Chapter 9: The Love Arc (Part 1)
Huff… huff…
The other's breath brushed against their face, leaving a faint tickling sensation. The distance between them was barely the width of a finger. They could smell each other's scent, feel the warmth radiating from each other's skin.
Thump, thump, thump…
The sound of their hearts was painfully clear in the silence of the night. Under the moonlight, both their faces flushed bright red. The first to react was Subaru, caught off guard—he instinctively pulled back. But the moment he slipped out of the blanket, he also fell off the small bed.
"Subaru!"
Reinhild cried out and grabbed him, but startled and flustered, she used too much strength. Subaru's whole body flew up into the air and crashed back down onto the bed. In that instant, his body responded instinctively—he caught himself with both hands, steadying his position.
Huff… huff…
Reinhild looked at his hands on either side of her, then up at Subaru hovering over her. For some reason, her breath grew shallow.
Subaru realized—he was pinning Reinhild beneath him. Or rather, he was leaning over her, and in his mind, one phrase flashed up out of nowhere: kabedon.
The expression on Reinhild's face—shy, nervous, cheeks crimson, eyes darting everywhere—ignited a fire in Subaru's chest.
You have Return by Death, don't chicken out! Don't let your desires control you.
"......"
"…Sorry. Let's just sleep back to back."
Subaru quickly rolled over and lay on his side, back facing Reinhild. She let out a small breath of relief, then stared at his back…
Reinhild suppressed the strange frustration and faint disappointment welling up inside her. She pulled the blanket back over Subaru, who was trembling, but the air between their backs let cold wind seep inside.
She shivered, the sweat on her skin chilled by the breeze. The girl hesitated briefly, but when she felt Subaru trembling under the blanket, she made a decision.
Yes. This is only because Subaru doesn't have the Divine protection of All-Cures. I can't let him catch a cold—that's all this is.
Convincing herself, Reinhild slowly inched closer until their backs pressed together.
August 18, early morning.
The softness against his back, the occasional brush of Reinhild's smooth feet against his own, the faint fragrance she carried, the sound of her gentle breathing—all of it relentlessly tormented Subaru's reason. Every second was agony. In his mind, the angel had already been beaten into a pulp by the devil.
You have Return by Death anyway. Even if you die once, it's not a loss…
The devil's whisper echoed in his head.
"Reinhild, are you asleep?"
Unable to take it anymore, Subaru spoke up. He knew she wasn't asleep.
"Ah, ah, no, I'm not. Not yet. Did you… need something?"
Her voice carried a subtle tension.
"No, nothing really. Just… since I can't sleep, how about we talk for a bit?"
"…Ah. Mm."
Subaru thought furiously for a topic. Then he noticed the moonlight shining into the room, letting them see each other—the beautiful starry sky of another world.
"Reinhild, did you know? Back where I come from, every star has its own story."
"That's… rather romantic."
"Right, Lugunica doesn't really have stories like that, does it?"
"No, we don't."
"Then let's make some up. For example… those stars there, that looks just like Garfiel, don't you think?"
Reinhild turned, watching Subaru trace with his finger a pattern among the stars that resembled a tiger. She roughly understood his meaning.
"I see. Then these stars here could be an apple, right?"
Subaru turned halfway and looked where she pointed. He nodded.
"Apples show up in a lot of fairy tales. Like the poisoned apple that killed Snow White."
"Snow White?"
"It's a famous story from my world. Long, long ago…"
"I see. A beautiful tale. I wonder what Snow White looked like."
"No matter what, she couldn't compare to Reinhild."
"You exaggerate. Wasn't she supposed to be the most beautiful woman in the world?"
"In my eyes, Reinhild is the most beautiful woman in the world."
[(°▽°)]
"…Ah. That one there, doesn't it look like the Evil Queen?"
.
.
.
"And that one… so, if you look at it like this… that's Pinocch… zzz…"
As the night deepened, Subaru—who had been telling story after story from his world—finally drifted into sleep. Reinhild looked up at the starry sky. Tonight, it felt like a grand storybook spread across the heavens.
.
.
.
"…What is this?"
Reinhild blinked in confusion. Around her stretched a pristine white chapel. A statue of the Divine Dragon stood in the center hall. A priest in ceremonial robes stood between Subaru and a bride.
"Please exchange rings, bride and groom."
The priest's solemn voice declared. It was clear the ceremony was already nearing its end.
Reinhild watched as the two exchanged rings, then Subaru lifted the bride's veil.
—Rem!
She recognized her instantly.
Yes… she's Subaru's best choice. Cute, skilled at housework, endlessly gentle. And above all, that unwavering love that would give everything for Subaru.
Reinhild thought this from the bottom of her heart. But for some reason, her hands wouldn't move. The applause of those around felt piercingly harsh.
—Why can't I wholeheartedly bless them?
She watched Subaru and Rem lean in for a kiss.
Unconsciously, her right hand pressed against her chest. The unbearable pain drove Reinhild to her knees. Her vision blurred, and droplets fell to the ground.
Hah… hah… hah…
Panting heavily, Reinhild came back to herself. She was in the cabin. The memories returned.
Right. I was camping with Subaru.
Instinctively, she turned toward the sleeping Subaru. The dream replayed in her mind, and her heart throbbed with a faint ache.
So that's it… I've already fallen in love with Subaru.
She gazed at his sleeping face. In her mind, the image of Subaru and Rem kissing reignited the fire in her chest. Slowly, her face drew closer to his. But at the last moment, she hesitated. Instead of his lips, she pressed a soft kiss to his cheek.
The next instant, like a child caught doing something bad, Reinhild bolted out of the cabin. Activating the Divine protection of Vanishing Presence, she paced outside with a red face for the entire night.
Read ahead (60 chapters) by supporting me on buymeacoffee com/varietl or ko-fi edwriting