Chapter Text
Loop - 142 (cosplay)
The Roswaal Manor was usually pretty quiet in the mornings, but not today.
Ram peeled the tatoes with perfection, she would never say it of course but it was the only dish she was good at and she took pride in it. Her sister Rem was currently preparing the rest of the grand feast Roswaal had ordered them to prepare.
She found her thoughts shifting to the strangeness of today. She was supposed to have gone to the capital with her lady Emillia but right before they could head out Roswaal appeared out of who knows where and told them to postpone the visit to another day.
“If I may ask, Why the sudden change of plans Roswaal sama?” Ram truthfully was delighted, her master not following that cursed book’s instructions? It was her dream come true.
Roswaal looked at her with a glint in his eyes that she hadn’t seen before “Ram, a very special guest is coming today. Prepare the most lavish breakfast you can”
She didn't know who the guest was but she internally thanked the unknown visitor for making her master deviate from the tome.
An hour had passed and now the table had been set, Emilia was seated and was visibly fidgeting. Shockingly Beatrice was also seated on the table and was playing with puck; turns out Roswaal had convinced her to come out of the library to join them in breakfast that day.
But there was no sight of Roswaal anywhere.
“Just where is that clown I suppose? To have brought betty to meet some strange guest and not even be present himself is the height of arrogance in fact.”
“Calm down betty, I'm sure there is a reason” Puck placated his sister who melted at his words.
By some miraculous timing, as soon as that was said they heard familiar footsteps approaching, followed by another.
“Hmph, so you finally show your face clown? The absolute gall-” Beatrice cut herself off and just stared where Roswaal suddenly appeared.
Emilia stared with her face frozen in shock. The two maid sisters were no better.
Ram looked once, rubbed her eyes and looked again at her master.
Roswaal was standing at the door.
Without makeup.
Wearing a ridiculous looking orange and black outfit she had never seen before.
With a hand on his hip and the other extended upwards with his finger pointing to the ceiling
“My name is Roswaal L Mathers, I am hopeless but rich beyond compare, nice to meet you” Roswaal spoke without his accent and held the pose.
Before any of them could even process what happened another man entered.
A black haired boy with senpaku eyes.
Wearing clown makeup
With the traditional Roswaal family's clown outfit
He extended his arms in the air and spoke up.
“Gree~tings, My name~ is Natsuki Su~baru. Not only am I hopeless but also broke~ beyond compare. Ni~ce to meet you” The boy introduced himself with a single song tone.
She didn't register anything else around her.
Ram’s brain short circuited, the cursed sight in front of her made her go blank
She fainted.
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Loop - 72
Julius was the first to stand up when they were informed by the innkeepers that the Emillia camp had arrived. He couldn’t wait to catch up with his friend Subaru even if he would never consider Julius as such.
Anastasia went ahead of while Julius and Mimi followed. They finally reached the gate and saw the familiar silhouette of his fellow knight from behind his lady’s back. Though for some reason his Lady was speechless which was pretty rare.
“Betty has no clue why she went along with this I suppose”
“Cmon beako you look adorable, though everything else in this world is miserable and dull. What a cruel place” those were not the words he expected to hear from Subaru’s mouth, Julius felt concern for whatever must have happened to make the cheerful boy sound so depressed.
“My amazing self agrees, this world is nothing but misery- did I do that right Cap’n?” That voice Julius did not recognise though he could make a guess of who it was.
“Indeed, to expect more than melancholy from the world that only takes and gives naught is hopeless, even such a city as this is simply beauty covering the remains of a witch” that was the voice of the court mage, Julius did not expect Roswaal to come along with them.
Finally he stepped out into the light and along with his lady was struck speechless.
Subaru, Roswaal, Garfiel and Beatrice were dressed head to toe in the black and radiated edginess. They all had one eye covered with their hair. Subaru and Roswaal had a scowl set on their face with a depressing aura. Beatrice tried her best to copy her contractor but appeared only cute and Garfiel couldn’t hide his grin at being like his Cap’n
Otto and Emilia were the only ones who were dressed normally the former had a hand on his head as if massaging a massive headache and the latter just looked really happy with a big smile.
“I think Subaru looks really dashingl” She said with a big smile and a redness in her face she probably didn't even realise was there..
“Emillia-tan! I am supposed to be Emo even though it makes my black and broken heart rejoice at the words of EMT”
She giggled in response.
Julius wondered if his drink had been spiked earlier. Anastasia was thinking the same.
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Loop - 690
Emilia was running more desperately than she ever had. How careless could she be? She lost the insignia that was proof of her candidancy. Dunderhead dunderhead dunderhead
“Lia calm down, we will find her” Pick spoke up from where he was seated trying to comfort his daughter.
Emilia appreciated her Father’s comfort but couldn't stop the panic in her heart. She looked up and saw she had reached an alleyway.
A few steps ahead of her was a strange looking boy with sharp eyes and black hair wearing the most unusual clothes – a foreigner?
She looked at his hands and saw her insignia! This boy was with the theif!
“Halt! Return to me what you stole at once” She lifted up her arms and shards of ice floated in the air besides her.
The boy did not look worried “Insignia? What is that?”
She frowned, why was he playing dumb. “Don't act innocent! That badge in your hand with the jewel in the centre, it's mine.”
Subaru made an o with his mouth and then smirked “The only jewels I see here are your eyes”
“..EHH?” She screeched, a big blush covering her face at the unexpected compliment. Was this a distraction?
“Do you know healing magic?” Subaru continued.
Emilia hesitantly nodded, her instinct to help someone in need flared up. “Are you hurt?”
“Yea, I might have scratched my knee cause of how hard I fell for you”
Emilia had no idea what a corny pickup line Subaru had just made and thought he really banged his knee.
Puck was not amused
“Hey boy If you keep going I will give you more than a banged knee” Puck scowled.
“I appreciate it but the only one I wanna bang is the one next to you; Father in Law” Subaru winked.
Puck’s face had gone devoid of emotion.
The next instant an ice age descended on the capital of Lugunica.