Arc 6 – Chapter 38, “Who Are You”

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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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Translated by :

  • Ice_Occultism, /u/Ice_Occultism
  • Jaerek, /u/Jaerek

Proofread by:

  • Furuta, /u/GracedHarperd
  • Shifty, /u/ShiftyFish87

Fan Art Created by :

Disclaimers:

  • Note to anyone reading this, it’s in the process of retranslation, this was one of my first ever TLs and it’s very poor quality, so I am trying to fix a lot of it.

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Subaru gazed around the room, not knowing what had happened to him. He could not comprehend a shred of the situation.

[Subaru: …………………………]

It was the room that he had gotten so used to seeing now, even if he would hesitate to call it “familiar”. The walls, floors and ceiling were covered in ivy, even the bed he had woken up in was woven with ivy.

In front of him stood two girls – a beautiful lady and a beautiful little girl – both were craning their necks to look at him. A huge lizard was kneeling down beside his bed. On the other bed within the room, a girl with blue hair and closed eyes was lying there. There was absolutely nothing out of the ordinary; this was the green room of the Pleiades watchtower.

[Subaru: But… Huh? Why am I here again?]

Subaru didn’t know if he had even woken up.

With his hands on his head, Subaru recalled what had happened just before. They had talked about challenging the second floor trial whilst he had tried to confirm whether he possessed any special abilities. After all of that, Subaru had walked through the tower to join with Emilia and the others after he had confirmed that he didn’t possess any abilities –

[Subaru: Errr? What happened after that?]

His memory of what had happened afterwards was unclear. He had woken up on this bed all of a sudden, that impression had been strong. And, whilst he fumbled to straighten his mind, a voice broke his train of thought,

[Emilia: Hey, Subaru, are you feeling okay?]

[Subaru: Uhh-aaah! Emilia-chan, you’re so close!]

Emilia’s beautiful face had suddenly popped up right next to his; she was so close to him that he could feel her breath against his face. In seeing her amethyst coloured eyes, bordered by long eyelashes, approaching out of nowhere, Subaru scooted back to the opposite side of his bed.

Emilia’s eyes widened in surprise at his overreaction.

[Emilia: You don’t have to look so scared… Besides, it was me who had been scared earlier…]

[Subaru: Scared…?]

[Beatrice: Certainly. We thought that you had disappeared. We searched for you and found you collapsed, I suppose. It would be improper to not be worried.]

[Subaru: Seriously? I collapsed again?]

Beatrice crossed her arms and snorted in exasperation. Subaru was caught by surprise by her words – he stood up and patted his body to make sure it was okay. Yet, he couldn’t feel any abnormalities. Though it was dubious whether he would notice any differences considering his amnesia, there were no obvious signs of trauma.

[Subaru: Still, it’s pretty dangerous to collapse twice in such a short time… although it has only been a couple of hours, should I feel lucky that my memories weren’t blown away again?]

[Beatrice: What are you grumbling about… Subaru should have something to say to Betty and Emilia, I suppose.]

[Subaru: Something to say…?]

Beatrice threw these words at him as he was staring at his outstretched arms. Subaru turned around to see both Emilia and Beatrice staring at him. He was a little bit worried about what would he have to tell these two individuals.

[Subaru: Well, I’m sorry. I apologise for worrying you all. You both saved me again.]

[Beatrice: You’re doing fine so far.]

[Emilia: Heh, you are most welcome. But, I am quite glad that nothing happened to you. I’m so relieved.]

[Subaru: Ah, yes. I’m sorry to Emilia-chan, it’s inexcusable for me to cause you so much trouble all the time.]

Raising his hand in apology, Subaru expresses his gratitude towards Emilia. However, when Emilia heard Subaru’s words, she furrowed her shapely eyebrows. Her amethyst eyes looked positively bewildered.

[Emilia: Well, would, wait… Subaru, what happened just then?]

[Subaru: What happened… that’s a vague question. What’s the issue?]

[Emilia: Well, just now you called me Emilia-chan. Somehow, being called that makes me feel a little bit uneasy.]

While saying this, Emilia began to fiddle with her long silver hair as she nervously looked at Subaru. Her gaze seemed to be filled with loneliness, Subaru involuntarily let out an internal yelp.

Open and friendly, her appearance had struck Subaru’s taste. However, in regards to her current emotions, Subaru felt like there was a deep gap between them.

[Beatrice: Subaru’s pranks are starting up again now, I suppose. More importantly…]

Beatrice’s mood was starting to get worse after hearing the exchange of those two. Shaking her splendid drills, she snapped her fingers at Subaru. And, with a puff of her red cheeks, she said:

[Beatrice: I want you to tell Betty and Emilia now. Why did you go to the『Taygeta』library last night, I suppose? Why did you collapse there?]

[Subaru: Wait, wait, wait, wait! Wait, what, I collapsed again in Taygeta?]

[Beatrice: Again?]

[Subaru: Seriously, Taygeta is such a dreadful place… I don’t know what I was doing there again. After all, it’s a place with such a shady history, it was reckless of me, I guess.]

Subaru had been told of an incident which his own memory did not recall; he was bewildered by this fact and started to feel a little bit unsettled. For sure, he could not recall anything before and after he had slipped out of consciousness. Still, there should be no reason for him to have visited Taygeta again. Rather, it’s more likely that someone must have found him collapsed elsewhere in the tower and brought him to Taygeta. Though, he didn’t see what the point of that would be.

[Beatrice: Wait, I suppose. Subaru.]

However, Beatrice had told him to wait up, as he began to feel confused.

[Subaru: Yeah?]

[Beatrice: Somehow, I think we’re not on the same wavelength. Subaru, tell us the story accurately, I suppose.]

[Subaru: Accurately…? What do you mean?]

[Beatrice: Try telling us about the situation you’re in right now.]

Patiently, Beatrice slowly spelled this out to Subaru. He nodded his head as he sensed the intimidation in her tone as she spoke those heavy words. And, whilst Emilia looked at him with a worried expression on her face, Subaru strained his memory in thought.

[Subaru: Well, I think I told you… when I woke up I had no memories. Though it doesn’t mean that they are completely empty. My memories since being summoned to this parallel world are…]

[Beatrice: Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait!? Memories? What do you mean by memories, I suppose!?]

[Subaru: Huh?]

Beatrice’s usually dignified manner was abruptly shattered as Subaru had begun his explanation. He was surprised by her unexpected reaction. Emilia had placed her hand on the panicked Beatrice’s shoulder to steady her. But Emilia wasn’t calm either. She was also looking at Subaru in astonishment.

[Emilia: Subaru, I am sorry, I don’t know what you’re saying…]

[Subaru: No, I’d feel bothered if I stop here, I have you two here…]

– He was supposed to know what to say next, he tried to continue, but his words trailed off.

[“……………………”]

Both Emilia and Beatrice looked at Subaru with sheer bewilderment in their eyes. It was plain to him that they were not acting. And because he thought they were not acting, that made it all the more terrifying to him.

Why were they forgetting about when he had told them about his amnesia?

Surely, the tower hadn’t sucked up the memories of those other than Subaru. A terrifying thought rose to his mind. Namely, this tower was an awful one, sucking out everyone’s memories to some degree, making conversation impossible.

Then, Subaru realised.

[Subaru: When I woke up, and when talking to those two…]

And on top of that, he may have remembered something. No, not may have. He had definitely remembered something.

The first time he had met Emilia and Beatrice, when he was told he had lost his memories… the conversation had sounded exactly like the one now.

To put it more plainly, waking up in the Green Room, lying on the ivy bed, was that not a carbon copy of the situation earlier when he was told he had lost his memories?

[Subaru: …………………]

Thinking about this fact, Subaru gulped loudly.

If you look at Emilia and Beatrice, both of their behaviours had not changed. However it is not from distrust that they were glancing at Subaru in sheer bewilderment, rather it’s from concern in their heart towards “Subaru”. The fact that there was no deception in their gazes made Subaru feel much more calm at heart.

In all honesty, Subaru’s heart had been undulating under great turmoil. But, having made this guess at the current situation –

[Subaru: I am seeing the same events again. I must be experiencing precognitive dreams.]

Given his situation when he woke up, is it not reasonable to think this? If so, when he had lost consciousness, should he rather say that he had woke up? In that moment just before he woke up his memories had been incredibly hazy. Dreams did, for some reason,slip through the cracks between ones fingers when trying to keep them jumbled together. Or maybe these precognitive dreams were a special ability Subaru was given when summoned into this world –
[Subaru: It’s difficult to make use of – it’s a pretty selective ability…]

However, there’s no doubt that if he could master it, then it would be quite a potent ability. In the end, a precognitive dream would let him foresee the future. The longer it would show him the truth for, the greater chance of finding a clue to overcome the situation. Unfortunately, he did not think that he got much useful information out of this precognitive dream –

[Subaru: – you two, I need you to calm down just a little and hear what I have to say.]

Sitting up straight, Subaru now had an understanding of the ability he possessed. He turned towards them and said that. Emilia and Beatrice both look at Subaru and nod, with serious expressions on their faces. Looking towards them, Subaru said with a slight hint of hesitation:

[Subaru: I don’t know if you can believe this, but I seem to have lost my memories.]

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– Subaru had awakened at the Taygeta Library and lost his memories.

It took as much time as it had in the precognitive dream for Emilia and Beatrice to digest what he had confessed.

[Emilia: Aieee!]

With an air-splitting sound, the girl slammed her palms onto her own cheeks with all her strength. Her anxious eyes widened up in pain, and at the shock, as she motivated herself with an “Alright”

It was a brave, almost manly way of accepting it – something he had also seen in his precognitive dream.

[Emilia: I’m fine. Being like that is no-good, is it? How could we keep making that troubled face when Subaru must be feeling even more troubled than we are… look, Beatrice too!]

Having rallied her strength with a vigorous speech, Emilia shook Beatrice’s shoulder. In front of Emilia’s geared up presence, Beatrice looked at her, unable to hide her confusion.

[Emilia: I’m shocked too, and I also understand the sadness… but right now, we have to think about the one who’s taking this the hardest. We have to do something for him, don’t we?]

[Beatrice: Be- Betty is…]

[Beatrice:  …………………] 1

Subaru fought back a pang in his chest as he watches Beatrice struggle to get her words out. Subaru knew exactly what Beatrice would say, and what sort of face she would make. But he was quite wrong in thinking that it would bring him some peace of mind.

Having to betray someone’s feeling of hopes was tough, rather it was terrifying. No matter how many times he had to do it, regardless whether it was the same problem for the second time, it was all the same. And now, Subaru knew Beatrice much better than the first time he met her. That was why it was tougher for Subaru than the first time.

[Beatrice: aaaauuggghhh, just, really! Subaru is just the most hopeless Contractor in the world!]

With that said, Beatrice broke through her embarrassment – the pattern of the butterfly wings that adorned her irises started to flutter in her eyes. While he was relieved by that, Subaru felt a strong sense of self-hatred.

…Was this right. Was he satisfied with this? Yeah, Natsuki Subaru…
…Could he really erect a castle upon the sand, on top of the bonds and faith he’d already built up?

[“…………………………………”]

Subaru gritted his teeth together as he saw Emilia and Beatrice’s heartwrenching, albeit gentle, determination.

Subaru had not confided to them that he was able to experience precognitive dreams. The conversation after he woke up, and with remembering their names, he pushed the fact that not all of his memories had fallen out. In fact, besides his memory loss of course, Subaru’s report had also been about the allocation of his missing memories. He couldn’t afford to doubt the two people with him, and furthermore, Subaru himself didn’t want to engage in any unproductive conversation.

Above all else, he wanted to figure out how far his precognitive dreams would show the truth correctly for. For this reason, he did not want to create a situation which would deviate from what his precognitive dream had shown him. Although some changes had occurred at the start, they were not anything too big.

However, this was not the only reason that he did not mention his precognitive dreams.

[Subaru: …………………………]

Neither Emilia, Beatrice, Ram, Julius, Echidna nor even anyone had explained to Subaru that he had this『Precognitive Dreams』ability. Shaula and Meili also hadn’t. It’s difficult to imagine that they intentionally hid it from Subaru. Even under the prior circumstances it’s difficult to believe that they all had the same intention; it made no sense.

Then it was inevitable that there was only one reason why they wouldn’t know of his『Precognitive Dreams』– that is, Natsuki Subaru had never revealed to them his ability.

[Subaru: … what were you thinking, Natsuki Subaru.]

Subaru calls his name out as if he was referring to a different person… No, saying as if he was referring to a different person was wrong. It was a different person.

To Subaru, “Natsuki Subaru” is an unknown person who doesn’t exist. He can’t guess what he is thinking and he can’t interact with him. There would be no chance of getting to understand him.

Why did “Subaru” not tell Emilia et al. about his power?

Was it because he didn’t want to change the development of these precognitive dreams as much as possible? Even if it was due to that, surely once the situation had been overcome there would have been time to confide this? Was there a reason why he couldn’t say it?

A distrust of the old “Subaru” was steadily growing within him.

[Subaru: You…]

… what were you thinking, “Natsuki Subaru”.

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– After that, the events took place as expected, roughly following what he had seen in his precognitive dreams.

[Emilia: So, I guess everyone is pretty shocked…… Subaru is in quite a situation right now. But, even in a situation like this…… no, precisely because the situation is like this, we should give him our support.]

Emilia explains to the others how Subaru has lost his memories. Although it wasn’t the greatest of explanations, it was now impossible to make a follow-up in case he drastically changed the events. Thus, in place of Emilia, who sucked with words, Beatrice ended up taking on the struggle.

And then –

[Ram: Is this some kind of prank, Barusu?]

Ram had suspected that Subaru’s situation might have been a prank –

[Shaula: Say, Master… you’re still not tired of playing around like thissss? Just how many times do you have to forget me before you cut that outtt?]

Shaula had indifferently accepted that he had lost his memories as if she thought it was something that couldn’t be helped–

[Meili: Really, Onii-san sure looks like really troubled, doesn’t he]

Whether disinterested or not, Meili smiled at the prank, as if enjoying the atmosphere of confusion –

[Echidna: Just, let’s give him a little time to settle down. That’s fine, right?]

Worried about Julius as he’d became extremely upset at hearing that Subaru had lost his memories, soon after Echidna suggested for them to take a brief interval to collect their thoughts. He accepted Ram’s invitation and left the room to fetch some water. Then when they were alone with just the two of them, Ram grabbed Subaru by his collar and pushes him against the wall.

[Ram: ……Please, spit it… out]

He’d parted with some of his saintliness. However, that’s not to say that he wasn’t shook to the core. After hearing Ram’s quiet sobs, Subaru returned back to where everyone was with this conviction…

…The precognitive dreams are accurate. They are terribly accurate and foreshadow the events completely.

Subaru didn’t know everything they would say and do, but the impression that they had given was pretty much unchanged. If there was a problem –

[Echidna: Natsuki-kun is quite calm despite the situation.]

Re-introducing each other, and both revealing their bombshells, with that Anastasia’s consciousness was currently overwritten by Echidna’s, Echidna said that to Subaru.

[Subaru: …………………]

Subaru felt his mouth dry up after hearing Echidna’s words. To be honest, Echidna’s observation was understandable. Subaru himself couldn’t really do much about it.

Everyone was shocked and in a state of panic. Still, whilst seeing her trying to smooth over the absurd situation, he couldn’t help but not feel much empathy from within his heart for them. It’s like when you watch a movie for a second time – the emotions you experience are not as strong as the first time you watch it.

That which he felt even stronger, was a flurry of negative emotions, namely sympathy towards them for putting on such a brave face, guilt for leaving them as is despite knowing that, and a feeling of revulsion towards “Subaru” who’d probably continued to do such.

It was no wonder that Subaru bore a dark expression on his face coupled with a taciturn attitude – even though they had thought that was him remaining calm. In any case –

[Subaru: I am happy that things have settled down. I was the type of kid who’d always get “He never settles down” written down in his report card.]

[Echidna: Reeport caaard, I don’t really understand that that means… is that something of the ‘parallel world’?]

[Subaru: Yeah.]

Narrowing his eyes, Subaru nods his head at Echidna’s question. The way he answered the question about the meaning of “Parallel World” did not change again. He explained how he was summoned to this different world and found himself in this place. And the same understanding came from Emilia, Echidna and the others who concluded that he originated from beyond『The Great Waterfall.』

Perhaps, even if he could not fully reproduce the events of his precognitive dreams, events that hold some sense of importance would still be realized with some slight changes to them. It’s something typically found in Subaru’s future prediction line of games and manga.

Though the response to a sudden situation may change, what you decide to do doesn’t disappear so easily. A person who has decided to ask someone out on a date goes and asks the person out in a completely different way than before, where there now are some notable obstacles in the way – that is the feeling he is getting from this. In other words, Echidna was going to ask about the different world, regardless of whether he had lost his memories.

[Subaru: Even though I didn’t explain it up till now, was I still careless in mentioning the word ‘Parallel World’ … I don’t even know what to think anymore.]

Due to the nature of his precognitive dreams, confiding his ability was difficult, and rather than that, it was incredibly strange that he hadn’t talked about the different world. It was almost like he’d just given up, deeming it pointless to confide it.

As if he were afraid to.

[Echidna: After all, it’s odd that you sound the least confused amongst us. We are all growing uneasy here, thinking we must do something about it.]

[Subaru: Maybe this is what they mean when they all talk about everyone being in a panic, but the person in question instead grows calm. Even I’m nervous, thinking we oughta do something about it. So rest assured there.]

[Emilia: I feel like we can’t feel relieved with that at all…]

Both Echidna and Subaru shrug their shoulders at each other. Emilia’s looked quite dispirited as she spoke those words, the mood was somehow still hitting rock bottom.

After all, Subaru’s attitude was growing. He had tried to mimic his precognitive dream as much as possible; however, how attempts at mimicking his attitude had been quite poor. It was very difficult to imitate the confused self he had seen in his dream. So, before he spouts out additional nonsense –

[Subaru: Anyways, I understand the situation we are in. I know that there’s a lot of confusion, but let’s overcome it together. Let’s do something about it.]

Clapping his hands together, Subaru tried to progress the conversation ahead. Beatrice nodded in response, and as if obeying the precognitive dream, she said:

[Beatrice: You will want to check the『Taygeta』library, I suppose.]

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[Shaula: Ueeeh~]

With a loose-lipped smile, the glamorous, beautiful woman let out a shriek. If she would just straighten herself out and start to look more dignified her beauty would surely captivate the hearts of many men. Her face relaxed though, as she tried to snuggle into Subaru.

[Shaula: Master, Master. I’m haaappyyy~. I swear I’ll make you haaappyyy!]

[Subaru: Hey, don’t say that. Don’t hug my arm. You’re frighteningly soft!]

[Shaula: Ah! I just wanna have it so those means parts to you are smushed you know.]

Subaru continued to push her away by her forehead whilst Shaula tried to desperately cling onto his arms. In all honesty, being clung onto by a beautiful woman who from the start took on a tempting appearance, was a sense of distance that he wanted to restrain himself from, both in terms of Subaru’s strength as a human, and as a boy.

Subaru and the others had arrived now at the 3rd floor of the watchtower, where the『Taygeta』 library was. As it had been in his dream, they would search the library in an attempt to find out how Subaru had lost his memories, and if possible, get them back.

However Subaru knows that their search will be ineffective, and that they will bring back no results. It was going to be an irritating time for him now, since he was not allowed to participate in the search. Though to him, it looked like Shaula was acting way too over-familiar than his dream had shown –

[Shaula: After all, Master, you chose us over that chibi-ko, didn’t youuuu?]

[Subaru: It’s not like I specifically chose it! Due to what’s happening, I couldn’t help but be stuck with you!]

Shaula spoke this with a ditzy expression,talking about their approach to『Taygeta.』

Although the distance to the library was not long, Subaru had arranged it so that he wouldn’t have to hold hands with Emilia and Beatrice.

His intention behind it had been out of pangs of conscience towards Beatrice and Emilia.

Given that he knew what was going to happen thanks to his precognitive dream, he didn’t reveal the fact that it was probably going to be a waste of time, and putting it like that, with a birds eye view of the situations, Subaru treat the two girls like so.

Therefore, he was now sitting next to the air-headed Shaula whilst waiting for the party to finish searching『Taygeta.』

[Shaula: Finally, Master recognized how charming and attractive I am! I had to wait 400 years for this! I’m so happy, I’m so happy! I will give you such a passionate kiiiisss!]

[Subaru: That’s not what I was implying! That’s scary! Really, stop it!]

Shaula was pressing her body down onto his; Subaru tried desperately to push her off, but she had unusual strength, and thus he found himself pinned against a wall. This wasn’t even a kabe-don, it was a kabe-gowaa! That’s how intense it was!

And, just before the virginity of Subaru’s lips, which had never experienced the love of a woman, was forcefully taken away –

[Meili: Hey, hey, onii-san seems to dislike this. Quit fooling about.]

[Shaula: Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!]

It had been Meili who had dragged Shaula off him by pulling her back by her ponytail.

Shaula twisted her neck, took back her ponytail from her, and carefully cradled her long, black hair against her chest.

[Shaula: What did you do to my hair!? What did you do to my precious hair, you horrible little giiirl!]

[Meili: I don’t want my silver haired onee-san or Beatrice-chan to be angry. I was keeping watch to make sure that my half-naked onee-san didn’t do anything bad to my onii-san.]

[Shaula: Grrrrr! So annoying! Master, please do somethiiiing!]

[Subaru: Shaula, don’t you dare come within two metres of me. You’re scary.]

[Shaula: Master’s such an idioooooot.]

Shaula turned her back from Subaru, feigning a break down to tears.

Subaru scratched his cheeks in confusion as he looked on at her exposed back, then he turns around to face Meili who was holding her hands behind her back.

[Subaru: Ah, you were a great help… now that’s a strange thing to say to a killer.]

[Meili: Don’t worry. This killer has gone out of business, now I do what onii-san, onee-san and her friends tell me. Onii-san and the others can make good use of me, like when I help out with the wicked animals.]

[Subaru: ……………………………]

She spoke with no malice or ulterior motive, that’s why Subaru didn’t react to her words. Meili did not seem to be especially affected by any particular pangs of conscience as she spoke. Those were difference between the values of his world and this one.

[Meili: ………………………………]

She said nothing in response to Subaru’s silence. She just looked at him silently with an unfathomable expression on her face. Meili now turned to gaze indifferently at the direction which Emilia was searching the library. The girl was quite short, had a youthful face, her arms and legs were still tiny, and there was still quite a way to go before she reached womanhood. In the end, she was still a child. It was unbearable to him that she held such broken values about herself.

[Subaru: Maybe, even in you, there’s still plenty we can rely on, so I’m counting on you!]

[Meili: …? Eh, so this is what you’re saying? “Make good use of me”.]

[Subaru: No, not use. Rely. We’re not tools that can be just used, think of it like a… friendship?]

[Meili: … Hmmph.]

For a second Meili had regarded Subaru’s words in shock. Though it had only been for a fleeting moment, she had quickly averted her eyes afterwards. Subaru was relieved that she had not reacted in discomfort; rather it had seemed like a faint glimmer of comfort had flitted across her face. Even if within her heart she held broken values about herself, it didn’t mean that everything she could feel would end up being out of sync from that which Subaru knew.

The fact that they both could compromise about these unknown circumstances made Subaru feel a little bit better.

[Meili: … Onii-san really doesn’t remember anything, right?]

[Subaru: Yup? Unfortunately. Was something on your mind?]

He had unexpectedly shaken something about his memories from Meili. Subaru tried to ask her what she had meant by it. Hearing his question, Meili just put her fingers to her lips and gave a very sweet smile: “Oh yeaah.”

[Meili: Petra-chan would cry if she heard it.]

[Subaru: Ugh… I don’t even know who that is.]

[Meili: Petra-chan is a girl that love’s Onii-san. She was worried about you going all the way out here; It felt almost like I could hear her say “Look, I knew it”.]

[Subaru: God damn that me from yesterday, what thoughtless things he did…]

Subaru looked on bitterly, thinking in distress about this young girl, Petra that he had not yet seen. How much would he end up learning about the footprints that the “Subaru” unknown to him had left?

[Meili: Really, I honestly think that my opinion of Onii-san from yesterday is that he was quite careless as well.]

Meili was stretching as she said this, ignoring the turmoil she had left in Subaru’s heart. In his mind it had sounded like what she had said had been accompanied by a very strange emotion.

In any case, Emilia and the others would come back before he could quickly confirm it. If they had found no clues, it would only reinforce how accurate his predictive dream had been.

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Since the search of『Taygeta』ended with no success, they would now prepare to go up to the second floor.

Ultimately, from now on the scope of the precognitive dreams would stop around about here – Subaru had until now not doubted the accuracy in his future prediction ability at all.

The events had transitioned just as Subaru had experienced them before. If any issues were to occur at this point, he would not be able to respond by using his knowledge of the future that his precognitive dreams had shown.

[Subaru: I am able to predict the future, isn’t it insane that I managed to confirm it?]

However, it was also strange. In the first place, Subaru didn’t know how what conditions were needed to activate his precognitive dreams. If he fell asleep, would it activate, or did it need some sort of trigger – or was it just completely random? It would be unlikely that there would be time to find a place to sleep due to the urgency of the current situation. However, he wanted to depend on the power of his foresight – certainly, he would need to find out more details about this. He would need to investigate thoroughly what he could do with his foresight.

[Subaru: For now, just as in my dream, I managed to force Beatrice to leave me alone, but…]

Subaru had asked Beatrice to leave him alone as he tried out via trial and error the transformation poses. It had seemed that Beatrice had been trying to remain more attached to him than he had seen in his dreams. That was probably as a consequence of being around her less than he had been in his dreams, such as on the way to『Taygeta.』In any case he had a reason for being alone.

[Subaru: I have to find out why I woke up and what happened to me just before I woke up.]

It may be that he just happened to wake up normally. However, it could also be that there was something within his dream that had caused him to wake up. Something like encountering a horrible experience, or a painful one.

[Subaru: I’m a little freaked out right now… what if I start to have precognitive dreams-ception; it’s spooky, it’s like as if I was dreaming of being a butterfly.]3

Dreaming of being a butterfly is the situation where you dream of physically being a butterfly, but when you awake you aren’t really sure whether you are a butterfly dreaming of being a person, or a person having dreamt of being a butterfly. It felt like it would become a vicious, never-ending loop, like a self-fulfilling prophecy that would drive the footholds of his own self to a corner of uncertainty, as something unreliable.

[Subaru: … in order to avoid this, I need to go past where my dream ended. If I can do that, then I should be able to tell Emilia and the others about my precognitive dreams.]

The “Subaru” before losing his memories had unfortunately avoided confiding his ability to Emilia and the others. However, Subaru now was anxious to change this situation and confide to everyone what he could do.

He didn’t know what would become, if he were to do such a careless thing, frightened by this anxiety, he didn’t want to bring a situation about where he’d delay it now.

[Subaru … I have decided.]

Looking back to re-evaluate his position, Subaru had finally decided that he would tell them about his precognitive dreams. Nonetheless, what was coming up ahead was an unknown to him. After the point at which Beatrice had left, his memories including those of having performed the transformation poses were quite fuzzy. Therefore, showing proof that he could experience precognitive dreams would be quite difficult to do. In addition he didn’t know how to activate them. He would need them to cooperate with him when he tried to explain his ability.

If he could master his dreams, it would become an extremely powerful weapon at his disposal. Or perhaps it was a necessary weapon that would allow them to conquer the Pleiades Watchtower. With these thoughts in mind –

[?: – As for Natsuki-kun, is it not dangerous for him to accompany us in the crazed state he’s in right now?]

[*In the distance*: ………………………]

Having arrived in front of the hall, in an attempt to join everyone, Subaru held his breath at hearing those words.

The intelligent voice he had heard was Echidna’s. For some reason in in his mind, Subaru had hesitated to announce his presence, and had decided to hide behind the wall. The conversation in the hall continued.

[Emilia: Echidna, what do you mean by dangerous?]

[Echidna: There’s nothing else to say right? Considering the state he’s in right now, it’s certain he has lost his memories. However what he said afterwards was truly crazed. The way he explained the term “Parallel World” is proof.]

[Emilia: Parallel… world…]

[Julius: You don’t truly believe he came from beyond the Great Waterfall?]

Julius and Emilia seemed shocked at hearing Echidna’s words. Subaru’s heart lurched, what did Echidna’s remarks mean now? He wanted to jump out from his hiding spot and ask her, but for now he would suppress that emotion. Even if Subaru didn’t ask, surely someone else would –

[Ram: It was certainly an absurd explanation.]

[Emilia: Ram…, you too doubt what Subaru said?]

Emilia reacted in surprise at Ram’s cold, indifferent tone. In response to her question, Ram said: “Emilia-sama”

[Ram: It’s not like I doubt Barusu’s argument from the start. Indeed, Barusu’s knowledge, behaviour and strange customs are things which are unknown to us. It is clear that he may indeed come from a place which none of us here know about.]

[Emilia: Well, in that case–]

[Ram: But, where he came from, it’s limited to this world. I am sure being from beyond the Great Waterfall could be tailored to mean Barusu’s term: “Parallel World”, but I can’t believe the existence of such a place… there is no reason to believe him now at all anymore.]

[Emilia: Ram…]

Emilia’s voice faintly trailed away as she heard Ram’s explanation, which felt like she was enduring bitterness in it. But, there was no reply; Emilia quietly cleared her throat,

[Emilia: I believe in Subaru, Beatrice too, so, please, please, try to believe what Subaru said.]

[Julius: … Emilia-sama, Echidna is not suggesting that Subaru is trying to deceive us on purpose. She is just saying that he’s in a terrible state of confusion.]

[Beatrice: In that statement, you still agree with that spirit, I suppose!?]

Julius tries to rationally explain their thoughts to Emilia. However, Beatrice was having none of it, as she was intent on remaining on Subaru’s side in this matter. Her temper had flared considerably. At that moment, an unnerving silence had fallen within the room; Subaru’s forehead had started to sweat.

[Shaula: Heeeey, it’s best if you all quit fighting and settle dooown. Even if y’all are at each other’s throats arguing here, right now, Master’s not here, so no way he’s gonna be pleased.]

[Meili: I don’t think it’s quite a discussion on that scale yet… but, what yeah, right.]

He heard the voices of Shaula and Meili, who were still seemed to be bystanders. Laughing rather superciliously for a short while, Meili continued her speech with: “Going crazy,”

[Meili: Why don’t you ask Onii-san directly? Onii-san, are you going crazy?]

[Subaru: ………………hk]

Subaru gritted his teeth to those venomous words. He had remained surprisingly calm when he had stood against the wall; he carefully left the room without making any footsteps.

[“………………………………..”]

After putting some distance between them, his prudent footsteps quickened in pace, which then turned into a run. Then, arriving at a passageway where no one was present, he pressed his forehead against the wall.

[Subaru Damn it…]

Not knowing what he should say to whom, Subaru struck the wall, letting out the feelings that were smouldering inside him. The discussion that had taken place in Subaru’s absence was an unexpected shock to him. He wasn’t conceited enough to think that he had gained their full confidence. Rather, he could safely say that such a point hadn’t been in his thoughts.

Subaru had thought that trust was such a basic pre-principle. Emilia and Beatrice had been too kind and thoughtful towards Subaru. Whilst insisting to himself that it had felt far too uncomfortable, he had tricked himself into believing that it was true. There was no doubt that being from a different place would have helped them conquer from the tower.

With the handicap of losing his memories and his calm and collected thoughts, he had lost all his usefulness. Looking at it objectively, he realized just how shameless he was. What was trust in this tower in the desert? He himself couldn’t understand it much. He wondered if he could ever handle what “Natsuki Subaru” had gained.

[Subaru: In this state, it’s no use telling them about my precognitive dreams.]

The fact that they believed in his memory loss was proof of these people’s virtue. At the same time however, they were sensible people who did not believe in a “Different World”. Therefore, he didn’t even have to think about what response an explanation of his precognitive dreams would provoke.

[Subaru: From the start, I bungled it up…]

Messed up, he had messed up.

In the meanwhile, how would Subaru overturn their evaluations of him, showing that he could be dependable at this point. What was sought now, what was needed now was “Natsuki Subaru”. Not Natsuki Subaru.

Was it alright if he feigned ignorance and went back down to them? Also, in a state which he didn’t know what kind of exchange had taken place, would it be okay if he shamelessly joined the capture of the second floor? Or would Emilia and Beatrice veto that, and have him left behind.

And who would be keeping an eye on him there.

At least he’d like to hope for Shaula or Meili, given that conversation with them was no issue.

[Subaru: …Fuck, I’m such an idiot.]

Whilst saying those words out loud, Subaru abruptly came out of the passageway he was walking through. He had come across the great spiral staircase which connected the fourth floor to the floors below – a gaping hole stretched out from the middle of the watchtower to its lower half. It was truly colossal.

[Subaru: Spiral, staircase…]

Suddenly, laying his eyes on that scene, Subaru started to ponder. Including his dreams, this was his second time he had come here. Both in dream and reality, Emilia and everyone else had guided the amnesiac Subaru around the tower. So, recognizing this place was not a mistake, but―

[Subaru: No, apart than that, I feel something strange…]

Goosebumps coursed down his body, he felt the hairs on his back stand on end. The blood in his whole body felt cold, and the ringing in his ears was awfully loud. His heartbeat had accelerated, his breathing became rough and his knees began trembling for whatever reason. His teeth had begun making an uncontrollable chattering noise. Subaru became aware of these abnormalities.

However, they were not caused due to any changes in temperature or any external causes. This abnormality, this unusual phenomenon, had been caused by Subaru’s own body. To say more about it, the influence on his body was as if it was Subaru’s spirit or something from a deeper place –

[Subaru: – ah.]

With a faint tap, Subaru felt a slight impact just as he was stepping forward.

―No, it couldn’t be said that he stepped forward.

To step forward is a term which presumes there is some solid ground which can be stepped on.

Stepping ahead, his leg had come out.

And his foot had scratched the air.

And so he,

[Subaru: A

ICANRETURA

NBYDEATHHEA

LPMEPATLASHMA

YFRIEND.ALSOEMILA

IAIWANTTOCONFESSTA

HATIMGAY.ANYWAYSIFYA

OUAREREADINGTHISTHENA

ITSJUSTAJOKE.AWAYFORMETA

OFORMATTHISSTUPIDLINEONNA

WORDPRESS.ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ-!?]

Falling, falling— he was plummeting.

His whole body was overwhelmed by a feeling of weightlessness; he was falling down mid-air, losing sight of what was up or down. A tremendous gust of wind was hitting his eardrums. Subaru understood what was happening. He was falling.

No, there had been a light impact back then. But, that didn’t necessarily indicate that he’d fallen.

He’d been pushed dow-

[Subaru: “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA –!!”]

Screaming his lungs out, Subaru desperately stretched out his hands— searching for somewhere, anywhere to hold on to. There was nothing. There was nowhere he could hold on to. The world around him was spinning around so much, that he couldn’t comprehend the world around him.

A desperate feeling of wanting to vomit overpowers him as all the contents of his body are pulled from bottom to top. Chunks of yellow vomit overflows from his mouth, spilling out right into the air around him.

This sensation… he remembered it. In the midst of his pain and vomiting, the memories that had once been ambiguous had suddenly sharpened.

Yes, yes, that was it. Before he had woken up, the end of his precognitive dream, Subaru had been experiencing the same thing.

He had fallen, lamented his futile situation, and then he had lost consciousness. And after that, he had woken up from his precognitive dream and found himself in the Green Room –

Suddenly, Subaru experiences a great impact on the right side of his body, shattering his bones into pieces.

[*CRACK*]

The sound of something breaking filled the air, his right side felt like it had been hit by lightning – Subaru’s cries were silenced. And, right after, even if a bit belated, a severe pain coursed through his body.

[Subaru: GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!]

His right arm was sticking out at an odd angle, completely broken from the elbow with the bone protruding out from his skin. He was covered in blood, his jacket was torn, and he could see his own pinkish muscles and white bone from underneath his torn skin.

He crashed. Subaru’s body crashed against the spiral staircase whilst he fell down towards the bottom. As it is now, his uncontrolled spiralling descent would end up destroying Subaru’s body, and still he didn’t stop.

No,  it was far worse.

[Subaru: GHA! GHHH! GHHUU!]

His body that had tumbled downwards and had struck one of the lower steps of the spiral staircase, spraying blood everywhere. It was bad luck that his head hit the next step. His forehead cracked. He felt as if things were spilling out from the insides of his skull.

Instantly, he lost consciousness – where it seemed like it had all ended, his body collided with another step, and the pain from his broken right arm woke him up as his body continued to lose its shape.

[Subaru: AHHHHHHHHHH!!! GYAAAAAA!!]

It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts.

Pain, anguish, vomiting, burning, Natsuki Subaru was being shattered into small pieces.

Arms, feet, face, every part of him was thrown and scraped against the stone staircase, broken, crushed, making it so he no longer resembled a person. No longer a person, into something that no longer was “Natsuki Subaru”.

– Memories are what shape people.

Subaru: [*Blurb*]

Whilst a spattering out a vast amount of blood, Subaru suddenly heard this voice.

Who had said such a silly thing, saying it like they understood him? But, it was a good thing to say. Memories are what shape people.

It was a good saying.

If so, what the hell does that make someone who’s lost his memories, and is no longer who he once was?

[Subaru: …………………………]

Blood was spewing out of his mouth; quite literally, a scream that spewed blood, his throat was completely crushed. Natsuki Subaru was falling apart, crumbling away until he reached the distant, distant ground.

There is no waking up from this dream. Natsuki Subaru had failed.

There would be no more second chances to try again. The end drew near.

Slowly, darkness, darkness… the world around him was being dyed black.

Who are you.

And finally, after all of his anguish and hot blood, Natsuki Subaru’s crumbled out of existence.

※※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※

※※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※

28 thoughts on “Arc 6 – Chapter 38, “Who Are You””

  1. Hmm, Shaula is more affectionate this time? Perhaps used to the Master smelling more strongly of the Witch’s Miasma?

    1. I’m getting the suspicion that Flugel either created the witch factors (or at least the system of granting them to people) or they initially belonged to him somehow or another, considering both Shaula’s reaction and that the witch factors seem to be “keys” to the tower.

      1. Seems incredibly obvious to me that Shaula isn’t mistaken and Subaru is in fact Flugel, which will see in another arc. Their similar senses of humor, her being totally sure that he is her master, what the witches said about Subaru being the sage.candidate, the trial requiring knowledge from his world. Subaru is obviously Flugel. 400 years in the past isn’t going to be something we just keep hearing repeated, we’re definitely going there eventually.

        Along these lines Emilia is probably going to Satella who had the witch factor implanted in her by the witch of envy. Since Satella literally had Emilia’s face in the tomb, this isn’t exactly a stretch.

        1. I agree. The fact that Subaru lost his memories and the way he views his pre-amnescic self seems, to me, to be a direct parallel to how Subaru views Flugel. In my eyes, this almost cements the Flugel is indeed some kind of version of Subaru.

    2. Subaru gazed around the room, not knowing what had happened to him. He could not comprehend a shred of the situation.

      [Subaru: …………………………]

      It was the room that he had gotten so used to seeing now, even if he would hesitate to call it “familiar”. The walls, floors and ceiling were covered in ivy, even the bed he had woken up in was woven with ivy.

      In front of him stood two girls – a beautiful lady and a beautiful little girl – both were craning their necks to look at him. A huge lizard was kneeling down beside his bed. On the other bed within the room, a girl with blue hair and closed eyes was lying there. There was absolutely nothing out of the ordinary; this was the green room of the Pleiades watchtower.

      [Subaru: But… Huh? Why am I here again?]

      Subaru didn’t know if he had even woken up.

      With his hands on his head, Subaru recalled what had happened just before. They had talked about challenging the second floor trial whilst he had tried to confirm whether he possessed any special abilities. After all of that, Subaru had walked through the tower to join with Emilia and the others after he had confirmed that he didn’t possess any abilities –

      [Subaru: Errr? What happened after that?]

      His memory of what had happened afterwards was unclear. He had woken up on this bed all of a sudden, that impression had been strong. And, whilst he fumbled to straighten his mind, a voice broke his train of thought,

      [Emilia: Hey, Subaru, are you feeling okay?]

      [Subaru: Uhh-aaah! Emilia-chan, you’re so close!]

      Emilia’s beautiful face had suddenly popped up right next to his; she was so close to him that he could feel her breath against his face. In seeing her amethyst coloured eyes, bordered by long eyelashes, approaching out of nowhere, Subaru scooted back to the opposite side of his bed.

      Emilia’s eyes widened in surprise at his overreaction.

      [Emilia: You don’t have to look so scared… Besides, it was me who had been scared earlier…]

      [Subaru: Scared…?]

      [Beatrice: Certainly. We thought that you had disappeared. We searched for you and found you collapsed, I suppose. It would be improper to not be worried.]

      [Subaru: Seriously? I collapsed again?]

      Beatrice crossed her arms and snorted in exasperation. Subaru was caught by surprise by her words – he stood up and patted his body to make sure it was okay. Yet, he couldn’t feel any abnormalities. Though it was dubious whether he would notice any differences considering his amnesia, there were no obvious signs of trauma.

      [Subaru: Still, it’s pretty dangerous to collapse twice in such a short time… although it has only been a couple of hours, should I feel lucky that my memories weren’t blown away again?]

      [Beatrice: What are you grumbling about… Subaru should have something to say to Betty and Emilia, I suppose.]

      [Subaru: Something to say…?]

      Beatrice threw these words at him as he was staring at his outstretched arms. Subaru turned around to see both Emilia and Beatrice staring at him. He was a little bit worried about what would he have to tell these two individuals.

      [Subaru: Well, I’m sorry. I apologise for worrying you all. You both saved me again.]

      [Beatrice: You’re doing fine so far.]

      [Emilia: Heh, you are most welcome. But, I am quite glad that nothing happened to you. I’m so relieved.]

      [Subaru: Ah, yes. I’m sorry to Emilia-chan, it’s inexcusable for me to cause you so much trouble all the time.]

      Raising his hand in apology, Subaru expresses his gratitude towards Emilia. However, when Emilia heard Subaru’s words, she furrowed her shapely eyebrows. Her amethyst eyes looked positively bewildered.

      [Emilia: Well, would, wait… Subaru, what happened just then?]

      [Subaru: What happened… that’s a vague question. What’s the issue?]

      [Emilia: Well, just now you called me Emilia-chan. Somehow, being called that makes me feel a little bit uneasy.]

      While saying this, Emilia began to fiddle with her long silver hair as she nervously looked at Subaru. Her gaze seemed to be filled with loneliness, Subaru involuntarily let out an internal yelp.

      Open and friendly, her appearance had struck Subaru’s taste. However, in regards to her current emotions, Subaru felt like there was a deep gap between them.

      [Beatrice: Subaru’s pranks are starting up again now, I suppose. More importantly…]

      Beatrice’s mood was starting to get worse after hearing the exchange of those two. Shaking her splendid drills, she snapped her fingers at Subaru. And, with a puff of her red cheeks, she said:

      [Beatrice: I want you to tell Betty and Emilia now. Why did you go to the『Taygeta』library last night, I suppose? Why did you collapse there?]

      [Subaru: Wait, wait, wait, wait! Wait, what, I collapsed again in Taygeta?]

      [Beatrice: Again?]

      [Subaru: Seriously, Taygeta is such a dreadful place… I don’t know what I was doing there again. After all, it’s a place with such a shady history, it was reckless of me, I guess.]

      Subaru had been told of an incident which his own memory did not recall; he was bewildered by this fact and started to feel a little bit unsettled. For sure, he could not recall anything before and after he had slipped out of consciousness. Still, there should be no reason for him to have visited Taygeta again. Rather, it’s more likely that someone must have found him collapsed elsewhere in the tower and brought him to Taygeta. Though, he didn’t see what the point of that would be.

      [Beatrice: Wait, I suppose. Subaru.]

      However, Beatrice had told him to wait up, as he began to feel confused.

      [Subaru: Yeah?]

      [Beatrice: Somehow, I think we’re not on the same wavelength. Subaru, tell us the story accurately, I suppose.]

      [Subaru: Accurately…? What do you mean?]

      [Beatrice: Try telling us about the situation you’re in right now.]

      Patiently, Beatrice slowly spelled this out to Subaru. He nodded his head as he sensed the intimidation in her tone as she spoke those heavy words. And, whilst Emilia looked at him with a worried expression on her face, Subaru strained his memory in thought.

      [Subaru: Well, I think I told you… when I woke up I had no memories. Though it doesn’t mean that they are completely empty. My memories since being summoned to this parallel world are…]

      [Beatrice: Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait!? Memories? What do you mean by memories, I suppose!?]

      [Subaru: Huh?]

      Beatrice’s usually dignified manner was abruptly shattered as Subaru had begun his explanation. He was surprised by her unexpected reaction. Emilia had placed her hand on the panicked Beatrice’s shoulder to steady her. But Emilia wasn’t calm either. She was also looking at Subaru in astonishment.

      [Emilia: Subaru, I am sorry, I don’t know what you’re saying…]

      [Subaru: No, I’d feel bothered if I stop here, I have you two here…]

      – He was supposed to know what to say next, he tried to continue, but his words trailed off.

      [“……………………”]

      Both Emilia and Beatrice looked at Subaru with sheer bewilderment in their eyes. It was plain to him that they were not acting. And because he thought they were not acting, that made it all the more terrifying to him.

      Why were they forgetting about when he had told them about his amnesia?

      Surely, the tower hadn’t sucked up the memories of those other than Subaru. A terrifying thought rose to his mind. Namely, this tower was an awful one, sucking out everyone’s memories to some degree, making conversation impossible.

      Then, Subaru realised.

      [Subaru: When I woke up, and when talking to those two…]

      And on top of that, he may have remembered something. No, not may have. He had definitely remembered something.

      The first time he had met Emilia and Beatrice, when he was told he had lost his memories… the conversation had sounded exactly like the one now.

      To put it more plainly, waking up in the Green Room, lying on the ivy bed, was that not a carbon copy of the situation earlier when he was told he had lost his memories?

      [Subaru: …………………]

      Thinking about this fact, Subaru gulped loudly.

      If you look at Emilia and Beatrice, both of their behaviours had not changed. However it is not from distrust that they were glancing at Subaru in sheer bewilderment, rather it’s from concern in their heart towards “Subaru”. The fact that there was no deception in their gazes made Subaru feel much more calm at heart.

      In all honesty, Subaru’s heart had been undulating under great turmoil. But, having made this guess at the current situation –

      [Subaru: I am seeing the same events again. I must be experiencing precognitive dreams.]

      Given his situation when he woke up, is it not reasonable to think this? If so, when he had lost consciousness, should he rather say that he had woke up? In that moment just before he woke up his memories had been incredibly hazy. Dreams did, for some reason,slip through the cracks between ones fingers when trying to keep them jumbled together. Or maybe these precognitive dreams were a special ability Subaru was given when summoned into this world –
      [Subaru: It’s difficult to make use of – it’s a pretty selective ability…]

      However, there’s no doubt that if he could master it, then it would be quite a potent ability. In the end, a precognitive dream would let him foresee the future. The longer it would show him the truth for, the greater chance of finding a clue to overcome the situation. Unfortunately, he did not think that he got much useful information out of this precognitive dream –

      [Subaru: – you two, I need you to calm down just a little and hear what I have to say.]

      Sitting up straight, Subaru now had an understanding of the ability he possessed. He turned towards them and said that. Emilia and Beatrice both look at Subaru and nod, with serious expressions on their faces. Looking towards them, Subaru said with a slight hint of hesitation:

      [Subaru: I don’t know if you can believe this, but I seem to have lost my memories.]

      ※※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※

      – Subaru had awakened at the Taygeta Library and lost his memories.

      It took as much time as it had in the precognitive dream for Emilia and Beatrice to digest what he had confessed.

      [Emilia: Aieee!]

      With an air-splitting sound, the girl slammed her palms onto her own cheeks with all her strength. Her anxious eyes widened up in pain, and at the shock, as she motivated herself with an “Alright”

      It was a brave, almost manly way of accepting it – something he had also seen in his precognitive dream.

      [Emilia: I’m fine. Being like that is no-good, is it? How could we keep making that troubled face when Subaru must be feeling even more troubled than we are… look, Beatrice too!]

      Having rallied her strength with a vigorous speech, Emilia shook Beatrice’s shoulder. In front of Emilia’s geared up presence, Beatrice looked at her, unable to hide her confusion.

      [Emilia: I’m shocked too, and I also understand the sadness… but right now, we have to think about the one who’s taking this the hardest. We have to do something for him, don’t we?]

      [Beatrice: Be- Betty is…]

      [Beatrice: …………………] 1

      Subaru fought back a pang in his chest as he watches Beatrice struggle to get her words out. Subaru knew exactly what Beatrice would say, and what sort of face she would make. But he was quite wrong in thinking that it would bring him some peace of mind.

      Having to betray someone’s feeling of hopes was tough, rather it was terrifying. No matter how many times he had to do it, regardless whether it was the same problem for the second time, it was all the same. And now, Subaru knew Beatrice much better than the first time he met her. That was why it was tougher for Subaru than the first time.

      [Beatrice: aaaauuggghhh, just, really! Subaru is just the most hopeless Contractor in the world!]

      With that said, Beatrice broke through her embarrassment – the pattern of the butterfly wings that adorned her irises started to flutter in her eyes. While he was relieved by that, Subaru felt a strong sense of self-hatred.

      …Was this right. Was he satisfied with this? Yeah, Natsuki Subaru…
      …Could he really erect a castle upon the sand, on top of the bonds and faith he’d already built up?

      [“…………………………………”]

      Subaru gritted his teeth together as he saw Emilia and Beatrice’s heartwrenching, albeit gentle, determination.

      Subaru had not confided to them that he was able to experience precognitive dreams. The conversation after he woke up, and with remembering their names, he pushed the fact that not all of his memories had fallen out. In fact, besides his memory loss of course, Subaru’s report had also been about the allocation of his missing memories. He couldn’t afford to doubt the two people with him, and furthermore, Subaru himself didn’t want to engage in any unproductive conversation.

      Above all else, he wanted to figure out how far his precognitive dreams would show the truth correctly for. For this reason, he did not want to create a situation which would deviate from what his precognitive dream had shown him. Although some changes had occurred at the start, they were not anything too big.

      However, this was not the only reason that he did not mention his precognitive dreams.

      [Subaru: …………………………]

      Neither Emilia, Beatrice, Ram, Julius, Echidna nor even anyone had explained to Subaru that he had this『Precognitive Dreams』ability. Shaula and Meili also hadn’t. It’s difficult to imagine that they intentionally hid it from Subaru. Even under the prior circumstances it’s difficult to believe that they all had the same intention; it made no sense.

      Then it was inevitable that there was only one reason why they wouldn’t know of his『Precognitive Dreams』– that is, Natsuki Subaru had never revealed to them his ability.

      [Subaru: … what were you thinking, Natsuki Subaru.]

      Subaru calls his name out as if he was referring to a different person… No, saying as if he was referring to a different person was wrong. It was a different person.

      To Subaru, “Natsuki Subaru” is an unknown person who doesn’t exist. He can’t guess what he is thinking and he can’t interact with him. There would be no chance of getting to understand him.

      Why did “Subaru” not tell Emilia et al. about his power?

      Was it because he didn’t want to change the development of these precognitive dreams as much as possible? Even if it was due to that, surely once the situation had been overcome there would have been time to confide this? Was there a reason why he couldn’t say it?

      A distrust of the old “Subaru” was steadily growing within him.

      [Subaru: You…]

      … what were you thinking, “Natsuki Subaru”.

      ※※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※

      – After that, the events took place as expected, roughly following what he had seen in his precognitive dreams.

      [Emilia: So, I guess everyone is pretty shocked…… Subaru is in quite a situation right now. But, even in a situation like this…… no, precisely because the situation is like this, we should give him our support.]

      Emilia explains to the others how Subaru has lost his memories. Although it wasn’t the greatest of explanations, it was now impossible to make a follow-up in case he drastically changed the events. Thus, in place of Emilia, who sucked with words, Beatrice ended up taking on the struggle.

      And then –

      [Ram: Is this some kind of prank, Barusu?]

      Ram had suspected that Subaru’s situation might have been a prank –

      [Shaula: Say, Master… you’re still not tired of playing around like thissss? Just how many times do you have to forget me before you cut that outtt?]

      Shaula had indifferently accepted that he had lost his memories as if she thought it was something that couldn’t be helped–

      [Meili: Really, Onii-san sure looks like really troubled, doesn’t he]

      Whether disinterested or not, Meili smiled at the prank, as if enjoying the atmosphere of confusion –

      [Echidna: Just, let’s give him a little time to settle down. That’s fine, right?]

      Worried about Julius as he’d became extremely upset at hearing that Subaru had lost his memories, soon after Echidna suggested for them to take a brief interval to collect their thoughts. He accepted Ram’s invitation and left the room to fetch some water. Then when they were alone with just the two of them, Ram grabbed Subaru by his collar and pushes him against the wall.

      [Ram: ……Please, spit it… out]

      He’d parted with some of his saintliness. However, that’s not to say that he wasn’t shook to the core. After hearing Ram’s quiet sobs, Subaru returned back to where everyone was with this conviction…

      …The precognitive dreams are accurate. They are terribly accurate and foreshadow the events completely.

      Subaru didn’t know everything they would say and do, but the impression that they had given was pretty much unchanged. If there was a problem –

      [Echidna: Natsuki-kun is quite calm despite the situation.]

      Re-introducing each other, and both revealing their bombshells, with that Anastasia’s consciousness was currently overwritten by Echidna’s, Echidna said that to Subaru.

      [Subaru: …………………]

      Subaru felt his mouth dry up after hearing Echidna’s words. To be honest, Echidna’s observation was understandable. Subaru himself couldn’t really do much about it.

      Everyone was shocked and in a state of panic. Still, whilst seeing her trying to smooth over the absurd situation, he couldn’t help but not feel much empathy from within his heart for them. It’s like when you watch a movie for a second time – the emotions you experience are not as strong as the first time you watch it.

      That which he felt even stronger, was a flurry of negative emotions, namely sympathy towards them for putting on such a brave face, guilt for leaving them as is despite knowing that, and a feeling of revulsion towards “Subaru” who’d probably continued to do such.

      It was no wonder that Subaru bore a dark expression on his face coupled with a taciturn attitude – even though they had thought that was him remaining calm. In any case –

      [Subaru: I am happy that things have settled down. I was the type of kid who’d always get “He never settles down” written down in his report card.]

      [Echidna: Reeport caaard, I don’t really understand that that means… is that something of the ‘parallel world’?]

      [Subaru: Yeah.]

      Narrowing his eyes, Subaru nods his head at Echidna’s question. The way he answered the question about the meaning of “Parallel World” did not change again. He explained how he was summoned to this different world and found himself in this place. And the same understanding came from Emilia, Echidna and the others who concluded that he originated from beyond『The Great Waterfall.』

      Perhaps, even if he could not fully reproduce the events of his precognitive dreams, events that hold some sense of importance would still be realized with some slight changes to them. It’s something typically found in Subaru’s future prediction line of games and manga.

      Though the response to a sudden situation may change, what you decide to do doesn’t disappear so easily. A person who has decided to ask someone out on a date goes and asks the person out in a completely different way than before, where there now are some notable obstacles in the way – that is the feeling he is getting from this. In other words, Echidna was going to ask about the different world, regardless of whether he had lost his memories.

      [Subaru: Even though I didn’t explain it up till now, was I still careless in mentioning the word ‘Parallel World’ … I don’t even know what to think anymore.]

      Due to the nature of his precognitive dreams, confiding his ability was difficult, and rather than that, it was incredibly strange that he hadn’t talked about the different world. It was almost like he’d just given up, deeming it pointless to confide it.

      As if he were afraid to.

      [Echidna: After all, it’s odd that you sound the least confused amongst used. We are all growing uneasy here, thinking we must do something about it.]

      [Subaru: Maybe this is what they mean when they all talk about everyone being in a panic, but the person in question instead grows calm. Even I’m nervous, thinking we oughta do something about it. So rest assured there.]

      [Emilia: I feel like we can’t feel relieved with that at all…]

      Both Echidna and Subaru shrug their shoulders at each other. Emilia’s looked quite dispirited as she spoke those words, the mood was somehow still hitting rock bottom.

      After all, Subaru’s attitude was growing. He had tried to mimic his precognitive dream as much as possible; however, how attempts at mimicking his attitude had been quite poor. It was very difficult to imitate the confused self he had seen in his dream. So, before he spouts out additional nonsense –

      [Subaru: Anyways, I understand the situation we are in. I know that there’s a lot of confusion, but let’s overcome it together. Let’s do something about it.]

      Clapping his hands together, Subaru tried to progress the conversation ahead. Beatrice nodded in response, and as if obeying the precognitive dream, she said:

      [Beatrice: You will want to check the『Taygeta』library, I suppose.]

      ※※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※

      [Shaula: Ueeeh~]

      With a loose-lipped smile, the glamorous, beautiful woman let out a shriek. If she would just straighten herself out and start to look more dignified her beauty would surely captivate the hearts of many men. Her face relaxed though, as she tried to snuggle into Subaru.

      [Shaula: Master, Master. I’m haaappyyy~. I swear I’ll make you haaappyyy!]

      [Subaru: Hey, don’t say that. Don’t hug my arm. You’re frighteningly soft!]

      [Shaula: Ah! I just wanna have it so those means parts to you are smushed you know.]

      Subaru continued to push her away by her forehead whilst Shaula tried to desperately cling onto his arms. In all honesty, being clung onto by a beautiful woman who from the start took on a tempting appearance, was a sense of distance that he wanted to restrain himself from, both in terms of Subaru’s strength as a human, and as a boy.

      Subaru and the others had arrived now at the 3rd floor of the watchtower, where the『Taygeta』 library was. As it had been in his dream, they would search the library in an attempt to find out how Subaru had lost his memories, and if possible, get them back.

      However Subaru knows that their search will be ineffective, and that they will bring back no results. It was going to be an irritating time for him now, since he was not allowed to participate in the search. Though to him, it looked like Shaula was acting way too over-familiar than his dream had shown –

      [Shaula: After all, Master, you chose us over that chibi-ko, didn’t youuuu?]

      [Subaru: It’s not like I specifically chose it! Due to what’s happening, I couldn’t help but be stuck with you!]

      Shaula spoke this with a ditzy expression,talking about their approach to『Taygeta.』

      Although the distance to the library was not long, Subaru had arranged it so that he wouldn’t have to hold hands with Emilia and Beatrice.

      His intention behind it had been out of pangs of conscience towards Beatrice and Emilia.

      Given that he knew what was going to happen thanks to his precognitive dream, he didn’t reveal the fact that it was probably going to be a waste of time, and putting it like that, with a birds eye view of the situations, Subaru treat the two girls like so.

      Therefore, he was now sitting next to the air-headed Shaula whilst waiting for the party to finish searching『Taygeta.』

      [Shaula: Finally, Master recognized how charming and attractive I am! I had to wait 400 years for this! I’m so happy, I’m so happy! I will give you such a passionate kiiiisss!]

      [Subaru: That’s not what I was implying! That’s scary! Really, stop it!]

      Shaula was pressing her body down onto his; Subaru tried desperately to push her off, but she had unusual strength, and thus he found himself pinned against a wall. This wasn’t even a kabe-don, it was a kabe-gowaa! That’s how intense it was!

      And, just before the virginity of Subaru’s lips, which had never experienced the love of a woman, was forcefully taken away –

      [Meili: Hey, hey, onii-san seems to dislike this. Quit fooling about.]

      [Shaula: Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!]

      It had been Meili who had dragged Shaula off him by pulling her back by her ponytail.

      Shaula twisted her neck, took back her ponytail from her, and carefully cradled her long, black hair against her chest.

      [Shaula: What did you do to my hair!? What did you do to my precious hair, you horrible little giiirl!]

      [Meili: I don’t want my silver haired onee-san or Beatrice-chan to be angry. I was keeping watch to make sure that my half-naked onee-san didn’t do anything bad to my onii-san.]

      [Shaula: Grrrrr! So annoying! Master, please do somethiiiing!]

      [Subaru: Shaula, don’t you dare come within two metres of me. You’re scary.]

      [Shaula: Master’s such an idioooooot.]

      Shaula turned her back from Subaru, feigning a break down to tears.

      Subaru scratched his cheeks in confusion as he looked on at her exposed back, then he turns around to face Meili who was holding her hands behind her back.

      [Subaru: Ah, you were a great help… now that’s a strange thing to say to a killer.]

      [Meili: Don’t worry. This killer has gone out of business, now I do what onii-san, onee-san and her friends tell me. Onii-san and the others can make good use of me, like when I help out with the wicked wanimals.]

      [Subaru: ……………………………]

      She spoke with no malice or ulterior motive, that’s why Subaru didn’t react to her words. Meili did not seem to be especially affected by any particular pangs of conscience as she spoke. Those were difference between the values of his world and this one.

      [Meili: ………………………………]

      She said nothing in response to Subaru’s silence. She just looked at him silently with an unfathomable expression on her face. Meili now turned to gaze indifferently at the direction which Emilia was searching the library. The girl was quite short, had a youthful face, her arms and legs were still tiny, and there was still quite a way to go before she reached womanhood. In the end, she was still a child. It was unbearable to him that she held such broken values about herself.

      [Subaru: Maybe, even in you, there’s still plenty we can rely on, so I’m counting on you!]

      [Meili: …? Eh, so this is what you’re saying? “Make good use of me”.]

      [Subaru: No, not use. Rely. We’re not tools that can be just used, think of it like a… friendship?]

      [Meili: … Hmmph.]

      For a second Meili had regarded Subaru’s words in shock. Though it had only been for a fleeting moment, she had quickly averted her eyes afterwards. Subaru was relieved that she had not reacted in discomfort; rather it had seemed like a faint glimmer of comfort had flitted across her face. Even if within her heart she held broken values about herself, it didn’t mean that everything she could feel would end up being out of sync from that which Subaru knew.

      The fact that they both could compromise about these unknown circumstances made Subaru feel a little bit better.

      [Meili: … Onii-san really doesn’t remember anything, right?]

      [Subaru: Yup? Unfortunately. Was something on your mind?]

      He had unexpectedly shaken something about his memories from Meili. Subaru tried to ask her what she had meant by it. Hearing his question, Meili just put her fingers to her lips and gave a very sweet smile: “Oh yeaah.”

      [Meili: Petra-chan would cry if she heard it.]

      [Subaru: Ugh… I don’t even know who that is.]

      [Meili: Petra-chan is a girl that love’s Onii-san. She was worried about you going all the way out here; It felt almost like I could hear her say “Look, I knew it”.]

      [Subaru: God damn that me from yesterday, what thoughtless things he did…]

      Subaru looked on bitterly, thinking in distress about this young girl, Petra that he had not yet seen. How much would he end up learning about the footprints that the “Subaru” unknown to him had left?

      [Meili: Really, I honestly think that my opinion of Onii-san from yesterday is that he was quite careless as well.]

      Meili was stretching as she said this, ignoring the turmoil she had left in Subaru’s heart. In his mind it had sounded like what she had said had been accompanied by a very strange emotion.

      In any case, Emilia and the others would come back before he could quickly confirm it. If they had found no clues, it would only reinforce how accurate his predictive dream had been.

      ※※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※

      Since the search of『Taygeta』ended with no success, they would now prepare to go up to the second floor.

      Ultimately, from now on the scope of the precognitive dreams would stop around about here – Subaru had until now not doubted the accuracy in his future prediction ability at all.

      The events had transitioned just as Subaru had experienced them before. If any issues were to occur at this point, he would not be able to respond by using his knowledge of the future that his precognitive dreams had shown.

      [Subaru: I am able to predict the future, isn’t it insane that I managed to confirm it?]

      However, it was also strange. In the first place, Subaru didn’t know how what conditions were needed to activate his precognitive dreams. If he fell asleep, would it activate, or did it need some sort of trigger – or was it just completely random? It would be unlikely that there would be time to find a place to sleep due to the urgency of the current situation. However, he wanted to depend on the power of his foresight – certainly, he would need to find out more details about this. He would need to investigate thoroughly what he could do with his foresight.

      [Subaru: For now, just as in my dream, I managed to force Beatrice to leave me alone, but…]

      Subaru had asked Beatrice to leave him alone as he tried out via trial and error the transformation poses. It had seemed that Beatrice had been trying to remain more attached to him than he had seen in his dreams. That was probably as a consequence of being around her less than he had been in his dreams, such as on the way to『Taygeta.』In any case he had a reason for being alone.

      [Subaru: I have to find out why I woke up and what happened to me just before I woke up.]

      It may be that he just happened to wake up normally. However, it could also be that there was something within his dream that had caused him to wake up. Something like encountering a horrible experience, or a painful one.

      [Subaru: I’m a little freaked out right now… what if I start to have precognitive dreams-ception; it’s spooky, it’s like as if I was dreaming of being a butterfly.]3

      Dreaming of being a butterfly is the situation where you dream of physically being a butterfly, but when you awake you aren’t really sure whether you are a butterfly dreaming of being a person, or a person having dreamt of being a butterfly. It felt like it would become a vicious, never-ending loop, like a self-fulfilling prophecy that would drive the footholds of his own self to a corner of uncertainty, as something unreliable.

      [Subaru: … in order to avoid this, I need to go past where my dream ended. If I can do that, then I should be able to tell Emilia and the others about my precognitive dreams.]

      The “Subaru” before losing his memories had unfortunately avoided confiding his ability to Emilia and the others. However, Subaru now was anxious to change this situation and confide to everyone what he could do.

      He didn’t know what would become, if he were to do such a careless thing, frightened by this anxiety, he didn’t want to bring a situation about where he’d delay it now.

      [Subaru … I have decided.]

      Looking back to re-evaluate his position, Subaru had finally decided that he would tell them about his precognitive dreams. Nonetheless, what was coming up ahead was an unknown to him. After the point at which Beatrice had left, his memories including those of having performed the transformation poses were quite fuzzy. Therefore, showing proof that he could experience precognitive dreams would be quite difficult to do. In addition he didn’t know how to activate them. He would need them to cooperate with him when he tried to explain his ability.

      If he could master his dreams, it would become an extremely powerful weapon at his disposal. Or perhaps it was a necessary weapon that would allow them to conquer the Pleiades Watchtower. With these thoughts in mind –

      [?: – As for Natsuki-kun, is it not dangerous for him to accompany us in the crazed state he’s in right now?]

      [*In the distance*: ………………………]

      Having arrived in front of the hall, in an attempt to join everyone, Subaru held his breath at hearing those words.

      The intelligent voice he had heard was Echidna’s. For some reason in in his mind, Subaru had hesitated to announce his presence, and had decided to hide behind the wall. The conversation in the hall continued.

      [Emilia: Echidna, what do you mean by dangerous?]

      [Echidna: There’s nothing else to say right? Considering the state he’s in right now, it’s certain he has lost his memories. However what he said afterwards was truly crazed. The way he explained the term “Parallel World” is proof.]

      [Emilia: Parallel… world…]

      [Julius: You don’t truly believe he came from beyond the Great Waterfall?]

      Julius and Emilia seemed shocked at hearing Echidna’s words. Subaru’s heart lurched, what did Echidna’s remarks mean now? He wanted to jump out from his hiding spot and ask her, but for now he would suppress that emotion. Even if Subaru didn’t ask, surely someone else would –

      [Ram: It was certainly an absurd explanation.]

      [Emilia: Ram…, you too doubt what Subaru said?]

      Emilia reacted in surprise at Ram’s cold, indifferent tone. In response to her question, Ram said: “Emilia-sama”

      [Ram: It’s not like I doubt Barusu’s argument from the start. Indeed, Barusu’s knowledge, behaviour and strange customs are things which are unknown to us. It is clear that he may indeed come from a place which none of us here know about.]

      [Emilia: Well, in that case–]

      [Ram: But, where he came from, it’s limited to this world. I am sure being from beyond the Great Waterfall could be tailored to mean Barusu’s term: “Parallel World”, but I can’t believe the existence of such a place… there is no reason to believe him now at all anymore.]

      [Emilia: Ram…]

      Emilia’s voice faintly trailed away as she heard Ram’s explanation, which felt like she was enduring bitterness in it. But, there was no reply; Emilia quietly cleared her throat,

      [Emilia: I believe in Subaru, Beatrice too, so, please, please, try to believe what Subaru said.]

      [Julius: … Emilia-sama, Echidna is not suggesting that Subaru is trying to deceive us on purpose. She is just saying that he’s in a terrible state of confusion.]

      [Beatrice: In that statement, you still agree with that spirit, I suppose!?]

      Julius tries to rationally explain their thoughts to Emilia. However, Beatrice was having none of it, as she was intent on remaining on Subaru’s side in this matter. Her temper had flared considerably. At that moment, an unnerving silence had fallen within the room; Subaru’s forehead had started to sweat.

      [Shaula: Heeeey, it’s best if you all quit fighting and settle dooown. Even if y’all are at each other’s throats arguing here, right now, Master’s not here, so no way he’s gonna be pleased.]

      [Meili: I don’t think it’s quite a discussion on that scale yet… but, what yeah, right.]

      He heard the voices of Shaula and Meili, who were still seemed to be bystanders. Laughing rather superciliously for a short while, Meili continued her speech with: “Going crazy,”

      [Meili: Why don’t you ask Onii-san directly? Onii-san, are you going crazy?]

      [Subaru: ………………hk]

      Subaru gritted his teeth to those venomous words. He had remained surprisingly calm when he had stood against the wall; he carefully left the room without making any footsteps.

      [“………………………………..”]

      After putting some distance between them, his prudent footsteps quickened in pace, which then turned into a run. Then, arriving at a passageway where no one was present, he pressed his forehead against the wall.

      [Subaru Damn it…]

      Not knowing what he should say to whom, Subaru struck the wall, letting out the feelings that were smouldering inside him. The discussion that had taken place in Subaru’s absence was an unexpected shock to him. He wasn’t conceited enough to think that he had gained their full confidence. Rather, he could safely say that such a point hadn’t been in his thoughts.

      Subaru had thought that trust was such a basic pre-principle. Emilia and Beatrice had been too kind and thoughtful towards Subaru. Whilst insisting to himself that it had felt far too uncomfortable, he had tricked himself into believing that it was true. There was no doubt that being from a different place would have helped them conquer from the tower.

      With the handicap of losing his memories and his calm and collected thoughts, he had lost all his usefulness. Looking at it objectively, he realized just how shameless he was. What was trust in this tower in the desert? He himself couldn’t understand it much. He wondered if he could ever handle what “Natsuki Subaru” had gained.

      [Subaru: In this state, it’s no use telling them about my precognitive dreams.]

      The fact that they believed in his memory loss was proof of these people’s virtue. At the same time however, they were sensible people who did not believe in a “Different World”. Therefore, he didn’t even have to think about what response an explanation of his precognitive dreams would provoke.

      [Subaru: From the start, I bungled it up…]

      Messed up, he had messed up.

      In the meanwhile, how would Subaru overturn their evaluations of him, showing that he could be dependable at this point. What was sought now, what was needed now was “Natsuki Subaru”. Not Natsuki Subaru.

      Was it alright if he feigned ignorance and went back down to them? Also, in a state which he didn’t know what kind of exchange had taken place, would it be okay if he shamelessly joined the capture of the second floor? Or would Emilia and Beatrice veto that, and have him left behind.

      And who would be keeping an eye on him there.

      At least he’d like to hope for Shaula or Meili, given that conversation with them was no issue.

      [Subaru: …Fuck, I’m such an idiot.]

      Whilst saying those words out loud, Subaru abruptly came out of the passageway he was walking through. He had come across the great spiral staircase which connected the fourth floor to the floors below – a gaping hole stretched out from the middle of the watchtower to its lower half. It was truly colossal.

      [Subaru: Spiral, staircase…]

      Suddenly, laying his eyes on that scene, Subaru started to ponder. Including his dreams, this was his second time he had come here. Both in dream and reality, Emilia and everyone else had guided the amnesiac Subaru around the tower. So, recognizing this place was not a mistake, but―

      [Subaru: No, apart than that, I feel something strange…]

      Goosebumps coursed down his body, he felt the hairs on his back stand on end. The blood in his whole body felt cold, and the ringing in his ears was awfully loud. His heartbeat had accelerated, his breathing became rough and his knees began trembling for whatever reason. His teeth had begun making an uncontrollable chattering noise. Subaru became aware of these abnormalities.

      However, they were not caused due to any changes in temperature or any external causes. This abnormality, this unusual phenomenon, had been caused by Subaru’s own body. To say more about it, the influence on his body was as if it was Subaru’s spirit or something from a deeper place –

      [Subaru: – ah.]

      With a faint tap, Subaru felt a slight impact just as he was stepping forward.

      ―No, it couldn’t be said that he stepped forward.

      To step forward is a term which presumes there is some solid ground which can be stepped on.

      Stepping ahead, his leg had come out.

      And his foot had scratched the air.

      And so he,

      [Subaru: A

      ICANRETURA

      NBYDEATHHEA

      LPMEPATLASHMA

      YFRIEND.ALSOEMILA

      IAIWANTTOCONFESSTA

      HATIMGAY.ANYWAYSIFYA

      OUAREREADINGTHISTHENA

      ITSJUSTAJOKE.AWAYFORMETA

      OFORMATTHISSTUPIDLINEONNA

      WORDPRESS.ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ-!?]

      Falling, falling— he was plummeting.

      His whole body was overwhelmed by a feeling of weightlessness; he was falling down mid-air, losing sight of what was up or down. A tremendous gust of wind was hitting his eardrums. Subaru understood what was happening. He was falling.

      No, there had been a light impact back then. But, that didn’t necessarily indicate that he’d fallen.

      He’d been pushed dow-

      [Subaru: “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA –!!”]

      Screaming his lungs out, Subaru desperately stretched out his hands— searching for somewhere, anywhere to hold on to. There was nothing. There was nowhere he could hold on to. The world around him was spinning around so much, that he couldn’t comprehend the world around him.

      A desperate feeling of wanting to vomit overpowers him as all the contents of his body are pulled from bottom to top. Chunks of yellow vomit overflows from his mouth, spilling out right into the air around him.

      This sensation… he remembered it. In the midst of his pain and vomiting, the memories that had once been ambiguous had suddenly sharpened.

      Yes, yes, that was it. Before he had woken up, the end of his precognitive dream, Subaru had been experiencing the same thing.

      He had fallen, lamented his futile situation, and then he had lost consciousness. And after that, he had woken up from his precognitive dream and found himself in the Green Room –

      Suddenly, Subaru experiences a great impact on the right side of his body, shattering his bones into pieces.

      [*CRACK*]

      The sound of something breaking filled the air, his right side felt like it had been hit by lightning – Subaru’s cries were silenced. And, right after, even if a bit belated, a severe pain coursed through his body.

      [Subaru: GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!]

      His right arm was sticking out at an odd angle, completely broken from the elbow with the bone protruding out from his skin. He was covered in blood, his jacket was torn, and he could see his own pinkish muscles and white bone from underneath his torn skin.

      He crashed. Subaru’s body crashed against the spiral staircase whilst he fell down towards the bottom. As it is now, his uncontrolled spiralling descent would end up destroying Subaru’s body, and still he didn’t stop.

      No, it was far worse.

      [Subaru: GHA! GHHH! GHHUU!]

      His body that had tumbled downwards and had struck one of the lower steps of the spiral staircase, spraying blood everywhere. It was bad luck that his head hit the next step. His forehead cracked. He felt as if things were spilling out from the insides of his skull.

      Instantly, he lost consciousness – where it seemed like it had all ended, his body collided with another step, and the pain from his broken right arm woke him up as his body continued to lose its shape.

      [Subaru: AHHHHHHHHHH!!! GYAAAAAA!!]

      It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts.

      Pain, anguish, vomiting, burning, Natuski Subaru was being shattered into small pieces.

      Arms, feet, face, every part of him was thrown and scraped against the stone staircase, broken, crushed, making it so he no longer resembled a person. No longer a person, into something that no longer was “Natuski Subaru”.

      – Memories are what shape people.

      Subaru: [*Blurb*]

      Whilst a spattering out a vast amount of blood, Subaru suddenly heard this voice.

      Who had said such a silly thing, saying it like they understood him? But, it was a good thing to say. Memories are what shape people.

      It was a good saying.

      If so, what the hell does that make someone who’s lost his memories, and is no longer who he once was?

      [Subaru: …………………………]

      Blood was spewing out of his mouth; quite literally, a scream that spewed blood, his throat was completely crushed. Natsuki Subaru was falling apart, crumbling away until he reached the distant, distant ground.

      There is no waking up from this dream. Natsuki Subaru had failed.

      There would be no more second chances to try again. The end dew near.

      Slowly, darkness, darkness… the world around him was being dyed black.

      – Who are you.

      And finally, after all of his anguish and hot blood, Natuski Subaru’s crumbled out of existence.

      ※※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※

  2. I love how this time around Subaru calls it “Precognitive Dreams”. Time loops and precognition are really just two different ways to describe the same thing.

    And that ending…haven’t had a “nothing changes” life since arc 3.

  3. Damn, an intense chapter! How many tries will he need to pass? I have a guess as to what happened( Note: I have not read beyond this) though I think its an obvious guess. He made some kind of deal with the 2cd trial guy(or someone) that he could accomplish a certain goal and work together with them even without memories( knowing. He had RBD) It seems hinted that he would have to pass with some special circumstances like Emilia did. So its probably like that. Idk about the voice, is it the 2cd floor guy? Or maybe its connected to the library. Or maybe its echidona somehow? Exciting stuff.

  4. Damn, an intense chapter! How many tries will he need to pass? I have a guess as to what happened( Note: I have not read beyond this) though I think its an obvious guess. He made some kind of deal with the 2cd trial guy(or someone) that he could accomplish a certain goal and work together with them even without memories( knowing. He had RBD) It seems hinted that he would have to pass with some special circumstances like Emilia did. So its probably like that. Idk about the voice, is it the 2cd floor guy? Or maybe its connected to the library. Or maybe its echidona somehow? Exciting stuff.

    1. Eh, you’ve probably read ahead now, but I think he went to read Reid’s Book, and it’s against the rules

      1. my theory is that he went to read reids book but found an empty book and it took his memories , meaning there is a Subaru Natsuki book in the libary somewhere , or he somehow managed to beat the 2nd trial and this happened to him in the 2nd libary or the 3rd trial
        there has to be a reason the author has made sure subaru is benched on the 2nd trial retry every time , Reid has got to have some clue to this

  5. Ouch. This one is actually up there with one of his most painful deaths. I would rank it 3rd or 4th.

    Just like in Arc 1, first time experiencing Return by Death left him confused since it all happened instantly. So I can’t really blame him for not understanding what his ability is, plus “Precognitive Dream” is a solid guess.

    1. Tbh, it is a pretty good guess, but the fact that we already know the nature of his ability makes this a little difficult to read. It feels like he’s gonna make the same mistakes he made in arcs 2 and 3 :/

  6. I know i am extremely late to post this comment BUT there is a hidden message left by the trans, it was written in white at the part where he is falling. Totally found this by accident bruh

  7. I know i am extremely late to post this comment BUT there is a hidden message left by the trans, it was written in white at the part where he is falling. Totally found this by accident bruh

  8. His sixth death. Arc 6 now officially has the most deaths ever. And we’re not even halfway through!

  9. Omg I put it on “Show Reader” on IPhone and I found this in the test when he fell down the stairs lmao.
    A

    ICANRETURA

    NBYDEATHHEA

    LPMEPATLASHMA

    YFRIEND.ALSOEMILA

    IAIWANTTOCONFESSTA

    HATIMGAY.ANYWAYSIFYA

    OUAREREADINGTHISTHENA

    ITSJUSTAJOKE.AWAYFORMETA

    OFORMATTHISSTUPIDLINEONNA

    WORDPRESS.ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ-!?]

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