A Random in Re:Zero

Loop 3 - Part 12

"Yes, in fact, here it is."

I showed her my selfie with Reinhard. She was almost speechless, completely absorbed in the absurd capabilities of this strange object.

"Since I have the chance, I'll do it with you too, I announced."

"Huh?"

I quickly selected the camera and took a selfie with Rem, which was immortalized with a bewildered expression on her beautiful face.

Yes, no doubt about it: I just got a new wallpaper.

"Look, you look really funny with that surprised face." I showed her the picture.

"Wait, Leandro. Why did you decide to take a picture of me?" Rem hugged herself. "Don't tell me you want to do weird things with it..."

"How did you jump to that conclusion in the first place?!" My expression suddenly went blank. "Oh, I forgot I'm talking to one of the twins who's an expert at putting people down."

That aside, I went back to the playlist. I'd been wanting to try something for a while.

"Rem, how good are you at dancing?"

"What is the reason for the question?"

"I'd like to ask for your hand in this piece." I said, trying my best to hide my nerves.

This time, I chose a piece called The Second Waltz. As the song began, I gave an elegant bow that ended with a gesture of invitation.

Rem looked at me, hesitant about the physical intimacy my proposal implied. However, she eventually agreed and took my hand.

I tried to hide the fact that I can't dance and that I had no idea how to choreograph this song. I thought it would be a waltz like any other, so I just moved to the beat of the music, doing a few improvised steps for variety.

Rem imitated all my movements perfectly and in certain parts she was the one who suggested new steps, turning the ordinary waltz into a fascinating dance.

We created an incredibly satisfying harmony with the melody. My hand holding hers, her face so close to mine as we moved in unison... It was all wonderful.

I've always been afraid of dancing because I'm too clumsy and stiff for it, but the waltz is the only genre I feel comfortable with.

Maybe it's because it's slow and monotonous enough for someone like me, was what I thought until I danced with Rem.

There was nothing slow or monotonous about that wonderful moment; we were just two people flowing, vibing together. It was something I haven't felt in a long time, and I don't think she had either.

We both lost track of time as the song's ending caught us off guard. When we stopped, I looked at her and thought how lucky Subaru was to have her.

Not to mention what happened before gaining her trust, but as a good Remtard would say, those are unimportant details.

"Not bad for a maid." I said, smiling, still holding Rem.

"Thanks, you're very good at pretending you know how to dance." She didn't move away either.

"Touch."

I had to acknowledge her response with wounded pride, but my attention was elsewhere. Neither she nor I were trying to separate at that moment. Why did she keep looking at me with that smile?

"Leandro..."

"Yes?" I waited for her next sentence, my heart racing.

"You still need a lot of practice. When we have time, I'll teach you how to move properly."

Rem cut all tension from the scene with that comment and walked away, leaving me completely frozen in place.

"Hahaha..." I had no choice but to laugh at my own failure. I probably overthought it: this was a much-needed reality check.

I felt bitter and ashamed for having imagined a different outcome. If she hadn't left at that moment, she would have seen my flushed face.

"What did you expect, buddy? She's way above your level, and it's not like you did anything to make her like you. You shouldn't be disappointed."

I have a bad habit of imagining surreal situations and slightly exaggerating my expectations. I set about working to forget those uncomfortable emotions.

***

Nadir couldn't sleep all night: or rather, he didn't want to.

After a long time, Nadir Ashveil, the blacksmith known for creating the finest weapons in all of Lugunica, was inspired.

He had a brutally difficult assignment: to create a new type of weapon from scratch, with vague instructions and many blank spaces that he was forced to fill by improvising. However, if anyone was capable of accomplishing this mission, it was undoubtedly him.

Supposedly, the weapon would have the ability to kill almost any human who couldn't react quickly enough. It had faster and more powerful projectiles than a crossbow, more efficient handling, and a small body that made it easy to carry; its concept made it seem like the ultimate weapon.

At first, Nadir thought it was a crazy and somewhat absurd idea, but as he imagined the process of creating the mechanism, he realized he could make it work.

Finally, after many hours of uninterrupted work, Nadir wiped the sweat from his forehead and held the world's first revolver in his hands, looking at it with reverence.

"Ah... I finally did it. This is something to celebrate."

He even made a decent amount of bullets and a leather sheath to hold the gun.

"There's no way I'm going to leave this here. Some idiot thief always comes along thinking I still have some of my creations in my house."

Holstering the revolver at his waist, Nadir left his shophouse and headed to the red-light district to give himself a well-deserved treat for a job well done.