The bright morning sun spilled over the sprawling estate like golden syrup, glinting off marble steps and dew-slicked grass. Birds chirped from ancient treetops as if announcing my glorious re-entry into the world after spending a week entombed in that arcane mancave that Roswaal dared to call a laboratory.
I stretched my spine with an audible pop, sighing dramatically. "Ahh, fresh air. I forgot what non-magically sterilized oxygen feels like."
See, His Grace the Eccentric—Lord Roswaal L. Mathers—gave me a challenge. Said if I wanted to be his apprentice, I had to accomplish something no commoner or apprentice-tier mage could even dream of pulling off. A feat of magical prowess, either dazzling in power or masterful in finesse. He didn't care which. And he'd given me one week.
Now, sure—I could've thrown out a Reparo spell with enough force and flair to make Hermione Granger weep. Could've mended every broken dish in the manor while humming the Harry Potter theme for effect. Thanks to CG—I've got house-elf blood in me. Minor issues, sure, but enough that precision magic is basically built into my knuckles.
But no. That would've been boring. Efficient, but boring.
Instead, I'd chosen a different route—one that let me test my new Perk. The one that recently exploded into my skull with a thousand whispered lectures on magitech, enchantments, arcane resonance matrices—magic meets machine, science meets sorcery. And oh, I so wanted to see what I could make with it.
Plus, let's be honest—I wanted a full week to figure out what kind of lunatic I'd be apprenticing under. Nobles can be eccentric at best, and "Akame Ga Kill antagonist" at worst. So far, Roswaal's only red flag was his clown cosplay addiction. And voice inflection that sounded like he was constantly narrating his own Shakespearean villain arc. But otherwise? Harmless. Probably.
I was halfway through my stretches when a soft voice called out.
"What kind of movements are those?" Emilia asked, her silver hair catching the morning light like strands of moonlight. She wore her casual outfit today—a pink, long-sleeved dress with an off-the-shoulder design that paired elegantly with white thigh-highs and matching pink shoes. Modest by design, but she wore it with such unconscious grace that it still had me sneaking a glance every time she moved.
Damn you, hormones.
Subaru, on the other hand, was already halfway into her dynamic warm-up, decked out in her signature tracksuit—black and yellow, breathable, and clearly built for motion. The way her legs moved during those stretches made it clear she knew how to use it, too.
Double damn you, hormones.
"My homeland's ancient tradition," Subaru declared proudly, hands on hips as she bounced in place. "Warm-up exercises and radio calisthenics. It's healthy for the body and soul. Come on, Milli-tan! Fuyu-kun!"
I grimace at the nickname she suddenly gave me. Why was she suddenly clingy in these five days?
She grabbed both me and Emilia by the wrists with enough force to make me stumble, despite the fact that I was already mid-stretch. I groaned.
"There she goes with the nicknames again…" I muttered.
"It still feels uncanny being called anything but just Emilia…" the half-elf said with an awkward chuckle, allowing herself to be pulled along nonetheless.
"Well, 'Emi' is cuter anyway," I quipped, shooting a pointed look at Subaru, defending my own nickname to Emilia because calling her name over and over was getting mouthful. "Besides, I was already exercising."
"No, you were just moving around randomly," she replied, as blunt as a frying pan to the face. I flinched. Damn it, she knew. Somehow, this gremlin could detect when I was faking it with absolute certainty.
Did my future self snitch on me or something? I thought suspiciously.
"I know a real routine when I see one," Subaru said smugly, arms out like she was preparing for takeoff. "Now follow me. Sideways stretch—aaaand up!"
Emilia and I mimicked her movements, though the elf's face turned crimson at the next step.
"Now bounce on your feet. Loosen those stiff muscles!"
Emilia sputtered in embarrassment, her knees wobbling like a baby deer, but she did it anyway. I, on the other hand, closed my eyes. Because no matter how much I wanted to admire the heavenly physics of bouncing breasts, I wasn't about to go full pervert.
Not today, Satan.
"You're kidding. That's too weird," Emilia stammered.
"No, I'm not. Just do what I do and you'll feel the difference," Subaru said seriously.
"People are gonna see more than the difference if you keep jumping like that," I mumbled, though I still followed along. Perks of being a guy—no one's judging me for bouncing.
"I heard that, you perv!" Subaru snapped, giving me a light smack on the shoulder. "And FYI, this routine was taught by actual professionals on YouTube. It helped me stay in shape even when I never left my room."
She had a point. Her shape wasn't exactly something to scoff at.
"I'm not a perv," I mumbled again, eyes still dutifully closed.
"What's a YouTube, Subaru?" Emilia asked innocently.
"It's… a gateway to knowledge itself. Both terrible and wonderful," Subaru said, lowering her voice like she was revealing a sacred truth. I snorted as she played a mysterious wise woman in front of Emilia.
"Now raise your hands high like this!" she shouted. Before we could react, she grabbed both our hands and lifted them in the air like we were about to start a conga line. "Victory!!"
"V-Victory…" Emilia repeated shyly, her cheeks glowing like sunrise.
"Victory," Puck added lazily, popping out from behind her head like a smug little ghost-cat.
"Please kill me now," I muttered, face red as Roswaal's lipstick as I collapsed dramatically into the grass. "I'd rather be eaten by slugs than survive this moment."
"Another great day, isn't it, Subaru?" Puck said, nuzzling into her palm as she patted his fuzzy little head. The spirit had been getting awfully cozy with her lately—meanwhile, I was still on his blacklist.
He'd made it very clear: until I made up with his "precious little sister"—who, I suspected, was Beatrice—we weren't going to be friends.
And while I wasn't desperate to win over every grumpy spirit I met, I wasn't stupid either. Antagonizing a high-ranking elemental out of spite? Wasteful. Making allies with reality-bending beings? Much more me.
It looks like I have to be a bigger man here and talk to Beatrice.
Still, I hadn't found time to visit her yet. Between the lab work, magical research, and building that Metia—my very own Mystic Code—the week had slipped by like a Puck-sized ferret on buttered ice.
But soon. I'd visit her soon.
"Now that we're warmed up," Subaru announced, cracking her joints in a decidedly unladylike fashion, "let's go for the real training."
She shook out her arms and started jogging in place, full of energy.
"Real training?!" Emilia asked, her face flushing red. "So those embarrassing things we did weren't even the training?!"
"I don't know, Lia," Puck called from between Subaru's hands—she'd only just released him from a relentless petting session. "I thought they were kinda fun. Real or not, they had style."
"Those were warm-ups," Subaru clarified, grinning. "They prep the body before the pain." She looked at Emilia, eyes gleaming. "But the next part? This isn't something you can do without risking injury. Luckily, Fuyu-kun here unlocked my Aura. So we can train full force without actually hurting each other."
"Ohhh, I never thought about that," I said, rubbing my chin. Right, Aura doesn't block pain, but it does prevent injury. That meant we could absolutely beat the hell out of each other and walk away fine. Glorious.
"Actually, that's kinda brilliant."
That's brilliant of her to think that.
"You were gonna think of it in two days," Subaru said with maddening casualness.
My eye twitched. Oh come on—she's not just stealing my ideas, she's stealing them from my future self and throwing them in my face?
"I don't know…" Emilia said, her face scrunched into a doubtful pout. "I really don't enjoy seeing my friends scuffle..."
"Who even says scuffle these days?" Subaru grumbled under her breath, before sighing. "Come on, Emilia. We won't get hurt, and we'll be learning to fight in a safe, controlled environment. If Elsa shows up again, she won't even see what hit her."
There was a spark in Subaru's eyes—ferocious, almost bloodthirsty.
Emilia sighed, clearly still torn. "Well… you do make some good points. Still, I'll supervise your tomfoolery and heal you if needed. I've got free time from studying today anyway."
Who even says tomfoolery these days? I thought.
"Are you sure, Subaru? I really don't like the idea of fighting—!"
I didn't get to finish that sentence. Her heel drove into my gut like a missile. I flew backward, skidding across the ground as my golden Aura flared up protectively.
"You don't want to fight me because I'm a girl?" Subaru asked mid-kick, legs still in the air like she was casually posing for a photo.
"No! I was going to say it's because you're you, you dumbass!" I coughed, standing upright as I fell into a Taekwondo stance. "But now that you've landed the first strike, I'm gonna have to show you..."
I dashed forward, fists ready. "My hands are rated E—E for everyone!"
A flash of motion. Next thing I knew, I was airborne—then slammed into the ground in a perfect judo throw. Subaru landed beside me like a damn ninja.
I stared up at the clouds, breath gone. "Oh, son of a—"
"Come on, Fuyu-kun," she teased. "That's all you got?"
What followed was a symphony of humiliation. Every angle I attacked from, she countered. Strikes? Redirected. Grabs? Reversed. Speed? Matched. It was like fighting the ghost of Bruce Lee who'd just finished watching all the John Wick movies.
"Wow!" Emilia called from the sidelines. "Subaru, you're amazing! I didn't know you could fight like that!"
"She didn't do anything like this against Elsa," I growled as I once again hit the dirt.
"Maybe because she didn't have Aura then," Puck chimed, lounging on a branch and smirking. "Or maybe she was saving it up so she could humiliate this guy. Look at him, flailing like a wet towel."
"Shut up, fuzzball," I grunted.
"How the hell are you doing this?!" I gasped, bruised and breathless. "You weren't like this a few days ago—you didn't even have these muscles!"
I let my hand trail along casually, I reached to feel her her calf in disbelief. Damn, when did she get these gains?
"Are you actually enjoying yourself?" Subaru asked, stepping on me with one foot and giving me the most judgmental deadpan I've ever seen.
"Girl, I'm a young man from 2025, Pride died with Myspace. We live for this. Too bad for you I'm into this. We love getting stepped on by beautiful momm—"
She cut me off by grabbing my legs and yeeting me halfway across the field.
Goddamn. She completely outpaced me. In the loot house against Elsa, Subaru hadn't been anywhere near this level. Now? The only way I was winning was with magic. She'd outright surpassed me physically.
"Winter?" she said, and my stomach dropped. She never used my real name unless she was serious. "Have you omitted some facts about Aura?"
"No! Why would I hide anything that important?" I asked, blinking.
"It's not that you hid it," she said, tilting her head. "More like… you forgot."
"Forget what—?" I froze. "...Oh."
I slapped my forehead. "Semblance."
Immediately, I launched forward and grabbed her hands, the fight forgotten, my face lighting up like a child on Christmas morning.
"You unlocked your Semblance! That's why you've been wiping the floor with me!"
"Semblance?" Puck echoed. "That's connected to Aura?"
"Yes!" I nodded excitedly. "Every Aura user eventually develops a unique ability. It's like your soul's signature move. Usually it reflects your personality—but sometimes it runs in families."
"That's wonderful," Emilia said. "But... is it dangerous?"
"Not at all. It's just a projection of your soul's identity," I explained.
"But why did I unlock it?" Subaru asked, staring at her glowing purple aura-covered hands. "And what exactly is it? I don't feel anything different… it just is. It feels like it's been many weeks since I unlocked it."
"It usually happens during moments of extreme stress—physical, emotional, or mental. Training, life-or-death situations... getting struck by lightning, even."
"That was oddly specific," Puck muttered.
Then he turned to Emilia. "You should let one of them unlock your Aura, Lia. I don't like this path, but... if Aura can turn her from that embarrassment into a combat monster—"
"Oi! Who the hell are you calling an embarrassment, fluffball?!"
Subaru lunged at him with tickle attacks as Puck exploded into laughter.
"U-Um... I don't think I'm ready to touch souls just yet!" Emilia squeaked, face flushing crimson. She bolted, steam practically trailing behind her.
"...Why is she so flustered about it?" I asked, confused. "Subaru and I did it. We're fine."
"It's not that simple," Puck said with a sigh. "As a spirit and Spirit Arts user, we understand the soul better than most. When souls touch, it forms a bond deeper than any made through mind or body alone."
"Like... soulmates?" Subaru asked quietly, avoiding my gaze.
"Sometimes," Puck said. "But it's not always romantic. It could be friendship. Rivalry. Eternal hatred. It's always something more. Because when souls connect... they leave pieces of themselves behind."
"...She's only known us for a week," I murmured.
"Exactly," Puck said. "And she's never had friends before you two. She doesn't know how to process these new experiences. But she'll get there."
He smiled warmly. "Despite everything, I'm really glad you two are here. I haven't seen my daughter this happy in... well, ever. Thank you."
With a nod, he floated away toward the mansion.
Subaru and I were alone again.
"So... soulmate, huh?" I teased.
"Don't you dare," she growled, face bright red. "It was a logical question to ask."
"Uh huh. Sure. Su-ba-ru-chan."
Suddenly I was on the grass, pinned by her thighs as she straddled me.
"You shouldn't tease people so much," she purred, fingers trailing across my jaw. "Especially when I'm on top now."
"Subaru... what are you doing?" I asked, nervous sweat starting to form. That smile. That look. That angle.
Oh gods, I forgot Aura also enhances beauty. Subaru was already a cutie, but now? With her body subtly reshaped to peak form, perfect posture, flawless skin...
She was glowing. Literally and metaphorically.
"I'm strong now," she said. "Strong enough to really beat you if we fought seriously."
Oh?
Oh?
Something inside me snapped. No. I liked being stepped on by mommy dommy, sure—but humiliation ain't my kink.
I bucked my hips and threw her off, landing on my feet with deadly calm.
"...So the time has come," I said solemnly, dark mist swirling around me. My magic thickened the air.
"Is that the black cloud?! And why are you talking in a British accent?!" Subaru yelled.
"Tch," I clicked my tongue, pacing around her like a predator.
"Fuyu-kun, I was joking." Subaru said backpedaling with sweating face.
I looked to the sky, hands behind my back like a gentleman of the old guard. "Oh Heavenly Father... bear witness to the strength of your creation."
"...Are you talking to God?!" she yelped.
I turned to her with a grim frown. "Tell me... do you bleed?"
"I mean, like, once a month?"
"...Then it's time." I pointed at her, my expression hard as stone. "Let this ground become hallowed. A memory shall be forged here."
She raised her fists with a smirk. "Death can have me—when it earns me."
I shook my head solemnly. "The Lord opposes the proud. And so here am I to humble you, He asked: 'Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?' And I said..."
I raised my hands.
"'Here am I. Send me.'"
We charged at each other, fists colliding with renewed ferocity.
Meanwhile, inside the mansion...
A certain blonde spirit peeked out the window, watching the black-haired girl absolutely obliterate the boy. Beatrice sipped her tea, smugly satisfied.
"...This is strangely therapeutic, I suppose."
It was good to be the guardian of the Forbidden Library.
The one entrusted not to Roswaal A Mathers, not even to the great mansion itself—but to her daughter along with her duties to wait for 'That person.
So who was the owner of this Library?'
Her. Beatrice.
So really, it should be called Beatrice's Forbidden Library, not Roswaal's. That fool didn't even read the books as of late.
This morning was particularly pleasing. She'd witnessed that arrogant, rude child being reduced to dust by the girl who smelled unmistakably of the Witch. Delightful.
Still, Beatrice was sure the girl wasn't an enemy—despite her sudden and frankly excessive display of prowess.
That Aura of theirs was an oddity, yes, but if the brat tried using his magic, the blue-haired maid would make short work of him anyway.
So it hardly mattered.
They weren't a threat. She'd confirmed it herself.
It wasn't her problem. These brats wouldn't even live a fraction of her lifetime. They would not matter.
Bang!
Beatrice jumped, eye twitching as the door to her sanctuary rattled.
The arrogant child strutted in like he owned the place, setting her temperature rising all over again.
"Beatrice! I've come to bargain!" Winter shouted dramatically, finger pointed at her like he was a theatre kid who'd just learned the word "melodrama."
Was that... supposed to be funny?
She was, in fact, not amused.
"No. You've come to court death, child. Begone, I suppose!"
With a flick of her hand, he flew backward, crashing out through the door like a ragdoll in a hurricane. The door slammed shut behind him with satisfying finality.
She doubted he was actually hurt—he had that annoying Aura soul-protection thing going on—but she hoped it stung. At least enough to make him think twice before—
Bang!
Beatrice jumped again.
The door shook.
The arrogant child entered again like he still owned the place.
"Beatrice! I've come to bargain!" Winter declared again, same posture, same finger-pointing, same infuriating confidence.
She blinked. Wait.
Was this déjà vu?
Bang!
There he was.
Again.
Same words. Same pose. Same smile.
Beatrice narrowed her eyes.
"No. You've come to court death, child. Begone... Wait a second! What's happening?! How do you keep finding my door? Are you like that Subaru girl and relying entirely on dumb luck, I suppose?!"
"Nope," the boy chuckled, floating casually as his red cloak flared behind him. "Just like you have control over this Library as your domain... I've brought a little power of my own."
He grinned. "This is time."
Beatrice blinked.
"Endless. Looped. Time."
It couldn't be. Time wasn't some cheap plaything. Time was a force of the cosmos—primal and uncontrollable. Even Yin magic, with all its complexity, barely scraped the edges. Time manipulation was dangerous. Limited.
...And yet, Bubby and that half-elf girl had confirmed the boy got random powers. Just like Reinhard received divine blessings from Od Laguna like candy from the world itself.
Was it the same case? Was this brat being favored by some higher existential being?
"...Really?" Beatrice asked in awe, a flicker of respect blooming for the brat—no, for the young, sophisticated mage.
Winter held the pose... and then broke into a snort.