Re:Zero - Reincarnated on a Co-op Route

Roswaal leaned forward slightly in his chair, holding a fork gracefully as he sampled a bite of the sautéed potatoes. He closed his eyes, tasting the flavor with theatricality, as if he were evaluating a work of art.

"This tastes maaarvellous, as excellent as usual~" he said in his melodious, characteristic tone, setting the fork down on the plate delicately.1

Rem, who was watching intently, tilted his head with a small smile. "I'm glad you liked it, Mr. Roswaal. Your words make me want to try harder every day."

Beside him, Ram also bowed slightly in respect. "I appreciate your compliments very much, sir. I am always there to serve you whenever you need it."

Roswaal let out a soft chuckle, as if savoring not only the food, but also the words of her maidservants. "Excellent, what a thoughtful and courteous servant. It's always nice to hear your lovely morning words, Rem, Ram~."

At that moment, soft footsteps echoed on the stairs. Everyone turned toward the dining room entrance, where Emilia appeared with her characteristic air of natural elegance. She wore a pink sleep blouse, made of a fine material that emphasized her delicacy. Her silver hair fell in soft waves, reflecting the morning light.

"Good morning everyone," she said with a friendly smile as she approached the dining room.

Rem and Ram were quick to react. They both took plates from the table and approached Emilia, bowing in respect as they placed the food in front of her.

"You don't have to do that with me, girls," Emilia said with a small smile, almost embarrassed by such formality.

"I went out of my way to make sure you loved the food, Emilia-tan~," Subaru said, smiling broadly. "I hope you like it."

"Did you make it, Subaru?" asked Emilia, raising an eyebrow curiously as she took the fork.

"Well... not just me. They helped me too," Subaru replied, pointing to Kaoru and the sisters with a slightly nervous smile.

In response, Emilia smiled softly. "In that case, thank you all very much for the delicious meal."

As Emilia began to eat, Kaoru remained silent, observing the scene. Beside her, Rem and Ram waited elegantly, ready to take orders or remove the dishes once everyone was finished. Kaoru couldn't help but notice the tranquility in the atmosphere, though she knew that, in this mansion, that peace never lasted long.

---

"Hey, Subaru, help me with this!" called Kaoru, struggling to lift a wooden box full of tools.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," Subaru replied as he approached.

They were both standing in the shed in the back garden, surrounded by rusty tools, bags of fertilizer and a faint smell of damp earth. They were organizing the tools needed to prune the garden and cut the leaves from the plants. Kaoru lifted one end of the box while Subaru took the other, and together they placed it in a neater corner.

"Okay, here we go. Let's load this up," Kaoru said, pointing to a pair of pruning shears and a shovel.

With tools in hand, they went out into the garden and began to work. Subaru took charge of trimming the bushes with large shears, while Kaoru knelt down to prune the grass with smaller shears.

"Hey... yesterday you told me that you had symptoms of mana weakening, didn't you? In the first loop, if I remember correctly."

Subaru looked up, stopping hacking for a moment. "Yes, it was horrible. I could barely move."

Kaoru nodded, thoughtfully. "This would come to be the third loop if we were to die, right?"

"Exactly. And I have the same concern, too," Subaru replied, slowly cutting the leaves again.

Kaoru continued, "In the second loop, none of us had any symptoms of weakening from mana drainage."

Subaru paused before speaking. "That means..."

"Neither Rem nor Ram are guilty of that sort of magic or curse," Kaoru concluded.

Subaru nodded. "Then, there's something that's slipping through our fingers, and we don't know what it is yet."

"I can assure you it's not poisoning. I know that very well. I've been investigating since the second loop. My suspects are Roswaal and Beatrice" 

Kaoru frowned. "I don't think Beako is capable of wanting to kill us."

"I don't want to believe it either," Subaru replied with concern. 

"We need to talk to her. We need to clear those doubts as soon as possible." replied subaru

"All right," Subaru said.

"We should also be careful with Rem. She's been acting gentle lately, but you never know. We both know we give off a miasma, and that's what drove her to kill us that one time, you understand?" Kaoru looks at him seriously.

"She could kill you somewhere secluded if you get to be alone with her."

Subaru swallows saliva, remembering the incident.

"Yes, I understand. My miasma is much worse than yours. I'll try not to be alone with her."

Kaoru nodded. "Good. We'll also ask Beako about the miasma. We have to find answers."

Subaru sighed and changed the subject. "Anyway... Let's finish pruning. The key to not dying in this place is to gain the trust of everyone here, don't you think?"

"Exactly," Kaoru replied as he cut the grass with the scissors. After a few minutes, he snorted under his breath.

"Now we could really use a fucking industrial revolution to have a lawn mower..."

Subaru let out a laugh. "Yeah, and we could invent a tractor while we're at it!"

They both laughed as they continued to work, despite the magic weights they wore on their limbs, slowing their movements. Finally, after a couple of hours, they left the tools in the shed and went out into the garden, satisfied with the work.

---

"It's your turn to do the laundry and clean the fountain in the garden. I am to help Rem clean the bathroom and cellar. Ram will be cleaning the lobby and the rooms," Kaoru explained as he rolled up the sleeves of his uniform, preparing to leave.

"Why do you get the most interesting chores? I always get the boring stuff," Subaru protested, crossing his arms.

Kaoru rolled his eyes. "Interesting? I'm sure cleaning a toilet isn't your definition of 'fun', but hey, if you want to switch and stick with just Rem to murder you, go ahead. I'll stick with the fountain."

Subaru gestured as if he was seriously considering it, but finally shook his head. "Nah, I'll pass. Good luck with the bath."

Kaoru turned around, ignoring Subaru's sarcastic comments, and headed toward the mansion through a back door. He entered the master bath, a spacious room with an empty pool in the center, designed for Roswaal's luxury baths. There Rem was there, already working diligently, cleaning the marble walls.

"Hey, Rem. Let me help you so we can finish faster," Kaoru said as he picked up a broom and began scrubbing the pool floor.

Rem looked up, surprised by her initiative. "Thank you, Kaoru-kun. That will be a great help."

---

As they cleaned up together, Kaoru broke the silence.

"Rem, how do you manage to always maintain this much energy to do so many tasks? I'm already exhausted."

Rem smiled softly.

"It's my duty as a servant of Roswaal Manor. Besides, when you know your work is appreciated, it's easier to stay motivated, don't you think?"

Kaoru nodded as he continued cleaning.

"I suppose you're right. Although in my case, I'm not sure Ram appreciates my work very much. He always seems to find something to criticize."

Rem let out a small laugh, something rare for her. "My sister has very high standards. But don't worry, Kaoru-kun. I'm sure you're doing fine."

Kaoru smiled, grateful for the support.

"Thank you, Rem. By the way, what's it like working with Subaru? He always seems to be causing some trouble."

Rem thought for a moment before answering.

"Subaru-kun is... peculiar. He's clumsy at times, but he has a kind heart. Though, I must admit, there are times when I have a hard time understanding him."

Kaoru laughed. "Yes, that sounds like Subaru."

After finishing up in the bathroom, the two of them headed for the cellar. The place was full of wooden crates, old tools and accumulated dust. As they worked together, Kaoru noticed that Rem seemed more relaxed than usual.

"Rem, don't you ever get tired of following everyone's orders? I mean, you do more than anyone else in this mansion."

Rem shook his head. "I don't see it as tiring. My purpose is to serve, and as long as I can do my job well, I'm satisfied."

---

Leaving the cellar, Kaoru and Rem walked down the hallway together. Neither had a clear direction, but both were enjoying the brief moment of calm after work. As they rounded a corner, they came upon Ram scolding Subaru.

"Barasu, if you can complete tasks early, you are expected to work on more things to free up time for me. And also so that Rem can concentrate on tasks that only she can do," Ram was saying, in her usual cold tone.

"But this is the normal workload!" protested Subaru, clearly annoyed. Even though he had finished his tasks faster than in other loops, Ram didn't seem willing to let him rest.

"Hey I've got nothing better to do right now, I'll help Subaru with something. Some of the rugs and mats are do for a cleaning, aren't they?" says Kaoru

Ram sighed. "I'll help Barasu with that. Kaoru, you already helped Rem clean the bathroom and the cellar, which is more than I'd usually have you do."

"Why does he have such a light load," Subaru complained, pointing at Kaoru in frustration.

Ram shot him a dagger-sharp look. "Because, according to Kaoru's agreement with Roswaal-sama, he is a 'part-time' worker. You are not. Allowing Kaoru to work more would go against that agreement, and that would go against Roswaal-sama's wishes."

Kaoru looks at Ram. "Well, if I help, you two can start the preparations for dinner, right? It looks like at this rate they'll be worrying about it being late tonight."

Instead of answering directly, Ram simply looked at Rem and they both nodded.

"Very well. Rem and I will leave to begin dinner preparations."

With that, the twins departed, leaving Subaru and Kaoru with the task of dragging the rugs into the backyard to shake and dust them. The task proved to be much more difficult than expected, as many of the rugs were long and heavy.

---

Taking advantage of the short time they had before dinner, Kaoru and Subaru decided to visit Beatrice in the library. Upon opening the door, they were greeted with an annoyed look.

"You two?" said Beatrice, crossing her arms. "What do you want now?"

"Hi, Betty!" greeted Subaru enthusiastically.

"Now, what do you want?" repeated Beatrice, clearly impatient.

Subaru wasted no time. "Remember when you knocked me unconscious on the floor yesterday morning?"

"Of course I remember, why do you ask?" replied Beatrice, arching an eyebrow.

"What exactly did you do, is there some kind of magic that can kill the user by draining their mana?", Subaru asked seriously.

Beatrice sighed, as if the question was too obvious. "There are many such spells among warlocks. Warlocks are a subclass of magic and spiritual arts users. Originating in Gusteko, to the north, they are useless and no one takes them seriously."

But there is an easier method than cursing, says Beatrice with a wicked smile while placing her palm on Subaru's chest.

"Don't tell me that... that time, you..."

"That mana absorbing thing you made for me can kill me?" 

"The mana is also your source of life, if it runs out you could die of weakness". says Beatrice.

Kaoru wrote down all that information in his notebook while Beatrice was talking. because if he dies he will forget almost everything in the previous loop except for the last moments.

"And in this mansion, only Puck and I can do it. Not even Roswaal has that ability."

"Wait, you're not the one who killed me, are you?" says Subaru.

"I'm too busy to waste my time trying to kill you." says Beatrice as she tries to reach a book from a shelf that she clearly can't because of her height.

Subaru reaches for the book and offers it to her.

"Did you want this?"

Beatrice simply takes it and sits down in her chair in front of a small table.

Kaoru nodded, noting everything down precisely. "And what about the miasma you mentioned me yesterday?"

"Its the smell that witches and witch followers as well as mabeasts have, some witches had a miasma so strong that it drove the people around them crazy." 

"And why do we have miasma?" asks Kaoru.

"Because you are related to one of the witches in some way or another, simply because of that. Subaru's miasma is undoubtedly the most stinky one."

"Witch related, what witch? are there any witch followers?" kaoru keeps asking.

Beatrice sighed with annoyance. "You've already tired me with your questions. It's late."

"Hey, that's importan-

Before he could protest, a gust of wind hit them, hurling them out of the library and, unfortunately, through an open window on the second floor. They both landed in the flowers and manure of the garden.

Kaoru struggled to his feet, wiping the mud and manure off his uniform. "Great. Now I literally smell like shit. My ribs..."

Subaru, lying on his back, groaned. "I think I broke a bone..."

Kaoru sighed, looking up at the sky. "I definitely need a raise."

---

Kaoru plopped down in his desk chair, letting out a tired sigh. The cleaning, the extra work, and the incident in the library had taken their toll on her. After dinner, he just wanted some peace and quiet and to end the night with his tutoring session with Rem. As exhausting as the day had been.

Finally, he heard a soft knock on the door. "Come in," he answered.

The door opened, and Rem entered with her usual elegance. However, something in his expression made Kaoru's heart sink. Her cold, formal tone, the one that had begun to fade over the past few days, had returned.

"Kaoru-kun, sorry for the delay. Let's get started with the calligraphy practice," Rem said as he placed a sheet of paper on the desk.

Kaoru nodded, taking the brush and starting to work on the characters. But something was wrong. He couldn't concentrate, and his strokes were sloppy, lacking the precision he used to strive for. Rem was quick to notice.

"Kaoru-kun, Rem can see you're struggling tonight. Did you hurt your wrist today?" she asked, tilting her head in slight concern.

Kaoru stopped his writing and lifted his wrist, turning it slowly. "...Not at all," he finally replied, his voice muffled.

A brief but uncomfortable silence filled the room.

Suddenly, Rem moved behind him and gently placed her hands on his shoulders. "You're tense. Let Rem massage your shoulders."

Kaoru tried to protest, turning his head slightly. "It's okay, you don't need to-"

Ignoring her objection, Rem began to work her fingers into Kaoru's shoulders, moving firmly but gently. The precise pressure of his hands began to relax Kaoru's tense muscles, and little by little, the exhaustion of the day began to dissipate.

Despite her earlier cold tone, it seemed that Rem was acting more... approachable. Her fingers slowly moved to the inside of his shoulders, making Kaoru feel more and more relaxed. He closed his eyes for a moment, enjoying the sensation.

"Rem has a question, Kaoru-kun," she said suddenly, breaking the moment.

Kaoru, feeling more relaxed, let out a sigh and answered. "Yes?"

"Kaoru-kun, do you know what we're doing tomorrow?" asked Rem, her tone soft but charged with intent.

Kaoru, increasingly drowsy, let out a yawn as he replied. "yawn, Yes... I think we're going to...town.... right?"

The moment the words left her mouth, Kaoru realized her mistake. She had never mentioned anything about the village, His mind, which was beginning to cloud with relaxation and exhaustion, took a second to process it. Wait a minute. She caught that. She knew I knew... How did I fall for something so obvious?

Rem didn't react immediately. His hands were still massaging Kaoru's shoulders, but now they moved more slowly, almost deliberately. Finally, he spoke in a neutral tone, "I see."

Then, leaning closer, Rem whispered in her ear, his voice soft but charged with something that made Kaoru tense. "How did you know, Kaoru-kun?"

Kaoru's mind began to spin. I can't think straight... He tried to answer, but the words stuck in his throat. "I just... I just... We... I knew it..."

As he struggled to come up with a coherent answer, Rem moved her hands to his neck, placing them carefully. He didn't squeeze, but Kaoru felt the weight of her fingers, as if she was looking for a reason to do so.

"Won't you tell Rem how you knew, Kaoru-kun?" she asked, her tone lower, almost a whisper.

The combination of exhaustion, massage-induced relaxation, and Rem's subtle use of mana finally overcame him. Kaoru fell into a deep sleep, his body relaxing completely as his head tilted forward.

Rem remained standing, his hands still on Kaoru's neck. Her expression was a mixture of frustration and confusion. She had tried to manipulate him into a state of vulnerability to get concrete answers, to justify her suspicions. But what she had gotten was not enough. He had said nothing to confirm his guilt, and yet the stench of miasma still enveloped him.

Frustration overpowered her. She wanted to squeeze, wanted to hear his breathing become more labored, how he struggled for air. But as her fingers began to exert pressure, her gaze fell on Kaoru's peaceful face. He was sound asleep, completely oblivious to the danger he was in.

Rem let out a shaky sigh and loosened his grip. This is wrong... This isn't right... she thought, her emotions beginning to overwhelm her. She knew she didn't have a good enough reason to kill him, but still, doubts lingered. The things Kaoru knew, the things he said, everything pointed to something strange. And yet...

"That stench..." she muttered to herself.

The stinking miasma surrounding Kaoru and Subaru was unmistakable, and yet, something deep down inside told her that he wasn't to blame. That thought, that feeling, began to grow inside her. Enough for her to finally let go of his neck and step back.

Rem stood for a moment longer, looking at the sleeping Kaoru with a mixture of guilt and regret. Finally, she turned and walked toward the door. Before leaving, he stopped and looked back, her eyes filled with tears.

"I'm sorry, Kaoru-kun. Please forgive Rem," she whispered.

Closing the door behind her, Rem slid to the floor, leaning against the wood as tears fell silently down her face. "Why, Rem, why did you do that, how could you be so hostile...?"