too good of a timing

chapter 5: no complaining allowed

Subaru and Ram proceeded side by side towards the village in somewhat tense silence. Subaru spoke up hesitantly.

"So... um... Ram... how do you plan on making me stronger. Even if I trained for years, I just don't see ever being able to hold my own in a fight against someone like Elsa. Where I come from, it is physically impossible for people to move that fast."

Ram, expecting this question, didn't bother looking towards him and kept walking as she responded.

"I will require you to respect three rules."

Subaru was surprised, as he hadn't expected her to add rules to the deal.

"First rule:" she said, raising one finger to the air. He gulped.

"You no longer have the right to complain. No matter the subject or the situation, complaining won't get you anywhere. It is a complete waste of time, and I don't want my time wasted."

"But..."

As he started to protest, Ram turned her head slightly, aiming a piercing crimson gaze up at him in warning. Subaru immediately apologized.

"Sorry, sorry, won't happen again."

"Tsk- useless."

Not hiding her disappointment, Ram shook her head slightly as she returned her attention to her front. Raising a second finger, she continued speaking.

"Second rule: my orders are absolute. No matter what I ask of you, I will comply. I would have listed this as my first rule, and just ordered you to stop complaining, but your whining was so deeply ingrained into your pathetic nature that I was forced to include such redundancy. Clearly, I was right to do so."

Seeing Ram again glance back at him, Subaru straightened up. Even the ridiculous weight of the backpack was no match for Ram's savagery. He momentarily wondered if Ram had just filled the bag with rocks just to mess with him, before Ram's lingering and continually narrowing gaze caused him to realize she expected a response.

"Understood, Nee-sama."

Seeing that, Ram again nodded and turned her head back towards the path ahead.

'He is learning fast, good.

"Finally- Third Rule: Use your brain in every situation. You don't seem to use it enough. Don't waste my time with dumb questions, and try to think for yourself. Of course, if you truly don't understand something, kindly ask for clarification before your idiocy gets you killed."

'Show me what you can do, Subaru.'

"Got it, Nee-sama. Is that all?"

After asking the question, a few seconds of silence followed as Ram suddenly stopped walking.

"Uh... Nee-sama?"

Without looking at him, Ram responded heatedly.

"How much of a moron are you? I not only said that there were three rules to start with, I also specifically noted that the third rule was the final one. And you ask me if there is anything else? As punishment, I will add a fourth rule. I don't want to hear the word 'Nee-sama' coming from your disgusting mouth. You will address me as Ram-sama. Not only am I your superior, I am not your sister. The only person who has the right to call me that is Rem

'Dammit, I can't even say no.'

"Understood, Ram-sama."

Hearing that, Ram was unable to fully suppress her smugness from her expression.

"Good. If you respect those conditions, I guarantee you I will grant you the power to protect those you treasure."

---------------

The two of them reached the village, just as dawn broke out over the Mather's Domain. The children's' corpses were now covered by a large white tarp- the sun's rays would never again be greeted by their smiles.

Subaru and Ram wore saddened expressions, but inside Subaru's mind he was strengthening his resolve.

'I have to become stronger, so things like this never happen again.'

When they reached the middle of the village, a tall, muscular young man accompanied by the village chief approached them. Their grief was tangible, but nonetheless they maintained their composure- their eyes glinted with the faintest of hopes.

"Ram-sama here are the items you requested."

Saying that, the village chief gestured to the young man next to him, who proceeded to hand a simple, unadorned iron long sword to Subaru and a bag of supplies to Ram.

"Thank you," Subaru and Ram responded in unison.

After a few seconds of silence, the two workers of the mansion began turning to leave to the forest but were stopped by the village chief, who called out to them in a hesitant voice.

"Ram-sama... I have a request. You already told me you were going to the forest to kill the monster who did that... to... the children." His voice cracked. "But there is still one child lost in the forest"

Saying that, the chief prostrated himself on the ground, and began to beg in a tremoring voice.

"Please save her. She is the last child of this village... If we came to lose her too, I don't know what I would do."

The butler and the maid turned around with shocked expressions.

'There is still a child...? Oh, I remember- the blue-haired one who was caring for the puppy. If she is still alive, we have to...' thinking that, Subaru glanced over at Ram but quickly damped his own hopes. 'I can't ask her this. Not after all I said.'

Ram glanced at Subaru, meeting his eyes for a moment, before turning away and sighing.

'I guess I have no choice.'
"I can search for her after I am finished, but remember that my priority is to kill the monster. I value the lives of myself and my assistant over the child's. Her survival at this point is unlikely, and I will not put myself and my assistant in undue danger over the recovery of what is most likely a corpse"

Subaru watched as the face of the young man standing by the chief contorted in rage.

'How can she think of herself before everyone after what happened to the children?! It is the duty of the lord and his retainers to protect us, and they not only failed to do so, but have the gall to speak to us like that?'

He tried to advance towards Ram but was stopped by the chief's hand as the old man climbed to his feet.

"Thank you Ram-sama. We will forever be grateful- forgive this man. He is still impacted by the events."

"What do you mean?! Can't you see-"

In the middle of his sentence, he was stopped by the severe look of the chief. The young man stepped back, but continued glaring at Ram and Subaru.

"If that is all, we will be leaving." Ram responded curtly, and gave a small curtsy, before the two mansion employees proceeded into the forest.