Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Natsuki Subaru was a simple 17-year-old teenager when it all started. It was his usual routine: sitting in his room all day, reading manga, watching anime, or playing video games. But when he got bored and had nothing to eat, he decided to finally leave his room and go shopping, just to stop being a useless and worthless parasite to his parents for a few minutes. When he finally bought instant noodles and mayonnaise ingredients, he was about to go home.

And then he was taken to another world.

It happened suddenly and inexplicably. Subaru felt very exhausted. He relied on the idea that this was a consequence of staying in his room forever and spending too much time playing video games. But suddenly, for some unknown reason, he lost consciousness and fell onto the sidewalk. When he came to, he heard dripping water, soft, unknown moans of agony, and the dampness hit his nose quite hard. 'What? Where am I?' ran through the teenager's mind, but he didn't feel much fear or panic. He mostly felt...

hollow...

Subaru didn't understand why he had the feeling that something was missing inside him, or why, instead of his signature sportswear, he was now wearing a knight set. But even though he didn't understand what was happening—and it would have made sense for him to panic, try to figure it out, or at least show some emotion about this whole incomprehensible situation—that wasn't the case. He felt almost nothing. Only a fragment of his personality and a fragment of his consciousness were preserved. Thank God he could still think. Looking at his small room and the only door with bars, it was quite obvious that he was no longer in Japan, but in another world. In an instant, he had somehow ended up in a prison. Considering that no one had come to him for hours, this dungeon was abandoned, and had been for quite some time.

Subaru didn't know how long he had been sitting in the cell without food. Although later, he realized that he had no need for food, water, or sleep. But everything changed when a corpse fell from above, landing right in front of him. The teenager instantly raised his head and saw a helmeted figure staring at him for a short moment before disappearing. Subaru stood up and walked over to the corpse, which looked like it had been lying there for over a year and was already in the process of rotting. Although the boy suspected that this corpse had been walking just a few seconds ago.

The young teenager noticed a key hanging from the corpse's belt. The boy took it without hesitation and tried to unlock the door to his cell. Luckily, and to his slight surprise, the door unlocked, and the boy ran out of the cell. If Subaru had the ability to feel again, he would have felt shock and horror right now, seeing corpses similar to the one that had fallen into his cell and they were walking.

That's right. These corpses were walking. Or rather, moving and writhing in agony.

The teenager still decided to kill these monsters to ensure that they wouldn't start walking behind him in an attempt to attack him. When he killed them, he felt as if he was absorbing something from them, and his body became slightly stronger than it had been behind bars. The teenager decided not to dwell on this for now, and continued his escape.

When he finally climbed up, he ended up in what was probably the inner courtyard of the prison. In the middle of the courtyard was a strange sword stuck into the ground, surrounded by dust and bones.

Subaru approached it, and in front of him instantly appeared an inscription: 'Reach out and light a bonfire.'

So the boy did that. When the bonfire lit up, the boy felt something new for the first time since his arrival: warmth and comfort, as if he were at home. A feeling of relaxation and peace.

Is this what these bonfires give you?

The boy decided to rest for a while. Finally, having rested, he went to the giant door that led into a strange hall. Ahead was another door. He moved toward it, but encountered an obstacle that suddenly jumped down from the balcony: A giant, fat monster with strange horns and an equally strange staff. The boy knew that he could do little with his broken sword fragment. Noticing a small passage to the left, he decided to escape through it.

Finally escaping from the monster, he began to look for another way out. Along the way, he came across another bonfire, which he also lit and rested at for a while. Later, he continued searching for an alternative escape route. On his way, he found a tower-patterned shield and a Broadsword, which he took without hesitation. He also killed another corpse, which this time was aggressive and shooting a bow at him.

He also found the same knight who had dropped the corpse on him from above. He discovered him in a corridor that had been opened by a giant rolling ball.

"Oh, you. You're no Hollow, eh? Thank goodness. I'm done for, I'm afraid. I'll die soon, then lose my sanity. I wish to ask something of you. You and I, we're both Undead. Hear me out, will you?" the unknown knight stated, Subaru just nodded in agreement, he needed to know what was going on here and understand what he meant, that Subaru wasn't a hollow and why were they Undead? "Regrettably, I have failed in my mission. But perhaps you can keep the torch lit. There is an old saying in my family: 'Thou who art Undead, art chosen. In thine exodus from the Undead Asylum, maketh pilgrimage to the land of Ancient Lords. When thou ringeth the Bell of Awakening, the fate of the Undead thou shall know.' Well, now you know. And I can die with hope in my heart. Oh, one more thing. Here, take this. An Estus Flask, an Undead favourite." The knight handed him a flask containing an unknown, glowing yellow liquid, Subaru took it. And for some reason, the boy had a feeling that it was a healing potion. "Oh, and this." This time he held out a key. Subaru instantly guessed that it was the key to the door on the second floor, and the boy took it too. "Now I must bid farewell. I would hate to harm you after death. So, go now... And thank you."

After that, Subaru simply nodded and left the unknown knight to die. Soon after, he suddenly felt himself absorbing some kind of power again, just like from those corpses… or rather, Hollows. Having fought his way through several Hollows and still not finding a way out, he had no choice but to fight the giant monster.

There, he met his first death.

When Subaru woke up near the campfire he had been resting at, the teenager felt slight shock. The young knight did not understand how this was possible, especially since he barely remembered the words of that knight. 'Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I am undead and cannot truly die?'

The teenager felt an unusual sense of relief. He could not really die. According to his theory, he simply awakened near the campfire he had last rested at. He could not think of any other explanation. But he also noticed something else: his revival had cost him some of the power he had been accumulating.

But it didn't matter. Since he could return after death, he could regain what he had lost. He could correct mistakes. He could fight enemies again. And again. And again.

Armed with new knowledge of his abilities, he once more headed toward this demon. And this time, he defeated it on his second attempt and finally escaped the prison.

He eventually arrived at Firelink Shrine, where he met a man. A warrior who was disappointed, demoralized, and waiting for his fate to finally become a Hollow. From him, Subaru learned much more: about Humanity, and that he could restore his human form with its help. He learned that the power he absorbed from defeated enemies were actually souls and they were also currency in this world, and a means to improve himself.

The man's explanation also confirmed his theory: After each death, he was reborn at the bonfire where he had last rested.

Armed with basic knowledge of this world, the young knight set out to fulfill the Fate of the Undead.

****

Subaru no longer remembered how much time had passed since his journey began. Hours? Weeks? Months? Years? He didn't remember. He had stopped counting long ago, just as he had stopped counting his deaths. His countless attempts. He truly had no idea how many times he had died. Hundreds? Thousands? Millions? Trillions? Death had become routine for him.

During his journey, he had killed tens of thousands of Hollows. Hell, he had even killed demons, knights, and lords in droves. He remembered slaying Kalameet. He remembered laying Artorias to rest. He remembered continuing Artorias's work by destroying Manus, Father of the Abyss. He remembered destroying the Four Kings in the Abyss, where he met Darkstalker Kaathe after them, who told him about the 'truth' of Men and the Undead, about Age of Dark, also known as the Age of Men. After hearing this, Subaru felt conflicted.

He had already been following Gwynevere, the Princess of the Sun, who had promised that after Linking the Fire, he would return home.

Yes, at first, Subaru had been excited by the prospect of fulfilling the Fate of the Undead. For the first time, he felt important. Felt that he's main character of this world and it's story. Sad that he couldn't have hot waifu.

But everything changed. After countless deaths. After countless sufferings. After the loss of friends he had saved during his journey. Subaru began to hate everything at first, because of all of that. This world. This prophecy. His own worthlessness. He hated that.

But eventually, even his anger dried up. His hatred faded. Leaving behind only empty acceptance And one simple desire. To return home. To return to his mom and dad.

After the fight with Gwyndolin, Subaru saw what Anor Londo truly was: A dark, empty city. And Gwynevere herself was nothing more than an illusion.

At that moment, the young knight realized that everything Kaathe had said was probably true. That the entire prophecy was nothing more than a farce created by Gwyn, Lord of Cinder. That the Age of Fire was merely a tool to keep the gods in power.

And after that Subaru accepted Kaathe's offer.

Offer to become the Dark Lord.

Offer to bring the Age of Dark into this World.

At least Kaathe did not offer false promises of returning home. Subaru has no choice but to accept the fact that he can never return home and is doomed to remain in this damn world.

Finally, after destroying the last Lord and obtaining the fourth and final Lord Soul, Subaru opened the passage to the Kiln of the First Flame, where Gwyn, the Lord of Cinder. His final target awaited.

****

If Subaru hadn't stopped counting, or had not long since lost count entirely, he could have sworn that Gwyn was the one who had killed him the most.

This monster did not hold back.

From the very first attempt, Gwyn instantly attacked Subaru. Each battle, each attempt, was fiercer and more brutal than the last. Gwyn fought not like a king, but like a desperate, dying god clinging to his fading Age.

Again and again, Subaru died.

Again and again, he returned.

Again and again, he fought.

Until finally—

He won.

In the end, he managed to defeat the most powerful god in this world and claim his soul. After Gwyn's defeat, a bonfire appeared before Subaru.

But the knight knew this was not merely a bonfire. It was an altar. An altar meant for sacrifice. An altar meant to Link the Fire.

But Subaru had made his decision long ago. He would not follow the lies fed to him by false gods who had used him as nothing more than a tool. As a naive, ignorant pawn who would blindly trust their perfect promises. Never again.

With those thoughts, he turned his back on the First Flame. He left the Kiln behind. He walked away from the Age of Fire.

And returned to the Firelink Altar.

Where he would become—

The Dark Lord.

****

Here, near the Firelink Altar, in the passage, stood a knight in a blue surcoat. The rest of his body was covered in steel plates, and his face was hidden behind a helmet visor. On his back rested a Crest Shield and a greatsword—the Zweihander. On his belt hung the straight sword of Astora, and around his neck was a worn brown scarf.

Before him stood the primordial serpents.All of them bowed low. And they began to speak.

"My Lord, bless thy safe return." The knight moved forward, into the darkness. "Let Kaathe and Frampt serve Your Highness." The warrior did not listen. He continued walking. "We are here to serve Your Highness." He stopped for a moment, staring into the void. Then he closed his eyes, taking slow, deep breaths. "Let true Dark be cast upon the world. Our Lord hath..."

When he opened his eyes, their voices had already cut off. And in front of him was no longer darkness. But pure whiteness. Blinding. Silent. Endless. Then it dissipated.

And city and crowd of people appeared in front of him. Representatives of different races walked through the streets, paying no attention to the unknown knight who stood among them.

"What the...?" The teenager staggered back in shock, quickly looking around. "Another isekai? How is this possible?"

He observed everything carefully. Everything looked too real. A clear sky, Sun. He had not seen the Sun for more than a million or billion years. Clean, untouched streets. Living people. Different races. There was no doubt.

This world was nothing like Lordran.

'I definitely did not sleep,' the knight thought. 'I do not need sleep due to my undead nature. And I certainly do not feel tired. So I really have been thrown into a new world.'

He let out a tired sigh.

'It seems the multiverse hates me. I should observe this world and understand what to do next.'

And with that thought, Subaru began walking down the streets of the unknown city.

****

"As far as I've understood in these past few minutes, this universe is also a medieval fantasy where demi-humans are the norm," muttered the otherworldly knight as he observed the city. "But I shouldn't lower my guard. Just because it's not a dark fantasy doesn't mean danger is absent. This world likely has its own problems. Its own wars..." Subaru continued mumbling to himself.

Until suddenly...

"WATCH OUT!"

The undead turned toward the shout. And saw how crowd had gathered near the road, where large lizard-like creatures pulled carriages at high speed.

Subaru moved closer. When he finally pushed through the crowd, he saw it small boy. Who was lying in the middle of the road and he was crying. When a carriage went toward him. Fast. Too fast.

At that moment, something deep inside Subaru stirred.

A feeling. Old. Painful. Familiar.

It was the same feeling he had experienced when he saved Griggs of Vinheim from imprisonment. When he saved Laurentius of the Great Swamp. When he saved Reah of Thorolund in the Tomb of the Giants.

But it was also a painful feeling. Because he remembered those he could not save. Siegmeyer of Catarina know for him as Sir Onion Knight. And Solaire of Astora. His Sunbro, his brother in light.

It was his buried hero complex. The same complex that had saved less lives. And destroyed more.

The same complex that had forced him to keep fighting. To keep dying. To keep trying.

And now...

This feeling is back.

Subaru could walk away. He could ignore it. Someone else might help this kid. He had no obligation. He owed this world nothing.

His body trembled.Caught between heroism and cold pragmatism.

'Damn it!' The Dark Lord cursed inwardly and ran forward.

Without hesitation he dashed onto the road and leapt toward the child.

Grabbing the boy, he rolled off the road. Just as the carriage thundered past them and continued go like nothing happened.

The crowd that had witnessed everything began cheering him.

"Well done!!!"

"Excellent work!!!"

But Subaru didn't listen. He simply pulled the boy closer and checked him for injuries.

"Are you alright, kiddo?"

"I-I-I'm f-fine. T-thank you, s-sir," the boy stammered, still trembling from fear.

Under his helmet, Subaru smiled faintly and gently patted the child's head.

"I'm glad you're okay."

"Tyro! Tyro!!!"

An anxious female voice rang out. These two turned around and saw a woman running toward him.

"Mom!" the child shouted happily, running into her arms.

"Oh, thank Od, you're alive," the woman said, hugging her son tightly. "I was afraid to imagine what would happen without you," she whispered, holding him close.

Then she looked toward his savior. A young knight. Dressed in a blue surcoat with unknown heraldry, steel plates protecting parts of his body, brown scarf around his neck. His face was hidden behind a helmet.

'Maybe they're changing the guard's uniform', the woman thought.

"Thank you, sir Guardian," she said gratefully, smiling at him.

"Guardian?" Subaru repeated, confused.

"Yes... aren't you one?"

Subaru froze for a moment.

"What?... Oh. No, I am not. I don't serve your kingdom. I'm... uuuuh... a traveling warrior. I enjoy adventures. I simply decided to stop here for a while," the knight lied.

Telling her that he was a Dark Lord from another world—or a knight of Lordran, would only cause unnecessary complications. So, it would be safer if he disguise himself as a traveling warrior.

"Oh. Then I apologize, sir traveler. Thank you again for saving my son."

"It's nothing, ma'am."

After that, they parted ways. Subaru continued walking through the market. 'This is my first heroic act in this world,' he thought. 'Not a bad start. At least I left a good impression.'

The Dark Lord stopped near several fruit and vegetable stands. He examined the signs carefully. 'Strange. I understand their speech... but I can't read their writing.'

Learning to read and write must become a priority. Along with finding a way home.

"I see you guardians are changing your look."

Subaru turned toward the voice. A muscular man stood nearby, holding a twig between his teeth. His green hair was tied into a tight bun, secured with a headband. He wore a black vest with gold trim and bracelets on both wrists. His face was marked by two large scars running from his forehead to his chin, and another beneath his left eye. A small goatee completed his rough appearance.

"Oh, no. I'm not a guardian. Just a traveler," Subaru repeated the lie. He pointed toward the fruit. "And this..."

"What? You've never seen appas?" the man asked, surprised. "You can buy one and try it."

'It won't hurt to try to use golden coin from Lordran. Just to buy this apple', Subaru thought.

He took out a gold coin from Lordran and handed it to the seller. The seller frowned.

"You can't use that in Lugunica. You're broke, aren't you?" the man said irritably. "Get outta here! Don't waste my time!"

"Alright, alright," Subaru replied calmly, raising his hand in surrender as he stepped away. "No need to be rude, man."

And when he was far enough away, he fell into thought again.

"So, this kingdom is called Lugunica..." Subaru mumbled to himself. "I need to get more information about this place."

He continued walking, distracted by his thoughts. And without realizing it, he entered a building. Whe he entered inside he met human and demihuman women  And immediately—

Slap!

A demihuman woman struck his helmet, then cried out in pain as she grabbed her hand.

"You pervert!" screamed another women, when Subaru ran out, fully red under his helmet.

"S-Sorry!!"

****

His attempts to gather information continued. And most of them were catstrophic: He nearly got run over by another carriage; He almost walked into a building under construction.

And then he entered another building. And this building was full of demihumans

"Boy, this hotel is for demihumans only," some demihuman said sternly.

Before Subaru could react, a large reptilian demihuman grabbed him and shoved him outside with one hand.

Disoriented, Subaru stumbled backward, tripped over a railing. And then he fell straight into the canal.

Splash.

Eventually, the teenager climbed out of the water and out of the canal. He headed toward one of the nearest dark alleys. When he arrived there, he saw a familiar bonfire.

"So it was somehow transported to this world too," muttered the young knight as he approached it. He lit the fire and sat down beside it to rest.

The boy immediately fell into thoughts.

"So, what do we have as the result of the first day?" Subaru voiced his thoughts aloud. "I was already initiated as a Dark Lord, but when I closed my eyes for a moment, finally accepting the reality of my future situation, I was suddenly transported to a new world. Another fantasy world, where I already saved a child, had an argument with an apple seller, who called apples appas, accidentally walked into the women's restroom, almost got run over by carriage, and finally fell into a canal." The Dark Lord finished counting and let out a tired sigh. "It could have been worse."
Those were his last words before he heard footsteps. The young knight instantly stood up, pulling the Astora Straight Sword from his scabbard and raising his Crest Shield from his back.

"Who's there!?"

Three figures stepped out of the shadows.
The first was the tallest and most muscular, a large man with purple hair wearing a green vest. The second was thinner, of medium height, with grayish-blue hair dyed with pink tips. Chains hung from his wrists and around his neck, and he wore a large yellow earring in his left ear. The third was the smallest of the group.

"Easy, boy. Just give us all the money you have, and we'll leave peacefully."

Subaru froze, staring at them as if they had suddenly grown a second head. 'They can't be serious... can they?'

"Are you serious? You're going to attack a guardian?" the Dark Lord asked and lied skeptically, refusing to believe they were that stupid.

"You think we'll believe that you're a guardian?" the short one sneered. "Guardians wear different uniform, kid."

'Oh no... I was wrong,' Subaru thought. 'Either they're too desperate or too insane, or they are simply strangers to rational thinking. Because who in their right mind attacks an armed stranger?'
But hen...
"SHIT!!!"

A female voice suddenly rang out behind the robbers.

"Move it, move it! Get outta my way!"

A young girl with blonde hair and red eyes sprinted past the bandits. She wore a black sleeveless top, a red scarf with a gold patch, black pants that were torn on the left side, and a red ribbon tied around her left ankle. Over her clothes she wore a vest and gloves, and a belt with a sheathed knife.

As she passed, she glanced at the group and immediately understood a fight was about to start.

"Oh, looks like there's a party going on," the blonde girl said cheerfully. "I'd love to join you guys, but I'm busy. Sorry! Live strong!"

With that, she smiled apologetically, gave them a thumbs-up, and jumped over the wall leaving Subaru alone with the robbers.

"Great. Now I'm in a bad mood," one of the robbers grumbled.

'Seriously? How petty do you have to be to get angry over a girl's appearance?' Subaru thought irritably.

"So maybe you'll just leave me alone," Subaru said calmly. "And I'll forget about your insignificant existence."

"What did you just say, little brat!?" the biggest one snapped angrily.

"I said leave. And no one gets hurt."

"And what exactly are you going to do to us?" the short robber sneered. "There are three of us and only one of you."

"So be a good little puppy. Give us all your money, kneel down, and beg for help."

Under his helmet, the undead's left eye twitched.

"Okay. Okay. You're right," Subaru said calmly, lowering his sword and shield. "There are three of you. And I'm alone."

The robbers grinned with satisfaction as the biggest one stepped closer.

"Now that's the right attitude."

Subaru slowly raised his hands after he hid his sword and shield.

"I'll do what you asked."

The robber moved within arm's reach.
However, subaru suddenly spoke.

"But actually..."

And in the next,  knight's fist immediately smashed straight into the robber's face.

When Subaru's fist slammed into the robber's face, the man spun around completely and collapsed to the ground. The skinny one reacted instantly.

"You little bastard!" the other robber roared, rushing at Subaru with his fists raised.

Subaru dodged the incoming right hook, then immediately struck back: one punch to the stomach, followed by a sharp uppercut. The skinny robber fell to the ground.

When the largest one recovered, he attacked Subaru from behind and struck him on the head. The blow made Subaru stagger slightly, but the robber suddenly howled in pain, grabbing the hand he had just used to punch the knight's helmet.

Subaru quickly regained his balance and turned toward his attacker, who was clutching his injured hand. He dashed forward and slammed another punch into the robber's face. This time, the man dropped straight to the ground.

The dwarf, who had been frozen in shock until now, finally snapped out of it and decided to help his companions. When the skinny robber stood up again, he exchanged a quick glance with the dwarf. They nodded to each other. The skinny one pulled out a knife, and the two of them rushed Subaru together.

When the Dark Lord turned around, he saw both robbers charging at him. His eyes widened slightly when he noticed the knife in the skinny robber's hand. 'Now that's a problem,' thought the Chosen Undead. '...Not for long'.

Subaru immediately ran toward them. The two robbers grinned triumphantly. 'What a fool!' they thought. The skinny one swung his knife.

'Now!' thought young knight still running toward them 

Roll

Subaru rolled forward between them. Rising from the roll, he kicked the dwarf hard, sending him crashing into the wall. The skinny robber slashed again with his knife, but Subaru dodged the strike, knocking the blade aside with his left hand and smashing the man's face with his right fist.

"That's it. Now you'll know what happens if you deal with warriors from Lordran," Subaru declared kinda proudly, looking at the robbers lying on the ground and groaning in pain.

"Ahem." a melodious like bellflower female voice came from behind him.

Subaru turned and suddenly froze, his eyes widening in shock and… awe.

'Oh my Zweihänder,' flashed through his mind as he looked at the owner of the voice.

Standing before him was a woman with skin as pale as snow, eyes as purple as amethyst, and pupils the color of aquamarine. Her hair was long and silver, and glittered in the sunlight. She wore white and purple clothing with long white-and-purple boots, and golden eagle emblems decorated her sleeves.

But the most striking detail. He saw her elven ears.

'She's an damn elf,' the Dark Lord thought still staring at the girl.

"Since you're finished here," the elf said calmly, "Please give me back, what was stolen from me."

"I… I… wait, what?" Subaru snapped out of his daze.

"I'm telling you to return my insignia that was stolen from me," the elf repeated sternly.

"Wait, what!?" Subaru said, confused. "I have nothing to do with you..."

Then he glanced down at the robbers.

"...Although."

Without another word, he grabbed the skinny robber by his clothes and pulled him up. The girl continued watching, now clearly confused.

"You! Tell me now !" Subaru demanded. "What did you steal from her!?"

"What!? What are you talking about!?" the robber snapped angrily.

"Don't lie to me, you bastard!"

Slap!

Subaru struck him across the face.

"You must've robbed someone else before me, didn't you!?"

The girl flinched and looked away when she saw Subaru hit the robber again. 'Could he have been a little less brutal?' the elf thought nervously.

"What!? No! You were our first victim and..."

"A-actually… it wasn't them," the elf said hesitantly. "It was… a girl. She had blonde hair… and she was wearing a red long scarf."

Subaru slowly looked to the elf then to the robber. Silence hung in the air for a few seconds.

"...So I beat him for nothing?" the Dark Lord asked flatly.

"I-I'm sorry!" the elf said, blushing with embarrassment and guilt.

Subaru stared at her for a moment. Then sighed.

"Forget it," he said deadpan before looking back at the robber. "You're lucky. It could have been worse."

With that, Subaru released him, and the robber collapsed back onto the ground. Subaru then turned to the girl.

"Regarding your thief…" He paused as the robbers groaned loudly behind him. "...Let's discuss this somewhere else."

The girl nodded. And together, they left the alley.

****

When Subaru and the elf were far enough away from the alley, the Undead spoke first.

"Regarding your thief…" the teenager began. "First: I saw her for the first time today, so I'm neither her accomplice nor in bargain with her. Second: she appeared between us during the fight, but then jumped onto the roof and ran away. That's all I know."

"I see," the elf said thoughtfully. "But I still need to be sure. Puck!!!"

Subaru raised an eyebrow beneath his helmet. Suddenly, a small gray cat emerged from her hair, floating in the air. It carried a purple bag and wore a yellow earring on its left ear. 'A flying cat? That's new.' thought Undead looking at Puck.

"I'm here!" the cat said cheerfully. "You summoned me a little early, Lia. Did something happen? And who is this weirdo in armor?"

'Pardon!?' the knight snapped mentally.

"Puck, this stranger claims that the thief passed through his group and that he had nothing to do with her," Lia explained seriously.

'Are you serious? Subaru complained internally. Yes, I know that makes sense and she's doing the right thing, but still…'

"So I want you to check him and see if he's lying," the elf said in an almost commanding tone.

"Okie-dokie, Lia!" Puck replied happily.

The spirit stared at Subaru for a few seconds. Then he nodded.

"He's telling the truth, Lia. Besides, I didn't sense any anger or evil intentions towards you."

'Which is really strange,' Puck thought while glancing suspiciously at the boy. 'Usually people feel disgust or hatred toward my Lia because of her origin and resemblance to the Witch of Envy. But this stranger… He doesn't feel any disgust or hatred toward her at all.'

"Really?" Lia asked in surprise.

Then she bowed apologetically.

"I sincerely apologize for my suspicions. I'm terribly sorry. I must have wasted your precious time and caused even more trouble!"

'Great. Now I feel guilty for putting her in this state,' Subaru thought sarcastically.

"Hey, it's okay, lady," Subaru said calmly. "Your suspicions were reasonable. I don't hold a grudge."

"S-Sorry!" the elf apologized again.

"Hey, hey," Subaru said, confused. "What are you apologizing for this time?"

"It's just… I… I…" the girl said nervously.

"Forgive her, sir. She's just had a rough day, and now her insignia has been stolen. I assure you, she's not always like this. Please don't think badly of her," Puck intervened.

[Thank you, Puck.] Lia thanked him mentally.

[You're welcome, Lia.] Puck replied.

"Oh no, no, no. It's fine. I understand. She doesn't need to apologize," Subaru reassured them.

Then an idea crossed his mind. 'I should offer to help them,' the Undead thought. 'And maybe learn more about this place at the same time.'

"What if I help you to find this thief?" Subaru suggested.

"No need, sir," she replied immediately. "You have already told me everything I needed to know."

"I insist. You've been trying so hard to get your insignia back, and I slowed your pursuit with my fight back there," Subaru said calmly. "Let me make up for it. Besides, I saw her face, so I could probably recognize her."

"Well… I don't know…"

"Come on, Lia. We can let him help us," Puck interrupted. "I already said that this guy doesn't have any evil intentions towards your. And besides... the more shields between you and ruffians, the better."

"Wow. Great support, Puck," the Dark Lord said sarcastically.

Meanwhile, something else crossed his mind. 'Tch. Spirits… very typical,' he thought, remembering the ghosts of New Londo and the dark spirits he had fought before.

"Puck!!! Don't be mean to him!" Lia scolded indignantly. Then she turned back to Subaru. "You're strange… but alright. You can help us. But don't expect any reward."

"Don't worry," Subaru replied calmly. "Leave it to me."

****

After several minutes of unsuccessful attempts to find the thief and asking locals about the girl who looked like the one Subaru had drawn. They now stood on a hill overlooking the city.

"I had no idea the city would be that big," the foreigner complained.

"This is the capital of Lugunica. You didn't even know that… umm…" the elf girl said, glancing shyly at Subaru.

'The capital of Lugunica, huh?' the knight mused as he looked over the view. 'Well, at least now I know the name of the kingdom thanks to apple seller and thanks to elf I know that this city is its capital.'

"Oh yeah, we still haven't asked your name. Maybe we should introduce ourselves?" Puck suggested. "And it would be nice if we also could see your face."

"Oh?" Subaru turned toward them. "Alright."

With that, Subaru lifted the visor of his Elite Knight helmet. Now they could see the face of an ordinary teenager: nothing particularly remarkable except for his eyes. They had a sharp, almost intimidating look, yet at the same time they were blank and tired.

'He's just a child…' Lia thought. Then she looked more closely into his eyes and suddenly for unknown reasons she felt a wave of sadness. 'His eyes… They're beautiful… but so empty and exhausted at the same time.'

"You… you're just a child," Lia finally managed to say.

"As you can see, yes," Subaru replied bluntly. "Oh, right, my name. I'm Natsuki Subaru! I have no idea how I ended up here, I can't read, and I'm completely broke!"

The sudden outburst caught both of them off guard.

Subaru noticed the girl looked upset when she saw his face. The old Subaru might have assumed she was disappointed because he wasn't some handsome prince or heroic knight just a useless teenager carrying too many scars and too much trauma.

But now he could tell. She wasn't disappointed. She was worried. 'Even though she acts like a fourteen-year-old sometimes,' Subaru thought, 'But this time she's surprisingly perceptive.'

"You know, when you put it like that, you sound pretty hopeless," Puck said cheerfully. "As for me, my name is Puck. But you already knew that. Nice to meet you."

After that, he and Puck shook hands.

"You know, it's very unusual to see someone touch a spirit so casually. Where are you from? I mean, you're clearly not from here you can't read, and you're broke," Lia asked curiously.

"That…" Subaru faltered. He didn't know what to say. He couldn't exactly say something like, 'Hey, I came from another world, and before this I was in yet another world where everything is ruined, the gods are insane psychopaths, corpses are everywhere, and literally everything tries to kill you.' Not to mention the fact that he had died more times than he could even remember. "It's… hard to explain. It's actually a long story."

"I understand," Lia said immediately, accepting his answer.

"Anyway, now it's your turn. What's your name?"

"My name? My name…" The girl hesitated nervously.

'Why is she hesitating?' Subaru wondered. 'It's just a name. Or is it because she still doesn't trust me?'

"My name is… Satella," Lia finally said.

Subaru looked at her in confusion, when meanwhile Puck looked at her shocked for some reason.

[You have terrible taste.] Puck said in her mind.

[I know, Puck! I know! I'm so ashamed!] she cried mentally.

"Satella…" Subaru repeated thoughtfully, then narrowed his eyes at the elf. "I'm not saying it's a bad name. It's actually quite pretty and suitable for a beauty like you."

'Wh-What!?/What!? Beauty!?' Both of them stared at Subaru as if he had suddenly grown a second head. Neither of them had expected anyone to casually call someone who resembled the Witch of Envy beautiful. Lia blushed deeply. For some reason, his words made her feel warm and strangely happy, even though she believed that not true that she's beautiful.

"But that's not your real name, is it?" Subaru continued.

"What!?" Satella asked in shock, snapping out of her thoughts.

"I mean, your cat called you 'Lia' several times."

"It's just a nickname which Puck gave me," the girl explained apologetically.

Subaru chuckled quietly.

"What? What's so funny?" she asked.

"Sorry, sorry. I was just trying to fit 'Lia' into the name Satella. And the only thing I came up with was… Satellia," Subaru said with a hint of amusement. "You know… it sounds kind of cute. Doesn't it… Satellia?"

"SUBARU!!! YOU... YOU..." Satella shouted angrily, her cheeks bright red as she puffed her cheeks in frustration. "You're such a dunderhead!"

"Dunderhead? Who even says that these days?" Subaru replied, raising an eyebrow. "Anyway, never mind. What's your real name?"

"Come on, Lia," Puck whispered, "Didn't I teach you that lying is bad?"

Lia finally calmed down. She took a few deep breaths before answering.

"Actually… my name is Emilia."

"Emilia…" Subaru repeated softly, almost savoring the name. "That's a nice name too. Nice to meet you."

"Y-yes. Me too. N-nice to meet you," Emilia replied shyly.

"Well, since we've finally met, I suggest we continue our search," Puck said cheerfully, glancing at the boy with a mixture of gratitude, jealousy, and disgust.

****

When the trio came down the hill and began walking through the city streets again, they suddenly noticed a small child with light green bob styly hair, and she was wearing a pink dress with a white ribbon.

"Hey, Subaru… does she look lost to you?" Emilia asked.

"We don't have much time, Emilia. We need to find your insignia," Subaru replied pragmatically. "Leave her. Her parents will find her soon."

"Subaru!!!" Emilia exclaimed indignantly. "Don't be so rude! If she's lost, we have to do something!"

"But what about the questioning we were doing?"

"That's important too, but… she's crying, Subaru. We have to help her." There was firm determination on her face.

Subaru was surprised by such sudden resolve. He lowered his gaze slightly, as her altruism once again reminded him of his failures as a hero.

'You seem like the kind of person who would waste her entire life helping others, don't you, Emilia?' Subaru thought with a sigh.

"Alright. I'll wait," the knight finally conceded.

"Thank you, Subaru!" Emilia said happily, nodding his head, his helmet bobbing slightly. "I knew you are a good boy."

After saying that, Emilia walked toward the child.

'Did she just treat me like a child?' Subaru wondered, confused.

When Emilia approached the child, the girl noticed her and immediately started crying even harder. Emilia knelt down with a gentle smile.

"I'm sorry I'm not the person you were looking for. What's wrong? Did you lose your mom and dad?"

The child kept crying.

"U-um… please don't cry! I won't hurt you, alright?" Emilia began to panic, trying unsuccessfully to calm the girl down.

'This isn't working. If we don't step in, it'll only get worse,' Subaru thought as he prepared a gold coin. 'Damn this hero complex of mine.'

Subaru approached and held out his hand, showing the coin.

"I have an ancient gold coin from Lordran here," he said with a small smile. "Now watch carefully. I will now clutch it tightly in my hand." He closed his hand tightly around it.

"Tight… tight… tight. And now imagine that!" Then he opened his palm. The coin had vanished.

The girl stopped crying and stared at him in surprise. Subaru smiled gently.

'How did he do that!?' Emilia and Puck both thought in shock. 'I didn't feel any mana at all!'

"But what's behind your hair…?" Subaru continued. He gently brushed his fingers through the girl's hair. "And look! That's where the coin was hiding!"

He revealed the coin again. The girl looked at it with wide, amazed eyes.

"You can keep it," Subaru said warmly. "It's a rare coin."

The little girl smiled brightly and accepted it.

"Thank you!"

"You're welcome," the knight replied with a warm smile. "What's your name, little one?"

"Plum!" the girl answered energetically.

"Nice to meet you, Plum. So you got separated from your mother, huh? Don't worry. Leave it to me and this young lady, we'll find them for you soon."

Subaru gently took the girl's hand.

Suddenly. Emilia lightly shoved him.

Subaru turned toward her.

"Yes, Emilia? Don't look at me like that. I know I refused earlier, but..."

"How did you do it!?"

"Huh?"

"The coin! How did you make it disappear?" Emilia asked eagerly.

"Oh… that."

His embarrassed expression turned playful.

"You know what? When we're done here, I'll show you."

"Promise?"

"Pinky promise."

Subaru smiled warmly. For some reason, this was the first time in a very long time that Subaru truly felt relaxed. For the first time in ages, he was actually enjoying himself. Was this real? Was he really just walking through a city, helping a lost child, and chatting with someone who might become a friend? Maybe… after so much suffering… The universe had finally decided to give him a small reward.

A moment of peace.

A moment away from gods, demons, and Hollows.

A moment away from Lordran itself.

****

And so Subaru and Emilia walked through the capital’s market, with Plum between them, holding both of their hands.

"You know?" Subaru began with a hint of amusement. "People who don’t know us might think we’re some kind of happy couple when they see this."

"I don’t think so," Emilia replied. "At best, you look like her older brother."

"What? Do you think I’m younger than you?" Subaru asked in mock desperation.

"Mom!" Plum suddenly shouted happily.

She let go of their hands and ran straight into her mother’s arms.

"It looks like she found her," Subaru said calmly.

"I’m glad," Emilia replied with a warm smile.

Subaru didn’t say anything else. He simply watched the reunion between Plum and her mother. A faint, nostalgic smile appeared on his face. But then it slowly faded. His head lowered slightly. 'Mom… Dad…'

The memories came rushing back. His loving parents. They had given him everything. They had raised him to be a good person.

And what had he given them in return?

A useless parasite.

During his journey through Lordran, Subaru had come to understand many things. His former state had never been anyone else's fault but his own. Why? Because he had been a lazy parasite clinging to his pride. Living in the illusion that the world revolved around him. When someone better appeared, instead of improving himself, he had chosen to stagnate.To hide.To sulk.

In short: He had chosen to be an ungrateful bastard.

"Subaru? Aren't you coming?" Emilia asked when she noticed him standing there like a statue.

"What? Oh… yes. I'm coming," Subaru replied, snapping out of his thoughts.

And with that, he walked away with Emilia.

****

Now they were sitting on a stone ledge, watching the afternoon sun turn everything golden. The water gurgled peacefully behind them, a gentle contrast to the fading hustle and bustle of the market.

"I think we've come quite far," Subaru said, looking toward the fountains. "But what do you think we've gained from it?"

"That's easy," Emilia replied confidently. "Now we can continue our search with peace of mind, right?" Emilia said with happy smile in her face "By the way… why did you help me? You were against the idea earlier."

"I'd be lying if I said I only wanted to show off my trick to impress you both," the knight answered bluntly. "The truth is, your inability to deal with children dragged our search into the evening."

Emilia visibly pouted.

"Do you always have to be so rude, Subaru?"

"No," he replied calmly. "I'm just being honest."

"Your honesty is cruel," Emilia said with displeasure. "But you still decided to help child even it meant to continue searching as soon as possible. That shows that deep down, you're actually a very good boy."

After saying that, she smiled at him gently.

"There it is again," Subaru groaned. "Why do you keep treating me like I'm younger than you?" He turned fully toward her. "First the head pats, now this… I doubt there's that much difference between us."

Emilia's smile slowly faded. She had known this moment would come. She had dreaded it since the beginning of their walk. But now it was inevitable. He deserved to know. To know why the crowd whispered. Why Plum had recoiled. Why Emilia had spent her entire life carrying the feeling of being a monster in a girl's body.

"I don't think guessing will help you," she said quietly, staring down at her knees. The words felt heavy in her throat. "I'm a half-elf."

'Oh… how could I have forgotten that?', Subaru thought, remembering that Emilia wasn't human, but an elf—well, a half-elf.

"Oh. Right," Subaru said bluntly. "How could I have forgotten."

Emilia blinked in surprise.

'He knew?' she thought. 'If he knew… why did he still help me? Why didn't he walk away like everyone else? Why is he being kind to me?'

"W-what do you mean?" meanwhile she asked aloud.

"Well…" Subaru said thoughtfully. "A very beautiful, young, snow-white face, long silver hair, beautiful amethyst-like eyes with blue pupils and most importantly, the obvious elven trait… those beautiful pointed ears."

He said it with slight teasing.

"W-what!?" Emilia cried out in shock, raising her head suddenly.

And for some reason, she blushed again. She looked at Subaru.

He was smiling. It was a small smile. Weak, almost tired but warm. And, to her surprise, completely sincere. There was no fear in his eyes. No disgust. No trace of the hatred she had grown used to seeing in strangers.

And once again, that strange warmth spread through her chest.

"What?" Subaru asked, confused by her expression.

"But… but… I…" Emilia stammered. She still couldn't believe what she had heard. "Didn't hear me? I'm a half-elf!"

"Yes I did," Subaru replied simply. "You already said that."

He said it so casually. As if she had just told him her favorite food. Or her favorite color. As if the most defining, most painful part of her existence was just another interesting detail.

Emilia suddenly stood up, turning away before he could see the heat rising further in her cheeks. Her hands covered her face.

She didn't understand. Her heart was beating too fast. Her eyes stung. Something tight and painful in her chest was beginning to unravel.

Suddenly, Puck flew out of her hair and smacked Subaru in the face.

"Ow?" Subaru blinked in surprise, staring at the small spirit. "Why did you do that?"

Puck floated backward, his tiny paw still raised from the strike. His expression was… complicated. Somewhere between approval and irritation.

"I had to do something about this unbearable tingling feeling inside me."

'Wait what? Don't tell me that you are jealous of me?' Subaru asked instantly, looking at the flying cat.

"Did you hit me because of that? That's the dumbest reason to hit me," the Dark Lord replied bluntly. "But I'll forgive you. The hit was soft."

"D-don't get me wrong!" Puck quickly added. "I didn't do it out of anger or anything. Quite the opposite."

'Yeah, sure. Keep telling yourself that', Subaru thought skeptically.

"Subaru… you… you're a dunderhead!" Emilia suddenly said, still red-faced.

"Nobody says 'dunderhead' these days," Subaru replied, raising an eyebrow. "And why are you insulting me?"

"I think… I think…" Emilia stammered, still embarrassed and slightly angry. "I think we should continue our search."

"Wait! Running around without a plan never ends well. Isn't that the basic rule of searching?" Subaru said instantly.
Then he froze.

'You should have thought of that from the beginning, Subaru' he mentally scolded himself.

"A rule of searching?" Emilia asked, confused.

"Yes. You return to the scene of the crime," Subaru explained. "So... where was your insignia stolen?"

****

Soon after, they found themselves back in the market, specifically near the Appas stand.

"This is where my insignia was stolen," Emilia declared.

'What a coincidence,' Subaru thought. 'Right where I got into a fight with that rude apple seller.'

They approached the stand, and the merchant's expression instantly turned annoyed.

"You again!?" he snapped.

"Eeehh…"

"Don't think I wouldn't recognize your armor after seeing your face, you broke customer!" the salesman grumbled irritably.

"And I'm glad to see you too," Subaru replied sarcastically. "But I didn't come here alone. This lady here wanted to ask you something."

"Hmm… Subaru, it seems you have strange expectations of me," Emilia said quietly. "But I don't have any money either."

"What? That's not what I...!"

"So what did you want to say to me now that I have two broke customers?" the salesman interrupted.

"What? No, we just want to ask you something!" Subaru waved his hands defensively. "We're looking for someone and hoped you might answer a few questions..."

"That was a sarcastic way of telling you I don't have time for losers with no money! Now get outta here!" the seller shouted angrily.

"Listen here, you..." Subaru began irritably.

"Mister!" A familiar childish voice interrupted him.

The trio turned around and saw Plum and her mother waving.

"Hello!"

"What brings you here?" Subaru asked her mother.

"This is my husband's stall," Plum's mother replied politely.

"Husband?"

"Dad!" Plum shouted happily, hugging the seller.

"This is my daughter," the salesman said proudly, smiling. Then he glanced at Subaru. "Wait… you know these bankrupt losers?"

"She got lost earlier," her mother explained. "And they helped her."

The change was immediate. The salesman expression softened. Almost grateful. Almost.

"Here, lady, take this!" Plum said, holding out a red flower.

Emilia looked down at the small gift. It was a simple flower with bright red petals surrounding a deep yellow center.

"She wants to thank you in her own way," her mother said warmly. "Please accept it."

"Thank you," Emilia said softly.

She knelt down and accepted the gift, carefully attaching the hairpin to her dress. The small gesture and the trust in Plum's eyes, so different from the fear she had shown before, made something warm bloom in Emilia's chest.

The salesman cleared his throat.

"Excuse me. You helped my daughter, and I want to thank you. Ask for anything."

Emilia looked at Subaru. Subaru looked at Emilia. And she gave him a mischievous smile. He understood immediately. That smile clearly said: See? Helping this girl was worth it.

"Don't. Just don't," Subaru said quickly, stopping her before she could tell anything ridiculous. Then he turned to the merchant. "Actually, we're looking for a girl who looks like this."

Subaru pulled out the terrible drawing and showed it to him. The seller stared at it for a moment. Then frowned.

"Whoever drew this is a terrible artist."

'Rude,' Subaru thought.

"I don't know much about her," the salesman continued, "But she's well-known in the Slums."

'Bingo.' Subaru and Emilia exchanged a quick glance.

Then looked back at the seller.

"Thank you very much, sir. You've been very helpful!" Emilia said politely, bowing.

Subaru simply nodded.

Moments later, the two of them were already running toward the Slums.