Re:Armored -Packing heat from Zero-

Chapter 5: Never a convenient checkpoint

"Subaru, why would you need so much paper and paint?" The blue-haired maid asked, to the armored figure struggling to keep pace with her on the path.

Subaru was carrying most of the bulk of the purchases and was trying his best not to drop them all, "Because...Gah...I need something to practice my aim, and this was the cheapest option" Now if that wouldn't have spent everything he received in advance, he would have been happier, but life didn't want to leave him in peace.

"We should have enough targets to bring you to a minimum level of proficiency" The spirit estimated roughly.

Considering the potential amount of paper targets he bought, Subaru spent some time trying to decipher if that was a normal statement of a fact or a stealth insult but at the end he drew a blank and simply shrugged it off.

"The amount is still excessive, isn't it?" Rem questioned a little worriedly at the wobble in his step.

"Is fine...I have a bit of free time so...I probably will go through them fast" He finished while finally achieving the right balance.

Both of them kept walking in comfortable silence, until Rem finally broke it when they arrived at the mansion doors, "As for your haircut this night...Rem apologizes but we must reschedule to tomorrow, work around the mansion has piled up and Rem will need to stay up late to finish it"

"Do you need any help?" It really doesn't bother me" It's not like he was going to practice at night, so he had nothing to do.

"You haven't learned these tasks yet, maybe another time" She replied softly.

After they reached the door, Emilia greeted them from the other side. Rem excused herself with a bow and headed to the kitchen to deliver her purchases.

"Subaru? Would you like some help?" Inquired the half-elf in half-worry, half-confusion.

"No...I got it, it would hurt my manly pride if I were to need the help of....Woah!" Just as he was starting to boast, he missed a step on the stairs, almost falling on his back and dropping his purchases.

"Consider your pride harmed" Vega's sass was noted and ignored.

"Subaru you nincompoop!" She yelled at him while helping him with his items.

"You called me a what?"


With her help the only thing that got damaged was his pride, so everything was fine. On the way to his room Emilia asked him why he had made all these purchases as they walked to his room, and Subaru answered in the same fashion he had to Rem earlier.

"What was the village like?" She asked with curiosity.

"Lively, I even started spreading calisthenics there, everyone loved it, you should come with us next time!" He answered with enthusiasm.

With slight sadness in her voice, Emilia replied, "I don't think they would enjoy having me there"

Remembering one of their talks they had days before about her race and her specific problem, he tried to cheer her up, "You don't know until you try, I believe the kids would love you. But don't get too close to their dog, it bit Rem, what a jerk!"

Emilia smiled at his words, "Maybe next time"

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"....S....ir.....Creator wake up!" Vega's voice woke up Subaru from his slumber. Absent-mindedly still groggy from sleeping, he noticed his worried tone.

He was going to rub the sleep from his eyes when he noticed his current appearance, "What's wrong?" The now visibly armored man asked with confusion dripping in his voice.

"Our room has been hit by a heavy object" As soon as Vega finished the sentence, a slight sound of chains could be heard and another impact occurred, shaking the door.

Jumping into action, Subaru quickly snatched his only weapon and stood at the door side breathing heavily. After a few beats of silence, he opened the door with his free hand and pointed his weapon at the head of the potential threat. Who ended up being.....

"Rem!?" In surprise, Subaru yelled as the blue-haired maid fell on him, dodging accidentally her falling morningstar which was stuck at the door frame for a moment before it fell right behind him.

He would have assumed she was completely dead was it not for her labored breathing. Her face looked like she was gravely ill, with her pale skin and pallid lips. He could hear how her gasps of air were shallower with every passing moment.

"Poison?" Subaru quickly wondered not seeing any injuries in her body, retracting his helmet, he questioned on the verge of tears, "Rem! Who did this to you?"

Her breath was heavy as she rasped out, "...u....tist" She raised her hand and firmly grabbed near his collarbone as she finished.

While holding her hand with his free hand, he yelled with tears in his eyes as he thought she wanted comfort on her deathbed, "Come on, stay with me Rem! Let me find Emilia, she will heal you!" Rem's eyes widened minutely in realization and her grip softened at his worry.

"Creator........She is not going to make it" Vega informed, sensing her rapidly slowing pulse from the grip.

"No! She only needs a healer!" He snapped back in denial, just as he was to pick her up, Rem's eyes slowly closed up and her grip slackened.

"Hey hey hey! Come on Rem, just hold on" A sudden noise from his side changed his focus of attention, after a few beats an incredibly scared Ram bursted out of one of the doors.

"REM!" Seeing Rem's lifeless body slumped on Subaru, while he had his weapon out made her assume the worst, "What!? YOU MONSTER! SHE TRUSTED YOU!" In her grief, she lost control of her magic, a vortex of wind blades manifested around her, ripping and tearing her surroundings, doing a cut motion with her arm, she sent an invisible wind blade in Subaru's direction.

"RUN!" Seeing the danger coming, Vega warned in vain.

"Wait! Ram, I didn't......." When Subaru tried to explain himself, he suddenly lost the ability to speak, "Huh? what?" his perception started to shift in movement, getting close to the ground, and doing several rolls until it stopped. With a direct visual of his headless body spouting blood like a fountain upwards.

"I...I don't understand" He was hearing things, but he didn't process them, his last images were of Ram running to Rem's body and crying on top of it.

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Subaru slowly opened his eyes, staring directly into the ceiling of the guest room, he blinked several times, "What? Why would I be here?"