Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It had been six months since Sylphy started working as a maid in the Miload estate. A month after the Battle of Priestella, she had requested to join the Emilia Camp, approaching their internal affairs officer directly. The man had been delighted for some reason, muttering something about finally “having someone else that is normal.”

Her primary motivation for joining was the chance to spend more time with her personal heroine, Emilia. Ever since the half-elf had saved her and the other victims of Regulus, Sylphy's admiration had only grown. And how could it not? After years of humiliation and abuse at the hands of an invincible man-child, Sylphy had abandoned all hope for a normal life. Yet, Emilia had appeared and saved her, giving her hope where there was none and granting her the precious gift of choice.

Sylphy would never admit it, but she had also developed a small crush on the half-elf. It was a hopeless crush, of course, as she was well aware that Emilia’s heart already belonged to another. Emilia’s beloved was none other than the Saviour of Priestella, one of the very heroes who had freed Sylphy and her fellow wives.

Sylphy might not have been the most perceptive woman alive, but even a fool could see how Emilia felt. The way her entire expression softened when she spoke of him, or how his words alone could coax a smile from her even when she was on the verge of losing hope, it was all painfully obvious.

Knowing this, Sylphy resigned herself to her fate, letting go of her romantic feelings for the half-elf. While a part of her mourned what could not be, another part felt a surge of profound happiness. The freedom to choose her own future, even this bittersweet path, was one of the greatest gifts her heroine had given her. A romantic relationship might be out of the question, but becoming Emilia's best friend was not. And so, Sylphy embraced her new goal with all her heart.

The period between her request and her official placement was a strange limbo. The Emilia Camp itself was divided: one half, including Emilia and her beloved, had embarked on a quest to the Pleiades Watchtower, while the other remained in Priestella to recover and aid in the city's reconstruction.

Patience, however, was a virtue she had learned to have during her years with Regulus. This time, the waiting felt different. It wasn't the tense, fearful pause before an arbitrary command, but a hopeful anticipation for a future she had chosen for herself. She and her fellow "wives" spent those weeks in temporary lodging, speaking in hushed, excited tones about what lay ahead.

Once Otto had fully recovered, Sylphy and some of her "sisters" were transported to the Miload Mansion. There, she began her formal maid training under the head maid, Frederica-nee-sama. Sylphy took to the work quickly; she was already accustomed to servitude, a skill she had unfortunately perfected while serving a master who was utterly undeserving.

Unfortunately for the new maid, upon her arrival, she was unable to meet either her heroine or the man Emilia loved. They had not yet returned from their expedition. Sylphy did learn, however, that the main objective of their journey was to find a way to help both the victims of the attack on Priestella and another member of their own camp. Making her admire them even more.

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When the party finally returned from their expedition, Sylphy was at last able to meet Emilia. Unfortunately, Natsuki Subaru was missing, apparently, he'd somehow ended up in Vollachia. Still, Sylphy refused to let the opportunity slip by. Operation Best Friend had begun.

First she asked, or perhaps begged, Frederica-nee-sama to be assigned as Emilia-sama’s personal maid. Sylphy was almost certain the head maid had been expecting the request and only made her plead for her own amusement.

Becoming Emilia’s personal maid guaranteed that Sylphy could spend most of her time with the half-elf, tending to her needs and creating plenty of opportunities to talk. This was her chance to truly learn about her heroine's life. Unfortunately, Emilia-sama wasn't in much of a mood to talk about her past. The only things Sylphy managed to get were some basic descriptions of her childhood in the Eliot Forest and the fact that she was frozen in ice for a hundred years.

It turned out Emilia was just waiting for some bureaucracy to be cleared before she could head to Vollachia to retrieve Subaru. This constant state of waiting, however, made her especially eager to talk about her beloved knight.

“Then Subaru got into a really big fight with one of the knights! He even used magic, can you believe it?”

“With his gate already damaged? What possessed him to do something so reckless?”

“I don’t know. After that, we had an argument and I left.”

“‘Left’ as in, left the house?”

“No, I left him in the Capital and came back to the mansion.”

“Oh.”

While Sylphy had to agree that Subaru-san had acted like a dumbass, leaving someone you were courting in another city after a heated argument didn't seem like the wisest decision. Then again, they were still together, so maybe it hadn't been so bad after all.

“But then how did you two meet again, Emilia-sama?”

“Well, I returned to the mansion and continued studying for the selection. After a few days, I started to feel really sad. At the time, the members of the camp weren’t as close as they are today, and Subaru always managed to come up with fun activities to bring us all together. Without him around, the days seemed to drag on.”

“I even thought about going to the Capital to retrieve him, but Puck convinced me that he would come back on his own for some reason. I didn’t understand it very well, but I trusted him and waited.”

Wow. Emilia-sama can really be an airhead sometimes, Sylphy thought.

“After a few more days, he returned with a bunch of people. Apparently, the Archbishop of Sloth was planning to attack our camp, but Subaru managed to make an alliance with two other candidates and got their soldiers to help us.”

“How did he manage that? Did you leave him with negotiating tools or something?”

“I think there were some magic stone mining permits involved. But he managed to get their support by helping them kill the White Whale.”

“Wait, he killed the White Whale just to get help against the cult?”

Sylphy frantically stood up. To think that the Knight had managed to kill the Archbishop of Sloth was crazy enough, but to kill one of the three Great Mabeasts as a mere afterthought... It was insanity. 

“That Mabeast has been causing havoc for 400 years! And he killed it just like that?”

“Yeah? I think he also wanted to help a friend of ours, Wilhelm-san, avenge his wife.”

“I’m definitely interested in hearing about that, but let’s get back on topic. So he killed the White Whale, led the army, and killed Sloth, all in the span of about two days? What’s next, is he going to kill the Great Rabbit or the Black Serpent?”

“...”

“Emilia-sama? Don’t tell me.”

Sylphy was starting to doubt Emilia-sama's words. She knew for a fact that he had killed Sloth and that thing she used to call a husband, but all of this, plus killing two, or perhaps three, Great Mabeasts? She suspected Emilia was embellishing the story. I mean, of course she is, Sylphy thought, her perspective on the knight is hardly neutral. But this was just too much.

“That comes later. You don’t want a spoiler, do you?”

“What’s a ‘spoilr’?”

“It’s a word Subaru taught me that meant…wait, I’m getting distracted again.”

“Where was I? Oh, right. After Subaru killed Sloth, he came to the carriage where I was. There were some magic fire stones hidden in it that were about to explode. I didn't even notice them, but Subaru did. He took the whole bag and leaped out of the carriage. Right after that, while I was still trying to process what was happening, he told me. He said, ‘I love you, Emilia.’”

Sylphy squirmed a little. It sounded like a passage from a fairy tale. The gallant knight comes to rescue his beloved, not caring what happened to him as long as she would be safe.

“I was so surprised. My heart was beating so fast, I didn’t know what to say. He then rode his ground dragon toward the whale’s carcass and threw the stones inside. A few seconds later, there was this huuge explosion that destroyed almost the entire corpse. For a second, my heart just dropped. Other than my father, no one had ever said they loved me, and now that very person had just died to save me.”

Sylphy noticed that tears were starting to form in Emilia's purple eyes.

“Thankfully, his ground dragon protected him, so he was only mildly injured. I took him to a nearby hill and let his head rest on my lap until he woke up. I really wanted to ask him why he was always risking his life to save me.”

“Emilia-sama,” Sylphy said gently, “I don't mean to be rude, but isn't it obvious? It's because he loves you.”

“I know, I know that now . I just didn’t believe it at the time. I was being a dunderhead.”

Emilia continued.

“When he woke up, I asked him why he always tried so hard for me, and I felt this terrible weight because I had never done anything to deserve it. And then he said the strangest thing. He apologized. He said that at first, he was just being selfish, that he was ‘drunk on the idea’ of doing things for my sake. He admitted he was wrong... It was so honest, I didn't know what to think.”

Emilia paused, a faint blush on her cheeks. “I asked him why... why he would still do so much for me. And he said it.” Emilia was blushing fiercely now, even her ears turning red. "He said, ‘Because I love you.’”

Tears were now flowing freely from Emilia’s eyes.

“I panicked! I started listing all the reasons he shouldn’t. That I’m a silver-haired half-elf who looks like the witch, that people despise me, that I’m naive and selfish… I tried to show him every bad part of me, so he would understand.” Emilia put a hand over her heart, which was clearly beating quickly. “But he didn’t even flinch. He just listened. And when I was done, he said... he said he didn’t care about any of those things. That he would love me anyway.”

“I was so happy, but also so overwhelmed. I mean, Puck always said that he loves me, but that’s natural since he’s my father. But Subaru didn’t have any obligation to me, so I—”

“Emilia-sama, I don’t want to be rude, but you’re crying.”

Pulled back to reality, Emilia felt the wetness of the tears on her face. Sylphy calmly spoke.

“Emilia-sama, you don’t have to tell me every single detail. Some things can be just between you and Subaru-sama.”

Sylphy, lying as naturally as she breathed, tried to prevent future oversharing. It wasn’t that she wasn’t interested, she was very interested, but she couldn’t handle this much cuteness. It was like the sappiest romance novel ever written had come to life. The only reason she didn't think Emilia was messing with her was because the half-elf was a terrible liar.

“After that, things got even harder,” Emilia continued. “We went to a place called the Sanctuary, and I had to face a Trial… I had to confront my past. But I couldn’t do it. The first time I tried, it was just too much. I just… broke. I felt so useless, like I was letting everyone down.”

Sylphy felt a familiar pang in her chest. The feeling of being trapped, of being rendered powerless… she understood that all too well.

“Then Puck broke his contract with me. Apparently, the contract was keeping my memories locked, so for me to be better prepared, he went away.”

Sylphy didn’t know much about spirits and contracts, but she assumed that was a very big deal.

“I was terrified, with all the memories flooding back, so I asked Subaru to spend the night with me.”

“Wow, Emilia-sama! How bold of you!”

“What do you mean, Sylphy?”

It would be an understatement to say Sylphy was confused. She had wanted to tease Emilia, but the comment seemed to fly right over her head. After a few seconds of silence, Emilia continued her story.

“When I woke up in the middle of the night, Subaru was gone.”

“Why would he do that?”

“Well, he was dealing with a lot. I didn't know it at the time, but assassins were about to attack the mansion, and Subaru was busy making a plan to help everyone there. And also…” Emilia blushed a little. “He was preparing a surprise for me.”

And if I had to bet, Sylphy thought, it was something stupid, cute, and thoughtful all at once.

“When I woke up and he wasn't there, I freaked out and went into hiding. I was acting like a real dunderhead. But as always, Subaru found me…”

Oh god, is she about to go on another rant about their lovey-dovey talk? I don’t think my heart can take any more.

“Like you recommended, I won’t go into detail about what we talked about.”

Thank god.

“But after… to prove he meant it, he… well, he did something very sudden. He wanted to show me I wasn't alone, that he was right there with me. It was… my first kiss.”

Sylphy physically recoiled, her own cheeks flushing with heat. Okay, this is getting dangerous for my composure, she thought, fanning her face subtly. Is she trying to give me a heart attack?

“That… that really surprised me,” Emilia stammered, touching her own lips as if reliving the memory. “But it worked. It gave me the courage I needed. I faced the trial again, and I passed.”

A warm feeling bloomed in Sylphy’s chest. In her years as a “wife,” she had never seen emotions so pure. Affection, in her old life, was a performance demanded of her, a lie she had to perfect to survive. It was never this quiet, gentle thing that made someone’s face light up from within. Listening to Emilia talk about Subaru, she couldn’t help but compare the boy who would fight the world while still taking care of the woman he loved, to the monster who would monologue for hours about his own rights while ignoring the world. Subaru’s love wasn't about possession or what Emilia could do for him; it was about his desire to see her smile.

It was strange. After escaping a relationship so abusive it had shattered her view of the world, she found herself watching one that was almost painfully cute. It was the kind of normal, healthy love Sylphy had thought was a fairy tale. Seeing it now, real and right in front of her, was more healing than any medicine. It was a quiet confirmation that she had been saved into a world where good things, and good people, could truly exist.

Noticing Sylphy lost in reflection, Emilia continued. 

“Then after that, me, Subaru, and Beatrice killed the Great Rabbit.”

“What?”

“Yeah, I lifted them while Bea—”

“I don’t want to know the details! But the way you talk about it like it's just an addendum… That beast has roamed the world for 400 years and you just… killed it.”

“Yeah.”

Sylphy now felt stupid for ever doubting they could kill her ex-husband. It seemed that for them, killing invincible monsters was so normal they didn't even bat an eye anymore.

“Well, after that, what happened, Emilia-sama?”

Sylphy was now more certain than ever that she had been right to follow Emilia. And while she was happy to hear about the couple, she was now intensely curious about Natsuki Subaru's true personality. She suspected Emilia's lovesick vision wasn't one hundred percent accurate.

Sometime later, Emilia finally managed to leave for Vollachia, in search of her Subaru.

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A few months after leaving for Vollachia, Emilia and the others returned with Subaru in tow.

As the camp settled back into its usual routine, Sylphy was determined to get to know the man better. She'd heard plenty about him but wasn't sure what to believe. Word of mouth painted him as a messiah, someone who solved world-ending crises as if they were minor inconveniences. Opinions within his own camp had a big contrast, ranging from Emilia, who adored the very air he breathed, to the pink-haired maid who insulted him constantly while simultaneously worrying he'd stumble into a deadly situation the moment he left her sight.

Sylphy knew the only way to form an accurate opinion of Natsuki Subaru was to speak with him directly. Finding an opportunity, however, was the hard part. She spent most of the day working as a maid, and after Subaru finished his own training, he would invariably find one of his friends to simultaneously assist and annoy. By the time her duties were done, Emilia usually wanted to talk to her, or the couple was already off somewhere together. A full week passed after his return, and Sylphy had managed little more than a brief exchange with him.

Luckily for her, the opportunity came unexpectedly one afternoon when Subaru sought her out.

Sylphy was cleaning a shelf in Emilia’s office when the door opened and he strode in, a goofy smile plastered on his face.

“Hello! You’re Sylphy-chan, right?”

“Yes, that is my name, Subaru-sama.”

“No need for the honorifics, you can just call me Subaru.”

“A maid must always show respect to the members of the camp, especially our one and only knight.”

Sylphy recited the line like a robot; it was one of the phrases she had heard most during her training.

“Yeah, yeah, I know. Looks like the Roswaal domain's servant training regimen is more standardized than I thought.”

“What do you me—”

“It’s nothing. So, I wanted to talk with you for a bit. Do you have many more tasks to do today?”

So, I’m today’s target for his help-and-annoy rotation, she thought. I thought he only did that with his friends. Why would he want to spend time with me? And how did he even find me? I could have been anywhere in the mansion.

Unsure of his intentions, Sylphy proceeded with caution. “I just need to finish cleaning this office. Why do you ask?”

“I’ll help you, then! We'll finish way faster and have more time to talk.”

“Subaru-sama, you surely have more important things to do than cleaning.”

“First, drop the ‘-sama.’ Second, I really don’t. I already finished my training, and Beako is playing with Petra right now.”

“So that's why I keep seeing you all over the mansion doing random tasks?”

“Yep. I just can't handle doing nothing for too long. Even if you refuse, I’m just going to go annoy Nee-sama instead, so don’t feel too bad about it.”

Sylphy decided to accept the good fortune that had befallen her and played along, even if she had no idea what Subaru-sama could possibly want to talk about.

“Fine, then.”

She continued her work while Subaru grabbed a mop and started cleaning with surprising ease.

Emilia-sama did say he worked as a butler for a while. This really will make the job go faster.

They both continued their tasks in silence. Sylphy was focused on not messing up in front of him, and Subaru, for his part, seemed to be gathering his thoughts. When they were almost finished, he excused himself to go prepare some tea for their talk.

A few minutes later, Sylphy finished her work and went to the mansion garden. Subaru was waiting for her in a small gazebo, a tea set already laid out. She took a seat, and he poured them both a cup before sitting down himself.

“So,” Sylphy said, getting straight to the point. “What did you want to talk about?”

“Wow, so direct, Sylphy-chan. We just sat down.”

“You wouldn’t go to all this trouble just to chat with me if it wasn’t something important.”

“Couldn’t I just be acting spontaneously and annoyingly?”

“If that were the case, you would have tried to talk while we were cleaning. But you stayed quiet, so it must be something serious.”

“You got me. You’re pretty good at this, Sylphy-chan.”

“Thank you very much, Subaru-sama.”

“So, I’m just going to come out and ask. And you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to, ok?”

“ ‘Okey’?”

“How are you? Emotionally, I mean. I don’t know the details of what it was like living with Regulus, but with his shitty personality, I can imagine it wasn’t pleasant.”

Sylphy looked down, her hands fidgeting in her lap. Subaru briefly considered ending the conversation right there but decided against it. If he’d come this far, he might as well go all in.

“Look, I don’t want to force you to talk about anything. It’s just… I’m not going to say I can truly understand how you feel. I don’t think anyone can, aside from the other ‘wives.’ But I can give you one piece of advice: it’s bad to keep your feelings bottled up. Trust me, I know from experience. So if you ever need to talk, you can talk to me. Or Emilia, she can be an airhead, but she’s really good at helping people through their emotional problems.”

Subaru finished his speech and fell silent, waiting. After what felt like an eternity to him but was only a few seconds for Sylphy, she spoke.

“I can see why they chose you to give the speech in Priestella. You really like to make them, don’t you?”

“Hey! It’s not like I give speeches every chance I get… I mean, I’ve given a few to my friends but… My god, am I some kind of speech enthusiast and I’m only realizing it now?!”

As he said the last part, Subaru shot up from his chair and clutched his head in mock anguish. The act coaxed a small, genuine smile out of Sylphy, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared, her face reverting to a neutral, emotionless mask.

She cursed herself internally. Regulus was dead, she was free, yet old habits died hard. The instinct to suppress her emotions was still there.

Subaru noticed but decided against commenting, afraid of striking a nerve.

“It’s creepy, isn’t it?” she said quietly. “Being able to turn off your emotions like that.”

“I won’t lie and say it isn’t. But I don’t think people do that because they want to. They do it because they’re forced to.”

“Very perceptive of you, Subaru-sama. Do you speak from experience, perhaps?”

“A bit, yeah. And because I have experience, I can tell you this: you can’t really turn off your emotions. You can stop them from showing, but they’re still there.”

“Yup. And they keep accumulating until they burst.”

“Right, right.”

“But don’t you think it’s weird? That I keep doing it even after he’s dead? It’s unnecessary and annoying. I want to smile and laugh, to make up for all the time I couldn’t. But it’s like my heart still thinks he could come back at any second and drag me back to that hell.”

“I can guarantee you that he is dead. Very dead. Super-mega-dead. But that wouldn’t change anything, would it? Scars like that… they stay with you long after the person who caused them is gone.”

“Do they ever go away?”

A pained smile grew on Subaru's face. It reminded Sylphy a bit of herself.

“Nope, they don’t. They get less painful, though. Sometimes you can even forget they’re there, but you still carry them with you everywhere you go.”

“That is… disappointing.”

“Tell me about it.”

Silence hung between them for a few moments.

“You can still be happy, though,” Subaru said, his voice soft but firm. “You have to do it in spite of all the pain. Even if it hurts, you have to keep on living and chasing happiness.”

“That’s cruel.”

“It is, but there’s no way around it. Even if I could forget all the pain and heal all the scars, I wouldn’t do it. In the end, I’m only the 『Natsuki Subaru』I am today because of them. Not because of the pain they caused, but because I’m still me in spite of them.”

Sylphy stared at him, then suddenly Subaru came back to his senses, bowed his head and said. 

“My god, I wanted to hear about your experiences and I ended up talking all about myself! I AM SO SORRY!”

“There’s no need to apologize, Subaru-sama. This conversation… it helped me a lot, actually. I just need some time alone to think about it.”

Sylphy stood up from her chair.

“I would recommend you go see Emilia-sama. She must be very sad without her knight. In fact, I think I can hear her crying from here.”

“Yeah, yeah. As if Emilia-tan would bawl her eyes out because I was a bit late for our daily talk.”

“I mean, she was without her dear knight for months. Her heart must ache so much, not seeing you there to comfort her.”

“Okay, okay, I get the hint! Well then, see you later, Sylphy-chan.”

“See you later, Subaru-sa… san.”

Sylphy meant every word. The conversation, while difficult, had given her a clearer direction for how to handle her own feelings. But more importantly, it answered a lot of questions about Subaru’s personality. He had noticed she was bothered by something and, without any prompting, had come to help her. He had even made sure she never felt pressured to talk.

It seemed Emilia-sama had been telling the truth. Still, Sylphy decided it would be best to observe him for a few more days before making her final judgment.

In the time that followed, Sylphy often found herself pausing to observe the unique dynamic between her mistress and the knight. It became a familiar scene: Subaru would be the center of motion and sound, recounting some grand tale or gesturing with dramatic flair, while Emilia would feign a look of studious focus, the light dancing in her amethyst eyes and the irrepressible smile on her lips betraying her completely.

Each time Sylphy witnessed this, a small, unconscious smile would touch her own lips.

Cute.

Her observation of Subaru was no longer a matter of judgment but a settled conclusion. He had proven himself to be exactly as Emilia had described: kind, perceptive, and impossibly stubborn in his devotion. Watching them, she understood that Emilia’s descriptions hadn't been mere praise; they were the simple truth as seen from the center of Subaru's world. For all his grand declarations and service to their camp, his entire universe truly did seem to orbit Emilia-sama’s happiness.

It was chaotic yet perfect. And whenever Sylphy would turn away from such a scene, the warmth she felt was the constant, comforting realization that her mistress was in the best of hands.

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“Thank you for the help with these letters, Sylphy.”

“You’re welcome, Emilia-sama.”

Emilia was in the middle of her "official duty", that is, taking care of the marriage proposals that had arrived for Subaru-san. A stack of them had accumulated since their return from Vollachia, and Emilia had gotten into the habit of personally incinerating them before anyone else had a chance to see them.

Emilia was a surprisingly jealous woman. One would think that someone as pure-hearted as her would be above such pettiness, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Sylphy recalled an incident a while back when another of the former "wives," now a maid, had tripped and fallen, dropping a tea set. Subaru-san, who was nearby, had simply offered a hand to help her up. Of course, Emilia walked into the corridor at the exact moment the maid took his hand.

For a split second, Sylphy swore she saw her mistress’s amethyst eyes flash with pure, murderous intent. Every survival instinct Sylphy possessed screamed DANGER. The temperature in the room plummeted until she could see her own breath. Then, just as suddenly as it had dropped, it returned to normal.

After a frantic explanation from both Subaru and the maid, Emilia quickly calmed down, but the experience left Sylphy permanently wary of making any physical contact with Subaru-san while Emilia was not present.

“Why do so many people want to take my knight away from me? Don’t these nobles have their own?”

An unintentional chuckle escaped Sylphy, pulling her from her thoughts. She had the privilege of watching Emilia perform this "duty" often, and she secretly adored it. While Emilia's jealousy could be terrifying, when it was directed at random letter-writers, it was just hilarious. The way she got so worked up over these things was incredibly endearing.

“Hey Sylphy, I don't understand what this one is trying to say. Could you help me?”

“Of course, Emilia-sama. Let me see it.”

Sylphy took the letter and began to read.

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To Natsuki Subaru,

Let's cut the crap. I'm not writing you a poem. I'm writing to make a permanent arrangement.

So, here it is: Marry me. I don't want a ring; I want the right to have you in my body every single night. I want to wake up with your morning **** pressed against my *****, and know…

******************************************

Sylphy stopped reading. What the fuck? The sheer audacity of the woman who wrote this letter, much less sent it, was almost impressive. She was surprised Emilia hadn't gone into one of her icy rages just from holding it. But wait, why had Emilia asked her to explain it? Was she just teasing her? Still, she had to give an answer. With trembling hands and a blush creeping up her neck, Sylphy spoke.

“It is another marriage proposal, Emilia-sama. But this woman seems to be interested only in… sex. She has a lot of nerve sending something like this.”

“Sex? What is that?”

Sylphy stared, confused. Was the half-elf really that determined to tease her? But when she looked at Emilia’s face, she saw no smirk, just a genuinely inquisitive expression. Emilia was a terrible liar; something was wrong.

“Emilia-sama… is it possible… that you really don’t know what sex is!?”

“Why are you looking at me like that? Of course I don’t. That’s why I asked you, dunderhead.”

Emilia is ancient, isn't she? Sylphy thought. How can someone be that old and have zero sex education?

“It’s what people do to make babies, Emilia-sama.”

“Oh, okay. But this woman wants to have babies with Subaru without even knowing him properly?”

“No, people also have sex to express love… and also because it feels good.”

“I see. This one goes into the fire, then.”

“Just out of curiosity, how did you think babies were made, Emilia-sama?”

“Oh, for a long time I thought they were made by kissing. After I learned that was wrong, I asked Subaru about it, but he got really embarrassed and told me to ask one of the girls. They all got embarrassed too and I couldn’t get a straight answer out of them, so I eventually gave up.”

What were they thinking? Subaru got a pass since he’s a boy and Emilia’s lover, but for the other girls to not give her even a basic education was just awful. The poor girl must have been so confused when she dealt with that thing she called a husband.

“I will help you with that later, Emilia-sama. I just need some time to come up with a good plan.”

“Oh, thank you so much, Sylphy!”

“Still, Subaru is very patient for not having given up and told you himself all this time.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Well, you two have been a couple for almost two years now. It’s normal for young couples to get intimate quickly. The fact that he’s been holding back is both impressive and kind of stupid on his part.”

“But Subaru and I aren't a couple.”

Sylphy’s brain shut down. The perfect image of her ideal couple was shattering right before her eyes. Is she serious? Are they just close friends? Have I completely misunderstood their entire relationship?

No, that was impossible. The way Emilia looked at him, the way he always found an excuse to be by her side, the way hope returned to her eyes just from hearing his voice, his reaction to seeing her in a wedding dress, Emilia’s intense jealousy… Sylphy was sure she’d heard him say “I love you” three times just this morning. Something was very, very wrong here. Thinking about it wouldn’t help; she had to get to the bottom of this.

“Emilia-sama, he comes to your room every night, and you two spend hours just talking with his head on your lap. If I didn't come to get you for dinner, you’d probably stay like that all night.”

“Well, it’s normal for friends to talk. And he deserves lap pillows after everything he’s been through.”

“When he was lost in Vollachia, you looked half-dead. The only time you looked remotely happy was when you were talking about him.”

“He’s my knight. Of course, he has to be by my side.”

“I heard him say he loves you three times today . How do you explain that?”

“He loves me, yes. It’s just that I don’t know if I love him back.”

“Are you fucking serious, Emilia?”

“Sylphy, that is a bad word. Don’t talk like that.”

Sylphy was sure of it now. Emilia was just bad at understanding her own feelings. Comically, tragically bad. It was her duty as Emilia’s personal maid to help her.

“That’s good then,” Sylphy said, deciding on a new tactic. “I always found him rather handsome. I was holding back because I thought you two were a couple, but if you aren’t, then I can make my move.”

As the words left her mouth, she watched Emilia’s face. Just as expected, she was fuming. There. That is romantic jealousy if I've ever seen it. She can’t possibly argue with that.

“Sylphy, you are my maid, and I forbid you from trying to marry Subaru. He is OFF-LIMITS!”

“See, Emilia-sama? That’s jealousy! How can you—”

“It’s enough that he also loves Rem! I won't accept another person getting close to him like that!”

“What?”

“I said, he also loves Rem and I—”

“Rem is the blue-haired maid, is she not?”

“Yes?”

Could that be it? Sylphy wondered. Is that the reason she can’t accept her own feelings? Because she wrongly believes Subaru loves someone else? Subaru told her he loved her all the time, but as had just been proven, she could be a world-class airhead.

“Emilia-sama, how do you know he loves Rem?”

Sylphy hoped she could offer a good counterargument, something to help Emilia finally understand.

“Because he told me he does.”

“HE WHAT?”

Up to this point, Sylphy had accepted that her ideal couple wasn't technically together, but she figured a little nudge would fix it. Now, the rug had been completely pulled out from under her. Subaru-san, the man who loved Emilia as if his life depended on it, was a two-timer? Her mind flashed back to her previous "husband" and his greed, and she started drawing horrifying comparisons. Could she really have found another man like him and not realized it?

No. There had to be a reason. If she had to bet, it was probably a really, really STUPID reason. But with that last revelation, her mind was fried. She needed her intoxicant of choice more than ever.

She quickly composed herself. “Emilia-sama, I’m not feeling well. I’m going to take my leave. Please don’t forget to go to the dining room in about an hour.”

“Oh, okay. Do you want me to use some healing magic?”

“That won’t be necessary. I’m sure I have some… medicine for this particular affliction. Rest well, Emilia-sama. Good night.”

“Good night, Sylphy.”

Sylphy exited the room and made a beeline for where she knew she could find some booze.

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“How can two people be so fucking stupid?” Sylphy muttered, taking a long pull from a bottle of Otto’s strongest liquor. Otto was a borderline alcoholic, so whenever Sylphy needed a proper drink, she knew exactly who to bother for his private stash.

“Tell me about it. *hic* You’ve only endured their particular brand of obliviousness for a few *hic* months. I’ve been marinating in it for nearly two years.”

He sat slumped in his chair, clutching a bottle of his own. He was trying to take it easy, sticking to something lighter tonight. His last hangover had thrown his duties into chaos, an occasion he had no desire to repeat.

“Then explain this to me,” Sylphy demanded, leaning forward so intensely the lamplight cast sharp, predatory shadows across her face. “Why didn't you, or anyone else for that matter, think to mention they weren't actually a couple? I am almost certain I called them the camp’s ‘lovebirds’ directly in front of you more than once.”

“Frankly, everyone in the camp already treats them as if they are, so your assumption was perfectly logical. It was easier to just… let it be. And besides, you seemed so genuinely happy when you talked about them. In a place like this, nobody wanted to be the one to burst that little bubble of joy for you.”

That response only made Sylphy’s temper flare.

“See, that’s the goddamn problem!” she snapped, slamming her bottle down on the cluttered oak desk. “None of you have the balls to fix this stupid situation. How can you let a royal candidate , a woman who might one day rule this kingdom, remain ignorant of what sex even is? WHAT IN THE ACTUAL FUCK WERE YOU THINKING!?”

“Hey, don’t aim that at me!” Otto said, holding up his hands defensively. “I’m a guy. I shouldn't be explaining that stuff to a woman. That’s a job for one of the maids. And Emilia’s a half-elf! I don’t know the first thing about their… biology. Frederica should have handled it.”

“And why didn’t she? Did you even ask her?”

“I did.”

“And when she didn't do it, you just dropped it? Washed your hands of the whole mess?”

“...Maybe a little,” he mumbled.

“Gods, Otto! Couldn't you have just handed her a book on demi-human biology? It's not a perfect solution, but it's something!”

“The problem with that is…” Otto trailed off, “...that it’s an excellent idea I wish I’d thought of before.”

Sylphy stared at him as if he were something she’d just scraped off the bottom of her boot. Otto instinctively shivered under her gaze and looked down at his desk like a kicked puppy.

“Another thing, Otto. Does Emilia actually love Subaru?”

“Of course! It's painfully obvious to anyone who watches them for five minutes.”

“THEN WHY DIDN’T YOU HELP HER UNDERSTAND HER OWN FEELINGS!?”

“Do you actually want to hear my excuses for that one?”

“NO!” Sylphy shot back. “Look, I get that trying to tell someone how they feel is a bad idea, but for gods’ sake, it’s been two years! Can’t you see that the girl needs help?”

“You are absolutely right, Sylphy-sama!” Otto cried. “I’m sorry for being so utterly useless!”

She let out a long, weary sigh, taking another swig from her bottle. “One last thing. What, exactly, is Subaru’s relationship with Rem? Has he ever spoken to you about it?”

“A little,” Otto said, his tone turning somber. He seemed hesitant. “Apparently, she was instrumental in saving him from a very dark place. He says he fell in love with her then. Natsuki-san… he doesn’t like to talk about it.”

“I see,” Sylphy mused. “Looks like I’ll need to have a direct conversation with him, then.”

“What are you thinking abou–”

Otto’s words cut off as he clapped a hand over his mouth, his face suddenly paling to a sickly green. Sylphy’s eyes darted past him, scanning the floor behind his desk. She counted them instantly: six empty bottles, identical to the one in his hand, lying on their sides like fallen soldiers.

“Otto… drinking a ‘lighter’ drink doesn’t count if you consume an entire case of it.”

The merchant looked seconds away from throwing up all over his office. With the practiced ease of a seasoned drinking buddy, Sylphy grabbed him by the wrist, hauled him into the adjacent bathroom, and shoved his head toward the toilet.

“There, there,” she cooed, patting his back with a maternal firmness that contradicted her rage from a few seconds ago. “Just make sure you get it all inside the bowl.”

“Thank you so much, Syl–huuugh…” The rest of his words were lost to a violent retch.

As Sylphy patted Otto’s back, the rhythmic thumps punctuated the furious declaration forming in her mind. Enough was enough. To hell with decorum, to hell with waiting for them to figure it out. She was going to personally hammer those two terminally dense idiots together, dragging them kicking and screaming to the altar of common sense if she had to.

Forget Mabeasts and royal selections; if the world could be saved from the White Whale, surely it could be saved from the romantic incompetence of its two greatest heroes. This was no longer a choice; it was her true calling, her sacred duty. This was now her crusade.

Chapter Text

Sylphy’s quest had three conditions that had to be met to salvage the romantic train wreck that was Emilia and Subaru.

First, she had to provide Emilia with some sexual education. ‘ I can’t believe I, of all people, have to do this, ’ she thought, a faint blush already creeping up her neck at the mere idea.

Second, she needed to navigate the emotional minefield that was Subaru and Rem’s relationship.

Third, and perhaps most crucially, she had to make Emilia realize she was head-over-heels in love with her knight.

Making Emilia realize she loved Subaru seemed like a surprisingly complicated task, one that would require a significant amount of her brainpower and finesse. And she had no desire to poke the emotional hornet’s nest that was Subaru’s relationship with Rem just yet. By process of elimination, that left the most mortifying option. She had to teach Emilia what sex is.

Following the plan she’d drunkenly pitched to Otto, Sylphy decided her first move was to find a book on demi-human biology. This was primarily because she had no idea how reproduction worked for elves, let alone half-elves. It struck her as bizarre that Emilia could have her monthly cycle and never once question its purpose. ‘ Actually, knowing her, maybe it’s not that weird,'  she conceded with a sigh.

Now, all she needed was the right book. Preferably one already in the mansion’s library. She wanted all this stupidity rectified immediately and couldn't be bothered to wait for her next day off to go shopping for one. But instead of wandering the massive  library herself, she decided to seek out the one person who ought to be most invested in seeing her plan succeed.

“What is it you need of Betty, I suppose?” said Beatrice.

Sylphy found the Great Spirit perched on one of the sofas in the mansion's main room, drinking a cup of tea and eating sweets. Subaru was currently out on the training grounds so Sylphy used the opportunity to approach the spirit.

“Hello, Beatrice-sama,” Sylphy began with a polite bow. “Am I correct in my assumption that you are the person most familiar with the contents of this mansion’s library?”

“You would be correct, in fact,” Beatrice said, puffing out her chest with an air of immense pride. “Betty spent four hundred years in a library. So upon arriving here, she naturally committed this paltry collection to memory in a single afternoon, in fact.”

“In that case, are there any books detailing the biology of half-elves? It would be ideal if there were two copies.”

“Half-elves are a rarity, in fact. Betty highly doubts many authors would have bothered to write a specific text on the subject, I suppose.”

Sylphy internally cursed her luck, 'O f course, it wouldn’t be that easy'. She shifted to her backup plan.

“What about books on elven and human biology?”

Beatrice’s sharp eyes narrowed. “This is for Emilia’s education, I suppose?”

“That would be correct. So, are there any?”

“Yes, there is a volume that details the biology of most demi-humans. Unfortunately, Betty doesn’t know where it was last placed.”

“Then could you perhaps help me find it?”

“And why would Betty waste her precious time helping you with such a trivial matter, I suppose?”

Sylphy leaned in, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “Because I would think you’d be the most interested party in this particular… development.”

“Why would Betty care about that?” Beatrice huffed, crossing her arms.

Sylphy pressed her advantage. “Because this isn’t just about getting Emilia and Subaru together. I’m thinking bigger. I’m thinking about the future .”

Beatrice’s eyes widened, just a fraction, but it was enough. Sylphy knew she had her. Time to press the attack.

“Think of it, Beatrice-sama. Imagine Subaru as a father. A little quarter-elf with his eyes, running around the mansion, causing adorable chaos.”

Beatrice’s composure cracked for a fraction of a second.

“A little boy with Subaru’s black hair but with pointed ears,” she continued, a dreamy look on her face. “Or a little girl with a face just like Emilia-sama’s, pulling on your dress and asking you to read her a story. Wouldn’t that just be the most precious thing you’ve ever seen?”

A faint blush appeared on Beatrice’s cheeks. “Betty doesn’t need you to paint such pictures, in fact. Betty has been considering such a possibility ever since she formed a contract with her Subaru, I suppose!”

“See? You get it! It would be the most adorable thing ever. And we would be the doting aunts, Beatrice-sama.”

Beatrice scoffed, but she couldn’t hide the small, fond smile forming on her lips. “Betty would be the one to teach the child how to read, in fact. Not anyone else, I suppose.”

“Of course,” Sylphy said with a small laugh. “I’m a horrible teacher. I’ll leave the academics to you. I’ll just be the fun aunt who spoils them with sweets and tells them all the embarrassing stories about their parents. It’s a perfect plan!”

Beatrice fell silent, her expression unreadable. After a long moment, she let out a small, defeated sigh. "Fine, I suppose. Betty will help you, in fact. But only because it is for Subaru’s own good. My desire to see a miniature version of him is entirely unrelated."

“Of course, Beatrice-sama.”

And with that, Sylphy had secured her first ally.

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With Beatrice’s help, locating the books was trivially easy. The Great Spirit navigated the towering shelves with amazing accuracy, pulling out two identical, heavy tomes from a dusty, forgotten corner. They were clearly old volumes, bound in worn leather with faded gold lettering. The pages were thick parchment, filled with elegant script and detailed, if somewhat clinical, anatomical drawings. Sylphy shuddered, thinking of the trouble she’d avoided by not having to hunt for such a specialized text elsewhere.

Her duty done, Beatrice promptly departed to find her contractor, leaving Sylphy to handle Emilia on her own. The great spirit would be crucial later, when it was time to talk to Subaru.

‘ Getting her on my side was a really good move ,’ Sylphy thought, a smirk gracing her lips.

Clutching both copies, she made her way to Emilia’s room and knocked gently on the door.

“Emilia-sama, may I come in?”

“Of course, Sylphy!” came the cheerful reply.

Sylphy entered the room and promptly closed the door behind her. “Emilia-sama, during our conversation earlier this week, it came to my attention that you are unaware of how babies are made.”

“Yes, I remember that,” Emilia said, her tone bright and completely devoid of shame.

“I wanted to explain it to you myself, but I’m not familiar with half-elven biology. So, I asked Beatrice-sama to help me find these.”

She handed one of the heavy tomes to Emilia, who accepted it with curiosity.

“They detail the biology of most demi-humans, including elves and humans. Unfortunately, there was no information specific to half-elves, so we’ll have to figure that part out ourselves.”

Emilia looked from the book to Sylphy, her violet eyes wide. “What do you mean?”

“What I propose is that we both read the chapters on elves, and you read the one on humans as well. Afterward, we can discuss which one seems to fit your own experiences better, or if it’s some combination of the two.”

“That’s reaally smart, Sylphy!” Emilia beamed.

“Thank you, Emilia-sama. When you finish reading, inform me.” Sylphy turned to leave, her part in this mortifying situation complete.

“Hey, you can sit on the bed while we read,” Emilia offered. “Make yourself comfortable.”

Sylphy froze mid-step, her hand alreasy on the doorknob. “What?”

“Aren’t we going to read it together?” Emilia asked, tilting her head.

'Is she serious? Has this girl no shame?' Sylphy was speechless. How could anyone want to read a book about reproductive anatomy with another person in the room? Did she not realize how profoundly, skin-crawlingly embarrassing that would be? That was a stupid question. Of course, she didn’t.

“With all due respect, Emilia-sama,” Sylphy said through a forced smile, “I believe it would be better if we read this separately.”

“Oh, okey,” Emilia said, her face falling slightly, a flicker of disappointment in her eyes. “I just thought it would be more fun to do it together.”

'Odamnit, now I feel bad for refusing to do something so humiliating.' Sylphy felt a desperate urge to flee before Emilia’s puppy-dog eyes could weaken her resolve.

“I will be taking my leave now. I recommend you read it as soon as you can.”

“Sure! When I finish reading, I’ll tell you.”

“I must now resume my duties. Good reading, Emilia-sama.”

“See you later, Sylphy.”

Sylphy fled the room, her cheeks burning, not daring to look back.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A day later, Emilia called for Sylphy so they could have The Talk. To say Sylphy was nervous would be an understatement. She had never imagined giving The Talk to anyone other than her own children, should she ever have any. But no, here she was, about to explain the facts of life to a grown woman who was also a candidate for the throne. She could only hope that Emilia had understood most of it from the book and would only have simple questions.

Sylphy stood before Emilia’s door, taking a deep, fortifying breath. ' This is it. The moment of truth.' She knocked.

"Come in!" Emilia’s voice chirped from behind the door.

Sylphy took another deep breath, mentally preparing herself for the ordeal to come.

“Okay, you can do this. It’s just a conversation. A deeply, profoundly, soul-crushingly embarrassing conversation,” she muttered to herself.

She pushed the door open to find Emilia sitting on her bed, the heavy tome open on her lap, a look of intense concentration on her face. She looked up as Sylphy entered, her eyes bright with curiosity, not a hint of shame in sight.

"Sylphy! I finished reading. It was all reaaally interesting!" Emilia said, patting the spot on the bed next to her. “But I do have some questions.”

' Od Laguna help me.'  Sylphy braced herself as she sat beside her master. “Of course, Emilia-sama. I’ll do my best to answer them.”

“Okay, so,” Emilia began, tapping a finger on a detailed diagram of the male human reproductive system. “The book says that for a baby to be made, the man has to put this part of him…” she pointed to the clinical illustration, “...inside this part of the woman.” She looked up at Sylphy, her expression as earnest and innocent as ever, “Is that right? It seems a bit… messy.”

Sylphy’s face erupted in a blush so intense she felt her ears might catch fire. “W-well, yes, Emilia-sama. That is… the fundamental mechanism. It’s, ah, how the necessary components are delivered.” She was trying desperately to sound detached and academic, but her voice was squeaking.

“Components,” Emilia repeated, nodding thoughtfully. “You mean the ‘sperm’ and the ‘egg’. So the man’s part delivers the sperm to the egg. But the book says elves and humans are mostly the same in this way. It also said that human females have something called a ‘monthly cycle’ where their body gets rid of an unused egg. It sounds reeeally messy and inconvenient.”

The blush on Sylphy’s face deepened, now tinged with a familiar, bitter resentment. “Yes,” she muttered, more to herself than to Emilia. “It is.”

“The chapter on elves said that doesn’t happen for us,” Emilia continued, completely oblivious to Sylphy’s internal turmoil. “It says our bodies are more efficient and simply… reabsorb the egg if it isn’t needed. I suppose that makes sense. I’ve never experienced anything like what the book described for humans.”

‘ Of course you haven’t ,’ Sylphy thought, a sharp pang of jealousy cutting through her embarrassment. ‘ No cramps. No bleeding. No week of misery every single month. Just quiet, dignified, elven efficiency. It’s fundamentally unfair. ’

“That is… correct, Emilia-sama,” Sylphy managed to choke out. “Elven biology is… superior in that regard.”

“So,” Emilia said, her expression turning serious as she looked directly at Sylphy, her gaze piercingly innocent. “To make a baby, I would have to do that with Subaru?”

The question, so direct and stripped of all romantic or emotional context, hit Sylphy like a physical blow. Her brain stuttered to a halt.

“I… uh… well… yes,” she stammered, her hands twisting the fabric of her maid uniform. “Theoretically. If… if you and Subaru-sama made a mutual decision to have a child… that is the… procedure… you would need to follow.”

Emilia nodded slowly, processing the information with solemn acceptance. “It doesn’t sound very comfortable. Why would people want to do it if they weren’t trying to make a baby?”

Sylphy felt a desperate urge to bang her head against the nearest wall. How could she possibly explain lust and desire to someone who viewed the act with the detached curiosity of a botanist studying a flower?

“Emilia-sama,” Sylphy began, her voice strained. “It’s… it’s not just a biological function. When two people… care for each other very, very much… it’s a way of expressing that love.”

“But the book didn't mention anything about love being a requirement for the process to work," Emilia retorted, flipping back a page as if to check her source.

' Because it isn't, you infuriatingly pure half-elf!'   Sylphy screamed internally. Aloud, she said, "The biological process can happen without it, but... it's meant to be an expression of deep affection. It's the most special way for two people to show how much they care for one another."

"Oh, I see!" Emilia's face lit up with understanding, though Sylphy suspected it was a purely logical, not emotional, understanding. "So when Subaru says he loves me, this is one of the things he means?"

Sylphy felt a fresh wave of heat crawl up her neck. "Potentially, yes. It’s also meant to feel… nice.”

The word “nice” felt laughably inadequate, but it was the only term her mortified brain could produce.

“Nice?” Emilia tilted her head, a flicker of confusion in her eyes. “Like when Subaru sleeps on my lap, or when he pats my head?”

Sylphy let out a sound that was half-gasp, half-strangled laugh. “Not… not exactly like that, Emilia-sama. A bit… more than that.”

“I see,” Emilia said, though it was perfectly clear that she did not see at all. “This is all very complicated. Thank you for explaining, Sylphy. You’ve been a reaaally big help.”

Sylphy could only manage a weak, trembling nod, feeling as though she had just survived a battle. Her quest, she realized with dawning horror, would be way harder than she thought.

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The afternoon sun beat down on the training grounds, and Subaru Natsuki felt every single ray. He landed with a roll, the familiar sting of gravel on his palms doing little to faze him. His tracksuit was soaked through with sweat, his breathing came in ragged gasps, and his muscles screamed in protest, but a grin was plastered on his face. It was the satisfying exhaustion that came from pushing his limits, a feeling he’d come to associate with progress, however incremental it might be.

“Alright, one more set of whip cracks and then it’s bath time, and after that, i need to eat something” he muttered to himself, coiling the leather weapon in his hand.

His stomach rumbled in agreement, but his train of thought was derailed by a familiar, angelic voice. “Subaru! There you are.”

He spun around, his fatigue vanishing in an instant. Emilia was walking towards him, her silver hair shimmering in the sunlight, a vision of ethereal beauty against the dusty backdrop of the training yard. His heart did its customary backflip.

“Emilia-tan! My goddess of the stars! Have you come to grace your humble knight with your radiant presence?” he exclaimed, striking a dramatic pose despite his aching body.

She gave him a small, patient smile, though her violet eyes held an unusual, analytical intensity. “I have a question, Subaru. It’s about the book Sylphy gave me.”

“You can ask me anything, Emilia-tan.” Subaru responded immediately with his characteristic stupid grin on his face.

“Okey, it's about procreation.”

Subaru’s grin faltered. He nearly lost his balance. “Pro… procreation? Uh, that’s… a bit of a heavy topic for the middle of the afternoon, don’t you think?”

“Sylphy and I were reading a book,” Emilia continued, completely ignoring his discomfort. “It had diagrams of the human male reproductive system. It explained how the man uses his ‘penis’ to deliver the ‘sperm’ to the woman.”

Subaru’s brain screeched to a halt. The air, which had been pleasantly warm a moment ago, suddenly felt scorching. A bead of sweat trickled down his temple, but this one had nothing to do with training. “E-Eh? Is that… is that what it said?” he stammered, his voice an octave higher than usual.

“Yes,” she confirmed, nodding with unnerving solemnity. “It was very detailed. My question is, is yours the standard model?”

The world tilted on its axis. Subaru’s jaw hung open as his mind went completely, utterly blank. ' Did she just ask that? Did Emilia, his pure, innocent, angelic Emilia-tan, just ask for a direct anatomical confirmation about his private parts as casually as if she were asking about the weather?'

“I… wha… bu… eh?” was all he could manage, his voice a pathetic squeak as his vocabulary abandoned him in his hour of need.

“The book only had one illustration for humans,” she clarified, as if that made the question any less mortifying. “I was just wondering if it was an accurate representation for all men, or if there were variations. So, I wanted to confirm with a reliable source. Is yours the same? Here, i can show you the drawing.”

' A RELIABLE SOURCE?!'   He shrieked internally, his soul attempting to flee his body out of sheer second-hand embarrassment. ' THIS ISN’T A RESEARCH QUESTION! IT’S A WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION AIMED DIRECTLY AT MY SANITY! SYLPHY, I’M GOING TO KILL YOU!'

He squeezed his eyes shut, covered his face with his hands, and took a deep, shuddering breath. He had to answer. Leaving her hanging would only lead to more, probably worse, questions.

“IT’S-PERFECTLY-NORMAL-AND-UP-TO-CODE-THANKS-FOR-ASKING!” he yelled, the words tumbling out in a single, high-pitched, panicked rush.

Emilia blinked, but her thoughtful expression didn’t change. She just nodded slowly. “I see. So the book was accurate. Thank you, that’s very helpful.”

And with that, she turned and walked calmly back toward the mansion, leaving Subaru frozen in a pose of abject horror. He stayed like that for a full minute, his face the color of a ripe tomato, steam practically whistling from his ears.

Slowly, he lowered his arms, his body trembling.

“...What in the actual hell just happened?”

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Sylphy sat slumped at a table in the library, a half-empty bottle of wine her only companion. 

The Talk had been two days ago, and the psychic wounds were still fresh. In that time, Emilia had, on three separate occasions, attempted to discuss the “efficiency of elven reproductive cycles” with a completely straight face.

The last time had been at the dinner table, in front of everyone. As Ram was serving soup, Emilia had looked at Subaru and asked, "Subaru, do you think it is more efficient that my body simply reabsorbs unused eggs rather than expelling them?" Subaru immediately chokes on his food, Ram looks at them with utter disdain, the other maids leave the room., and Sylphy wishes the floor could eat her

Her quest was a disaster. She had successfully educated Emilia on the mechanics of sex, but in doing so, she had created a monster, a beautiful, silver-haired monster who saw procreation as nothing more than a biological process, utterly devoid of romance, passion, or even basic privacy.

"I've created a monster," she muttered to no one but herself.

"A rather dramatic assessment of your own abilities, I suppose," a voice cut through her self-pity.

Sylphy looked up to see Beatrice standing over her, arms crossed, a familiar look of superiority on her face.

“Beatrice-sama,” Sylphy slurred slightly, gesturing with her wine bottle. “I’ve made a terrible mistake.”

"Clearly," the spirit said, settling onto a nearby chair. "What has happened now to cause you such distress, in fact?"

“It’s Emilia-sama,” Sylphy groaned, burying her face in her hands. “I broke her. She talks about… ‘sperm delivery mechanisms’ like she’s discussing the weather. She asked Subaru if his ‘components’ were healthy because the book said it was important for successful fertilization. He turned a color I didn’t think was possible for a human.”

Sylphy slumped even more. "She understands the biology perfectly. The components, the procedure, the elven efficiency... she gets all of it. But that's all she gets! To her, it's just a biological process, like digestion! There's no romance, no passion, no... anything! She asked me why people would do it if they weren't trying to make a baby!"

Beatrice blinked, her expression unchanging. “And this is surprising to you, I suppose?”

“Yes! It’s… it’s supposed to be about love! Passion! Romance! Not… biological component delivery!” Sylphy slammed her fist on the table, rattling the bottle. “She sees it as a biological process and nothing more!”

Beatrice stared at her, her expression flat. After a moment, she blinked slowly. "You gave a girl who has the emotional awareness of a particularly naive turnip a set of biology textbooks. What, precisely, did you expect would happen, I suppose?"

Sylphy froze, the wine bottle halfway to her lips. The simple, brutal logic of Beatrice’s words hit her with great force. ' Of course. How could I have been so stupid? .'

“You only taught her the ‘what’,” Beatrice continued, tapping her foot impatiently. “You completely neglected the ‘why’. It is no wonder she is confused, in fact. The fault lies entirely with your shortsightedness.”

“So what do I do now?” Sylphy asked, her voice laced with desperation.

“It is obvious, I suppose,” Beatrice said, turning on her heel and marching toward a distant, dusty corner of the library. “You must provide her with the correct reference materials. Now, stop moping and make yourself useful, in fact.”

Sylphy scrambled to follow the tiny librarian. Beatrice led her to a section filled with novels, their covers ranging from chaste illustrations of couples holding hands to more… suggestive artwork.

“These are romance novels, I suppose. They will teach her the emotional context you so foolishly omitted.”

A slow grin spread across Sylphy’s face. “Beatrice-sensei, you’re a genius.”

“Betty was always a genius, in fact. Now stop looking so pathetic and help me categorize them.”

After a few seconds of looking at the enormous number of romance books. It occurred to Sylphy to question why exactly there was such a big romance section in this library. As soon as she moved her lips, Beatrice shot her a sharp and exasperated look, as if predicting the question. Sylphy understood that if Beatrice is the one giving her such a look, best not to question it too much.

“We will need a tiered approach, I suppose,” Beatrice declared, pulling a slim volume from a shelf. “We begin with the chaste and emotionally driven. Hand-holding, longing glances, a single, breathless kiss in the final chapter. This will establish the foundation of romance.”

She handed the book to Sylphy, who read the title. The Timid Princess and the Gardener Boy . “Alright, this seems safe enough.”

“Next,” Beatrice continued, moving to a different shelf, “we introduce passion, in fact. These are more… suggestive. The language is flowery, full of euphemisms about ‘becoming one’ and ‘the fires of desire.’ It will bridge the gap between pure emotion and the physical act.” Beatrice handed her a book with the cover of a maid and a tall man in a Knight’s garb beside her. The Terms of Their Service , was its title.

Sylphy’s eyes widened. “Hey Beatrice-sensei, is this book about a romance between a maid and a Knight?”

“I suppose it is,” Beatrice answered nonchalantly.

“Beatrice-sensei, please have our lives in mind when deciding the books.” Sylphy didn’t even want to imagine what could happen if Emilia got even more jealous after reading about relationships between a maid and a Knight. Their lives could seriously end up in danger.

Realizing her blunder, Beatrice spoke. “Betty is sorry about her naivety. She will pick more appropriate books.” She then pulled out a book with a much more dramatic cover, featuring a swooning woman in a man’s muscular embrace. Midnight in the Duke’s Garden .

“Okay, this is way better,” Sylphy said, adding it to the pile and putting the other book back on the shelf.

“And finally…” Beatrice paused, a mischievous glint in her eyes. She reached for a plain, leather-bound book tucked away on a lower shelf. “There are the ones that are… less poetic and more direct, I suppose.”

Sylphy looked at the cover. The title, embossed in gaudy gold leaf, read The Knight’s Vow atop The Lady’s Secret . She opened it to a random page. Her eyes widened. Beatrice’s face flushed a brilliant pink. It was an incredibly explicit spicy scene, featuring the lady ‘dominating’ the knight in very graphic detail. Beatrice slammed the book shut with a loud thud.

“This one shall be for emergency use only, in fact,” she squeaked, her voice unusually high.

As they sorted through the more moderate options, the full horror of her mistake finally dawned on Sylphy. She hadn’t just failed to teach Emilia about romance, she had armed her with a clinical, shameless vocabulary for sex.

An image flashed through her mind: Emilia, armed with her new knowledge, turning to Subaru with wide, innocent eyes and saying something like, "Subaru, this book indicates that our emotional bond would be strengthened by engaging in the physical act of sex. Shall we do it now?"

The mental image was so vivid, so horrifyingly plausible, that a cold sweat broke out on her skin. She had created a sex-positive, romance-negative half-elf with zero social awareness. She was a menace to society, and it was all Sylphy’s fault.

“This can’t wait,” Sylphy said, her voice urgent. She had to fix this. She had to give Emilia the emotional context before she mortified Subaru, and possibly herself, to death. She scooped up the pile of books they had selected. “I have to give these to her. Now.”

Beatrice simply nodded, a knowing, smug smile on her face. “See that you do, I suppose. Betty would prefer not to have her dinner interrupted by discussions of human fertility ever again.”

In her haste, neither of them noticed that The Knight’s Vow atop The Lady’s Secret was still in the pile of books that Sylphy took with her.

Chapter Text

Sylphy sprinted through the halls of the Roswaal mansion, the stack of novels clutched to her chest. Her heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic rhythm of pure, unadulterated panic. 

She was running to stop a beautiful, silver-haired ticking time bomb of clinical awkwardness; she could almost hear the countdown in her head. She had to get to Emilia before Emilia could inflict any more psychic damage on Subaru, or on anyone else within the mansion. 

Rounding the corner to Emilia’s chambers, she saw that her door was just opening, and Emilia herself was stepping out, a thoughtful, determined expression on her face. It was the exact expression she wore when she was about to do something incredibly earnest and catastrophically embarrassing.

“Hi, Sylphy!” Emilia greeted her with a bright smile, seemingly unaware of the frantic energy radiating from her maid. 

“Hello, Emilia-sama,” Sylphy managed to mutter, trying to catch her breath. 

“Were you on your way somewhere?” 

“Oh, yes! I was just going to find Subaru,” Emilia said cheerfully. “I still have some questions for him.” 

Sylphy’s blood ran cold. ' No. Od Laguna, no. Not more questions. ' 

“May I ask… what did you want to talk about?” she asked, the words feeling like a death sentence she was forced to pronounce upon herself. 

“Well,” Emilia began, tapping her chin with a delicate finger, “the biology book was very informative on the mechanics, but I found the illustrations lacking. I was going to ask him if he could show me his—” 

“ STOP! ” The shriek tore from Sylphy’s throat, raw and desperate. She startled Emilia, who blinked at her with wide, violet eyes. 

“Emilia-sama,” she said, grabbing the half-elf’s arm with a strength born of sheer terror and dragging her back into the room. “We need to talk. RIGHT NOW! ” 

“O-Okay,” Emilia said quietly, clearly taken aback by Sylphy’s intensity. ' Did I do something wrong? ' She wondered. 

Sylphy steered her to the bed and had them both sit down, placing the stack of books between them. 

“Emilia-sama,” Sylphy began, composing herself. “I have brought you some books you need to read.” 

“Oh, like the biology one?” Emilia asked, her curiosity piqued. 

“Not quite,” Sylphy explained, trying to choose her words carefully. 

“These are romance novels. They will help you understand love, emotion, and… everything else that goes with it.” 

A look of dawning comprehension spread across Emilia’s face. “Oh, thank you so much, Sylphy! I was actually thinking about asking for your help with this.” 

“Oh, really?” Sylphy asked, a flicker of hope igniting within her. 

“Yeah,” Emilia said earnestly. “I wanted your help in discovering what love is, and about how I could fall in love with Subaru.” 

Sylphy bit her tongue, using every ounce of her willpower to resist screaming, ‘YOU ALREADY ARE, YOU DENSE, INNOCENT DUMBASS!’ 

She took a slow, calming breath. 'Patience. If she doesn’t realize it after reading these books, then I give up and will just tell her directly.' 

“After you read these, if you still don’t get it, I will be happy to help you,” she said, her voice strained. 

Emilia gave Sylphy a gentle, grateful smile that almost made all of this worth it. Almost . 

“I would recommend you read this one first.” Sylphy handed Emilia The Timid Princess and the Gardener Boy. “It will be good to get you accustomed to romance novels.” 

“Then after that, read this one.” She passed over Midnight in the Duke’s Garden. “This is a bit more advanced.” 

“When you finish those two,” Sylphy concluded, gesturing to the remaining pile, “you can read any of the other ones that you find interesting.” 

“Thank you, Sylphy!” Emilia beamed. “As soon as I finish talking to Subaru, I will start reading them.” 

“NO.” Sylphy’s control snapped again. She cursed herself internally as Emilia flinched. 

Taking another deep breath, she softened her tone, adopting an almost pleading expression. “Emilia-sama, please promise me that you won’t talk about… procreation… with anyone until you finish reading at least these first two books. Please. For my sake.” 

“Okay,” Emilia agreed easily. “But why? Isn’t it something normal that all people know about?”

 ' THIS GIRL. How can you be so pure it loops back around to being shameless? ' Sylphy thought, feeling a migraine begin to form. 

“Because it’s embarrassing, Emilia-sama,” she said simply. “It’s a private and special thing. After you finish reading, you might understand why.” 

It didn’t look like Emilia understood at all, but she nodded in agreement anyway. For now, she would follow the instructions. That was a victory. Sylphy stood up, feeling as though she’d just run a marathon. 

The immediate threat of Emilia asking Subaru for a live anatomical demonstration had been neutralized. Now, all she could do was pray to the Od Laguna that a literary education in romance would be enough. 

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Following Sylphy's rather tense instructions, Emilia gave up on trying to find Subaru. Instead, she settled onto her bed, the novel The Timid Princess and the Gardener Boy in her hands as she began to read. 

The story was about a princess confined by illness and the gilded cage of royalty. Her life was a monotonous parade of snotty, calculating nobles, a world of polite whispers and suffocating expectations. Her only escape was the view of the gardens, and a quiet, diligent boy who tended them. Inevitably, the isolated princess developed a fascination, which soon blossomed into affection, for the gardener boy, and the novel chronicled their gentle, secret interactions. 

A painful pang of recognition struck Emilia. She knew this feeling intimately, this suffocating loneliness. The causes were starkly different, of course. For the princess, it was a world of smothering nobles, for Emilia, it had been a world of fearful, disgusted glares. 

Yet the result was the same: they both felt isolated. And for both of them, a boy had shattered that isolation. A wave of warmth washed over her, a feeling so potent it almost made her dizzy. 

‘Subaru’ . How often had she taken his presence for granted? Since the day she’d awoken from the ice, most people had recoiled from her, their faces full of fear or hatred. Even the kind people in the mansion had initially only treated her with respect out of duty. But not Subaru. From the very beginning, he hadn't cared about her silver hair or her resemblance to the Witch. He had only ever seen her, Emilia. He was the reason her world had expanded, the catalyst for the precious friendships she now held so dear. His arrival had been a blessing; she should remind herself more often of that. 

With this newfound appreciation blooming inside her, Emilia dove back into the book, her investment now deeply personal. She was so engrossed that time seemed to melt away. 

She eventually reached a pivotal scene. As the protagonists talked, the prose described the boy quietly enveloping the princess’s small, pale hand in his own calloused one. They continued their conversation, but the words on the page shifted focus to the electric warmth, the unspoken comfort, and the thrilling pulse of their joined hands. 

A sharp intake of breath escaped Emilia’s lips. Her own hands felt strangely empty. Subaru always wanted to hold her hand. The thought wasn't a question, but a revelation. ‘Is this why?’ She wondered what it would feel like. To have Subaru's hand, so often animated and expressive, close around hers. Would it be warm? Gentle? Strong? A faint blush crept up her neck as the image formed in her mind. 

A sudden glance toward her window pulled her from her fantasies. The moon was already high in the sky. She had been reading for hours. With a sigh, she marked the page, the lingering warmth of the story settling in her heart. The rest could wait until tomorrow.

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The day's studies were finally over, and a giddy excitement bubbled up inside Emilia. She couldn't wait to continue her journey with The Timid Princess and the Gardener Boy. But before she could lose herself in its pages again, a knock came at her door. It was Subaru, as promised, ready to spend some time with her. 

"The sky is incredible tonight, Emilia-tan," he'd suggested, with his usual bright energy. "Almost no clouds. Perfect for stargazing. What do you say?" 

Emilia readily agreed, and Subaru led her out into the garden. They found a quiet stone bench, and as they sat, a wave of profound relief washed over Subaru. She hadn't asked a single embarrassing question. After the near-death experience of her clinical curiosity about procreation, this comfortable silence felt like a gift from the Od Laguna. Having her ask him about... that... with those devastatingly innocent eyes had given him a series of miniature heart attacks. 

For her part, Emilia was simply basking in her knight's presence. The stories he told, the way his face lit up when he was passionate about something, was something she cherished. 

Then, an idea sparked. This was a perfect opportunity to put her new knowledge into practice. 

"Subaru," she said softly, "tell me a story about the stars." 

As he began to speak, Emilia felt a thrill of nervous determination. She reached out, her fingers gently enveloping his hand. 

He stopped mid-sentence. His head snapped towards her, his eyes wide. 

"What is it, Subaru? You can continue," she prompted, offering him the same gentle smile as always. In her mind, she was perfectly replicating the novel's scene. 

For Subaru, it was a moment of pure, unadulterated panic. ‘I s she doing this on purpose, or is she just this cosmically, terrifyingly innocent? ’ 

Well… it's… just… you know," he stammered, his brain short-circuiting. 

Seeing his flustered reaction, Emilia's heart sank. ' This isn't like the book at all, ' she thought, a pang of disappointment striking her. ' He must not like it. ' 

"If you don't like it, then…" she murmured, her voice trailing off as she began to pull her hand away.

' Idiot! Dumbass! What are you doing?! ' Subaru's inner voice screamed at him. ' She finally takes the initiative, and you ruin it! ' Acting on pure instinct, he lunged, capturing her hand before she could fully retreat. 

"I like it a lot, Emilia-tan!" he said, perhaps a little too loudly. "I was just surprised, is all. Really surprised. In a good way!" 

"O-Okey," she replied, a faint blush dusting her cheeks. 

A comfortable silence settled between them for a few moments before Subaru, hand still held firmly in hers, began to speak again, recounting another story about stars. As he talked, Emilia's focus drifted back to their joined hands. A frown creased her brow. ' Wait… this still isn't right. ' In the book, the prose had been very specific. Their fingers had been interlocked. 

Without a word, she let go. A flash of cold loss shot through Subaru's heart as the warmth of her hand vanished. He'd messed it up again, hadn't he? 

But before his self-deprecating thoughts could spiral, he felt her gently parting his fingers one by one, then threading her own through them until their palms pressed together in a perfect clasp. 

The world seemed to tilt on its axis. He had grown accustomed to the simple, sweet gesture of holding her hand, but this… this was on another level entirely. It felt a thousand times more intimate. 

This time, however, Subaru had learned his lesson. He didn't say a word. He didn't acknowledge it. He simply squeezed her hand gently and continued his story, savoring the moment. 

They stayed like that for what felt like hours, lost in conversation under a blanket of stars. 

Their peaceful bubble was only popped by the arrival of Sylphy, who had been sent to fetch them for dinner. A knowing, impossibly smug smile spread across her face the instant her eyes landed on their interlaced hands. 

Emilia felt a blush rise to her cheeks but felt no desire to let go. Subaru, however, was not nearly as comfortable with the idea of walking into the dining room like this in front of everyone else. With a shared, reluctant sigh, they let their hands fall away as they walked back to the mansion. 

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After dinner, Emilia returned to her room, a quiet excitement humming beneath her skin. The novel, The Timid Princess and the Gardener Boy, lay waiting on her nightstand, and she felt an almost magnetic pull toward it. She was utterly invested now. Settling onto her bed, she picked up where she left off.

The pages that followed were filled with a gentle, blossoming warmth. There was a chapter about the boy secretly cultivating a small, hidden garden filled with the princess’s favorite flowers. Then, a chapter where the gardener fell terribly ill, and the princess, casting aside all royal decorum, devotedly nursed him back to health. Each page deepened Emilia’s investment, her heart swelling with affection for the two dunderheads.

This slow, beautiful dance culminated in a heartfelt confession under a moonlit sky, followed by the couple's first kiss.

The words on the page seemed to fade as Emilia’s own memory surged to the forefront. She instinctively raised a finger to her lips, the memory of her first kiss with Subaru washing over her.

' We haven’t kissed since then ,' she thought, a faint blush warming her cheeks. ' I remember it was so nice… I wonder how it would feel if we did it again? So much has changed. We've changed. ' Her heart began to beat a frantic rhythm against her ribs, a strange and powerful response to a simple memory. ' Why does just the thought of it make me feel this way? '

Shaking her head to clear the rising tide of confusing emotions, she forced her attention back to the book. She was truly happy for these two fictional dunderheads. Their path would undoubtedly be fraught with challenges due to their difference in status, but Emilia felt a certainty in her heart that they would find a way to be happy together.

It seemed the author had other, crueler plans. 

As if in direct response to Emilia’s optimism, in the very next chapter, the princess’s chronic illness suddenly worsened.

The royal healer informed the king that her od, the very source of her life force, was failing. Without treatment, she would die. The only cure was a direct transfer from a willing donor, a procedure that would drain the donor's own od to replenish hers. The gardener, without a moment's hesitation, volunteered. His only request was that the healer leave him just enough life force to spend one last, perfect day with the princess.

A cold, sharp frustration pierced through Emilia. The gardener’s choice to sacrifice himself, without a single word to his lover, felt like a personal betrayal. It was a reminder of Subaru’s own reckless, self-sacrificing tendencies, a trait that never failed to fill her with a unique blend of anger and terror. She could almost picture Subaru in the gardener’s place, wearing that same determined, foolishly noble expression as he threw his own life away.

' And what's more ,' she fumed internally, her grip tightening on the book, ' if he was so determined to give up his life for her, why not at least divide what he had left? They could have shared it, lived together, even if only for a shorter time. Why would he choose to leave her all alone? '

The thought was so potent, so deeply personal, that she had to pause, forcing herself to take a calming breath. She was getting far too invested in this.

With a renewed, angry resolve, Emilia tore through the rest of the story. 

The narrative followed the aftermath of the od transfer and the couple's final, bittersweet day. 

The gardener, STUPIDLY , never told the princess he was dying, wanting to preserve their last moments in ignorant bliss. This detail sent a fresh wave of rage through Emilia. It was a lie, a theft of the princess’s right to know, to grieve, to say a real goodbye.

The pages described their last day in agonizing detail. The princess, feeling healthier and more vibrant than ever, commented on her miraculous recovery, unknowingly twisting the knife in the gardener’s heart, and Emilia’s. She spoke of a future that would never come, of children they would never have, of a life together that was already over. And the boy listened, his heart breaking with every word, never telling her anything.

The chapter ended as the gardener grew weak, finally dying peacefully in the princess’s arms as she held him, still oblivious, leaving her saved but utterly, irrevocably alone.

The final chapter was a short, somber epilogue from the princess’s perspective, ending with her vow to live the life he had given her to the fullest.

To say Emilia was emotional would be an understatement. She slammed the book shut, a choked sob escaping her throat. She didn’t know if the ending was beautiful or simply cruel. Her entire being was a tangled mess of profound sadness for their stolen future and a white-hot rage at the characters themselves.

The gardener had sacrificed himself without ever considering the opinion of the person he was doing it for. He clearly had no idea how much his presence, his life, mattered more to the princess than any number of extra years alone. It was the same terrifying logic she saw in Subaru sometimes, and it made her ache with a fear she couldn't name.

And the princess… Emilia couldn't understand her vow to "live to the fullest." How could she? How could anyone live fully when a fundamental part of their world had been ripped away, leaving a jagged, empty space where a person used to be?

The phantom ache of loss resonated through her. Geuse, a father figure ripped away by madness. Fortuna, killed by her promise. The people of Elior Forest, frozen in time. Puck, who helped her when she just woke up, to just vanish. Emilia was an expert in losing people, and so the princess's resolve felt alien and hollow. The feeling of losing someone wasn't a catalyst, it was a permanent amputation of your soul.

A cold dread seized her as her thoughts inevitably turned to Subaru. What would she do if she lost him, too? The thought wasn't just a sad hypothetical, it was her greatest fear. Her breath hitched, and the room seemed to shrink around her.

She imagined the vibrant, infuriating, wonderful light that he was being extinguished. She imagined the world without his voice, without his hand in hers, without him. The possibility was not just sad, it was unthinkable. It was a loss so immense she knew with absolute certainty it would be the one that finally broke her.

A choked sob escaped her lips. It was only then, as she caught her reflection in the mirror, that she realized the state she was in. Her face was a mess, streaked with tears, her eyes red and swollen.

Overcome by a desperate, overwhelming wave of emotion, she threw the covers off. She had to see him. It was late, she knew, but the thought of spending another second alone with these feelings was unbearable. Right now, more than anything else in the world, she needed to be with Subaru.

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Sleep was a fickle, unwelcome stranger to Natsuki Subaru. He stared at the ceiling, the words of the book in his lap blurring into meaningless shapes. It was just a prop, something to occupy his hands and eyes while his mind refused to quiet down. Sleep felt like a distant thing he couldn’t reach in a million years. With a sigh, he listened to the soft, rhythmic breathing from the other side of the bed, a tiny lump under the covers. At least Beatrice was sleeping soundly.

Then, a sound cut through the silence,a soft, hesitant tapping on his door.

It was so faint he almost thought he’d imagined it. Who would be up at this hour? He slid out from under the covers with a practiced, fluid motion, a silent art perfected over countless sleepless nights of not wanting to disturb the sleeping Beatrice.

He pulled the door open just a crack, and his breath caught in his throat. It was Emilia. Her beautiful silver hair was a tangled mess, framing a face streaked with tears. Her violet eyes, usually so bright and full of wonder, were red-rimmed and full of sadness.

In an instant, every protective instinct in Subaru’s body roared to life. His mind raced, thinking of every worst-case scenario. An assassin? A curse? Did someone say something to her? He scanned the hallway behind her, his eyes searching the shadows for any sign of danger.

“Emilia-tan,” he said in an urgent whisper. “What happened? Are you okay?”

Emilia offered no answer. Instead, she took two unsteady steps forward, closing the distance between them and burying her face in his chest. Her hands clutched at his back as a shudder wracked her frame. For a long moment, she just stood there, breathing him in, anchoring herself to the solid, undeniable reality of his presence. Then, feeling safe, she began to cry again, her body shaking with renewed, heart-wrenching sobs.

Subaru froze for a second. But as he held her, his mind made the connection. For her to be acting like this, it must have been a nightmare, a really, really bad one.

His arms came up to encircle her, pulling her closer in a protective embrace. He rested one hand on the back of her head, his fingers gently stroking her disheveled silver hair. “It’s okay, Emilia-tan,” he murmured into her ear. “I’m here now. It’s okay.”

His words, meant to soothe, seemed to open the floodgates. She cried harder, but the motive had changed. The desperate, frightened edge was gone, replaced by the cathartic, hiccuping sobs of pure relief.

When the last of her tears had finally subsided, she pulled back, sniffling. Her gaze fell to the front of his tracksuit, where a large, dark, wet patch now marred the orange and black fabric. A fresh wave of color, this time from embarrassment, rose in her cheeks.

“Subaru… I’m so sorry.”

“It’s nothing, Emilia-tan,” he said, his voice soft. He gently tilted her chin up, forcing her to meet his eyes. “Are you feeling better?”

“Yes,” she said, her voice barely audible.

“Then it’s all worth it,” Subaru said, giving her his signature smile, the one that she treasured so much.

Emilia’s blush deepened. ‘ Why is he always like this? ’ she wondered, her heart thumping a strange, unsteady rhythm. He was always there, always saying the exact thing she needed to hear, always comforting her and then looking at her with that disarming smile as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“Thank you so much,” she managed to say.

“Do you want to tell me what happened?” he asked, his voice still soft.

“Oh, it was nothing, really,” she deflected immediately, her eyes darting away. “You don’t need to worry about it.”

She couldn’t possibly tell him. She couldn’t explain that a fictional character’s stupid sacrifice in a book had reignited her fears, which were entirely centered on him. It wasn't that she didn't trust him, but the reason felt so incredibly childish that the words died in her throat.

“Really?” Subaru retorted, one eyebrow raised skeptically.

“Yes.”

He could see the lie, of course. She wore the same smile he did when he insisted he was fine when he was anything but. But pushing her now would make him the greatest hypocrite in history.

“Okay,” he said simply, letting it go.

“Thank you again… and goodnight, Subaru.” She gave him a small, wavering smile and turned to leave.

Watching her small, lonely figure start back down the dark hallway, a knot of unease tightened in his gut. He couldn't, in good conscience, let her walk back to her empty room to be alone with whatever horrors her mind had conjured. An idea, simple and warm, sparked in his mind.

Just as she took her third step, he reached out and gently caught her hand. She stopped, turning to look at him with wide, questioning eyes.

“Hey, Emilia,” he began, his voice casual but firm. “Do you know about Hot Cocoa?”

She blinked, confused by the term. “No… I’ve never heard that name before.”

“Perfect.” A spark of his usual energy returned. “I want to make us some. It’s a magical drink from my homeland. Come with me.”

“Subaru, it’s reeeally late,” she protested weakly. “Aren’t you tired?”

“I was having trouble sleeping anyway,” he confessed. “And a good hot cocoa is the ultimate relaxation tool. It’ll help us both get to sleep easier.”

A flicker of curiosity broke through her residual sadness. “Is it really something so amazing?”

“It is, Emilia-tan,” he said, his smile widening. “You’re going to love it!”

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Emilia curled into the corner of the plush sofa. Subaru had settled her here before disappearing into the kitchen to concoct something he called “Hot Coucou,” but even knowing he was just a room away did little to quell her heart. The ache was the same hollow dread that had consumed her after the Pleiades Watchtower, the same fear of a world without him.

But this time, it was somehow worse. The raw grief from the novel exposed her own carefully guarded fears. The gardener's senseless sacrifice, leaving his princess utterly alone. a story that felt terrifyingly plausible, a future she couldn't bear to imagine for herself.

She was so lost in her spiraling thoughts that she didn’t notice him returning until he was right in front of her. He carried two steaming mugs, his expression a mixture of concentration and gentle concern. He handed one to her, the ceramic warm against her cold fingers, before settling beside her, their shoulders touching.

Emilia took a tentative sip. A wave of profound, soul-soothing warmth spread from her chest outwards. It was rich and dark with the bittersweet taste of chocolate, balanced by the creamy sweetness of milk and a hint of cinnamon. The aroma alone was comforting.

"This is amazing, Subaru," she breathed.

"I know, right?" He beamed, his usual energy returning now that he saw some color coming back to her cheeks. "I only made it for Beako once when she had a nightmare. Maybe I should introduce it to everyone else."

"That would be wonderful, Subaru," she said, a genuine smile finally reaching her eyes. "We could have the whole camp try it."

After that, a comfortable quiet settled between them. Emilia, feeling a desperate need for more of his reassuring presence, tentatively held her hand out in the space between them.

Without a moment's hesitation, Subaru’s larger, warmer hand covered hers.

Emilia’s smile faltered into a small pout. It wasn't quite right. 

Realizing his error, Subaru's eyes widened for a second before a soft smile touched his lips. He shifted his grip, gently threading his fingers through hers until their palms pressed together in a perfect clasp. The pout vanished instantly, replaced by a soft, contented sigh.

They didn't feel the need to speak. The comfortable silence was filled only by the soft sips from their mugs and the quiet reassurance of their intertwined hands. It was proof that he was here, solid and real, and he wasn't leaving her alone.

Emilia was the first to finish. She placed the empty mug on a nearby end table and, without a second thought, rested her head on her knight’s shoulder. The accumulated exhaustion of the day, amplified by her emotional turmoil, was finally catching up to her.

"Feeling sleepy, Emilia-tan?" he asked softly. "Did it help?"

"Yes," she murmured, her eyes fluttering closed. "You helped a lot, Subaru."

It wasn't just the drink, of course. It was him. His presence, his hand in hers, the simple, unwavering certainty that he wouldn't just disappear. Her consciousness began to waver, drifting on a warm tide of safety and fatigue.

“Subaru,” she mumbled, her voice barely a whisper, “Never leave me.”

But before he could answer, before he could promise her anything and everything, she had already drifted off, her breathing evening out into the soft, steady rhythm of deep sleep.

' So that's what this was all about' Subaru thought, his heart aching with a fierce, protective tenderness. He understood now. The tears, the desperate need to see him, it all made sense.

Carefully, so as not to wake her, he placed his own empty mug beside hers. Then, with a practiced gentleness, he slid one arm under her knees and the other behind her back, lifting her into his arms. She curled against his chest instinctively, a soft sigh escaping her lips. 

Subaru carried Emilia back to her room, the path illuminated only by moonlight filtering through the mansion’s windows.

After gently tucking the half-elf into her bed, he lingered for a moment, brushing a stray silver strand of hair from her peaceful face. Subaru leaned down and pressed a soft, lingering kiss to Emilia’s forehead.

"Emilia," he whispered into the quiet of the room. "As long as you want me, I will always be by your side."

As he stood up, a wave of his own exhaustion finally hit him. He was going to sleep like the dead.

Turning to leave, he paused at the door, glancing back at her one last time. "I love you, Emilia," he said, the words more for himself than for her

Chapter Text

It had been several days since Emilia finished reading The Timid Princess and the Gardener Boy , yet the next book Sylphy recommended, Midnight in the Duke’s Garden , remained untouched on her nightstand. It wasn’t just her distaste for the ending that caused this; rather, her thoughts for the past few days had been utterly and completely consumed by her Knight. 

Ever since the night they shared ‘hot cocou,’ she’d found herself wanting more of his time. A few hours before dinner was no longer enough. So, as his Liege, she had ordered him to visit her every morning as soon as he woke up, even if only to say “good morning.” She had also taken more breaks during her studies to go say hi to him, or even just to see him train from afar.

That, however, was not the primary source of her frustration. Ever since that night, whenever she and Subaru were alone, their hands would find each other, fingers intertwining in a silent, comforting gesture. That part was wonderful. What was decidedly not wonderful was the way Subaru would instantly let go the moment anyone other than Beatrice or Sylphy appeared.

It drove Emilia absolutely mad. Why did he care if people saw them? If she, a royal candidate, wanted to hold her knight’s hand, why should it matter who was around? The worst part was that she knew he wanted to do it too! More often than not, he was the one to initiate it! Subaru was a dunderhead for caring what other people thought, and everyone else was a dunderhead if they had any opinion on what she and her Knight did!

As if summoned by her frustration, the culprit himself entered her room.

“Good night, Emilia-tan.”

“Hmph,” she grunted, turning her head away with an exaggerated pout.

“Whoa, what’s with that face? You’re acting like Beatrice. Did something happen?”

Emilia considered launching into a tirade, listing all the ways he was being a frustrating dunderhead. But a better plan bloomed in her mind. She rose from her chair, moved to her bed, and patted the space beside her, motioning for him to sit.

When he did, she waited, her pout firmly in place.

Subaru found himself caught between the overwhelming desire to tease her until the end of time and the equally powerful urge to spoil her rotten. She had been incredibly needy since their late-night talk, a development Subaru planned to enjoy to its fullest while it lasted.

She waited a few seconds, letting the pout deepen. “Subaru, hug me.”

“I don’t know, Emilia-tan,” he teased, a playful glint in his eye. “It’s been getting a lot warmer recently.”

Her violet eyes narrowed. “As your liege, I order you to hug me.”

‘ It’s a command, but it sounds like a plea, ’ Subaru thought. His heart did a familiar little flip. He loved this side of her that he'd recently discovered: this needy, slightly spoiled girl.

“Okay, okay, you win,” he chuckled, immediately obeying.

He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her snugly against his chest. As always, he was struck by how fragile she felt in his embrace. ‘ This is the woman who can conjure city-freezing blizzards and fight monsters that would turn me to paste. But right now, she feels like something I need to protect from the whole world. She could probably snap me like a twig, but in moments like this, she seemed as soft and delicate as a kitten. ’

Still not satisfied, Emilia issued another command. “Pat my head.”

Subaru thought about playing dumb, feigning ignorance, but one look at her earnest, pouting face told him she’d been teased enough for now. He moved one hand from her back to her head and began to gently pat her.

‘ This is nice, ’ she thought, the tension in her shoulders beginning to melt away. ‘ I feel… safe. He’s always so warm. ’ After a few moments, he shifted, his fingers sinking into her hair. He began to comb through the silky, silver strands, starting from her scalp and letting his fingers glide all the way to the ends.

It felt incredible, like a gentle massage that sent shivers of pure contentment through her. But beneath the pleasure was a deeper, more complicated emotion. Her hair… this cursed silver hair that made everyone stare, that made them whisper the Witch’s name. She had spent years flinching away from looks and comments about it. Yet Subaru was touching it with such tenderness, such unguarded affection, as if it were something precious. She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch, a soft, happy sigh escaping her lips.

While Subaru enjoyed her blissful reaction, his mischievous side still wanted to push her buttons. ‘ Sylphy did advise me to be more proactive with her. I could give it a try right now. ’ 

He decided to kick it up a notch to see how she would react. He lowered his head, bringing his mouth so close to her ear that his breath felt hot against her skin.

“Your silver hair is really beautiful, Emilia-tan,” he whispered, his voice a low rumble.

A muffled, squeak-like sound was her only response. ‘ Beautiful? ’ No one besides him had ever called it that. They called it unnatural, terrifying, the color of a monster. But Subaru said it so simply, with such conviction, that for a split second, she almost believed him.

Seeing as she didn’t pull away, but instead seemed to press herself even closer, Subaru took it as a green light.

He began to gently roll a strand of her hair between his fingers. “From the first moment I saw you, I thought your hair was the most beautiful thing in the world. It always reminds me of moonlight. I love your hair.”

‘ He loves it, ’ she thought. He loved the very thing that defined her as a monster in the eyes of the world. He loved every part of her she had always secretly hated.

Emilia was now pressing her face so firmly into his chest that he could feel the warmth of her breath through his tracksuit. To make it easier for her, he shifted, pulling her from the bed and settling her onto his lap. She didn't seem to notice the change in position, her entire world having shrunk to the circle of his arms and the sound of his voice.

“Su—” A muffled sound that sounded like his name came from his chest.

Subaru moved his hand from her hair, his fingertips tracing the elegant, pointed shape of her ear. Another source of her pain. Another part of her he adored without question.

“Your ears, too,” he continued, his whisper even softer now. “Everyone is so stupid about them. To me, elves are the pinnacle of elegance and beauty. Seeing your ears up this close… They're not just elegant, they’re cute. Impossibly cute. I love your ears, Emilia.”

This was too much. Her ears. Her half-elf ears. The undeniable proof that she was a monster to so many. The feature that made children cry and adults recoil. Subaru was tracing their shape with a feather-light touch, as if it were the most precious thing he’d ever held. And he called them cute. Cute. Hearing these words, Emilia made a strange, strangled noise deep in her throat, and her breathing became sharp and heavy.

Guided now by pure instinct rather than conscious thought, Subaru decided to escalate even further. He wanted to show her, not just tell her. He leaned in, taking the delicate, pointed tip of her ear between his lips and sucking gently.

“Ahhh!” Emilia made a noise she had never known she could do.

Lost in their own little world, neither of them heard the soft knock on the door.

“Emilia-sama, I need to talk to you about something impor… tant…”

Sylphy entered the room and froze. The sight before her was… unexpected. Emilia was nestled in Subaru’s lap, their bodies pressed close together in an intimate cuddle, with the tip of Emilia's ear quite clearly in Subaru's mouth.

It took Subaru a few moments for the reality of the situation to crash down on him. He had been led astray by his instincts, and now he and Emilia were caught in the middle of what could only be described as some kind of emotional foreplay.

Sylphy’s eyes were blank, her face emotionless. Subaru’s own face burned with a shame so intense he wished the floor would swallow him whole.

‘ OD LAGUNA, WHAT THE FUCK! ’ Sylphy screamed internally. ‘ THIS WAS PROGRESS! ACTUAL, TANGIBLE, FUCKING PROGRESS, AND I HAD TO BARGE IN AND RUIN IT! WHY AM I SO UNLUCKY?! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA I WANT TO CRAWL INTO A HOLE AND DIE! ’ Sylphy’s mind shrieked.

“Sylphy, this isn’t what it looks like!” Subaru stammered, the unconvincing defense of the guilty.

Noticing the sensations had stopped, Emilia lifted her head from his chest. Her cheeks were flushed a deep crimson, her violet eyes were hazy and unfocused, and her lips were slightly parted, her breathing still coming in soft pants.

“Subaruuuuu,” she whined, her voice thick and needy. “Why did you stop?”

She then finally noticed Sylphy standing frozen in the doorway. A flicker of… embarrassment? Why did she feel embarrassed? Pushing the confusing feeling aside, she spoke, her words slightly slurred.

“Do… you… need… something… Sylphy?”

“I-I needed to talk with Emilia-sama about a trip…” Sylphy stuttered, then shook her head. “Actually, screw that. You two, please, continue what you were doing. I will personally guarantee that no one enters this room for the rest of the night. Have fun!”

As Sylphy began to back out of the room, Emilia’s voice, clearer now, stopped her. “We can talk right now, Sylphy. There’s no problem.”

“I believe there are several very large problems, Emilia-sama,” Sylphy muttered under her breath.

Subaru, seeing that Emilia was oblivious to the optics of the situation, seized his chance to escape. “Don’t worry about it! You two can talk. I’m just gonna go… see how Beako is doing.”

As he tried to shift Emilia off his lap and onto the bed, he felt her small, strong hands grip the fabric of his tracksuit with enormous strength.

“No,” she said, her voice firm. “You can’t leave, Subaru.”

“Sylphy seems like she needs to talk to you about something important, Emilia-tan.”

“Still. You should stay here, Subaru.”

“I could just leave,” Sylphy offered weakly.

“NO. You can stay, Sylphy,” Subaru said, beginning the delicate process of prying Emilia’s fingers, one by one, from his tracksuit.

When he was finally free, he scrambled out of the room as fast as he could without actually running. “See you later, you two! Have a good talk!”

They both heard the sound of his footsteps retreating down the hall at full speed.

“What is it, Sylphy?” Emilia asked, visibly frustrated.

“First of all,” Sylphy said, dropping to her knees and bowing low, pressing her forehead to the floor in a perfect dogeza. “I’M SO, SO SORRY FOR INTERRUPTING YOU TWO!”

“It’s okay, Sylphy. You can get up.”

“Really? You’re not mad? Even though I interrupted your… lovemaking?”

“What do you mean, Sylphy? Subaru was just being nice to me.”

Sylphy raised her head, the look on her face one of dawning horror. Her work was far from over. “Emilia-sama… do you know what you two were doing?”

“He was just spoiling me a bit. That’s all.”

“No, it’s not! Didn’t you read the books I gave you?”

“I read the first one.”

‘ So they were just acting on instinct? ’ Sylphy thought, a cold sweat breaking out on her brow. ‘ Maybe it’s good I interrupted them. I might have just prevented a pregnancy. They are definitely not ready for that yet. ’

“Emilia-sama, pleeeeeease read all of those books as fast as you can!”

“Umm… okay, if you think it’s that important.”

“It is. Very much so.”

Feeling slightly better about the ordeal, Sylphy finally got to the reason she had come.

“Emilia-sama, we were just informed that the ceremony of conferral of honors for the conquering of the Pleiades Watchtower and the alliance with Vollachia will happen in one week. After the ceremony, there will be a royal ball to celebrate. We need to start organizing the trip.”

A genuine smile bloomed on Emilia’s face, chasing away the last of her frustration. She was also thrilled. A formal ceremony meant Subaru would have to wear his official Knight uniform. He almost never wore it, but this time he’d have no choice. It was a shame because Emilia absolutely loved seeing him in it. The sharp lines and formal white and purple fabric made him look so handsome and dependable. Maybe she should ask him to wear it for her sometime.

“Thank you so much, Sylphy.”

“Then I will be going, Emilia-sama.”

Sylphy exited the room, closing the door softly behind her.

‘ I don’t know if me interrupting them was lucky or unlucky, ’ she mused as she walked away. ‘ I just hope I didn’t cause any future problems for myself. ’

She did.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Emilia found herself in a lavishly appointed room at an inn in the Capital. She and the rest of her camp had arrived in preparation for the Conferral of Honors, a grand ceremony to be followed by a royal ball celebrating their recent, world-altering achievements.

Her thoughts, as they so often did lately, drifted to her knight. She wondered what he was doing. Probably teasing Beatrice or getting into some sort of loud, harmless trouble with Garfiel. A small smile touched her lips. The prospect of seeing him in his formal knight's uniform tomorrow sent a pleasant flutter through her chest.

Shaking her head to clear it, she decided she needed a distraction. Her eyes landed on the book resting on the nightstand: Midnight in the Duke’s Garden . It was the one Sylphy had insisted she read after the debacle of The Timid Princess and the Gardener Boy . With a sigh, she picked it up, hoping this story wouldn’t leave her feeling so hollow.

The novel followed a duke named Alistair in a fictional kingdom, chronicling his romance with two very different women. The first was his childhood friend, a gentle and compassionate duchess named Genevieve. The second was Elara, a sharp-tongued minor noblewoman he encountered by chance in his estate’s gardens.

From the very first pages, it was blindingly obvious that Alistair and Genevieve shared a deep, unspoken bond forged over years of friendship that had quietly blossomed into love. Emilia found herself immediately and fiercely rooting for the duchess. 

‘ Of course, it has to be her, ’ she thought, settling her back against the pillows. ‘ They’ve known each other for a long time. They understand each other completely. She’s kind and compassionate, and she’s always there for him. That’s what’s important. It’s the only ending that makes sense. ’ 

Genevieve’s kindness and unwavering support for the duke resonated with Emilia’s own values. It felt right. It felt pure.

Then, Elara was introduced. Her first interaction with Duke Alistair was abrasive, filled with pointed barbs and a thinly veiled dislike. Emilia’s brow furrowed in confusion. For some inexplicable reason, the Duke seemed not offended, but intrigued by Elara’s rudeness.

 ‘ What is he thinking? She’s just being mean. Why would anyone find that attractive? If someone is unpleasant, you should just stay away from them. It's simple. Why would he be interested in someone who is so mean to him? ’ she thought.

The book continued, alternating between scenes with the two women. For Emilia, the experience became a cycle of patient endurance and heartfelt enjoyment. She found herself skimming through the chapters focused on Elara, her annoyance mounting with every page. These sections felt like chores, obstacles to be overcome to reach the parts of the story she actually savored: the tender, meaningful moments between Alistair and Genevieve.

‘ Why would the author even include a character like Elara? ’ Emilia mused, flipping a page with more force than necessary. ‘ It’s obvious he should be with Genevieve. She’s kind and loyal, and she’s always there for him. Elara is just… a complication. She’s there to steal Alistair away and make things difficult for no good reason. ’

A familiar warmth bloomed in her chest, the same she felt when reading about the Gardener Boy before the story took its tragic turn. Once again, she was getting far too invested.

‘ Maybe I do like romance novels after all, ’ she admitted to herself with a small smile. ‘ It was just the ending of the last one that left me so discouraged. But I’m sure this one will be different. The author has made it so clear. This one will have a happy ending, with Genevieve and Alistair finally marrying each other. It has to. ’ The certainty was a comforting thought.

She started reading again, eager for another scene with the main couple. Instead, she was met with yet another chapter focused on Elara and Alistair. This time, he had abandoned an outing with Genevieve to rush to Elara’s side over some crisis. Emilia snapped the book shut with a quiet thump.

The Duke was a dunderhead, Elara was a nuisance, and Emilia decided she would much rather dream of her own dependable, non-dunderheaded knight than read another word about their baffling situation.

Placing the book firmly back on the nightstand, Emilia went to sleep, her mind filled with a righteous indignation on behalf of a kind duchess that doesn’t even exist.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The conferral of honors was every bit the slog Emilia had anticipated. An endless procession of droning speeches from stuffy old men, the stifling scent of dust and expensive perfume, and the rigid posture she was forced to maintain all blended into a tedious blur. For what felt like an eternity, Emilia maintained a serene smile, nodding at the appropriate moments and trying to keep her mind from wandering. Her only solace was the view she had of her knight.

Truly, the best part of the entire ordeal was seeing Subaru in his formal knightly garb. She was so accustomed to his peculiar black-and-orange tracksuit that the sight of him in the crisp, tailored white and purple uniform did something to her. The sharp lines of the jacket broadened his shoulders, and the formal attire lent him an air of dignity and competence that, while she knew he always possessed, was now on full display for the world to see. It did something strange to her heart, a warm flutter she didn’t quite understand.

After the ceremony finally concluded, the various camps were escorted through the corridors to the palace’s main ballroom. During the walk, Emilia tried several times to slip her hand into his, seeking the familiar comfort of his grasp. Each time, however, Subaru would deftly avoid it, either by turning to greet an acquaintance or by gesturing animatedly while explaining something to Garfiel. Each subtle avoidance was a small prick to her heart, and by the time they reached the ballroom’s gilded doors, her mood had soured considerably.

As they stepped into the dazzling ballroom, alive with the sound of a string orchestra and glittering with chandeliers, their small group began to scatter. Emilia’s one desire was to dance with her knight. But before she could even ask, Otto and Roswaal were upon her, insisting she accompany them to mingle with a few influential nobles. She wanted to refuse, to stomp her foot and declare she was staying with her knight. But Subaru just gave her a reassuring smile.

“Go on, Emilia-tan. Do your Royal Selection thing. I’ll just go bother our friends for a bit. It’s been a while since I’ve had a proper chat with them.”

Reluctantly, she let him go. She was upset, of course, that she couldn't enjoy the ball with him from the start. But a deeper anxiety was gnawing at her. During the ceremony, she hadn't failed to notice the sheer number of young noblewomen whose eyes were fixed on Subaru. She recognized their type immediately, the same sort who had sent those audacious, presumptuous marriage proposals. Now, having been rightfully rejected, these insects were planning to swarm her knight and try to steal the honey that was Subaru.

Thankfully, she had a plan. Beatrice, she knew, would never leave his side and served as an excellent deterrent. Even if most didn't know she was a Great Spirit, the constant presence of a scowling little girl was enough to intimidate most suitors. But Emilia wasn't a dunderhead; she had a backup. The half-elf had also tasked her most trusted maid, Sylphy, with keeping a watchful eye on him, a truly flawless two-tiered defense strategy.

While feigning interest in a conversation with some baron whose name she'd forgotten the instant he’d said it, Emilia’s attention was elsewhere. She would occasionally steal glances across the ballroom, trying to catch snippets of Subaru’s conversations. ‘ Totally normal behavior for a royal candidate to be aware of her knight’s situation,’ she assured herself.

She watched as he made his rounds, exchanging pleasantries with Felt, Anastasia, and Crusch. He shared a laugh with Ricardo and a respectful nod with Wilhelm before finally settling in with his fellow knights. Even from across the room, Emilia could just barely make out their voices over the music and chatter.

“I’m serious, Julius, they’re really fun. It’s just a shame you don’t have anything like that here,” Subaru said animatedly.

“I highly doubt an ‘advanced version of pretend’ could be truly engaging,” Julius replied, his tone dripping with skepticism.

“Julius, I think that was a bit too brash,” Reinhard chided gently.

“Then I’ll prove it to you!” Subaru declared. “I’m sure I remember enough rules to write a simple scenario for us. When are you guys free next?”

A sudden question from the baron startled her back to reality. She hadn't heard a word he’d said. Falling back on her training, she offered a polite, noncommittal smile.

“I agree completely,” she said.

The Baron, satisfied, launched back into his monologue. This time, Emilia forced herself to listen, at least a little. It was dreadfully boring, but necessary. After a few minutes, she gracefully excused herself and moved on to another noble, and then another, and another.

The cycle of polite smiles and empty chatter wore on her, and she became distracted from her surveillance duties. When she finally remembered to check on Subaru again, the sight that met her eyes was horrifying.

He was surrounded. A swarm of women, draped in silks and sparkling with jewels, had cornered him. They were like a pack of brightly colored wolves. One, a redhead with a brazen smile, stood far too close. Another, a blue-haired girl with yellow eyes, feigned shyness while batting her lashes. A third, with dark green hair, laughed a little too loudly at something he said, placing a delicate hand on his arm.

Emilia’s eyes darted around the room, searching for her support team. She spotted Beatrice at the dessert table on the far side of the room, her cheeks puffed out as she devoured a mountain of sweets. Sylphy was nowhere to be found. Her flawless plan had crumbled.

A burning desire to march over there and give those trollops a piece of her mind surged through her. But the noblewoman she was currently speaking with was influential, and causing a scene was out of the question.

She gritted her teeth and listened, her focus now entirely on eavesdropping on Subaru’s predicament. The women’s compliments grew bolder, their laughter louder, their touches more frequent. She could see the panic rising in Subaru’s eyes as he tried, and failed, to politely extract himself.

“…so brave to face the Great Rabbit, Natsuki-sama,” the redhead cooed.

“Oh, it was nothing, really. I had a lot of help,” Subaru said, his smile looking strained as he tried to subtly step away from the redhead.

“A man of such valor and humility,” the blue-haired one purred, leaning in closer. “It’s a rare combination. My father would be most interested in meeting you.”

“My goodness, your hands are so calloused,” the green-haired one noted, her fingers lingering on his arm. “The hands of a true hero.”

The more Emilia heard, the more her frustration grew. The air around her chilled, and the noblewoman she was with shivered delicately.

“Are you well, my dear? You look rather cross?” she asked, noticing Emilia’s angry expression.

Emilia startled. “Yes… of course. I’m fine.”

The woman’s eyes followed Emilia’s gaze to the swarm around Subaru. “Is that handsome young man those women are swarming your fiancé?”

“Well…” Emilia blushed and said nothing, which was all the answer the woman needed.

“You don’t need to worry about being polite, dear,” the older woman said with a knowing wink. “Go rescue your man.”

“Thank you so much,” Emilia whispered, her voice filled with genuine gratitude.

Without another moment of hesitation, she walked—no, she strode—directly toward her knight.

Subaru, desperately trying to signal his disinterest without causing offense, didn't notice her approach from behind. He only registered her presence when a warm, delicate hand slipped into his, and his entire arm was suddenly pulled into an even warmer, softer embrace.

He immediately recognized Emilia’s touch, but when he turned, he saw she wasn’t just holding his hand. She had his arm hugged tightly to her chest. His mind briefly registered how wonderful she smelled, how soft she felt, before the gravity of the situation snapped him back to his senses.

“Hey Subaru, let’s go dance,” she said, her voice sweet as honey, but her eyes told a different story.

“E-Emilia-tan? What are you doing? There are a lot of people here,” he stammered.

But when she looked up at him, her violet eyes were blazing with a furious fire he had never seen before. He wisely decided to shut up.

Turning her gaze to the stunned circle of women, her smile was cold. “Thank you all so very much for speaking with MY knight.” She stared daggers at each of them in turn while giving his arm a squeeze, emphasizing the word. “Now, if you’ll excuse us, MY knight and I are going to dance. I hope you all have a very enjoyable evening.”

She made a deliberate show of their intertwined hands and the way she was clinging to his arm before turning with a triumphant little "Hmph!" and dragging HER Subaru toward the dance floor.

“Emilia-tan, don’t you think that will be a bad look?” he whispered urgently.

“Who cares?” she replied without looking at him.

“Well, okay then. They can’t see us as clearly now; you can probably let go of my arm.”

“No.”

“Emilia-tan, everyone is staring.”

“Let them,” she declared, her voice ringing with unshakable conviction. She tightened her grip, pressing him even closer. “If I want to be with my knight, I will be. I don’t care what anyone else thinks.”

Subaru just stared at her. He had always thought of her as the pinnacle of beauty, an ethereal and graceful existence. But seeing her like this, fiery, clinging to him while boldly commanding his full attention and utterly disregarding the opinions of the entire world. It made his heart hammer against his ribs in a way that was both terrifying and exhilarating.

Hiding in a shadowed corner of the ballroom, a blonde maid watched the entire scene unfold with a satisfied smirk. “Good one, Emilia-sama.”

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ever since their public moment at the royal ball, a subtle but significant shift had occurred between Emilia and Subaru. They had started to cling to each other publicly, a development met with a spectrum of reactions from the residents of the mansion.

“My, my, it seems Cap’n finally reeled in the big one!” Garfiel would bellow, slapping Subaru on the back with enough force to rattle his teeth.

Otto would sigh dramatically. “Two years, my friends. Two years of watching you two dance around each other. I should send you a bill for the emotional distress.”

Frederica offered a warm, knowing smile, while Petra would watch them with a complicated pout.

Meili just seemed confused. “Wait, you guys weren’t already married?”

Ram’s commentary was, as always, the most pointed. A single, withering glance was usually enough, but sometimes she would grace Subaru with a sharp, “Barusu, stop defiling Emilia-sama with your disgusting hands.”

Rem, meanwhile, was a puzzle in and of itself. She would watch them with a slight tilt of her head, a flicker of an unreadable emotion in her eyes, before turning away as if looking at something that caused her a faint, nameless ache.

Emilia, for her part, accepted the comments with a blissful ignorance, her cheeks coloring slightly at the teasing but her hand never leaving Subaru’s. It was Subaru who would flush a brilliant red and stammer denials, insisting they weren’t really a couple, an explanation that was invariably met with knowing laughter.

Despite this new openness, Subaru remained cautious. The memory of the night in Emilia’s room, of the overwhelming urge that had nearly led him to do something unforgivably stupid, was a constant, sobering presence in the back of his mind. He had been guided by a part of himself he didn't trust and didn’t have any desire to let it control him again. So, he drew a line. Hand-holding was fine. Hugs were wonderful. But anything more was, for now, off-limits. This self-imposed restriction was a source of growing frustration for Emilia, who had taken to pestering him daily to ‘spoil’ her again, her pouts becoming increasingly more potent.

Her frustration was compounded by a new and bewildering array of feelings that ambushed her whenever she looked, touched, or sometimes just thought of him. It was a peculiar sensation, like a pleasant warmth that started deep in her belly and spread downwards, making her skin tingle and her breath catch in her throat. Her heart would beat a little faster, a frantic but not unpleasant rhythm, and she’d feel a strange, restless energy, a deep-seated desire to be even closer to him than she already was, to feel the warmth of his skin against hers without his tracksuit acting as a barrier. It was confusing and a little overwhelming, and Subaru’s sudden shyness wasn’t helping.

To distract herself from these bewildering new feelings, she decided to finally continue reading Midnight in the Duke’s Garden .

At first, continuing Midnight in the Duke’s Garden was a welcome escape. The chapters featuring the kind duchess Genevieve were a balm to her soul. She read of stolen glances across a crowded ballroom, of shared laughter while they rode their ground-dragons on a sun-dappled forest, of the Duke and Genevieve sparring only to fall on top of each other, their noses touching. These were the moments that made Emilia’s heart feel full. The chapters with the sharp-tongued Elara, however, were still a chore she had to endure to get back to the real story.

As she read further, however, a troubling pattern emerged. The author began dedicating more and more pages to Elara, delving into her tragic past and explaining the reasons behind her thorny exterior. Emilia found herself grudgingly sympathizing with the character, but this only fueled her indignation. The story was supposed to be about the pure, steadfast love between Alistair and Genevieve; Elara was an intruder, a complication stealing page-time from the clearly superior romance.

Then came the chapters detailing the Duke’s internal conflict as he weighed his decision of who to propose to. Emilia found herself gripping the book, her knuckles white. ‘ Just choose Genevieve, you dunderhead! ’ she silently screamed at the pages. ‘ She’s kind and she’s always supported you! It’s so obvious! ’

But to her absolute horror, the Duke chose Elara.

Emilia stared at the words, unable to process them. Why? How could he make such a choice? Genevieve was his perfect match. Elara was just… mean. The book tried to justify it, speaking of a fiery passion that challenged him and a connection born of intellectual sparring, but it all sounded like nonsense to Emilia. Kindness, loyalty, and understanding were what mattered most. This decision made no sense.

The subsequent chapters were torture. She read of Genevieve’s heartbreak, her quiet tears and dignified retreat twisting a knife in Emilia’s already wounded heart. The author then proceeded to detail a lavish, heart-wrenchingly romantic proposal from the Duke to Elara under a moonlit sky.

Reading purely out of spite now, Emilia managed to push through to the final chapter.

It described the newly engaged couple in their chambers. They were kissing, embracing on a bed, their whispered words of love filling the page. Then, the narration mentioned them deciding to ‘make love,’ and the story ended.

With a cry of pure frustration, Emilia hurled the book across the room. It slammed against the wall with a dull thud, and a thin layer of frost bloomed on its cover and the stone around it.

Was the universe mocking her? How could a second story end in such a horrible, nonsensical way? Why would the Duke do that?

The Duke’s nonsensical choice brought her own anxieties crashing down on her. Subaru loved her. She was sure of that. But he also loved Rem. He had said so himself. Right now, their bond is weak, destroyed by Rem’s amnesia. But what would happen if her memories returned?

The thought was a cold spike of fear in her chest. Rem, from Subaru’s stories, was a paragon. She was kind, capable, and fiercely devoted. She had stood by Subaru’s side when Emilia herself had pushed him away in the Capital. When faced with the choice between a near-perfect girl like Rem and a clumsy, useless half-elf who looked like the Witch of Envy and was still struggling to understand the concept of love… the choice seemed painfully obvious.

She had once confidently told Subaru she would fight to win his attention back if he leaned toward Rem, but how could she possibly compete?

Before the spiral of self-doubt could pull her under completely, she stood up. She needed to see Subaru. Last time, when she was confused and scared, he knew exactly what to say to soothe her. He loved her, at least for now. He would do it again if she asked.

Emilia exited her room, her hurried footsteps echoing in the empty corridors of the mansion as she searched for her knight. As she rounded a corner, she suddenly heard his voice. She slowed to a walk, taking a deep breath to calm the frantic beating of her heart. She smoothed her hair and straightened the wrinkles in her dress, trying to make herself presentable. Emilia didn’t want him to see her like this, so distraught and pathetic.

But as she drew closer, another voice joined his. Rem’s voice.

She froze, every fear she’d just been battling surging back with renewed force. Her feet felt heavy. Hesitantly, she crept closer, staying hidden just out of sight behind the wall, her own frantic breathing sounding deafeningly loud in her ears as she began to eavesdrop.

From the snippets she could make out, Subaru was telling Rem about the incident in the Capital, about their terrible fight, about how Emilia had abandoned him. The more she listened, the more a hazy fog seemed to fill her mind, the words blurring together into a showing of her own failures. But then, a single phrase sliced through the fog with clarity.

“And in the middle of all that...Rem told me she loved me.”

The world stopped. The foggy haze in her mind vanished, replaced by a cold, stark certainty. She couldn't hear another word they said. She didn't need to.

Her worst fears, the ones she had just been desperately trying to suppress, were true. With a strangled sob caught in her throat, she turned and ran, her earlier sprint looking like a leisurely stroll in comparison. She didn't stop until she was back in the safety of her room, the heavy wooden door slamming shut, her hand shaking as she fumbled with the lock. After a few seconds she heard the soft click of the door finally locking. She threw herself onto her bed, burying her face in the pillows to muffle the raw, heartbreaking sobs that tore from her chest.

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Sylphy had seen the whole disastrous chain of events unfold. She had been discreetly monitoring the conversation between Subaru and Rem herself when she spotted Emilia creeping down the hall. With a sinking feeling, she watched as Emilia froze, her posture screaming of a terrible misunderstanding. True to Sylphy’s rotten luck, Emilia only heard a fragment of the talk before turning and fleeing back to her room, a choked sob echoing faintly in the corridor.

‘ Oh, for the love of Od Laguna, ’ Sylphy thought, pinching the bridge of her nose. ‘ What part did she hear? ’

First, she had to see the conversation with Subaru through to its conclusion, then talk to him herself. Once they separated, she made a beeline for Emilia’s chambers, steeling herself for the emotional hurricane she was about to walk into. She knocked gently on the heavy wooden door.

“Emilia-sama, are you there?”

The only reply was the muffled sound of weeping.

‘ Oh, dear. This is worse than I thought. ’

Sylphy heard a faint shuffle, the sound of someone reluctantly rising from a bed, followed by the slow, dragging footsteps of a person who was having the worst day of their life. The lock clicked, and the door creaked open.

The sight that greeted her was a complete mess. Emilia’s usually bright violet eyes were red-rimmed and swollen, with fresh tear tracks carving paths through the older, dried ones on her flushed cheeks. Her silver hair was in disarray, and she looked so fragile it seemed a harsh word could shatter her.

‘ How? What part could she have possibly heard to cause this? ’ Sylphy wondered in bewilderment. ‘ Based on what Subaru said, she should be floating on a cloud full of giddy relief right now, not looking like her world just ended. ’

“S-Sylphy...” The name was a wet, broken sound, thick with tears. Before Sylphy could say a word, Emilia launched herself forward, wrapping her arms around the maid in a desperate, clinging hug.

‘ Here we go, ’ Sylphy thought, patting her back gently. She guided the trembling half-elf back into the room, leading her to the edge of the bed and sitting down beside her.

“Emilia-sama,” she began gently, “could you tell me what happened? Why are you crying like this?”

“It’s just… I was reading that book you recommended,” Emilia mumbled into Sylphy’s shoulder, her voice thick and congested. “There were two girls… and the main character was interested in both of them.”

‘ AAAAAAAAH! Did I give her a book with a love triangle? ’ Sylphy’s mind reeled in panic. ‘ And from the sounds of it, her favorite heroine lost. I really, really should have read these things before handing them over. I was just so desperate to give her a crash course in romance to prevent something stupid from happening! ’

“And the girl you were rooting for didn’t end up with the main character?” Sylphy guessed.

“How did you know?” Emilia asked, looking up with wide, miserable eyes.

“I’ve read my fair share of romance stories,” Sylphy said with a knowing calm. ‘ It’s a classic case of a baby's first losing heroine. Adorable. But there’s no way that’s the whole story. A book wouldn’t leave her this devastated. ’

“But Emilia-sama, that can’t be all. I doubt a story, no matter how sad, would make you cry this much,” Sylphy said.

“It’s not…” Emilia’s face crumpled again. “After the book, I went to find Subaru… I wanted him to cheer me up. But I heard him talking with Rem. He was… he was telling her how she confessed to him… and I just… I couldn’t…” Her words devolved into another sob. “He’d be so much better off with her than with me. It’s so obvious.”

“Emilia-sama, why would you ever think he would prefer to be with Rem?” Sylphy asked, keeping her voice even despite the rising tide of exasperation in her chest.

“Because she’s amazing!” Emilia cried, the words tumbling out in a rush of self-loathing. “She’s kind and strong and she saved him when I couldn’t! She stood by him in the capital when I pushed him away! And I’m just… I’m clumsy, and I’m slow, and everyone thinks I look like the Witch… I’m a dunderhead who can’t even understand her own heart!”

‘ I want nothing more than to tell her that Rem is the absolute last thing she needs to worry about, ’ Sylphy thought. But the more logical part of her brain saw an opportunity. This raw, painful insecurity could be forged into motivation for Emilia to finally get off her ass and go after what she wants. It was time for a risk.

“Emilia-sama,” Sylphy said, her tone suddenly serious. “Can I be truly, brutally honest with you?”

“I… I’ve always wanted you to be honest with me, Sylphy.”

“As your maid, there are things I can’t say. But right now, as your friend, I have to do this. Are you ready?”

“Yes?” Emilia’s reply was a confused, hesitant question.

SMACK!

The sharp sound echoed in the quiet room. Emilia’s head snapped to the side, a red mark blooming on her cheek. She stared at Sylphy, stunned into silence, her violet eyes wide with disbelief. Her cheek stung, a sharp, grounding pain that cut through her hazy despair.

“How dare you disrespect Subaru’s feelings like that!” Sylphy’s voice was sharp, cutting, and devoid of its usual deference.

Emilia was too shocked to speak.

“You, better than anyone, should know how much that boy loves you! To doubt him now, to say he would be better off with someone else… that is the greatest insult you could ever say to the love he feels for you!”

Sylphy took a deep, steadying breath. “But the thing that bothers me the most is you saying your appearance is a reason for him to love Rem more. Has he, even one single time, said anything bad about it?”

“No… he didn’t,” Emilia whispered, the words catching in her throat. Her mind flashed back to a few nights ago, to the warmth of his hands in her hair, his soft voice whispering how beautiful it was.

“The only things I have ever heard him say are how beautiful you are, how your hair is softer than anything he’s ever touched, how your eyes hold entire stars. It’s frankly annoying how much he goes on about it! Od Laguna, Emilia-sama, I saw him sucking on your elf ear! How could you possibly think for a single second that he doesn’t adore every part of you?”

“But I’m still clumsy… and slow… and a dunderhead…” Emilia protested weakly, the argument feeling flimsy even to her own ears.

“Emilia,” Sylphy’s tone softened slightly. “What do you think of Subaru as a person?”

The question was so unexpected it made her pause. “Subaru is… amazing,” she said, the words coming easily, honestly. “He’s the kindest person I know. Since he came into my life, every day has been brighter. He’s heroic and charismatic and surprisingly smart…”

“He’s also immature, deeply insecure, and reckless to the point of self-destruction,” Sylphy added, her tone flat.

“Well… yes, he’s all of that too, but he’s still…” Emilia trailed off, the realization dawning on her.

“You weren’t even going to mention his flaws, were you?” Sylphy pressed. Emilia closed her mouth, unable to deny it. “It’s not because you don’t see them. It’s because, in the end, you don’t care as long as they’re a part of your Subaru.”

A flicker of understanding dawned in Emilia’s eyes. “So, you mean…”

“That’s exactly how Subaru feels about you. He knows all your flaws. He’s seen you at your worst, and he still loves you. He doesn’t want some perfect, flawless woman, Emilia. He wants you,” Sylphy pointed at her.

Having finished her rant, Sylphy added one last jab. “So don’t mock his love by saying things like that ever again.”

Emilia felt the carefully constructed walls of her misery begin to crumble. The logic was inescapable. She — him, imperfections and all. Could he really… feel the same way?

“But… he said he loves Rem, too.”

“I know,” Sylphy conceded. “That part is… messy. But it should be your motivation, not a reason to give up.”

“Motivation for what?”

“To get off your ass and make him choose you,” Sylphy said bluntly. “Believe me, I know how this whole mess started. If you had been more proactive with him from the beginning, his romantic feelings for Rem would have either faded long ago or never developed in the first place.”

“Really? How do you know that?”

“Ask Subaru yourself later. I’m not going to say private things he’s confided in me.”

Emilia felt a brief flash of annoyance but let it go. There was a more pressing question. “But how, Sylphy? How do I make him love only me?”

“Emilia-sama, have you learned nothing from those romance novels? They aren’t perfect guides, but they’re full of ideas.” Sylphy paused, then leaned in. “But I have one more tip for you. It’s the most important one. Do you want to hear it?”

“Of course!”

“You know that warm, happy feeling you get when Subaru hugs you, or calls you beautiful, or tells you how much he loves you?”

“Yes…” Emilia’s heart fluttered just thinking about it.

“Did it ever occur to you that Subaru probably feels the exact same way?”

It was as if a switch had been flipped in Emilia’s mind. A breakthrough. Of course. It was so simple, so obvious, yet she had never once considered it. All this time, she had been a passive recipient of his affection, basking in the warmth and safety he provided. She never thought that her own actions, her hand slipping into his, the way she leaned on him, her smiles, were a source of that same wonderful feeling for him. She pictured his face in those moments: the soft look in his eyes, the slight flush on his cheeks. He had been feeling the same way. The realization that she could give him the same incredible, pleasant feelings he gave her filled her with a profound, dizzying joy.

And with that realization came another, fiercer one. She didn’t want anyone else giving him that feeling. The warmth he felt from her being in his arms, the flutter in his heart from a compliment, those were feelings only she should be allowed to give him. That was why she’d felt that ugly, possessive lurch in her stomach when she read those letters, at the ball, and why hearing him talk with Rem had felt so painful.

She wanted Subaru to be hers. Only hers. And she would do whatever it took to make that happen.

The last of her tears dried, replaced by a burning resolve. She stood up, her back straight and her eyes clear.

“You’re right, Sylphy. I know what I have to do. I’m going to see Subaru right now.”

She was already turning toward the door, ready to march out and claim her knight, when Sylphy’s voice stopped her.

“Subaru-san isn’t in the mansion.”

Emilia whipped around. “WHAT?”

“He left a little while ago. He went to the capital. Apparently, he and his knight friends are going to play something called an Arr-Pee-Jee that they talked about at the ball.”

“And he left without saying goodbye to me?” she fumed, her voice rising with indignation.

‘ Sorry, Subaru ,’ Sylphy thought with an inward wince. ‘ I just had to defuse an emotional bomb. You can deal with this little fallout when you get back. ’

“I don’t know, Emilia-sama. You’ll have to ask him when he returns.”

Emilia’s face was a thundercloud of righteous anger. Her dunderheaded knight had abandoned her to go play games! But as the initial fury subsided, a sly, determined look replaced it. He was gone. That meant she had time. Time to read those books properly. Time to make a plan.

Sylphy watched the series of emotions play across Emilia’s face, a genuine, satisfied smile gracing her own lips.

‘Sorry to do this to you, Emilia-sama,’ she thought. ‘But absence makes the heart grow fonder, after all.’

Chapter Text

Yesterday, Subaru went to the capital. He’d left to play some sort of game with his knight friends, and he had done so without a single word of goodbye. Emilia had seriously considered following him, just to give him a piece of her mind. But she immediately dismissed the idea. As much as she wanted to lecture him, she couldn’t bear the thought of embarrassing Subaru in front of his friends.

Still, she couldn’t just let this slide. He was her knight, after all. A new resolve hardened within her. She would spend every spare moment devouring the romance novels Sylphy had provided, determined to formulate a plan that would ensure Subaru never forgot about her again.

While the previous books had offered some ideas, their frustrating endings had left a sour taste in her mouth. She wanted a different outcome this time. As she scanned the small pile on her nightstand, her eyes caught on one that stood apart from the rest: The Knight’s Vow atop The Lady’s Secret. Intrigued and hoping for a new perspective, she picked it up and settled into her bed.

The book began by following a young knight named Kaelan, so earnest and naive it made Emilia’s heart ache with a familiar fondness. He was clumsy, a bit of a dunderhead, but his desire to protect others was absolute. It was like reading about a slightly more formal version of Subaru. This knight was about to begin his service to a baroness called Isolde, an older widow who was the complete opposite of Emilia. The baroness was confident, clever, and decisive. From the moment the young knight laid eyes on her, he fell hopelessly, completely in love. The story then chronicled his devoted service and his attempts to capture her heart.

This book was immediately, shockingly different. In one of the very first chapters, a scene unfolded that made Emilia’s eyes go wide. The Baroness Isolde, in a moment of playful dominance, pressed the young knight against a library wall and kissed him. It wasn't the chaste, simple, gentle press of lips that Emilia had read about in the other books, or even the one she herself had experienced. The book described in vivid detail how the baroness’s tongue slipped past the knight’s lips, exploring his mouth with an intimacy that felt both shocking and deeply fascinating. It was described not as a simple gesture of affection, but as a hungry, all-consuming act, as if the baroness was trying to devour him. The knight, far from protesting, seemed to melt into it.

‘Is that… how you’re supposed to kiss someone?’ she wondered, her fingertips unconsciously coming up to touch her own lips. A strange, tingling warmth spread through her stomach. ‘They both seem to be enjoying it… and just reading about it is making me feel all weird and fluttery. Maybe… maybe I should try this with Subaru when he gets back.’

The next chapter that jolted her was one where the knight was ordered to attend to the baroness during her bath. Emilia braced herself, expecting the narrative to discreetly fade to black, as the other books always had when situations like this arose.

It didn’t.

What followed was a long, tense scene describing the knight cleaning the baroness’s body in exquisite detail. The heat from her body, the curve of her back, the slope of her breasts; it was all there on the page. As she read, Emilia felt that strange warmth from before return, stronger this time. It started deep in her belly and spread downwards, making her skin prickle and her breath catch in her throat. Her heart began to beat a little faster, in a frantic but not unpleasant rhythm.

She considered snapping the book shut. These new, bewildering feelings were overwhelming. But an equally powerful, inexplicable desire urged her to continue reading, to see and feel more of whatever this was.

For a while, the story settled down. There were more secret kisses and stolen moments, but nothing as explicit as the bath scene. One thing Emilia couldn't help but notice was that it was always the baroness who initiated their intimacy. She was the proactive one, the one who took charge of their burgeoning relationship. Reading this, a flicker of understanding ignited in Emilia's mind. The baroness, for all her shocking forwardness, was getting what she wanted. If Emilia wanted to make Subaru look only at her, if she wanted to be the undisputed center of his world, perhaps she needed to be more proactive.

Then, inevitably, the book reached another suggestive scene. To 'make things fair,' the baroness ordered the knight to her chambers and then made him strip. As Emilia read the words that described the knight's body, her mind was flooded with a memory of Subaru. She remembered the day they met, after Elsa had torn his stomach open. She had taken him to the mansion to heal him, a process that required her to undress his upper body. At the time, she had been focused solely on his healing.

But thinking back now, other details surfaced. She remembered the unexpected smoothness of his skin beneath her fingertips. He wasn’t bulky, but he had a decent amount of lean muscle. She recalled the feel of his stomach; it had been firm, hard to the touch.

‘His muscles must be even more defined now,’ she thought, her breath hitching. A fierce, sudden desire flared within her. ‘I want to see them. I want to touch them again. Would he let me?’

Lost in her fantasies, Emilia was only vaguely aware of her own body's response. Her free hand had drifted down from the book, coming to rest where the pleasant warmth was now a concentrated, pulsing heat. Unconsciously, her fingers began to press and move gently against the fabric of her nightgown, chasing the strange, delightful sensation.

A particularly intense pulse from her own touch snapped her back to the present. Her eyes flew open, and she snatched her hand away, placing it shakily back on the book. Her cheeks were on fire.

‘What was that just now? What was I doing?’

The book suddenly felt too heavy in her hands, the words on the page too potent. She slammed it shut, her heart hammering against her ribs. She needed a break. She needed to think. She decided to stop reading, at least for now.

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In the dead of night, Emilia awoke to a familiar, restless heat coiling low in her belly. It was the same strange, insistent feeling she’d felt while reading the book, a feeling that demanded some kind of release. She remembered what she had done last time, the unconscious movements that had brought about that startling wave of pleasure. Her hand drifted downward, tentatively pressing against herself through the thin fabric of her nightgown. She tried to replicate the gentle, circling motions from before, but the feeling remained stubbornly out of reach, a frustrating itch she couldn’t quite scratch.

Frustrated, her mind drifted, seeking a different distraction. Her thoughts turned to Subaru. An image of his head resting in her lap surfaced, and with it, the memory of the surprising softness of his black hair against the fabric of her dress, a sensation that had sent a curious tingle up her thighs. This was followed by the memory of his naked torso when she’d healed him, the unexpected firmness of the lean muscle under her fingertips. Then, a more potent memory flared to life: the feeling of his lips against her ear, the startling, wet heat of his mouth that had sent a jolt straight through her.

With that final thought, the coiling warmth within her suddenly tightened, then burst into a wave of intense, shuddering pleasure. Her breath caught, her back arched slightly into her mattress, and then, as the wave receded, a profound sense of relaxation washed over her, leaving her calm and satisfied.

After a few moments of blissful stillness, a new understanding began to dawn on her. She remembered a conversation with Sylphy, who, while blushing furiously, had tried to explain that the intimacy in these books was meant to be deeply pleasurable. The word, once abstract, now clicked into place with undeniable certainty.

The implications hit her one after another. That feeling… it was sexual. And she had brought it on by thinking about Subaru. This meant she was sexually interested in her knight. The memory of his mouth on her ear returned, now cast in a completely new light. Had that been a desire for this? For sex? It would certainly explain the horrified, crimson-faced look on Sylphy's face when she’d walked in on them.

‘So next time, I should close the door. I see.’ She filed the information away for future reference.

‘If I asked Subaru to have sex with me… would he say yes?’ The mere thought sent shivers down her spine. The memory of his touch was so much more potent, more real, than the pleasant but fleeting sensation she could create on her own. She liked that idea very much.

‘Subaru might not see me that way… ‘ She dismissed the thought almost as quickly as it came. ‘No, that seems unlikely, given everything he’s said and done. But I should at least check when I have the chance.’

Her mind was buzzing with questions; sleep was now a distant possibility. Her eyes fell upon the book that had started all of this. Perhaps the answers she sought were hidden within its pages.

Emilia delved back into the story of Kaelan and Isolde. With her new understanding, the scenes took on a vibrant, electric new meaning. The once-shocking intimacy now felt like a roadmap. She felt the same pleasant warmth stirring as she read, but it no longer felt strange or frightening. It was simply… a part of her.

The book served as education. It described countless ways for a knight and his lady to express their affection, each more intimate than the last. She read about shared baths, whispered words in the dark, and touches that were meant to give pleasure, not just comfort. And the knight in the book was overwhelmed with joy whenever the assertive Baroness Isolde took the lead. This book made it clear to her: the baroness’s proactive, dominant affection was what the knight secretly craved. Emilia was sure her knight would feel the same.

A concrete plan began to form in her mind, a strategy for how to ‘seduce’ her knight. A small, determined smile touched her lips in the darkness. She would start putting it into practice right away.

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The past week had been, for lack of a better word, awesome. Subaru found himself smiling as he replayed moments from the game in his head. He had finally, truly played a Tabletop RPG. In his old world, the concept had been a tantalizing fantasy, an activity that required a resource he’d never possessed: friends. Here, it was a reality, a new and exhilarating experience, even if his companions had managed to make it infinitely more complicated than he'd intended.

He'd planned on an early departure this morning, a simple return to the mansion. But a crisp letter had thrown a wrench in his plans. It was from Sylphy; she instructed him to stay put. "We are planning to come to the capital to bring you back," it read. Subaru had puzzled over the wording. "We"? Who was "we"? And why go to all the trouble? A simple trip via earth dragon was all it took. Still, a request was a request, so he decided to obey.

Now, just after lunch, he waited at the entrance to the Karsten estate, the gentle weight of his spirit, Beatrice, a comforting pressure on his lap as she read a book. He then saw a familiar figure. It was Sylphy, walking towards him with a determined stride, a considerably large, plain box held carefully in her hands.

“Hey, Sylphy-chan,” he called out with a wave.

“Hello, Subaru-san, Beatrice-sensei,” she greeted with a small bow of her head. “Did you enjoy your time here?”

“We sure did,” he grinned, the memory of the game still fresh. “They seemed to really get into the RPG. I think we’ve got them hooked. Maybe next time we can bring more people. You could even play, if you’re interested.”

“I appreciate the offer,” Sylphy replied, her expression unchanging. “However, I am not particularly interested in a more complicated version of make-believe.”

“Pfft, Julius said the same thing,” Subaru retorted playfully, “and he ended up being the most annoyingly invested player of them all.”

Sylphy seemed to ponder this for a moment, a faint smile on her lips.

“So, what’s the big secret?” Subaru asked, shifting his posture. “Why’d you tell me to wait? I could’ve just zipped back to the mansion on my own.”

“About that,” Sylphy began, her tone carefully neutral. “Emilia-sama wished to go on a date with you while you were still in the capital.”

His mind went utterly blank for a second before rebooting with a frantic surge of disbelief and elation. “Emilia-tan… asking me on a date? Did hell freeze over? Did pigs learn to fly? Is Roswaal giving up makeup?”

“Sylphy, is this what I think it is, in fact?” Beatrice’s voice, small but sharp, cut through his shock.

“It is, Beatrice-sensei,” Sylphy confirmed, a hint of her own disbelief coloring her voice. “I can barely believe it myself.”

“What? What are you two talking about?” Subaru demanded, looking between the maid and his spirit. He felt a familiar, frustrating sensation of being on the outside of an inside joke.

“It’s nothing, I suppose,” they both chimed in perfect, unconvincing unison.

“Hold on, hold on,” Subaru pressed. “If Emilia-tan wants to ask me out, why isn’t she here asking me herself?”

“She is… busy with preparations,” Sylphy explained, extending the box toward him. “She asks that you wear this for the occasion.”

Subaru took the box. Inside, nestled in soft tissue paper, was his knightly uniform, looking impossibly crisp and smelling faintly of lavender. It had clearly been washed and pressed with meticulous care.

“My uniform? Why does she want me to wear this?”

Sylphy’s composure finally cracked, replaced by a look of sheer smugness. “You mean you don’t want to look your best for this date?”

“That’s not what I meant!” he retorted, a little too quickly. “It’s just… she’s never seemed to mind me wearing my tracksuit all the other times. That’s kind of my thing, you know?”

Sylphy simply stared at him, a long, silent moment stretching between them. Finally, she sighed. “You can be really and truly oblivious sometimes, you know that?”

“Hey!”

“I will be going now,” she stated, turning to leave. “Emilia-sama will come for you right after Firetime. You can wait for her here.”

“Okay… thanks, I guess,” Subaru mumbled, his mind still reeling as he watched her turn and walk away.

Subaru was left alone with Beatrice, the open box resting on his knees. He stared at the pristine white and purple fabric, his mind a whirlwind of excitement, anxiety, and profound confusion. An actual date, initiated by Emilia. And for some reason, she wanted to have it not with the tracksuit-wearing Subaru, but with her knight. He looked down at Beatrice, who had already returned to her reading, a tiny, almost imperceptible smirk playing on her lips. She definitely knew something.

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Subaru hadn’t been this nervous since their first date. He wore his knightly uniform, meticulously adjusted to the best of his ability, a process in which Beatrice had been an invaluable, if grumpy, assistant, ensuring every sash was straight and every button secure.

He stood waiting, his posture straighter than usual, when he spotted the carriage. It was the familiar, elegant transport they used for important events in the capital, and at the reins was Sylphy, her posture as composed as ever. As it drew to a smooth halt before him, Subaru’s heart began to hammer against his ribs. He moved to the door, his mind rehearsing a dozen charming greetings, ready to help Emilia down as he always did.

But when the door swung open and his eyes landed on her, every rational thought in his mind dissolved into white noise.

She wore a dress the color of a shimmering sapphire that clung to her form in a way his most daring dreams had never quite captured. The fabric draped elegantly over one shoulder, leaving the other exquisitely bare. It plunged in a graceful, audacious V that framed the smooth skin of her collarbones and offered a breathtaking glimpse of the soft swell of her breasts. The dress hugged her slender waist before flowing down, clinging just enough to accentuate the gentle, perfect curve of her hips. It was bold, elegant, and so profoundly sexy that it stole the air from his lungs.

Subaru’s mouth went dry. He couldn’t help but stare, his eyes tracing every line and curve the dress so masterfully accentuated. To see her like this was an experience so far beyond his most private daydreams that it left him feeling light-headed, his knees threatening to buckle.

Emilia watched his jaw go slack, his eyes widen. A thrill of success shot through her. ‘Good, he’s looking,’ she thought, her own heart fluttering. ‘Now, I just need to say the phrase I remember.’ A small, victorious smile touched her lips.

“My knight,” she said, her voice a low, teasing melody. “Are you going to help me down, or are you simply content to stare?”

Her words, so uncharacteristically forward and teasing, were the splash of cold water that finally jolted him from his trance. Scrambling to recover, he offered his hand, his movements stiff. She accepted it, her fingers cool and soft against his palm. As she stepped down from the carriage, the scent of lavender and something sweeter, more exotic, washed over him. Even after her feet were firmly on the ground, she did not release his hand. Subaru, who had grown accustomed to the comfortable warmth of holding her hand, now felt a scorching blush creep up his neck. He was used to holding the hand of the sweet, normal Emilia. This was a goddess of breathtaking beauty, and her touch was setting him on fire.

‘Calm down, Natsuki Subaru, get a grip,’ he pleaded with himself, dropping his gaze to the ground in a desperate bid for composure. It was a mistake. His eyes inevitably caught the way the sapphire fabric draped over her figure, clinging to the curve of her rear in a way that left nothing to the imagination. His gaze darted back up, snagging on the delicate line of her neck and the shadowy valley between her breasts. ‘Goddammit, I can’t stop thinking about it.’

Meanwhile, Emilia’s amethyst eyes were taking in her knight. The crisp white and purple of his uniform accentuated his best qualities. ‘Yup, as amazing as always,’ she thought with a surge of satisfaction.

“Emilia-sama,” Sylphy called from her seat.

“Yes, Sylphy?”

“I will be taking Beatrice-sensei to find something to eat before we return to the inn. Have a wonderful time.”

“Thank you, you too,” Emilia replied with a grateful nod.

Beatrice hopped into the carriage, carrying Subaru’s suitcase with her, and with a quiet flick of the reins, Sylphy drove them away, leaving the two of them alone in the fading afternoon light.

Emilia turned her full attention to her knight. “Subaru, I have some reaaally fun places for us to go. Shall we?”

“Y-Yes, of course,” he stammered, his voice cracking.

She responded by linking her arm with his, snuggling close and enveloping his bicep in the soft warmth of her chest. The sudden, intimate contact sent a jolt through his entire system. She began to lead him down the street, and Subaru followed numbly, his senses completely overwhelmed by her proximity, her scent, her everything.

‘Get a boner and you’re trash. Get a boner and you’re trash. Get a boner and you’re trash.’ He repeated a desperate mantra in his head, a flimsy dam against a tidal wave of instinct.

‘Okay, I need to calm down. Focus. Just look at her face. Only her face. Her beautiful, perfect face.’

Wresting back a sliver of control, Subaru lifted his gaze. He focused on her profile as she walked, a picture of serene determination. He thought he saw her glance at him from the corner of her eye for a split second, a flicker of a smile on her lips before she looked forward again.

Now that he was finally looking properly, he noticed other things. She was closer than he expected, not just physically, but vertically. He glanced down and saw she was wearing heels, elegant but tall enough to bring them nearly eye-to-eye. Her face also seemed subtly different, more radiant. A light touch of makeup enhanced her natural beauty; a shimmer on her eyelids made her amethyst eyes sparkle, and a soft, rosy tint on her lips made them seem fuller… more inviting.

This was all too unusual. First the dress, then the makeup she never wore, and now the way she was holding his arm. She had done it before, of course, but this time felt different, more deliberate, more seductive.

“Emilia-tan,” he started, his voice a bit shaky. “About the way you’re holding my arm—”

“You don’t like it?” she interrupted, looking at him with a perfect mask of innocence.

“W-Well, it’s not that…”

“Good, then.” She snuggled even closer, pressing his arm more firmly against her softness. The contact was electric, undeniable.

He was so flushed, his ears bright red. ‘He is so red,’ Emilia thought, a wave of confidence washing over her. ‘This is reaaally easy. I’m barely doing anything and he already looks so happy.’

Subaru was genuinely afraid his heart might explode. Its frantic hammering was a deafening drumbeat in his ears. Even so, as his mind fogged over with pure bliss, he knew that if this was how he died, it would be the one death he would consider completely and utterly worth it.

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Eventually, Subaru managed to grow somewhat accustomed to her outfit, though "accustomed" was a generous term for the state of barely suppressed awe he found himself in. He still couldn't resist staring, his eyes drawn to the elegant curve of her exposed shoulder or the audacious line of the dress as it clung to her hips.

They visited a handful of places Emilia had picked out: a bustling indoor garden filled with beautiful plants, a quiet gallery showcasing intricate magical artifacts, and a charming café.

Through it all, he noticed Emilia was being uncharacteristically touchy. It wasn't her usual innocent touch. This was deliberate, calculated. While they examined a particularly vibrant crystal flower, her hand came to rest on his thigh, a gesture that sent a jolt straight up his spine. Later, as he was about to make a silly joke at the café, she raised a single, slender finger to his lips, silencing him with a playful smirk. A few times, she leaned in close, her warm breath tickling his skin as she whispered an observation in his ear. She even insisted on feeding him a piece of her own pastry, her amethyst eyes sparkling with a mischievous light as she brought the fork to his mouth.

Subaru used every ounce of his willpower to hold himself back. But with every touch and every teasing glance, the dam of his composure developed another crack. He was always mere moments from simply grabbing her, pulling her close, and kissing her senseless right there in the middle of whatever crowded place they were in. Still, he always managed to pull back at the last possible second, his breath catching in his throat.

After they had visited all the places on Emilia’s list, they settled on a bench in a quiet park, watching the gentle play of a small water fountain. Emilia rested her head on his shoulder, and he tentatively wrapped an arm around her hips, pulling her closer. This date, as nerve-wracking as it was, had at least helped him grow more comfortable with touching her. So there was that.

“Thank you for inviting me, Emilia-tan,” he said softly. “I had a lot of fun.”

Emilia, however, was not yet satisfied. She had been determined to kiss him on the lips during this date, but a good opportunity had never presented itself. Most of the time they were surrounded by people, and while she wouldn’t have minded, she suspected Subaru would. And in their rare moments of solitude, the timing never felt quite right.

‘If I can’t find an opportunity, I’ll just have to make one,’ she resolved. She still had one card left to play.

“Subaru, is there any place you want to go? We’ve only been to the places I wanted to see.”

A place did, in fact, flash in his mind. A place of profound significance to him, but one that would mean nothing to her. He dismissed it almost immediately.

But Emilia had grown adept at reading the subtle shifts in his expression. “Subaru,” she said, her tone gentle but firm. “You can tell me. I won’t be mad.”

He took a deep breath, the sincerity in her eyes disarming him. “There is… one place. But I don’t think you’ll enjoy it.”

“As long as I’m with you,” she replied, her sincerity unwavering, “I’ll enjoy it.”

Hearing that, a genuine, unguarded smile spread across Subaru’s face. He stood, taking her hand in his. He led them away from the park, his steps sure and purposeful, until they stood before the entrance to an unsuspecting, grimy alleyway.

To Emilia, it was just a random, dirty alley, no different from a hundred others in the capital.

But to Subaru, it was sacred ground. This was where he had first met her, in a world only he remembered.

He realized now just how terrified he’d been that day, a deep, gnawing fear he’d masked with manic energy and the false bravado of an isekai protagonist. He’d messed up, as he always did, and found himself beaten and bleeding on these very stones. Felt had passed by without a second glance. It made sense; this world was cruel, and selfishness was a survival trait. Anyone else on that street would have ignored him, too.

But she hadn't been selfish. Emilia had saved him simply because it was the right thing to do. She healed him and asked for nothing in return. Looking at the beautiful, ethereal girl before him, he had, of course, decided to stick to her like glue. In a way, their frantic search for her insignia through the city could be considered their real first date, even if neither of them saw it that way at the time.

He remembered the simple happiness on her face then, a rare sight for a girl so burdened by the world's prejudice. He thought of all the stupid hate she faced because of her resemblance to Satella, how this perfect, wonderful girl was treated so badly for the most ridiculous of reasons. He was glad he could give her the feeling of being seen as just herself, even if it was just for a little while before their lives were so cruelly snatched away.

He turned to look at the girl he loved more than anything. She looked happy to be with him, though her expression was tinged with a soft confusion. In that moment, watching her stand in the place where his entire new life truly began, the words rose unbidden from the deepest part of his soul.

“I love you, Emilia.”

The sudden declaration startled her. A deep, furious blush erupted across her face, so potent it colored the tips of her pointed ears.

‘This dunderhead!’ she thought, her heart pounding. ‘He takes me to this weird alley, gets that dreamy look on his face, and then just smiles and says that out of nowhere?’

In a flash of movement born from her embarrassment, Emilia closed the distance between them and shoved him against one of the alley walls. His back met the cool stone with a soft thud. Before he could process what was happening, her hand slammed against the wall right beside his head with a sharp smack, her slender arm trapping him. The heels she wore put her face level with his, her amethyst eyes holding a predatory gleam he’d never seen before. He could feel the warmth radiating from her body, a stark contrast to the cold stone at his back.

Subaru’s breath hitched. His world had shrunk to the space between her and the wall.

“H-How can you just say that so suddenly?” she demanded, her voice a flustered hiss.

He realized she was embarrassed. Most other times he’d said it, she had taken it more calmly. He wasn’t sure what was different this time, but seeing her flustered gave him an idea. A wicked, wonderful idea.

“Say what?” he teased, a grin spreading across his face. “That I love you?”

She flinched at the words, her blush deepening.

“I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you,” he repeated, savoring the way her composure crumbled a little more with each declaration.

Emilia knew she had to shut him up, and she knew the best way to do it.

She leaned in, her forehead and the tip of her nose touching his. Subaru’s teasing immediately ceased.

“If you don’t want this,” she whispered, her voice husky, “then dodge.”

He didn’t even consider it. He watched, mesmerized, as she tilted her head, her lips drawing ever closer until, finally, they met his.

The kiss was a thousand times better than he remembered. It was soft, hesitant, and yet it sent an explosion of warmth through his entire body. It was the taste of her mouth, the feeling of her impossibly soft lips against his, a silent confirmation of everything he felt. It was euphoria. It was home.

But then, something shifted. He felt a gentle, probing pressure against his lips, and a moment later, the shocking, wet heat of her tongue slipping past them. His mind went completely blank. It was an intimacy so far beyond what he’d expected, a hungry, exploratory act that felt both scandalous and deeply fascinating.

For a second, he was frozen, but as she deepened the kiss, instinct took over. His own arms, which had been slack at his sides, came up to wrap around her waist, pulling her flush against him as he began to kiss her back with a desperate, pent-up passion.

When they finally parted, they just stared at each other for a few seconds, panting, trying to catch their breath. Then, before he could say a word, Emilia surged forward and kissed him again.

In the middle of their second, much more passionate kiss, a sliver of rational thought pierced through Subaru’s haze. They were in a public alley. He glanced to the side. No one, at least for now.

When they parted again, he managed to recover his breath enough to try and warn her.

“Emilia, people could—”

He was interrupted as she captured his lips for a third time. Looking at her now, her eyes were closed, her expression one of pure, unadulterated bliss. She was completely lost in the moment.

When she finally let up, he didn’t even try to speak. Instead, he moved his head, capturing the delicate shell of her ear with his lips and sucking gently.

“Aaah!” Emilia gasped, the strength leaving her arms as a shiver wracked her body.

Subaru seized the opportunity, swiftly reversing their positions until her back was pressed against the stone wall. After catching his own breath, he tried again.

“Emilia, we shouldn’t do this—”

“No!” she shrieked, her eyes suddenly filled with panic. “Subaru, please don’t say that. I-I know I look like the witch, but please don’t say you don’t want me,” Emilia cried as her deepest self-loathing resurfaced in the heat of the moment.

‘This stupid, wonderful girl,’ he thought, his heart aching for her.

He leaned in and kissed her again, gently this time, pouring all of his love and reassurance into the simple press of their lips. When they separated, he kept his forehead against hers, their noses touching.

“Emilia, I love you. I don’t care one bit who you look like. To me, you’re the most beautiful woman in the entire world.”

“But… then why don’t you want to kiss me?” she asked, her voice small and wounded.

“I want to spend my whole life kissing you,” he said earnestly, watching relief flood her features. “What I was trying to say is that we should probably go to a more private place to continue this. Someone could walk in on us.”

“Oh,” she said, the realization dawning on her.

“Yeah, you dunderhead,” Subaru chuckled, perfectly imitating her cadence.

“Do you want to go back to the inn where we’re staying?” she asked, a hopeful, eager light returning to her eyes.

“Of course.”

And so, hand in hand, they made their way there.

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They finally arrived at Emilia’s room at the inn, a wave of relief washing over them. On the way, they had tried to straighten their clothes and smooth their hair, doing their best to look presentable for the woman at the front desk. But the knowing smirk she’d given them as they passed suggested their efforts had been a complete failure.

Subaru entered first, while Emilia lingered behind to close the door. The moment she heard the lock click shut, she felt herself being pulled from behind. A surprised yelp escaped her lips as Subaru spun her around and tossed her onto the bed. The mattress was soft, and she bounced once before sinking into the covers.

Before she could react, Subaru was on top of her, caging her in with his arms. Their faces were inches apart again, his dark eyes boring into hers. He leaned in, closer and closer, and she shut her eyes tightly, her lips parting in anticipation of another kiss.

But it never came.

She fluttered her eyes open to find him still hovering just above her, a devilish grin spreading across his face. A small, involuntary pout formed on her lips.

His grin widened at her reaction. “Emilia-tan,” he teased. “You were trying to seduce me during the whole date, weren’t you?”

Emilia’s breath hitched. The heat that flooded her cheeks was a confession in itself. He’d seen right through her.

“It’s kind of obvious, thinking back on it,” he continued, “and the guilty look on your face right now just proves it.”

Subaru leaned down, his mouth brushing against her ear. He whispered, his warm breath sending a shiver down her spine, “You’re a bad girl, Emilia.”

She didn’t understand why being called that sent a bolt of heat straight between her legs, but it most certainly did. Before she could form a coherent thought, he began to suck on her ear again, the wet heat of his mouth sending her mind into a tailspin. This time, he was relentless. A messy chorus of moans spilled from her lips as her body writhed helplessly beneath his.

When he finally pulled away, he seemed breathless and a little exhausted from the effort. Seeing her chance, she took it. In one fluid motion, she surged upward, reversing their positions. Now it was her turn.

“Emilia-tan?” he asked, confused.

She captured his surprised expression in her memory before diving down, pressing her mouth firmly against the juncture where his jaw met his neck. She sucked gently at first, then with more force, creating a tender friction. She felt the skin give slightly under the pressure.

Then she found another spot on his neck and did it again, and then again, and again.

Subaru began to make the same helpless noises she had been making just moments before. A thrill of triumph shot through her. She loved seeing him like this, so completely vulnerable with her. With this act, she wanted to mark him, to claim him as hers, and from the sounds he was making, he seemed to love it.

When she finally felt she had marked him enough, she pulled back to admire her handiwork: multiple blooming marks on his pale skin.

They both lay there for a moment, catching their breath, simply looking into each other's eyes.

Feeling bold, Emilia’s fingers found the buttons of his white knight's shirt.

A cold shiver of panic went through Subaru. Tonight was supposed to be a good memory; he couldn't let her see the scars on his arms. But as long as she only unbuttoned his shirt and didn't try to take it off completely, it would be fine. He held his breath as she worked her way down, one button at a time.

As Emilia finished the last button, she finally saw it. His chest was considerably bulky, but also beautifully defined with hard muscle. The smooth expanse of his skin was sculpted, with firm pectoral muscles and his well-defined abs. It was also a tapestry of faint, silvery scars. But to Emilia, these weren't imperfections. They were proof of his heroism, testaments to the times he’d saved others. They were beautiful. She found herself staring, her gaze tracing each mark.

“You can touch it,” he murmured, his voice slightly hoarse. “I’m yours, after all.”

That was all the permission she needed. Tentatively, she reached out, her cool fingertips tracing the warm contours of his chest. She followed the line of his collarbone, then drifted lower, exploring the firm plane of his stomach. His skin was so warm, so alive beneath her touch, and a sharp intake of his breath told her just how much her touch affected him.

Taking this as an invitation, Subaru slipped a hand under the hem of her dress, his fingers finding the soft, smooth skin of her thigh. Its softness never failed to impress him.

Lost in the haze of sensation, a sudden, sobering thought pierced Subaru’s mind. ‘What do they use for birth control in this world? Do they even have that?’

“Emilia?”

“Yes, Subaru,” she whispered, still mesmerized by the feel of him.

“Do you know anything about… birth control?”

“What is that?”

‘Figured,’ Subaru sighed internally. He had to be responsible, for her sake. Getting her pregnant out of wedlock, especially during the Royal Selection, was not an option. With a monumental effort of will, he prepared to blue-ball himself.

“Emilia-tan,” he said, gently pulling his hand back. “We should stop for now.”

“Why!?” To say she was disappointed would be a colossal understatement. Her voice was a frustrated cry.

“I’m going to be really honest,” he said, gently taking her hands in his. “If we go any further, we’re going to end up having sex.”

“And what’s the problem with that?”

“With the act itself, nothing. But I don’t think we should have a baby so soon.”

“But I don’t want to wait until the royal selection is over!” she whined.

‘This girl is so needy,’ he thought, his own resolve wavering. ‘Maybe just one time?’ He quickly shoved the temptation away. ‘No. We can’t risk it.’

“That’s why we need to find out what kind of birth control there is here, so you don’t get pregnant,” he explained patiently.

“Oh,” she said, her expression clearing with understanding. “Okay. We can ask Sylphy.”

“That’s a good idea,” he agreed.

With that, a completely disheveled Emilia scrambled off the bed and started walking toward the door with a newfound purpose.

“Emilia-tan!” he called out, sitting up.

She turned to look at him, her hand on the doorknob.

“We can ask her later. Don’t go waking the poor girl up because of this.”

“But-but-but…” she stammered, before her shoulders slumped in defeat.

As Emilia sat back down on the bed beside him, Subaru began re-buttoning his shirt.

“Subaru, where are you going?”

“To the receptionist. I want to get a room here to sleep before it closes.”

“You can sleep with me,” she said immediately.

“We can’t have a baby, Emilia,” he reminded her gently.

A fierce blush colored her cheeks. “That’s not what I meant, dunderhead! I mean actually sleeping.”

“Oh,” he said. “Yeah, that could work.”

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Luckily, his Beako was smart enough to have left his suitcase at the reception desk. He retrieved it and changed into his familiar sleepwear tracksuit in the bathroom.

When he returned, Emilia was already in her nightgown. Seeing her soft, ethereal form silhouetted against the lamplight, Subaru cursed himself. He should have sorted out the birth control problem earlier. But that wouldn't fix the other issue, the one hidden beneath the sleeves of his tracksuit, so it was a moot point.

They both lay down on the bed, a few inches apart, and closed their eyes. The position, however, was terrible. The bed wasn't quite large enough for them to lie side-by-side comfortably.

“Subaru, are you awake?” Emilia whispered into the darkness.

“Yes, Emilia-tan. What is it?”

“This position is reaaally uncomfortable. I won’t be able to sleep like this.”

“I agree,” he sighed.

Then, an idea popped into his head, something he’d always wanted to try. “Emilia-tan, in my homeland, there’s a sleeping position for two people called ‘spooning’.”

Her eyes went wide, and she looked at him curiously.

“It’s simple,” he explained. “One person lies on their side, and the other person lies behind them, fitting against their back like… well, like two spoons in a drawer.”

“Okay,” she said. “Can you turn around, Subaru?”

“Yes?” he asked, confused, as he turned to face away from her. When he realized what was about to happen, it was too late. He felt Emilia’s body press against his back, her arm wrapping around his waist to pull him close.

To his absolute horror, he was the little spoon. He tried to move, to reclaim his dignity, but her elven strength held him firmly in place.

“Emilia, it’s supposed to be the other way around! I should be in your position.”

“Why?” she asked, her voice genuinely curious.

“Well…” Subaru couldn’t think of a single good excuse.

“I like it like this,” she said, her voice soft and content as she snuggled closer. “I can keep you safe.”

“I won’t be able to sleep like this, you know?” he grumbled, his face burning.

“Why not? Just try it for a bit. I’m sure it will be wonderful.”

Subaru wanted to protest further but knew it was a fool's errand. Defeated, he closed his eyes, resigning himself to a sleepless night of utter humiliation.

Within minutes, he was fast asleep.

Emilia wanted to laugh at how easily his argument had been disproven, but she didn’t want to wake him while he looked so adorable. She held him a little closer, her free hand gently playing with his dark, soft hair.

She, too, started to feel sleep pulling at her. As she was about to lose consciousness, she pressed a soft kiss to the back of his head.

"I love you, Subaru," she whispered, the words more for herself than for him.

Chapter Text

Sylphy sat in the quiet solitude of the mansion’s garden. She had just handed Emilia a small stack of romance novels, a desperate gambit she hoped would help the half-elf understand the finer points of intimacy and perhaps give her a clearer lens through which to view her own feelings.

Now, only the third, far more daunting task remained: confronting Subaru about his relationship with Rem. But how, in the name of Od Laguna, was she supposed to broach that subject? March up to him and ask, ‘Hey Subaru, I heard you have feelings for two girls. How did that happen?’ The very thought made her cringe, and she shook her head as if to physically dispel the idea. She was completely at a loss.

As if summoned by her turmoil, a familiar voice cut through the silence from behind her.

“Hey Sylphy, can I talk to you for a second?”

Sylphy flinched slightly at the sudden intrusion, turning to see Subaru standing behind her, his usual easygoing expression replaced by a storm cloud of mild annoyance.

“Of course, Subaru-san. What’s on your mind?” Sylphy asked, smoothing down her dress and composing herself.

He collapsed into a nearby garden chair.

“Why is Emilia-tan asking me really weird, really specific sexual questions?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Sylphy said, her face a mask of innocence.

“Don’t play dumb,” he said, leaning forward and pointing an accusatory finger. “I saw your guilty expression when she asked me about elven reproductive cycles. At the dinner table, Sylphy. The fucking dinner table.”

She sighed, her shoulders slumping as she abandoned the pretense. “Alright, you see, Emilia-sama didn’t know how babies were made, right?”

“Right,” he said, his voice flat.

“So, I gave her some biology textbooks to help her understand. I promised I’d help with any doubts she had.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, I realize now that was a mistake,” she admitted, rubbing her temples lightly. “I’ve already given her some romance novels so she might understand sex as something other than a purely reproductive act. And maybe understand… some other things a bit better, too.”

“That’s good, then,” he said, a wave of relief washing over his face as he slumped back in his seat. “She was getting bolder and bolder. I wouldn’t be surprised if she had asked to see me naked next.”

Sylphy stared at him, thinking, ‘Your intuition is terrifyingly accurate. I’m so glad I prevented that particular disaster.’

Aloud, she said, “I agree that would have been… problematic.”

“Yup. But there’s something else I find weird. Why does she only ask me those questions? Is it because she trusts me, or because she knows I wouldn’t get mad at her?”

“Of course, she asked you. Who else would she talk to about something like that?”

“I’m not following your reasoning.”

‘Oh, Od Laguna help me,’ Sylphy thought, resisting the urge to facepalm. ‘Does he really not realize Emilia has feelings for him? I know she doesn’t understand it herself, but it’s painfully obvious to everyone else. Ugh, these two idiots are a perfect match in obliviousness.’

“Dunderhead,” Sylphy muttered.

“Are you copying Emilia-tan now?”

“I’m only telling it like it is.”

Subaru just looked at her, his curiosity still piqued, and she could only offer a blank stare in return. After a few seconds, the conversation fizzled out. They sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes, enjoying the fresh garden air. It was peaceful.

Sylphy noticed Subaru’s expression had relaxed; he seemed lost in thought, his eyes tracing the patterns of the clouds above.

This was it. This was probably the best opportunity she would get. No one else even seemed to be coming outside. She straightened her posture, taking a quiet, steadying breath.

“Hey, Subaru-san,” she began, her voice softer now. “Can I ask you something a bit personal?”

“Shoot,” he replied, turning his gaze back to her.

“You love Emilia-sama, right?”

“Yup,” he said without a moment’s hesitation, a genuine smile gracing his lips. “I love my Emilia-tan with all my heart.”

“And… what about Rem? That blue-haired girl. How do you feel about her?”

Subaru’s smile vanished. He looked at Sylphy, his expression turning serious, his body stiffening slightly in the chair.

“I… I love her, too.”

An awkward, heavy silence descended. Subaru braced himself for the insults, the judgment, his gaze falling to the ground between his feet. He expected Sylphy, of all people, to have a few choice words about him being interested in multiple women.

“Subaru-san… are you a masochist?” she asked, her head tilted in genuine confusion.

“WHAT? NO!” he yelped, jolting upright in his seat.

“Then why would you like a girl who insults you all the time?”

“That’s Ram. Rem is the one with blue hair.”

“I know that. And while I agree Ram-san’s insults are merciless, I’ve never felt any true malice in them. Plus, she does it to everybody,” Sylphy explained. “Rem, however, seems to reserve her insults exclusively for you, while treating everyone else with respect. And her words feel far more directed than her sister’s.”

“Rem isn’t like that,” he insisted, his voice tight, his hands clenching into fists on his knees. “We’re just going through a rough patch in our relationship right now. That’s all.”

“Subaru-san, you can’t just ignore that. You can’t dismiss a person’s actions and tell yourself, ‘they’re not really that bad.’”

Subaru fell silent.

“Will you just forgive anyone who treats you badly simply because you have feelings for them? That will only lead to you getting even more hurt—”

“WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT REM?” he roared, cutting her off.

It was Sylphy’s turn to fall silent, flinching back in her seat, and looking directly at him.

“She helped me when no one else would! If it wasn’t for her, I’d still be a useless piece of shit who couldn’t do anything! You, of all people, should be thanking her! If it weren’t for her, I would have never been able to save anyone! Regulus would still be out there doing whatever he wanted, and no one would have stopped him! Do you—!”

He stopped abruptly, his eyes locking onto Sylphy’s face. It was completely blank, devoid of any expression. The anger drained out of him, replaced by a cold dread.

“Sylphy… I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine,” she said, her voice quiet. “I shouldn’t have asked about something so private.”

With a gentle, formal bow, Sylphy turned and started walking away.

Subaru’s mind raced, searching for something to say, but every word he could think of felt like it would only make things worse. He opened his mouth, then closed it again.

She paused at the edge of the garden, her back still to him.

“Subaru-san. You, Emilia-sama, and the Sword Saint saved my life. Before you all appeared, I was resigned to spending the rest of my existence serving that monster. So, if Rem truly helped you that much, then I can only thank her. But that still doesn’t—”

Sylphy stopped herself.

“Actually, never mind. I’ll see you later, Subaru-san.”

And with that, she was gone, leaving Subaru alone in the garden to dissect every single thing he had said wrong. He sank back into his chair, burying his face in his hands.

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Subaru had just tucked Emilia into bed. He eased his own bedroom door open, moving with quiet grace so as not to wake his spirit. But as the door swung inward, he saw her sitting on the bed, arms crossed, waiting for him.

“You’re awake?”

“Of course. Did you believe Betty wouldn’t notice her contractor had gone missing, I suppose?” she said with a huff.

“Guess not. Sorry about that. Emilia was in a bad mood, and as her daring Knight, I had to comfort her.”

Beatrice’s expression softened with a hint of worry. “Did something happen to her?”

“Nothing major. I think she just had a nightmare.”

“A nightmare that made her come to your room in the middle of the night for comfort? Do you know what it was about?”

Subaru was quiet. Emilia’s whispered words, ‘Don’t leave me’, echoed in his head. He sat down on the bed beside Beatrice.

“I think she was scared of me abandoning her somehow.”

“Hmph. Betty can understand why she would think that.” She looked away.

“Really? I would never abandon her, though.”

“Betty has the same fear, in fact. And while Betty knows you would never do so willingly, this world can be quite cruel. After you disappeared at the Pleiades Watchtower, both Emilia and I were terrified of what could have happened to you. I don’t think we’ve ever been apart for that long.”

Subaru could only bite his tongue. Trouble always seemed to find him, one way or another. He didn’t regret fighting to save everyone, but he could see how it would make them worry.

“I’m sorry, Beako.”

“You don’t need to apologize. Betty understands that this is just who you are. Betty will always be by your side to fight with you, in fact.”

“Thanks.”

“But Emilia has more reason to worry than I do. Betty is your spirit; our bond is absolute. Emilia, however, has to compete for your affection, I suppose.”

“What do you mean by that?” he asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.

Beatrice looked at him as if he had just said the most profoundly stupid thing she had ever heard.

“If you marry the maid, or any of the other girls who are interested in you, I suppose.”

“I would never choose anyone over Emilia-tan!”

“Don’t you also love Rem?”

“I… I do. I think,” he mumbled, looking down at his hands.

“You think?” she pressed, her gaze sharp.

“Yeah, I love Rem. I have for a long time. But with the whole Gluttony situation… I don’t know what to think anymore,” he admitted, running a frustrated hand through his hair.

“If you want Betty’s opinion, I don’t like the way she insults you. She is mean.”

Subaru wanted to argue, to say that she wasn’t like that. But then he thought back to their actual first meeting. She had acted politely, but in retrospect, he knew she had despised him for his scent. That was probably one of the reasons she treated him badly even now.

Would he have fallen for the Rem she was now? Or did he only fall in love with her because of the person she was when she saved him? Subaru didn’t have an answer.

“Beako… I don’t know if I love Rem anymore. No, that’s not right. I don’t know if I love the Rem she is now.”

“Betty is sorry, but she is not the best person to talk to about matters of romance.”

“Guess you’re right. But I don’t have anyone else to talk to about this.”

“What about Sylphy? She’s the member of the camp who understands the most about love, even if the bar is quite low.”

Subaru shuddered. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea. We kind of had a fight the last time we talked. I said some pretty dumb things.”

“Did you apologize?”

“Yes.”

“Did she forgive you?”

“I… don’t know.”

“Then apologize again until she does,” Beatrice stated simply, as if it were the only logical course of action.

“Yeah, you’re right,” he sighed. “Can you be there while we talk? I might need some support.”

“Betty will always help her Subaru, in fact. It is only natural.”

“Thanks, Beako.” Subaru reached over and gently patted her head.

“Now, let’s get some sleep. Or I won’t be able to wake up on time tomorrow.”

They both cuddled on the bed. Subaru was able to fall asleep easily; the emotional turmoil had finally exhausted him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sylphy was sweeping a hallway in the manor, her mind occupied. The broom moved in slow, methodical strokes, but her gaze was distant and unfocused. She had a good feeling about Emilia’s progress. After her fit of jealousy at the ball, she seemed to be getting closer to understanding her own feelings. Now that she understood the mechanics of sex, at least in a logical sense, the last major obstacle was Subaru’s love for another girl.

Her attempt to talk to him about Rem had ended in disaster, managing only to anger him. She was trying to devise a new strategy to approach the subject without causing another explosion. While she had a personal curiosity about his relationship with Rem, her primary goal was to understand if Emilia truly had anything to worry about.

From what she’d seen, Rem was polite to every single person in the camp except Subaru. It made no sense why he would be in love with her. She was certain that if he were to love someone, it would be a kind and gentle soul like Emilia.

Then it occurred to her that she didn’t even know why Subaru loved Emilia in the first place. She stopped sweeping, the broom held motionless in her hands. She had gotten all her information about their relationship from Emilia herself, and Emilia didn’t seem to know, either. She had made another gigantic mistake. She should have gathered information from the other party involved.

“Hey, Sylphy.”

First the books, and now this? Maybe she should just leave this whole situation to someone more qualified. She was clearly making a mess of it.

“Earth to Sylphy.”

But who was more qualified? Everyone else in the camp had proven incapable of handling the situation for years. Maybe she should—

A sharp flick to her forehead jolted her from her thoughts. “Ow!” she yelped, dropping her broom with a clatter and rubbing the smarting spot.

Subaru and Beatrice were standing in front of her, clearly having been waiting for some time.

“Subaru, you came here to apologize, and yet you flick the poor girl?” Beatrice scolded, placing her hands on her hips.

“It wasn’t my fault she was spacing out that hard!” Subaru defended himself, grinning sheepishly.

“Subaru-san?” Sylphy said, her brain still rebooting.

“That’s me.”

She wanted to apologize for prying into his private life, but she also desperately wanted to pry even more. She was frozen with indecision.

To her complete surprise, Subaru bowed.

“I’m sorry, Sylphy. For getting so mad like that.”

“You don’t need to apologize, Subaru-san. It was my fault for sticking my nose where it didn’t belong.”

“Funny you should say that.”

Sylphy looked at him curiously.

“I need your opinion on that exact issue.”

Maybe, just maybe, Sylphy’s luck was finally turning around. A small, hopeful smile touched her lips.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The three of them had relocated to Subaru’s room. With the door firmly locked, it was clear this was going to be a sensitive discussion, and Subaru didn’t want any eavesdroppers. Sylphy felt a slight apprehension about a potentially jealous half-elf that was somewhere in the mansion, but she hoped Beatrice’s presence would act as a buffer if the worst happened.

Sylphy sat on the edge of the bed while Subaru grabbed a chair and sat opposite her, with Beatrice settled comfortably in her designated position on his lap. An awkward silence stretched between them as Sylphy waited, her hands clasped neatly in her own lap.

“Nice weather we’re having, right?” Subaru said, breaking the silence by scratching the back of his neck and looking at the ceiling.

“What?” Sylphy asked, bewildered.

“You truly are hopeless, in fact,” Beatrice sighed, shaking her head.

“Look, I don’t know how to start this conversation! I’ve never talked about things like this before,” Subaru admitted, flustered, his face flushing slightly.

‘Dumbass,’ Sylphy thought. But perhaps she could use this opening to get the answer she was looking for.

“Subaru-san, if you don’t mind, I have a question I wanted to ask you.”

“As long as it’s not something too embarrassing, I’ll answer it.”

‘It is, but I’ve come too far to back down now,’ she resolved as she met his gaze directly.

“How did you fall in love with Emilia-sama?”

“Wow, not holding back at all, are you?” he chuckled nervously.

“If you don’t want to answer, you don’t have to.”

“No, I should. If we’re going to talk about romance, I might as well go all in.”

Subaru took a deep breath as both girls looked at him expectantly. Beatrice had heard the story before, of course, but a tiny, secret smile played on her lips as she waited to hear it again.

“When I first arrived here in Lugunica, I had nothing but the clothes on my back and a head full of stupid dreams.”

Sylphy’s curiosity about Subaru’s origins was piqued. She had always assumed he was from Kararagi or perhaps Vollachia, given his apparent closeness to the Emperor, but he always denied it. Many things he mentioned from his home sounded Kararagian in style, yet his black hair was most common in Gusteko. It was a puzzle.

“My first few moments here weren’t very nice, to be honest. I got insulted, thrown in a river, beat up, and mugged. I was honestly just really unlucky. This place was way more dangerous than my home, and I didn’t realize that until I was in way over my head.”

Beatrice’s tiny hand clenched the fabric of his tracksuit.

“I also realized how… not selfish, but maybe unhelpful, people here can be.”

“That is, except for Emilia. She was always kind to everyone, despite everything she’d gone through, despite how people treated her. She helped me. She gave me a place to stay, a job so I could support myself, and just… treated me like I was worth something,” he finished, a warm fondness entering his voice.

Beatrice’s expression softened. ‘Betty will always be grateful to Emilia for helping Subaru when I was still stuck in that library, doing nothing.’

“And a lap pillow,” Beatrice added matter-of-factly.

“Beako!” Subaru yelped, pinching her cheek playfully.

‘So that's it,’ Sylphy thought. ‘He was at his absolute lowest, lost and hurting, and she was the one person who saw him. Not as a nuisance, but as someone who needed help. That’s… exactly what I would have expected.’

“I guess that was all it took for me to fall for her. I guess I’m kind of easy, huh?” he said with a self-deprecating laugh.

‘You’re not easy, you idiot,’ Beatrice thought, her expression remaining stern. ‘You were simply shown a kindness so profound it saved you. There is nothing simple about that, in fact.’

Sylphy, meanwhile, just smiled softly, looking at Subaru with a newfound understanding. ‘Not easy at all. He was just a boy who had been shown nothing but cruelty, who was then saved by a single act of selfless kindness. I understand perfectly.’

“And well, that’s your answer. If you were hoping for a more emotional story, I don’t have one for you.”

“That answer is perfectly satisfactory,” Sylphy replied. “It was exactly what I would have expected from you.”

“Thanks? I guess.”

Then, Sylphy’s expression turned serious again. “But what about Rem? How did you fall for her?”

“That… is a bit more complicated,” he said, his lighthearted mood vanishing. “She didn’t really like me at first. Like, at all.”

‘So, the same as now?’ Sylphy thought.

“But we eventually came to understand each other. We became very close. I think she fell in love with me then.”

‘So she is in love with him. It doesn’t look like it, though.’

“Then… well… did Emilia ever tell you about what happened during the opening ceremony of the Royal Selection?”

Sylphy flinched. “Yes, she did.”

“Good. Because I don’t want to talk about it if I don’t have to.” Subaru began to idly pat Beatrice’s head to relieve his stress. She sat perfectly still, allowing the contact.

The easy warmth from moments ago had completely vanished, replaced by a heavy, somber atmosphere.

“After Emilia left… if I’m being honest, I wasn’t doing well mentally at the time. But Rem stayed with me, even when I was being a complete idiot.”

‘So when Emilia-sama left him, Rem was there to pick up the pieces,’ Sylphy thought.

“Then, when I learned about the attack from the Witch Cult, I tried to get help to stop it. But no one would help me without getting something in return, and I had nothing to give.”

“And I… I gave up,” Subaru’s voice dropped to a near-whisper. “I realized there was nothing I could do to help Emilia, so I decided to just run away and leave everything behind.”

‘Looks like even someone like Subaru can reach his limit,’ Sylphy thought, her own experiences making her empathize. ‘Feeling powerless can really break anyone.’

“But Rem didn’t let me. She believed in me. She saw the good parts of me that I couldn’t see myself. That’s the only reason I was able to pull myself back together and do everything I did after that. If she hadn’t given me her support, Emilia and the others would be dead, and I’d probably be rotting in a ditch somewhere.”

“And that’s how I fell in love with her.”

‘So my instinct was right. Leaving Subaru at the capital after their fight was a disastrous mistake. It’s no wonder that after being abandoned by Emilia, he became attached to the one person who stayed by his side.’

“So, the same as with Emilia-sama, then?” Sylphy surmised. “You love her because she believed in you and showed you kindness when no one else would.”

“Yeah, I guess so,” Subaru said quietly.

“Betty can’t blame you for that,” Beatrice murmured, patting his hand gently.

“Thanks, Beako.”

‘This is way more complicated than I anticipated,’ Sylphy thought. But then she noticed something that didn’t add up.

“Subaru-san, not that I’m doubting you, but the Rem that I know doesn’t seem like the kind of person who would believe in you that much.”

Subaru took another deep breath. “The thing about that is… that Rem doesn’t have her memories. The Archbishop of Gluttony ate her name and her memories, and she still doesn’t have them back.”

‘The cult again,’ Sylphy thought bitterly, her hands tightening in her lap. ‘Those bastards really are fond of destroying people’s lives.’ That made much more sense. Their relationship had been erased, at least from Rem’s side.

“Does she have any reason to dislike you now?”

Subaru didn’t want to reveal the Witch’s scent or his Authorities. The last thing he needed was for Sylphy to think badly of him because of it. He hesitated for a second.

“I think it was her first impression of me. Let’s just say it wasn’t good. And first impressions are hard to change.”

“I see.”

Silence descended upon the room again.

“Subaru-san,” Sylphy began, her voice gentle. “Do you love Rem? No, that’s not the right question. Do you love the Rem who is here, right now?”

Subaru thought for a long moment, his gaze unfocused as he stared at the wall. “I don’t know. She’s still Rem; I can see traces of her. But the parts of her that made me fall in love with her… they aren’t there anymore.”

‘This Rem reminds me too much of the one who killed me,’ he thought grimly. ‘Would I have fallen in love with her if she hadn’t changed back then?’

“Look,” Sylphy said, leaning forward slightly. “I can’t understand what it’s like for her, having no memories. But maybe she’s hostile toward you because you’re looking at her as if she were the Rem you used to know?”

‘That makes sense,’ Subaru realized. ‘When I lost my memories, I hated having to carry the expectations of the old me. Have I been doing the exact same thing to her?’

“That could be it,” Subaru admitted. “Now that you say it, it sounds kind of obvious.”

“Don’t feel bad. It must be incredibly hard for you, who knew her before all of this.”

“It is. I don’t want Rem to look at me with that hostility. But there’s not much I can do.”

“Do you have any idea how to get her memories back?”

“Gluttony is locked up in the capital. Maybe if we kill him, they’ll come back. But I don’t want to risk it. What if killing him makes the memories get lost forever?”

Silence reigned once more.

“Sylphy, can you give me any advice?” Subaru finally asked, his voice weary. “I love Emilia and Rem. But I don’t know if Rem will ever come back. I should be happy she’s awake at all, but I can’t stop wanting the old Rem back.”

Sylphy thought for a moment. “Subaru-san, if the Rem you love were here right now, what would you do?”

“I guess I would try to talk with Emilia about it.”

‘That would be a catastrophe,’ Sylphy thought, deciding to nip that idea in the bud immediately.

“If you’re hoping Emilia might accept that kind of relationship, I don’t think you’ll have much luck.”

“Really?”

“You, more than anyone, should know how jealous Emilia is. She doesn’t like other women even touching you. Do you honestly think she would accept you having a relationship with another woman?”

“I guess you’re right,” he sighed, deflating. “But it also makes me even more confused. What am I supposed to do, then?”

“Look,” Sylphy said, laying out his options. “You can try to wait and see if you can recover Rem’s memories. Emilia has left you waiting for an answer for two years, so you could have her wait as well. Then you can try to convince Emilia to accept the relationship, even though I think that’s a fool’s errand.”

“But anything could happen in that time. You two could get separated, you could drift apart… a hundred different things. If I were you, I would try to grab the happiness that’s right in front of me, instead of waiting for a happiness that may never come.”

“Thank you, Sylphy,” Subaru said, his voice heavy. “That… helped a lot. I’m going to think about what I’ll do.”

“I’m always happy to help.”

Subaru unlocked and opened the door for Sylphy to exit.

Then he lay down on the bed, cuddling Beatrice close as he replayed the entire conversation in his mind, staring blankly at the ceiling. She didn't dare speak, not wanting to interrupt her contractor's progress.

Chapter Text

Subaru lay awake, staring at a ceiling he couldn't see in the dark. Beside him, Beatrice’s small form was curled against his side like a cat, her rhythmic breathing served as a small comfort for him. 

He should have been asleep hours ago, but on this night, like so many others recently, sleep was a distant thing he couldn't reach.

His thoughts kept circling back to one person: Rem.

The conversation with Sylphy had been a bucket of cold water, forcing him to look at a conclusion that had been festering in the back of his mind, a truth he’d been desperately avoiding.

‘I don’t love this Rem.’

The thought surfaced not as a decision, but as a cold, undeniable fact. A bitter poison on his tongue. ‘My love for her was supposed to be an unshakeable pillar, this pure thing I built ever since she saved me back at the capital.’

But now, interacting with the girl who was awake… he felt nothing. No familiar pull, no comforting warmth in his chest. Just a hollow ache and the sadness of a stranger wearing a beloved face. And he hated himself for it.

‘I’m trash’, he thought. ‘The kind of man who claims to love someone, only to discard them the moment they become an inconvenience.’ He took a deep breath. ‘But I can't lie anymore. I can't keep pretending when the entire foundation of our relationship has been destroyed by her amnesia.’

That led him to a harsher question. ‘Does this Rem even love me?’ The answer was an obvious, resounding NO.

‘She disliked me intensely at first. Now… now she’s less hostile, but I wouldn't dare call her nice. Tolerant, maybe? She seems to care if I'm about to get myself killed.’ He thought grimly. ‘That’s about it, I guess.’

He couldn't blame her. Since she woke up, he had dragged her from one disaster to another. If he hadn't grabbed her during Satella's rampage, she would have woken up safely in the tower with Ram. Instead, he’d dragged her through a hostile nation, getting them both stuck in a giant crisis. All the while, he’d been only trying to see the Old Rem. Every time he looked at her, he wasn't seeing her. He was seeing an absence, a space where his Rem was supposed to be.

‘I’ve been a completely insensitive asshole. Craving the support of the girl who saved me, and in doing so, completely ignoring the frightened, confused person who took her place.’

‘My Rem isn't coming back,’ he thought, finally accepting his truth. ‘Not now, maybe not ever. I have to accept that. I have to let her go.’

He’d made a resolution like this when he was in Vollachia, to be a hero for his own sake. He couldn’t keep clinging to her memory like a crutch, using her as motivation for his actions..

And what would he really be losing? A person to unload his disgusting shame onto? Rem had been the one person he could show his ugliest side to without fear. He would be forever grateful for that. But surely, there could be someone else?

He glanced at the sleeping form beside him. ‘Beako has seen my arms. She always heals them without question. But I can't just transfer the entire weight of Rem onto her. She already carries so much for me.’

‘Otto is my best friend, but breaking down in front of him like I did with Rem? The humiliation would be unbearable.’

‘Garfiel sees me as his 'Captain'. I can’t shatter that image.’

‘Ram wouldn’t be of much help.’

‘Frederica and I aren’t that close.’ 

‘Petra and Meili are kids.’

‘Sylphy… it’s the same as with Otto. I can't unload that kind of baggage on a friend. Especially one I just made recently.’

‘Emilia…’ A memory surfaced. Crying on her lap during his first week, her gentle hand stroking his hair. She had been so kind. ‘Maybe Emilia?’.

But another memory, sharp and cruel, surfaced from the Royal Selection Opening Ceremony. Of how he messed up. 'In front of Emilia, i must be the confident and perfect knight. I need to make her forget how pathetic I am. You must really like being abandoned for you to keep repeating your mistakes like that.'

He slammed the door on that line of thought. And with that last name crossed off his mental list, he was left with:

‘No one. There is no one’

The confirmation still felt like a punch to the gut. He would have to be content with the small relief Beatrice could provide. ‘That's fine. I lived these last two years without Rem. I can live the rest of my life without a pillar to lean on.’

Letting go of Rem would also clear the way for a proper relationship with Emilia, whatever that even meant. The thought sent a nervous, hopeful flutter through him.

Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes. The conclusion was set. ‘I will let go of my love for Rem. For good. Even if it hurts, even if it makes me hate myself, it’s the right thing to do. For the new Rem, for Emilia, and for me.’

But how? Just ignore it? A terrible idea. Tell her flat out? She wouldn't understand the context.

An idea began to form. ‘Maybe… maybe I should explain. Tell her about the person she was, and why I fell in love with that person. Give her the context she’s missing.’ It could work. It might even help her understand herself.

He let out a quiet sigh, careful not to wake Beatrice.

‘I just hope she doesn’t start hating me again.’

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Rem ran a cloth over the polished porcelain of a vase, her movements efficient and precise. She had taken to her duties with a surprising ease, like her body still remembered when her mind did not. Ram and That Person had both told her she was an exceptional maid before. It felt as though every success only added to the expectation that she would become more like the person she couldn't remember.

A familiar, disgusting scent approached, though it had thankfully grown weaker over time. It no longer made her stomach churn, but it was an irritation she had come to associate with only one man.

“Hello, Rem,” Subaru said, his voice a little hesitant.

“Do you require something from Rem?” she asked, not bothering to turn from her work. Still her grip on the cloth tightened.

“Yes. I wanted to talk to you for a bit.”

“Is your time truly so precious that it cannot wait for another to finish their duties?” she retorted coolly. “Or is it simply that the world must halt its rotation the moment Natsuki Subaru desires an audience?”

Subaru was silent for a beat. He rubbed the back of his neck. “Your break is in a few minutes, right? And I’m leaving for the capital soon.”

“And this conversation it’s so urgent?”

“Not really. I just wanted to talk right now.”

Rem sighed, placing her cloth down. She turned to him, her expression neutral. “I am finished. What did we need to discuss?”

“Could we go somewhere private? It’s kind of personal.”

“Rem would not feel comfortable being alone in a room with someone like you.”

He winced, a flicker of genuine hurt crossing his face. Rem felt a pang of regret. She decided to moderate her tone.

“First thing,” he began, then stopped and bowed deeply. “I want to apologize to you.”

“Apologize for what, exactly?”

“For putting expectations on you,” he said,. “Ever since you woke up, I haven’t seen you as your own person. I was craving the old you. That’s a big part of why you dislike me so much, isn’t it?”

“You would be correct,” she said, a little surprised. “I’m impressed you managed to figure that out on your own.” It was true. In the beginning, his gaze had infuriated her, not because he desired the old version of her, but because she knew, with a frustrating certainty, that she could never meet his expectations.

“At least I got that right,” he said, straightening up. He took a breath, steeling himself. “I know it’s selfish to ask, but would you listen to my justification? I’ll also tell you more about your old self, free of charge.”

“If you feel it is necessary. Go ahead.”

“Of course, this is all from my perspective,” he added quickly. “Anything about what you were thinking is just my assumption based on what you told me back then.”

“That is obvious,” Rem stated. “Please continue.”

“When I first arrived at the mansion, you didn’t like me much. Probably because of my smell, but I’m sure my attitude didn’t help.”

‘So, the same as now,’ she thought.

“While we were figuring out our relationship, Meili planned an attack on Arlam village, using mabeasts to curse the children.”

“Wait. Meili-san?” Rem’s eyes widened slightly.

“Yeah. Complicated past. Don’t worry about it. Anyway, you and I saved the kids, but I got cursed. A lot. Too many to remove.”

“Would the curse… have killed you?”

“Yep. The only way out was to kill every mabeast that cursed me before they activated. Emilia was passed out, Beako wasn’t helping… I had pretty much accepted I was going to die.”

Rem opened her mouth to reprimand him for giving up on life so easily, but he spoke first.

“But you didn’t, Rem. You went into the forest alone to kill them all for me.”

“But… didn’t Rem dislike you?”

“You did. And you still went. Thank you, Rem.”

She felt a strange warmth at being thanked for something she couldn't remember doing, but she was glad she had been able to help.

“Of course, you were biting off way more than you could chew. Your sister and I had to go in and help you.”

And just like that, her mood soured.

“Still, the three of us bought enough time for Roswaal to show up and nuke the rest of them. So it all worked out.”

Her mood lifted again. This man was truly infuriating.

“After that, we became friends,” he said, a fond smile gracing his lips as he looked at the ceiling. “We spent a whole month just working and bonding. It was probably one of the best times I had here.”

Rem felt an ache in her chest.

“That ended when the Royal Selection began. I don’t want to go into the details, but Emilia and I had a huge fight, and you and I were left behind in the capital.”

She desperately wanted to know more, but the pained look on his face stopped her. She would spare him…this time.

“The Witch Cult was planning to attack the mansion. I became desperate. I was sure the other candidates wouldn’t help, and we didn't have the strength to stop them on our own.”

“Was it really that hopeless? How could Roswaal-sama allow that?”

Subaru let out a short, bitter laugh. “It wasn't that hopeless, seeing as we're all still alive. As for Roswaal… ask him yourself sometime. I’m sure his answer will be delightful.”

His tone was strange, but she filed the question away for later.

“But at the time, I couldn’t see a way out. So I… I gave up.”

“Giving up? You?” Rem was incredulous. The one thing she couldn't fault him for was his stubborn refusal to quit, even when things were at their worst.

“Yup. I wanted to run away to Kararagi, wash my hands of the whole mess. And I asked you to come with me.”

Rem held her breath. “And… I accepted?”

“Of course not,” he said, a flicker of pride in his eyes.

She let herself breathe again.

“Instead, you argued with me, trying to get my head out of my ass.” She let out a small, involuntary laugh. “I was shutting everything out, but you got through. You looked right at me, and you called me your hero. It was… salvation. For the first time, it felt like someone genuinely believed in me. That belief gave me the strength to try again.”

She found it hard to believe she could have been so amazing. It didn’t sound real. Then another thought surfaced. 

In Guaral, she had told him he wasn't a hero, trying to ease his burden of failure. She remembered the strangely sad look on his face. Was this why? Had she unknowingly contradicted the words that had once saved him? She bit her lip. ‘Maybe I should apologize…’

“And in the middle of all that,” he continued, his voice softer, “Rem told me she loved me.”

Her thoughts screeched to a halt. Her heart hammered in her chest. ‘What? Is that why he’s been so strange? Because I confessed to him before? Is that what this other weird feeling that i get when i look at him is? Residual love? That’s just…’ her thoughts were interrupted.

“Thanks to you, I pulled myself together and saved everyone. Thank you again, Rem. Even if you don’t remember, I’ll always be grateful.”

She didn’t know what to say, so she just listened.

“You were my pillar. I started to rely on you, maybe too much. So when you were eaten by Gluttony a short time later, I didn’t know wha–”

“Wait,” she interrupted. “I have a question.” He nodded. 

“You told me I loved you. But how did you feel about me?” She needed to know. It felt more important than breathing for her right now.

“I didn’t love you when you confessed,” he admitted. “ But after that… as we spent time together… I fell for you. How could I not?”

Her frantic heart calmed.

“And that’s why,” he said, his expression pained, “when you were erased, I became even more dependent on your memory for motivation. So when you woke up, I desperately wanted the Old Rem back. And I failed you because of it.”

Everything clicked into place. His actions finally made some sort of sense, even if she still disliked them. She felt… satisfied.

“So, I made a decision,” he said, looking her straight in the eyes. “From this point on, I won’t be stuck in the past anymore.”

A cold feeling washed over her. “What do you mean?”

“I won’t expect you to be the Old Rem. My love and my expectations were only hurting you. You deserve to make your own choices, free from the pressure of your other self. I’ll help you get your memories back if you want, but trying to impose my feelings on you was wrong. I’ll never do it again.”

She felt happy. He finally understood. But a tiny, sick part of her felt a pang of loss she couldn't explain.

Subaru extended his hand. “Let’s start from Zero. Let’s be friends, Rem.”

Her heart skipped a beat. She stared at his hand, torn between the desire to take it and the urge to reject it. Still the longing for a fresh start won out. Slowly, she placed her hand in his. She shook it. His grip was firm and warm.

Subaru let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. “That felt good, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Hmph. Yes.”

“Welp, sorry to leave you like this, but I really need to finish packing. I'm already behind schedule and Beako is gonna kill me if I delay it any longer.” He started walking away, stretching his arms over his head. 

“See you later, Rem!” he called, turning to wave.

See you later… Subaru,” she said meekly.

He gave her a genuine, happy smile before disappearing down the hall.

Left alone, Rem was swallowed by an inexplicable sadness. She looked down at her own, now empty hand. Rem felt like crying but didn't know why. She retreated to her room for the rest of her break, overwhelmed with something.

 She felt like she had finally arrived at the starting line, only to find the race was already over.

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Subaru and Emilia were sitting together, enjoying the quiet time they’d set aside for each other everyday. He was recounting some ridiculous story about his day. 

She was laughing, her amethyst eyes sparkling. It was peaceful, perfect. "Honestly, Subaru, I think Ram just enjoys seeing you flustered."

"It's a conspiracy, Emilia-tan! A conspiracy to make my life a comedy!" He leaned forward. "But it's all worth it to see my Emilia-tan smile!"

She giggled, and reached out to playfully touch his arm. "You're such a goof. Really, you don't have to—"

Her fingers brushed his tracksuit sleeve. The loose fabric slid up past his wrist for a single, damning second.

Her laughter died. Her hand froze, then recoiled as if it had been burned. The smile on her face didn't just fade, it collapsed, replaced by a confused frown.

"Subaru… what was that?"

A spike of pure dread lanced through him. He yanked his sleeve down, his heart hammering. "What was what? I didn’t se anything!".

Her eyes, those impossibly kind eyes, were fixed on his forearm. "No," she said. "It wasn't a shadow. There were… lines."

Blood drained from his face. "It's nothing, Emilia-tan! Just some old scratches from a really, really big cat!" The lie was pathetic.

She stood up, her movement slow, cautious. The room felt colder. She took a step forward, her expression shifting from confusion to something that made his stomach clench in terror.

"Let me see," she said. It wasn't a request.

"Emilia, please, it's really—"

"Show me, Subaru." Her voice was flat, devoid of its usual warmth.

Defeated, trembling, he slowly pushed up the sleeve of his left arm.

A dense lattice of white scars covered his forearm, a roadmap of his patheticness.

*Scratch* *Scratch* *Scratch*

Emilia gasped, a choked sound. Her hand flew to her mouth, eyes wide with horror. This wasn't concern. It was revulsion. It was fear.

"What… what did you do?" she breathed, taking a step back, the distance between them suddenly widening.

"It's… complicated," he stammered. "It doesn't matter now."

"Doesn't matter?" Her voice rose, laced with a horrified tremor. "You did that… to yourself? Why? Who are you?"

*Scratch* *Scratch* *Scratch*

"I'm me! I'm Subaru!" he pleaded, reaching for her.

She flinched, recoiling from his touch as if he were diseased. "No," she whispered, her face pale, twisted into a mask of disgust. "The Subaru I know is strong… and loud… and he isn't this. He isn't… broken."

*Scratch* *Scratch* *Scratch*

"----ru."

"Emilia, please…" A tear escaped, tracing a hot path down his cold cheek. "Don't look at me like that."

She shook her head. "I can't," Emilia said, her voice cracking. "I can't be around this. It's… frightening."

She turned her back on him.

"Please… leave." She requested, but it sounded like an order.

*Scratch* *Scratch* *Scratch*

"--baru."

"Emilia, please don’t abandon me again! I promise I'll explain, just give me a chance!" Subaru pleaded.

She didn’t turn.

*Scratch* *Scratch* *Scratch*

“EMILIA!”

“SUBARU!”

Subaru jolted awake, chest heaving. He looked around frantically, his eyes darting through the dim light of the unfamiliar room. The ornate ceiling of the Karsten mansion. He remembered now.

He looked to his side. Beatrice was there, holding his hand, her own small palm glowing softly as she finished healing the fresh scratches on his arm.

It was a nightmare. Emilia didn't hate him.

He was here, a guest in the Karsten mansion, on break with the other knights. Earlier today, he had finished his talk with Rem and departed. Sylphy had urged him to go so quickly he hadn’t even said goodbye to Emilia, but he trusted her judgment.

The healing magic subsided. "Sorry for making you do that, Beako." he whispered, his voice hoarse.

"It is the duty of a spirit to care for her contractor, I suppose," she said, her tone firm, though her eyes were soft with concern.

He gently patted her head.

“Another nightmare?” she asked.

“Yeah.”

“Betty will not inquire further if you are not comfortable. Just know that Betty is here for you, in fact. Always.”

“I know,” he said, pulling her into a hug. “I love you, Beako.”

He anchored himself to the steady rhythm of her tiny heartbeat, a comforting counterpoint to his own frantic pulse. The terror of the dream began to recede, and soon, they were drifting off to sleep again, wrapped in each other's arms. 

Subaru hoped he would never have a dream like that ever again.

Chapter Text

Sylphy knew she had won.

She’d felt the first stirrings of victory when Emilia marched to the capital, armed with a newfound, startling determination to seduce Subaru. The suspicion solidified into certainty the morning after their date, when they emerged from the same room, a constellation of marks blooming across Subaru’s neck. A flag planted on conquered territory.

Even after their return to the mansion, the marks remained, a perpetually refreshed testament to Emilia’s newfound possessiveness. It didn’t take long for the rest of the camp to notice the shift.

Otto, likely tired of being the perpetual butt of every joke, seized the opportunity for revenge, teasing Subaru with a relentless, gleeful cruelty.

Garfiel, ever the admirer, praised his Captain’s ‘tenacity’ and ‘seduction skills,’ compliments that made Subaru visibly cringe.

Ram’s disapproval manifested as a constant stream of sharp, biting complaints directed at them both, though her words seemed to have all the impact of pebbles against a fortress wall.

Even Frederica watched them with a quiet, knowing smile. She’d likely seen this coming for years.

Only Petra seemed unhappy, her youthful crush meeting its painful, inevitable end. But she had Meili, who was always with her to comfort her broken heart. It was cute.

Rem and Subaru, at least, seemed to have settled into a comfortable, if fragile, friendship. Still, Sylphy saw the flicker of something complicated in the maid’s eyes whenever she looked at the new couple, an arrangement she seemed to tolerate, but perhaps did not fully like.

Emilia, however, was utterly shameless. She wore her victory as openly as Subaru wore her marks, a fact that insulated her from any teasing.

As for Sylphy, things couldn’t be better. She was a good friend to Subaru, closer to Emilia than ever, and had even managed to deepen her bond with Beatrice. Most importantly, her favorite couple was, finally, a couple.

Life was good.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Emilia’s studies had recently become a race against the clock, each correctly memorized fact a second shaved off the time until she could see him again. Today, she’d earned a precious half-hour break and wasted none of it. She slipped out of her room, her mind already tracking Subaru’s routine. He should be just leaving the bath.

She found him near the bathing chambers, just as she’d predicted. Steam still clung to his dark hair, plastering it to his forehead and the nape of his neck. His skin was flushed from the heat, and for a moment, his face was unguarded and peaceful.

A soft sigh escaped her lips. Just looking at him like this was enough to give Emilia that pleasant feeling.

He wore one of his ubiquitous tracksuits. It was the perfect opportunity. Emilia also noted, with a flicker of annoyance, that the marks on his neck were beginning to fade. That simply wouldn’t do.

She shadowed him until he turned into a more secluded corridor, then she moved. Silent as a cat, she came up behind him and covered his eyes with her hands. He startled, his body tensing for a fight, then immediately relaxed as he recognized her touch.

“Guess who,” Emilia chirped, her voice bright with joy.

“I have no idea. Who could this mysterious person with this beautiful voice be?” Subaru played along, his voice laced with amusement.

Emilia giggled.

Subaru continued. “I think she has beautiful silver hair, amethyst eyes, and a really cute laugh. Her name is… Emilia.”

“Correct.” She removed her hands and stepped in front of him, her smile wide.

“Emilia-tan, what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be studying?”

“I’m ahead of schedule,” she said, puffing out her chest with pride.

“Nice. And what’s with the sudden burst of diligence?”

“I need to work hard for my dream, of course.”

“Oh, okay,” he said, a playful smirk tugging at his lips. “I thought that just maybe you wanted to see me.”

Emilia made a small, squeaking sound, and she looked utterly guilty, her hands clasped behind her back as her gaze darted everywhere but his face.

Subaru’s smile softened. “Emilia-tan. You don’t need to rush your work just to see me a few hours earlier.”

“But I missed you,” she mumbled, her voice small.

“We live in the same house. We see each other every day.”

“But-but-but…”

He chuckled, finding her pouting impossibly endearing. Teasing her was too much fun.

“I’m joking. Come here.” He opened his arms in an inviting gesture.

She didn’t hesitate, launching herself into his embrace with enough force that he had to stumble back a few steps to keep his balance. Emilia immediately began rubbing her face against his chest like a clingy cat. He found it funny but decided not to comment, instead tracing loops in her silver hair with his fingers.

“So, besides rushing your work to see me, did anything interesting happen today?”

“Nothing much. Just read about the family history of some Gusteko nobles.”

“Oh yeah? Tell me about them.”

She froze. The cat-like rubbing ceased instantly.

“Emilia,” Subaru’s voice was gentle but firm. He pulled back just enough to look down at her. “You aren’t skimming your studies to get here earlier, are you?”

“Huhhh. No,” she said, her voice a bit too high.

“I think we shouldn’t see each other tonight, then. You clearly need to re-read some parts to remember them better.”

“No! That’s not necessary! I’ll study waaaay harder in the future. I’ll even study a bit on my day off!” she pleaded, gripping the front of his shirt.

“You’re just saying that to convince me.”

“I reaaally mean it. It’s a promise. I never break promises.”

He cupped her chin, tilting her face up to his. “Well, if you promise…” He leaned in and kissed her, a slow, tender press of lips that melted the tension between them. They parted after a few moments, but Emilia wasn’t finished. The second her lips were free, she descended upon his neck, tilting his head to the side to give herself better access and sucking gently at the skin.

‘Again with this?’ Subaru thought with a mix of exasperation and fondness. ‘Is she part vampire? My neck is a permanent art project because of her.’ He knew there was no point in stopping her. It wasn’t that he didn’t enjoy it, he very much did, but her obsessive need to do this was still strange. And the relentless teasing from the others was starting to wear on him. ‘Maybe I should start wearing clothes that cover my neck?’

His knight uniform did cover his neck completely. It would be a natural choice of attire, at least when they left the mansion. He’d need more copies, of course. He should ask… Emilia?

‘Wait a second,’ a thought struck him. ‘Is this some kind of master plan? Is she doing this so I’ll wear my uniform more often? Has she really thought that far ahead?’

While he was lost in his conspiracy theory, Emilia finished her work. She pulled back, a satisfied smile on her face as she admired his marked neck.

“Emilia-tan, what is it with you and my neck? Do you have a neck fetish or something?” he asked. ‘Is that even a thing?’

She blushed. “No, it’s just, you know…” She fidgeted, looking for a way to change the subject. “So, have you asked Sylphy about that birth control thing?”

Subaru’s composure shattered. ‘Changing the subject with something even more mortifying. You’re a tactical genius, Emilia-tan.’

“Not yet,” he managed to say.

“I can do it for you, if you want,” she offered.

“It’s okay, I’ll do it right now,” he said quickly, horrified at the thought of Emilia trying to navigate that conversation. She would ask in the most direct, unsubtle way possible. Sylphy had helped them enough; she didn't deserve that kind of torture.

“You need to focus on your studies.”

“Okay. I’m really excited for us to have sex, Subaru,” she said with a bright, innocent smile.

Subaru choked on his own spit. ‘Okay, some parts of the old, embarrassing Emilia are definitely still there. At least she only says these things when we’re alone now.’

“…So am I,” he admitted, and it was the truth. He’d wanted this for what felt like an eternity, but now that it was within reach, his own damned secrets were holding him back. The irony was infuriating.

Emilia, oblivious to his inner turmoil, simply smiled. “I’m going back to my studies, then. Don’t forget to talk to Sylphy.”

“Sure, sure.”

She gave him a quick peck on the lips and started to walk away. It was only then that Subaru noticed a strange lightness about his torso. He looked down. His tracksuit was gone, leaving him in just his long-sleeved shirt. He looked up to see Emilia scurrying away, his jacket clutched in her hands. She must have slowly unzipped and removed it while they were talking.

“Emilia, give me back my tracksuit!”

“Eep!” She spun around, hugging the jacket to her chest. “Subaruuuu, let me keep this one. Just this once.”

“You said the exact same thing about the last three!”

“I’ll give them back! I’ll have Sylphy wash them and return them to you, I promise!”

“If you have three already, why do you need another one?”

“You don’t get it, Subaru. It’s better when you’ve worn it recently.”

He sighed. He really didn’t get it, but seeing her so earnest, so desperate for this small piece of him, he couldn’t say no.

“Fine. Just get the others back to me later.”

“Thank you, Subaru!” She slipped the jacket on, its oversized form dwarfing her slender frame, and continued down the hall, happily smelling the sleeve.

Subaru smiled as he saw her go. ‘Starting to wear long sleeves under the tracksuit was a brilliant idea. Thank you, past me.’

He turned and started walking toward the gardens, ready to have a very awkward conversation. ‘Now I just have to find another excuse to keep my arms covered.’

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sylphy’s tranquil tea break was interrupted by a familiar presence. She didn’t need to open her eyes to know who it was. A weary sigh escaped her lips.

“Hello, Subaru-san. I don’t believe I was next on the ‘Annoy People Because You Have Nothing Better To Do’ schedule.”

“Ouch, Sylly. You wound my maidenly heart.”

“Please don’t call me that,” she said, her voice flat.

After their return from the capital, Subaru had insisted on giving her a nickname as a sign of their friendship. She’d been happy at first, but his choice was infuriating. ‘Sylly.’

It wasn’t even spelled correctly; the double ‘y’ was lifted from her actual name, a fact that annoyed her more than anything.

Subaru, amused by her annoyed expression, sat beside her. “So, anything interesting happening?”

“Apart from a couple of idiots who can’t keep their hands off each other? Nothing much.”

“C’mon, it’s not that bad.”

Sylphy gave him a deadpan stare. “I don’t know how to break this to you, but Otto, Garfiel, and Ram have all caught you in various states of public indecency more than once.”

“What?”

“Yup. Garfiel heard strange noises and found you sucking on Emilia-sama’s ear. Otto’s little bird friends told him what you two did in the garden yesterday. And Ram—”

“Please, no,” he cut in, his face pale. “I don’t want to know what Nee-sama saw. The shame will follow me to my grave.”

“If you’re that embarrassed, you should stop doing it in public, Subaru-kun.”

“It’s not my fault! Emilia-tan is the one who can’t wait one goddamn secon—what did you just call me?”

“Subaru-kun,” Sylphy repeated, feigning confusion. “Weren’t you the one who told me to treat you more like a friend?”

“It’s just… having a maid call me that is kind of weird. Can’t you call me something else?”

‘So when you call me something as stupid as ‘Sylly,’ I’m supposed to just accept it? But you can’t handle this?’ Annoyance simmered in her chest, and then, a wonderfully evil idea sparked.

“Okay then, Subaru-chan,” she said sweetly.

A beat of stunned silence passed between them.

“You know,” Subaru said slowly, “now that I think about it, ‘Subaru-kun’ sounds fine. In fact, it sounds wonderful.”

“Too late now, Subaru-chan,” she said, her voice dripping with smug satisfaction.

“Nooo,” he groaned, utterly defeated.

“C’mon, it can’t be that bad. Especially for someone who crossdresses as often as you.”

Subaru’s playful demeanor vanished, replaced in an instant by an expression of intense, almost cold seriousness.

“Sylly. Who told you? Who?”

“Otto. While he was drunk.”

“That’s it. Otto is dead to me. I’m going to his room right now and lacing all his drinks with hot sauce. He won’t know what hit him,” Subaru muttered, a maniacal glint in his eye.

‘Sorry, Otto. Sometimes sacrifices must be made for the greater good.’ Sylphy offered a brief, silent prayer for his well-being.

“Now that we’ve had our fun, Subaru-chan, did you need something?”

Still simmering, Subaru grumbled, “Yes, I actually have a question for you.” He hesitated. “Do you know of any form of birth control?”

Sylphy’s eyes widened for a second, before her mouth split into a grin that seemed to consume her entire face. “My, my, Subaru-chan, already thinking about that? You’re such a pervert.”

“Hey! Don’t act like Emilia-tan is some pure angel. You of all people know what she’s like.”

“Still, for you to ask me this. I half expected you two to be doing it already without a care for the consequences.”

“Are you going to answer or not?”

“Fine, fine,” she sighed. “You know you can just pull out, right?” From the books Emilia had been reading, Sylphy was fairly certain this method would result in a pregnancy. It was a long shot, but maybe it would help her pay back her debt to Beatrice sooner.

Subaru’s face was beet red, but he held his ground. “I’d rather not risk anything with the Royal Selection still ongoing.”

‘Damn it. Guess there will be no mini-Subaru or Emilia running around anytime soon.’ Sylphy’s mind raced.

“You know… there is always another way in?” Sylphy winked suggestively.

It took him a few seconds to understand. “No, Sylly. Stop with that already.”

“C’mon, Subaru-chan, don’t be a square.”

“No. We will have completely vanilla, wholesome sex. Without any weird stuff.”

“Yeah, we’ll see how long that lasts,” she muttered under her breath.

“What was that?”

“Nothing.” She sighed dramatically. “There’s a concoction that prevents pregnancy. You can buy it at any apothecary. It’s quite cheap.”

“Oh. Thank you. That’s exactly what I needed.”

“Glad I could help. Want me to pick it up for you two?”

Subaru then saw an out. Another excuse for him to delay having to show Emilia his arms. “It’s fine. I don’t want to put more on your plate.”

But Sylphy caught the hesitation in his voice, the flicker of anxiety in his eyes, and she wasn’t about to let it go. “I don’t mind at all. I need to buy some things for myself anyway. I’ll just talk to Emilia-sama about it later.”

Trapped, Subaru couldn’t find an escape route that wouldn’t raise suspicion. “S-sure. Thank you, Sylly. That’s all I wanted. I’ll let you enjoy your break now.”

“I will. Bye-bye.”

He waved and retreated toward the mansion.

As he walked away, Sylphy frowned. ‘That was weird. His reaction… something’s off.’ She shook her head. She wasn’t about to launch another investigation to save these two from themselves. If they needed help, they could ask her directly.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Emilia and Sylphy were lounging in Emilia’s room. Emilia, still proudly wearing Subaru’s stolen tracksuit, had just finished burning the last of the formal engagement letters from other nobles. Sylphy sat on the bed, watching her with an amused expression.

“Thank you soooo much, Sylphy. You always help me with this stuff.”

“Don’t mention it, Emilia-sama. It’s a friend’s duty. I’ll get those contraceptives for you if it’s the last thing I do.”

“Yay! I’m so excited!” Emilia giggled, kicking her legs like a child.

‘Anyone else would think she was just excited to ask her crush out,’ Sylphy thought. ‘Not that she wants to go all the way with him. The contrast is hilarious.’

“You two are really adorable,” Sylphy blurted out.

“Aw, thank you.”

As Emilia went back to her papers, Sylphy looked around the comfortable room, a sense of contentment washing over her. She had a good life here, with good friends. Helping these two lovable idiots get together had given her a sense of purpose. Now she’d have to find something new to occupy her time.

“So, how is life for my favorite lovebirds? I see you stole his clothes again.”

“I didn’t steal it… seriously,” Emilia said defensively. “It’s just… wearing it makes me feel like he’s with me. It calms me.”

Sylphy giggled. “You really love him, don’t you?”

Emilia was quiet for a moment. “Yes,” she said, her voice soft but certain. “I love Subaru.”

Sylphy shot up from the bed, pointing an accusing finger at her. “THAT’S OBVIOUS!” she yelled.

Emilia jumped, startled.

“Everyone in this camp knew it, every one of your friends knew it, hell, I’m pretty sure half of Lugunica assumed you were already together! You were the absolute last person to figure out your own feelings, you dunderhead!” Sylphy ranted, before plopping back down on the bed, her outburst spent.

“That’s mean, Sylphy.”

“Sorry, Emilia-sama. I had to get that off my chest.”

“Did you all really figure it out before me?”

“Yes. I figured it out the first day we met, just from the way you talked about him. The rest of the camp has been waiting nearly two years for you two to make it official.”

Emilia groaned, burying her face in the oversized sleeve of Subaru's tracksuit.

“But now that you know, I’m curious. When did it start? Was it after the fight with Sloth? After the Sanctuary?”

“Weeell… I think the first time I felt this way was at the end of our first date, when he put that flower crown on my head.”

“Oh? When was that?”

“Ummm… about a week after he first came to the mansion, I think.”

“Are you serious?” Sylphy stared at her, incredulous. “You’ve been in love with him since the very beginning? And you still made that poor boy wait two years?”

“When you say it like that, I sound like the biggest dunderhead.”

There was a pointed silence.

“It doesn’t matter,” Emilia said, her voice firming with resolve as she puffed out her chest. “From now on, I’m going to make sure Subaru never, ever doubts that I love him.”

“I can see that, with how many marks you leave on his neck every day.”

Emilia looked down, embarrassed. ‘Her getting flustered like this is actually adorable,’ she thought.

But now it was her turn to fidget.

“Emilia-sama… can I ask a personal question?”

“Sure?”

“When you told Subaru-chan you loved him… how did he react?” Sylphy’s inner romantic was dying to know.

“Ho ho ho. If you really want to know, he…” Emilia trailed off, her eyes going wide as she stared at the wall, a sudden realization dawning on her.

“Sylphy, I’m just gonna go to the bathroom reaaally quickly.” She started to get up, but Sylphy shot out a hand and grabbed her wrist.

“Emilia-sama. Don’t tell me you haven’t said it yet.”

“I did! I did! That night we went to the capital!”

“So why did you try to run?”

“Well… I think he might have been asleep.”

“If he didn’t hear it, that’s the same as not telling him!”

“I knoooow! That’s why I’m going to tell him right now!” she wailed, trying to tug her arm free.

“I think just running up and blurting it out isn’t the best approach at this point.”

“But what if he takes it the wrong way? What if he doesn’t even realize I love him?”

‘That’s actually a valid concern. At least she understands how his mind works.’

“That leads to my next question,” Sylphy said. “Did you two actually talk about becoming a couple?”

“What do you mean? We kissed and everything. We are a couple.”

“Emilia-sama, that is not how it works. You need to talk to him, to define the relationship, making sure you’re both on the same page.”

Emilia processed this for a few seconds. “Okay then. Now, can you let me go? I need to find Subaru.”

“One last thing, Emilia-sama,” Sylphy said, her eyes gleaming. “I think there’s a way for you to solve both your problems at the same time.”

Emilia paused, her interest piqued.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Subaru knocked on Emilia’s door. After a moment, her voice, soft and clear, came from within.

“Subaru, you can come in,” she said from the other side.

He opened the door to find her standing in the middle of the room. The usual light, playful atmosphere was gone, replaced by a quiet seriousness that put him on edge.

“Emilia-tan, is everything alright?”

“Yes. I just wanted to talk with you.”

She saw the unconvinced look on his face, so she closed the distance and wrapped her arms around his neck.

“You don’t need to be nervous, Subaru,” she murmured, before tilting her head up to kiss him. The contact was a silent reassurance that melted his anxiety.

When they parted, she rested her forehead against his.

“Thank you, Emilia-tan. I feel much better now. You really know me, don’t you?”

“Of course I do, you dunderhead,” she said, a hint of her usual pride in her voice.

She took his hand and led him to the bed, where they sat side-by-side in a comfortable silence.

It was Subaru who finally broke it. “Do you want to stay like this? Or…?”

“I’m just… trying to find the strength to speak. I’m sorry if I’m taking too long.”

“Take as long as you want. I’ll wait.”

She knew he would. That was the problem; he would wait forever for her. She couldn’t make him wait a second longer.

“Subaru,” she began, her voice barely a whisper. “If I’m being honest… I don’t know what you see in me.”

He opened his mouth to protest, to shower her with all the reasons, but she placed a single finger on his lips.

“Don’t talk. Just listen until I finish, okay?”

He nodded.

“I’m airheaded. I took so long to realize my own feelings, even when everyone else could see them. I needed Sylphy’s help to even begin to understand them. I'm so dependent on others. Without you, Sylphy, Otto… without everyone in this camp, I would have failed before I even began. I’m still immature. For all that I’ve learned, I know it isn’t enough. If I were more mature, I’m sure I could have made life easier for everyone, especially for you.”

He wanted to interrupt, to deny every self-deprecating word, but he kept his promise.

“And most importantly, I look like the Witch of Envy. I know you don’t care about that, that you think I’m beautiful anyway. I believe you now, with all my heart. But it’s not something that can just be ignored.”

She took a shaky breath. “And you, Subaru… you’re a hero. On par with Reinhard—no, I think you surpass him. You’ve saved so many people. Me, Beatrice, Garfiel, all the citizens of Priestella, every single person in Vollachia… and I know I’m leaving out so many more. You’re not just kind; you restore people’s hope, give them a reason to stand on their own two feet again. You’re open-minded, befriending half-elves, great spirits, and even someone as difficult and closed off as Vincent. People adore you because they know you care for them deeply. And… you’re really handsome. I just wanted you to know that.”

A faint blush crept up his neck, and his eyes widened slightly.

A tear escaped, tracing a path down her cheek. “And still, I want you. Me, with all my flaws and all my problems, I want you by my side. I know there are countless women who want you for themselves, women who are smarter, more caring, and more beautiful than I am. Who could make you so much happier than I ever could. But I can’t help it. I can’t help being selfish. I can’t help wanting to keep you all to myself, because…”

Her voice, which had been steady, now trembled with emotion.

“I love you, Subaru.”

His breath hitched, a sound she felt more than heard.

“I have for a long, long time. I love you because you were my first friend, because you always saw me as just Emilia, never judging me for my appearance. I love you because when I thought I was unlovable, you gave me your love so freely. I love you because when I was at my weakest, when I couldn’t even stand, you helped me up, wiped away my tears, and gave me the strength to try again.”

She saw a flicker of their shared memories in his gaze, a soft smile touching his lips.

“It took me so much time to understand it, but now I do. I know I love you because when I hold your hand, all my worries disappear. I know I love you because when we’re apart, all I want is to find you and stay with you forever. I know I love you because I can’t imagine my future without you in it.”

“So, in my selfishness, in my disgusting possessiveness, I want you to be mine and only mine, because I don’t want to share this happiness with anyone else. I want you to be the one who always helps me, because with you by my side, I know I can do anything. I want you to be with me forever, because you are an irreplaceable part of who I am.”

Having said everything, Emilia finally allowed herself to breathe.

“I wanted you to know my feelings, the feelings I couldn’t name for so long. And now… I’m leaving it all up to you. I don’t know what you’re thinking, or if your feelings have changed. So I’m giving you the choice. I’m going to close my eyes, and whatever happens next is up to you.”

His face was a canvas of shock and overwhelming emotion, his lips parted as if to speak, but no words came out.

Emilia closed her eyes.

The world narrowed to the frantic drumming of her heart, the ragged sound of her own breathing. She hadn’t even realized she was crying until she felt the cool tracks of tears on her hot cheeks. Now that she had laid her soul bare, the old, irrational fear she always carried, the one that whispered he would one day leave her, came roaring back.

What if he didn’t love her anymore? What if he had gotten tired of waiting? What if her confession had only shown him how broken she was? Each second stretched into an eternity, feeding those fears more and more, making them grow monstrous and more real.

Then, she felt something warm and gentle touch her lips.

She knew instantly what it was, and what it meant. As she returned the kiss, a wave of pure, unadulterated joy washed over her, sweeping away every last doubt. She was the happiest she had ever been, because now, she was sure.

Emilia loved Subaru, and Subaru loved Emilia.

Chapter Text

After Emilia’s confession, a profound sense of peace settled over Subaru, the kind he hadn't known in a long, long time. Two years. He’d waited two agonizing years for this. There had been moments of sharp frustration at her lack of understanding. He knew of her lack of social experience and that Puck’s skewed upbringing hadn't helped, but the waiting had still gnawed at him.

That frustration felt like a distant memory now, washed away by the tide of her affection. He'd watched her change, spurred on by Sylphy's... unique lessons in sexual education. The increased clinginess, the flashes of jealousy, the adorable attempts at seduction—it all had culminated in this moment.

Ever since the Capital, he had suspected she had fallen for him, but he'd been worried she didn't understand the depth of her own feelings. Now, with everything out in the open, there was one last thing to clarify.

As they disentangled from their embrace, Subaru sat up on the edge of the bed. Emilia mirrored him a moment later, her amethyst eyes full of contentment.

“Emilia-tan,” he began, “what are we?”

She tilted her head, a look of confusion on her face. “What do you mean? You’re a human.” She pointed at him. “And I’m a half-elf.” She pointed at herself.

He couldn't help but chuckle. “That’s on me. I wasn’t specific enough.” He took her hand, his thumb tracing circles over her knuckles. “I meant our relationship. What is it now?”

The gears turned in her mind, connecting his question to her recent conversation with Sylphy. “We’re… a couple, I think?” she said.

“Yeah, definitely a couple,” he agreed. “But I was thinking of something more specific. Like… boyfriend and girlfriend.”

“Boyfriend and girlfriend?” The term was clearly foreign to her. Just as he’d expected.

“It’s a more formal relationship,” he explained, “but not quite on the level of marriage. It's like a step you take before getting engaged.”

“Oh!” Her eyes lit up with understanding. “Like courtship?”

He’d heard the term before. It sounded a bit old-fashioned, but it was close enough. “Yeah, I guess so.”

“But Subaru,” she said, her brow furrowing slightly, “isn’t that what we’ve been doing this whole time? We’ve gone on dates, we’ve kissed, we’ve affirmed our love for each other. It sounds to me like we've been courting for two years.”

He stared at her. “Emilia-tan, courting is usually about getting married, right? It's not just dates and kisses.”

“I don’t think it has to be,” she countered, her voice gaining more confidence. “It just means we were exploring our feelings for each other. You loved me, and I came to understand I loved you. We made so many good memories and learned so much about one another. Yes, I think it was courting.”

Her logic was surprisingly sound, even if it twisted his own understanding of the word. Before Subaru could argue further, she looked up at him, her lashes fluttering.

“Subaru… you don’t want to marry me?”

The question made him pause and just look at her for a moment before quickly correcting himself. “That’s not what I mean at all, Emilia-tan! It’s just—”

“Then we have been courting,” she declared, a triumphant smile on her face. “And if we’ve been doing that all this time, we can’t just keep doing the same thing forever.”

He couldn't entirely follow her logic, but he had to admit it possessed a certain truth to it.

She took his hand, her thumb tracing gentle circles on his skin as she gathered her courage.

She squeezed his hand as she gathered her nerve. “Subaru… if you want… we could get engaged.”

The suddenness of it sent a hot blush creeping up his neck. “E-Engaged? Emilia-tan, isn’t that a little… sudden?”

“But it’s not!” she insisted. “Like I said, we’ve been courting for two years. I love you, and you love me. It’s not too fast; I’m sure this is the right thing for us to do.”

“But,” he stammered, grasping for a reason, “you can’t get engaged while the Royal Selection is still going on!”

“We don't have to announce it publicly,” she shot back immediately. “After the selection is over, we can tell everyone. This can be just for us.”

Subaru was reeling. “Emilia, why are you so persistent about this?”

Her confident facade crumbled. “Because I want something concrete to tie you to me,” she whispered, her gaze falling to their joined hands. “Not as my Knight, but as… ‘us.’ Just being your liege feels too distant now, and just being lovers feels wrong somehow. I-I don’t know how to explain it better.”

Subaru felt a smile spread across his face. He was once again struck by how similar they were. “I was actually thinking the exact same thing. Just being your Knight feels weird, not that I don't want to be, but I don't want it to be just that.”

Emilia perked up, her eyes shining with hope. “So you agree, Subaru?”

“I do,” he breathed. “But we have to prioritize the selection. Nothing official. It stays between us.”

“That’s fine!” she beamed, her relief palpable. “It can be a secret just between us. Or we could tell just our friends, the ones who can keep the secret.”

A comfortable silence settled between them before Subaru spoke again, with a playful curiosity in his voice.

“So… are we engaged now? I always thought this sort of thing involved a ring.”

“Oh! I should have gotten one!” she lamented, “I’m such a dunderhead! We can go buy one the next time we’re in the capital.”

“Emilia-tan, I was joking,” he laughed. “If we’re keeping this a secret, matching rings are probably a bad idea.”

“Oh,” she said, her disappointment palpable.

“Don’t worry,” he reassured her, squeezing her hand. “When the selection is over, I’ll buy you the most beautiful ring in all of Lugunica and propose properly, in front of everyone. How does that sound?”

Her pout returned. “But… I want to propose.”

Subaru blinked. “Emilia-tan, I’m the man. That’s my job.”

“Why?”

“It’s just… tradition! Go complain to whoever invented it.”

“I don’t care about tradition,” she said stubbornly. “I’m going to propose, and that’s final.”

Her stubbornness was both infuriating and adorable, but then suddenly her face lit up. “How about a bet?” Emilia said.

“A bet?”

“If I lose the Royal Selection, you can propose to me. But if I win,” she said, her voice filled with determination, “I will be the one to propose to you. It’ll be even more motivation for me to win.”

He would have objected, but she cut him off before he had the chance.

“Think about it! If I win, it would be much better for the new Queen to propose to her knight than the other way around.”

He couldn’t argue with that. Proposing to a newly crowned queen would make him look like the world’s biggest opportunist.

Then the full weight of her words crashed down on him. If Emilia won, he would technically be King of Lugunica. King.

What would that even mean? What responsibilities would he have? Would people expect more from him? Should he start studying politics? These thoughts sent a jolt of panic through him.

He felt a soft hand on his cheek, pulling him back from his spiraling thoughts. “Subaru, are you okay?” Emilia asked, worried for him.

“Yeah,” he managed, shaking his head clear. “Just lost in thought.” He looked into her earnest, determined eyes and smiled. “I accept your bet, Emilia-tan. You better study really hard now.”

“I will!” she said, puffing her chest out proudly.

“So,” Subaru said, a playful grin returning. “Should I start calling you my fiancée?”

“No, no, no!” she squeaked, waving her hands frantically. “Please just keep calling me Emilia-tan. I like it.”

“If you say so,” he chuckled.

“Then you,” she said, poking him in the chest, “will be My Subaru.”

“Emilia-tan, that’s a little embarrassing.”

“Why? You’re mine, and I’m yours. Now more than ever,” she stated simply.

He sighed, but he couldn't suppress his smile. “Just… try not to say it in front of people who don’t know.”

“I’ll try,” she said, though her impish grin suggested she wouldn’t try very hard.

He laughed and pulled her into a hug, burying his face in her silver hair. “You really are a dunderhead.”

“Try again,” she mumbled against his chest.

He paused for a moment before correcting himself. “You’re really my dunderhead.”

Emilia squeezed him tighter, a happy sigh escaping her lips.

“Better?”

“Way better,” she whispered. “My Subaru.”

And for the rest of the night, the unofficial fiancés simply held each other, secure in a promise that was theirs and theirs alone.

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This chapter is here mainly to inform all of you that a friend of mine from the Cluster Discord server has written a spin-off fic of Sylphy's True Quest. It explores Ram and her attempts to help her sister with her love troubles.

His fic will be canonical to the Sylphy Series, as none of my future plans contradict anything in it. So, for the plot you can treat it as you would any other chapter.

Here is the link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/71367451

Please go give him kudos and some nice comments. Always remember to praise your favorite authors to give them a motivation boost!

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The next fic of the Sylphy Series is out.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/71576531/chapters/186339781

Enjoy.