Chris' POV
"Hey, wake up, ugh, what is wrong with him, Al stay here I got more important stuff to do," I can't deal with Aqua-senpai yelling in my ear right now, I just need a few more minutes of peace.
"Yes, I will inform him of the potential spotting of his friend," A male voice responded, wait a second. I ripped my head up from the comfortable bed I was laying down in, and looked frantically around the room. It took a second, but I remembered where I was, and why I was here.
"Look at that, you are finally awake," The man with a helmet on his head said as he stood at the end of my bedside.
"How long have I been sleeping?" I immediately asked, wondering how much time I might have lost from the time battle.
"Well, I don't know exactly but you were asleep when Priscilla came in to check on you, and that was two hours ago, no, wait that is not what is important, a man-"
"Fitting the description I gave you was spotted traveling south-east towards Cramlin, yeah let's go," I said while forcing myself out of the oh-so-comfortable bed, I might have been a little unsteady on my feet, but I wouldn't need to stand for very long, just until I got to the carriage and then I could continue to rest.
"Eh, ok then, let's go," He agreed to that very quickly, I guess he must be used to it with a mistress like Priscilla.
Subaru's POV
Ok, try to remember what happened Subaru, it all happened fast but you remember other things than what happened in the well. Ugh, just thinking about it freaks me out, and makes me shiver. I saw Kazuma and Felt getting attacked by a big dog while standing with the children. Then something huge ripped out of the forest and then Kazuma got us into the well.
Fuck, he is not just an asshole, he actually tried to save me, and it was actually pretty cool. It's so unfair, he has so many cool abilities, while I just have this bullshit shadow magic, which is just a bunch of debuffs. I can't even use a bow and arrow. I just feel so… useless.
Beatrice's POV
"Are you feeling better, I wonder?" I asked calmly as I brushed my hand through his brown hair, with a little bit of mana flowing through my fingers, the healing attempt had the opposite effect.
"Y-yeah, the headache is manageable now, thanks," He said before he fell asleep again.
1h and 22 min earlier
"My head feels like it is being smashed in with a sledgehammer," Kazuma complained as I floated him onto my bed.
"You will be fine, I suppose" I reassured him while summoning forth a ball of water and placing it on his head before I started my healing magic.
"FUUUCK!" He screamed out before he stopped making sounds.
"Kazuma, are you ok?" I nervously asked as I got close and listened to his breathing. It was strained, but luckily it was also steady. He seemed to have a positive reaction to getting some of my mana, maybe I should try a minimal amount.
{Mana drain} just a tiny amount, if his breathing changes for the worse I will stop. But his strained breathing started to ease, so I kept it up. So not a physical headache, it has to be something else.
Back to present
I leaned down to his head resting on my lap, and whispered into his ear, "Please be that person, I suppose,"
BANG! The door was suddenly slammed open as the thin little girl burst into the room. I didn't even bother to ask how she got in here. I just gave her my usual deadpan stare, while my hand brushed through his hair.
"You can't just drag him along with you like he is just a piece of meat, we don't even know what is wrong with him," She complained while crouching down by the bedside.
"I-it's fine Felt, Beatrice has been relieving my headache," Kazuma mumbled out, still half-asleep. Wait, did he hear me whisper that to him.
"What is wrong with you?" Felt inquired, bringing me out of my own thoughts
"N-nothing, I suppose," I stuttered out.
"Ok, if you say so, I just wondered why you suddenly turned so red," Her words made me stiffen up before I furiously rubbed my face to get rid of the redness.
"Do you know what happened to him," Felt continued to ask me as she was poking his forehead, but he was either too tired or out of it to care about it.
"I will tell you my guess if you stop poking his head, I suppose,"
"Deal, so what is wrong with him?" She immediately agreed.
"Using healing magic seems to have an adverse effect, but mana transfer seems to help him out, so it seems that there is an imbalance between his spiritual and physical self, that seems to be restored somewhat when he receives some of my mana, I suppose," I tried my best to dumb it down. Still, I don't know if it helped.
"So why is there an imbalance?" Ok, so it was sufficient.
"Most likely a spiritual attack of some kind, but I don't sense any traces that such attacks would leave, which means I don't really know how to protect him from it happening again, I suppose," I explained as Felt clutched onto his collar, with her left hand.
"Isn't there anything we can do to protect him?" She said with a different tone than her jovial one, that I couldn't fully pinpoint.
"Only thing that I can perform right now is mana transfer, but if you are willing we could create a spirit barrier, consisting of a small part of your soul, and some of my power, but it will only act as a sacrifice if the attack occurs again, I suppose," I suggested, maybe she would agree.
"I can do that, I'm willing to do that, how do we do that?" I couldn't help myself from smiling a little, at how willing she was to sacrifice herself for him.
"Very well, give me your hands, this is going to hurt, but given time your soul should recover, I suppose," She had no hesitation, I can respect that.
"Now stay silent, I need to focus,"
Felt's POV morning time
I did my best to keep silent, but it was a chore since my arms started to feel stiff. Then my left arm started itching, and my right arm was freezing before a red and pink orb formed in our hands, finally dropping down and landing on Kazuma's forehead.
"That should be enough for now, I suppose," Beatrice sighed as she toppled over and started to sleep on Kazuma's right arm.
"Make some room for me," I muttered as I felt my eyes getting heavy before I nestled myself next to Kazuma.
Subaru's POV
Ok, let me map out what I remember from the last loop after we got to the village before everything went to shit. Ok, Rem and I were buying more ingredients from the villagers, then Kazuma went over to the children where Felt was standing, Then the next time I looked over there was a giant, increasingly growing mabeast.
I remember the first time we were in the village, and I went to talk to the children, there were 7 children. Wait, the little puppy the blue-haired girl was holding was a stray, there could be a possible link there. It was also the voice of a little girl that was behind the attacks on us while we were in the well.
Ugh, it was hard to hear everything with the blood and water in my ears, but I got enough to figure out she was mad at Kazuma, for killing her big sister, oh fuck she was related to that crazy bitch in the slums. Did she track us after Kazuma killed her? If so that could mean Kazuma being here this time is what triggered her to full-out attack on us.
So my main priority would be to neutralize the little blue-haired girl, wait won't I just look like a bad guy if I just run up and dropkick a little girl with a puppy? No, this requires more tact from my side. I could force her to show her cards, but then it might already be too late. But what if I somehow prepare the others for exactly that.
That could work, but I can't exactly tell them I have seen the future, then I will just get that creepy hand grabbing my chest again. Maybe I could get Kazuma's help by winning a bet. You know what, on second thought that might be a dumb idea, unless I bet for him to keep me safe, or something I know will happen with certainty, but can't exactly capitalize on dying to get a favor.
"Barusu why are you scribbling doodles, I thought I gave you and Felt the task to memorize the alphabet?" Ram said as she suddenly made her presence known, I might have been a little spooked. I most definitely did not jump out of my chair and lay sprawling on the floor from the sudden shock.
Ram just looked at me with a neutral face as she commented, "You also need to work on your awareness as a part of the Roswaal household."
"Awareness, you snuck up on me!"
"The door was wide open, and you are in our study room, I can walk around here freely."
"That is true, but it is still scary if you just speak into my ear without any form of warning," I complained.
"As I said earlier, it is also important for both a maid and a butler of Roswaal's household to be aware of their surroundings at all times," She argued back.
"That just sounds like being stressed all the time, when do you rest?" I shot back.
"That is non of your business!" She sharply shot back. "Barusu, it is also in the middle of the night, you better go and rest because you need to be well-rested to perform properly as a butler,"
"Wait, how am I supposed to rest and be aware of my surroundings at the same time?" I questioned.
"It comes down to training," she said with a confident smile as she left the room.
Maybe a few hours of sleep will help me think out a way for me to get help from Kazuma. I suddenly realized how tired I was, yeah sleep is probably a good idea right about now.
Kazuma's POV in the morning
"Why is it so warm in here?" I muttered out loud while waking up, and I got my question answered almost immediately. "Ah yes, that explains it," I said while looking at Beatrice hugging my right arm and Felt sleeping on my stomach.
Using my free arm I poked Beatrice's forehead until she woke up. "Oh good morning, I suppose."
"Do you want to explain this situation, I wonder?" I said directing her attention to Felt on my stomach.
"Well you see, we cast a protection spell on you, so we might have gotten a little tired, I suppose," Beatrice answered while stretching herself a little.
My stomach started to rumble, which caused Felt to shoot up yelling, "Ah! monster, oh, I didn't see you there Kazuma," she continued while putting her blade back into its scabbard, being a little red in the face.
"Might as well get some breakfast."
As soon as those words left my mouth the room started to shake and it felt like I was tossed around in a washing machine.
"There you go, now we are opposite of the kitchen, I suppose," Beatrice said with a slight smile.
"Ugh, please warn me next time," Felt said now laying flat on the floor.
"Ditto!" I agreed luckily laying in the bed.
"I apologize, will keep it in mind for later, I suppose," she said as both I and Felt started to float towards the door, that opened itself before we both were dropped without a warning. Felt landed ok, with a little wobbling, but I didn't even bother to try landing properly, so I dropped onto Felt.
"AU!" We uttered in unison.
"Y-you're heavy," Felt complained as I got off of her.
"Are you able to get back up?" I asked brushing myself off.
"Of course I am… Not able to, ow my leg hurts, you probably have to carry me," she said while stretching out her arms.
I grabbed ahold of her shoulders, "Felt do you want a tip?"
"Sure."
"Don't go into acting," I continued as I let go of her, and walked over to the open kitchen door.
Before I got that far Felt had jumped onto my back and stuck herself to me like a tick, "Oh, you think you are funny!" Felt retaliated as she rubbed her fist into my head.
"Ah!" I yelled before I dropped on my back, squishing Felt between me and the floor.
"Ugh! I y-yield," Felt managed to utter, making me inclined to get off of her.
"Try that again, and I am tying you up," I threatened as I rubbed the top of my head in an attempt to get rid of the pain.
(Bad threat) "Did you say something?" I said inquisitively, as she removed her leg from mine.
"No," Felt replied curtly, as she got up and brushed herself off.
We proceeded to make some breakfast and lunch without running into the maids, stocked up on mana balls in the library, and then we left for the town. Felt did try to bet her way into more sandwiches, but it backfired on her.
Subaru's POV
Ok, I am up, get the suit on. Try to intercept Kazuma and Felt before they leave for the hunt on the Mabeasts. Then I could make a bet with Kazuma on the chips and my phone, for him to keep me alive for 24 hours. No wait, it is still day 2, I need to handle my butler duties first, and then on the day I and Rem need to go into the city and restock in the town, I could make the bet.
But if I rely on Kazuma to fix everything again, then I won't be able to get any of the credit, which could make me look weak, which could lead to Millie not liking me. Well, I could demand some training from Kazuma, since they used me as a training doll yesterday.
"Subaru, are you dressed?" Rem's voice came from the other side of the door, interrupting my train of thought.
"Yes, I just got the suit on," I answered, with the door opening up right after.
"Ok, we have tasks to perform, here is your list, have it done before dinner, but don't worry too much about dinner, you will only have to peel the potatoes," Rem said, as she guided me to the bathroom, and handed me a mop.
A few hours later
"I am not carrying you!" Kazuma complained as Felt walked beside him when entering the field inside the mansion's walls.
"Come on, I have been carrying all of our gear after we got done hunting those ugly mabeasts," She argued.
"You are carrying our gear because you lost the bet, so suck it up, it's just a little further anyways," He shot back.
"Hey guys, you are finally back," I said as I got up from the bench I had been waiting for them at.
"Oh, Subaru, do you have any more tasks for today?" Felt asked as soon as they noticed me.
"I should be free for the rest of the day."
"Wonderful, so we grab dinner, you and Subaru study a little-"
"And then you can try to teach me {Steal}!" Felt interrupted Kazuma as she made a grabbing motion at him.
"I hoped you had forgotten about that, but it's fine, a deal is a deal," Kazuma tiredly agreed, as the two of them continued inside.
After dinner
"This doesn't make any sense!" I could hear Felt yelling as I scooched over and began to help her with the letters.
"Good to see you helping each other out," Ram said as she sat back down in her chair.
"You're just happy that we help each other, since then it means less for you to do,"
"Half-true, it is also a good way for you to learn when you teach it to someone else."
"Fair enough, now are you able to read this Felt?"
"T-the c-child-ren w-were walking t-together o-ver the s-treet."
"Yes, that is the correct sentence, very well done Felt, Barusu I expect you to teach her more if you have been able to understand this much already,"
"Yes. ma'am," I replied jokingly.
Another hour later
"Finally we can train on {Steal!}" Felt said, seemingly completely reinvigorated after looking half-asleep at the end of class.
"Felt."
"What?" She responded as we walked into the field with Kazuma napping by one of the trees.
"Could you convince Kazuma to make a weapon for me?" I said with pleading eyes.
"Hmm, I will try, since you helped me get through the class today, but no promises."
"I am fine with that," I answered quickly.
When we got closer to Kazuma, Felt tried to jump on him, but he rolled out of the way. "Hey, I was sleeping so peacefully, why did you have to go and wake me up!?" Kazuma complained.
In response, she just pointed to Subaru, "It's training time."
"Ah yes, that it is," He agreed. "Here you go Subaru you can hold onto the coin."
"Actually, I would like for you to make me a weapon, and help me train with it, as compensation for being your test dummy."
"I don't know."
"I am sure you can whip up something for him," Felt backed me up.
"Ah yes, how would you like a whip?" Kazuma suggested.
"I could work with a whip if you help me train with it," I added.
"Good, give me a minute here, and Felt could you cut a piece off this tree here about this long," He said while holding his hands about 30cm apart.
"Sure," Felt replied as Kazuma sat down and started to cut his normal rope into smaller ropes.
"Oh and Subaru, could you take off the wriststrap on your phone so I can attach it to the handle later," Kazuma suggested.
"Yeah, give me a second here, and there you go," I said while handing it over to him.
"I am just glad I now can get a break from failing at teaching her the steal spell," Kazuma whispered only loud enough for me to hear.
After about 15 minutes my whip was done, it had a wooden handle with my phone's wriststrap attached to it. At the very end of the whip, Kazuma had made small beads out of the remaining wood, that he threaded the last bit of rope through.
"Ok Subaru, now try to hit the tree with your whip, and Felt, you try to steal the whip from him," Kazuma ordered, as he sat himself down and watched us.
It is sad to say, but I did not hit the tree in front of me, instead, I accidentally hit Felt in the stomach. Then I whipped Kazuma's drink out of his hand, which earned me a cold shoulder as Kazuma cast a freeze spell on it.
Over the next few days, I would get better with my whip, enough so that I was able to whip down the ice blocks Kazuma created for me, while Felt still didn't manage to steal anything from me the way Kazuma did. So she sometimes went for the more traditional way of doing it when frustrated. Until we finally got to the day before we went to town.
"So Kazuma, you down for a bet?" I suggested.
"Depends on the bet," He replied, as he got up from his self-made seat.
"I will bet my phone, and my bag of chips, that I will be unharmed, for the next 24 hours," I suggested.
"I will agree to that, under the conditions that you can't harm yourself willingly, put yourself in harm's way, or do something you know can hurt you, like peeling potatoes,"
"No, I mean something life-threatening,"
"Hmm, ok but still agree to my conditions, or I won't take the bet,"
"Fine, fine, I'll agree," I can't lose him out of my sight today, he is vital to us surviving today.
"Very well, I find these terms satisfactory," Kazuma replied as he nimbly dodged away from Felt's drop kick.
"Let's get back to the training!" Felt said as she tried to envision herself grabbing ahold of the item as Kazuma had suggested, but nothing happened.