Subaru Natsuki awoke upon in the market street, his clothes were clean of both his own and Rem's blood. His throat didn't have the fatal self-inflected wound that had been his end in the previous loop. This was the power of Return by Death. He wobbled slightly, regaining his balance and after countless resets- the boy had never quite got used to the perspective change that his ability did as he was sent back to his check point.

The power to leap back through time at the cost of his own demise. It was a horrid, but useful ability in what he had once thought a fantastical world. Or would it be more appropriate to call it an authority? He was apparently an Archbishop- but of what sin? The seats were Sloth, Lust, Greed, Gluttony and Wrath were all taken. All that was left was Envy and Pride- and since the Witch Cult deified the Witch of Envy- the only seat that was available was Pride. It was the only vacancy that Subaru could fill.

"Subaru Natsuki... you truly are prideful."

It suited him well, or so he had been told by the insane Archbishop of Sloth. After a few seconds of regains a proper sense of balance, the boy regained his senses and was able to control his muscles properly. If he wanted to defeat the Archbishop of Sloth, he needed to be in proper shape. Flexing his muscles, Subaru couldn't frowned at his physical strength. He was weak, even after countless loops, this fact remained as clear as freshly polished glass. If he could save every one he cherished, then it would be worth it. All his suffering would be worth it. That was what his life amounted to- to save, whilst sacrificing himself.

But something was different now, for the first time in a long time- Subaru Natsuki was hopeful. It burned in his heart, hardening his resolve as he began to plan. Through his most of his loops, the boy had thought Petelguese as an indomitable being and had simply gone with the flow. He had given up, but with his hope renewed, he would begin to fight against the current- the flow would control him no longer. It was true that he no longer cared for the little things, such as his own death and the pain it brought him, but Subaru wanted the Archbishop of Sloth dead. For both Emilia's and Rem's protection, as well as his own selfishness.

"Ahh, I'm really am self-serving." Clenching his teeth tightly, Subaru fought the urge to scream, as he recalled the memories of his horrid chat with Emilia before he had even came to know about the White Whale or Petelguese. He had been in the wrong- the boy knew this now without a doubt. He had tried to push his ideals of what he thought Emilia needed, instead of what she had actually wanted- like she was an object instead of an actual sentient being. In the end, Subaru had only been satisfying himself, and leaving Emilia with bitter emotions.

After he saves her from the insane man named Petelguese, he'll leave her alone. He'll disappear and never come back. Subaru may be thinking what's best for her without acknowledging what she desired, like he had done beforehand. But it was different this time, for the half-elf wanted to be the Queen of Lugunica, for reason unknown to him. Now that he was an Archbishop, a leader of the widely feared Witch Cult, the boy would just worsen her reputation by being next to her. Who would be sane enough to vote for a Satella look-alike with an Archbishop in her camp? It was't likely- impossible even and Emilia's political image would suffer greatly. With him out of the picture, she can focus on her studies and thoroughly prepare her campaign.

She would soon forget him- everyone would.

"Indeed, it'll be better..."

"Subaru-kun!"

A voice that sounded like wind-chimes echoed off his ears and Subaru almost choked on the guilt he felt in his heart. But yet, he smiled widely, showing his whit teeth and his sanpaku eyes softened. Unlike in previous loops, where his smile had been faked and forced to satisfy those present- this one was sincere. It may have looked awful, strained by the stress that was plaguing his mind but unlike in other loops- he truly felt hopeful for his friends future.

Rem smiled widely in return, her maid dress moved softly in the breeze in her maid clothes. She looked unbelievably cute and Subaru would say this even if she was dressed in a garbage bag. Immediately, the boy engulfed her into a hug as he embraced her petite figure. He felt her body tense before relaxing into his warmth, as if melting into his arms. Subaru knew that she was strong- he understood that and knew her strength from first hand experience, but Rem wasn't stronger than Petelguese.

She had died in every loop since his check point had changed to the market street in an attempt to save him. And for that, she had earned a very special place in his heart. "I missed you." He may no longer care about death, his body used to the pain that mocked him every so often, but he wanted her to live. He wanted all of his friends to live- that was his greedy desire and motivation to move forward.

"Ahh," she coughed into her hand, separating the hug in a mixture of embarrassment and confusion. The Subaru that was lacking before this checkpoint had been a boy with only Emilia on his mind. He cared not for the feelings of his friends and chased after a girl who he thought was his heroine. The boy of the present, who had crawled his way through challenges and was met with a literal dead end- only wanted to express his emotions to the people he cared about. He truly was a selfish bastard. "Let's go," he whispered softly, grasping the demons soft, delicate hand. As they walked, Rem could only gaze at him in disbelief at his almost rapid change.

"Do you have a plan to help Emilia-sama?" Subaru turned his head and smiled softly at her lovely sky-blue eyes.

"...Yes."

This loops fate hinged entirely on Yua, his first servant.

The dragon carriage rolled softly across the dirt road of the Lifaus Highway. Unlike in his previous world, where a car would become bumpy or uncomfortable on rough roads, the carriage had no such issues. It was because of the earth dragons Divine Blessing that made it quite comfortable The pleasant summer nights breeze softly caressed Subaru's face, his short black hair waved in the wind. He sat on the wooden drivers seat with a young man named Otto. Although this wasn't their first meeting, for they had met through what was countless life-times, countless loops- but this was only several hours in the merchants own reality.

Time travelling was much more confusing than what anime and light novels made it out to be- and Subaru had no way to control the power other than dying. It was a powerful authority with many limits. He didn't know his exact age, but by judging how he had spent more than a year trying find a loophole in the once indomitable Petelguese, if the boy had to guess, he'll say that he was mentally eighteen. Maybe nineteen, if he rounded up.

"Hey Otto, how long until we reach Arlam?"

"Well, we just passed Flugel's Tree an hour ago, so at the very least, two more hours. Is that suitable, Subaru?"

"Yes, you'll receive your compensation once we arrive. I'm sure Roswal will be more than accomodating." Rem and the boy didn't have enough money to purchase a one way trip to Arlam, but for a travelling merchant, a contact with a margrave would increase both profit and options. This was a once in life time opportunity for Otto and Subaru had capitalised on that. The merchants life was supported by connections and a connection with a high ranking noble was worth more than any pouch of silver coins.

"Thanks... you might want to catch some sleep."

Subaru was about to refuse- to watch over this small carriage and make sure that Rem and the merchant stayed alive. Even when the threat of the White Whale was long gone, he was paranoid that some unexpected variable would appear. Yua was a variable that was on his side, an unexpected ally- he might not be that lucky next time. But the boy knew that he was lacking in sleep and Petelguese might survive because of it. Whilst his body felt light and fully awake, his mind was groggy and slow- he was still heavily fatigued, even after his small nap in the previous loop. He wouldn't be able to fight Petelguese or find Yua in such a state. This loop would be cursed to fail if he didn't sleep.

For what felt like the millionth time, Subaru cursed his own weakness.

"I'll take you up on that, wake me up when we're an half an hour out from Arlam."

He closes his eyes, the darkness behind his eyelids faded into pleasant dreams.

He was shook awake roughly, a callous hand gripped his shoulder with strength that was surprising. Instantly, Subaru's eyes opened and the sense of grogginess that had plagued his mind before he had slept was gone. A mop of grey hair and a plain face entered his vision. He had hoped to wake up by himself, but he was glad that Rem didn't- leaving would have been so much harder.

"Ahh, Otto, it's just you."

"What do you mean it's 'just me'!"

Over his countless hours of experience with Otto, Subaru had learnt that pushing his buttons was far too easy. It was also quite fun- a rare moment where he can genuinely feel relaxed instead of paranoid. He didn't have to worry about being stabbed or seeing a cherished one die. Of course, these moment don't last long, but the boy indulged in them.

He was a selfish bastard- he knew this well.

"I just expected someone prettier to wake me up."

"You specifically asked me to wake you!" Otto seemed to be in an outrage, annoyed and a little insulted by Subaru's remark. He wasn't drop dead gorgeous, but he was handsome enough. He clenched his fists and took a deep, calming breath and concealed such annoyance as he rubbed his forehead. He was almost there- his desired meeting with Roswal Mathers, Lugunica's court mage. "Anyway, we're more or less half an hour away from Arlam."

"Ahh." That was right, the boy had forgotten, his mind had been clouded, absent in the dreams of peace and serenity that he longed to achieve. A future he wouldn't be present to experience, unfortunately. But sacrifices had to be made, and Subaru hadn't yet made enough to guarantee his friends happy future. "Yes, please stop the carriage."

"What!" Otto's eye's widened in shock, biting his lip as he tried (and failed) to hide his frustration. Why would he want to stop the carriage in the middle of nowhere and half an hour away from the closet village. The boy waved a hand to dispel the merchants concerns, as he could guess exactly what he was thinking.

"Tell Rem to take you to Roswal's mansion. Don't worry if he isn't there, he'll probably be back in a couple of days."

"Then where are you going?" The merchant looked at the sleeping, Rem, who had remained unconscious despite their boisterous conversation. It seemed that she had been worried since the Royal Election and had taken this chance to gain some sleep and ease her concerned mind. He was grateful, but such concern was unneeded. Only he should make the sacrifices that were needed.

But yet, Subaru was grateful and relied heavily on this small tidbit of knowledge he had acquired from a previous loop. For her disappear and never come back when Petelguese had been slain. He was an Archbishop now and the boy would only cause pain and suffering towards those that he cared about. It would be better to leave, for the brief chapter that he had been present in their lives to be forgotten with the passages of time. It was time for this chapter to come to an end- it was time for the Archbishop of Sloth to die.

Smiling, Subaru jumped onto the road, his bent knees absorbed most of the impact and his feet had kicked up dust into the air and dry dirt crunched underneath his weight. The carriage had long since halted due to his request, so there was no danger to his safety whatsoever. Even if it had been moving, the boy doubted that he would have sustained serious injury. Ever since he had come to Lugunica, he was much more durable than he had ever been beforehand, but he was not invincible- his countless deaths proved this.

"Hey, Otto. It'll be much better that you forget that you had ever seen me."

Walking into the forest, slowly and with caution attained through countless lives, Subaru begun to hunt for an ally who would help him achieve his goals. To close a chapter of his life that had plagued him for far too long. Otto, a merchant who had only known him for less than a day, could only watch his back as it engulfed by the greenery of the forest.

"Then why are you crying."

He looked down to the dirt road, where there were several small, almost invisible wet patches.

Subaru, through countless traumatic deaths, could feel bloodlust clearly. It felt thick, like the air had suddenly been condensed to such a point where he could actively taste it. At first it had felt scary for the Subaru of the past, but now it was normal. Like that lame uncle who tried to scare you as a kid for amusement. Now, after so much experience with it, he had gotten used to it.

"Ahh, I'm safe for the moment." He sighed in relief, feeling nothing of the sort that could be identified as even the slightest bit of bloodlust. But like how the winds current change rapidly, such a fact could change at any moment, especially when he was so close to the Petelguese's hideout. The Archbishop of Sloth was a crazy bastard and wouldn't hesitate to kill or torment a weakling such as Subaru. Looking in a direction that most would call random, the boys eyes narrowed. "That bastards hideout is in that direction."

It was some sort of sixth sense, like his ability to detect bloodlust. After so many loops of being dragged to that same cave- it was understandable to know where it was from any distance. His body, almost instinctively, told him the danger laid in that direction. It wanted to live, to run for self preservation- Subaru had long since ignored such instincts.

"So, where is Yua?" That was the million yen question, an answer that he would need to figure out if he wanted to successfully slay Petelguese without any casualties or another loop. As if his soul knew what he desired, Subaru felt a pull within his body, unlike his instinctive one towards danger, this one felt alluring. Calm, like a lull lake. The boy began to walk in that direction, the orange soles of his shoes crunched the grass underneath his feet. With each step, the alluring feeling became stronger and it felt as if Subaru was being reeled in by a fisherman- he didn't fight it and continue to be reeled in. It felt natural.

The sound of a branch being cracked underneath feet alerted the boy, and he instantly knew that another person was closing in. The alluring feeling became stronger, like a tsunami pushing him beneath its current and pressure. It felt so close, the answer was so near that Subaru's body began to shake. His feet began to pick up pace and before he knew it, he was sprinting and within seconds, they boys amber eyes met coal-like orbs and silky black hair.

"Subaru Natsuki,"

The woman kneeled- a sight that he had only seen once before, in the previous loop enacted by this very woman. A person as worthless as him could only bare witnessed to such a sight because Subaru was an Archbishop. And Yua was his servant, his sword that would followed his command.

"Yua Ichika, I have need for you."

The woman, his servant smiled shyly and squirmed underneath his gaze. Subaru smiled widely, for this chapter was about to close- and a new one would begin.

Petelguese Romanee-conti was about to die.

Yua walked in front, her cloak moved with the soft breeze and her sword had been pulled from her sheath, ready to slay all that stood before him. The6 were close to the hideout, many three minutes away in foot. And just like in the last loop, Petelguese will die, Subaru would make sure of it.

"My lord, are you perhaps on bad terms with the Archbishop of Sloth?" After their introductions, the boy had asked her to slay the Archbishop of Sooth and his section of the Witch Cult along with him without mercy. This was an expected response, and one that Subaru knew the answer to. Whilst he disliked his new position, he held this woman in high regards, for she had given him hope and would help him succeed in his goals.

"Yes, although, I doubt he'll recognise me." It wasn't because of his low self-esteem that he had said this, but because in this particular loop, Petelguese and Subaru had never once met. They were strangers and it was only because of Return by Death that he knew what to expect and how to kill the Archbishop of Sloth. In other words, they were like passing asteroids that were a thousand of light years apart, but one was aware of the others presence.

So it was impossible that the bastard would recognise someone he hadn't even laid eyes upon before. "Of course," Yua nodded, increasing her pace to continue to be in front to take any blow that was aimed for him. "Do you... have a plan? Petelguese will be no easy opponent, even if he is the weakest Archbishop." No, Subaru was the weakest- but he didn't wish to say so. Not yet, not until the Archbishop of Sloth is dead and his corpse is rotting in the same cave he had killed Rem countless times.

"Yes, you'll take care of his fingers and I'll distract Petelguese- when his underlings are subjugated, then you can kill him."

"Of course." Yua smiled- the climax was closing in and Subaru couldn't wait.

"Hey, you bastard- get out here!"

Subaru's voice was projected to the caves entrance, where Petelguese and his fingers rested. It took no more than a couple of seconds for the Archbishop of Sloth to appear at the entrance. Dressed in his cultists robes and with fourteen underlings behind him. "Are you too a benefactor of her love!" His hands slapped his cheeks, pulling his skin downwards-such an act had once disturbed the boy, but now it just annoyed it.

"No, Satella can die for all I care." The relationship between himself and the Witch of Envy was one sided, but it was a lie to say that he hadn't benefitted from her love. He was only alive because of Return by Death, which Subaru was almost certain was gifted to him by Satella herself. He just said so to piss off the Archbishop of Sloth and weaken him slightly. If an enemy had given into anger, than you have an advantage- the boy had learnt this from Elsa.

"How dare you deny her! How dare you! I have never seen such sloth!" The fingers leaped towards the pair, and Petelguese began to bite down on his fingers, seven hands penetrated out of his back and began to move towards the boy. He could see them, and unlike with his first run-in with the bastard, Subaru could doge them.

"You know the plan, Yua!"

He had to trust in his servant- in the woman who had allowed him to have hope. Jumping, rolling and ducking, Subaru continued to dodge Petelguese's unseen hands, much to his frustration. If he lowered his guard, even for a second, this loop would end in failure- the boy couldn't allow that to happen. He was becoming fatigued and his body was becoming slower, and as such, the unseen hands had gripped his limbs, only to be sliced by Yua's sword as she dodged an attack from an underling.

"How can you see my hands! How, how! Have I become slothful?!" Petelguese's unseen hands become too fast for Subaru's fatigued body to doge. So if he could dodge, why not obstruct his opponents view? He couldn't lose, not when he had all that cards he got get his hands on!

"Shamac!"

A cloud of darkness descended the battlefield and Subaru relocated his position, he heard Petelguese's shouts and the sound of Yua's sword slicing Petelguese's fingers to pieces- sending them to the deepest depths of hell. He had been able to avoid what would have been a fatal strike and had averted another loop for now. But the spell had taken something, the boy knew it- his gate had broken and as such, he could no longer use magic. His final spell dissipated into the atmosphere, the mana from the spell refilling the atmosphere with that foreign, magical power.

The insane man screamed a second before Shamac completely faded, and the scene before Subaru sent a small shiver of satisfaction through his spine. Yua had slaughter all fourteen fingers and had now landed a fatal wound on Petelguese in the form of a blade through his chest. A second later, the insane man fell limp, obviously dead.

"It's... finally over." After a year of hating and cursing death upon this man- Subaru felt empty. What was next? His goal had been achieved, so what could he do now. An in snag after the Archbishops of Sloth's death, the boy felt strange- as if something foreign had entered his body.

It felt magical?

"You truly are slothful!"

Subaru's knees buckled and he felt his mind began to corrode as the insane man tried to take over. He felt scared, so, so afraid- all he had was his mind and sense of self and now that was going to be taken. "What else do I have to loose!" He shouted as he gripped his head, as if he could expel such a spell if he crushed his own head. Yua noticed his fear and came to his side, gripping his shoulder to give him some comfort.

What could he do? What could he do? What the fuck can he do?!

"Your body is mine!"

"Ahh, that's right- I'll just let you met her." He just realised, if Petelguese knew about Return by Death, he would be killed. Just like how Emilia was murdered when he had told her during his first series of loops with the White Whale and Petelguese. He just had to utter those awful words. "I.. can... return... by... dea-" Subaru wasn't allowed to finish and he felt himself lose control. Petelguese had taken over his body, but Satella used her unseen hands to flush his soul out. Half a second later, the boy return to consciousness. He still felt something foreign still there, but it didn't try to harm him- not yet.

Subaru Natsuki shivered in fear for the future.