Unprecedented development

The forth day came.

--This was both Tanaka and Subaru's third time visiting that village.

The first and second time Tanaka visited was with Ram in contrast to Subaru who went with Rem in the second loop.

The village is small considering it is located right next to the lord's mansion, with only around 300 people living there. Much less than the local elementary school in the original world.

Although he knew that it was so small, finding the culprit seemed like a hassle.

During his visit to the library before he collapsed, Tanaka managed to confirm through a Q&A session with Beatrice that the condition for a shaman to cast a curse was physical contact with the target.

For a shaman to curse someone, they must touch the target at least once. Considering a shaman as an assassin, this was a highly risky condition.

[???]: "Before I go, I must tell you that you should rely on the spirits."

"Yeah you are right, I can't count how many times they have helped me. I think Emilia said that I should make a contract with them so I can borrow their strength."

"Pft.."

Tanaka was taken aback as he heard a chuckle coming from the white beam of light.

"Is there something funny?"

[???]: "No it's nothing. It's just that there is no need for you to make a contract."

Tanaka was a bit confused, wasn't a contract supposed to be a requirement between the spirits and spirit art users.

"What do you mean by that?"

[???]: "There's no need for you to do a contract. Afterall, all the spirits in the world will help you."

Tanaka was puzzled by the spirit's words. Before he could inquire about that statement, the white light started fading.

[???]: "It seems that my time is up, I have to go now." 

"Wait, I still have so many quest....."

[???]: "We will meet again, I promise."

The white ball of light began to fade, its radiant glow slowly diminishing until it was just a faint shimmer in the air. The once brilliant light that filled the room with a sense of hope now dwindled into nothingness, leaving only the memory of its presence.

That's how their conversation ended. Unfortunately, Tanaka was still left with many unanswered questions. But at the very least, he knew what he had to do.

____

_____

_______

Tanaka rubbed his eyes as he felt an itching sensation, ever since he woke up, the level of uncomfortableness increased whenever he wore his contact lenses.

"The suspect hasn't changed -- it's limited to the villagers I've encountered during my previous two visits."

"There is no need for you to make a contract."

Tanaka stood there while lost thinking about those words, that last until suddenly...

"—Victory!!"

Cheering erupted, Tanaka flinched and found Subaru high-fiving those around him.

His body was at a dynamic position, the children imitated his movements, and a group of elderly and young adults followed a beat behind.

____

____

Flashback to Tanaka's Conversation with Subaru Before Arriving at the Village

These were the people who left a strong impression on Subaru.

The 'rejuvenated granny' was an old woman with a lewd personality, who had groped Subaru's butt while leering at him. She claimed groping young men made her feel rejuvenated.

The youth group was a group of village youths led by a crew-cut, athletic-type guy who kept slapping Subaru on the shoulder, which was tough for an indoor person like him.

The 'Ram and Rem's fan club' was a name Subaru gave them; they hadn't named themselves. Similar to the youth group, they disliked anyone close to Ram and Rem, and they too slapped Subaru on the shoulder, which annoyed him.

The 'pseudo-village chief' was a short, stooped old man with a bald head and tufts of white hair sticking out like horns. His sharp gaze and impressive white beard gave him the look of a capable village elder, though he wasn't actually the chief. People called him that mockingly. He would poke at Subaru, complaining about the youth, making him hard to deal with.

"I don't know what's weirder," Tanaka remarked, "their behavior or your naming sense."

"Looking back, they're all suspicious. Every one of them had contact with me. So, it's really a three-choice question."

Tanaka noticed Subaru's expression stiffen and asked, "What is it?"

Subaru, surprised that Tanaka had noticed, responded, "Maybe it's better for you to just rest for today. Don't worry, I got this."

"No, I'm coming with you."

"Dude no matter how you look at it, you were a mess yesterday. You should.."

"Today is the day, no matter what we have to catch that shaman, I can hold myself for one more day but no matter what, we have to catch him."

He had a skeptical look on his face, he didn't want Tanaka to push himself to the limit but he couldn't argue, but in any case.....

----They must avoid arousing suspicion from the culprit with any strange behavior.

 "At this rate, it's not going to work. So do something about it!"

"What are you talking about?" Tanaka furrowed his eye brows in confusion.

"Your face! I'm talking about your face? You look gloomy as hell and you will definitely draw attention at this rate."

Gloomy? Was he showing that kind of face? He never paid direct attention to it so he didn't notice.

"I don't know what exactly is wrong but you should at least smile."

"Even you say that, there's nothing to smile about." Tanaka replied casually.

"Stop saying that depressing crap so casually! I don't know, try to think of happy memory or something that cheers you up."

A happy memory...

Currently, his mind was full of memories he wished he could forget.

In the first place, was his expression that bad?

Tanaka grabbed his phone and took a photo with his front camera.

'Yikes' 

He realized how this could prove to be a problem as he began to compare his current state with his older photos. His current expression was haggard, his face pale and complexion worse than ever. As he kept scrolling through his photos, he came across a picture of a little girl with long, wavy black hair and ice-blue eyes that she inherited from their mother.

It was a picture of his little sister, Kazuki Mio. Her innocent smile and bright eyes seemed to radiate warmth and happiness, a stark contrast to his current state.

How long has it been since he last saw her? 

Yeah, that's right. It has been two years since he left the house. He didn't want to cause a lot of conflict within his family as his sister and his mother were heavily opposed to him leaving, so he acted rebellious and left on his own.

But to him it has been centuries since he saw her.

'I wonder if she is doing well.'

He genuinely hoped so, Tanaka adored his little sister and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that will quite literally do anything for her well being. 

Emersed in his thoughts, he kept scrolling on his phone looking at the pictures he shared with her, a bunch of them were when he was a kid and most of them she was hugging him, Egypt, China, Italy, he wandered most of the world with his family back then.

He would like to see her.

"Wow, all it took was a picture of your little sister for you to grin, you Siscon," Subaru teased, snapping Tanaka out of his reverie.

Tanaka looked up, confused, then analyzed Subaru's words. Realizing that the sides of his mouth were curled up, he touched his face. "Huh?" He was smiling.

"Shut it, you lonely bastard."

"You! I'm really sensitive about being an only child," Subaru shot back, his mock indignation lightening the mood.

Ignoring Subaru's complaints, Tanaka felt a warmth spread through him. Subaru's dissatisfied expression slowly faded as he brushed off Tanaka's comment and said, "This will do for now, ah..."

As if recalling something, Subaru turned again to Tanaka for one final request, "I know you are angry at Rem and you are right to do so, but..."

*********************************************************************************************************

Tanaka stood there, muttering to himself, "I should try my best to get along with them," as if reminding himself of the tasks he needed to complete. He no longer harbored any feelings of resentment towards Rem. Instead, his worries extended far beyond their complicated relationship.

Unlike Subaru, he wasn't desperate to gain the trust of the twins. But at the very least, he didn't want any awkward atmosphere whenever he interacted with them.

"You, can you help me out with this?"

Tanaka flinched, surprised by her sudden call, but without any change in his expression, he responded, "Yeah, sure."

He moved to help Ram pack things up. The task involved sorting through a variety of items: bundles of herbs, stacks of folded linens, and neatly arranged rows of jars filled with spices. The wooden shelves were crowded, and Tanaka methodically chose the contents.

Awkward silence

An awkward silence hung in the air, thick and palpable. The only sounds were the rustling of fabric and the occasional clink of jars being moved.

Gathering his resolve, Tanaka started a conversation. "Ram."

"What is it?" she asked, not looking up from her work.

"I wanted to apologize for what happened last time."

"What last time? Do you mean when Tanuki randomly collapsed?" she replied, her tone flat but her eyes flickering with curiosity.

"No, that was out of my control. I'm talking about when I raised my voice. I was just stressed with the whole situation and I lashed out at you. I'm sorry."

Ram paused for a moment, her hands stilling over a jar of pickles. "Ram is also sorry about Rem."

Tanaka stayed silent and stared at Ram, not knowing how to respond or deny. "..."

"I know something must have happened between Tanuki and Rem, but I hope that you don't hate her. My little sister... Rem is overprotective."

With an expressionless face, Ram teased, "That's right, it's Tanuki's fault."

Tanaka, also with a deadpan face, responded, "I take it back."

They switched their gaze as they exited the shop towards Subaru, who was immersed in playing with the kids.

***************************************************

"You guys always stick to me, no matter the time."

"What're you saying?" "Hit your head?" "Tummy hurts?"

"Stop with the tummy talk. Why do you want me to have diarrhea so bad?"

The kids laughed loudly at his words. They probably found the term 'diarrhea' funny, not the joke itself.

"And my tendency to attract kids hasn't changed."

Feeling the child on his back pull at his cheek, Subaru could only sigh at the cruel reality of his 'absolute loner' trait being ineffective with kids.

***************************************************

"Has he always been like that?" Ram's voice cut through Tanaka's thoughts, pulling his attention back to the present.

"Who knows? I don't know him all that much," Tanaka replied, his gaze still fixed on Subaru. He watched as Subaru engaged with the children, his movements animated and his expressions exaggerated, drawing giggles and cheers from his young audience.

Ram and Tanaka continued to watch as Subaru played with the kids. Rem approached, carrying a bag, seemingly prompting him that it's time to leave. However, a little girl with blue hair tugged on Subaru's shirt, prompting him to kneel down and listen to her whispers. With a nod and a smile, he was led by the children in a seemingly new game, their laughter trailing behind them as they ran off to another part of the village.

After a few moments of silence, Ram spoke up again. "It's almost time now. We should meet up with Rem and Barusu and then head back to the mansion."

"Yeah, you're right," Tanaka agreed.

Both he and Subaru had made enough physical interactions with the villagers, involving plenty of handshakes and pats on the back. Tanaka mentally cataloged every person he had touched or talked to, ensuring no detail slipped through the cracks. Subaru was doing the same, each interaction noted and remembered.

As they walked to find Rem and Subaru, they encountered them on the way. Subaru was holding his hand with his head down, a look of defeat shadowing his features, followed closely by Rem with the same stoic expression and the pack of children.

Curious about their expressions, Tanaka called out, "Did something happen?"

"The puppy bit him."

"Too much petting."

"He overdid it."

"That's not the point... And no one's worried about me. Can't someone show some concern?" Subaru lamented, eliciting a round of laughter from the children.

Suddenly, a little girl pulled at Tanaka's shirt. "Brother..." she hesitated, unsure of his name.

Tanaka knelt down and softened his expression. "It's Tanaka."

The little girl extended her hand, revealing a collection of rare earth magnets. "Brother Tanaka, I found more of those stones that you liked last time..." she said, her voice filled with pride. Seeing them, Tanaka couldn't help but smile.

How long had it been since that event?

"Ahhhhh, me too!" another child chimed in.

"I also want that juice too, I have many rocks hidden," added another, their eyes wide with excitement.

Patting the little girl's head, Tanaka smiled as she blushed and looked down shyly. "I'm sorry, guys, but I don't have any juice left."

Subaru, overhearing the conversation, looked puzzled. "Sorry, I'm a little confused. What juice exactly are we talking about here?"

"When I first came here I traded the rare earth magnets with a cans of sodas, that's how I was able to charge my phone."

Understanding dawned on Subaru, and he sighed in relief, earning a glare from Tanaka.

"I still want you to take them!" the little girl insisted, her voice earnest.

"Is that okay? I will feel bad if I take them with nothing in return," Tanaka said, his tone gentle.

"It's fine! They are just a bunch of stones. I don't want them!" she replied firmly.

"Then how about this.. I will take these and in return, I can make you a fun toy."

The girl's eyes sparkled with excitement. "What kind of toy?" she asked eagerly.

"Hmm, I'm usually I can make a foot ball, no that's probably for boys. A kite plane or maybe I can make a talking doll.."

"I want a talking doll!" the little girl exclaimed, her face lighting up.

"I can do the talking part but I'm bad at sewing."

"I can help you with that," Subaru offered, "I'm confident in my sewing skills."

"Then, I will take you up on your offer," Tanaka accepted.

"I want a ball!" a boy shouted.

"I also want a doll!" a girl added, her voice eager.

"I want that kite plane thing!" another boy with a missing front tooth piped up.

"You don't even know what that is..." 

"Hahahahahaha...."

A child commented, and the entire group erupted in laughter. 

*********************************************************************************************************"See you guys later!" Subaru called out, waving off the grumbling children. Ram, who had already started walking away, signaled for him to hurry up.

"Hm?"

Tanaka's gaze lingered on Subaru, a thoughtful expression crossing his face.

Subaru noticed and turned to face him. "What's up? Got something to say?"

Ram interjected, her voice sharp but concerned. "I sent you off thinking it'd be quick, but you return with messy hair, wrinkled clothes, and a bleeding hand."

"Sorry! A lot happened, as you can see." Subaru held up his wounded hand, offering a sheepish grin.

Showing an unusual hint of concern, Ram sighed. Subaru raised an eyebrow, but she quickly resumed her usual attitude.

"That wound and your look are pitiful. Rem, can you please fix him up?"

"Can't Ram-chi use healing magic?"

"I can amputate it."

"That's too extreme!"

Seeing her brief smile, Subaru sighed, thinking how cute she'd be if she was always this honest.

"That shows that even dogs look down on you, Barusu."

"You are wrong! We just had bad chemistry..."

As they were conversing, Ram noticed her sister spacing out.

"What is it, Rem?" Subaru asked, concerned by her quietness.

"....."

"Did the dog bite you too?" Tanaka asked.

Rem looked surprised but then quietly responded, "It's just a small wound, nothing to worry about."

"What's with this dog, did it escape from hell?" Ram commented, her tone incredulous.

"Hey sister, your statements have drastically changed in a such short time.

"Can I try to heal you two?" Tanaka offered, stepping forward.

"You?" Subaru raised an eyebrow, skepticism in his voice.

"Well..." Tanaka hesitated, then took a deep breath. "Komdu út." (Come out.)

Four blue beams of light materialized in the air, swirling around Tanaka like ethereal guardians. Rem's eyes widened as she muttered, "Minor spirits."

No matter how many times this scene unfolds in front of them, it was still apparently a rare sight to behold.

Subaru's mouth fell open in amazement. "You can call them like that naturally? And what was that? Swedish?"

"Icelandic," Tanaka corrected with a small smile. "It's a northern Germanic language, so close enough. My mother is from Iceland, so she taught me how to speak it. I found that conversing with the spirits in Icelandic helped me understand them better."

In truth, the spirits understood him regardless of the language he used as it was more like a telepathic communication. Speaking Icelandic was a way for Tanaka to hold onto memories of his past life, of his mother and his family. His mind was burdened with the painful recollections of many lifetimes and loops he was forced to experience, but he clung tightly to the good memories, not wanting them to slip away. As these thoughts crossed his mind, Tanaka's expression softened, a distant look in his eyes.

As these thoughts crossed his mind, Tanaka's expression softened, a distant look in his eyes. Ram, observing him, asked, "Why were you hiding them all this time?"

"They wanted to accompany me, and I didn't want to stand out, so I asked them to hide," Tanaka explained.

He approached Rem and Subaru, asking them to show their hands. Subaru hesitated, then joked, "You know what you're doing, right? You're not going to blow my hand off or anything, right?"

Tanaka responded with a serious expression, "Don't worry, I was practicing self-harm lately so I'm pretty confident."

"Don't joke about it with such a serious face!" Subaru exclaimed.

Tanaka murmured to the spirits, "læknaðu hann, takk." (Heal him, please.)

The four spirits flew towards Subaru's wounded hand, their blue light enveloping it. Despite his usual expressionless face, Tanaka's eye twitched when he saw Subaru's bloody hand. The wound healed quickly, leaving no trace behind.

"Wow, and people waste up to 9 years at the medical school."

Tanaka turned to Rem, who looked back at him with a mixture of reluctance and curiosity. "It's a trivial wound; Rem can heal herself if it was that bothersome."

"I know, but even if you can do it yourself, consider this an apology for the trouble I caused recently," Tanaka said, unfazed by her initial denial. 

Rem hesitated but eventually nodded, showing her hand. The wound was indeed minor compared to Subaru's. Tanaka repeated the command to the spirits, "læknaðu hana, takk." (Heal her, please.)

The spirits healed Rem's wound with the same efficiency. Tanaka thanked them, "Þakka þér fyrir." (Thank you.) The spirits then disappeared into thin air.

"Since when did you form a contract with the spirits?" Ram asked, curiosity evident in her tone.

"I didn't," Tanaka replied simply.

"Hah?" Ram's eyes widened in surprise.

"I said that I didn't form any contract," Tanaka reiterated calmly.

Rem looked at him in confusion. "So you are saying the spirits are helping you on their own accord?"

"That is correct," Tanaka confirmed.

The two sisters exchanged bewildered glances, clearly finding the notion absurd.

Noticing their reaction, Tanaka tilted his head in confusion. "Is something wrong?"

Ram sighed, shaking her head. "It's nothing."

The way he answered sounded too serious for him to lie about something so ridiculous. Besides, she also saw how the spirits acted towards him in the mansion, a stranger they encountered for the first time ever.

Rem bowed briefly, showing gratitude. "Thank you."

Tanaka smiled faintly, waving off her thanks. "It's really no biggie."

"Yeah, thanks, dude. I feel much better now," Subaru added, his smile broadening.

"It's no problem. After all, it would be a hassle to carry all the stuff we bought back to the mansion with you having a wounded hand," Tanaka remarked.

"I don't think it's that big of a deal. I could still handle a couple of bags with one hand," Subaru said, shrugging nonchalantly.

began to recall the things they had bought: fresh vegetables, a variety of spices, meat, eggs, and fabric for mending clothes.

Ram interjected, her voice cutting through their conversation. "This is not everything."

Suddenly, a middle-aged man shouted, "Ram-San!" He approached them, his footsteps heavy with urgency. Holding a large barrel with both hands, he looked determined. As he got close, he slammed the barrel into the ground, the impact echoing through the village, causing a few nearby birds to take flight.

With that thought, Subaru glanced behind the twins and regretted it immediately.

*********************************************************************************************************

The workers arrived back at the mansion just past evening, with the sun dipping low.

The number of times Subaru and Tanaka suggested taking a break, defeated by the weight of the luggage, was approximately fifteen. Most of the were stops were due the lack of synergy between them so they agreed on taking turns in holding the barrel until they got into the mansion. 

"We finally made it!" Tanaka exclaimed.

"We? We my ass! I held it on my own most of the time!" Subaru retorted, glaring at him.

Subaru's complaint was justified, just after a quarter of a kilometer, Tanaka had been unable to lift the barrel even an inch off the ground.

The consequences of him never taking physical education seriously, three years of constant smoking and immobility have rendered him incompetent in any areas that require physical strength. 

"Well done, well done, me, GJ! Truly, GJ." Subaru muttered to himself, offering himself a pat on the back.

"Sister, sister, Subaru-Kun is sprawled out on the ground, overjoyed."

"Rem, Rem, Barusu is on the ground like a dog, overwhelmed with emotion."

"Shut up," Subaru groaned, raising a hand in weak protest. "Instead of being sarcastic, first praise me for getting the job done. Sensitive and delicate me will break if you only use the whip. I'm a product of an educational system that didn't deal well with setbacks!"

Tanaka shrugged, looking at the sisters in a scornful manner. "Don't look at me, I'm fine. The education system already messed me up, so your words can't deal damage that hasn't already been dealt."

The twins looked at him then started whispering to each other in an audible voice.

"Sister, sister, Tanaka-Kun is saying that he gave up on life."

"Rem, Rem, Tanuki is a lost cause."

'I can hear you.' Tanaka thought to himself.

Nevertheless,

"Yes, yes, good job," Ram said, her tone half-hearted.

"Yes, yes, well done," Rem echoed, though her voice was gentler.

With a cursory acknowledgment of Subaru's efforts, Rem lifted the sake barrel effortlessly from the ground.

The two struggled to carry it together. Yet, Rem easily managed to lift the heavy object with one hand while carrying small items in the other.

The absurdity of the scene made Subaru smile wryly,

"Was I even needed?"

"No? As you can see, if Barusu and Tanuki weren't here, Ram and I could handle it ourselves."

Ram had no intention of supporting Subaru's male pride.

And for Tanaka, it doesn't exist in the first place.

Watching Rem walk away with steady steps, Subaru keenly felt the futility of his physical efforts.

"Then why did you make me do it? Was it really just to mess with me? Please, don't bully your junior, senior."

"Don't you understand, Barusu? Of course, it was out of consideration."

"I don't get it. What kind of consideration?"

At Subaru's question, Ram snorted and shrugged her shoulders in exasperation.

"Wouldn't you feel anything if Emilia-Sama saw you coming back with only a small bag of spices, while Rem was carrying a huge sake barrel?"

"Your consideration truly leaves me speechless, senior!"

Kneeling, Subaru expressed his gratitude to Ram's noble face.

Having a girl smaller than himself carry the large luggage while he smugly carried only shopping bags—what a nightmarish scene.

Before being seen by Emilia, just looking at himself in the mirror would bring about despair. His fragile male ego would be shredded to pieces; it was nothing compared to that.

Then,

"Sister, Roswaal-Sama is..."

Rem, who had gone ahead with the luggage, returned, mentioning the mansion's master. Ram reacted instantly to that name.

The name gave Ram such vitality that her usual lethargic air vanished, and she briskly moved to stand beside her sister, adjusting her appearance as she walked.

Adjusting their appearance in imitation of Ram, they hastily followed the twin and opened the mansion's door.

"Oh, you were all together. That's convenient."

Roswaal, the mansion's master, awaited them with open arms.

With dark blue hair and mismatched blue and yellow eyes, he had a relaxed smile. But today, his demeanor was different.

"Dressed up for going out?"

"Correct. Though I don't particularly like it. But my usual attire tends to invite jealousy, so I have no choice but to wear formal wear."

Roswaal, who usually dressed flamboyantly with oversized collars, geometric patterns, and blending colors, now wore a proper outfit like when Subaru first met him.

Considering Roswaal's attire, Subaru thought of two possibilities.

"Is there a guest?"

"Are you going out?"

Roswaal smiled wryly at the twins' questions.

"Ram is correct, I'm going out. I've received some troubling news. I'm going to Garfiel's place to confirm it. I shouldn't be too late."

'!'

Garfiel...

A name he was familiar with.

A name of a person he has never met before.

Personally at least...

He was the little brother of Frederica, the maid who has recently left the mansion. And during Tanaka's dark visions, Subaru used him against her as weakness. He pretty much threatened to kill both him and her adoptive grandmother if she ever dared to betray him.

"So, I'll be away from the mansion for a while. I probably won't be back tonight. Ram, Rem, I'm counting on you."

"Yes, as you command."

"Yes, even if it costs our lives."

The twins nodded decisively, and Roswaal turned his gaze the other two. Without adverting his eyes, Tanaka looked at him coldly. 

Tanaka, "Sorry, but I left my 'die for you' badge at home."

Subaru, "Same, I haven't pledged such loyalty yet."

"That's fine. It would be burdensome if you suddenly did. But, I'm counting on you two."

At that moment, the same thought crossed their minds.

――An unprecedented development.

This meant that their actions had brought about a change in the world.

Roswaal, satisfied, left a few words to the loyal twins,

"Well then, I'm off. I hope nothing happens."

With that, Roswaal's back disappeared through the mansion's door.

After sending him off with a bow,

"By the way, aren't you two going with him? Also, there's no sign of a carriage or anything outside... is he walking?"

At Subaru's question, the twins' eyes showed a hint of exasperation.

"There's no point in us going. We'd just be in the way."

"Loyalty can't make you fly. It would expose what's under our skirts."

"Hey, I can't ignore those words..."

To Subaru, they were as formidable as Elsa, but the twins clearly acknowledged their lack of strength. Moreover, according to Ram's statement,

"Oh wow, it's true."

Opening the mansion door to check, Subaru saw that Roswaal was nowhere to be seen. Glancing up at the sky, he saw a tiny speck of a figure with a billowing cape in the direction of the sunset. It must be Roswaal, flying solo.

"He can fly... Can 'Yin' magic do that?"

"With a decent grasp of wind, fire, and earth magic, it's possible."

Subaru then turned to Tanaka, who had been silent and seemingly unfazed by the sight of Roswaal flying. "You! You saw that, right?! How are you so calm?"

'Because I already saw it before.' Tanaka's inner thoughts surfaced briefly.

"That's because we already met a flying-talking cat. I think it consumed all my reaction slots," Tanaka replied nonchalantly.

"That's a valid point..." Subaru conceded.

With that, they began moving the groceries into the storage room, each lost in their thoughts about the day's events and the changes they had inadvertently set into motion.

*********************************************************************************************************

With everything organized and stored away, each person became absorbed in their thoughts about the day's events.

As they were about to go their separate ways, Tanaka's voice cut through the silence, "Hey, can you all come with me for a second?"

The twins halted, and Subaru turned to him, curiosity evident in his expression. "To where are you going?"

"To Beatrice..." Tanaka replied, a hint of urgency in his tone.

"Now?! I still want to go and take a shower before we go."

Ram interjected, "What are you two talking about?"

"It's nothing, I just need to check something out. It won't take long..." Tanaka assured them.

He walked up to the door of the storage room and got very close to it without opening it. The others watched with a mix of confusion and anticipation.

"Hey Beatrice... Can you open the door please? It's something urgent," Tanaka said, his voice clear and steady, though he looked like a madman talking to a door.

"Wait, can she hear you that way?" Subaru asked, eyebrows raised.

"I'm not sure, but hypothetically that should be the case since every door in this mansion is connected to the Forbidden Library like a multi-tunneled wormhole," Tanaka explained.

"If that's the case, then that means she can hear everything said near doors. I feel my privacy has been breached," Subaru muttered.

"That's not important. In any case, let's just wait a couple of seconds," Tanaka said, glancing at the door.

They waited in tense silence, the air thick with anticipation. Tanaka finally spoke up, "Yeah, I think she switched doors, we can now ent—"

Before he could finish his sentence, the door swung open. Subaru stepped into the Forbidden Library with a grin. "Alright then, it's time for Beako's segment that you've all been waiting for."

The twins, surprised that the door actually led to the Forbidden Library, simultaneously bowed their heads. "Sorry for suddenly intruding, Beatrice-Sama."

Tanaka looked at Subaru with disbelief at his casual entrance. He squatted to the ground and covered his face with his hands, exasperated.

"Hmm... What?" Subaru asked, feigning innocence.

Sighing, Tanaka muttered, "Nothing, you do the talking, smooth brain."

Subaru's overly confident entrance made Beatrice, who was reading a book while sitting on a step stool, drop her shoulders dramatically. "Is this supposed to be something urgent, I wonder?"

"It is! I promise you it is very important," Subaru insisted, his tone earnest.

She then looked at Tanaka with genuine annoyance, but then, perhaps noticing the serious expression on his face, she narrowed her eyes.

Subaru hesitated for a moment in front of Beatrice, who seemed willing to listen. I wondered how to bring it up, then nodded once.

"I think I'm cursed. Could you check?"

The room fell silent. Tanaka remained stoic, while Rem and Ram raised their eyebrows at Subaru's unexpected statement, though they didn't react strongly, accustomed to his occasional nonsense.

"...What are you talking about?"

"I think I'm cursed. Could you check?"

"Who told you to repeat the same thing twice!? It's only been half a day since you learned about the sorcerer! There's a limit to how easily influenced you can be..."

Beatrice, thinking it was paranoia, snapped her book shut and approached him. But midway, her energy faded, and her adorable face took on a look of suspicion, then certainty.

Stopping, she looked at Tanaka with questioning eyes, then switched her gaze up up at Subaru.

"I sense the presence of a spell... You really are cursed."

The twins' calm demeanors crumbled. "What?" Rem gasped. "Beatrice-Sama, are you certain?" Ram asked, her voice trembling slightly.

"Really? I had a feeling, but hearing it confirmed is quite a shock," Subaru muttered calmly.

Tanaka then raised his hand and then pointed at the blue haired girl, "I think she got cursed too, although, it would be great if you can check us all together."

Everyone's eyes widened in shock. Rem looked at Tanaka in confusion, and Ram's voice was sharp. "Tanuki! What is actually happening?" Even Subaru was taken aback. "Huh? Are you serious?!"

Beatrice stepped closer to Rem, her expression grim. "He's right, I suppose. I can also sense traces of a curse coming from her."

"When did you find out about this?" Rem asked, his voice filled with concern.

"When I healed their hands in the village, the spirits were acting odd, and I figured something was wrong," Tanaka replied calmly.

Ram glared at Tanaka with accusing eyes. "You! If you knew about this, why did you keep silent all this time?!"

Tanaka met her glare without flinching. "I wasn't certain and didn't want to cause unnecessary panic. That's why I wanted Beatrice to confirm it."

Ram looked ready to argue, but Rem placed a calming hand on her sister's shoulder. "Sister, this is not the time for this."

'This is bad.' Subaru thought inwardly, everything was going smoothly today since he and Tanaka were getting along with the twins, but the fact that an unexpected element such as Rem getting cursed as well, made Tanaka the target of the accusations.

Quickly turning back to Beatrice to resume the main topic, he asked, "Can you tell what kind of curse it is?"

"Just by looking at the spell, I can't tell. Betty isn't deeply knowledgeable about sorcery and it's not something she cares to know. But it's almost certainly a lethal one."

Beatrice stated this fact calmly, not as a threat. Nodding hastily, he accepted it. Subaru had already experienced firsthand the power of a curse taking a life.

Seeing his calm reaction, Beatrice blinked her large eyes in surprise.

"You have guts. Aren't you afraid of dying?"

"Huh? Are you stupid? Dying is terrifying! There's nothing scarier in this world than dying. People who say 'death is better' should experience it before they say that."

That's one truth Subaru has learned in this world that he absolutely cannot compromise on. 'Death' is absolute. It's not something to be taken lightly or spoken of easily, especially by those who haven't experienced it.

"So this time, I'll make it through, fate."

Pointing a finger to the sky, he declared his challenge to whatever supernatural force might be watching. Then, turning back to Beatrice,

"So, quickly, please lift the curse. There's no time."

Subaru wanted to identify the culprit and take action before they could make their move. Eager to finally get a chance to strike first, he felt his impatience growing. Beatrice turned her head away and closed her eyes, "Why should Beatrice save your life?"

'Fuck me!' Subaru thought inwardly. Even in this situation, she was acting like a tsundere.

Ram's pleading expression softened Beatrice slightly. Subaru then noticed Tanaka, silently observing with a hand covering his mouth, a faint smirk playing on his lips.

'Is this fucker seriously laughing?' Subaru thought, feeling a vein throb on his forehead.

"Ahem, hey Beatrice, can you do..." Tanaka started to say.

"Hey, you said you will let me do the talking, so let me do it,"

Subaru interrupted, then turned back to Beatrice. "I figured you'd say that, so I prepared my persuasion. If I die, Puck will be sad."

"...Niichan wouldn't be that upset over the death of a human like you."

"No, Emilia-tan would be devastated if I died. And if she's devastated, Puck would be affected. And if you could've prevented it but didn't, how would that reflect on you?"

"Threatening someone when asking for help... You've completely lost it!"

Frustrated, Beatrice stomped her foot but seemed unable to find a better argument. She sighed heavily to calm herself and then beckoned both Rem and Subaru to come closer.

"Fine, I'll go along with it. But this is the last time Beatrice will involve herself."

"Pft," a laugh suddenly slipped from Tanaka, who was finding the situation amusing. Subaru felt triggered, a vein appearing on his temple.

'This is how it's supposed to be,' Tanaka thought to himself. This scene, with Beatrice's sassy, playful behavior, felt like the ideal reality. It was infinitely better than seeing Subaru become a psychopathic murderer who kills everyone who doesn't trust him.

Smiling warmly, Tanaka looked at Beatrice. "I won't burden you with any demands anymore."

"I can't honestly promise that. When in trouble, I'll always come to you for help. I'll gnaw at your ankles until they're dust and drink it as soup."

"Do you realize you're asking for help?"

"I have a reputation for being persistent. Didn't stay a shut-in for nothing."

Giving a thumbs-up and flashing a grin, Subaru made Beatrice shake her head in exasperation. Then she let a soft white light glow in her palm and scanned their bodies.

"Now I'll destroy the cursed mark left by the sorcerer. It might be useful as a clue."

"I've have a good memory, so no worries."

According to her statement, the spot of the mark is most definitely the spot where the shaman touched them. 

A warm light seeped into Subaru's skin, spreading a gentle heat. Suddenly, an itching sensation welled up, growing stronger until finally,

"A black mist...?"

In Beatrice's glowing hand, a black mist was caught and held. The itching vanished, indicating that the mist had been the cause. The mist was then crushed and disappeared with a repulsive image.

"Disgusting, really," Beatrice murmured, shaking off her hand's glow and the mist. Noticing my gaze, she said,

"It's done. You're two safe now, I suppose."

The spot where the black mist triggered the same thought across everyone present. But considering that both Tanaka and Subaru continuously assumed the shaman was one of the villagers, they were rendered unable to speak.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Subaru realized that he had unconsciously held his breath in tension. But before he could scold himself, he wanted to seek confirmation one last time

"Hey, Beako."

"Don't call me that..."

"The spot your hand touched, was it where the sorcerer touched?"

Interrupting, Subaru asked again, and Beatrice nodded. That nod confirmed the identity of the sorcerer.