Master of illusions - Natsuki Subaru

"This time, it's my turn to save you," she said softly, a gentle smile spreading across her face as she looked at him.

He cried out her name in desperation, his voice breaking with panic, helpless to stop what was unfolding. Before he could even react, a sword came crashing down on Emilia's back, the blade tearing through flesh with a sickening sound. Her blood spilled over the edge of the broadsword, dripping down its length and splashing onto the twisted, grinning face of her attacker. He smiled wider, reveling in the carnage.

They didn't stop at that single blow. The bandits—filthy, ruthless—began hacking at her limbs, ensuring she couldn't move, couldn't speak, couldn't even pretend to still be alive. It was the bare minimum when dealing with a witch, and they weren't taking any chances.

They pinned him down, forcing him to watch every second of the brutal display. Subaru fought with all the strength he had, thrashing wildly, trying to break free—if not to save her, then at least to be at her side, to hold her hand and preserve what little of her dignity he could. But they didn't let him. They needed proof of their deed, trophies of their victory.

Her body, once filled with warmth and light, now lay in pieces. Lifeless. Broken. The leader raised his sword again, standing over what remained of her. Subaru screamed. He shouted, cried, begged- pleaded to anyone, to anything, to stop them.

The leader drove the sword downward once more, nearly severing her head in a single, grotesque swing. He lifted it again, preparing to finish the job and collect his final trophy.

But then..

"Stop."

A thunderous voice rang out, reverberating through the air, filled with fury and unshakable authority. Everyone froze. For a single breathless moment, the world seemed to stop spinning.

Dread gripped them all.

The bandit leader's arms trembled, then snapped off at the elbows with a sickening crack. He screamed, not just from the pain, but from the sheer horror of it, before his body froze in place and shattered into glittering ice, crumbling to dust before their eyes.

The others turned their eyes upward, faces pale with terror.

Towering above them was a massive, catlike beast, its fur shimmering like frost beneath moonlight. They had only heard whispers of him in legends, in frightened stories told around dying campfires.

The Beast of the End.

Panic overtook the remaining bandits. They tried to run, to flee, but their legs bent the wrong way, bones snapping like twigs. One by one, they crumbled into frozen statues, shattered fragments of what they had once been.

Subaru crawled forward, trembling, reaching out to Emilia. His tears froze on his cheeks before they could fall. He extended a hand toward her face.

But just before his fingers could brush her skin, his arm cracked and broke off.

"You failed to protect Lia, Subaru," the voice said coldly. "That is the heaviest sin you will carry into the afterlife. Now… die."

His body froze, legs first. The ice climbed steadily upward, wrapping around him like a cruel embrace. He laughed, softly at first, then louder, a maniacal sound ripped from the depths of despair. He had failed. Failed her. The one person he cared about most... gone, because of his mistakes.

His cheek cracked and fell away. His fingers followed. His chest splintered.

And as he turned to ice, the final words reached him like a death knell:

"In accordance with my contract, I will now destroy the world."

That was the last thing he ever heard.

Subaru jolted upright, drenched in a cold sweat, only to immediately regret it. Pain from the previous day came crashing down on him like a speeding truck, and he groaned, clutching his shoulder. It was thoroughly bandaged, but there was no sign of fresh blood.

As his vision steadied, he realized he was in an unfamiliar room. It was small and cozy, with a single wooden wardrobe on one side and a modest kitchen tucked into the corner. Everything was simple… but warm.

His thoughts were cut short by a sudden tug. He was pulled back into the bed, two slender arms wrapping tightly around his torso, pressing him into a soft embrace. His eyes widened as a head nuzzled into his chest, using him like a life-sized teddy bear. All he could see was a mess of long, silvery hair spilling across his shirt.

"Five more minutes…" a soft, sleepy voice murmured—delicate, like the sound of silver bells.

Subaru blinked, stunned. That voice…

"Mili?" he whispered, disbelief lacing his tone.

And then it hit him.

Wait… if Mili's in bed with me, that means… we slept together?! he thought, his face flushing red. His voice rose a bit too loud as he muttered, "Wait—doesn't that sound super inappropriate?!"

But the girl in his arms didn't react. The peaceful forest beyond the cracked-open door filled the silence with birdsong and rustling leaves, and she simply kept breathing, warm and soft, against his chest. He could feel her heart beating, feel the gentle rise and fall of her chest as she pressed closer.

For a moment, he considered just… staying like that. Holding her. Letting her warmth melt the cold fear still lingering in his bones.

But then he remembered something, something she had told him before. Emilia had a father who lived with her. If they were caught like this…

Subaru carefully placed his hand on her shoulder and gave her a gentle shake. "Hey, Mili… it's time to wake up."

She groaned sleepily, but slowly her violet eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the soft morning light spilling in from the door.

"Subaru?" she said, blinking. Then her eyes widened. "Subaru-- you're okay!" she cried, burying her face into his chest again. Tears spilled freely from her eyes, soaking into his shirt. "I-I thought you'd never--" But her voice broke, and the rest dissolved into choked, incoherent sobs.

Subaru froze for a heartbeat, surprised… but then gently placed his hand on the back of her head, fingers stroking her silken hair. "Yeah… I'm okay, Mili," he said softly, his voice like a warm breeze after a storm.

They lay like that for a while, holding each other as her sobs slowly quieted and her breathing evened out. When her tears finally stopped flowing, she pulled back slightly, only to realize something.

Her hood was gone.

A wave of panic washed over her. She scrambled upright, kneeling on the bed as she searched for anything... anything, to cover her head. Her hands fumbled desperately. But there was nothing within reach. Nothing to hide behind. She pressed her hands over her face, trembling, trying to conceal what she believed no one should ever see.

Subaru sat up too, now kneeling across from her. Still on the bed, still close.

"No… You can't look at me," she said, her voice thick with dread. "Please. Don't look." There was fear in every word, fear that he would see the monster everyone else did.

But Subaru didn't back away. Gently, he reached forward and held her wrists, slowly pulling her hands away from her face.

And then… he saw her.

Her long silver hair shimmered in the morning light, cascading down her back like liquid moonlight. Her pointed ears peeked through the strands, delicate and unmistakably elven. Her skin was smooth and pale, like porcelain kissed by winter. And her eyes, those beautiful amethyst eyes, glowed softly, deep enough to get lost in.

She turned her head away, squeezing her eyes shut, unable to bear it.

He'd seen her. It was over now. He'd call her a monster. He'd turn his back on her. He'd never speak to her again--

"Pretty."

The word left his lips like a breath, soft and unguarded.

"Eh?" Emilia blinked, stunned. Her wide eyes turned back to him, full of confusion.

Sure, she might have believed her eyes could be seen as beautiful, but her other features, her silver hair, her heritage, those were marks of the Witch of Envy. People feared her for them. Hated her for them. So… why?

She didn't get an answer. Subaru was still gazing at her like she was a miracle. Her heart trembled under the weight of that look.

Her gaze dropped, and she whispered, "You're lying to me…"

Her hands shook in her lap. She wanted to believe him. She wanted to so badly.

"I look like her… the Witch of Envy. How can you say something like that? I'm a half-elf, with silver hair and amethyst eyes. You know what that means."

Her voice rose, trembling.

"Everyone else sees it. You will too, once you learn—once you understand—"

"But you aren't her, right?" he asked quietly, cutting through her panic like a gentle knife.

She looked up again, expecting scorn. But instead, she found a smile.

A warm, unwavering smile.

She searched his face, desperate to find any trace of disgust, of fear, of rejection. But there was none. Just him, Subaru, looking at her like she was the only thing in the world that mattered.

"Y-you really mean it?" she asked, her voice breaking again.

"Absolutely," he said, his tone full of quiet conviction.

A sob bubbled up in her throat as she collapsed into his chest once more, small tears slipping from the corners of her eyes.

"Y-you don't know how s-scared I was… l-losing you to that m-mabeast… and to my appearance…" she whispered. Her small fists pressed into his chest as she began hitting him softly. "I-I waited so long t-to hear those words… a-and I hoped… hoped you'd be the one to say them."

Subaru didn't say anything.

He didn't have to.

He simply pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her, holding her as if he'd never let go.

"I'm not leaving you anytime soon," Subaru said, voice low but full of quiet conviction.

Emilia's arms tightened around him. Her heart, still shaken from the fear of losing him, found solace in those words.

It could've been the perfect moment. Tender, warm, healing... if not for the sudden appearance of a floating, stone-faced gray cat.

"Explain."

The word echoed through the air like a distant thunderclap. Calm, almost casual, but it held an unmistakable weight that made Subaru's skin crawl.

Floating just above the foot of the bed, Puck's usually playful eyes were cold and narrowed. Tiny flecks of ice spiraled around him, forming pointed shards that hovered ominously in place. He was holding back... barely.

Subaru stiffened, eyes wide. "W-Whoa! A talking cat?! Wait, no, that's not what's important right now!"

In a panic, he scrambled out of Emilia's arms, sitting back with his hands raised like he was trying to ward off divine punishment.

"I swear it's not what it looks like!"

His defensive posture... kneeling, hands together like a monk begging for mercy... made Emilia pout slightly. The loss of warmth wasn't welcome, but she understood the sudden tension.

Meanwhile, Subaru's heart was hammering in his chest. For reasons he didn't fully understand, he really wanted to make a good impression on this floating feline. There was something oddly familiar about him, something that tugged at the edges of Subaru's memory.

Puck's cold glare didn't waver. "Why are you in the same bed as my daughter?"

Each word was deliberate, slow, like a predator circling its prey. The ice shards around him glinted menacingly, reflecting slivers of early sunlight like tiny blades.

"I-It's not his fault!" Emilia blurted out, moving between Subaru and the spirit. "I was the one who-- um-- I pulled him in. I did it!"

Subaru turned to her, lips parting slightly in surprise. He mouthed, "Thank you," with a look of deep relief.

At her words, the temperature seemed to ease slightly. The ice crystals dissolved into sparkling mist as Puck sighed, though his expression remained stern.

"Lia, you shouldn't do that with a boy."

"I don't understand what the problem is," Emilia said, head tilted with childlike innocence, her silver hair cascading over one shoulder. She blinked up at him, genuinely confused.

"W-Well, y-you see--" Puck stammered, his stoic composure suddenly crumbling. He clearly hadn't expected this direction, and now he was scrambling for a reason that didn't involve an awkward parental lecture.

Subaru jumped in to save him, now sitting cross-legged on the bed but scooting about a foot away from her, back pressing against the wall like he was expecting a tactical retreat.

"Mili, uh… boys and girls shouldn't sleep in the same bed unless they, you know, like each other a lot."

Puck nodded in enthusiastic agreement. Maybe this kid isn't that bad after all…

Emilia blinked again, resting a finger on her lips in thought. "But I reaaaally like you, Subaru."

She said it with such sincerity, ending with a bright, innocent smile that could melt glaciers. Subaru's brain nearly short-circuited.

Puck facepalmed hard. Never mind.

Subaru's cheeks flared pink, and he scrambled for words that wouldn't make things worse. "W-Well, still, the point is- uh- you shouldn't… I mean… it's not proper or whatever- right- um?" He turned to the cat like a student looking for help on a test.

"The name's Puck," the spirit said, finally floating down toward Subaru. He extended a paw.

Subaru blinked. "Oh... right." He reached out and gently shook it, even though it felt more like holding a plush toy. It was oddly comforting.

"If you ever hurt Lia, or do something naughty, I'll make sure you can't continue your bloodline," Puck said with a cheerful, sing-song tone that completely betrayed the very real threat behind his words.

Subaru swallowed hard.

Emilia glared at Puck in disbelief. "Puck…"

Returning to her usual gentle tone, she placed a hand to her chest and gestured toward the floating spirit with the other. "This is Puck. My contracted spirit. And… my father."

Subaru's jaw dropped. "Wait... you're a spirit user?! That's awesome! Your angelic appearance just keeps racking up points!"

He pumped his fists in admiration, eyes shining with excitement... until the realization hit.

His head turned slowly, like a rusty gear turning toward its doom.

"Wait… your father?!"

Puck chuckled. "Well, yes and no. I'm more like her adoptive father. Spirits can't have children, you know."

Subaru dramatically clutched his chest. "Oh, thank goodness. If my heroine was part spirit on top of being a gorgeous half-elf, I might've exploded from excitement!"

Emilia turned her back to him, hiding her glowing red face.

Puck floated over and gave Subaru a gentle tap on the cheek. Subaru turned his head with exaggerated drama, pretending to reel from the impact.

"What was that for?" he asked, cheek still squished under the cat's paw.

"I don't know," Puck said, nose-to-nose with him now, eyes closed. "I just had to get rid of this unbearable tingle I'm feeling right now."

"You're such a nincompoop!" Emilia shouted, face still buried in her hands.

"Yeah, who even says nincompoop these days?" Subaru snorted.

Puck chuckled. "Lia, he does have a point."

"Not you too, Puck!" Emilia groaned.

"Alright, time to start the da- ow!" Subaru exclaimed as he smacked his head on the ceiling of carved out bed, forgetting he wasn't in open space.

"Hold it right there mister," Emilia said sternly, her tone snapping to command mode. "You need to rest before you even think of returning to the village."

"You were a mess when you got here," Puck added, crossing his arms. "It's honestly a miracle you didn't die."

Subaru scratched his head. "Yeah, I barely remember anything. Just a blur... and then getting nommed on by some oversized dog…"

"'Nommed on'?" Puck echoed. "That's one way to put it. More like…" He opened his mouth and mimicked a series of terrifying sounds: "Munch! Snarf! Chew! Chomp! Snap! Crunch! RAHH! Y'know, the usual."

Subaru paled. "With all those vicious sound effects, I should be dead."

"Well, me and Lia did our best to close your wounds," Puck said. "Didn't replace the blood you lost, though."

Subaru nodded and gave a deep, theatrical bow. "Thank you, Father."

"I don't approve of you yet, potential son-in-law," Puck replied in a mock-booming voice.

Subaru turned to Emilia, his expression softening. "And thank you too, Mili. You really saved me out there."

Emilia lowered her gaze. "You wouldn't have gotten hurt if you hadn't protected me…" she murmured quietly, so he wouldn't hear.

"By the way," Subaru added with a grin, "Lia? That's an adorable nickname!"

"Not as cute as when you call her Mili!" Puck chimed in, fanning the flames.

Emilia groaned, cheeks burning again as she turned away. "You two are too much."

They both laughed, basking in the warmth of her flustered reactions. She was beautiful when she smiled, but perhaps even more so when embarrassed.

"Seriously, you're both such a handful," she muttered, though her smile lingered.

"Well, if I can't go home, can I at least tag along today? You said you had duties-- I'd love to see the daily life of my Mili!" Subaru said with sparkling eyes, fingers interlaced under his chin like a child asking for a toy.

"No! You need rest. Also… since when did I become yours?" she asked, blinking in genuine confusion.

"Ah! Rejected!" Subaru clutched his chest dramatically, then threw out his best puppy-dog eyes. "Please?"

She hesitated, frowning as she tried to resist his charm. But eventually, she caved.

"Fine. You can follow me," she said in defeat, before straightening her posture. "But no reckless shenanigans today!"

"Who even says shenanigans these days?" Subaru grinned. "But hey! puppy eyes for the win!"

"That was supposed to be cute? I thought you were having a stroke," Puck muttered with a shrug.

"Hey! Don't mock my eyes! They worked!"

Emilia finally gave a small giggle.

"Puck, don't be mean," she said softly, glancing back at Subaru. "They might be a little… scary sometimes, but… for some reason… I reaaaally like them."