Re:Zero-Starting Life as the Strongest Father in Another World

5

Subaru, Elara, and Emilia's journey continued in a horse-drawn carriage pulled by the earth dragon. Elara peacefully sleeping, resting her head on Subaru's lap, created a warm feeling among them. Subaru gently stroked her hair, looking at her with affection.

Emilia, smiling lightly beside Elara, asked, "Is she yours?" looking at Elara's cute sleeping face.

Proudly, Subaru replied, "Yes, this perfection is my creation," pleased with his accomplishment.

After a moment of silence, Ram commented, "Good thing you didn't contribute anything personal to that creation," her words sharp and almost hissing. Perhaps she intended Subaru to hear it.

This comment stirred deep turmoil within Subaru. Ram's mocking tone and words revived distant memories. Even in a forgotten past, the impact she left in his memory still affected Subaru's soul. Even if no one remembered her, Ram's voice echoed within him. The longing this moment brought forth left an emptiness, a reminder of the feeling of being forgotten.

Subaru occasionally noticed Ram, who, after the silence, seemed to pay particular attention to Elara, or rather to her sleeping state, from the driver's seat. This situation involuntarily brought a smile to his face. He occasionally glanced at Ram, observing her interest in Elara.

Quietly, Ram listened to the conversation between the two, or rather wanted to listen. However, she couldn't quite focus on the conversation; her gaze kept drifting to the sleeping Elara. The peaceful slumber on the girl's face strangely brought peace within her. It felt as if Elara's tranquility also brought her own. "Odd," she thought, surprised by these unexpected emotions, as recognizing them was difficult. Ram tried to understand where this emotional connection came from.

Ram found Elara oddly resembling herself. At first sight, she felt as though she was looking at a younger version of herself. Yet she pushed this thought aside, wanting to believe it was merely a coincidence. After all, besides Rem, she had no living relatives. Even if there were someone, the likelihood of them resembling Elara so closely was incredibly low.

Ram debated these thoughts within herself, wanting to believe that Elara's resemblance to her younger self was a mere coincidence. She grappled with this thought, caught between reality and memories. To reach a logical conclusion, she preferred to consider this situation as a simple chance occurrence.

Upon arriving at the Roswaal Mansion, despite the nightfall, the grandeur of the mansion was still clearly visible. Rem was waiting by the door, and Emilia was about to join her when Rem noticed Subaru following behind Emilia and suddenly halted, freezing in place.

Subaru's scent filled Rem's nose with a clamor. Her senses awakened as she caught his scent, which seemed like a mixture of mud and decaying flesh. This smell deeply worried Rem, as it felt like evidence of the Witch Cult.

Her emotions became entangled. Rem felt a sudden surge of anger and the desire to attack Subaru in revenge. However, she tried to control herself, feeling like she was in the midst of an internal battle. Struggling to maintain her balance, she exerted effort to hold herself back.

Upon seeing Elara in Subaru's arms, Rem's anger turned to bewilderment. "An Oni," she thought. Since the village's destruction, she hadn't encountered anyone from the Oni race besides her sister. At times, she believed it was only her and her sister left from the Oni race. But now, that was clearly not the case.

This situation further infuriated Rem. The fact that one of her own race, particularly a young individual, had become associated with the Witch's Cult and was accompanying someone like Subaru, angered her deeply. As Rem's emotional turmoil intensified, her anger became even more powerful. The presence of an Oni associated with the Witch's Cult, coupled with Rem's emotional turmoil, sparked a storm within her.

Emilia introduced Subaru to Rem and requested a room. Rem struggled with internal conflict upon Emilia's request. Despite her suspicions about Emilia's sincerity and trustworthiness, the small girl Elara brought to the mansion caught Rem's attention.

Rem surreptitiously assessed Subaru and then glanced at Elara in his arms. "Young," she thought. Elara indeed appeared very young. By Rem's estimation, the girl was at most 7 years old, which unsettled her.

Initially, Rem had thought Elara might be a member of the Witch Cult, but she realized the girl was too young. This contradiction puzzled Rem. Elara's association with the Witch Cult at such a young age made Rem wonder.

Rem's thoughts became more complicated. She began to worry about Subaru's intentions. "He's using her," she thought. In her mind, she began to suspect that Subaru might be using Elara merely as a tool.

Subaru was led by Rem to a room, and when she showed him the bathroom, he nodded slightly. In a cold and flat tone, he said, "I'll announce breakfast. Let me know if you need anything," then quietly added, "Good evening, Guest-sama," and left the room.

Subaru gently laid Elara on the bed and covered her. He gently stroked his daughter's head, saying, "Don't worry," with a tone full of affection. "We'll soon be a complete family again. It'll be just you, your mother, and me," he murmured. However, as he finished this sentence, his expression suddenly turned cold.

"And I'll make sure of it, no matter what," he added, his words filled with determination and coldness. His eyes transformed into the gaze of a man determined to fulfill an obscure task, freezing the air in the room. His outward determination and coldness were noticeable.

After covering Elara, he stood next to her for a moment. "Everything is proceeding as planned," he thought with a cold expression. "But not everyone is cooperating as much as expected." His sharp gaze revealed his inner thoughts.

Hours passed, and the Roswaal Mansion was immersed in silence. Subaru locked the door from inside, intending to go to one of the rooms, and stepped outside. The room he noticed in the silence was on the first floor, where Ram lay peacefully asleep.

The room was arranged simply and sparsely; furniture was pushed aside, focusing solely on the sleeping figure of Ram. Subaru approached silently and watched Ram's sleeping face for a long while. The serene sleep of Ram heightened the silence in the room.

Suddenly, Subaru produced a crystal. This crystal emitted a special and mysterious light. Subaru carefully placed the crystal on Ram's chest. Instantly, the crystal glided motionlessly towards her body, entering Ram's essence.

Placing his hand at the center of her forehead, Subaru closed his eyes, focusing. He transferred energy from his hand through the crystal into Ram's body. This action intensified the silence in the room as Subaru's face displayed determination and concentration.

Subaru played with Ram's hair while a quiet atmosphere enveloped the room. His orange eyes glimmered in the darkness, almost filled with an inner determination and rage. "Very soon," he said, his voice echoing in the serene ambiance. "We'll be together again, very soon."

He focused on Ram's peaceful face, continuing to gaze at her for a while. "This time," he continued

, his tone growing colder, "Nobody will be able to touch us or disturb our peace." His eyes carried a resolute expression, as if fueled by the desire to fulfill a mission.

"If anyone dares to try, I'll eliminate them," he emphasized, his voice resonating with deep conviction. "It doesn't matter who they are or what they are. Nothing will disturb us anymore." With these words, he quietly left the room and stepped outside through the window. The room overflowed with silence, while outside, his steps merged with the night's quietness.

"Everything will be perfect," he added, but this time, his words were filled not with calm determination but with almost an expression of anger. Quietly exiting the room, his steps echoed as a reflection of the tangled emotions and uncertain intentions in Subaru's inner world.

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The story is moving slowly, I know it will speed up soon.

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