The pseudo Saber saying that aloud while kept staring at his little sister's face in his cellphone, lost in his memories of the times spent with her. He still remembered how she was born. He was six years old at that time, and he picked her up for the first time from his mother's arms.
"What is her name?" Rem asked
"Angelica." Alex answered fondly
Rem nodded as she repeated the name in her mind "Rem thinks it is a good name."
"Of course it is." Alex said with a small grin "It came from me!" The name did actually come from him, he got it from a movie called 'Carita de Angel'. Angelica is the name of the protagonist's mother who became guardian spirit for her. His parents agreed with his choice and decided to name her after it.
"Rem thinks Alex-sama has a good taste then." Rem said kindly "Where is she now?"
"She..." Alex paused when the question registered to his mind. His throat dried up and his eyes became wider by a small margin. He tried to say anything but he couldn't find his voice. He truthfully didn't know how to answer that question.
He refused to say she was dead. He would rather take Rem's Morningstar to the head then proclaim his little angel's death. But at the same time he could hardly tell her the truth. That would bring up way to many other questions he had no answer for.
Rem noticed his troubled look, her soft eyes filling with sympathy and regret. "Rem is sorry Alex-sama, she spoke out of turn" She apologized "Rem did not mean to bring up bad memories, please forgive her." She bowed in genuine regret.
"No." Alex shook his head "No, no need to apologize Rem. You didn't do anything wrong." He took a deep breath and ruffled his hair, trying his best to calm down "You didn't do anything wrong." He repeated "It's natural to be curious, if I were in your position I would ask the same thing."
Rem didn't know how to respond to that, she raised her face to see Alex already looking back at the picture.
"Besides, she is not dead." Alex said. He wouldn't say his sister was dead, not now, not ever. "She's just... lost." Lost... that is actually technically true... Though it isn't her who lost but him. He closed his eyes, feeling very emotional, but aware it would not be a good thing to show this side of him
"Rem, perhaps we have already done enough for tonight?"
"... Yes, Rem thinks so too." Rem agreed after a moment of silence "Then, Rem shall take her leave. Perhaps it will be better if Alex-sama rests now, it's already late." She said while glancing at the magic time crystal nearby.
"Yes, rest would be good." Alex murmured while nodding before shaking his head "I'm sorry to ruin the moment Rem, I was thinking that maybe showing you where I come from will make you at least feel less uncomfortable around me."
He confessed, making Rem's breath freeze for a moment. "I'm not so stupid to not notice how uncomfortable you are with my presence Rem." He chuckled when noticing her flinch "I don't know why, but please believe me that I have no ill intentions towards anyone in this manor. I'm homeless, it would be stupid of me to try anything in here, this is where I live now after all. I don't want there to be a bad relationship between us because of that. It will only be awkward for the both of us, right?"
He knew he shouldn't say this to her. This is stupid, to openly admit he knew she is not comfortable with him and trying to get close to her. But Alex couldn't bring himself to care right now. His mind was a mess and he just wanted to end the conversation as fast as possible.
The blue haired oni stayed silent at the confession. She did give him a slow nod however. If it was in honest agreement, or to just rid herself of the situation, the blonde knight did not know.
"Then, Rem will excuse herself." Rem bowed to him. Without any further words, the maid exited the room, leaving Alex alone, still staring at his cellphone.
The blond knight's green eyes were focused on his sister. He swiped once, changing the picture to show him with his whole family. He could feel his heart clench further seeing all of them, a sob threatening to slip from his throat. He choked it down.
His fingers gripped the edge of the bed tightly causing the wood to break under his strength. The pseudo Saber closed his eyes and grit his teeth as a single tear rolled down to his otherwise pristine face.
'I will return, I promise. Just wait for me, mom, dad, Angel. I will survive this and return to you all.'
***
'Was I wrong?'
That question kept repeating itself in her mind as Rem made her way back to her room.
She was glad that her big sister accompanied her yesterday during the 'lesson'. Her big sister's presence always managed to calm her.
Today was different though...
Roswaal-sama told her to go alone since it would have been too obvious he was trying to be a hindrance. Given that Alex-sama has the trust of both Emilia-sama and Puck-sama, it would have been a bad idea to further antagonize him.
She was very nervous about the supposed study-sessions. It just didn't make any sense, there was no way he did not know anything about Lugnica.
Even if he was a foreigner, he was still of noble birth. He must have already been tutored in the customs of at least the bigger kingdoms. Rem would not have been surprised if he only pretended to be a noble.
'Was I wrong?'
But much to her surprise... he not only took their lessons to heart, but was also very perceptive and insightful when it came to any questions he had.
But at the same time there were also things that he already seemed to know, only asking to confirm something. Or playing with her -she thought. The latter seemed more obvious, that man couldn't be trusted after all.
He deliberately tried to manipulate her, she does not know why but she is sure of it. For all his smiles, curiosity and easy-going attitude, someone who carried the Witches stink cannot be trusted.
There is nothing more than to stay away from him, that was what she thought when she 'tutoring' him. She doesn't like him, not at all, and she is also very afraid of him.
Standing close to him, who has such a wicked and powerful scent... it made her shudder and very uncomfortable…
Like cornered prey... like a rabbit in front of a lion who plays with its prey before devouring it…
She doesn't like it... not at all... who in their right mind likes that?
And yet…
'Was I wrong about him?'
She was quite surprised to see the metia he has, it was... unique. To remember anything it sees and recalls it for others to see. That was one strange metia, though undeniably very useful.
But the most surprising thing was when he started talking about his sister.
Love…
There was no better word for what she felt of him when he talked about her. He loved her. Not in some twisted or deranged way, it was pure genuine love. It actually reminded her of how she feels for her big sister.
The love of an older sibling. Love that wishes to protect, nurture and guide their precious younger siblings.
Such love... is impossible to feel for someone following the Witch Cult.
It was no secret that even the higher members of the Witch Cult are... unhinged.
They are all insane to some point. The lower ranking members are nothing more than puppets made of flesh, neither afraid of injury nor death, throwing themselves to their death in droves if their Archbishops demand so.
Even the highest ranking members of the Cult would have difficulty fitting into normal society.
But that man…
It could all be a trick... but such levels of sincerity. She feels his actions are not caused by an insane, or let alone evil mind. If he did bad things, it would be out of love. Even though the majority would probably disagree, that could not be completely bad, right?
She remembered how exhausted and pained he looked when he remembered his little sister -who apparently is not dead, but somehow lost, how did he mean that? He said he wished to get closer to her, so they could be more at peace when living under the same roof. That he did not wish to harm her, or anyone else in the mansion for that matter.
Even his confession, that he tried to get close to her for personal reasons, wasn't that bad if she thought about it. He only wanted to make sure they didn't end up hating each other.
Such things... should be enough to make Rem more wary of him... but she is not...
Because it shows that Alex Pendragon is still human.
For all the power she smelt coming from him, power that makes her look like a small and helpless girl. Power that is so raw and potent and makes her like a... small animal standing in front of a hungry Dragon.
He is still a man…
And that made her feel relieved to some degree…
Make no mistakes, she still did not trust him, but she could at least agree to tolerate his presence. She did not fear him like before. She knew he was still a man, not some unspeakable monster wearing human skin.
'One chance... Rem will give him one chance.'
The blue haired oni hastened her pace, it was already late and it would not do for her to oversleep. Even though he would already get up by himself, he was a guest and he asked her to wake him at 4 in the morning. It was her duty to follow the wishes of any guests to the mansion, she was the head maid after all.
***
"I LoVe YoU."
"Mom, who is this?" He asked as he stared at the infant, lying in its crib with curious eyes.
His mother smiled at him, her hand gently brushing the baby's soft hair "This is your little sister, Angelica."
"Really? She's so tiny!" He exclaimed, his eyes wide in disbelief and surprise.
"You were also like once, you know." She commented to the boy, who was now poking the little baby cheeks.
"She's so soft." He commented, rubbing the baby's cheeks.
"Alex, stop that! Your sister is still fragile, it's unhealthy to touch her cheeks like that!" She admonished, slapping his hand away.
Alex only pouted in response.
"I love you."
***
"This is how you wash a horse. You need to make sure it's tied up properly. You don't want it running around. Tie the knots firmly, but try not to hurt it, you also don't want it to lash out." He emphasized the point by pulling the knot.
He stared at the horse for a second before focusing on the knot, after a moment he nodded in understanding "Yes."
"Good, let's start cleaning. Be sure to use this brush for its mane, not the other one. Then you-"
"I love you..."
***
#Alex, go take your sister to school! Mom's busy and your father is meeting a client. Go ahead and use the car.#
He read the message on his phone with a twitching eye. He had planned to meet up with some friends at a café, but it seems like he'll be late now. If he makes it at all, that is. He can hardly leave his little sister alone at home, after all.
His parents would give him hell if he left her here. Then again, he did adore her, so he supposed it was fine.
Still... he really hoped to spend some time with his friends. Maybe he should invite them over?
"I love you."
***
She was beautiful. Without a doubt, he had seen many beautiful women, both in this world and his own. But the woman standing in front of him...
Her beauty seemed natural, alluringly so. But not inhumane, he found those kinds of people...strange, untouchable. No, what was standing in front of him right now was...
She reached out to him, a gentle smile on her face. He found himself too enraptured to move even a single muscle.
He realized his mistake only when she did finally touch him.
Cold...like ice. While her tender hand had all the soft and supple qualities he expected, it was as if the frozen northwind's themselves had shaped it.
"I love you..."
He found himself unable to move, frozen, as these words once again escaped her lips. As she lovingly took him into her arms, holding him like a young wife would her husband.
He felt like he was being embraced by Death itself.
"I love you."
As she touched her lips to his he felt himself fade away. Slowly dying, piece by piece. She deepened the kiss, her tongue like some kind of soft metal that shoved down his throat rather than muscle and flesh.
There was no pleasure in her actions. It felt lifeless and hollow. An icy fear grips his heart whenever he catches a glimpse of her angelic face.
She slowly drew back, tenderly cupping his cheeks in her hands. Her eyes shone with affection, so pure it was almost blinding. She smiled radiantly, openly for all the world to see her love.
To him, it only seemed deranged.
"I LoVe YoU."
****
To say Rem was surprised would be an understatement.
She already suspected Alex-sama would still be asleep. After the emotional rollercoaster he went through last evening, she would have been more surprised to see him awake like usual.
What was surprising was the way the man slept.
The bed...was a mess. The blankets were scattered on the floor, the pillow was cast aside and the man himself was splayed indecently across the mattress. His clothes were in disarray, revealing his slender, muscled chest. The blue haired maid could see the smallest edge of his teeth poking out behind thin lips, his nose flaring with every breath he took. All in all, what was layed out in front of her was the very opposite of the normally regal, handsome man she knew.
Rem gathered up the discarded blanket, folding it up and placing it on the corner of the bed before moving closer to the man himself.
"Alex-sama, it's already six in the morning." Rem called out.
The pseudo-sabers only response was a particularly loud snore.
Rem felt her lips curl down slightly "Alex-sama, it is time to wake up."
The blonde simply turned away from her, flaring his nostrils and snuggling deeper into the bed.
Undeterred, Rem walked around the bed to face him again. Instead of calling out again, she took his hand and tried to shake him. She was not surprised at how smooth and soft the skin was. She shook it again, entangling their fingers.
"Alex-sama, you told me to wake you at four, you have training to do." She tried a bit louder, again giving the man a firm shake.
This seemed to get the desired results. The man started stirring in his sleep, slowly opening his ice and turning a dazed look at her.
"Ngg?" He grunted, his eyelids fluttering "Angel? Are you cosplaying again?"
Rem blinked, the knight seemed to still be half asleep, he mistook her for his sister. She was about to correct him when his free hand sneaked to her cheek, pinching her and eliciting a yelp.
"And it is Rem from Re:Zero, mom's going to be angry with me if she caught you like this." He sighed. He didn't seem afraid of the prospect, rather he was content, happy.
"A-Alllexxt-swamwa!" Rem yelped, taking hold of the hand pinching her "Rwem nwot ywor lwittlwe swistwer, Rwem is Rwem!" She tried to pry it away, even putting some of her strength into it, but the offending appendage would not be moved. Her soft cheek continued to be maimed by the drowsy Saber.
After a bit of a struggle, her words did seem to finally elicit their intended effect. Alex's dazed eyes slowly started to gain focus, finally taking note of who actually stood in front of him. Rem saw his eyes widen briefly, an indecipherable emotion crossing the green orbs. To her displeasure, they were gone as fast as they appeared and a second hand joined the first, pinching her other cheek as well.
"Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!"
To her relief the pain only lasted for a while, as her cheeks were quickly released from his grip. Rem hands immediately went to her cheeks, wincing as she touched the stinging red spots. She found the drowsy man's eyes on her, amusement clearly glimmering in them.
"Sorry Rem, I just had to make sure I was not dreaming."
Rem glared at him with ferocity, though her unshed tears greatly diminishing its effect. "Shouldn't Alex-sama pinch his own cheeks rather than Rem's?"
"No way, your cheeks are way softer than my own." Alex denied, voice still groggy but clearly entertained "Beside, where would the fun be in that." He added as he slowly sat up, stretching his arms. Contrary to his normal looks, he felt like an old drunk right now. He tried crawling off the mattress, only to collapse on his stomach, burying his head in linen.
Rem watched the man's awkward posture with a mixture of fascination and irritation. This is the man who has struck fear in her heart? Who made her feel small and insignificant? This harmless, empty-headed, undignified person is truly Alex Pendragon?
'Nee-sama is right, Alex-sama really does have two faces.' Rem thought with a sigh as she moved to his side. He was clearly still far from awake.
Still... part of her can't help but find his antics cute. He had an almost childlike quality to him... who knew the elegant, mature looking man had such a strange personality?
***
She stared at the young man who kept repeatedly swinging his sword. His strikes were fast and relentless, like falling rain, yet still polished and clean in execution with so much speed and power that it chopped trees with a single swing. Compared to only two days ago, she would not hesitate to say his improvements were massive. It was like watching a completely different swordsman.
She did not know much about the way of the sword, it was not her art. But she did recognize the quality of his movements. The way he wielded his blade was... on a whole different level then three days ago, when he started his daily regimen.
She saw the girl her Bubby was contracted to sitting not far from the young knight. Watching him with an intense look, her eyes absorbing his every movement. If she didn't know better, she would say the silver haired girl may be obsessed with him.
But she's not...
She recognized the girl's look. Bubby was right when he denied her love. Her eyes spoke of a different emotion. It was an expression of awe...inspiration...
Admiration.
Just like herself, when she was still with her mistress.
What would bring the girl to admire the boy this way?
She doesn't know, and doesn't really care either. He doesn't care for her, despite the contract she has formed with her precious friend. Just like her friend doesn't care to save anyone but his contractor.
Still, she can't help but feel curious...
As she kept watching, the boy stopped his training, his head tilting in her direction. Her eyes widened when their gazes met.
He noticed her? How? While she was not really hidden, there was still quite the distance between them. For him to suddenly stop mid-swing, just when she started to focus on him more keenly and...
'He has good instincts, I suppose.' She thought as she watched the boy wave his hand with a smile, causing her to scowl.
***
I only chuckled as Beatrice closed her curtains the moment I started waving at her. I never thought I would get such a reaction from someone just by smiling at them. This truly was a fantasy World alright, tsundere and everything exists in here.
"Alex?" Emilia called to me "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, I just waved to Beatrice-san. She was watching us." I answered her, "By the way, Emi."
The silver haired half elf blinked "Emi?"
"A nickname for you, if you don't mind."
"I don't mind." Emilia smiled, she seemed quite happy actually.
"Emi it is, then." I chuckled, "Why do you keep watching me every morning when I practise?" I asked
Hearing that Emilia's smile turned into a more troubled expression "Am I bothering you?"
"No, no." I shook my head negatively. "I find your presence to be... refreshing actually." I said with a momentary pause. I did indeed find Emilia's presence enjoyable. "I just want to know why?"
"... No particular reason." Emilia answered with slight hesitation "It's just... I usually have to wake up early to talk with the lesser spirits and-"
"Ahh, say no more." I cut her swiftly, raising a hand "You don't need to tell me anything if you feel uncomfortable" I said with a small shrug "It's not like I have a problem with it. Like I said, I find your company to be refreshing and enjoyable."
I do know at least part of the reason why she keeps watching me.
Loneliness...
I don't fully understand how she must have felt, but I do know what she went through. Emilia has practically no one she is close to, no friends save for Puck, who unfroze her. Elves were driven close to extinction by... what was her name? Pandaren? Pandora? Pandra? It doesn't matter, who I mean is the witch with the reality-warping abilities. And Puck? He can only materialize for eight hours a day, from nine in the morning to five in the afternoon.
Only eight hours... and he's the only one she could talk to...
Due to her close resemblance to Satella, she can't approach anyone without being judged for her looks. I'm tempted to curse out anyone who would treat her that way. It has been FOUR HUNDRED BLEEDING YEARS! Almost half a millennia has passed since the Witch of Envy's reign. Why would they still keep hating her? No one even has a relative still alive who may have been harmed by Satella.
I can understand the scorn Naruto had to endure. Kyuubi's rampage was still a very fresh memory, not to mention the beast still living on in his belly. But Emilia? What did she ever do? Her only known connections to Satella are her looks and race. Even then, Satella is already as good as dead to the world!
Humans... baah...
Oblivious to my internal rant, Emilia smiled, looking very happy at my words "Thank you Alex."
So here she is, talking to me. The only person who doesn't care about her race or status. The only one who doesn't treat her as a symbol, or pawn. Even if I do know I need her, and intend to use her to get home, I still must say Emilia...
Is a good friend... I can't deny that.
"Alex?"
I blinked as I broke out from my stupor. Looking down I see Emilia standing not too far from me, as matter of fact she was close! Not too close, but if she bends her body this way-
White
GEGH!
"I'm fine!" I said, quickly turning away so she could not see me blush. God damn it woman! Have some common sense! "Emi, I do not mean to be rude but... next time please take a note of your appearance before moving."
Emilia blinked, she tilted her head slightly before looking over her body "I... My sleepwear did not change. It's a fresh set, but still the same cut." She commented with a small frown "Is there something wrong?"
"Your lack of common sense never ceases to amuse and torture me." I said with a heavy sigh. Seriously, this girl... didn't she realize just how gorgeous she looked in the first place?
"I don't want to hear anything about common sense from you." Emilia makes a point by poking my chest with her index finger "You have strange views about what's considered common."
"It's not strange, it's realistic and necessary."
"... True, but the way I see it is so negative." She sighed while pinching the bridge of her nose. "It's unhealthy to think like that."
I only shrugged in response, I'm not an entirely negative person. I do have my moments, but I just think of it as being realistic. I can't afford to mess up in this world. Having my head clouded by emotions is only going to get me killed.
Still... as I said, Emilia is a good friend. If she was born into my own world, we would probably be visiting the same college now. Maybe she would even be a guest at my house, I'm sure mother would love her. Even considering the short time we spent together, I can tell we would be close friends.
Perhaps even...
No, that's just a mere fantasy. I do not need such thoughts in my mind, getting home is my top priority.
Besides, I do admit I'm attracted to her. She is hot, beautiful, gorgeous, and kind too. Only a moron would refuse her, if she ever made a move. But that doesn't mean I love her... it's more like... a physical attraction...
The glimpse I caught a moment ago flashes before my eyes and I can feel myself turning red again and my dragon is trying to stand.
Damn it! Stupid hormones! Stupid nightgown!
"Alex? You okay? Your face is kind of red."
And Puck as well, I'm sure as hell he did not bother teaching Emilia anything about modesty, or to be more self-aware about her appearance.
I'm starting to hate that damn cat too.
Seriously Emilia, you are pretty girl you need to-
"I LoVe YoU"
I feel the blood in my veins freeze, a hollow sensation gripping my heart. My hand shoots to my chest, my lips feel as if they are touching a block of ice. I gag.