Chapter 189: Today's Task Is... a Date! After All, We Promised

Ah… Natsuki Subaru collapsed back into his chair, exhausted. After all that effort, he’d finally managed to feed all the girls to their satisfaction.

He lifted his head, about to look around for Halibel, only to find she’d already slipped away into the shadows at some point without anyone noticing.

Before making her escape, she’d taken some food with her — probably off to find Reize and Zarestia, who hadn’t eaten yet either.

“So full…” Petra had eaten the most of anyone, her appetite inexplicably enormous. Now she lay sprawled over the table with a satisfied look, looking a little dazed.

“Mm~ Not a bad experience at all. Not bad indeed!”

Elsa propped her right elbow on the table, turning to rest her cheek on her hand as she gazed at Subaru with a smile.

She wasn’t sitting closest to him, but simply turning to look at him this way was enough to stir a little joy in her heart.

After everything she’d experienced in the viewing space, she’d come to understand her true feelings — she loved Subaru!

This feeling had built up gradually, from the moments she’d shared with Subaru and Meili along the Arrogance line.

It was a bond somewhat like family, but she absolutely didn’t see Subaru as just family.

Just as she’d thought to herself while watching, if Subaru ever asked her directly how she saw him, how she saw the relationship between them—

then no matter how foolish or slow she might be, she’d never answer ‘family’!

What she’d answer would be: ‘Lover’!

But as an undying, cursed doll and a killer with blood-soaked hands, she wasn’t much better off than Meili.

What did she really know about love?

The old her probably would have thought that slicing open someone’s guts and feeling each other’s warmth counted as love.

But now… she found she no longer had any such impulse.

Perhaps… her body’s instincts understood love better than she herself did!

And until she truly understood what love was, she wanted to stay by Subaru’s side, to observe, to feel…

“Thank you, Subaru. And sorry — I was a bit greedy today.”

Emilia dabbed her mouth gracefully, then gave Subaru a small smile as she spoke.

In truth, just moments ago, watching Subaru pile food onto Meili’s and Betty’s plates, a flare of unexplained irritation had risen in her.

She’d nearly ended up like Petra, her eyes going cold as she looked at Subaru.

But the mutual confession she and Subaru had shared earlier that morning had left her in her innocent, kindhearted ‘White Emilia’ state, which made her fairly resistant to such negative emotions.

More importantly, deep down, Emilia didn’t want to leave Subaru with an unpleasant, bad impression of her again.

So in the end, she’d simply watched quietly from the side, saying nothing that might pressure Subaru.

Fortunately, the feeding that followed lifted her mood considerably, washing away most of that small dark corner in her heart.

“Subaru, what are your plans for today?”

Emilia thought for a moment before asking.

At the same time, she was mentally running through what Subaru might need to do today.

Would he spend time with Petra? Or go catch up with Zarestia and Halibel, learning about what had happened in the past?

Or maybe…

The more Emilia thought about it, the more tangled her thoughts became, and the more restless she felt.

But just then, she saw Subaru, seated beside her, give her a small smile.

Then he clapped his hands to draw everyone’s attention and spoke.

“Since Emilia-tan just asked, let me announce it to everyone — today is the date Emilia-tan and I already agreed on!”

“So everything else is cancelled! No matter what, I’m going through with my date with Emilia-tan today!”

Subaru flashed his white teeth in a grin.

“A date… we agreed on!”

In that instant, it felt like a giant hammer had struck Emilia’s mind, and a wave of overwhelming joy filled her heart.

After everything she’d been through in the viewing space, after all that had happened…

she’d completely forgotten that, back in reality, she and Subaru had made plans just the night before to go on a date to the village.

She’d even been foolishly puzzling over what Subaru’s schedule might be today, and whether she’d have any chance to stay by his side.

She never expected the surprise to come so soon — Subaru’s whole day today… belonged to her?

“What is this? So sneaky!”

Petra pouted, whining at Subaru.

“I want to come too! Since it’s a promise, I won’t get in the way, but I still want to be with Subaru!”

“Now, now, Petra… if everyone comes along, what kind of date would that even be? So, no!”

Subaru shook his head, telling Petra seriously.

But just as Petra’s shoulders drooped in disappointment, Rem suddenly spoke up with a gentle smile, offering a suggestion.

“Surely Subaru and Lady Emilia will need a maid to look after them? So Rem would like to come along too — who knows, maybe I could help with something?”

Hearing this, Petra’s eyes lit up, and she raised her small hand toward Subaru.

“Petra’s a manor maid too, so I need to come along as well — that settles it, right?”

“Then~ Meili can come along as Big Brother’s bodyguard, and so can Elsa!”

Meili, sitting on Subaru’s left knee, swung her legs and voiced her own firm wish to stay by his side.

As for Betty, she simply leaned against Subaru’s chest with an indifferent expression, quietly watching the group of women squabble.

That was the nice thing about being a Great Spirit under contract — she didn’t need any excuse to stay by Subaru’s side.

After all, that was simply the nature of their close bond — what was strange about a contracted Great Spirit staying with her contractor at all times?

It was only natural, obviously!

Thinking this, Betty smugly let the corner of her mouth lift by a pixel’s worth — wasn’t this, in some sense, being first place too?

“In that case — then everyone might as well come along.”

Just then, Emilia cut in unexpectedly, smiling as she agreed to every one of the girls’ requests to come along.

It wasn’t really that big a deal.

Besides, even if she didn’t bring them along, would they really just obediently stay behind and not follow Subaru anyway?

Not likely.

So the best option was simply to agree outright and let Subaru see how generous she could be!

“Emilia-tan?”

Subaru looked at Emilia with a hint of confusion, but seeing nothing but calm openness in her violet eyes, he nodded and agreed as well.

“…Then, let’s all go together.”

“Once my date with Emilia is over, we can turn it into a camping picnic and have a get-together, too.”

As he said this, a hint of wistfulness flickered in Subaru’s eyes.

After this, days this peaceful probably wouldn’t come often anymore.