Arc 5, Chapter 34 – “Swordplay and Melee”

 

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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:

• kouta_hiwa
• Norvak

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——Standing on the rooftop of the City Hall, a black dragon flaunted its wings at Subaru’s group below.

Opening its mouth to reveal rows of sharp teeth and a long, snaking red tongue, the black dragon narrowed its golden eyes, continuing to issue a laugh so high-pitched it caused physical pain.

That black dragon’s appearance was more or less exactly how Subaru had imagined the dragon species. Patrasche’s sharp and awe-inspiring face was very much dragon-like, but her mane and physique were not. Ground dragons were, on average, comparable in size to a horse, while the dragon overhead was closer to an elephant.

With that figure, the black dragon could not possibly be capable of flight. Perhaps its strong wings merely served as a bluff.

Yes, flight should’ve been impossible.

Capella: [Being ravished by your heated gazes isn’t exciting at all, you meat creatures in heat! Ahhhhh, this is awful, being seen by people like you who can only think of sexual gratification! So I won’t approach you!]

Fanning its wings towards the ground, a gust of wind enough to make one’s body tremble whipped forth. A long tongue flitting outward as if licking its lips, the black dragon―― Capella gave a twisted smile.

That dragon’s expression was incredibly chilling. Because of the language barrier, communication was heavily dependent on interpretation. Patrasche was a good example of that. She came off as quite likable, because of her gracious attitude to not let emotions show on her face.

On the other hand, one could not help but be disgusted by the dragon in front of them, for how human-like it behaved.

Subaru: […I haven’t heard any mentions of this before, but can dragons speak?]

Julius: [As they have lived for a long time, dragons are extremely intelligent and can understand human language. As a matter of course, it seems that the Divine Dragon Volcanica, who forged a Covenant with the Kingdom, can of course communicate with us through language. Even though… I do not know if it would reveal this much emotion.]

Julius, from a distance, gave a detailed answer to Subaru’s question. The Finest of Knights had his blade raised at shoulder-height, eyes never leaving the black dragon. Of course, Subaru and the other four were in the same state.

In front of them were two swordsmen of outstanding strength, and above, there was the black dragon who had named herself the Archbishop of Lust. Their original unease had compounded into a wall of tension.

Subaru: [At the least, we have a chance of dealing with the swordsmen…]

The woman, wielding her longsword with nary a flaw in posture, and the giant, who waved his swords around, as if refamiliarizing himself with the blades. Although the extent of the swordswoman’s strength was still unknown, the giant had chosen to directly take Ricardo’s attack. Needless to say, it was not because of any clumsiness, but because he had a strategy in mind, knowing that any damage would be regenerated. Long-range attacks, their earlier plan, would still be incredibly effective.

However, that would only work if all six people tried their best to have the attack connect.

Subaru: [Is there anyone here who’s fought a dragon…?]

Wilhelm: [——Yes.]

Subaru: [Wilhelm-san, seriously?]

Although Subaru had thought his question hopeless, Wilhelm had responded with a low voice. The old swordsman turned to face the surprised Subaru.

Wilhelm: [Nearly forty years ago, I was sent to subjugate a Blight Dragon named Valgren who appeared to Lugunica’s south. The concentration of forces caused much diplomatic tension because of the proximity to Vollachia.]

Subaru: [Setting the diplomatic ramifications aside, how was the experience of fighting a dragon?]

Wilhelm: [Ten-percent of the Knights’ Order, which totaled five-hundred, were sent to the battle against Valgren, and, although the crusade succeeded, forty-percent of those Knights died. The crusade succeeded, but the result was a disaster. Its fiery breath, its endless stamina, and the vulnerability of a swordsman in midair are all things that we should have taken into better consideration.]

Subaru: [It would seem that our situation is even more desperate…!]

Seeing Subaru’s despair, Wilhelm prefaced with an “Although,”

Wilhelm: [Valgren was one of the most difficult beings to fight, truly worthy of being called a Dragon. Compared to it, this one is too small to be called a Dragon. It should die upon beheading.]

Subaru: [And Valgren did not?]

Wilhelm: [Valgren had a total of three heads which all needed to be removed.]

Having finished speaking of that distant tango of death, Wilhelm tightened his grip on his sword.

So a beheading would certainly kill it. That was reassuring.

Seeing Wilhelm’s well-prepared stance, Subaru also took up a battle pose, whip in hand. Seeing their refusal to yield, the black dragon Capella seemed rather surprised.

Capella: [My, my, my, you’re all so disgusting. You’re beaten and miserable, and, aside from my reinforcements, you’re facing a Sin Archbishop! You rotten creatures should hang your heads and channel the meekness of insects, and yet you’re acting all normal? Was putting you with all the other insects wrong? Gahahahaha!]

Garfiel: [Stop fuckin’ around! What can ya do’gainst our numbers? My amazin’ self’ll go up there ‘n crush ya!]

Capella: [Kahhahahaha, the barking of this rabid dog is hurting my graceful ears. Or, rather, I made a mistake. You’re no rabid hound, you’re only a puny kitten! Meow~ meow~ meow~ meow~, don’t be angry just because the kitty you were with died!]

Garfiel: [W-wha—— Hk!?]

Faced with those cruel jabs, Garfiel shouted, but choked on his own response.

The dragon was clearly referring to Garfiel’s earlier defeat, where he had almost been beaten to death. This, added to the details of what had happened to Mimi, meant that Capella had been watching the fight. And, what surprised Garfiel even more,

Garfiel: [Bastard, how did y’know my amazin’ self’s a demi-human…]

Capella: [Haa? How do I know that? Don’t think so highly of yourself, not even a single one of your hairs interests me. I could tell that you were a filthy half-breed the moment I saw you! If you’re not making a mockery out of me, then you’re a fool! Too stupid to die!]

Spitting out unspeakably cruel curses, Capella turned toward the rest of their party, snorting,

Capella: [Such stench! Such stench! You slabs of meat all smell rotten! Wrinkled old meat! Meat that feigns cleverness! Hairy beast meat! Ah, disgusting! Oops, but――]

Capella, constantly giving her toxic comments, turned her gaze slightly―— in Crusch’s direction.

A sticky, feverish light entered her squinted eyes as she poured all her attention upon Crusch, who subconsciously hugged herself tightly. When Capella spoke again, her voice was almost pleasant.

Capella: [But mixed with all that refuse is quite the piece of meat! So beautiful, so cute, such a nice scent, perfectly in line with my tastes! It looks immoral! What beauty! That body! That appeal! Ah, I reallyreallyreally want to break it with my own two hands!]

Julius: [——That’s enough.]

Capella: [Ahh?]

Had she become completely fascinated? Her expression trance-like, the black dragon stared towards Crusch, as if wanting to lick her from top to bottom.

At this moment, the rising pressure of anger interjected to interrupt her.

Capella: [————]

Her attention still fixed on Crusch, the black dragon looked up impatiently.

And before her wide-open eyes, Julius entered the scene, waving the tip of his sword much like an orchestra’s conductor.

Julius: [Be burned by my sixfold light, El Prailium!]

Julius’s six Quasi Spirits formed a circle overhead, each gleaming with a different color as they fired a multi-color beam of light downwardward. The rainbow beam turned white at the point of impact—— Capella, and she began to scream because of the direct hit.

Capella: [——Gaaaaaaaaah!!]

Julius: [This is the price of your chatter. If you had any real skill, you wouldn’t spout such nonsense.]

Obeying Julius’s command, the Quasi Spirits continually fired that scorching light.

With Capella’s piercing scream serving as background music, the two swordsmen who had been silent and still, suddenly kicked off the slate ground, flying towards Subaru’s group.

Wilhelm: [Stop there!]

Garfiel: [Like hell ya won’t!]

Here, Garfiel and Wilhelm both spoke up.

Wilhelm flew straight for the swordswoman, while Garfiel faced the giant’ twin blades with his own twin shields.

Woman: [————]

Wilhelm: [Don’t leave, show me your swordplay!]

As she began to retreat after meeting his first blow, Wilhelm cut her off with a sudden strike.

The old swordsman’s breakthrough struck up and down with the violence of a storm. The length of her longsword was not proper to quick action, which served her defense poorly as Wilhelm lashed out rapid strike after strike.

Even so, the woman also proved fearsome. She cleverly shied away from any swing that she was unable to parry with precise foot placement, and smoothly, with practiced ease, she regained her balance.

Each time her whirling sword stabbed forth it became more apparent that the female swordsman’s body was molded to hold the sword she was using.

Wilhelm’s skill had been enough for him to challenge the White Whale, and even now he still stood at that level, but the woman’s outstanding talent and skill was enough to press Wilhelm back.

Wilhelm: [Gooooooh!]

Woman: [————]

Issuing a roar, with momentum smooth as silk, Wilhelm’s rotation of cuts and swings increased in speed.

Who would laugh at the old man now? His swordplay was the pinnacle of swordsmanship, his sword would captivate the eyes of many younglings, who would be inspired to pick up the blade and follow his example. His blade a mere flash, it killed the air itself, it killed the ground itself, aiming to embed the tip of the blade into the woman’s body.

Still silent, the woman was prepared to withstand each strike of the old man’s blade, which had been sharpened for years. Without words, without righteousness, the woman was like a doll whose only purpose was battle. A doll that swung its sword according to the rotation of its gears, according to the fighting genes engraved in her body. She killed the air, she killed the sky, she killed the ground itself, and mercilessly parried away the blades approaching her.

A quiet swordfight, that did not seem to be purely a battle of steel against steel.

Her sword must have been light. Much lighter than the old man’s. However, each side’s swordplay was clean and pure, and aside from strikes on their respective targets, no unnecessary destruction happened.

That was the beautiful realm of the sword, a most honorable one to reach, for the beings who lived the life of a swordsman and of using the blade.

Wilhelm: [Haaaa!]

Woman: [————]

The two waged their silent battle with repeated collisions, their swords only being seen as flashes.

——This was the sacred realm of the sword itself, and intruders could not be tolerated.

Not far away, another battle unfolded.

Garfiel: [Ooooooooooooh!]

Giant: [————]

Roaring, muscles flexing, earth being trodden, and—— a hit on flesh echoed.

Struck with dizziness, ignoring the hit he had suffered, roaring at the feeling of hitting back his opponent, spitting out bloody vomit due to the feeling of having his internal organs crushed, rebelling against his opponent’s power to pulverize his very bones.

Unlike the elegant duel taking place next to them, the battle between Garfiel and the giant was one marked by chaos.

Although the giant could be called a swordsman, his fighting style was different from what that would imply. Not sophisticated at all, it was irrational as a barbarian’s or a mindless beast’s.

Garfiel: [Hah, kuu, ah!!]

Correspondingly, Garfiel also fought without a sense of etiquette.

Garfiel’s fighting style was wild and animalistic. Due to Subaru’s influence, he had named it Garfiel Battle Shield Style. It was an absurd sort of violence that only Garfiel, who relied on instinct, could perform―― it could not be imitated by anyone.

In fact, Garfiel’s violence and the giant’s barbarianism really meshed well with one another. This savage, straight-forward duel was one of stamina―― the battler who reached their limit first would lose. Therefore, the victor and the defeated would become apparent for all to see.

Giant: [————]

The giant’s swords were so incredibly heavy that receiving them with only one arm would surely shatter Garfiel’s elbow, so he needed to use both his arms to deal with them. However, if both arms were used, nothing could be done about the other giant sword, which meant a direct hit.

Therefore, Garfiel needed to decisively use his shields to parry those swings. Holding them obliquely, his arm blocked the massive sword, but allowed it to slide along the shield with its momentum, thus deflecting it.

Frighteningly, the giant was not merely wielding its swords wildly and blindly. That barbarian style of battling was savage, but his strikes were shockingly direct and powerful.

That could not be achieved with talent alone. That was skill that could only be acquired after the giant had clearly practiced tens of thousands, tens of millions of swings. Taking those straight swords with a half-baked block would surely be impossible. With the slightest of wrong moves, the giant sword would cleave the silver shield in half despite its bluntness, and Garfiel’s body would resemble that broken shield.

Garfiel: [Don’t… kid ‘round… no more――!]

Therefore, Garfiel had to do everything possible to combat the violence of those large swords.

As they slashed from above, he parried. As they swept from the sides, he parried. As they swung up from below, he parried. Then, from a gap, his arm took a punch, forcing Garfiel to retreat.

The problem was that, in addition to two powerful hands waving large swords, the giant had another six arms. Garfiel’s defense could be punctured with a third attack, and the giant had started using not two, but three hands to grasp those swords.

Garfiel had the advantage in speed, but that giant’s strength and versatility was far superior.

As his chin was struck, he parried a massive sword, and his knees were kicked, sending his face plummeting toward the ground. Four more blows followed this, but Garfiel caught himself as he fell, and finally managed to block the incoming overhead slash by planting his feet firmly on the ground.

Blood, broken bones, and bitter cries, those were what this savage battlefield was filled with.

The blood of the people watching boiled, and they could not help but shout. The sound emitted by the clashing of shields and swords was akin to various percussion instruments being struck, and the sparks flying around akin to the fireworks of a live concert.

Subaru: [————]

On one side was Wilhelm’s quiet duel, and on the other was Garfiel’s roaring war.

Subaru and Crusch held their breaths, unable to join either battle. That was not due to any inability―― rather, they were too shocked by the fighting spirit from both sides to react.

However, unlike Subaru, who was submerged in such emotions,

Ricardo: [This is bad, we have to act soon.]

Ricardo, who had been surveying Julius’s magic overhead, took a step forward. Seeing Ricardo’s movement, Subaru issued a “Right” and also began to move, but――

Crusch: [Subaru-sama!]

Ricardo: [Get down!]

Feeling a sudden yank on his collar, Subaru found himself being dragged to the ground by Crusch. Ricardo stood in front of the two, shielding them, releasing a ferocious roar.

Ricardo: [WAAA, HAAAA——!!]

The roar created fierce sound waves which shook the atmosphere, creating an invisible force of destruction.

This roaring wave was an attack of the same quality as the one Mimi and her younger brothers had used against the White Whale. This was an incredibly powerful skill that had noticeably injured it, and Ricardo had just now unleashed it completely on his own.

But, beaten back by the roar was―― a glowing black flame that had broken through the white light, and swept the ground. The jet-black flames rippled frighteningly, causing the hearts of those who witnessed them to tremble from its horrifying nature, rather than its heat, as everything they touched crumbled to dust. The black flames that were intercepted by the roar’s soundwaves were dispersed with ease, being scattered all over the square.

However, the real horror of those flames was only discovered after they hit the ground.

Subaru: [That fire… isn’t going out…?]

Black ash fell to the slate ground, still burning, without any sustenance. Despite this, the flames continued to burn, spreading to the surroundings. Even more scary was the fact that any fire that had fallen on the surface of the water also continued to burn. Like dripping burning oil into the water, the fire continued to assert its existence.

Ricardo: [Bro, how long’re ya plannin’ to stay like that? Really, doesn’t this kinda thing usually happen in reverse?]

Julius: [Subaru, no matter how you look at it, being protected by a woman is…]

Ricardo and Julius both offered discouraging words to Subaru, who was still recovering from the terror of the scattered black fire. Following their line of sight, Subaru discovered he was laying on the ground, with Crusch on top of him, shielding him from any damage.

Subaru: [Waaah!]

Crusch: [I am glad that you are unhurt. Please rest assured, I shall refrain from telling Ferris and Emilia about this.]

Subaru: [I feel even more ashamed for feeling relieved!]

Crusch pulled him to his feet, decreasing Subaru’s coolness factor by another ten-percent.

Patting the dust off his bottom, Subaru looked up towards the source of the black flame—— obviously, the black dragon, and he frowned. He could sense nothing from her but a sense of disgust.

Capella: [Disgusting, disgusting, don’t look at me with such an aroused gaze! Stop looking, don’t violate me with your dirty eyes! Kahahahaha! It’s like they say, you’re forbidden from stroking any dancers who perform for you, so stop ravishing this charming lady! Gahahaha!]

Subaru: [What the hell…]

Despite taking Julius’s magic head-on, Capella acted as if nothing had happened.

However, that was not to say that she had not suffered any harm. In fact, she had suffered considerable visible damage from his attack. The proud dragon’s right wing had been scorched until it was no more than a hanging, bloodied piece of flesh. Perhaps she had wanted to use the wing to protect her body, but the damage meant that even that had failed.

The power of that spell had burned through the black dragon’s wings, reaching her body. Her abdomen had been scorched and melted, and her innards seemed to have been boiled until they looked like jerky. The right side of the dragon’s head had been blown off, and the tongue that enjoyed ridiculing others had been severed. Her eye dangled freely, no longer resting in its socket.

Half-dead would not suffice to describe it. It was nothing but a corpse.

Subaru audibly swallowed, Julius and Ricardo frowned, and Crusch could not help but give a feminine gasp. However, that was not because of the dragon’s horrific state.

――Instead, it was due to that injured flesh regenerating.

Blood vessels wriggled, flesh swelled, bones squeaked, torn fibers sewed themselves together, and Capella’s destroyed body regenerated at an alarming rate.

In a bizarre scene, the impossible heat given off by her regeneration evaporated any remaining traces of blood, creating red steam.

Capella: [Now, having seen even my beautiful internal organs, are you satisfied? You perverts are so full of carnal desire that you even want to see the asshole of your favorite piece of meat, aren’t you? Gahahaha! Satisfied? Hey, were you so satisfied you started leaking?]

Subaru: [How… what happened?]

Capella: [Shouldn’t you be able to tell on sight? Do you actually have to ask? How foolish are you? But this benevolent lady shall answer you. As you can see, I’m obviously immortal!]

Immortal—— the simplest, most absolute description of her power.

Subaru could not help but gulp at Capella’s description of her own power. The thought that she was bluffing crossed his mind. He did not want to believe her words, so it would be comforting to think that she was bluffing.

Subaru: [It’s nothing but a quick regeneration ability…]

Capella: [Call it whatever you want. I’m amazing, and those who call it “invincibility” are idiots. I don’t think that they’re far from the truth, though.] [1]

Subaru: [————]

Capella: [My my my, you’re unable to even talk anymore! You disgusting rotten pieces of shit! You putrid filthy meat! Go die! Everyone except me should go die—— Wait! Wait! Wait!]

Suddenly, Capella interrupted her own hateful words. She unfurled her healed wings and fluttered them, slowly bringing her bulky form toward the roof of the City Hall.

Thinking that she was preparing to swoop upon them, Subaru braced himself for her attack. However――

Capella: [Time’s up, I have to go make the next broadcast, so I’ll go back inside. Talking to you is just a waste of time, and I’m in a hurry! You all just stay here and die, along with that rather lovely piece of meat! Go rot in hell!]

Subaru: [H-huh?]

Suddenly losing interest, Capella yawned, dropping the tension. Then she—albeit it wasn’t really certain if you could call the dragon a “she”―Capella turned around and strode into the depths of the City Hall with heavy footsteps, where Subaru lost sight of her.

He could not help but consider whether that was meant to lure her enemies deeper in or not——

Julius: [She might be trying to lure us in, do’nt you think…? But we cannot allow her to make that broadcast.]

Subaru: [If we let her go, people in the city are gonna start panicking. Shit, do we have to go inside and chase her like this!?]

He had a bad feeling about it.

In the first place, with that size, how did Capella enter the inside of the City Hall? Although he did not know how large the broadcast room was, it seemed that Capella would destroy the room with the slightest of movements. Or perhaps she had the Witch Cultists set the Magical device up so all she needed to do was to speak. But he did not have the time to consider that right now.

Ricardo: [Aight, leave the guys on the outside to those two and me. Ya rush inside with Julius-niichan and Crusch-jouchan.]

Ricardo gave instructions to Subaru and the others. Subaru replied with a quizzical gaze, hoping that there was some rationale for that decision.

Ricardo: [Don’t be like that. These swordsmen are a tad too much for you and Crusch-jouchan, and I ain’t suited for indoor action. Julius-niichan shouldn’t have a single problem with that. Don’t’cha think?]

Julius: [A very apt judgment. I would have made a similar decision. To be honest, I would be rather worried leaving only Wilhelm and Garfiel here, so I shall leave that up to you, Ricardo.]

Ricardo: [Leave it to me, kiddo!]

Julius and Ricardo nodded to each other, with no time for Subaru and Crusch to interject. Being from the same faction, perhaps they could communicate their intent with only a glance. Subaru was unable to protest, so, scratching his head,

Subaru: [Garfiel! You’re absolutely not allowed to lose! After you send that guy flying and we defeat Lust, we’re going to go save Emilia, you hear me!?]

Garfiel: [Captain, I ain’t got time to deal wit’cha right now!]

Subaru spoke to Garfiel, who was still engaged in his chaotic war, and nodded to Julius. Next to him, Crusch lifted a hand towards her mouth, aiming her voice in Wilhelm’s direction.

Crusch: [Wilhelm, I shall leave it to you!]

Wilhelm: [As you command!]

Wilhelm gave a brief response to his master’s brief words.

A true master and vassal exchange only required those brief words. Having shown her intent to go along with the plan, Crusch joined Subaru, and, led by Julius, they charged towards the City Hall.

Leaving the central square, the three ran towards the interior of the City Hall. The two figures guarding the tower responded to their movement, forgoing their current opponents for Subaru’s group.

Ricardo: [Standing in a line like this makes things easier for me, HAA——!]

His ferocious laugh created destructive sound waves which swept up the stones of the pavement, and the giant and woman faltered at the attack. Although the power of the roaring waves had begun to diminish, they were still effective enough to halt the two. Behind them, their respective dance partners caught up, speaking words of discontent.

Wilhelm: [How discourteous, ignoring me when I only have eyes for you!]

Garfiel: [Don’t turn yer ass to yer opponent unless ya want it gone, ORAAAAA!]

Woman: [————]

Giant: [————]

Slashing and slicing, striking and stabbing, the chaotic duels in the square continued, fierce battles which allowed for no outside intervention.

While hearing the sounds of those ferocious battles, Subaru and his group rushed towards the front entrance of the City Hall, waltzing inside without even slowing down.

Subaru: [Where would the broadcasting room be?]

Crusch: [I do not know for certain, but I assume it would be at the uppermost level, for the voice to reach as far as possible.]

Julius: [There may be ambushes along the way, be careful!]

Past the main entrance, they arrived at the reception lobby of the City Hall.

In times of peace, that place should have been crowded, with a pretty lady providing a reception service and bright lights coloring the scene. But now, it appeared to have been ransacked, the lights of the place dimmed to create an ominous atmosphere.

Fortunately, there were no other Witch Cultists occupying this level, nor were there corpses strewn across the room, so——

Subaru: [Come on, let’s go. There should be some kind of floor map telling us where the room is!]

Julius: [If we can, I would also like to confirm the safety of the City Hall’s staff, although that does appear to be too greedy right now…]

Subaru: [What’s…]

He checked the help desk and confirmed that no one was hiding there, then pointed to the stairs. Julius responded without a word, glaring at the back of the lobby, and gently shook his head. Crusch followed him with a frown, and, upon tracing his gaze, her expression was filled with horror. Seeing her reaction, Subaru went around the reception and joined the two—— and placing his gaze upon the same thing, held his breath.

???: [——]

With dragging, pitter-pattering steps, a figure appeared. Peeking around the stairs, a child wearing a mischievous smile emerged.

At first glance, he only looked like a child. A petite physique, a childlike face, evoking an image of youthfulness. However, those ideas were only present until taking notice of the boy’s eyes.

His dark-brown hair hung loose, and his body was wrapped with a single cloth, giving him a rather grim appearance. With a devilish smile on his little face, his eyes looked as if they contained all the poisons in the world, with decaying glows and toxic liquids—— they were, of course, not the eyes of a decent human being.

And, in the present circumstances, it was evident what was wrong with him.

Kid: [So happy, very happy, so very happy, so very very happy, because of this happiness, such happiness, incredible happiness, such incredible happiness, such incredibly incredible happiness, deserves! Drinking! Gluttony-! The longer you wait for something, the hungrier you get! So the first bite must be delicious to make up for it!] [2]

Pleased, happy from the bottom of his heart, the barefoot boy marched as if dancing to a beat.

As he spoke, he revealed a snaggletooth, a canine too long that was peeping from his mouth. Seeing that image, that attitude, that exaggerated speech, Subaru’s mind began to boil.

If this was not just his imagination, if this boiling rage did indeed exist, then this was——

Subaru: [You, kid. If you’re just some naughty kid who was left behind while playing hide-and-seek, then confess that right away. If that’s really the case, we’ll forgive you and let you go. Otherwise, hurry up and give your name.]

Kid: [Hahaha, what do you mean, onii-chan? You look mad. Are you someone with a grudge against us or something, by any chance? If we could remember, we would, but we’re stupid and have bad memory…]

Speaking in a low voice, Subaru deliberately endured the desire to raise his voice. And, as if deliberately provoking Subaru, the kid twisted his juvenile face into a mocking smile.

Kid: [Are you sure that attitude is really meant for us? Or is it for someone that isn’t us?]

Subaru: [That’s enough. I can see that you are―― my enemy!]

Kid: [We are a Sin Archbishop of the Witch Cult, representing Gluttony, Roy Alphard.]

Subaru: [GLUTTONY——!!]

As soon as the child claimed to be Gluttony, Subaru struck with his whip. Slashing through the air, his whip mercilessly cut through the wind on its journey towards his enemy’s face. However——

Roy: [Well, it’s not uncommon to face people who want a bite of us.]

——His teeth biting the end of the whip, Gluttony spoke brazenly.

Translation Notes:

[1] – This line is a whole pain in the ass. The original translation doesn’t seem to match the Japanese very well, but it’s a bitch to try and find a suitable way to word this. Take this intepretation with a grain of salt. For all those that are interested, this is the original line: 「ご想像は自由にしたらいいんじゃねーですか？　無敵、とか馬鹿みてーな奴もいやがることですし、アタクシは凄すぎ！　とまでは思っちゃいませんけどねー」.

[2] – Gluttony has a speech quirk where they end some of their lines abruptly with a guttural sound. This is represented in the original japanese by the character “ッ”, which we’ve historically localized literally as “~tsu”. We’ve since decided that that localization is not ideal, and to replace it with “-” going forward; some chapters will be kept intact in this regard so as to reflect the wishes of the original translator.