Re:Zero - Reincarnated on a Co-op Route

Kaoru slumped against the hallway wall, letting out a long sigh. His whole body felt exhausted, but the weight on his mind was even greater.

"This has to be a joke..." he muttered, closing his eyes briefly.

"That bastard used me as he wanted and roped me into his plans. He's obviously up to no good." His jaw tightened at the thought of Roswaal. Kaoru knew he couldn't trust him, but he didn't have any options to get rid of his influence either. "And I can't tell Subaru anything either. I have no idea what would happen to me if I ever broke the vow."

Kaoru leaned his head against the wall, staring at the ceiling as he organized his thoughts. "I'll have to pay more attention to Roswaal's movements. Much more."

A bitter laugh escaped his throat. "Looks like feeling helpless will be a feeling quite attached to me..."

Turning his head, his gaze fell on a nearby window. From there he could see outside: the sun illuminated the soft lawn of the garden, and the leaves of the trees swayed peacefully in the midday breeze. It was ironic how everything looked so peaceful from there, while her interior was absolute chaos.

"No use distressing myself over these things," he thought, closing his eyes for a moment. "Going on like this won't help me or anyone else. I can't stand here defeated like a loser."

With renewed determination, Kaoru rose from the ground and stretched languidly. The tense muscles in his body began to relax a little.

"Mmmh... much better," he muttered to himself. He dusted off his clothes and tapped his cheeks a little, as if trying to wake up fully.

"One damn step at a time. Burn that into your head, Kaoru Shimizu." He repeated those words to himself like a mantra as he sorted through his thoughts. He knew what the next step was: find out more about the shaman who had cursed Subaru in the first loop. They would have to investigate in Arlam village to find him.

"I should take Rem or Ram with me. They are quite strong and could protect me and Subaru in case the shaman tries to attack us first."

The thought didn't bother him. Kaoru had already accepted that his pride had been shattered since he had arrived in this world.

"I don't care if I'm protected by a woman. This world already made it clear to me that I have no place for such complexes."

With that plan in mind, Kaoru began to walk through the corridors of the mansion until he reached the huge foyer. There he found Subaru, who was energetically mopping the floor, though his face clearly showed signs of exhaustion.

"Hey, Subaru!" Kaoru raised his hand with a smile to greet him.

Subaru immediately raised his head, full of energy, thinking it would be Emilia, Rem, or Ram. However, seeing that it was Kaoru, he relaxed his shoulders and let out a sigh.

"Oh, it's you, Kaoru-kun," Subaru said, sketching a tired smile.

"How did you disappear for an hour? I thought you finished your part-time job," Subaru commented in a relaxed tone as he continued mopping.

"Ah, that... I was in Beatrice's archive," Kaoru replied, shrugging his shoulders.

Subaru raised an eyebrow, curious. "Did you find out anything else about the curse? And did you also find out anything about the miasma?" He asked with genuine concern.

Before Kaoru could answer, Subaru pointed to his body and added, "And why do you look like you fell headfirst down a staircase?" His eyes fixed on the bruises Kaoru had not yet managed to heal with his healing magic.

Kaoru sighed, scratched the back of his neck, and smiled uncomfortably. "As I was saying... it was in Beatrice's archive," he repeated evasively, hoping Subaru would get the hint.

Subaru got it instantly and couldn't help but let out a laugh. "Bro! Did she really leave you in the shit? Are you okay? Aren't you in any pain?" He asked, still laughing.

Kaoru gave him a sidelong glance and replied sarcastically. "If I tell you yes, are you going to give me a massage or something? It obviously hurts."

Subaru laughed even harder at the response, but Kaoru continued, shifting the focus. "As for the shaman and the miasma... it'll be a long explanation. But first, let me help you clean the floor. You look pretty tired, Subaru," he said with a small smile.

"Huh? Well... if you insist," Subaru replied, a little surprised by the gesture.

---

As the two boys mopped the floor of the huge hallway, Kaoru explained to Subaru everything he had learned in Beatrice's archive. He detailed what related to curses and miasma, without omitting important details.

Subaru listened intently, his expression changing from concentration to concern. Eventually, he brought a hand to his mouth. "It can't be..." he muttered, processing what Kaoru had told him.

"Yes," Kaoru confirmed. "We're linked to that witch in some way or another. But back to the subject of the shaman..."

Kaoru began to speak more energetically, organizing his thoughts.

"It's possible that guy is trying to damage Emilia's royal candidacy. He's probably an outsider because the time between the disappearance of the royal family and Emilia's appearance as a candidate is very short. He wouldn't have time to establish himself as a native of the town."

"So... how do we find him?" asked Subaru, leaning a little toward him.

"The plan is simple," Kaoru explained, "We'll go to Arlam village. You and I, along with Rem or Ram. We'll have each person in the village touch us on different parts of the body. That should be enough to identify the culprit once we get back to Beatrice to have the curse removed."

Subaru looked at him in surprise. "What if we find the culprit?"

"It's clear, possibly Rem or Ram will kill him after we interrogate him," Kaoru replied with a smirk.

Subaru smiled, infected by Kaoru's attitude. "Let's do this, Kaoru-kun! Let's get this shit over with once and for all!"

Kaoru nodded, letting out a sigh. "Anything to get a fucking break from all this; I don't want to have to mess with my head after this shit."

--[Time Skip]--

"Hey, Ram," Kaoru called as he held out a round, dark purple fruit in his hand. "I found this in the forest near the mansion this morning. Tell me, please, what can be eaten?"

Ram, who was finishing checking the supplies, arched an eyebrow upon hearing the question but took the fruit to examine it carefully.

Also in the kitchen were Subaru, helping Rem with the shopping list, and Kaoru himself, who couldn't shake his curiosity. They were all working together to make sure nothing was missing for dinner before heading out to Arlam Village to buy supplies.

"This is a Fannel fruit," Ram replied, in her usual calm tone.

"And is it edible?" asked Subaru immediately, leaning slightly towards Ram as he continued to note ingredients.

"It's a fruit with alcoholic properties," Ram explained, handing the fruit back to Kaoru.

"Alcoholic?"

Kaoru's eyes instantly lit up, as if he had just found a lost treasure. A sharp little smile formed on his lips. In his mind, he was already imagining the possibilities.

"Maybe...maybe this could be my way of coping? My oasis in this desert of constant stress?" 

Before he could say anything else, Ram was already watching him with a mixture of disapproval and derision.

"You're not going to get drunk during working hours, Kaoru-kun. Don't even think about it," she said, crossing her arms.

Kaoru raised both hands in a gesture of innocence, but his smile did not disappear.

"I wasn't planning to... at least not until we finish what we have pending," he replied with a playful tone, tilting his head slightly towards Ram.

"And who knows, maybe we could get a little happy tonight, don't you think?" he added with a mischievous look.

In his mind, Kaoru was already imagining the scene: him taking a swig of the drink, letting the alcohol calm his nerves; laughing, flirting with Ram... maybe some groping, maybe something more intimate... The fantasy quickly unfolded until—.

"You won't see me naked," Ram interrupted, looking at him as if she could read his thoughts.

"So young and already thinking such things. You're a gooner, Kaoru-kun," she added with a tone of sarcasm that made Subaru chuckle from the bottom.

Kaoru was undeterred. "What's the matter, you guys never drank?" he asked, raising an eyebrow and keeping his tone playful.

Subaru raised his hand, surprisingly agreeing with Kaoru. "I'm on board with Kaoru's idea," he said, a slight blush on his cheeks as he tried not to look at anyone directly

"We could try to relax a bit, couldn't we? There's plenty of fruit; we could make a few drinks..." In his mind, Subaru was already imagining a perfect scene: him and Emilia sharing a quiet moment, her laughing softly, maybe even resting her head on his shoulder, a little date....

Ram, however, cut off both of their fantasies with a dry reply. "Never."

Kaoru looked at her incredulously. "Never? Not even a sip?"

"No."

As I recall, the allowed drinking age in Lugunica is 15," Rem added as she finished checking the supply list.

Kaoru blinked, surprised. "15 years old? Hell, they're a lot more flexible in this place than they are in Japan..." He folded his arms, pondering for a moment. "In that case, what would be the age of consent?".

Despite Ram's firm stance, Kaoru couldn't help but be intrigued. "Hey, Ram, tell me more about that fruit," he insisted, with a mixture of curiosity and excitement.

"We definitely lost it," Subaru commented.

"They say it's quite sweet," Ram began to explain, "The liquid that comes out of it is golden and thick, like honey. It makes the body of whoever drinks it feel warm, makes them very honest, and, after a couple of hours, causes drowsiness."

Kaoru raised an eyebrow, impressed. "Makes people more honest, huh?" he thought for a moment about the possibilities. "Imagine the confessions you could get out of that... Not a bad idea. Maybe I should do a little experiment?"

"I've finished making the list of supplies for dinner," Rem said suddenly, interrupting Kaoru's thoughts. "It's time for us to go into town."

"In that case," Ram interjected, "I'll stay at the mansion to finish the chores and prepare the utensils for dinner. You three can go to town to get the supplies."

Kaoru couldn't help but smile as he glanced sideways at Subaru, who did the same.

"You're both a hopeless cause," Ram sighed.

Subaru walked out of the kitchen next to Rem and Kaoru, already planning in his mind how he could convince Emilia to join them to try Fannel's famous fruits when they finish their unfinished business.

--[Time Skip]--

The group was walking along the path leading to Arlam village under the warm midday sun. Everything was going according to plan, and both Subaru and Kaoru were focused on carrying out their mission. If they could identify the shaman who had cursed Subaru in the previous loop, they could finally relax that night. Or at least, they hoped so.

Kaoru kept a calm pace, but his mind wandered to slightly less... strategic thoughts. "If all goes well, tonight will be the perfect time to crack open that Fannel drink."

A small smile appeared on his face. "I just need a little convincing to get Ram to drink. I'm sure with the alcohol she'll loosen up that strict facade she always has...who knows, maybe she'll even have some fun with me." The thought of a relaxed (and maybe a little flushed) Ram was enough to make Kaoru feel more motivated.

"What about Beatrice?" he suddenly thought. "Oh, I definitely want to see how that little tsundere reacts if I give her a little taste. She'd sure get adorable with that flushed face while telling uncomfortable truths... or I could even experiment a little with her and see how she reacts~" The mental image he created made him stifle a lewd smile. Subaru, who was walking beside him, gave him a sidelong glance.

"What's so funny to you?" asked Subaru, arching an eyebrow.

"Ah, nothing, nothing," Kaoru replied quickly, turning his attention back to the road.

---

Arriving at the small village, the atmosphere was calm and welcoming. Villagers came and went, busy with their daily activities. Rem volunteered to take charge of ordering supplies from one of the local stores, leaving Subaru and Kaoru with the main task: putting the plan to find the infiltrating shaman into action.

"Okay, Subaru," Kaoru said, putting his hands on his hips. "It's time to put our social skills to the test. Ready to be the friendliest guy in town?"

Subaru nodded with a confident smile. "Social skills? That's my thing! Leave it to me." Then he added, in a more playful tone, "Although, if anyone gets scared of your face, don't blame me."

Kaoru rolled his eyes. "Thanks for the support, buddy. Really, it fills me with confidence."

The two parted momentarily, mingling with the villagers. The plan was simple but effective: chat with everyone, become friends, and casually get each other to touch a specific body part. Once they returned to the mansion, Beatrice could use dispel to break the curse on both of them, and they would only have to remember who it was that touched that part.

Subaru was chatting with an old woman selling fruit at a stall. "Oh, these apples look amazing, ma'am," Subaru said enthusiastically. "Can I take a closer look at one?" When the old lady handed an apple straight into his hand, Subaru made a small internal celebration. "Another contact made."

Both boys continued to move through the village, talking to the villagers and gaining their trust. Kaoru, true to his style, couldn't help but be a bit more flirtatious at certain times. While helping a young girl carry a couple of baskets, he let slip a casual remark. "You must be the strongest person in town if you can carry all this by yourself. Can I help you a little?" The girl giggled and gave him a light punch on the arm, which technically counted as contact. "Perfect," Kaoru thought.

---

After talking to several villagers, Kaoru and Subaru approached the group of children playing near a tree. The boys were full of energy, running back and forth while laughing loudly.

As soon as they approached, a small, bratty boy jumped on Kaoru and climbed on his back as if he were a horse. As he used Kaoru's suit to wipe his boogers without the slightest remorse. The boy, named Lucas, seemed to have an endless supply of nasal fluid.

"Hey, hey! What are you doing? This suit isn't a handkerchief!" protested Kaoru, though he couldn't help but chuckle a little at the situation. "Lucas, get down before...aagh, no, not there! That's my neck!"

Meanwhile, another boy named Dine, full of energy and curiosity, approached with a direct question. "You're the clown man's servants, right?"

Kaoru couldn't help but laugh at the nickname. "Clown man... yeah, that fits Roswaal perfectly." He thought, finding the question genuinely funny. Any comment that made fun of that eccentric nobleman was like music to his ears.

Subaru, not missing the opportunity to entertain the children, struck a dramatic pose, raised a finger to the sky, and declared in a triumphant voice, "We are the servants of the clown-faced man, to serve you!"

The children burst out laughing, amused by his over-the-top performance.

Kaoru decided to introduce himself after the comical introduction. "My name is Kaoru," he said with a smile, pointing at Subaru. "And this weird guy here is Subaru."

"Kaoruuu!" shouted Lucas again, clinging even tighter to Kaoru's back as he continued to wipe snot on his suit.

Kaoru sighed. "Lucas... can you get off at least for a minute? This isn't daycare," he said, though his tone was more resigned than annoyed.

The rest of the kids also introduced themselves: Cain, Dine's twin brother; Meina, a blonde girl with pigtails; Mild, a chubby boy with shaved hair; and Petra, an adorable 12-year-old girl with orange-brown hair and cyan eyes.

As they played and chatted with the boys, Kaoru noticed that Petra had a small wound on her hand, probably the result of some mischief in the group.

"Let me see, Petra," Kaoru said, kneeling down in front of her. Carefully, he took her hand and examined the laceration. "It's not serious, but I'd better fix it."

"What are you going to do?" asked Petra curiously, as the other boys came over to watch.

"Hey, have you guys ever seen magic?" asked Kaoru with a smile, looking at the group.

"What, are you going to show off to the kids, Kaoru?" commented Subaru with a teasing tone from the background.

Kaoru ignored him and turned to Petra. "I just want to help her," he said, giving the girl a warm smile that made her blush slightly.

Extending his hand over Petra's, Kaoru began to channel his healing magic. A soft white glow, emanating from his water mana, covered the laceration. In a matter of seconds, the wound was completely gone, leaving the skin flawless.

"WOW! That's magic?" exclaimed Lucas, his eyes shining in amazement.

Petra looked at her hand, amazed. It was the first time she had ever seen anything like that. "Thank you, Kaoru-sama. You're very kind," he said with a warm smile.

"No problem, Petra-chan," Kaoru replied, stroking her head with one hand. His gesture made Petra close her eyes with a happy expression. 

"Mmm... that feels good," Petra murmured, enjoying the moment.

"Subaru-san, Kaoru-san! Come, come!" shouted Lucas, tugging on Subaru's sleeve to pull them along with the other children. The boys led them to a corner where a small girl with olive green eyes and blue hair was holding a small puppy with a bald head.

"What happened to his head?" asked Subaru, leaning down to observe the peculiar animal.

"It's a special puppy," explained the girl, who introduced herself as Meili.

Subaru tried to pet the puppy, but it reacted immediately by biting his hand and drawing a little blood. "Ow! Hey, easy, buddy!" said Subaru, quickly pulling his hand away.

"Let me try," Kaoru said, kneeling down in front of the puppy. With slow, careful movements, he began stroking its head. To everyone's surprise, the little animal seemed to enjoy the caresses.

"He seems to like you, Kaoru-kun," Meili commented with a smile, impressed.

Kaoru smiled confidently. "I'm just a natural with animals," he said, continuing the petting... until the puppy decided to bite him too. 

"Ouch!" exclaimed Kaoru, pulling his hand away as he shook off the small bite. "Looks like that was enough petting for today," he said with a sigh, as Subaru laughed from the side.

---

As the children continued to play, Kaoru and Subaru watched them with a smile. It was a short break before returning to the mansion and facing the next step of the plan.

"You know, sometimes I wonder what it would be like to live here, with no worries," Kaoru said, watching the boys run around the field.

"Yeah, but if you lived here, they'd probably still be biting puppies and wiping their boogers on you," Subaru replied with a smirk.

Kaoru laughed. "Probably. But at least it would be simpler."

Subaru and Kaoru met near the entrance to the village. They both looked exhausted but satisfied.

"How did it go?" asked Subaru, wiping sweat from his forehead.

"I think everyone in this village touched me at least once," Kaoru replied with a smile. "Although, honestly, some of them seemed more interested in my hair than what I was saying."

Subaru chuckled. "Well, you do have the air of a romance novel protagonist. That must be it."

Kaoru gave him a sidelong glance. "Thank you, Subaru. I'll take that as a compliment."

At that moment, Rem appeared with the bags of supplies, ready to return to the mansion. "All set?" she asked in her typical calm tone.

"Yes, mission accomplished," Subaru said with a smile. "Now all that's left is to go back and let Beatrice work her magic."

Kaoru looked up at the sky as they walked back. "If all goes well, tonight I'll finally be able to relax a bit. And if I can convince Ram or Beatrice to drink with me... well, that would be the icing on the cake." A mischievous grin appeared on his face.

Subaru, noticing Kaoru's expression, pointed a finger at him. "What are you thinking now? Don't tell me you're still on that idea of getting Ram drunk."

Kaoru shrugged. "What if I am? Come on, Subaru, admit it: it would be fun."

Subaru shook his head, though he couldn't help but laugh. "You're a gooner, Kaoru."

"You too, buddy."