| Synopsis |
Chapter Summaries
Prologue: The Beginning
The story starts after an alternative version of From Zero, where Subaru asks Rem to leave Lugunica, Roswaal Manor, the Emilia Camp, and everything to live a new life in Kararagi. Rem agreed to leave Lugunica and they proceed to the city of Banan in Kararagi.
Rem, Subaru, and a dog human named Chamov are in a dragon carriage. The very heavy atmosphere started to spread and the Chamov asked why the man was shaking like a girl. Subaru was sleeping and was apologizing for being weak to Emilia in his sleep, however Rem responds to Chamov that he shouldn't talk about other people's situations so bluntly. They arrived at a stop in Kararagi and Chamov gave them a bag and told them that they should go to Banan. Rem asked why he was doing such a good favor of giving them supplies and he said that they look innocent and have too much potential, he also told them that a man called Halibel would help them out there. Subaru was still shaking and sleeping, Rem tried to cheer him up, but Chamov gave Rem advise that the more bonds you make, the more good bonds will receive, which he stated is a Kararagian way he believed him.
Chapter 1: 2 Months
A while onward Subaru finds himself living in Banan, Kararagi city-state in a state of mild poverty with his newly wedded wife Rem Natsuki. While Rem supports Subaru through her employment as a teacher at Temple Elementary School due to her mastery of skills like arithmetic and etiquette, Subaru finds himself freshly unemployed. While proud of Rem, Subaru finds himself with an inferiority complex due to his inadequacies in comparison to his wife and feels guilt over being spoilt while being the one to suggest running away in the first place. After recognising his failings in comparison to and encouragement from Rem, Subaru sets out to the public employment security office.
Banan is described as similar to the Edo Period, thus kimonos are commonplace. Subaru finds himself teased by a wolf-like Demi-Human, Halibel, their neighbour and first acquaintance in Banan. Halibel is a tenement house manager with an abnormal amount of connections and a wealth of free time. Subaru unwittingly gives him the nickname "Eternal Playboy", a title he wears proudly. Subaru and Halibel successfully gain him a temporary work placement and letter of introduction from Crane an oversized lizard-like Demi-Human. The work is for a successful merchant and is described as being a female prominent workplace.
Subaru returns home and discusses the placement. Subaru comments that Rem's cooking was always good but her choices are a good sign as it shows she is starting to prioritise herself rather than always him. They flirt and after some time alone together followed by a day of rest, he prepares for his new job.
Two days later, Subaru visits Riften Magoji’s mansion where he immediately employed and finds he is indeed the only male employee in the mansion. While suiting the job and helping the female-only workforce he finds from Riften Magoji himself that many before him have quit due to sexual harassment. Despite his discomfort, he presses forward to meet Rem's expectations and become a proud family head.
Chapter 2: 3 Months
After his first few days, Subaru is accepted as a colleague and implies he is now treated more respectfully. He is surprised by the appearance of Rem among the guests at the mansion sporting a kimono as an unwitting advertisement for a local clothing merchant due to her eye drawing appearance and Halibel who appears to have a connection to his new employer Rifter and proceeds with his usual back and forth with Subaru who finds that his "Playboy" title has spread through the town. Rifter informs Subaru that he's been employed longer than expected due to his feminine nature and will have a surprise at the end of his contract should he keep up the extra effort.
Rem waits for Subaru so they can walk home together while she has her outfit for a while longer, they decide to show her off to the town before Subaru state that due to his selfish nature he'd rather have her to himself and return home. Subaru ponders the year of bouncing from place to place before settling and their newfound happiness, with the banquet being its peak, as stated by Rem. Their stroll is cut short by a hostile figure. Overwhelmed by the woman's intimidating wind-like presence and attacks as well as repetition of "Die" Subaru finds himself paralysed with fear while Rem struggles to dodge the woman's attacks. Just before defeat Halibel stands between the three, ceasing the fight. Rem reveals that Halibel "The Great" is actually the most powerful warrior in all Kararagi city and the fight should be left to him. Halibel seems to split into quadruple to Subaru's amazement and injures the women before she flees. Rem succumbs to her exhaustion and faints in Subarus arms. He carries her back home and awaits medical help.
Relieved he made it home in time, Subaru comforts Rem when a second woman arrives at the scene and attacks. Subaru determined to protect Rem tackles her. They struggle with the woman ultimately gaining the upper hand. The woman then breaks almost all of Subaru's ribs and Subaru's nose. Overcome with fear, and pain Subaru recognises the women as a Shinigami while he desperately struggles to restrain her while she approaches an unconscious Rem. She pauses upon further inspection and leaves irritated stating her "time is up". Halibel arrives shortly after with a magic healer and asks Subaru what happened. Subaru tells them to "...Take…care of…Rem" before he loses consciousness on the blood soaked tatami mat while Rem continues to breathe painfully.
When Subaru wakes up he is greeted by Halibel and the magic healer who seems to be a close acquaintance with Halibel. Subaru notices that all his wounds have been healed, and replaced with serious body bruises. The magic healer then asks both Subaru and Halibel to step outside while he treats Rem. While outside, Subaru and Halibel have a short discussion that Subaru is too anxious to pay attention to Halibel before being invited back inside. Inside the healer tells Subaru the good news that Rem is fine and the better news that Rem is pregnant with Subaru's child. At first Subaru is confused because of the way he presented the information( all he said was "Congratulations"), but Halibel clears up the confusion. Before Halibel and the magic healer leave for the night, Halibel asks Subaru what's wrong which he doesn't answer and just makes eye contact with him. Halibel and the healer look at each other and nod in agreement as they tell Subaru that they are leaving, and that he should get some rest. Halibel tells Subaru that "You have to be the first one Rem-chan sees when she wakes up" before he leaves. Subaru says to himself that even if he was "shameless enough to sleep in a situation like this, he wasn't going to be irresponsible". So Subaru sits and waits while watching his sleeping wife.
A few hours later Rem wakes up and while only being half awake happily notices and comments on how Subaru is holding her hand. Rem then suddenly sits up and asks Subaru if he was ok after she fainted, and he lies deciding not to tell her about the second incident. Rem then notices that Subaru is concerned about something and asks him what's wrong. Subaru tells Rem that she was examined by a doctor and then hesitates at first, but after a little coercion and reassurance from Rem he tells her that the doctor discovered that she was 3 months pregnant with their child. Subaru notices that Rem has become hesitant and agitated, so he speaks as kindly as possible to try and get her to calm down. Then Rem nervously asks "Subaru-kun…what do…you think?", Subaru replies "What do I…by that do you mean…" then Rem clarifies her question by saying "We…have……a c─child…about that, do… ". Subaru knew that her next words were going to be "You regret it?". Subaru calls himself an idiot (in his head) and reflexively speaks saying "I..." before he stops himself and says (in his head) that a spur of the moment statement would be unacceptable, and forces his frozen thoughts to move. He says that he likes it and that he's glad that they have a baby and can start a family. Subaru pauses for a moment and faces the very first deep emotions he had, which were surprise, anxiety, and most importantly a strong passion that he described as "the first time he learned what it meant to be glad.". Then Subaru suddenly hugged Rem and whispered "Thank you, Rem" in her ear several times while they held each other tightly, both on the verge of crying out of pure joy.
Chapter 3: 3 Months
Subaru and Rem are in their room talking with Halibel, where they apologize for troubling him so much. Halibel notices a huge dent on the wall that wasn't there last night and asks Subaru and Rem what happened. At first Subaru and Rem make it seem like the hole was created when they were having intercourse, but a few lines later explain that it was caused by Subaru asking Rem to hit him to make sure this reality wasn't a dream. Unfortunately Rem couldn't control her strength and accidentally punched him too hard. After that Halibel confirms that he is the strongest warrior in Kararagi, which the couple was starting to suspect. Halibel offers his assistance to the couple, but Subaru asks why he's willing to go so far to help them. Halibel says that friends are very important to him and that they should take all the help they can get because after they become parents they won't be able to rely on anyone else. Subaru accepts this as a valid answer but asks Halibel to not smoke his tobacco or medicine near the baby before he leaves. He says he'll be back in time for dinner before leaving Rem with Halibel and also saying that he'll tell the school that Rem can't come in today before heading to his workplace and informing his boss of their situation. When Subaru informs Rem's colleagues at the school they are all happy for their colleagues' pregnancy, and Subaru states that he was the only one who acted modestly in that situation. After that Subaru heads to work and tells his boss about how he and Rem were attacked and that Rem was pregnant. Subaru expected him to be mad, but instead he tells Subaru that everyone in the mansion is his ally. He says that all the bonds he made in only 2 weeks were impressive and that he had invested hope into Subaru and he still wanted to withdraw his shares someday. For the rest of the day his co-workers attempted to cheer him up as well as joke around with him by saying “Ooh, Subaru-chan may have a childish look, but I guess he really does get some, too.”. Later while Subaru is walking home he runs into the girl who attacked him the previous night. He says that confronting him in a crowded area to use the civilians as hostages was a dirty trick. The girl then says that she'd like to walk with him since they're going to the same place implying that she's attempting to kill Rem again.
Later, Rem and Subaru (along with Halibel) go to their tenant home; in which they meet the assassin that attacked them earlier. She questions them, especially Rem about her stolen "Light Ball" (she believes that Rem had stolen it). After Rem and Subaru tell her that they don't have nor even know what this "Light Ball" is. In a fit of rage the girl begins to slice up the room with her magic every time they do not say the right things (which was everything).
Chapter 4: 6 Months
Chapter 5: 10 Months
Interlude: Death Anniversary
Chapter 6: The Last Month of Pregnancy
Epilogue: Anniversary
Six years have passed. Rem and Subaru are expecting their second child, with their son Rigel hoping for a baby sister.