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"Barusu, go atone for the miserable state of the garden by running an errand in the city."
"What do you mean, Nee-sama..."
"It means if I don't see all the items on this list,"
Ram said, stuffing a rolled-up paper shopping list into the young man's chest, before flashing a terrifying smile and miming a neck snap.
"Prepare for a broken neck."
"N—Nee-sama, just a clean cut is enough! Please don't snap it as well!" Subaru involuntarily rubbed his neck. "Are you collecting achievements for neck-snapping kills or something?!"
"If you have time for jokes, then you must not fear death," the maid said in a friendly manner, a message everyone knew was false. There was no way the pink-haired Oni would—
Snap
"I'm going! I'm really going!!"
Subaru immediately spun around. He had Clint to thank for teaching him how to drive a Dragon Carriage, allowing him to escape his 'this-shouldn't-even-be-a-question' fate.
........
"Heh Heh Heh Heh... Ram... did you unearth some ancient language foundation or Something?! WHY IS THIS SO DIFFICULT TO READ!??!!"
Subaru shouted at the sky. He was already stressed when he first unrolled the long scroll, but reading it made his face turn pale. It made him wonder when Nee-sama had accumulated such resentment to write all of this in five minutes.
"Should I be impressed that she managed to write something this long, find a seven-meter-long piece of paper, choose difficult vocabulary, and make her handwriting almost illegible, all within that timeframe? Or should I just be angry enough to choke on my own spit?"
Subaru sighed. His sister had an abundance of talent for completely unnecessary things.
But since he had no desire to be buried by his beloved sister, Subaru turned his attention back to the paper that dictated his fate, even if he couldn't make much sense of it.
"Let's see," Subaru squinted. "The first one is... Ros... s... Sosta? What is this?! Even a divine protection couldn't help me with this version, I bet!"
Subaru frustratedly rolled up the impossibly long scroll. As he walked without looking, he accidentally bumped into something extremely hard.
Thud!
"Ugh! M-My nose is practically broken." Subaru rubbed his face, which felt like he'd hit a solid wall.
"Is there something I can assist you with, Subaru?"
The thing called a 'wall'—cough, the thing called 'not a wall' spoke. It was a tall, slender figure in a finely tailored black suit, a white-and-purple coat, and his trusted sword with dragon claw engravings on the scabbard. His red hair and sky-blue eyes were utterly unique, even among a population with hair colors wilder than a disco party.
It could be none other than—
"—I thought I hit a wall! It's Reinhard!"
Subaru blurted out, sounding like he'd just encountered a Legendary Pokémon.
"Yes, it's me. I saw you looking like you needed help, so I came over to ask."
Reinhard said with a beaming face, the radiating good mood evident to anyone.
Subaru didn't think twice he felt like he'd found a lifesaver in a forced-death quest. The young man gave him a thumbs-up in admiration.
"You must have heard the voice in my heart again this time, Reinhard!" Subaru clapped the other on the shoulder in delight.
Reinhard smiled and tilted his head. "I heard you because you spoke this time, but if you mean hearing thoughts, I can actually do that to some extent—"
"Stop right there. If you listen, I'll get so distracted that I won't be able to get anything done," Subaru quickly interrupted. He was easily led off-topic. Reinhard nodded, understanding his attention deficit.
Then, as if remembering something, Reinhard politely placed a hand over his chest, expressing sincere pleasure.
"Speaking of which, I haven't said it yet, but I'm glad to see you again, Subaru."
The red-haired man spoke with a genuine smile. His voice remained warm, and his demeanor showed true sincerity, which was almost too good, making Subaru feel a deep sense of shame.
"Oh... um..." Subaru paused, scratching his head as he replied in an awkward, sheepish manner. He spoke with a bizarre mixture of emotions.
"I'm glad to see you too... Reinhard."
Because of how badly he'd acted last time, Subaru felt like he had a guilty conscience. But how to apologize without making it the main point? Eh, he'd think about it later. It wasn't too late to bring it up when he found the right moment.
"I've heard a lot about you while serving as Knight to Lady Felt. Your reputation for defeating the Archbishop and the White Whale is well known."
Reinhard started talking about the heroic deeds that Subaru felt he was given way too much credit for. He scratched his cheek with a forced, dry smile.
"Don't talk so much. You know Natsuki Subaru is easily flattered, right?" Subaru cleared his throat. "But honestly, those rumors are exaggerated. To be accurate, I'm the guy who leeches off the group project. I don't actually do anything, but my name gets attached anyway."
Reinhard looked slightly unconvinced. "But I..."
"We can find a chill place to discuss that later, but only after I'm done with my errands. Right now, I'm genuinely afraid I won't keep my head if I don't complete the quest Ram assigned!" Subaru declared. Just thinking about Nee-sama's face back at the mansion—she was probably sharpening her staff now. The thought alone gave him shivers!
Reinhard blinked, then let out a soft laugh.
"Of course... So, how can I help you right now, Subaru?"
Subaru frowned. "Are you really going to help me? Won't this disrupt your work time, Reinhard?"
"Don't worry. Today is my day off. Marshal Marcos of the Knightly Order actually chased me out, saying I hadn't taken a break for several months straight."
"The thing called a workaholic isn't just a corporate slave phenomenon in Japan, it even exists in Lugunica, huh?" Subaru muttered.
"I truly don't understand him." Reinhard sighed.
"I don't understand you, you brute ikemen."
"Even though I can't understand what you said, it still hurts, Subaru." Reinhard lamented.
Naturally, the first issue: Having someone else read for him, even though he was old enough to be an adult, was utterly embarrassing. But Subaru believed he had countless other, more shameful things about him. Therefore, a minus cancels a minus and equals a plus!
"Reinhard, could you please read this for me... And, it would be great if you could also tell me where to find the items." Subaru handed the paper scroll of his destiny to the other man.
Reinhard unrolled the small (seven-meter-long) paper after Subaru handed it over. His sky-blue eyes scanned the letters, which Subaru wasn't sure were even real or if Elder Sister was just playing a wicked trick.
The young man's expression was ambiguous, a mix of impressment and pity (?).
"I sense the writer put a lot of thought into making this difficult for you," Reinhard complimented.
"That's true. But how can you tell? Does this paper have a strong enough Haki to be sensed through the letters!?"
"Close, but also, a part of it comes from the Divine Protection of Calligraphy, allowing me to perceive the writer's intent, feelings, and meaning, as well as the reading..."
Reinhard spoke, then stopped. "I apologize. I must be talking too much."
"Don't worry about something like that. You can talk as much as you want." Subaru said with an envious look. He was the Isekai guy, yet he didn't get a single cheat power and had to learn how to read and write all by himself. Utterly pathetic! "You're helping me out, after all. Besides, you're not the silent type. See? It's all good."
The red-haired man nodded with a smile. "I see. Thank you, Subaru."
"And about talking too much, I think I've met people who could ramble on for eleven lines while giving me emotional damage before. Compared to that, no matter how much you talk, it's like comparing the front and back of a foot..." Subaru thought, subconsciously taking a dig at a certain someone with hair like rotten peas. Yes, compared to that psycho, his beloved Nee-sama was practically an angel.
"That sounds concerning." Reinhard frowned slightly. Even though he didn't understand two-thirds of it. It was one of the few times the Sword Saint didn't grasp the vocabulary, despite his Divine Protections.
But ever since meeting Subaru, everything had been a series of acceptable oddities.
Because the other person was strange from head to toe, after all.
'That's a very rude thought.' Reinhard chastised himself before turning his attention back to the current situation.
Subaru laughed carelessly. "I admit, I really don't like him."
Reinhard shook his head gently before looking up from the paper, which he had neatly rolled back up. "The first two or three items are at a shop not far from us. The other items aren't listed in order of shops, but I've roughly planned an order of acquisition. If we walk, it shouldn't take long to buy everything. Does that sound good to you, Subaru?"
Subaru froze. "Wait, you read the whole thing and planned everything out already, Reinhard!?"
"Yes." Reinhard blinked, confused. "Did you not mean that?"
"Well, you did, but now I feel like I'm taking advantage of someone else's labor too much!" Subaru exclaimed. "And planning out the destination points and pin-pointing the shops like this makes me feel like I'm totally freeloading off a friend!?"
"Friend... Hmm. It's fine, this little bit isn't a bother to me at all." Reinhard smiled. "If a friend like you finishes your errands quickly, you'll have more free time. And today is my day off, after all. I'm happy to help a friend."
The young man repeated the first word with obvious joy. Every phrase was spoken with enthusiasm.
Why did he suddenly look even more excited than before!?
Subaru thought to himself but didn't say it aloud.
.....
"That paper was long as a kite's tail, but in the end, there were only a few items, huh..."
Subaru spoke with folded arms, looking at the items in the dragon carriage with a speechless expression. It felt like clearing an event's raid boss with blood, sweat, and tears, only for the GM to announce the boss pattern on the last three days because it was too difficult. And those who had spent all their coins on healing potions could only watch with the warm eyes of Doraemon.
Eh, well, it wasn't that little. He was just exaggerating.
Reinhard kindly clarified. "Actually, it just looked long because the writing was line-breaked. The handwriting style, like cursive, is a little hard to read, but any shop should be able to make it out."
"Cursive handwriting? Like Russian, where they write like earthworms but people can still read it?" Subaru rubbed his face thoughtfully, recalling images he'd seen online back in the day, and let out a chuckle to himself.
"I don't quite understand what you mean... Russia? Is that a person's name?" Reinhard stroked his chin, perhaps thinking that imitation would help him better understand the conversation partner's obscure thoughts.
"No, it's a type of language from where I came from. My hometown has many different language concepts." Subaru pointed and gesticulated in the air. "Someone once said Russian cursive looks exactly like a paper towel you'd use to clean a pen. To be honest, I agree..."
Reinhard's eyes sparkled. "That's interesting. I don't often travel abroad, except for occasional missions. Hearing you talk about it is quite eye-opening."
"Is talking about foreign experiences with a NEET like me supposed to be an insult?" Subaru feigned indignation, then cleared his throat and became serious. "An equal exchange, then. Why don't you tell me about a strange person you know? Then I'll tell you a story from a distant land you guys would never get to visit, how about that?"
"It would be my honor to listen," Reinhard laughed, tilting his head slightly. "Strange person...?"
The flame-haired young man thought seriously, making Subaru feel a little guilty.
"Hey, you don't have to think so hard about it..."
"A person with blue hair, who feels like lightning and loves to fight. They often talk about stages, performances, protagonists, and such, but they are a strong individual who deserves respect," Reinhard said with genuine deference, seeing them as an adversary.
"Who is that? Sounds like an ultimate, hardcore Chuunibyo."
Subaru shivered slightly. Especially since Reinhard praised his strength, what kind of monster could he be?
"Chuunibyo?" Reinhardt blinked.
"A term for the behavior of wanting to merge with the darkness or people who like to think of themselves as the protagonist of a novel..." Subaru dismissed.
The young man paused. Wait, he often calls Emilia the heroine—
If you judge by that standard, Subaru himself is quite the Chuunibyo!?!?!?
Reinhard looked at his conversation partner, who was starting to physically abuse himself with a face that changed faster than Lady Felt when she was hungry, unsure what to do. Should he stop him, or just continue to watch? Actually, being with Subaru was never boring, as the other person always introduced a new topic of conversation.
Therefore, Reinhard really enjoyed talking to him.
Without paying attention to the unsettling shadow moving behind the young man.
Reinhard had decided he wouldn't destroy the word 'friend' by instinctively grabbing the hilt of his sword, as Odo Laguna incessantly warned him to do. Having made that decision, he smiled and asked,
"Speaking of which, Subaru, besides the things we bought, is there anywhere you'd like to stop before heading back?"
"Speaking of places, it reminds me of Kadomon—yes! Let's go see the save-point man!" Subaru snapped his fingers enthusiastically.
And as they walked out past the dragon carriage parking lot into the world under the sun, the murky shadow retreated.
His sky-blue eyes returned to look ahead.
"If I recall correctly, Kadomon is the man who owns the fruit stall. Why would you want to go there, Subaru?" Reinhard asked.
Subaru adopted a mysterious demeanor, letting out a wicked laugh, which Reinhard privately concluded he quite liked. It had a maliciousness similar to Felix, yet different at the same time.
"Heh heh heh heh. You wouldn't know. This is the secret of my beginning!"
Of course, Subaru felt his Isekai life had a strange connection to apples. It wasn't that it was a permanent save point like in a game, but he just weirdly kept running into apples everywhere... saying that still sounded normal. Damn it, HE COULDN'T EXPLAIN IT!?!?
Reinhard looked interested. "The secret of becoming a hero?"
"It's not about that!" Subaru quickly crossed his arms. "My first feeling of 'Ah, my first day in Lugunica life' was when I saw Appa! To be precise, seeing a guy with a scary face holding out an Appa and saying his famous line, 'So, you gonna buy it, kid?' impressed me immensely with my first day!"
Reinhard blinked in confusion. Of course, anyone listening would think he was crazy because Subaru was rambling nonsense. But thanks to one of Reinhard's Divine Protections, he could sense the sincerity in those words.
Even though the other person often just spoke whatever was on his mind.
"Your first day arriving in Lugunica, huh..." Reinhardt stroked his cheek. "Speaking of which, where exactly did you come from, Subaru?"
Reinhard had, of course, asked questions along these lines before. He was curious about the other person's rare hair and eye color. Specifically, how pitch-black it was, without any blue or purplish-green tinge.
Reinhard admitted that his first meeting with Subaru was filled with a murky mixture of suspicion and fondness simultaneously.
It made him cautious at times, but Subaru never noticed and seemed unaware of the world. Although his behavior was suspicious beyond explanation, Reinhard truly had to say that the other person had one of the most sociable and friendly personalities.
Subaru, hearing this, narrowed his eyes.
"Do you know you're giving me a complex, Reinhard?" The young man sighed.
"Uh... Did I say something wrong, Subaru?"
"Ugh, just hearing you ask gives me deja vu. Even you didn't believe me, so who else would, huh?" Subaru pouted. He had spoken truthfully many times, but every time had failed miserably. Beautiful Emilia-tan, Reinhard, Anastasia, Priscilla—they all thought the same!
"No. If you try to speak honestly again, I promise I will believe you," Reinhard stopped walking, his face serious. "It's my fault for not fully understanding your words, but I want you to trust me and speak again. I promise I will meet your expectation—"
"Stop."
The flame-haired man's voice caught in his throat, as someone's finger was less than a foot from his face.
"Uh..." Reinhard, startled and puzzled, blinked. "Subaru?"
"PLEASE STOP MAKING THIS WHOLE THING INTO A DATING SIMULATION, MY IKEMEN DEAR FRIEND!!"
Subaru covered his face, feeling a slight embarrassment. A slight, super, supreme, microscopic slight embarrassment, honestly...!
Okay, Subaru was confident he wasn't particularly into guys, even if he liked cross-dressing. But hearing a handsome man say that with a demeanor that suggested Subaru should be pulling his collar if the other were to kneel down—as a comfort-loving, game-addicted kid from the era of the internet and endless frivolous novels—he couldn't accept this!!
The finger pointing close to the too-handsome-for-words face trembled with some emotion, and then Subaru began to rap faster than Eminem.
"Even if I thought something like, 'The first thing that caught my eye was the red hair, like a burning flame. Beneath that hair were a pair of blue eyes, sparkling in a way that couldn't be compared to anything but courage. His handsomely exceptional face only enhanced his nobility. A single glance told you immediately that he was a special individual. The tall figure was wearing a finely tailored black suit, with a simple yet knightly sword hanging from his waist, radiating an unusual aura of pressure,' when I saw you, my type is a kind-hearted, helpful, milk-white skinned, silver-haired, blue-violet-eyed half-elf girl! Even if you showed up to stop the thugs, said 'Stop right there,' in a similar fashion, or I was slightly impressed by you, or impressed by your kindness, and even if you're the next person after Emilia-tan I'm telling about my origins, it doesn't mean I've added a new character I can romance! MY HEART ONLY BELONGS TO REM, EMILIA-TAN, AND BEATRICE!!!"
"I don't quite understand, but you seem impressed with me. That actually makes me feel good,"
"WHAT IS WITH THIS FEELING LIKE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TWO DIFFERENT THINGS!!??"
Reinhard replied sincerely before Subaru could start his lament. Even with the Divine Protection of Comprehension, it couldn't help him fully grasp what Subaru had rambled about. What an interesting ability. Reinhardt even clapped his hands (literally clapped). How impressive.
"What are you laughing about, huh? Besides being a crazy grape, do you want to be another cold-blooded tomato?"
"No... it's just—Hup."
He wasn't laughing. Reinhard van Astrea was not laughing.
But looking at Subaru's betrayed face, the flame-haired man couldn't help but let out a soft laugh.
"Ha—I'm sorry," Reinhard tried to contain his laughter, or maybe he should ask for the Divine Protection of Laughter Suppression. "But looking at your face, I couldn't help it."
"So that means my face is funny, huh?"
"I didn't mean it like that, Subaru." Reinhard quickly corrected, shocked.
"INSANE! The true final boss isn't the Cosmic Clown, but the Demon King Sword Saint Level 9999999!! You're luring me in with your aura of goodness, aren't you? That's right...! GOOD-GUY BEST FRIENDS DON'T EXIST IN THE ANIME WORLD!!!!" Subaru feigned pointing an accusing finger at him.
"I don't understand how our conversation ended up like this." Reinhard sighed before shaking his head in resignation. A faint, amused smile appeared on his face. He didn't understand the other's words well, but he found it inexplicably funny.
"I admit my brain is leaking a bit, but people have to be this way sometimes," Subaru shrugged. "Alright, let's keep going—Yo! Kadomon!"
"Well, if it isn't the broke kid who finally got a job—S-Sir Reinhard...!"
The first part was said grumpily, as was his habit, before Kadomon noticed the someone who was the target of his own words. He almost choked on the straw in his mouth.
"You don't have to be so formal, Mr. Kadomon." Reinhard replied politely.
Subaru looked between the two in surprise. "You two already know each other?"
"That's a question that shouldn't come out of your mouth, kid. Is there anyone who doesn't know the Sword Saint?" The scowling man said with a 'what is this guy rambling about' tone, the latter half of his voice a little softer. "Still acting like you don't know the world, I see. I have no idea how you managed to defeat the White Whale..."
Subaru secretly stuck out his tongue, 'I did, that's how.'
Reinhard looked down at Subaru while answering with a smile. "We know each other personally to some extent, but I'm generally familiar with the townspeople during my patrols, Subaru."
Since Kadomon was Carol's son-in-law, it could indeed be said that they knew each other personally.
"Well, it's not weird. I mean, on your day off that one time, you also helped me out from those three thugs, didn't you?" Subaru sighed. "And you're helping me again on your day off today. I feel so guilty thanking you!"
Reinhard's expression looked a little strange when he heard the words 'three thugs,' but Subaru didn't pay any mind. He turned his attention back to Kadomon, who was stiff as a soldier meeting a general.
The young man scoffed. "Now you're being so respectful, old man!"
"I really wonder how you managed to grow up to this point!?" Kadomon roared under his breath.
"Actually, I've been turned into dust about three times already. If Reinhard hadn't saved me, I might have stayed dust forever."
"I'm glad I could help you, Subaru." Reinhard's eyes sparkled. "By the way, what does 'turned into dust' mean—"
"Old man! Two bags of apples, please. Here's the money."
Subaru spoke, flicking a coin over. He expertly dodged the risky question that violated the rules of RBD.
"It's APPA, not APPLE, you idiot!"
Snatch. The scarred man caught it precisely. He glanced down, then raised an eyebrow in displeasure. "You overpaid by two, you poor kid."
"That's for the one you threw in for free last time. And—I'm not poor! I'm a knight for a Royal Candidate now!"
"The fact that you said it just makes it less believable." Kadomon sighed. Talking to this kid made him feel like he was losing years off his life.
"What's that supposed to mean!?"
Reinhard watched the argument between the two with amusement and... envy.
Subaru could be a hero, yet everyone around him treated him no differently than before. This made Reinhard feel a certain emotion churning inside, something difficult to describe.
With his friendly nature and ease of connecting with people, Reinhard truly envied the other person.
Subaru broke off his argument with the grumpy merchant. When he turned and saw Reinhardt's stoic face, he raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Your face looks like someone stepped on your foot. Here, eat an apple to cheer up." A red piece of fruit was tossed to the other person, who was lost in thought.
Reinhard glanced at his faint reflection on the Appa, which was full of Subaru's concern. He felt self-pity for constantly having such narrow-minded thoughts.
"APPA." Reinhardt corrected. It was Kadomon who spoke, not him.
"Sometimes, old man, you just have to learn to let go."
"But if you want your head to let go of your neck, I'm ready to oblige," Kadomon said sincerely.
Subaru immediately jumped back, putting distance between them, hugging his neck while shouting in a cold sweat, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! WHY IS EVERYONE SO FIXATED ON MY NECK!?!??!!"
Reinhard took a bite of the Appa, which crunched loudly. Oh, this one is sweet. It's so refreshing.
His sky-blue eyes glanced at the sun, which had passed overhead a while ago, with a slight sense of regret. Spending time with his friend was never boring for Reinhard. But as a knight, as the Kingdom's Sword Saint, and as Lady Felt's personal knight, Reinhard van Astrea had duties to attend to.
"Well, I'm going now, old man!" Reinhard helped him hold one bag of Appa while watching Subaru eagerly wave goodbye to Kadomon.
"Go wherever you want!!!"
And they walked away.
The red-haired young man looked at the apple core with many thoughts in his head until one hand snapped him back to the present.
It could be none other than the young man with the sharp eyes: Natsuki Subaru.
Reinhard blinked before smiling as usual. "Is something wrong, Subaru?"
"Alright, I'll be honest—"
"I've found you to be honest all along," Reinhard exposed the other with a friendly face.
"Okay!???? That's true! But—Ahem! Because I have some unfinished business with you, I've been thinking about speaking up for a while, but I was afraid of ruining the mood..."
"I would never think that, Subaru." the young man interrupted with a strange feeling. He didn't understand what Subaru was talking about.
Reinhard glanced around curiously. 'Does Subaru know he's walking into the slum...?'
Yes, they had walked out of Kadomon's shop. To be honest, Reinhard wasn't sure if Subaru, who was leading the way, did it intentionally or not, but they finally arrived at a certain ruin.
Reinhard thought he recognized this place, chuckling at the coincidence.
"Uh."
Subaru stopped walking, scratching his cheek. "Hold on—why did we end up at my planned 36th-ranked secret date spot?"
"I don't understand the 'date' you're talking about, but does that mean we're on a date?" Reinhard tilted his head. It sounded cute, even if he didn't understand the meaning.
"Please, why do you and Emilia-tan have the exact same thought like two peas in a pod!!!" Subaru cried out in exasperation.
The young man massaged his temples before regaining his energy.
"Okay, no more rambling. Let me explain a bit. This 36th-ranked date spot of mine wasn't intentional, I must have just gotten lost. And WE ARE NOT ON A DATE, REINHARD. The reason I brought you here is that I wanted to show you the nice atmosphere and for you to hear a sincere apology from me."
"An apology...?"
"Like, about what happened at the Karsten Mansion. I know I acted terribly and said thoughtless things that must have made you feel bad. I'm truly sorry," Subaru bowed, his face full of remorse, in front of the frozen Reinhard.
It was true that Subaru had acted like an absolute idiot. To someone who had always been consistently kind to him and genuinely extended a hand out of concern, only to have Subaru crush it into the dirt, Subaru had felt guilty ever since.
"No," Reinhard looked confused before quickly rushing to help Subaru look up. "It was my fault for saying thoughtless things, too. That's why you got angry—"
"Whoa! Shut up, don't try to steal my cool, heroic moment, Reinhard! I'm giving a man-to-man apology right now!"
"I'm serious," Reinhard frowned. "If I had paid a little more attention to you back then, looked a little deeper into your thoughts, my words wouldn't have hurt you so badly—"
Because 'Reinhard van Astrea' had so many Divine Protections. Why did he keep making the same mistakes, even though Odo Laguna had granted them to him with good intentions? The Sword Saint was truly useless.
Grab.
The other person's hands grabbed his collar. Reinhard voiced his confusion. "Huh?"
"FOREHEAD FLICK TO SNAP YOU OUT OF IT!!!!"
Bop!
"Subaru!" Reinhard quickly caught the reeling person. Oh no! Subaru's nose is bleeding!
'WHAT SHOULD I DO!?'
"Whoa, that made me see stars. Damn it, why am I the only one taking damage? That's not fair at all—" Subaru lamented.
Reinhard paused. Subaru patted him gently, seemingly telling him to relax. The truth was, Reinhard might have been gripping the other person's shoulders so tightly they were almost breaking. Then Subaru wiped his nosebleed and made a strange gesture.
"Just a little, let it go!"
"You're that hurt—" Reinhard tried to take out a handkerchief to wipe it for him, his face strained, before the hands gently pushed his away.
"Uh, I admit it hurt a little, but it's nothing compared to my vast experience," Subaru rubbed his nose in embarrassment before clearing his throat and striking a pose. "What I'm trying to say is, stop blaming yourself, alright? Don't make yourself the center of the universe, Reinhard. The world doesn't revolve around you enough for you to connect everything that happens back to yourself."
"But it—"
"Permission to spam you into silence!"
"Hey—"
"Stop stealing my own lines!"
"Subaru—"
"Reinhard."
The other person's serious tone made Reinhard freeze.
The young man's lips shut tight. The sad puppy-dog face didn't soften someone who was weak to cute furry animals (maybe).
"Your puppy-dog eyes won't make me change my mind..." Subaru secretly swallowed.
"No," Reinhard blinked. "It must be my Divine Protection of Puppy-Dog Eyes. Even though I didn't intend to do it, but—"
"A Divine Protection again!?!? And WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF PUPPY-DOG EYES!??!?!?!" Subaru slapped his own face. "No! That's not the point to focus on!!—Reinhard, you don't need to feel guilty for something that wasn't your fault to begin with. Or think of it this way: if you keep blaming yourself, I'll get angry and depressed and literally die of a broken heart. Are you still going to be stubborn!?"
Reinhard looked unconvinced but backed down a step. The young man sighed. "When it comes to arguing, I have to give up on you, Subaru."
"When it comes to stubbornness, I'm number one, my friend."
Reinhard laughed softly.
"And you don't have to return the bag of Appa in your hand. I bought it for you. Enjoy it," the man in the tracksuit instructed. "You should share some with Felt, too."
"Thank you, Subaru. I will definitely enjoy them," Reinhard's eyes sparkled with joy. He was secretly happy that Subaru thought of him, thinking of a dessert menu for Felt using the Appa... which Subaru kept calling apple.
"Damn it, one bag of Appa is not enough to make up for making you feel bad. Don't be satisfied with just that! Ask for something—uh, if I can do it, that is? Latte art... yo-yo... embroidery...? Why do they all sound so useless, huh?"
Reinhard's eyes brightened with interest. "You have many different abilities, Subaru. Maybe I should invite you to my house more often."
"Reinhard, please be disappointed in me for once, friend."
"Then, when you're free, could you tell me stories about your hometown, Subaru?" Reinhard added. "If it makes you feel better, and I also get to learn more about something I'm interested in."
Subaru pouted. "You're too much of a good, soft-hearted person."
But because Reinhard truly seemed interested and wasn't just saying it to make Subaru feel better, he had to give in on this point, just as Reinhard had backed down a step earlier.
"Whatever. Speaking of your Divine Protections..." Subaru rubbed his chin, asking a question that had been stuck in his mind for a while. His sharp eyes glanced at the other person. "How many are there?"
"If you want to hear it, I can, but I might need some time to recall. Anyway, it's getting dark. Let me walk you to your Dragon Carriage, Subaru," Reinhard lied with a smile. With some Divine Protections, he had a good memory how could Reinhardt not remember? But every time he talked about this, Reinhard grew fearful of his conversation partner's gaze.
"I-I didn't want to know that much. Just a little. Just a tiny bit, really—" Subaru lifted his chin and crossed his arms like a tsundere girl. Reinhard secretly looked at his reflection in a windowpane to make sure he didn't look like Julius.
Reinhard let out a laugh. Of course. Subaru didn't despise him. The other person always joked about these things, didn't he?
The word 'monster' that the other person often used was never accompanied by any negative emotion that Reinhard could sense. When they talked, Reinhard felt like he was lying under a shady tree on a mild day, which might suddenly be interrupted by a sudden storm or a bolt of lightning out of a clear sky...?
Huh. That sounds unstable.
"Then, how about I give you as many examples as I can think of while I walk you over?" The red-haired young man suggested. "Consider it a thank you for this bag of Appa."
"Why did my apology turn into a charitable gift? But forget it, that idea is great! Super great! Awesome! Totally wicked! Go for it!"
"...The Divine Protection of Salt and Sugar, which keeps me from confusing salt and sugar. I got it when I was trying to boil rice porridge—Oh, perfect timing. We've arrived, Subaru."
Reinhard announced, seeing the Dragon Carriage he was looking for. He didn't want Subaru to complain about his Divine Protections overlapping or their usefulness. Reinhard felt sad for Odo Laguna.
"YOU'RE NOT DONE YET!?" Subaru said with a defeated expression.
"It must be because the distance was too short, so I didn't have time to finish," Reinhard excused himself. "But I'm really close to being done."
"That's a lie. A blatant, obvious lie." Subaru narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
"no." Reinhardt blinked in alarm.
It seemed the Sword Saint was not a very good liar this time.