Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World Co-op Route

"Agh..."

A sharp, unrelenting headache crashed over me, a tidal wave of agony that made it feel like my skull was splitting in half. My teeth sank into my lower lip as I tried to ground myself against the pain, but it was futile—like trying to hold back a flood with a broken dam.

"Agh..."

My vision blurred as I forced my eyes open. I leaned forward, clutching at my knees in a feeble attempt to steady myself. For a moment, the headache seemed to subside, or so I thought.

It wasn't that the pain disappeared. Something far worse took its place. An excruciating ache radiated through my entire body. Every movement, no matter how small—a twitch of a finger, a shallow breath, a flicker of my eyelids—ignited a searing pain that engulfed every nerve.

"Aghhhh!"

It felt as though my body was rebelling against me, punishing me for something I couldn't recall. 'What the hell happened?'

Fragments of the previous night surfaced in my mind like shards of broken glass: the desperate fight against the Ulgarms, Rem and Subaru lying unconscious, then.....

'So... I made it back alive?'

The thought offered little solace. My entire body screamed in protest as I tried to shift. My voice was hoarse, barely audible. A faint presence stirred nearby, and I turned my head slowly, wincing with each motion.

Beatrice stood at the edge of my bed, her small frame silhouetted against the dim light. Her arms were crossed, and her expression was a mix of irritation and concern.

"You're awake, I suppose," she said, her sharp voice breaking the heavy silence.

"Betty... The kids! Rem and Subaru—are they okay?" I rasped, my words tumbling out in a desperate plea.

"Calm yourself, I suppose. You'll only worsen your condition," she replied, her tone softening ever so slightly.

"They're alive. Betty managed to nullify the children's curses in time. The younger maid regained consciousness and managed to get both of you to safety. But you..."

"You should worry about yourself after that suicidal stunt you pulled yesterday."

"Stunt?"

Beatrice huffed, her twin braids bouncing slightly as she shifted her weight.

"When the maid brought you back, their clothes were torn, but they bore no serious injuries—just a few scratches. Meanwhile, the area where you collapsed was completely frozen, I suppose. The sheer scale of it..."

Her words hung in the air, heavy with disbelief.

"Frozen?"

"Yes. Someone as weak as you, who's barely a novice in magic, pulling off something like that... Did you think there wouldn't be repercussions?"

I let out a bitter laugh, immediately regretting it as pain shot through my ribs.

"Believe me, I get it. Every single muscle in my body is aching."

Beatrice's gaze darkened. "If that's all you're feeling, you should consider yourself fortunate, I suppose. Betty and Nichan speculated that you might never walk again—or wake up, for that matter."

The weight of her words settled heavily in my chest.

"When your body was brought back, it was completely drained of mana. Empty, it also failed to recover, not even at a slow pace. And that made us conclude that your Od—the very foundation of your life force—was nearly consumed entirely."

Mana is essential to the body almost in a similar way to the air. The Od, the life force of one's body, absorbs the mana force from the atmosphere and recycle it from the inside. Therefor, if one's Od is consumed, they would be unable to do such task.

I swallowed hard, the implications sinking in.

"Then... how am I even awake?"

Beatrice hesitated, her eyes narrowing. "That's the anomaly, I suppose. This morning, a small portion of your mana returned. Just enough for you to wake up. It doesn't make sense. Your body... it's nonsensical. Your gate is so tightly closed that Betty can't even examine it."

Her words left me in a daze, the room spinning slightly.

"Well, aside from the pain," I began, forcing a weak smile,

"I think I'm alright thanks to you. Anyway, you said Rem and Subaru are okay, right?"

"They're alive, and they didn't suffer any injuries worth mentioning, I suppose."

Relief washed over me.

"Good... That's good to hear."

I exhaled slowly, glancing around. "Where are they now?"

Beatrice averted her gaze, an unusual hesitation in her movements. "They went back to the mansion, I suppose."

"That's cold of them—not even saying goodbye."

"Goodbye? Do you truly think that dismissal still stands? Even after you risked your life to save her sister?"

I blinked, the memory of Ram's scathing words flashing through my mind. "Well, she hasn't said anything else, has she?"

With a groan, I forced myself upright, pain lancing through me like daggers.

"F—!"

I bit my tongue, barely stopping the curse from escaping. My eyes darted to Beatrice, who raised an eyebrow at me. I frowned, my brow twitching in irritation. Restraining myself like this reminded me of how I used to act around Mio back on Earth.

"Are you crazy!?" Beatrice snapped. "I told you your body's a mess! You shouldn't be moving!"

I offered a strained smile. "Nah... It hurts, yeah. But I hate being bedridden more than anything. I think the pain will subside if I move around a bit."

"That doesn't make any sense!"

It really didn't. When you get a cramp at night, the last thing you think about is moving—first, because the pain paralyzes you, and second, because it just doesn't help. Beatrice's frustration was evident, but my stubbornness was unyielding. Each step I took was a battle, my body protesting every inch.

As I trudged past a cracked mirror propped against the cabin wall, I caught a glimpse of myself. My reflection was barely recognizable—my face pale, dark circles framing my eyes, and my entire torso wrapped in bandages like a broken doll. For a moment, I froze, staring at the person in the mirror as if he were a stranger.

I tore my gaze away and stepped outside, the fresh air hitting my face like a gentle slap. The village before me was a stark contrast to the chaos of last night. Where once panic painted every corner, now there was peace. The sun bathed the cobblestone streets in warm light, and villagers bustled about, their voices carrying a sense of relief.A tinge of something unfamiliar washed over me—relief, maybe? I couldn't stop myself from muttering, "We did it."

"Who are you talking to? Did your brain get damaged too, I wonder?"

The voice startled me, and I turned to see Beatrice standing a few feet away, her arms crossed and her tiny frame practically trembling with indignation.

"Are you still following me?" I asked, exasperated. "Don't worry, I know the village well enough not to get lost."

"I'm merely monitoring you to make sure you don't drop dead all of a sudden. Betty doesn't want Nichan's efforts to save your life to go to waste, I suppose."

"Yes, yes, very cute."

Beatrice huffed, her dissatisfaction clear as she glared up at me, her lips pursed in a pout.

"Tanaka!"

The collective sound of children's voices calling my name turned my head.

I saw familiar faces—Mild, Dain, Ryuka, Meina, and Petra—all grinning and brimming with life. The stark contrast between their pallor and fear last night and their vibrant smiles now struck me.

"Glad to see you guys doing well—Augh!" My sentence was cut short as the children rushed forward, clinging to me. Pain shot through my body like lightning, and I winced, trying to mask it with a shaky grin.

Beatrice sighed loudly. "That's enough! Let go of him! He's barely intact!"

The children backed away reluctantly, their gazes flickering between guilt and worry. 

"Does it hurt?" one of them asked, wide-eyed with concern.

Trying to play tough, I rotated my arm, the motion sending a grinding pain through my joints. It felt like corroded metal parts scraping against each other. "I'm fine," I lied, forcing a smile that even I didn't believe.

A young voice chimed in, cutting through the tension. "Tanaka, are you going back to the forest...?"

Ryuka's question was abruptly silenced by a smack to the back of his head from Petra.

"Huh? Why would I?" I asked, confused.

Beatrice stepped forward, her expression unreadable. "They're talking about the barrier in the forest. The elder sister already repaired it. It's not your responsibility, I suppose."

Then Beatrice tugged on my hand, dragging me, "Time to go back to the cabin, Betty still has to examine the state of your body to make sure, I suppose."

I was confused by her suddenly holding my hand but I decided to go along. "Alright, alright. See you later, guys. I have to listen to my doctor."

As we walked, my thoughts were a swirl of conflicting emotions. The ache in my muscles screamed for attention, but something else nagged at me— an eerie feeling something was off.

Before I could dwell on it, another voice broke through the air.

"Tanaka!"

I looked up, and my breath hitched. Emilia.

Her silver hair gleamed in the sunlight, cascading down her back like a waterfall, and her amethyst-like eyes shimmered with worry. She ran toward me, her expression a mix of relief and frustration.

I raised a hand to greet her, but she cut me off, her voice sharp. "Hey... Why are you out of bed in that condition? You almost died last night!"

"I'm sorry I made you worry," I said, my tone softer. "I just woke up earlier and wanted to walk. I was going back in to rest."

She sighed, her gaze softening but her worry still evident. "Hah... Last night, I told you not to be as reckless as Subaru.

"When I came back to check on you and couldn't find you, I was afraid you went back to the forest."

Her words made me pause. Earlier, one of the children had asked the same thing, but Beatrice dismissed it as a misunderstanding about the barrier. Emilia said the same thing but If it was about the barrier, then Emilia should have known that Ram already fixed it, since she was a part of her faction.

After connecting the strings, that eerie feeling was turning into a clear conclusion.

I turned to the petite, blonde girl. My lips curling up slightly.

"Hey, Beatrice..."

His voice was calm—too calm. The kind of calm that wasn't soothing but sharp.

Beatrice froze. Her eyes met Tanaka's, and though he wasn't raising his voice, she felt an undeniable weight pressing down on her.

Her pupils widened ever so slightly—just a fraction of a second.

"Where is Subaru?"

That tone, that demeanor...

It reminded her of someone.

It reminded her of her mother.