The first loop had ended, leaving everyone in the room at a loss for words. For a few seconds, the screen was black, but no one dared raise their voice.
Subaru and Emilia had just died in that video, but at the same time they were right there with them.
Otto cleared his throat, but before he could say anything, the video started playing again. The appa seller reappeared on screen, to which a confused Subaru was responding to.
"What is this, why is Subaru alive again... Frederica what's happening...?" Petra grabbed onto Frederica's clothes, terrified. It was an achievement as a whole that she had managed to stay quiet the whole time, but at the end of the day, she was just a kid.
Frederica gently stroked her hair, "There, there, don't worry Petra-chan. Subaru-kun is right there, you see?" A teary eyed Petra nodded at her words, but didn't let go of her senpai maid's clothes.
Subaru could see the two maids trying to calm each others nerves. In front of him, he could see Garf whispering something in Otto's ear. His usual high and mighty behaviour was nowhere to be seen.
To his side, Rem seemed to be barely maintaining her composure, her gaze was as sharp as always, but at the same time there was a shade of terror to it.
From his point of view, he couldn't see Beako's expression but it was sure to be not a pleasant one. She grabbed on tightly to his pants with her small hands, as if he were going to disappear the moment she let go.
Emilia seemed to be in the worst state of them all, as if she believed...
"I led Subaru to his death, I lied about my name, I-"
"Stop Emilia-tan, that isn't you. Don't you see? We're both alive, I don't know what that is, but it isn't us."
She looked down ashamed, was that really not her? Would she be able to tell a lie like that to Subaru? Telling her name was Satella... That was simply too awful.
Subaru grabbed her hand, "Don't you worry, we'll get out of here sooner or later, don't blame yourself for something you haven't done"
Emilia's amethyst eyes met his, Subaru's eyes... they showed doubt, and fear. It wasn't the confident Subaru that was sitting next to her, that Subaru was scared, unsure, and maybe hiding something, though she didn't want to believe that last part. He wouldn't lie to him anymore, or so she believed.
Behind him, Ram and Roswaal's faces were composed again, as of nothing had happened.
In the video, Subaru searched for "Satella", trying to find her in withing the endless crowd of pedestrians. That was until-
"Satella!"
As the Subaru in the video grabbed the half-elf's shoulder, Emilia next to Subaru halted her breath and covered her mouth with her hand. Meanwhile, Subaru clenched his teeth, what was about to happen was one of his most bitter memories since his arrival in Lugunica.
Emilia's rejection.
"Who do you think you are calling by the witch's name?"
It hurt, it hurt like a stab in the heart.
His hand was pushed from her shoulder and he received a reproaching look.
"Boss! What is this? She clearly told you that was her name what's wrong now" Garf couldn't keep quiet for one more second. Otto tried grabbing him but it was no use, "After all of your help that's how you get treated!? Not fair!"
"Now now Garfiel, that isn't me, and that isn't Emilia either." The fachade had to keep going, he must deny that any of the events occurring in the video had actually happened.
If someone were to discover his ability Satella would kill him, or worse, she would kill all of them without giving them time to react. He mustn't trigger that, his ability had to remain secret.
"Well Suuuubaru-kun, we can't really be sure about that can we?" The mage's voice carried the words he didn't want to hear. Of course it had to be Roswaal the one who doubted his word.
"We can be sure, neither Emilia nor I remember any of what's happening there, if that doesn't serve as definitive proof I don't know what can." Subaru replied.
"Don't get so heated Subaruuuuu-kun, my words are mere assumptions, what remains reality is still nothing but a mere mystery."
Subaru sighed at his statement, had Roswaal discovered how his ability worked? If that was the case it could turn into a problem. If he knew how he could mold Subaru to his own liking he would do it. That would be the case if they hadn't put that spell after the events at the sanctuary, thatl in Subaru's mind should keep him safe.
Distressed, Subaru looked how the two maids Petra and Frederica were doing. Petra had managed to calm her nerves a bit, she looked at Subaru back. Without giving it much thought he flashed her a smile and a thumbs up, "Don't worry Petra, Frederica's there to protect you from anything, and if not, the flashiest knight in all of Lugunica will come to your rescue" While he pointed at himself with his other hand.
It wasn't much, but it was enough to make the little girl let out a small laugh.
"It may be true that you're not the one in the video, Barusu. But you can't deny the fact that the behaviour of him and you are the same. To affirm so surely that that is not you is quite the statement." Ram added.
"Can't you two believe me for once!?" Subaru asked
"It's hard in a situation like this, Barusu."
As always, Ram was an expert on getting on his nerves. Even in a situation like the one they were in, her way of being didn't change at all.
"Whatever! Do as you please, just know that you're wrong! hmph"
The video continued, next up, Subaru would go to the loot house again. Place where no happy memory was to be made.