——One day, it all began as a spur-of-the-moment idea from Subaru.
"So,
After the meal had ended and the post-dinner conversation was underway, Subaru's question rang out clearly across the dining hall's sudden silence — right in the center of the mansion's most important faces gathered around the table.
The fact that it wasn't brushed aside, that it reached everyone's ears — that was, first and foremost, the first of fate's little pranks.
The one to tilt her head at Subaru's question was Emilia in the seat beside him. She ran a finger through her silver hair while poking at
"It's not like it's sudden or anything. It's been vaguely floating around in the back of my mind. I was just thinking — that girl who sits next to me making a face while eating bell peppers might end up becoming a king before I know it."
"Don't call her the Green Demon, Paimerl."
A light jab returned with a tap to the forehead by her finger.
At the small, sharp sensation, Subaru placed a hand on his forehead. Behind the hardness of her nails, he could feel her softness, and inwardly he was delighted.
With that cutting remark tossed over her shoulder, she walked on.
Subaru poked his own cheek in response, then bared his teeth like a child and went "Eeee," saying: "And don't go sneaking up at convenient times to spy on people's dopey faces or anything. Also, only bringing post-meal tea to Rozu and nobody else is way too much favoritism!"
"Favoritism? This is clearly a matter of priority within Ram's hierarchy. Roswaal-sama comes first, then Emilia-sama and the Great Spirit, and then somewhere past a wall so deep you'd have to tunnel all the way through it to the other side… well, I suppose Barusu can sit there."
"I've never been that far below the top tier in anyone's ranking before!? I've got standards, y'know!"
Ram puffed out her chest and boldly ignored Subaru's shriek, gliding smoothly to Roswaal's side. Roswaal, who had been reading a book at the head of the table, noticed her approach and received the black tea she offered with a practiced hand, bringing it to his lips. He let it rest on his tongue, savoring it: "Hmm, yah, as expected, post-meal just isn't the same without Ram's tea, is it? This one cup makes the whole day worth living, eh?"
"I am undeserving of such praise."
Ram stood with serene composure, maintaining a posture of perfect deference — toward Roswaal, at least.
When you're shown that stark a gap in how you're treated, it almost kills the desire to file a complaint. And yet, swallowing his dissatisfaction wasn't exactly going to lift Subaru's spirits either.
"Please don't be too hard on her. It was
Emerging from the kitchen in her server's attire — a tray large enough for the whole table's worth of tea sets balanced in both hands — Rem gently chided the sullen-looking Subaru.
She smiled at the turn-back Subaru, lightly raised the tray, and said: "I wanted Subaru-kun to have tea brewed by Rem. I asked Sister to teach me properly from scratch and prepared it all over again."
"Hoh-ho! Now that's some commendable dedication, Rem. I'll accept your offer with full appreciation!"
"Please do. Under Sister's supervision, I prepared this with every ounce of resolve I could muster — enough to wring blood from myself. Even if I could never brew tea again afterward, that wouldn't matter. I bet everything on this single cup. Now, please drink."
"You'd pour that kind of soul-crushing resolve into a casual tea break!?"
Subaru's face went pale with shock, but Rem pushed her do-or-die cup forward onto the table. The faintly steaming liquid looked, at first glance, indistinguishable from ordinary tea. But this was the result of Rem's blood-sweat-and-tears effort. It was probably packed with iron or something equally incredible.
"Well, no sense in overthinking it. Here goes a sip — mmm, delicious! It honestly does seem to give off the impression that it's noticeably different from the usual, in a way that I can't definitively say there isn't a difference of one or two flavors, yet at the same time there's definitely something subtly nice about it!"
"So… does that mean it's good? How is it?"
Emilia tilted her head at Subaru's rambling commentary. As a straightforward verdict, it tasted great. But he couldn't honestly tell the difference from the usual tea all that clearly. For starters, Subaru rarely drank fancy beverages like black tea or coffee. He had the palate of a child, and back in his original world, his experience extended only as far as sodas or, if he was lucky, cocoa.
"Come to think of it, I haven't had cola in ages, huh? Carbonation… I thought it was made of carbon dioxide, but I wonder if I could make it here somehow."
"Subaru-kun, Subaru-kun, how was the tea?"
"Huh? It's great! When the feelings are put in, the taste really does change!"
"Really? …And, um, you're not feeling feverish or warm all of a sudden, are you, Subaru-kun?"
"Feverish…? No, I don't think anything's changed."
Subaru tilted his head, brow furrowing at the strange follow-up question.
The slightly rich tea was quite pleasant, but it hadn't produced any dramatic changes in his body. It had simply added a bit of warmth to his post-meal stomach, which wasn't half bad.
Receiving Subaru's answer, Rem stared intently at him for a moment, then — still looking somewhat dissatisfied — covered her mouth with the tray: "I'm glad you enjoyed it, Subaru-kun."
"Your expression, your words, and the look in your eyes don't really match up with that question you asked earlier."
"Not at all. More importantly, if you're satisfied with the tea, then you're welcome to praise Rem for demonstrating her ambition to improve?"
"You remembered, what a sweetheart. Sure, fine. Come here."
Subaru beckoned to Rem, who had been glancing at him hopefully for approval. As she sidled close, he ran his palm over her blue hair. Her invisible tail was wagging as she closed her eyes blissfully, letting out a small hum and nuzzling closer — and Subaru's heart skipped a beat.
And then, while he was busy forgetting his original purpose entirely, a gaze drilled into the back of his head.
"Staaaaare."
"Even with that silent death glare, a beautiful girl's beauty doesn't fade, y'know. …What's up?"
"What do you mean, 'what's up'?! When you're telling a story and stop in the middle, it's super frustrating!"
"A story?"
Subaru actually sounded genuinely puzzled as he pressed a finger to his lip in thought. Even Emilia's eyes narrowed at that, and Subaru raised both hands in a hurry: "Sorry, my bad, I got carried away, forgive me!"
"I already forgave you, and I'm telling you to go on. Come on, humor me."
Prompted by Emilia's open-palmed gesture, Subaru gave a wry smile and scratched his head. Then, with a drawn-out "Umm," he said: "Emilia-tan, you're aiming to become a king, right?"
"That sounds like it's going to go down the same road as earlier…"
"That's where the route branches. So, when it comes to being a king, you obviously need abilities, but shouldn't there be something equally important — like, the right mindset or mental preparation?"
"The right mindset…"
Emilia blinked at Subaru's words and murmured softly, looking genuinely surprised.
She probably expected him to attack from some completely unrelated angle. While he wouldn't mind living up to that expectation, he was pleased to have caught her off guard this time.
Fortunately, after her surprise, the emotion that surfaced in Emilia's eyes was something like agreement — as if to say, "There's a point to that."
Seeing that, Subaru snapped his fingers and said, "Right?"
"The resolve to stand above others. The mental fortitude to endure the burden of shouldering people's feelings. And above all, a strong will to see one's convictions through to the end! I argue that when you call yourself a king, these elements are absolutely essential!"
Clenching his fist tight, Subaru rose from his seat and delivered his speech at full volume.
Naturally, every eye in the dining hall turned to him, and he surveyed his surroundings as he was bathed in a complex mix of emotions — amusement, exasperation, surprise, and tender affection.
Timidly, Emilia raised a hand: "I understand what you're saying, Subaru… but what are you trying to accomplish by bringing this up?"
"Simple. For Emilia-tan, who's aiming to be king, these elements are indispensable. So why not take a crack at training that kingly mindset?"
"Umm…?"
Subaru moved closer, snapping his fingers, and Emilia's eyes went blank as she struggled to keep up. Grinning at how he'd left her in the dust, Subaru decided he could push this through on momentum alone.
Flash an evil grin, plant a foot atop the zaisu chair for extra height — and from that vantage point, survey the room, point to the sky, strike a pose, and declare: "I hereby announce the inauguration of the first-ever Roswaal Mansion King's Game!!"
※※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ "The rules are simple! We prepare enough sticks for everyone, with one bearing the King's mark and the rest numbered. Everyone draws a stick, and whoever becomes the King calls out a number and issues an order. The order is absolute — the King's word is law! That's the rule!"
From the center of the dining hall, Subaru explained the rules of the King's Game.
Roswaal listened to the abbreviated explanation, chin resting on his hand, and nodded with an impressed air. He seemed quite satisfied with Subaru's brief rundown and smiled: "Ohh-ho, I see, I see. Those are wonderfully clear rules, aren't they."
"Simple yet maintaining just the right amount of tension… that's the heart of this game."
Subaru gave Roswaal a thumbs-up in response, then glanced over at Rem, who was busily crafting sticks for everyone. He didn't doubt her, but in a game like this, fairness was the top priority.
Pure, unadulterated luck as the sole determinant — given that kingship is typically decided by bloodline, you'd be hard-pressed to find a more fitting game than this.
Anyway— "The sticks are ready."
"Right, let me see… mm, looks good. Let's go with these!"
Subaru inspected the sticks Rem offered.
Numbered like wooden chopsticks, with only the one bearing the King's mark hand-drawn by Subaru — a cartoonish portrait of Puck. He checked carefully to make sure none of the sticks had suspicious markings or telltale features, and everything seemed in order for a fair game.
"So whoever draws Puck is the King?"
"Yep. And the King stands up and calls a number. At that point, everyone else has to make sure their number isn't seen. That suspense is half the fun."
"Oh my. Then you couldn't single out Barusu and push him around with your orders."
"That's exactly why this rule exists, Ram! Direct calls are banned too!"
Subaru snapped the words at Ram like a whip crack, then exhaled and glanced around the table. Naturally, at this post-meal gathering, everyone was present.
Emilia, Rem, Ram, Roswaal, Puck, Subaru, and— "Hang on, where'd Beako go? She was definitely in the corner a minute ago, picking out the pea-like vegetables from the omurice-type dish."
"If you mean
"That drill-hair loli… always here to disrupt the vibe. Alright, wait here."
With that, Subaru hurried out of the dining hall.
Exactly two minutes later: "I'm baaack!"
"I can never tell whether your instincts are incredible or just insane!? Betty wants no part of being collateral damage!"
"Yeah, yeah, you always put on that cold front while acting like a total sweetheart. Now then — everyone's here!"
He set Beatrice down from his shoulder, pressed both hands on her shoulders to keep her in place, and even she, formidable as she was, let out a sigh of resignation. Perhaps seeking some peace of mind, she moved to where Puck was and stationed herself beside the little cat, fixing Subaru with a piercing glare.
Subaru let that sharp gaze pass from left to right across him — this time, everything was finally in place.
"Here you go."
"Thank you."
When Subaru held out his hand, Rem placed a stick in it as if she'd been waiting. The additional stick — precisely one more for Beatrice — made his mouth curl upward, though Subaru's eyes only sharpened with even more wicked delight.
The sticks went to the center of the table. Puck scrambled over them in a chaotic shuffle, scattering them around. Everyone then concealed the number sides and reached out to draw.
And then: "Alright, everyone got one? Then, as tradition demands — 'Who's the King?'"
Subaru called out the chant with a broad grin, and everyone pulled their sticks simultaneously.
Subaru looked down at the stick in his hand. It bore, quite regrettably, the number "2."
Once he realized he couldn't possibly be the King, the only question that remained was who had. And then — hesitantly, a hand went up: "Oh, the one with the picture of Puck on it. That's me."
It was Emilia, who had drawn perfectly at the most crucial moment, showing off her surprising luck.
Holding the stick with the cartoon Puck, Emilia looked at Subaru with an expression mixing surprise and a hint of confusion: "So, um, what do I do now?"
"Well, since you're the King, you can go full dictator mode right here. Like, 'Number Two pats the King's head,' or 'Number Two holds the King's hand,' or 'Number Two falls asleep on the King's lap,' or 'Number Two feeds the King a bite going "Say ahh,"' or 'Number Two promises a hot date with the King'…"
"Then, Number Two shall take all the Paimerl from the King's dinner and eat it."
"Nooo! Bait-and-switch failed! I'm Number Two!"
Clutching his head and screaming, Subaru watched as Emilia reacted with genuine surprise: "Oh, Subaru, you're Number Two?"
An order was an order, though. It was precisely this that upheld the dignity of the King's Game.
"At least there's no burden on me if Paimerl doesn't show up at dinner!"
"Rem. For dinner, I request a menu featuring Paimerl in generous quantities. A feast where the table turns green — that's the kind of evening I'd like, wouldn't you say?"
"You bastard, Rozu! You caught on to the spirit of the King's Game faster than anyone!"
Subaru glared at Roswaal, who had moved to cut off his escape, then looked at Rem. Caught between her master and Subaru, she was surely facing an agonizing choice — or so he thought: "I'd like to prioritize Subaru-kun's feelings. I really would. But Roswaal-sama is Rem's master. I can't disregard his wishes… I'm sorry."
"And your real opinion?"
"Subaru-kun makes a funny face when eating Paimerl — Emilia-sama is more subtle about it, but I've noticed — so I thought this might be a good chance to correct that."
"You've been watching me way too closely!"
Paimerl — a vegetable that looked and tasted exactly like bell peppers — was one of Subaru's least favorite vegetables, befitting his childlike palate. He put on a brave face for Emilia's sake and ate it, but it was something he'd gladly avoid. Tomatoes, eggplant, turnips — there were actually quite a few vegetables he disliked. And Rem had probably seen through all of it.
"Anyway, on to round two! Here we go — 'Who's the King?'"
"Oh, it's me."
Subaru called out in exasperation, but once again, the stick was a loser.
Following Emilia's lead in the luck department was the small gray cat — Puck. He held up his stick, roughly the same size as himself, tilted his head and said: "Calling out someone by number directly is against the rules, right? Then how about… Number Five flicks Number One on the forehead?"
"Ohhh, deploying a dual-number technique right out of the gate… you're no amateur, are you?"
"There are amateurs and professionals in a game like this? …So then, that makes it Five and One."
As Puck rolled his black eyes around, two hands went up, and two sticks were raised. Ram held the stick marked "5," and Emilia held the one marked "1."
In this case— "Ram flicks Emilia-sama on the forehead. Oh my, what a scandalous situation. A flick on Emilia-sama's forehead… The King's Game is truly terrifying…"
"As you say that, Ram, you look way too eager — are you psyching yourself up? …Wait, you don't have to psych yourself up for this, do you? You're already doing it… It won't hurt, right?"
"If it doesn't hurt, it's not a flick. Take this."
"Oww—! It hurts! It really, really hurts!"
A red mark remained on Emilia's cute forehead, and Ram watched with satisfaction before relaxing her shoulders. Emilia was on the verge of tears and clearly displeased, but that easygoing pace was exactly the essence of the King's Game — Ram's attitude was, by the rules, the more fitting one.
"Now you can seek revenge by targeting Ram, or move on to the next one — either way, it's all good. Alright, round three! 'Who's the King?'"
If not everyone got a turn, someone would inevitably be left out.
With the King's Game being as chaotic as it was, the probabilities could skew — and that was something the organizer wanted to avoid. Those modest hopes, however— "—Destiny, DRAWWWW!"
—meant absolutely nothing to Subaru, who had pulled the "King" stick.
He clenched his fist and struck a victory pose, repeating "YES, YES, YES!" while giving thanks for his draw.
"That… that happy about it? You've only been King once so far."
"What's the point of a King's Game if you're not the King, Emilia-tan? Alright, let's do this, let's do this… That said, going full throttle and ruining the atmosphere right away isn't great either. Hmm, not great."
His face split into a grin of pure elation — but haste makes waste, as they say.
This was the time to stay calm, go slow, and lay the groundwork for the games to come. Lull everyone into a false sense of security, and once their guard was down— "—Number Three takes off only their underwear."
"—Huh?"
And right at the "once their guard was down" moment, Subaru couldn't take it anymore.
The room's atmosphere froze solid, and everyone stared at Subaru with faces drained of color. But once the words were out, there was no taking them back — just like you can't spit back what's been spat.
Subaru nodded in the face of their incredulous stares, then slowly parted his lips: "Number Three takes off only their underwear. I repeat!"
"W-wait, what, such an order is actually allowed?!"
"Of course it is! The King's orders are absolute! If the King tells you to die, a loyal subject's duty is to go die even at the cost of their life! Right now, you're all my subjects — even if only for a moment! So if you're told to strip, you strip! Strip!"
Slamming the table, Subaru hammered home his point with an unsettlingly eloquent tongue.
Emilia was sputtering wordlessly. Roswaal, watching from the sidelines, burst into laughter. Ram gazed at Subaru with eyes dripping with contempt, and the downward-cast Rem's eyes glinted — though no one noticed. Emilia flustered, Puck flicking his whiskers. And Beatrice, trying to sneak out of the room— "Beako. What number were you?"
"I wanted to be left aloooone, nii-cha!?"
Puck stopped Beatrice as she was about to make her escape. She spun around with a panicked expression. He then picked up the stick she'd left behind on her seat: "Oh, Number Three. That means Betty takes off her underwear. But what would I have done if I'd drawn it? I'm basically naked already."
"In that case, I'll rustle up some tiny underwear specially for you to put on and then take off. Utterly pointless, but… So, it's Beako, huh."
Subaru glanced toward the dining hall entrance, where Beatrice stood. Her comely face was flushed red, and her small, tightly clenched fists were trembling: "Haa… read the room, will you?"
"I can accept that from literally anyone but you! What kind of outrageous order is that?! There's no reason I should have to comply with—"
"Oh? Heh-heh, is that so? So you're going to scorn and discard the most important tradition of the King's Game just like that. I see, I see, hoh…"
"What is that awful way you're talking…?"
Beatrice faltered at Subaru's words, his expression betraying deep disappointment as he looked away. Glancing at her, Subaru sighed and said: "See, the thing about this is — I think participating means you've already built up a certain trust between you. No matter how harsh the order, you give it your best effort. That kind of… what would you call it… a mindset, maybe? Like a matter of human dignity."
"Dignity, huh-huh."
Roswaal's lips curled with unconcealed amusement. Subaru nodded firmly at his interjection: "Yes, dignity," then pointed at Beatrice.
As the drill-haired girl flinched slightly at his forceful gesture: "It's not about the result. What matters is the will to follow the order — no, the promise! You participated in the King's Game, and the King issued you a command. That command is, in a sense, the King's trust in you. The effort you put in to honor that trust… that's the bond forged between us through the King's Game."
"————"
"It might be one-sided. This is just my opinion, and you might have no reason to go along with it. But… I believe that by testing our bond through something like this King's Game, an invisible — but very real — connection forms between us."
With a hand over his chest, Subaru poured out his heartfelt words.
The weight of his speech, the rush of emotion — Beatrice's lips trembled and she looked down. Subaru gazed at her with tender affection, extending his hand: "So come on… take them off."
"————"
"At this point it's just a hassle, so read the room and get your underwear off already. It's not like I'm expecting some big reaction or anything — jeez, good enough?"
"—Would you mind just dying?"
An instant later, an invisible shockwave sent Subaru flying with tremendous force.
※※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ "I confirmed that Beatrice-sama removed her underwear in the adjacent room and put them back on. There's no issue with the rules. That settles it, Barusu."
"…Yeah, no problem."
Subaru responded with a sour face to Ram's contemptuous declaration as she returned from the neighboring room, dragging along a flushed and indignant Beatrice. He'd been blasted by her shockwave of mortified embarrassment (though the force was wildly disproportionate), sent tumbling through space until he couldn't tell up from down. By the time he'd stopped seeing stars, Rem had rushed over and was busily patching him up: "Are you all right, Subaru-kun? You've barely recovered from your illness, and you're far from peak condition… shall we continue on Rem's lap?"
"Just thinking about a scenario during the King's Game where someone's even more king-like than the King gave me whiplash. That offer is incredibly tempting, but the King's Game comes first right now. I'll accept the gesture."
Subaru straightened up after his exchange with the devoted Rem. Including the two who'd just returned, everyone took their seats once more. It had been rough, but it seemed no one was dropping out.
Honestly— "What a bunch of weirdos… Everyone's weirdly into this, despite everything."
"We can't just end it there — how dull would that be? After all, I haven't been King or victim even once yet, have I?"
"The way you phrased that — King and victim — says a lot about how well you understand this game. …Beako came back because she's a tsundere, so that's fine, but Emilia-tan, you're not going to stop her?"
Beatrice shot Subaru a sharp look at his choice of words, but he coolly ignored it. Emilia, when the question was turned to her, stammered "Eh, ah…" and looked at him with a flustered expression: "Well, the thing is, how should I put it… that…"
"What, what? What's up? If you've got something to say, I'm all ears."
"You're not going to laugh at me or anything?"
"As if I'd laugh at Emilia-tan? Don't be ridiculous. If it means seeing Emilia-tan's smile, I'd happily play the fool — but laughing at Emilia-tan's expense? Never in a million years."
Beatrice fixed him with a withering glare at the mocking tone, but Subaru breezily ignored that too. Emilia looked half-skeptical — or rather, as if reconciling something within herself — and gave a small nod: "I've never really… done things like this with people around me before. So, it's, well… kind of fun. And it'd be a shame to stop."
"How is this child so cute?"
The sight of Emilia looking down, cheeks flushed as she answered, made Subaru respond on pure instinct.
Facing an unexpectedly earnest performance, Subaru was momentarily shaken. But Emilia, perhaps thinking she was being teased, puffed out her cheeks: "See, that's why you always have to joke around like that. It's super embarrassing, you know!"
"I wasn't joking… Damn, what is it about this girl? She's going to kill me with this frustrating combination of adorable and exasperating… I yield!"
Subaru was terrified by Emilia's overwhelming combat power. The others seemed to share the sentiment — some looked at Emilia with gentle expressions, some renewed their commitment to the game with an air of resignation, and some simply glared daggers at Subaru.
Regardless, buoyed by Emilia's willingness: "'Who's the King?'"
Everyone pulled their sticks simultaneously, and Subaru quickly checked his.
In his hand was a "4." For a split second he wanted to curse his luck, but consecutive Kings in a game like this would kill the mood. Reading that atmosphere and still pushing past it was
Setting Subaru's inner turmoil aside, as the others raised their heads, one hand went up — holding a stick with Puck's picture on it. The one who raised it was Rem, seated next to Subaru.
Among a face that usually strove to maintain an expressionless composure, her eyes blazed with an inexplicable radiance: "It's Rem. I'm the King. I did it, Subaru-kun. I'm the King."
"I know you're happy, but you're way too hyped! We need to keep orders coming quickly or the rotation rate's going to tank and kill the game. …So, Your Majesty, what's your command?"
"Oh, yes. How careless of me."
Rem's invisible tail wagged furiously as she drooped in disappointment, then quickly rallied and raised her head. Staring straight at Subaru: "Then, how about… Number One gives the King a big, tight hug?"
"Who you're aiming for is super obvious, but I'm not Number One!"
When Subaru showed his stick, Rem crumpled as if the world had ended. Getting this dejected in a King's Game was rare, and knowing the target was himself made it awkwardly bittersweet.
Regardless, Rem had designated Number One, who now had to hug her— "Rem, sit down."
"Sister…!"
Rem looked up at Ram, who held up her stick marked "1." Rem then rushed into her older sister's open arms.
A beautiful display of sisterly love — or so it could be called — but as the elder sister embraced the younger, she whispered into Rem's ear: "Listen, Rem. At the end of the day, Barusu is nothing special. He's a small man incapable of granting even one of Rem's wishes. …It seems this game decided to crown a king has inadvertently exposed that."
"Don't badmouth my few allies! And add to that — this isn't a game to decide who's the King, it's a game where the King decides! You'd totally warp the premise!"
"Sister… Sister… Rem won't be broken."
Rem leaned her cheek against her sister while being comforted. Looking at these beautiful sisters' harmonious bond would normally send one's imagination running wild, but Subaru reined in those feelings, cleared his throat, and moved on to the next round.
"Alright, let's regroup… 'Who's the King?'"
"Oh my, I've drawn it at last. Now that I'm actually the King… hmm, I find myself surprisingly unsure what to order."
Roswaal held up his "King" stick, waving it about with a smile.
A cold sweat traced down Subaru's forehead at the announcement. Because in this group, Roswaal was the one whose orders as King were most impossible to predict.
Since ancient times, those who enjoy the King's Game have been classified into several types.
There was the Omnivore type like Subaru, who simply blurts out whatever desires come to mind.
The Carnivore type like Rem, who targets individuals with focused intensity, trying to get the most out of their turn.
The Herbivore type like Puck, who deflects with easygoing, noncommittal orders.
The Social type like Emilia, who enjoys the game for the game's own sake.
And the Glutton type like Roswaal, who — as far as anyone could tell — derived pleasure from watching the victim squirm.
Someone who gave no consideration to romance, or to keeping things light, or even to the possibility of becoming a victim themselves — who simply issued orders for their own amusement. That was the temporary king now holding the King's stick.
Subaru held his breath and prayed that the "3" in his hand wouldn't be called. Then, after giving the tense Subaru a brief glance: "Well then, Number Three — chug a glass of milk with Tabaska hot sauce in one go, shall we?"
"You aimed right for me, you bastard, Rozu!!"
"Coming right up — for Barusu's, heh, finest moment."
Ram appeared at blinding speed, carrying a cup of milk laced with Tabaska (an otherworldly variant of Tabasco), as if it had all been pre-arranged. The cup's contents swirled in a chaotic hue and gave off a foul odor.
"…I'm really doing this?"
"You said it yourself — the King's Game is a bond of mutual dignity…"
"If you're going to throw my words back at me… damn it! Natsuki Subaru goes — guh, hot… throat… burning… this is brutal!"
Clutching his scorched throat, Subaru collapsed, drained the cup in tears, and slammed it on the table.
"How's that, huh?! I did it! You got a problem with that?!"
"No noo, that's perfectly fine. As a palate cleanser is off the table, shall we move along to the next game?"
"You bastard, next time you'll be the one crying for mercy… 'Who's the King' — DESTINY DRAWWWW!!"
Subaru's rage at Roswaal shifted to hope for the next game, then his joy at drawing the King overwhelmed it all.
He held high the stick bearing the cartoon "Puck," eyes blazing: "Alright! Number Two! Number Two hugs the King's head against their chest! And they stay like that until at least the next round! Deal!"
Subaru stared down Emilia as he shouted.
There were seven players. Subtract Subaru as King, and among the remaining six, four were women. Emilia was Number One, but even Rem would be a blessing as the King's hug target. Ram would work too, supposedly. But the one who raised the "2" stick was— "Do you have something against me or what!?!"
"That's totally what Betty should be saying! What are you thinking!?"
Beatrice, who had drawn the winning number yet again, received Subaru's shriek and shrieked right back.
But the King's Game was absolute. Having already survived the underwear ordeal, this level of command was hardly a challenge for Beatrice.
"Come on, hurry up and get over here. Let's get this done quickly so Betty can finally make her request to nii-cha!"
"Disappointed from the start and now I have to deal with… wow, you really are tiny! What is this loli, it's literally a crime in visual form… What happened to you? Did you catch a status ailment called 'flat chest' or something? Ouch ouch ouch ouch!!"
"If you say one more stupid thing, I'll accelerate the aging of your scalp and give you a buzz cut. Now — 'Who's the King?'"
With Beatrice surprisingly getting into it despite herself, the rest of the King's Game proceeded at a brisk pace, if not exactly calm.
After skipping ahead through some of the highlights: "This time… Subaru-kun — I mean, Number Five — kisses the King on the forehead!"
"It's not me — stop being so fixated on physical contact!"
"Oh, it's me! Then, Rem, I'll give you a little kiss on the forehead…"
"A forehead kiss is a weirdly specific request!"
"Number Six goes to the mansion's garden — oh, it's too small. How about checking the barrier on the mountain behind the estate? Just ten laps or so."
"I'll die! I just recovered from illness — are you targeting me specifically!?"
"Then, Number Four cleans Ram's room. If there's even a speck of dust left, I'll pummel you."
"'Ram-sama' — you really do carry yourself like a queen! And between you and Rozu, you're both gunning for me — you're not using clairvoyance, are you?"
"Hmm, and what if I am, Barusu?"
"Don't shrug it off like I'm in the wrong! I genuinely think it's suspicious!!"
"Destiny again! Now then, Number Four, serve the King a home-cooked meal full of love… You again?!"
"I've seared it, simmered it, and dried it — care to eat it?"
"You two are getting along famously. I want to enjoy a cozy moment with Riia too."
"Oh, it's me! Then, I'd like Number Two to 'say ahh' with some mayonnaise that's been sitting around a bit too long."
"Oh my, oh my — the Great Spirit himself being such a spoiled brat. I'm honored to be entrusted with such an important role, though~"
"Who's this for?! Just do it in the corner, you two!"
"Yay, it's finally Betty's turn! Nii-cha… um, Number Four, give Betty a belly rub. Until I'm satisfied!"
"Despite appearances, I've got a six-pack!"
"Do you have something against Betty?!"
"I'm the one who should be furious! What's your deal — are we best friends now!?"
Even skipping through, there was a mix of triumphs and tragedies in roughly equal measure.
The game itself had reached around twenty rounds, and as fatigue and a sense of accomplishment were nudging things toward a wrap— "I'm the King! Me! Um, let's see, um… what should I do?"
Emilia had drawn the King stick and was pressing a finger to her lips in thought, looking thoroughly delighted.
Her cheeks were faintly flushed, indicating no small amount of excitement. Combined with her uncharacteristically alluring gestures, Subaru felt an odd stirring.
In front of him, she gave a firm nod: "Then, Number Six shall… compare a member of the opposite sex to an animal that matches them?"
"Number Six is me, but… what's the point of that?"
"Mmm. It's fine, it's fine. Come on, Subaru! Hurry, hurry!"
Subaru tilted his head in confusion, but Emilia tapped the table impatiently — a behavior so uncharacteristic it threw him. Still, Subaru rested his chin in his hand and thought for a moment: "Well, Ram's a cat, Rem's a dog, Beako's a bear, and… Emilia-tan's a rabbit."
"What kind of image is that?"
"I was thinking about which animal ears would suit everyone. Moody Ram gets cat ears, obedient Rem gets dog ears, lonely-and-cute Emilia-tan gets rabbit ears, and Beako's literally named Bear-something, so bear ears felt right."
"I could've sworn I was the only one you decided completely at random just now!"
"This is no time to get serious about — huh, Emilia-tan, what are you—"
Subaru was dismissing Beatrice's outrage when Emilia, wearing a bashful grin, raised both hands. She waved them with a giggly "Ta-da~": "I'm not great at detailed shaping, but how's this?"
"How's this — whoa!"
Light scattered from Emilia's palms, then coalesced. And what appeared before Subaru's astonished eyes was a transparent, ice-sculpted headband shaped like rabbit ears, suddenly materializing in Emilia's silver hair.
Squinting closely, he could see it was made of ice — and it adorned her with the exact cuteness he'd imagined.
"It's cold…"
"Is this… what Subaru-kun imagined?"
"I'm honestly not satisfied with this arrangement…"
Wearing rabbit ears just like Emilia, each of the other women had ice-sculpted headbands of the animal ears Subaru had envisioned.
Perky cat ears reflected Ram's untamed nature. Floppy dog ears complemented Rem's endearing earnestness. Round bear ears captured Beatrice's sweet-underneath-it-all personality.
It was quite the feast for the eyes, and Subaru nearly dropped to his knees in worship — but: "My phone's battery's too low to take a picture, and that's killing me. At least let me burn this into my mental shutter… That aside."
Etching the female group's gorgeous (by Subaru's standards) appearance into his retinas, Subaru couldn't hide his amazement at Emilia's transformation.
It was a fantastic command, and you could say it achieved the whole reason she'd started the King's Game — but this was wildly out of character.
She was usually the type to proactively shut this sort of thing down— "Subaru-kun, Subaru-kun."
"What is it, Rem?"
Rem beckoned him over, and Subaru leaned close. She tilted her head — dog ears and all: "Do I look cute? If you'd like, you could pet my head or—"
"You do look cute and it's endearing as always, but right now Rem, you're the one who can clear up my questions, and I like that more!"
"I see, that's unfortunate. Then, I'd like to earn that praise by clearing up your confusion. The reason Emilia-sama is acting strangely is almost certainly because of the effects of the Funnel Fruit."
"The Funnel Fruit?"
Rem nodded at Subaru's question and pulled a small nut from the pocket of her apron dress: "This is it. When you crush a Funnel Fruit into a powder and ingest it… it makes you become honest with yourself. Remarkable, isn't it?"
"Very remarkable. …So why would Emilia-tan have consumed something like that?"
"I believe Rem accidentally served the tea with the Funnel Fruit to Emilia-sama instead of Subaru-kun… Ah, Subaru-kun, the rubbing is painful, it hurts!"
"Punishment for a naughty child! That also explains your reaction when you first served the tea!"
The truth behind why Rem had asked Subaru if he felt feverish during the initial tea service finally clicked.
The drug Subaru was supposed to take had been accidentally consumed by Emilia instead, and the result was her current, uninhibitedly cheerful state. But that raised another question: "Does that mean Emilia-tan, once she's being honest, is actually pretty childish at heart…?"
"Just when you two start getting all friendly together… It's not faaaair!"
Watching Emilia pout and sway her body as Subaru pressed his knuckle against Rem's head in a playful punishment, she turned away with a sulky expression: "I thought you were going to be nice to me, but then you go and do that. You got my hopes up so high… Mean. Mean. So meeeeaaan!"
"I have no idea what I'm supposed to do about this sudden fury!"
Emilia threw a toddler-like tantrum, slumping over the table. Not knowing what to do with this side of her, Subaru looked to the others for help— "I'd say… since Subaru caused this situation, you should handle it somehow."
"Agreed. Nii-cha, come over here and have tea with Betty."
"She's cute like this, but honestly, I think it's better to give her some space right now. I'm leaving the rest to you, Subaru."
"Well then, I'll return to my paperwork."
"I'm amazed at how useless you all are as allies! I'm not relying on you anymore!"
Watching them slink away, abandoning their posts, the only ones left in the dining hall were Subaru, Emilia, and Rem.
With just the three of them, continuing the King's Game was obviously out of the question.
"Can't be helped — let's call it a day this time. …The real question is what to do about Emilia-tan."
"No way. Noooo way! I wanna play more! Play!"
"Honestly, this isn't just being honest with yourself — it's straight-up age regression. …If this is what happens when she lets her guard down — this helpless level of clinginess — it's almost kind of sad."
Subaru shook his head as Emilia tried to resist the end of the game. He reached out to try to calm her, but in her childlike state, she wasn't about to listen.
Finally, Emilia abandoned the bewildered Subaru and grabbed the sticks from the table: "Okay, it's me! 'King!' Um, Number One! Number One has to listen to my order!"
"Emilia-tan, a King's Game doesn't work with just the King…"
"Rem drew Number Two, so inevitably, Number One has to be Subaru-kun."
"Rem!?!"
Subaru whipped around at the unexpected betrayal. Rem was there, waving her stick marked "2." She pressed the stick to her lips and whispered, quiet enough for only Subaru to hear: "Just this once, okay?"
"Emilia-sama, please give your command. Obeying the King's orders is a subject's duty."
"Okay then, Number One — Subaru — you…"
"…Go easy on me. My knees are wobbly from all that running, my throat's still burned from the drink, and your home cooking was rough too."
Subaru settled into a posture of resigned acceptance.
This was rare for Emilia, and under these circumstances, he was ready to accept anything. Hopefully something that wouldn't leave lasting physical damage— "I want you to pet my head."
"Huh?"
He hadn't expected those words at all, and his voice came out with genuine confusion.
Emilia looked straight at the wide-eyed Subaru: "Pet my head. Gently. Like you always do with Rem."
"Wait, seriously? That's all?"
"That's all! Quick! Hurr-yyy!"
Emilia started stomping her feet impatiently. Propelled by her urgency, Subaru shifted closer beside her and slowly reached for her long silver hair: "Like this?"
"Gentler… yeah, like that."
Feeling the silver strands slip smoothly through his fingers, Subaru petted Emilia's head as requested. The fact that it was technically an "order" helped, and the tremble of nervousness from touching her didn't transmit to his fingertips.
Being this close to her, being allowed to touch her hair — he'd never expected to stumble into a situation like this without any mental preparation whatsoever.
—For someone who'd almost brought shame upon the King's Game with indecent proposals, he was, deep down, a remarkably timid man.
And then— "…Huh, Emilia-tan?"
"————"
When Subaru noticed the silence and looked, Emilia had rested her upper body on the table and fallen fast asleep.
Her peaceful sleeping face, the look of contentment on her features — he took it all in.
"She's fallen asleep. The Funnel Fruit also induces strong drowsiness."
"Making me honest and then having Rem swoop in afterward — I'm not even going to question what your angle was. …So you were keeping Emilia-tan company in her King's Game."
"I think Emilia-sama needs time to truly relax from time to time. The weight on her shoulders is already far from ordinary."
Rem's ditzy demeanor vanished, replaced by the competent, all-purpose maid she normally was. She gently stroked the sleeping Emilia's hair, then looked at Subaru: "I'll escort you to her room, but… would you rather carry her, Subaru-kun?"
"Given the legal opportunity to touch Emilia-tan, and the nightmare image of Rem carrying her instead, there's no choice to make."
With a wry smile, Subaru gently lifted Emilia into his arms.
The girl was lighter than she looked, and as her weight settled into his arms, he carried her up the staircase — toward her room.
"Having time to unwind like this once in a while isn't bad. It was fun."
"Yes, let's do it again. There'll be cleanup to do, though."
Rem opened the dining hall door and led the way as Subaru carried Emilia.
Glancing back at her words, Subaru could see that, sure enough, the dining hall bore the scars of the evening's festivities.
After this, he and Rem would have to work together to clean up the mess. Ram certainly wasn't going to help.
"Do those ice dog ears ever melt? How long do they stay on?"
"They're not made on a level where they'd melt. …If Subaru-kun wants them to stay, I'll keep them on forever."
"Cute, but not something to deploy recklessly. Let me see them again at the next King's Game."
"…Yes. Then, it's a promise."
Rem smiled blissfully, and Subaru couldn't help but smile back.
Even Emilia, stirring slightly in his arms, wore a peaceful expression — as if she could see the two of them smiling. It made his heart feel warm.
※※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ——This happened a mere five days before Subaru and Emilia would have their falling-out in the capital.
Subaru, Emilia, and even Rem — none of them foresaw the turbulent fate that awaited them.
If there was one thing worth recording, it was this: ——The promise was never kept.
The seven residents of the Roswaal mansion would never gather together like this to play the King's Game again.