"Hey, just to be sure, I'd like to ask again..."
Otto drove the carriage swiftly through the forest. We had left the Sanctuary a few hours earlier.
"Won't there be any problems with the assassins? Can you guarantee they won't attack us?"
"I already told you, it's not dangerous. Besides, you have nothing to fear as long as I protect you."
Despite my statement, my friend sighed deeply and shook his head.
"That's a lie. You love putting me at risk."
"What makes you say that?" I crossed my arms, pretending to be offended.
"You almost made Garfiel hit me over a joke!" Otto pointed an accusing finger at me.
"I wasn't going to let him do it!" I retorted. "And don't you dare tell me OttoRica isn't real!"
"You already came up with a ship name for us?! But I barely know her!"
"However, you two already have great chemistry."
"Why are you so insistent about this?!"
"Because you look pathetically lonely and in need of female affection. You remind me of myself. Damn, I'm using the 'I used to be like you' line again."
"Huh?! You're just projecting!" He exclaimed indignantly.
"Possibly." I admitted matter-of-factly. It's not as if I had any dignity to defend, and I genuinely believed this was for Otto's sake: it would be better than watching him get drunk night after night for the next few years.
Patrasche squealed, giving me a sidelong glance.
"What did she say?" I looked at Otto cautiously and he cleared his throat, acting as interpreter.
"You're the worst."
"Why?"
"When you finally have the attention of women, the first thing you do is break one of their hearts and then you go off with the other one."
I was pretty sure she heard the news. I wondered if Ram told Otto or something. How else would my dragon have found out?
"I don't intend to discuss my love life with you, Patrasche."
"You would lose the argument."
I pressed my lips together to keep quiet.
"No. Don't answer. It's a trap. She wants to get inside your head."
The remainder of the journey would end up being a silent and awkward moment. Finally, the silhouette of the mansion appeared in the distance.
Night had already fallen. I wasn't surprised to see traces of miasma belonging to mabeasts in the vicinity of Arlam and the mansion itself. Undoubtedly, Meili had brought her 'friends' with her to complete the mission.
"Please tell me that everything went well."
We drove through the town quickly and arrived at our destination. I got out first, eager to go and check the situation.
"Wait! You said you would protect me!" Otto was alarmed to see that he was being left alone.
"I do. They won't attack you if you're not a target, but they won't hesitate to kill you if you're an obstacle. Staying here is the safest thing for you."
This shouldn't turn violent, but it didn't hurt to be cautious. Bringing Otto with me now would be a nuisance if a fight broke out. That's why I decided to go into the mansion without him.
YOU ARE READING
A Random in Re:Zero
FanfictionWhat would happen if someone else took Subaru's place in the story? What would his path, his decisions, and his relationship with the characters be like? Would he have more power or intelligence than Subaru? Would he choose the same route, take an a...
