Chapter Text
The birds’ chirped in tandem with the blow of a gentle breeze as it whistled through the open windows of the Mathers Mansion, forming a simple tune to wake up its last sleeping member. Combined with the streaks of light angrily attacking the girl’s face, her consciousness lost the fight and was stirred awake by the world.
Rem groggily covered her eyes with her left hand, shielding them from the invasive sunlight. She could feel a warmth in her right hand as she shifted herself around. Remembering the events of the night before, Rem could feel her heart beating faster before calling out, “Subaru-kun…?”
“For once, Barusu is making himself useful and serving breakfast for the others.” Subaru-kun said with a surprisingly high-pitched voice. That was odd, shouldn’t his voice be deeper in the morning? Rem blearily looked to her right expecting to see a pair of scary eyes, but was instead met with a single pink eye.
“Nee-sama?!” Rem yelped when her mind finally caught up to her senses. While she was just as happy to see her as Subaru-kun, she couldn’t help but feel embarrassed at her mistake.
“It seems Rem is still half-asleep in whatever dream you were having. Though, it must have been a nightmare if Rem thought Barusu snuck into your room. Ram will have to reprimand him later for scaring her little sister.” Judging by her sister’s ironic jab toward Subaru, Rem concluded Ram was fully unaware of last night’s events. That was probably for the best; her joke would likely become reality if her sister knew that Subaru-kun really did sneak into her room.
“Y-You shouldn’t punish Subaru-kun for something he can’t control, Nee-sama. He’ll get sad and complain to me while hugging and burying his face in my lap, staring at me with big puppy dog eyes… On second thought, you should definitely scold him, Nee-sama!” Rem bantered back, though she did stutter due to her nervousness, eliciting an eyebrow raise from her sister. Fortunately, it seemed she decided to ignore it and wear a slightly disappointed look.
Her sister unhooked their hands from each other and picked up the bowl on her bedside table, sighing as she did so. “Rem truly treats that man better than he deserves, though I suppose he does have a certain charm like that of a mutt. In any case, Barusu did make breakfast for Rem, so Ram will mercifully ignore his offense for today.” At that, she motioned for Rem to lift herself up from bed into a sitting position, which she did so promptly.
Looking inside, the bowl seemed to contain oatmeal mixed with roughly chopped fruits, irregular in shape and clearly the work of an amateur. Nonetheless, Rem couldn’t hide the excitement from her face when she heard that Subaru-kun made it just for her. Luckily for Rem, her sister wasted no time in feeding her as she raised a spoonful to her mouth. It seemed she was eager to feed her again after the turmoil of yesterday had passed.
The twins shared a peaceful moment as her sister began feeding Rem. Without a certain loud-mouthed butler to fill the empty room, a calm peaceful silence settled between the two. As much as she loved the moments where Subaru-kun was with them, Rem would be lying if she said she didn’t miss having some quiet time with her sister, and—through their synesthesia—Rem could tell that her sister felt the same way. Unfortunately, the moment soon came to pass too quickly as Rem had finished her oatmeal.
Her sister wiped her face with a napkin while Rem went to grab another glass of water. After a full night’s rest and a light breakfast, Rem already felt several times better than she did the day before. Her fever went down and the weakness in her body was faint; the only thing left was the small itchy feeling in her throat. Ah, right, there was a reason for that, wasn’t there? Just thinking about it almost made her go into another coughing fit. Despite her best efforts she couldn’t hide her chest spasms, especially not from her sister, the person who knew her best in the world.
“Rem is feeling better, she should get herself ready for her chores.” Rem said in an attempt to dispel the mood. She tried to push herself off the bed before getting unceremoniously pushed back down by her sister.
“Request denied. Rem will stay in bed for the rest of the day. Do not worry about your maid duties, Emilia-sama and Beatrice-sama have volunteered to help out with the mansion’s chores while you’re recovering.” She declared using her authority as Rem’s older sister, leaving no room for Rem to argue back.
One thing eluded her though. “Beatrice-sama volunteered to help out with chores?”
“Puck-sama convinced her to assist with the laundry, at Emilia-sama’s request. It seemed she was quite worried about you, Rem.” Her sister clarified.
Rem… didn’t know how to feel about that. On the one hand, she was pleased at having another day off so soon after her last one. On the other hand, getting the day off because of a terminal illness, and it being organized by the person who was indirectly the cause of said terminal illness? A complex emotion stirred in her chest, a mixture of gratitude and envy, perhaps. It must’ve shown on her face, as her sister took her hands from Rem’s shoulders to hold Rem’s hands in her own.
“Now then, it seems Ram and her sweet baby sister have something important to discuss, no?” Her sister initiated. Looks like they’d need to have this conversation sooner than she was prepared for.
“What did Beatrice-sama tell you, Nee-sama?” Rem took her hands from her sister’s to fiddle with the hem of her nightgown. Her sister was undoubtedly hurt by that action, but her face was unwavering as she stared a hole directly into Rem.
“Only that Rem’s fever yesterday was because of an illness, and that it is likely terminal. When Ram asked for more details, Beatrice-sama said to ask you for more details today. As such, Ram will ask: What’s wrong, Rem?” Asking earnestly like that, with a pleading look in her eyes, Rem couldn’t bear to maintain eye contact with her sister.
Rem didn’t respond for almost a full minute, continuing to fidget while her eyes darted from her sister to her own hands. How was she supposed to reveal to her sister, the one who’d always been by her side, that she was going to die? How would she react? Would she scream? Cry? Would she berate her if she knew that it was because she fell in love? No, her sister was stronger and kinder than that, wasn’t she? Maybe she’d try to convince Beatrice or Roswaal to help find a solution? Or would she attempt to harm Subaru-kun in order to remove the source of her illness? Rem didn’t want the two people she loved most to fight just because she couldn’t control her own—
“Rem.” Her sister cupped Rem’s cheeks with a light slap, snapping her out of her spiralling thoughts. Her sister brought their faces closer together until their foreheads touched, horn to horn. By their proximity, Rem was forced to look into her eyes. They were glistening.
“I know I haven’t been the best elder sister, and I know we haven’t been as close as when we were children, so I understand if you don’t want to tell me. But please… rely on your Onee-chan every once in a while.” Her lips were trembling as she begged Rem, voice soft and shaky. She said no more, sitting there with her eyes clenched shut, a silent plea for honesty.
When was the last time Rem had seen her sister this vulnerable? She had always been her model in life, the unchanging rock she could always depend on. How ironic that in trying to imitate her, Rem had only made them grow further apart. Or perhaps they never were as close as she thought. Well, there was no point in dwelling on it now; if they weren’t as close as she thought, then she’d just have to amend that with what little time she had left.
“Onee-chan.” Rem grabbed her sister’s shoulders and created some distance between them. Ram’s eyes snapped open as Rem wiped the streaks from her cheeks, gawking at Rem in a mixture of joy and anticipation. “Rem will tell you, but you have to promise not to get mad, oh-kay?”
Ram furrowed her brow at that, looking like a hundred thoughts were travelling through her head in mere seconds. It appeared her sister had caught on, as expected.
“Ram would never get mad at her sister, therefore, it has something to do with that insolent Barusu, doesn’t it?” She caught on too fast! Rem could only meekly nod in confirmation, causing a disappointed sigh to escape Ram’s lips. “Very well, Ram will be more gracious to Barusu than he deserves. Ram will not get mad or blame him for Rem’s condition. Ram promises.” Ram stuck out her pinky finger at that proclamation. Recognizing the gesture from Subaru-kun in the forest, Rem stuck out her own pinky and curled them together, sealing the pinky promise. A tiny grin snuck its way onto Ram’s face as they shook their hands together.
With that guarantee from Ram, Rem thought it would be best to ‘rip the band-aid off’ as Subaru-kun would say.
“I’m in love with Subaru-kun.” Admitting it to her sister was a lot easier than Beatrice, her superior, but that didn’t make it any less embarrassing! Despite that, Rem maintained her eye contact with Ram to make sure she saw how earnest her words were. On her part, Ram looked neither surprised nor disappointed, a resigned and accepting smile pasted onto her face.
“While Ram doesn’t understand what Rem sees in a man as perverted, slothful, pathetic, lecherous—” “Onee-chan!” “and useless as Barusu, Ram unfortunately has to admit that he isn’t… the worst candidate for a partner that Rem could have chosen. Ram has seen the way Rem looks at him, and the way he treats you. I’m sure Barusu would make you happy. That’s why you have your Onee-chan’s full support, Rem.”
Rem could’ve cried. Wait, no, she was crying. Now it was her sister’s turn to wipe her tears, but before she could do so, Rem pulled her into a tight bear-hug. She was such a dummy, she should’ve done all of this sooner. Ram, initially startled, returned the gesture while massaging her back with circular motion.
“But your brilliant Onee-chan already figured that out long before. What does Barusu have to do with Rem’s illness?” Ram’s puzzlement reminded Rem of the other part of her explanation. She wasn’t looking forward to this.
“Subaru-kun… doesn’t love Rem the same way. Everyone in the mansion knows that the one he loves is Emilia-sama.” Rem broke their hug and went back to looking down at her squirming hands. She didn’t want to see what kind of face Ram would make. “Beatrice-sama told Rem that because Subaru-kun doesn’t love her back, flowers are growing in Rem’s chest. Hanahaki, she called it? It’s fatal, and there’s no cure other than falling out of love.”
There, she said it. She didn’t explain it in the most elegant manner, but at least she said it. Rem tightly closed her eyes, afraid to see Ram’s response to the news.
Rem got her answer, unexpectedly, through their Synesthesia: Ram was perplexed. Huh? When Rem opened her eyes, she saw Ram’s expression reflected her feelings, with her head slightly tilted to the side. Did Rem not explain it well enough? But before she could elaborate further, Ram spoke first.
“Is there any reason Rem can’t just steal Barusu’s heart?”
…Ah. Rem was an idiot.
Apparently, her sister was thinking the same thing as she let out a snicker. Rem could feel her face start to glow red as Ram’s giggles grew louder and louder.
“O-Onee-chan…!”
“I-I’m sorry, Rem, I just forgot that my genius little sister can be a bit of an idiot at times…!” She tried her best, and failed, to keep her amusement hidden. Rem covered her face with both hands, the heat pulsing through her palms. She wanted to crawl into a hole and die!
“There there, Rem. Not everyone can be as perfect as your big sister!” Her sister spoke in a teasing voice and patted her head as if she were talking to a child having a tantrum. Ram’s joke wasn’t helping! “I’m sure being sick has something to do with it, so don’t feel too down, Rem.”
Soothed by those words, Rem was prompted to look at her sister once more. “If Barusu doesn’t return your love, then simply make him fall for you.” Ram repeated once more, this time more firm.
“But would Subaru-kun even glance my way when he’s so deeply in love with Emilia-sama?”
“Perhaps he does love Emilia-sama, but it is clear that she does not reciprocate those feelings, at least not yet. If so, Rem simply has to swoop in to seduce him before she does. Emilia-sama may have many amazing qualities, but so do you. Rem is cute, kind, beautiful, hard-working, adorable, bubbly, charming, and, most importantly, Ram’s twin sister. Barusu would be a fool not to see that. And if that were the case, then he merely wouldn’t be deserving of Rem’s love, and the problem is still solved.”
Perhaps a majority of those compliments were focused on her appearance, but they still gave Rem a confidence boost just as Ram had intended. Her eyes regained their shine, hope shimmering beneath her countenance. “Do you really think I could win Subaru’s heart?”
“Ram doesn’t merely think you can. Ram knows you can.” Her tear ducts were quite overactive this morning, weren’t they? Maybe she was still sick after all.
“Rem will have to ask Lady Beatrice on the idea’s viability first, but… Thank you, Onee-chan. For giving me hope.”
Ram’s only response was to hug her tightly one last time, before getting up to leave in her typical elegant manner.
“Now then, Ram has to make sure Barusu doesn’t infect the others with his idiocy. In fact…” Pinching her chin between her index and thumb, Rem could almost hear the gears turning in Ram’s head. “Better start sooner rather than later, no?”
With that final ominous note, Ram left. Rem was alone once more, a new fiery determination burning the roots in her heart.
Of course, even if she’d found the resolve, Rem couldn’t act on it immediately. Despite feeling better after breakfast, she was technically still sick. Not only would she be unproductive, but she may run the risk of spreading her ailment to the other mansion residents, as unlikely as that was in the case of her superiors. The ones she was truly worried about were her sister and Subaru-kun, who were more prone to illness. As such, she’d reluctantly accepted to be isolated in the guest room, which had become an impromptu medical bay.
That didn’t mean Rem was wasting time, however. If she really was going to steal Subaru-kun’s heart from Emilia-sama, she couldn’t go into it half-heartedly. She’d need to devise a plan, starting with understanding what makes a man’s heart beat. Rem unfortunately didn’t have much experience in the romance department so she’d need to study up before anything else; and what better way was there to research on the topic than romance novels!
Thankfully, her sister had the foresight to provide her with books for her to entertain herself with while Rem was recovering. Mixed along with the various thrillers, poetry collections, and textbooks that each of the current mansion residents owned were the romance novels she was looking for, left behind by former maids who had to leave for one reason or another.
Thinking of former maids, Rem’s mind inevitably wandered to her and Ram’s old mentor. How was Frederica doing? She hadn’t seen her in quite a long time…
Wait, now wasn’t the time to be reminiscing! Slapping herself on the cheeks, Rem turned her focus onto the stack of books she picked out from the pile and dived straight into her research. To an outsider, it may have seemed like Rem was leisurely enjoying her sick day off, but that couldn’t be further from the truth! Internally, she was taking in every detail, committing every tactic and strategy the characters used, fully focused on their escapades of love.
Oh wow, the main heroine was quite audacious in this one. Asking to be fed by her master? Rem wouldn’t dare do something like that. And two love interests? How scandalous! That was too much, though Rem could see the appeal. Imagining two Subaru-kun’s fighting over her… Rem giggled to herself a bit at that thought, wiping some drool away. Now the main heroine was having a moonlit rendezvous with one of them, frolicing in the grass. As they slowed down, their faces got closer and closer, breaths intermingling, before finally…
“That must be an interesting book you’re reading there, huh Rem?” A voice suddenly came from her side, causing her to snap the book shut and swivel her head to its source, met with the face of a boy with mean eyes and spiky hair.
“Subaru-kun?!” He was standing at the side of her with a trolley behind him, bending himself over slightly so that he was looking over her shoulder. His face was right next to hers—that couldn’t be good for her heart!—with a look of genuine curiosity on it. “W-Why didn’t you knock?”
“Oh, I did, multiple times actually. You must’ve been too engrossed in your reading, ‘cuz I could hear you squealing through the door.” Came Subaru-kun’s response. Was Rem cursed to humiliate herself today? First she acted like a fool in front of her sister, and now she was caught acting unladylike in front of her crush. If the flower disease didn’t kill her first, the sheer embarrassment from today would. “I didn’t know you liked romance novels, Rem. Actually, I don’t think I’ve seen you read anything.”
Rem composed herself hastily to salvage whatever image Subaru-kun had of her. “Yes, Rem enjoys reading quite a bit, especially art collections and poetry. Though Rem is taking this opportunity to read the novels left behind by previous maids. What kind of books are to your liking, Subaru-kun?” Rem asked both out of pure curiosity and a desire to get closer to Subaru-kun. She could’ve patted herself on the back if Subaru-kun wasn’t in front of her.
“Hmm, where I came from I used to love romance and fantasy stories where the hero defeats the villain, but I haven’t exactly been able to read many books here, considering I’m still getting used to the Ro-script and Ha-script, not to mention I don’t know much of the country’s history and culture and stuff…” Subaru-kun trailed off as he pondered her words. On Rem’s side, she silently chastised herself for her error. He’d only just learned the various scripts and was still receiving lessons from her sister after all, of course he wouldn’t know many stories from here. No! This wasn’t the time to be self-depreciating! The little Subaru-kun in her mind screamed at her, telling her to transform this into another opportunity to spend more time with him.
“If you’d like, Subaru-kun could read with Rem, and she’ll help with any words or parts you don’t understand.” Rem suggested. Subaru-kun stopped his mumbling and turned his attention back towards Rem with a look of alarm.
“That’d be great, but unfortunately I’m already getting taught by Ram, plus, I wouldn’t forgive myself if I took up any more of your free time!” Subaru-kun argued while waving his hands around erratically. Rem wouldn’t give up that easily though!
“Rem is sure Nee-sama would agree to transferring her tutoring duties to Rem, so that isn’t an issue. Additionally, this is a personal request of Rem’s. Was it not you who told Rem to be more selfish, Subaru-kun? That is exactly what Rem is doing.” Rem topped off her rebuttal with a small tilt of her head to the side and the brightest smile she could manage. It was her secret move, one that could put Ram out of commission instantly.
That seemed to do the trick, as Subaru-kun theatrically shielded his eyes from the imagined shine emanating off of her. “Okay, okay, you win. I’ll have to discuss it with Ram first, not looking forward to that, and my next lesson is in a few days, so you’ll have to wait.” Subaru-kun conceded surprisingly easily. Rem expected she’d have to expend more effort knowing his stubborn nature, but she wouldn’t look a gift ground dragon in the mouth.
Seeing Rem giggling to herself, Subaru-kun sighed in defeat before rolling the trolley between them, two covered plates and a pitcher of water on it.
“Anyways, now that that’s over with, I can finally get to what I came here for. Drumroll, please!” Without waiting for a response, Subaru-kun made a quick, repeated and percussive noise before dramatically revealing the contents of both plates with unnecessary flourish. “Ta-da! I made lunch for the both of us!”
Underneath the lids were two identical dishes: Fried rice with diced vegetables and poultry mixed in, blanketed by an omelette and a red sauce drizzled over it, decorated by a single piece of garnish. From the fragrance, it was clear that the dishes were competently made. In terms of presentation however, there was certainly room for improvement; the rice looked like it would fall apart at any moment, the omelette was off center, and the sauce seemed closer to being smeared on rather than drizzled. But for someone of Subaru-kun’s level, it was certainly a praiseworthy feat.
“Did you make this, Subaru-kun?”
“You bet I did! It’s called omurice, a dish from my homeland! Took a couple of attempts, but I think it turned out alright.” Subaru-kun laughed awkwardly while scratching his cheek self-consciously.
“But… why?”
“Well, apparently Ram thought I messed up somehow when I served breakfast this morning—I didn’t for the record—and forbade me from serving lunch. She ordered me to make food for you instead, and the first thing that came to mind was omurice.” He finished his explanation with a toothy grin and big thumbs up. So that’s what her sister meant earlier that day. Rem was thankful to her, but a twinge of disappointment lodged itself into her heart.
“And… I wanted to show you my gratitude for everything else too…” Rem barely caught Subaru-kun’s mutter, who peered outside the window as if he said nothing. His ears were red.
It’s not fair, how could he make her fall even further in love so easily?
“Rem will gladly accept Subaru-kun’s ‘omurice’!” Rem beamed. She attempted to grab one of the plates, but was quickly intercepted by a quick chop from Subaru-kun, blocking her from the food.
“Wait, before we dig in, there’s one final thing omurice needs before eating.” Subaru-kun declared.
“What is it?”
“It’s a kind of ritual of sorts. Although it is pretty embarrassing, and preferably it should be done in a maid uniform, so don’t laugh and don’t tell anyone, okay? I’d die of shame if Emilia-tan knew about this.” Now Rem was truly curious as to what this secret custom was that he wouldn’t show even Emilia. Rem nodded vigorously as her answer, excited to see more from Subaru-kun’s homeland.
“This is for your eyes only, got that?!” With that, Subaru-kun took a deep breath, struck a pose with his hands in a heart shape. He waved them around in a circle before thrusting them forward while saying—
“Moe Moe Kyun~ <3!!!!!!!!!!!!"
.
.
.
“Please say something, Rem…”
Subaru-kun’s plea fell on deaf ears, as Rem’s brain had overheated and stopped functioning. The stimulation was too much, the love beam too powerful.
“Rem, your nose is bleeding!” Rem brought a finger to her face and found blood flowing. It seemed Subaru-kun was right. His love beam had a tangible effect on reality, akin to magic. Perhaps this was his specialty? In any case, it was far too dangerous for the average person to be exposed to. The only reason she’d survived likely had to do with her oni blood. Which is why—
“Again!”
“No way!”
After that kerfuffle was over, things finally calmed down enough for Rem and Subaru-kun to dig in to their omurice. As Rem took her first bite, she savoured each chew, evaluating the taste and texture like a critic. The rice was fully cooked but had a slightly chewy texture indicating it was overcooked. The vegetables on the other hand were too large and unevenly diced, resulting in some parts being undercooked and hard. The eggs however were cooked to perfection, her only complaint being the lack of seasoning to enhance the flavour, though that was remedied by the sauce—made from tometoes which Subaru-kun named ‘catch-up’—adding a nice sweet and tangy profile to the whole dish.
Overall, although serving the dish to mansion guests would certainly result in a reprimand, Rem found it delicious, especially knowing it came from Subaru-kun’s homeland. Though, Rem would find anything Subaru-kun made with love delicious, of course. When Rem told Subaru-kun her compliments, he became dejected and assumed they were insults. Unfortunately, it seemed she still had much to learn in that department.
As they continued eating, Subaru-kun relayed the day’s events as the area around his mouth grew messier: How the chores were being divided, what antics he’d been up to, and various other musings. It was endearing how childish he acted when it was just the two of them.
“—and when I tried to give her a broom to help out, Beako threw me out a window! I was lucky we were only on the first floor and landed in the bushes, but Emilia-tan was in the middle of trimming them and scolded me. Aaarghhhh, curse that girl and her twindrills, getting me in trouble with Emilia-tan!”
Unsurprisingly, Subaru-kun frequently brought up Emilia. One way or another, the conversation always went back to her. Everytime it did Rem could feel a wave of envy wash through her, forcing herself to swallow back the urge to cough. Rem couldn’t complain though; Subaru-kun looked happiest when he talked of her, a smile that outdid even the sun. That version of Subaru-kun was one of her favourites. But she’d be lying if she pretended it didn’t hurt, just a tiny bit.
“…You alright there, Rem?”
The sudden question snapped her out of her musings and turned her attention back to Subaru-kun.
“Of course, Subaru-kun. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Well, it’s just that you’ve been drinking a lot of water. The pitcher is almost empty and I’ve barely drank any.”
That’s right, Rem had forgotten how perceptive Subaru-kun could be at the oddest times. As selfish as it was, she didn’t want him to know about her Hanahaki, at least not yet. It would be akin to a confession of her love after all, and Rem wasn’t sure she was ready for that yet. For that reason, she’d have to be careful in hiding it.
“Rem is simply under the weather, but rest assured, she’ll recover and be back tomorrow. Thank you for fretting over Rem, Subaru-kun.”
“I did hear that you should stay hydrated when you’re sick, because of all the sweating and stuff.” That reminded her, she needed to take a bath. What if she smelled bad and Subaru-kun noticed? That’d be horrible!
“But anyways, you work too hard, Rem-rin! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Roz-chi and the others in the mansion don’t appreciate you enough! I have no clue how long this mansion would’ve lasted if it weren’t for you.” And now Rem was embarrassed for a completely different reason. The sudden barrage of praise was too much to handle and made her avoid Subaru-kun’s sincere gaze.
“Well, at least that’ll change soon.” Subaru-kun threw out casually. That piqued her interest.
“Hmm? What do you mean by that, Subaru-kun?”
“Well, after Beako told us to leave you alone for the night, I stormed my way into Roz-chi’s room and complained to him about your working conditions, workers rights and the like. I was expecting him to punish me or something, but turns out he agreed and said he’d already called for another worker from one of his other mansions. I wish it was more than one, but at least it’s better than nothing.”
That was unexpected. In the past months preceding and following Emilia’s arrival to the Mather’s Mansion, a majority of the staff had been let go from their service or transferred due to Emilia’s status as both a Royal Candidate and a silver haired half-elf. The only ones left were Rem and Ram, who were among Roswaal’s most trusted. Additionally, if it was only one worker, they’d have to be incredibly capable. Who did she know that could fulfil both requirements?
No point in thinking about this now, especially when her brain wasn’t working at full capacity. For now, she should continue enjoying the here and now with Subaru-kun. A question popped up in her head at that thought.
“If the new member of staff will be arriving soon, how will the workload be distributed? Have you discussed it with Nee-sama?” Rem asks, secretly hopeful.
“Yeah I did, actually. Ram said that she’d be training the newbie and that you’d be working with me for now. She went on a whole spiel about how glad she was that she’d finally be rid of the ‘useless Barusu who can’t follow even simple instructions’ and be free from my ‘lecherous stare.’” Subaru-kun answered, using air quotes and adopting a high-pitched voice in what Rem assumed to be a crude imitation of her sister. “I swear, where does that girl get off from insulting me so much! Just because it’s true doesn’t mean she has to say it. She should take a page from your book and sing my praises every now and then, right Rem-rin?”
Rem nodded vigorously in response, though she didn’t actually hear anything as Subaru-kun’s words were drowned out by her internal squealing. She’d need to thank her sister once more for this opportunity.
“Heh, glad to see you’re excited to have more time to yourself.” Subaru-kun playfully nudged. He seemed to have misattributed her enthusiasm for relief, which she was about to correct when he leaned forward to playfully ruffle her hair. “Sorry to burst your bubble, but you’ll have to be stuck with me for the foreseeable future. I know I’m more trouble than any chore and a pain in the ass, but treat me well!”
The sound of Subaru-kun’s chuckles filled the room from his self-depreciating joke. He’d been doing that a lot lately.
“That isn’t true, Subaru-kun. I’m sure that despite her grievances, Ram appreciates your presence and can see how hard you try.”
“Sure, that may be the case, but you can’t deny that my work is pretty sloppy. I mean, I’ve been working here for a month now and I’m still nowhere as good as even Ram’s, let alone yours. Sometimes I wonder if I even contribute anything.” Subaru-kun sighed while shrugging exaggeratedly, attempting to brush off his insecurities as jest.
Rem’s previous elation was replaced by righteous anger at his words. Perhaps it was because of her newfound resolve, perhaps it was the desperation of knowing she had little time left. Maybe it was simpler than that, like seeing a past version of herself. What she did know was she couldn’t let it go on any longer,
Rem regretfully shook off his hand and made her way around the tray, standing at her full height. For once, Subaru-kun was looking up at Rem instead of the other way around. He looked adorable with bits of sauce and rice stuck around his mouth. Subaru-kun’s eyebrows furrowed, the confusion clear in his features. Rem cupped his face with both hands to tilt his head up. Rem could feel his heat radiating into her hands, his expression growing flustered as she stooped down, their faces drawing closer… and closer…
And then she pinched his cheeks, eliciting a yelp of pain.
“What are you doing, Rem?” Subaru-kun appeared to say, though Rem had moved on to playing with his cheeks, making it come out as an incoherent jumble.
“This is your punishment, Subaru-kun.”
“What for?!” Subaru-kun tried to fight, prompting Rem to lightly slap both cheeks. Rem smiled menacingly, the one she used when scolding junior maids, which silenced him immediately. If she wanted this to stick, she’d need him to take her seriously.
“For insulting Subaru-kun, of course. Subaru-kun may be loud, weak, and generally incompetent—”
“Hey!”
“—But he’s also kind, hard-working, and one of the loveliest people Rem knows. He is not ‘a pain in the ass’, and Rem certainly does not feel that she’s stuck having to work with you. Supervising you, teaching you, fixing your mistakes; none of these are chores to Rem. In fact, Rem enjoys your company and is thrilled at the opportunity to work with you more often. I’m sure Emilia-sama, Nee-sama, and even Beatrice-sama feel the same way. Which is why—” Rem pinched his cheeks one last time before cupping his face once more. “—Subaru-kun shouldn’t speak that way about himself. It would be an insult to Rem and everyone who cares so deeply for you. But most importantly, it’d be spitting in the face of all your efforts. Instead, you should laugh and smile!” Rem used her thumbs to push the corners of Subaru-kun’s mouth upwards, forming a crude smile.
“That would be enough. Oh-kay?” Rem finished, shifting her smile into the sweet one she always wore for Subaru-kun. The one for his eyes and his eyes only.
As for Subaru-kun, he was stunned into silence, his mouth moving like a fish out of water. Seeing him acting this way, so uncharacteristically lost for words, sent a wave of pride through Rem. She wanted to see more sides of him, more expressions and mannerisms outside of the ones he used so often.
…Perhaps she could tease him a little. At that moment, Rem saw a speck of food he had just before, still mildly lingering on his face. She seized the opportunity.
Using her index finger, Rem playfully wiped a bit of rice from the side of Subaru-kun’s mouth, making sure he saw her doing it. Once she confirmed he was still watching her finger, Rem brought it to her mouth and ate it.
The effect was immediate. Subaru-kun’s already blushing face turned several shades deeper until it was the same colour as the sauce that stained it. A shrill squeak escaped his mouth before he tried, and failed, to string together a coherent sentence.
“Gababababababa?!?!?!?!?!?!?” Was all that he could muster.
“What’s wrong, Subaru-kun? Rem was just helping to clean up your mess. You look as red as a tometo!” Rem giggled out innocently. Perhaps she had gone too far, she could almost see the steam escaping his head.
Subaru-kun abruptly stood up, escaping Rem’s hold on him.
“I-I need to… to bring the plates to the k-kitchen! Y-Yeah, that’s what I n-need to do!” He hastily made up as an excuse, though he wasn’t fooling anyone.
“Oh, that’s a shame. Rem wanted to talk more, but I suppose you wouldn’t want Nee-sama to give you an earful for slacking off.”
“Yep yep! Don’t want to leave too many chores to her either!” And with that he hurriedly and clumsily started putting everything away on the tray and made a motion to leave the room.
Ordinarily, Rem would wish for more time together, but she had her fill from seeing this new flustered Subaru-kun. It would be enough Subaru-kun for the rest of the day, at least until nightfall. Though, she couldn’t help feeling like there was something else she needed to ask for… Oh, right!
“Before you leave Subaru-kun, could you find Beatrice-sama and tell her Rem requests her attention? Rem needs to discuss something private with Beatrice-sama, relating to her condition.”
Subaru-kun’s answer was in the form of a thumbs up and loud affirmative hums, clearly too embarrassed to give a proper response. Just as he was about to leave the room, one final thought popped into Rem’s head.
“And next time you make ‘omurice’, you should wear a maid uniform. Rem is sure you’d look good in one!” Rem teased.
The door slammed shut, though Subaru-kun’s girly scream could still be heard through it. Perhaps Rem had teased him too much. Though, at the same time, she felt like she hadn’t teased him enough. No matter, there was always tomorrow. For now, she’d be satisfied with his phantom warmth on her palms.
Later that evening, the daring Rem from earlier was nowhere to be found, and in her place was a girl screaming into a pillow and rolling around in bed. None of her previous boldness could be seen, only mortification at her actions that day.
‘What was I thinking?! Subaru-kun must think I’m a pervert now! Stupid stupid stupid!’
As if things couldn’t get any worse, her sister had decided to come in at that very moment, catching Rem in the middle of assaulting the bed with a pillow. Rem herself only noticed once Ram politely coughed to get her attention, at which point Rem’s face didn’t look too dissimilar to Subaru-kun’s earlier. Did the world relish in humiliating her?!
“Ram has filled the bath with fresh hot water for Rem. Ram and the others have already had theirs, so Rem doesn’t need to worry about privacy and may relax in peace. She looks like she needs it. In the meantime, Ram will clear up this guest room so that Rem may return to her own room later.” Ram said, as professional as always. She acted as if she never saw Rem’s little outburst, which was somehow more embarrassing for the girl. Reluctantly, Rem grabbed the maid uniform Ram provided—the same one she wore for her last day off—and headed to exit her room.
“Also, Ram feels the need to tell Rem that she shouldn’t get her hopes up. Barusu seemed far too disoriented to peep at Rem while she bathed, especially after the stunt she pulled off earlier.” Ram added with a smirk.
Rem banged the door shut and swiftly made her way to the Mansion’s bathhouse without a single glance backwards. Maybe she should drown herself in the bath to save herself from the shame.
Rem’s bath proved to be very cleansing for her mind and body. Her skin was free from two days worth of grime, and the heat relaxed her thoughts and let her worries drift freely away into the water. With no one else around, as shameful as it was to say, Rem was allowed to act rather unrefined and unrestricted, and she spent a much longer time in the bath than she normally would. Once she finally left and dried herself off, her fingers were riddled in prunes and wrinkles.
Overall, it was likely to be the most refreshing experience Rem had ever had. Which was probably why Rem didn’t see as she turned a corner and crashed into a tray of food, almost causing it to topple over. The meal it carried was launched out however, and Rem’s already sluggish mind and reflexes were slow to react. Disaster would’ve struck if it weren’t for a little voice shouting out:
“Murak!”
In an instant, all the contents of the tray started floating mid-air, mere inches from crashing into the ground. As the dishes slowly drifted back onto their rightful places, a small figure revealed herself while letting out a heavy sigh disproportionate to her size.
“Perhaps Betty should give the Oni maid an additional day off, I wonder? It’s clear that you aren’t fit to go back to work yet, in fact.” Beatrice grumbled. Though, her quip lacked most of its usual bite.
In fact, Beatrice looked uncharacteristically tired. Her appearance was as clean and pristine as always, but it lacked a certain shine that she normally had, and her demeanor wasn’t as sharp and snappy as was typical. Rem would almost describe it as languid. If she didn’t know any better, Rem would have assumed that Beatrice was tired. Rem kept that thought to herself though, and instead bowed as per routine.
“Good evening, Beatrice-sama. Rem apologizes and asks for your forgiveness, she was careless and neglected to mind her step. Please punish her as you see fit.”
“Lift your head, I suppose. Betty is not so cruel as to fault someone for being ill, I suppose. Especially not when—” Beatrice cut herself off before finishing her sentence, but they both knew what she meant to say. On Beatrice’s end, she looked as if she’d drunk some rather bitter medicine. Was she trying to act considerate? While it was certainly appreciated, Rem certainly didn’t see the need for it. The Hanahaki wasn’t her fault, after all.
“Rem is most grateful. If she may ask, is Beatrice-sama delivering dinner to Emilia-sama? Rem would be happy to provide assistance if you wish.”
“That’d be pointless, I suppose. After all, this is meant for your room, in fact.” Was all Beatrice provided as an answer before she continued dutifully pushing it, Rem following two steps behind.
Beatrice’s answer only puzzled Rem. Why would Beatrice of all people be bringing her food? Without Door Crossing no less. Her confusion must’ve been visible on her face as Beatrice started complaining as an explanation.
“That useless butler is at fault, I suppose! Lecturing on ‘learning to appreciate the fruits of hard work’ and other nonsense. And he has the gall to use Bubby as an accomplice! The only reason Betty is doing this is because Bubby promised to let her play with him for the whole day tomorrow. Hmph!” Beatrice made her indignation very clear, but Rem couldn’t help but silently giggle at the stark contrast between the current Beatrice and her from months ago.
This must be Subaru-kun’s way of letting Rem and Beatrice have their discussion. Rem inwardly thanked Subaru-kun before she made her move.
“If Beatrice-sama has no other duties to attend to, could Rem have her attention for a moment later? She wishes to discuss something about her condition.” Rem queried. Beatrice stopped her march momentarily, seemingly hesitant at the idea of continuing their previous discussion. To sweeten the deal, Rem added, “As thank you, Rem will let Beatrice-sama have her dessert.”
That appeared to have done the trick, as Rem could practically see Beatrice’s ears perk up at the mention of sweets.
“Very well, Betty will hear you out, I suppose!” Beatrice answered with barely concealed excitement.
Right on cue, they arrived at Rem’s room. Taking a look inside, it was exactly the same as she had left it before, barring a pile of books on the desk that Ram must’ve placed. Rem held the door open for Beatrice, letting her practically shove the tray inside the room. Finally done with pushing the tray around, Beatrice sat herself on Rem’s bed while Rem herself was forced to drag her desk chair over to her food.
Once they were seated, Rem took the opportunity to have a good look at her dinner: It was a standard three-course meal, with a mixed garden green salad for appetizer, honey glazed roasted beef with roasted sweet tatoes as the main, and a slice of strowberry shortcake for dessert. Of course, the cake was reserved for Beatrice as promised, but Rem was more than satisfied with the first two.
“Now then, what did the Oni maid wish to discuss, I suppose? Be quick with it, Betty has little reason to listen to a servant’s request. You should be grateful Betty even agreed to speak with you, in fact.” Beatrice immediately began complaining whilst shamelessly grabbing the cake off the tray. There was no real urgency to it, but Rem knew better than to push her luck as she bowed before speaking.
“In regards to Rem’s behaviour the previous night, she would like to apologize once more. She was highly emotional and was not in her right mind, but that doesn’t excuse the disrespect she displayed before Beatrice-sama.”
“That’s enough, I suppose. Betty wouldn’t hold a grudge over something as inconsequential as a sick person’s outburst. Do you take her for a cold-hearted monster, I wonder? Get on with it, I suppose.”
“Very well, Beatrice-sama.” Rem took a deep breath, feeling the sensation of what she now knew were flowers in her chest, before continuing. “Rem wished to discuss the possibility of a cure for Hanahaki.”
“Did Betty not already tell you? The only known cure for Hanahaki is to rid yourself of the affection that caused it to take root in the first place, in fact.” Beatrice huffed, annoyed at having to repeat herself so often.
“That may be the case for recorded cases, but what if we discuss theoretical cures?”
At that, Beatrice brought a fist up to her chin, looking lost in thought as she stared at her untouched cake. It was unusual seeing Beatrice like this, as she always seemed to know the answers to everything.
“…What do you propose, I wonder?” She finally queried after a long moment of pondering.
“Earlier this morning, Nee-sama brought an interesting idea to Rem’s attention. Hanahaki sprouts from an unrequited romance, no? Then by that same token, would it not be reasonable to assume that the condition would disappear upon those feelings being reciprocated?” Rem said as she put forward her and Ram’s hypothesis.
On the outside, Rem appeared as calm and composed as ever. Internally however, her thoughts were in disarray. Was the idea sound? Or would Beatrice simply brush it off as a desperate shot in the dark from a dying girl? Her life was quite possibly hanging on whether the idea was feasible or not, after all. Rem wasn’t particularly religious, but she prayed to Volcanica nonetheless.
Meanwhile, Beatrice calmly contemplated the twins' potential cure. She stayed so still that one could’ve mistaken her for a doll if not for the occasional mumble. Only a minute must’ve passed, but to Rem it felt like an eternity before a response eventually came from Beatrice.
“There’s been no precedent for it, and the exact details of your hypothesis are rather vague… but Betty doesn’t see why it couldn’t work, I suppose.” Beatrice stated.
Rem let out the breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding , the tension in the room dissipating. Just like that, the massive weight on Rem’s shoulders disappeared. In its place, a tiny quiet fire burned brighter than before. It was hope. Rem could feel her vision growing blurry, and she might’ve started crying if it weren’t for Beatrice’s interruption.
“Don’t get too excited, in fact! Betty only said that it was possible, not that it was guaranteed! And don’t forget that you’d still have to make that servant boy fall for you, which is a formidable task in and of itself, in fact. That fool is denser than a bag of bricks, in fact!” Beatrice started spewing out. The Great Spirit wasn’t great with people’s emotions it seemed.
“Of course, Beatrice-sama.” Rem conceded through sniffles as she wiped her eyes with a napkin. How embarrassing of her to cry in front of a superior twice in such a short time.
“If the Oni maid requests, Betty may allow her to borrow a book on how to seduce men from the Forbidden Library, I suppose.” That made Rem pause. Not just because she was caught off guard by the knowledge that the Forbidden Library had books on seduction, but from Beatrice offering help of her own volition.
“Your concern truly warms Rem’s heart, Beatrice-sama.”
“Betty is simply intrigued by this experiment of yours, in fact. Not to mention that Betty is responsible for your recovery. Don’t get things twisted, I suppose!” Beatrice huffed through gritted teeth. Rem giggled at her annoyance, causing her to grumble further. She could see why Subaru-kun called her a ‘tsundere’.
Beatrice chose to dig into her cake at that moment, as if to say the conversation was done, with Rem following right after. Perhaps it wasn’t proper etiquette for a maid to eat with her superior, but neither paid much mind to it. The past two days had been rather peculiar, to say the least. What was one more to add to the list? They could always make up for it tomorrow.
After all, tomorrow was a new day.
In the dead of night, whilst everyone else was sound asleep, a maid and her master were sharing an intimate moment, at least from the maid’s perspective. Roswaal was once more transferring mana to Ram, as per their routine. It was one of the precious few times she could be so close to him, and also where she’d give her reports. Today was much the same, except for one small detail.
“Soooo, you claim that Rem is coughing up flowers?” Roswaal asked in the usual sing-song voice.
“That is correct. Ram doesn’t know its source, but according to Beatrice-sama, it’s fatal.” Ram obediently replied. For a reason that eluded even her, Ram felt the need to lie in regard to Rem’s condition. The only thing she knew was that if Roswaal learned of it, Rem’s love life would end in failure. If there was one thing that eclipsed Ram’s loyalty to her master, it was her love for her sister.
“And yet, you don’t seeeeeeem to be concerned in the least, Raaaam.” Roswaal taunted as he stroked Ram’s hair. Ram resisted the urge to lean into it, keeping her guard up.
“Ram certainly is worried, even despite her knowledge of the Tome. Since our contract hasn’t broken, is it safe to assume Roswaal-sama expected this?” Roswaal only chuckled at her prodding, clearly amused at being seen through.
“You’d be correeeeect. As expected of my Ram. Worry not, the death of your sister isn’t paaaaaaart of my plan.”
His other arm hovered over the drawer where he kept the Tome of Wisdom, as if it was longing to caress it.
“As you know, Subaru-kun’s gate is in terrible condition from oooooveruse in the recent incident. As the one at fault for thaaaaaat, I’ve sought the help of the kingdom’s best heeeealer.”
“Are you referring to Felix-sama from the Crusch Camp?”
“Astuuuute as always. Rem will accompany him to the capitaaaaal, which will also be the peeeeerfect opportunity to cure Rem of her iiiillness." Roswaal clarified. Though, Ram did notice one missing detail he didn’t elaborate on.
“Beatrice-sama stated there was no cure for Rem’s condition? Does Felix-sama know of a method that not even she knows of?”
Roswaal hummed before responding, “It’s methooood I’ve thought of that ooooonly he would be able to pull off. Simply puuuut, Felix-sama will perform surgery to remooooove the flowers. If they’re gone, the probleeeem goes away, nooooo?”
Ram mulled over the thought in her head, thinking deeply on her master’s words. Simply removing the flowers would more than likely cure her sister. But would that not also remove the source of those flowers, Rem’s unrequited love?
Ram couldn’t let that happen.
“Should Ram relay this information to Rem?”
“It saves me the trouble of explaining it once more, so I don’t seeeeeeee why not.”
With that confirmation, Ram secretly began formulating a plan behind her master’s back. Ram would not allow the embers of her sister’s love to die without a fight.