1.1
"And last, stretch your arms high in the sky for the big finish—Victory!—
Victory!" He listened to the giddy voices as he wiped the sweat off his brow.
Subaru raised both hands high as he spoke his trademark phrase.
A chorus followed, ending another morning's workout.
The people who joined him in his exuberant radio calisthenics were residents
of Earlham Village, the one closest to Roswaal Manor. Probably half the village
was present.
Subaru's cheeks softened without him realizing it at the sight of the familiar
buoyant faces. He wordlessly lowered his gaze a little, unable to watch them for
a few moments.
Subaru had suggested teaching Japanese radio calisthenics to help the village,
where scars from the recent demon beast crisis were still fresh. This had
improved his reputation among the otherworldly residents and exploded into a
village-wide movement. At first, Subaru had been worried about the lack of
participants. But seeing the children who had been victims of the demon beast
attack enjoy themselves made him feel it was all worth it.
The customs of his homeland were not to be underestimated. Radio
calisthenics weren't the only popular tradition…
"Okay, you brats, line up! It's stamp time!"
Subaru raised his voice while taking out a raw potato with one end sliced flat.
Subaru dipped the flat end into an ink container, then pressed it onto the
sheets of paper that the queued-up children held out eagerly. The very in-
demand "potato stamp" recorded that day's fruits of labor.
"So how about it? In another week we'll start the long-awaited, much-
requested event, Monday Puck. The highlight will be those floppy ears."
"The kitty's so cute!" "He's wonderful!" "He's adorable!"
He'd stolen the potato-stamp idea from radio calisthenics during summer
break back home. A lot of kids had fun guessing what was going to be on that
morning's stamp. Subaru thus used his oddly dexterous fingers to engage their
young minds.
After a time, his pleasant chat with the villagers came to a close. Subaru
waved to them and went on his way. He approached a tree at the edge of the
village square, wearily calling out to the girl leaning against the trunk in the
shade.
"Ahh, that wore me out. Anyway, sorry to keep you waiting, Emilia-tan."
"No, it's all right. I see you worked hard, Subaru." Emilia smoothed her silver
hair with a charming smile, readjusting the hood she wore low over her face.
"The villagers seem much happier these days, and it's all thanks to you,
Subaru."
"It's no big deal. I just showed them how to do some healthy exercises that
get the blood flowing. But I feel bad making you come with me every morning,
day after day."
"That's okay. You're not in tip-top shape yet, and Ram and Rem can't come
because of their work at the mansion. Besides, I really don't mind doing this."
"As in, you don't mind spending your mornings with me?"
"Pfft, not that. More like…I like being even a tiny bit involved with the
villagers I never used to come in contact with. I think maybe…I drew a line
between us until now."
He could make out a small blush on Emilia's face under her hood. The lovely
sight warmed Subaru's cheeks before he even realized what was happening.
Lately, Emilia had often gone with him to the village as soon as she finished
her daily chitchats with the minor spirits, returning together after Subaru
completed the morning workout routine. For about fifteen minutes, he and
Emilia would walk side by side on the way from the village back to the mansion.
Subaru treasured these rare moments more than anything.
"I have to say, though, you really get along with the villagers, Subaru. You're
probably more famous than Ram and Rem by now."
"Well, I am kind of the hero who saved them. Plus, I'm the ultimate
gentleman who never asks for thanks, never brags about my deeds… I'm sure
you'll fall in love with me all over again!"
"I wasn't in love to begin with, mind you… Also, I think your assessment is
slightly off." Emilia put a finger to her lips, tilting her head slightly with a
conflicted look. For his part, Subaru was a little dejected at her brushing off his
favor so easily. She continued, "I think that the villagers see you as oddly
perceptive rather than a hero who saved everyone. I mean, you know some
very mysterious things."
"So they're treating me like a well-educated professor, huh… But, um, besides
aerobics, I don't know all that much…"
"There's the games you play with the children, potato stamping… Also,
mayonnaise."
Emilia clapped her hands together as her eyes sparkled. She'd become a huge
fan of the experimental mayonnaise Subaru had made at the mansion. Subaru,
a natural-born mayo lover back on his world, had reproduced mayonnaise to
put some zest in his meals; the sauce was apparently a smash hit with Emilia
and the villagers.
"I think they're underselling my hard work a bit, if they think mayonnaise and
rescuing children from demon beasts are on the same level. I mean, I put my
body on the line and everything…"
He'd gone into the forest to save the children, and got bitten all over. When
Rem went out to save him from certain death, he protected her and got bitten,
and he was about to be bitten some more when Roswaal showed up to save
him…
"Huh?! Come to think of it, I did, like, almost nothing!"
Thinking back on his exploits, they amounted to considerably less than he'd
originally thought. Perhaps it was better to say that he'd been involved in many
exploits, but his individual efforts had accomplished close to nothing.
"Sheesh. Don't worry about silly little things like that."
"But, Emilia-tan…"
"Everyone knows you worked very hard, Subaru. Roswaal, Ram, and
especially Rem, right?"
Subaru's expression remained pathetic in spite of Emilia's encouragement.
She ran a few steps ahead of him and turned around. The sudden movement
sent her hood falling back, letting her long, silver hair flow down her back,
sparkling in the morning sun.
"And me, too."
"—Huh?"
"I know very well how hard you worked. That's why we will have no moping.
Understand?" Emilia tilted her head and asked, "Your answer?"
The dumbfounded Subaru vigorously nodded his head. His reaction prompted
a beaming smile from Emilia.
"What was that? You were moving like a broken toy. You're always like that."
"Er, this time it wasn't on purpose… And besides, you're a hundred times
more unfair. No matter how much I struggle, I just keep falling back in love…"
"Yes, yes. I think you have very bad habit of glossing things over, like just
now."
Emilia wore a charming smile, oblivious to the sincerity of his words.
Watching her put her hood back on and walk beside him once more, Subaru
thought again that he'd never find a better girl than this.
The gate of Roswaal Manor had come into view during the course of their
conversation. A few meager minutes remained until they arrived—and the
regretful end to his morning bliss.
"There's a…dragon carriage parked in front of the mansion."
When Emilia paused beside Subaru and murmured, he stopped, too, looking
in the same direction. There was indeed something like a horse-drawn carriage
parked at the gates. It was "something like" because the vehicle was clearly not
horse-drawn.
After all, the creature pulling the carriage was a lizard as large as a horse.
Subaru was so surprised at its sheer size, compared to lizards back home, that
he wound up clapping his hands together.
"Oh, right, I saw those passing through the royal capital here and there.
Dragon carriages, you say?"
"…? Yes, the land dragon pulls the carriage that's behind it, so it's a dragon
carriage. Wait, don't tell me it has a common name I don't know?"
"No, no, I'm the one who knows nothing about it. I'm sure you're right,
Emilia-tan. Have confidence in yourself."
"Really? You're not teasing me? You're not going to embarrass me by letting
me use the wrong words in the wrong place, are you? If you're pulling my leg,
I'll clobber you!"
"Nobody says clobber anymore…"
When Emilia raised a hand in mock anger, Subaru clutched his head and
pretended to recoil. Their antics continued as they made their way forward,
arriving in front of the dragon carriage.
"Whoa… Damn, this is impressive. It's, like, so huge it's unreal."
He'd seen these several times back during his time in the royal capital, but
this was his first good look at one up close. The lizard that Emilia had dubbed a
land dragon was indeed as large as a horse, but thinner and lighter. It looked
like it'd beat a horse in a footrace.
As the two approached, a man stood up from the dragon carriage's box seat
and announced, "My, my. Please look out below."
Before the startled pair's eyes, the man agilely leaped from the top of the
seat to stand on the ground below. Subaru's breath caught a bit when he
noticed he'd barely made a sound upon landing. The box seat was around
Subaru's eye level—not a height to casually leap from.
The old man bowed and spoke with eloquence befitting an aged gentleman.
"Welcome back. Please excuse me for currently occupying the front of your
gate."
He politely stroked back his solid white hair before donning an immaculately
tailored black suit. Though advanced in years, his body was obviously honed
into fine condition, and his aura made Subaru subconsciously stand up
straighter.
If this man was indeed the driver, and therefore a servant, the master he
accompanied had to be quite the person. Thinking this, Subaru shifted his gaze
back to the dragon carriage.
"The envoy is already inside the manor and possibly engaged with Marquis
Mathers."
The aging gentleman seemed to read their minds and answered their
question preemptively. Subaru was unexpectedly at a loss for words as Emilia,
standing beside him, stepped forward and faced the old man.
"Envoy…? Could this be…?"
"As you have no doubt surmised, Lady Emilia, this concerns the royal
selection."
At the term royal selection, Subaru's head snapped up. The way Emilia's
expression tensed had Subaru furrowing his eyebrows, suspicious about this
turn of events. The man continued, "I believe the envoy has an official message
for you. Please return to the mansion to receive it in person."
"…Am I being summoned?"
"Please ask the messenger personally."
The old man's discreet reply caused Emilia's face to harden as she lowered
her head. "—Let's go." She began walking without even looking back at Subaru.
He broke into a short jog to catch up. At the last moment, he glanced back,
and saw that the driver was still bowing low, silently watching them go.