Chapter Text
This sudden transition comes without warning or any phenomenon I recognize. There's no distortion of space, no spell formation, nothing within my senses suggesting an approaching displacement before the world around me changes completely.
A cool breeze catches against my armor as voices, footsteps, and the movement of a crowded city replace everything that occupied my attention a moment earlier.
I remain where I've appeared, taking in enough of my surroundings to establish the obvious...
This broad plaza is enclosed by multistory stone and timber buildings unlike those of any modern city I remember. Merchants conduct business beneath cloth awnings while carts move steadily through the wider streets pulled by large reptilian creatures rather than horses.
Humans make up much of the crowd though animal ears, tails, feathers, and other nonhuman traits appear often enough that nobody around them seems particularly interested.
Nothing's familiar though...
My connection to the Gate of Babylon remains exactly where it should be, my treasury answers the moment I test it. Whatever brought me here neither deprived me of my possessions nor interfered with my abilities, which removes the only concern worth considering at the moment.
That leaves a much more interesting question of where I've been taken.
I step closer to a large fountain occupying part of the plaza, allowing the flow of pedestrians to continue around me while I observe. The beasts pulling the carts are particularly noteworthy.
Their handlers direct them with the familiarity of men who've worked alongside these creatures all their lives not as if this is anything new. A completely unfamiliar civilization presents far more interesting possibilities than another enemy attempting some elaborate form of imprisonment.
Before I can decide where to begin, something changes across the plaza. An empty patch of stone is suddenly occupied, causing my full attention to settle on the newcomer instantly.
I witnessed the entire occurrence, yet there's nothing to witness beyond the result. No visible spell preceded the arrival, nobody nearby performed any recognizable act of invocation, while space itself gave no warning before a young man simply existed where he hadn't a moment earlier. More interestingly, I recognize what he's wearing.
A black tracksuit lined heavily with orange and white would already be unusual among the cloaks, tunics, dresses, and armor filling the plaza, though the white convenience-store bag hanging from one hand eliminates any lingering doubt.
Sneakers, modern clothing, cheap plastic bag, plus the rectangular mobile phone he hurriedly retrieves from his pocket belong to an era I know intimately.
Modern Earth... The boy hasn't noticed me yet, too occupied with discovering that his phone is effectively useless right now.
He taps at the screen, raises the device slightly, then turns in place while searching for anything that might explain where he's ended up. The boy's confusion doesn't last long before excitement begins competing with it.
The large reptilian animal lumbering past with a cart earns particular attention, followed shortly by the ears protruding from the hair of a woman passing nearby.
His expression grows increasingly animated as the evidence accumulates.
"Wait, wait, seriously?" His voice carries faintly through the plaza while he lowers his phone and examines the surrounding buildings again, speaking mostly to himself. "Medieval city, animal people, giant lizards pulling carts... Did I actually get summoned to another world?!" A few pedestrians glance in his direction before continuing on their way.
The boy doesn't appear embarrassed though too excited. Instead, he checks behind himself as though some explanation might arrive. When nothing does, his enthusiasm becomes a little less convincing.
He examines the contents of his bag, pats his pockets, then surveys the crowd with much more attention than before. It seems he understands enough to realize that excitement will not provide him with anything useful.
Eventually his search reaches me, sadly.
There's a noticeable moment in which he takes in my armor, golden hair, and appearance before relief spreads across his face. Eviently—among everything surrounding him—I've somehow been categorized as the least abnormal person available. Makes zero sense, but the boy doesn't care.
He crosses the plaza and stops a few feet away, adjusting hus convenience-store bag in one hand while his other remains wrapped around his phone.
"Hey, sorry to bother you." His eyes move over my armor once more, the hesitation in his face giving way to something hopeful. "This is going to sound really stupid, but are you some kind of cosplayer? Because if there's a convention around here I'd really appreciate knowing how I ended up in the middle of it."
Of all the possible explanations for my appearance, that would NEVER have occurred to me.
"You believe this is a costume?" I let my gaze settle pointedly on the hand-crafted armor covering my body, causing the boy's confidence to falter beneath my question. "Your standards for imitation must have risen considerably since I last concerned myself with them." Which was never.
"Okay, that's some serious dedication." He adjusts his grip on the bag, studying me more carefully, trying to determine whether I'm joking. "I'm not making fun of you, you look great. Probably way too good actually... I'm kinda dealing with a bigger problem right now though. One minute I'm leaving a convenence store, then the next I'm standing here."
I allow the surrounding foot traffic to carry on while considering him anew. "Where was this convenience store?"
The question takes him off guard. "Near my house. Why?"
My eye almost twitches at his stupid words. "That wasn't an answer. Answer AGAIN."
The boy's eyebrows draw together, thankfully curiosity prevents irritation from taking hold. "Japan, Kantō. I don't exactly hand out my address to random cosplayers if that's what you're getting at."
I will strangle you child... Nevermind, he's from Japan. The tracksuit already provided the likely answer, yet hearing him confirm it removes any doubt.
"When did you leave?" I continue, watching confusion gradually replace his earlier relief. "Not how long ago you believe it was. What year was it?"
He lowers his phone slightly. "Okay, now you're asking some really weird questions. Why would the year matter?"
I sigh, but don't get angry and just gesture for him to continue. "Indulge me."
The boy—or whatever his name may be—hesitates before answering. The date he provides belongs precisely where his possessions suggest it should. Modern Japan, again my doubt lessens, if there was any to begin with.
His eyes narrow afterward. "Your turn. Why do you care?"
Rather than answering directly, I turn my attention toward the phone still resting in his hand. "Your device will accomplish little without a compatible network. Conserving its battery would be wiser than continuing to search for reception that evidently doesn't exist."
The boy's entire body stills, his eyes drop toward his phone slowly. When his gaze returns to me, there's more intelligence behind them than his earlier behavior suggested.
"You know what this is." He raises the device between us, scrutinizing my reaction. "Not just 'some weird little object.' You know it's a phone."
Do you think I'm an idiot? I roll my eyes at this ignorant child. "I would be disappointed in myself if I had forgotten something so mundane." A mongrel stays a mongrel I suppose.
The boy steps closer before checking himself, excitement returning with enough force that nearby pedestrians glance over again.
"You really know about Earth!?" His voice lowers only after noticing the attention he's attracting. "Japan, phones, convenience stores... You're from there too, aren't you?"
"Your conclusion is convenient rather than entirely accurate." I leave the fountain behind and begin moving toward one of the wider streets branching from this plaza.
Standing here won't reveal much more than I've already learned. "Earth belongs to my history, though I have not considered myself merely one of its ordinary inhabitants for a very long time." A very long time indeed...
Footsteps hurry after me, the boy almost tripping over himself "Hold on, you can't drop something like that and walk away." The boy catches up beside me, keeping enough distance to avoid brushing against my armor while repeatedly glancing in my direction. "What does 'belongs to my history' even mean? Were you summoned somewhere else first? Did you reincarnate? How long have you been gone?"
"You possess a remarkable capacity to produce questions before earning answers to any of them." I tear my eyes from a unique jewel, searching for anything interesting.
"Can you blame me?" His irritation lasts less than a second before curiosity overwhelms it again. "You're the first person I've found who even knows what Japan is. I'm Natsuki Subaru, by the way. Since apparently we're skipping every normal introduction, what's your name?"
At least he's finally offered his own, calling him boy constantly was getting exhausting... At least in my mind I mean.
I offer Subaru a glance and name.
"Gilgamesh."
Subaru keeps walking for another two steps before his pace noticeably slows.
I continue without waiting for him, yet he catches up again and leans slightly to examine my face from the side, skepticism written plainly across his features.
I continue my search without moving his disrespectful face away. "Gilgamesh?"
"You heard correctly."
Subaru moves closer, but I shove his face away like the gnat he's becoming. "The Gilgamesh?" Subaru's tone makes the question more insulting than flattering. Who the hell else is 'Gilgamesh' only fakers claim something not theirs.
I fold my arms slightly as we make a turn. "There's only one worth specifying."
Subaru's attention runs from my golden hair to the armor again before settling on my face. Understanding doesn't follow. If anything, his suspicion deepens.
"Right. Of course." Subaru scratches lightly at his cheek, trying not to grin. "So your actual name is classified information, and you're staying in character even after getting thrown into another world. That's impressive commitment man, I'll give you that."
My patience for this absurd accusation diminishes considerably. "I have no reason to impersonate myself for the amusement of an ignorant boy."
"That's exactly what someone refusing to break character would say~" Subaru's grin finally leaves despite the warning in my expression. "Fine! Gilgamesh it is. Honestly, with the armor and everything you went all the way with it. That's some dedicatin."
"Mongrel." An ignorant, stupid, idiotic, zero brain cell mongrel.
"Yeah, there it is!" Subaru points at me as though I've somehow proven his argument, then lowers his hand quickly when a passerby gives him an annoyed glance. "You even have the vocabulary down."
I could remove his confidence very easily. Doing so would also end what has become an entertaining interaction, so I permit his misunderstanding to survive a little longer. I'm truly a gracious king, allowing such a disrespectful boy to continue with his sin.
The street ahead opens into a busier commercial district filled with shops and temporary stalls. Subaru remains beside me like his presence is approved.
"Why are you still here?" I turn my head enough to acknowledge him while continuing through the crowd. "You approached me for directions, I possessed none. Our interaction should have finished already."
Subaru adjusts his bag against his leg, giving me an incredulous expression. "You're seriously asking why I'm sticking with the only other person who knows about Earth? I have no money that works here, I don't know where we are, and I can't tell whether I'm supposed to be able to read any of this." Subaru gestures toward a hanging shop sign as we pass it.
His expression changes when the unfamiliar script provides the exact answer he feared. "Yeah, that's definitely not Japanese." Subaru's confidence recovers quickly, but the concern underneath it doesn't disappear entirely. "See? Exactly my point. Splitting up right now would be super stupid. Like horror movie dumb!"
I eye a cute ingravement in a necklace before turning my eyes toward Subaru. "Your continued presence benefits you much more than it benefits me."
"Absolutely." Subaru doesn't bother pretending otherwise, which earns him a fraction more credit than an attempted lie would have. "I'm not too proud to admit that. You clearly have a better handle on this whole situation than I do, and even if you're some unbelievably committed history nerd with a Gilgamesh obsession, you're still my best option."
"My best qualities continue to suffer beneath your descriptions. Try harder or don't try at all, it's disappointing."
Subaru gives me a quick sideways glance, uncertain whether I'm serious, then decides that surviving my pride is preferable to navigating the city alone.
As we move through the district, our attention repeatedly divides in opposite directions. Subaru reacts most strongly to whatever confirms his expectations of another world. The various races among the crowd fascinate him, as do the large reptilian animals moving through the streets and the occasional objects whose function neither of us recognizes.
A craftsman's display containing unfamiliar metal fittings holds my attention for a moment, though I can't determine their composition merely by examining them.
Another stall offers carved stones and colored crystals alongside more ordinary merchandise, few of which are treated with enough care to suggest practical value rather than decoration. I'll commit this shop's location to memory for later investigation, maybe I'll even buy something.
Subaru waits until we resume walking before glancing back at the display.
"You actually like this stuff, don't you?" Subaru's earlier excitement FINALLY settles into something different— curiosity—as he watches me examine another row of unfamiliar items. "I figured you'd be trying to find the local adventurer guild or whoever summoned us."
"I have no evidence that such an organization exists, nor that whoever transported us intends to present themselves." I move aside to let a loaded cart pass, Subaru follows so the large ground dragon pulling it can't crowd him against a storefront. "This city is real, its inhabitants possess their own customs, industries, and nearly everything surrounding us is unfamiliar. Inventing expectations would be less useful than understanding what's actually here."
Subaru watches the departing cart for a moment. "That's a lot more reasonable than I expected from a guy calling himself Gilgamesh."
I give Subaru a nasty look, lips curling into a frown. "Continue to treat my identity as a joke and I might do something less savory to you."
"Can you really blame me?" Subaru gestures at me from head to head, ignoring my threat. "You look exactly like somebody decided to make Gilgamesh real then dropped him in the middle of the street. Hey, if you suddenly start throwing swords out of golden portals, I'll apologize how bout that?"
I regard him for an odd amount of time. Subaru has no idea, and depending on my mood maybe I'll indulge him.
Subaru notices my look, his grin weakening. "Why are you reacting like that?"
I smirk, turning away from him. "You'll discover the extent of your foolishness eventually."
"That sounded threateningly specific... Why'd that sound so specific?"
A rich smell from a food stall interrupts whatever accusation he intended to make next. Subaru's attention shifts toward rows of grilled meat. His stomach provides a far less dignified indication of his interest.
Subaru presses a hand against his abdomen with visible betrayal. "Guess being summoned to another world doesn't come with free lunch. I got some Yen still... Doubt anyone will take it though." Subaru checks his wallet anyway. The coins and notes inside are as useless here as expected, the hell did he expect?
The vendor seems to notice our interest, addressing us in the same language Subaru and I've been using.
That would answer one question about communication, though the written characters displayed on the stall remain unfamiliar.
"Okay, that's weird." Subaru glances between the vendor and the writing above the counter, lowering his voice enough not to involve the man in ou- HIS confusion. "I understand him perfectly, but I can't read a single thing up there."
I look a bit harder at the writing, I could cheat it but that'd ruin any fun. "Then language won't be our obstacle, just writing."
"Pretty convenient." Subaru returns his gaze to the food, patting his empty pockets. "Unfortunately understanding the price doesn't magically make me able to pay it. I'm broke!" Neither does possessing wealth automatically provide the correct currency...
Rather than attempting to purchase a meal with an object worth hundreds of times its price, I ask the vendor where foreign valuables can be exchanged.
The man studies my armor for a moment, gives directions toward a merchant establishment farther along the district, then appears mildly disappointed when we leave without buying anything.
Subaru accompanies me in silence for perhaps half the distance... Then makes sure to be annoying right when I think silence got to him.
"So the great King of Heroes is broke too." Subaru keeps his expression painfully innocent while maneuvering around a pedestrian. "That's comforting. Really brings us closer together if ya think about it."
I scoff, crossing my arms at this blatant insult. "I possess more wealth than this city could sensibly absorb."
"But can you buy lunch?"
"I require the local currency."
Subaru ducks his head, trying—and failing—to hide a smirk. "So no, no fault in admitting you're broke like the rest of us~" This satisfaction is intolerable.
I stop near a quieter section of the street. Subaru takes two more steps before realizing I'm no longer beside him. He turns, still wearing the expression of someone enjoying an insignificant victory far too much.
My treasury answers my intent instantly, a golden light opening beside me. I reach through the portal and select a small piece of precious metal from the treasury, deliberately choosing something of which said loss would be meaningless. The portal closes once it rests in my hand.
Subaru remains motionless, his eyes fixed on the empty space where my Gate had been, then moves toward the metal in my palm before finally returning to me.
"You..." Subaru's voice emerges quieter than usual, his earlier assumptions rearrange themselves all at once. "You actually did that."
"Your power of observation remains adequate it seems... Good for you." I toss the metal up, catch it, and let satisfaction work it's way through me. Teachng an ignorant Mongrel their place has always been more fun than it should be.
"No no no, hold on." Subaru steps closer, fascination overtaking caution as he gestures toward the space beside me without quite daring to touch it. "That was real. There was nothing there, then this golden portal opened and you pulled something out of it." Subaru's eyes narrow as he begins connecting details that had previously been filed under coincidence.
"The armor, the hair, your eyes.The name..." He points toward the metal in my hand, then toward where the portal appeared, excitement returning with alarming speed. "You have an inventory!"
Any enjoyment I derived from his realization dies faster than anything I've fought. "...My what?"
"An inventory, Spatial storage, item box, whatever you wanna call it." Subaru spreads his hands like the comparison should be obvious. "You open the golden thing, put stuff somewhere, then pull it back out whenever you want. That's an inventory."
My eye twitches, my fingers tightening on the metal I retrieved from my gate.
"It's NAME is Gate of Babylon, the treasury of this King." I continue toward the exchange establishment before irritation convinces me to educate him more forcefully. "Do not degrade humanity's greatest collection by comparing it to a menu used to organize digital equipment."
Subaru hurries alongside me, openly staring. "Gate of Babylon?"
"Yes."
"And you're actually named Gilgamesh?"
"You're becoming repetitive. I'm starting to find you less and less useful."
Subaru drags both hands through his hair without disturbing the bag hanging from his wrist. "Okay. I need to reconsider a few things very real quick, because my working theory was that you were a cosplayer who got summoned while dressed as Gilgamesh. That theory's developed some pretty serious problems."
"At last! Forgotten intelligence begins to emerge." I give Subaru a dry look, letting my arms hang beside me.
"I'm not admitting you're literally the ancient king yet." Subaru's eyes flick toward me again, much more carefully this time. "But I'm moving 'insane cosplayer' wayyyyy lower on the list."
The exchange proves straightforward once I locate a merchant accustomed to appraising foreign valuables. The piece of metal earns considerably more local currency than we require for the evening, even though the amount remains laughable compared to its actual worth.
Until I understand the economy well enough to judge prices properly, drawing unnecessary attention over something so insignificant would accomplish nothing except highlight a petty side this king DOESN'T possess. Anyone who says or will say is ignorant and makes false claims.
Subaru displays a surprising degree of restraint throughout the transaction, understanding that interrupting a merchant while he evaluates something unfamiliar might end poorly for both of us. That discipline survives only until we're back on the street sadly.
"So how much stuff do you actually keep in there?" Subaru accepts a few coins from me, turning one between his fingers before separating them from the useless yen in his wallet. "Because if you're telling the truth about being Gilgamesh, saying you have 'a lot' covers a terrifying number of possibilities."
"You possess neither the patience nor the perspective required for an inventory of my treasury," I answer, continuing toward the food stall I was denied. "Knowing what my treasury contains is something you need not know, what's the saying again? Ah! Ignorance is bliss. Stay bliss Mongrel,"
Subaru tucks the last coin away with a dissatisfied grimace. "That was an elaborate way of answering absolutely nothing... Also I'm not a mongrel!"
"It answered precisely as much as I intended you to know Mongrel." Subaru's expression tightens at my words, he now knows neither information NOR not calling him Mongrel will happen anytime soon.
We purchase skewers properly this time. The vendor becomes considerably friendlier once recognizable currency changes hands, Subaru accepts his portion with enough enthusiasm to fend off any annoying questions.
Walking occupies us for a few minutes as we eat. Without Subaru filling every available moment with commentary, I have room to consider what little information we've acquired.
Neither of us knows the name of this nation, much less the cause of our arrival. Language presents no difficulty, whereas the local writing remains incomprehensible, an inconsistency that suggests our displacement affected language in some manner neither of us understands.
The city itself holds many races, unfamiliar animals used for transportation, materials I've yet to identify, plus enough evidence of supernatural influence to justify more investigation.
More unexpectedly, Natsuki Subaru attached himself to me with impressive persistence. Like a bug that won't come off.
By the time we reach a quieter stretch beside one of the canals running through the district, evening's begun overtaking the city. Subaru claims an empty stone bench, finishing the last of his meal before retrieving his phone once more.
He doesn't bother searching for a signal now. The screen receives only a brief check before Subaru locks it again, leaving his phone resting loosely in his hand.
"Guess my parents are probably wondering where I disappeared to by now." Subaru's voice carries far less of the theatrical excitement that dominated our afternoon, his thumb traces absently along the edge of his phone. "That's assuming time is even passing normally back home. I don't really have enough info to make that guess."
Whatever fascination Subaru feels toward another world can't erase what his arrival cost him. He received no warning, no opportunity to prepare, nor any assurance that the life he left behind remains accessible. Subaru's parents have no explaation for his disappearance, while he possesses no way of telling them he's alive.
I remember Earth well enough to understand what that means without dwelling upon it for his sake...
Subaru lets my peaceful silence remain for a short time, before pushing himself more upright, unwilling to linger in that mood and ruin my peace. "What about you? You've spent this entire day acting like getting thrown into another world doesn't even qualify as an inconvenience. You got somewhere you're trying to reach?"
"I know too little about this world to choose any worthwhile destination yet." I remain near the canal wall while traffic continues across the bridge nearby, noticeably thinner than it had been earlier. "First I intend to learn the name of this country, what surrounds it, how its people live, and what manner of civilization's developed beyond this city."
Subaru studies me from his seat on the bench, his earlier curiosity beginning to return. "Okay, that covers figuring out where we are. What comes after that?"
"Once I possess enough knowledge to choose, I intend to travel." The ideas become increasingly appealing throughout the day. "This world contains cultures I've never encountered, craftsmen producing objects unknown to my treasury, territories whose names I haven't even learned, undoubtedly far more worth discovering beyond them. Being presented with an unfamiliar world only to remain in one city would be an appalling waste I refuse to participate in."
A trace of excitement starts to form on Subaru's face as he leans forward, resting his forearms against his knees. "So beneath all those speeches, you're basically planning one enormous exploration trip." Subaru's energy continues recovering as he considers the possibilities. "Travel around, see places nobody back home could've imagined, learn how everything here works, maybe find out why we were brought here somewhere along the way... That's honestly better than standing around waiting for some mysterious summoner to appear."
Subaru's choice of we hasn't escaped my attention, neither does the fact that he has no meaningful alternative.
Subaru's worldly assets consist of a few convenience-store purchases, a wallet holding currency nobody here accepts, clothes wholly unsuitable for blending into the local population, plus a phone destined to become less useful once its battery dies. He can't read the local script, knows nothing about the surrounding territory, has nowhere to stay, and possesses enough enthusiasm to wander directly into trouble before recogizing it as such...
Leaving him unattended would be irresponsible, particularly when there is no practical reason to do so.
There's another consideration I find harder to dismiss. Subaru may be obnoxious, presumptuous, painfully casual with someone of my station, yet hearing him speak about Japan has stirred a familiarity I never expected to encounter. The references, the habits, even the ridiculous clothes belong to a portion of my existence separated from me by years that he experienced only hours ago.
Abandoning the sole person in this world who shares that connection would be needlessly wasteful. This boy comes from my garden...
"Subaru." The use of his name draws his attention upward, his posture straightening as he recognizes the shift in my tone. "I've decided how your circumstances will be handled until you become capable of handling them yourself. From this point onward, I shall acknowledge you as my property."
That stupid, hopeful curiosity crossing his face collapses into complete disbelief.
For the next few seconds Subaru studies, determining whether this is another aspect of my personality he still half suspects I've constructed. Eventually he rises from his spot on the bench, pointing at his own chest.
"Your property!? I spend one afternoon following you because we're both stranded in another world, then somehow you decide that gives you ownership rights over me!?" Subaru's voice climbs before he catches his volume himself, glancing toward a couple crossing the nearby bridge. "You realize people aren't collectible items, right?"
I shrug at him. "Your objection ignores nearly every relevant detail of your situation." I gesture toward the unfamiliar city surrounding us as more lanterns begin appearing outside businesses farther down the canal. "You have no reliable income, can't read the local writing, know nothing about the territory beyond this district, possess nowhere to sleep, and spent a considerable portion of today assuming reality would follow rules derived from memory that has no value here."
Subaru spreads his hands in protest, irritation mixing with embarrassment, he knows he can't deny any of my words. "None of that means you get to claim me! What you're describing is helping somebody who's stranded! There's already normal terminology for that. Sponsor, patron, travel partner—pick literally anything that doesn't make it sound like slavery."
"You misunderstand what I've offered." I leave the canal behind, making my way toward the busier streets, a place to stay should be a easy find. "Anything I personally acknowledge as mine falls beneath my protection. Until you possess enough knowledge to survive here without stumbling blindly into whatever danger happens to present itself, I'll ensure you have food, shelter, money when necessary, plus protection from threats you cannot handle yourself."
Subaru remains near the bench for only a second before his footsteps catch up behind me, making his continued argument less convincing as he follows.
"That still isn't ownership." Subaru reaches my side with frustration written across his face. "You're describing some ridiculously overprotective traveling arrangement while choosing the worst possible word for it."
Where the hell is a INN, I'm starting to get confused and pissed. "I have yet to acknowledge you as a traveling companion, do not grant yourself promotions without permission."
That earns a disbelieving stare as Subaru keeps pace beside me. "Then explain what being your 'property' actually requires, because so far you've listed everything you're doing for me."
"You may conduct yourself however you please, provided you don't create unnecessary problems for me." The answer only worsens his confusion.
Subaru gestures between us, searching for any hidden restriction. "Can I leave whenever I want?"
"I would consider the decision questionably foolish under your present circumstances, though I would not prevent you."
Subaru's brows raise slightly. "Do I have to work for you?"
"At present, I can't identify any task where involving you would meaningfully improve the result." The wounded expression that crosses his face makes the answer more satisfying than expected. I may continue doing this, it's fun.
"Wow, you could've rejected the servant idea without destroying what little confidence I still had." Subaru presses a hand briefly against his chest as we walk, exaggerating his injury enough to make his recovery obvious. "So let me understand this. I'm supposedly your property, except I'm free to leave, I don't owe you labor, you're buying food, you're finding somewhere for us to stay, and yiu decided you're responsible for protecting me."
...
Subaru stares at me for another moment, disbelief giving way to mirth I'm not enjoying seeing. "Gilgamesh, you realize that's basically friendship with the worst branding anyone's EVER invented."
The comparison earns him a measured glance. Subaru's mouth twitches, he wisely shifts another half step away.
"I'm still refusing the ownership term thingy." Subaru continues, more cheerful now that he's established the absence of any restrictions. "If we're going to keep traveling together, I'm negotiating a better title eventually. Royal advisor has some dignity to it. Maybe chief strategist if I perform really well, sounds catchy too."
I snort at his absurd titles. "You have neither advised me nor developed a strategy worthy of mentioning."
"I identified that Gate thing you have as an inventory almost immediately after seeing it." Subaru raises a finger with confidence. "That demonstrates excellent analytical ability most don't have!"
My fingers twitch at his insistent wording for my treasury. "Persist in calling my treasury an inventory and I shall reconsider whether 'property' is generous."
My threat only encourages Subaru. His grin widens as we enter a street lined with different establishments that seem capable of lodging travelers... Hopefully.
"Fine~ I'll accept temporary property status while negotiations remain ongoing." Subaru adjusts his convenience-store bag around his wrist, scanning the buildings ahead with renewed interest. "Since I'm receiving royal protection though, I expect stuff appropriate to my new position. I'm not spending my first night sleeping beside animals or anything."
"You've contributed nothing to this arrangement, yet you already begun issuing demands regarding quality. Audacious, just audacious." I allow a small smirk to make its way to my lips. Even Subaru's disrespect is entertaining.
"That's called something I don't know, so yeah. Workplace benefits I guess." Subaru gains a sheepish grin, laughing at his own joke as he continues beside me. Periodically Subaru returns to the argument that no sane legal system would recognize a man declaring another person his possession after sharing one meal.
I allow the complaints to continue without granting them much consideration, since he's made no effort whatsoever to leave.
For someone who just entered my possession only a few hours ago, Natsuki Subaru is making his presence impossible to ignore.