Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

The stench of copper and old wood was the last thing Natsuki Subaru registered before the world went black.

It wasn’t supposed to end like this. He was supposed to be the protagonist. He was supposed to have standard-issue cheat powers, a glowing sword, or at least a map of this godforsaken fantasy city. Instead, he had ended up face-down on the cold floor of a dusty loot house, his guts spilling out like a dropped bowl of spaghetti because of a woman with beautiful eyes and a sickeningly sharp blade.

Then, there was the cold. An absolute, suffocating freezing sensation that clawed at his chest, dragging him down into an abyss where time didn’t seem to exist.

“I love you.”

A voice echoed through the void. It wasn't the voice of the silver-haired girl who had saved him in the alley. It was deeper, more desperate, dripping with a terrifyingly profound devotion that made his soul ache.

“I won’t let them take you. Not again. Never again.”

Gasping for air, Subaru’s eyes snapped open.

He staggered forward, his hands instantly flying to his abdomen. His fingers clawed frantically at his track jacket, tearing at the zipper, desperately searching for the ragged, gaping wound that had just ended his life.

There was nothing. Smooth skin, cheap fabric, and the faint scent of laundry detergent.

"What the... what?" Subaru stammered, his breath coming in short, ragged puffs. He looked around, his heart hammering against his ribs like a trapped bird.

The midday sun blinded him for a split second. The overwhelming, chaotic noise of a bustling medieval marketplace slammed into his ears. Demi-humans with cat ears, massive lizard-folk pulling carts, and humans in vibrant, foreign tunics were walking past him, entirely unbothered by his sudden existential crisis.

"Hey! Kid! Are you buying or just blocking the view? If you ain't got the coin, move along!"

Subaru blinked, turning slowly toward the voice. It was the same green-haired, burly man standing behind a mountain of weird, spiky red fruits. The appa guy.

"I... uh..." Subaru’s voice cracked. His mind was spinning at a million kilometers per hour. “Did I pass out? Was it a dream? No, no way. The pain was too real. The cold was too real. Wait, did a girl with silver hair and a cat spirit pass by here? Just now?"

The vendor sighed heavily, crossing his massive arms over his chest. "Listen, pal, I don't care about silver-haired girls or spirits. I care about customers. You want the appas or not?"

Subaru fumbled in his pockets, his fingers brushing against his plastic convenience store bag, his cellular phone, and a handful of useless Japanese coins. "I don't have any money of this world, but-"

"Then beat it! Shoo!" The man waved him off, clearly irritated by the strange foreigner in the bizarre orange-and-black clothing.

Subaru took a step back, his head throbbing. He needed to think. He needed to figure out if he was losing his mind. If that violent encounter in the loot house had actually happened, then the silver-haired girl, the one who called herself 'Satella', was walking right into a death trap. He had to save her. He had to-

Suddenly, the shadows beneath his feet twisted.

Subaru froze. The sunlight seemed to dim around him, a sudden, unnatural chill dropping the temperature in his immediate vicinity by ten degrees. The darkness stretching out from his own sneakers didn't follow the angle of the sun, instead, it began to pool together, rising from the cobblestones like liquid obsidian.

"What the hell...?" Subaru whispered, taking a panicked step backward.

The pool of darkness surged upward, taking the distinct shape of a slender, human silhouette. The shadows peeled back like a heavy velvet curtain, revealing a young woman standing right beside him.

She wore a gown made of pure, shifting darkness, as if the night sky itself had been tailored into a dress. A delicate black veil obscured the upper half of her face, but through the translucent fabric, Subaru could see the unmistakable gleam of purple eyes. Her long, flowing hair was a striking, midnight silver, shimmering with a faint, ethereal light.

She stood close, so close that Subaru could smell her scent, a suffocatingly sweet mix of wild lilies and cold, crisp winter air.

"Subaru..." she whispered.

The sound of his name on her lips sent a violent shiver straight down his spine. It wasn't a question. It was a declaration of absolute, unyielding possession.

Before he could even think to yell or run, the girl reached out. Her pale, slender hands, completely solid and real, wrapped gently around his right arm, clinging to him as if she were a drowning sailor and he was her only lifeline. Her grip was trembling, but incredibly firm.

"Hey! Whoa, whoa, wait a minute!" Subaru panicked, flailing his free arm as he tried to pull away. "Who are you?! Where did you just come from?! Is this part of my summoning package?!"

He looked around frantically, expecting the crowd of demi-humans and shoppers to scream, point, or call the fantasy guards on the spooky shadow lady who had just spawned out of thin air.

But nobody did.

The crowd kept moving. A large wolf-man walked right past them, completely ignoring the girl in the dress of shadows.

"Hey, mister!" Subaru yelled at a passing merchant. "Do you see this?! Look at my arm! There is a literal goth-girl glued to me right now! Help a guy out!"

The merchant gave Subaru a wide, disgusted berth, muttering something about "crazy vagrants shouting at the air" before hurrying away.

"They cannot see me, Subaru." the girl murmured, her voice a soft, melancholic melody that vibrated directly into his mind. She leaned her head gently against his shoulder, her purple eyes gazing up at him through her veil with a terrifying amount of pure, unadulterated love. "Unless I wish it. But to you... I am real. I am always here. I will never leave your side again."

Subaru stared down at her, his jaw slack, his heart hammering a frantic rhythm against his ribs. He was a stranger in a strange land, completely broke, utterly clueless, and now, he was apparently being haunted by a physically tangible, ridiculously beautiful entity of darkness that knew his name.

"Okay." Subaru swallowed hard, his voice trembling as he tried to maintain a shred of his usual bravado. "Okay, let's establish some ground rules, ghost-girl. First off: who exactly are you, and why do you look like you're about to drag me to the underworld?"

The girl didn't answer right away. Instead, her grip on his arm tightened just a fraction, not enough to hurt, but enough to make it crystal clear that he wasn't going anywhere without her. Through the fabric of his cheap track jacket, her hands felt impossibly soft, yet they carried a strange, underlying chill, like the surface of a frozen lake.

"This place is too loud, my beloved." she murmured, her voice carrying a soft echo that seemed to bypass his ears and speak directly into his mind. "There is too much noise, too much light. We must go somewhere quiet. Somewhere safe."

"Beloved?! Whoa, whoa, slow down! We skipped a whole bunch of steps here!" Subaru yelped, trying to dig the heels of his sneakers into the dirt path. "I haven't even asked for your LINE ID, let alone taken you out to dinner! And for the record, I currently have exactly zero yen to my name, so if you're a really elaborate fantasy-world scammer, you're barking up the wrong, incredibly broke tree!"

Despite his loud protests and frantic backpedaling, she moved with an eerie, gliding grace, pulling him along with a physical strength that made absolutely zero sense for her slender frame. Subaru practically stumbled over his own feet as she guided him away from the bustling main street.

They wove through a maze of narrow streets and stone-paved corners. Subaru kept glancing around, hoping a passing guard or a friendly knight in shining armor might notice the teenage boy being abducted by a walking shadow, but the citizens of the capital just parted around them naturally. To the rest of the world, Natsuki Subaru was simply a weird kid in strange clothes, walking awkwardly by himself and having a very heated argument with thin air.

Suddenly, she stopped. Subaru collided with her back, bouncing off a barrier of cold, solid darkness.

"Ouch! Hey, a little warning next time..." he complained, rubbing his nose. He took a step back and finally took in his surroundings.

The blood drained from his face.

It was an alleyway. A dead-end alleyway, flanked by tall, featureless brick walls and cast in deep, heavy shadows. It was the exact same alleyway where, what felt like a lifetime ago, he had been cornered by three thugs. The same alleyway where a beautiful, silver-haired girl and a floating cat spirit had saved him from getting beaten to a pulp.

"Why... why did you bring me here?" Subaru's voice lost all its humorous bravado, replaced by a tight, trembling edge.

The girl turned to face him. The shadows at her feet seemed to writhe and curl like living vines, sealing off the entrance to the alley behind them. She reached up with elegant, trembling fingers and slowly pulled back the delicate black veil that covered her face.

Subaru’s breath hitched in his throat.

She was breathtakingly beautiful, but in a way that commanded absolute terror. Her pale skin was flawless, her silver hair shimmered like moonlight trapped in the dark, and her purple eyes, so deep and sorrowful, were locked onto him with a desperate, crushing intensity.

"I brought you here because the shadows are thickest here." she spoke softly, stepping closer until there was barely an inch of space between them. She reached out, her cool fingertips gently brushing against his cheek. Subaru was too paralyzed by a mix of fear and sheer awe to pull away. "In the dark, I can hold you. I can protect you."

"Protect me from what?" Subaru managed to choke out, his heart hammering against his ribs. "And seriously, you haven't answered my most important question. Who are you? Are you a spirit? A demon? My personalized tutorial guide for this twisted game?"

Her sad smile deepened, a mixture of profound love and ancient sorrow flashing across her features.

"I am the one who has always watched over you, Subaru." she whispered, the sound vibrating in his chest. "I am the one who will never let you go. My name... is Satella."

For three agonizing seconds, there was absolute silence in the alleyway.

Then, Subaru's brain short-circuited.

"Wait. Hold the phone. Pause." Subaru threw his hands up, making a 'T' sign for a time-out. His eyes went wide with frantic confusion. "You're Satella? You?!"

Satella tilted her head, a flicker of confusion crossing her beautiful face. "Yes, my beloved. I am-"

"But that's impossible!" Subaru interrupted, pacing two steps to the left and clutching his head. "The other girl! The one who saved me from getting mugged in this exact spot! The one with the silver hair, purple eyes, and the floating gray cat! She saved my life, and when I asked her for her name... she told me her name was Satella!"

Subaru spun back around to face the woman in black, gesturing wildly. "Are you telling me 'Satella' is like the 'Jane Doe' of this fantasy world?! Is everyone with silver hair named Satella?! Because I died trying to save her, and the last thing I did was scream that name!"

The moment the words left his mouth, the temperature in the alley plummeted to freezing.

The soft, sorrowful aura surrounding the girl vanished in an instant. The shadows clinging to the brick walls suddenly shot upward, expanding like a massive, suffocating canopy that blotted out the midday sky. The very air grew thick and heavy, pressing down on Subaru’s lungs like lead.

Satella did not yell. She did not scream. But her purple eyes darkened, swirling with an emotion so ancient and terrifying that Subaru’s knees nearly buckled.

"She... used my name?" Satella’s voice dropped to a terrifying, echoing whisper that seemed to come from every direction at once. The shadows behind her began to contort, forming the vague, terrifying shapes of massive, shadow hands. "That half-elf... dared to use the name of the Witch of Envy... to push my Subaru away?"

The oppressive, suffocating darkness that had flared up in the alleyway suddenly shattered like fragile glass.

The massive, terrifying silhouettes of shadowy hands dissolved into mist, and the freezing temperature rapidly returned to normal. Satella gasped, her purple eyes widening as if she had just woken up from a nightmare. She took a frantic step forward, her expression shifting from ancient, terrifying rage to profound, heartbreaking panic.

"No, no, no... forgive me. Please, forgive me, my beloved!" Satella cried out softly. She reached for Subaru, her hands gently but firmly cupping his cheeks. Her palms were cool, soothing the cold sweat that had broken out on his face. "I didn't mean to frighten you. That wasn't... I had to push her back. I am so sorry."

Subaru stood completely frozen, his heart still doing gymnastics in his chest. "Push... push who back? You just went from zero to final-boss-phase in two seconds! The whole alley just turned into a horror movie set!"

"The Witch." Satella whispered, her voice trembling with genuine sorrow. Her thumbs gently stroked his cheekbones, her gaze searching his eyes with desperate affection. "There are two of us within this existence, Subaru. There is me… Satella. I only wish to hold you, to care for you, and to see you smile. But the other... the Witch of Envy. She is a storm of madness and obsession. When you said that half-elf girl used my name... the Witch tried to claw her way to the surface. She cannot bear the thought of another woman taking what is hers. Taking you."

Subaru swallowed hard. His brain, heavily conditioned by years of anime and light novels, was desperately trying to categorize the situation. "Okay. Okay, let me get this straight. You're a shadow-magic user with a split personality. One is a super-affectionate, slightly clingy goth girl, and the other is an overpowered, jealous psycho who wants to destroy the world if someone else looks at me?"

Satella offered a small, melancholic smile. "That is... a strange way to speak, but yes. You understand."

"Right. Awesome. Typical Isekai protagonist luck." Subaru muttered, rubbing his temples. He gently reached up and held Satella's wrists, intending to pull her hands away from his face, but he stopped. Her skin felt too real, too fragile, despite the overwhelming power she had just displayed. He looked back into her purple eyes. "But wait... you completely glossed over the most important part! I told you I died! My stomach was sliced open by some crazy lady with giant knives! It hurt like hell, it was freezing, and then I woke up in front of the appa guy! Did you do that? Is this some kind of respawn mechanic?"

Satella’s expression softened, radiating a maternal, absolute warmth that made Subaru's chest ache in a way he didn't quite understand.

"Yes, Subaru." she murmured, stepping even closer, allowing her forehead to rest gently against his. To anyone walking past the alley, it would look like Subaru was simply leaning forward, talking to an empty brick wall, but to him, her presence was the most real thing in this bizarre new world. "When your life is extinguished, I will pull you back through the shadows. I will rewind the threads of time to a safe moment. I will never let you truly die. You are my soul. I will endure any burden to keep you breathing."

Subaru’s breath hitched. He had literally just arrived in this fantasy world a few hours ago. He had no money, no weapons, no idea how the magic system worked, and he had already been brutally murdered. Yet, here was this incredibly powerful, mysterious entity, offering him the ultimate cheat code: immortality.

"So... I'm basically invincible." Subaru whispered, a small, nervous grin slowly forming on his face. "If I mess up, if I get killed by thugs or crazy assassins... I just reload my save file? And I can tell you about it? We can strategize?"

"You can always tell me, my beloved." Satella said, her eyes shining with unshed tears as she looked at him. "You can cry in my arms. You can scream about the pain, the fear, the coldness of death. I will bear all your suffering. I want to hear it all, because I am the only one who can share this burden with you."

Then, her voice dropped. The gentle warmth remained, but a heavy, dead-serious undertone anchored her words.

"But only me, Subaru."

"Huh?" Subaru blinked, his nervous grin fading.

Satella pulled back just enough to look him dead in the eye. The shadows around her feet stopped their slow, graceful swirling and became perfectly, eerily still.

"You must swear to me." she said, her voice echoing directly into the center of his mind. "You must never, ever try to tell anyone else in this world about your deaths. If you try to speak of our secret to another... I will not be able to hold her back."

Subaru felt a cold bead of sweat roll down his neck. "Hold who back? The Witch?"

"Yes." Satella nodded slowly. "If you try to tell another person that you have died, the Witch of Envy will awaken instantly. She will view it as a betrayal, as you giving a piece of our sacred bond to someone else. She will take absolute control of my form. I do not know what she will do to you, or to the people around you, but she is devoid of mercy. She will crush your heart with fear just to ensure you never look away from her again."

"So..." Subaru’s voice squeaked slightly. He cleared his throat and tried again. "So, let me summarize. I have a respawn point. But my only therapist is you. And if I try to vent my trauma to, say, a friendly knight or a cute silver-haired girl who lied about her name... your evil half will wake up, possess your body, and go full Yandere on me and everyone in a ten-kilometer radius?"

"Yes. Please, Subaru. Promise me you will keep our secret.” Satella replied softly, reaching out to gently trace the collar of his tracksuit.

Subaru looked at the beautiful, sorrowful girl standing before him. He was out of his depth. He was a shut-in who played video games, not a mastermind tactician. But he was alive, and he owed it to her.

"Alright." Subaru sighed, running a hand through his black hair. He gave her thumbs-up. "Natsuki Subaru's lips are sealed! We keep the respawn mechanics between us. No blabbing to the NPCs. It’s a two-player co-op campaign from here on out."

Satella made a smile, a genuine, breathtaking smile that reached her eyes.

"Thank you, my beloved." she whispered, her form slowly beginning to dissolve back into the dark mist. "I will return to your shadow now. Call my name if you are in danger. But remember... we have to save her. Even if she used my name... she was kind to you. And I know you cannot leave her to die."

"Wait, you're cool with me saving the other girl?" Subaru asked, surprised.

"I am Satella." her voice echoed as she faded completely, sinking into the puddle of darkness at his sneakers. "I love what you love, Subaru. Just... do not let her touch you too much."

Subaru stood alone in the alleyway, the midday sun finally breaking through the gloom. He looked down at his shadow, which seemed perfectly normal now.

"Well." Subaru clapped his cheeks with both hands, psyching himself up. "I guess I have a literal shadow-guardian now. Time to go save a fake Satella... with the real Satella riding shotgun."

Subaru took a deep breath, the damp air of the alleyway filling his lungs. He was alive. He wasn't bleeding out on a wooden floor. That fact alone was enough to give him a bizarre burst of confidence.

He looked down at his dark silhouette stretched across the cobblestones. "You know." he started, crossing his arms and striking a thoughtful pose, "if I’m going to be relying on this cheat skill, it needs a proper name. All the best light novel protagonists have a cool, catchy name for their signature moves."

He tapped his chin, pondering for a moment. "How about... Return by Death? It’s straight to the point, a little edgy, and perfectly describes the game mechanics. What do you think, Satella?"

A soft, affectionate hum echoed directly in his mind, soothing and warm. "Return by Death... It is a sorrowful name, my beloved. But if it pleases you, then that is what we shall call it."

"Great! 'Return by Death' it is." Subaru nodded, though his smile quickly turned into a slight grimace. He crouched down, whispering to his shadow like a conspirator. "But hey, speaking of powers... I don't want to sound ungrateful, considering you literally saved my life and all, but couldn't you have given me something a bit more... proactive? Like super strength? Or the ability to shoot beams of light out of my hands? A magic sword? Honestly, dying to trigger a checkpoint really hurts."

The shadow at his feet rippled. For a brief second, Satella's upper half manifested from the darkness, though she remained semi-transparent, like a dark mirage. Her eyes were wide, brimming with a heartbreaking amount of guilt and sorrow.

"I am so sorry, Subaru." she whispered, her voice trembling as she reached out to gently brush her ghostly fingers against his cheek. It felt like a cool breeze. "If I could, I would tear this world apart to give you everything you desire. I would bear all your pain so you would never have to suffer. But from where I am sealed... anchoring your soul to the threads of time to reject your demise was the only power I could grant you."

Subaru instantly felt like a massive jerk. Here was an all-powerful being practically on the verge of tears because she couldn't give him laser vision. "Whoa, hey, don't cry! I was just asking! I'm really grateful, seriously! Immortality is top-tier!"

Satella offered a watery, relieved smile. "You are so kind to me, Subaru. But... you do not have to be completely defenseless. I can feel your mana gate. Your affinity lies in Yin, shadow magic. Just like mine. If you wish... I can help you understand it. I can teach you how to weave the shadows."

Subaru’s eyes lit up. "Wait, really? You can teach me magic?! So I do get standard fantasy abilities!"

"Yes." Satella murmured, her expression softening with deep affection. "I will teach you everything. I will ensure you have the strength to protect yourself."

"That's amazing! You're a lifesaver, Satella. Literally." Subaru grinned widely, but as he looked into her familiar, loving eyes, a lingering question finally forced its way to the front of his mind.

"Actually... hold on a second." Subaru furrowed his brows, taking a step closer to the semi-transparent apparition. "I've been meaning to ask. I literally just got summoned to this world today. I don't know anyone, and nobody knows me. But you keep calling me by my name. And you act like we've known each other forever. Satella... how do you know who I am? Have we met before?"

Satella’s breath caught. She parted her lips, her eyes widening as she prepared to answer the question that seemed to carry the weight of centuries. "Subaru, we-"

"Well, well, well. Look what we have here."

A harsh, grating voice echoed from the entrance of the alleyway, shattering the intimate moment completely.

Satella vanished instantly, melting back into Subaru’s shadow without a single sound. Subaru jumped, spinning around to face the source of the interruption.

Blocking the only exit to the main street were three figures.

Ton, Chin, and Kan. The exact same local thugs who had cornered him in his first loop.

"What's a weirdly dressed guy like you doing mumbling to the dirt in a dead-end alley?" the scrawny one sneered.

The large one cracked his knuckles, a cruel grin spreading across his face. "Doesn't matter what he's muttering about. He looks lost. And if you're lost, you gotta pay the toll to get out. Hand over everything you got, kid."

The sight of the three thugs hit Subaru like a physical blow. A flicker of genuine irritation flared behind his eyes, not just fear, but the sharp annoyance of someone who had already dealt with this exact script.

"Oh, come on." Subaru groaned, his shoulders slumping as he stared at Ton, Chin, and Kan. "Not you guys again! Seriously? Do you have like, a contract or something? I told you, I don't have time for this! I’m on a mission, and I’m already on a strict deadline to save someone's life!"

Gaston, the towering one known as Ton, stepped forward, his face twisting into a sneer. He didn't find the kid's bravado funny. "You’re on a mission? Yeah, well, your mission is about to become 'donating your valuables to us.' Stop running your mouth and empty your pockets, kid. Unless you want us to do it for you, and trust me, we aren't going to be gentle."

Subaru took a defensive stance, his fists clenched. He was terrified, his heart hammering against his ribs, but there was a stubborn set to his jaw. He remembered the feeling of steel against his skin, and he wasn't going to let that happen again.

But as the trio started to close the distance, the temperature in the alley plummeted.

A low, vibrating hum filled the air. Suddenly, three massive, jagged hands made of solidified darkness erupted from Subaru’s shadow, snapping forward with frightening precision. They didn't strike to kill, they moved like whips, pinning Ton, Chin, and Kan against the brick walls with enough force to knock the wind out of them, but not enough to break bone. The thugs let out a chorus of strangled gasps, pinned helplessly against the masonry.

"Subaru is not to be touched." a cold, ethereal voice echoed from the darkness.

Subaru blinked, his jaw practically hitting the floor. He watched in awe as the shadows retracted, leaving the three thugs slumped on the ground, groaning in sheer terror at the invisible force that had swatted them like flies.

"Whoa..." Subaru let out a long, low whistle, his fear instantly replaced by pure, unadulterated fascination. He looked down at his shadow, his eyes sparkling. "Satella! That was incredible! You handled them like they were nothing! Seriously, that was like, top-tier mage-level efficiency. Thanks for having my back!"

He puffed out his chest, trying to regain some dignity. "I mean, don't get me wrong! I totally had this under control. I’ve been hitting the gym back home, you know? I could bench press eighty kilograms! I was just about to show them some classic street-fighting moves, but... well, saving me the trouble is cool too!"

A soft, melodic chuckle resonated in his mind. The shadow at his feet rippled, and for a fleeting moment, he saw her blush, a faint, rosy glow touching her cheeks even through the dark mist.

"You are very strong, Subaru." Satella whispered, her tone brimming with genuine, doting pride. "Thank you for your kind words. Just... please, do not try to fight them alone. Your safety is all that matters to me."

Subaru felt a warm, fuzzy sensation in his chest that had nothing to do with magic. "Yeah, yeah, I’ll try to stay out of trouble. Mostly."

As they stepped over the groaning thugs and continued toward the slums, the atmosphere lightened. Subaru walked with a bit more of a spring in his step, his mind buzzing with a million questions.

"So, Satella." Subaru started, keeping his voice low as they navigated the crowded streets. "We’re heading toward the slums to find that girl... but I’ve got some stuff I need to clear up. First off, this world. It’s insane. Do you know how the whole 'summoning' thing works? Did I just fall through a portal, or did someone pull me here? And..."

He paused, glancing at his shadow. "You said you've always watched over me. Does that mean you’ve been following me around back in Japan? Like, for years? Because that’s a little creepy, even for an eldritch shadow-witch."

As they walked, the shadow at Subaru’s feet seemed to hesitate. Even without seeing her face, he could feel a wave of profound sadness radiating from the darkness.

"The summoning... it is very complicated, Subaru." Satella finally replied. Surprisingly, she didn't sound confused by terms like 'portal' or the concept of his old world. In fact, she seemed to understand his modern vocabulary perfectly, almost as if she were intimately familiar with it. "There are truths about… us, that I cannot share with you just yet. I promise I will explain everything one day. But until then... please. I ask only one thing of you."

Her voice wavered, trembling with a fragile vulnerability. "Please, do not call me a witch."

Subaru stopped dead in his tracks, his face flushing hot with immediate guilt. He practically smacked his own forehead.

"Oh, crap! I am so, so sorry!" Subaru bowed his head, clasping his hands together in a desperate plea for forgiveness. If he weren't in the middle of a public street, he would have dropped into a full dogeza. "That was incredibly insensitive and flat-out rude of me! I was just spouting nonsense to sound cool. Please forgive my big mouth! From now on, it’s strictly just 'Satella', I swear!"

A soft, forgiving warmth washed over him. "There is nothing to forgive, my beloved. Just hearing you say my name... it is enough."

"Right. Satella." Subaru tested the name again, scratching the back of his neck. He started walking again, but a knot of awkwardness twisted in his stomach. "It's just... gonna take a little getting used to, you know? Considering that half-elf girl told me her name was Satella, too. Are you absolutely sure you two don't know each other? I mean, silver hair, purple eyes... you guys look like two drops of water."

"I do not know her." Satella murmured, her tone darkening with a deep, empathetic sorrow. "It must be a cruel coincidence. If she truly looks like me, and walks this world wearing my face... that poor girl. She must have had a very difficult life."

Subaru blinked, genuinely confused. "Difficult? Why? I mean, she looks just as beautiful as you do, so why would that make her life hard?"

The moment the word 'beautiful' left his lips, the temperature around Subaru’s feet dropped a few degrees. The shadow stretched tightly across the cobblestones, and the warm, affectionate aura suddenly gained a sharp, prickly edge. Subaru gulped. It seemed even the sweet, caring side of Satella didn't particularly enjoy hearing him praise another woman's looks.

"...She suffers because of me." Satella answered after a tense pause, forcing the jealousy back down into the dark. "In this world, Subaru, my appearance and my name are not seen as beautiful. They are symbols of absolute terror. Everyone in these lands fears the name 'Satella'. To them, I am the Witch of Envy, a monster from their darkest nightmares."

Subaru’s steps slowed. The gravity in her voice was suffocating. He looked around at the passing townsfolk, imagining them suddenly turning on him if they knew who was hiding in his shadow. He swallowed the lump in his throat and lowered his voice to a whisper.

"Satella... what happened?" he asked carefully, not wanting to trigger another outburst or upset her further. "Why is there so much hatred towards you? You're so kind, so why do they think you're a monster?"

For a long moment, the only sound was the distant chatter of the market and the crunch of dirt beneath Subaru’s sneakers. When Satella finally spoke, her voice sounded small, broken, and incredibly old.

"Four hundred years ago." she began, the weight of centuries pressing down on every word. "For reasons I cannot yet explain to you, I absorbed something terrible. The Authority of Envy. It was more than my soul could bear. It broke my mind in two... and in that moment of weakness, the Witch of Envy was born."

Subaru listened in stunned silence as she confessed her greatest sin.

"The Witch took control of our shared body." Satella whispered, practically weeping into his mind. "She unleashed a calamity upon the world. She swallowed half of the continent in shadows. Millions perished. And the ones who had to stop me... the ones who fought through that darkness to seal me away... were my dearest friends."

She let out a shaky, heartbreaking breath. "I am sealed away, Subaru, paying for the sins of the Witch. That is why the world hates me. And that is why... if that girl looks like me, she has likely been hated and shunned her entire life, simply for bearing the face of the one who destroyed the world."

Subaru walked in silence for a long time, letting the heavy weight of her words sink in. He couldn't even begin to fathom the sheer scale of that tragedy. To be forced to watch your own body destroy the world, and then be locked away in isolation by the very friends who had to stop you... it was a nightmare beyond his wildest imagination.

"Satella... that's incredibly sad." Subaru finally said, his voice unusually soft and devoid of its usual bombastic energy. "I can't even begin to imagine the kind of hell you had to go through. Being trapped alone with that kind of guilt... I'm so sorry."

"Your kindness is more than I deserve, Subaru." she murmured softly in his mind.

Suddenly, Subaru froze in his tracks. His eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as his brain finally caught up to the math of her story.

"Wait a minute!" Subaru yelled, startling a passing merchant. He pointed a trembling finger down at his shadow. "Did you say four hundred years ago?! Are you telling me you're, like, a four-hundred-year-old ancient being?!"

The warm, sorrowful aura instantly vanished, replaced by a distinct, sharp sensation of a woman pouting.

"Please do not treat me like an old grandmother, Subaru." Satella’s voice took on a slightly huffy, defensive tone that made her sound surprisingly normal for an eldritch entity. "I am a Half-Elf. Our kind possesses very long lifespans. To my people, I am still quite young, I will have you know."

"Right, right, fantasy elf biology! My bad, my bad!" Subaru chuckled nervously, waving his hands defensively. But as he started walking again, the puzzle pieces in his head shifted. "But hang on. If you were sealed away centuries ago by your friends... how exactly are you here with me right now? Are you just projecting your voice through a cosmic Wi-Fi connection, or what?"

"It is not my whole self." Satella explained, her tone softening again. "What you see, what resides in your shadow, is but a fragment of my soul. My true physical body, along with the vast majority of my soul, remains sealed away at the Pleiades Watchtower. But when you died the first time... the shock of losing you, combined with my desperate desire to reach you, allowed this small piece of my spirit to pierce through the barrier and anchor itself to you."

Subaru blinked, his footsteps slowing. "Pleiades?" he thought to himself. That name... it was the exact same star cluster he was named after. Was that a coincidence? Could the stars in this world possibly share the same names as the ones back in Japan? He shook his head, physically waving the thought away. “Nope. Brain is full. Lore capacity reached. Save the astronomy mystery for later.”

"Well... whatever the reason, I'm just glad you made it through." Subaru said, looking down at the dark silhouette on the dirt road. He shoved his hands deep into his tracksuit pockets, his posture shrinking slightly as a wave of deep-seated insecurity washed over him.

"But honestly, Satella... I really don't know what you see in me." he muttered, kicking a loose pebble. "You broke through a four-hundred-year-old magical seal just to save me, and you treat me like I'm some kind of hero. But look at me. I'm just a useless guy who doesn't know anything. I'm broke, I'm clueless, and I can't do a single thing right without relying on someone else's help. I just... I don't get why you're so devoted to a loser like me."

The shadow at his feet stopped moving.

Suddenly, the darkness surged upward with incredible speed. It didn't take the terrifying form of shadowy hands this time, but rather condensed violently right in front of him. Before Subaru could even register what was happening, Satella fully stepped out of the shadow, materializing her physical form right in the middle of the street.

"Do not speak of yourself that way." she said, her voice completely stripped of its usual gentle melody. It was firm, commanding, and laced with a fiery, indignant anger on his behalf.

Before Subaru could apologize, she closed the distance between them and threw her arms around his neck, pulling him into a fierce, desperately tight hug.

"You are not useless, Subaru." Satella whispered fiercely into his ear, her soft silver hair brushing against his cheek. Her scent enveloped him completely. "You have no idea how incredible you are. You have no idea how much light you bring to my existence. I love you. I love you more than words can ever express. Please, never call yourself a loser again."

Subaru stood absolutely rigid, his face exploding into a violent shade of red. His heart hammered so hard he was sure she could hear it. He was being hugged by a stunningly beautiful girl in the middle of the street, and despite the surreal absurdity of his situation, her embrace felt incredibly warm and safe.

Slowly, hesitantly, he raised his arms and wrapped them around her waist, returning the hug.

"I... um... thanks, Satella." he stammered, his brain completely short-circuiting.

Lost in their little bubble, neither of them realized they had finally crossed the threshold into the slums. The neatly paved streets had given way to muddy paths and ramshackle wooden huts.

A couple steps away from them, an older man in ragged clothes was leaning against a wooden fence, taking a long, hard swig from a cheap bottle of ale. He lowered the bottle, wiping his mouth with his sleeve, and casually glanced over at the noise.

His bleary eyes focused on the couple standing in the mud. He saw a boy in weird orange clothing. Then, he looked at the girl hugging him. He saw the gown of writhing shadows, the silver hair, the delicate black veil, and the terrifying, unmistakable aura of absolute darkness radiating from her.

The man’s face went paper-white. The bottle slipped from his trembling hands, shattering on the ground. He let out a breathless, squeaky gasp, his eyes rolling back into his skull before he collapsed face-first into the mud, out cold.

Subaru and Satella slowly pulled apart, blinking in surprise at the loud thud.

They looked at the unconscious drunkard snoring in the dirt, then looked back at each other.

Satella covered her mouth with her delicate hands, a soft, melodic giggle escaping her lips. The tension in Subaru's shoulders melted away, and a massive, genuine grin broke out across his face. Within seconds, Subaru burst into laughter, and for the first time in 400 years, the Witch of Envy laughed right along with him.

After leaving the unconscious drunk behind, Subaru and Satella ventured deeper into the heart of the slums. The deeper they went, the worse the conditions became. The muddy paths turned into narrow, foul-smelling alleys, and the rickety wooden buildings looked as though a strong gust of wind could knock them all down.

A few minutes earlier, Subaru had tossed a coin from another world to a shady-looking local in exchange for some information. He had simply described a "tiny blonde girl with a nasty attitude who runs incredibly fast." and the local had pointed him toward a specific, isolated shack near the edge of the district.

Now, standing in front of it, Subaru couldn't help but grimace.

"Man, how can someone actually live in these conditions?" Subaru muttered, stepping inside the cramped, dimly lit space. The ceiling was low, the floorboards were rotting, and the air smelled like dust and damp wood. "This place looks more like a neglected broom closet than an actual house."

The shadow at his feet stretched across the wooden floorboards.

"Are you searching this place for the item that the girl stole from... that woman?" Satella’s voice echoed in his mind. There was a noticeable, cold edge to her tone when she referred to fake Satella, but she kept her jealousy in check.

"Yeah, exactly." Subaru nodded, carefully stepping over a pile of ragged blankets and beginning to poke around some wooden crates. "I figured since she just swiped it, there's a chance she swung by her home base to stash it before going off to fence it somewhere else. It’s worth a shot to check."

"You are incredibly perceptive, my beloved." Satella’s voice softened instantly, practically melting with affection. "To deduce her movements so quickly and think ahead... your mind is truly brilliant."

Subaru paused his rummaging, his face turning a bright shade of red. He reached up and scratched his cheek awkwardly.

"Haha... well, I wouldn't go that far." he chuckled, feeling a warm, fuzzy sensation in his chest. "I'm really not used to getting praised this much in one day. Back in my room, the only thing I deduced was which instant ramen flavor to eat. But, uh, thanks, Satella. It means a lot coming from you."

He turned his attention back to a large, suspicious-looking wooden chest in the corner of the room. He knelt down, reaching out to lift the lid-

"Subaru! Duck! Now!"

Satella’s voice didn't just echo in his mind, it screamed with sheer, unadulterated panic, vibrating so violently in his skull that his body reacted on pure instinct.

Subaru threw himself flat on the rotting floorboards.

SWISH!

A sharp rush of wind kissed the top of his hair. A glinting, wicked-looking short sword cleaved through the empty air exactly where his neck had been a fraction of a second prior. The blade slammed into the wooden wall, embedding itself deep into the timber with a loud thwack.

"Hey!" a fiery, youthful voice barked from the doorway. "What the hell do you think you're doing snooping around in my stash, huh?!"

Subaru scrambled backward like a startled crab, his heart hammering in his throat. Standing in the doorway, blocking the only exit, was the very person he had been looking for. The small, blonde thief with red eyes and a fierce scowl on her face. Felt.

"Are you crazy?!" Subaru yelled, his voice cracking by a full octave as he pointed a trembling finger at the blade stuck in the wall. "Did you just try to kill me?!"

"Of course I did!" Felt yelled right back, resting a hand on her hip and glaring daggers at him. "I walk into my own place and find some weirdly dressed creep rummaging through my things! That makes you a thief, doesn't it?! You're lucky you ducked, or you'd be missing your head right now!"

"You've got some serious nerve calling me a thief!" Subaru shot back, scrambling to his feet and dusting off his tracksuit, trying to reclaim some shred of his dignity. "Especially when you literally just stole a thing from the person I'm trying to help! I'm here to take it back!"

Felt lowered her hand from her hip, her angry glare replaced by sudden suspicion.

"How do you know about that?" she muttered, reaching into her pocket. A beautiful, intricately carved emblem with a dragon design shimmered in her palm. "Wait... are you my client? Did you come to buy this?"

Subaru scratched the back of his neck, offering a nervous smile. "You know, actually, I’d prefer to get it back the easy way. What do you say we just return it to its rightful owner? You help me, I help her, and everyone walks away happy!"

Felt barked a laugh, as if she’d just heard the best joke of her life, and stuffed the insignia back into her pocket.

"You’re dreaming, pal! Not a chance! I’ve got a real good deal lined up for this. This money is my ticket out of this dump, it’s finally going to let me live like a real person. I’m not handing it over for free, so if you want it, you’re going to have to buy it off me." She swept a critical, mocking gaze over him. "But looking at you and those weird rags you’re wearing... I doubt you’ve even got a single copper coin to your name."

"Hey! I have money!" Subaru bristled, patting his pockets frantically. "It’s just... Japanese yen, which means absolutely nothing in this world! It’s not my fault that my 'summoned hero starter pack' didn't come with any local currency or any fantasy-tier gear! I was dropped into this mess completely empty-handed!"

Felt frowned, looking at him like he had lost his mind. "What the hell are you babbling about? 'Hero starter pack'? Are you crazy? You’re definitely touched in the head, you know that? Anyway, whatever. I don’t care who you are or who buys it, all that matters is that the money is right."

Subaru sighed heavily. He knew begging wouldn't work. A desperate idea sparked in his mind. He reached into his tracksuit pocket and pulled out his reliable flip phone.

"If I don’t have your kind of cash, how about a trade?" he asked, snapping the phone open with a satisfying click.

Felt tilted her head, narrowing her eyes. "What’s that piece of junk? Looks like a shiny box."

"It’s something way better!" Subaru announced proudly, holding the phone up to her face. "Smile!"

CLICK! FLASH!

A powerful burst of camera flash illuminated the dingy shack.

"Agh! My eyes!" Felt shrieked, instantly covering her face and stumbling back. "What the hell are you doing, you total psycho?! Trying to blind me?!"

"Relax, relax, it’s just light!" Subaru chuckled to himself, tapping a few buttons. "This device is a Metia. It can capture the most important moments of your life in an image. Look for yourself!"

He turned the phone around and thrust the screen under the nose of the still-blinking, confused thief.

Felt slowly pulled her hands away and peered at the small, glowing screen. Subaru expected a shout of wonder or questions about how it worked. Instead, all the blood drained from the girl's face instantly. Her red eyes widened until they were about to pop, and her lips began to tremble. She turned paler than the wall, and tears of pure, absolute terror welled up in her eyes.

Subaru frowned. "Hey, did it come out that bad? Don't be so dramatic, you just blinked..."

He turned the phone to look at it himself. In the foreground, there was indeed Felt looking startled. But she wasn't the focal point.

Right behind her, emerging from the dark shadows in the corner of the room, stood Satella. Her face was fully unveiled, and she was grinning radiantly at the camera, holding up two fingers in a "peace" sign.

Before Subaru could even react, Felt let out a faint, squeaky noise, and her eyes rolled back into her head. With a heavy thud, she collapsed onto the floor, completely unconscious.

A dead silence filled the shack.

Subaru slowly shifted his gaze from the passed-out girl to the empty corner of the room, from which his companion had now emerged in her full, material form.

"Satella..." Subaru began slowly, staring at her with a mix of disbelief and slight despair. "Why did you do that?"

Satella lowered her hands, her joyful smile dimming. She clasped her fingers together, looking suddenly very embarrassed.

"I... I was very curious how your magical device worked, Subaru." she replied quietly, averting her gaze as her black dress swayed gently. "You said it captures the most important moments of life. I thought... since I am with you, I wanted to be captured in such a beautiful moment, too. I wanted to have a memento with you."

Her tone was so pure and filled with innocent love that Subaru couldn't find it in himself to be angry. He rubbed his face with his hand and let out a long, whistling breath.

"I get it. And I appreciate it, really. The photo actually came out great." he sighed, looking down at the girl splayed out on the floor. "But we’ve got a bit of a problem now. Our only lead just passed out from sheer terror."

Satella’s eyes welled up with guilt. She stepped closer, carefully avoiding the unconscious girl, and gently tugged on Subaru’s tracksuit sleeve.

"I am so sorry, my beloved..." she whispered sadly, her shoulders drooping. "I let my emotions get the better of me again. I truly did not mean to frighten this little girl. I keep forgetting how much people in this world react to my face."

Subaru looked at Felt, then back at Satella. Seeing the girl who had fainted at the mere sight of the smiling Witch, he finally understood what Satella had been telling him earlier. The fear surrounding her wasn't just a legend. It was a deeply ingrained, paralyzing terror that could break a person in an instant.

"Hey, don’t blame yourself." Subaru said softly, placing a hand on her shoulder, which immediately earned him a small, relieved smile. "It happens. But I guess we don't have a choice now. We’ll either have to wait in this dust until she wakes up on her own, or carry her to Rom."

"I don't think that is a good idea, Subaru." Satella said, her eyes flickering with uncertainty. "Let us simply wait for her to wake."

Subaru nodded in agreement, rubbing the back of his neck. "Fair enough. Tell you what, you find somewhere safe and comfortable to lay her down, and I’ll head out to look for some water. A splash to the face should wake her up faster."

Satella looked at the unconscious girl, then back at Subaru with a skeptical tilt of her head. "Are you truly certain that you wish for me to touch her? After what she saw... and what I am?"

"I don't see a problem with it." Subaru replied with a wave of his hand. "Besides, from the little time I've known you, I've figured out you're just a sweet girl who wouldn't hurt a fly." He paused, a mental image of Ton, Chin, and Kan pinned to the wall by shadowy hands flashing through his mind. "Well... scratch that last part. But you get what I mean! You’re not a monster."

Satella offered a small, appreciative smile before gently lifting the small thief into her arms. While she searched for a makeshift bed, Subaru stepped out into the slums, eventually returning with a bucket of water.

When he stepped back inside, he found Felt lying on a ragged, termite-ridden frame that barely qualified as a bed. His heart sank as he took in the poverty surrounding them. The holes in the mattress and the lack of basic furniture painted a grim picture.

"Damn." Subaru whispered, his chest tightening. "No wonder she steals... it’s not just greed, it’s survival." He looked toward Satella, who was standing quietly in the corner. "Hey, Satella, why can't people here just find work? Is it really that impossible to make an honest living?"

Satella lowered her gaze. "I do not know, Subaru. I have not stepped foot in the outside world for four hundred years. I do not know how the society of this era functions."

"Right, sorry." Subaru said, giving himself a mental slap. "I forgot. My bad for asking the impossible."

He paced the room, frowning. "So, what do I tell her when she wakes up? She’s going to be terrified." He noticed Satella’s expression, she looked haunted by the guilt of ruining his plans. He poked her arm gently. "Hey, don't look like that. It's not the end of the world. I'll think of something."

Satella looked at him, her eyes hopeful yet hesitant. "Could you not tell her... that what she saw was merely a malfunction of your device?"

"I thought about that." Subaru admitted, "but if I lie, we won't get a trade. And honestly? I don't feel right stealing this from her when she’s living in a literal dump."

Satella nodded thoughtfully. "Then perhaps we could tell her the 'truth'."

Subaru raised an eyebrow. "The truth?"

"Tell her that she stole an item belonging to the true Witch of Envy, me." Satella suggested, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Tell her I am furious, and that I shall haunt her steps until the item is returned and she offers an apology."

Subaru stared at her, blinking. "That’s... that’s just a lie, and it’s going to make life a living hell for that other 'Satella' if she ever gets blamed for this!"

Satella stiffened, a flash of unmistakable jealousy crossing her face. "Does it bother you so much to hear me suggest causing her trouble? Do you care for her that deeply, Subaru?"

Subaru stumbled over his words, his face flushing. "I... I mean, yeah? She showed me that there are good people in this world. She healed me. I owe her that much."

Satella’s expression shifted instantly. Her eyes locked onto his with an intense, piercing gaze that felt like it was reading his very soul. Subaru felt a jolt of primal fear. “Oh no.” he thought, “she’s losing control. The Witch is coming out to crush my heart.”

But then, Satella shook her head vigorously, a childish 'pout' forming on her lips. "It is not nice to speak so fondly of another woman in my presence." she huffed, crossing her arms.

Subaru let out a long, ragged breath of pure relief. "You scared the hell out of me!"

"Serves you right." she replied, sticking her tongue out playfully.

Neither of them noticed the small, blonde girl watching them from the bed, her eyes wide with bewilderment. As their gazes landed on her, Felt scrambled backward, letting out a panicked scream, "Don't you dare hurt me!"

Subaru lunged forward, clapping a hand over her mouth. "Shhh! Don't scream! I'll explain everything, just stay calm!"

Felt’s eyes were wide, darting between the towering, shadowy presence of Satella and Subaru. Her body trembled like a leaf in a storm, her back pressed hard against the rotting wall of the shack. "What’s there to explain?!" she squeaked, her voice thick with terror. "The Witch of Envy is standing right there! She’s gonna swallow me whole, isn't she? Just kill me and get it over with, just don't make it hurt!"

Subaru sighed, keeping his hand firmly over her mouth. "Felt, listen to me! Relax! She’s not the Witch of Envy you’ve heard stories about. She’s... she’s just..." He trailed off, realizing how insane that sounded.

Satella looked genuinely wounded, her brow furrowing in confusion. "Do they truly teach in history that I eat people? That is a lie. I have never once consumed a human being in my life."

Subaru winced. "Satella, you’re not helping! That makes you sound like a monster who just happens to be on a diet!"

Felt’s eyes welled up with tears. "If you spare me, I swear I’ll give it back! I’ll never steal again! I promise!"

Subaru looked at Satella and nodded. "We have to tell her the truth, or she's going to have a heart attack."

Satella gave a small, solemn nod.

"Look, Felt." Subaru said, moving his hand away from her mouth. "This is Satella. But she isn't the Witch of Envy. Well, not the one that destroyed the world 400 years ago, anyway. There was an incident, a separation of sorts. The one history talks about, that wasn't her. This Satella here? She’s just a sweet, innocent girl."

Satella’s cheeks flushed a deep, vibrant crimson at his words, and she hid her face behind her hands, whispering, "Please, Subaru... say such kind things about me more often."

Felt stared at them, her mouth hanging open. The terror was replaced by pure, bewildered confusion. She looked at Satella, who was currently blushing like a schoolgirl, and then at Subaru. "You’re both insane. This is all completely twisted! I don't understand a single word you're saying!"

Abruptly, she lunged forward and bit down hard on Subaru’s hand.

"Ow! Ow, ow, ow!" Subaru yelped, pulling his hand away and cradling it against his chest. "What the hell? Is that how you show gratitude for us sparing your life?!"

Satella’s aura shifted instantly. The room grew cold, and her eyes narrowed into sharp, hostile slits as she glared at the blonde thief. The shadows in the room began to pulse with a threatening, purple light.

Subaru quickly stepped between them, waving his hands frantically. "Whoa, Satella, chill! She’s just a kid! Plus, you know... she’s not really my type!"

Satella blinked, the killing intent vanishing as quickly as it had arrived. She seemed to deflate, looking satisfied with his reassurance.

Felt, looking deeply unsettled by the sudden display of possessiveness, hurriedly reached into her pocket and shoved the item into Subaru’s chest. "Fine! Just take it! Thank you for not killing me, now take this thing and give it back to whoever it belongs to so you can get out of here!"

Subaru looked at the precious emblem, then at the holes in Felt's mattress. He felt a pang of guilt. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. "Keep it. You can sell this Metia. It’s worth a lot of ‘gold’ in my world, and it should be worth something here."

Felt gasped, grabbing the phone as if it were a holy relic. Her face lit up with genuine joy. "Are you serious? For real?! You’re not just messing with me?"

"I'm serious." Subaru smiled. "Now, why don't we head to Rom’s place? We can settle everything there."

Felt trotted alongside them, her eyes still glued to the flip phone she clutched like a treasure. She suddenly looked up, tilting her head. "Hey, weirdo... how do you even know Old Man Rom?"

Subaru stiffened, his heart skipping a beat. He glanced nervously at his shadow. He couldn't explain how he knew about Rom from his previous 'lives', that was a one-way ticket to the Witch of Envy taking the wheel and turning his heart into pulp.

Satella, sensing his panic from the darkness, spoke up in a voice only he could hear, which he then repeated with a clumsy cough. "Uh... well, we were asking around, right? People mentioned that he’s basically like a grandfather to you, so it seemed like a good place to start."

Felt shrugged, satisfied enough by the answer. A few minutes later, they stood before the imposing, weathered doors of the Loot House.

Subaru looked down at his feet. "Hey, Satella? Maybe you should... slip into the shadows for a bit? I don't want a repeat of the 'Felt-fainting-incident' inside."

"As you wish, my beloved." she whispered. With a ripple of darkness, she dissolved into his shadow.

Felt stopped dead in her tracks, her jaw dropping. She pointed a trembling finger at the floor. "Where... where did she go?! One second she’s there, the next she’s just... gone! How is that possible?!"

Subaru gave her a lopsided, awkward grin. "Uh, magic? You know, the mystical, mysterious 'don't-ask-questions' kind of magic. Let’s go, shall we?"

Inside, the dim light of the Loot House revealed the massive, hulking figure of Rom. After some intense negotiation, Rom peered at the flip phone through a jeweler's loupe, his eyes widening. "This craftsmanship... the materials... I’ve never seen a Metia like this. I’d say this is easily worth twenty dragon coins."

Felt’s eyes turned into sparkling gold coins. She looked at Subaru, beaming. "Twenty?! Are you serious?! You’re giving me this just like that? You’re the best!" She paused, looking embarrassed. "Wait... I don't even know your name. I'm Felt!"

Subaru straightened his back, struck his signature pose, and flashed a confident grin. "Natsuki Subaru! Remember it well, for I am the man who, well, for now, just the guy who’s happy to help!"

"Twenty dragon coins." Rom rumbled, his voice deep and gravelly, "is enough to buy a comfortable house in the heart of the capital."

Felt, overcome with emotion, surged forward and gave Subaru a tight, grateful hug. "I'm so sorry for trying to stab you earlier! I was a total jerk!"

Rom leaned over, his massive brow furrowed. "What exactly happened back there?"

Subaru and Felt exchanged a quick, meaningful glance. Neither spoke a word. The secret of the girl who vanished into a shadow, and the girl who fainted at a photograph, was staying between them.

Suddenly, the peaceful atmosphere was shattered.

BOOM!

The heavy wooden door didn't just open; it exploded inward, showering the room in splinters. As the smoke and dust began to clear, the silhouette of a tall, silver-haired girl stood in the threshold, her expression cold and guarded. Hovering beside her was a small, gray cat spirit. Several razor-sharp icicles hung in the air behind them, humming with lethal mana.

Subaru’s breath hitched. It was her, the silver-haired girl who had saved him in the first loop. The one who had called herself Satella.

Standing in the doorway, she looked exactly as he remembered: ethereal, stunning, and utterly dangerous in the current context. Her eyes scanned the room, landing finally on Felt.

"Little thief." the silver-haired girl spoke, her voice calm but carrying an unmistakable authority. "I have no desire to bring harm to you. Please, just return what was stolen from me, and we can put this entire unpleasantness behind us."

Subaru stepped forward, raising his hands in a 'calm down' gesture. "Wait! It’s okay, everything is under control! You don't have to threaten anyone. We actually already worked out a deal. I managed to get your item back, and I was just about to hand it over to you anyway."

The girl blinked, her icy expression softening into one of genuine confusion. She tilted her head, her long silver hair cascading over her shoulder. "You... have it? But I do not know you. Why would a stranger go to such lengths to recover my property for me?"

Puck, the floating gray cat, drifted closer, his tiny nose twitching as he sniffed the air around Subaru. "Hmm, no deceit here, Lia. He smells like he’s actually telling the truth. There’s not a hint of malice in his heart, only a stubborn, overwhelming desire to be helpful."

Subaru offered a sheepish grin. "See? I’m just a guy who likes helping out! No strings attached, I promise."

But as he reached into his pocket to retrieve the item, something shifted in the air. A cold, heavy pressure settled over the Loot House, making the hair on the back of Subaru's neck stand up.

His instincts, went into overdrive.

"Puck, look out!" Subaru shrieked, his voice raw with terror. "Shield her! Now!"

Puck didn't hesitate. Even though the spirit was just as surprised as everyone else, he moved with the speed of a gust of wind.

A shimmering, wall of ice slammed into existence just inches in front of the silver-haired girl.

CLANG!

The sound of metal striking magic rang out like a bell. A woman dressed in black, her eyes gleaming with a sickening, predatory excitement, had descended from the rafters. Elsa Granhiert had missed her killing blow by a hair's breadth, her curved knife scraping uselessly against Puck’s ice barrier.

She landed gracefully, a beautiful, terrifying smile etched onto her face.

"Oh my." Elsa purred, her gaze flickering from the barrier to Subaru. "How very observant of you, little boy. It’s such a shame... I was looking forward to seeing that beautiful color of blood spill across the floor."

The air in the Loot House crackled with lethal magic. Elsa moved like a phantom, her curved blade tracing arcs of silver through the dim light, but Fake Satella was not the naive girl Subaru had met in the first loop. She fought with a desperate grace, her eyes narrowed in focus as she summoned crystalline shards of ice to deflect the Assassin’s onslaught.

"Puck, now!" Fake Satella commanded.

The spirit turned into a blur of grey fur, manifesting a barrage of ice needles that forced Elsa to retreat. For a few frantic seconds, they were winning. Fake Satella’s mana control was impeccable, trapping the Assassin in a corner, while Puck’s agile movements kept Elsa off balance. The 'Bowel Hunter' actually looked frustrated, her constant smile flickering as she wiped a shallow, glowing cut on her cheek.

"You’re quite skilled, little half-elf." Elsa hissed, her voice dripping with a sickening, playful cruelty. "But stamina is the flaw of all pretty things."

As the fight dragged on, the tide shifted. Fake Satella’s breathing grew ragged, maintaining that level of defensive magic was draining her reserves rapidly. Elsa noticed the subtle dip in her speed. With a predatory cackle, the Assassin accelerated, becoming a whirlwind of steel. She feinted left, forcing Fake Satella to overextend, then twisted mid-air, her blade flashing toward Fake Satella’s throat.

She scrambled back, but her foot caught on a stray wooden stool. She fell hard. Elsa pounced, her curved blade raised high for the killing stroke.

"Lia!" Puck screamed, his barrier flickering as he tried to rush to her aid, but he was too far.

Subaru watched, his heart hammering against his ribs. He couldn't move. He couldn't breathe. “She’s going to die. Not again. Not in front of me.”

He slammed his mental connection to his shadow shut, his voice a frantic, desperate scream in the void, "Satella! Please! Save her! I can’t watch her die again! I will do ANYTHING."

The room went cold, absolute, graveyard-chill cold. A voice drifted into his mind, smooth as silk and dripping with a sharp, pointed jealousy:

"You would beg for her, Subaru? You offer your soul to save the one who wears my face? You are cruel to me, my beloved... but very well."

The voice grew dark, possessive, and terrifyingly cold. "I will save her. I will tear this creature apart for you. But remember your promise... you belong to me, and only me. And for this 'reward' of yours... I shall claim a very special tribute later."

Subaru barely processed the warning. He only saw the blade descending.

"DO IT!" Subaru roared.

Without a sound, the floorboards beneath Elsa’s feet erupted. Pitch-black, viscous tendrils of shadow, shot up like jagged obsidian spears. They didn't strike the walls or the floor,  they moved with a homing instinct, twisting through the air with lethal precision.

Elsa’s eyes went wide, her predatory grin freezing in place. Before she could dodge, the shadows pierced her chest, her stomach, and her throat simultaneously. The force of the strike lifted her off the ground, pinning her against the ceiling like a ragdoll.

Blood sprayed, dark and hot, coating the wooden beams. Elsa twitched once, her eyes glazing over as the shadows retracted, letting her body slump to the floor in a broken heap.

The Loot House fell into a suffocating, deathly silence.

Puck hovered in the air, his fur standing on end, his eyes locked not on the body of the assassin, but on the faint, swirling mist of darkness receding into Subaru’s shadow. Fake Satella sat on the floor, trembling, her gaze fixed on the spot where the shadows had erupted, her face pale as a sheet.

Felt, shaken but driven by a sudden surge of concern, bolted toward Subaru. "Hey! Are you okay? Did that freak touc h you?"

Old Man Rom stepped out from behind his counter, his massive frame looming over the scene. He looked down at the blood-spattered floor, then at the boy. "Well, I’ll be... the kid just took out the 'Bowel Hunter' without breaking a sweat. Never seen anything like it."

But Puck didn't share the old man’s awe. The air in the Loot House grew heavy, freezing the very breath in Subaru’s lungs. With a sharp flick of his tail, two massive icicles, each the size of a spear, materialized out of thin air, hovering directly at Subaru’s throat.

"You have five seconds." Puck’s voice was devoid of its usual playfulness, icy and sharp. "Tell me exactly who you are, or I turn you into a human pincushion."

Subaru froze, his heart hammering against his ribs. He felt the familiar, chilling pulse of power from his shadow, Satella was preparing to strike. He could feel her intent, she was ready to tear the spirit apart to protect him. If she lashed out now, there would be no going back.

“No, Satella, wait!” he screamed inwardly.

Just as the darkness began to coil for a lethal strike, the silver-haired girl scrambled to her feet and darted between them. She stood defiantly in front of Subaru, holding her hands out to shield him from Puck’s ice spears.

"Puck, stop! Don't do it!" she commanded.

"Move, Lia!" Puck snapped, his expression darkening. "The power he just used... it’s dangerous. He’s a threat!"

"He’s not!" she insisted, her voice steady despite the fear in her eyes. "If he were a threat, he wouldn't have saved my life. He’s a savior, not an enemy. Please, Puck, stand down!"

Puck looked at her, then back at Subaru, his narrowed eyes glowing with a dangerous light. "You have incredible luck, boy. My mana is spent and I have to return to my vessel because of my contract." He drifted closer to Subaru, his voice a low, warning growl. "If you ever bring harm to my daughter, I promise you, your final moments will be the worst you have ever experienced."

With a final, stern glare, Puck vanished into a shimmer of light.

Subaru let out a breath he felt he’d been holding for a lifetime, his knees knocking together. "Man... I think I just had three heart attacks in a row."

The silver-haired girl turned to face him, her expression shifting from firm protection to gentle, heartfelt gratitude. "I am so sorry for everything that just happened. You saved my life, and this is how you are treated... I truly owe you a debt."

Subaru wiped the nervous sweat from his forehead. A sudden, mischievous spark returned to his eyes. He stood up, straightened his orange tracksuit, and struck his iconic pose.

"A debt, huh? Well, you're in luck! As the guy who just saved your life, I happen to think I'm entitled to a reward."

She tilted her head, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "A reward? I’m afraid I don’t have any money on me, though."

"Who said anything about money?" Subaru chuckled, lowering his hand and looking her directly in the eyes. "Just tell me your name. That’s all I want."

She paused, looking at him with a mix of surprise and genuine warmth. For a long moment, the Loot House went quiet, the tension of the battle finally fading away. She softened, her purple eyes gleaming as a small, elegant smile graced her face.

"My name is... Emilia. Just Emilia."

"Emilia." Subaru repeated, rolling the name around in his mouth. He flashed her a soft, genuine smile. "That’s a beautiful name. It really suits you."

Before Emilia could respond, Subaru let out a sharp, undignified yelp, his hands flying behind him to clutch his backside.

"Ow! What the-!" he hissed, his face contorting in sudden, stinging pain as if a thousand tiny needles had just pricked his skin.

Inside his mind, a cold, possessive giggle echoed, the unmistakable sound of a jealous lover.

"That was just a small reminder, my beloved." Satella’s voice purred, dripping with sharp, dark honey. "Complimenting another girl’s name while I am right here... you are playing a dangerous game. And do not forget our deal. Once we are alone, I intend to collect my reward. I expect your full attention, and nothing less."

Subaru broke into a cold sweat, his face paling as he realized he was going to be in for a very long night. He forced a stiff, unnatural smile, trying to act like he hadn't just been assaulted by his own shadow.

Meanwhile, Felt stepped forward, looking down at her boots in genuine shame. She walked over to Emilia, her usual prickly attitude completely replaced by humbleness.

"Hey... sorry." Felt mumbled. "I shouldn't have stolen this from you. It was a low move, and I'm sorry."

Emilia looked at the thief. A kind, forgiving smile spread across her face. "It is alright. I am just glad it is safe. But please, promise me you won't steal from anyone else again."

Felt nodded vigorously, clutching the phone Subaru had given her. "I won't. I gave my word to Subaru, and thanks to him... I've got enough now to finally get out of this place for good. I'm actually gonna have a real future, I think."

Subaru leaned against the counter, trying to stop his leg from shaking while simultaneously ignoring the 'shadowy' sensation still prickling at his skin. He watched the two of them interact, feeling a strange sense of accomplishment, but the creeping dread of Satella’s upcoming 'reward' made it hard to truly relax.

He glanced down at his shadow, which seemed to be darker and more menacing than usual.

“I'm definitely not making it out of this night unscathed, am I?” he thought to himself, sighing as he prepared for whatever Satella had planned for him once they were alone.

The interior of the Loot House was bathed in the warm, flickering glow of candlelight. The terrifying clash with the assassin had faded into a surreal sense of relief. Rom was hunched over his counter, peering intently at the strange, sleek device Subaru had handed over, his massive fingers tracing the glass.

Subaru stood on the periphery, trying to smile, but his focus was fracturing. The air around him suddenly felt heavy, charged with an static, suffocating pressure. Deep within his mind, a voice that was usually sweet and melodic curdled into something glacial and demanding.

"Subaru... My beloved... I have been patient while you played the hero for others. But I will not allow you to spend another second gazing upon that fake girl with such admiration. It is time. Leave this place. Find a place where we can be alone."

A sudden, sharp pain flared in his chest, a crushing, physical agony as if an invisible, iron-clad hand were squeezing his heart until it nearly burst. Subaru gasped, his knees buckling slightly.

"Subaru? Are you alright?" Emilia turned to him, her eyes wide with genuine, soft-hearted concern.

Her touch, though distant, sent a jolt of pure, jealous rage through his shadow. Subaru felt his own skin prickle with cold, malevolent energy. He quickly clutched his stomach, grimacing to mask the terror on his face.

"I-I'm fine!" he choked out, forcing a strained laugh. "Just... something I ate earlier, maybe? I need to step out for a moment. Get some air. Just... stay here. I’ll be back in a flash."

Before Emilia could protest, he turned and practically bolted for the exit. The night air of the slums was chilly, but he didn't stop until he was deep within the labyrinth of the alleys, far from the light of the Loot House.

He turned into a narrow, squalid dead-end where the moonlight was swallowed by thick, encroaching darkness. Suddenly, the world seemed to freeze. The ambient sounds of the city vanished, replaced by a deafening hum of mana.

Liquefied shadow began to seep from his own silhouette, pooling at his feet like hot, black tar before rising to form a towering, humanoid shape. Satella materialized instantly, her presence violent and absolute. With a speed that defied physics, she pinned him against the cold, damp brick wall, her arms effectively caging him in.

The girl who had been blushing and pouting hours ago was gone. In her place stood an entity of terrifying authority. Her eyes glowed with a pulsating, hypnotic purple light, and her aura made the very oxygen in the alley feel thin and poisonous.

She leaned in close, her breath smelling of lilies and a biting, unnatural cold, tickling against his skin. She placed a hand against the wall right next to his head, her eyes burning into his.

"You promised, Subaru." she whispered, her voice layered with an ancient, possessive authority. "You promised that when the opportunity arose, you would give yourself to me. Have I not been patient? Have I not done everything you asked of me? I have protected you, I have healed you, I have held back the darkness so you could play your games..."

She tilted her head, a dark, dangerous smile touching her lips. "Now... you must pay your debt."

"S-Satella... wait." Subaru stammered, his voice cracking. He tried to pull away, but the shadows coiling around his wrists were like bands of tempered steel. "This... this isn't what I meant by a reward! Please, stop! You're scaring me!"

She didn't let up. She leaned in closer, her forehead resting against his, her presence feeling less like a person and more like a crushing weight of history and sorrow.

"Scaring you?" she whispered, her voice layered with a strange, dissonant echo. "But I am merely collecting what is mine, my beloved. You promised. Do you wish to break a promise to me, too?"

"No! No, I don't!" Subaru gasped, his eyes wide with genuine terror. He could feel the darkness bleeding from her, beginning to trace patterns onto his skin, marking him. It felt like his very sense of self was being overwritten. "I promised, but please, not like this! You're losing it! You’re not yourself!"

"I am everything." she hissed, her grip tightening until Subaru winced. "I am the jealousy that binds, the love that consumes, the-"

Suddenly, she shuddered violently.

The oppressive purple light in her eyes flickered and dimmed, replaced by a momentary flash of frantic, genuine panic. The shadowy tendrils pinning Subaru against the wall retracted instantly, as if they had burned her. Satella stumbled back, clutching her head, her breathing coming in jagged, desperate gasps.

"Subaru..." she choked out, her voice dropping back to its vulnerable, trembling tone. Her hands shook as she grabbed his shoulders, searching his face with wide, fearful eyes. "I... I am so sorry. She... the Witch... she is pushing. She is trying to break through my hold, trying to take the wheel."

She looked down at her own hands, which were trembling uncontrollably. "I lost control for a moment. I could feel her... she wanted to claim you, to make sure you could never look at another soul again. Please, you must believe me, I do not want to hurt you. But I am failing to keep her quiet."

Subaru slid down the wall, his legs giving out beneath him. The terror of the last few minutes hadn't fully faded, and his heart was still racing. He looked up at her, seeing the genuine, tearful guilt in her expression.

"You almost... you almost became her." Subaru whispered, his voice trembling. "Satella, if she takes over... what happens to me?"

Satella knelt before him, reaching out to touch his cheek, her fingers ice-cold but gentle. "If she takes over, the love I have for you will be twisted into something that leaves nothing of you behind. You must be careful, Subaru. Every time I use my power... every time I try to protect you... I open a door for her."

She looked toward the Loot House, then back at him, her expression hardening with a grim resolve. "We must leave this city. We must find a way to bind her, or you will not survive my 'affection' much longer."

Subaru’s heart was still hammering against his ribs like a trapped bird when the silence of the alleyway was broken. A soft, rhythmic sound of footsteps echoed against the stone, accompanied by a silhouette appearing at the entrance of the alley.

It was Emilia. The silver-haired girl stood there, bathed in the faint moonlight, her expression etched with worry. She peered into the gloom, her eyes searching the shadows. "Subaru? I noticed you left in quite a hurry, and when you didn't return, I grew concerned. Is everything alright? I thought I heard voices..."

Subaru’s breath hitched. He frantically looked down at his own feet, but the dark patch of shadow remained still and silent, Satella had vanished into the void of his own presence.

"I... uh!" Subaru stammered, his mind racing to construct a lie. He forced a sheepish, slightly manic grin. "Voices? Ah, no! Just me. I was just... talking to myself. You know how it is! Sometimes when I feel a bit off, I just need to vent out loud to get my thoughts in order. It’s a bad habit, I know! Just a bit of 'Subaru-time'."

Emilia blinked, her head tilting slightly to the side in a gesture of pure bewilderment. "Talking to yourself? That is... certainly a very strange habit, Subaru. Are you sure you are feeling well? You look quite pale."

"Never better! Seriously, it was just the nerves from the fight, you know?" He waved his hands dismissively. "But hey, forget about that! Seeing you here is a reward in itself. Just knowing your name... that’s enough to make my day. I don’t need anything else."

Emilia’s expression softened, and she let out a small, melodic laugh that seemed to cut through the oppressive tension of the alley. "You are truly a peculiar person. However, Felt told me everything. You saved me, and you saved my insignia. I cannot simply accept that without giving you a proper reward. I may not have any money on me at this moment, but I know someone who will be more than happy to compensate you properly for your bravery."

Subaru scratched the back of his head, feeling a surge of genuine confusion. "Wait, your... 'insignia'? Is that what that little emblem thingy was? I mean, I helped because I wanted to, but I'll be honest, I have no idea what that thing actually is or what it’s even for. I just saw a girl in trouble and jumped in."

Emilia’s eyes widened, and she let out a sharp, incredulous huff, placing her hands on her hips. "You jumped into a fight with a legendary assassin, and recovered a royal item without even knowing what it was? You really are a complete and total dunderhead, aren't you?"

Subaru recoiled as if she’d slapped him. "Hey! 'Dunderhead'? Seriously? Who even uses that word anymore? That’s like, a classic insult from a hundred years ago! You're making me feel like an antique!"

"It is a perfectly descriptive word for someone who acts as recklessly as you." she teased, her eyes sparkling. But then, her expression turned pensive. "Regardless, it is getting very late, and the capital can be dangerous at night. Do you have a place to stay, Subaru? A place to rest for the night?"

Subaru slumped, his shoulders dropping. "Well... about that. I’m actually brand new to this city. I don’t have a room, a place to sleep, or even a map. I was kind of just... wandering."

"I see." Emilia replied instantly. "Then it is settled. I cannot leave my savior to sleep on the cold streets. My sponsor has a residence just outside the city, you are more than welcome to stay there until you are back on your feet."

Subaru’s jaw dropped. "Wait, wait, wait! You live in a residence? And you have your own sponsor? Are you like, royalty or something? What kind of high-class life are you leading, Emilia?!"

"I will explain everything once we are safely away from here." she promised with a patient smile.

Before she could elaborate, the rhythmic clatter of carriage wheels echoed through the street, growing louder until a luxurious, dragon-drawn carriage pulled to a halt at the alley entrance. A woman with pink hair and a sharp, cynical expression was sitting with reins in her hands.

She looked at Emilia, then flicked her gaze toward the alleyway, her eyes landing on the disheveled, sweat-stained, and frantic-looking Subaru. Her lip curled in immediate, undisguised disdain.

"Emilia-sama." the pink-haired woman said, her voice like a sharp blade. "I have been searching for you. And tell me... what is this? Why are you lingering in a dirty alleyway with such a disheveled, filthy street dog?"

The carriage rattled rhythmically along the paved tracks of the capital, distancing itself from the foul-smelling slums toward the calmer outskirts. Inside, the atmosphere was thick enough to suffocate. Subaru sat on the leather bench, feeling like an intruder in a world he didn't belong to. Across from him, Emilia stared out the window, trying to maintain her composure despite her hands trembling slightly on her dress.

Ram, who was driving the carriage from the driver’s seat, had left the small window connecting the exterior to the interior open. Her voice pierced the cabin like an icy gust of wind, denying Subaru a moment of respite.

"Subaru-sama, is that the name you spout with such ease?" Ram’s voice was saturated with a mockery that dripped from every syllable. "I must admit, I haven't seen such a pathetic spectacle in a long time. You look like a character pulled from a jester's worst nightmare. Those clothes of yours... what is that hideous material? You look as though you escaped from a circus that burned down halfway to its destination."

Subaru clenched his fists on his knees, feeling a familiar, frigid aura beginning to roil in the shadows beneath his feet. Satella was furious, and the phantom sensation of her rage in the air made his skin crawl.

"Ram, stop!" Emilia interrupted, a tone of genuine authority entering her voice for the first time. "That is not how one should treat a guest. Subaru saved my life. If not for him, I wouldn't be here now to ask you to change your tone. I owe him a massive debt of gratitude."

Ram let out a quiet laugh, a sound as dry and unpleasant as rustling dead leaves.

"Emilia-sama’s debt of gratitude is her own affair. My concern is the security of this estate. Look at him, Emilia. Those eyes of his... filled with some unnatural, desperate glow. He looks like a man devoid of a shred of dignity. And that hair... has he ever seen a comb, or is this the natural result of pure neglect? He is as dark and dismal as the place you dragged him from."

"Ram!" Emilia raised her voice, a flash of anger igniting in her eyes. "Please, show him the respect he deserves. I will not tolerate such treatment toward a person who risked his own life for mine."

Subaru remained silent, feeling every insult Ram hurled push Satella closer to losing her grip. He could feel the shadows around him pulsing with the rhythm of his racing heart. “Calm down.” he thought intensely, trying to draw the Witch's attention away from the pink-haired maid.

The journey dragged on, and Ram showed no signs of letting up. She ridiculed every detail of Subaru's appearance, every gesture, as if trying to break him with words alone. When the carriage finally pulled to a stop before the majestic mansion, Subaru felt an almost physical relief that it was over.

They disembarked. The mansion was gargantuan, surrounded by a garden that looked almost fairy-tale-like under the moonlight. Standing before the main entrance was a second girl, a mirror image of Ram, with blue hair and the same maid’s attire. Rem.

As soon as Subaru set foot on the gravel, Rem, who had been standing tall and welcoming, suddenly froze. Her face twisted into a mask of pure, visceral disgust. She felt it. Something that, to her as an oni, was like a physical blow to the head. A scent. Miasma. The thick, terrifying stench of the Witch of Envy herself, leaking from Subaru like blood from an open wound.

"Ugh..." Rem swayed, clutching her throat. A muffled sound escaped her lips, and then, to everyone’s horror, she began to retch, falling to her knees. Her body trembled until, unable to withstand the pressure of an aura that was lethal to her senses, she collapsed, unconscious, onto the ground.

"Rem!" Ram let out a scream that pierced the silence of the night. In the blink of an eye, she vanished from the carriage entrance and was at her sister’s side. Her face, previously mocking, was now a mask of pure panic and fury.

Ram lifted her head, fixing her gaze on Subaru. This time, there was no mockery. There was only pure, cold, murderous intent. Her eyes, once full of haughty superiority, now burned with a dangerous pink glow as mana began to ripple around her.

"What did you do?" she hissed through gritted teeth, each word sounding like a death sentence.

Subaru stood rooted to the spot, feeling his own shadow warp in an inhuman way, preparing to strike. Satella had no intention of letting anyone threaten Subaru, even if it were a maid.

"I... I didn't do anything!" Subaru shouted, stepping back as the shadows around his feet began to lengthen, creeping dangerously close to Ram’s boots.

"Lies!" Ram spat, the tip of her wand glowing with a fierce, gathering wind. "Rem is the most resilient soul in this house. She does not collapse from 'illness' simply because a stray dog stands in the garden. You brought this, whatever this is, and you will answer for it."

Emilia stood firm, her hands glowing with her own protective ice magic, shielding Subaru from the immediate trajectory of Ram’s wand. "Ram, enough! You are acting out of blind panic! We need to bring Rem inside, not murder our guest in the moonlight!"

"A guest who brings pestilence is not a guest, Emilia-sama." Ram retorted, her posture shifting into a lethal combat stance. "He is a target."

Subaru’s vision blurred at the edges. Inside his mind, the dark, seductive voice of the Witch began to surge, drowning out his own thoughts. 'She wants to harm you, my beloved.' Satella purred, her presence now an absolute, suffocating weight. 'Shall I snap her neck?'

"No!" Subaru screamed, though he wasn't sure if he was talking to Ram or the entity in his blood.

"Subaru, stay behind me!" Emilia commanded, her eyes fixed on Ram.

"Emilia-sama, move aside." Ram commanded, her voice devoid of its usual service. She stood with her feet planted, wand gripped tightly, the air around its tip beginning to whine with the pressure of a gathering wind. 

Ram’s patience snapped. She began to channel a vortex of air directly at him. "I told you to move, Emilia-sama!"

But before the wind could be unleashed, a sharp, resounding CLAP echoed through the courtyard, a sound so thunderous and sudden that it shattered the tension like glass.

The swirling wind around Ram’s wand died instantly.

From the shadows of the mansion’s entrance, a tall, slender figure emerged with an unsettling, fluid grace..

"My, my, my." the man drawled, his voice a melodic, distorted sing-song that grated against the nerves. He clapped his hands together once more, a wide, exaggerated smile painted onto his features. "Is there a problem here, my dears? A celebration of sorts, perhaps?"

Ram’s posture stiffened instantly. She lowered her wand, though her knuckles remained white with tension. She bowed low, her voice strained. "Roswaal-sama. My sincerest apologies for the disturbance. Our new guest... he has proven to be a source of significant trouble. My sister has been struck down by a sudden, inexplicable illness because of him."

Subaru stared at the newcomer, feeling a deep, instinctual sense of unease. This was the sponsor Emilia had spoken of. The man turned his head, his gaze shifting to Subaru with an unsettling, predatory curiosity. He didn't look angry, he looked amused, as if he were watching a play he had written himself.

"Oh? A source of trouble?" Roswaal tilted his head. He offered a light, dismissive wave of his hand. "Ram, you really must be more forgiving. I am sure our guest has done nothing of the sort. Rem has simply been working far too hard of late, perhaps the poor girl was merely overcome by exhaustion."

Behind him, Ram froze. Her eyes went wide, and her jaw dropped just a fraction, an expression of utter, shell-shocked disbelief that she quickly tried to mask. She looked at her master, then back at Subaru, her confusion evident. She knew full well that Rem hadn't just 'fainted'.

Roswaal ignored her shock entirely. He stepped closer, his smile widening until it felt almost painful to watch. He bowed deeply, with a theatrical flourish, toward Subaru.

"I must apologize for the lack of hospitality you’ve received upon arrival. It is inexcusable for my staff to treat a guest of Emilia-sama with such... unrefined vigor."

He straightened up, his eyes locking onto Subaru’s with a terrifying, piercing intensity that seemed to see right through the shadow hiding in the back of his mind.

"Please, do come inside. I would be absolutely delighted to host you."