"This is the seventh time."
The familiar ceiling, the familiar softness beside him, Lucien Graves leaned against the headboard, lit a cigar, and gently rubbed his forehead.
Thankfully, his efforts were not completely wasted each time. At least Emilia, Ram, and Rem integrating into his body had made his cells unusually active, strengthening him to some degree.
"Master?"
Elsa woke up, her eyes filled with heat and excitement.
Lucien did not speak, he simply pressed Elsa's head deeper into the silk sheets, and she began to breathe faster.
At Roswaal's Mansion at that same moment, Subaru Natsuki gasped as he sat up in bed, looking at Ram and Rem embracing near him, his eyes filled with exhaustion and anger. He immediately threw off the sheets and rushed out of the room, driven by the burning need to see Emilia.
His mind was consumed by the image of Emilia turning to ash.
"Subaru?"
Emilia appeared in the hallway and happened to meet him. She clearly had been coming to find Subaru.
"Emilia."
Seeing Emilia, Subaru's face twisted with happiness, fear, joy, sadness, and exhaustion. Above all these emotions was pain, and tears streamed uncontrollably down his cheeks.
"What is wrong?"
Emilia took a step forward, concern evident in her gaze as she reached out to wipe his tears.
"I will definitely protect you."
Subaru's expression hardened, determined to rid the world of that pervert, male or female. He would not let Emilia, Rem, or Ram die again.
"Subaru."
Emilia watched as Subaru stormed away, and opened the nearest door in the hallway, stepping inside. Her pretty face was shadowed with worry. She could feel Subaru's fatigue and the raw terror mixed within him.
"Why can you always find the right door? Betty sama is very curious."
Betty sat in a chair with a book in her hand, looking at the panting Subaru with clear disdain.
"How do you break magic that allows someone to freely turn into a child, a man, or a woman? And how do you distinguish who is hostile when you are compelled to obey whatever the other party says…" Subaru's words piled up in a jumble of fear and desperation.
"Stop."
Betty's small face crumpled. She completely did not understand what Subaru was saying.
"You are very strong, right?"
Subaru stepped in front of Betty, leaning down so the distance between them was barely two centimeters.
"Of course."
Startled by Subaru's serious expression, Betty regained her composure and tilted her chin confidently.
"Are you sure?"
Subaru did not fully believe her, given his prior experiences. He felt Betty was exaggerating. If it were not for what had already happened twice, he might have believed her. But now he kept his judgment in reserve.
"What do you mean by that expression? Are you questioning me?"
Betty rose from the stool, annoyed at Subaru's undisguised suspicion.
"In that case, how about a bet?!"
Subaru immediately sat cross-legged on the ground, his face solemn.
"Why would Betty bet with you?"
Betty pouted and sat back down, wearing an expression that seemed to say, I see through you.
"Are you feeling guilty?"
"Who said I was feeling guilty?"
Betty glared at Subaru, looking more annoyed by the moment.
"Then why are you afraid to bet with me? I have not even said what the bet is, and you are already backing down. What is that if not guilt? Or are you just bragging?"
Subaru remained calm.
"Although I know you are trying to provoke me."
"Fine."
Subaru feigned a look of triumph, but it was followed by endless admonitions.
The next day Subaru and Rem left the mansion together.
Along the dirt path, Subaru was lost in his thoughts the entire way, making Rem unusually curious. When she left, Subaru had insisted on tagging along in a shameless manner, so Rem had no choice but to let him follow.
"Phew…"
Looking at the village entrance from afar and finding no suspicious figures, Subaru exhaled a sigh of relief.
Entering the village, Subaru intensely scanned the residents, searching for that pervert. Even when the elderly village chief stepped forward to greet them, Subaru stared without blinking.
"Village Chief, how many people are there in the village?"
Before coming, Subaru had already estimated the village population based on what he suspected of Lucien's disguises.
Lucien was slightly surprised; he did not expect Subaru to be so clever. He actually began with a secret code!
"Betty sama, it is this guy."
Seeing a flicker of suspicion in Lucien's eyes, Subaru suddenly pulled Rem back and roared.
"Spatial Defense."
Powerful energy formed into a shimmering magic circle, surrounding Subaru and Rem like a transparent crystal barrier.
"If this is a mistake, you will bear the consequences."
Betty appeared in the air, looking at Lucien and speaking to Subaru without turning her head.
"No problem."
Subaru's confidence was high now. The defensive magic circle gave him a sense of security. This time, he wanted to see how this pervert would kill him.
"It really caught me off guard."
Lucien appeared before Subaru in a blink, and behind him a divine dragon two hundred meters long roared, its terrifying power forming a storm that blew away nearby buildings.
"Betty sama, your defense is supposed to be solid, right?"
Subaru's heart sank. The massive dragon form was like a primeval beast.
"Time Freeze."
The world stilled, everything halted.
Betty acted immediately.
Crack.
Just as she felt victory near, the frozen space shattered like glass, and the raging divine dragon surged forward, breaking through the defensive barrier with overwhelming force.
In just three breaths the defensive magic circle was shattered, and the dragon's force struck Subaru in the chest.
"How is that possible?"
Betty's face filled with disbelief. Someone had actually forced through her magic with sheer strength. This power…
At Roswaal's Mansion, Subaru opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling, confusion flickering in his gaze.
After about ten seconds he sat up, looking at Ram and Rem embracing each other. He stood, then walked down the hallway, opened the fifth door he came across, and saw Betty sitting in a chair. His expression immediately fell.
It had been an exaggeration.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
Betty was unhappy, because Subaru's stare was full of disdain, as though she were a liar.
"You are very strong?"
Subaru squinted at Betty, his contempt plain.
"Of course."
Betty tilted her head proudly, but her small face crumpled in confusion.
"What do you mean? Are you questioning me?"
"Hmph."
Subaru snorted through his nose, pouted, gave Betty a disdainful look, and turned to leave.
"Stop."
The door slammed shut, and Betty stood, holding her skirt, her face puffed with anger. She could not believe Subaru had looked at her with contempt.
"What?"
Subaru was casual.
"You are questioning my strength. I cannot just let you leave like that."
"I know you are strong, please move aside, I still have work to do!" Subaru nodded frantically, but his expression was mechanical.
This made Betty even angrier.
"You cannot leave; I will prove my strength to you."
"How will you prove it?" Subaru squinted.
Betty was momentarily speechless.
The entire Forbidden Library fell silent, just the two of them staring at each other.
Ahem…
"Since you want to prove you are not bragging, then tomorrow ensure Rem's and my absolute safety. You can do that, right? Absolute safety means using your strongest offense and defense from the start."
"Hmph, do not underestimate me, Betty sama."
"Do not brag, do not use small moves at first, use your full power from the beginning."
Subaru still looked suspicious, but decided to trust Betty one more time.
If this went wrong again, he would have to find another solution.
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