Chapter 17 - 017: Prelude Of The New Era

After healing the boy, Rem intended to leave him alone there but after thinking it trough she decided to wait for him to awake first.

And not long after receiving treatment from Rem Subaru wake up and look at his surrounding, the first thing that he does is expresses his gratitude to the one who saves him.

"If you can move on your own then I will leave now" Rem prefer to go from this place as fast as possible so she can help Emilia to catch the thief who stole the dragon insignia from Emilia, it was such a big mistake for the insignia being stolen when Emilia is under her protection

"Wait! You're in a hurry to find that girl right?! How about I help you as payment for your help?!" The girl is the only one who is kind enough to help him when he is ȧssaulted by the trio thugs, he is sure the pedestrian should hear his voice but they decide to not help him because they didn't have anything to do with him but for the girl in front of him who have something more important to do choose to help him and didn't leave him immediately, he needs to help her.

"What kind of help a weakling like you who can't fight against normal thugs in my problem?" Maybe he wants to express his gratitude but except being a burden for her, Rem can't think any other use from the boy

"That's hurt a lot! Because of me, you waste a lot of time to after the thief right?"

"At least you aware of it, but even though you're aware all of this because of you, you still want to make me stay here any longer?"

"It's very hurtful to hear it from you but I must preserve! You didn't know where she goes right? If that's the case then you need my help!"

"You know where she goes?"

"No! But I- hey! Don't leave! Let me finish first!"

Rem stop walking and look at him as if indicate if it was his last chance

"You didn't know how her face right? And she is probably already run away to a very far place, but I was different! I know how she looks like and with that, we can ask around to find where she is probably gone after she stole something, with how familiar she is with the layout of this place there is a high chance if this is not her first time to steal something from this area" Subaru tell his idea in one go afraid if his savior while leaving him immediately if he didn't speak fast enough

"At least you still something in your head even after receiving such hard kick on your head" Rem examining the boy in front of her before she walks away "We will use your idea, I take it as a form of gratitude from you"

"Yes! Yes! You can take it like that, oh by the way I didn't know your name" Subaru following behind Rem and ask about her name

"My name is Rem, just Rem"

"Oh what a good name! My name is Natsuki Subaru, can you tell me where is that girl stole something from you?"

After Subaru inquired about the place where is the thievery is happened it brings back him the fruit shop he visits before

"As I said I didn't have time to waste for a broke person! Go away!" The store owner still didn't tell anything to Subaru despite what he said

Seeing there is no hope for getting an answer from the store owner if she leaves it to Subaru Rem decide to do it by herself

"I'm sorry but can you be kind enough to tell me about the thief? If it about buying your stuff I promise to buy it when I back to the capital but for now I need to find the thief first"

"Aah? What it is now? What promise can do at this time ?" The store owner still skeptical but he didn't as hard as to how he talks to Subaru

"My name is Rem, a maid of Margrave Roswaal L Mathers. This is my lord insignia and I will guarantee it with my life if it was a real thing, if you afraid I give you a false promise then you can use it to ask one thing from my lord" Rem take out an insignia that engrave with Mathers family symbol and let the store owner examine it

"Just remember to buy something from me next time is enough I didn't want to involve with someone who is way above me" the store owner gives back the insignia to Rem before he tells her anything that he knows including the way to loot cellar

The real reason why he didn't think the insignia is fake because except for someone who is tired of living there is no one who wants to be on the bad side of the Mathers family. All of the head of Mathers family is the strongest magician in the kingdom including the current head Roswaal L Mathers, aside from being famous for their magic talents this family also famous for their attitude to their enemies so he didn't want to involve with this family for trivial things like this.

Following the direction given by the store owner Rem and Subaru arrive at the slum area, the slum's inhabitant is not welcoming to Rem who is wearing maid uniform that likely made from expensive material that they can't even dream to have in their lifetime, no matter how much Rem asking there is no one who wants to talk with her.

Seeing this is his chance to shine Subaru approach one of a man who is sitting in front of a rundown house and with his shameless friendly attitude, Subaru successfully gets the right directions to the loot cellar where is Felt usually hanging out.

"See? They can feel my pure soul and my kindness so they talk to me without any animosity" Subaru announce his successful inquiry to Rem because along the way he can't prove to her if he is not just a burden for her

"I'm sure they're just looking at you as one of their kins if we count on your messy dirty clothes and the bruises on your face they will think you're Felt's one-time partner who is getting caught by me"

"Why your opinion about me is always bad?" Subaru asks dispirited

"Since when you think you're very helpful? You insist to be the one who is leading the way but you end up bringing me to a dead end a few time, aside for your idea to bring me back to that store you didn't do anything at all because I need to take care anything else after that"

"Can you at least be merciful and phrase it more nicely? No matter how strong my heart is I still feel pain deep inside my heart"

"Rem didn't have an obligation to make you feel better when you didn't even do something good. Enough with all of this, the loot cellar that we searched is there"

Rem and Subaru arrive in front of a building that has a high chance to be the loot cellar they search, it wasn't a high-storied building, but it was wide enough to the point where it looked as though it could function as living quarters for a large number of people, the building was right up against a tall defensive wall, and was in the deepest part of the slums.

"This place is to vacant to be called as loot cellar" Subaru look at the surrounding and didn't find any other person around the building, maybe that's because the sun has set already and the people didn't like to stroll around at night in this area "Alright, leave it to me"

"All right. I'll leave it to you." Rem answer nonchalantly

"Look, I understand that it's hard for you to let me handle something this important, and I'm not stupid enough to think that I've gained your trust, but I've got a plan, so if you'd just trust me this once—Wait. Huh?!"

"Why are you so surprised? And can't you stop scream for every little thing? Are you want to make the one who inside has time to run?"

"Going by everything that's happened so far, you'd think that this would signal the start of an argument, right? I imagined you'd say something like, 'Do you really expect me to just let a good-for-nothing like you, whose only ability is to convert oxygen into carbon dioxide, handle something this important? Don't make me laugh! I'd expect a dog to do a better job than you!' Then I, while hurt, would use the opportunity to renew my determination!"

"I didn't understand what you're saying in the first part but for the last part, I think I can agree with your word if a dog can do a better job than you. Of course, I will not said it aloud if not for you who talk about it" Rem close her eyes before she speaks again "setting aside all of your nonsense your idea to ask the store owner for Felt whereabouts is successfully bring us here and I'm feeling thankful for you to help me in my problem, so if you want to going inside first to prove yourself then I will not forbid you... good luck"

worth it."

"You know, if you had just looked up at me and said, 'Please, do your best for my sake,' I would have been totally pumped up to do this, you know?"

"I can't force myself to say something like that, but if we successfully retrieve the badge that she stole then I will try to have Roswaal-sama give you a huge reward"

"Although I didn't know who it is the Roswaal-sama you're talking about but…All right, I'll give it my best shot," said Subaru, breaking into a smile before heading toward the entrance of the cellar and disappear into the darkness

Rem who is waiting outside feel something didn't right and then she heard a sound of Subaru who is screaming painfully, taking out a flail Rem charging to the loot cellar she never thinks the people in the loot cellar will beat him up the moment he enter there

"This smell!" Rem catches an unusual smell filled the room but she is too late to notice there is someone who is moving in the dark and with the swing of it hand an arc of light from the reflection of the moonlight on the cold surface of the weapon slashing at a very fast speed aiming to her head.

Rem feel the world is spinning and she lost her balance before falling to the floor, what she feels is not a sharp pain because there is a weapon that slashing her head but other than a dull sound and being knocked down she didn't feel anything at all.

The force behind the attack that aims at her head must be very strong because after there is something that blocks the attack and saves her from death, she can't move her body and it must be because her back head receives an impact from that attack.

Although she can't move her body she can still use her eyes to look the situation around her, what she sees is a familiar person with white hair have his back facing her with a sword in his right hand pointing at the darkness, maybe the one who is attacking her is hiding in the darkness and waiting for opportunity to strike again

"My my my... I didn't know how you can appear in such speed and save that girl, may I have the pŀėȧsurė to know your name?" A seductive voice is heard from the darkness

"I think it was a waste to said my name because you will not have a chance to remember it" Arthur let out a sigh of relief because he successfully blocks an attack that will kill Rem

"Oh, may I know what is that?" The voice in the darkness didn't feel angry or being offended when she received an answer like that instead she looks like happy judge it by the tone of her voice

Rem want to know who is the one that attack her because the voice that she heard is impossible to be the voice of Felt who stole the badge from Emilia but before she can hear the answer she feel there is someone who held her hand tightly and she heard Subaru's voice murmuring something that she can't hear clearly

...

"As expected from existence that can't be exterminated by the force of the Dragon, the Sage and the Sword Saint... what a terrifying girl" Arthur adjust his breath before he once again looks at the crowded streets "The story will officially start now"