R10. The Worried Girl
Reinhild, who was secretly watching Wilhelm, suddenly noticed the sound of hurried footsteps behind her.
At first, the girl didn't pay much attention, but soon she realized the footsteps were getting closer.
Slightly annoyed, she turned around—and saw a boy rushing towards her.
Instinctively, the girl's body grabbed her sword, but fortunately, the Dragon Sword couldn't be drawn.
Reinhild also reacted in time and stopped her left hand from reaching out to Subaru.
Just when Reinhild finally prevented Subaru from getting seriously injured, she realized she had been hugged by the boy.
Even the famed Sword Saint Reinhild was stunned by this sudden situation.
In fact, everyone in the hall was stunned—the sound of plates dropping, the groans of falling servants, the cases of burns... Normally, Reinhild would have worried about the injured servants, but now she was enveloped in an inexplicable emotion and was unable to react.
"O-Suba..."
Only after hearing sobbing right next to her and noticing that the boy hugging her was trembling did Reinhild come to her senses.
She stopped the servants who were getting agitated because she was being held and comforted Subaru in the same way a mother comforts a crying child.
Gradually, the boy's body stopped shaking.
Reinhild then looked with a puzzled expression at the two girls who had rushed over—Felix and Felt—when suddenly she felt the boy struggling in her arms.
.
.
.
Reinhild escorted Lady Felt back to his room, then slowly headed downstairs.
Finally having some free time, she recalled everything that had happened today: Ferris and Subaru probably had no chance of reconciling, there was no time to talk with her grandfather about making peace, Lady Felt's situation was now known to Lord Crush, and they had even made some kind of agreement; she hadn't been able to ask Subaru about his request either...
Reinhild sighed, realizing she had messed everything up.
At that moment, she caught a faint scent of blood.
She stopped walking immediately and quickly confirmed the smell was coming from the room where the chaos today originated—Subaru's room.
She hurried to the door; the blood smell was faint, indicating a minor injury.
She sensed only Subaru's presence inside and breathed a sigh of relief.
Then she hesitated.
Subaru had said he wanted to be alone, and he had already driven away countless servants trying to enter.
Reinhild didn't know whether she should go in and check on the boy.
After a moment of hesitation, her worry took over.
She quietly opened the door just a crack and saw Subaru happily stabbing himself with a pen.
"Why do you hurt yourself like that?"
At that instant, Reinhild instinctively asked, noticing the boy's eyes looking at her—those were the eyes of a beast trapped in desperation.
"…What are you doing here?"
The boy's voice was hoarse.
Looking at the untouched food and full water jug, Reinhild immediately understood that Subaru hadn't had a drop of water all day.
"I smelled blood."
Reinhild suddenly remembered Winston mentioning Subaru's fear of healing magic.
She gave up on dragging Subaru to a healer in the mansion.
Instead, she searched the cabinet from memory and found the standard medical kit kept in every guest room.
"I'll help you bandage it, just a simple dressing."
Gently, she moved a stool and sat beside Subaru, grabbing his hand to examine it.
From the dried blood, Reinhild instantly realized that Subaru's self-injury intervals were getting shorter.
At that moment, Reinhild felt a deep pain in her heart.
She carefully applied medicine to the wound, blowing on it every time Subaru inhaled sharply from the pain. Finally, the wound was bandaged.
"Because it might be poisoned."
While bandaging and chatting, Reinhild finally understood why Subaru wouldn't eat.
She didn't feel anger, only pity—for Subaru's past environment and his current state.
She could feel Subaru's body condition was very bad.
So, after a brief hesitation, Reinhild made up her mind: she tasted a bit of each food, then fed Subaru the rest little by little with a spoon.
"Well, I'll take my leave for now."
Seeing Subaru's face regain some color, Reinhild nodded silently, then picked up the tray to leave.
But unexpectedly, Subaru grabbed her hand. Reinhild looked at his trembling hand and was silent for a moment.
"Well, I'll read a book here. You don't mind, do you?"
"Hmm."
Reinhild took a few books and sat beside Subaru.
Considering Subaru seemed unfamiliar with the local language, she quietly narrated some fairy tales.
During this time, she also talked about the royal capital.
Subaru asked some questions.
Eventually, Subaru fell asleep. Watching him sleep, Reinhild recalled his earlier desperate cries.
"The Witch Cult?"
Maybe having heard that name, Subaru suddenly struggled violently on the bed, sweating and breathing painfully, as if caught in a terrible nightmare.
His hands clawed at the air, as if seeking something.
"Save me, I don't want to die. Elsa… Puck… Rem…"
"It's okay. I'm here."
Reinhild held Subaru's hand and whispered softly.
Like hearing her own vow, Subaru grasped her hand with both of his, then gradually calmed down.
Watching Subaru fall asleep again, Reinhild began to pull her hand away, but just as she started moving, she noticed Subaru tensely sweating again.
Reinhild hesitated, then adjusted her position.
She placed a book on her lap and turned the pages with one hand.
Time slowly passed, and after a long day, Reinhild herself finally fell asleep.
.
.
.
The next day, Reinhild brought food for Subaru.
When she returned to the room, she noticed the sweat on his body.
Fortunately, due to last night's events, she also brought a towel and hot water.
They ate a simple breakfast together, then she helped Subaru wipe his body and change clothes.
For some reason, Subaru seemed very afraid to walk from the room to the hallway.
So, in the end, his meeting with Roswaal took place in Subaru's room.
"Reinhild... you said yesterday that you'd pay me a reward, right?"
Reinhild, who was preparing to go to the royal capital with Roswaal, stopped in her tracks. Seeing Subaru's hesitant eyes, she nodded seriously.
"Yes, what do you want?"
"I want you to swear to the Divine Dragon to be my bodyguard for this week—that is, to protect me closely."
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT
Hello everyone! I'm VarieTL.
I have posted a new Fanfiction!
A crossover of Danmachi and Fate this time
Danmachi- The Heroic Legend of Emiya!
After slaughtering his way through the Holy Grail War in a single night to save his sister, Shirou Emiya was transported to the labyrinth city of Orario.To repay Hestia for a meal she gave him, he resolved to offer his strength to this unreliable goddess.The path of justice has not yet come to an end—as long as the sword remains tightly gripped in his hand, there is no need for hesitation."Whether god or man, no matter who tries to harm the ones I wish to protect, I will defeat them with the sword in my hand!""Watch closely—this is my Unlimited Blade Works!"This is the story of a hero of justice who sweeps away evil in Orario while also uncovering the truths of the world.
As Always
Read ahead (60 chapters) by supporting me on Patreon VarieTL