The company gave me a chance to make things right.

In front of the appa (ringa) merchant’s stall, I returned by death.

“Oi! If you’re just gonna stand there, get out of the way for my payin’ customers, yeah?”

I rubbed the back of my head, “My bad!”

I turned to my left and held out a hand. “Rem, let’s go.”

“Yes.” She replied warmly with a smile.

My biggest frustration with Canon, was when Rem lost her memories. This time, I would save her.

----------------------------------------

----------------------------------------

On the ceiling of a roof in the capital of Luginica, I faced the blue-haired beauty before me.

“Rem,” I started to say, checking her face for a reaction.

“Yes?”

“I’d like to give you an opportunity. The truth is, I like you. I want to be with you.”

Rem’s face looked at me with shock— she must not have expected that. Though, she made no motion to interrupt. She always did listen to Natsuki Subaru intently.

“Run away with me. If you do, I can promise that I’ll give you my entire heart. I’m giving you a chance right now. If you accept, I promise that I’ll love you and only you.”

For a tense moment, she stared at me as she gathered her thoughts.

“I cannot do so.” She replied.

Even though I expected her reply, I couldn’t help but be a little bit disappointed.

“I’ve thought about it too, you know. We could live together in a small apartment, maybe in someplace like Kararagi. As long as we could find work, I’m sure we could make due. Fortunately, I received an education, so I know I could find work. You might have to do manual labor or work hard to educate yourself.

“We’d have two— no, three children.” Rem blushed, even the tips of her ears turning red. “They might all be girls, and you may be upset that there were no boys. But, we would love each other anyway. In the village, we’d be known as the doting old couple, who never get separated. I’ve thought about this, fantasized about all of this, and more. And that’s why, I have to reject your offer.”

I let out a depressed chuckle, “If all of that is true, why would you say no?”

“Because I know that if we ran away together now, I’d be leaving behind the Subaru-kun that I love the most. You’re my hero, and I know that’s why you’ve given me this offer. I’m truly happy, so truly happy from the bottom of my heart. But, I know that you aren’t just my hero, are you?”

I sighed. “I love everyone at the manor. I love Emilia, Beatrice, and even Ram. I’m a greedy, disgusting man, don’t you know? I want to save them. They are in danger.”

“Yes. But let me correct one thing, I love that Subaru-kun, the one who jumps into danger to save those he cares about. The Subaru-kun who will overturn the darkest of futures so that we can laugh like an Oni. Don’t say you are disgusting, because I think you are wonderful.

“If something happened, please tell me. I want to be your strength.” The wind blew and parted Rem’s hair, allowing me to see the resolve in her eyes.

I walked forward, not content to let things just end here. “It might be selfish of me, but Rem, will you accept my love even if you aren’t the only one whom I give my affection?”

“I would be happy if you could save even just a sliver of affection for me.” Rem smiled.

“Would you be happy, even knowing I’m a greedy man who wants four lovers?”

“I would be happy as long as you let me stay by your side.”

“Would you be happy, even if I constantly ask you to fight for me? I’m weak, and I constantly rely on others.”

“I would be happy to fight for you.”

I let out a breath and stared up at the sky, gathering my resolve. Then, I looked back down into Rem’s face with hard eyes, trying to show my determination.

Rem glanced down and mumbled, “If you look at me so intensely, I’ll blush you know...”

I walked forward. With one arm, I wrapped around Rem’s waist and pulled her close to me. She stumbled for a second and opened her mouth in surprise. With my other hand, I gently caressed her cheek. Finally, I pulled her in for a kiss.

For a brief moment, I recognized that Rem must be inexperienced. Her lips didn’t move to reciprocate, and I worried slightly that I had gone too far. But then, she melted against me and I had to support her entire body weight so she wouldn’t collapse. I felt her soft feminine curves push up against me even as I held her tightly from behind. Her lips pushed back against mine desperately, and I returned her fervor with my own.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

After a few wonderful moments, in which we kissed, I pulled my head back— still holding her body tightly against mine.

“Three kids, huh? I guess I’ll have to work hard to support everyone.”

Rem looked down and blushed, “Yes.” She said quietly. “You’ll have to work hard to restore the Oni race.”

I chuckled at the thought— me, singlehandedly bringing the Oni race away from extinction.

“Even if we have twins or even triplets, I’ll love them with my entire heart,” I declared, looking at my new lover warmly.

“I know.” She said simply, with complete trust.

“Ahhh!” I said into the heavens, “We have a lot of work cut out for us if we want to save everyone! If I’m to be your hero, we need to get started on saving them right away.”

“Yes.”

“You better get ready for tonight, Rem!

“Ah! But, I’m not ready, but if Subaru-kun is insisting,” For some reason, Rem whispered to herself quietly and blushed even harder than before.

“After all, there’s a lot I need to explain to you, to talk to you about.” I smiled.

“Oh, of course, that’s what Subaru-kun meant.” She smiled, almost self-deprecatingly. “You are a lady killer, you know?”

“What?”

“Never mind.” Rem pulled the hug tighter as she rested the side of her face into my chest. She was warm.

----------------------------------------

----------------------------------------

I pushed the double wooden doors open into Crusch’s office. The high-class room was furnished with expensive upholstery and elegant paintings. I moved to sit down at a small loveseat. Across from me, Crusch sat in a similar chair, a coffee table the only thing separating us.

Rem moved behind me, standing just to the side of my chair. Felis and Wilhelm mirrored Rem, standing slightly behind and to either side of their mistress Crusch. The cat-eared boy with brown hair wore a feminine frilly blue and white dress, which I couldn’t help but be slightly weirded out by. Wilhelm, in contrast, stood with perfect poise and posture— the air of a warrior surrounding him. No one would realize the man was old if not for his white hair and beard— his hard jawline and strong muscles showed even through the butler’s uniform he wore.

Crusch, garbed in her Western-style military garb, stared at me intently. Her dark green hair almost looked black in the somewhat dark lighting of her office.

“I’d like to make a deal of equals.” I started, well aware of how this conversation went in canon. My plan was to follow the path the original Natsuki Subaru already carved for me— with a couple of modifications.

“I’m listening,” Crusch said, planting her chin in her hand as she leaned her elbows against her knees.

“I know without a doubt where and when the White Whale will be. In exchange for that information, I’d like to ask that you take me and Rem on the hunt.”

At the mentioning of her name, I turned slightly in my seat to face Rem. She looked so adorable in that maid uniform of hers. I couldn’t help myself, I reached an arm over the arm-rest and grabbed onto her wrist. The woman's body was so tiny, it was easy to maneuver her around. Body Talent made it even easier to pull her in front of the seat.

“W-what, what are you?” Rem asked, flustered.

After I had her positioned in front of my chair, her back facing me, I wrapped both arms around her waist and pulled her into my lap. She was much shorter than me, so it was easy to look over her shoulder and stare at Crusch.

It may be inappropriate to do such a thing in the middle of negotiations, but I figured the display would actually throw Crusch off by making her flustered.

“Su-Subaru-k-kun,” Rem stammered. I could see the backs of her ears turn bright scarlet.

In front of me, Crusch readjusted her position and faked a cough. I pulled my attention back to my negotiation opponent.

“And, what makes you think I would be interested in such a deal? You also still haven’t yet stated a proper wish for what you want in return.”

At her question, I turned my attention to Wilhelm. He looked at me right back, equally as intense.

Finally, I pulled my gaze back to Crusch. “Don’t play games with me. We both know you cannot afford to pass up this information.”

“What are you implying?” Crusch asked, trying to throw me off. Too bad for her, I knew the future.

I ignored her question, instead, I continued with my proposal. Besides, she knew exactly what I was implying. “In exchange for my information, I would ask that you provide me with military strength as I return to the Roswaal manor.” I leaned back in my seat, pulling Rem’s back in closer to my front. I could feel her tiny butt perfectly positioned in my lap.

“As I am sure you are aware, the White Whale is often sighted at the same time as the Witch’s cult. I know for a fact that the White Whale is accompanied by no less than the Sin Archbishop of Sloth, Petelgeuse Romanée Conti. After we subjugate the Whale, any military force you can spare will accompany me to Roswaal manor where we shall eliminate the Sin Archbishop.”

“Hold on, before we get that far, how can I trust your information? You aren’t a part of the Witch’s cult are you?”

“Subaru would never!” Rem began to angrily shout in my defense, but I interrupted her before she could get too flustered.

With a quick motion, I pulled Subaru’s flip phone out of my pocket. Though, I guess I was Subaru, now. “This,” I said as I showed it off to those in the room, “Is a metia. It will tell me exactly when the White Whale is going to appear. As long as we have this, we can accurately track the Whale’s movements.”

At that moment, the double doors to Crusch’s office slammed open. “I sure hope ya’ll dun’t mind if we intrude?” Anastasia Hoshin said with her thick Kararagi accent.

“You planned this, I take it?” Crusch said.

“That lil’ blue-haired maid of his contacted us,” Anastasia said. Her pale purple hair accented her upper-class scarf and white dress perfectly. However, her fuzzy Ushanka-looking hat was pretty silly in my opinion.

“Russell Fellow,” Crusch said, “I suppose Subaru is the reason you are here, also?”

“Indeed. As a representative of the merchant’s guild, I couldn’t let an opportunity to buy such a unique metia go to waste.

“In exchange for that metia, Subaru has asked if we’ll join in the White Whale subjugation. Additionally, he’s offerin’ us half of the minin’ rights to them magic stones on Roswaal’s land. Well, we sure as heck wouldn’t be mercenaries or merchants if we ignored tha opportunity for gold, would we?”

“I see, I’ve been completely outmaneuvered, is it?” Crusch said somewhat self-deprecatingly. Though, I noticed she was smiling.

“Very well, Natsuki Subaru. I accept your proposal. In exchange for the information on the White Whale, I will lend you my strength.”

“I’d like to just make one correction,” I stated into the room, causing everyone to go silent. “You must agree that we will go into battle as allies.”

The tension in Crusch’s shoulders immediately relaxed, and she let out a brief few chuckles. “Very well, Natuski Subaru!” She stood up and offered me her hand.

In response, I picked Rem up from underneath her armpits, causing her to squeak slightly. I put her down on her feet gently, then I stood up. With a smooth motion, I reached forward to clasp Crusch’s hand into my own.

“By this time tomorrow, the world will be celebrating the death and defeat of a menace.”