Archive of Our Own

“You have to stop this in fact.” Beatrice applied healing magic to Subaru’s arms, it halted the bleeding, but there was still blood covering his arms. Faint scars could be found lying across his arms, looking like scratches.

“I’m trying, I’m trying Beako, please continue to keep this a secret for me wouldja,” Subaru patted Beatrice’s head, she blushed at the sudden action but her expression immediately showed her worries.

“Subaru you can’t just keep this away from me forever? What’s in your mind? Why do you have to keep doing this to yourself? Betty… Betty’s maiden heart can’t bear witnessing her own contractor continuously hurting himself further and further!” Tears trickled down Beatrice’s cheeks, but it wasn’t the first time they had had this conversation.

“Hahaha! I will be fine! It’s not much of a bother anyway, what I need to focus on is to make Emilia-tan queen!” Subaru stood up, he wore a bright smile while stepping out of the room, the same scene had happened many times.

Your smile, couldn’t be any more fake I suppose. Beatrice could do nothing to stop him from avoiding her question. She looked at her contractor’s back. When he first came into the mansion, he bore a face which looked peaceful, but there was a bit of sadness hidden behind it. When she actually met him, he looked and sounded cheerful yet completely oblivious to his surroundings, she couldn’t help but laugh at his reaction when she absorbed his mana. 

But somehow, the next time she saw him, something about him felt different. She couldn’t quite grasp on what it was, but his obliviousness suddenly felt fake and forced. He also asked her the weirdest questions, like being cursed and how to remove the curse. It was as if he predicted he would be cursed.

He acted strangely calm when she told him he would die within half a day, as if death was only simply a title to him. 

When he told her to form a contract with him, he nearly got himself killed, but he didn’t even bat an eye to that fact and focused solely on saving her, who wanted nothing but to simply rest. 

From then on she closely inspected his actions, and that was when she discovered his habits, she couldn’t help but ask, why? Just why? That was when she first felt that everything he displayed felt…fake. He was more open to herself, but to Emilia and others, it was as if he wrapped himself with a cloak that hid himself from everything, like a shield almost.

This only became even more glaringly obvious to her after they came back from Vollachia.

“Baruru, your presence has been annoying me for the past few hours, go away.” Ram said.

“Nee-sama! Haven't you been really sharp recently?” Subaru let out a small laugh before continuing on cleaning the room, trying to ignore Ram’s remarks.

“It’s just your own perverted imagination, now leave, before Ram dies because of you being here.” Ram snorted.

“Honestly nee-sama, I don’t really have anywhere else to go besides continue to work,” Subaru said, giving a small chuckle, Ram couldn’t bear looking at his smiling for anything longer.

“I’ll force you to leave if you don’t do it yourself, go die in a corner instead.” Ram said.

“Nee-sama, I’m just trying to do my job, it would be ever so sliiiiiightly appreciated if you could just leave me alone,” Subaru said with a small hint of annoyance in his tone.

“Ha! Is Ram your servant now? You have not taken a break in hours, just leave .” Ram spoke, hoping to force Subaru away.

“Fine, fine, I wouldn’t dare to anger nee-sama.” Subaru said, raising his hands as a sign of defeat as he walked away from the room. 

Ram let out a small sigh of relief as she watched Subaru’s back walking away from the room, Subaru had been working for hours with absolutely no breaks at all, ever since coming back from Vollachia, Subaru had been in hyper work mode and he wouldn’t take any rest until it was late at night or Ram stopped him. She was running out of things to say in order to stop him, as he seemed to grow more and more stubborn day by day. She had to be sharper with her words, otherwise he wouldn’t move an inch.

She was worried, but what could she do? Ask him about it? It wasn’t her business, and she certainly shouldn’t poke her nose into his business. She tried asking him indirectly a few times, but he seemed to avoid them altogether. The best she could do was to ask the Great Spirit to do something about it, but it seemed like even Beatrice had not a clue what was going on in Subaru’s mind.

The worst thing about him was that his smile seemed… fake. Everytime he turned over to face her, that radiant, annoying smile was present, but she could’ve sworn everytime he turned away from her his expression changed. She was never able to see that side of him, so she couldn’t prove whether it was true or not.

She could only hope Emilia could do something about it.

“Yo cap’n, are ya alright?” Garfiel asked, watching Subaru as he laid on the floor, panting after finishing the parkour course. From the looks of it, his captain was exhausted, had he been taking any breaks? He wasn’t sure at all.

“Yea Garfiel, of course I’m alright, I’m your captain! Anyways, what is my time?” Subaru asked.

“Yer time is… three times slower than mine…are yer sure ya ‘right?” Garfiel asked, offering a hand to Subaru. 

“Hahaha Garfiel! As I’ve said I’m absolutely fine! I just need a bit of rest, that's all!” Subaru smiled, with a slight chuckle. Subaru stood up on his own, but even Garfiel was able to notice that his legs were shaking.

“Alright then, yer better get some rest cap’n.”

“C’mon Garfiel, I was hoping to go for another round!” Subaru smiled

“Ya’ve been doin dis for the past hour, if yer don’t go rest the orange girl is gonna yell at ya ‘gain.”

“You’ve got a good point there… oh well, I’ll see you later!” Subaru grinned as he waved his hand, walking back towards the mansion as Garfiel continued his training, hoping to clear his worries about his captain.

Petra walked around the mansion, there were barely any chores nowadays. Rem becoming a maid of the mansion again made it so that there was a lot less work to do, so a lot of the time Petra just walked or sat around.

She couldn’t really complain though, she was quite enjoying it.

But then she saw a slouching figure slowly walking down the hall, his back was facing towards Petra but even the color of the clothes were enough to tell who that person was.

Subaru had been… acting quite weird recently, he was the core reason as to why there was barely any work for Petra to do. He worked tirelessly day by day, and everytime she asked him why he just smiled and somehow escaped her question. She hadn’t seen him take a break, when she was going to sleep, he was still awake. When she woke up, Subara was already working.

She always felt this… light, radiating from Subaru due to his optimistic personality. But she couldn’t feel that anymore, and she wasn’t sure why. He looked full of energy, and a bright smile was always on his face whenever she talked to him.

Then why?

“Subaru-sama! Where are you going?” Petra asked. Then suddenly Subaru wasn’t slouching anymore. His shoulders immediately straightened as he turned a hundred and eighty degrees, facing Petra.

“Ah nothing at all! I was…finding Louis! Yeah that’s right, now I wonder where did that little troublemaker go……” Subaru tried walking away, but Petra caught his hand.

“Subaru-sama, your clothes are drenched in sweat! Were you training with Garfiel? Should I go prepare a bath for you? Honestly, are you okay? Your hands are shaking and you're sweating quite a bit,” Petra asked. She could’ve sworn she saw Subaru’s mouth twitched for a split second, making Petra’s heart skip a beat. She didn’t know why, but she suddenly felt fear.

“Ah! Hahaha! My bad! I was going to go take a good ol’ shower and then go find Louis! I’m such a dunderhead as Emilia-tan says,” Subaru laughed, as he tried shaking off Petra’s hand and leaving, but Petra held her grip firm. She had to ask him the question that had been bugging her mind for the past month.

“Subaru-sama…have you ever noticed your smi—” Petra was cut off immediately by Subaru’s laughter, prompting her to loosen her grip and Subaru was able to slip away.

“Ahahahahahahaha! I’m a smidgen person, yes! I will be taking my leave now! I will see you la—” Subaru was cut short when he bumped into Rem as he turned his head. Causing him to fall on the floor.

“Rem-rin! Sorry I didn’t see you there! Haha, I’m just such a clumsy person aren’t I!” Subaru laughed as he stood up, trying to leave but he was blocked by Rem.

“Subaru-sama, have you ever noticed your smile feels fake?” Rem questioned. She was so straight to the point that Petra was taken aback by the question, even though it was the same exact thing she wanted to ask moments ago.

“Hahaha Rem-rin! I didn’t know you could crack jokes like that? Perhaps my smell of sweat is affecting you! I better go get myself cleaned, now would you excuse me …” Subaru tried to force his way out, but Rem continued to block his path like a steel, unmovable wall.

“Drop the act Subaru-sama, even nee-sama has noticed that something is wrong with you. Everyone is worried, you have to understand—”

“Hahaha there’s nothing wrong with me Rem-rin! I’m peeeerrrfeeectly fine!”

“Subaru-sama, how long do you sleep every night?” Petra asked.

“Uhhh…. About seven hours—”

“You’re lying! I sleep seven hours every night and you always sleep later than me, but you always wake up earlier than me! Subaru-sama please stop lying! We can clearly see you are tired but you still work tirelessly every day! Tell us Subaru! What is going on?” Petra pleaded, tears trickled down her cheeks as she bagged Subaru to tell them what was wrong with him. But yet…

“It must be that I haven't been keeping track of time! Don’t woooorrry! I’ll make sure I get enough rest! Now WOULD YOU EXCUSE ME .” Subaru spoke with an icy tone, causing Petra to flinch subconsciously. 

Subaru tried shoving Rem aside to make his leave, but Rem grabbed one of his sleeves. The cloth rolled up, revealing the bare skin Subaru seemed to be always hiding behind his tracksuit.

“Wha—what… is this…?” Rem was horrified by what she was staring at. Her body completely froze, there were…scars. Fresh scars, with the crust just forming on top recently. The scars were… scratches, they looked as if somebody dug their nails into the skin and dragged it along continuously.

Petra was petrified by the sight, she couldn’t quite comprehend what was the meaning of such a thing.  

Subaru immediately shook off his hand from Rem’s, before rolling his sleeves back down, then walked away, leaving the two of them to their own thoughts. 

“Haaa…” Subaru sighed as he sat on a bench just outside the mansion. Lost in his own thoughts, he wondered what would happen next now that Rem and Petra had found out about his habits. 

“I just can’t even keep them from worrying about such an insignificant matter, I’m truly pathetic aren’t I?” Subaru chuckled, his hand raised up on its own and started scratching his other arm. The nails dug deep into his skin, inflicting pain on Subaru… yet it made him feel comfortable.

At some point while he scratched his arms again and again, a rain started to fall. He wasn’t sure when it started as by the time he noticed it he himself was already soaking wet. 

“I’m sure it’s fine, everything will be normal, I’ll just have to act normal, and everything will proceed normally! I'll Just have to continue to smile! My smile is a normality, surely, surely it would be fine as long as I smile, I laugh right?” Subaru clutched his head, laughing while the rain poured on his head and body. His shoulders felt the weight of the water soaked in his clothes.

“You are lying to yourself.” a childish voice spoke, Subaru looked up and he found himself staring at…himself.

“You are pathetic, aren’t you? The son of Natsuki Kenichi himself! Sitting on a bench in the middle of the rain trying to tell himself that he’s fine!”

“What have you achieved in this other world? Ah I know! You let everyone die! You let everyone suffer! Rem was in comatose and now she can’t remember anything! The people in Priestella continue to be trapped in weird forms! Shaula is trapped in her scorpion form! Let’s not forget the blood shed on the battlefield in Vollachia!” 

“Shut up…”

“You should always remember that you aren’t a hero. Rem-rin said it, Abel said it, you aren’t a hero. You are nothing but a pathetic useless person at the bottom of the food chain. You are making Beako cry, you are making Petra cry, you are making everyone cry.”

“Shut up.”

“Even me, the younger version of you, has accomplished more! Everyone was looking at me like: ‘That’s the son of Natsuki Kenichi!’ And I was top in everything! What have you accomplished? Has Emilia-tan ever confessed to you yet?”

“ Shut up. ”

“Are you sure she even loves you?”

“ SHUT UP! ” Subaru threw his hand at his younger self, the illusion disappeared as Subaru’s hands passed through the small figure, but he instead hit something else.

“Ah!” the voice cried as Subaru heard something splashed on the water on the floor.

Subaru shook his head, and his view finally cleared and he found himself staring at…

Emilia’s clothes were soaking wet, with an umbrella lying on the floor right next to her, shock could be seen all across her beautiful face, which was tattered by mud and rainwater.

“D-did I do something… that makes you refuse to speak to me?” Emilia spoke carefully, as if she would break something if she raised her voice too high. Tears formed in her eye lids, Subaru wasn’t sure if it was rainwater, or tears trickling down her cheeks. But he was simply too shocked to utter a single word, the rain suddenly felt as if it was even heavier than before.

“I…I’m reeeaaally sorry for disturbing you.” Emilia uttered as she stood up and disappeared into the heavy fog created by the rain, while Subaru continued to sit on the bench, lamenting his actions.

After returning to his room, Subaru stared at the small pill lying at the center of his palm, if he said he wasn’t sure why he did that he would be lying. He wanted to die. Everyone knew something was wrong about him, he was scared. He hurted them. If he crushed the pill with his teeth, he would immediately reset sometime before whatever transpired today. He could restart and do a better job at avoiding them.

Yes, he had to avoid them. They were seeing right through his mask he worked so hard to assemble, he couldn’t show them the face behind the mask. Not now at least, not when Emilia had to take care of her studies and the election, and Rem had to take a bit more time to settle in. He could tell Rem and Ram weren’t on close terms. They were still taking time to get to know each other again.

That’s why his problem should be resolved later, he roughly estimated he could probably deal with it for another year or two, hopefully by the time he finally breaks he would have eradicated the witch cult and made Emilia queen. Yes, as her knight he must remain strong and vigilant, he couldn’t afford to be slothful, it would only bring his greed out.

He was thinking too much, he moved the pill up to his mouth and he was just ready to swallow it when…

“What are you doing, in fact?” Beatrice was standing in front of the door. Subaru’s heart almost skipped a beat. Subaru pondered whether she saw him trying to swallow the pill, but figured it wouldn’t matter because she didn’t know what the pill would do.

“What is that in your hand I suppose?” Beatrice approached Subaru, opening his hand she saw the small white pill. 

“It was… uhhh… some panadol! It… cures a headache in my world! I’m just feeling a bit of a headache that’s all! Don’t worry about me, it’s almost time to sleep isn’t it? Let’s go to sleep shall we?” Subaru gave a good smile, although Beatrice didn’t seem too convinced by it. She thought for a moment then shrugged. 

“Fine, I suppose, although you better go take a long shower, Betty might be very tolerant but your smell of sweat rivals that of the witch’s scent on your body, in fact.” Beatrice suggested. She then placed her hand on Subaru’s head and applied some healing magic. “There, that should soothe your pain.”

“Alrighty then! I will go take a nice, lovely bath and clean myself thoroughly so I can get all the snuggle from Beako for the rest of the night!” Subaru exclaimed as he walked out of the room, with his mood slightly improving. He had one job at the moment and it was to make sure that Beatrice was happy, that’s all he had to do for now.

Perhaps he was forgetting something, but it wouldn’t matter anyways.

It wouldn’t matter.

“I love you.”

“Hahahaha, the only person who still hasn’t changed yet is you.” Subaru chuckled, staring at the empty dark abyss of shadows stood a single figure. And there could only be one person.

“I love you.” Multiple black hands slithered out from the figure’s back, grabbing onto Subaru and dragging him closer.

“I know, I know.” Subaru sighed. This dream had appeared many times and at least it was better than all of the nightmares he had received over the year and two.

“I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you.” The figure said again and again as the hands clutched Subaru harder and harder.

“Haaaa… why would anyone love a useless piece of scum like me?” Subaru snickered. Then the hands came to a halt as Subaru was right in front of her. The hands released their grip on him

“I love you, that’s why…” Satella spoke softly, with a bit of a tremble in it, “that’s why you should love yourself more.”

Subaru woke up from the dream, with him hugging Beatrice. He was sweating, like always. But at least last night’s dream wasn’t a nightmare. He could hear the gentle breathing of Beatrice as she slept. But her expression doesn’t seem quite peaceful, there was a bit of distress visible from her face. Subaru sighed, he let his lovely spirit be worried about him.

Judging from the position of the sun, it should be around six in the morning. Subaru  was used to waking up very early anyways,  so he decided to just get up and start doing work.

Subaru got into his usual butler clothing and headed to work, as he walked down the hall, he started to think about the events that unfolded yesterday.

How can I look at any of them with a straight face? Rem-rin and Petra probably told Ram and Fredrica, so most likely everyone in the mansion knows by this point. Plus I have to apologize to Emilia… Subaru thought to himself, before bumping into a figure right in front of him.

“Ah sorry I wasn’t paying atten…” Subaru spoke as he focused his eyes and found Petra knocked onto the floor, “…tion.”

“Subaru-sama! I’m so sorry I was dozing off! Uhhhh I hope you forgive me…” Petra immediately stood up and bowed her head to a perfect ninety degrees. But Subaru instead patted her head.

“You’ve really grown ever since I first saw you in Arlam village,” Subaru smiled, Petra looked up with slightly teary eyes and found herself staring at a… genuine smile. 

“That’s the smile I’ve always wanted to see,” Petra uttered under her breath. She wiped off the bits of tears in her eyes and returned a warm smile to Subaru, shocking him to his core.

“Well…then… about… yesterday…” Subaru’s breathing quickened, for whatever reason he started sweating and he started fidgeting. He was sure that he wasn’t ready to start his day on such a heavy topic.

“Subaru-sama, whatever you want to say, I’ll just let you know that I will always be here to listen to you.” Petra spoke, with seriousness yet a bit of warmth between her words, soothing Subaru’s anxiety just a bit.

“Haha… a pathetic and useless person like me should just solve my problems on my own instead…” Subaru chuckled lightly.

“There it is! That laugh and smile is fake! What I… we want Subaru-sama, is for you to have a genuine smile on your face! With that said…” Petra cheeks suddenly flushed with embarrassment, “You are my hero, everyone’s here, how could you be pathetic or useless?”

Hearing those words, Subaru had no words for such a statement, but he could feel as if his heart melted right this instant. He also felt as if suddenly he had all the power he needed to do anything.

Those words were just the words his tortured soul needed to hear.

“Thanks Petra, you are the best.” Subaru gave a broad smile, “sorry as I have to keep you waiting, but i’ll tell everyone about it when breakfast comes, alright?” Petra could only give a nod of approval for Subaru to finally break out of his own shell.

Silence fell over the table as everyone gathered at the dining hall for breakfast, usually Subaru would be the one to start all the conversations, but he was preparing himself to say what he wanted to say, so an awkward atmosphere engulfed the hall.

“Saaaaaayyy Suuuubaruuu-kuuun, the atmosphere feels quuuuite different without all of your shenaaaaaaaanigans you always seem to puuuuull out everyday,” Roswaal said as he sipped his tea. Subaru gulped, he could feel everyone’s gazes focusing on him, which nearly made him flinch in fear, but he could also feel Petra’s encouraging eyes staring at him to speak up.

“Ros-chi, always so perceptive aren’t you,” Subaru chuckled, then proceeded to bring out the heavy topic, “I… Well I… as you all can probably tell at this point something is wrong with me. The truth is… I’ve been doing self-harm for quite a long time now.”

The entire room stayed silent for a few moments. The term “self-harm” wasn’t the most common thing, naturally they wouldn’t know how to react to such information. Causing pain to your own body was… peculiar to say the least in this world.

“…Why?” Emilia spoke with a quavering voice. She tried to calm herself down by drinking some tea, but it could be seen that her hands were trembling. Was it due to worry, or fear? Subaru didn’t really know. But it didn’t matter, he had to let out what he could.

“I… hurt myself on purpose, it’s just that after enduring the journey in Vollachia and Pleiades Watchtower, I just couldn’t shake off the feeling of pain. It was as if something was wrong if I wasn’t in pain at all times.” Subaru sighed, then continued, “And that “wrong” was that I felt…useless. Worthless piece of garbage who couldn’t do anything. I embarrassed Emilia in the capital… I let Rem’s name and memories get eaten, I let the people in Priestella get turned into weird creatures or literal bags of flesh, I let Shaula be stuck in a scorpion form and I let many people die in the civil war within Vollachia. All of those who were wounded, all of those who died. I want to be useful, I want to prove to myself that I’m not weak, that's why—” Subaru was cut off when he received a karate chop on the head, when he held his head and turned around he saw Ram glaring at him.

“You are pathetic and you are worthless Barusu, did you really think that all of those things were within your control? Your mindset is flawed, and that’s why you go so low to the point of harming yourself.” Ram slandered Subaru left and right without a break of a sweat.

“How dare you call Betty’s contractor pathetic and useless in fact! He is trying his best!” Beatrice yelled. Subaru tried to intervene to stop them from arguing but one silver bell voice silenced the entire room.

“Subaru.” Emilia’s words quivered. But he could feel the firmness of her tone. Was she going to comfort him, or was she going to tell him how disappointed she felt?

“I’m sorry.”

“Whaaaaat? Emilia-tan! There’s nothing you should apologize for—”

“I let you suffer for so long, and I never did a thing about it… it’s my fault as you are my knight, th-that i-is wh-why…” Emilia’s tears threatened to spill out as she tried to manage her words, “I think you shouldn’t be m-my…kn-knight…anymore…”

“What do you mean Emilia…?” Subaru was shocked by her request.

“You are enduring all of this because you were involved with me, you nearly died to Elsa to save me, you nearly died to wolgrams, you nearly died to that bag of fire stones, you nearly died to Elsa yet again, you nearly died in Priestella, you nearly died trying to carry everyone’s burdens in the watchtower, and you nearly died in the war Subaru. Does all of these near death experiences not tell you anything? Is it making you think that nearly dying is like eating a pancake?” Emilia ranted, listing all of the times Subaru nearly died, to which Subaru could only scoff at as he counted his deaths, which he couldn’t because he lost track. “I can’t let you go on a downward spiral of pain like this. I… you… I… You are my dunderhead knight, I can’t watch you suffer, nobody can alright?

“Emilia-tan, being your knight is the sole reason why I’m still living.” Subaru said.

“How about Betty in fact! Did Betty’s contractor forget about me?” Beatrice snarled.

“Yes yes and Beako as well.” Subaru chuckled.

“How about meeeeeeeeeeeeee Subaru-samaaaaaaaa…..” Petra wailed.

“And Petra as well…”

“Guhhhhhhhhhh….” Louis groaned as she sat next to Rem, her silence up until this point had genuinely surprised Subaru.

“Alright and everyone in this mansion is the reason why I still want to live! Therefore…” Subaru sighed, “I want to be with you guys forever, and continue to be Emilia’s knight and make her queen.”

In the end, it didn’t solve anything with Subaru at all, but yet he felt… relieved, not entirely, but he felt a lot better, telling everyone about his problems…

“Well, I suppose that’s what friends are for.” Beatrice said as she clutched his hand, walking back to their room. “You really should do this more often, so Betty won’t have to deal with Betty’s maiden heart being hurt by her own contractor in fact.”

“Thanks for keeping them a secret for such a long time Beako, I’ll certainly pay that debt by giving you all the hugs and headpats you will ever need in your entire life!” Subaru laughed as he raised Beatrice into the air, prompting the great spirit to scream at such a sudden action.

But she smiled, as she finally saw her own contractor wearing a genuine smile. 

A few days had passed since the incident, and everything seemed to be getting better, and Subaru was finally sleeping well, without nightmares plaguing his sleep, for whatever reason. His eye bags were slowly but surely disappearing.

“The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and I am still Natsuki Subaru.” Subaru talked to himself as he got dressed for breakfast. “This will definitely be one nice day.”

Beatrice seemed to have left the room before he even woke up, he wondered why, as usually she would be waiting for him even if she woke up first, pretending to be asleep, which was really cute and made Subaru want to squeeze her cheeks everytime. 

As he walked down the hall, he half expected Petra or Louis to jump out of nowhere and either strike up a conversation or harass him. But today was one of those days where this event didn’t happen, much to Subaru’s disappointment.

As he approached the dining hall, he couldn’t hear a single audible voice. Perhaps they were throwing a surprise at him? If so he’d definitely…

Subaru walked into the room with everyone wearing unreadable faces. He wasn’t sure what was going on but something was wrong. Something was very wrong. His brain told him that he forgot something, but he just couldn’t remember.

“Natsuki-san…” Otto spoke, Subaru could hear a gulp coming from Otto as he continued, while raising a piece of cloth in his hand. “Do you remember this… pill?”

The pill. It was THE pill, Subaru asked Old Man Null to make so that he could… reset more effectively.

Subaru suddenly vomited right on the spot, with an empty stomach there wasn’t much to vomit, Beatrice rushed forward to help him but once he got back up to his feet, Otto went on.

“Beatrice-sama saw you attempting to eat this pill, is that correct?” Otto asked.

Subaru gave no response, as there was no way he could lie.

“You… do know this pill contains… extreme poison… right Natsuki-san? Or perhaps you must have mistaken it for another medicine you took in Vollachia! Perhaps somebody switched it out to try and poison you to death! Tell me Natsuki-san, you didn’t try to commit suicide, did you?” Otto quivered as he uttered his words. Everyone looked at Subaru, hoping for a response but…

“Ha…AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!”


Subaru smiled.