Yet a certain clown in the back only watched with narrowed eyes and a slight frown as he was the only person knowing of the truth.
This was a reality. And it was the story of the looping fool that refused the path of a sage.
And he started feeling sick to his stomach for a simple reason…
"Ah… He won't be able to see his home anymore, will he?" Roswaal whispered to himself as his expression changed to that of pity.
A weird force of wind ran through the world around Subaru as if it was a scanner. Sensing this, Subaru looked around before shrugging. " I guess anyone's eyes would be tired after holing up in their room, gaming all day."
"Just… what was that…" Frederica squinted her eyes and muttered as she was effected by the sudden force of magical energy.
"Why is it quiet now all of a sudden?" Julius questioned as he eyed the screen with his heart heavy.
Everyone else looked on in fear that the dark claws might jump at the boy from any place while he was too busy rubbing his eyes.
"Subaru-san…" Petra's childish voice whimpered with worry and sadness filling it.
Subaru rubbed at his eyes for a bit. As he was rubbing them the scene began to change. He struggled to force his eyes open at the sudden brightness.
Emilia and Beatrice looked worried as they felt a sinking feeling invading their chests as the bright light consumed everything around their beloved friend.
A sinking feeling that was felt by the increasingly frustrated Otto, and the insanely fidgeting Garfiel as he watched with gritted teeth, worried for his captain.
This feeling was felt all across the theater that it turned the stomachs of all watching, even the distanced characters like Anastasia and Priscilla felt a sudden pull of dread as they held serious stern expressions towards the screen's events.
Everyone watched with the foreboding feeling of a wrongness coming closer to the boy…
and they all understood what was wrong with this as soon as…
Once he opened them… And looked at the city before him with a haunted expression.
Everyone single one of them, watched with wide, disbelieving eyes.
And some even grew horrified.
"No way…!" Felt whispered breathlessly, as she dropped in her seat with her expression raging from confusion to pity at what she had witnessed.
Horror was all that could be seen on Subaru's friends however.
"Oh… Oh this isn't fair… THIS ISN'T RIGHT!"
"Oi, Oi, Oi! This wasn't making sense anyways, but ya have tah explain what the hell happened to Cap'n here, ya hear me!"
Otto and Garfiel shouted their own outrage as they understood the sheer immorality of the scene before them.
And it was for that same reason why Emilia, Beatrice and Rem held hands to their mouths or let their jaws slacken in shock and hurt for what had happened before them.
He looked around, slowly and emotionlessly , not registering that he had just been transported from his home.
"Oh this makes so much more sense noyw." Felix said and facepalmed at all the times he couldn't understand the boy's speaking habits or had to explain to him much simple concepts about their world when he was healing his gate.
"Ah!" The old man beside Felix held an expression of wide-eyed surprise, even the Sword Demon was in awe at the reveal.
Their lady, sitting beside Felix, let her hand drop from her chin and couldn't hold her jaw in place as she was astonished as well at Subaru's predicament.
"What's going on?" The boy's lips voiced with his eyes still looking around him as if he was in disbelief.
"I thought he was lying when he said he was from far away." Mimi said in shock. Her brother could only sputter beside her while Ricardo's face showed just how much he was surprised as he was dead quite and wide-eyed for once.
Julius, and Reinhard both leaned foreword with their eyes wide and their breathing heavy.
"No…" Julius whispered and facepalmed softly in despair as he remembered how ignorant and stupid he thought of the boy before meeting him again through the expedition… it all made sense!
"No wonder he didn't show good etiquette and manners in Lugunican form… I always thought it was because he was from far away… I didn't think it would be something like this." The red-headed swordsman spoke with his voice showing utmost pity for the black-haired youth on screen.
" T his stuff obvio us ly i s n't fak e. Which means… " The boy slowly blinked as his thoughts finally found coherence and the reality had finally hit him.
"Oh!" Emilia gasped with her hands grasped together as grief filled her heart for the poor kid. The silver-haired girl swiftly turned to the sleeping Subaru beside her and then looked back at the screen, her heart tugging painful at how lost and confused Subaru looked as he blinked in confusion.
Crusch just stared at the screen with shock. "Th-This should be impossible!"
"Yet it isn't." Wilhelm shook his head solemnly at the boy's misfortune.
"It would explain many of Barusu's… anomalies." Ram said from the back, holding sympathy in her eyes for the boy on the screen.
" I've been summoned into a parallel world!" Came the shout from the chosen hero as he finally realized his situation.
Title card:
Re:Zero Life in another world from zero.
"B-But… " The silver-haired half-elf stuttered as her face showed confusion and pity, "what about his home? His parents and friends?" Emilia questioned, finding it incredibly painful how Subaru wouldn't speak of such a dramatic moment or any of the people he missed in his older life. Was he alone all this time in the other world? Was he unable to talk to her about his older life or confined in her to comfort him?… Did he not trust her?
That thought made Emilia's amethyst eyes dim a little as she glanced at the ground in sadness, her heart bleeding for Subaru's predicament. Never would she have imagined her precious friend and knight having such a heavy burden. She didn't have a clue about what she would've done had she been transported into a different world from hers, much less with how amazing Subaru's original seemed in comparison to theirs.
Thoughts of how he took to coming to their world played in her head, does he intend to go back? Will he be able to go back and leave them? Does he love someone else in his own world?…. Emilia was only getting hurt more and more as her imagination ran wild about her knight's secrets.
"Couldn't he have told me?" The silver-haired royalty whispered while clutching her dress tightly.
"It would seem he's a waterfall survivor just like you, Aldebaran." A cold sounding beauty in red mused behind her fan while staring at the screen with a bit of apprehensiveness as the boy's entire summoning felt off to her. It bugged her.
Her helmeted knight simply looked down, assumingly closing his own eyes in respect or grief to Subaru.
"Subaru-kun's knowledge of our world is pretty lacking, and his clothes and items all came from unusual places we've never seen or heard of before… " Rem held a hand to her mouth as the shocking revelation made her think of the moments where she couldn't understand Subaru's antics or quips.
"It must be that shadow hand, in fact. Someone grabbed Betty's contractor from another world, I suppose." Beatrice showed her anger by simply glaring towards the screen with hatred for the confusion that was caused to her dearest partner… but she would be lying if she wasn't grateful for having him in her world. A confusing feeling to have for someone that clearly looks evil.
"Natsuki-san is from another world… Woah…" The softly gleaming merchant breathed out in awe, amazed for being close friends with such an amazing person, only for his amazement to turn into cold-blooded panic as he remembered his set mission to help Subaru from being exposed to these other people. He had failed before the mission even started.
That fact about his failure already proved itself once a smooth, cheerful lady mused loudly from her seat.
"That does explain why I couldn't find anything about him."
Otto's back stiffened in place, which was noticed by Garfiel as the blonde was looking at his friend while he was talking about their captain's origins. Both he and the merchant minister turned slowly towards the highly amused Anastasia.
The merchant queen of the widely known Hoshin Company was smirking cheerfully as she watched the screen with glee filled eyes.
Otto and Garfiel were not the only people looking at the lady in alarm, as Emilia and Rem swiftly looked at the candidate with startled and protective gazes. Hearing that competition were searching about the boy they both cared for dearly set off many warnings that their heads and hearts couldn't ignore.
And these two were not the only ones, as a small blonde spirit swiftly took to side-eyeing the merchant queen candidate with a cold and malicious stare, as she tried to prepare a swift corporeal attack from above Anastasia's head, to to make her spill all of the shrewd intentions she had for Beatrice's contractor, or spill her life-blood instead… but to her dismay the blonde immediately discovered that her powers seemed to be stripped completely from her in this Theater.
From beside Anastasia, there was also the royal duchess that had gotten over her shock immediately and quickly glanced at the merchant royal with a bit of hostility shown in her amber-colored eyes. The duchess feared what Anastasia may have planned to do with these background checks she had on someone as important and vital to the election as Subaru. His name alone has grown to legendary stakes across the world because of his great deeds, now that he's revealed to be a great waterfall survivor and with the influence to effect fate directly, Crusch knew for a fact that this young man would be in very grave waters as soon as they all left this predicament.
Not to mention the small bit of him being a sage candidate… Crusch needed to know what that meant. She can not allow this situation to give her enemies the chance to slip the throne away while she was distracted.
"If I may show some disrespect, Hoshin-sama." Ram, the pink-haired maid who had a small frown on her face and narrowed eyes as she faced the merchant sitting in front of her row, was the first to announce her thoughts on the matter, "Why would Barusu's origin concern you or your camp?"
The purple haired candidate giggled with a gloved hand on her mouth as the others around her looked apprehensive, even Felt was staring at the lady with suspicion, her scarlet eyes running back and forth between the sleeping boy and the smirking merchant.
"He intrigued me after he made the brilliant plan to subject the great calamity. I needed to know everything about him since he was my rival's knight. But sadly, there was next to zero information on his origin and previous associates. Which surprised me since my merchant network is the best in regards to unraveling information. But Natsuki-kun was practically an empty slate everywhere I looked." Anastasia had a faint gleam of glee covering her eyes as she now possessed a great amount of information that she didn't have before, that revelation would've made anyone panic since the boy was serving under one of her rivals… but Ana knew exactly what she could do to make this work. She need more information on the boy, needed to know how this kid that had nothing in a world he knew nothing about became one of the side pieces to this royal selection… perhaps he was even more important than a side piece.
It all thrilled the master merchant to the her core as she rubbed her scarf with excited smirks being thrown towards the screen in front of her.
It also made her feel good how much she was worrying and angering the people she purposely ignored.
Rem and Emilia slowly looked up at the screen with worried frowns covering their faces, Ram kept a small glare aimed towards the girl but was quickly forced to look away as the elegant Julius tilted his own head to give her a warning glance.
The scene changes to show a little blonde girl running with swift speed on the rooftops of the city. A weird jewel with a blood red ruby in the middle was shown in her hand.
"Huh?! This thing is showing this?" Felt shouted in surprise as she saw herself on the screen, all thoughts of Subaru slowly trickling away as she focused on the showing much more clearly.
"That means… Subaru's first day in Lugunica was… the day when we met." Emilia whispered with a disbelieving yet delighted expression. Her heart warmed at this fact, he wouldn't have to struggle long for this was surely her insignia Felt was running with on the window, meaning it would be the same day she comes into the loot house where this sweet dumby comes and….
Saves her…
"How did he…" The silver-haired girl looked at her sleeping knight with astonishment and confusion, before glancing back at the running girl on screen. She needed to watch this and learn, it already told her of a morbid fact about her tragic hero of a knight, she could learn more this way.
"Isn't that a dragon stone, Felt-sama is carrying with her, nyan?" Felix muses with a surprised look, making Julius narrow his eyes slightly.
"Hm? Why would a gutter rat be holding one when the knights didn't even know of her pathetic existence, I wonder?" Priscilla muses with a small smirk of amusement at the pathetic attire the girl wore on screen.
Fearing for his lady's reputation, not wanting them all to learn of what was happening on screen as he immediately recognized the situation, Reinhard forced the delight he held for Subaru's first day after getting summoned into their world being the same day they both met to stay hidden behind a large, proud smile as he breathlessly complimented in a loud voice so everyone could stay focused on him. "The speed my lady runs is truly amazing! What a sight to behold!"
"Kiss ass." Was the sarcastic muttered response from the small girl as she glanced at him with annoyance. Reinhard's forehead sweated a little from the embarrassment he put himself through to help his lady. But it was worth it for him, he would do anything to help his lady no matter the co-
"She was running because she was stealing my insignia." Emilia pouted up at the Sword Saint with disappointment and anger lush in her amethyst-eyes.
Reinhard slumped in his seat and couldn't help his jaw falling at how utterly ruined his plan was…
Awkward situations were not his strong suit.
"She stole an insignia, nyan?!" Felix shouted in shock and looked at the little girl with a glare for her treason.
"Just calm yer butt and watch." Garfiel muttered with a calm approach as he understood that it wasn't his place to intervene but things were cutting him off from watching his captain's origin story, his upcoming, and Garfiel would be damned if he loses this chance to watch this thing, fake or not. He was starting to think that this window has some merit to it, even though it should still be taken with a grain of salt.
"Fitting a usurper like you would lose something of such importance." Anastasia sighed in disappointment as she delivered a jab towards the unsuspecting half-elf lady with her insult.
Emilia simply grimaced and looked at her front without facing the merchant princess. Anastasia gave a little shake of her head while looking back towards the viewing.
Felt looked at the interaction with guilt filling her.
The scene changes to Subaru walking on the street with his plastic bag still in hand and a thoughtful smile present on his face.
"He doesn't seem all that concerned that he's been summoned far away from his world." Ram muttered instantly as she found the boy's smile a bit concerning to her.
"Could be… that Natsuki-san's life wasn't very good in his original world? That's the only reason why he wouldn't be distraught over this sudden situation thrown on him." Otto theorized with a grimace, making Garfiel stare at the screen with a more saddened expression.
Emilia, Rem and Beatrice gave the same sad frowns for the boy's disenchanting attitude towards his own home, worrying if he was treated well there or not.
"I guess I can assume this is a fantasy world. With typical medieval-style culture. "
Some in the cast, stared at the screen with confusion and perplexed faces not being able to understand the concept the boy was saying.
"Subaru always said the strangest of things." Emilia said while frowning slightly as she tried to remember what the boy said so she could think about the meaning behind his words properly.
"I would love to understand what Natsuki Subaru's words mean, it may help us in understanding him or where he comes from." Julius proposed with a hand on his chin, thoughtfully, looking at the screen with a glint in his eyes.
"Medieval, is a word that is used in Subaru's home to describe a long lost culture from the past. In his time, the culture is called 'modern times' in which there are machines or mechanical contraptions that make the normal everyday life convenient for humanity, much like those cars." Unexpectedly, the small loli blonde interjected over the confused cast and explained to them boredly from her seat beside the unconscious boy, secretly enjoying how almost every person in the room was looking at her with surprised and curious glances. Beatrice hid a small smirk behind her cold bored facade of an expression.
"Long lost…?" Rem whispered as she wondered if this culture was forgotten for a similar reason to how her clan's ways were wiped out because of their race dying out.
Others started thinking of what the information truly meant in terms of differences between Lugunica and Subaru's world.
"So that means Subaru-sama's world grew to be more advanced than ours, the young man seems comfortable enough to know about our world just from present clothes and surroundings in the capital. Are we truly that backward to Subaru's time?" undoubtedly, a green-haired duchess sitting cross-legged sternly analyzed all of the information she had heard and inspected Subaru's behavior and easy going attitude to being summoned into their world. Fascination filling her gaze at the prospect of the situation. A boy from an advanced society getting dropped into theirs, her mind couldn't stop thinking of the infinite collection of questions she wanted to ask about the boy's world and its history. Could there be another dragon where he comes from as well? Did his people manage to break dragon covenants and be free?
"It seems Barusu is smart enough to have learned of his world's history, surprising." Ram muttered frigidly while inspecting the walking boy with her cold expression.
"Of course! Betty's Subaru has shared enormous knowledge about his world with her! My contractor was very well versed in history and was very happy to gain as much knowledge as he could, that's what Betty loves about him, I suppose." The cute little girl, proudly held her head high with a satisfied smirk on her face after rubbing Subaru's greatness into their faces.
Emilia and Rem softly shook their heads and gave small smiles to the girl sitting beside the boy they cared for… frigid smiles.
Otto and Garfiel only looked at the little lady with amazed expressions on their faces, not being able to comprehend just how different their brother from another mother truly was.
"What would warfare look like in such a society, I wonder?" Julius asked with his expression showing how completely engrossed he had become in the subject, as if a man on a mission to climb the highest of mountains.
Anastasia's smirk softly grew an inch wider as she sat back and absorbed the information she's been thirsting for ever since she saw how many people were trying to find out about the young boy throughout her network. All of this information could earn her a lot of favors and coins, having this magnificent origin for the empty slate that was Natsuki Subaru, the legendary commoner that defeated so many calamities and evils with breezing ease. Alot of people would like to have the information she has at the moment, they may even pay a leg to get it.