The Sage's Partner - Re: Zero OC (DROPPED)

Chapter 5 - Mathers Manor

"Do you feel it?" Elsa asked, her blade carving deeper into his skin. "The feeling of blood dripping down your stomach. The weight of your intestines falling out of your body. The slow, agonizing chill crawling up your spine as you slowly succumb... isn't it amazing?"

'It hurts. Please... stop,' Orion pleaded, though no sounds came out of his mouth, instead having only gurgled on the blood caught in his throat.

"Ah, so you do feel it! Slowly, you're getting colder... Emptier as your life drains. Does it feel calming? Or perhaps, is it frightening~?"

Elsa continued, dragging her blade across his body as she taunted him, until finally, Orion's eyes closed, leaving him in darkness.

"Ah! You died... A shame. Just as I was having my fun~," Elsa's voice echoed in his head.

"Hah!" Waking with a start, Orion looked around with fearful eyes.

In front of him, lying across the couch, was an unconscious Subaru. To his right, was Emilia, who was looking at him with concern. And surrounding him were the intricately padded walls of the carriage.

'Right. I was... in a carriage, heading toward the manor, and I fell asleep,' Orion reminded himself. 'So... that was just a dream. A nightmare.'

He was safe.

"Orion?" Emilia called out. "Are you alright?"

"...Yeah, I'm fine. Just a nightmare," he answered, wiping the sweat off of his brow. "Are we almost to the manor?"

"Mhmm! I was just about to wake you!"

Looking out the window, Orion noticed how different the surroundings were. It was not the crowded streets of the capital, nor the vast plains of the highway. Instead, they were making their way through a lush forest on a cobbled road. And as they exited the treeline...

"Ah! There it is," Emilia said.

On either side of the road were lines of perfectly cut trees, barely hiding the vast lawn behind it.

And to the front was even more amazing.

There was a large fountain in the manor's court, with small matching circular gardens, fit with a gazebo each, on either side.

But past that...

"You call that a manor?" Orion said, awestruck. "That's more like a castle!"

The manor was an enormous white building with a black roof, and had five watchtowers, with the central one being further developed.

"That's a lot of windows..." Orion said, still in the awestruck tone.

"Mhm! I was shocked too when I saw it for the first time. But... it sometimes feels a little too big," her head tilted down in sadness before suddenly rising once more, a cheerful smile on her face. "But with you and Subaru staying there, I'm sure it will feel much more lively!"

As the carriage parked in front of the manor, Emilia and Orion opted to get out by themselves, with the latter hoisting Subaru over his shoulder once more.

"We have arrived, Lady Emilia, Orion. My sister will be here to greet you shortly, but I unfortunately have to take my- Huam~! My leave," Ram said, wiping her tired eyes.

"Yes, thank you for everything, Ram. I'm sorry my mistake made you stay up so late," Emilia apologized.

"It's fine, Lady Emilia. This way I have a good excuse to sleep all day. Now if you'll excuse me."

With a departing bow, Ram then walked into the manor, leaving Emilia, Orion, and Subaru outside on their own.

"She's... oddly casual, isn't she?" Orion stated.