A Random in Re:Zero

Loop 6 - Part 38

"You had a fight with him, didn't you?" Otto looked at me like I was a disappointed mother.

"I had no choice." I defended myself. "The idiot was so scared he wanted to hand me over to Roswaal to protect the Sanctuary. I think I underestimated his trauma."

"Trauma?"

"It's a long story. We can talk about it later. You said Rem and Ram didn't want to talk. Does that mean you saw them after the earthquake?"

"Yes. Ram had a cut on her cheek, and Rem looked like she'd been crying." Otto nodded, remembering the details. As he did, he began to eye me suspiciously until he finally pointed an accusing finger at me. "Did you do something to them?"

"Why did you assume it was me?" I was outraged. "But yes, it was me."

"I knew it..." Otto covered her face, maintaining the demeanor of an exasperated mother facing her troubled son. "Okay, tell me what happened this time."

I gave him a very brief and concise summary, similar to the explanation I gave to Shima.

"So that was it... Well, I understand better now."

Otto nodded to himself. I wondered what conclusion he'd come to. Then he returned to the carriage and took the reins.

"Patrasche, we're leaving here, as far away from this monster as possible."

"What?! You damn traitor!"

He sighed and shook his head.

"Even though I'd love to get out of here, you still have to pay me for my services."

"You'll get your payment when I'm done with this matter. What's more, I'll give you a bottle of wine from Roswaal's private collection."

"Okay, okay—wait a second, how are you going to pay me after this!?"

It was a good question. Roswaal wouldn't be keen to pay an employee plotting against him. But by that point, I wouldn't need to ask him for anything.

"Once Roswaal is defeated, I'll take whatever I want from him. I can even make Frederica your personal servant."

"That would be a great detail... I mean, I couldn't accept such a thing!"

"It doesn't matter, it was a lie. You're going to have to win her over and take control of her melons."

"Please don't put those images in my mind."

Otto was trying his hardest to block out his lustful thoughts. For some reason, Patrasche chose that moment to go berserk and painfully bit my hair.

"Oh no! What's wrong with you?" I exclaimed in surprise.

"She says you're hopeless." Otto translated.

"Tell her she has no right to complain. I saw her flirting with Julius's dragon a few days ago."

He sighed and started yelling in Patrasche's language, but then he frowned and looked at me.

"Why am I the intermediary between you two?! By the way, she says she only talked about the weather with that dragon. Instead, you've been flirting with Rem and Emilia in front of her without any regard for their feelings."

I looked at Patrasche. She snorted and ignored me.

"She's making a scene?" I asked Otto, but he shrugged. "Ugh, I have no experience with this stuff."

I decided to put that topic aside for the moment. Patrasche was a good dragon, so she should be fine with a little pampering and good food.

"Are the girls inside?" I pointed at the house.

"Yes. Are you going to apologize?"

"Obviously."

"Good luck with that. I hope you get out in one piece."

I rolled my eyes.

"Thanks for your optimism, Scrotto."

"I told you not to do that with my name anymore!"

***

Upon entering the house, I found Ram sitting at the table, drinking a steaming cup of tea.

My intention was to kneel and apologize, but she was quicker.

"If you're going to beg my forgiveness, you'd better save your words, Liendre."

Her tone was sharp, as was the look she gave me. There was no sarcasm or biting. She was just serious.

"But I..."

"You said I'm a fucking whore and that I have a disgusting personality. Those were your words."

She ran her finger in circles around the rim of the cup.

"I understand. I've never been particularly cordial to you, and my loyalty to Master Roswaal, even knowing everything he did, is quite reprehensible. You have a right to think that of me."

"I don't..."

"So." She interrupted me again. "You no longer need to hide your contempt. Feel free to ignore my existence from now on."

Dealing with women was already difficult for me, and when it comes to Ram, the difficulty increases. She was in my top three most difficult women, only behind Elsa and Priscilla.

Interestingly, those two have several attributes in common, and I'm not just talking about personality. You're great, Tappei.

Back to the main topic, my spirits were a bit dampened by the refusal. I've always had trouble dealing with my own shit, but I didn't want to leave things like that.

"I know you won't accept an apology, so I'll just say this. I never felt contempt for you, and that hasn't changed."

She didn't show any reaction, but she didn't stop me from continuing to talk either.

"Even though we don't have the best relationship, I never meant to make you or your sister feel bad. In fact, I care a lot about both of you. I wish you hadn't had to be there when that happened."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better? I don't care. I'm not even mad about what you said anymore." Ram shook her head. "What bothers me is what you did to Rem. Even if you were driven mad by the miasma, I can't forgive you for that."

"Oh, damn, I forgot about that."

I covered my face. I'd essentially used Rem's insecurities as a weapon to stab her in the back. All because of my stupid, wounded pride that made me take it out on her.

Those words weren't for Rem: they were directed at a woman in my world, one I'd stopped seeing a long time ago. As they say, time heals wounds but it doesn't erase scars.

"You saved us from Garf, and I'm grateful, but right now, my sister is suffering because of you."

I felt a pang in my chest when I heard that and remembered Otto's remark. I made her cry. I made an innocent girl cry: the faithful and devoted Rem, no less. A good portion of the Re:Zero fandom would crucify me for this.

"Let me see her, please. I want to explain to her that I don't believe the things I told her."

"Do you think you can fix everything with words? It doesn't work that way."

"At least I can try. I promise I won't insist if she doesn't want to talk."

Ram stared at me, as if she wanted to test my determination and honesty. After a moment, she sighed in resignation.

"Okay, but I'm going with you. You better not screw this up."