A Random in Re:Zero

Loop 6 - Part 40

"Good morning to you too... Have you been awake long?"

Emilia shook her head. Frankly, she'd expected a reaction of discomfort or embarrassment, but she was taking it well.

"Just for a little while. I didn't want to move too much because you looked so peaceful sleeping."

"I'm sorry, my back was hurting and I saw there was plenty of room here..."

I offered a timid apology, but I looked more like a creepy old man trying to take advantage of a naive girl. I didn't even know how I could be so brazen in that situation.

"Actually, I was going to suggest it myself, but I didn't want to seem like a scared kid..."

"I would never think that of you." I smiled maliciously again. "Besides, kids don't snore."

"Leandrooo!" She complained adorably.

I burst out laughing as Emilia pouted. I was going to tease her a little more, but she threw me off when she came over and suddenly grabbed my hand.

"I'm so glad you stayed. I was afraid I'd wake up and you wouldn't be here. How silly of me, I should trust my future knight more..."

The way she was looking at me was making my pulse race. I could feel my face getting hot and probably turning red.

Emilia noticed this and raised an eyebrow.

"Are you nervous about something?"

"Yes... I'm terrified you might smell my morning breath." I said, stuttering a little.

She burst out laughing heartily. Her laughter sounded like an angelic choir, and the expression on her face made her look even more beautiful, if that was even possible.

"You risk your life all the time like it's nothing, and your only fear is that your breath will stink?"

"My only fear is giving you a bad impression." I replied, trying to sound flirty as I said it, but the stiffness in my tone was hilariously obvious.

I wondered if Emilia didn't realize the intimate atmosphere of our interaction, at least from my perspective.

"Don't worry about that. I accepted you into my heart too, flaws and all." She playfully repeated last night's line.

That last line was too effective. I had to summon all my willpower not to kiss her right then and there. However, my defenses were severely damaged, and I decided it was best to make a strategic retreat before I was attacked again.

So I got out of bed and walked towards the door.

"Are you leaving already?" Emilia's smile weakened.

"I need to talk to Garfiel about the villagers. I'll be back by breakfast time." I said, blowing her a kiss before leaving.

"Ah! Isn't this dangerous!?" She moved her hands in the air as if to catch the kiss, but she didn't know what to do with it.

"Relax, it's not dangerous. You can put it wherever you want." I chuckled and closed the door. "What the hell just happened?"

Since when could I, the ultimate women scarer, have a sugary interaction with a woman? I was also surprised to discover that I had this cloying side to me.

"I feel strange. This isn't like a sigma man."

As I walked down the corridor, a pink-haired maid appeared in my path. Her expression was one of pure disdain.

"Did you have a lot of fun with Lady Emilia?"

Ram's loaded question was a slap of reality. The image of Rem crying because of me flashed through my mind, her mind completely breaking down. I'd forgotten all about it because I was so tired.

"Ram, this has nothing to do with your sister, I just—"

"I thought you cared about her. Damn it, I even let you go see her after you treated her like garbage. Not only did you finish breaking her heart, but you did it and went to sleep with another woman. You're the worst scum I've ever known." She spat, venom dripping from her voice. "Now I understand why the witch treats you well: you're both the same. In fact, that's why you like Lady Emilia so much, isn't it? Because she looks just like her."

I was speechless. Anyway, Ram wasn't expecting a response, because at that moment he delivered the final verbal stab at me.

"Rem saw you sleeping together. Don't bother going and justifying yourself." With that, she quickly left.

That brief conversation, if you could call it that, left me with an empty feeling in my chest. The guilt was beginning to eat at my conscience as if I were an addict after a relapse.

Speaking of people with mental health issues: as I was leaving the house, I was surprised to see Garfiel waiting by Otto's carriage. My poor friend was visibly nervous in the presence of the tiger boy. They were like a cat and a mouse.

"What's going on here?" I asked with a tired voice.

Otto was hiding behind Patrasche and raised his voice with obvious relief when he heard me.

"Leandro!? You finally show up!"

The tiger boy growled softly as I approached. Our eyes met, and I realized that Garfiel was more afraid of me than Otto was of him.

"You finally show your face, you bastard..."

His brow was furrowed to give him a serious expression, but the trembling in his voice and hands betrayed his nervousness. It made sense that he was on the defensive after what happened yesterday.

"Hello, Garfiel." I said, standing in front of him and greeting him as if he weren't someone who had tried to kill me fifteen hours earlier. "You didn't come here to ask for a rematch, did you?"

"Tsk! Don't take me for a fool! I'm capable of admitting defeat!" He retorted sharply. "Besides, I don't want you using your power in the Sanctuary anymore. Grandma told me how dangerous your miasma technique is. You're a crazy bastard for using something like that."

"Says the one who transforms into a beast that can't tell allies from enemies. Anyway, I wasn't planning on using that here. So, if you didn't come here to fight, what's this all about?"

"Well... Like I said, I admit I lost! I'll follow your damn plan, just like you wanted! So don't make me repeat myself!"

In other words, Garfiel was handing over the leadership to me.

"I really appreciate that." I tilted my head for a moment, thinking about what to do next. "Would you like to keep me company for a while?"

"Huh?" His face wrinkled.

"Relax, I just want to talk."

Although I didn't feel like doing this, I considered it was time to have a man-to-man talk with him. I would have to give Garfiel a good lecture, as if I were the father he never had, and who never fucked his mother, unfortunately.