Chapter 46 46: “Natsuki Subaru vs Puck”

Natsuki Subaru's expression shifted — he spotted an opening and immediately steered the conversation toward it.

"Oh, right — Puck! Speaking of Emilia-tan trusting me so much, doesn't that strike you as a little strange?"

His mood was relaxed, but he hadn't forgotten the matter of Emilia's emotional wounds — wounds that still needed to be healed.

From what he knew — looking back at the Sanctuary arc — Emilia had relied on Puck to a degree that went far beyond what anyone might expect. Beyond him, Puck was the one she depended on most.

If he wanted Emilia to grow, he would have to bring Puck to his side. A united front was essential.

Of course, there was no need to push her as urgently as things had unfolded back in the Sanctuary arc. He didn't need her to grow overnight.

For now, the first step was simply this: teaching her to value herself.

Natsuki Subaru kept his fingers moving, gently stroking the soft fur along Puck's back.

His gaze drifted — quiet and careful — toward the still figure resting beneath the gazebo. He lowered his voice:

"What I mean is — Emilia-tan's trust in me, the way she relies on me... it seems a little... too sudden. Too unconditional."

He chose his words with care, trying to hint obliquely at the strangeness he'd noticed in Emilia.

"That's true."

Puck stopped licking his paw.

Those large, perfectly round eyes fixed themselves on Natsuki Subaru — a gaze that seemed to see straight through to the bottom of things.

Yet Puck's tone remained as languid as ever.

"I did see what happened in the dining room, you know. Looks like Lia is quite taken with you."

"No, no, no — Puck, doesn't that seem weird to you?"

Natsuki Subaru waved his hands back and forth, sat himself upright, and cupped Puck in both palms, his expression earnest.

"You know Emilia better than I do, Puck."

"The Emilia from before — yes, she was pure and kind, but she was never like this..."

"Completely losing her own sense of self. Bending over backwards for one person. Hanging off their every word!"

"That can't be normal, can it?"

Natsuki Subaru weighed each word carefully, watching Puck's reaction with quiet attention.

He had to make Puck understand how serious this was — but he had to strike the right balance. Too much, and he'd overshoot.

"Don't you see? Emilia-tan is like someone who's been wandering in the dark for far too long — and then suddenly catches a glimpse of light!"

"So she's throwing everything aside just to get closer, to press herself toward that light — terrified that if she blinks, it'll vanish in an instant."

Natsuki Subaru murmured the last part under his breath. That, right there, was the heart of what worried him —

What Emilia felt for him, as best as he could tell, wasn't love rooted in equality or mutual understanding.

It was something tangled and complicated — laced with anxiety, unease, and a desperate, bone-deep hunger for security.

"Wow. That's quite the vivid metaphor. I'd go further and say — it's completely accurate."

Puck affirmed Natsuki Subaru's words without hesitation.

Natsuki Subaru straightened up immediately, a spark of energy igniting in him. So Puck had noticed after all.

Perhaps — just perhaps — out of an unconditional, doting love for his daughter, or simply a quiet resignation to things as they were, Puck had chosen to sit back and observe for the time being.

"So, Puck!"

Natsuki Subaru's voice took on a note of genuine urgency. "We have to do something about this, right?"

"We can't just let her stay like this!"

"She needs to find herself again. To learn how to love herself!"

"Instead of pouring every last hope she has, her entire reason for being, onto my shoulders."

"She deserves a fuller life — an independent one. A happiness that's truly hers!"

Natsuki Subaru's gaze blazed as he held Puck's eyes with his own.

Puck tilted his head to one side, held Subaru's gaze for a moment —

Then lazily dragged one tiny paw across his chin, the picture of easy nonchalance.

"But the one Lia is doing all of this for — that's Subaru, isn't it? So what's the problem?"

"What do you mean, what's the problem!"

Natsuki Subaru's mouth fell open. He stared in complete bewilderment.

"Well, obviously — because Subaru is dependable!"

Puck raised one tiny cat-paw in a little peace-sign pose above his head, striking the most shameless cute pose imaginable.

But then — little by little — his expression grew still and serious.

"You probably won't fully understand what I'm saying just yet. But I do trust you, Subaru."

"Do what you feel you need to do. As for me — as long as I don't make any mistakes, that's the greatest help I can give the two of you."

Natsuki Subaru listened in silence, his brow knitting — then slowly relaxing — before a grin finally spread across his face.

"I didn't get the concrete backup I was hoping for. But even just hearing that — I'm satisfied."

"But, while we're on the subject —"

Natsuki Subaru raised an eyebrow and leaned in toward Puck with an absolutely shameless smirk.

"Does this mean my dear father-in-law is entrusting Emilia-tan entirely to this humble servant? I am deeply, deeply honoured!"

Puck's face scrunched up with indignation, his little voice bristling with offense:

"Who's your father-in-law?! I am not handing my daughter over to you that easily!"

"And besides, I'm nowhere near old enough to be shuffling around with a cane — so looking after Lia is still my job!"

A fighting spirit blazed to life in Natsuki Subaru's eyes.

"Then let's settle this — a contest, to decide who Emilia belongs to!"

Even as he said it, he struck first with absolutely zero sportsmanship — flicking his finger hard right at Puck.

"You little — this is retaliation! Take my Cat Punch —!"

Puck rubbed his head and then shot like a bullet to the side of Natsuki Subaru's face, swinging a tiny fist that sent Subaru lurching sideways.

"Nice shot... then try this! My secret technique — the Crying Cat Tickle Attack!"

Natsuki Subaru got into it now, grabbing Puck with one hand and scratching at his soft belly with the other.

"Stop — stop it!"

Puck dissolved into helpless laughter — but still managed to wriggle free of Natsuki Subaru's clutches.

And in the same instant he spun around, he whipped his tail in one smooth, fluid motion and caught Natsuki Subaru right across the face.

"Ha! Tail Punch! And next up — the Toe Bean Stomp!"

The two of them were so caught up in their ridiculous brawl that neither noticed Emilia had long since stopped communing with the lesser spirits and was now walking toward them.

"Watch out! Here it comes!"

Puck kept up a gleeful, relentless assault — claws, toe beans, all of it deployed in full force.

He planted his little paws right on Natsuki Subaru's nose and forced him to pull a spectacular grimace.

"Curse you —!"

Natsuki Subaru threw everything he had into it.

But a fortress can only hold so long — and sure enough, he couldn't stop Puck from doing whatever he liked to him.

Emilia had quietly settled herself on the grass beside the two of them, watching the whole spectacle unfold for quite some time.

But as she watched the ridiculous pair, laughter kept bubbling up from somewhere deep in her chest — and she couldn't hold it back any longer.

"Ahaha, ahahaha..."

"I'm sorry — I can't. I just can't."

Emilia laughed brightly and asked:

"What on earth are you two doing?"

"Oh goodness, I've laughed so hard my stomach hurts — ahaha..."

At the sound of Emilia's laughter, Natsuki Subaru and Puck both stopped their roughhousing at exactly the same moment.

Natsuki Subaru caught his breath and sat up.

His face still bore the red marks where Puck's toe beans had stamped him and the faint scratches left behind — and his hair had gone completely wild, a proper bird's nest.

He looked over at Emilia, laughing so hard she was practically swaying, and for a moment he simply stared.

Sunlight filtered through the gaps between the leaves and fell across Emilia's long silver hair, scattering into soft, gentle halos.

Her smile — completely free of shadow — seemed like it could sweep away every last worry in the world.

"Emilia-tan — when did you get here?"

Natsuki Subaru came back to himself and scratched at his chaotic hair with a slightly embarrassed hand.

Trying to salvage some shred of dignity — and only succeeding in making his hair even worse.

...

...

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