Don't get involved. Are you crazy?!" Otto hisses at the blonde ludicrously.

"I won't let her insult princess for nothin'!"

"We can't insult a candidate. didn't you see what happened to Felix-" Otto was promptly cut off by Garfiel shrugging his hand off of him, looking more enraged.

"Ya want to stand by that asshole Knight?!"

"... Stop it please." Emilia's voice cut through the argument and made the tension hang in the air instead of leading to an explosive climax.

"I would rather we watch for now. No need for anyone to cheer me up or get involved on my behalf." Emilia didn't look anyone in the eye as she said this.

Even though the half-elf noticed the nod of approval from Crusch and the look of apprehension from Rem, she still looked toward her white robes for comfort. Priscilla's words had hit her right and true in the heart.

The crimson Baroness sitting above them all didn't even need validation to know that she had affected Emilia. Haughty and overlooking the silver-haired girl alongside the sleeping boy, Priscilla clicked her tongue with distaste painting her expression.

"How far will the pig swim in the mud for such a worthless woman?"

[Season 1 Episode 8 Director's Cut.

Begin.

Panning across the luxurious scenery of the yard, the screen did not focus until the beauty of this garden was realized through the shot, before Subaru was revealed. Standing in the middle of the garden, he was holding a wooden sword, shaped for novices.]

"We're starting off right after Emilia-sama left my household." Crusch announced for everyone, making a timeline clear.

"Why is he training with a sword?" Emilia asks, finding it incredibly interesting to see how Subaru dealt with the fight from his side.

"He is… in a phase. You could say." Crusch nods cryptically, unwilling to give any answers.

"He has chosen to be a worm instead of taking what he wants. Hm." Priscilla comments with a condescending stare aimed for Subaru.

[Wilhelm stood before him, holding his own weapon in hand and pointing it on guard towards Subaru.

The two stood opposite to one another, until the youth struck at the butler in an aggressive manner.

Wilhelm was able to block each swipe from Subaru with relative ease.

The black-haired boy appeared to grow more agitated, more frustrated. The memory of his previous expressions and failures during him and Emilia's fight played within his mind and over his face on the screen.

Seeing this, Wilhelm quickly and boredly disposed of Subaru's weapon and flung the boy to his back on the yard grass.

"Shall we stop for now?" Wilhelm asks, looking down at Subaru with something akin to pity.

He didn't get up, his mind began playing Emilia's screams towards him. Trying to keep a sob inside, Subaru flung an arm over his beaten face.]

"I see…" Julius muses.

"Watcha see?" Anastasia pries from her knight.

"It's just that… Natsuki seems more comfortable doing something he has no talent or skill for, instead of something more productive for his sake."

"He's useless with a sword, no denying that. So he must be doing something else with this training." Felt nods her head prodingly.

"It just means that he's trying to make himself busy from the bad memories of the fight with Emilia-sama!" Petra spoke confidently, trying to stop any more discussion from being heard in this scene as she became invested.

"It's not working, is it? I mean pal over there seems beaten because he couldn't focus. That fight is on his mind no matter what." Al interjects.

All throughout this, Emilia held pity in her eyes for Subaru's struggle against the entire thing. She must've crushed him by leaving like that.

"You do not seem to be troubled by it anymore," Ram spoke out, her voice reaching Julius' ears making him turn.

"Ah. You mean my guilt over how the fight affected him." he found himself stared at by a curious Ram and a concerned Reinhard. "I wouldn't rather say that."

"He is trying." Otto cuts in, smirking from his seat.

Julius rolled his eyes but tried to hide his own perking of the lips by looking away.

[The window pans this scene away from Subaru's beaten form in the garden, and upwards to the person watching over him from a window.

"I swear, Julius, your good nature is going to waste, playing the villain for someone like him," Felix sighed with disappointment. His ears shuffled in distaste as he continued to stare down at the black-haired boy.]

"What's with ya?!" Asked Garfiel with a bombastic voice. "I'm already pissed with ya, catboy!"

Glaring at Felix, it felt like the whole room was avoiding to watch Garfiel stand and shout at the healer.

"I'd rather you not be hasty and leave my friend alone, please." Julius spoke calmly, surprising no one as Felix was defending him on the screen.

"Why do you have to be mean towards Subaru, Ferris-san?" It was Emilia that commanded surprise from Crusch and the many others who were becoming interested in this.

The healer in a skirt had a miserable expression once the eyes of the half elf turned on him. "Subaru-kyun was only trying to hide his own faults by overworking himself. I didn't like it, nyan."

With his hoarse explanation, Emilia seemed stuck on whether she should be more curious or let things carry on.

"I think we should sit down, Garf." Otto nods his head and patting his blonde companion on the shoulder.

Garfiel gives Felix a glare before sitting down.

"You shouldn't be so hard on yourself." Julius says, appearing to not care about what was happening. Yet Felix seemed to blink at the sudden kindness Julius was giving him.

Wilhelm gives a nod, relieved that things were working out even if slowly for Felix.

[His mind went back to a distant moment between him and Julius.

"I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about." Julius courtly said, staring down the window of the now empty battle grounds of the Knight quarters.

"How could you get yourself punished trying to protect a guy like that?" Felix inquired hotly.

"I only acted as I wished true to my own nature." Julius's cool reply came. "Righteously, in my own way, and without shame, as I wished."]

"Protect?" Emilia utters. She looked at Felix and Julius with confusion.

"How did that beating protect Subaru-kun?" Rem questions the knight who only waved a hand through his hair in response.

"You really did not notice, Emilia-sama?" Otto raised his brow in surprise.

"Eh?" Emilia blinked with more confusion, causing one girl with a fox scarf to sigh.

"Ya really are in need ova' brain." Anastasia mutters, giving the screen a look of discontent while Emilia shot her a glance of offense.

"Julius was hurting his own reputation to give satisfaction for those that intended to kill Subaru-kyun for his words at the castle." Felix answers the half-elf with little to no emotion in his tone.

"Eh?! You really did that, Julius?! Is this why Subaru became super friends with you?" Emilia gushes in amazement, disgusting Priscilla and annoying Anastasia with her attitude.

"He beat your knight across the training yard, Emilia-sama." Crusch glances at her wonderingly. Julius himself looks away with an uncomfortable silence roaming over him.

Emilia however shook her head. "No no, you don't get it. Subaru reeeally likes Julius! Their relationship is one of a kind!"

"Ah," Crusch nods with her eyes wide with interest. "So you speak from what Natsuki has said himself. I see."

"Mhm. Subaru's talked alot about him, not sure if half of it was as good as he wanted it to sound but I can tell the place Julius holds in his heart is veeery dear!" Emilia smiles at the knight brightly, looking like an angel with no wings.

"Ah, ya I guess it ain't that bad then." Anastasia begrudgingly lets her annoyance with Emilia go after realizing what the half-elf was doing. "Ya hear that Julius? The boy loves ya like a sweetheart~"

The knight waved a hand through his hair once more, trying not to look his teasing lady in the eye so she doesn't see his unstableness.

"I didn't think he'd speak about me in such a manner at all." Julius mutters, keeping his hand stuck in between his hair. "Doesn't sound like him."

"Oh believe it!" Otto chuckles lightly, catching Julius' off guard. Garfiel seems to begrudgingly let his glare fall and look away from the knight.

[Scene returns back to present Felix, still watching Subaru from the window of the office.

"Are you sure about this? Old Man Wil is busy preparing too." Felix asks in uncertainty, still looking out of the window.

"It was a request from our guest. I cannot ignore it." The Duchess sitting on the chair behind the desk answered.

"If they're just practicing, it's nyo big deal, but… Frankly, it looks to me like he's just making excuses." Felix looks away from the window, shaking his head.

Crusch stopped her work on the paper and gave him a confused glance. "Excuses?"

"He wants to say, 'I'm fine. I'm working hard.'" He puts a hand on his hip.

The Duchess barely gave it any thought before looking back to her papers, "Can you blame him?"]

"He was telling the truth, Garf." Otto points at the screen.

"Yea whateve'! He still has a problem with my Cap'n and I ain't lettin' that slide!"

"Rem's helped Subaru through his training, don't worry about him, Emilia-sama." Rem said with a smile aimed for the boy's head.

Emilia frowns however, not liking how provokingly the statement was said by the maid. "Are you… Trying to tell me something, Rem?" Emilia asks, squinting at the maid she thought she was fighting with.

Rem only blinked. "No? Rem just wanted Emilia-sama to know that Subaru-kun was in safe hands while Emilia-sama was crying in the mansion."

"... I see." Emilia's lips thinned at this, her brows even lowered once Beatrice chuckled from her side.

"Yeah, that maid is definitely out for Big sis' blood." Felt shakes her head but couldn't take her gaze off of the stare down between Emilia and Rem.

"Let us get on with it." Crusch glances at both girls with apprehension, seemingly breaking the stare down with her firm tone. Her eyes befell on the face of the sleeping Subaru for a moment before moving back to the screen.

"This is troublesome," the Duchess said with a frown.

[The healer looked out the window and noticed someone standing at the front gate of the mansion.

Someone with red hair that was noticeable from miles away.

Opening up, the screen showed Reinhard van Astrea with his head bowed humbly before Subaru, "Forgive me."

"Hang on! What have you got to apologize for? None of this was your fault!" Subaru waved his arms around frantically.

But the red headed young man kept his head down low.

"No, I am a friend to you, as well as to Julius. My own lack of virtue was responsible for my failure to stop a disagreement between my two friends. That duel had no meaning."]

It was Al and Felix who face palmed at the same time.

"Can't believe ya said tha'!" Ricardo booms with widened eyes.

"Seriously?" Tivey shrieks from above, "Way to say the worst thing possible when unneeded!"

"Cap'n ain't gonna like tha'" Garfiel flinches while his green-robed friend holds his head in his hands despairingly. "Natsuki-san won't let this down without a fight."

Priscilla was openly laughing at Reinhard's mishap, which resulted in Felt shouting out loud.

"CAN YA ALL SHUT TH' HELL UP!" The blonde glares around for anyone to continue speaking.

"F-Felt-sama?" Reinhard gestures for her to calm down with both hands, but the girl only glared furiously at Priscilla with bared teeth.

"Hm? Do you require a treat?" To which the beauty in the back row replies snidely with innocent flashes of her lashes for good measure.

"I need a foot up your a-" Felt was stopped from saying anymore by Reinhard's diligence to cover her mouth with his palm.

"Thank you for thinking about me, my lady. But these were only cries of frustration at something I screwed up. It is fair."

"I told you to be greedy Od damn it!" Felt removes herself from his grip and sits back down with a furious glare stuck on her face.

Reinhard's frown never left his face as he sat either, looking in between his lady and the screen.

"You thinking of talking to him anytime syoon, Old Man Wil?" Felix said to the old Swordsman that was watching everything with an indifferent face.

"I don't suppose I would have anything to do with the matter. Just because he is my grandchild does not mean I have the right to fight his battles for him." Wilhelm spoke coldly even if it was the first time Felix had initiated a talk between them.

"That ain't what I meant, nyan! You knyow that, right?" Felix received silence for his effort in breaking out of his shell.

[Subaru narrowed his eyes at this. "No meaning?"

"That's right. What came from you two fighting there? You were hurt, and Julius tarnished his own career. Why not try to have a calm, open discussion with him? I'm sure that will clear up the misunder-"

"Reinhard." Subaru interrupted hotly, his face hostile.

The Sword Saint rose to look at him, frowning as Subaru delivered.

"I get how you feel, and I appreciate it. You really are a nice guy."

Reinhard smiled as Subaru started, thinking that this was a hopeful approach from the black-haired boy.

"Then-"

"But I can't accept that proposal. We're done talking. Go back now." With that, Subaru turned away from him and walked back to the garden.

"Subaru… Why?" Reinhard frowns deeply, looking at the boy's treading back, "What did you gain from that duel?" the knight tries to appeal to the young man, "You've only suffered losses even Emilia-sama-"

"You'd better head back for today, Reinhard. Before your mistress gets lonely and starts yelling for you." Subaru closes the gate between him and Reinhard and walks further into the mansion yard.

The redhead looks taken aback by this. His gaze aimed to the pavement before walking away.

"Mind your own damn business," Subaru bites in whispers as he goes further from the hero and into the lavish mansion.]

Reinhard caught Subaru's whisper on the screen with a deep frown of sadness, enraging Felt to the extent she glared at her own Subaru in the theater with harming intent.

"Felt-sama don't."

"I ain't gonna do anythin' he's just pissin' me off!" Felt whined as Reinhard instantly grabbed her wrist but kept it gentle.

"You shouldn't be this angry at Subaru," he said, blue-eyes looking down in disappointment, "I did interfere where I wasn't needed."

"I wouldn't say you are wrong in that." Crusch interjects from her seat, looking regal and serious. "But your approach is what missed the mark here. Not the intent, Sword Saint."

Reinhard wouldn't have given the words from the Karsten head any thought until Emilia spoke up, saddened. "I know you said some wrong things, but Subaru isn't in the right mind either. He shouldn't have treated his friend like that."

"Rem," Ram called from above, earning her sister's attention. "Has Barusu's mentality degraded any further than this?"

"What do you mean, I wonder?" Beatrice asks before Rem's answer could come. The spirit turned to look at the pink-haired maid with a look of conviction, "You wouldn't happen to know something about Betty's contractor, would you?"

Ram seems to ignore the maid's provocation with a shake of her head. "Barusu's attitude was very different from when I had met with him once he came back," she points to the screen, lips thinned. "That is a very drastic change in his behavior than what I was subject to upon his return."

"What yer sayin' is…" Anastasia hummed while toying with her scarf dangerously.

"There's a chance Big Bro might be dyin'?!" Felt barks.

"I mean… Yeah?" Everyone looked back to the man that said that so casually that it might have been a crime to so many in the room.

"What?" Al shrugs. "You didn't expect to see him dying again? This entire prison we have going on around us is to make us watch his suffering, you shoulda expected this from the moment you entered here."

"I'd rather say you've grown irritatingly accurate, Aldebaran." Priscilla gives her knight words of agreement while still staring at the screen with boredom encompassing her expression and body language.

"I wouldn't doubt that." Tivey decides to speak his turn to the crowd. "Mister over there will be the one to help us on the White Whale and the Sloth expeditions…"

"And this happened one week after the royal selection was initiated." Emilia bites her lip from quivering.

"... Yes. " Rem captures everyone's attention by whispering. "Subaru-kun gets much worse than this shows," the maid does not have a pinpointed expression or emotion on her face once she says this, however.

Emilia and almost everyone who cares for Subaru in the theater showcases faces of dread and denial at Rem's merciless statement.

Ram nods her head to her sister before turning to Emilia. "Think that Barusu must've gotten better from his mindset even with the pain that came from his death. You should be optimistic–"

"Don't even dare to make her feel better about this, I suppose!" Beatrice suddenly cuts in, glaring daggers towards Ram.

"Beatrice-sama, please calm down!" Frederica shouts from the back, trying to step in and help Ram.

"I dislike the way you speak about his death like it's some currency, in fact," the blonde great spirit seethed at Ram. "I don't want you to talk about my contractor, neither with your sister or anyone else, I suppose."

"Beatrice-sama!" Otto yells while the rest of the Emilia camp including Emilia and Roswaal watch this with surprised faces.

"My apologies, Beatrice-sama." Ram bows her head and goes emotionless and silent, giving Emilia one final look before turning back to the screen.

Beatrice said nothing to the people around her and sat back down on the boy's lap like nothing happened.

"This is a bad time to be fighting. Let's please not disturb ourselves more than we need to for what's to come," the Duchess beside Beatrice moves things along once more with a forlorn statement that reached even Priscilla in the back.

"Before we continue, I must say something." Julius earns a nod from Crusch to carry forward his request. He looked back at Reinhard and bowed his head in respect. "Thank you for defending me and Subaru's honor. As well as trying to get us to reconcile our fight more peacefully."

Reinhard receives this with pleasant surprise. "Uh, of course, Julius. I was still apologizing for myself however."

"It doesn't affect your intent to show Natsuki the bigger picture in your own way, I thank you." Julius informs diligently.

Reinhard smiles brightly, willing to enjoy that Julius was giving him such a special moment between them. Only for it to be ruined as the violet knight spoke again.

"But please never do it on my behalf again."

"..."

In the end, the Sword Saint's expression fell to disappointment as Julius turned his back around and nodded to Crusch in gratitude. The Duchess only received him with a head shake of disappointment which Julius ignores as he sits back down.

Felt seethes in her seat, trying to burn the back of Julius' head via her glare if she could.

[Scene change to the freshened garden that had clashing noises filling its air.

* CLANK!* *CLANK!*

".. GHK!"

Swiping tiredly towards Wilhelm, Subaru is parried with relative ease by the older swordsman. He falls to his knees from exhaustion.

"Shall we stop for now?" The butler asks, waiting with patience above the exhausted Subaru.

The boy remained on the floor of the grass, gasping for dear life. Before he could tell what was happening, Subaru's legs charged towards the steeled butler in an attempt to surprise the old knight with a jab, but he was easily knocked down to his back from a single strike of the man's wooden weapon.

Once he hits the ground, Subaru feels lightheaded enough to be overwhelmed by darkness…]

"Ain't that just dirty." Anastasia chuckles lightly.

"I'm disappointed he'd be so rash," the Duchess beside her comments, lightly glancing at the boy himself beside her.

"Nah, it's a good move," the western matriarch shakes her head. "He's bout as greedy as they come. Any chance to seize the day is not impossible for him. That's kinda my style."

"Surely?" Crusch raises a brow, "You see Natsuki Subaru in such a way? Shrewd and without code?"

"Not to that extent, but I could see him growing into a fine merchant one day, yes."

At Anastasia's propping, Emilia found herself listening in to the conversation while everyone else talked about Subaru's dirty tricks and if they were disappointed or appreciative that he failed to knock down Wilhelm. She didn't have time for that now, her focus was pulled by these two ladies that talked as if Subaru belonged to them already.

"Without a doubt you are wrong, Anastasia-sama." Crusch rejects the words spouted from Anastasia firmly. "Natsuki is underhanded and cunning when he wants to be, but that's as far as he gets in terms of morality."

"I wouldn't have taken ya t' be a woman of hopeless beliefs." Anastasia sighs with a shake of her head.

Crusch narrows her eyes with suspicion. "Why are you so fixated on making him out to be some grand puzzle piece? You were vying to keep him safe just like the rest of us all throughout these viewings."

Emilia pursed a lip as she waited for the answer along with Crusch. Her eyes were on the western girl like a hawk's.

"Ya seem to have taken me for a ride in that head of yers, Crusch-san," she replies hotly with a pout, "I ain't sayin' that kid's a bad fella. I'm sayin' that I respect the potential within 'em."

As Anastasia explained herself to the Duchess, Emilia couldn't help but feel ashamed with herself for thinking so badly of the girl. Crusch herself seemed to be taken aback by the sincere words from the reclusive woman.

"Ah, my apologies."

"No need." Anastasia says with a shake of her head, giving the Duchess a small grin. "I know ya would be impressed with dirty tricks and gray players as well. They are the best opponents to crush if you're the one playing with honor and dignity as yer thing."

Understanding the gesture of respect from Anastasia, Crusch chuckles earnestly, her sternness washing away now that the merchant's position was clear.

"I'm supposed to thank you for the compliment."

"Ya're welcome, Crusch-san."

[The screen lights up and shows Rem from a downward perspective. She was smiling warmly as if the thing she looked down on was dear to her.]

The half-elf moved her eyes away from both Crusch and Anastasia, feeling bad that she spied on a conversation between these two yet feeling left out since they seemed to be more close to each other than she was. Only to be greeted by the sight of Rem and Subaru bonding together in his favorite position.

Emilia took Subaru's hand in hers tightly, trying to stop the thoughts about which lap he preferred to which girl he liked more. Quashing the jealousy within her was absolutely essential if she wanted to stand on an equal ground with Rem from now on.

It was still hard with the threat of Rem giving her a smug smile as the screen played out intimate moments with the maid and Subaru constantly.

"I'm sorry to take your place, Emilia-sama." Rem spoke honestly from behind but Emilia didn't want to look back and find a teasing smile or a knowing look. She couldn't handle any of the angry girl's jabs toward her.

["You must be tired after your practice, Subaru-kun."

Resting his head on her lap, Subaru looks away gradually towards one of the garden's walls.

"Rem, do you think I'm pathetic?" His voice was hoarse as he asked.

"I do." Came the maid's instant reply.

"You do? Seriously? Then why are you still here with a pathetic loser like me? Because you were told to?" He clenches his fist upon his chest, unable to keep a chuckle from emerging.

"The fact that I think you're pathetic and my staying with you are not contradictory. Besides, even if I hadn't been ordered to, I'm certain I would have stayed." Rem softly replied as she flicked his hair.

"Why?" He chokes, quietly and almost childishly.

"Because I want to." The girl's voice is warm as she stares towards the sunset.

"Shall we go out tomorrow, Subaru-kun? You haven't gone anywhere in the three days since we came here."

The boy offered no answer, turning his head away from the sunset in silent anguish.]

"You have a beautiful relationship with Natsuki Subaru, Rem." Crusch gives a warm smile that was uncharacteristic of her militarist outlook. Only Rem knew how special that smile was and the maid could only return generous words with a smile of her own.

Emilia found herself deeply bothered by the two's interaction. Feeling left out yet again, as if everyone was growing closer on a personal level while she remained the sad girl that needed comfort for no reason other than her need to be guilty of something.

"I can't believe Rem's grown to be so open and I never got to see it for myself." Frederica gushed, finding the whole interaction to be sweet and noteworthy.

Even the apprehensive and silent Petra was giving Rem a small nod of appreciation. Showing the willingness to enjoy the fact that Subaru has someone with him during this harsh time instead of being jealous.

Something that a glaring Priscilla noticed as she glanced between Emilia to Petra more than two times before her disgust compelled her to open up her fan and exceed some energy in cooling her face rather than watch the boring and disappointing interactions below.

Beside her, a tired Roswaal visibly brightened at the opportunities Rem seemed to be taking so she can enjoy herself with a depressed Subaru.

"I'm glad you're staying respeeeectful. Atta gi~rl!"

[Scene changed to a market place filled with crowds.

The center of the capital, Subaru was shown walking towards a group of common people, huddling around a big board with papers stuck on it.

They were posters of the five candidates.

"You interested in the royal selection, too?" A man asks from behind, startling Subaru enough to make him turn.

The Apple salesman smiled down at him, giving the boy a warm welcoming nod for seeing him again.]

"Is it bad if I said that I don't like seeing this guy now?" Mimi questions the crowd below her nervously, earning nods of agreement.

"We've all grown accustomed to being weary when this man shows up in Natsuki's life." Julius spoke forlornly.

"At least last time wasn't too bad, right?" Otto shrugs, trying to be the optimist.

"Barsus was met with Priscilla Barielle right after buying the apples from this man." Ram points out, deadpanned.

"And he was let inside of the castle in the first place by her…" Petra joins Ram in despairing Otto's hope.

"Nevermind…" Otto appreciated the pat on the back from an understanding Garfiel.

["Whoa! Don't sneak up on me with that face! Wait, where's Rem?" Subaru's grief was cut short when the salesmen pointed to the far away fruit stand where the maid was apparently helping an old lady browse the product.

"Don't make someone with no experience watch your shop." Seeing her alright, Subaru comments offhandedly.]

Rem smiles brightly, seeing Subaru defend her like that. "Subaru-kun doesn't need to concern himself."

"Sister, he's jealous of your capabilities." Ram snarks with a small smile.

"I… think that Subaru just doesn't want Rem-senpai to overwork herself for a stranger?" Petra tried to explain to the two sisters since she was worried both of them lost what he meant.

"Don't worry, Petra-chan." Frederica patted her shoulder, "They already know. Ram's just jesting."

"Uh!" The village girl looks over to the smirking maid and nods her head in understanding. "Ram-senpai is bad at jokes."

[The man shrugs and goes back to scanning the posters on the board. A few seconds and he was muttering to himself and maybe to the boy as well, "Five candidates, huh? It's pure insanity to let a half-elf be one of them, if you ask me. Emilia, eh? There's no way a relative of the witch could become our ruler. They've gotta be crazy."]

"This is about to be unpleasant." Al comments, no doubt having a sour expression behind his helmet.

His reaction was tamer than most of the Emilia camp that outright showed rage on their faces even Otto and Rem that hadn't been in Emilia's good graces recently.

"Emilia-sama is going to be the best queen!" Petra felt like she needed to encourage the silver-haired girl. Giving her support and compassion that the outside world never will.

Garfiel hollers his own agreement with Petra by yelling a "Yeah!" and slamming a fist on his armrest.

The half-elf herself was glad for the support even though she expected it. It was one less thing to be saddened about when thinking she was alone facing this prejudice.

"Hmph, of course commoners would try to appeal their eyes away from reality." Priscilla comments offhandedly, earning irked looks from Garfiel and Petra.

[Before the unsure salesmen could continue, Subaru's frustration explodes into a furious exclamation, "Why does everyone say that? It doesn't mean she has anything to do with the witch!"

"Huh?"

Subaru's glare intensifies with the man's confusion. People in the crowd start glancing over towards him.

"Don't lump them together and brush her off just because she's a half-elf!" Subaru shouts, making the salesmen look around nervously.

"H-Hey…!"

"That Emilia girl… I mean… She might really care about this kingdom's people, too!"

People around the marketplace start to really hover over the pair now, but Subaru looks more calm than nervous, unlike the older man he's talking with.

"Hang on… why are you getting so worked up?" The apple salesman finds his nerve back and counters Subaru's glare with his own firm one.

"I…" Subaru's answer pauses as another person speaks in his head.

It was for you, wasn't it?

Emilia's voice made him close his eyes in frustration. Before his lips began to move once again.

"Why is it?! Because of the Witch of Envy?! You think all half-elves are dangerous just because the witch was one?!"

The man's eyes seemed to harden on Subaru, his features turned more firm and sour once he proclaimed the answer to Subaru's shouts, "That's right!"

He met Subaru's eyes with his and glared straight inside, "Everyone's scared of the witch. That's common knowledge. As long as the people see her that way, she can't win."

The crowd around them starts to whisper and murmur amongst themselves. Subaru looks down without a clear answer for his frustration.

"Sheesh." The scar-faced man whispers, "Who would actually choose to support her?"

To Subaru's surprise, he felt a pat on the shoulder from the man's hand, "Try not to say the word Witch too loudly in public. You never know who's listening, or where."

The boy held a look of confusion as the man walked away.]

"Never imagined someone would be fightin' for ya this hard, eh Emilia-sama?"

Emilia's watery eyes moved to glance at the sympathetic Crusch and the understanding Anastasia.

"Never let them see that reaction, Emilia-sama." Crusch advises firmly.

The weakened half-elf could feel the different reactions of distaste not just from her own camp but from the knights of the other camps as well.

"I-I… Didn't know he would still care," she whispered, wondering why her throat felt so hoarse suddenly. "I thought he would stop obsessing over me right as soon as I left him… I never expected him to come back to me himself… But now I see that he's been fighting for my name all this time, even if he was doing it for his own reasons." Emilia tried to comment more on the complex feeling of happiness and shame overwhelming her, but she couldn't say more due to her promise to be more hard and reliable to Beatrice a few viewings ago.

"At least he's got that loyalty of a knight," the violet-haired man beside Anastasia jests, giving an aura of compassion with the entire scene of Subaru protecting Emilia's name.

"His sword skills need some work though~" Felix timidly jokes along with Julius, perking up once the knight gave an amused nod.

This earns a frown from Reinhard.

[Suddenly, the crowd began huddling closer towards the board, not caring for pushing and bumping into Subaru until he fell.

Subaru doesn't get up but stares at the ground with anger in his eyes, "You didn't tell me everyone felt that way about you…"

I can't understand if you don't tell me Subaru…

"I can't understand if you don't tell me, either!" He huffs and stands up again.

Whale sounds played as the screen flashed over many moments of his time in the Karsten mansion.

Looking over the city from the mansion at night. Getting beaten by Wilhelm in sword training. Getting his gate healed by Felix.]

"How unfortunate… The half-wit's leash is stronger than I had thought." Priscilla clicked her teeth in disgust, unable to stop herself after seeing this entire montage.

"Don't call it a leash!" Felt retorts heatedly. "Big Bro's got the right to be pissed!"

"He's not pissed, Felt-san." Anastasia cuts in, making the small blonde turn from Priscilla to the merchant queen. "He's not even punishing himself… This is just an excuse for 'em to blame others other than his own weakness," she explains in a matter-of-fact tone that doesn't show any hint of disappointment or interest.

"I assume that's why Emilia-sama and Barielle could not look at this scene without agreeing that he was in the wrong." Crusch makes Emilia perk up in surprise.

"H-How did you–"

"It's written all over your face, Emilia-sama." Crusch nods her head with a sly smirk.

The half-elf only frowns in contemplation before settling on holding Subaru's hand tighter than before. "I feel sorry that I left him. But I dislike how he's treating himself in my name."

"Correct, I suppose." Beatrice nods in approval at Emilia's sad frown. "Now you must understand how far he's willing to punish himself just to please you, in fact. Stop obsessing over what he thinks of you and the blue-haired maid."

Emilia looks at the blonde spirit girl with a hung jaw, unable to utter a protest to the way the loli had read her.

[Scene change.

Subaru is shown walking over some stairs while wiping his wet hair with a towel. He stopped in his tracks by an elegantly dressed Crusch. The young woman stood at the top of the steps and looked down at him.]

"I dislike how vulnerable Crusch-sama is being shoywn. She looks noything like this!" Felix shouted his protest. Even through his current depressed state, he was unable to have his lady exposed like this before the men of the other camps. He knew Reinhard and Julius were decent gentlemen that would drive their gaze away, but the looks of that blonde tigerboy, or whatever is leering from within the helmet of Priscilla's knight, he knew no one could be trusted.

"It's alright, Ferris." Wilhelm pats the healer's shoulder. "Our lady is too proud to let something like this affect her."

That wasn't what Felix was worried about!

The royal lady for her part only reacted to the scene with a slight finch that went unnoticed by most around her. Her lips thinned and her eyes closed for a moment as she regained her bearings.

["Natsuki Subaru, would you mind joining me for a bit?"

"Crusch-san… Right?"

"That's right. Oh, yes… This is the first time you've seen me out of my business attire. The breeze is pleasantly cool tonight. Perfect conditions for sharing a drink as we gaze upon the night sky." She gives a warm smile while Subaru just stares at her, confused.]

"Are ya aimin' to gain some info from the boy?" Anastasia teases Crusch from the side, unable to hold her laughter at the way the Duchess seemed inraptured by the scene on the window. "I knew it! Ya were planning to use him all along!"

At Anastasia's shout of glee, Emilia could only gasp. "Is this true, Crusch-sama?!"

"Don't be so callous," the Duchess firmly shot both girls a glare. "... I must've aimed to simply move him out of this pitiful cycle. It was a helping word from someone who wished to challenge him at his best rather than have him disadvantage Emilia-sama in the long run." Crusch acted like she knew what was going to happen from this point on, hoping not to break the flow of the viewing so she could learn what happened between her and Subaru here.

While Emilia slowly began picking up a look of admiration for the sheer nobleness of the green-haired royalty, Anastasia was grinning behind her scarf.

"Wished eh?"

The Karsten head didn't seem to catch those words as she moved her eyes back to the screen, looking rife with curiosity. "I wonder if my words really did help him in any way." maybe I could find out what I wanted to do here myself.

"I would think that Subaru-kun would be stupid not to listen to your advice, Crusch-sama," says Rem, bringing Crusch out of her wondering.

The maid shot her a smile of encouragement that eased Crusch into doing the same. "Well, whatever he may have done with my advice, I'm sure glad I had this time with him." Or would've loved to.

"Why's that I wonder?" Beatrice asked with curiosity. "You seem to have wanted a closer relationship with Betty's contractor, in fact."

Crusch gives Beatrice a grin that irritated both the blonde and the half-elf that was watching from the side.

"Maybe. You could say I wanted to be a closer friend when he was by my side on the battlefield."

Emilia and Beatrice both gave looks of outrage once the Duchess had slipped a gloved hand over Subaru's sleeping one, interwinding their fingers to tightly grasp his palm. "And to do this whenever I wish to," the Duchess spared no sympathy glance as she enraged the two girls with confidence beating a lion's.

But the true target of the Duchess wasn't to make these two jealous of her audacity. This move was a calculated counterattack aimed for the merchant queen to Crusch's side. The girl who wished to be in the same seat Crusch was occupying and taking advantage of.

"Morality my ass. Ya play dirty too." Anastasia huffed in annoyance.

Crusch's frown replaced her fake smile once everyone turned away. 'You're dying again on me. That is unacceptable.' Her grip on the hand of the boy tightened greatly. 'Truly… I wish I wouldn't have been so steeled with you… maybe I could've saved you.'

[Scene changes to a balcony set with a very luxurious table and beverage.

"I can't drink alcohol, though…"

"You're welcome to drink water. I won't be drinking enough to get drunk."

He picked up a glass and tapped the tip with hers, pausing once to watch her elegantly gulp down the contents of her own glass.]

"Again, I can't express the relief I feel when Natsuki-san says that." Otto sighs, telling of what he felt during the break viewing.

"Yes. Subaru-sama not drinking is an extremely impressive feat considering what he's been through." Frederica smiles at Otto with acceptance.

Both of them earned nods from Petra, Garfiel, Tivey, and even Ricardo who shouted cheerfully, "and may he never touch that stuff!"

"Hip hip, hooray." Al unenthusiastically pumps his fist in the air.

[Once the Duchess was done, she immediately took the reins of the conversation by asking prematurely, "How goes the healing of your gate?"]

"... "

[The black-haired youth could only flinch in pain at the memory of what happened earlier.]

"Oh no…" Wilhelm looked towards Felix with a judgmental glare as soon as he heard the guilty moan.

"Rem advises you to watch closely, Crusch-sama."

The Duchess held a stare with a much more serious Rem than before with discontent rumbling her stomach.

"What did Ferris do this time?" Crusch asks no one but the screen that began playing the next scene for her.

[(Novel Scene)

The screen cuts to a small bedroom during the earlier in that day, Subaru was sitting on his bed seemingly in a precarious position. With a mischievous smirking Felix who had both hands pumping mana into Subaru's spine from the back, while a flustered Rem held Subaru's face into her chest.

Both of the servants were filling Subaru with very different types of mana, which sent the boy into a panic.

Before Rem could glare at Felix any harder, the cat boy sighed and pulled back from Subaru.

"You have a reason to be angry, Rem, but it wasn't all some scheme by Ferris, mew know? It was for Subawu's sake, just a teeny widdle bit."

"And everything besides the little bit?" Rem asked, holding Subaru's blushing face harder.

"The rest was for my friend's feelings, and everything else was for Lady Crusch. That's natural for a retainer, isn't it? It's no different for you, is it, Rem?" The healer held a smirk of utter smugness while Rem simply hardened her stare.

"It is not. Accordingly, you must understand what my reply must be, master Felix."

The catboy seemed to understand something within Rem's eyes so he held his arms up in surrender.

"Okay, okaaaay. Ferris will stop using the treatment to brainwash him."

Though the demi was giving her an honest expression, Rem wasn't content.

"From here on, I shall be present for all treatments."

"Mew, no trust at all. Well, that's fine, really." He shrugs and carries on hoping out of the bed and room without a care.

End of the flashback.

The screen cuts back to Subaru shuddering before an awaiting Crusch.

He looked unsure as he spoke, "Oh… Well, it goes, I guess…"

"I see. Well, Ferris is excellent with healing magic. You can trust him." The Duchess smiles before gulping down another drink.]

"You've done what?!" Beatrice was the first to shout her outrage, standing up on Subaru's thighs and shooting the healer daggers with her butterfly-shaped eyes.

"W-Wait a minute nyow…"

"Ya better be 's good 's they say ya are at healin', catboy!" Garfiel seethes at the knight from his seat, scaring Otto half to death. "Cuz yer gonna need 't!"

"Ferris…" Emilia somehow tore Felix's heart in two with her betrayed eyes.

Further than that, the healer seemed to be earning a glare of disappointment and betrayal from his own master too.

"Explain yourself to Emilia-sama and her camp members right now!" Crusch demands of Felix without a hint of hesitation.

"This has just become more enjoyable." Priscilla chuckles gleefully, enjoying Felix getting backed into a corner by his master. Oh the irony.

"That's not a cool thing to do, bro." Al shakes his head while Ram looks at the healer with disgust.

Roswaal was overseeing all of this with a look of sympathy aimed for the young man in the skirt. "Doesn't look like he's gonna get outta this at aaa~ll."

Petra found herself snarling with hate towards the Blue of her kingdom. "Aren't you supposed to use your power for the injured?! Why were you trying to take over Subaru's mind?!"

Frederica didn't intervene since for this once, Petra was in the right to aim her outrage at someone with higher status.

Felix found himself backed into a corner with no help, the most he had was Roswaal and Reinhard's sympathetic gazes but Reinhard's seemed more disappointed than anything. "I… I…"

The rage from the others he could do with, but he couldn't speak under Crusch's scrutinizing glare. He was too damaged to deal with this, his body began to tremble in place.

"Fu~fuu~uu~" Priscilla giggles arrognatly, happy that she was being proven right yet again in the most entertaining of ways.

"I think you all need to give him some space."

Until Anastasia's knight cut the entire room's rage with his reprimanding shout.

"Julius?" Emilia utters in confusion.

"I'm sorry to say this but I would rather you understand that he did what someone like Felix would've done in that situation. He was acting on his own accord to protect me, Subaru, and Crusch-sama at the same time. His action was wrong but please understand his intentions weren't abusive or dishonorable."

Felix's eyes grew as wide as saucers in disbelief. Julius was defending him from Crusch's wrath? The same Julius that told him he was disappointed with him one viewing ago?

"Crusch-sama, Emilia-sama," Wilhelm interjects on the thoughtful ladies from beside the nervous cat-demi. "You both have your own reasons to despise what Ferris has done. But please do not cross the line by ignoring the good in his heart."

"... You act as if I'm going to execute him." Crusch mutters dryly at both Julius and Wilhelm.

"Eh?" Emilia shrieks in horror, "I'd never ask for such a thing. Ferris seems like a good boy who worries for Crusch-sama a lot. I'd have just made him do some extra chores or something…"

"Are you kidding me?! You are unfit to punish anyone, I suppose!" Beatrice barks in sheer fury and disappointment. "Here's yet another person willing to hurt Subaru and you are letting them off scot free again!"

"It didn't happen again, Beatrice-sama. So please calm yourself down and stop stomping on Subaru's legs."

Beatrice and Rem glared at one another with dangerous sparks coming off between them.

"I-I apologize." Felix gained everyone's attention once his trembling words came out of his mouth. "Ferris is sorry for what he's said and done to Subaru-kun! I only wanted for him to stop this obsession with getting back at Julius at the time! It was the only way Ferris could see, nyan!" He bows deeply. Showing great regret for what he did now that he sees the consequences of his actions. Shivering from head to toe with his cat-ears lowering to their lowest from shame.

"Rise, Ferris." Crusch orders with a hint of remorse in her eyes. She turns to Emilia and Beatrice with an expression of acceptance as she bows humbly to the half-elf.

"Crusch-sama?!" Emilia utters in surprise.

"I apologize for allowing this to happen on my grounds while you entrusted him to me. I'm ashamed of what my knight has done and I will take any form of punishment to make up for your broken trust."

Emilia waves her hands in a panic. "You don't have to do any of that, Crusch-sama! I am perfectly aware that this all is too complicated to blame you for all of it!"

Before Crusch could say anything else, Emilia turned to Felix with a stern look that surprised everyone in the back rows.

"Felix…" she ditched the honorable quotations in his name, a sign that the boy had lost some of Emilia's respect. That fact hurt more than it should have. "I would be pleased if you promise me never to use your power to influence people like that again."

"... I promise never to use my power like that again, Emilia-sama." Felix bows his head to the half-elf.

"Promise Crusch-sama that you won't be dishonest with her ever again." Emilia demanded again, forgoing Crusch's glance of surprise.

"I promise, Emilia-sama." He replies, much more obedient and accepting of this promise.

"And I want you to promise that you will tell Crusch-sama whenever you are having troubles with your friends." Emilia shoots him a small smile at the end.

"..." Felix found himself staring slack-jawed at her. Unbelieving of the kindness being shown to him by this merciful woman.

"This half-wit won't survive a night in a slum district." Priscilla scoffs with boredom settling in as soon as Emilia comes into the conversation.

"I promise you, Emilia-sama." Felix says, trembling with emotion.

"Mhm," she nodded her head brightly. "Then we should continue watching now. Please get back to your seats everyone."

Crusch sat back down with a thankful smile towards Emilia, while Felix was helped by Wilhelm to sit down.

Julius gives him a nod before taking his own seat while Beatrice just glares at Emilia and sits back like the rest.

"You won't hear the end of this, I suppose!"

Emilia could feel Rem looking at her from the back so she made her response more inclusive. "I wouldn't want Crusch-sama to feel the same way about her knight as I did Subaru during this period of time."

"I do not care, in fact. Be kind as much as you like, just do it on behalf of yourself, not my contractor." Beatrice seethed and ended the conversation by turning away from Emilia.

[