Chapter 40 (40) Never Thought I’d See You Again, Linie: 01

Subaru thought for a second. The tent walls flapped in the wind, and the brazier flickered, casting moving shadows across the canvas. Staying with the army meant she could learn more about this world, how it worked, who the important people were, what rules everyone followed. Soldiers talked. Commanders gave orders. Information flowed through a camp like water through cracks in a wall. If she stayed alert, she could pick up pieces of knowledge that might save her life later.

But the risk was there. A big risk. She could be exposed as a demon. Even with Übel's help, even with the turban wrapped tight around her head, there was always a chance that someone would notice something wrong. A mage with sharp senses. A priest with divine sight. A soldier who had fought demons before and knew what to look for. One mistake and the whole camp would turn on her.

On the other hand, the job came with money. The pouch she had collected from that abandoned village was nearly empty now. She had counted the coins twice that morning, hoping she had made a mistake the first time. She had not. Even if the world changed, the necessity of money remained constant. She needed more. That was simply true.

But this was certainly risky. Dangerous. The kind of dangerous that could get her killed in ways that left no body to bury.

She looked at Wirt again. The dark red hair. The reddish eyes. Something about his face made her stomach tighten, though she could not explain why. Then it hit her. He looked too much like that red haired boy from day zero. The one who had killed her over and over in the forest. The one whose face she had seen in her nightmares, blank and cold, swinging an axe while she screamed.

But this was not the same person. She told herself that firmly. Different face. Different voice. Different clothes. Different everything. Wirt was a commander, a noble's son, a man who wore armor and gave orders. The red haired boy had been alone, bleeding in the dirt, attacking her on sight. They were not the same. They could not be the same.

She pushed the thought away.

Her goal was simple. Get away from that red haired boy and his companions as fast as possible. That was why she had been heading to the opposite direction, toward the northeast region of the continent. There was a high chance those people would not try to go that far to exact revenge or whatever racist vendetta they had against her. Demons were despicable creatures, according to what everyone said. She had heard it in villages, in taverns, from travelers on the road. Demons killed without reason. Demons could not be trusted. Demons deserved to be destroyed.

But Subaru had yet to meet a demon herself. Not one. Not a single one. She had woken up in a demon's body, surrounded by stories about how evil her kind was supposed to be, and she had never actually seen another demon to compare notes. So she had no comment. Maybe the stories were true. Maybe they were not. Right now, she had bigger problems than figuring out the moral standing of a species she had accidentally joined.

Regardless, gaining experience and knowledge about this world and getting some money was a really good offer. Even with the risk of her secret being revealed. The chance to learn, to prepare, to build something that might keep her alive, that was worth something. Maybe it was worth the danger.

But she was not alone. She could not just say yes without Übel's consent. They were partners now, or something close to it. Übel had agreed to travel with her, to fight beside her, to not kill her on sight. That counted for something. Subaru could not make decisions for both of them.

She turned to Übel. "What do you say?"

Übel did not answer immediately. She stood with her arms crossed, her staff resting against her shoulder, her green eyes fixed on Wirt. Her expression was unreadable, the way it often was when she was thinking. The firelight caught her face, highlighting the curve of her jaw, the slight furrow of her brow.

After a long moment, she spoke. "Explain in a bit more detail."

Wirt nodded. He stepped closer to the brazier, warming his hands, though the gesture seemed more about filling the silence than any real need for heat. "The large scale invasion should happen in about a week. Maybe less. Our scouts have seen movement in the hills, groups gathering, creatures that do not usually work together. Something is organizing them." He paused, choosing his words carefully. "Many of our mages are injured from the last skirmish. We do not have enough of them left to cover the front lines properly. Vorig is a warrior focused city. We have soldiers, good soldiers, strong soldiers, but we do not have competent mages. Most of our people train with swords and spears, not with staffs and spells. So I am asking you to help us stop the invasion."

"I see," Übel said.

She looked at Subaru, then back at Wirt. Her expression had not changed, but something in her posture had shifted. She was considering the offer, weighing it against something only she could see.

"Is the money good?" she asked.

Wirt smiled. He reached into a pouch hanging from his belt and pulled out a fat leather bag. The coins inside clinked together, a heavy sound, the sound of actual wealth. He held it up for a moment, letting the firelight catch the bulging sides, then set it on the small table between them.

Subaru's eyes almost sparkled. She felt her face trying to react, trying to show excitement, trying to lean forward and grab the bag before anyone could change their mind. She restrained herself. She clenched her hands behind her back and kept her expression as neutral as she could manage. But inside, her thoughts were racing. That is a lot of coins. That is more coins than I have seen since I got here. That is maybe enough coins to last more than a week.

Übel smirked. She looked at the pouch, then at Wirt, then back at the pouch. "That is all?"

Wirt's smile grew wider. He did not seem offended by the question. If anything, he looked pleased, as if her reaction was exactly what he had hoped for. "That is just the advance," he said. "Impress me, and you will get ten times more."

Subaru's brain stopped working for a second. Ten times. She tried to do the math in her head, failed, and decided it did not matter. Ten times was a lot. Ten times was enough. Ten times was more than she had ever dreamed of having in this world.

"We will take it!" Subaru said quickly.

The words came out before she could stop them. Her voice was louder than she intended, higher pitched, the voice of someone who had just seen a solution to all her problems and grabbed it without looking both ways.

Übel sighed. She had been about to bargain for twenty times, maybe more. She had the skill for it, the confidence, the experience. But Subaru had already said yes, and now the deal was done. Twenty would have been nice. Twenty would have been better. But ten was still good, and arguing now would only make them look desperate.

She shook her head slightly, a small movement that Subaru almost missed. "Fine," she said. "Ten times."

Wirt nodded. He looked genuinely grateful, which was unusual for someone in his position. Commanders did not often show gratitude to strangers. They gave orders and expected obedience. But Wirt bowed his head slightly, a small gesture of respect. "I am very grateful," he said. "You have no idea how much this means to us. The city has lost too many people already. Every soldier we save, every family that does not have to mourn, that is because of you."

Subaru felt something twist in her chest. Guilt, maybe. Or fear. She was not sure. She was lying to him, hiding what she was, pretending to be something she was not. And he was thanking her for it. She pushed the feeling down and forced herself to bow in return.

"Looking forward to working with you," she said.

Her voice was steady. Her face was calm. Her hands did not shake. She hoped that was enough.

Wirt smiled again, nodded once more, and turned to leave. The tent flap closed behind him, and the canvas walls stopped flapping for a moment, as if the wind itself was holding its breath.

Subaru stood there, staring at the spot where he had been. Her mind was still catching up to what she had just agreed to. Fighting in a war. Against demons. While being a demon. The irony was not lost on her. It was, in fact, sitting on her chest like a very heavy cat.

Übel picked up the pouch of coins and tossed it in her hand, feeling the weight. "Ten times," she said. "Not bad."

"I said yes too fast," Subaru admitted.

"Yes, you did."

"I should have let you bargain."

"Yes, you should have."

Subaru sighed. "Are you angry?"

Übel looked at her. Her expression was hard to read, as always, but there was something soft around the edges. "No," she said. "You are broke. I understand. Though… I never imagined I'd see someone of your kind… be desperate for coins like this,”

Subaru wanted to argue, but she could not. It was true. She was broke. She had been broke since she arrived in this world, and she would continue to be broke until she found a way to make money that did not involve dying repeatedly.

"Yeah," she said “I guess I'm an anomaly,”

Übel shrugged. "Do not forget that we have to survive the invasion."

Subaru groaned. "I forgot about that part."

“You should keep in mind that demons will know what you are. So…”

The tent fell silent again. The brazier crackled. The wind picked up outside, rattling the canvas, reminding them that the world was still there, still cold, still dangerous.

Subaru sat back down on her stool and put her head in her hands. "What have I gotten myself into?"

Übel sat down across from her, still holding the pouch of coins. "A paying job," she said. "With a handsome commander. In a city that needs help. It could be worse."

"It could always be worse," Subaru muttered. "That is the problem."

Übel laughed, a small sound, almost gentle. "Do not worry. I will keep you alive."

Subaru looked up at her. The green haired mage was smiling, not the sharp smile she used when she was about to cut something, but a real smile, warm and almost kind.

"You promise?" Subaru asked.

Übel tilted her head. "I promise to try."

Subaru decided that was good enough.

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