"I fell into a peaceful sleep on a girl's lap, with my head being patted...if I looked at it alone, it was an amazing event."
Scratching his head, Subaru muttered with an embarrassed expression on his face. His eyes were lowered, his profile was filled with sighs, his ears were red, and he was scratching his head faster and faster.
"If you've met a girl you're attracted to, and you cry, whine, and fall asleep with your face all messed up with tears and a runny nose. And to top it off, you also spend hours on her lap in that state... What kind of shameful play is this?"
"No, I'm really no good. I don't want Emilia to see how weak I am. I'm showing off my bad parts. You don't really look like this."
Beatrice was sitting on the middle step of the stepladder, looking at Subaru who was writhing in agony near the entrance, and cursed.
"I still don't understand why or how you keep entering Betty's library." Beatrice spoke with a displeased tone.
"Don't say that, Beako. It's just me and you."
"What kind of relationship does Betty have with you? Wait. Before that, what did you just call Betty?"
Beatrice asked, raising an eyebrow and twitching her cheek. Subaru clapped his hands at her attitude, "Ah, Beako. A nickname for someone you feel a certain level of intimacy with."
Among all the people of this mansion, Subaru had a blind trust in both Emilia and Tanaka, and to a certain extent Beatrice. If he wants to stay here, he has to get closer to all the residents including Rem and earn their trust.
"Regardless of what you think of me, I'll call you Beako. That's the best proof of my affection that I can offer!"
"I'm not happy at all! Your forced kindness is more than just unpleasant—it's disgusting!"
"What's with that way of speaking! I'm sincerely trying to convey my feelings, and you're making fun of it!"
Subaru, intending to engage in a back-and-forth conversation, found himself at a loss for words, he was expressing his affection, but unfortunately, it didn't seem to resonate with her. It was genuinely disappointing, and he couldn't help but slump.
"Well, regardless, I'll continue to call you Beako."
"I don't need such earnestness. In that case, Betty would absolutely not respond even if called by such a name. That's where our opinions align."
"Don't say such cold things, Beako."
"..."
Despite Subaru's call, Beatrice remained silent, continuing to gaze at her book without responding. It seemed she intended to practice what she said earlier.
Approaching her stubbornly, Subaru circled around the stepladder while saying,
"Beako, Beako, Beako, Beako, Beako, Beako, Beako, Beako, Beako, Beako, Beako, Beako, Beako...."
"You're an incredibly annoying person! What are you even doing!!"
Repeating her name as if he was bouncing a basketball, Subaru achieved his goal as Beatrice's emotions reached their boiling point. He turned to her again, twisted the corner of his mouth at the still-angry girl, and...
Turning to her again, he looked back at the girl who still seemed upset with him. He twisted the corner of his mouth and said,
"I'm cornered with no way out. Honestly, I need your help."
After desperately crying out and losing composure to the point of embarrassment, Subaru finally arrived at the conclusion and conveyed it to the girl with vertical rolls.
*********************************************************************************************************
On Emilia's lap, Subaru poured out his inner thoughts, releasing all the dirty feelings and unbearable tears he had been holding back. What remained in Subaru's heart after emptying everything was an almost pure greed for Subaru himself.
He loves Emilia. He loves the life in the mansion where he can spend time with her. He loves the environment where he can learn various things. He enjoyed his time working with Ram, Rem and Tanaka, their conversation full of sarcasm and jokes.
Even if Tanaka made up his mind and decided that they should leave, which is the logical thing to do, he still doesn't want to.
'I still want to stay here."
Emilia didn't overlook Subaru's anguish, his miserable struggles against despair. It might have been Puck who noticed. That spirit with the ability to read hearts probably easily saw through Subaru's clumsy mask.
Still, it was Emilia who comforted Subaru's heart, which was on the verge of wearing out.
Even if this was a dependency, Subaru didn't mind. There was no doubt that his feelings for her were the driving force that moved his heart now.
So, in other words,—
"Emilia-tan is a real angel!"
"Did you just say something extremely ridiculous now?"
"Of course not. I just reconfirmed the most important thing to me."
He could confidently answer like that. With the current statement being completely affirmed, Beatrice, already sighing as if finding it troublesome to react with amazement, said,
"Let's get back to the main topic... So, about the matter of you asking Betty for help."
"Yeah, it's like a serious prayer to god. I can't think of anyone else to rely on."
Currently, within this mansion, Emilia and Tanaka are the only people Subaru can entrust with full confidence.
"You're unexpectedly quite the sweet, easygoing little Betty, aren't you?"
"Even if I don't understand the content, I can sense the insult, you know?"
"I'm not trying to insult you at all... Actually, the only one I can rely on in this mansion right now is you."
Subaru couldn't confide in Ram, Rem, and of course, not in Roswaal. If there was someone Subaru could currently rely on in this mansion other than Emilia, it was her.
"Alright, let's cut to the chase. If you're willing to cooperate with me, I'll endure your Mana Drain a few times," Subaru proposed.
"Don't act like your mana has any value. Sure, it was somewhat better than ordinary mana... Perhaps it had a slightly better taste," Beatrice replied.
"My mana has a track record of being absorbed by Puck as well. In other words, it's an indirect Mana Drain. Do you understand the implications?" Subaru explained.
Beatrice, her expression changing, reluctantly nodded, her lips pressed together in frustration. Subaru reveled in the satisfaction of steering the negotiation in his favor.
"Is there any magic that weakens someone, and kills them as if putting them asleep?"
Despite the out of pocket question, Beatrice still answered, "If I must answer, then yes, there is."
"There is?"
"But it's not so much as magic as it is a curse, I suppose. There are many such things among the spells that the shamans specialize in."
"Shamans? What are they?"
"Magicians. However, Shamans are a subclass of magic and spirit art users that originate in the northern nation of Gusteco, I suppose. They are all useless and not to be taken seriously."
"Alright, I kind of started understanding this whole thing. Now next question, how to avoid a curse?"
However, Beatrice dropped a bombshell:
"It's impossible," she stated.
"—Huh?"
"Once a curse is activated, there's no way to prevent it. Curses persist until they fulfill their effects on the target. There's no way to stop a curse once it's in motion."
"What about nullifying instant death resistance or something? Isn't that an option...?"
Beatrice's words about the impossibility of resisting curses threw Subaru into a pit of despair. Subaru had been considering nullifying instant death resistance as a countermeasure—a spell to negate an immediate death curse. However, Beatrice's response suggested that he was cornered.
"To make matters worse, the curse is activated simultaneously with the start of combat. We have no means to resist or evade it. It's hopeless. Absolutely hopeless. This is worse than a bad game," Subaru lamented.
Scratching his head and feeling the hopelessness of his situation, Subaru sought a way to overcome this seemingly insurmountable obstacle.
He couldn't help but reflect on how terrible his situation had become. The brief glimmer of hope he had envisioned shattered into a million pieces, leaving Subaru's mind boiling with frustration.
Beatrice, aware of Subaru's predicament, couldn't help but enjoy a slight smirk as she dropped another piece of information.
"However, that statement only applies to activated curses."
"—What?"
"Once a curse is activated, there's no way to stop it. But before it's activated, you might find a way to prevent it," Beatrice explained.
Subaru's mood swung from the depths of despair to a flicker of hope. His face, half-blue with regret and half-red with determination. Beatrice, reveling in Subaru's response, continued to elaborate.
As Beatrice uttered, "However, I'm talking about activated curses,"
Scratching his head, Subaru couldn't help but fully recognize the severity of his situation. His mind began to boil as he sought alternative strategies.
However, Beatrice, noticing the drastic temperature change in Subaru's emotions, blinked her eyes ever so slightly and said, "I don't think you need to get so angry."
Subaru, restraining his emotions and using broken words, finally replied, "Me, angry? No way."
He had been raging with profanity and insults, but he decided to avoid further confrontation with Beatrice. After all, there seemed to be a glimmer of positive information on the horizon.
Regaining his composure, Subaru pointed his finger, and Beatrice began to lecture, "Interference is possible. Before activation, it's not a curse but just a spell, and if the opponent is a capable entity, it can easily be disrupted."
Subaru asked, "For example?"
Beatrice replied, "In this mansion, starting with Betty. Well, it might be impossible for you, too."
Subaru admitted, "I know that for sure..."
For the first time, Subaru shifted his gaze and approached Beatrice, asking, "How can you distinguish the spell before activation? I mean, do curses require preparation before they're cast?"
"That's obvious. If you deal with a powerful spell, the burden on our side will also increase. It's all about the same."
Subaru continued, "And what about the cost of curses? Can you estimate it?"
Beatrice responded, "Maybe."
"There is one rule that can't be removed..."
Beatrice interrupted, "Contact with the target of the curse is a prerequisite."
With those words, Subaru's brain started to spin rapidly. To perform a curse, the caster had to be in direct contact with the target.
"Just to be sure, there isn't anyone in this mansion who uses curses, right!?"
"There isn't, and if a curse user was to enter the mansion, Betty would have got rid of him."
"You really dislike them huh? Well, we are on the same page on that one."
Excluding the residents of the mansion, Subaru began to recall his interactions during the initial eight days.
Between the mansions, the only external entities Subaru had contact with were the villagers.
"The village," Subaru exclaimed.
It was the fourth day, during the daytime. Subaru had been cursed by a sorcerer in the village, then returned to the mansion, where the curse was activated, leading to his death.
If Rem was the one to curse him, why would she bother coming out with a weapon and directly kill him and Tanaka and risk exposing herself.
The first two loops ended after the curse was activated whereas in the last loop, that didn't happen because he didn't go to the village and he was killed by Rem.
If there was a Shaman in the village, it would make sense. Even if it wasn't a full-fledged curse, the curse-like patterns matched this scenario.
It connected. Everything connected.
"It could be anyone. What's next?"
Beatrice continued, "For the target to use a curse, contact with the target is essential."
As Subaru processed this information, his brain began to spin even faster. He tasted the reality of the situation, and he couldn't help but shout, "This changes everything!"
Beatrice, noticing Subaru's joy at the change in the situation, expressed her dissatisfaction, "You asked for my cooperation, yet your attitude is quite something. If this information was helpful, you should express your gratitude to Betty."
"Thank you! Thanks to you, I can see the light, Beatrice!"
Subaru playfully lifted Beatrice in the air, swirling her around. Her luxurious dress added to the effect, causing the spinning to be even more dramatic.
Beatrice, her cheeks reddening with displeasure, sharply retorted, "I'm helping you, and you're getting carried away. If this information was useful, there's something you should tell Betty."
"Thank you! I love you, Beako!"
"What—!?"
He hugged her, lifting her lightly with his arm beneath her armpits, and swung her around. Due to the combination of her elegant dress and Subaru's enthusiastic spin, the speed reached an extraordinary level.
"Hey, drop me! Right now!"
"Ha-ha-ha! I feel like I can fly now. How about flying together, Beako? Fly! You can fly!"
"Don't get carried away, I said—!"
"Jump throw!?"
The moment Subaru said that, he threw Beatrice with all his might. She was tossed off and seemed about to crash into something, hitting corners along the way, causing severe pain. However, her body suddenly stopped in mid-air, flipped gracefully, and gently landed on the library floor.
"Shaking off the overflowing affection gauge, if this were to be the super move, what a surprise! What was unsatisfactory about it? Tell me!"
"Everything! Hugging me, lifting me like a child, swinging me around, and spouting words of love with just surface affection! All of it!"
"...I need to go to the village, I will ask Tanaka to come with me."
He decided to investigate the identity of the Shaman. It seemed essential for someone to accompany him. If the culprit was identified, that would bring everything to a perfect conclusion.
"Truly, you and that human's behavior are absurd!"
"Tanaka?"
"Yeah, he came to the library in the evening to just sleep, like how rude can you possibly be?"
"Huh"
'Now, I'm confused.'
Tanaka told them that he was going take a break and except some sarcastic remarks from Ram, no one was naggy about it considering the fact that he collapsed that morning. But again, why didn't he sleep at his room?
"Honestly, I don't know what's going inside that person's head."
He will have to ask him tomorrow.
*********************************************************************************************************
"Oh! look Rem, a wage thief with the name 'Barusu' has appeared."
Subaru, seeking redemption, bowed his head in a sincere apology to the twins. "I truly apologize for yesterday! So please forgive me."
``Anyway, yesterday was ugly and the day before yesterday was annoying and bad....Well, a lot of things have happened, but I'm going to change my mind and go to New Subaru from today."
As Subaru attempted to infuse positivity into the morning air, his infectious enthusiasm was met with an unexpected voice.
"Shut up and stop being loud in the morning! It's fine since I did your tasks in your place."
Turning his attention to Tanaka, Subaru couldn't help but comment on his less-than-ideal appearance. "What the hell, dude? You look terrible."
Indeed, Tanaka's complexion was far from its usual self, dark circles underlining the weariness in his eyes. Unfazed by the remark, Tanaka retorted, "Augh, shut up, you knee pillow."
"I wonder if everyone knows about it. Embarrassing, isn't... Wait, you said you did my tasks?"
Tanaka, brushing off the significance responded "Yeah, there were only few left so I finished them anyway."
Upon that revelation, Subaru couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt, even the twins looked surprised and unaware that this happened.
Subaru, struck by a sudden pang of guilt, sought to apologize. "I'm sorry about that..."
"It's not a big deal, let's get to work." The morning continued with a mix of awkwardness, unspoken tensions, and the promise of a new start for Subaru – or so he hoped.
*********************************************************************************************************
Subaru diligently scrubbed the bathroom floor, immersed in the task at hand, when Rem suddenly entered the room. Surprised by her unexpected presence, he quickly turned towards her, a damp cloth in hand.
"Ah, Rem-san, I'm almost done with this," Subaru informed her, his tone a blend of surprise and courtesy.
Rem, approaching him with an air of formality, observed his nervous reaction. Subaru, caught off guard by her sudden entrance, felt a wave of unease wash over him. His hands subtly trembled as he continued to wipe the floor, attempting to recollect himself despite the palpable nervousness.
Noticing Subaru's unease, Rem, with a sincere expression, decided to address the tension that had been lingering. Tanaka's words echoed in her mind, "He ended up that way because of you." Taking a deep breath, she spoke with genuine remorse, "Subaru-kun, I'm very sorry."
"Huh?" Subaru stammered, confused by her unexpected apology. The apology caught him off guard, and he struggled to make sense of the situation. "Oy, wait? What are you apologizing for, Rem?"
"Tanaka-kun told me that I was the one who made you uncomfortable yesterday, therefore I'm really sorry," Rem explained, a genuine apology in her voice. "We may be colleagues, but as Emilia-sama's savior, your rank surpasses mine."
"Tanaka said tha... Augh, never mind. Sorry to put you through that. I'm new here, so I must have made you uncomfortable as well."
"No, it's my fault for doing something so pointless. Please forget it."
Subaru, with a reassuring smile, tried to dismiss her concerns. "That guy has a bad personality so don't worry too much. For now, lets try to get along."
Despite Subaru's attempt to lighten the atmosphere, Rem couldn't shake off the weight of Tanaka's words. She nodded in acknowledgment but remained deep in thought as Subaru resumed cleaning.
*********************************************************************************************************
"Augh___...My head hurts."
Tanaka groaned as he touched his head with his hand, he had this headache that was taunting him which was probably caused by the lack sleep. Regardless, he didn't have many options, sleeping in the library was the only place that he thought it would be the best and the safest option, even if it was for only three hours.
Yawn..
His hand instinctively rose to shield his mouth, fingers concealing the quiet stretch of the corners of his lips.
"Tanaka."
Suddenly, Subaru's voice cut through the tranquility, drawing Tanaka's attention. Subaru, clad in a refined butler's attire, stood amidst the verdant beauty of the mansion's garden.
The call prompted Tanaka to open his eyes and turn towards Subaru. The garden, bathed in the soft glow of the evening, provided a picturesque backdrop to their impending conversation.
"Hey, What's up."
Subaru leaned in, his intention clear—to share something confidential. "Hey, it's about Rem."
Tanaka's attention sharpened, his focus now fully on the impending conversation. "What about her?"
Subaru, leaning closer, whispered, "What did you exactly tell her? Earlier this morning, she came to me and apologized."
"Ah."
"I told her what she needed to hear, that we know about the hostility she holds towards us and that I don't care either. I didn't have to mention return by death to tell her that."
"But... She isn't aware yet of wha..."
"That's why I needed to make my point clear even through half a lie, that we are here not by choice and that we will leave as soon as we find a way back home or after we can stand on our own."
This was not a preferable route that which Tanaka decided to take, a path of which he will have a somehow strained relationship with the people of this mansion.
'Beatrice and Emilia are cool though.'
He found solace in the straightforward nature of these two, while others, like Rem, Ram, and even Roswaal, remained enigmatic and unpredictable.
"Let's put this aside for now. Last night, I went to Beatrice and I asked her some questions about the way I died in the first loop. From what she said, it seems that I might have been cursed."
Hearing those words, Tanaka momentarily froze. Under normal circumstances, that word if he heard it, he wouldn't have paid too much attention, he probably would have thought that.....
But because of a recent dream he had yesterday. The word 'curse' resonated deeply with Tanaka, evoking the recent vision where Subaru fell victim to such a fate. The dream was no longer a dismissible anomaly but a premonition demanding attention.
"What's a curse? What exactly did she tell you?"
Admitting his lack of understanding, Subaru explained, "To be honest, I didn't fully understand it, but it's like a magic that weakens the body, like that mana drain, to the point of killing it. She also said that a curse can only be instilled through physical contact."
The weight of Subaru's words intensified Tanaka's conviction that the dream held significance.
"Do you think Rem was the one that cursed you and then caused the first loop to start?"
Subaru hesitated, "I don't think so. Beatrice said that there isn't anyone in this mansion that uses curses, but..."
"Then do you think you got it from the village?"
"That's right. That's why I think I have to go to the village again on the fourth day."
"Alright, I will come with you this time, did she also tell you how we can prevent it?"
Subaru began affirming, "Ah, yeah sh..."
"What are you two talking about?"
Suddenly, the sound of the silver haired girl appeared from behind them, disrupting their conversation.
Subaru was surprised and flustered by her appearance. Therefor, Tanaka swiftly intervened, steering the conversation in a different direction. "Ah, nothing. We were just talking about how we are going to get back home. We are still not used to this situation yet."
Emilia, curious, chimed in, "Ah, you did say that you two are from a foreign country, what was it called again?"
"Yeah, it's Japan. Anyway, are you here to talk with the spirits?"
Emilia nodded, "Yeah, you want to join me again?"
"Yeah, sure."
Subaru, looking puzzled, interjected, "Wait, what do you mean again?"
"I met her after I finished work at night.. Ah, don't worry, I didn't get a lap pillow."
Subaru, blushing and flustered, pleaded, "You bast... Please, stop mentioning it."
Ignoring their banter, Emilia closed her eyes and began to focus. "Just one second, let me call them."
Emilia closed her eyes, a serene expression gracing her beautiful features. As she began to call the spirits, beams of blue light started gathering around her, creating an enchanting spectacle. The radiant glow painted a vivid image.
The spirits began swirling around Tanaka and Emilia, an energetic dance that brought a hint of laughter to Tanaka's tired face. Despite his exhaustion, the playful interaction with the spirits lifted his spirits.
"Haha, some of them I haven't met last night? Well, it must be because they only show up during the day."
"Yeah, the ones you saw yesterday only appear at night."
A voice, unseen, joined the conversation, calling out to Emilia. "Emilia-Sama, this is..."
At that moment, Rem and Ram, the twin maids with distinct blue and pink hair, each holding a basket of laundry entered the scene. The luminous blue beams of light surrounding Tanaka caught them by surprise.
"Good morning. Oh? It looks like Tanaka has a talent for spiritualism. Well, that was unexpected." Puck, the grey cat spirit, popped out from Emilia's hair, yawning as he joined the gathering.
Seeing the maids reaction, Tanaka couldn't help but ask, "Is being able to talk with spirits a rare thing?"
Puck, as if he was a teacher, started explaining, "Most spirits are really picky when it comes to liking people, especially the minor spirits. And being able to understand them is something that is more unlikely to happen. The only people that I know who can do this are Tanaka."
Ram responded sarcastically, "Well, this time the spirits chose quite shiftless to take a liking to. Right, Rem?"
Rem, seemingly out of it, replied, "Ah, yes One-Sama."
After Rem's response, she proceeded to start hanging the clothes to dry them up, and Ram noticed something off about her sister's mood.
Emilia spoke, "From what I know, there's Julius as well."
Subaru inquired, "Who is Julius?"
"He is a knight from another faction, like Reinhart."
Subaru's voice held a speculative tone, "Even through I don't know who he is, but his name gives me the impression of an arrogant noble aristocrat, Ahhh! Emilia-Tan, it hurts! Ahhhhhhhhh....."
Gripping his ear gently, she admonished, "Don't say mean things about people you don't know."
Puck and Tanaka, amused observers in the background, couldn't help but share a lighthearted laugh. The atmosphere lightened, the tension dissipating as they continued their banter.
Shifting gears, Puck initiated another topic, steering the conversation away from potential awkwardness. "By the way, Subaru tried his hand at magic yesterday."
Tanaka, intrigued, leaned in, prompting Puck to elaborate. "Oh? How did it go?"
With a chuckle, Puck recounted the escapade. "Well, it didn't go too smoothly. After casting Shamak, he ended up creating a colossal cloud of smoke. Shamak is a spell from the shadow-element section. With basic usage of shadow magic, you can obscure someone's vision, block sound, and slow movements. It can also be used offensively, but mastering it takes a lot of practice."
Tanaka nodded thoughtfully. "Hmm.. Even the basics usages sound pretty useful but you are right that he shouldn't push himself."
"Well yeah, how about you? Do you want me to check your element?"
Tanaka hesitated, "I thought that I'm incapable of using magic, after what happened yesterday with Beatrice."
Puck reassured him, "Well, that time the mana left your body because it was pulled out by a third party. But if it's you who controls the flow of mana, you should be fine."
Still apprehensive, Tanaka voiced his concern, "Are you sure? I don't want to collapse like last time."
Puck dismissed his worries with nonchalant confidence. "It's fine, it's fine. Even if something went terribly wrong, I can still fix you up like I did before."
In a surreal turn of events, Puck flew in front of Tanaka. The floating feline touched Tanaka's forehead with his tail, a peculiar ritual to unveil the latent magic within.
"Nyom, Nyom, Nyom."
As Puck hummed, Tanaka couldn't help but reflect on the oddity of the situation. 'Since when am I used to this guy? And what's up with the sound effects?'
Subaru, still nursing his captive ear, couldn't resist his curiosity. "Oh, are you guys doing the element test thing?"
Puck, finally concluding his peculiar humming, declared with certainty, "Your attribute is water, Tanaka."
Emilia chimed in, "You have the same element as Rem."
Tanaka's gaze involuntarily shifted towards Rem, who was engrossed in her laundry duties. Their eyes met briefly, and in that fleeting moment, Rem quickly averted her gaze, Tanaka shifted back his attention to Puck.
"Try to imagine your gate; the mana is flowing around. I need you to try to guide it out. I will help you form Huma. First, close your eyes and focus."
Tanaka took a deep breath and closed his eyes, he then plunged into the recesses of his mind, where the ebb and flow of mana awaited his command.
In the stillness, Tanaka visualized his magical gate as a door, a conduit for the pulsating currents of mana. With his eyes shut, he extended his hands before him, palms upturned, as if cradling an invisible vessel.
With each passing moment, Tanaka could feel the ethereal water taking shape, responding to the harmonious orchestration of his imagination and the mana flowing within him.
He opened his eyes and there it was.
Water manifested over his two hands, momentarily taking the shape of a bubbly sphere. He moved his hands slowly, and the sphere obediently followed his gestures.
"Your mana control is excellent for a first time. Now, I will cast Huma to turn it into ice, and then you can try it by yourself."
Tanaka, though focused, nodded in agreement after hearing Puck's instructions.
"Huma." Puck chanted the spell and the atmosphere cracked in anticipation as the water ball started to solidify, gradually transforming into a crystalline form.
Yet, as the spell progressed, a sudden jolt of pain coursed through Tanaka's arms, as if he were attempting to lift an overwhelmingly heavy burden. Gritting his teeth, he called out, "Stop! Stop!"
Puck, attuned to Tanaka's distress, swiftly halted the spell. The iced ball dropped to the ground, and Tanaka's arms trembled slightly from the exertion.
"This is weird," Puck remarked, looking troubled. "It doesn't take a lot of mana to use Huma, especially after you've already got the hang of forming and controlling mana."
Subaru interjected, "Isn't it because our gates aren't well used?"
Puck nodded in acknowledgment. "Subaru released a large amount of mana in one Shamak spell because you lacked control; that's why you got tired quickly. But as for Tanaka, he had good control and he got tired only after releasing a small amount. I don't know, honestly."
Emilia, seemingly deep in thought, murmured "Maybe I should contact Crush."
Tanaka, catching wind of her murmurs, inquired, "What was that?"
"Ah, nothing." Emilia quickly shook off the suggestion.
Tanaka shrugged it off, getting up with a slight cough. "Well, I'm going to spend some time with that loli, and I'll resume my work after 3 hours. Subaru, try your best not to force Emilia into giving you a lap pillow."
As Tanaka walked away towards the mansion's entrance, Subaru couldn't contain his frustration. "Fuck! You, you bastard!... Wait, I forgot to ask him..."
Emilia, watching Tanaka's departure, expressed her concern. "Tanaka seems a bit out of it today; I hope he's not forcing himself too hard. Ah, what did you want to tell him, Subaru?"
"Ah, nothing Emilia-Tan."
However, Subaru's unspoken query about Tanaka's library visits yesterday lingered in the air.
*********************************************************************************************************
"Yo, here I am again."
Tanaka entered the library as if it were a routine.
"Not only are you now able to surpass my door-crossing as if it were natural, but you also brought your pillow to sleep. Betty finds this somewhat irritating," Beatrice remarked with a hint of annoyance.
Tanaka, unperturbed, replied, "It's fine, it's fine. This time I brought my earphones with me so the alarm noise doesn't bother you. You know? It's that thing that made a loud sound when I woke up."
"Yeah, I suppose I remember that unpleasant sound."
"Please don't insult the Ninjago opening."
As Tanaka settled into his chair, he wanted to chat a bit with Beatrice before succumbing to sleep.
In a display of his day's triumphs, Tanaka, in a voice fatigued yet eager, shared, "Hey, I also wanted to tell you that I was able to use water magic earlier. Well, close since I only controlled a portion of water, and I struggled to freeze it. But still, it was really cool."
Beatrice, with a raised eyebrow, adopted a tone of skepticism. "Is that even something to be proud of?"
Tanaka, his weak laughter echoing through the shelves, responded, "Haha, you're right..."
"Hey, about curses.. I forgot to ask Subaru earlier but I wanted to know about the way to prevent them."
Beatrice, seemingly bothered by the repetitive question, responded, "What's wrong with all of you and this stupid question! Betty already explained to the other human that it's impossible to stop activated curses. But prior to the activation, Betty can stop them."
The air in the library crackled with residual tension as Tanaka, already on the verge of surrendering to sleep, accepted her words with a simple, "I see..."
"Then can I ask you for a favor?"
Beatrice, unable to conceal her confusion, retorted, "I don't understand why you think I would do you a favor, but if it's to keep you quiet, I'm willing to hear you, I suppose."
With a weariness that bespoke the weight on his shoulders, Tanaka continued, "Alright then, if... If I or Subaru get cursed, if that were to happen, I want you to take it off if you can, Betty..."
"Huh? Wait a second, why did you call m...."
Beside the odd request, Beatrice was taken aback as he called her by her nickname. She put the book down to look at him, but before Beatrice could respond, Tanaka, as if the exhaustion had finally caught up with him, slipped into a peaceful slumber.
*********************************************************************************************************
The transition into the realm of dreams was seamless for Tanaka. He felt the sensation of diving into water, his surroundings blurring into an ethereal haze. As he descended deeper, the world around him transformed, and the sounds of the library were replaced by the distant murmurings of an unfamiliar landscape.
His vision, once obscured, began to clear, and a voice reached his ears, piercing through the dreamlike ambiance.
"My actions were nothing more than a preventive defense against degeneration of the
situation. By the time I had found him, Subaru-Kun was already beyond any chance of rescue. —He
would have desired to be put down immediately."
"And, so... that's what that, terrible end was, is what you're saying, Rem? Subaru is my
benefactor, and there were going to be so many things for us to talk about... and you..."
It was dark, but Tanaka knew where he was....
He was standing in his specter form, in the hallway of the mansion where he was hearing two familiar voices.
The quarrelling voices of two girls.