Kaeya's gaze shifted toward the door just as it swung open. His muscles tensed slightly out of habit, but he quickly relaxed when he saw who it was.
Subaru stood in the doorway, his breath uneven, his face pale, and his eyes wide with barely concealed panic. His hands trembled slightly as he clenched his fists.
Kaeya slowly sat up, his expression neutral. It didn't take him long to understand the situation after seeing the clothes Subaru was wearing.
Subaru swallowed, stepping into the room and closing the door behind him. He looked around quickly, as if making sure no one else was present before finally meeting Kaeya's eyes.
"I died," Subaru said, his voice quieter than usual.
"…How?"
"In my sleep. I went to bed and just… never woke up. Someone killed me during the night."
Subaru let out a sharp exhale, rubbing his temples. "Damn it… I couldn't even tell who killed me or what they looked like."
"Tell me everything you remember."
Subaru sighed. "It's like I said. I was perfectly normal. Nothing was wrong, nothing felt off. I just fell asleep, and the next thing I knew, I was waking up back on the first day."
"Did you feel any pain?"
"Pain?"
"Any at all. Even for a moment before you died. Did you instinctively reach toward any part of your body when you woke up? Like your neck, your arm or your chest?" Kaeya asked.
Subaru furrowed his brows, thinking for a moment. "No… I didn't feel anything weird when I woke up. I didn't even try to cover my throat or hold any part of my body."
"I see."
"Why does that even matter?"
"If you experienced any pain moments before death, you would likely experience phantom pain after returning. At the very least, your body might have an instinctive reaction to cover the area where the fatal wound was."
Subaru blinked.
"It's a phenomenon where your body remembers pain even after the cause is gone. The brain recalls the last moment of suffering, and that sensation lingers even if the wound is no longer there."
Subaru frowned. "…So you're saying if I was stabbed in the chest or something, I'd probably feel some weird pain there even after coming back?"
"Correct," Kaeya confirmed. "But you didn't feel anything, and you didn't instinctively try to cover any part of your body."
Subaru rubbed his chin.
"Either the person who killed you did so in a way that caused no pain at all… or it was a curse."
Subaru stiffened. "…A curse?"
Kaeya nodded. "Magic wouldn't be an option. Not in a place like this."
"Why not?"
Kaeya gestured slightly with his hand. "Roswaal, Beatrice, Puck—even I would be able to detect the use of mana in the mansion. No one would take that kind of risk in a place filled with powerful mages."
Subaru slowly nodded. "So that means it had to be either a curse or an assassination with a weapon or something physical."
With a pause he continued. "Alright… curses. How does it work?"
"Curses don't work like normal magic. You can't just cast them from a distance. They require physical contact to be placed."
"Physical contact?"
Kaeya nodded. "A person must touch you to place a curse on you. Once the curse is active, it draws from the victim's mana to fuel itself. Depending on the type of curse, it can cause various effects—slowly draining your life, paralyzing you, or in your case, killing you in your sleep."
Subaru's eyes widened. "Wait a minute… Beatrice did that to me once."
"Explain."
Subaru quickly recalled the event, He experienced when he first woke up in the mansion.
.
.
Kaeya exhaled slowly. "The possibility of someone in the mansion being responsible isn't so unlikely."
Subaru swallowed. "You think someone here…?"
Kaeya didn't answer immediately. Instead, he reached for his cloak, draping it over his shoulders and fastening it at the neck. "Stay attentive. If someone in this mansion placed the curse, then they'll obviously try again."
Subaru shuddered slightly but nodded. "Right… so what do we do now?"
Kaeya secured his sword at his waist before looking at Subaru. "We continue as if nothing has changed. We act the same way we did in the previous loop."
Subaru groaned. "Ugh… this is gonna be annoying."
"Endure it."
Subaru exhaled deeply before giving a small nod. "Alright… give me a second. I need to grab my tracksuit."
Kaeya didn't respond as Subaru left the room, closing the door behind him.
The room fell silent once more.
A curse or an assassination.
Either way, it meant someone in this mansion had killed Subaru.
And they had to find out who did it.
.
.
The morning sun filtered through the windows, casting pale beams across the wooden floor.
He took only a few steps before he saw her—Rem, walking briskly from the far end of the corridor.
She halted the moment she saw him, her light blue hair slightly shifting with her motion. A composed expression rested on her face, but Kaeya caught the subtle tension in her shoulders.
"Kaeya-sama," she said, bowing slightly. "Good morning."
"Morning."
"I was on my way to check the guest rooms." Her gaze sharpened just slightly. "Did you happen to see Subaru-sama this morning? He ran away the moment he woke up. We're not sure where he went."
Kaeya glanced briefly toward the hallway behind him, as if weighing how much to say.
"He's alright, I found him not long ago."
Rem's eyes narrowed slightly. "May I ask what happened?"
"He had a bad dream," Kaeya replied. "Woke up disoriented and panicked. It took him a moment to remember where he was. I spoke with him, and he's calmed down now."
Rem didn't speak right away. She studied him with careful eyes, searching for anything hidden in his tone. She was clearly doubting his words.
"I see," she said finally. "That's a relief to hear. I was worried he might have been injured or sick."
"He's not," Kaeya said. "Just a little shaken. But he's back in his room now, getting ready to meet Roswaal."
Rem gave a small nod. "Thank you for informing me. I apologize for the concern—Emilia-sama was worried."
Kaeya gave a flicker of a smile. "That sounds like her."
"In that case, would you like me to escort you to the dining room?"
"Sure," Kaeya said. "Lead the way."
They turned a corner, and the tall double doors of the dining hall came into view.
"Roswaal-sama should be inside already," Rem said, slowing her steps.
Kaeya gave a small nod. "Then let's not keep him waiting."
Rem moved ahead to open the door for him.
.
.
The long dining table sat in still silence, sunlight pouring in through the tall windows.
Roswaal turned his head slowly, his mismatched eyes locking onto Kaeya with an unreadable glint.
"Oooohhh... Gooood moooorning, Kaaaeya-kun~," he drawled, a whimsical smile forming on his lips. "Puuuunctuality is a virtue not ofteeeeen seen in young guessttss. How deeeelightfuuuul."
Kaeya bowed slightly. "Good morning, Roswaal-sama. I hope I'm not intruding."
"Ooohh, not at aaaall, not at aaaall~. You are our honoored guest, aaafter aaall. Make yourself comforrrtable." Roswaal gestured to the seat nearest to his, as if the decision had already been made. "It seeeems we are the early biiirds this morning."
Kaeya approached and took the offered seat. "Let's just say I got lucky with timing."
"Hmmmm~..." Roswaal tapped a gloved finger on the table. "You and young Subaru-kun both seem to haaave… rather unique aiiiras. You especiaaally. I can't quite... place it."
"That's very kind of you to say."
Roswaal let out a soft, drawn-out chuckle. "Kiiind? Hoohoohoo~ I would caaall it… intriguing. Afterall, There's somethiiing... different about you, Kaaaeya-kun."
"I suppose standing out isn't always a bad thing—as long as it doesn't ruffle the wrong feathers."
Roswaal chuckled softly, the dramatic lilt never quite leaving his voice. "A seeeensible ouuutlook~ The kiiiind that keeps one out of... unneeeecessary trooouble."
He reached for his teacup with a gloved hand, the porcelain clinking gently. "Reeefreshiiing, really~ To see suuch… meaaasured thiiinking. Espeeecially from someone sooo neew to theese laaands."
Kaeya didn't respond, letting a beat of silence pass.
Both of them sat in silence as if ignoring Roswall's earlier comment.
Roswaal leaned slightly forward, voice softening just a touch. "You knooow... When I meet someone interesstiiing, I always get the feeeling I've met them... somewheeere before. Isn't that straaange~?"
"Perhaps just a familiar demeanor. Or a face you saw in passing."
"Hmmmm... or maybe in a dream~?" Roswaal said.
Kaeya offered a mild shrug. "Dreams are vague things."
Roswaal chuckled again, leaning back as if satisfied for now. "Vaaague, yesss, yesss. But not always meaningless. Still, still... Let's not bore ourselves with riddles before breakfast~. We should enjoy the meaaaal with light talk and soft smiles."
"I agree," Kaeya said.
"Gooood, gooood~," Roswaal clapped softly. "Aaannd since the others haven't joined us yet, allow me to express something proooperly."
Kaeya tilted his head slightly.
"You seee, Kaaaeya-kun… You and Subaru-kun did quite a remarkable thiiing. Saving Emilia-sama's life from that assassin, risking your own without hesitation." His tone shifted slightly—less whimsical, more sincere. "For that, you've earned... a favor. One wish, Ask for anyythiiing you deesiiireee."
"That's very generous of you."
Roswaal chuckled again. "Hooohohohoo~ Dooon't mistake me for purely altruistic, now. Such bravery should be... rewarded."
Kaeya replied, "Then I'll think carefully before asking for anything."
Roswaal sat back with a pleased hum. "Goooood. Very gooood~. I doo hope you'll make a most... interesting wish, Kaeya-kun."
"I'm afraid I might end up disappointing you, Lord Roswaal."
Roswaal's grin widened. "Ooooh? Weeeell then~… I suuuppose we'll juuust haaave to see, won't weee~?"
Footsteps echoed in the hallway outside. Kaeya glanced toward the door.
Roswaal straightened slightly, his theatrical smile never leaving.