Chapter 59 59: Evening, Date Countdown

In no time at all, the three of them finished preparing lunch in the kitchen.

But the chores waiting for them around the manor were far from over.

Tending the front garden and the courtyard, then polishing the silver cutlery, airing out the futons, doing laundry, scrubbing the bathroom…

"How is there this much work?!"

After half a day of non-stop labor, Natsuki Subaru wailed his grievances at Ram's back as she walked gracefully ahead of him.

Before Ram could respond, Rem — who was already carrying two mops in preparation for the upcoming bathroom clean — smiled gently and explained.

"Today happens to be the manor's once-a-year deep cleaning day, so please bear with it a little, Subaru."

"Exactly. Now do you understand, Barusu?"

Ram, leading the way at the front, echoed her coolly.

"Why does the once-a-year deep cleaning day have to fall on today specifically?!"

Natsuki Subaru pushed open the bathroom door and took in the all-too-familiar scene before him.

It suddenly hit him — across all his loops and Returns by Death, he'd already scrubbed this bathroom clean multiple times over.

And now he had to do it again.

The thought hit so absurd a note that a laugh escaped him despite himself.

Laughing through the pain.jpg

"Alright — let's get this over with!"

He had no choice. He'd talked a big game, after all.

A promise made was a promise kept.

Natsuki Subaru gave his cheeks a firm slap, shook himself back into gear, and grabbed one of the mops from Rem's hands — then went to town on the tiled bathroom floor with wild, sweeping strokes.

He knew perfectly well what technique was most efficient and least tiring.

But right now, this unhinged, freestyle mopping just felt too satisfying to give up.

There was something deeply liberating about it.

Smack!

Without warning, Ram materialized beside the flailing Subaru and rapped him hard on the head.

"Idiot Barusu — that's not how you clean a bathroom. Do it the way I tell you."

Natsuki Subaru clutched his head, looking thoroughly pitiful.

His mouth opened on reflex to protest his innocence.

But on reflection… what exactly was he innocent of?

"Yes, ma'am. Whatever you say, Lady Ram."

Having talked himself around to that conclusion, Natsuki Subaru grinned and gave Ram a cheerful salute, then dutifully followed her instructions and got back to mopping.

Once the surrounding floor was done, it was time to drain the bath and scrub out the tub in the middle.

Natsuki Subaru rolled up his trouser legs and sleeves and waded in first, the water coming up below his shins.

Rem gripped her mop and followed close behind him.

But the moment she stepped in, before she'd even found her footing — a splash of water hit her square in the face.

"Ha ha ha! Rem, your reaction time is way off today."

Natsuki Subaru doubled over laughing, hands dripping wet, his mop long since abandoned to one side.

Rem stood with her head down, trembling all over, her face flushed a deep, vivid red.

"Subaru — Rem is getting angry!"

"Huh? Sorry, sorry — I just thought things were getting a little dull and wanted to liven it up — mmph!"

Natsuki Subaru panicked and scrambled to apologize.

But even as the words were leaving his mouth, he caught Rem lifting her head just slightly — and shooting him a crafty little smile, the look of someone whose scheme had just come together perfectly.

— Oh no.

Natsuki Subaru realized what was coming just a heartbeat too late, his mouth dropping open in shock — and promptly gulped down half the water Rem sent splashing his way.

He choked and sputtered, water streaming down his chin, looking absolutely wrecked.

He wiped his face and glared at Rem, who had her hand pressed over her mouth to muffle her laughter, eyes curved into happy little crescents.

"Rem, that retaliation was way too brutal!"

Natsuki Subaru mock-raged.

Rem blinked at him with an expression of perfect innocence.

"Subaru threw the first splash, didn't he? Now we should really get back to cleaning."

Despite saying so, she made absolutely no move toward the mop currently drifting loose somewhere in the tub.

She and the Natsuki Subaru from the other timeline were like an old married couple — she knew his personality inside and out.

Likewise, Natsuki Subaru didn't move either.

The two of them locked eyes, sharing a look of perfect mutual understanding.

"What do you say we call it here, Rem? We've still got work to finish, after all."

"I think calling it here sounds exactly right, Subaru!"

And then — all-out war broke out.

Rem and Natsuki Subaru, barefoot, chased each other through the water-filled tub, splashing with wild abandon.

Laughter and shrieks filled the bathroom from wall to wall — though the cost, naturally, was the complete and utter destruction of any semblance of order.

Watching all of this, Ram — in a rare departure from form — didn't say a word to stop them. Instead, the corner of her mouth curved upward as she looked on.

This kind of natural chemistry between them… maybe they really are made for each other.

The thought surfaced in Ram's mind unbidden, followed close behind by a quiet warmth.

Barusu, when you set aside everything else… was actually a very capable man.

If she entrusted her little sister to someone like him — perhaps that wouldn't be so hard to accept after all.

Ram found herself a spot safely out of the splash zone and waited in silence for the two of them to wind down.

Having made up her mind, she wasn't going to stand in the way of Rem and Natsuki Subaru's relationship from here on out.

On the contrary — she welcomed it.

From the bottom of her heart, she hoped… that her little sister Rem would find her own happiness, and someone to lean on.

Before long, the great bathroom battle of Subaru and Rem came to an end.

The two of them, riding the high of excitement, looked around at the devastation they had wrought and exchanged a glance.

Then, in silent mutual accord, they bowed their heads and got to cleaning — all while inwardly praying that Ram wouldn't choose this moment to blow her top.

Their worries, as it turned out, were entirely unnecessary.

Ram joined the cleanup effort shortly after, taking command and directing operations.

In the end, the campaign was brought to a triumphant conclusion.

...

The sun sank toward the west. After lunch, Natsuki Subaru followed Ram and Rem through the rest of the deep clean.

By the time the final task was finally done, Natsuki Subaru was very nearly face-down on the floor from exhaustion.

"Subaru, you worked so hard today."

Rem stood beside Natsuki Subaru, hands clasped behind her back.

Then she leaned forward, and pressed a soft, light kiss to his forehead.

"That's your reward for all your hard work today."

Ram stood to one side with her arms folded, watching the whole scene with an expression of cool detachment, as though none of it had anything to do with her.

Only after Rem had pulled back did Ram turn to Natsuki Subaru and say, in a perfectly composed voice:

"Well then — that's all for today. Rem and I will be heading back to our rooms now."

"See you tomorrow, Subaru~!"

Rem fell into step behind Ram, turning back to wave goodbye.

Natsuki Subaru smiled and waved back just the same, watching until the two sisters vanished around the corner before finally letting out a long, relieved breath.

I'm dead tired —

Face haggard, Natsuki Subaru kneaded at his aching, creaking lower back.

Today's achievement: successfully completed the manor's annual deep clean. Not bad at all.

But alongside that, there was one problem he couldn't afford to ignore — he still needed to go smooth things over with Emilia.

He'd barely spared her a glance at lunch, and it had clearly put her in a mood.

No help for it. He'd have to fall back on his usual move and arrange to meet with her after work was done.

— Natsuki Subaru was ready to finally say what he'd left unfinished yesterday: the invitation he'd never gotten to make.

Footsteps sounded in the hallway nearby not long after.

And it seemed whoever it was had spotted Natsuki Subaru's silhouette — because the footsteps quickened with purpose.

Thump, thump, thump — they came rushing down the corridor and into the wash of the hallway light.

"Subaru, I missed you so much!"

Emilia, appearing just then, flung herself into Natsuki Subaru's arms like a swallow flying home to the nest, nuzzling her head against the warmth of his chest over and over.

...

...

P.S.: the plot is about to kick into high gear!

____

👻🔥Heey! Walnut-chan for more chapters!🔥👻

🔥 New history: Danmachi: Summoning Ruri Gokou, And other Chuunibyou Brats

Help us reach these goals:

🎯 100 Powerstones = +1 universal bonus chapter