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---
Chapter 77
Roswaal summoned them before dawn.
The inn was still silent. The lamps in the hallway remained dim, and beyond the windows, the Capital was only beginning to take shape beneath grayish light.
Rem arrived first.
Link came less than a minute later, still adjusting his shirt as he walked.
—This must be important —he said as he entered—. Rem didn't let me finish sleeping.
She closed the door behind them.
—Roswaal-sama requested our immediate presence.
—That doesn't make him any less guilty.
Roswaal waited beside a small table.
He was not yet wearing the ceremonial clothing prepared for the castle, but his face already bore his usual makeup. Several documents lay across the table, along with an untouched cup and a map of the Capital.
No one else was in the room.
Not Emilia.
Not Subaru.
—Good morning —the margrave greeted.
—That remains to be seen —Link replied.
Rem bowed.
—What do you require, Roswaal-sama?
Roswaal picked up one of the documents and slowly folded it.
—In a few hours, Emilia-sama and I will depart for the castle. Subaru will remain here.
—Emilia already decided that —Link said—. For once, it seems like an intelligent decision.
—It won't last.
Roswaal placed the paper on the table.
Link looked at him.
—What does that mean?
—That Subaru will not remain here.
—Then we'll stop him.
—No.
The answer came without any drawn-out tone or theatricality.
Link stopped smiling.
Roswaal looked first at Rem.
Then at him.
—Do not stand in Subaru's way, regardless of what Emilia-sama may tell you.
Rem lowered her face slightly.
She did not show surprise.
Link did.
—Want to repeat that?
—I believe you heard me.
—Emilia is going to ask us to keep him here.
—Yes.
—Subaru will try to leave.
—Also yes.
—And you want us to let him.
—Exactly.
Link placed both hands on the table.
The wood creaked.
Rem looked at his fingers.
—Link.
He reduced the pressure.
—No.
Roswaal tilted his head.
—No?
—I'm not letting Subaru loose in the Capital during the beginning of a dispute over the throne.
—The Royal Selection.
—Saying it correctly doesn't improve it.
Roswaal smiled.
—Subaru already wandered the Capital without supervision yesterday.
—And ended up surrounded by criminals.
—Whom you defeated.
—Because we found him.
—Today you will not follow him.
Link looked at the map.
The castle occupied a large portion of the upper district. The inn was marked several streets below it. Between the two stood plazas, checkpoints, garrisons, and neighborhoods Subaru barely knew.
—He's injured —Link said—. His Gate is damaged. He can barely read. He doesn't know the laws. He speaks before thinking and thinks after acting.
—A devastating assessment —Roswaal commented—. Though accurate.
—And you still want to let him go?
—Yes.
—Why?
Roswaal held his gaze.
—Because I want to know what he will do.
Link disliked the answer.
Precisely because it sounded true.
—You're using him.
—We all act by making use of the decisions of others.
—That's a long way of saying yes.
Roswaal did not deny it.
Rem remained at one side. Her hands were joined in front of her apron, concealing the tension in her fingers.
—Roswaal-sama —she said—, Emilia-sama will trust Rem to carry out her instructions.
—Which is why I am giving you different ones.
—Emilia-sama's order will be direct.
—And mine came first.
Rem closed her eyes for an instant.
—Understood.
Link turned toward her.
—That simple?
—It is not simple.
—You just accepted.
—Roswaal-sama is our lord.
—He's also the one arranging this.
—Link —Rem repeated, more quietly.
Roswaal watched the exchange.
—Your discomfort is understandable.
—I don't need you to understand it. I need a reason to obey you.
—I'll give you two.
Link waited.
Roswaal pointed at the map.
—The first: while Subaru acts, you can use the day to search for information about Felt.
The name caused an immediate reaction.
Link did not move, but his attention changed.
—What do you know?
—That Reinhard took her into his custody. That she has not returned to the slums, and that the giant who accompanied her is no longer at the loot house either.
—I already knew that.
—You know they disappeared. You do not know what happened afterward.
—Do you?
—Partly.
—Tell me.
—I would prefer you discover it yourself.
Link clenched his jaw.
—That isn't a reason. That's bait.
—They function similarly.
Rem looked at the map.
—What is the second reason?
Roswaal's smile widened.
—Both of you have the day off.
Silence followed.
Link blinked.
—What?
—Rem will have no domestic duties or obligations connected to Emilia-sama. You will have no lessons, administrative errands, or camp-related tasks.
—You're trying to buy me with a date?
—No.
Roswaal intertwined his fingers.
—I'm removing the two people most capable of preventing Subaru from leaving the inn.
—That's worse.
—But more honest.
Link looked at Rem.
She had not raised her face, though the small movement of her eyelashes showed she was thinking.
—What does Rem think? —Roswaal asked.
—That Emilia-sama will trust us.
—We already established that.
—And that Subaru will leave even if he has to jump through a window.
Link remembered the carriage.
—He'll do it even if there's wind.
—Exactly.
Roswaal placed one finger against the map.
—You do not have to help him. You merely have to allow him to choose.
—A choice you prepared —Link said.
—A choice remains his even if someone leaves a door open.
—Convenient.
—Very.
Link stepped away from the table.
He walked toward the window.
The street was empty except for a man unloading crates in front of a bakery.
He could watch Subaru.
He could hear him from several rooms away.
He could follow his scent through much of the Capital.
He could stop him before he reached the first corner.
He could also ignore Roswaal.
The problem was not ability.
It was Rem.
She had received an order from her lord. Breaking it would place her between Link and Roswaal.
Exactly where he did not want her.
—I can search for Felt —he said—. Without restrictions?
—You will not enter the castle.
—I already assumed that.
—You will not attack guards.
—Depends.
—No.
—Then they shouldn't try arresting me.
—You will not call Charizard.
—He isn't even in the Capital.
—Reassuring to hear.
—I can visit the slums.
—Yes.
—I can talk to Rom if I find him.
—Naturally.
—And Rem's day is actually free. No summons, no duties, and you don't appear halfway through the afternoon with some other problem.
Roswaal looked at Rem.
—Do you accept those conditions?
Rem raised her face.
—Yes.
—Then it is settled.
Link did not answer.
Roswaal gathered the documents.
—Does that mean you will obey?
—It means I won't break your table.
—Progress.
—And if Subaru ends up hurt—
—It will be because of his own choices.
—I wasn't finished.
Roswaal waited.
—If he ends up hurt because you knew something we didn't, this conversation will continue.
The margrave's smile remained.
Some of the amusement left his eyes.
—I will remember that.
Link headed toward the door.
Rem bowed once more before following him.
—One final thing —Roswaal said.
Both stopped.
—Do not tell Emilia-sama that you received this order.
Link looked back over his shoulder.
—I was just starting to think this couldn't get worse.
—Discretion is important.
—The word you're looking for is manipulation.
Roswaal lifted his cup.
—Have a pleasant date.
Link shut the door harder than necessary.
—THEY'RE LEAVING ME OUT?!
Subaru's voice crossed the inn dining room.
Several people eating at the more distant tables turned their heads. Emilia lowered her face, pretending she did not know the young man who had just stood up from his seat.
Roswaal had already left.
According to Emilia, he had another commitment before the meeting at the castle.
No one mentioned the conversation before dawn.
Subaru planted both hands on the table.
—I CAME ALL THE WAY TO THE CAPITAL TO ACCOMPANY YOU!
—You came to find out what happened to your acquaintances and receive treatment —Emilia corrected—. Those were the conditions.
—I already checked one part.
—And yesterday you ignored what I asked you to do.
—That's unrelated.
—It's completely related.
Subaru searched for support.
First he looked at Rem.
She shook her head.
—This time Emilia-sama is entirely correct.
—BETRAYAL!
Then he looked at Link.
He was eating a slice of manzene pie.
—Don't drag me into this.
—YOU HATE BEING LEFT OUT OF CONVERSATIONS!
—Yes.
—THEN YOU UNDERSTAND MY PAIN!
—I also understand why Emilia doesn't want to let you loose near the castle.
Subaru pointed at him.
—You sold our friendship for pie.
Link took another bite.
—It's good pie.
—Rem made it —Emilia said.
Link looked at his partner.
—Excellent pie.
Rem smiled.
Subaru let his arm fall.
—I'm surrounded by enemies.
The table was covered with manzenes prepared in different ways.
Toasted slices.
Salad.
Jelly.
Pie.
Juice.
Subaru looked at the food.
—And manzenes.
—You bought nine —Emilia reminded him.
—It was an error of enthusiasm.
—Then you must accept the consequences.
Subaru sat back down.
—Perfect. I'll stay here alone, sick, forgotten, and fed exclusively with the same fruit until I lose my mind.
—Rem and Link will remain with you.
—That doesn't sound like being alone.
—It was emotional exaggeration.
Emilia put down her utensils.
Her expression became serious.
—Subaru, today is important. Outsiders cannot enter, and I do not know how long we will be. I need you to rest, study, and do nothing dangerous.
—I won't do anything dangerous.
Link drank his juice.
Rem looked aside.
Emilia stared at both of them.
—Why did you react like that?
—I didn't react —Link said.
—Rem didn't either.
Subaru looked at them with renewed betrayal.
—You didn't even try pretending to trust me.
Emilia stood.
She was already wearing the cloak prepared for the castle. Her silver hair had been arranged with special care, and the insignia certifying her candidacy rested against her chest.
Subaru stopped joking.
For a moment, he merely stared at her.
—Emilia-tan...
She approached.
Placed one hand against his back.
The contact silenced any further protest.
—I am not asking you to do something difficult.
Subaru swallowed.
—I know.
—Then let me trust you.
The sentence settled over the table.
Link looked away.
Rem's fingers closed slightly.
Subaru met Emilia's eyes.
—Yes.
His answer sounded sincere.
Perhaps it was in that moment.
—I'll live up to your expectations.
Emilia smiled.
Not entirely.
—I'll return when it is over.
Before leaving, she looked at Rem.
—Be strict.
—Yes, Emilia-sama.
Then she looked at Link.
—Don't let him convince her.
Link took a fraction too long to answer.
—I'll watch him.
He did not promise to stop him.
Emilia did not notice the difference.
She left.
The dining room door closed.
Subaru continued looking toward it.
Link placed his glass on the table.
The juice no longer tasted the same.
Less than an hour later, Subaru had filled three pages with characters.
Two were legible.
The third looked like the written testimony of someone falling down a staircase.
—This one is wrong —Rem said.
—It looks similar.
—No.
—From a certain angle.
Rem rotated the page.
—Still wrong.
Subaru dropped his forehead against the table.
—My talent is not appreciated.
—It has not appeared yet.
Link occupied a chair near the window.
A simple map of the Capital was spread in front of him. It was not as detailed as Roswaal's, but it showed the main avenues, markets, and part of the poorer districts.
Subaru had been watching him for several minutes.
—What's the map for?
—Walking.
—That explains nothing.
—It helps me not get lost.
—Where are you going?
—Outside.
Subaru raised his head.
—Outside?
—Yes.
—During my imprisonment?
—You aren't imprisoned.
Rem had positioned herself directly in front of the door.
Subaru pointed at her.
—There is an Oni blocking the exit.
—You can use the window —Link said.
Rem turned toward him.
So did Subaru.
—What?
Link did not raise his gaze from the map.
—I said that technically you are not imprisoned.
—Are you suggesting I jump?
—We're on the second floor. It would be less stupid than what you did with the carriage.
Subaru narrowed his eyes.
—You're acting strange.
—I always act strange.
—Today is different.
—You're imagining things.
Subaru stood.
Rem did not move.
—Observe —he said.
—What?
—Observe.
He fixed her with the most pitiful expression he could produce.
Rem held his gaze.
—No.
—Observe.
—It won't work.
—Observe.
Rem's severity began to weaken.
Link watched her fingers move toward her ring.
—You may not leave —she said.
—I don't want to leave.
—You're looking at the door.
—I'm simply appreciating the craftsmanship.
—You weren't before.
—It's a very pretty door.
Rem closed her eyes.
Subaru intensified his stare.
—Observe.
—This is uncomfortable.
—Observe.
—Subaru...
Link folded the map.
—That's cruel.
Subaru looked at him.
—Support me!
—I meant what you're doing to Rem.
—You use a similar expression when you want her to make you a third serving.
—Mine has more dignity.
—Yours looks like a wet Wolgarm.
—It works.
Rem took a slow breath.
—Subaru will remain here.
—But Emilia might need me.
—The castle is full of guards.
—That isn't the problem.
—Then what is?
Subaru opened his mouth.
Closed it.
Looked at the pages.
Then the window.
—I don't want to be left out when something important happens to her.
Rem watched him.
The pleading was no longer an act.
—I might not be useful —Subaru continued—. I probably won't be. But if something happens and I'm not there...
He did not finish.
He did not need to.
Link recognized that logic.
It was the same logic that made him sleep too little, construct defenses, and prepare for dangers that did not yet exist.
The difference was that Subaru had no horns, no kagunes, and not enough strength to impose himself upon the world.
He only had the habit of throwing himself against it.
Rem lowered her gaze slightly.
—Even though I understand your feelings, I cannot allow you to leave.
Subaru approached.
The door remained blocked.
—Rem...
—No.
—I only need—
—No.
The rejection sounded final.
Then Rem raised one finger.
—However, I must prepare lunch.
Subaru blinked.
—Now?
—The manzene dish requires attention.
—I thought it was already prepared.
—Rem has decided to change the recipe.
She removed the ceremonial apron she had worn over her uniform and picked up another one she had left folded nearby.
—I'll be busy in the kitchen.
Subaru looked at Link.
He put the map inside a bag.
—And I have business in the city.
—You're both leaving?
—Roswaal gave us the day off.
—Roswaal did what?
Link stood.
—I don't need to understand his motives to take advantage of them.
—YOU'RE LEAVING ME HERE TO STUDY WHILE YOU TWO GO ON A DATE!
Rem blushed slightly.
—We did not say it was a date.
—It's a date —Link said.
The color deepened.
Subaru pointed at both of them.
—CORRUPTION! ABUSE OF POWER! ROMANTIC FAVORITISM!
—Probably —Link replied.
Rem opened the door.
Before leaving, she looked back at Subaru.
—Continue studying.
—Yes.
—Do nothing inappropriate.
—Of course.
—And do not leave the inn.
Subaru smiled.
—Sure.
The smile was terrible.
Rem left.
Link stayed for another moment.
Subaru pretended to review his characters.
—What? —he asked without looking up.
Link approached the table.
Placed two fingers against the page.
—Don't make me regret this.
Subaru raised his eyes.
The joking disappeared.
—Regret what?
—Believing you can take care of yourself for a few hours.
—That sounds as if—
—Don't die.
Subaru's expression changed.
Only slightly.
Enough for both of them to understand the different weight carried by those words.
Rem waited in the hallway.
She could not hear what they truly meant.
Subaru put down the pen.
—I wasn't planning to.
—You didn't plan to the other times either.
A brief silence settled between them.
Subaru lowered his voice.
—I'll be fine.
—That sentence never reassures me when you say it.
—You use it all the time.
—Which is how I know it doesn't work.
Link straightened.
—Don't do anything I wouldn't do.
—That allows me to destroy mountains, raise Mabeasts, and sleep on dragons.
—Good point.
He opened the door.
—Don't do anything Rem wouldn't do.
Subaru looked toward the hallway.
—That allows me to half-kill criminals.
Link thought about it.
—Just try to come back.
He closed the door behind him.
They did not immediately leave the inn.
Rem waited beside the stairs.
Link stood next to her.
From the room came the sound of a chair moving.
Then footsteps.
A pause.
The window opening.
Rem looked upward.
—He chose the window.
—I gave him too many ideas.
They heard a muffled impact in the alley.
Then a curse.
Footsteps moving away.
Link could follow them.
Subaru's breathing.
The rustle of clothing.
The uneven pressure of one foot against the ground.
The dark trail standing out among hundreds of scents.
He only had to extend his senses.
He could know every turn.
Instead, he partially closed his perception.
Rem remained still.
—We can still stop him.
—Yes.
—Emilia-sama asked us to.
—Yes.
—Roswaal-sama ordered the opposite.
—Also yes.
Rem looked toward the staircase.
—I don't like this.
—I like it even less.
They returned to the room.
Subaru had left the sheets on the table.
A note written in clumsy characters rested on top.
Sorry.
Thank you.
I'll come back.
Rem picked up the paper.
Read it twice.
—He truly is incorrigible.
—At least he left a warning —Link said.
—That does not make the decision correct.
—No.
—Do you trust him to return?
Link looked toward the open window.
—I trust that he will try.
Rem folded the note.
—That is not the same thing.
—It never is with Subaru.
She put the paper away.
—Should we begin?
Link took a second to understand.
—The date?
—The day off.
—You can call it a date.
—Roswaal-sama called it that to annoy you.
—Doesn't mean he was wrong.
Rem adjusted part of her hair.
She was still wearing her maid uniform.
—Then Rem needs to change.
—Why?
—Link just said it is a date.
—You look good like that.
—It is still work clothing.
—You look very good like that.
Rem gave him a small smile.
—Wait downstairs.
Link waited twenty-three minutes.
He counted.
Not because he was impatient.
Because Rem usually changed in less than five.
When she finally came down, Link understood the difference.
She was not wearing the blue birthday dress. It would have been far too formal for walking all day.
She had chosen a simpler outfit they had bought in Arlam several weeks earlier: a dark-blue skirt, a light blouse, and a short jacket that complemented her hair without resembling the uniform. The ring remained on her left hand.
She was not wearing the white headband.
Her hair was held by a single ribbon.
Link stood.
Rem descended the final steps.
—Is something wrong?
—No.
—You're staring.
—Yes.
—That could mean something is wrong.
—It means I like what I'm looking at.
Rem stopped in front of him.
—It's only clothing.
—You said changing was important.
—To separate a date from work.
—It worked.
The blush was slight.
The satisfaction was less slight.
Rem extended her hand.
—Shall we?
Link took it.
—Before Roswaal invents another task.
They left the inn.
Subaru had already disappeared among the streets.
Neither looked in the direction he had taken.
The first stop was Kadomon's stall.
Link had decided that from the beginning. It was the easiest place to seek information about Felt without heading directly into the slums, and for some reason the merchant seemed to hear a great deal about what happened in the streets.
Kadomon recognized them before they arrived.
—You again.
—You make it sound as though you don't want customers —Link said.
—I want customers who buy.
—We bought something last time.
—The girl bought. You two made noise.
Rem gave a small bow.
—Good morning.
Some of Kadomon's hostility left his face.
—Good morning, miss.
Link observed the transformation.
—You never speak to me like that.
—She has manners.
—So do I.
—You threatened three men in front of my stall during your first visit.
—That happened away from the stall.
—I could see it.
Rem hid a smile.
Kadomon began arranging manzenes.
—What do you want?
—Information —Link answered.
—I don't sell that.
—We'll buy fruit too.
—Then perhaps I remember something.
Link pointed toward a basket.
—Six.
—Nine —Rem said.
He looked at her.
—Last time we ended up eating them in every possible form.
—Rem found another recipe.
Link looked back toward Kadomon.
—Six.
—Nine —she repeated.
Kadomon filled the bag with nine.
—The young lady decides.
—This business is corrupt.
Rem paid.
Link lowered his voice.
—I'm looking for Felt.
Kadomon stopped putting away the coins.
—I haven't seen her.
—Since when?
—Since the insignia trouble.
—And Rom?
—Him either.
—Nobody in the slums knows anything?
Kadomon shrugged.
—People talk. Doesn't mean they know.
—What are they saying?
—That the Sword Saint took the brat. That Rom tried to find her. That some guards have been asking questions in the slums.
—What kind of questions?
—Family. Age. Where she came from. Things nobody knows.
Link frowned.
That did not sound like an investigation into theft.
—Anything else?
Kadomon looked at him.
—Your friend came by earlier.
Link kept his expression still.
—Subaru?
—Asked about Rom. Then left in a hurry.
—Where?
—I'm not his caretaker.
—Did he mention anything?
—A way to get into the castle.
Rem tightened her grip on the fruit bag slightly.
Link felt the temptation to open his senses.
He only needed an instant.
He remembered the order.
And Emilia's expression when she asked them to trust him.
—Thank you —he said.
Kadomon raised an eyebrow.
—That was more polite.
—I'm on a date.
—Does that improve your manners?
Link looked at Rem.
—I'm trying to make a good impression.
—A little late for that —she replied.
Kadomon laughed.
—Take another one.
He tossed a manzene.
Link caught it.
—Now there are ten.
—The last one is for putting up with you.
—Who?
Kadomon pointed at Rem.
—The young lady.
Rem accepted the bag from Link.
—Thank you.
They left.
Kadomon immediately returned to calling for customers as though the conversation had never happened.
As soon as they turned the corner, Link spoke.
—Subaru is heading toward the castle.
—Probably.
—We can catch him.
—Yes.
—I hate admitting Roswaal predicted all of this.
—Rem does too.
Link watched the crowd.
—We continue with Felt.
—That was our agreement.
Rem took out a manzene.
Cleaned it with a handkerchief.
—Open.
—What?
She held a slice in front of his lips.
Link looked at the pedestrians.
—I can feed myself.
—Rem knows.
—People are watching us.
—No.
Several people were watching.
Link opened his mouth.
Rem gave him the slice.
—It's sweet —he said.
—Only that?
He chewed.
—Also slightly acidic, high water content, firm texture, and—
Rem offered another.
—Rem was asking about the date.
Link accepted the second.
—That is sweet too.
She seemed satisfied.
The loot house remained closed.
The boards repaired after the fire did not completely match the original building.
Some were new.
Others had been recovered from nearby structures.
Link stood in front of the door.
He did not try opening it.
Rem examined the surroundings.
—Felt lived here?
—Not exactly. She came here to sell things.
—And Rom?
—Spent most of his time inside.
Link knocked.
No answer.
He knocked again.
Silence.
An old man sitting in front of another building lifted his head.
—Nobody's there.
Link approached.
—Do you know where Rom is?
—No.
—When did you see him last?
—Days ago.
—And Felt?
The old man spat to one side.
—The brat disappeared.
—That doesn't answer me.
—It's all I've got.
Rem placed a coin in the man's palm.
—Any detail would help.
The old man looked at the coin.
Then pocketed it.
—Rom started asking about Royal Guard movements. Wanted to know where the redhead was.
—Reinhard —Link said.
—That one.
—Then what?
—He left. Didn't come back.
—Was he arrested?
—I don't know.
The answer seemed sincere.
Link returned to the door.
He could break it.
He did not.
He pulled a sheet from his bag.
Rem looked over his shoulder.
—What are you writing?
—A message.
—The first word is wrong.
—I haven't finished it yet.
—The second one too.
Link handed her the pen.
—Then you write it.
Rem took the paper.
—What do you want to say?
Link thought.
—That I'm in the Capital. That I want to know if she is all right. And that she does not have to hide from me.
Rem wrote.
The message occupied little space.
—Anything else?
—That she still owes me an explanation for trying to sell my things.
—That could reduce the chance of receiving an answer.
—Then no.
Rem finished the message.
Link folded it and slipped it between two boards, somewhere protected from the rain.
—Do you think she'll find it?
—Felt used to inspect every corner of this place.
—And if she doesn't return?
Link looked at the door.
—Then I'll keep searching.
There was nothing else to do there.
They left the slums.
Only once the streets began widening did Rem speak.
—We fulfilled the part concerning Felt.
—We didn't get useful information.
—We learned that Reinhard and the guards are investigating her origins.
—That worries me more.
—But now we know where to continue.
Link exhaled.
—We also know Subaru was searching for a way into the castle.
—Yes.
—Do you still think we should let him?
Rem took her time answering.
—I think we already did.
That was the important distinction.
They were no longer deciding whether to open the door.
Subaru had already passed through it.
Link looked toward the Noble District.
He did not expand his senses.
—Then the date starts now.
Rem linked her arm through his.
—It started when we left the inn.
—We spent the entire morning investigating disappearances.
—Link chose the first destination.
—That doesn't sound like a date.
—Rem was with Link.
The answer ended the argument.
Link discovered that Rem did not know how to take time off.
She stopped at every food stall to compare prices.
Inspected the quality of fabrics.
Calculated how much it would cost to buy spices for the manor.
Leaned toward bakery windows to study the layout of their ovens.
After the fifth time, Link gently pulled on her arm.
—You aren't working.
—Rem is only observing.
—You just asked the merchant how much he charges for entire crates.
—It was a question.
—You also calculated transportation.
—Habit.
Link pulled her away from a flour stall.
—Date.
—Rem remembers.
—Doesn't look like it.
—What should Rem do?
The question was sincere.
Link stopped.
He had gone out with women before.
Not many times.
And none of those experiences had prepared him to explain the concept to an Oni who considered reviewing inventories a natural part of going for a walk.
—Whatever you want —he said.
—Rem wants to know what she is supposed to do.
—That contradicts the answer.
—Then Link should choose.
He looked at the stalls.
—Eat.
—We had breakfast recently.
—Eat different things.
—That does not sound like a complete activity.
—Food first. Then we improvise.
He chose a stall selling small portions of roasted meat inside flatbread. It smelled good.
There were not enough spices.
He bought two.
Rem took the first bite.
Chewed carefully.
—What do you think? —Link asked.
—The meat is properly cooked.
—That sounded like criticism.
—The bread is slightly dry.
—Also criticism.
—It needs something acidic.
Link smiled.
—Now you sound like my girlfriend.
—Rem has learned.
He tasted his portion.
—Needs spice.
—Not everything needs spice.
—This does.
—Link says that about nearly everything.
—Because nearly everything needs it.
The vendor overheard them.
—Nobles have enjoyed my food.
—Nobles can have bad taste —Link said.
Rem nudged him with one elbow.
—Do not insult the man holding our food.
—We already paid.
The merchant crossed his arms.
—The young lady seems to understand manners better.
—She understands everything better.
The man looked at Rem.
—And she is considerably easier on the eyes.
Link stopped chewing.
Rem looked at him.
The merchant continued without noticing anything.
—A girl like you should come around more often. Next time I could offer you—
Rem wrapped both arms around Link's arm.
She lightly leaned her body against him.
—Rem will come accompanied.
The vendor finally understood.
—Ah.
Link resumed chewing.
—Yes. Ah.
They walked away.
Rem kept both arms where they were.
—You were jealous.
—No.
—You stopped blinking.
—I was eating.
—You also crushed the bread.
Link looked at what remained of it.
It had lost almost all its shape.
—It was difficult to hold.
—Of course.
—The man had bad intentions.
—He wanted to offer another portion.
—He said that after looking at you.
Rem rested her head against his shoulder as they walked.
—Rem is glad.
—About what?
—That Link pays attention.
He exhaled.
—Don't get used to it.
—Too late.
The bookstore was almost empty.
Link went inside because he saw an illustrated writing manual behind the glass.
Rem entered because he pretended he did not need it.
—It's for children —Link said.
—Exactly.
—I already know many characters.
—Today you confused the sign for "exit" with the one for "fish."
—They look similar.
—No.
The shopkeeper placed the book on the counter.
Its pages contained simple drawings, large words, and copying exercises.
Link flipped through it.
—I could make something better.
—But you still could not write it.
—That was unnecessary.
Rem put down several coins.
—We'll take it.
—We?
—Rem will supervise your lessons.
—Beatrice already does.
—Beatrice-sama allows you to burn your mistakes.
—It's an educational method.
—It's a way of destroying evidence.
While the shopkeeper wrapped the book, Rem discovered another volume.
It was a collection of recipes from the Capital.
Not very extensive.
But carefully made enough to include measurements, preservation methods, and seasonal variations.
Rem opened it.
Her eyes passed over a recipe for filled pastry.
—You like it —Link said.
—It seems useful.
—I didn't say useful.
—We could adapt some of the ingredients.
—Buy it.
—It isn't necessary.
—We're on a date.
—That does not mean Link should pay for everything Rem looks at.
—You looked at it for more than ten seconds.
—That is not a rule.
—It is now.
Link took the book and placed it beside the first one.
Rem tried removing it.
The shopkeeper was faster.
—An excellent choice for your wife.
Link coughed.
Rem became still.
The woman continued wrapping both books without noticing their reactions.
—Young couples barely cook together anymore. It is nice to see.
—We aren't married —Link said.
Rem spoke at the same time.
—Not yet.
The shopkeeper looked up.
Link turned toward Rem.
She kept a calm expression.
—Not yet?
—The lady was mistaken.
—That didn't correct anything.
—Rem clarified the current status.
—You added a future threat.
The shopkeeper smiled with far too much experience.
—Then I will save my congratulations.
Link paid.
They left with the books.
As soon as they crossed the doorway, he turned toward Rem again.
—You did that on purpose.
—Did what?
—The word.
—"Yet"?
—That one.
Rem held the recipe book against her chest.
—Was it incorrect?
Link opened his mouth.
People moved around them.
A carriage crossed the street.
The blue-and-red ring gleamed on the hand holding the book.
—No —he admitted.
Rem smiled.
—Then there is no problem.
—There is a problem with you nearly killing me in front of an old woman.
—Crimson Heart would have tried to save you.
—It doesn't work on me.
—You will have to build another one.
—I am not making an artifact against your attacks.
—Then you will have to endure them.
Link decided he had lost again.
They found a public garden near a plaza.
It was not large. Several families occupied the benches, and the trees offered enough shade to isolate some of the noise.
Rem spread a cloth across the grass.
Link placed the bag of manzenes, the remaining bread, and the books down.
—This looks organized —he said.
—Rem prepared a blanket before we left.
—You knew we would end up here?
—No.
—Then you were prepared for a picnic.
—Rem was prepared for several possibilities.
—That still sounds like work.
—Link complains too much for someone already lying down.
He had rested his head across her lap.
—I'm evaluating comfort.
—Results?
Link closed his eyes.
—Excellent.
Rem's fingers entered his hair.
The touch began near his forehead and moved slowly backward.
Link stopped thinking about getting up.
—That's cheating.
—What is?
—You know I'll fall asleep.
—That is the intention.
—This is a date.
—You have also been sleeping poorly for several nights.
—I slept with you last night.
—You got up before dawn.
—Roswaal called us.
—You could have returned afterward.
—We had breakfast.
Rem continued stroking his hair.
—Sleep.
—I'm not tired.
Her fingers passed near the base of one horn.
The reaction ran down Link's spine.
He opened one eye.
—That was intentional.
—Close your eyes.
—You're exploiting biological weaknesses.
—Rem has Oni experience.
—Abuse of specialized knowledge.
She touched it again.
Link closed both eyes.
—Only five minutes.
—Yes.
He slept for thirty-seven.
Rem counted.
Link woke when he felt a manzene near his lips.
He bit it without opening his eyes.
—Five minutes?
—Approximately.
—That means more.
—An amount.
Link opened his eyes.
—That word belongs to my repertoire.
—Rem borrowed it.
Light filtered through the leaves above them.
The noise of the city seemed farther away.
Rem watched him from above, blue hair falling to one side.
Link raised one hand.
Touched her cheek.
—I could get used to this.
—Rem already has.
—To what?
—Having you near.
There was no teasing in the answer.
Only truth.
Link sat up.
He remained beside her, shoulder against shoulder.
—Do you feel guilty?
Rem looked at her hands.
—Yes.
He did not need to explain.
—Emilia-sama trusted Rem.
—She trusted me too.
—Rem obeyed Roswaal-sama.
—I accepted a date.
—Link also searched for information about Felt.
—And accepted a date.
Rem rested her head against his shoulder.
—Roswaal-sama knew both of us would accept.
—For different reasons.
—Do you regret it?
Link watched a little girl chase a ball between the trees.
—Letting Subaru leave? Yes.
—Being here?
He looked at Rem.
—No.
—Neither does Rem.
—That makes his bribe work even better.
—Roswaal-sama called it a day off.
—It was a bribe.
—An effective one.
—Very.
They shared another manzene.
Then Rem opened the recipe book.
She read aloud a stuffed-dough preparation while Link criticized every culinary decision the author had made.
—Too much butter.
—The recipe requires that amount.
—The filling already has fat.
—We can reduce it.
—And add something acidic.
—You also asked for something acidic at lunch.
—Because it works.
—Not everything needs spice, but everything needs acidity.
—See? You're learning.
Rem marked the page with a ribbon.
—We'll prepare it when we return.
—Together.
—Yes.
The word no longer felt like a small promise.
They spent the remainder of the afternoon without searching for Subaru.
Link had to remind himself several times.
Every time an official carriage crossed the street, he raised his head.
Whenever he heard bells from the Noble District, his attention shifted.
When a group of guards passed by, his senses tried following them.
Rem brought him back.
Pressure against his hand.
A question about a shop.
A slice of fruit offered without warning.
She did not pretend Subaru did not exist.
She simply reminded him that, during those hours, Subaru was not the only important person.
They visited an accessory stall.
Rem stopped in front of a dark-blue hairpin decorated with a small white flower.
She only looked at it.
Link bought it.
—Rem does not need it —she said.
—I know.
—I have others.
—I know.
—The birthday dress already had an ornament.
—I know that too.
Rem held the piece.
—Then why?
—Because you looked at it.
—That still is not a rule.
—It is my rule.
She allowed Link to put it on her.
His fingers took longer than necessary to arrange her hair.
Rem did not complain.
When he finished, she examined her reflection in a small polished sheet.
—It's pretty.
—Yes.
—Rem meant the hairpin.
—I didn't.
Rem closed the polished sheet.
Then she selected a simple cord from the same stall.
Black, with two small beads.
One blue.
One red.
She tied it around Link's wrist.
—It does not match your clothes.
—I don't know how to dress anyway.
—Rem knows.
—That sounded crueler than necessary.
She tightened the knot.
—Now we both carry something from the other.
Link touched the beads.
—My gift cost more.
—It is not a competition.
—Then I won.
Rem lightly struck his wrist.
They continued walking hand in hand.
The sun was already descending when they returned to the inn.
Link carried both books beneath one arm, a bag of food, and the growing suspicion that he had forgotten something important.
Rem carried the remaining manzenes.
The hairpin remained in her hair.
—That was a good date —Link said.
—Yes.
—Even with the failed search.
—It wasn't a failure.
—We didn't find Felt.
—We left a way for her to find us.
—That sounds optimistic.
—Link spent all morning finding reasons to worry. Rem can find one reason to trust.
He squeezed her hand.
The inn entrance was too quiet.
Link noticed before they crossed the street.
An unfamiliar Earth Dragon waited outside.
It was not Roswaal's vehicle.
Nor did it belong to the inn.
Two men wearing Royal Guard uniforms stood beside the entrance.
One held a helmet beneath his arm.
The other was speaking to the innkeeper.
Link stopped.
So did Rem.
The lightness of the afternoon disappeared without either needing to speak.
The guard saw Rem's clothes.
Then recognized the emblem she carried near her chest.
—Maid of House Mathers?
—Yes.
The man approached.
—Rem?
—That is correct.
—I bring a message concerning Natsuki Subaru.
Link placed the books on a nearby table.
—Is he alive?
The guard looked at him.
—Yes.
The answer came quickly.
Not quickly enough.
—Where is he?
—He remains within the castle grounds. He received emergency treatment from Sir Felix Argyle.
Rem stepped forward.
—What happened?
The guard chose his words.
—He participated in a duel.
—Against whom? —Link asked.
—Sir Julius Juukulius.
The name remained suspended in the air.
The violet-haired young man.
The knight who had received Emilia.
The man Link had seen only once.
The bag of food crumpled in Link's hand.
Rem moved beside him.
—What is Subaru's condition?
—He suffered multiple bruises, facial injuries, and damage to one of his arms. Sir Felix treated the more serious injuries. He is not in immediate danger.
—Immediate? —Link repeated.
The guard held his gaze.
—He will wake up.
—Who initiated the duel?
—It was agreed upon by both parties.
—That does not answer me.
—Sir Julius issued the challenge. Natsuki Subaru accepted.
Link stopped crushing the bag.
The anger did not lessen.
He forced it into a different shape.
Subaru had accepted.
That did not explain how badly he had been beaten.
—Where are they taking him? —Rem asked.
—By Lady Emilia's decision, and because of the treatment already arranged, he will be transferred to the residence of Duchess Crusch Karsten. Sir Felix will continue treating his Gate and the injuries sustained.
Rem looked at Link.
—We need to go.
He did not answer.
The guard continued:
—A carriage can take you when—
—How long? —Link interrupted.
—Excuse me?
—How long did the duel last?
The man hesitated.
—I was not present from the beginning.
—How many times did he hit him?
—I could not—
—How many?
The final words came out deeper.
The room seemed to contract.
Link could hear the guard's heartbeat accelerate.
Rem's breathing.
A chair scraping upstairs.
Water moving inside a pipe.
Something hot gathered behind his eyes.
The world acquired sharper edges.
The bag tore.
A manzene fell to the floor.
Rem dropped what she carried and grabbed his hand.
—Link.
He did not look away from the guard.
Black began spreading from the corners of his eyes.
Slowly.
Barely a shadow around the iris.
—Link —Rem repeated.
Her thumb pressed against the red and blue beads on the bracelet.
—Subaru is alive.
The black stopped.
—He's hurt.
—Yes.
—Roswaal knew something would happen.
—We do not know that.
—He moved us out of the way.
—Yes.
—And Julius—
Rem stepped in front of him.
Forced Link to look at her.
The ring shone on the hand holding his.
—Subaru first.
The sentence passed through the anger.
It did not remove it.
It gave it direction.
Link closed his eyes.
Breathed.
Once.
Twice.
The heat retreated.
When he opened them again, they were still brown.
Barely.
—Tell us where the Karsten residence is.
His voice had not completely regained its calm.
The guard indicated the carriage.
—I'll take you.
Rem collected the books.
Link did not look at the fallen food.
Nor did he ask how much Julius had enjoyed the duel, or what words had provoked it.
Not yet.
They left the inn.
The day off was over.
Behind them, a manzene slowly rolled across the floor until it stopped against the wall.
The black had not managed to cover Link's eyes.
But the red was already awake.