"Don't worry, I have a plan." Natsuki Subaru reached out and ruffled Rem's soft blue hair, the strands flowing through his fingers like a waterfall. He then winked his left eye. "Besides... don't I have my most reliable maid right here to protect me?"
"Subaru-kun!" Rem's face instantly flushed the color of a sunset, and she stumbled a small half-step back in a fluster. "Please don't joke like that... Subaru-kun is already so strong. You can slay the White Whale and even repel a Sin Archbishop. Your strength has already surpassed Rem's many, many times over..."
"Hurtful!" Natsuki Subaru immediately put on an injured expression, clutching his chest dramatically. "Does this mean... Rem doesn't want to protect me anymore?"
"N-No, that's not it!" Rem eagerly stepped forward again, a determined ripple in her azure eyes. "Rem will forever and always protect Subaru-kun. This is... Rem's promise."
Natsuki Subaru gazed at the lovely blue-haired girl before him, a warm current flowing through his heart. In this strange other world, having someone who cared for him so sincerely was a warmth he cherished dearly.
"...No matter how the people of the capital praise you, in Rem's heart, you will always be the Subaru-kun who risked his life to protect everyone at the mansion. You are Rem's hero."
Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, dancing on Rem's upturned face. Her azure eyes shimmered with a brilliant light, like the sparkling surface of a lake under the sun.
Her words struck a chord in Natsuki Subaru's heart. He looked tenderly at the girl who trusted him with her entire being, and then a warm, genuine smile spread across his face.
Rem is the absolute cutest!
At that thought, Natsuki Subaru instinctively took Rem's soft, small hand in his. The blue-haired girl's delicate face was now just inches away, flushed with a faint pink blush. Her tender lips were like rosebuds dew-kissed at dawn, so tempting that one couldn't help but want to—
"Natsuki Subaru."
A crisp female voice suddenly came from the entrance of the courtyard, shattering the picturesque atmosphere.
Crusch, dressed in exquisite silver light armor, was striding towards them with a steady gait. The sword at her waist swayed gently with her steps, glinting coldly in the sunlight.
"L-Lady Crusch!" Rem shot back like a startled rabbit, fumbling to straighten her slightly disheveled skirt, her face as red as a ripe apple.
"Oh, it's Miss Crusch." Natsuki Subaru, on the other hand, turned around without a change in expression, greeting her with a grin. "What's up?"
"It is nothing of great importance, please do not worry, Natsuki Subaru." Crusch's gaze swept between the two of them, her voice as crisp and efficient as ever. "I simply came to see how you were faring. Are you feeling any better?"
"Oh, so that's it." Natsuki Subaru scratched his head and gave a relaxed smile. "I'm much better, thank you for your concern, Miss Crusch."
"Think nothing of it." Crusch nodded slightly, the metal ornaments on her shining armor glinting in the sun. "You are, after all, an honored guest of this house, as well as the hero who slew the White Whale and repelled the Sin Archbishop of Greed. As the host, it is my duty to show concern."
Crusch paused, then her expression turned slightly apologetic. "By the way, there is something I must inform you of. Although your treatment was scheduled for now, Felix received an urgent notice and had to go to the lower districts to see patients. I do not know when he will return, so your treatment will be delayed. On behalf of this house, I apologize."
"Well, about that..." Natsuki Subaru spread his hands a bit helplessly. "My body really has already made a full recovery."
Truth be told, an injury involving the depletion of life force wasn't something ordinary healing magic could treat anyway. What's more, he hadn't actually consumed any life force at all. The so-called forbidden soul art was just a ruse to trick Regulus. But for the past few days, Felix had insisted on treating him, and Natsuki Subaru naturally couldn't tell him the truth.
"Indeed, from your appearance, you seem to have recovered." Crusch's amber eyes looked directly at Natsuki Subaru, her expression exceptionally serious. "But for the sake of defeating the Sin Archbishop of Greed, you did not hesitate to deplete your own life..."
At this, Crusch solemnly placed her right hand over her chest and gave a knight's salute. "For that, on behalf of the entire subjugation force, I offer you my most sincere gratitude."
"It was nothing, really." Natsuki Subaru said, scratching his hair.
"Speaking of which, regarding your repelling the Sin Archbishop of Greed..." Crusch's gaze deepened, a strange light flashing in her emerald eyes. "I must express my thanks once again."
"Miss Crusch, there's no need for that. We're partners who went through life and death together," Natsuki Subaru said with his trademark smile. "It was only natural."
Just as Natsuki Subaru said, in that life-or-death moment, seeing Crusch in danger, he hadn't had time to think and had simply rushed in.
"Regardless, if you had not intervened in time, I fear the entire subjugation force would have perished on the spot." Crusch's long fingers unconsciously traced the hilt of her sword, her voice much softer than usual. "The Sin Archbishop of Greed once destroyed an entire city by himself. The level of danger he poses is far beyond that of the White Whale."
Crusch clearly remembered that moment. The Sin Archbishop of Greed, Regulus, had simply raised his hand, and several elite soldiers behind her had instantly turned into a bloody mist. If Natsuki Subaru hadn't grabbed her by the waist and dodged, she would have met the same fate.
And... Natsuki Subaru's embrace... it felt so secure. The thought had barely surfaced before Crusch immediately reined in her emotions. As the head of the Karsten house and the youngest Duchess in the kingdom, she would not allow herself to indulge in such personal feelings.
"In any case, it's all in the past," Natsuki Subaru said with a smile. "And that guy Regulus ran away with his tail between his legs."
"Although it is in the past, you saved me, you saved Wilhelm, and you saved the entire subjugation force." A look of utmost seriousness shone in Crusch's amber eyes. "The House of Karsten will never forget this immense debt of gratitude."
A strange ripple stirred within Crusch's heart. As a noble known for her rationality, she was rarely swayed by emotion. But at this moment, looking at the ever-grinning black-haired boy before her, an unprecedented feeling welled up inside her.
"Miss Crusch, you're too kind." Natsuki Subaru scratched his head, showing his signature bright smile. "I just did what I had to do."
"What you had to do?" Crusch looked at Natsuki Subaru and let out a small sigh. "But when faced with an enemy as powerful as the Sin Archbishop of Greed, running away is what a normal person ought to do, is it not?"
"Where's the fun in that~?" Natsuki Subaru winked, half-joking. "Saving a beautiful woman like you, Miss Crusch, is a standard plot point in a hot-blooded manga!"
Faced with Subaru's joke, the usually serious Crusch was suddenly at a loss for words. She felt an inexplicable heat rise to her face, and her fingers unconsciously tightened around the strap of her sword. This unfamiliar feeling flustered her, and Crusch hurriedly changed the subject, her voice slightly higher than usual.
"A-Are you certain your injuries are of no concern?"
"Relax," Natsuki Subaru patted his chest, full of confidence. "I'm a cockroach you can't kill."
"A... cockroach?"
"Er, what I mean is, my recovery ability is very strong."
"You... are truly an interesting one."
Crusch gazed at the vibrant black-haired boy before her, a complex wave stirring in her heart. He had made such a huge sacrifice, yet he always acted so nonchalant. This stark contrast made the strange feeling in Crusch's heart grow stronger, like a butterfly fluttering its wings inside her chest.
Natsuki Subaru's gaze fell on the exquisite light armor Crusch was wearing. "Speaking of which, Miss Crusch, why are you still dressed in full armor?" he asked curiously.
"It is merely for my morning sword practice," Crusch answered concisely, her fingers unconsciously brushing against her sword's hilt. "The path of the sword allows for no days of rest. It is my daily regimen."
"But isn't this your own mansion?" Natsuki Subaru asked, looking at Crusch with curiosity. "Do you need to wear such formal armor just to practice?"
"For ordinary swordsmanship or subjugating small-scale Mabeasts, it is indeed unnecessary. But for the technique of the Hundred-Man One-Sword Strike... a moment of carelessness could lead to injury," Crusch paused slightly before explaining. "Furthermore, to be cautious, both Felix and Wilhelm have advised me to wear it during practice."
"I see." Natsuki Subaru nodded in understanding.
Crusch's swordsmanship was indeed astounding. Not only did she possess a keen sword sense and pure sword ki, but she could also perfectly combine wind magic with her sword skills to create the ultimate technique that ignored distance, the Hundred-Man One-Sword Strike. During the White Whale Subjugation and the fight against the Sin Archbishop of Greed, Natsuki Subaru had witnessed the terrifying power of this move firsthand. The sword ki, aided by the wind, could sweep through an entire army in an instant.
"By the way, Natsuki Subaru," Crusch said suddenly, looking at him. "Since we have met here by chance, would you be willing to cross swords with me?"
Natsuki Subaru was visibly taken aback for a moment, clearly not expecting the suggestion.
"My apologies," seeing this, Crusch nodded slightly, her chainmail clinking softly. "Your strength is extraordinary, and your swordsmanship is divine. Such a challenge is indeed somewhat abrupt."
"No, you misunderstand," Natsuki Subaru quickly waved his hands, a smile returning to his face. "A duel of swordsmanship is a clash of heart, skill, and body. Since you wish to spar, Miss Crusch, I am naturally happy to oblige. I will control my strength and use only pure swordsmanship to compete with you."
"Then I shall be in your care." Upon hearing this, a flicker of fighting spirit ignited in Crusch's amber eyes.
They each took a wooden sword from a nearby weapon rack. Crusch flicked her wrist, the wooden sword drawing a perfect arc in the air as she assumed a standard opening stance. Natsuki Subaru, however, casually twirled his sword in a flourish, his posture seemingly relaxed but secretly well-formed.
"Are you ready? Then—begin!"
Clack, clack, clack!
In the courtyard, the crisp sound of wooden swords clashing echoed endlessly. Crusch lunged forward, the wooden sword in her hand cutting a fierce arc straight toward Natsuki Subaru's left shoulder. Her sword moved like the wind, carrying a power that could not be underestimated.
"Fine swordsmanship!" Natsuki Subaru praised, his wrist turning lightly as his wooden sword precisely parried the blow. The two wooden swords collided with a sharp thwack.
A trace of surprise flashed in Crusch's eyes, but she quickly refocused, rapidly changing her move. Her sword twisted, changing from a thrust to a sweep, aiming for Natsuki Subaru's legs. The change was extremely fast; an ordinary person would have already been hit.
But Natsuki Subaru's reaction was even faster. He simply leaped lightly, his body elegantly spinning in the air. At the same time, his wooden sword dipped down, tapping perfectly on the body of Crusch's sword. Using the momentum, he flew backward, landing steadily three steps away.
"Miss Crusch's swordsmanship is becoming more and more refined," Natsuki Subaru said with a smile, his eyes shining with appreciation.
"It is your swordsmanship that is truly admirable."
Saying so, Crusch took a deep breath, adjusted her stance, and attacked again. This time, her sword moves were even fiercer, each strike whistling through the air as if wanting to slice the very atmosphere.
Thwack—!
However, Natsuki Subaru handled it with ease. His physical abilities, dozens of times greater than an ordinary person's, combined with the bonus from the system's Advanced Dagger Techniques, allowed him to easily predict and neutralize Crusch's every move. His defense was watertight, the wooden sword weaving a dense and impenetrable barrier in front of him.
Standing to the side, Rem clasped her hands lightly to her chest, her large blue eyes unblinkingly following their movements. Her lips trembled slightly, as if she wanted to say something but dared not interrupt the spectacular duel.
Suddenly, Crusch lunged forward with an exquisite thrust. Natsuki Subaru dodged to the side, but unexpectedly, Crusch's sword momentum shifted, the wooden sword drawing an arc and aiming straight for his wrist.
"Nice move!" Natsuki Subaru praised, hastily changing his own move to block.
Crack—
The two wooden swords collided in mid-air with a crisp sound. Just then, the unexpected happened. The stone slab under Crusch's feet was a bit slippery from the morning dew. Her body suddenly lost its balance, and she pitched forward.
"Whoa—!"
Natsuki Subaru's nerves instantly tensed. His figure flickered and, as if a phantom, he crossed the distance of several steps in an instant, his right hand firmly wrapping around Crusch's soft and slender waist to catch her.
"Ah!"
The distance between them suddenly closed, so close that Crusch could clearly feel the warmth from Natsuki Subaru's body, so close that the metal decorations on her light armor pressed against his chest with a soft clink, so close that their breaths intertwined.
Time seemed to freeze in that moment.
Crusch's body went rigid. The sudden, intimate contact made her amber pupils dilate slightly. In a daze, memories flooded back like a tide.
On the battlefield that day, amidst the blood-filled mist, it was these same arms that had held her securely, helping her dodge the Sin Archbishop of Greed's fatal attack. The feeling, the warmth, even the frequency of his heartbeat... it was all exactly the same as this moment.
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