CHAPTER 5: TEAM EMILIA
So they end up departing for SANCTUARY two days later. Frederica's there at the stables telling Patrasche the route, and Subaru suggests that she tell him the location instead to lessen some of her workload, but she refuses by saying that SANCTUARY is a pretty important place for the Master and a servant such as herself couldn't possibly divulge that information of her own accord, and honestly she'd rather not even be telling the ground dragon.
Subaru's forced to accept this and spends those two days in boredom hanging out with the Arlam villagers and going back to his position as a servant doing odd jobs around the mansion.
Emilia's still disappointed at Puck's absence and spends her time timidly going down to the village with Subaru to try to close the distance between herself and the villagers, and reading documents and books Subaru can't understand, to bolster her knowledge.
A few changes happened over that period.
Otto: “Aaaah! How did the chaos and clutter even get this bad!? The documents which need full perusal, the documents which you can skim over, and the documents not worth skimming over haven't been sorted, and so this!”
And there's Otto arranging documents at terrifying speed. He's glancing over the documents to the point he gets the gist of the content, throwing it onto a mountain of papers stacked up on the desk, and continuing to do this one document after the other. Subaru watches on in wonder, hand on chin, at the dizzying speed of Otto's eyes and hands, his head looking to be running so fast it'll spout flames.
Subaru: “Man, amazing. Me, even if I look at the lines of text, what it says is nothing but gibberish.”
Otto: “I am not touching the content of these. Right now, my only intention is optimizing the processable ones related to account booking, processable petitions, and various miscellaneous ones. Or rather, this document filing truly should've been done once they were first received... or no, I'm sure that this sorting method has some law which only the one who regularly deals with them understands.”
Since the one who deals with these documents is Roswaal, Otto's laments are more than likely right. It's like Roswaal to have a bitch of a sorting system. But now that he's gone and others can't understand said system, all that's left is to start over resorting them from step one.
Otto: “Alright, that should be about finished. Now is to arrange them in chronological order... though maybe I should subdivide the ones awaiting processing and the ones already processed first...”
Subaru: “Methodical or perhaps it's neuroticism, either way you're definitely a type A.”
Otto: “What is that, that 'taeype ahye.' It doesn't sound like it means much good.”
Subaru silently wagagagaggles his hand at Otto's staring, denying him explanation. Not like Subaru believes in blood type personality analyses, but it's great conversation material. By the way Subaru's a type B. The whole Natsuki family is a type B. Doesn't feel that great to have everybody you tell that respond with an 'I knew it.'
Otto: “Actually, I just thought something.”
Subaru: “What, your hands've stopped. You had a good pace there keep going.”
Otto: “I'm not adverse to this, being an advocate of efficiency, but isn't there something off about this situation in the first place? Why is a mere travelling merchant such as myself inside the Margrave's office, brow sweaty, frantically sorting documents? Isn't my position here off?”
Subaru: “Sure took you a while to notice.”
Subaru tilts his head and gives a meanypants smile. Getting Otto to sort the Margrave's documents is all part of Subaru's plans. Plans, to secure personnel for Team Emilia.
Emilia's position in the Royal Election isn't exactly favourable. Sure you have Subaru who's generally recognized as her knight who's succeeded with repelling the Witch Cult and the White Whale subjugation, but given how nasty the environment around Emilia is it's unclear how much effect those successes had. Emilia's starting point is way behind the other factions'. And then you have the fact that her backer, Roswaal, has kept his true plans invisible. Honestly as a backer, Roswaal is just a plain failure.
There's the fact he had no counterplans against the Witch Cult, and now the fact that even though they've got past the danger they still can't contact him. He's such a fucking pain it's no longer clear if he's enemy or ally. And then you have Ram who's Roswaal's devoted servant, Frederica who has great consciousness of her maidly position, and Puck and Beatrice who aren't talking to Subaru and Emilia.
So right now there's no one Emilia can talk to without worries. Of course Subaru wants to be that person, but the range of what Subaru can do is in fact less than a normal person.
So Subaru zeroes in on Otto.
Subaru: “Basically it's the strategy of 'if you have no allies nearby, why not just make one?'”
Otto: “I feel you just said something incredibly improper, but what you're talking about has nothing to do with me, yes?!”
Subaru: “Huh, I don't know. Hrm, really don't know. Oh, Otto-san. The documents here have yet to be sorted.”
Otto: “Ah, sorry. Erm, let's see.. Mining Site for Magical Crystals and Reserves in Stock this... shouldn't this document be absolutely forbidden for outsider inspection!?”
Subaru: “Ahhh nooo, you saw it. Ugh, you saw it. Ahhhh. Alright. Mhm, well, I'll talk this over with Roswaal real good, so you relax.”
Otto: “That there's nothing relaxing about this at all actually makes it amazing!”
Otto tears his eyes away from the document while Subaru grins super duper. Otto is fucking stunned at Subaru, and with his lips trembling,
Otto: “It couldn't be that you're not really supporting me, and are showing me forbidden documents to have me removed? To trample over and settle all my compensation from our deal?”
Subaru: “'Ydungetit. I'm fully intending to pay for your stock and fulfil your request. So I'm thinking I'll drag you in deeper making your escape even less possible.”
Otto: “Isn't that excessively malicious!? Why are you trying to burden this simple greenhorn travelling merchant with such a heavy load, please stop!”
Subaru wonders if he's gotten too carried away, his expression vanishes, and he mutters a “Sorry.”
Subaru: “Feel I kinda pushed too far out of impatience. Impatience from all these packed-in affairs, where the tangled threads show no sign of unravelling. I'm sorry for not asking about your circumstances too.”
Otto: “Uh, no, seeing you can suddenly get so collected is also kind of unsettling. ...Um, I wonder if I should ask. Why do you have such high expectations of me?”
Subaru goes over to the table. It's true that from neither Otto or Subaru's perspective they've had a long companionship or done anything particularly trust-building.
Subaru: “Saying it straight up, the reason I'm so attached to you isn't anything like that. It's not as if I evaluated you personally, and the fact you mentioned the terms when we first bumped into each other is huge.”
Otto: “Frank, aren't you. —I understand, but, terms?”
Subaru: “That you're factionless, devoted to no one in the Royal Selection. That you're sharp with weighting profits and losses, and your views on winning over allies through business negotiations are easy to understand. And most importantly, that you don't look at Emilia, a half-elf, with a discriminatory view, I guess.”
Otto falls silent. All the terms are definitely important considering the conditions Subaru's in, and Subaru's judged that Otto clears them all. Otto waits for Subaru's response, the look in his eyes different from when he's joking, lit with a composed glimmer and wavering as if he's guessing Subaru's thoughts. Appraising Subaru.
Subaru: “And this one is just going off patten, but.”
Otto: “—Let's hear it.”
Subaru: “I feel we'll do well with you. Honestly, I'm really not doing anything more than getting Emilia-tan more allies, but if that ally can get along with me too then that makes it even better. Ah, and there's also that you don't have any opposite-sex interest in Emilia-tan. Should you ever, even were you effectively an old playmate of mine, I would be forced to slay you...!”
Otto: “So it's only your rivals in love who get exterminated!”
Subaru: “Feel my chances of winning if a rival's there are straight zero! Don't you take my lack of faith in myself lightly. I can count all the people in my life who've given me approval on one hand.”
His parents, Rem, Wilhelm, Emilia, and conditionally Julius and Reinhardt. And he realises that he's suddenly, somehow gone over one hand. That he's gotten these judgements passed on him makes him wonder if it's safe to think that he's progressing in a slightly more respectable direction. Not that there's been any visible changes to him. Anyway,
Otto: “Grief, it sure is refreshing just how little you hide what's in your chest. Never let your poker face drop in front of a merchant as if, you realise that you're easy, exploitable game at the bargaining chair?”
Subaru: “If this chair were a bargaining chair I might've gotten myself into a bit of a hustle, but the people here aren't a merchant and his game, it's me and you. Though, if you're saying that you were intending to be in that position, I'll shift my gears and attitude.”
Otto: “Which is you saying you'll be assessing my qualities as a merchant. This is exactly what you'd call 'doing something in the same breath'... what exactly to do here.”
Otto sighs, his previous tense caution disappearing from his nonetheless troubled expression. He closes one eye at Subaru who looks completely indifferent to this.
Otto: “My bringing this up in this location sure is something though, Natsuki-san. My goal is... it isn't anything so outrageous as to tell people about it, but I do have a dream.”
Subaru: “I have a feeling that a man's dreams are restricted to being either so ridiculous they sound like an exaggeration or so ridiculous they have to be kept secret but, could you tell me it?”
Otto: “I hate that I can agree with that. ...You see, I'm the second son of a well-to-do family of merchants. I was brought up in that affluence when I was young, but my position wasn't one where my family could particularly do anything for me when it came to eventually becoming independent.”
Subaru isn't sure how much this place's sibling circumstances line up with those in the original world, but it seems like family businesses and nobility are hereditary, and generally the oldest son is the inheritor.
Otto: “I studied the fundamentals of commerce while helping my older brother in running the business, and became independent after saving up some foundation money. I bought a carriage with my ground dragon Frufoo and from there... well, I'd say the BLESSING I was born with made it go reasonably well.”
Subaru: “Blessing'd be... Blessing of XENOGLOSSY, was it. Yeah, it definitely seems like you could make some easy money with a blessing to talk to animals, depending how you use it.”
Otto: “It isn't useful enough to be worth mentioning. I'm sure it comes with more troublesome problems attached than you think, Natsuki-san. Either way, that's how I ventured around for years, and over that time there sprouted what you would call a dream.”
Subaru straightens himself in his seat to listen properly. Otto smiles affably.
Otto: “It's truly mundane.”
Otto: “It's the same dream any travelling merchant would wish for. —to possess your own castle of a store in a single fixed place, and continue doing business while staying put. If you can achieve that in a large town somewhere, there's no greater joy for a merchant.”
Subaru: “And that's your dream?”
Otto: “It's a stupid wish. Because after all my travelling round and round, ultimately what I want is to reach the same place as the house I was born and raised. But well, if I go and mention it, then I'd have to say that that environment is a symbol of happiness to me.”
Otto scratches his cheek at the awkwardness, speaking quickly to hide his embarrassment. Subaru understands and agrees with his answer, and settles deeper into his chair as he considers whether he can come up with a good reply. But before he can,
Otto: “As a merchant's second son, as a merchant, as a future huge merchant, I couldn't possibly let the opportunity to have a player as big as the Margrave in my debt escape me. And that would be without mentioning the debt's connectedness to one who may become the future Ruler, it's an exceedingly gigantic business opportunity that would never come again even if I redid my entire life.”
Subaru: “Alright, then you're all good with helping us. Thanks, I'm glad. Knew you'd say this, Otto. Now keep sorting the documents.”
Otto: “What!? You know I just said something rather neat just then? You don't think that reaction's too weak!?”
Subaru: “If I sincerely answered that with deep emotion I feel like I'd lose. ...Well, either way if an outsider were watching this it'dve been an Out! for you the second you touched those documents, no hope of escape. Kehkehkeh.”
Otto: “He's terrible no matter what angle you look at him, this man!”
So they basically wound back in the same rhythm as where they started, but Subaru has to be thankful for Otto. Definitely would never say so though.
Otto: “I will just be letting you know, I'm different from you, Natsuki-san, who is Emilia-sama's ally unconditionally. Our present arrangement is merely an acquaintanceship with conditions attached. Should a factional dispute come about between Emilia-sama and the Margrave, I will be choosing my side after properly considering the gains and losses. Please don't mistake me for a perfect ally.”
Subaru: “Which's why you deliberating on the scales balancing Emilia-tan and Roswaal is perfect I've got you in my hands. I'll drill Emilia-tan's goodness right into you sooner or later, relax. —Did you hear everything we just said good and clear?”
Subaru turns his head in another direction at the end there. Otto's expression goes dumbstruck, and he follows Subaru's gaze. And standing there is,
???: “Uh-huh... I mean, yes. I heard loud and clear, Subaru-sama.”
A girl in a maid outfit with chestnut-coloured hair, a smile on her lovable face. This was the second change that had occurred in these two days at the mansion.
Leaving Frederica to tend to the mansion alone (Subaru's also helping but his ability as a servant is equivalent to half a person and his body hasn't finished healing) seemed like it'd be physically impossible so they went to hire a helper from Arlam Village and surprise it's an enthusiastic Petra Leyte who's hired temporarily for now.
Subaru: “You're still so little, and you're already out of your house being a maid. You're amazing, Petra.”
Petra: “I'm already twelve, so I'm a grown-up who can work... I mean, adult. Subaru, -sama please treat me like a proper adult.”
Subaru something somethings telling her to get mastery of polite language from Frederica if her temporary maidiness is temporarily coming off. Also he's always going to treat Petra like she's a cutie.
He messes up her hair with aggressive headpats and she ends up clinging to him which wasn't what he expected but leagues better than her abusing or spitting on him. Subaru judges that Petra's affinity for being a maid with her unexpectedly solid upbringing is pretty high. It's probably safe to judge that she's better at cleaning and preparing meals etc than Subaru already if you include Frederica's backing her. Subaru fucking useless.
Anyway so she's been standing there listening in on the conversation from outside the door the whole time. Otto's face goes red as he realises he's been had.
Otto: “A-A set-up!?”
Subaru: “It's nothing to get that worried about. Just a third party's presence making your previous statements go down in the public record. A touching piece of craftsmanship made to secure the jury's conviction... is how I'd appreciate you to think of it.”
Otto objects to the use of the term 'piece of crasftsmanship' and questions what exactly is 'touching' about this. Otto realises that all his paths out are already gone and is half crying as he yells. Subaru smiles and shoots Petra a thumbs up.
Subaru: “Great work, Petra. But won't Frederica get mad at you for using your time on this?”
Petra: “This time is the time when I am cleaning the hallways. If I am cleaning the hallway outside of the Lord's room, even if I spend more time than usual, she will not get mad.” Subaru: “You're a crafty one. So even a little girl is still a woman...” Subaru's kind of saved by Petra's presence, because she's one of his helpers who isn't being influenced by Roswaal. There isn't as much she can do for Emilia as Otto, and the influence of her presence might be less than Subaru. But she's not scared of Emilia. And that alone makes her a saving grace for Emilia, definitely.
Subaru: “Having lots of allies's the most ideal outcome. And questioning what you can do isn't the issue here. What's important is wondering what is it you want to do for her sake, and about progressively becoming able to do something. Besides, if we're gonna talk about the number of things we can do, it turns into something awful with me involved.”
Subaru is aware that if you balance him in terms of pros and cons, he's more cons.
Subaru: “You're still super super little, but you go do you best from here on. Now, this makes us the founding members of Team Emilia.” Subaru engages fistbump mode. Ottto and Petra fistbump back, then look at each other. Otto: “I never said anything about joining this team, okay? Please don't misunderstand?” Petra: “I wanna be on the lady's side, but I don't really wanna lose to her on anything important...” So this isn't exactly the most promising lineup of allies but hey since they're all cool with fistbumping there is no doubting their goodness. And this was how Subaru spent his two days.
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