v4c4 part1 (1/2)

ARC 4

THE EVERLASTING COVENANT

Chapter 4 [The Next Place]

——After Beatrice ejected him from the Forbidden Library, Subaru returned to everyone in the living room empty handed, looking rather ashamed of himself.

Awaiting him, the living room was the same as when he left. The only difference was that Otto was now sitting in Subaru’s seat, and seemed to have just finished discussing something with Emilia.

Putting on a face that left no doubt in anyone’s mind just how much he resented another guy talking to Emilia in anything vaguely resembling an intimate way, Subaru headed towards Otto.

[Subaru: I see you’re happily chatting with Emilia-tan while I was gone, it would be nice if you go and drop dead now]

[Otto: It’s not in my nature to just sit around silently and let time pa.s.s… More importantly, what kind of sane person says a line like that immediately after coming back!? It’s very unpleasant when you always take your anger out on me you know!]

[Subaru(girly voice): D-don’t talk like you can understand! As soon as I buy your oil and fulfill my promise, it’s all over between us, we’re through! So don’t get the wrong idea here!]

[Otto: Could you please not talk like there’s something between us that might cause a misunderstanding!?]

In the short span of time it took Otto to yell at him for being a tsundere, Subaru, as if suddenly completely losing interest, turned towards Emilia.

Kept out of the conversation, she was clearly waiting for him and Otto to finish talking, and seeing him looking at her, she looked back up at him and asked,

[Emilia: ——Were you able to meet with Beatrice?]

A surprisingly difficult question. On the one hand, the answer to her question was YES, but the answer to the question she was actually asking was closer to a NO.

While he had been able to make contact with her, he hadn’t actually broached the most essential topic. He almost wanted to laugh at what a limp, indecisive, cowardly Adventure RPG protagonist he was.

[Subaru: No, it just wasn’t happening]

[Emilia: Oh… Oh well, I guess that was to be expected. When Beatrice hides using ‘Door Crossing’, I guess there’s no way to find her. Neither Ram nor I have managed to meet her after all, so…]

[Subaru: Ehm, actually, I did manage to find her. But she was, how should I say this… I guess she was in a bad mood, a bit mopey… Anyway, I wasn’t able to get an answer from her. Stupid, right?]

[Emilia: You… found her?]

Having thought that he’d never been able to make contact with her in the first place, Emilia’s eyes widened in astonishment. A bit surprised by her reaction, Subaru let out an “Ah?” and nodded his head.

[Emilia: I’ve been thinking this for a while, but… You and Beatrice are actually really close, aren’t you?]

Emilia murmured in a low voice, lightly touching her lower lip with her finger as though pondering something.

In response, Subaru put on his best disapproving frown, working hard to further improve the expression that was shaping his face into something no one could misinterpret.

[Subaru: Me and Beako, friends? Please… She’s like my arch-nemesis, ever since the moment we met. The first time we met she sucked out all of my Mana you know!? I don’t think there’s enough time left in the world for that horrible first impression to go away!]

[Emilia: Even though you made up with Julius? After all that happened between you? Subaru you’re like this sometimes, being stubborn in a reeeaally meaningless way]

[Subaru: Being meaninglessly stubborn is the measure of a man! I’m the kind of guy who continues to carry around that kind of stupid idea, even though I know it’s a bunch of c.r.a.p. Plus, I HAVEN’T made up with Julius. I, hate, that guy, FOR-EH-VAR]