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“The hell d’ya have us all awake for…” Garfiel asked sleepily, rubbing his eyes. “It’s literally 2 Fire Time! The sun ain’t gonna be up for four hours!”
“Why’s Reinhard the only one not here?” Felt asked, brow furrowing suspiciously.
“It’s very important, and about him,” Subaru said. “As of this moment, the Reinhard-Rescue Elimination Squadron is now in session! Our central mission is to save Reinhard from something not even he can fight!”
“That terrible name makes it sound like we’re planning on eliminating the people who are rescuing Reinhard,” Otto said. “And what are we eliminating, anyway?”
“Unfair marriage conditions!” Subaru said, slamming his hands on the table.
“Natsuki-san, no…” Otto groaned. “Are you seriously going to try to ruin the Sword Saint’s engagement?”
“It’s necessary!” Subaru said. “I started getting bad feelings the moment I learned he was engaged…”
Not too long ago…
“You are formally invited to the engagement party of the esteemed Lady Elena Ludwig, to the Sword Saint Sir Reinhard van Astrea,” Otto read aloud.
Subaru choked and whipped his head around towards Otto. “Reinhard got engaged?”
“It seems so,” Otto said.
“And who’s Elena Ludwig?” Subaru said, standing up quickly. “I’ve never even heard of her.”
“She’s the youngest daughter of Duke Ludwig,” Otto said. “She’s said to be one of the most beautiful and eligible young noble ladies. Ah, I guess it would make sense that she’d get engaged with Reinhard, the most eligible bachelor…”
“But-- I’ve never heard of her!” Subaru repeated. Somehow this was a sticking point for him.
“Well, you don’t rub shoulders with nobles much, Natsuki-san…”
Subaru sat down, still feeling stunned.
“I haven’t even met her,” Subaru said. Me and Reinhard are friends right? How did I not meet his fiancée before he got engaged? Something in Subaru felt keenly upset at this occurrence.
“Guess we’ll have to meet her at this thing then, cap’n,” Garfiel said, scratching his head.
“I’ll see if Roswaal and Emilia are up for a trip to the Capital…” Otto said. “Be sure not to do anything rash, Natsuki-san!”
“I won’t! You know me, Otto.”
“That’s not comforting at all…”
Subaru grinned.
When their little group arrived -- Emilia, Beatrice, Roswaal, Otto, and Garfiel -- Reinhard greeted them all personally.
“Welcome to the Astrea Ma--” Reinhard started.
“Outta the way!” Felt said, shoving Reinhard aside. “Me and Big Bro gotta talk.”
“About what?” Reinhard asked. “May I be present?”
“No, it’s girl stuff!” Felt insisted.
“But I’m not-- woah!” Subaru found himself being tugged along by Felt into another room. Felt quickly slammed the door.
“What’s this--”
“Big Bro, you and Reinhard are friends, right? You gotta help him,” Felt said.
“Wait, help Reinhard with what?” Subaru asked.
“I don’t know!” Felt seemed frustrated.
“You don’t know what I’m supposed to help with?”
“Because he won’t talk to me!” Felt stamped her foot. “He’s all, ‘I’m fine, Felt-sama’ and ‘Don’t worry for me, Felt-sama’ even though he’s clearly not fine! He’s all depressed and sad and I don’t know why and it’s pissing me off!”
“Oh, you’re worried about him!” Subaru said. “That’s nice.”
“I’m not worried!” Felt refuted. “Him being all mopey makes me mad, that’s all!”
“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure he’s okay,” Subaru said.
“I said I’m not worried!”
Subaru walked out of the room and moved directly towards Reinhard. “Can I borrow Reinhard real quick?”
“What’s with all these private conversations--?” Garfiel muttered.
“It’s just girl stuff,” Subaru said flatly, before dragging Reinhard into another room.
“Subaru, I’m supposed to return to my fiancée after greeting the guests…” Reinhard said.
“What’s with that, by the way? Who’s this Elena? I’ve never even heard of her!” Subaru said.
“Subaru…”
“I mean, not that you need my permission to get married,” Subaru babbled. “But you’d think we would have met at least once, right? What’s she like? Is she nice to you?”
“Subaru, this is hardly relevant,” Reinhard said.
“Of course it’s relevant!” Subaru said. “It’s very important. To me.”
“Lady Elena is the picture of noble grace,” Reinhard said.
“Yeah, but is she perfect for you?”
“---”
“What’s with that silence?” Subaru said.
“--It’s nothing,” Reinhard said.
“You don’t have to talk about her if you don’t want to…” Subaru tried changing tacks. “But you seem to have things on your mind. Do you wanna talk about it?”
Reinhard looked distinctly nervous for a second. It wasn’t something Subaru was used to seeing. For a long moment, Subaru thought that Reinhard wasn’t going to say anything.
“Subaru… do you ever think about having children?”
“Having children!?” Subaru was startled. “Um, I guess not that much… I mean, I’d love to have some kids someday! Imagine little tots that are half-me and half-Emilia-tan… I shouldn’t let my mind go there! We’re not even really dating yet,” Subaru said, blushing heavily. “Um, what about you Reinhard? Do you want children?”
Reinhard was suddenly very quiet.
“Subaru, can you keep a secret?”
“Uh, yeah, I can. For sure.”
“I don’t want to have children.”
Subaru cocked his head at Reinhard’s secret. He didn’t really see the problem. “So? Lots of people don’t want to have kids.”
Reinhard let out a short laugh. The look on his face was a little terrified, and slightly manic. “Subaru… you’re the first person I’ve said that to, you know.”
Subaru was starting to feel worried. “--Yeah?”
“I don’t want to treat them as my father did to me, but I don’t know how else to be. And since I don’t want them, I’d just resent them.” Reinhard said. “I think… maybe I’d try to avoid them, for fear of hurting them, and then they’d grow up without a father.”
“You don’t have to have kids if you don’t want to,” Subaru said.
“You say that like it’s easy…”
“I mean… is it not?” Subaru tilted his head.
Reinhard looked askance. “Lady Elena is excited to be a mother…”
“Oh, I see,” Subaru said. “Well, you gotta talk to her then. And if one of you really wants kids and the other doesn’t, I’m sorry to say this, but you may be incompatible.” Subaru hesitated before deciding to say something rash. “Maybe you just shouldn’t marry her.”
“I must,” Reinhard said, shaking his head. “The Sage Council made it clear enough. If I don’t, they might cause trouble for Lady Felt.”
“--Wait, you’re being forced into this?!” Subaru said. “Why don’t you just tell them off? You’re the strongest, Reinhard. Nobody can make you do anything if you grit your teeth and stand your ground.”
“I didn’t want to cause problems over my own shameful dereliction of duty. If I’d only picked a woman myself, they wouldn’t have been forced into this decision, but I haven’t been able to find any lady I like.” Reinhard tugged at his collar. “I tried my hardest, truly…”
“That’s bullshit!” Subaru said. “It’s none of their damn business what your love life is like! You should tell them to screw off. I mean, what are they even going to do if you say no?”
“Indeed, no force of arms could threaten me into changing my stance,” Reinhard said. “But the members of the Sage Council are all very powerful in the political sphere. I fear if I refuse, that they could sabotage Lady Felt’s campaign, or even the administration of the Astrea Domain altogether. Not to mention, Lady Elena’s father, Dieter Ludwig, could withdraw his support for Felt’s campaign, which would be catastrophic at this juncture…”
“But why would they even go this far?” Subaru said. “Isn’t it dangerous, threatening you like that?”
“The Divine Protection of the Sword Saint passes through the family line,” Reinhard said. “Grandmother had many brothers and by the time they passed away in the demihuman war, she was married soon after. Father married quite young too. But I am twenty, and I haven’t yet shown interest in any ladies. There are no others of our line who could have more children at this point, except Father, who is mourning his wife. It would be cruel to ask him to marry again.”
But it isn’t cruel to force you? Subaru thought.
“That’s such bullshit, Reinhard. So this is why you were upset…”
“I apologize for dragging you into my problems, Subaru,” Reinhard said. “I can handle it. Don’t worry about me. I’m sure that I will be able to tolerate it.”
“Dammit, that’s not something you should be saying about an oncoming marriage--!”
“I should introduce you to my fiancée,” Reinhard said. “And please, don’t be excessively concerned for me. I am sure that given time, I can make myself fall for her. She is supposed to be the most beautiful of all noblewomen, after all.”
I don’t think that’s how love works, Reinhard… Subaru thought. And I’m sorry, but as your friend, I must interfere!
Present day.
“And that’s what happened!” Subaru said.
“Yer having this meeting against his wishes?” Anastasia asked.
“His marriage is against his wishes, isn’t that more important right now?!” Subaru said. “Anyway, that’s why I woke you all up in the middle of the night for the secret meeting. We need to solve this problem while we’re here for the engagement party.”
The people present were Emilia, Anastasia, Julius, Otto, Garfiel, Beatrice, and Felt. He’d have brought Wilhelm, Crusch, and Felix if they were here -- but sadly the coldness between Wilhelm and Reinhard hadn’t yet thawed, and so it seemed Wilhelm had declined the invitation out of either spite or awkwardness. Which was a shame, because given Wilhelm’s history of freely marrying a Sword Saint, Subaru thought he would be very anti-forced Sword Saint marriage.
“So that’s why you were so cold when you greeted Elena…” Otto said.
“How dare he?!” Felt stood up quickly, muscles shaking with anger. “Putting himself up like that and then saying it’s for my sake… I’d never ask him to do something so ridiculous! He’s gonna be in big trouble for hiding something like this from me!”
“I think he didn’t tell you because he was worried you’d do something reckless, Felt-sama,” Otto said. ‘Which it seems like you are about to do’, was implied.
“But how are we going to prevent this?” Julius said, anxiety written on his face. He was very loyal to the Kingdom, but also very concerned for his friend. “We can’t simply just disobey the wishes of the Sage Council.”
“And why the hell not?” Garfiel said.
“They are the current rulers of the kingdom,” Julius said. “Maybe if we could find him a different woman…”
“This can’t just be solved that easily, Julius,” Subaru said. “Even if he finds his perfect wife tomorrow, which I doubt will happen, it’s not about just being married. It’s about kids. Reinhard doesn’t want them, and the Sage Council says he has to have them. We can’t please both parties."
“Well, the Sage Council won’t be in charge forever,” Anastasia said, a gleam entering her eyes. “In two short years, it’ll be someone else in charge, and an annulment could be in order.”
“I would never force someone to stay married to someone they don’t want to,” Emilia said. “And if all three of us are on the same side, that’s most of the Candidates who agree. So it’s very likely that the winner would be willing to help Reinhard.”
“I doubt Crusch-san would allow something like that either…” Julius mentioned. “Especially if we asked Felix to convince her.”
“That’s a good plan,” Subaru said. “But I’d hope to avoid two years of misery in the first place, if that’s possible.”
“Well, even if we can get the Sage Council to back off, we can’t control Dieter Lugwig’s reaction. He may still withdraw,” Otto said. “It might be hard to keep his support, if all this ends with hurt feelings.”
“Gah! Forget about that dumb noble, we don’t need him,” Felt said.
“--If that’s the case, getting this engagement ended is probably just a matter of pressure and negotiation,” Otto thought out loud. “With the signatures of three Candidates of the Royal Selection, surely we could at least stall the situation... Anastasia-sama, would you mind helping me with the letter?”
“Why of course, Otto,” Anastasia said. “Thought you’d never ask.”
The next day, at breakfast, Subaru winced as he heard yelling.
“Felt-sama, I really think that this reaction is a bit--”
“--You’re my knight, not my prostitute! So don’t go whoring yourself out--”
“Felt-sama, that is not appropriate--”
“--saying that it’s all in my name!”
The sound of a plate breaking.
Subaru sweated. “Am I a bad friend? Maybe I shouldn’t have told her...”
“Now you’re doubting yourself!? It’s too late!” Otto said. “We have a letter for the Sage Council written, the last thing is to get Reinhard to actually break things off, and sign the letter…”
Subaru awkwardly entered the kitchen, leaving Otto behind. It seemed like from the scene that Felt had shoved lots of the plates off the table in rage.
“Reinhard!” Subaru said. He bowed immediately. “I’m so sorry!”
The arguing halted. Both Reinhard and Felt looked at him.
“I know you didn’t say explicitly not to tell Felt, but it was definitely implied… so I’m sorry for breaking your trust!” Subaru said, still bowing deeply. “Felt, please go easy on him.”
“Oh, I will,” Felt said. “Reinhard, as my knight, I have to punish you for going behind my back!”
Reinhard inclined his head in uneasy acknowledgement.
“Every night, I’m gonna ask you to write lines about how much of a failure you are--”
Reinhard closed his eyes.
“--And then you’re gonna tell me, ‘No, I refuse, I’m too good for that, and you can’t make me!’ Understand?”
Reinhard startled. “Felt-sama…”
“And we’re gonna do that until you learn your lesson!” Felt said. She huffed and stormed out, Reinhard’s eyes trailing after her.
“I really am sorry, Reinhard,” Subaru apologized. “I understand if you’re really angry that I interfered when it wasn’t my business…”
“It’s… alright,” Reinhard said, a bit stunned. “But the Sage Council…”
“Otto and Anastasia have some kind of plan for that,” Subaru said. “But I left it to them.”
“Oh…” Reinhard said, looking at Subaru with a mix of warmth and relief. He sat down in one of the kitchen chairs. “You solved it so easily. I should have just told you all from the start.”
“Even strong people need support sometimes,” Subaru said. “Isn’t that what I told you at Priestella? That you could rely on me too?”
“I suppose it is,” Reinhard said in wonderment.
“So this engagement party is certainly canceled, if the screaming I heard in the kitchen and the rumors I heard from the servants have anything to say about it,” Lady Elena said.
Elena was indeed a very beautiful woman. She was tall, with long, light-blue hair and purple eyes. She was wearing a frilly dress with layers of different shades of pink, and a sparkling silver clip in her hair. She held a sky-blue fan that complimented her hair.
“Indeed, that is likely the case, Lady Elena,” Otto said.
Elena sighed. “Good.”
“Good?!” Subaru couldn’t help but say.
“He wasn’t happy,” Elena said. “I wanted it to work out between us. He really is such a nice guy. But he never seemed happy, and I don’t want that for him.”
“Lady Elena…”
“I’ll make sure my father doesn’t interfere,” she said, dipping her head and snapping her fan shut. “Tell Reinhard to expect yellow roses.” She walked away without another word.
“Yellow roses--” Otto murmured.
“For friendship,” Subaru said.
“I see,” Otto said.
To the Esteemed Council of Wise Men,
We relay this message on behalf of Sir Reinhard van Astrea. We (in accordance with the opinion of Sir Reinhard himself) are of the strong belief that, given his vital role as Lady Felt’s knight, that he would not be able to dedicate the appropriate time to his marital duties as well as to his duty as the kingdom’s sword. We believe it would be unfair to Lady Felt, to the Kingdom, and to the future Lady Astrea.
As such, we request that Sir Reinhard van Astrea enter an engagement only when the Royal Selection is complete.
With Much Thanks,
Lady Anastasia Hoshin, Royal Selection Candidate for the 42nd Ruler of Lugnica
Lady Emilia, Royal Selection Candidate for the 42nd Ruler of Lugnica
Lady Felt, Royal Selection Candidate for the 42nd Ruler of Lugnica
Sir Reinhard van Astrea, Knight of the Royal Guard, Sword Saint
Sir Julius Juukulius, Knight of the Royal Guard
Emilia sat next to Reinhard, who had his hands folded neatly in his lap.
“You must have been part of this too,” Reinhard guessed. “If your name on the letter is any indication.”
“Of course,” Emilia said. “Subaru always invites me to these things.”
They were silent for a moment.
“Besides…” Emila trailed off.
“Besides?”
“...That day, in Priestella-- you helped save me from an unhappy marriage then, too.”
“The situation was much different than mine,” Reinhard said. “Regulus Corneas was no ordinary citizen.”
“It was a different situation, but I learned then that a marriage should only be between two people that are happy together, and love each other very much,” Emilia said. “You saved me, and you helped Subaru, and I’m glad I was able to help you. Thank you, Reinhard, for all your hard work.”
“...Thank you too, Emilia-sama.”