Arc 5, Chapter 29 – “Gorgeous Tiger”

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All rights belong to Tappei Nagatsuki, the original author of the Re:Zero series. This is an English translation of the free web novel which is available at:

http://ncode.syosetu.com/N2267BE/

Translated by:

• Nanashi-tan
• Phantaminum

Proofread by:

• Phantaminum
• SSCaide

Art Source:

• rb_crr

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——Half a day before Garfiel had rushed into the shelter,

Mimi: [And then~ Hetaro was on the verge of tears, so Mimi had no choice but to hold his hand. And then Tivey looked lonely, so Mimi had no choice. So I ended up holding both of their hands~!]

Garfiel: […Ah, is that so?]

Mimi: [Yep, that’s riiiiight. And then, after that, the lady looked reaaaaaaally happy!]

Even having been given that uninterested response, the petite girl walking beside him smiled, not discouraged in the least.

That girl, who was like the very picture of innocence, had orange hair and round eyes. Garfiel had no idea why she had entangled herself with someone from a hostile faction—— this beastwoman, Mimi.

She had been like this since he’d arrived at the city of Pristella. No, looking back, she had been clinging to Garfiel ever since she’d gone to the Roswaal mansion as a messenger.

Initially, he had suspected that Mimi had been trying to get a read on Emilia’s strongest retainer, but that hypothesis had been soon dismissed due to Mimi’s behavior. Now, he was honestly thinking that she somehow liked him.

It was impossible to deduce the reason, and Garfiel could only tilt his head curiously to the side.

——Now, they were walking along Pristella’s streets side-by-side in the dusk.

Neither had invited the other, rather, Mimi had just followed Garfiel as he skulked away from the inn.

Although he had hoped he could be alone to meditate, Garfiel was too embarrassed to give that excuse to shake her off. Overwhelmed by Mimi’s eagerness and lack of understanding for such subtleties, he had started exchanging such empty conversations while trying to sort through his feelings.

Mimi: [Garf, your expression is weird. What happened? Was it something fun?]

Garfiel: [If somethin’ fun’d happened, wouldn’t my amazin’ self look happy? My amazin’ self doesn’t wanna talk ‘bout it, an’ there’s no obligation to talk ‘bout it.]

Mimi: [If you keep talking about complicated stuff like obligations, you’ll end up like Joshua, yeah? Mimi thinks it’s better to relax and have fun! It’s better when Garfiel throws his head back laughing like an idiot~.]

Garfiel: [You sayin’ I look like an idiot?]

Mimi’s exaggerated words really were too exaggerated, and Garfiel bared both his teeth and eyes wide open.

She squeaked an “Ahh~!”, and dashed away. She stopped not much further ahead, giggling as she waited for him to catch up, seemingly having forgotten their previous interaction.

Garfiel found it incredulous that she, of all people, would accuse him of being the one who laughed like an idiot.

It had only been one hour or so since Garfiel had challenged the Sword Saint Reinhard to a battle before dinner. The strongest in the Kingdom—— or, as some would say, the strongest existence in the whole world, was the Sword Saint of the current generation.

Before their actual meeting, Garfiel had heard of his strength from Subaru.

Reinhard was a friend, a benefactor, and an acquaintance with whom Subaru had awkwardly parted with on their previous meeting. Encountering him in this unexpected place had come as a surprise.

Through conversation, Subaru revealed that he had somewhat successfully resolved his previous embarrassment. Since that grievance had dissipated, Garfiel felt no particular obligation to hesitate any further.

To Garfiel, the title of “Strongest” held a very special meaning.

To be the Strongest. Aiming to become the Strongest. To strive to become the Strongest.

Garfiel believed that as soon as a man was born, his first cry would place that as his lofty goal.

Everyone, no matter who, had once longed and dreamed to be the Strongest as they walked the long road known as Life. Everyone would eventually forget that distant dream. Everyone except Garfiel.

That dream had taken root in his heart and had been a source of much of the persistence he had shown along the way. To Garfiel, the title of Strongest was both a combination of his natural goal, something he had held ever since he had been born a man, and an indispensable condition for him to be able to protect everything he wished to protect.

Therefore, in front of the man who famously stood at the apex of strength, Garfiel could not hold back his restless teeth and claws.

He had gone to Subaru and received permission to challenge Reinhard. The Sword Saint seemed a far cry from the Strongest—— he gave off the impression of being a meek, kind man with no martial prowess. He looked like he could be broken like a twig, with just one hand.

However, Garfiel knew that the stronger someone was, the better they were at hiding their strength. Setting aside his own tendency to act up, the majority of powerful people did not look strong as they went through their daily activities. Roswaal and Subaru were like that.

And so, he judged Reinhard to be similar in that regard.

——The bout would take place at the gravel-covered courtyard of the hotel.

Refusing Garfiel’s proposal to leave the hotel for the city’s fields, for fear of damaging their surroundings, Reinhard insisted on fighting at the inn, adding the condition that the courtyard could not be damaged.

That could only be said to be humiliating. Even if he were the strongest man, he was underestimating Garfiel. Immediately, Garfiel dragged him outside, intending to make him regret that demeaning arrogance.

The confrontation took place in the courtyard, where Subaru issued a command marking the start of the match. Garfiel bared his teeth, thinking only of striking the crimson hero with the metal at his wrists.

Garfiel: [————]

Such an idea vanished almost instantaneously after the command was issued.

The atmosphere of the man before him had changed faster than one could blink. Until that very moment, his gentle atmosphere had not disappeared. But it dissipated, revealing a sharp blade, or a finely honed flame.

An ordinary person would not be able to feel how his natural state was razor sharp, as if he were a sword himself. The sense of oppression was such that to those who knew little about martial arts, it would manifest as a sensation like their lungs were being crushed.

But neither of those were Garfiel’s case.

At the very least, Garfiel was a man with strength worthy of a match against the Sword Saint.

Noticing that natural posture, his internal organs trembling under the pressure, Garfiel howled away his hesitation as he flew at Reinhard.

Their match was not meant to be lethal, and they had agreed to cause no serious injuries—— forgetting their agreement, he had aimed at Reinhard’s throat with his sharp claws, striving for a decisive blow. And in the moment before his blow landed, his body was elegantly caught in midair, and Garfiel truly understood the disparity in their strength.

Garfiel: [——I lost.]

After that, despite launching offensive attacks from various angles, all of those were casually evaded by Reinhard, and he had done so with casual parries. On top of that, Reinhard had done all that without even taking a step away from where he had first stood.

In other words, Garfiel had exhausted all his strength against only Reinhard’s upper body.

Having been tossed away, a fist was displayed in front of his face, and Garfiel declared his own defeat.

The Sword Saint had not even drawn a sword, his area of expertise. He had defeated Garfiel with only his bare fists.

As to what Reinhard and Subaru had said after that, Garfiel could not quite recall. To be so ungracious or foolhardy as to not accept his loss was not an impression that Garfiel had wanted to give. So he had left the hotel with only a few words.

He was unable to sort through his feelings as they were swept into a whirlpool.

Strangled by his unanswerable emotions, Garfiel had sought to find an answer as he walked the Watergate City alone as the sun was setting—— That was how it was supposed to go.

Mimi: [Garf! Gaaarf! Look! Take a look~! The sunset’s completely reflected in the water! It’s supeeeer red! This is awesome~! Amazing! So beautifuuul~!]

The noisy girl led Garfiel around, pulling on his sleeve, yanking on his hair, settling on his shoulders, and he had been left with no choice but to follow her. Thanks to her, he had accomplished leaving the hotel, but at the cost of his time to feel depressed by himself.

Garfiel: [Oy, from the very start, you’ve been so noisy. Can’tcha settle down a bit, midget?]

Mimi: [Ahhh… nope~!]

Garfiel: [An immediate answer?!]

She grabbed Garfiel’s wrists, running and spinning. Wrists gripped with unexpected strength, Garfiel turned on the spot along with her.

The idea of pulling his wrist from that vice grip and fleeing at the speed of light had crossed his mind, but he didn’t know the limit of Mimi’s physical ability as a demi-human. Mimi might have been able to catch up with Garfiel’s escape with ease.

He also had to take into consideration how conspicuous he would look.

Before leaving for Pristella, both Frederica and Ram reminded him repeatedly that troubling Emilia or Subaru because of his own quirkiness would set a bad example. The only one he could trouble was Otto, who was like an older brother used to cleaning up messes.

Garfiel: [Haha.]

Mimi: [Oh, oh, what’s wrong, Gaaarf? Is there something voxing… vicing… vixing you?]

Garfiel: [Ya mean somethin’ vexin’?]

Mimi: [Yep, vixing! What happened~? Say it, say it~!]

He was unable to speak candidly to Mimi and so she hit him repeatedly in the side with an “Oi, ooiii~”. Feeling the poison being drummed out of his body by her petite, oddly sturdy form, Garfiel clicked his fangs.

He leaned into the waterway, appreciating the view.

Garfiel: [Ah… it’s really a movin’ scene.]

Mimi: [Right? This is awesome~! Amazing!]

Although Mimi should only be listened to half the time, the reflection of the setting sun in the water was indeed a bright, inspiring scene. The glittering water was stained with white and yellow light, and the sky was dyed by the orange sunset.

When he finally noticed, Garfiel was sitting on the edge of the waterway, spending his time vaguely watching the sluggish travels of people on foot and of sailboats on the waterway.

Mimi: [Hmm~ hmm~ hmm~]

Taking a seat beside him, Mimi shook her feet happily as she hummed a tune through her nose. Although her character was one which couldn’t be silenced, right now, she was behaving quietly. Grabbing Garfiel’s half-clothed shoulders, she bobbed her head from side to side.

Taking a sideways glance at her happy profile, he belatedly discovered that the color of Mimi’s hair matched the orange shade of the sunset exactly. He subconsciously reached out a hand to brush her head, and Mimi seemed to be pleased, leaning into his touch.

Mimi: [Fluffy? Fluffy? Mimi’s head is often touched by the lady too! She pets it and calls it something like a healing idol.]

Garfiel: [Ah, it really is kinda comfortable. That healing idol stuff or whatever, the Captain sometimes says stuff like… that.]

Mimi: [Gaaaaaarf, do you still feel annoyed?]

Garfiel: [It’s somethin’ else now!]

Mimi: [Huh?]

As Mimi tilted her head, her face the very picture of innocence, Garfiel laughed inadvertently.

It felt as if he was getting rid of the heavy things in his chest, washing away the feeling he was someone cheap. The sense of defeat and humiliation was replaced by straight-forward, rebellious spirit.

Garfiel: […Bein’ the Strongest so suddenly ain’t possible. My amazin’ self’s still climbin’.]

Mimi: [Ohh~, so you’re climbing the ladder to being the bestest~!]

Garfiel: [Hey, ya understand pretty well. Yeah, it’s the proper way to becomin’ the strongest.]

Mimi raised her fist, and Garfiel responded by tracing the white scar on his forehead with his fingers

Although her chattiness was annoying, she had also cheered him up. If he were alone, he would probably still be moping gloomily. He was glad that Mimi had accompanied him.

Garfiel: [I guess I should thank her. Oy, midget, while we’re here, how ‘bout we go to a stall ‘n grab a bite? It’ll be my amazin’ self’s treat…]

Mimi: [Gaaarf, look!]

Garfiel: [Ah?]

With that invitation to eat, Garfiel got to his feet, patting down his bottom.

Mimi was still seated by the waterway, pointing towards the other margin, and Garfiel’s attention wandered towards that direction. Then, he narrowed his eyes.

On the other side of the waterway, the ropes of a sailboat had come undone, leaving the boat stranded as it began to drift along with the flow of the water. It was unmanned; however, the issue did not reside there.

Mimi: [Hey, kids!]

Mimi gave a loud warning cry in the direction the boat was heading—— another boat, where five children were playing, the drifting vessel heading towards them. The children had not noticed the approach of the other boat. If they collided, their boat could end up capsized, throwing the children into the waterway.

At Mimi’s shout, other people around the waterway had taken notice. One of the boat owners flew toward the children in a panic, but he would not make it in time.

Hearing the shrill voices of the people around them, the children finally noticed their situation and panicked as the saw the sudden approach of the empty boat. Then——

Garfiel: [Yo, kids. Thank that midget cat nee-chan who first noticed ya.]

Mimi: [Garf!]

He had suddenly leapt onto the boat, astonishingly keeping the vessel’s balance as he landed. To the children, the silent arrival of Garfiel would have seemed like he had suddenly fallen from the heavens.

The children stiffened upon gazing a blond stranger with a mean look and a fanged and fierce smile. Taking advantage of the fact that none of them moved in protest, Garfiel scooped the five children into his arms, making another leap.

Escaping from the small boat, they landed on the sidewalk near the waterway. Immediately after he released the children, the two boats collided violently, capsizing the one that had been carrying the children.

Garfiel, by cleverly keeping hold of the ropes connecting the boats, had also prevented a chain reaction of collisions that would have sunk a series of boats. Restraining the movement of the overturned boat had prevented the detached boat from drifting further downstream, minimizing the damage it’d cause.

Garfiel: [Aight, that should do it!]

After tying the ropes firmly, Garfiel ended his struggle, with an uproar of cheers and applause from the witnesses. One of the shipowners, who should have been monitoring his boat, bowed his head to convey his gratitude, which Garfiel waved off, scratching his head and looking shy. Then,

Kid One: [O-onii-chan. Thank you very much.]

Garfiel: [Ohh?]

All the rescued children gathered and poured grateful words upon Garfiel.

They had lost the timid expressions they had worn on the boat, merely gazing at Garfiel with glittering expressions. As Garfiel met their gazes, their hyperactive clapping hands began to move even faster.

Faced with that, Garfiel felt his mood lighten as he rubbed his nose.

Garfiel: [There’s no need for anythin’ like that. Happened by chance… Ah, yeah, by chance. My amazin’ self was guided here by a wind of fate. It’s the City of Water, surrounded by waterways… if anyone ended up sheddin’ tears, then the waterways’d end up overflowin’, yeah?]

The applause began to calm as Garfiel gave his complacent response. The cheers had also become intermittent, subtle voices starting to be heard. However, unlike the spectators around them, the children showed dramatic reactions.

Kid Two: [Wow, amazing!]

Kid Three: [So cooooool!]

Kid Four: [No tears, regardless of danger!]

Kid Five: [Never flinching! Never doubting! Never hesitating!]

Garfiel nodded with satisfaction at the excited children. Then, with an eager gaze, one of them voiced a question.

Kid One: [Onii-chan, what’s your name?]

Garfiel: [It ain’t anythin’ worth mentionin’. However, if pressed for it… My amazin’ self’s a tiger. Yeah, a golden tiger. Call me Gorgeous Tiger!!] [1]

Kid Two: [Gorgeous!]

Kid One: [Tiger!!]

Garfiel struck a pose, leaning back with his hands stretched obliquely to the sky. Eyes shining, the children gave hushed whispers of excitement as they imitated him.

As Garfiel shared his heart with the children surrounding him, Mimi rushed over, her eyes shining as well.

Mimi: [——Garf, so coooool~!]

She ran over to join the ranks of the children crowding around Garfiel, making a pose.

The delighted laughter of the children, Mimi, and Garfiel rang through the waterways at twilight.

——The applause and cheers had long since dissipated, leaving only the solitary shipowner regarding them with a smile.

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Garfiel bounced with energy as he ate one of the snacks he had bought to share with the children at a stall, walking victoriously.

Garfiel: [Them, my amazin’ self said, ‘Now, I won’t let ya take even one more step forward, ya scum! It’s the Captain’s territory, and you’ve already been trapped here!’. Hah!]

Mimi: [Amazing~! So cool~!]

Kid One: [Woah! That’s so cool~!]

As Pristella was infiltrated by the glow of sunset, Garfiel shared heroic stories of the past year with Mimi and a blonde kid.

What he had just described had been one of the most impressive events that had happened, the Earth Spider Hunt. A nearby village had an outbreak of a Witchbeast known as Earth Spiders, and the three-man force of Subaru, Garfiel, and Otto had been forced to subdue them. They had demonstrated a perfect combination of Otto and Subaru’s scheming skills and Garfiel’s strength.

Along with Mimi, one of the rescued children happily listened to Garfiel’s recollections. He was a child with blond hair, who looked to be around six or seven years old. He had lovely features and a cute smiling face that would surely one day attract lovelorn sighs from women. But right now, he was just a child admiring Garfiel’s way of life and heroic stories.

After buying the children snacks, Garfiel had taken it upon himself to escort the children safely to their homes, one-by-one. Out of the five, four had returned home unharmed, which meant that this boy was the last one.

Garfiel: [With just a small group, ya went out pretty far to play. Ain’t that dangerous?]

As they undertook the considerate journey to the child’s house, Garfiel frowned.

The children’s boat adventure had taken them to the border between the First Street, where the inn was located, and the Second Street, where the Muse Headquarters was located. As they walked, Garfiel couldn’t help but think he had wandered too far. In fact, they had come all the way from Third Street. Without any detours, the journey would take close to an hour to complete.

The child grinned in response to Garfiel’s words.

Kid: [Occasionally, a Songstress goes to the park on First Street. We were looking for her!]

Garfiel: [Songstress, uh… Is that so? Captain said her singin’s pretty amazin’, too, but my amazin’ self’s kinda suspicious.]

Rubbing his nose, Garfiel found it difficult to agree with the child’s reply.

Garfiel had only met the Songstress Liliana once, at the Muse Headquarters. Even that brief interaction had been enough to leave a significant impact on him. Liliana was, beyond a doubt, a girl with a strong personality. However, that strength was rather incompatible with the impression of a pure, honest bard.

Mimi: [Gaaaaaarf, have you never heard the Songstress’s singing? Iiiit really iiiiiis very powerful!]

Garfiel: [You have, midget?]

Mimi: [Yep~! I didn’t fall asleep until the end~! Mimi’s so strong~! Praise Mimiiiii~!]

Garfiel obediently stroked Mimi’s stretched-out head. She yelled out “Success~!”, and happily dashed away, before turning back around expectantly.

Mimi: [So, did you hear the Songstress sing?]

Kid: [Nope, we missed her. However, since we’d gone all the way to that faraway street…]

Garfiel: [So that’s why ya were playin’ in the river? Well, it’s good that my amazin’ self was there.]

Kid: [Gorgeous Tiger!]

Garfiel: [Ha!]

As the boy stretched his hands toward the sky, and Garfiel mimicked his motion.

Gorgeous Tiger was here.

They posed together energetically, but the child soon dropped his arms with a melancholic sigh. Garfiel tilted his head to one side.

Garfiel: [Why do ya look so down? Don’t sigh, yer happiness will run away, y’know.]

Kid one: [Well… My sister will be mad when I get home.]

Garfiel: [Ah?]

As the boy revealed his fearful attitude towards his sister with a cry, Garfiel overreacted by grabbing his shoulders anxiously.

Garfiel: [C’mon, c’mon. But, why’s she goin’ to be so angry?]

Kid: […Because, I snuck out.]

Garfiel: [Ah…]

The boy seemed to have neglected to inform his sister that he would be going out with his friends today. As a result, his family was probably frustrated and worried sick right now.

That feeling was not unfamiliar to Garfiel. As a brother, the presence of an older sister would, no matter for how long, continue to exist as a terrifying barrier. Even after ten years of separation, after he had grown up, the fear of losing to the sister he met face to face nearly every day had increased, rather than decreased.

Garfiel: [Gotcha. Leave it up to my amazin’ self.]

Kid: […Eh?]

Garfiel patted his chest proudly as the little boy revealed his shock. As if trying to ease his downcast, Garfiel laughed, showing his sharp teeth.

Garfiel: [The scariness of an older sister’s somethin’ my amazin’ self’s familiar with. If yer scary sister comes rushin’ at ya, my amazin’ self’ll protect ya.]

Kid: [Onii-san!]

The emotional child hugged Garfiel tightly. Mimi joined the hug, grabbing Garfiel from behind.

In this way, being held front and back by the little ones, Garfiel renewed his determination and struggled along with them as they continued their journey towards the boy’s house.

The sunset was approaching in earnest, and it was unlikely that they would make it back by dinner time, but that would be fine for today. No matter how he looked at it, he would not be able to dine in the same hall as Reinhard without some unease. However, after a night of cooling down, he would probably be able to manage it.

That was thanks to the children who admired the Gorgeous Tiger, as well as Mimi’s inscrutably infectious cheerful attitude.

???: [——Fred!]

A deafeningly high-pitched voice soaked with emotion suddenly attacked Garfiel’s ears.

He lifted his head in surprise, and caught sight of the sprinting figure of a girl. She had long, elegant blonde hair, and was glaring intently at the boy who clung to Garfiel.

The boy looked in her direction and opened his mouth. Then,

Fred: [Onee-chan…]

Sister: [You, just how worried are you going to make us before you’re satisfied!?]

The girl leapt forward with both feet to deliver a dynamic flying kick to her brother, whose body gently bounced back. An optimal flying kick, without losing any momentum—— Garfiel, witnessing that action, was frozen by shock. He was too slow to respond to the beautiful girl, who had landed beautifully.

The girl herself was likewise beautiful. She looked at Garfiel with a sharp gaze, and dug into his foot with her heel.

Sister: [You suspicious person, what do you want with my Fred?]

Garfiel: [Gah… First of all, move yer foot, midget.]

As he faced the maelstrom of her attack and angry words, Garfiel replied in a steady voice. Seeing that her pre-emptive attacks had not caused any harm, the girl retreated backward with a frightened expression.

Although she had thought that Garfiel would be angry, Garfiel had yet to reach a state of anger. Rather, he was still surprised. He had never imagined that there would actually be a sister who would indiscriminately deliver fierce kicks to her younger brother.

Incidentally, the impact of the young boy who had been kicked had been impact softened. With a “Hey~!”, Mimi had flown towards him gracefully, hugging him and landing gently.

Now, they had gotten to their feet, brushing each other off.

Seeing that through the corner of his eye, Garfiel issued a sigh. And at his reaction,

Sister: [What’s with that attitude… If you have something to say, just say it, and don’t do anything to me or Fred… I-I’m terrifying when I get mad…]

Garfiel: [First of all, you’re misunderstandin’ here. Also, don’t fly at yer brother like that. Ya might accidentally cause a serious injury, got it?]

Sister: [Hah…]

Squatting down, Garfiel spoke quietly to the girl.

The boy’s sister was also young—— only around ten-years-old, the age of just before puberty, when kids would try a little too hard. Her initial sharpness had faded, and her expression morphed into a tearful one at Garfiel’s calm and steady replies.

What she had said was surely a bluff, but she had gathered her courage to go up against Garfiel. In a sense, her courage had rendered her even more afraid, in an unfortunate turn of events.

Fred: [Ah, Gorgeous Tiger… Please don’t get too angry with my onee-chan.]

Then, unable to bear seeing his sister trembling, the boy patted his body clean of dust after recovering from the shock and stood at her back, pleading with Garfiel. The older sister’s expression revealed that her self-esteem had been hurt because of his pleas, but she still had the dignity to try to protect her younger brother from Garfiel. Although he didn’t know what had happened at first, they didn’t seem to have a bad relationship.

Garfiel: [So my amazin’ self looks like a bad guy. That’s kinda displeasin’ to hear.]

Mimi: [A bad gai! Being a bad guy isn’t good, Gaaarf, be Gorgeous Tiger instead!]

Mimi leapt up and gave Garfiel’s head a poke. Although it didn’t hurt, it was a rather puzzling blow.

The pointless stare-down between siblings and Garfiel continued. And just as he wondered how long this would last,

???: [Onee-chan, Fred, where are you two?]

The voice that broke the stalemate came from someone else.

Hearing that gentle voice of a woman, the siblings caught each other’s gaze. Garfiel watched with eyes widened as the two ran in its direction. Sister and brother arrived at the corner of the road, where a woman emerged. They flew towards her without hesitation.

That blonde woman was more than likely their mother.

Fred: [Mom!]

Sister: [Mom, that suspicious person, something about ‘gorgeous’, and Fred…] [2]

The younger brother held onto his mother with tears in his eyes, and the elder sister continued to weave her false accusations. After listening to the children’s rambles, the person in question smiled.

Seeing the family in such a state, Garfiel shook his head in dismay. It wouldn’t have been convenient if the city guards were called upon at this point. Relieved that there was an adult with whom he could discuss the situation calmly, he stepped forward to explain, thinking of prefacing with a “Sorry”.

Garfiel: [————]

But he stopped in his tracks upon gazing upon the other person, her children still clinging to her, as she turned her face towards him with a smile.

Mimi: [Gar~f?]

Garfiel froze, and Mimi turned around, surveying him. However, Garfiel was unable to respond to Mimi’s concern. His heart, in a state of chaos and confusion, had no such energy to spare. After all, the person who stood there was,

???: [Well, my children seem to have been taken care of, my apologies. If possible, could you tell me what happened?]

She spoke in soothing, gentle tones which held not even the slightest sign of malice or suspicion. With a few steps, she had arrived in front of him. Even as Garfiel trembled and shivered at her presence, she tilted her head in confusion.

That expression, that attitude, that voice, they all rocked Garfiel to the core.

Garfiel: [——Mother?]

A hoarse murmur escaped his throat.

Translation Notes:

[1] – Funnily enough, “Gorgeous Tiger” is written in Engrish (ゴージャス・タイガー). Perhaps a subtle indication that this is a borrowed Subaruism? The same applies to the chapter title.

[2] – They both use “oka-san” to refer to this woman. Fred as “おかーさん”, while the older sister as “お母さんっ”. Since it doesn’t flow well, I’ll avoid it.