Rem and her twin sister Ram both serve as maids at the Roswaal Manor.
This Oni girl is proficient in all kinds of housework, managing the affairs of the mansion in an orderly manner.
As Oni, they should have had two horns, but due to the peculiarity of being twins, they each inherited one horn, and were thereafter regarded as taboo children by their clan.
Even their own parents were cold, and their fellow clansmen made no secret of their disgust and contempt for the sisters.
"It's all because of this single horn."
Rem was forced to understand this cruel fact from a young age.
It's worth noting that among the demi-human races, the Oni clan was considered an exceptionally outstanding race due to their superior physical strength and powerful mana.
However, the Oni clan had an obvious weakness: their small population.
Generally speaking, races like the Oni, which focused solely on producing powerful individuals, mostly found it difficult to reproduce in large numbers.
In stark contrast to their own powerful strength, the Oni could only build settlements and live in small, remote mountain areas.
Because the Oni chose to live far away from human settlements, they established a series of strict rules to protect their few kinsmen.
One of these was that twins were considered taboo children.
After all, Oni are born with two horns on their heads. In a normal state, the horns are hidden within the skull, but when encountering special situations that shake the Oni's instincts, the horns extend from the head, absorbing mana from the surroundings.
The function of the horns is to forcibly make the mana in the atmosphere submit, thereby greatly enhancing one's combat power. It is a racial characteristic organ that the Oni clan is extremely proud of.
However, the situation with twins was different; they were born sharing two horns.
In Oni society, individuals who lost their horns were called "hornless" and would thereby lose their Oni identity.
Even losing just one horn would lead to slander and censure, let alone twins born missing one important horn from the start. This was undoubtedly something that had to be tabooed.
Therefore, throughout history, twins were immediately put to death after birth. The fate of these twin sisters was originally destined to end at birth.
This oppressive upbringing took a turn after her older sister Ram awakened her self-awareness.
The young Ram was a child prodigy. The talent she displayed was unprecedented in Oni history. The mana stored in her body far exceeded that of her peers, and the pure white single horn on her forehead was so beautiful it made the entire clan bow in admiration.
What was even rarer was that this heaven-gifted girl was never arrogant. Her very existence was as pure and dazzling as her single horn, making all clansmen unconsciously submit.
For a girl not yet ten years old, this was nothing short of a miracle.
In the Oni society that revered strength, even the clan leader who had once intended to kill the newborn sisters had to bow to Ram's brilliance.
Rem always firmly believed:
"Sister is powerful."
And she followed this dazzling star like a shadow, clumsily measuring the glorious path her sister Ram walked.
However, compared to her amazingly talented sister, Rem was just a mediocre, single-horned Oni. She had no outstanding talents, and her mana reserves were also unremarkable.
This timid girl always hid behind her sister, even imitating Ram's every move.
This was how the young Rem protected her fragile heart.
She never envied her sister Ram, but instead held the deepest respect and love for her. Nor did she resent her parents, because they had indeed given her care. She didn't even blame her clansmen; after all, it was natural for them to have expectations for Ram's sister.
But these well-intentioned blades tortured Rem. Her parents' expectations, the clansmen's encouragement, her sister, this insurmountable mountain...
Rem had tried all sorts of childish efforts, secretly practicing magic late at night, even imitating her sister's every action flawlessly.
However, each time, she despairingly found that her sister Ram always stood on that unreachable cloud, shining so brightly it made her unable to open her eyes.
Whenever she saw the adoring gazes of the clansmen towards her sister, or heard her parents' praises for her sister, this thought would gnaw at Rem's heart like a venomous snake.
"Why... why can I never compare to sister..."
Rem forcefully pinched her own horn, as if this could calm the surging unwillingness in her heart.
Just as Rem was about to give up struggling and accept her fate.
That night that changed everything arrived.
The blood moon hung high, and the Witch Cultists swarmed into the village like a tide.
In the firelight, she saw her sister's white horn break under the flash of a blade. The crisp "crack" sound was particularly piercing amidst the shouts of battle.
And what terrified Rem most about herself was.
In that instant, a secret sense of relief surged deep within her heart.
It was as if a heavy burden that had long been pressing on her shoulders was suddenly lifted, or as if she finally saw hope of catching up to her sister.
This shameful thought had just emerged when it was drowned by overwhelming guilt. She trembled as she hugged her unconscious sister, warm tears mixing with her sister's blood, seeping into the soil and creating dark stains.
"It's all my fault... If it wasn't to protect me..."
She sobbed and muttered, her nails digging deeply into her palms.
At that moment, Rem made a vow in her heart.
From now on, she would use her entire life to atone for this sin she could never speak of.
For the next seven years, this guilt clung to her like a persistent disease, driving Rem to frantically compensate:
"Everything sister could do, I must do it all for her."
Even after earning the reputation of an all-powerful maid at Roswaal Manor, even after being entrusted by Lord Roswaal with the important task of assisting in the Royal Selection, the anxiety in Rem's heart always lingered like a shadow.
This peaceful torment was completely shattered on the night Lady Emilia returned from the Royal Capital.
That lady brought back an out-of-place, black-haired young man.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Natsuki Subaru."
A vibrant shout exploded in the entrance hall. Rem looked from around the corner of the corridor and saw a young man dressed in foreign clothes greeting her.
Those obsidian-like eyes happened to meet Rem's.
"This Mr. Subaru helped me a great deal in the Royal Capital." Emilia gently stroked her silver hair and explained to Rem, "Roswaal has agreed to let him stay temporarily..."
"Um... Please take care of me, Miss Maid!" The young man suddenly leaned closer, extending his hand with inappropriate enthusiasm. "You must be Rem, right? I heard there are twins here..."
"I am Rem."
Rem took half a step back to avoid contact, her voice as cold as an ice surface.
This stranger was a mixture of too many contradictions. He lacked the proper etiquette of a servant, yet acted with excessive familiarity. It was clearly their first meeting, yet his gaze held an inexplicable sense of recognition.
"Rem and Ram are truly twins, aren't they!" The black-haired young man scratched the back of his head with an embarrassed laugh. "Even the bows on your hair accessories are..."
"Guest." Rem interrupted him with standard maidly posture, her clasped hands drawing a perfect arc in front of her skirt. "The guest rooms are in the east corridor. Please follow Rem closely and do not touch the artwork along the way."
As she turned, she heard the young man mutter, "So strict, not what I imagined at all."
But what was more concerning was the gaze that fell on her bangs, where the shameful mark of the Oni was hidden.
The discomfort of being scrutinized instantly crawled up her spine.
"Excuse me," Rem suddenly stopped, her sweet voice laced with a hidden blade, "Is the guest very interested in Rem's horn?"
"Ah, no!" The black-haired young man waved his hands frantically, but knocked over a vase beside him.
Amidst the crisp sound of shattering, he awkwardly explained: "I just thought... um, it's very pretty..."
"..."
Not understanding what this young man was saying, Rem silently squatted down to clean up the fragments, letting the porcelain cut her fingertips.
However, this frivolous, clumsy, yet inexplicably sincere attitude formed a sharp contrast with the stern order of the mansion.
"I'll help you!" the young man said.
"Please stop." Rem blocked the young man with her body. "An amateur's assistance will only increase the cleanup work."
"Uh..." The young man was speechless for a moment.
"Rem." Ram's voice floated down from the stairs. "Come prepare Lady Emilia's dinner."
"Yes, sister."
Rem quickly stood up, hiding the bloodstained porcelain shards in her apron.
Before leaving, she caught a final glimpse of the young man's hesitant expression, a look that inexplicably irritated her.
The next morning, when she and her sister Ram jointly woke this uninvited guest.
At the breakfast table, Lord Roswaal asked in his trademark peculiar tone:
"What is it——that you desire? As things stand, I will not refuse. To cover up the fact that the insignia was lost, I am willing to pay anything. Come——what do you want?"
"Is anything really okay? Then... if I say I want them, that would be acceptable, right?"
The young man said so.
Rem maintained her perfect maidly demeanor. Although he brushed it off as a joke, such frivolous remarks were already enough to displease her.
However, what was even more shocking came later.
This young man, who called himself Natsuki Subaru, actually requested to work as a servant in the mansion as his reward.
"Why does he want to stay?"
Rem narrowed her eyes through the steam rising from the teapot, her heart filled with confusion.
Is he a spy?
Or does he have ulterior motives?
It was only natural for her to hold strong vigilance towards this young man of unknown origin.
Especially during the first two days of the young man's servant life, he always wore a vacant smile and deliberately approached her and her sister. All this caused Rem's negative emotions to continuously accumulate.
Although she couldn't show her aversion in front of Lord Roswaal and Lady Emilia, she found herself watching the young man for longer and longer periods, as if trying to see through his true intentions.
For her sister, who had lost her horn, she only wished to stay by Lord Roswaal's side. And for Rem, who had taken her sister's rightful place, protecting the place where her sister could live in peace was not only a responsibility but the meaning of her existence.
She would not easily let go of anyone who threatened this environment.
Although on the surface the young man's behavior was not improper, even if she continued to observe him as her sister suggested, Rem still believed he should be driven out of the mansion as soon as possible.
It would be too late if something happened.
Just as she reached this conclusion, she unexpectedly discovered a side of Subaru that was completely different from his frivolous exterior; the young man put his all into everything he did.
Gradually, the initial tense atmosphere dissipated, and his clumsy enthusiasm also began to change.
From being clumsy to gradually becoming competent at work, within just a few days, he had grown into a qualified servant.
"N-No! I was just thinking... Rem's hands are really skillful, haha..."
"Perfect, absolutely perfect! As expected of Rem, you're amazing!"
"That sweet smile really suits you, Rem."
Such exaggerated praise coming from his mouth, surprisingly, didn't feel insincere.
Although for Rem, who was resistant to change, Subaru was still a troublesome person, she was already able to put aside her hostility and interact with him.
......
Until that day, when they went to Arlam Village together to buy ingredients.
On the way back, she suddenly remembered she had forgotten to buy sweet potatoes, so Subaru returned to the village.
Rem waited alone at the village entrance. At this time, a little girl with blue pigtails ran over in a panic, saying that several children had chased a puppy into the forest.
Hearing this, Rem immediately ran towards the Mabeast-infested forest.
In a clearing deep in the forest, six children lay on the ground as if under a sleeping spell, and among them, a small gray puppy was whimpering pitifully.
"It's okay now..."
Rem cautiously approached. The moment she bent down to pick up the small gray puppy, a sharp pain shot through her wrist.
"Oh no... it's a Mabeast."
Her vision began to distort, and Rem forced herself to protect the children behind her.
Her consciousness gradually sank into darkness. When she woke up in a blur, she saw Subaru fighting a group of Mabeasts, covered in wounds yet still standing in front of her, roaring at the Mabeasts:
"Don't you dare... come near her!"
Why, why would you do this for me...
With this question, Rem once again fell unconscious.
"Are you awake? Rem!"
A familiar voice woke Rem.
She opened her eyes and saw her sister Ram watching her.
Ram's lips curved slightly upwards, revealing a smile that only those close to her could understand.
At this point, memories flooded back like a tide: buying ingredients, the blue-haired girl's plea for help, the encounter in the forest... Only then did she fully realize her current situation.
Thinking of this, Rem hurriedly asked Ram:
"Subaru... How is Subaru?"
"Subaru, although he was seriously injured." Ram calmly explained, her fingers gently adjusting her horn, "Under the treatment of Lady Emilia and Lady Beatrice, he woke up before you and is already exercising energetically. There's no need to worry about him at all."
"That's good..."
Hearing that Natsuki Subaru was safe, Rem unconsciously breathed a sigh of relief, her tense shoulders slightly relaxing. Then, she asked softly,
"Those children... Are they all okay?"
"The children are all safe." Ram paused for a moment, then continued,
"Because the Mabeast that bit them has been confirmed dead, the curse won't activate. Lord Roswaal, Lady Beatrice, and Lord Puck have all carefully examined them."
"Is that so..."
Rem lowered her eyelids, her long eyelashes casting faint shadows on her pale cheeks.
"Right, you just woke up." Ram stood up, her skirt making a slight rustling sound. "I'll go prepare something for you to eat."
"Rem can do that herself..."
Rem tried to sit up, but was gently pushed back onto the pillow by her sister Ram.
"Taking care of my younger sister is my responsibility as an older sister."
Ram's tone brooked no argument, and as she turned, she quietly softened the force with which she closed the door.
"Sister..."
Rem whispered softly.
For so many years, she had always been the one taking care of her sister, but now she was being taken care of by her sister in return.
This realization brought a strange emotion to Rem's heart.
"And... Subaru."
Somehow, the image of Natsuki Subaru fighting Mabeasts while shielding her that night appeared in Rem's mind, and an indescribable emotion surged within her.
"This feeling... What exactly is it..."
Rem gently clenched the bedsheet, the fine texture of the fabric under her fingertips, yet she couldn't grasp that elusive feeling in her heart.
______
🌟 WE DID IT, WANGSHENG FAMILY! We're +50 on Patreon! 🌟
The Director is OVERJOYED – thank you so much to each and every one of you for making this possible! 🥰 To celebrate this incredible achievement, a special gift: YOUR 10 BONUS CHAPTERS are now live! Go check them out!
And the journey continues! Our next big goal is to
Reach 75 amazing supporters! And yes, the reward will be epic again: 10 more brand-new chapters, all at once! 🤩
👻 Want more?
100 powerstones = +1 Bonus Chapter for everyone! 5 reviews = +1 Bonus Chapter for everyone!
Growing Wangsheng family and unlock even more exclusive content! ✨
Join us: 👻 patreon.com/Walnutchan 👻