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Chapter 7 - Chapter 7: Viral

Subaru and Emilia walked down the stairs as Kenichi and Naoko were sitting down across from each other.

Naoko: [Kenichi. About Emilia.]

Subaru and Emilia stopped.

Kenichi: [I know. She's got no citizenship or anything. It's going to become a problem eventually.]

Naoko: [What should we do?]

Kenichi: [I've got a contact in the government. He owes me a favour.]

Subaru felt a chill go up his spine. Subaru wasn't fond of that idea and was honestly a bit worried.

Subaru: (What if something goes wrong?)

Kenichi: [First, we gotta get her some exposure to the public first, though.]

Naoko: [Hm?]

Kenichi: [Just gotta make sure enough people see her so that the government can't sweep it under the rug.]

Subaru smiled.

Subaru: (I should've known you'd already figured something out for that.)

Emilia: (I'm causing them trouble...)

Subaru: [Hey, it's fine. Let's go down and talk to them.]

Emilia nodded as they walked down together.

Kenichi: [Oh, hey... wow. Where'd you get that outfit?]

Naoko: [Oh, wow. You look so pretty.]

Naoko: (Subaru did a great job.)

Emilia blushed.

Emilia: [Um, thank you.]

Kenichi: [Hey... Um, you didn't spend too much money on this, did you, son?]

Subaru: [Well, um...]

Emilia: [Subaru made it for me.]

Kenichi smirked and patted Subaru's back roughly.

Kenichi: [Way to go, Subaru.]

Subaru rubbed his back a little and smiled.

Subaru: [Um, yeah... I gave it my all.]

Naoko: [Turn around a little so I can see Emilia-chan.]

Emilia: [Eh? Um.. Alright.]

Emilia made a slow twirl as Naoko smiled.

Naoko: [Oh, I know! Subaru. You should get into designing.]

Subaru: [Huh? Well um... I was already considering it.]

Subaru said this shyly as Naoko smiled.

Naoko: [If you become a big name, can your mother get some special discounts, please?]

Naoko said this with a smile.

Subaru: [No discounts! On the house!]

Subaru said this, pointing to his mother as she giggled slightly.

Kenichi: [You never finished high school, though, so it'll be difficult to get into a good university for a bachelor's.]

Emilia: [High School? That doesn't sound like a very fun place.]

Subaru looked at her for a second and then laughed.

Emilia: [Eh? Why are you laughing, Subaru? Are you teasing me?]

Subaru: [No, it's just... You were right on the money.]

Emilia: [Oh... I see. What is High School, though?]

Subaru: [It's a prison for children where they are bullied by adults and...ow ow ow.]

Emilia looked shocked for a second when Naoko grabbed his ear.

Naoko: [Subaru!]

Subaru: [It's a place children go to learn.]

He said this in a resigned tone.

Emilia: [Silly Subaru.]

Subaru then looked around.

Subaru: [Where's Beako?]

Naoko: [Oh, she's on the tablet in the living room.]

Subaru walked into the living room to see Beatrice on the tablet.

Subaru: [Oh no! My cute Beako has become an iPad baby!!!]

Beatrice looked up to him.

Beatrice: [Betty is not a baby, in fact! That's not funny, Subaru.]

Subaru: [What are you looking at, though?]

He looked to see Beatrice watching a video on Oxidative Phosphorylation.

Subaru: [My cute Beako is so smart!!! Looking a educational videos!]

Subaru: (I have no idea what she's even watching.)

Subaru lifted Beatrice into the air and twirled her around as Naoko, Kenichi, and Emilia watched with soft smiles.

Beatrice: [Subaru! Subaru wait! I'm going to miss the part about the ion gradient! Let me pause it...]

Subaru continued twirling her.

Kenichi: [Hey, son. We gotta talk.]

Subaru: [It's about Emilia and the government, right? I'll need a bit of help from you, but I got a plan.]

Kenichi looked surprised but then smiled.

Kenichi: [Should've expected as much from you, "Hero of Pristella".]

Subaru: [Huh?! Di Emilia-tan tell you while I wasn't here?]

Emilia: [Why wouldn't I?]

Subaru: [Well, I'm just surprised.]

Emilia: [I'm reaaally proud of you after all.]

Beatrice: [Betty has caught the half-elf bragging about Betty's Contractor on many occasions, I suppose.]

Subaru: [Eh?!!!!]

Emilia blushed a deep red.

Emilia: [Beatrice!!! How could you! You promised not to say anything!]

Beatrice: [Betty made no such promise. Betty said she wouldn't tell Betty's Subaru yet. This moment is no longer "not yet", in fact.]

Emilia pouted.

Subaru blushed.

Subaru: [So Emilia-tan has actually been bragging about me this entire time?]

Subaru's smile went ear to ear as Emilia's blush deepened.

Emilia: [Well, of course I've been bragging about you, Subaru... I have the coolest knight in the world after all!]

She blurted out the last part with an embarrassed look on her face as Subaru went completely beet red.

Kenichi: (Oh wow.)

Naoko: (Oh wow.)

Subaru: (I'm in heaven.)

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Kenichi and Naoko were sitting down at the dinner table as Emilia approached them.

Kenichi: [Hey. What's up?]

Naoko: [Is Subaru in the shower?]

Emilia: [Um, yes. He said he needs to cool his head because his brain iss "overloading" with happiness. I don't know what that means, though.]

Kenichi stifled a chuckle.

Emilia: [I actually wanted to talk to you both.]

Kenichi: [Hm? About what?]

Emilia: [You've heard from Subaru's perspective, but he's... always reaaally harsh on himself, so I want you to hear it from me.]

Kenichi: [I see. Then tell me. How much more awesome is my son than I first thought?]

Naoko let a small chuckle leave her lips as she smiled.

Naoko: [I want to hear about it too.]

※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※

Subaru and Emilia stood together in his room. They still felt embarrassed from before as they couldn't look each other in the eyes.

Subaru: [Um Emilia-tan... hearing that you brag about me... it makes me really happy. I... honestly don't think I've felt this happy before in my entire life. I...]

Emilia: [Subaru. Before I met you, I thought about it.]

Subaru: [About what?]

Emilia: [What my ideal knight would be like.]

Subaru: [Emilia-tan?]

Emilia: [I didn't want someone who was only kind because they wanted to look good. I wanted someone genuinely kind. Someone who sees me as a person. Not a Witch or Royal Candidate. When I first met you, I thought you fit that, but... I was worried. I was worried about you getting hurt.]

Subaru: (Emilia-tan...)

Emilia: [But after everything happened, I... I wanted it to be you. Only you, Subaru.]

She leaned in and kissed him as Subaru blushed. Their lips parted as Subaru went deep red.

Subaru: [Whoa! Emilia-tan is suddenly being so forward with her feelings. Your faithful knight is gobsmacked.]

Emilia smiled.

Emilia: [No one says "gobsmacked" in this day and age.]

Subaru could have sworn that steam had exited from his ears from having his own phrase used against him.

Subaru: [Uh... um...]

Subaru began stuttering when Emilia gave him a hug.

Subaru: [Oh no! I'm going to be devoured! Emilia-tan is a ravenous beast!...]

Subaru: (I'll strike back with this! Haha!)

Emilia: [Eh? Subaru. I wouldn't eat you. If I did, then I wouldn't get to spend any more time with you anymore.]

Subaru: [...]

Subaru was utterly speechless.

Subaru: (I really can't win against her today. Asseritve Emilia-tan is... like an unstoppable freight train of love!)

Emilia slowly let go as she looked up at him, comparing her height with his with her eyes.

Emilia: [Subaru... have you gotten a little taller?]

Subaru: [Huh? Um... I'm not sure. Have I?]

He had indeed. He had gone from 172 to 177cm.

Emilia: [Subaru... tell me about your plan.]

Subaru pulled out an old phone.

Subaru: (Good thing Dad let me borrow this phone.)

Subaru: [Emilia-tan. Just stand still.]

Emilia: [Eh? Um. Okay.]

Subaru took a photo and showed it to Emilia.

Emilia: [Eh? I've been frozen in time again!]

Subaru sweat-dropped at this.

Subaru: [It's called a picture. Like an instant painting you can take with you wherever you go as long as you have this.]

Subaru said this as he put emphasis on the phone.

Emilia: [Eh! That's reaaally amazing!]

Subaru smiled.

Subaru: [So... do you mind if I show this picture off to people so that they can see my work?]

Emilia: [Eh? Um... are you sure you want to? I mean...]

Subaru: [Hey Mili, no one here has misconceptions about Half-Elfves or people with silver hair and amethyst eyes. In fact. I'm pretty sure every guy here would think you're beautiful and get really jealous of me.]

He said the last part with a smirk as Emilia pinched his cheek.

Emilia: [Now don't start with that kind of thing, mister.]

Subaru: [No one says mister in that context in this day and age.]

Subaru said this, his voice being muffled because of his cheek being pulled as Emilia pouted, letting go of his cheek.

Subaru: [I'm serious. They're gonna love it.]

Emilia: [Well... alright. If you say so.]

※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※

Kenichi sat down with Naoko.

Kenichi: [He's got a path forward and a girl who loves him so much she brags about him. It feels too good to be true.]

Naoko: [I'm really happy for Subaru, but... I feel bad for Emilia-chan. From what she told us, she really wanted to see her people again.]

Kenichi: [Hm... you're right, but... life doesn't wait for anyone. It's up to Subaru to make her time here happy enough that it doesn't eat away at her.]

Naoko: [Subaru has really grown up. I think everything will be fine.]

Kenichi smiled.

Kenichi: [I wasn't sure if she was just making him seem cooler when she told us the full story, but...]

Kenichi had a few tears in his eyes.

Kenichi: [Crap. I'm gonna cry. I'm just... so damn proud of him. I'm so happy he's my son.]

Naoko smiled softly with tears in her own eyes.

Naoko: [Even if things weren't perfect, I know we did a good job. Because he turned out the way that he did, Subaru, our son.]

Kenichi: [Yeah. I don't need my son to be some unparalleled in power, edgy isekai character like from some shitty light novel. I just want him to be Subaru. Our son.]

Naoko smiled, nodding.

※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※

Subaru woke up as he got up and brushed his teeth. Emilia stood next to him as she washed her face.

Subaru walked out towards his computer as he opened it up and searched the site he had posted the image of Emilia in his dress on. 

Subaru: [Let's see the post... 1,000,000 views... 946 comments... 30 of these comments are... modelling gigs...]

Subaru sat there staring at the screen for a second as he smiled.

Subaru: (Truly the EMT.)

Subaru: [Mili!]

Emilia: [Yes, Subaru?]

Subaru: [You went viral!!!]

Emilia: [Viral?]

Subaru: [1,000,000 views overnight!]

Emilia: [Eh?!!! That many?]

Subaru: [30 comments from being companying offering you jobs as a model.

Emilia: [Model?]

Subaru: [You get paid to wear their clothes and look nice so that customers will buy their clothes.]

Emilia: [Eh?!!]

Emilia had never experienced such a positive reaction to her appearance. The only ones that ever liked her appearance were the Elves of Ellior, Mother Fortuna, Father Guese, Puck and... the man she loves, Subaru. She was taken aback by the positive response.

Subaru: [You're gonna be famous soon, Mili. I know it.]

Subaru then saw one comment. It was an Idol gig.

Subaru: (Oh god no. I love Mili, but she has a horrible singing voice. Also, Idols aren't allowed to date.)

Emilia: [Subaru...]

Subaru: [Yeah Mili?]

Emilia: [I don't want to try any clothes that you don't design.]

Subaru: [Huh?!! But I've only made one so far. I don't even know if I'll become a big name or anything. These people can give you so many opportunities.]

Emilia: [I've never cared about that. I just want to live happily. I already have that happiness with you.]

Subaru blushed.

Subaru: [I see.]

Subaru got up.

Subaru: [I gotta learn how to make my own website.]

Subaru sighed.

Subaru: (If only Petra were here. Things would be easier with her to help me with this.)

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Petra was in a mansion when she suddenly sneezed.

Petra: [Strange... I know that I'm fine. I've kept warm, the seasons aren't changing, and I took a bath yesterday.]

Petra then thought of Subaru.

Petra: (Subaru did say that in his homeland, there's a superstition that when you sneeze, it means someone is thinking about you.)

Petra: (I can only hope it was Subaru thinking about me.)

※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※

Beatrice sat in her seat as she thought about "Biology" as the humans of this world called it. She was extremely fascinated by the concept.

Beatrice: (It is good that I took time to learn Subaru's language back in Lugunica, or I wouldn't be able to read and watch all of this.)

She pulled the tablet towards her, placing it in her lap as she put in the password that Subaru had told her and opened an internet browser.

Beatrice: (A device that grants the user access to knowledge that not even a thousand libraries could hold. Mother would have been over the moon to have access to the sheer amount of knowledge in this.)

Beatrice: [Hm... but I wonder about some things, I suppose.]

Beatrice typed "Reddit" into the search bar. She had seen him using it before. Something about manga or something like that, as she could recall.

Beatrice opened Reddit using Subaru's account only to see a bizarre brain-rot anime meme about Jojo's Bizarre Adventure as she made a deadpan expression.

Beatrice: [I just opened Reddit, I suppose.]

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To Be Continued

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Rating Out Of 10 For This Part:

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