Chapter 14: The deed is done, he fades away, concealing his merit and fame. (Patreon)

Once he confirmed the insignia posed no further danger, Natsuki Subaru shot Emilia a look that said it's safe now, urging her to hurry and take her insignia back. Then he turned to Felt, who was hiding behind Old Man Rom, and continued:

"Anyway, kid — never mind why this insignia gets so worked up around me. Just hear me out."

"Hey, hey, mister, isn't that a bit much? Why do you keep calling me 'kid'?" Felt said, a little indignant.

"Because I've got a wealth of life experience."

"You're clearly about the same age as me!"

"Young but shrewd — ever hear that saying?"

"Like hell! If that fits anyone, it's me!"

"Exactly — you're the little imp, and I'm the big imp. Give up?"

Felt's head spun trying to follow his logic.

But Subaru's expression slowly turned serious.

"You don't want to leave because of that giant of an old man, right?" He glanced at Old Man Rom. "But you can't lock yourself in the slums forever just because you're worried about him. Old Man Rom's only going to get older — he can't keep shielding you from every kind of trouble forever."

"But... if I leave, what happens to Old Man Rom?"

Felt pressed her lips into a thin line.

"You dummy! Just bring him with you!"

Exasperated at her thickheadedness, Subaru raised a hand as if to smack her on the forehead, startling her, then pointed at Reinhard standing off to the side.

"Since this Sword Saint here's inviting you on behalf of his whole family, I doubt they can't afford to feed one old man, right?"

"That's right." Reinhard nodded. "Once your royal identity is confirmed, the entire Astrea family will pledge itself to your service. Your friends and family will all become honored guests of our house."

"Hear that?" Subaru gave a thumbs-up. "Go with him, enter the Royal Selection. I won't say you'll become queen, but at least you'll get the chance to leave this place and see just how far you can go."

"But I can't do anything." Felt still looked a little lost. "Except pickpocketing and petty theft..."

"Listen to yourself — not getting caught while pickpocketing is a skill all its own. Can't you run, too?"

"Th-that counts?!"

"Of course. In plenty of missions, staying alive to the end is the most important skill there is."

As he spoke, Subaru pulled his hat brim low, putting on a profound air.

"Besides, you've got sharp eyes, quick reflexes, a pair of legs built for running, and a knack for getting along with people at the bottom rung. Isn't that exactly what makes you good at this?"

Felt looked down at her own hands. She hadn't even realized she had so many skills — in his mouth, even her shabby little tricks somehow sounded like grand, respectable strengths.

"But I still worry about Old Man Rom," she muttered under her breath.

Old Man Rom walked over to her side and reached out to ruffle her hair.

"Silly girl. I've known since the day I took you in that this day would come," Old Man Rom said slowly. "A bird, once grown, has to fly further afield. Are you really planning to spend your whole life guarding this rundown house, without ever looking at the sky beyond it?"

Felt bit her lip and said nothing.

Old Man Rom looked at Reinhard.

"I'll go with her."

"Of course," Reinhard promised solemnly. "I'll guarantee both your safety."

Seeing Felt still hesitating, Subaru added,

"If you're still not sure, I can tag along — think of me as a witness."

"You?" Felt looked up, recalling what had just happened, her eyes full of dread. "Are you sure you won't tear that place apart too?"

"Well... that was unavoidable collateral damage from the fight. But I figure with this Sword Saint here keeping an eye on things, it should be fine."

Subaru laughed awkwardly and scratched his head.

"Consider it compensation for accidentally wrecking your place. Don't worry — this Sword Saint here will keep me in line, and I'll keep an eye on him too, just to make sure he doesn't drag you two off somewhere weird."

Reinhard corrected him at once. "Rest assured, I won't take you anywhere strange."

"I know." Subaru clapped him on the shoulder. "But you're almost too nice for your own good — sometimes it makes a guy wonder if you're too easy to swindle. Safer to have someone tagging along."

"Is that your way of saying you're worried about me?"

"I guess so. You're the first genuinely good person I've met in this world, after all. Oh, and Miss Emilia's the second — though she's probably even easier to fool than you are."

Reinhard let out a helpless laugh at that.

Felt looked between the two of them, finally took a deep breath, and squared her shoulders.

"Fine! I'll go with you!" She held up a finger. "I'll say my terms one more time — Old Man Rom comes with me, no matter what, and you can't restrict my freedom!"

"Of course."

Reinhard nodded.

"Looks like that settles it, then. Everyone's happy."

Subaru clapped his hands together off to the side. It was then that Emilia finally found her chance to step forward and speak to him.

"Subaru, thank you so much for everything today. If you don't have anywhere else to go, why not come back to the Roswaal Manor with me?"

A faint blush of shyness colored Emilia's cheeks.

"I'll definitely repay you properly."

"Thank you for the offer, Miss Emilia." Subaru pressed a hand to his chest, putting on a solemn air. "But I still have my duties as a witness to fulfill. Also, there's something I'd like to discuss with this Sword Saint here."

"Is it about the insignia from before?" Emilia glanced down at the insignia in her hand.

"That's part of it, yeah," Subaru nodded. "I figure there's something fishy about the fact that I can send your national treasure into a frenzy."

"I don't think it went into a frenzy."

Reinhard corrected him earnestly.

"It merely reacted to you strongly."

"So you're saying I'm one of those 'Dragon's Maiden' candidates too?" Subaru's face twisted with distaste. "Sorry, but I'm not interested in that whole 'harem bucket' business."

What in the world was a 'harem bucket'?

"..."

Reinhard was left speechless, wanting to say something but not knowing where to even begin.

Emilia burst out laughing.

Seeing her laugh, the tension in Subaru's expression eased a little.

"Don't worry, Miss Emilia. I'll finish up here first, and once my witness duties are done, I'll come find you."

"Really?"

"Really."

Subaru raised his index finger and pointed it at the sky.

"My biggest strength is keeping my promises. My second biggest is having a thick health bar — whatever trouble I run into, I always come back alive."

He paused for a moment, then added quietly,

"As for my weaknesses... I guess it's that I tend to get dragged into strange messes, so my whereabouts aren't exactly reliable."

"But at least I'm willing to work hard at keeping my word."

Subaru turned and walked over toward Reinhard and Felt.

Emilia stood rooted in place, watching the retreating back of the figure in the tattered black coat, an inexplicable unease welling up inside her.

This parting shouldn't be for long, surely.

She told herself that, as if to find comfort in it.

Meanwhile, in the Barielle Domain, a white-haired girl in a black dress stood quietly by the window, gazing off into the distance. Her fingers rested lightly on the windowsill, as if she were waiting for someone to pass by.

Behind her, Priscilla snapped her folding fan shut and asked softly,

"Is the one you're waiting for finally coming, Ciel?"

Ciel fell silent for a moment.

"Or perhaps he's someone I need to stop."

Priscilla turned, a confident smile curling at the corner of her lips.

"In that case, go and meet him."

She rose to her feet and smoothed her sleeves.

"Whether he's a guest, an enemy, or trouble fated to find me, the answer won't come knocking on its own."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the royal capital, Subaru walked behind Reinhard and Felt, one hand pressed to his still-aching side.

He suddenly sneezed.

"What's wrong?"

Reinhard glanced back.

"Nothing."

Subaru rubbed his nose.

"Just had a feeling, that's all."

"What kind of feeling?"

"That trouble's going to be lining up to greet me down the road."

Felt pursed her lips, unimpressed.

"Aren't you supposed to be good at handling trouble?"

"I'm good at handling trouble." Subaru looked up at the night sky. "What I'm terrible at is trouble coming to find me on its own."

He paused again, pulling his hat brim lower.

"Unfortunately, everyone I know seems to have a real talent for barging in without knocking."