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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
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Translated by:
- TranslationChicken
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Original credit for this translation goes entirely to TranslationChicken and his team.
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Left behind by a myriad of fluttering feathers, abyss descended on the balcony in the night.
Decorative birds spread their wings fearlessly, and took to flight into the murky night sky.
One could almost say that falling from that lonely sky would have been easier than remaining in this place.
If only that were true, Subaru would have wholeheartedly embraced that notion―― at least that would have been the worst thing, after this suffocating situation.
Subaru: [――――]
The location was the Watchtower, on a balcony hidden by the night.
Julius stood there, blocking the doorway, with doubt carved into his handsome features and rigid cheeks. Within his line of sight, were Subaru and Echidna, who had been secretly conversing in the night―― to Julius, she would have been Anastasia, since they looked exactly alike.
Julius: [――What is the meaning of what you were saying, right now?]
In that tense, congealing space, Julius repeated these words with a sense of much tension.
The bewildered content of his words was no different from the moment before, but his voice sounded weaker in this repetition, like proof of the of the depth of his sorrow.
――When, had he begun listening to the conversation?
Subaru: [――――]
Faced with Julius’s question, Subaru forced his halted thoughts to move, and landed on this question. When had he begun listening, that was the most important thing.
The content of that conversation with Anastasia, or rather, Echidna, just now, was definitely not something he should have been allowed to hear before preparations had been made. For in the conquering of this Watchtower, the secrets kept by Subaru and Echidna were simply far too deeply rooted.
Things ranging from Artificial Spirits, the Witch of Greed, the Authority of Gluttony, and their various implications.
Subaru had hidden all of those from Julius, having judged that they would only complicate things, and bring him nothing but suffering.
Most important of all, was the fact that Anastasia’s consciousness was sleeping, and that right now, the one inhabiting her body was the Artificial Spirit Echidna. In other words――
“Anastasia”: [――Ahh, come on, Natsuki-kun, stop lookin’ like that.]
Subaru: […Huh?]
Suddenly, lightly poking the stiff Subaru in the chest with her finger, Echidna put on a charming smile.
Her tone and attitude were so perfectly like Anastasia’s, that for a moment, Subaru bulged his eyes in stupefaction and could not be entirely certain as to what was happening.
Leaving Subaru behind, Echidna did a turn on the spot as if dancing, and,
“Anastasia”: [I’m sorry, Julius. But it’s not like we’re leavin’ ya outta the loop, ya know. I just thought I’d talk with Natsuki-kun “bout some of the important things that”ll be happenin’ after we leave Pleiades Watchtower, that’s all.]
Julius: [――――]
“Anastasia”: [We had to leave the Green Room since Rem and that ground dragon kid were there, ya know? It’s not like we’re afraid of any special secret leakin’ out, but I was just in the mood for somethin’ extra secretive. So we moved “round… and this just happened to be the only suitable place we could find. That”s all.]
Clapping her hands together in front of her chest, Echidna slightly tilted her head as if to say “Forgive me?”
That adorable gesture appeared to be just the kind of thing Anastasia would do. But, unlike the one trying to distract away from the vital part of the story, Anastasia would never sink as low as this.
As if attempting to cover up an unfavorable scene after the other person had already seen it, the words only came across as barren and superficial―― actually, one might as well replace the “as if” with “certainly” there.
It was a very undesirable situation for Echidna, having been caught off-guard. The only difference was that she just happened to be quicker than Subaru in taking action. And then――
Julius: [――You are not Anastasia-sama, are you.]
“Anastasia”: [――――]
Julius: [Echidna, I want you to tell me. Even with it having already come to this point, the fact that you are still trying to hide it from me, tells me you probably are not a bad person by birth.]
Through a faint glimmer of hesitation, Julius asked Echidna to her face. Hearing this, Echidna muttered “Why that’s just…”, and for a moment, appeared to be preparing to refute him, but,
Julius: [Echidna.]
Once again, Julius halted her with his call. And, just like this, she turned Anastasia’s face toward Subaru, an indescribable emotion stirring within those light pale-cerulean eyes.
But at this point, even Subaru could not devise a way to salvage this.
Subaru: [Julius, where do you want us to begin?]
Julius: […From Anastasia-sama’s body.]
In response to Subaru’s question, Julius replied in a choked voice.
That much was more than enough to discern his disturbed emotional state. It was natural. But even so, it must be said that only a man like Julius would have been able to remain calm at a time like this, even if only on the surface.
Or perhaps, it might simply have gone too far beyond his limits, and too far beyond what emotions could convey.
“Anastasia”: [Ever since the battle with the Witch Cult in the city of Pristella, Ana’s consciousness has been sleeping deep inside her body. So, right now, the one moving her body is not Ana herself, but I, playing her role in her stead. Until today.]
Echidna probably thought it was no longer possible to go on pretending. Plainly, without any set-up, she simply spoke as if laying out the facts.
In the middle of defending Pristella against the Witch Cult, Echidna took Anastasia’s place, and dueled with the Witch Cultists―― Anastasia’s spirit had been asleep ever since.
They had hidden this from Julius and Ricardo, and all the members of the Iron Fang, before they set out for Pleiades Watchtower.
――This fact, was only shared between Subaru and Echidna.
Julius: [Why, would you only share this information with Subaru?]
“Anastasia”: [He was not under the influence of the Authority of the Sin Archbishop, and so he was the only person outside the chaos of the situation. Besides, he is also a Spiritual Arts User that has forged a Contract with an Artificial Spirit bearing the same roots as I, Beatrice. I must confess this was not my original intention. However…]
Julius: [――However?]
“Anastasia”: [However… he saw through my act as Ana, so I had no choice but to tell him.]
Hearing this explanation of why only Subaru had come to know that it was Echidna inside Anastasia’s body, Julius’s eyes began to tremble beyond control.
Echidna had been at a loss of words, because she expected nothing but discomposure.
Of course. Because Subaru had seen through Echidna’s performance――
Julius: [Someone who barely knows her, something even a stranger should notice, and yet someone who regards himself as her one and only Knight did not…]
Subaru: [Stop, you dumbass! You can’t say that!]
Julius: [――――]
Subaru: [Your situation… you were just in a bad situation! There was a huge thing that had just happened to you, and you were down in the dumps! And it wasn’t just you, there was Ricardo and Mimi and the others as well, right? I only noticed because… of something, anyway, it just happened by chance!]
Listening to Julius deriding himself with those words, Subaru attempted to put a stop to his self-injury. However, in his failure of his duty as a Knight, there were no words that could console him.
In reality, just what could Julius have done? Was he really to blame for this?
The master he devoted his loyalty to, his comrades with whom he had sworn a vow with, his fellow Knights that have always been his companions, and all the many, many more, everything he had accumulated up to now in his life as a Knight, had collapsed like a wall of sand. How can he stand before them again?
Stalwart. Elegant. A Knight. How could he ever be called that again?
If being a Knight meant never permitting oneself to succumb to one’s pain like a common human being, then being a Knight was a curse for Julius Juukulius.
Julius: [It is the duty of her one and only Knight to eliminate chance, and be certain at all times.]
Subaru: [――! Then being her one and only Knight is… nothing but a troublesome title, isn’t it…]
Julius: [Take back those words, and do not direct them to me again. I… right now, I-I am afraid I have lost some part of myself…]
Subaru’s consoling rationalization simply bounced off in the face of Julius’ knightly convictions. Watching as Subaru fell speechless from the emotions clogging up his throat, Julius shook his head.
Julius: [Let us get back on topic―― Echidna, what is your intention?]
“Anastasia”: […To return this body to Ana. That, is the reason I brought you all to Pleiades Watchtower, even more importantly than the victims of Gluttony and Lust.]
Julius: [In other words, you mean to say you never wanted this. And you have no way to restore Anastasia-sama… even if I slay you.]
Placing his hand on the Knight’s sword at his waist, Julius narrowed his eyes and threw her this perilous question.
Receiving this, Echidna cast down her eyes, and gently touched her own chest.
“Anastasia”: [That I am an evil Spirit, and have taken over Ana’s body for that reason… I cannot give you any evidence to refute that speculation. So, if you are convinced that I am lying to you, even if you choose to destroy me, I cannot stop you.]
But, at the end of her last syllable, Echidna continued after pausing only a beat.
“Anastasia”: [But in that case, any possibility of restoring the consciousness of Ana’s empty shell will be extinguished by your hand… In the worst case, it will become difficult to even preserve her life, and there is a chance that she will die.]
Echidna laid out her thoughts on Julius’s suggestion of cutting her down. Then, having said this, she softly lifted her hands,
“Anastasia”: [Of course, this is only a nonsense possibility I had no choice but to come up with because I want to live. Even I, cannot say for sure whether my death would be the solution. If I must die so that Ana can live, I feel like I would be alright with that. Though I really do not wish to die.]
Julius: [And why, would you be willing to do that for Anastasia-sama?]
“Anastasia”: [The relationship between Ana and I is an incomplete one. Therefore, perhaps it is not right to apply it to the common way of being of a Spirit and a Spiritual Arts User…]
Cutting off her words there, Echidna looked at Julius and Subaru in turn.
Even though their beings were different, it seemed almost as though she envied the two of them, who had a proper contract-bound relationship with Spirits, as Spiritual Arts Users.
“Anastasia”: [I like Ana. And I have been at her side ever since she was a young child. So I do not wish to abandon her, and I want her to be happy―― That, is my reason.]
Julius: [――――]
“Anastasia”: [Julius, I did not reveal this fact to you because it would have only led to unnecessary confusion. Ana herself had wished to keep my existence secret, if possible. In fact, she was the reason I had remained hidden all the way until what happened in Pristella. It was all thanks to that child.]
Even back in Pristella, Julius had been quite shocked when Anastasia announced that she had been hiding Echidna for so long.
Subaru, who had prioritized retrieving Emilia above all else, could not possibly imagine what storm must be churning within Julius’s chest at that moment.
Just that, in such a short span of time, what his master had kept hidden―― along with the secret pertaining to the fundamentals of Anastasia herself, had all been revealed to him at a time when they should not have been revealed. Just how much must all of this be weighing on Julius?
Julius: […I can understand your relationship with Anastasia-sama. It is difficult to believe everything. But, I have no choice but to believe you. At least, in that it would be thoughtless to do anything to you right now.]
“Anastasia”: [Oh, is that so? I am glad you chose rationally, Julius. I am sure Ana would be glad as well.]
Julius: [――――]
Letting go of the hilt of his Knight’s sword, Julius did not respond to Echidna’s words, and only remained in silence.
But he was far from having understood it, and thinking of it left him with a sense of regret. Yet, in the blink of a moment, Julius cast this out of his mind, and,
Julius: [I just wish to confirm this. Anastasia-sama’s Od is the price for your ability to continue to manifest yourself… So naturally, the more you strain yourself, the heavier the burden on Anastasia-sama’s body will be. Is that correct?]
“Anastasia”: [Correct. That is the right way to understand it. If I eat well, sleep well, get some moderate exercise… take a generally healthy approach to life, it would be just enough to counteract the toll on Ana’s Od.]
Julius: [If that’s the case… then why did you pull that stunt on the Second Floor?]
Just as Echidna was slightly recovering herself, lightheartedly joking in between her words, Julius struck her with this unexpected question.
Considering what had occurred on the Second Floor, it’s only understandable that he would point this out――
Julius: [During my fight with the Trial taker of the Second Floor, Reid Astrea, Anastasia-sama… using Anastasia-sama’s body… you casted magic… to support me.]
It was at the time of the first clash between Julius and Reid.
Faced with the overwhelming power of Reid’s swordsmanship, with Julius helpless and on the verge of defeat, Echidna used her enormous magical power to direct magic toward Reid.
Far from being a decisive strike, and instead the load on Anastasia’s body went over her limit, and she fainted. But the problem was not the result.
It was why had she done so. Just that.
Julius: [The burden of that act on Anastasia-sama’s body could not have been light. After saying so much, your actions are still conflicting with your claims. So why?]
Subaru: [That’s…]
What Julius pointed out was also what Subaru had been wondering.
Back there, Echidna had taken action as Julius was overpowered, him carrying an expression as though he was resolved for death. There seemed to be a lie somewhere, yet it did not feel like it was precalculated.
It must have been borne out of pure concern. Could Echidna have chosen to help Julius simply because, while living inside Anastasia, they had already spent so much time together―― could that be all it was?
However, to Subaru’s doubts, and to Julius’s question, Echidna only replied “I am sorry”, and deeply bowed on the spot,
“Anastasia”: [Even I feel like a failure there. How should I say this, it is embarrassing to admit I am not very proficient at it, but I made that decision from a strategic point of view.]
Julius: [A strategic decision?]
“Anastasia”: [At the time, I had no idea whether the Trial taker of the Second Floor had the intent to kill. Had I not done as I did, Julius’s fighting prowess might have been lost. Of course, I wanted to avoid it, for Ana. Besides, Reid Astrea had his back turned… and so it seemed a perfect opportunity, in my eyes. But not only did it fail, I have caused you distress.]
Apologizing, and adding one more at the end for good measure, Echidna slowly raised up her body.
There were no contradictions within her explanation. While it was true that she had acted rashly based on amateur judgement, Subaru could not find any basis to refute her reasoning. Emotional ones aside.
Could such a story really be swallowed so easily?
But, before Subaru could pursue the point any further,
Julius: [――I understood. But please be careful not to do anything rash in the future. Not for anyone else, only for Anastasia-sama.]
“Anastasia”: [Understood.]
Subaru: [What!?]
Julius gestured that he had understood and accepted, and nodded back at Echidna. Watching their exchange, Subaru kicked at the floor much like he was sure if they were joking.
Subaru: [How can you be convinced by that…]
Julius: [Subaru, I am convinced. Echidna will refrain from doing anything rash in the future. What else is there to say? ――This is a matter between Anastasia-sama and Echidna, and between Anastasia-sama and myself.]
Subaru: [――――]
Julius: [It seems you have been caught up in this by some strange mistake. But, this is a matter internal to the Anastasia Camp. This is not your pain to bear.]
Listening to Julius trying to distance him from the problem, Subaru clenched his back teeth. It was not as if Subaru was carrying this pain because he one-sidedly wanted to.
Subaru: [Whether or not I take this upon myself is my own damn business, isn’t it!]
Julius: [So you can take this upon yourself, yet deny me the right to face my own problems…? I do not seem to recall you ever telling me about Anastasia-sama and Echidna.]
Subaru: [――Guh.]
Julius: [Sorry. I should not have said this… But it is the truth.]
Wrenching this out in a choked voice, Julius turned his eyes away. Within that voice, that stubbornness, Subaru finally noticed it.
Julius had not remained calm at all.
Far from hiding the tempest raging in his heart, he could not even keep it from seeping through to the surface.
Having lost his own existence, and even the one thing that remained to him, his loyalty to his master, was shown to be a lie, their promise to tell each other every concern broken.
Even so, the man named Julius was not supposed to be subject to emotions.
Julius: [I do not intend to argue. For Anastasia-sama, we must find a way to deal with this situation as soon as possible. Echidna, I hope I can count on your sincere cooperation.]
“Anastasia”: […Of course. Since you have already found out, I suppose there is no reason for me to continue playing the part of Ana anymore. Well, if you can tolerate me in the form of Ana, that is.]
Julius: [That is irrelevant. I must restore Anastasia-sama to the way she was, and looking at this form will remind me of what I must do.]
Hearing of his intention to hurt himself to strengthen his resolve, Echidna put on a sad expression. But Julius had already turned up to the sky, without seeing her face.
As if noticing for the very first time that the night sky from atop the balcony was unblemished by the Miasma, he squinted his eyes under the radiance of the stars.
Julius: [There is no reason to stay here for long. Let us return inside. As for Anastasia-sama’s body and Echidna… It must be conveyed to Emilia-sama and the others tomorrow.]
“Anastasia”: [Hoho, alright. I will prepare for it as well.]
With those words, Julius gently took Echidna’s hand and began to walk. Surely, it was exactly the same as what he had always done for Anastasia.
Whatever was inside, his loyalty to Anastasia would not morph―― even if she was sleeping deep within her body, even if she had forgotten Julius.
Subaru: [Julius!]
Feeling something painful at the sight of his figure, Subaru shouted out to him.
Having been abandoned by memories whilst still remembering everything about the others, having nothing left except to struggle, desperately relying on that sentiment―― having been there himself, he understood that pain.
Even if he had been forgotten, he could not forget. That thought alone gave him the impulse to move.
Julius: [――――]
Julius halted his steps, and, still holding onto Echidna, did not turn around.
The fact that his back remained perfectly straight, in spite of all the turmoil within his heart, was just totally frustrating.
Subaru: [You… isn’t there something you want to say to me?]
Regarding Echidna, regarding Anastasia’s body, he had kept it all from him.
Tonight, he had promised to take over for spending time in the Green Room, but Subaru broke that promise, and secretly met with Echidna on the balcony.
He could make excuses. There were reasons. It was not that he meant to. But, regardless of his intents being malicious or not, regardless of his reasons, regardless of his excuses, his heart could not pull free.
So why don’t you raise your voice to shout at me? Swear at me, vent out your rage?
Subaru could not be sure whether it was his own sense of guilt, or whether Julius truly thought this. Surely, Julius would never.
Raise his voice, or spit out abuses――
Julius: [――There is.]
Subaru: [――――]
Julius: [I understand. Why you believed this truth should remained hidden from me. You meant no harm. It arose only out of concern and consideration. I agree with your apprehensions. If our positions were switched, I would have kept my silence as well.]
Subaru: [――――]
Julius: [――Yet, even so.]
Looking up to the sky. With a voice as if wrenching it out.
Julius: [Whether it is myself, or Anastasia-sama, or you, I do not wish to be thought of as someone unworthy of being a Knight.]
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No special procedures were needed of him to return to the inside of the Tower.
Just like the way he had entered the balcony, he only had to crawl down below waist-level to get through the hidden passage and come out inside the Tower. While crawling on his knees, the pointless thought suddenly occurred to him that Julius must have crawled through here in the exact same way.
Unfortunately, since he had already crawled back earlier, Subaru lost his chance to record this into memory.
It was because he was so overwhelmed by Julius’s final words, that he remained there speechlessly for a while.
Subaru: [――――]
He had honestly thought that no words would have come out of him―― Except, that had not been the case.
Most likely, Julius believed that even if he shouted and sworn at a guilt-ridden Subaru, it would not have brought him any comfort. And since his virtue would not allow it, he could not hurl rage and complaints, but only swallow them silently on the spot.
But, that had not been the case.
The words Julius had left behind in the end, had pierced into his heart like a thorn.
Perhaps, Subaru would have felt better had he been yelled at. He did not feel that it would have been any easier, but it would have been better than to not being told anything at all.
However, reality was not as such. The thorn left by Julius insisted on pain, and blood continued to flow from its puncturing wound. Deep enough to make him hesitate about pulling it out.
Subaru: [I can’t… go back to the Green Room anymore.]
Chances were, Julius had already escorted Echidna back to the Green Room by now. After that, it would be unlikely that he would go search for a bed in the dragon carriage left in the lower levels.
This deep-rooted problem―― the sheer depth of it a fault of Subaru’s own poor judgment, was not something that can be cleared up overnight. At least, it would take time, and simply holding calm discussions would not be enough to resolve it.
Thinking about it that way, he felt a little embarrassed about going back to the dragon carriage. Even though he knew Julius would not return to that place, he would still feel somewhat guilty about tugging himself into a warm futon right now.
However, at this late hour, there was no one Subaru could spill his heart to.
The sleeping Rem and Subaru’s best-buddy Patrasche were both in the Green Room, a place he was too afraid to approach because of Julius and Echidna.
And it was far too selfish to wake Emilia and Beatrice up to make them listen to his whining.
So, at this point, there was no one Subaru could――
???: [――Barusu?]
Hearing that voice, Subaru made a muted sound with his throat and halted his steps. Turning around in astonishment, amidst the Fourth Floor’s passageway―― where footsteps struck on the stone floor, he saw the form of the pink-haired girl, Ram.
Ram’s crimson eyes were wide open, looking over Subaru from head-to-toe.
Ram: [It has been a while since I have seen you make that face. Disreputable.]
Subaru: […Why are you immediately saying that right after we meet. Come to think of it, what are you doing here this late?]
Ram: [I could ask you the same thing… Although, what Barusu could be up to at this hour would be unimaginable.]
In front of Ram, who crossed her arms as she approached him, Subaru tightened his cheeks at her words.
Just the thought of what she might actually be imagining pulled a shadow over Subaru’s face. Seeing Subaru do this, Ram shrugged her shoulders sadly,
Ram: [Anyway, you were bothering Rem with your whining again, weren’t you? Even though Ram’s little sister is cute and forgiving, do not be too unreasonable with having her do all the tough work.]
Subaru: […Ah, yeah. Well, you’re right.]
Ram: [――?]
Seeing Ram’s eyes slightly widen as she heard this, Subaru let out a bitter smile.
He did not convey his true feelings to her, but only what she might have guessed based on his daily activities. It was true, just as Ram said, that Subaru often spent his nights at Rem’s bedside.
In fact, he had already done so tonight. And it was only natural that Ram would think he had just left.
But today, it was not only that――
Ram: [Stop making that miserable face.]
Subaru: [Ugh.]
Ram: [With that pathetic, miserable expression, you look even lower than an already base manservant. Looking like that, people will begin to suspect Emilia-sama’s character for taking a Barusu as her Knight. Please revise.]
He felt Ram’s finger flicking his drooping forehead.
Subaru’s eyes teared up from the force, and just as he was about to protest, Ram disinterestedly harrumphed through her nose, shutting him back up. All the while, she herself seemed perfectly at ease.
Subaru: […Geez, really, nee-sama is nee-sama, after all.]
Ram: [Haa. Please do not disgust me with your thoughts.]
Subaru commented while stroking his forehead, and Ram put on an expression as if disgusted from the bottom of her heart. To feel salvation from such an attitude, he really must be pathetic.
No part of what she had said had carried any expression of warmth or sympathy, but, somehow, that was what it meant to him.
Subaru: [Ram, what were you doing at this hour anyway?]
Ram: [Disgusting.]
Subaru: [Don’t just suddenly end the conversation like that! We only just started…]
Hopelessly shrugging his shoulder, Subaru let out a quiet sigh, and turned his eyes to the passageway behind Ram―― where she had come from.
Although the Fourth Floor was very wide, there was nothing particularly remarkable here. There was a Green Room, and the luggage they had brought up from the dragon carriage. And――
Subaru: […The staircase to the Second Floor?]
Ram: [――――]
Subaru: [Unless, you went up there. Alone?]
Ram: [Worry not. I am not as reckless as him. Albeit it might not seems as such, but I am not conceited enough to think I can manage Reid Astrea alone.]
Imagining something he would rather not imagine, Subaru twisted his lips, and Ram laughed through her nose as she denied his suspicions.
Amidst it, he noticed a subtle reference to Julius’s stubbornness evident within her words, but approaching that topic here and now would twist the thorn in Subaru’s chest.
Ram: [It seems, that something happened between you and Knight Julius. Had a fight?]
Subaru: [Am I that easy to read?]
Ram: [Barusu is as easy to read as Ram is intelligent. The latter has more to do with it, so rest at ease… No, of course the former has plenty to do with as well. It would not take long to get everything out of you under torture.]
Subaru: [The fact that you’re assuming I’d be placed under torture is kind of frightening, you know.]
Watching Subaru pick at his own cheek, Ram just squinted her eyes. Seeing that she was not jesting, Subaru shuddered a little.
It was true that, considering Subaru’s position, it was not entirely unlikely that Emilia’s enemies in the Royal Selection might resort to this kind of barbaric measures. Maybe it would be a good idea to watch out for that, after all.
Subaru: [In that case, what were you doing here…]
Ram: [――I did not ascend to the Second Floor. I only tried to go up.]
Subaru: […I thought you just said you weren’t that reckless. Unless… were you thinking of attacking him while he’s asleep?]
Subaru had no qualms about using any means necessary to win. It might be understandable if Ram thought the same and planned to stealth attack Reid in his sleep.
The question was whether this Reid, which appeared to have been reproduced from the records of the past, really slept. And, even if he did sleep, could she really manage it in the first place?
Ram: [Unfortunately, it is impossible to attack him while in slumber. I turned back halfway up the stairs. He really is an abnormal monster. He would almost make Garf look cute.]
Subaru: [Although, after getting to know Garfiel, he’s pretty cute…]
Ram: [Not his antics, I meant the level of danger he poses.]
The way she put it was that she actually did not deny that Garfiel’s antics were cute, but since they were in the middle of something more important, Subaru frowned and forgot about it.
Ram: [I am convinced now. If one side has no qualms about using any means necessary, then the other side would use any means necessary as well. Like we have discussed, in order to beat him, we must not let him take it too seriously, and only then satisfy his conditions.]
Subaru: […Just to make sure of that, you went up to the Second Floor alone?]
Ram: [Must I restate it over and over? I did not go up to the Second Floor. It is too difficult for Ram at this moment.]
Confirming that they simply were not strong enough, Ram warned of the need for preparations before challenging the Second Floor again. Speaking of needing more time, the thought of his argument with Echidna and Julius resurfaced once more, and Subaru could not help but take on a difficult expression.
Ram: [Barusu?]
Subaru: [N-no, it’s nothing… Well, it’s not totally nothing, but it doesn’t matter right now. Most likely, we’ll have a proper talk tomorrow.]
Ram: [A remarkably ambiguous statement.]
Subaru: [That’s kinda what I was going for, but, it’s not what you think. As expected, even here, I’ve done something ungrateful, and it’s a bit hard to recover from it this time.]
For now, it was a crack that he was not sure if it could be mended completely. He did not wish to complicate it any further and spread the crack even wider.
Watching Subaru’s defeatism, Ram still was not convinced, but decided to let it go.
Ram: [In any case, conquering the Second Floor… defeating Reid will require more time and effort. At least, it would be nice if we could count on Shaula’s support.]
Subaru: [Well, it would not be no exaggeration to say that she cannot exactly be counted on. Although, hadn’t she helped us earlier, we’d all be charred black under the sand right now.]
Without Shaula, they would never have been able to reach the Trial on the Second Floor in the first place. But even with that in mind, she had been a disappointing Sage ever since they entered the Tower.
Of course, if they could borrow the Trial taker’s own hand to pass the Trial, it would be quite exceptional indeed.
Ram: [If we only ever take the high road, we’re bound to get stuck in a deadlock here.]
Subaru: [It’s not like I think it’d be better to take a more innocent approach. But, purely on a case-by-case basis… it just wouldn’t work this time.]
Ram: [You say that so effortlessly… Ram, does not possess that kind of leisure.]
Dissatisfied with Subaru’s answer, Ram shrugged her shoulders. And, while slowly turning her back,
Ram: [If you do not go to bed soon, it will hurt your performance tomorrow. I shall head back to the dragon carriage as well.]
Subaru: [Ahhh, yeah. I, uh…]
He wanted to explain as to why returning was not an option for him, but it was too difficult. On the other hand, looking back and seeing Subaru mumbling this way, Ram spilled a small sigh.
Ram: [As you prefer. But if you drag us down because you did not get enough sleep, I will twist it off.]
Subaru: [Ahh, no… Twist what off!?]
Ram: [I will leave that to your imagination.]
With a wave of her hand, Ram headed in the direction of the stairs to the lower levels. Without touching on what he did not want to touch on, leaving him to stand up by his own efforts, could that have been her consideration?
Watching the thin back walking into the distance, even know that she would not gaze at it, Subaru raised up his hand.
Subaru: [Good night, nee-sama. See you tomorrow.]
Ram: […Ram is not Barusu’s nee-sama. Stop calling me that.]
Her last denial carried no strength within it, as if she had already accepted, and only resisted for the sake of it.
Watching Ram’s figure disappear after leaving those words behind, Subaru clicked the bones in his neck and whispered “Ah, what am I gonna do now.”.
He could not go to the dragon carriage anymore. And it was too difficult to return to the Green Room. In that case, he could either find some other place to rest till the morn, or find a place where he could do something meaningful with his time.
Subaru: [If I just want a place to sleep, I could find a suitable room…]
The top candidate would be the room where they stored their luggage.
The dragon carriage’s cargo and food supplies had all been moved into that room, though it would be hard yet possible to find something he could use as a pillow. The bottleneck was just how to find some way to reduce the pain on his body while sleeping on the floor, aside from sleeping in the dragon carriage. Or rather――
Subaru: [Think about how to conquer the Second Floor, a strategy for defeating Reid.]
Honestly, that would be the most constructive choice.
Most of the problems surrounding their current situation were about capturing this Watchtower. Though it could not be stated with certainty, it would nevertheless play a huge role in improving their situation.
That evening, the consensus they had reached on how to defeat Reid was to make him not take something seriously and then satisfy his conditions in earnest, or something vague along those lines.
At the very least, if there was a chance that some of the vagueness could be reduced in the slightest――
Subaru: [――That’s it.]
And, coming to this point, Subaru snapped his fingers.
As the idea flashed through his mind like a lightning strike, Subaru changed the direction of his steps with a bash.
Subaru: [If this goes well…]
Though he could not say for sure, it should be a move that could greatly advance the situation.
Setting his heart on that thought, Subaru sprinted toward his goal.
――In the Watchtower in the night, loud, spirited echoes of Subaru’s footsteps rang out.
――Only the echoes of a lone person’s footsteps.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
――The sensation of waking, was like the moment of emerging out of the water’s surface.
Pulling the dreaming, unconscious body upwards, using a breath to restore the entire body to reality, the consciousness slowly reawakened, and, breaking through the water’s surface, he was born.
If sleep was death, and wakefulness was life―― then that description would not have been far off.
Anyways, such poetic sentiments aside, he gradually began to wake――
???: [――Subaru! Hey, Subaru, are you alright?]
Subaru: [What the!?]
The moment he opened his eyes, immediately stricken by the beautiful face at their corner, and Subaru rolled to the side.
And, not rolling very far before running out of surface, he dropped a short distance and landed on his shoulder.
Subaru: [Ngya!]
???: [Eek! Subaru, you alright!? Why did you start rolling all of a sudden!?]
Subaru: [N-no, it’s not like I willingly decided to roll or anything…]
Squeezing his banged-up shoulder and lightly shaking his head, he pushed himself up. And then, in the blink of an eye, Subaru was confused.
It was a room of green.
The entire interior of the room was covered by sprawling ivy that completely hid the walls behind them. If he was told that the whole outlandish-looking room was made of ivy, he probably would’ve believed it.
And apparently, Subaru was lying on the floor, beside a bed woven from ivy at the very center of the room. He had probably rolled off it; that would be his analysis of the situation.
It was funny that Subaru could make such a judgment so calmly, but there was reason for that.
???: [Hmm, it looks like you didn’t hit anything too hard. That’s good. But I got reaaally worried, you know, you shouldn’t scare me like that.]
???: [Emilia, if you say it like that, Subaru won’t reflect on it, I suppose. If you don’t say it more severely, Betty’s worries won’t get through to him, in fact.]
Emilia: [I guess you’re right. But I’m surprised Beatrice would be saying that. After going into such a panic when we couldn’t find Subaru, you were almost in tears when you found him lying there…]
Beatrice: [You don’t have to mention the part that dispenses mentioning, I suppose!]
In front of his eyes, a conversation like comedy was unfolding.
Nodding stupidly in agreement to the sunny bickering, Subaru turned around. Sitting on the floor and breathing right behind him, was some kind of huge creature.
Subaru: [――――]
There was, a giant lizard. With black scales covering all over its skin, it was a huge lizard the size of a horse. The strangest part was that it was gently snuggling up to Subaru’s nape with its nose.
Seeing that it was friendly, Subaru gently petted the lizard on its head.
And then, he let out a sigh.
Subaru: [In other words, this is it.]
Calm, and collected, slowly, he breathed out these words. Seeing Subaru like this, the two girls in front of him tilted their heads.
Beatrice & Emilia: [――Subaru?]
And, like two sisters speaking with the same breath, they simultaneously called Subaru’s name.
A silver-haired girl, so beautiful that his eyes wanted to explode, and a fairy-like little girl in a pretty dress.
A beautiful silver-haired girl, a drill-loli, a giant lizard, and a room made of ivy――
Subaru opened his mouth wide, and shouted it out.
――Because this was, this was, this was.
Subaru: [I’VE BEEN SUMMONED TO A PARALLEL WOOOOORLD!?][1]
Translation notes:
[1] Note from Tappei at the end of the Chapter: “Finally made it this far. The main story of Arc 6, the Hall of Memories, begins here.”
[2] An additional tidbit about the title, each of the blocks is hiding one Japanese character. Given the ● is usually employed as a separator for characters’ names, it most likely denotes a character’s name.
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