Chapter Text
Today had been a slow day for Wilhelm.
Felix had been tasked by Marcos to deliver a summon to the royal palace, now he was waiting at the entrance of the marquis’s manor, Felix already escorted inside by a pink haired maid. Some time later, he heard two voices approaching him, one of them being particularly familiar to him.
”Crusch?”
He saw the two figures whom the voices belonged to come into his view, a silver haired woman wearing a cloak.
And a black haired butler whose voice was too familiar yet partially off from the one of his mistress.
As the figures got closer, he was able to make out more details on them.
The silver haired woman was an elf, with amethyst eyes.
“Poor girl”
The black haired butler however.
“If you told me that boy is Crusch i wouldn’t have doubted it”
The boy’s face was a live image of the one of his mistress, bar for the black hair, and the deep blue eyes he carried.
“Blue like those from Louana”
The boy had been engaged in a rather lively conversation with the silver haired girl, until they took notice of the carriage.
“Excuse me for parking in front of the entrance madam”
“Don’t worry mister. It is a visit?”
“Indeed. The visitor had already been escorted inside the manor by a maid”
However, his attention was still focused on the boy.
The facial features, the eyes, he might have even doubted himself whether the one in front of him wasn’t Crusch in a disguise, if not for how the voice was a few notes deeper than what a woman could get, and his earlier attitude far too sincere for Crusch to fake.
The pair walked into the mansion, disappearing behind the doors, leaving Wilhelm with a shaken mind about the earlier encounter.
“Could he be a relative? The similarity is not a coincidence. But who? especially with that black hair, But then the only member of Crusch’s family with black hair was her mother, so maybe he’s from that side of the family?” But as far as I know none of Crusch's cousins from that side around her age has black hair. And Helena didn”
A sudden, if unpleasant fact came to the front of his mind about the potential origin of this man.
“Her brother, Kineas. He went missing well over 20 years ago along with Louana’s twin…”
He recalled how the boy's eyes are a deep blue colour just like Louana’s.
“Could he be? I must be mistaken, after all this time”
“Yo” called a voice behind him “Aren’t you bored from waiting outside?”
It was the same unusually familiar Butler from before, now carrying a tray with 2 teacups and a teapot, and a poorly hidden mischievous smile on his face.
……..
“I have never tasted this type of tea before young man. I feel like im enjoying an very expensive luxury”
“It is not really that much of a luxury, it's from the same plant of tea we all known, my parents had me learn how to prepare the fresh leaves in a specific manner, they love this type of tea but refused to drink any tea they didn’t grow personally in their garden”
“Is that so? I’m convinced there are a lot of people who would take a liking to this strong flavour. I may even be tempted to ask you how to prepare it myself”
“Well, I had to make my own garden to get the fresh leaves, as for the recipe, well, though luck, it's a family secret that I'm not departing from… for cheap” said the young man with a wink of his left eye.
“Hm. If my Lady were to taste it, I'm sure she would be willing to pay for it. But. Why bring this unique drink to a simple old man like me, I doubt it is mere altruism?”
“You got me there old man. I’m here to get some clues about the reason for this meeting” answered the man with a bit of dramatism.
“I have no idea what is your standing in this mansion young man, so I cannot afford to be careless here”
“Aww man. I need to step up my bribing game”
“Although. I cannot shake off something about you”
“Hopefully it is not about something bad”
“No. It's just that you look far too familiar to someone I know?”
“Really?” asked the boy, his playful demeanor shifted to something far more serious.
“Hm. In other circumstances I might have even confused you with that person. Even your voice sounded familiar”
“It must be some genetical coincidence, there is only so many possible ways for a person to look like-”
“I’m back Wil!” Interrupted Felix as it approached us
The young man turned around to meet Felix, and Felix's face immediately went into shock.
“Crus!- wait” Felix approached the young man, putting his finger on the young man’s cheek, who’s clearly at a loss on how to react, the finger flickering for a moment with light. Felix's expression of shock only deepened after a short musing, muttering “An eight”.
“Who are you!?” Asked Felix very inquisitively. Apparently I hadn’t been the only one who thought the boy’s familiarity was not a mere coincidence.
“Woah! Woah! Lady, calm down!” The boy straightened himself into an erect position, his left hand over his shoulder and the right arm crossed behind his back.
“My name It's Natsuki Subaru, it’s a pleasure to meet you” the young man afterward did a slight bow towards Felix.
“...” Felix's face was a pensive one, processing what the young man had said, then asked even more.
“How old are you? Who are your parents? Where did you come from? How did you end up here as a butler? Are you related to Crusch Karsten? Are the Subaru under the house Natsakis?, is your father Kineas?” Asked Felix in quick fashion, one after another.
The young man was clearly overwhelmed, so I had to intervene to keep Felix from all but wringing the man dry with his impromptu interrogation.
“Mister Felix, calm down, don’t terrify the young man like that”
“Wil! Don’t you see him!?, he looks exactly like her, it cannot be a coincidence!”
“At least ask your questions one by one, and give Young Subaru time answer them”
“Fiiiiine. You said your Name was Natsuki Subaru, I do not remember a house under the name Subaru in this country”
The boy composed himself, cleared his throat, and prepared to answer, now a bit more calmed.
“Well Mister… Mister? whatever. Mister Felix. Subaru its not my family name, My family name its Natsuki, where I come from the family name precedes the personal name”
“Where you come from? Are you implying you are not from Luganica?”
“Well, it's a still sore topic and I cannot really elaborate a lot on it… But yes, I am not from Lugancia at all. And telling you where I came from its kind of useless since it doesn’t appear on any map we have at hand”
“Uh huh. And who are your parents' ‘Subaru’?”
“Eh. Natsuki Kenichi and Natsuki Naoko, but why do you want to know that, I am not somebody important here, just a butler serving a cute girl”
Felix was pondering Subaru’s answers, as if trying to reach a conclusion with the scraps of information the boy had given to him.
“Are the names Natsakis or Hartley familiar to you?”
“Natsakis sounds like a misspelled version of my family name, but If i have to be frank, no, I haven't ever heard that name before. As for Hartley… I think it was my mom’s maiden family name before she married dad. but again, whatever you think about any connection is wrong, My family as far as I know wasn’t even born here, im the first Natsuki in luganica!”
“Hmmmmm… One last question and you better answer truthfully”
“Erm. Ok? Shoot it”
“Shoot? Wathever… Your father had black hair and brown eyes, and your mother had blonde hair with deep blue eyes like you?” Said Felix, less of a question and more of a confident statement”
Subaru was paralyzed at the specific question thrown at him, his face filled with shock, and maybe even tears forming in his eyes.
“How. Did. it can’t”
“Yes or no Subaru”
“How can you possibly know that!? My parents are not even from this country at all! Did you sto-” the man cutted off his sentence, his hand going under his jacket, and pulled out a small locket, which opened split in half. Sbaru stared at the opened locket for a few moments, then looked back at Felix, locket still in hand.
“You didn’t steal it… But then how do you know what my parents looked like!?”
“...” Felix didn’t answer, his face now filled with satisfaction, then his eyes went to the locket at Subaru’s hand.
Subaru failed to notice Felix's intention, who in a blink, was able to snatch the locket out of his hand, and started to look at its interior, then closed it and saw the exterior of it.
I was about to intervene to keep Subaru from jumping onto Felix, his face now filled with wrath, when Felix turned around and threw the locket back at him, Subaru catching it and holding it tightly close to his chest, his wrath still not diminished at all.
“You said you work here? I’m gonna tell the marquis you are coming with us, you have a lot of explaining to d-”
Subaru hadn’t paid any attention to what Felix had told him, he simply stored the locket back into his jacket and immediately tried to throw a fist into Felix face, his movements slow enough for me to catch his fist mid air, Felix flinching at Subaru’s sudden move.
“DON’T YOU EVER DARE TO TOUCH IT AGAIN YOU DAMNABLE CAT! IT'S THE LAST THING I HAVE FROM MY PARENTS AND I DONT CARE WHO THE HELL YOU ARE! TOUCH IT AGAIN AND YOU ARE DEAD!”
Felix walked back some steps, his face quickly souring at the wrath aimed at him, him clearly not being prepared for such an outburst.
I had to twist Subaru’s arm and push him back, and right when he was about to charge again towards Felix, I planted myself in front of him and looked at his eyes.
And what I saw were eyes filled with utmost rage and an extreme defiance that I have only seen in a man who had battled against death itself.
“Mister Felix, please be more careful with others personal possessions, you don’t know how much value they give to them”
“Wil, the locket had their portraits in a quality no painting ever had! their houses' emblems are even engraved outside of it! This boy is a liar! we need to take him to Crusch immediately!”
“Felix. It would be prudent to keep your accusations to yourself right now, “they” could be anyone”
“‘They’ were the live images of Kineas and Nausica with some good decades on them! He's their son! We need to question him now!”
Wilhelm stood still at the mention of the second name. The name of Louana's twin sister, the Louana before her sleep, mourned so much that even after several years she would still fill a drawer with letters for her at the Astrea manor.
And Kineas. The name of the then young boy who caused such a horrible Fallout between the Natsakis and the Hartley, and that eventually dragged the Karsten against the Astreas, both accusing each other for the disappearance of those 2 well over 27 years ago.
Wilhelm meditated a bit on what to do, force the boy to accompany them, and potentially earn the Ire of the Marquis, or simply calm down Felix, wait for his head to cool off, and then approach this matter under better circumstances.
The answer was obvious. But right when he was about to act on it.
“Subaru!” “Subaru-kun!”
Two female voices approached fast at the carriage, both filled with a lot of concern. Lady Emilia, and a maid that was identical to the pink haired maid, but with blue hair and eyes.
“What happened? Are you hurt?”
“THIS THRICE CUR-”
I had to put my hand on Subaru's mouth to keep the matter from escakating
“Felix intruded in an extremely inappropriate manner in young Subaru personal space and matters and unintentionally angered him greatly. We are deeply sorry and we ask for your forgiveness"
“Intruded? How?”
“That cat took my parents' locket after asking me a bunch of weird questions!”
“Mister Felix! How could you!?” asked an Emilia whose face of concern now shifted into one of indignation.
“Lady Emilia, this boy is the live image of Lady Karsten and shares a direct blood link with her, most likely a cousin. I had to check the locket to clear some suspicions. And now I must request you to hand him over for some questioning. If you desire, we can bring him back once it is over, if results allows it of course”
“A cousin of Crusch? Suspicions? ¿Questioning? That doesn’t make sense! Subaru cannot be related to her, he isn’t even from luganica”
“Thats its something for lady Crusch to determine”
“No! I am not sending him to be questioned like some criminal because you think he's some family of hers! Why would you even treat her family like that?!”
“His existence is a grave matter, and its directly involved to a serious blood feud that, hopefully can be solved with his collaboration”
“No! And that is final! If you want to ask him questions, you will have to ask them here! Only if he wants to answer… Now. Apologize for taking his locket”
“Lady Emilia?”
“Subaru's past is… complicated. That locket is the only thing he has from his parents, he has told us he will never be able to see them again. It is too precious for him. So apologize”
Emilia was clearly angry at the mistreatment of the young man, just like the maid who had remained behind her, rage also simmering towards Felix.
I let go Subaru, releasing his shoulder, and making way for Felix to approach him. Felix's face calmed down, pondering on what Emilia had told him about Subaru’s circumstances. Took a deep breath, looked at him, and started to Talk.
“Subaru. I'm deeply sorry for taking your parents memory without care. Please accept my apologies…” and finished with a bow towards him, clearly being sorry about his outburst.
Subaru just looked at him for a moment, put his hand on Felix's shoulder, and looked him directly in the eyes, his anger having shimmered down apparently.
Then faster than Felix could react, threw his left fist upwards into his mandible.
I decided to not intervene this time around, it was the wisest option.
His fist connected with Felix mandible faster than Felix could react, him stumbling backwards and into the ground with a yelp of pain.
“Subaru! Why!? He was apologizing!”
“I don't want an apology, I want to be even, and now we are!”
Felix quickly stood up, whatever damage Subaru did to him already healed in a mere moment.
“Look ‘Mister’ Felix. I now accept your apology. Do it again and I’ll be having a necklace with your teeth as the minimum for an apology" Said Subaru in tone I have seen very few men use. He was meaning it without any of the hostility he had before.
Felix just looked at him with a face of grumbling understanding, his previous hostility having also simmered down.
“No hard feelings?” Asked Subaru, his hostility gone, his hand extended towards Felix.
Felix just stared at his hand for a moment, grabbed it, and Subaru squeezed and shaked his hand back, then departed towards Lady Emilia, his hand going into his jacket where the locket was.
“Wil, let's go. We can arrange a visit later for questions… if subaru wants it of course”
“I will answer your questions, as long you ask them properly and not like some madman finding the man they have been looking for 30 years”
Only if you knew how accurate that statement is.
Subaru walked back into the mansion escorted by the Maid and Lady Emilia, both showing a lot of concern for him. Felix fully seated himself into the carriage, boiling with frustration, and I took place on the driver seat and set off towards the Karsten manor.
……….
We were now a good distance away from the manor, Felix still sulking after the, frankly, awful experience from hours ago.
“Mister Felix”
Felix simply turned an ear to me, keeping the rest of his body still.
“That boy might have genuinely tried to kill you right there the moment you took the locket out of his hands”
“... Its not like he had the strength to do it, he couldn't even get past you”
“And yet his eyes told a different story, a story of a man who had charged against death itself more than once and lived to fight another day. With how. ittle power I felt from him… It must have been an harrowing experience for him to do it once, much more less several times”
“... an eight Wil”
“Eight?”
“He's one eight related to Crusch. He looks almost like her. Sounded like her faking a man's voice too… The people on the locket. It was him, her lost uncle, and the woman. Looked exactly like Louana… But older... He is Crusch's cousin… and I suppose your grandnephew too”
“... He is Natsuki Subaru, Son of Kenichi and Naoko, a mere pair of foreigners from an distant, unheard land. Do not make assumptions unless the boy wants to give us answers of his own”
“... Crusch would be happy to know she has more family from her mothers side”
“... We will have to wait if the boy wants to accept such accusations as true first”
Felix's ears flicked twice, quietly signalling he had nothing more to say.
Crusch is gonna find this development very interesting. But the timing couldn't have been worse. It will have to wait until after the selection is dealt with.
In the best of scenarios, we might end up seeing this boy again in a month at minimum.