[Rem x Reader] Re:Reader - REDUX

Volume 2: A Most Fateful Meeting

With his back against the wall, Beatrice approached YN, hand still held out.

Beatrice: Since you seem to possess some sense of humility, this shall be far less painful for you, I suppose.

With that, Beatrice closed in, and was about to 'zap' YN of his mana like she had with Subaru, but as her hand hovered just before his abdomen, she paused as a small look of confusion crossed her face, her brows furrowing upward on her forehead.

Beatrice: Strange...

Beatrice's expression softened for a moment, but as YN was about to build up the nerve to ask what was wrong, he felt it.

YN: —Geh...

With what felt like his energy, or rather, his mana spilling out of his body like he had an open wound, YN began to collapse much like Subaru had, yet, unlike Subaru, it took YN a few a seconds before his knees buckled out from underneath him, and he collapsed backwards onto the wall behind him. Sliding down it, Beatrice stepped aside gracefully as he landed on the floor.

Beatrice: I wonder if he knows, I suppose...

Spoken like her words weren't necessarily directed to him by that statement alone, YN began to pass out from exhaustion. As his eyes faded shut, he could only hear the girl speak still, as if simply monologuing to herself as she looked down at her own hand.

Beatrice: Had you only made yourself known, Betty would not have taken so much, I suppose.

***

Before long, YN began to come back to his senses once more, just like he just had only several short minutes ago.

It started with him feeling the light on his closed eyes, his hands reaching about at the bed, and ended with him taking deep breath in through his nose.

Again, he smelled fresh laundered covers, the same as before.

Yet, this time, the flowery smell from before was much stronger. Enjoying the aroma, he took another deep breath to savor it.

That smell... It's almost intoxicatingly nice...

While he wanted to just lay there and let the flowery smell lull him away to another deep sleep, memories of his last wake-up came back to him.

I remember having my mana drained. I know it was because I can feel how depleted I am now... I could go right back asleep until the next day it feels like... But how did I arrive back in bed?

Laying here, YN heard the door open before he could muster the strength to open his own eyes.

Would that be Subaru? Or someone else...

Silent outside of their own footsteps, YN could focus his hearing on what sounded like a single pair of footsteps walking across the floor to somewhere over by where Subaru's bed was.

I wonder if Subaru has gotten back up before I have? Is he going back to bed?

While it would only make sense since Subaru technically was knocked out before he was, that theory itself was put to bed by a pair voices that now spoke out in a not-so-hushed tone.

???: Nee-sama Nee-sama, our guest sleep well into the late morning.

???: Rem Rem, our guest appears to be a deadbeat who sleeps in till noon.

Hearing these voices, belonging to unknown people, YN almost reflexively opened his eyes at them.

Yet—

—That first voice...

Something about it, had shook him to his core.

He wasn't quite sure why, but he felt nearly entranced by it.