Natsuki Subaru The Anti Knight

Chapter 14.Taking a Turn For The Worse

The group of four consisting of Subaru, Hikaru, Rem, and Ram made it to the garden area of the mansion where Petra greeted them.

"Welcome back, Subaru-sama. You returned much sooner than I expected." Petra said as she flashed him a smile.

Subaru was all ready having flashbacks to the previous loop, where they fought Elsa after finding out she killed Petra and the others. Subaru got off his land dragon and approached Petra as he hugged her with tears in the corner of his eyes.

"W-What!? What is this!? Subaru!"

"Damn! You have no idea what I've been through! Seriously... Damn it..."

Subaru looked down as he noticed Petra with the same handkerchief she gave to him wrapped around her left hand.

"Petra... is that?"

"Oh... It's to match the one I gave you."

Subaru couldn't help but wrap her into a hug again as he started trembling, the thought of this innocent child getting brutally slaughtered by that damn sadist would always linger in the back of his mind. He would never forgive Elsa for this and the same could be said for Hikaru, as he was thinking the same thing.

"Are you hurt?"

Subaru having calmed down replied to her with a smooth and gentle voice.

"No. I'm just incredibly relieved from the bottom of my heart, that's all.

"It's really good to be back Petra."

Ram decided to make her presence known as she walked over to the two.

"If I may be blunt, I don't like this." 

"You know, I feel like I heard something like that before."

"Yes, because it was sarcasm. The cute sarcasm of a Ram who has been forgotten and left at a loss."

"Um, you're Ram and Rem-neesama, right? I was just hired as a new maid in service to the lord of this mansion. I'm Petra, it's a pleasure to meet you both."

Ram's stern expression quickly softened at the polite young maid in front of her. As Rem did a graceful bow as she greeted the young maid. "It's a pleasure to meet you Petra."

"You seem to know your place, unlike Barusu. Very good, I give you a passing grade."

"By the way Barusu, you fail. I won't allow you to cross this mansion's threshold."

"T-Then what was the point in coming back here then!?"

After their exchange with the little maid, the group made their way inside the mansion where they were greeted by Frederica.

"You returned sooner than I expected, Subaru-sama. Hikaru-sama."

Subaru, Hikaru, Rem, and Ram were in the living room of the mansion discussing things at hand.

"Since Emilia-sama isn't with you, I assume the trial is not yet complete?"

"No not at all, every time she enters the tomb she comes out crying.

Yeah. It's exactly how Subaru says, whatever she saw in there must've deeply traumatized her to that point."

"Yeah. Though there are things I want to ask you. First, about this."

Subaru pulled out the blue gemstone that Garfiel gave them when they left the sanctuary. When Frederica saw it, her expression wavered.

"That is..."

"Huh?"

Frederica slowly picked it up and looked at it.

"Garf's stone.