Re Zero The Choice Of Zero

After showering, Nero entered the Indoor onsen. To his surprise, there was already someone else inside.

"Um. Pardon my intrusion."

"It's fine. I just got here as well. Come in." a young grey haired guy, probably about 20 years old, welcomed Nero.

He observed him for a while before saying. "Wow. I am jealous, I would really want a body like yours. How old are you?" asked the man.

"Haha. Work hard, and you will obtain it. I should be 17 years old right now." replied Nero.

"What?! 17?! Impossible! I am 20! Did you train your body in your mother's w.o.m.b or what?!" exclaimed the man.

"Haha no. Eventually, anyone can get a body like this as long as they try hard enough." replied Nero.

"Oh. Well.. Welcome to the royal bathtub!" said the man.

"Thanks. The name is Nero. What's yours?"

The youth was deliberating whether he should tell him his real name, but he told him anyway. "Otto. Otto Suwen."

"Good. Otto. Are you a butler? Do you work here?" asked Nero.

"No. No. I am a merchant you see." replied Otto.

"A merchant." Nero's expression turned dark.

The air around him stagnated and it was getting harder to breath by every second.

"W-What is it?"

When Otto saw him a few seconds ago, he thought how scary this person looked. But after he showed a proper courtesy by greeting and introducing himself, he thought that he was a good person.

However, Otto was genuinely scared of him now. As he has a blessing, that allows him to communicate with animals and every other living being, in 3 km radius. When he was younger, his life was a mess. He couldn't figure out why he heard weird voices in his head. But he got used to it. Even now, in this mansion, there were 64 spiders, 1268 bugs, and 11 roaches, hidden in the darkness.

But all of them suddenly died. His head was clear. That has never happened before. This man is extremely dangerous.

"Are you a part of those merchants that were supposed to arrive to Roswaal's mansion?" asked Nero.

"Yes I w- "BOOM" a loud sound caused by his face hitting the floor interrupted him from speaking. Otto was lying in a large crack without being able to move.

He struggled and lifted his head a little. Nero didn't move from his spot and only by his killing intent, pressured Otto into the ground.

"W-a-i-t" unable to resist the pressure. Otto was about to give up.

"O~~h if it isn't Ne~~ro. We~~lcome to my mansion. My name is Roswaal L. Mathers. Would you be~~ so ki~nd, to listen to what he ha~~s to say?" Roswaal quickly interfered with Nero's killing intent and stopped it temporarily.

Nero looked at him with a surprised expression. This man could actually stop me. He isn't the strongest magician for nothing.

As Otto regained a bit of his strength, he stood up, and continued with his talk.

"Listen, they proposed an inhuman idea and I didn't agree to it. Then, They tied me up, and I got saved by that pink haired miss. I am a really serious merchant, if I ever do something that isn't moral by human standards, you can kill me." said Otto.

"Is that so.." said Nero as he sat back down into the water.

"I am sorry for my outburst, but I have never had a good experience with merchants.

Not in this or my former world.

"Oh. I understand. Most of them are greedy pigs. But I joined this occupation, not because I don't have money, but because I wanted to try it out. You see. I am considered a royalty, but I got deported.. long story short. I wouldn't want to bore you with it." said Otto as he went back inside the water to warm himself up again.

"Ca~~n I join yo~~u?"

"Fine. It's your mansion after all."

"Go~~od" said Roswaal and hopped into the onsen as well.

3 men were enjoying the warm feeling of onsen.

"Will you work for me~~, as a butler? I can give you a place where you can live. How about it Nero?"

Nero thought for a while before respoding. "Nah. I really want a place where I can live at. But I don't want to serve someone who is weaker than me."

Roswaal grinned and said. "Then how abo~ut a spa~~r? If you win, I will let you stay in one of the rooms, but if I win, you will be my personal butler. How does that so~und?"

"Agreed. When do we spar?" asked Nero.

"How about right after the ba~th?" replied Roswaal.

"Are you going to be fine? I am pretty sure physical strength and close combat is bad for a magician."

"No ne~~ed to worry. I can handle it." smiled Roswaal.

"Oh by the way, Crusch has arrived, and they need new merchants, so if you explain your situation, they will probably take you in again. However, I am warning you, if you try something with Ferris or Crusch, not even ash from your bones would remain." Nero said with a rather dark tone.

Otto nervously gulped and said. "I understand"

.....

"Sister sister, what are you doing?" asked Rem.

"I am sewing."

"Why? Wait.. Are those clothes?"

"Yes. I couldn't find anything that would be good enough for him, and I don't have time to make him clothes. So, I will just repair his old ones, with a bit of magic, they can always be easily repaired. Now, I just need to wash them and dry them off for him to wear once he leaves the onsen."

Why does my sister bother with sewing his clothes?

"Who are you and what did you do to my sister." Rem violently shook her sister.

"Rem. Stop joking please. I wouldn't want him to run around the mansion n.a.k.e.d or in a towel. He is a neanderthal, he has no shame and doesn't care when people see him b.u.t.t n.a.k.e.d. Unlike Barusu."