"Hey, hey, isn't this getting a little too exaggerated...?"
Hearing this, Natsuki Subaru helplessly put a hand to his forehead as the increasingly absurd discussion among the passersby continued to reach his ears. There was even an apple-selling uncle who swore he had personally seen him simultaneously wield eight swords to chop off the White Whale's head. Subaru almost choked on his own saliva listening to it.
Isn't this just the other-world version of a trending internet rumor?!
On second thought, it was somewhat understandable. After all, most of the citizens in the capital had never seen him in person. Add to that the various heroic legends being embellished after the battle... but still, this was getting a bit too ridiculous.
Thinking of this, Natsuki Subaru looked down at his own two perfectly normal arms and couldn't resist making a fist, grumbling, "Eight arms? I'm not an octopus... seriously!"
"Hee hee... who knows, maybe the next rumor will be that Subaru can breathe fire," Emilia suddenly giggled, her bell-like laughter exceptionally crisp in the sunlight. She winked playfully. "In the eyes of ordinary people, being able to kill the White Whale and defeat a Sin Archbishop probably makes you no different from a legendary Dragon Knight."
"Hey, hey! Why are you joining in on the teasing, Emilia-tan?!" Natsuki Subaru waved his arms dramatically, but the smile on his face was undeniable. "If this keeps up, tomorrow they'll be saying I can tear down castles with my bare hands!"
"Wouldn't that be great?" Emilia tilted her head, her silver hair swaying gently with the movement. She spoke with genuine innocence, "That way, the people from the Witch Cult would run away in fear just from hearing your name."
"To think even Emilia-tan has learned to tease me..." Looking at Emilia's adorable expression, Natsuki Subaru couldn't help but sigh. "You used to be so pure and innocent."
"Well... isn't that because I spend all day with a certain smooth-talking knight?" Emilia laughed softly and tugged on Subaru's sleeve, her amethyst eyes full of tenderness. "But, having such an amazing knight like you by my side, Subaru, I feel truly happy."
The sunlight filtered through Emilia's silver hair, casting fine, fragmented shadows on the side of her face. For a moment, Natsuki Subaru was captivated. He quickly snapped out of it and said softly to Emilia, "That's all because you're amazing enough on your own, Emilia-tan. I just... gave more people a chance to see the real you."
"Hm...?" Hearing Subaru's heartfelt words, Emilia was slightly taken aback. A faint blush colored her fair cheeks, and her fingers unconsciously began to twirl her long silver hair. "Subaru, you're always like this... you're the most incredible one, but you always push the credit onto others."
"That's not true at all!" Natsuki Subaru quickly waved his hands in denial. "If it weren't for everyone's help, how could I have possibly done those things all by myself?"
This was the absolute truth. Although he had dealt the final blow to the White Whale, without the full support of Crusch and the others, he could never have achieved such a glorious victory.
"But, you're always the first one to stand up," Emilia said, suddenly taking half a step forward, her amethyst eyes looking directly into his, their proximity so close he could smell the faint, sweet scent from her. "Whether it was when we first met in the capital and you helped me, or when you enthusiastically help others out of your sense of justice... that title, the 'Eight-Armed Berserker,' actually suits you surprisingly well, our great hero, Sir Subaru!"
Being praised so directly, Natsuki Subaru was at a loss, and he tried to change the subject, rambling, "W-Well, ahem... if I'm really seen as some Eight-Armed Berserker, does that mean I'll have to wear a mask or something when I go out, and become a different person, 'Berserker Natsuki Subaru'...?"
"No!" Emilia suddenly gripped Natsuki Subaru's hand tightly, the force of it surprising him slightly. Then, she looked up, her small face filled with seriousness, her pink lips slightly pouted. "I like... the Subaru you are right now."
Wait! Did I hear that right? Emilia said she likes me... Is this a confession?!
Natsuki Subaru's expression froze for a moment. Just then, Emilia seemed to finally realize how bold her actions were. She immediately let go of his hand, her fair face blushing so red it looked like it could drip blood, and even the tips of her pointed ears turned pink.
"I-I mean... the ordinary Subaru like this... is just fine..."
Natsuki Subaru stared at the silver-haired girl who was so shy her ears were blushing, his heart couldn't help but race. He was about to say something when he was suddenly interrupted by a commotion nearby.
"Please tell Mr. Russell! I'll definitely pay back the money I owe!" a panicked voice cried out.
"Hmph, you're already bankrupt, what's there to talk about?" a gruff voice sneered. "It's written clear as day on the contract, in black and white. Since you don't have the money to pay your debt, you'll pay with your body!"
"Hm?"
Natsuki Subaru turned his head toward the sound. He saw a burly man roughly grabbing the collar of a gray-haired boy. The boy was wearing a green top with a waist pouch, a dark green cloak decorated with a red ribbon, and a green hat with a white feather.
Huh... that outfit... why does it feel so strangely familiar? It can't be... Otto?
Sure enough, the next second, the burly man violently shook the gray-haired boy again. "Otto, don't even think about pulling any tricks! As a merchant, you signed the contract in black and white. Master Russell is waiting for you!"
"B-But the contract clearly states I can use goods to pay off the debt..." Otto's voice was clearly tinged with a panicked whimper.
"Goods?" the burly man snorted contemptuously, roughly dragging Otto forward. "With that junk of yours? It's not even enough to cover the interest! Just be a good boy and work off your debt as a slave!"
It really is him... Otto!
Natsuki Subaru's eyes lit up, and memories of Otto immediately flooded his mind. In the original story, Otto had not only single-handedly subdued Subaru when they fought over control of a dragon carriage, but he had also successfully stalled the Sin Archbishop of Gluttony in battle. He had even fought Garfiel during the Sanctuary arc and managed to injure him. The title "God of War" was absolutely well-deserved!
"Subaru, what's wrong? Do you know that boy?" Emilia, beside him, noticed Subaru staring intently ahead and couldn't help but ask softly.
"Yeah... you could say I know him," Natsuki Subaru answered thoughtfully, watching Otto being dragged away. "Emilia-tan, wait here for me a moment. I'll be right back."
"Subaru..." Emilia was about to say she wanted to go with him, but Subaru had already strode forward, leaving her to sigh helplessly.
I never thought I'd run into Otto here. Should I call it a coincidence, or the arrangement of fate...? Natsuki Subaru looked at the gray-haired boy being dragged ahead and couldn't help but feel a wave of emotion.
In the original timeline, it was because of the Witch Cult's attack on Roswaal's mansion that Subaru met Otto while trying to escape. In the original story, Subaru, in a hurry to get back and protect Emilia, had hired Otto and his dragon carriage, even buying all his goods to ensure a speedy return. That led to the subsequent series of events, including the encounter with the White Whale.
But now, everything was different. Emilia was safe in the capital, the Witch Cult didn't dare to make a rash move, and even the once-rampant White Whale had been personally slain by him.
"So, the fateful encounter that was supposed to happen has been completely changed."
Watching the struggling Otto up ahead, Subaru couldn't help but lament the deviation in the tracks of fate. This "God of War" who had provided him with crucial help in the original story was now heading down a completely different path in life.
After all, Otto had always been an unlucky person. It was said he was born under an unlucky star, a misfortune that began when he nearly drowned during his first bath. During his childhood, because of his unique Divine Protection of Soul Language, he was often mistaken for a weird kid who liked talking to imaginary creatures. At sixteen, Otto began his career as a traveling merchant. However, over the next four years, he encountered a continuous streak of bad luck. When transporting fragile goods, he would inevitably run into bad weather; when taking shortcuts, he would be attacked by bandits; and when camping with fellow merchants, he would be the only one bitten by mosquitos.
Despite this, thanks to his innate business talent, he rarely suffered serious losses in his trades. Until one time, Otto misjudged a market trend and was stuck with a large, unsellable stock of oil, incurring a huge debt and facing bankruptcy. It was at this time he heard from an acquaintance about a big job that required dragon carriage transport. Eager to turn his fortunes around, Otto rushed to the destination ahead of time, only to be unfortunately captured by the Witch Cult along the way.
According to the original fate, Otto was supposed to be saved by Ricardo of the Iron Fang at his most desperate moment. Then he would meet Natsuki Subaru and become the Internal Affairs officer for Emilia's camp. Finally, he would display his "God of War"-like strength in multiple crises.
"However, now, that line of fate has been completely altered." Natsuki Subaru looked at Otto, who was about to be dragged away, his heart filled with mixed feelings. This unlucky merchant who should have become an important partner was now about to be reduced to a debt slave, walking a completely different path in life.
Inside a room in the capital's merchant guild, Otto was roughly shoved inside by the burly man behind him. He stumbled a few steps before managing to steady himself.
"Mr. Russell, I've brought the man," the burly man's voice was low and respectful.
Otto instinctively ducked his head, feeling the shirt on his back already soaked with cold sweat, sticking uncomfortably to his skin.
"Come in."
The voice came from the depths of the room, calm and carrying an authority that could not be questioned.
"M-Mr. Russell..."
Otto raised his head and saw a slender figure behind a large, redwood desk, his back to them, looking out the window. When the man slowly turned around, Otto unconsciously held his breath.
Russell Fellow—the man who controlled the commercial lifelines of the capital—had hair the color of pale gold, which glinted coldly in the candlelight. His face, which looked to be around thirty, had sharp, defined features, and his keen golden eyes seemed to see through any pretense. A well-tailored, dark blue formal suit accentuated his tall frame, and at his collar was a simple-looking but priceless sapphire pin.
"Otto Suwen," Russell said, looking at Otto and picking up a contract from the desk. "According to this contract, you currently owe the guild a total of 3000 holy gold coins."
"Three thousand..."
Hearing this, Otto's throat tightened. The number 3000 echoed in his mind, growing larger and larger, threatening to crush his sanity. He thought of the stockpiled oil barrels in his warehouse, the sneering faces of his creditors, and the torturous, sleepless night he had just spent in a cheap inn.
"Mr. Russell..." Otto's voice trembled slightly with nervousness. He instinctively took a half-step forward, then immediately stopped. "Please, give me one more chance! Just two months... no, one month, and I'll definitely find a way to pay off the debt!"
"One month?" Russell raised an eyebrow slightly, his long fingers tapping lightly on the desk. "As far as I know, your goods remain unsold. What collateral can you offer?"
"I..."
Faced with Russell's questioning, Otto felt a wave of despair. That's right, what collateral did he have? Those damned oil barrels were like a curse weighing him down. He remembered how he had ended up in this situation, step by step: first misjudging the capital's demand for oil, then encountering delays with his caravan, and finally, even his last buyer had canceled their order at the last minute. Fate always seemed to turn its back on him just when he needed good luck the most.
"I can... I can use my dragon carriages as collateral!" Otto said eagerly, his voice filled with the desperation of a final gamble. "Even though the market isn't good right now, my dragon carriages are top quality! They're worth at least 1000 holy gold coins..."
"Your dragon carriages?" Russell suddenly laughed, a smile that sent a chill down Otto's spine. "They were already seized by your other creditors three days ago. Did you not know?"
"I... I knew..." The news hit Otto's mind like a physical blow. He stumbled, his vision darkening. That's right, of course, he knew. He just hadn't been willing to admit it. He should have realized it this morning when he found the caravan camp completely empty.
"Otto, as a merchant, you must understand..." Russell stood up, looking down on Otto from his full height, his voice as cold as ice. "The most important quality is to honor the spirit of a contract. Since you signed the loan agreement, it is now time to fulfill it."
"Mr. Russell, I..." Otto's knees felt weak, his lips trembling slightly. The clauses of the contract flashed in his mind. If payment is not made by the deadline, the borrower will unconditionally become the lender's contract slave until the debt is cleared. When he signed his name back then, how could he have imagined it would really come to this?
"Otto, you have a choice," Russell said, walking around the desk and slowly approaching him. With every step he took, Otto felt his heart tighten.
"Pay the money, or fulfill the contract?"
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