Re:Zero AU — Chapter 2: The Silver-Haired Girl
The evening air clung heavy to Subaru's skin as he drifted through the streets of Lugnica. His side still throbbed where the dagger had grazed him, though the bleeding had stopped. The sting was constant, a reminder that his reckless brawl hadn't been some fever dream.
He flexed his fingers absently, still surprised they didn't shake. He had fought, survived, even won. But the rush was fading, replaced by the cold truth: he was still lost, penniless, and without a clue how this world worked.
And his convenience store bag—the one link to home—was gone.
"Damn it," Subaru muttered under his breath. "Of all the things to get stolen…"
Not that instant noodles and snacks had real value here, but they were his. A piece of his old life. The thought of some thug pawing through them stoked an irrational fire in his chest.
He stopped at a fountain, the water reflecting orange streaks of sunset. His reflection stared back: messy hair, dirt on his cheek, blood on his sleeve. He looked nothing like the carefree shut-in who'd stepped outside for a snack just hours ago.
A foreigner in every sense.
"…I need that bag back."
It wasn't just about the items. It was about control, about clawing back something in a world that had already stripped him bare.
Subaru pushed off the fountain edge, resolve hardening. "Alright. Time to play detective."
The marketplace had thinned but not emptied. Lamps flickered to life, merchants calling last-minute deals, children darting between legs. Subaru lingered at stalls, listening for gossip. His ears picked out fragments—talk of demi-human merchants, knights patrolling, nobles bickering over the royal selection.
Nothing useful.
Then, near a fruit stand, he caught it:
"…Saw some hooded brat snatch something weird from that foreign-looking kid. Probably sold it off to the loot house by now."
Subaru's head whipped around. A pair of locals chatted idly, not sparing him a glance.
Loot house.
The term clicked like a lock turning. It made sense—some den of thieves dealing in stolen goods. If his bag had value anywhere, it was there.
He slipped away before drawing attention, following the trail of half-remembered directions whispered among the crowd. His feet carried him down narrower streets, away from the lively glow of lamps, toward the darker veins of the city.
The slums smelled of rot and smoke, a place where shadows clung even at dusk. Subaru kept his steps careful, his senses sharpened. Every alley seemed to watch him, every half-broken window hiding eyes.
He didn't belong here, but he couldn't turn back.
That was when he saw her.
A figure darted across the street ahead, silver hair flashing beneath the lamplight. The sight struck him like lightning. For a heartbeat, the entire world slowed.
She was… breathtaking. Silver hair cascading like moonlight, violet eyes that shimmered with an otherworldly glow. A white-and-purple outfit hugged her slender frame, elegant but practical. She carried herself with poise that seemed far too refined for these streets.
Subaru stopped dead.
His chest tightened, words dying in his throat. He wasn't sure if it was awe, shock, or something deeper—only that his gaze couldn't tear away.
The girl glanced around, scanning the shadows with quiet intensity, then slipped into a side street.
"…Wait!"
The word slipped out before he thought.
She turned sharply, her expression cautious, almost guarded. Their eyes met, and Subaru felt pinned in place.
"Yes?" Her voice was calm, cool, carrying a strange weight despite its softness.
Subaru scrambled for words. "Uh—I, uh—" He swallowed, forcing composure. "Sorry, I just—did you see someone come through here? Small, fast, probably carrying a bag?"
Her brow furrowed slightly. "Why are you asking?"
Subaru rubbed the back of his neck, forcing a sheepish grin. "Because that bag was mine. Some thief ran off with it, and I've been chasing leads ever since. They said it might've gone to a… loot house?"
At that, her eyes narrowed. Subaru's gut twisted. Had he said too much?
"…You're reckless," she said at last.
He blinked. "Huh?"
"Following thieves into the slums, asking strangers about the loot house. You'll get yourself killed."
Her tone was blunt, almost scolding, but beneath it Subaru caught a flicker of concern.
"I've already almost been killed once today," he admitted, chuckling weakly. "Guess I'm just stubborn."
For a moment, silence stretched between them. Then, surprisingly, the girl sighed.
"I'm searching too. Something important was stolen from me. If it's the same thief, our goals align."
Subaru's heart leapt. "So you'll help me?"
"I'll help myself. But if our paths overlap, so be it." She turned, already moving.
"Wait, wait!" Subaru hurried after her. "At least tell me your name. Mine's Natsuki Subaru."
The girl hesitated, then gave a small nod. "…Emilia."
Emilia. The name suited her like starlight fit the night sky.
Together, they navigated the twisting alleys. Subaru tried to keep pace, but Emilia moved with grace and certainty, as if the slums bent to her steps. Her eyes flicked constantly, alert for danger.
Subaru couldn't help but steal glances. She was unlike anyone he'd met—distant yet magnetic, her calm presence both intimidating and comforting.
Still, he forced himself to focus. This wasn't the time to get lost in daydreams.
"…So what was stolen from you?" he asked cautiously.
Emilia's lips pressed thin. "A badge. More important than you can imagine."
Her clipped tone warned him not to pry further. Subaru nodded. "Fair enough. Let's just get it back."
The loot house wasn't marked, but Emilia seemed to know where to go. They stopped before a weathered building, its door thick, windows barred. Lanternlight glowed faintly inside.
Subaru's stomach knotted. Danger radiated from the place like heat.
"Stay behind me," Emilia said firmly.
Subaru bristled. "Hey, I'm not completely useless. I can fight—kind of."
Her eyes flicked to the cut on his sleeve, the dirt on his face. For an instant, her gaze softened. "…Then don't do anything reckless."
Before Subaru could argue, the door creaked open.
A small figure darted out—a girl, no older than fourteen, with short blonde hair and foxlike eyes. A pouch bulged at her side.
Felt.
Emilia stiffened. Subaru recognized the pouch instantly: his bag. Or at least what was left of it.
"That's—!" Subaru surged forward.
The girl froze, eyes narrowing. Then, like a spark, she bolted.
"Damn it!" Subaru sprinted after her.
Felt was fast, darting between alleys with practiced ease. Subaru's lungs burned, legs pumping. He was stronger than he'd ever been, but agility wasn't his strong suit.
"Give it back, thief!" he shouted.
"Catch me if you can, idiot!" she barked back, voice sharp with laughter.
Emilia's voice rang out from behind, chanting something foreign. A gust of ice-cold wind swept forward, forming jagged crystals that blocked Felt's path.
The girl skidded, cursing, and turned back—straight into Subaru.
They collided hard, tumbling to the stones. Subaru gritted his teeth, wrestling as Felt squirmed like a wildcat.
"Let—go—!" she snarled, clawing at his arms.
"Not—until—you give it back!" Subaru growled. His grip tightened, surprising even himself with its strength.
Emilia stepped up, her presence radiating calm authority. "Enough. Return what you stole."
Felt scowled, eyes darting between them. For a moment, defiance blazed. Then, slowly, she tugged the pouch free and tossed it down.
"Fine. Take it. Not worth my time anyway."
Subaru grabbed it greedily, clutching it like a lifeline. Relief flooded him. His noodles, snacks, everything—still inside.
He almost cried.
"Thank you," he muttered, though whether to Emilia or sheer luck, he wasn't sure.
Emilia retrieved her own prize from Felt's belt—a gleaming silver insignia, delicate and ornate. She exhaled softly, tension easing from her shoulders.
Felt scowled, rubbing her wrist. "Tch. Bunch of pains, the both of you."
But before Subaru could retort, a voice cut through the night—low, smooth, dripping with malice.
"Well, well. What an amusing sight."
Subaru's blood ran cold.
From the shadows of the loot house, a tall woman emerged. Dark hair framed pale skin, her eyes gleaming crimson. A wicked smile curved her lips.
Elsa Granhiert.
The Bowel Hunter.
The air itself seemed to curdle as she stepped into the light, dagger glinting in her hand.
"Oh, how wonderful. Prey delivering itself to me."
Chapter 2 — End