Volume 4 - CH 9.2

In response to Emilia’s anxious words, Roswaal poured out a stream of words devoid of any consideration. Seeing her eyes hurt and wavering, Subaru instantly turned on Roswaal and was about to open his mouth to object, but,

[Garfiel: Well, how ‘bout y’leave it there. You shouldn’t be so hard on’a wounded man. “Th’running spotted-beak’s hot now” isn’t it]

[Subaru: I guess that’s true unfortunately… not that I’m understanding enough of that to say I agree. But this is just a tiny complaint, we’ve totally established a translatable communication between us, haven’t we?]

Looking over his shoulder, Subaru shrugged as he saw Garfiel leaning against the door, baring his teeth. Seeing his reaction, Garfiel made a noise grinding his teeth, and looked around the room.

[Garfiel: Granny’s home’s supposed th’most spacious and proper one here, but with so many people, it gets cramped, huh. Guess I was right to leave that noisy guy behind]

[Subaru: Now that you mention it, I don’t see Otto around… Did he go home? Did you eat him?]

Emilia looked shocked at Subaru’s question, but Garfiel laughed out loud and slapped his knees, as if he’d just heard an amazing joke.

[Garfiel: I do have the blood of’a carnivore, but I don’t think I’d eat him. Especially ’cause that guy seems like he’d get even more noisy when I’m eating him. He said something about being worried about the dragon and the cart…… Well, he pretty much jus’ came up with some excuse and legged it]

With one arm swinging, and strutting over brutishly, Garfiel plunked himself down on a chair near the wall, and looked up at Ram, who was watching him sideways,

[Garfiel: Tea]

[Ram: I will go outside to collect some fallen leaves, so will you please wait for me?]

[Subaru: Even though I have a suspicion, but, what will you be doing with those fallen leaves?]

[Ram: I have no intention of wasting precious tea leaves on the sort who has no understanding of neither fragrance nor taste. That is Ram’s answer]

Having stated this in cold blood, Ram then earnestly went out the building. Pointing a finger up at Ram’s back, Subaru looked at Garfiel, wordlessly asking [What do you like about her?] In response to that, while chasing her back with his look,

[Garfiel: Strong-willed women are worth the chase, ain’that so? And being a male, getting strongly attracted to excellent female ain’t such’a strange thing]

[Subaru: Stuff like males and females, we’re not talking about telling chickens apart, so don’t keep using that. In spite of everything, Ram is a proper young woman, you know. Calling her that……]

[Garfiel: Huh? What’re you sayin’? I’m treatin’ her as properly as any woman could ask to be treated yeah? Also, before that we……]

As Subaru offered his frank advice on his unusual way of speaking, Garfiel frowned as if he just noticed something, and raised his eyebrows. His face then took on a displeased expression, and he turned a gaze filled with swords onto Rowaal on the bed,

[Garfiel: Son of’a, y’haven’t told ‘em yet? If it wer’ jus’ you gettin’ crumpled I’d brush it off as a joke, but, since that Half-Elf….. since Emilia-sama’s come here, it’s a whole different matter]

[Emilia: ――Eh?]

Garfiel had put his annoyance to his tongue and stamped it out. Emilia was surprised at hearing her name come out in the middle of his remark. But, with no regard for her astonishment, Garfiel snapped at Roswaal with an expression that was even more overflowing with anger than before.

[Garfiel: The moment Emilia-sama entered the Sanctuary, we got caught up in this mess y’know. Watcha gonna do about it? Ya haven’t even begun to go into the main issue here yet. Son of’a, did ya’ll jus come here to fool around?]

The latter half of his anger wasn’t just directed at Roswaal, but at Subaru and Emilia as well, who had also gone silent. Particularly, the rage dwelling in the look he aimed at Emilia was no laughing matter, and as if to protect her, who was pulling her shoulders closer together, Subaru stepped forward.

[Subaru: Hold on. I get that you’re angry, but I don’t even have a clue why. You’ll just get more and more angry if you keep talking to someone who hasn’t got a clue, right?]

[Garfiel: But that’s what pisses me off. When the person all this is about ain’t even got a clue……]

[Subaru: But the one disregarding “the person all this is about” and talking over her head is you and Roswaal over there, isn’t it? If you really are concerned with that problem and want to do something about it, fulfill your responsibility to explain it. Expecting us to get it without explaining anything makes you just as shameless as I was just a short while back you know]

As he was facing him, Subaru felt the pressure coming from Garfiel getting a whole level stronger. Garfiel’s stature was smaller than Subaru’s, and as he was currently sitting, the height difference was quite significant. In spite of this, the smallness of his stature was almost unnoticeable. No, considering the density of the pressure emanating from him, to Subaru, Garfiel appeared to be something like a massive boulder.

Knowing that Subaru was naturally chicken-hearted, averting his eyes and taking a step back would only have been expected,

But,

[Emilia: Subaru…]

Tightly, Subaru felt a delicate finger entangle itself onto his sleeve. The sound of a voice seemingly devoid of confidence calling him slid past his earlobes, and invested his trembling knees with renewed strength.

Emilia was standing behind him. Relying on him in her uncertainty.

As if he would really let his knees buckle in front of her, could he do something as lame as that?

[Garfiel: ――Tch]

They exchanged a stare in silence, and the first to avert his gaze was Garfiel. As he clicked his tongue, and entrusted his weight to the back of his seat, he stuffed his finger into his short, golden hair, and began to scratch at it violently.

[Garfiel: Aaah! I know, I was jus’ takin’ it out on you. I snapped, I said I’m sorry, oy!]

[Subaru: No, you haven’t really said that. But before that, didn’t anyone ever tell you you have a really annoying personality?]

As quick as he was to become emotional and shortsighted, he was just as quick to take back his rationality and acknowledge his faults. Subaru thought that personality must be so rough to have, and rather than indignation he put on a wry smile.

Seeing this, Garfiel let out an unbefitting sigh [Haaa],

[Garfiel: Shut up, I’ll be quiet, so get the conversation going in the meantime, ‘cause if I join in, the talk ain’t gonna go nowhere and it’ll become annoying]

[Subaru: The fact that you’ve analyzed yourself this well, but then went all the way around without changing anything… I find that pretty amazing]

[Garfiel: Complimentin’ me’s pointless, since I don’t really understand complicate things. Tuch]

Seeing Subaru go from exasperation to admiration, Garfiel snorted. Just then, Ram, returning from outside, handed him a cup of steaming tea.

[Ram: This is the definition of low-grade tea]

[Garfiel: Shouldn’t you usually speak a bit more politely when giving someone something?]

Ram replied with a [Is that so], and handed the cup over with a composed expression. Garfiel received the tea, and, even though it was probably burning hot, poured it all down his throat in one go. Although he was carnivorous, apparently he didn’t have a sensitive tongue. Seeing him empty the whole cup in one gulp, Ram let out a deep sigh.

[Ram: As usual, you are a man who has no regard for tea. That doesn’t suit Ram]

[Garfiel: But it just tastes like leaves. If yer want to whet yer throat, water’s the same. Right?]

[Subaru: While I agree that tea tastes exactly like leaves, I can’t help but have some reservations against such an extreme argument. Ram, how about letting him drink the other cup of tea?]

As Subaru pointed it out, Ram handed the other cup of tea to Garfiel. Its wavy color faintly resembled something along the lines of “Autumn Leaves”, and having noticed this from a distance, Subaru couldn’t stop himself from… well, recommending it.