I will declare it once more, Natsuki Subaru is devoted solely to Emilia.

Since arriving in this other world, I’ve repeatedly encountered stunning beauties whom I would never have met in my original world, but her existence stands out above the rest.

It’s not just that she’s purely beautiful; it’s that I have fallen so desperately in love with her. Under these circumstances, her battle prowess continues to soar.

Therefore, no matter how handsome anyone else is, Subaru’s heart cannot waver towards anyone but Emilia. It is utterly impossible.

“So, this perfect bed-making has no meaning beyond my desire for a good night’s sleep!”

I thrust my finger sharply at the bed, offering an excuse to no one in particular.

After my bath, before me stands the bed I’ve tidied up after spending all my time since returning.

The sheer effort, even leaving a basket of laundry unattended, is monumental—especially when I’d just come out of the bath, and yet I wipe my sweaty forehead. It’s been a long time since I felt such satisfaction from my work.

“There’s no deep meaning. No deep meaning at all. Mind over matter, mind over matter. Emilia-chan alone, Emilia-chan twice, Emilia-chan three times… It’s like heaven!”

“You’re being too noisy, Balus. It’s already nighttime; keep it down.”

“Faaar-awaaaay!”

I bounce back dramatically, retreating to the wall. I notice Ram quietly standing at the entrance, having opened the door without a sound.

After stepping inside, she knocks on the door and says, “You say to be quiet right after being noisy, it just won’t do.”

“What kind of self-imposed rule is this!? It shakes my sense of common sense just listening to you! What do you want me to do about it!?”

At Subaru’s outburst, Ram gives a small “Hmph.” With her disapproving silence, Subaru finds himself at a loss for words.

Walking in front of him, Ram heads not for the bed, but for the small wooden desk in front of it.

Each room is designated a space for writing or such, but for Subaru, who can’t read or write in this world, it’s a useless piece of furniture. Naturally, I could write in Japanese, though.

“Worst case, maybe I should do this anyway. Even if I can’t carry it over, making notes in writing could clarify things for memory…”

“What are you mumbling about? Balus, come here.”

Her casual way of speaking is enough to draw blue veins on Subaru’s forehead. However, getting swept into her pace would only bring losses. To begin with, it’s precisely Subaru’s specialty to pull others into his pace.

Regardless of the surprising statements that might come up, I’ll ensure my unwavering, unyielding steel heart is fortified.

It feels like facing a battlefield as I step forward to meet Ram.

“So, what unreasonable request will you offer next?”

“What are you talking about? I’m saying I’ll teach you reading and writing, so sit down quickly.”

“That’s the first I’m hearing of it!?”

My steel melts instantly.

The hardened heart I thought I had crumbled in a moment, and as I try to hide my agitation, I glance at the desk where a pristine notebook and quill, along with a reddish-brown book lie spread out.

There’s no joke, prank, or harassment here; she genuinely wants to teach me.

“But why all of a sudden…?”

“Balus, I realized you can’t read or write. I saw that from your efforts today. Therefore, I’ll teach you. Without reading and writing, you can’t even make shopping lists or notes for messages.”

In response to Subaru’s bewildered question, Ram gives an utterly sensible answer.

Subaru’s mouth falls open in shock, like a fish gasping. Ignoring his reaction, Ram points to the book with the red cover and says, “First, let’s start with an easy collection of fairy tales for children. From now on, either I or Rem will accompany you every evening to study.”

It’s a generous offer, but I’m overwhelmed with confusion.

This development, just like the earlier incident in the bath, presents a situation I couldn’t have imagined before. Moreover, I’d thought that I was still far from closing the gap with the twins.

Yet here I am, for some reason, being presented with this goodwill study session.

“It’s obvious. To get an easy life.”

“You’re really unwavering, aren’t you?”

“Of course! The more you can do, the less work I have to do. If my workload decreases, so does Rem’s. It’s a win-win!”

“But I’m the one stuck with tons of work instead!?”

“…?”

She tilts her head in surprise at the response, clearly not understanding my intentions.

As I feel helplessly exasperated, I can’t help but feel grateful at the same time.

“Alright, sounds good. Let’s get this study session started!”

“For Balus, your conversation skills are fine, so it won’t be too difficult. You can’t blame your innate talent.”

“That felt like a backhanded compliment!”

As I sit down at the desk and pick up the quill, I’m finally ready. Previously, I’d never even touched it, but it felt light, and as I glide it across the pages of the notebook, I find my handwriting is surprisingly neat.

This marks my first written words in this other world! I boldly wrote on the cover of the notebook,

“Natsuki Subaru has arrived… and—”

“Just a heads-up, but there’s no time to be doodling! Tomorrow’s early, and time is limited.”

“Wait, this is my native language… It probably won’t get across here, will it?”

From the formation of conversation, I had hoped maybe writing it out could somehow lead to a translation, but alas, I’m not that lucky.

What seems to be pictograms in this world must look like messy scribbles to them when I write Japanese.

All my favorite four-character idioms can’t wield any power here.

“But on the bright side, if I pen my risqué fantasies, no one will ever notice! That’s a unique situation… possibly useful in a libido sense!”

“Let’s start with the basic ‘i’ letters. After mastering those, you can move on to ‘ro’ and ‘ha’ letters.”

“Three types? That’s daunting just hearing it!”

Faced with acquiring a new language, my spirit weakens. I can now understand how foreigners feel when trying to learn Japanese. With hiragana, katakana, and kanji, it’s enough to leave one feeling overwhelmed at the height of the mountain before them.

“Once you grasp the ‘i’ letters, we’ll move on to fairy tales. Study time will be strictly until midnight. Tomorrow’s coming, and Ram’s sleepy too.”

“I don’t mind your honesty slipping out at the end there; it’s not that bad, elder sister.”

“I like that side of you too, Ram.”

With no hesitation in her comeback, it’s hard to tell if she’s being sincere or joking. The atmosphere feels overwhelmingly more earnest than humorous as Subaru’s writing lessons begin.

When learning a new language, the first step is always to grasp the types of characters used. Like how the hiragana consists of fifty sounds, languages start with basic characters, and everything else is built from them.

Hence, acquiring a language begins with writing down the characters at a steady pace.

“This is way more painful than I imagined… like when I learned cursive.”

Ram provides the basic characters she’s prepared for him, and I write around four hundred letters per page. The challenge might trigger gestalt collapse, but deep down, I acknowledge this is a necessary measure and immerse myself in it.

Honestly, my eyelids feel heavy from fatigue and sleepiness, but thinking of Ram who’s sitting alongside me, dozing off is out of the question. It’s precious to have someone behave in a friendly manner on my second day here. I can’t afford to let this chance slip away.

“I must say, though you say it’s for an easier time, I’m really thankful for it.”

While struggling to suppress my shy feelings, I convey my sincerity to Ram behind me.

Between the faint sounds of my quill racing across the notebook and the identical letters I repeatedly scribble, I reflect on the past four days.

Looking back, I was chasing after Emilia’s backside whenever I had the time, but the person I spent the most time with was likely Ram.

From all the chores around the mansion—cooking, cleaning, and laundry—educating someone as inexperienced as Subaru must have been daunting. She had to juggle even more regular duties alongside that.

Naturally, Rem must have also shared the burden. Because of that, I had not spent too much time with Rem over the past four days. Although Ram mentioned Rem was doing her part efficiently, I still felt guilty for putting an indirect strain on her.

“To be honest, I didn’t think I would be overly liked.”

After all, things had been so busy, and now there was a useless newcomer in the mix. Not only did she have to maintain her own work, but also had to spend time teaching him various things.

Just imagining it is a painful thought for someone with so little social experience like me. That’s something Subaru is all too familiar with.

Hence, it’s gratifying to feel as if I’m not being rejected right now.

“So I think I’ll keep causing you trouble from here on out, so please take care of me.”

I lightly shift in my chair, looking back as I gently speak to the silent Ram keeping watch over me.

As I unintentionally reveal my genuine feelings, Ram quietly replies,

“Zzz.”

Snuggled up in the perfectly made bed, she breathes cutely as she sleeps.

She’s taken off her shoes, removed her apron, set her headpiece beside the bed, and is tucked into the covers with impeccable posture.

Snap! The quill breaks with a sharp sound.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Following a sudden impulse, Subaru opens his mouth wide and yawns.

The drowsiness he couldn’t suppress forms tears at the corners of his eyes, which he roughly wipes while stretching his back.

The evening sky is colored orange by the setting sun’s farewell, while the flowing clouds lazily move as if to celebrate the end of the day.

Watching it all, Subaru rolls his joints and checks his body’s condition. The effects of the hard labor remain, but I feel it’s better than before.

“Even if my body’s strength returns, it doesn’t change. I’ve learned a bit about how to move without getting too tired.”

It’s not from physical habituation, but a pure efficiency gained from experience doing the tasks. That’s likely what’s led to even slight alleviation of fatigue.

If I can loop in the future, I can’t hope for a boost in physical strength. What I can do is just prepare for incidents and hone my household skills.

There’s no way around it. After all,

“Natsuki-kun, I’m ready. —Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m all right. Is Rem done with shopping?”

“Yes, without any issues. You seem to have had quite the day, Natsuki-kun.”

Standing in front of him with a shopping bag is the blue-haired girl—Rem. Dressed in her unchanged maid attire, she holds her hair down from the breeze and looks at Subaru with a slight softening of her expression.

Directly at him—the one who had stained his butler outfit with dirt, dust, and snot mixed with tears.

“Looks like you were quite popular.”

“I have a knack for getting along with kids. Is it because I have some uncontrollable motherly instinct that attracts the childish hearts in me?”

“Children, like animals, intuitively rank humans. They instinctively know who to look down on.”

“That doesn’t sound like a compliment!?”

Subaru raises a hand to his chin to express his dissatisfaction while Rem gives no answer.

That was a rather biting comment, but Subaru can’t help but nod internally, considering that’s just how sisters are.

Ram is direct; Rem is indirect. To deal with them, it requires mental toughness. Of course, one also needs physical stamina, or else the work itself would become impossible.

With a bitter smile, Subaru turns his head around, observing the surroundings.

Behind him, the distant sounds of children’s laughter echo playfully from the plaza. Just moments ago, Subaru too had been embroiled in that circle, wrestling with strikes and drool. It was an unyielding battle fought without allies.

Currently, he stands in the nearest village to their mansion.

With that princely status, Roswaal is naturally a proper noble owning several lands.

This village, lying right by the mansion, is no exception, as the residents are well acquainted with them. Especially the twin maids; since they often go shopping, nearly everyone greets them when they pass by.

Yet Subaru, too, seems to have become somewhat known somehow. Although it’s his first time actually being there, being welcomed so warmly makes him feel both awkward yet pleased.

“But seriously, what’s up with those kids being so familiar with me…? Don’t they realize my hard-boiled, dangerously handsome vibe could burn them?”

Hard-boiled and adultish; I’ll call it hard-boiled-dick.

As I murmur that title, wishing I could casually puff on a cigarette while speaking in a low voice, Rem throws a sidelong glance at me.

“Busy talking about your motherly side while trying to act all grown-up, Natsuki-kun? You’re a handful.”

“If I was busy, I wouldn’t be in this situation! Damn it, I should have just accompanied Rem shopping instead!”

In reality, even if he did accompany her to the market, with his lack of knowledge about the names or distinctions of ingredients, he would’ve been of no help. Hence, he stayed back, only to be captured unexpectedly by the village kids.

“There’s nothing wrong with my options, but… I just don’t get it.”

“What don’t you understand?”

“Well, just about how Rem can talk without being cautious. It’s the opposite with Ram; at any angle, I wouldn’t know when I’d get derided.”

“Sister is wonderful, don’t you think?”

The conversation is slipping away from coherence.

The proud look on Rem’s face the moment she praises her sister suggests she’s sincere. However,

“Honestly, wouldn’t Ram’s personality create bunches of problems? It feels like she causes friction with a good frequency.”

“She’s not nearly as lacking in both servant skills and inherent character as Natsuki-kun.”

“You’re right, aren’t you?”

Observe others and reflect on yourself.

Given that he can contribute less than half of what Ram does, it’s only natural that Subaru gets laughed at when he critiques her capabilities and personality. What’s more, Rem is a level up from that Ram.

Following behind the forward-moving Rem, Subaru scratches his head and contemplates.

—Remembering that he had gone shopping in the village alongside Ram last time.

“Speaking of which, how’s your studying going, Natsuki-kun?”

“I want to say it’s progressing steadily… but it’s definitely no easy task. After all, everything takes time to nurture. Just like with love!”

“I hope it doesn’t wither away halfway through.”

“Your comment had no love in it, Rem!”

I shout, causing Rem’s expression to soften into a slight smile, which makes Subaru grin in return.

—It’s already been four days since Ram offered the late-night private lessons. The plan was for them to alternate teaching him, but it seems that Rem hasn’t taken that teaching role even once.

Likely, she was too busy fulfilling her duties. It seems to have weighed on her, though.

Seeing her uncharacteristically flustered reaction, Subaru maintains his smile and says,

“Don’t worry about it. I’m not being neglected, and I have no complaints about Ram being the teacher. Sure, it’s definitely demotivating to see her casually doze off in bed while teaching me!”

“Sister is doing that purposely to encourage your motivation.”

“What kind of overly positive thinking is that? Your admiration for your sister is on a whole other level—like deeply insane.”

“Insane…?”

Rem tilts her head, puzzled by the trendy term I’m using lately.

“It’s like the demon version of divine. Isn’t it pretty cool to say the demon spirit is on another level?”

“You like demons, huh?”

“Maybe more than the divine. You see, gods don’t really do much, but demons seem to enjoy laughing with you when you discuss future dreams.”

Apparently, talking about next year tends to get them hyped up.

Imagining sharing laughs alongside red and blue demons, Subaru suddenly spots Rem displaying an undeniable smile.

“Oh…!”

Although he has seen her smile a few times before, seeing her express a proper smile for the first time is genuinely special.

I have no idea what struck her emotional chord, but with a snap of my fingers, I say,

“That smile matches a million-bolt night view!”

“I’ll tell Emilia-sama.”

“No wait, that wasn’t a flirtation!?”

I straighten up, thrusting my hands out, posing earnestly to plead for forgiveness.

Suddenly, Rem raises an eyebrow, looking at me.

“What’s with that pose?”

“Huh? Oh, I just got bitten by the dog the kids were playing with.”

My left hand shows distinct bite marks, a shallow bleeding that’s already stopped. I recall being in the same situation before, showing I’m tracing strange parallels.

Meanwhile, there’s a considerable amount of snot smeared on the back of my butler outfit, but I’ll only realize that upon returning to the mansion.

“Do you want me to heal that wound?”

“Huh? You can use recovery magic, Rem?”

“Only simple things. But do you prefer Emilia-sama’s help?”

“Well, that’s definitely a tempting offer. B-but… I’ll pass.”

I hesitate while glancing at the canine tooth marks on my left hand. I’ve decided to decline the offer.

The scar is a helpful landmark. After all, the moment this loop started, the first thing that alerted me was the disappearance of that very scarf to begin with.

Knowing whether or not I have a scar serves as valid judgment. If I hadn’t randomly gotten bitten by a dog, I would have had to harm myself with some random sharp object, knife, quill, etc.

“But, you know, my fascination with facial scars graduated back in middle school. When I think about it now, it’s embarrassing to recall how full of scars I was…”

Remembering how I used to long for facial scars led me to recklessly inflict scratches, creating an entire collection, and it caused a disaster when one got infected, leading to me becoming known as the mummy guy in my middle school graduation album.

“Oh no, I’m cute…!”

“They say scars are medals for men. By the way, Roswaal-sama also boasts indelible scars that he won’t remove. — Like the one on his chest.”

“I think I can easily skip out on that topic; it sounds potentially sensitive.”

Panicking over the fact that the conversation might veer into dangerous territory involving the strange relationship between the maid and master, I push Rem gently, saying, “Forget about it, let’s hurry back home.”

I lack the confidence to continue on such a vivid topic, especially since I too am feeling some nerves.

—After all, today has now perfectly been four days since my second time in this other world.

“Tomorrow morning will be the real test. And before that…”

I must ensure that I can even make plans with Emilia; that’s an important test too.

“…But seriously, is Ram and Rem even fine with their knowledge about things? I can’t help but worry that the two of them are getting played by that guy.”

As I delve deeper into the loop from last week, these worries have begun to surface more prominently. Once my own matters are settled, I’ll casually try to glean information from them.

Thus resolved, Subaru’s determination grows ever secretive.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Natsuki Subaru’s second week at Roswaal’s Mansion has now reached its greatest crisis.

It was never a smooth sailing trip considering I didn’t quite replicate the first time all that well, but now we’re facing the biggest issue yet.

That is,

“I can’t show my face to Emilia-chan because I have study obligations!”

In the moonlit garden, two people whisper their love, exchanging pinky-sworn promises.

After harboring such hopes on this second night, it’s just the worst development to have any disruptions to the event sequence.

The studying itself is still only on the fourth day, and just before dinner, I casually suggested to the twins, “Hey, how about we take a break today?”

“Sister, sister! Natsuki-kun the coward is already bowing out!”

“Rem, Rem! That subhuman Balus over there is whining in dog language!”

And, in a way never experienced before, my suggestion is dismissed with disdain.

So here I am, desperately wanting to cut class and rush over to Emilia’s side.

“If Ram and Rem tell Emilia-chan I’m slacking, they’re definitely going to cancel our promise…!”

Even if I can manage to make arrangements, if they end up being broken, it becomes meaningless.

Promised meet-ups and two people blazing through a flower field, disappearing into the night city; that’s the bare minimum for a Natsuki Subaru-style happy ending.

“But if I study diligently, I might just get too sleepy before I meet Emilia-chan.”

Thus, the best possible answer for me remains just one.

That is—finish the assigned tasks as fast as possible and descend into the garden before the moon hides behind the clouds. That’s it.

“Or I might seduce Ram into falling asleep with my ultimate bed-making, and while she’s asleep, I could make my promise and come back in time to finish my work… it’s a sandwich approach!”

Actually, it’s a double bind. A sad male heart sandwiching between promises and homework.

I’ve also prepared a backup plan, and the bedding adjustments have been made. The bedding soaked up plenty of sunlight, and it’s in perfect condition, radiating warmth that could easily lure anyone into the world of slumber.

Gathering all my strength as a hotelier within me, my exceptional bed-making is now complete.

“I can’t possibly achieve better bed-making than this…”

It’s a masterpiece into which I poured all of my heart and soul.

While I usually find Ram, who shamelessly lays there, infuriating, right now I’m desperate for her to dive right in.

“I feel like I’m waiting for cockroaches to enter a trap I just bought—how awful!”

I won’t correct the truth with fancy words because it is what it is.

That said, the fact that I’m waiting patiently reflects the Japanese sensibility of not being able to be cold-heartedly unemotional.

Standing by the desk, I tap my knees with my fingers while waiting for her arrival. However,

“Why is it taking so long today? If it starts late, it’s only natural for it to end late. Unlike school classes, there’s no bell ringing at the end.”

In school, when a teacher is late, it’s more like, “We’ve been waiting!” Here, it’s nothing more than wasteful, extended inactivity.

While I think this wasted time could be better spent reviewing material, considering my current mindset, it would be pretty difficult to focus on writing.

Deciding to finish the task quicker from such mental state is laughably naïve, and I didn’t even realize it.

Time is ticking by, and when I suddenly hear a knock on the door, I rush over hurriedly and fling it open.

“You’re late! Those seconds might not mean much to you, but each one for me is like chiseling away at my very soul!”

“…I’m sorry for keeping you waiting. I haven’t been here much on this floor.”

Hearing the voice of Emilia, who was waiting outside, causes the blood to drain from my face.