Re: Life In The Original World From Zero [A Re:Zero Fiction]

Chapter 49: Restart Again?!?!

Headmistress Echidna continued her speech, and, looking up at the stage with a really odd feeling in his throat, Subaru rubbed his temples with his knuckles. "Chotto a freaking matte, what in the hell is happening???" He muttered, twisting his knuckles harder against his head. "Alright, a few moments ago I was in the living room doing the final studying, and a second later I'm in this big hall with Hinata, Aki, and Haruka behind me and Ros-chi standing on a stage saying we're in Lugnica Magic Academy. Does that mean Emilia-tan, Rem, Nee-sama, and Bea-ko are here too? And who the heck is that lady? Echidna? Why do I have a feeling that I'd get suck into hell if I look at her in the eyes for too long???" He thought with a deep frown.

Suddenly, people around him all started to walk away. Apparently they had been dismissed while Subaru was having a small mental breakdown. "What's got to you, Subaru? Let's go!" Hinata gave him another tug on the sleeve, and Subaru snapped back. He turned around and walked off with his three friends. Aki and Haruka were already talking about their first lesson afterwards, Magical Theory. "Subaru, you feeling alright?" Hinata asked, looking at him. Subaru didn't answer him right away. Instead, he looked widely around. They were now walking in a hallway that looked it'd been taken directly out of Hogwarts.

"Where are we?" Subaru blurted out at last. Hinata was looking very concerned now. "...What happened to you? What do you mean where are we?? We're in Lugnica Magic Academy! The best magical institute in the kingdom!" Hinata exclaimed. This drew Aki and Haruka's attention to them. "The kingdom?!?!" Subaru shouted before he could stop himself from doing so. "What about it?" Aki asked blankly. "...What's the kingdom's name?" Subaru asked again. Now Aki and Haruka showed visible concern as well.

"Lugnica Kingdom of course!" The three exclaimed in unison. Subaru's mouth fell open and stopped dead in the middle of the hallway. The people walking behind him almost bumped into him. They shouted at him as they walked past but he didn't pay them any attention. "...Ever heard of Japan before?" Subaru asked after ten seconds of silence at last. "Japan? What's that? Some sort of bread?" Hinata asked while Aki and Haruka tilted their heads in confusion.

Subaru stared at them for another three seconds, and he grabbed Hinata's shoulders. "Alright alright alright, listen to me now..." He said, taking deep breaths and his hands trembling. Hinata, Aki, and Haruka, although all looking very worried now, didn't question him but did what they were told. "I... I have... Returns by Death!!" Subaru said and closed his eyes shut, waiting for the darkness and pain to come.

"...Ha?" The three said in unison. Subaru's eyelids flung open. He let go of Hinata and clutched his chest. "It didn't come...!!!" He thought, still holding his chest with his left hand, and a hand was placed over his forehead. "He's not having a fever." Hinata said, retrieving the hand. "Dude, go get yourself checked up. We'll tell the teacher why you're late." Aki said, jabbing his thumb toward the direction opposite where they were walking from. "Yeah, maybe ask for a calming potion or something. You're sweating quite heavily now." Haruka said, giving him a push.

Hearing that, Subaru realized that his uniform was half drenched with his sweat. Thinking that he should probably follow their suggestion, he turned around, but then the four people walking toward their direction made him stop dead again. "E-Emilia!?!? Rem?!?! Ram?!? Beatrice?!?!" Subaru blurted out again, reaching out a hand and stepping forward. However, before he could make another step, Hinata, Aki, and Haruka all let out a small yelp and pulled him back.

"Huh? Did someone call me?" Emilia asked as she turned to them, and the other three girls looked over at them as well. "No no no no sorry for disturbing you!! Please don't mind us!!" Aki said hastily as Hinata tried to refrain Subaru from running toward the girls. "Oh, alright. We'll be going now." Emilia said with a small smile and walked off again with Rem, Ram, and Beatrice beside her. After watching them disappearing at the end of the corridor, Hinata and Haruka finally let go of the struggling Subaru.