Trouble begins (Part 1)

(Fred POV)

"Argh…" ,groaning I wake up from my slumber. My body is all sweaty and my eyes and head hurt. My whole body aches, it's just that my eyes and head are hurting worse. I didn't get much sleep yesterday and had to read a very boring text to put myself to sleep forcefully.

Gaaah!

And I can't breathe properly…I feel like there's a very heavy weight on my shoulder. I remove my blanket and try to sit up, but I can't. Then I look at my chest to find a tiny loli sleeping on me peacefully. 

Her peaceful breathing bordering on light snoring doesn't make me feel better like it should have, it rather weighs down on my mind that I have one more responsibility to take care of. 

I always made sure to not take any burdens upon me. Not because I was inherently lazy, but I had some rather nasty experiences. And at the end of those incidents I realised that I wasn't a superhuman and that there were things which I couldn't achieve even if I gave my 100%. And if I failed despite giving my all, it would make me feel like the most pathetic person on the planet and I did feel like that at some point before coming here. Which was one of the reasons which forced me into my dark room, much like how Beatrice isolated herself in this library devoid of anyone else. 

Ah… I am again dwelling on my past. And here I was thinking about changing my life for the better. Didn't I want to get isekaid? What difference would it make if I remained the same person as before? Would I even be able to do anything like this?

FUCK IT ALL. I don't care! I'm just gonna break all the fucking walls in this world and have the best time of my life, even if I end up crippled for the rest of my life! I'll take all the risks which I should and not be the polite and loser nerd+topper which I was in my previous life. 

And to start, I need to kill this ache which was running down my body. I don't need to kill it. THIS PAIN! This is my friend! I am alive. And this pain is the proof!!

I put down Beatrice as gently as I can, even though every movement is making my body scream in pain, I stood up. And almost falling down twice in the process- first due to the pain, and second as I tripp on some of the books which I was reading at night.

My bad…I should go and put back these books in themselves. Even though it seemed like a pain just because and it felt really frustrating as my body kept on hurting. I suppose I should get checked by a doctor.

Ah! There isn't a doctor nearby. And the doc, I mean Felix is gonna arrive some months later. I need to endure till then. I should perhaps make it my mental training. ReZero is about mental training and strength after all. 

Just as I am about to put the last remaining books on their shelves, the door to the library creakes open. And a butler steps in. He has this signature awkward grin on his face. As he creeps into the library quickly, he closes the door behind him after taking a sneak-peek of the corridor.

"Phew…I am safe now."

"Are you slacking around?" I ask him with a yawn.

"I don't want to hear that from you too!"

"I suppose you are slacking off then."

"That's not it!" he shouts.

"She's sleeping, you see and have some manners." I indicate towards the sleeping beauty.

"Huh? Oh!" he notices Beatrice who was still sleeping on the futon laid on the floor.

"My bad. I should've been careful." he says in a low voice while scratching his head. Dark circles visible under his eyes. Wasn't he supposed to have a peaceful night?

"So, what did you want? Did you really come to slack off?" I ask him with another yawn.

"Well, you see….

I needed some rest."

"What do you mean?" 

"Rem is working me down to my bone!

I don't know what came over her, but she has been really hard on me today. 

She barged into my room and woke me up really early. Even the Sun wasn't up then! And she has been making me do non-stop work!!"

Ah, that explains his dark-circles.

"Ok, I see. You are free to stay here for a while.

It's not like I own this place anyway." I shrug.

"THANK YOU FRED!!" he shouts out of gratitude, while bending a 90 degree.

"SUSHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhh….!!" 

"Oops! I am sorry. I'll be carefull." the glow in his eyes finally returns. He was almost looking like a zombie before. 

Staggering, he moves to lay down on the library floor just like that.

How tired was he to lie down like that?!! Welp, I wouldn't know about that until I ask Rem myself can i?

Huehuehuehue….

Or so was my plan until the door creaked open again and the devil in question popped in- Rem. 

She takes a look left, she takes a look right and then a look in the front- at me since I was standing right in front of the library door. Then acting as if she saw nothing, she proceeds to where Subaru is lying and stands near him. Just above his head.

Was she thinking of smashing his head with her feet? She was an 'Oni', so her base strength was more than enough to do that. Or did she become more inclined to harm him out of spite since I went 'ultra hard' on her last night?

Thinking about last night....uh....

The scene floods into my head- Rem in her undies, her cries as i stripped her down to her undergarments along with Beatrice. And finally, the torture session. Her lewd face and pantings filled my mind and i couldn't push out the picture out of mind where she kept on c*mming as i tickled her with 'Morwen's Tail feather'.

Ah, here I am- hard right in the morning thinking about my own victim. How did I even manage to do that to her with a poker face?!

Gosh. I am scared of my own ruthlessness. But, uh… it was for the better, maybe?

"Subaru-kun. Did you enjoy your rest?" she says, emotionless. But I can feel chills down my spine for some reason.

Calm down Fred! Calm down! You can't be afraid of this woman! She's a bitch! And what's the best way to start a day? 

By bitch-slapping of course!!

"Hey Rem, can I have a talk with you?"

"Eeek-!" she jumps back reflexively, nearly stepping on Subaru's head. Fear evident in her eyes. But she quickly regains her composure soon. How professional! However, her jolted movements wake up Subaru and he springs up with a bolt.

He looks at Rem- terrified. And Rem looked at me- terrified.

WAIT.

Was I the worst person in this mansion? Did I become a greater scumbag than Rem??

"Haaaaah....." I let out a frustrated deep sigh, 

"Subaru, you should go back to your work. You must've rested enough by now. I have something to talk to Rem about."

Upon hearing me, he darts out of the library without taking a second look at us. He didn't even ask Rem what he should be doing now.

Somehow I feel that Subaru is turning weirder due to me. Let's leave him for the moment and deal with Rem now. She needs another session, it seems.

As I approach her, she takes a few steps back. She's really afraid. That makes me feel a bit…..bad. But anyways,

"Care to explain why you are doing what you are doing?"

"Please I meant no harm to Subaru-kun!

I was just doing what you wanted me to do!" Her voice strained. By the way, I can already see her breathing grow heavy and her face turning red. Is this really what I am thinking it is?

"What do you mean by that?"

"You asked me to take care of him. I am just doing that! I am making sure that he can work to the best of his ability. 

Haah…haah…

Then he can take care of himself!"

"I see…so that's what it was about…

But…"

I don't get to finish my words as my vision blackens out without any rhyme or reason.