Arc 5, Chapter 43 – “Before The Rendezvous”

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Translated By :

•  Fr81
• Phantaminum

Proofread By:

• SSCaide

Art Sources:

• coolcollin07/SoupVEVO

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ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO TAPPEI NAGATSUKI, THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR OF RE:ZERO STARTING A LIFE IN A DIFFERENT WORLD FROM ZERO, THIS IS A TRANSLATION OF THE FREE JAPANESE WEB NOVEL INTO ENGLISH

JAPANESE WEB NOVEL SOURCE

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Reinhard: [Forgive me for not providing assistance at this critical moment. I can only reflect on how I was lacking.]

Receiving the gazes of those present in the room, Reinhard apologized.

At the sight of the Sword Saint with bowed head, everyone grew silent for a moment. It would be easy to sling negativity in response to his apology. But, words of blame were easier to form than ones which conveyed true intent.

In truth, the fact that they had spent all this time in dire need of power while Reinhard had been missing, his status unknown, had not changed.

To think how the attack on the City Hall would have gone if his strength were present at that moment, that could not be helped. So even simple, negative words, did not easily emerge from anyone’s lips. However,

Subaru: [Really, you idiot. Do you have any idea how much trouble we’ve been in without you?]

Approaching that crimson hero, only Subaru called out to him, while poking his chest.

As that fist lightly touched him, Reinhard, with an attitude like he could not justify himself to Subaru, turned his gaze away. At that scolded and crestfallen appearance unbefitting of him, Subaru snorted.

Subaru: [You know, if you were gonna come anyway, you should’ve shown up fifteen minutes earlier! Then I wouldn’t have had to give a speech that didn’t fit my character at all. That’s supposed to be your job, isn’t it?]

Reinhard: [Sorry… However, it was a great speech befitting you. Though many things are required of me, giving courage-rousing broadcasts of that magnitude is not something I could do. You were the right choice.]

Subaru: [Between me and you, the required role for that broadcast is a little different, I think.]

Subaru poked Reinhard’s chest once again, and he smiled wryly. And, he also poked the tip of that downcast hero’s nose with a finger.

Subaru: [Reinhard.]

Reinhard: [What is it…?]

Subaru: [Since you came, it’s like a hundred men did, no, a thousand. I can expect that much right? Can I count on you?]

Reinhard: [――――]

It was a force comparable to ten thousand men. Subaru’s hundred-fold, even thousand-fold evaluation was laughable.

At Subaru’s expectation-filled question, Reinhard’s blue eyes blinked. But that hesitation immediately faded, and Reinhard’s lips formed into a smile.

Reinhard: [Ah, I want you to count on me. If you expect that much of me, I will comply.]

Subaru: [That somehow-making-women-happy kinda talk, can you stop that? Well, no matter… And with that, if anyone has something they want to say now, please go while we’re at it.]

Seeing that initial discomfort disappear from Reinhard’s face as he laughed, Subaru turned and looked back. Gazing over at the faces that had not said anything until now, he pointed to Reinhard.

Subaru: [At these times, the side that gets special treatment suffers much more. Besides, a chance to scold this Sword Saint that wants to be scolded doesn’t come by often. So go ahead, do it, do it.]

Reinhard: [――――]

Subaru: [After you’ve railed on him enough, let’s talk―― About how to help everyone.]

Subaru puffed out his chest as he spoke.

At that attitude, people held their breaths. Otto and Garfiel, the only two who were used to Subaru’s bravado, smiled.

And it was good to have one or two fellows able to see through to his true intentions.

They did not have to hold in their thoughts, because it was right after he had made that kind of speech.

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After that, Reinhard’s personal talking to (details omitted) was held, and again talk of how to recapture the city started up again.

However, other than Reinhard and Otto’s similar lines of thought, there was no clear improvement. The number of enemies that they had to attack, and the necessary strategy of striking all control towers simultaneously did not change.

Subaru: [But in the midst of this chaos, where was Reinhard and what was he up to?]

As they all sat around in a circle talking, Subaru suddenly interrupted with that question. Reinhard’s expression clouded at his words. Today, his face often became like that.

Subaru: [You don’t have Felt with you, and there’s a lot of things I want to hear about. Ah, I’m not blaming you, or anything like that, okay? Please believe I’m past that stage.]

Anastasia: [What Natsuki-kun was sayin’, well, it’s somethin’ that bothers me too. No way the Sword Saint got scared and went into hidin’, I wasn’t thinkin’ anythin’ like that. But I am wantin’ to hear a convincing reason.]

Following Subaru’s question, Anastasia joined in. Judging from the fact she was casting sideway glances, it definitely seemed like she had received reports from Julius.

Right before the turmoil began, Reinhard and Felt had been in contact with Heinkel. After her question, Reinhard’s expression clouding over doubly, seemed to be proof of that assertion.

Wilhelm included, the Astreas’ approach to the topic of Heinkel was very evasive. Subaru did not know if he should voice it, but the way they treated him was like——

Subaru: [Like someone who’s been stuck inside for ten years, and now is a <u>pro-NEET</u> child who’s treated as a tumor by his aging parents…]

Otto: [Natsuki-kun’s jumping to weird imaginings again, so I’m sorry, but what will you do? If it is hard for Reinhard-san to talk, then I can speak, but…]

While Subaru recalled flashes of an evening news special on shut-ins, Otto chimed in. His worried gaze was directed at Reinhard, and his tone held an apologetic sort of feeling.

Subaru: [Wait, you came together with Reinhard, so did you really stay with him during the turmoil?]

Otto: [No, there was nothing like that. I joined up with Reinhard-san at the last moment… However, I have mostly figured out the situation.]

Reinhard: [Thank you, Otto. But this is a problem of my family. Truly, it is a difficult topic to discuss, but it would be for the best to speak of it myself.]

Reinhard bowed his head and refused Otto’s considerate offer. He gazed ahead, and corrected his posture straight a moment later.

Reinhard: [Firstly, though I have said it many times, let me apologize once more. I was the one person who should have been the first one to assist, so I must apologize for not being able to join you for several hours. I am deeply sorry.]

Julius: […On that point, our view is as we said earlier. We cannot forgive everything like there was no problem. However, you are needed in the upcoming battle. If you seek to repent, then perform well in the fights to come.]

Reinhard: [I will do so, Julius… At the time of the Witch Cult’s first broadcast, Felt-sama and I were called to a corner of the Second Street. The one summoning us was Deputy Commander Heinkel.]

Reinhard, who had started relating the event, called Heinkel “Deputy Commander” in a stiff voice.

It was widely known that they were father and son. And yet, he called his father by title. It was enough to bring about the realization that the the two did not have a simple father-son relationship.

Subaru: [After that fighting and separation from before, Felt answered a summon from him?]

Reinhard: [Deep inside, Felt-sama too would have wanted to refuse. However, the talk regarded a matter related to authority over the Astrea territories, so we could not refuse. What request would be made was unknown to us… Felt-sama accompanied me, and we headed towards the appointed place.]

Subaru: [There, how did that discussion end up…]

Reinhard: [My apologies, but as that matter is directly related to the matter of the Royal Selection, I would appreciate being allowed not to elaborate. It is enough to say the talk did not go smoothly.]

Reinhard’s tone of voice fell, and it was easy to tell the talk had gone poorly. Even if it had not gone down like that, Felt lacked experience dealing with negative emotions. Taking Heinkel’s despicable nature into account, it was not difficult to imagine how the talk would have played out.

In the midst of such conversation――

Reinhard: [Then, the Witch Cult’s first broadcast happened. While we could hardly believe our ears, it was clear that we needed to move immediately. It was my intention to head out right away if there was a truly dire situation. The other retainers, they also had a method to call for me if needed, which we prepared beforehand.]

That method was to launch magic into the sky at any time as a signal. Upon Sirius’s appearance, had Larkins fired off the signal, Reinhard would have rushed to the scene within thirty seconds. There were no lies in those words.

However, Reinhard had heard the Witch Cult’s broadcast filled with clear malicious intent, yet still did not move. He did not come running to the scene, and not just that, but had kept silent for several hours.

Why was that?

Subaru: [You knew that the broadcast was coming from the City Hall, no? At that point, you would have had the option to run to City Hall… Then why didn’t you come?]

Reinhard: [――――]

It was not that he was scolding him. That was not his intention, but his voice was firm as he pressed for answers.

There were more than a few things that occurred to him. If Reinhard had been present during that fierce battle for the City Hall—— Crusch, who was suffering now, would not have been harmed during the fight. It might even have ended without that strange event befalling Subaru’s right leg.

Though it was not intentional, the gazes growing harsh here were not just Subaru’s.

Receiving the stares of everyone in the room, Reinhard, who had until then been speaking fluently, closed his mouth, and lowered his gaze once again. With long lashes and shining eyes, he was hesitant to speak any words beyond what he had already spoken.

Even so, after those few conflicted seconds slowly passed, the hero choppily continued his words.

Reinhard: [――Deputy Commander Heinkel… took Felt-sama as a hostage.]

Subaru: […]

Reinhard: [That is my irreversible failure. Felt-sama was taken custody, and a sword was held against her neck to stop my movements. And so, I could not act.]

Subaru clearly understood why Reinhard had struggled with those words so much.

The master he should give his all for, had been taken captive by none other than his father’s hands. Just how much had Reinhard’s heart been affected by humiliation and shame?

Subaru: […Tch, what the hell? That Deputy Commander, is he a pawn of the Witch Cult or something?]

Receiving that shocking confession, Subaru muttered to himself, while thinking of Reinhard’s feelings.

If it were true, it was certainly cruel. He had heard that Witch Cultists had hidden themselves here and there, so it was difficult to know just who could be one of them. But for one of them to appear among family like that was something he did not even want to think about.

After seeing how Sin Archbishops other than Petelgeuse really were like, his opinion was all the stronger. All the Witch Cultists were the lowest of the low, mere human trash.

Reinhard: [――If it were like that, how would I react? My feelings, how would they be…]

Subaru: [What?]

However, Reinhard responded to Subaru’s idea, an idea accepted by roughly half of those present—— with a somewhat uncomfortable voice.

That attitude of his, Subaru wondered about it. However, the other half―― made up of Anastasia, Julius, and Otto, were making expressions that said they had reached another conclusion.

Reinhard: [The Deputy Commander is not a member of the Witch Cult… At least judging from his remarks after seizing Felt-sama, I saw nothing that suggested so.]

Subaru: [Then what is he, some kind of idiot? No, even if he isn’t stupid it is fine… Then, why? Why take Felt hostage? Doing something like that, what point――]

“Is there?”, Subaru was about to say, when he realized.

The depressed look on Reinhard’s face and the pitying one on Otto. Seeing those at the edge of his sight, the conclusion he drew almost made him want to laugh.

He could not laugh at that. It was completely helpless. Then, Heinkel’s actions――

Subaru: [――Were just because he wanted to keep you there?]

Reinhard: [――――]

Subaru: [From the Witch Cult broadcast, he realized the city was dangerous… So, to get himself some protection quickly, he just wanted to dearly hold on to the strongest guy at hand?]

Reinhard: […The Deputy Commander said something like, “your precious master and father are both here. Will you abandon them to save some bastards whose faces you don’t even know?”]

Subaru: [Your own father spouted that bullshit!?]

His rage boiling over, Subaru struck the floor with his fist.

Throughout this day, ever since morning, he had been repeatedly coming face-to-face with this passionate rage. However, he had never imagined feeling this furious about an opponent completely unrelated to the Witch Cult.

Reinhard: [I had no words to reply with. Of course, Felt-sama was saying it was all a bluff. Since she would be fine, she told me to go rescue the others―― But remaining there even then was my decision. The blame indeed lies within me.]

Subaru: [Why does it have to be like that!? Whose fault it is, it’s obvious to everyone here who’s to blame here!?]

Reinhard: [Even so, the choice was mine.]

At the shouting Subaru, Reinhard would not concede his share of the blame.

That obstinate Reinhard, he probably would not bend on that, no matter what anyone said. Subaru furiously held his tongue and forced his violent feelings to calm down.

Reinhard: [Nevertheless, I was trapped in that stalemate. What happened after is nothing remarkable. Even after further broadcasts I was left unable to act… I was severely scolded by Felt-sama.]

Anastasia: [But she ain’t witcha. Is Felt-chan doin’ alright?]

Anastasia asked Reinhard, with a bitter smile. The girl’s expression was blank, making her hard to read as she fiddled with her scarf. Even so, she was showing concern for Felt’s state, as the latter had not joined them.

Anastasia: [Bein’ held hostage like that for hours’d be quite tiring mentally. Now that Reinhard-kun’s here like this, I’m thinkin’ the issue’s probably been all sorted out.]

Reinhard: [Yes, that is the case. Felt-sama has now joined her retainers at a shelter. The Deputy Commander has been arrested and Felt-sama is watching over him.]

Subaru: [Arrested… He was caught, huh.]

Reinhard: [I am content with that result. But without Otto’s cooperation, even that could hardly have been achieved, I think.]

Subaru: [Ah, so that’s where Otto’s name comes in, huh.]

Subaru furrowed his brows at the mention of Otto’s name, who had yet to appear in this tale. Having reached his turn, Otto lightly cleared his throat to call for attention.

Otto: [Those were the state of affairs. And so, I arrived at that scene by complete accident. Simply because I was aware of the relationship between the three, by happening upon the scene I could roughly come to understand the situation.]

The Astreas’ family problems and the situation with Felt’s problems related to territories. Knowing that much already, he had spotted Heinkel holding Reinhard in place with Felt as a hostage. Even someone slow in the head would be able to figure out what kind of situation was happening.

Otto: [I, too, understood that being unable to borrow Reinhard’s power in the fight against the Witch Cult was the worst-case scenario. I went pale at that thought, so I knew I had to do something about it.]

Subaru: [And so Otto somehow drew attention to himself, and Felt was freed. That was how Reinhard was able to move, and now he managed to reach us… Something like that, yeah?]

Otto: [Luckily, Natsuki-san’s big speech happened too, so the meetup point was decided without any worry. It would have been nice if we could have moved a little faster, but I had a lot going on as well.]

Reinhard nodded as well, albeit briefly, confirming Otto’s contribution.

Again, the silver-tongued Otto had played an active role somewhere unseen by others.

Garfiel: [But still, what happened to Ottobro ‘til then? Honestly, walkin’ ‘round the city with yer strength, isn’t it the same as committin’ suicide?]

Otto: [About that, there were a lot of twists and turns… No, I will explain it.]

Clearing his throat, Otto indicated the outside of the City Hall building.

Otto: [As scheduled in the morning, I left for the Muse Company alone to request the continuation of negotiations from Kiritaka-san. He had also cooled his head overnight, so it seemed like it would be easy to agree to restart negotiations…]

Subaru: [It seemed, but?]

Subaru assumed that the Witch Cult would have started their broadcast and interrupted discussions.

However, Otto resumed speaking while shaking his head.

Otto: [At the location of the Muse Company, in the plaza of the Third Street, the Witch Cult… A Sin Archbishop made an appearance. We found out about the Witch Cult’s attack when that figure created quite the uproar.]

Subaru: [A Sin Archbishop…!? Before the broadcast?]

Otto: [Yes. Before the broadcast.]

Otto confirmed for Subaru, who was leaning forward in surprise.

But, when thinking about it, that was not impossible. Sirius, and Regulus too, were two other Sin Archbishops who had acted before the broadcast. Other than Capella, who at that moment was attacking the City Hall, the likelihood that those Sin Archbishops would have been doing something else in their free time in Pristella was high――

Subaru: [Wait, Otto.]

Otto: [――――]

Subaru’s tone of voice had lowered, and Otto’s gaze turned grim. That worried attitude of his confirmed the thoughts appearing in Subaru’s imagination.

Sirius and Regulus were both encountering Subaru at the time, and so, they could not have been there. Capella too would have been participating in the attack on the City Hall. Then, the Sin Archbishop that had appeared before Otto could only be one.

Subaru: [The one you met by chance, could it be the Sin Archbishop of Gluttony?]

Otto: […Yes. That was his claim. There was no reason for him to lie, so I think it is the truth. The Sin Archbishop who appeared at the plaza, introducing himself as Gluttony, looked to be a child.]

Otto’s testimony matched up with what Subaru had seen of Roy Alphard.

The selection standard for Sin Archbishops, it was not that he wanted to know anything about that, but Gluttony was at least outwardly a child—— a rag-draped, dirty looking child at that. In both words and attitude, he seemed like a he was just kid.

Otto: [At first, unsure if it was an abandoned child, someone called them while drawing closer. Since he was guarding the Muse Company, I think it was one of the White Dragon’s Scales. That person was the first to succumb to Gluttony. I became unable to move. Literally.]

Subaru: […]

Otto: [Just like that, a person was simply done in. It seems so surreal, but there’s no choice but to believe. Immediately, more of the White Dragon’s Scales all moved to surround him, but it did not end well.]

With his face going pale, Otto quietly spoke of that wretched spectacle.

Gluttony, as if he were performing a casual dance, seemed to have cut down the mercenaries. What was even scarier was, the keen nose of Gluttony―― it was a sense of smell which never lost track of his prey.

Otto: [The situation was such that the people on the street tried to run for their lives. However, that guy did not allow that. What he did, I do not know in all honesty. But even those far away from him were caught up in Gluttony’s rampage. The same happened to those inside buildings.]

Subaru: [What was he after?]

After asking that absentmindedly, Subaru realized it was a meaningless question. The acts of the Witch Cult were not consistent with the nature of their goals. And in fact, Otto shook his head, signaling he did not have the answer to Subaru’s question.

Otto: [Well, what could it have been… But anyway, it became a dire situation. Even if I tried to flee from that place, I could have been caught up in his attack the moment I showed my back. It was a complete dead end… If it weren’t for Kiritaka-san, I doubt I would have made it here as well.]

Subaru: [Kiritaka, how did he do that?]

Otto: [To begin with, it seems he must be a careful person. In the office of the Muse Company’s president, there’s a concealed passage in the building connected to an underground waterway. I escaped using a small boat there. While running away, I saw Kiritaka-san’s back being cut open.]

Subaru: [――――]

Otto: [From the Third Street, I ran away. After that, the Witch Cult broadcast happened and it became impossible to walk around in the city carelessly. Nevertheless, I cautiously moved around the area. That’s when I finally came across the scene from earlier.]

In other words, by “the scene”, he meant the one where he found Reinhard, whose movement had been impeded. That was where his story ended, and at the same moment Subaru understood that Otto had gone through hardships, and had again managed to survive.

But what he was concerned about in his story was――

Subaru: [Why did Kiritaka do that? From what you’ve told us, he even sacrificed himself to aid in Otto’s escape. That was how it sounded like to me.]

Otto: […Yes, indeed. Kiritaka-san, by sacrificing himself, let me escape. In fact, right at the end, he was slashed because he pushed me to the floor and covered me with his body.]

Subaru: [Why go so far…]

Inside Subaru, his mental picture of Kiritaka was nearly non-existent. Even the slight image he had was fixed on that scene with his face going red, screaming, throwing a spellstone while throwing a tantrum. Of course, he had not assumed that was all there was to that man.

But to sacrifice his body trying to save a stranger… He had not looked like a man with that level of fortitude.

Otto: [Since I was a customer invited to his shop, he might have held something like a trader’s pride. But definitely, it would seem he had a better reason for himself as well. One a little easier to understand.]

Subaru: [Easier to understand, you say?]

Otto: [Have you not realized? It’s Natsuki-san.]

To the confused Subaru, Otto firmly asserted his reply.

With the abrupt appearance of his name, Subaru was shaken. At Subaru’s reaction, Otto closed his eyes for nary a moment.

Otto: [Witnessing the existence known as a Sin Archbishop cutting down his own subordinates, Kiritaka-san must have felt like there was something he had to do about it. He must have held onto some sense of duty, I think. Then the one that became his hope was you, Natsuki-san.]

Subaru: […]

Otto: [After the happenings of the previous day, Kiritaka-san already knew about Natsuki-san remaining here. And definitely about your achievement of vanquishing Sloth as well. If so, then naturally that would lead to hope. Putting my escape as his top priority must have been because he expected me to join with Natsuki-san.]

Otto’s explanation fit perfectly, and it slammed into Subaru’s chest with a thud. But that was nevertheless an unreasonable story.

Deep down inside, he knew. To go on, to carry that, it was true, he had decided that already. But then again… Was everyone expecting that from Subaru?

That small, hopeless, and useless person, were they really trusting the fate of the city to a bastard like that?

Otto: [Natsuki-san, please do not misunderstand.]

Unknowingly forming a cynical smile, Subaru was pulled back by a voice. Otto looked straight into Subaru’s eyes. He spoke to that stiffening Subaru’s expression while shrugging,

Otto: [Kiritaka-san had thought of various things regarding his role and responsibility to the city. I understand that Natsuki-san too is hesitating about bearing the fate of the city. But, definitely, what Kiritaka-san entrusted Natsuki-san with is a slightly simpler matter.]

Subaru: […What?]

Otto: [It is obvious. Somewhere in this city is the woman Kiritaka-san loves. Before wishing for the safety of the city, what he expected most from Natsuki-san was for his loved one to be safe.]

Subaru: [――――]

Otto: [That was what he told me when he pushed me onto the floor.]

In short, Otto wanted to tell Subaru that he struggled too much. Those words, spoken to Subaru who felt as if he were burdened with the fate of the city, trembling under that immense weight, unexpectedly pierced deep into his conceited heart.

His face growing hot, Subaru felt ashamed of himself.

What about this city’s fate, what about all these hopes and expectations, how ridiculously stupid.

All Subaru had been considering was the city, which would find itself in disaster if it were not lifted up and saved. But what Subaru had to protect was not something described with that grandiose, superficial word, but the individuals that make up the city. One life, and many other “one lives”.

And each of those lives in turn had others precious to them, and it was just a matter of saving those connections.

Otto: [To think of it not as bearing a single large entity, but instead as lifting many small parts of the whole on your back, does that ease your feelings a bit?]

Subaru: [Wow. It’s a different way to think, but it actually feels right.]

Otto’s assistant power was just so high that Subaru really could not think how things would be without him.

Subaru’s face, which had been gazing downwards, looked up, and, at that result, Otto seemed satisfied.

Anastasia: [What’s that, ain’t it a nice relationship? Lookin’ at it even makes me a lil’ jealous.]

Sensing a pause in their chat, Anastasia threw out a tease. Subaru and Otto, who had been sitting down while talking nearly face-to-face, reflected on her quip.

And then gazing again at all of them, Anastasia tilted her head.

Anastasia: [Even sayin’ so, based on what ya said… The Muse Company’s finished…]

Otto: [The truth is that we cannot know for sure. I only witnessed the events up to Kiritaka-san being slashed, but whether that wound was life-threatening…]

Julius: [Is thinking about Gluttony’s motives truly a waste of time? To me, no matter what, the idea that he caused that disturbance for no reason is unthinkable.]

The one who interjected was Julius, making a disgusted face. That assertive tone of voice stuck in one’s mind.

Subaru: [Don’t just get weird like that. Is there any reason you think that?]

Julius: […No, I cannot claim that there is some clear basis for it. It is merely my impression from crossing swords with him at the City Hall. I do not believe we should write him off as merely a simple hedonist.]

Subaru was also in agreement. He was not simply a hedonist; he was a malicious hedonist. But that impression was an answer different from what Julius seemed to expect.

Subaru: [According to the broadcast, Gluttony’s request was an Artificial Spirit, correct? Maybe there’s a chance he had gone to find it?]

Reinhard: [It is indeed a possibility. However, there is a problem even before that. Should we not suspect whether the being known as an Artificial Spirit even exists? Is there really such an existence in the first place?]

Subaru mentioned a possible motive that came to mind, and Reinhard joined in with an argument of his own. His question would be the question many others who had heard the broadcast’s demands must have had as well.

Of those present here, only Subaru and Anastasia knew the answer. Without meaning to, Subaru peeked at Anastasia’s face, but her expression was unchanged, as expected of her experience. She had no intention of revealing it, is that what she was saying?

Otto: [――Sorry, just one thing.]

In front of Subaru, who was wavering in his judgement, Otto was again requesting attention.

That guy, with a touch of anxiety held in his face, let out a sigh mixed with resignation. And,

Otto: [I also do not know anything regarding the matter of the Artificial Spirit. But regarding another request, the Book of Wisdom demanded by Wrath…]

Cutting off his words there, after a moment of hesitation Otto spoke,

Otto: [I apologize―― The one who brought it to the city was me.]