"So, reinhard decided to take her with him?"
I asked emilia, we were now outside in the mansion's front yard.
"Yes. He said that it has something to do with the insignia and took her and the old sir with him."
I nodded, popping my joints and stretched my body to remove the knots.
"I trust reinhard, he must have a valid reason for what he's doing."
I said, taking a seat on the emerald grass with my legs crossed and my fingers joined, forming a circle.
Emilia looked at me curiously, trying to figure out what I was doing.
"Uhmm, subaru. What are you doing?"
"Hmmm. Oh, nothing much. This is something I usually do when I need to cleanse myself. Why don't you join me?"
I asked as I extend my hand for her to grab. She took it without any hesitation and sat down next to me, her eyes filled with curiosity.
I smiled and closed my eyes before flooding my body with Devine power which slowly seeped through my skin.
Soon it looked like a thin layer of golden flames surrounding us and the ground near us.
Emilia was alarmed at first but it was soon replaced by confusion as the flame crept up her body but instead of feeling hot, it was warm and soothing.
It was a feeling that felt foreign yet familiar, it felt like her entire existence was beings rejuvenated.
She closed her eyes to relish this strange yet beautiful sensation.
[Energy molding has leveled up!]
[Energy sensing has leveled up!]
I opened my eyes as the flames had began to dessipate. But Something was different.
'I used to do this a lot but I have never felt this light....eh, maybe it was always like this. It's been 6 years since I last did this after all.'
I looked at Emilia who still had her eyes closed and smiled, my own eyes softening.
'She looks just like Maria. The resemblance is so uncanny.'
I thought, reaching up to her face and gently tucking back a stray lock of hair.
My eyes hardened with resolve, a small ember that seemed on the verge of extinguishing exploded into a inferno of determination.
'I won't lose you. Never again. Even if I have die again and again, I'll do it.'
My hand unknowingly caressed her cheek deep in thoughts, I didn't notice as she opened her eyes and looked at me. Confusion filling her eyes.
"I will protect you, No matter what. I swear on my existence itself."
"Uh-uhm S-su-subaru...."
Emilia said, her face flushed which caused me to break out of my chain of thought and realize where my hand was.
I quickly pulled my hand back as if I have been shocked, my face having turned pink from embarrassment.
"Uh, emilia I uh, I didn't- I wasn't really thinking straight-"
I tried to explain but what came out was a jumbled mess of words.
By some miracle my savior appeared in the form of a flying cat. Puck popped out from behind emilia with a huge smile.
"Hello subaru! Great morning, isn't it?"
Puck said, clearly trying to distract emilia from the current situation, which I was thankful for.
"Great? I'd like go with eventful instead. Woke up, ended up in a endless hallway, met a blonde girl who sucked out all of my mana and decided to test how sturdy the walls of the mansion is by slamming me on it and then met two maids who designated me as a failure on first glance."
I told him my morning experience in a nutshell which made him laugh while clutching his stomach.
"Nothing is ordinary when it comes to you my friend. To think you met Betty right after waking up."
I shook my head and chuckled myself, if I were to take out the criticism then yeah, it was quite hilarious.
"You two seem to be getting along quite well, good morning puck. I am sorry to put you through so much yesterday."
"morning Lia, I almost lost you yesterday, I can never thank subaru enough. I should do something for him."
Puck said after landing in emilia's hands in a thinking pose with both arms crossed.
"You don't have to, I'm happy that you trusted me enough to take care of emilia. Though if you really want to, then let me feel your fur sometimes."
I said while getting up and stretching a bit more to get the blood pumping.
"No problem! So, were you guys gardening? I have never seen flowers like this before."
I looked at him confused beforelooking around me. My eyes widen at the site.The once emerald green grass was now pale white as golden tulips and daisies bloomed around us.
'This is bad, I didn't expect the leakage to be this high...I have to increase my control.'
I thought, watching emilia and puck admiring the flowers, but I noticed something peculiar.
A different flower, a black rose to be precise. Upon further inspection, I felt the presence of corruption inside it which was shocking.
'Corruption isn't something that can give life to anything, it's nature is death and destruction at its finest. So, how was I able to-!?'
My blood ran cold the moment I saw emilia reaching out, about to touch it.
I swiftly reached out and grabbed her wrist, halting her from most likely killing herself.
"You should not touch suspiciously dangerous things emilia tan."
She looked me, a little surprised and confused so I decided to demonstrate what I meant.
letting go of her wrist, I grabbed the rose and plucked it out, the moment my fingers made contact, they began to slowly turn gray around the tips and soon the skin broke and crumbled away as blood began to flow out.
Emilia looked shocked at that and covered her mouth while Puck floated around the rose, examining it.
"This flower possesses the power of corruption, its something that people with Devine power accumulate upon committing a sin. We call it karmic backlash."
I let a small amount of Devine energy flow into the rose while healing the destroyed skin, the energy opposed each other until the flower lost all of its energy and turned into a golden rose.
I lifted the rose and placed it in her silver locks making the beautiful rose become even more dazzling in her hair.
"See, even though I have a energy that directly counters it, it still damaged me. So next time, ask me or puck before touching anything that looks dangerous."
I said, to which emilia nodded like a little kid that was tasked to get groceries for the first time.
"Then what are the golden one's supposed to do? Are they similar to your healing ability? And what does tan means?"
Emilia asked, poking the golden flowers cautiously like a cat making me doubt that she might really be puck's daughter. I chuckled and nodded.
"Yes, they are densely saturated with Devine power and high Vitality. With right materials, they can be used as ingredients for healing potions or disease curing pills. And as for tan, I'm sorry, I have a bad habit of giving pets names to my friends. Sorry if it bothers you. "
I said rubbing the back of my neck which caused emilia to frantically shake head and arms.
"No! No! It doesn't bother me at all!"
Our musings were cut short as the maids from before approached us.
"Emilia Sama. Our master, lord roswaal has returned, please come inside."
They said in a flawless sync making me wonder if they possess a skill like [Battle sync] or not.
Sometime later. After following them through the long hallways of the gigantic mansion, we arrived at giant hall with a dining table in the middle.
"I was watching you from upstairs, and you know what? It would seems you're quite dumb, I suppose."
Beatrice said as she stood near the door, her words stabbing like hundreds of deadly projectiles.
I fell to the floor shaking with blood flowing out of my mouth.
'Why Is everyone in this world so brutal with their words? It feels like hugging a razorwrat.'
(A/N: razorwrat is a human sized monster that looks like a mixture between a mouse and armadillo with jagged blades jutting out of its body coated with a toxin that increases the sensation of pain five folds and has hemotoxic properties.
It's preferred method of hunting is by curling into a ball and ramming into its prey and leaving its sword like quills inside their body and waits for them to bleed out.)
"Ugh... can't deny it tho. I did try to use divinity on a spirit without knowing its effects. I'm sorry, Beatrice."
I said, sitting on the floor and rubbing the back of my head, Beatrice simply hmphed and looked away while emilia was confused as to how I suddenly started bleeding out of wounds that aren't even their.
"Hey, Betty. haven't seen you in four day. Have you been doing well and staying ladylike?"
Puck asked from atop of emilia's shoulder and for the first since my first meeting with Beatrice, I saw smile.
"Bubby!"
Her face brightened as a excited smileappeared on her face. She walked forward, arms stretched out towards emilia and puck.
"I have been waiting for you to come home. Will you stay with me today, do you suppose?"
She asked puck, her voice filled with excitement and joy. Puck jumped off of emilia's shoulder and landed on her open palms.
"Sure, no problem. Let's finally relax together today."
"Yay!"
She cheered gleefully while spin around holding puck Acting like a little kid.
"Bewildered, aren't you? Beatrice is so taken with puck."
Emilia said, looking at my dumbfounded expression.
"Who even says 'Bewildered' now days? But I sure am. I know that we just met a few hours ago but I never thought that someone as arrogant and prideful as her would act like that."
I said. I had seen people who acted like Beatrice when I was in the church but I had never known that they could have a side like that.
My musings were cut short by the sound of a footstep right behind me.
I instinctively stiffened as I hadn't sensed any form of life force behind me.
"My my! How unusual to see you here, Beatrice! I'm so happy you've decided to dine with me."
The person said in a wierd tone where he would drag some of the words out.
"That boy is more than enough addle-brained fool for me, I suppose. Betty was only waiting for bubby!"
Beatrice replied, targeting both the speaker and me before continuing to rub her face against puck's soft and fluffy fur.
"Oh my! You must be the one I have been hearing about, subaru natsuki-kun if I'm not wrong?"
The person addressed me in that same weirdly creepy tone. I turned to look at the being who was able to get near me without being detected and...
"A clown?"
Yes. The man who was able bypass my ability to sense life and shook me enough to enter into a fight or flight state looked like a clown.
"Uh-uhm.... su-subaru thats..."
Emilia tried to say something, her face showing worry but she was cut offed by the clown.
"No, it's quite alright, emilia sama."
The man said, leaning forward towards me, almost causing our noses to touch and said something that made me freeze up instantly.
"I'm the owner of this manor, Roswaal L Mathers. It is a pleasure to meet you. Natsuki subaru-kun"
'....shit.'