Arc 9, Chapter 24 – "The Enemy of Mankind"
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――Return by Death.
An Authority that, at the cost of one's life, granted them the right to turn back the clock, and redo a ti that ought to have passed.
Under the interference of that dreadful Witch of Envy, expending his life in order to remove all the anguish and obstacles he faced, Natsuki Subaru had repeatedly used Return by Death many tis over.
And, by no ans was that any cute little number like two or three tis.
As far as they were aware, Death had befallen Natsuki Subaru over ten tis.
Not even once, had there been a way to die comfortably.
Not even once, had there been an end unaccompanied by a sense of loss.
Not even once, had there been any final monts in which he relinquished his life believing that he'd had enough.
Not even once, had Natsuki Subaru ever desired to relinquish his life.
Even so, Natsuki Subaru continued to lose his life, repeating the cycle of Return by Death.
Outrageousness, absurdity, despair, all had robbed Natsuki Subaru of his life. But, neither outrageousness, nor absurdity, nor despair, were things that could not be avoided if he set his mind to it.
And yet, why was it that Natsuki Subaru had nonetheless been unable to avoid Death?
That was――,
???: [――Because he's kind.]
Not a single person, had he desired to lose.
Not a single person, had he wished to relinquish.
Not a single person, had he grown to detest to the point of wanting them gone.
Not a single person, had Natsuki Subaru ever once been able to believe deserved to die.
Henceforth, Natsuki Subaru continued to lose his life, repeating the cycle of Return by Death.
Every obstacle, every malicious intention, every enemy, every Witchbeast, every Sin Archbishop, had stood in the way of his life. Again and again they did kill Natsuki Subaru, granting him Death, and crushing his soul.
But, I know. ――I truly know.
Certainly, many enemies, unthinkable obstacles, unavoidable disasters, had heartlessly taken the life of Natsuki Subaru. That was a fact. Without a doubt.
However, I know. More so than anybody else, I am painfully aware.
More than enemies, more than disasters, more than absurdity.
More than the formless malice known as fate, there was sothing that had killed Natsuki Subaru more than anything else.
――That was none other than sobody who had continued to take advantage of Natsuki Subaru's kindness.
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???: [Hey, I don't think you need to worry too much about this.]
???: […Even if Subaru says sothing like that, it's not like I can just brush it off.]
Petra glanced at "Natsuki Subaru" leaning against the side of the carriage and sighed wistfully as she was driving the speeding dragon carriage.
However, the "Subaru" currently next to Petra was not the real Subaru.
One could say that it was an illusion created by Petra's brain―― an imaginary Subaru. The proof was that he was slightly transparent and see-through, and compared to the most recent image of Subaru in Petra's mind, his face seed to be slightly younger.
Probably because the Book of the Dead that Petra had experienced was set about a year and a half in the past―― back in the tumultuous days when she had just beco a maid.
Petra: [A lot of things happened for both Subaru and …]
Considering how much ti had passed since then, it stood to reason that they had both grown in many ways, for better or worse.
To put it simply, Petra had grown in terms of height and hair length, and she prided herself on her remarkable progress as a maid and as a woman. anwhile, Subaru had grown closer to Beatrice, beca more boisterous with Otto and Garfiel, and grew warmly alongside Emilia, achieving a very dignified and resolute image of what it ant to be a man.
That was why "Subaru" appeared a little more immature compared to how he was nowadays.
――But even so, he was still in possession of his coolness.
Even if he lost so of his masculine and rugged charm that he held today, his cuteness and charming personality would still be an unfair combination.
Petra: [No, no… Now's not the ti to be thinking about that.]
Scolding herself, Petra put her hand to her forehead and shook her head slowly.
It was okay, she could control herself. It was not the first ti Petra had imagined Subaru in her mind after all, making him say what she wanted him to say and strike her favorite poses.
She was a seasoned veteran at imagining all kinds of romantic stories and love poems, picturing various situations and casting herself and Subaru as the characters, their cheeks and hearts racing with excitent.
If she thought of those as rehearsals, then the imaginary Subaru in front of her now felt even more tangible, more lifelike, and nothing short of real.
"Subaru": [That's already way beyond the realm of imagination, could it possibly be beyond the level that self-control of yours can handle?]
Petra: [It's fine, it's just the way I'm feeling. More importantly, don't go looking inside my head.]
Subaru: [Don't be absurd! Even if you tell not to look, I'm literally inside your head, Petra!]
Petra: [――――]
Stunned by "Subaru's" retort, Petra's breath caught in her throat. Seeing her reaction, "Subaru" seed to regret his words and scratched his cheek with his finger.
The gentle look in Subaru's eyes when he showed consideration for others, and his clumsy reactions that were so typical of him, reaffird Petra's affection for him.
――Natsuki Subaru's Book of the Dead had violated Petra Leyte's "mind".
That was Petra's self-analysis of what had happened to her.
The original avid reader of the Books of the Dead, Ezzo Cadner, had said that reading a Book was a challenge that put a significant ntal strain on one's mind, but it had an even greater impact on Petra than she had personally anticipated.
On the other hand, it was possible that the shock Petra experienced from Subaru's Book of the Dead was completely different from what Ezzo had warned them about.
Petra: […Things like Returning by Death or being from beyond the Great Waterfall…]
The burden that Natsuki Subaru was carrying was far greater than Petra could have ever possibly imagined.
Subaru was separated from his holand and was all alone, so what was he thinking when he t Petra and the others? What did he go through to save them? What kind of determination did he have in his heart when he fought for them? That was everything―― no, what Petra had learned today was just a tiny part of it.
It was hard to believe that Subaru, burdened with such a tragic fate, had never had to use his Authority since the record in the Book of the Dead that Petra had read after all.
There was no doubt that Subaru had experienced that feeling of his soul being torn apart since then, his heart being ripped out, and his life being trampled upon countless tis, enduring and surmounting it all to reach today.
Petra: [――――]
The permanent blemish on one's heart that Ezzo feared had indeed been engraved into hers.
Perhaps, probably, unquestionably, Petra thought with a sense of detachnt that her heart was deeply wounded, her ntal balance completely shattered, and she was in a very precarious state.
She was able to exchange words with her beloved, who was dead yet not dead, and felt everything from joy to sorrow at his words, even in such a situation. This was nothing less than a complete emotional and ntal breakdown.
Petra: [But, it's fine.]
Love is blind, love is a fever. Petra Leyte had been consud by her feelings of love and had lived like this to this day.
As long as I'm fully aware that I'm abnormal, I can control myself―― but that's not a convenient line of thinking. No matter how much I claim to have sound judgnt, it's the sa as knowing not to drive a car after drinking alcohol.
Neither Petra nor Subaru have had a driver's license, nor did they have any mory of driving under the influence, but it was the sa thing.
Petra: [Cars, drunk driving, traffic lights, Tooryanse…][1]
Suddenly, she was drawn to the words that popped into her mind out of nowhere, and knowledge spilled out one after another like out-of-season clothes overflowing from a stuffed-to-the-brim closet.
It was all words that Petra knew, and words she did not know, loosely crossing the boundary between understanding and unfamiliarity, like the feeling of encountering sothing familiar, yet foreign.
If she did not begin to carefully sort them out, Petra might end up wearing n's clothes and carrying a Guiltywhip around before she knew what had happened.
"Subaru": [Wait, my main weapon is a whip? Isn't that a bit too edgy? I'm being overly clingy with Beatrice, and I can't keep up with the generation gap…]
Petra: [By the way, everyone had gotten to punish the Master, Garf-san's reflected on his chuunibyou, Otto-san hasn't been sleeping, and Emilia-neesama's been doing a wonderful job.]
"Subaru": [I see, Roswaal was the mastermind behind everything, huh… hold on? Why was that guy forgiven?]
Petra: [That's sothing you should discuss with Subaru and Emilia-neesama…]
However, Petra still had not forgiven Roswaal, so although she did not completely oppose Subaru and Emilia's decision at that ti, she did not agree with it either. Of course, there had been many tis when Roswaal's assistance was undoubtedly invaluable, particularly in relation to the events in the Empire. But, that was a separate issue, and Petra intended to never forgive him for the rest of her life.
However, right now, there was soone even more unforgivable than Roswaal――,
"Subaru": [――Petra.]
Petra: […Whatever you may say, I'll still feel that way.]
The combination of "Subaru's" gentle, quiet voice and sincere gaze forcibly distracting Petra from her breathing and heartbeat, left her with no choice but to avert her eyes like a child.
As if ignoring the shaless pleas and cries of her heart beating deep within her chest, Petra focused all her attention straight ahead on the endless sea of sand that stretched out before her.
――At this mont, Petra and her group's dragon carriage had departed from the Pleiades Watchtower and were speeding straight through the Augria Sand Dunes.
Beyond this sea of sand, there was a person they absolutely had to catch up with.
Their opponent would presumably utilize the wings of the Divine Dragon to fly over the Sand Sea with mobility, surpassing that of a ground dragon, even one equipped with the Divine Protection of Wind Evasion, making it extrely challenging to catch up.
Besides, there was another reason why Petra and the others needed to hurry.
Petra & "Subaru": [――The Witch of Envy.]
Petra, deep in thought, and "Subaru", who shared her consciousness, spoke of the reason for their desperate haste.
Without regard for the consequences, she drove the dragon carriage for several hours―― covering a considerable distance from the Pleiades Watchtower, yet the pressure remained, refusing to let go of Petra and her companions' souls.
It was the terrifying Witch who was supposed to be sealed away in the shrine, who constantly reached out to punish Petra for reading the Book of the Dead and encroaching on the realm of the Taboo. The tsunami of black shadows that had invaded and threatened to destroy the world were now being held back by a single hero.
――The Sword Saint, Reinhard van Astrea.
His lonely struggle kept the wrath of the Witch of Envy at bay beyond the Tower, preventing the destruction of the world by a hair's breadth and maintaining a delicate balance. However, even now, there was a deafening roar and violent tremors that seed to turn the world upside down, and flashes of light like distant lightning occurred intermittently, day and night, as if the trumpets of the Apocalypse were blowing ceaselessly.
How long could this balance last? Neither Petra nor anyone else knew. If there was one thing they knew, it was this――,
"Subaru": [If Reinhard were to be defeated, every and anything would be over.]
Petra: [Yeah. If Reinhard… san gets taken out, the Witch will co after . There's no way to predict how much damage will be done between now and then.]
"Subaru": [They don't seem like the type to be polite and give way to others.]
"Subaru's" joke made Petra imagine a kind Witch of Envy who would give up her seat to an elderly person on a crowded train, but she could not bring herself to laugh now.
When considering ways to minimize potential damage, Petra should have remained at the Pleiades Watchtower and accepted being silenced by the Witch, regardless of the outco of Reinhard's battle.
However, if Petra dared to think such a thing even for a mont――,
"Subaru": [――That's definitely a no-go. I won't let that happen even if it kills .]
Petra: [――――]
When Subaru said that directly to Petra, it felt like there was absolutely no room to argue.
She had always been aware that Subaru cared deeply for her. Of course, there is Emilia and Beatrice. Not to ntion Rem. She was not so conceited as to think she was treated differently from them, but she was still certain―― that she occupied a special shelf in Natsuki Subaru's heart, where he kept the precious things that were most important to him.
However, until today, she did not realize the true weight behind the words "Even if it kills " spoken by a seemingly joking Subaru.
Natsuki Subaru was truly soone who'd protect what is important to him, "Even if it kills him."
Petra: [――. Yeah, I know. I don't want to die either… Al-san has so way to stop the Witch, right?]
"Subaru": [Yeah, he's not stupid. He knows what kind of damage that could cause to the world. He's definitely prepared sothing to stop it before it gets to that point.]
Petra: [Yeah, for sure.]
"Subaru": [Definitely.]
Clenching his fist, "Subaru" declared forcefully, and Petra nodded in agreent.
Catching up to Al, who had left the tower, and forcing him to reveal his plan to suppress the Witch. Organizing the necessary steps were so daunting that they made her head spin, but "Subaru's" words were ever-so reassuring. ――Unfortunately, however, the sa thing could apply to Petra as well as Subaru.
Subaru, who now shared Petra's consciousness, was fully aware of Petra's thoughts and anxieties.
The sa went for Petra, who shared the sa consciousness as "Subaru".
Petra: [If Al-san wants to end the world…]
The absolute truth that Petra and Subaru confird earlier would no longer be the case.
In the worst-case scenario, Al had no actual way to stop the "Witch of Envy" and was prepared to let the world be destroyed, taking his lifeless heart and mind with him.
Al, who lost Priscilla Barielle, his cherished master or rather, soone he held a much deeper love than just being soone of reverence, had every right to hate the world.
However, it was also true that they could not entirely give up on the glimr of hope.
Petra: [, ili-chan, Garf-san, and everyone else are all still alive.]
Al, who even had the support of the Divine Dragon Volcanica, had the power to decide the fate of Petra and the others in the tower. However, he had chosen to exercise his right not to take their lives.
Would it be too much to believe that this is a sign that there was still sothing left in Al?
Petra: […Maybe I'm overthinking it, almost like I'm not really myself.]
"Subaru": [Yikes.]
With a finger pressed to her lips, Petra muttered, and next to her, "Subaru" exaggeratedly shrugged his shoulders. Glancing over, she saw Subaru give her an awkward smile and wave, which prompted Petra to narrow her eyes.
It was unclear just how much "Subaru" had influenced Petra's current way of thinking.
There was no way that the influence of The Book of the Dead only had a positive bonus effect for Petra, allowing her to see an imaginary Subaru.
Petra: [I've gotta be more careful…]
Petra loves Subaru, but she does not want to be Subaru. Furthermore, she should not beco a person who indiscriminately showers kindness on everyone like Subaru does.
Petra always admired kind people and always strived to be kind herself, but she felt that people like Subaru and Emilia were perfect just as they are.
Petra wished to be soone who did not take the kindness of kind people for granted.
For that reason, she must not empathize too much with Natsuki Subaru.
???: [――Petra-chan, it's ti to switch o~ut.]
Then, just as she thought that, the small window of the dragon carriage opened, and a voice spoke to her from behind.
It was ili, who had been resting in the carriage. When she offered to take over driving, Petra shook her head with a "no",
Petra: [I'm fine, so you should rest, ili-chan. You carried while I was sleeping, and you even kept the Witchbeasts away.]
ili: [I didn't do as much as Flam-chan, who carried Fang onii-san and Sensei-san. Besides, with the Sword Saint and the Witch fighting, it seems the Witchbeasts don't have much ti for us.]
ili shrugged her shoulders, her expression betraying her deep fatigue. It was obvious that she had been unable to relax even a smidgen while in the carriage. In fact, feeling the presence of the Witch in the distance was like being a frog stared at by a snake. It would have been very strange if she had been able to rest calmly.
This must have been even more difficult for soone as responsible as ili.
Petra: [How's Flam-chan? Still asleep?]
ili: [Yeah, she's still out cold. But I'm counting on Flam-chan's Divine Protection, so I'm glad we made the right ca~ll.]
"Subaru": [This girl… It feels kind of weird to see ili here…]
ili's gloomy answer and "Subaru's" feelings of trepidation at her presence overlapped. Ignoring the latter's reaction, Petra thought about Flam, and her Divine Protection.
Flam's Divine Protection of Mindspeak allowed her to communicate with her twin sister once a day. Although it was only a one-way communication, the ability to send and receive ssages regardless of distance was so important that, under the current circumstances, it was undoubtedly invaluable.
The condition of "once a day" for the Divine Protection seed to be closely related to the amount of ti she slept, and the more urgent the situation at hand, the more ti she needed to sleep.
However, the ans Flam had employed to achieve this sleep were beyond Petra's comprehension.
Petra: [I never thought she would suddenly strangle her own neck and pass out…]
ili: [It seems like she couldn't just take a proper rest because she was so worried about Sword Saint-san. Bu~t the fact that she was so determined to do so is typical of soone connected to Sword Saint-san. She's barely younger than and you, Petra-chan, she's so different from normal gir~ls.]
Petra: [I don't think you're one to talk, ili-chan.]
"Subaru": [Look who's talking.]
Petra and "Subaru's" comnts overlapped, and ili's lips curled in dissatisfaction.
All she could hear was Petra's words, but by deliberately engaging in this out-of-place, everyday conversation, they avoided facing the reality and the pressure from the Witch.
And it was probably thanks to that stable mind that she was even managing to rush forward with single-minded determination.
???: [――DODOGYUUUN.]
A sudden high-pitched cry ca from Patrasche, who had been working harder than Petra, ili, Flam, or anyone else.
Taking into account the events at the Pleiades Watchtower, Patrasche shared the sa sense of dreadful urgency as Petra and the others, and her neighing signaled that they had finally reached their destination―― the end of the Sand Sea.
Lying there in the distance, near the edge of the Sand Sea, was the town of Mirula.
ili: [Petra-cha~n!]
Petra: [Yeah, I know!]
In response to ili's call, Petra strongly gripped the reins and leaned forward.
Patrasche, who had glanced behind her for just a mont, was already refocusing her attention forward and was now sprinting toward the finish line, having had to run nonstop all the way here.
"Subaru": [I love you, Patrasche.]
The imaginary intangible Subaru delivered unrequited words of love and gratitude to Patrasche.
As she watched the intangible hand that was unable to touch anything stroke the ground dragon's neck, Petra's small head was busy mapping out the roadmap that would be necessary after they arrived at Mirula.
The end goal of this roadmap was, of course, to stop the actions of Al, who had betrayed Natsuki Subaru ――but there was sothing beyond that.
In order to get to that point――,
Petra: [――Hk.]
The dragon carriage finally burst through the town gate and arrived at Mirula. With that, Petra opened her mouth wide to speak, realizing that they had made it through the Augria Sand Dunes.
To do any of these things, Petra and the others must first seek the help of a certain individual―― a person who was unable to enter the Augria Sand Dunes and bid farewell to Petra and the others at this location.
So, speaking in a paradoxical way――,
Petra: [――We're back, so lend us a hand! I know you're listening, Clind-san!]
Indeed, Petra raised her voice and sought a wild card that could reduce any gap to zero.
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Felt twisted her face into an exaggerated scowl at the small shadow darting past the corner of her vision.
Its form, colors, and sheen all provoked a visceral disgust within her, and though she had been sleeping in the slums with them for as long as she could rember, she could not feel any sense of camaraderie or affection toward them.
Felt, who had even slept while hugging a giant rat to survive the cold, was still reluctant to befriend even a single Zodda bug.
Truly, they were an abominable entity, worthy of being called an enemy of mankind.
Felt: [Seriously, I can't stand those Zodda being everywhere…]
With their extraordinary vitality, Zodda bugs could establish habitable environnts anywhere. They were often spotted in unsanitary places, but that was by no ans an absolute prerequisite.
In fact, it was at this ti that Felt caught a glimpse of a Zodda bug from her peripheral, inside a building that was properly maintained and well-kept―― a manor in the noble district of the Royal Capital of Lugunica.
The place was opulent and lavish, filled with paintings and ornants of a value Felt could not comprehend. Now bereft of its lord, the mansion still retained its luxurious splendor.
Felt: [Hey, that thread of yours can go "fwooosh" really far, yeah? So couldn't you just get rid of so Zodda with it real quick?]
Yae: [Haah~, well here's the thing Felt-sama. The Steel Thread Technique I use is an extrely rare technique that has had no master for centuries, y'know? In addition to skill, Yae-chan's brilliant shinobi maid style can only be displayed when I have special rings for the steel threads made by the Master of Curse Tools, Groovy Gumlet. Yet you're calling for soone like over a Zodda bug of all things?]
Felt: [That was way too long, I barely even got half of that to stick. Why don't you just get to the point?]
Yae: [I don't wanna stain my beloved threads on sothing so filthy, so~ I'll pass.]
Having said that, Yae turned her face away while tucking her ringed hands behind her back, to which Felt unenthusiastically responded with "Yeah, yeah, whatever." Her eyes scanned right, then left, looking for the shadow she had seen earlier, but it appeared she had lost sight of it. That left her with an unpleasant feeling.
Felt: [Just 'cause I can't see them doesn't an they're gone from this world, y'know… they're not only still here, they sotis fly right into people's faces.]
Yae: [I understand. If it cos to that, I'll be prepared to die~.]
Felt: [I want to say that you're not gonna die, but brace yourself, just in case.]
Emotionally, she felt that resignation or despair were a more appropriate alternative than steeling herself with resolve.
As it was, the shadow of that Zodda bug she had seen prompted her and Yae to have an unexpected mutual understanding―― and Felt, with a fresh perspective, took in the interior decor of the mansion in the Royal Capital, the Barielle estate.
A portion of Lugunica's nobles residing outside the Royal Capital had secondary estates in the noble district, reserved for their periodic stays. The Astrea estate, where Felt was first forcibly taken and confined by Reinhard was no exception, and this mansion―― whose construction was personally commissioned by Priscilla Barielle, had been built for an identical purpose.
Felt: [That princess. I'm sure she had people taking care of this place even while she wasn't living here, but now she's got Zodda bugs roaming everywhere. Maybe the maids lost all their motivation the mont their master croaked.]
Yae: [Oop, it'd be wise to avoid saying things like that in the presence of Al-sama, even as a provocation, okay~? It's gonna make you sound like soone with a really nasty personality, and hearing soone badmouth the madam is sothing I don't feel good about, y'know~?]
Felt: [Huh? You're telling not to piss off the helt bastard?]
Yae: [No, no, Al-sama surely wouldn't lose his temper. But, I think he'll be hurt. That is sothing I won't be okay with.]
Lowering her voice just a little, Yae cocked her head slightly at the end of their exchange. Instantly, Felt registered a faint tension on her neck, and she perceived the presence of the nigh-invisible threads with her very soul.
The steel threads she had hesitated to use on the Zodda bug was once again coiled around Felt's neck.
Felt: [If you hurt , that helt bastard's going to be angry, right?]
Yae: [Maybe. But even so, isn't it a problem for you to say whatever you want, Felt-sama, especially for as a helpful all-purpose maid ant to eliminate any obstacle for my master?]
Felt: [There's sothing off about you calling him your master. The relationship between you and that helt bastard isn't really that of master and servant. That said, I guess talking so high and mighty from a safe distance is la.]
As she replied, Felt held up both her hands to indicate to Yae that she had no intention of resisting. After watching her for a mont, Yae shrugged and retracted the thread.
Still, she made clear her intention to rcilessly send out her threads and make a statent by cutting off Felt's finger, or even a limb if necessary, should Felt make any suspicious movent. ――Having observed Yae's speed and precision, there was rit to having made the provocation.
Felt: [I already knew it, but you're not soone I can handle…]
Currently, Felt and Yae were the only two that were staying back in the Barielle manor.
If Felt could slip past Yae's watchful eyes or defeat Yae alone, she could escape her current status of being a captive princess that was ant to keep the Felt Camp in check.
Yae: [That strong will to win is just what I'd expect of a candidate in the Royal Selection, it makes this humble servant's heart flutter at such a noble mindset, but please don't get any reckless ideas, okay~? There're so people, like thugs or Heinkel-sama, who I can tie up or slice apart without remorse, but I don't like doing that to lovely girls.]
Felt: [I see. In that case, rember this too. I dislike words like "cute", "sweet", or "that really suits you". Rember how many tis you've called those.]
Yae: [Hyaa~, scary. By the way, what're you going to do when you count them?]
Felt: [When it's my turn to get you back, I'll kick your ass that many tis.]
Incidentally, Felt had already decided that she would kick Yae's ass three tis. The helt bastard―― Aldebaran and the Divine Dragon, as well as Heinkel each had their own amount of revenge she kept score of.
Felt always precisely settled each and every one of her debts and loans. Whether they were of gratitude or resentnt mattered not to her.
Felt: [It's not every day you get to kick a Dragon's ass, much less the Divine Dragon's. If you think about it like that, being held hostage is pretty funny, huh?]
Yae: [So tough~, you're so ntally strong that even Yae-chan here is intimidated. Even if that wasn't the case, I'm afraid of you seducing him, so I don't want you and Vol-sama getting near each other, Felt-sama.]
Felt: [Even so, having Reinhard's dad watch over the Divine Dragon is in pretty poor taste if you ask .]
Yae: [With Heinkel-sama's desire for the Dragon's Blood, I suppose an arm, or two or three, might erupt from his throat. I hope he doesn't get carried away and actually attack Vol-sama.] [2]
Yae smiled mischievously with a finger to her lip, but the contents of her speech held absolutely no such cuteness.
In fact, from Yae's point of view, even if this imaginary scenario were to co true―― that is, if Heinkel were to recklessly get himself killed by the Divine Dragon, she would most likely remain unfazed. It was a rather ill-natured arrangent of things, including her attitude toward Heinkel, who was supposed to be her comrade.
Of course, the Divine Dragon was far too conspicuous to be allowed near the Royal Capital; moreover, keeping it near Felt, who had a beguiling effect on its mind, was out of the question, so it was inevitable that their arrangent would be skewed.
Yae: [You're not just a beauty who can topple a nation, Felt-sama, but also a beautiful girl who can topple a Dragon.]
Felt: [That's another ti I'm going to kick your ass… But tell the truth, can the old man really get that Dragon's Blood he wants from that brainless Divine Dragon?]
Yae: [Who knows? Ah~, but in the case that doesn't work, Al-sama will still keep his promise, even if it ans retrieving the older Dragon's Blood that's supposedly stored sowhere in the castle. That way, Heinkel-sama's sleeping wife should wake up. But from your point of view, Felt-sama, you're not happy with this arrangent, are you?]
Felt: [Damn right. Frankly, I'm not a fan of that approach.]
She had already directly said as much to Heinkel regarding the matter, despite his endless excuses.
Felt did not like that plan. However, it was also unreasonable for outsiders to simply deny the thoughts, actions, and decisions made by the people actually involved.
So even if it resulted in the awakening of Reinhard's mother, Felt wished to take a different path to achieve that summit than what Heinkel wanted.
Felt: [――? What's up?]
Suddenly, Felt, sitting slumped on the sofa in the parlor, noticed Yae's gaze watching her intently and she frowned.
Yae shook her head with a "No, no~" at Felt's response,
Yae: [I just thought it was unexpected. That you, Felt-sama, want to wake up Heinkel-sama's wife… that is, the Sword Saint's mother.]
Felt: […You know, that bastard sits next to when we all eat together.]
Yae: [――?]
At first glance, Yae had a puzzled look on her face when Felt said sothing seemingly unrelated. Felt continued to speak, ignoring Yae's confused reaction.
In the Felt Camp, when it was ti for a al, Flam and Grassis would call for everyone, and with the exception of Felt, who had a customary seat at the head of the table, the seats would be filled based on when they arrived at the dining hall. Reinhard usually sat next to Felt at the head of the table.
And――,
Felt: [While we're eating, I've got the best view of the side of his face. If that aspect were to improve a bit, the food would taste better, yeah?]
Yae: […I stand corrected. Rather than a beautiful girl, Felt-sama is an iken~!]
Felt: [I have no idea what you're talking about, but I'm kicking your ass an extra ti for that.]
Yae: [Ehh~, but why~?!]
Yae pouted in dissatisfaction as Felt turned her face away, replying no further.
She had beco used to being held hostage, which was nothing short of disgraceful, but the trick to maintaining ntal composure in such a situation was to not reveal too much verbally.
And so, when keeping soone who has baited a fish in reasonable suspense――,
Yae: [Yes, yes, I'm sorry if I have upset you. For now, please take this.]
As she spoke, Yae gently handed over a silver tray on which was placed so kind of bread with toasted fillings as a snack, to which Felt's stomach growled.
Yae chuckled at the sound,
Yae: [There are Zodda bugs even in a place like this?]
Felt: [Those fuckers are everywhere. Even in my stomach… don't make think about sothing that disgusting. Hand it over already.]
She threw a glare at the bantering Yae, and snatched the silver tray from her hands. She bit into the hasamiyaki as it exuded a faintly warm aroma, its pleasant flavor being neither too strong nor too weak. The taste was to Felt's liking, so she t Yae's eyes with a smile and thumbs-up.
Yae: [How'd you like it, the hasamiyaki? Surprisingly, it's Yae-chan's one and only specialty dish~.]
Felt: [Damn tasty… but, if it's your only one then it's a different story. You're more or less a maid, right? Or maybe the whole maid thing was a lie, and you're actually an assassin or sothing.]
Yae: [H~mm, assassination is one of the main jobs of a shinobi, but the part about being a maid is the truth. It's just that cleaning is more my forte than making a li~ttle bit of food. Ah, I was lying when I said my one and only specialty dish is hasamiyaki. I'm also good at wraps.]
Felt: [In the end, isn't that just the sa in the regards to sandwiching ingredients between bread?]
Incidentally, Felt's impression was that vegetables comprised more of the ingredients used in a wrap. As a matter of fact, she did not know what the finer discrepancies between wraps and hasamiyaki were.
At any rate, she was relieved that even the captured hostages were properly fed. On that front, she would not have to suspect that Aldebaran's words were falsehoods.
Although, even if that was the case, the issue of the currently absent Aldebaran's actions was still present.
Aldebaran was off doing sothing separately from the Felt and Yae, his destination being――,
Felt: [――The helt bastard, is he seriously planning to free that Sin Archbishop?]
If she were to believe his words, then that declaration―― that he was going to free a Sin Archbishop, the Gluttony imprisoned in the Royal Capital's Prison Tower, was sothing she would also have to believe.
Presently, the Kingdom of Lugunica had two Sin Archbishops in custody: Wrath and Gluttony. Felt had had direct contact with Sin Archbishops at Pristella, where their nace and inhumanity had left a deep impression on her. She wondered how the world could have such irredeemable people.
Felt: [In Pristella, I encountered Gluttony… either the elder or younger brother of the guy who's locked up, as well as the younger sister. I also went with Reinhard to transport Wrath. So let tell you, what the helt bastard is trying to do is insane.]
Yae: [That's probably true~. In all things, any truly great deeds cannot be accomplished while sane. Everything that Al-sama has orchestrated up to this point, haven't they been extraordinary events?]
Felt: [Though it's not a question of numbers, it's gotten to the point where you start to wonder just how many things have been overco. Not to ntion, using the Witch to stall Reinhard, that's sothing I can still understand. But, a Sin Archbishop?]
Yae: [Naturally, that'd be sothing necessary for Al-sama's objective, ri~ght?]
Felt: [Not even you know the specifics?]
Crossing her hands behind her back, Yae smiled without replying to Felt's words.
Only, this reply was sothing she had expected. She did not know Yae's true intentions in following Aldebaran, but no matter the astonishing circumstances she might find herself in, it felt as if she possessed such an intense conviction, obsession, that she would have no intention of parting from Aldebaran's side.
Therefore, she would not wait for answers; it was Felt's duty to search for one.
Felt: […Those Gluttony bastards, they insolently gorge themselves on people's Nas and mories.]
Like Crusch, whose mories had been devoured, or the story of the Na of Anastasia's Knight, Julius, being eaten. Then there was the girl in the Emilia Camp, for whom she had heard Subaru was searching for a way to wake up. ――There was perhaps a possibility that the latter girl was not unrelated to the Sleeping Beauty that Felt and her people were familiar with.
In any case――,
Felt: [――There's sothing he wants to feed them. If not that, then there's no way he'd do sothing like dragging out the shitty Gluttony bastard.]
Kept captive with her freedom restrained, Felt's soul refused to yield.
From soone in this world who was surely just as reliable as Reinhard in cornering Aldebaran, that was a life philosophy taught to her by Rom-jii―― "live strong".
Felt: [Chomp.]
Boldly, while filling her belly with hasamiyaki, Felt devoted herself to actualizing this life philosophy.
By never ceasing her thoughts, by never halting her steps, born would be the margin to which her hands could reach. In preparation for that mont, she licked up the sauce from the hasamiyaki from the corner of her mouth with her tongue.
And to her side――,
Yae: […Wah, there really are Zodda bugs. Even though it's only been a few days since the custodian was dismissed, this is aw~ful~.]
Whether it was the sa one that Felt had seen earlier, or a different one, Yae scowled as she seed to have discovered the enemy of mankind, grumbling out complaints.
△▼△▼△▼△
――A cramped, dark, suffocating place it was.
Even the phrasing of "solitary confinent cell" being too mild, this space showed no signs of any intention to keep that which it imprisoned alive. And yet, to consolidate that space and the existence isolated within as "cruel" or "cold-hearted" would itself be an act of utmost violence.
After all, imprisoned there was one who had perpetrated nurous vices throughout the world, a blaspher without peer.
There was a definite demarcation between the manner of imprisonnt used generally and this "black coffin" of confinent, in which an existence was isolated from the world, making breathing and heartbeat unrequired. Henceforth, provisions for the purpose of respecting life were unnecessary, in that space.
For that very reason, the place could not have been more appropriate to accurse the lives of one another.
???: [――My bad. Seems like I've got plenty of frustration built up. Really couldn't hold myself back.]
With the sound of footsteps rising from the cold, hard ground, he leaned his back against the wall of the cramped room. The rear of the helt hit the wall, and the sound of steel striking rock harshly disturbed the frigid atmosphere of the stone chamber.
Attempting to catch his faintly disheveled breath, collapsed at the man's ―― Aldebaran's feet, was a gasping figure, lying limply and face-down.
That there, was the blaspher upon whom the Kingdom had bestowed this stone chamber fashioned into a solitary cell.
Having been defeated without riposte by Aldebaran, left to taste the floor was an unsightly loser―― Sin Archbishop of the Witch Cult, representing Gluttony, Roy Alphard in the flesh.
Aldebaran: [――――]
A deep inhale, a long exhale.
Forcibly taking deep breaths to regulate his disarrayed cardiopulmonary functions, Aldebaran looked around the rock chamber which had beco horribly ssy in only a minute of actual ti, and shrugged his shoulders.
With cracked walls and smashed up floors, it would be valid to describe the utter wreckage that had befallen the cramped room, one that had received nary a care to maintain it, as having been so ssy that there was no space left for anyone to place their feet. Considering it was only the size of a coffee shop bathroom, just how in the world had such a huge scuffle unfolded in this place?
But then again, it was not as if this huge scuffle was one he had scuffled in by choice.
Aldebaran: […I just said that if you obey and follow then I won't take your life, and you had to go do that imdiately afterwards. Even if you were gonna turn coat and rebel, you'd usually wait a lil' while longer for your chance.]
Roy: [――. Hahah~, you say so funny stuff~, helt uncle.]
Aldebaran's words, laced with lant, brought out a dogged laugh from Roy, the latter laying sprawled out on the ground.
Still laying prone, Roy directed his glaring gaze to Aldebaran beside the wall, and while licking his lips with that long tongue of his in a lascivious manner,
Roy: [By that, do you an that we, who cannot help but always be starving and starving and starving and starving, must learn to wait for permission? Such a thing, would that no~t be fair grounds to argue child abuse?]
Aldebaran: [Unfortunately, I've got no obligation to raise an evil brat like you. It's said that in the Showa era, neighbors would help to discipline kids even if they weren't part of the family, but this is Lugunica, and the current era ain't Showa. Well, I did beat you up this much. I ain't gonna be able to deny the abuse allegations.]
Placing his hand over the tal fitting on his helt, Aldebaran rang out a clackering sound, to which Roy let out a jolly "Haha-".
To respond with such an attitude after having been disciplined by having both his arms and legs broken in a scrupulous fashion, he truly was an eerie brat. At the very least, even in the Showa era in which corporal punishnt was largely preferred, this level of discipline would not have been acceptable.
Nonetheless, Roy Alphard was beyond being an eerie brat; he was a Sin Archbishop first and foremost. Hence, he was hopeful that hedging a risk like this would be deed within permissible limits.
Aldebaran: [Well, it's not like I thought this affair would go that smoothly anyway.]
So grumbled Aldebaran, silently concluding the count at six-thousand and twenty-two in his mind.
This nurical count, which no longer necessitated any explanation, amounted to the number of attempts Aldebaran had required to subdue a defiant Roy Alphard. If he were to enurate how many bones and teeth had been broken, the number would grow to be several tis that, easily. That was how much of a handful discipling this evil brat had been.
Aldebaran: [Seriously, I never thought I'd end up having to go through the sa kinda trial and error I did with Reinhard…]
Utilizing his moniker of "Bizarre Eating" to the fullest, Roy Alphard wielded the power of Eclipse to reproduce the abilities and techniques of those eaten by his Authority of Gluttony―― therefore, being that Roy was essentially stockpiling innurable warriors within his own self, ditching any ineffective tactics on the spot in favor of imdiately bringing out novel fighting styles, this affair had bore a close resemblance to the one against Reinhard, who had adopted Divine Protections adequate to adapt to any given circumstance.
As luck would have it, Aldebaran had already attained experience points in excess of one-hundred and thirty thousand from his battle with Reinhard, thus he had reached a feat in excellence by dealing with a likewise exceptional foe while staying within four digits.
Aldebaran: [Regardless, you were captured right after fighting at the Tower. Considering you weren't even given proper treatnt after that, you've sure put up one hell of a fight.]
Roy: [Ehh~? Being so completely and utterly shut down in everything we tried to do, it was our first ti experiencing such a thing, and yet, don't tell you're trying to comfort us, uncle? If so~, the number one thod to comfort us would be…]
Aldebaran: ["Gluttonous drinking gluttony" will be ringing in my ears till tomorrow. Just hearing it makes this old man's stomach shudder in fear, digesting fried food's only getting tougher and tougher for people my age.]
Roy: [How unfriendly~.]
A smile over his mouth lined with fangs, Roy regarded Aldebaran with eyes opened wide.
That gaze of his was tinged with interest and appetite and curiosity and appetite and sadism and appetite and, at any rate it was a full-course al that made a chill run down Aldebaran's spine. The pain of his limbs having been broken was even now still surpassed by a feeling of hunger, and that fact had been the reason for the chill; so exhaustively distorted was that way of being.
To harbor sympathy for him, he wished not. After all, chosen by the Witch Factors just like the Witches, the Sin Archbishops were likewise detestable pariahs who from birth had been separated from the rails of normalcy.
Aldebaran: [Good grief… Shall I explain the situation to you?]
Roy: [Huh~, you'll be kind enough to do that? What's this what's this, started feeling pity for the child whose arms and legs you broke? But guess so. There's no way a decent adult could remain composed after shattering the limbs of such an innocent child-. Well, calling you a decent adult with this sort of appearance and helt over the head, uncle, is what you'd call debata~ble.]
Aldebaran: [You sure do prattle on… This place's the Royal Capital of Lugunica, far removed from Pleiades Watchtower where you were captured. Your counterpart――]
Roy: [――Ah~, he died, right?]
Aldebaran: [――――]
Roy: [Even we, are properly aware of that. Family bonds are far deeper and stronger than you might think, uncle… Sorry sorry, that was a lie. We simply reckoned as such because we can't feel Ley's Witch Factor. Besides…]
Aldebaran: [Besides?]
Roy: [Even if it's impossible to tell from the outside, those within these frozen confines are still able to feel the exterior a bit. Despite such a tight seal, for everyone to be so rattled is pretty patheti~c.]
With the repulsive note of his lips being licked, Roy impassively spoke of his counterpart's death. Aldebaran was unwittingly unnerved by his attitude.
His equanimity in accepting his counterpart's death, his sibling Ley Batenkaitos, was also part of it, but his attestation that that "black coffin"―― a seal belonging to the sa lineage as Ol Shamak, had the margin to permit the apprehension of the outside world, was what truly astonished Aldebaran.
And, putting aside Aldebaran's astonishnt, Roy swivelled his body, vocalizing a "Here we go"; now facing upwards, the forr's figure was cast upside down in his field of view.
Roy: [Ah~, that was suffocating. This is much better… so? Uncle, based on our mories you're soone party to the Royal Selection, right~? For you to release us, a Sin Archbishop, like this, would that not bring notoriety to your precious Princess――]
Aldebaran: [In addition to the fighting styles, you also ought to have taken in all kinds of ways of thinking, yeah? If you don't wanna be thought of as an incompetent fool who only gathers tools but can't do shit, then think before you ask.]
Roy: [Wow, such outrage. Stirred the hornet's nest? So nice, quite nice, very nice, isn't it nice, because it is probably nice, surely it is very nice! Won't ask any further than that. Certainly no questions like if you're taut in despair because of your precious, oh so precious Princess's death… Gah-!]
Aldebaran: [That so. That'd be helpful. Thank you for your consideration.]
Roy's facial expression as he bore a baleful smile was acutely strained once his fractured shoulder was vigorously stepped on. ticulously did Aldebaran grind his heel down into the fractured bones, lowering his foot.
The compeer was a Sin Archbishop. Though already distinct, from the perspective of proceeding affairs according to plan, he could be denoted as the worst possible party. Even if him snapping to bite forthwith upon the seal's undoing had been anticipated, it was by no ans an anticipation that he had been glad about being on the money regarding.
A Sin Archbishop, the kind of enemy who if not a necessary factor for the plan, he would gladly drop down the Great Waterfall, him imprisoned within the coffin as was.
However――,
Roy: […Hk-, to yet go so far that you'd need us. What a tribulation you're in, right~, uncle?]
Aldebaran: [This guy just never stops yapping. Wish your parents'd teach you to pipe down.]
Roy: [Birth parent? Or foster parent? The forr died upon our birth and took our little sister with them as well, and the latter would surely~ be pretty incompatible with you, uncle.]
Aldebaran: [No matter which, I get that neither would be very effective. ――No choice.]
Even though a dialogue was miraculously established, there lay nothing to gain from his response. Garrulous hollow tirades were a signature characteristic of the Sin Archbishops, and Gluttony was not innocent of that charge either.
Only odiousness and repugnance exacerbated, and rather than comfort it only deteriorated the state of mind of the living.
Aldebaran: [――――]
As Roy lay down whilst facing upwards like a carp atop a cutting board, he halfway conceded to him and squatted.
Interchanging gazes through the helt with Aldebaran as he looked below, the upside down Roy rounded his eyes in curiosity alongside a tinge of ache from the stomping of his fractured bones.
Roy: [What's this what's this? Uncle, what're you gonna do next? Teach a lesson to a disobedient child through torture? But you know~, we already have gotten used to that type of pain, you see~.]
Aldebaran: [Relax. I'm the sa as you, I ain't got much faith in using pain to compel others into doing my bidding. If sentints surpass the pain, then that ain't gonna make the opponent yield. That's why.]
Roy: [That's why~?]
Aldebaran: [What I'll tie you with, is neither pain nor sentint. ――A promise.]
Enunciating so, Aldebaran inserted his thumb into the jaw portion of his helt and bit his fingertip. Accompanying the sharp pain erged a drip of blood, the dyed finger then being pointed towards Roy.
Subsequently, whilst he pressed the finger tinged in blood against the bare body of the collapsed blaspher,
Aldebaran: [Don't pose needless resistance. Though I was made to practice enough to be able to paint it with my eyes closed… this would be the first ti I'm testing its efficacy.]
Roy: [To scribble on the bare body of a child with blood, now that's an interest vulgar enough to make even us Sin Archbishops aghast. To even perform such a deviant act, what do you want us to do? Destroy the country or sothing?]
Aldebaran: [I don't intend that, and I could do that by myself if I wanted to. I've gone out of my way to free a detestable lil' brat like you. It's sothing that only you can do.]
Roy: [Only us, huh~?]
As the bloody finger traced his body, Roy flashed his fangs in a grin as he enjoyed the ticklish sensation.
That obscene look in his eyes, that tone, that exuded presence, all were urging Aldebaran to vocalize the portion he had yet to put to words.
Whilst peevish that it might appear as though he were going along with the other party's intentions by conforming to that urge, he responded.
The reason why Aldebaran had unleashed Roy Alphard, that was――,
Aldebaran: [――There's soone I'd like to have you eat with your Authority. I won't be taking no for an answer.]
Roy: [Hmmm? Well, I guess that's so. You did release us. It couldn't have been anything more than that~.]
Inclining his head with his back to the floor, Roy's cheeks contorted at Aldebaran's demand.
As to whether the intent behind that smile had been an acceptance or a rejection, Aldebaran knew not. Regardless of which it was, Roy's own will was irrelevant.
The ans by which he would be made to abide had been inscribed upon Roy Alphard's flesh, engraved into his soul.
Roy: [――A curse mark bound by an Oath. Thorough to the point of obstinacy, isn't it~? Did you co up with this by yourself, uncle? Or perhaps you are echoing so deranged Curse Arts User?]
Aldebaran: [Echoing. There's no doubt in regards to them being completely deranged, but that person wasn't a Curse Arts User. They're a magician. Without a doubt, the most supre magician throughout the history of this world. Regardless of their personality.]
Roy: [And the conditions for the Oath~?]
Aldebaran: [If you eat soone without my permission, you'll die in a fiery blaze along with your soul.]
Informing him succinctly, Aldebaran lifted Roy's body onto his shoulders without glancing at his face.
The blaspher had indulged himself in Bizarre Eating, making a ss of his feed as he pleased; his body, however, was light. Given that his position was that of having snuck into the Prison Tower where Roy had been sealed, him being light was a great help.
He had more or less knocked out all the guards, but it would be best for him to maintain prudence on the return.
Aldebaran: [After this, we'll link back up with Yae and lil' miss Felt――]
In order to have support in the Royal Capital, he had ordered Yae to keep watch over Felt and left them waiting in the Barielle Villa. Leip Barielle had had that manor constructed originally, but those plans had been largely altered through Priscilla's ddling, and thus the residence had been completed in its current form.
All around, it was a mansion that had been left with the vestiges of Priscilla's favored designs; the fact that they needed a base notwithstanding, it was not a place at which Aldebaran wished to sojourn overlong.
Hence, he would quickly pick up Yae and Felt, then converge with "Aldebaran" and Heinkel outside the Royal Capital.
Roy: [Co to think of it, we also said this earlier~.]
To Aldebaran, who had been ruminating things over internally, Roy suddenly began speaking, being carried atop the forr's shoulder. From a sidelong glance, Aldebaran could tell that Roy, with his limp limbs, was gazing at the floor.
Following that gaze, Aldebaran knit his brow, wondering what the matter was.
Thereupon――,
Roy: [That before you took us out, uncle, even within the frozen confines of that blackness, we could still sense our surroundings, even if only dimly. But you see, this place is completely isolated from the outside world~. In such a state, visitations would be utterly preposterous, and so not even rats could enter, let alone a single insect. And yet~.]
Aldebaran: [――Ah?]
Roy: [Zodda bugs, it's quite the unusual affair for them to have gotten in here unnoticed, isn't it~?]
Roy's slimy words, they were consistent with the small bug reflected in Aldebaran's vision.
Crawling on the cold ground, their form eerie and repulsive, was a Zodda bug, an insect abhorred by everyone in this world. They were the equivalent to cockroaches, which could be found anywhere, so it was not strange in the slightest for them to be present in the Prison Tower. ――Aldebaran thought no such thing.
Aldebaran: [――Hk, I fucked up!]
Unable to control the dread welling up inside of him, Aldebaran forgot to be considerate of the fact that atop his shoulders was being carried a Roy of broken limbs, thus he hastily rushed out of the solitary cell, and out of the Prison Tower.
Were he to not expedite his escape to the utmost, before long Aldebaran's infiltration would be exposed――,
???: [――That's enough.]
The mont he set foot outside of the Prison Tower, that voice struck Aldebaran's eardrums.
Concomitantly, a numbing drop in temperature upon his skin he felt; and likewise perceivable was the creaking of his helt due to the thermal swing compared to the interior of the tower. Powdery snow fluttering down through his environs, the arrival of this out-of-season cold wave shook Aldebaran's psyche beyond what a farr's would be as they imagined the damage to their crop.
A voice he knew well, that of a silver bell.
Treading upon the thin layer of snow that had piled upon the sprawling garden in the vicinity of the Prison Tower, her long, silver hair glistening amidst the snowscape, she gallantly made her approach.
Always did those beautiful athyst eyes house a calm, gentle light. ――But, such did not apply now. To an unmistakable extent, those athyst eyes were blazing aflare.
Beyond a shadow of a doubt, by her ire they were blazing――,
???: [――Return Subaru and Beatrice.]
A silent, dignified declaration of purpose, a deanor permitted exclusively to a ruler of sorts.
Even if for only a mont, that impression was indeed given, for that was the extent to which the woman standing there was so beautiful, so lovely, so noble.
Aldebaran: [――――]
Breathing visibly white breaths, Aldebaran had ended up freezing in his tracks. Standing before him, atop the snow, the Witch of Glaciation―― Emilia, lifted her well-shaped eyebrows firmly, and declared.
Emilia: [Right now, I'm reaaally angry, so I won't be holding back even if it's you, Al.]
-x-X-x-
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