Chapter 9 - 9) I want money, a lots of it actually[Edited]

(A/N: The readers die without chapters, Who says It is my problem?! 🥳🥳🥳🥳)

…

(3rd POV)

"Yawn Have we arrived already?" Subaru asked as he stretched and glanced outside the carriage window.

Seated across from him were Ram and Emilia. While Emilia was peacefully dozing off, Ram was glaring daggers at him, her pink eyes filled with thinly veiled hostility.

"What's with that look?" Subaru frowned. "You're staring at me like I ran over your pet dog or something."

"Taking advantage of Miss Emilia's vulnerable state and then shamelessly acting like her savior," Ram replied with a cold tone. "Truly, your name 'Zero' fits you. You amount to nothing."

Subaru's eye twitched at the insult. "Says the girl who literally lost the person she was supposed to be looking after and almost got her killed by the Bowel Hunter. Yeah, real impressive job there."

Ram's eyes narrowed even further, the venom in her gaze intensifying. Subaru didn't back down. He met her glare with one of his own, not blinking or flinching.

The original Subaru might've been the kind of person who'd grovel under her insults, who'd try to win favor despite the abuse, and simp for Emilia with blind loyalty.

But this Subaru?

He wasn't that guy.

The carriage came to a sudden halt.

Emilia stirred awake and let out a small yawn, stretching her arms. "Are we there already?"

Ram, ever the dutiful maid, opened the door and stepped outside. "Yes, Miss Emilia. We've arrived at the mansion."

Emilia smiled and looked at Subaru. "Come on, Sir Zero. Let me show you around the place."

Subaru stepped out of the carriage, feeling Ram's unwelcoming eyes on his back.

"I will go inform Lord Roswaal about your arrival... and the guest's as well," Ram said curtly before walking off.

Subaru looked up at the mansion in front of him. It was huge—no, massive. The structure screamed wealth, luxury, and a completely different lifestyle from what he was used to.

'The world of the rich really is something else. A middle-class guy like me couldn't even dream of this kind of life back home.'

'But then again… I've been transmigrated into a fantasy world. This is the perfect opportunity. With my scientific knowledge, I might just be able to make a fortune in this world.' He thought with growing enthusiasm as Emilia led him down the hallways.

"This here is the guest room you'll be staying in," Emilia said as she opened the door and gestured inside. "You can rest here until breakfast is ready."

"Alright, but first things first—stop calling me 'Sir.' It makes me feel like a wrinkled old man. Just call me Zero, okay?" Subaru replied with a casual grin.

Emilia nodded, her eyes lighting up with excitement. "Okay, Zero!"

'Finally!' she thought. 'I've made a friend!' The last of her doubts vanished with his words.

After Emilia left the room, Subaru finally found a moment to relax. He sank into a chair and let out a deep breath.

'Finally… it's been way too intense since I got here.'

Until now, he hadn't had a single chance to truly process his transmigration. There was no time to panic or despair when he first arrived. He had been pushed into one life-threatening event after another, relying on instincts—and probably the leftover psyche of Natsuki Subaru—to keep him grounded.

'I'll never see my brother or father again…' The thought hit him like a brick wall. Grief crept in and began to overwhelm him.

"I was so scared… It was so painful… dying again, and again, and again," he whispered, tears forming in his eyes and sliding down his cheeks.

Minutes passed in silence as the emotional storm raged within him. Eventually, it settled. He wiped his tears and took a deep breath.

'I can't change what's happened. I'm here now. I don't even know how I ended up in this world as Natsuki Subaru, or why I became him.'

'But I do know one thing—I'm not helpless. I've got Return by Death as Subaru, and another ability that probably comes from my other identity, Ayan Ghosh.'

He sat upright, gathering his thoughts.

'Every time I die, I get stronger. My strength, endurance, agility, senses, even my thinking speed—they've all been increasing. But by how much?'

Back when he first arrived, he'd assessed that his physical strength was around 60kg, roughly what he had in the real world. From his knowledge of anime and training routines, he remembered that original Subaru had only reached 80kg strength after months of hard work.

But his current capabilities?

He had no idea. He hadn't properly tested them yet. But if he could calculate the increase based on how many times he had died and revived, maybe he could get a rough estimate.

'My speed has increased the most. Or at least, it's the most noticeable change. I should test that first.'

Determined, he decided to head out to the mansion's garden and give it a shot.

He exited the guest room and began navigating the corridors, retracing his steps to find the staircase he had used earlier.

As he turned a corner, he found himself face-to-face with someone he didn't particularly want to see just yet—the infamous, psycho blue-haired oni, Rem.

"It seems you are the guest Sister Ram mentioned," Rem said, narrowing her eyes at him.

She could smell the stench of the Witch's scent on him. It was strong—far stronger than anything she had ever encountered, even among members of the Witch's Cult. Her instincts screamed danger, but her face remained calm and measured.

"Lord Roswaal has invited you to join him for breakfast. I will escort you there… respected guest," she added, her tone neutral yet heavy with suspicion.

"I see. Then please lead the way, Miss…" Subaru trailed off deliberately, giving her the cue to introduce herself.

"My name is Rem," she replied. "I am a maid of Lord Roswaal and caretaker of the Mathers Mansion."

With a nod, she led him through the hallways. Eventually, they arrived at the grand dining room. As Subaru entered, he saw Emilia already seated at the table, alongside a man dressed in flamboyant clothes and a painted smile—Roswaal L. Mathers himself.

Lavish dishes decorated the table, and the smell alone was enough to make Subaru's stomach grumble.

"Goooodd Moooorning, dear guesst," Roswaal said, stretching his words with theatrical flair. "I hope you had a woooonderful rest."

Subaru took his seat and looked at him. "You must be Sir Roswaal, right? I've heard quite a lot about you."

Roswaal raised a brow, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Gooood thingsss, I presume?"

Subaru smirked, unfazed. "Definitely."

Emilia leaned in with a smile. "Zero, let's eat! I'm starving."

"Same here," Subaru replied, digging in alongside her.

The breakfast was delicious, and Subaru couldn't help but let out a satisfied burp after finishing. He patted his stomach, completely content for the first time in a while.

Roswaal chuckled, resting his chin on his palm. "Now then… You assisted Emiliaaa in retrieving her insiginaaa, and even protected herrr from the notorious Bowel Hunterrr."

His voice was whimsical, but there was a certain weight behind his words.

"Sooo… I have decided to rewaaard you. Ask for anything, dear guest. Anything your heart desires."

Subaru looked at the eccentric clown across the table. He didn't trust him—not even a little. Who knew what kind of schemes were cooking behind that painted grin?

Still, he couldn't help but smirk.

"Anything?" he asked, eyes narrowing slightly.

Roswaal nodded, the grin never leaving his face. "Anyyything."

3rd POV

"Very well. First, I'd like to make myself clear," Subaru said as he looked directly at Roswaal. "I was the one who found Emilia's insignia, and I'm the one who saved her from the Bowel Hunter. So I'd like to request two favors—one big and one small."

He could feel Ram's hostile glare intensify from the side. Her quiet murmur of "Shameless" did not escape his ears. Thanks to his enhanced hearing, he caught it clearly, and his eyebrow twitched as he threw her a brief, annoyed glance.

Roswaal, as expected, wasn't fazed by any of it. "Very weeeell. State your requestsss," he said, stretching his words with theatrical flair.

"First," Subaru began, "I want money. A lot of it, actually."

Roswaal merely nodded, waving his hand as if granting such a thing was a trivial matter. "Noooo probleeem~"

"Second, I want someone to teach me how to read and write the language of Lugunica. Also, I want to be taught about the history of this world," he said firmly.

Roswaal turned his attention to Ram and gave her a subtle nod. Then he replied, "Very weeeell, it shall be done."

Subaru leaned back slightly, glancing around. "Also… I hope you don't mind me staying here as a guest for a few months, just until I can get on my feet?"

Roswaal raised an eyebrow. "Hmmm, but you said you only had two requestsss."

Before Subaru could respond, Emilia quickly interjected, "Roswaal! I don't think having Zero stay here for a few months would be a problem!"

Roswaal looked at Emilia and smiled. "If that's what you want, then let it be sooo."

"Thanks," Subaru nodded, relieved. Then he looked around the table, his expression growing serious. "Now, there's one last thing. It's not a request—just something you all need to know about me."

Everyone turned their attention back to him.

"I reek of the Witch's miasma… and that's because I'm cursed by the Witch," he said, his voice calm but firm.

The room went silent. Rem, Ram, and Emilia all looked at him in shock. Roswaal's eyes, however, gleamed with sudden interest.

"Cursed, you sayyy?" the clown-like lord asked, leaning forward.

Suddenly, a soft burst of light appeared near Emilia as Puck emerged. His feline form floated calmly above her shoulder.

"Cursed by the Witch, you say? Now that's interesting," Puck mused aloud. "He's telling the truth, Lia."

Subaru let out a small sigh of relief. 'Thank god. If Puck backs me up, they'll believe it.'

If he had said this right after transmigrating, he would have been lying. Back then, he saw Return by Death as an incredible ability—something enviable. But after experiencing it multiple times—feeling the agony, fear, and despair that came with every single death—he no longer saw it that way.

Now, he truly believed it was a curse.

In contrast, the other ability he possessed—granted through his true self, Ayan Ghosh—that he considered a blessing.

"I can't speak about what the curse actually is," he added. "If I even try to explain it, either I die, or the person I'm speaking to dies. Instantly."

The silence that followed was even deeper than before.

"You… you're really cursed by the Witch?" Rem asked, skepticism still present in her eyes.

But Puck narrowed his eyes and replied firmly, "He's not lying, Lia. I can vouch for him as a Great Spirit."

"Well," Subaru continued with a pale expression, his mind recalling each death vividly, "All I can say is… the curse is equivalent to dying. Over and over and over again."

He shivered slightly as the images flashed in his mind, and Emilia, visibly concerned, reached across the table and held his hand. She began rubbing his palm gently with both hands, trying to offer him some comfort.

"Dying again and again?! That's an unbelievably cruel curse!" Emilia said, her voice full of sympathy and concern.

"Don't worry, Zero! If you ever need help, I'm here. I'll do whatever I can!" she added, tightening her grip slightly.

Roswaal shifted his gaze toward Puck again. "Sooo, Puuuuuck?"

Puck nodded. "Everything he has said so far is true. I've seen no deception in his words."

That confirmation should have been enough, but suddenly, Rem stood up, her tone sharp and filled with suspicion.

"How can we be certain he isn't a filthy Witch Cultist?!" she asked, glaring fiercely at Subaru.

"Rem!" Ram scolded immediately, kicking her under the table. The sound of her foot connecting with Rem's leg was clear.

Rem flinched. "I—I apologize for my outburst," she quickly said, bowing her head toward Roswaal and then toward Subaru. Her tone was apologetic, but the glint in her eyes hinted her distrust still remained.

But Puck was having none of it.

"Are you calling me a liar, maid?" he asked coldly, his gaze sharpening as the atmosphere turned heavy.

Rem shrunk under his glare. "N-No, of course not…"

"I can guarantee," Puck said firmly, "that everything he's said is nothing but the truth."

Emilia also stood up and pointed at both maids. "That's enough, Rem! Ram! Don't you dare treat Zero like he's some Witch Cultist. He's a victim—cursed by that filthy Witch. He deserves our support, not our suspicion!"

Roswaal clapped slowly, the grin on his face never leaving. "Indeeeed. I trust Puck and his woooordss. So Rem, Ram… treat Lord Zero as you would treat meeee."

Both sisters looked up at him in visible surprise. For Ram, it was a rare moment of speechlessness. Rem, too, was stunned.

The two maids bowed in unison.

"Yes, Master!" they chorused.

Whether or not they would truly follow through on those words, only time would tell.

But for now, Zero had managed to secure his position in the mansion—and earn the first hints of trust from its residents.

To be continued...

(A/N: I've written another Campione fanfic featuring Subaru becoming a Campione just before the White Whale fight. It's the original Subaru—no system involved. Of course, there's a harem. If you're interested, let me know! But fair warning: the update rate will be super slow, since I prefer writing for this version of Subaru more.)