To say that things looked as if they might go sideways at any second was an understatement.
The creature in front of him may have looked like a normal, grey-furred cat. But Subaru knew better.
In truth, it was a time bomb that was just waiting to go off. And the trigger was the strings that connected Emilia's life to this world. If, for some reason, those strings ended up being severed, the spirit in the form of a cat would unleash what Subaru understood to be a never-ending winter that would wipe out all life in the world.
While he wasn't exactly trying to get a pad on the back for it, Subaru did feel as if he had come a great way in learning to control his emotions. And it had only been a couple of days. Understanding what needed to be focused on and what needed to be thrown out had been of great assistance to him. However, he still couldn't hold back the feeling of resentment as he looked into the eyes of someone he thought he was friends with.
He was wrong.
And unlike the misunderstanding that happened with Rem when he first came to Roswaal's mansion, Subaru had very little hope that Puck could be reasoned with.
He was too obsessed with Emilia's safety. And in a way that as far as Subaru was concerned, was counterproductive. As a matter of fact, that very same behavior reminded him of his own foolishness back in the capital.
A fountain of resentment built up in Subaru's heart, though he refused to show his feelings on his face. At this moment, Puck was in the top 5 of people who he hated more than anyone else in this world. The only others who could even make the cut were the now deceased White Whale, the Bowel Hunter, that green-haired maniac, and perhaps a certain pompous knight.
Puck was the reason Subaru would no longer love winter.
And it was Puck and his empty sanctimony that infuriated Subaru more than anything. Because now that he truly thought about it, how many times had this spirit been AWOL when things got tough, and then hid behind his contract to justify his absence?
Subaru remembered. He would always remember.
"First, you broke your promise with Lia. It seems you do not truly understand just how weighty a promise formed between two people is to a spirit mage. I suppose you truly do not know how much your rashly breaking that promise hurt Lia."
Nobody knew this better than Subaru, himself. There was absolutely no excuse for his behavior in the royal selection. He allowed his own feelings of worthlessness to command his actions. Instead of doing something, anything to bring himself up and improve his standing, all he did was try to bring other people down to his pathetic level. His actions were disgraceful. Nobody would beat him up about that day more than himself. But Subaru wasn't going to live in the past. Right now was now.
"Second, you ignored Lia's wishes and came back. Do you even know how much that drove her into a corner and made her suffer when she didn't want to see you again? Not only did you break your promise, but you also had to trample on Lia's heart as you pleased."
That was only because he, Subaru was the sole individual armed with the knowledge that would be able to save her life. For such a powerful spirit, Puck seemed to respond to danger only after the situation was about to get out of control. Two times Subaru came to the mansion in those failed loops, seeing nothing but blood and bodies littering the scene. And both times he died in the cold. That ominous voice that spoke to him the first time was mysterious enough to be a stranger. And that immense, bestial creature in the mansion was a complete unknown. But now he knew the voice and the form belonged to an unleashed Puck. The same Puck who was too slow to act, but wanted to put the sole blame on the one person who broke himself to save his daughter.
"And third, you let Lia die."
At the time, the only thing he wanted to do was warn her by any means necessary to keep her safe. It wasn't as if he wanted points for trying, but he had absolutely no way of knowing that she would be the one to end up dead if he forced himself to reveal the taboo. Yet another example of how unfair things had been to him. No one ever explained the rules of this damned cursed. How could he know that it would backfire in such a way? And this flying rodent wanted him to take the blame for that? Subaru understood that he himself was the cause of a fair few of his own problems. But that was one bag he would never hold, and no matter how many loops he went through.
Subaru was instantly reminded of the first day that he arrived in this world. As well as his very first death. When the two of them walked into the Loot House, they met an immediate death at the hands of an assassin from the north. At that point, it never even occurred to Subaru that his life could be in danger. And yet, Puck, with all his power did nothing to prevent it. Subaru had to endure a small handful of other deaths to change the situation. And even then, he was the one who called Puck out to defend Emilia in the first place.
"Puck. You are the most slothful one of all."
Within himself, Subaru felt the resentment turn into a cloud that hung in his mind. But with the force of his resolve, his heart summoned winds to dispel that same feeling from influencing his actions.
In the most carefree tone he could muster, Subaru greeted the spirit cat who he now viewed as another enemy. "Oh, it feels like it's been a long time, Puck. Out for a little morning stroll? Hope you're feeling good."
Ram, having been silent since the Great Spirit made his presence known felt as if something was going on between the two of them. She may not have had the ability to read minds, but, she absolutely picked up on an increase in pressure between the two of them. And from this, she strongly felt as if there was about to be a surge in hostility between one of them. But why?
"Mm, I'm in a very good mood. Right now, I can easily dispose of an insect pestering my beloved daughter." His tone was exceedingly pleasant. But his words conveyed an obvious threat.
However, to the surprise of the Great Spirit of Fire, the black-haired teenager seemed neither cowed, nor intimidated. "That's weird. Why is he so calm right now? And why is he covered in blood?" Something was...different about Subaru Natsuki at the moment. But what was it? Since the last time they saw one another only a week or so had passed.
Responding with a most flippant, unconcerned tone, Subaru could only shrug at the implied threat. "That so? I know I sent a bunch of villagers into the mansion, but I had no idea there was an infestation. Looks like Ram has been slacking while we were away."
Having had enough of being given the run-around, Puck emanated an overpowering aura from his body, the temperature around them suddenly lowering! "Cut the games, Subaru!" His tone was sharp. His eyes narrowed impatiently. "What are you doing back here? And why are your clothes covered in blood? What have you been doing while you were away? Answer, while you still can."
Seconds later, Subaru sensed the presence of the Shadow Demon returning to his own shadow. The message had been delivered. Inside the ear of his mind, Subaru heard the words, "He is here."
Satisfied with the speed of this shadowy messenger, Subaru pushed his hair back, his glibness never vanishing. "Well well, aren't you the little detective, now? Answer you, or what? You'll shoot me full of ice spikes? Freeze me down to my soul?"
Tired of being given fake answers, Puck figured that the foolish boy needed to be reminded of just who he was talking to. But, the second before he increased the power of his aura to further lower the temperature, what Subaru spoke next froze Puck where he was floating. "Or maybe you'll do something like destroy the world?"
For Puck, time stood still. And the shock was so immense that he could not even maintain his hostility. His aura died down, and with it, the temperature returned to normal.
Were his ears deceiving him? How could Subaru possibly know about the most secret condition of his contract? Now even Emilia herself knew! There was only one other person Subaru could have possibly spoken with who could have given him this information. But when? "Betty? She...told him?"
Subaru's eyes locked onto Puck's. And his smile enraged the Great Spirit, but he wasn't even able to show it.
And suddenly, Subaru burst out into laughter, doubling over to the point where he even slapped his knee! He was rolling in enjoyment so thoroughly that it knocked Ram for a loop, having no clue what it was that the foolish Barusu was playing at or why Puck was displaying such unwarranted aggression.
"Oh, man! I can't believe you fell for that joke! Destroy the world? C'mon! As if! You really need to lighten up some, Puck. Your fur is going to end up looking ratty if you stay high-strung like this."
But Puck couldn't bring himself to respond. That wasn't the kind of thing someone could make a joke about. Not to him. Within his mind, all Puck could think was, "He knows."
The brief moment of silence that he received from the grey-furred cat told Subaru something important. The conditions of his contract that needed to be fulfilled in order for him to destroy the world were not something that was common knowledge. But, now that he thought about it, why would it be? He couldn't think that Emilia would ever agree to something like this. This was why Subaru felt as if Puck was hiding this stipulation to have justification to vent his frustration if his darling daughter were to ever die an unnatural death.
And the way Puck looked at him in dumb confusion told him even more. "Yeah, I know."
"Aaaaaanyway, I guess I should explain a little bit of what I have been doing over the last couple of days. You see, I have made some new friends. And let me tell you, they have been a damn big help. You might not believe this, but just earlier this morning, Rem and I killed the White Whale. With some help from my business contacts, obviously."
He was aware that the spirit had the ability to read thoughts. Or at the very least, surface-level feelings and intentions. Nothing that he had ever said indicated he was able to do anything like a deep scan of memories. So from this, Subaru felt that if Puck was paying attention, he would be able to understand that Subaru was telling the truth. Not that he had any reason to lie. His intentions here couldn't have been more straightforward.
"As for what I was doing before that? Ahh, to keep it real with you, I was struggling around. Doing a whole lot of thinking, coming to a whole lot of wrong conclusions." This was of course only a cliff notes version of what happened. He of course was not going to tell anybody that he had died a handful of times, a couple of them at the hands of the great spirit floating in front of him.
Having finally gathered himself, Puck couldn't believe what he was hearing. Gluttony—or rather, the White Whale was an existence that had plagued the entire continent for four centuries. It was absolutely inconceivable that Subaru of all people had been involved in its death. But, he did not detect any sort of deceit in his words. "Did Reinhard help you? Is that it?"
Snorting out a laugh, Subaru looked from the pink-haired maid to Puck. "Why does everyone think Reinhard is the one helping me out? Sure, I'd have liked it, but it wasn't him. Funny thing, too. The first time he and I met, he told me hunting monsters was his specialty. Can't help but wonder how he does at fighting in the cold."
Puck's green eyes shrunk back from hearing these words. "Is he threatening me? He knows about the contract, and he knows Reinhard can destroy me, too? Is he just guessing? No, he can't be. How did Subaru learn this information? It doesn't make sense. Someone told him something, but I can't understand who!" From the perspective of the Great Spirit of Fire, he now had an invisible gun to his head. If he harmed Subaru, would the Sword Saint take action?
Should he...attack? But if he did, then what?
Uncertainty built up in Puck the likes of which he had never before experienced. Nothing had truly even happened and yet here he was in this corner by nothing more than words! However, to his slight relief, the black-haired boy's next words were something Puck could talk about.
"So...how's Emilia doing?"
It took a great amount of willpower for Subaru to even be able to ask this question. But, the fact of the matter was, he couldn't keep putting this off forever. Sooner or later, and probably at the end of this day, there was going to be a confrontation between himself and the silver-haired half-elf. He couldn't keep ignoring this like it wasn't there. And to be perfectly honest, Subaru felt that if he did somehow finish all this and walk away without talking to her, he would never feel complete in his rebirth.
"To be perfectly honest, she's been in a real funk. No thanks to you. She thinks everything is her fault and that she's the one hurting you. It's...stupid." Puck was oftentimes one who was very frank with his thoughts and opinions. Especially when it came to those who held no particular importance to him. But, this was a situation where he knew he had to watch his mouth.
After a few moments of silent thought, Subaru couldn't help but chuckle to himself just a little bit. "Yeah, that sounds about right. That sounds exactly like her."
Typical Emilia.
It was he, Subaru who had done everything wrong that day, and yet that kind girl still took the burden onto herself, making her own life more difficult.
Sighing, he needed to put that out of his mind. Emilia's safety was still #1 at the moment. If anything happened to her, all this effort would be for nothing.
"Look, Puck. I still have work to do. I dunno if you're aware, but the Witch Cult is hiding in the forest. And I have reason to believe there's an Archbishop with them. I'm going in there to finish them off. My associate is waiting for me to get a move on. I need you to keep guard over the mansion and everyone inside. Especially Emilia. Think you stay by her side and do that? I should be done before your time limit is up."
If he was being perfectly honest, he didn't feel as if Puck was worthy of any measure of trust. He had proven to be unreliable too many times and Subaru had been the one to pick up the slack. But as long as he was aware of the danger, Subaru felt confident Puck would not close his eyes for even a minute.
"...Yeah. I can do that. Lia matters to me more than anything else in the world."
Subaru had heard that one before. And while his feelings toward the Great Spirit had not turned positive by any means, he was giving Puck this one job to do. Subaru had his own assignment.
"Just one thing, Subaru. You're going into the forest when it looks like that? What's with that ring of rainbow fire? Who created it?" Speaking as the one who held the title of the current Great Spirit of Fire, he could confidently say he had never seen any flames like that and couldn't tell what they were doing.
Unfortunately, he wasn't going to be receiving any answer from Subaru. Because the Japanese teenager really didn't know what those flames were for, either. The most he knew was that they were probably the area in which Demiurge intended to contain the members of the Witch Cult. But to both their fortune, a calm, pleasing voice made itself known mere moments later.
"They are the Flames of Gehenna."
It was the voice of Demiurge, who had finally decided to make his presence know. He'd appeared just barely out of the corner of his eye, wearing his usual pleasant smile. But, he wasn't alone. Kneeling beside Demiurge was a middle-aged, brown-haired man who, to Subaru's eyes, looked completely unremarkable. However, the way in which he had positioned himself certainly wasn't by his own will, because Demiurge had hold of the man by his hair, preventing him from struggling.
And perhaps it was because Subaru was now accustomed to his malignant self, this time it was Ram and Puck whose turn it was to look upon the man in the red suit with eyes of bewilderment.
"Barusu. Who exactly is it that you have brought along with you to our lord's domain." Though she maintained her stoic tone, her eyes were analyzing Demiurge with a look of unhidable suspicion.
Feeling that some introductions were now in order, he gestured toward the man in red and said, "This is one of the new associates I mentioned. He put in a whole lot of help when it came to defeating the White Whale. Couldn't have done it without his help."
The next one to speak was Puck, his eyes moving slowly from the newcomer to the frightened-looking human. "And...who's that he's got by the neck?"
"A Witch Cultist." Demiurge's words send a jolt through Ram and Puck. But not Subaru. As a matter of fact, he had been expecting something just like this. He was only surprised that Demiurge brought in the bacon so quickly. "He was skulking around the area in a way that was too suspicious for him to have been a traveler." And not only that. Demiurge could tell an innocent person from a murderer simply by the look in their eyes. "But why don't we let him speak for himself?" As if tossing a stone, Demiurge shoved the POW onto the ground without care.
[Command Mantra]
"State your name, your occupation, and your intentions. Do not resist. Do not defy."
As if something had taken over his mind, the stranger began to speak, but the unpleasant look on his face made it clear as day that the words were being forced out of his mouth.
"My name is...Kety. I'm a member...of the Witch Cult! I am one of the Fingers of the grand Archbishop of...Sloth, Betelguese Romanee-Conti!"
Fury welled up inside Subaru upon hearing that his man even speak the name of the person he hated more than anyone else in the world. His fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
But, at the same time, he also felt a sense of relief. Things were still proceeding in the way that he predicted. The Witch Cult was absolutely on the scene. And as of right now, Subaru was ahead of them. And to make matters even better, they had captured one. They needed to wring every bit of information out of this guy that they could before they headed into the forest.
However, there was one thing that this With Cultist spoke of that Subaru knew nothing about. "What the hell's a Finger?"
And it would seem he was not the only one who wanted to know more. Looking over to the kneeling man, Demiurge commanded him to answer.
"There are ten Fingers! Among the Archbishop's subordinates, we are ones who serve as spare vessels who may hold his spirit should his current body be destroyed!" The resentful look upon Kety's face made it clear to everyone that he would never be speaking any of this were he in control of his own body.
This new information greatly unnerved Subaru. "He has the ability to...possess people?" This, he didn't know. Sweat trickled down the side of his head as he contemplated the meaning of this. "If we managed to kill Betelguese without knowing this, that means one of these Fingers could be sitting in the back and escape!"
Subaru understood, now. Betelguese may have been the main priority, but they absolutely could not leave any of the Fingers alive. No matter what.
Much of the magic that existed in this world that Subaru was in coincided with things he knew from fiction and fantasy. The basics of magic seemed to begin with the essential four elements, and then there were the lesser two elements alongside them that fewer people appeared to be affiliated with. And then there was the mysterious Door Crossing skill that only Beatrice seemed to be capable of, as well as the Divine Protections that some people were born with.
With all these in mind, it didn't surprise Subaru that the ability to override someone's personality with their own existed.
Bringing himself back to reality and tearing himself away from his own thoughts, he looked toward the pink-haired maid as well as the floating spirit to ask their opinion on this. "This sounds familiar to either of you?"
Ram looked uncertain of what to say. But Puck did have some input. "Probably a form of magic that has been lost over the years. A lot of knowledge and history vanished when the Witch of Envy rampaged throughout the world."
That made sense to Subaru. However, something else seeped into his mind. Hadn't Puck once mentioned that he was about 400 years old? And that was around the same time that the Witch of Evy destroyed part of the world? "Shouldn't he know a lot about what was going on back in those days?"
"And I'm betting it's not just his own mind that goes into the new body. Probably his memories and his personal powers, too." Subaru felt that it would be far too naive to assume that someone would transfer their own essence into a new body and no longer have access to their original skills.
That stupid bastard! Having extra lives like this was some kind of video game! It wasn't!
Deciding to follow up on what he had said before, Puck continued, "If you manage to kill off all ten of these Fingers, it's likely that Sloth will have nowhere else to retreat to once he realizes his own body is in mortal peril. At that point, he will die just like any other person."
Armed with this new knowledge, Subaru felt his confidence grow. Nothing had changed! They had planned on eliminating every last one of these Witch Cultists right from the very beginning.
"And, is this Archbishop capable of possessing anyone? Anyone at all? Explain."
It was Demiurge who asked this question. And the second he finished, Kety was forced to respond. "No. Only certain individuals fulfill the many requirements to become his Fingers. For example, those who have an affinity for spirits and have already formed a contract with one cannot be made into Fingers."
Another bit of useful information. Yes, that was exactly what he needed to do.
But, it made Subaru a little nervous. Was it possible that he could be turned against his allies in such a way? He really didn't think he had any sort of affinity for spirits in the same way that Emilia did. He suddenly felt a few shades more vulnerable. "How am I gonna protect myself from this? Think. Think. Think. Think. Think. Think. Think!"
He almost made his own head hurt when suddenly some familiar words came back to him. "Everything that can be exploited must be exploited." Of course, Subaru would prefer it if this situation did not come about in the first place. However, he still wondered just how that person would feel if an intruder attempted to encroach upon a space they hadn't been welcomed.
A look of dark triumph came upon his face, part of him wanting to put this plan into action, despite its risks.
And this expression did not go unnoticed by either Ram, or Puck.
"Barusu, what exactly is it that you are thinking about? Going up against the Witch Cult, much less an Archbishop like this is foolhardy, even for you."
But, it was pointless. There was nothing she could say that could change his mind. He had already come too far. There was no walking away from this. No putting it off until later. And absolutely no acting like it was somebody else's problem. Subaru knew they were coming for the half-elf. This was all happening one way or another.
And what's more, for the first time in his life, Subaru Natsuki wanted to fight.
"I've already got it all figured out." He responded. His mind felt like the surface of an untouched lake. Subaru thought simply knowing about that mysterious power that Betelguese used would already be an advantage. But to figure out his big secret like this? The odds were shifted even further in his favor, now.
Unfortunately, his mental celebration was interrupted by the voice of the spiritual cat. "Subaru, I don't know what you've been doing over the last few days or where you found this...person," His gaze shifted toward Demiurge, a noticeable look of distrust in his green eyes. "I don't think you should be making any kinds of deals with whoever this person is. I'm not even sure what he is." Certainly not any kind of demihuman he'd ever countered. But, he might have been a member of a race that was nearing extinction. That was certainly possible.
The sinister feeling that permeated the air around the one called Demiurge unnerved Puck. "Unless the contract was broken, I wouldn't have any hope of matching whatever this thing is." Where in the world could Subaru have ever encountered someone like this? Too many things didn't make sense to the 400-year-old spirit.
But, neither Subaru nor Demiurge wanted to hear it.
"Are you serious, Puck? I thought Emilia's life what's more important to you than anything else in the world? Well, you should be the main one who's on my side in this situation. The Witch Cult thinks they're gonna show up here and pull their dirty plans, but I'm three steps ahead of them. I'm taking them out and saving everybody who might end up as one of their targets. What the hell is there to even complain about? Everybody gets what they want!"
However, even though he said this, another part of him knew that it was not the complete truth. Saving Emilia saved countless lives by proxy. Including his own.
Subaru wasn't going to give Puck the chance to throw another tantrum and put the blame on him. He'd worked too hard to come this far!
Breaking his silence, Demiurge stepped forward and spoke, "Subaru, I believe your friend is not very trusting of me."
The Japanese teenager almost wanted to snort at the idea that he was friends with Puck. At one point he surely thought that. But that was before he discovered the true nature of the Great Spirit.
His eyes narrowing, Puck continued, never one to be cowed into not speaking his thoughts. "Because we have no idea who you even are! You show up out of nowhere and we're supposed to trust that you're on our side? How do we know you don't have some connection to another camp of the other candidates and are just using Subaru to—"
But Puck was silenced by laughter. A laughter from Demiurge that was truly devoid of mirth. "Your side? My, you truly have made quite the assumption, haven't you? I cannot remember ever claiming to have chosen sides. Nor is it my concern what happens to a feeble, human country such as this. Subaru and I have entered into a mutually beneficial arrangement. And he has proven at every turn that he can provide a worthwhile trade for our assistance."
The bespectacled demon looked down at Kety who was kneeling on the ground like a domesticated animal. "Yes, Witch Cultists like you will work just fine as another source of information." The activities of the Witch Cult were supposedly unpredictable. And yet here Demiurge had one of them spilling all of his sect's secrets. "Sebas was truly correct to cast his eye upon Subaru Natsuki. Whatever his method, he knows what many seem to be blind to."
The next one to speak was, surprisingly, Ram. "And what is it specifically that you have requested from Barusu?" She had chosen to take on the role of a silent observer. But, she just couldn't help but wonder what it was that this mysterious being could possibly want from someone like Barusu. What did he have to offer for so much aid?
"We don't need to be talking about any of that right now. It isn't important." The pink-haired maid wanted to know more, and he was certain that her sister would fill her in on all the details. After all, she had been there pretty much every step of the way. There was only one thing and that Subaru needed to be focused on at the moment and that was the absolute destruction of the Witch Cult in the forest. They didn't have all day.
Subaru felt that they had already wasted enough time. They had all the information they needed, and he was now armed with a new weapon that green-haired maniac would never see coming.
"Ram! Just ask your sister for the details. She'll tell you everything. I want you to stay safe with the villagers. They will e counting on you to protect them. After all, it's Roswaal's name who's on the line, here." He really couldn't pretend like he knew anything about all this junk involving the relationships between aristocrats and serfs. However, if something were to happen to those who live upon the territory of a noble, especially within their own house, it would surely cause Roswaal some public disgrace. "And Puck, all you need to worry about is protecting Emilia. Do your job and you don't need to worry about anything else, much less who I'm spending my personal time with."
Subaru didn't want to hear any further argument on this subject. "Demiurge, I think it's time we got started. We can't lose any time. Also, you think we need anything else out of this Witch Cultist?" The ten Fingers needed to be eliminated in order to truly kill the Archbishop. Kety's life was not one that had a lengthy expectancy.
He shook his head. He strongly felt that this would not be the last member of the Witch Cult he ever encountered. And this mission could not be completed without his death.
A satisfied smile crossed Subaru's face. "Good."
With a mental command, the Hand of Algol transformed from its resting form to its active state. But, as far as Ram or Puck could tell, since he was wearing long sleeves, was that Subaru's hand had been enveloped by some metallic gauntlet with dangerously sharp-tipped claws.
Pointing his palm toward the Witch Cultist, the last thing Kety ever saw was an ominous, glowing eye staring into his heart.
[Shockwave]
At the speed of sound, the vibrational impact slammed into Kety, turning what was once his body into something that looked as if it was a crushed metal can. And appropriately, blood splattered against the ground as his upper half was smashed, his insides having been completely scrambled. From what he had been told by Sebas, this attack could be used at long range and still crush a suit of plated armor. Subaru would have used it against the White Whale, but he didn't think it would be particularly effective. But against a human body with no defenses? The result of such an attack was instant death.
...
Subaru Natsuki's expression did not change. No anger. No regret. And very little hostility. Kety had served his purpose, and to even his surprise, Subaru felt not a shred of remorse. But, he didn't really feel any pleasure, either. This was the first time in his life that he had ever killed another human. And to his surprise, Subaru didn't feel conflicted. He was a person who had endured death multiple times. He knew exactly how painful and terrifying it could be.
However, Witch Cultists didn't deserve any mercy, as far as he was concerned. If Subaru didn't kill him, then how many people would Kety have gone on to pointlessly murder on this very same day? Yes, he had just saved hundreds of lives with one movement.
"Alright. One Finger down. Nine to go, right?"
While Puck didn't flinch at the sight of death, it took him completely off guard to not only see Subaru of all people kill someone, but the fact that he seemed to do with an unknown method that perplexed the Great Spirit. It had only been a couple of days, but it seemed as if Subaru had changed so much.
Ram, on the other hand, did not hide her surprise as well. "Barusu..." She had absolutely no intention of reprimanding him. After all, she had also taken life before. In fact, she had done so from an incredibly young age in the defense of her home. And she was also not one to believe the Witch Cult deserved to be treated softly. But even still. the face that Barusu of all people could snuff out someone's life without hesitation and by such unclear means, it made the pink-haired maid wonder just what she had missed while she was at home and he was in the capital with her sister.
Demiurge was the only one to express an emotion of positivity. Satisfaction.
"It would seem Subaru is becoming quite comfortable with that item. Though, if I have to say so, I do not think the despair he experienced was anywhere near great enough before his death. But then, we are on something of a schedule. Personal enjoyment must wait for another time."
The death of Kety already out of his mind, Subaru turned to make way for the forest that was lit ablaze, and yet not burning. "The two of you know what you need to do. I'll do my best to keep them all inside the forest. But be ready for a worst-case scenario."
Nether the elder of the oni sisters or the Great Spirit of Fire could comprehend how Subaru, that Subaru, was speaking in such a commanding tone that was devoid of doubt.
Together with the devil in the red suit, Subaru walked into the forest alongside Arlam Village. And for Ram, she couldn't help but think that the Barusu she endlessly mocked was not the same person whose back she was now looking at.
"He's right. We should watch over the mansion. Lia and Rem will be worried if we are gone for too long."
Looking back, Puck could only wonder one thing before he vanished back to the mansion. "Subaru, what have you gotten yourself into?"
But, little did the Great Spirit know, that was the wrong question. Rather, it was what Subaru Natsuki was getting himself out of.
Walking through a forest that he knew was crawling with members of the Witch Cult should have been spine-chilling. Especially to someone like Subaru who already knew how terrible they could be. But instead, he felt a creeping eagerness.
To his great surprise, Subaru was told by Demiurge that passing through the rainbow color flames would do him no harm. If he was still at a distance, Subaru would have said "coulda fooled me." After all, one of the first lessons kids learned was not to play with fire.
He had been informed that these were the result of the spell [Flames of Gehenna]. Apparently, the fire covered an immense area of the forest. And Demiurge had ordered his demons to exterminate any members of the Witch Cult who attempted to leave. Truly this was a killing field.
But the Flames of Gehenna weren't simply there to look pretty.
Any demons who were within would benefit from increased abilities in all parameters.
Subaru, who was one to defame those who were in support and buff classes immediately felt grateful. He'd have to change his opinion of those who followed that path. "Makes me wonder if the Shadow Demon will be able to respond faster to any surprise attacks. Maybe I'll find out, soon."
This was the last thought that came to his mind before he saw what was undoubtedly movement in the distance.
"Thanks for the warm welcome. I appreciate it."
It was just as he suspected. Full-fledged members of the Witch Cult were also able to detect who had a noticeable miasma around them. This was how they determined who were allied, he supposed.
And also why their insane boss thought he was this Pride.
Subaru squinted, staring into the gloomy darkness ahead of him as he spoke the words of thanks. Of course, there was not even a smidgen of friendliness on his face. But the people to whom he spoke lacked any sense of humanity to care. It was very late to do so, but he wondered who they were under those hoods. It was impossible to tell gender or age.
In an instant, several figures had surrounded Subaru, robed in black outfits that blended with the darkness. Subaru mentally counted their numbers to eight. He hoped at least two of the Fingers were among this number.
"It might be too rude, but you rank and file members aren't who I'm looking for. Escort me to the Archbishop."
In tandem, all eight of the robed freaks bowed to Subaru and filed off to two sides with four at his left, and then the other four at his right.
"Geez, when I said to escort me, I didn't mean like this. They are barely giving me any breathing room, here." However, Subaru still could not complain.
Subaru stood in the middle of their formation. But he did not proceed when they attempted to lead him to their superior. "Before we get started, there's just one thing I wanna tell you folks. It's important, so I won't waste your time blabbing on about unimportant things."
...
In spite of what he said, Subaru did not seem to be in any hurry to tell the eight hooded murderers exactly what it was he had stopped them for. But still, they waited obediently like the puppets they were. Slowly, Subaru opened his eyes, and with a voice that was devoid of any compassion he spoke,
"You're all about to die."
As if having been given a signal, from the trees, at least a dozen beasts raced out in an organized pack, swarming the Witch Cultists before they'd even had a chance to know that they weren't alone! Each of the beasts were Hellhounds and they were more than twice the size of a normal dog. The crimson eyes of these vicious beasts gleamed with an infernal intelligence, and from their mouths spilled not drool, but embers of flame.
The Witch Cultists, having been given not a chance to escape or draw their weapons were savaged and torn apart by the bloodthirsty demons with fire in their jaws. Limbs were torn straight from bodes and throats were punctured by lethal fangs. And was with cold eyes that Subaru looked at the remains of the Witch Cultists to see blank, lifeless faces beneath their hoods that had been pulled away amidst this unforgiving surprise attack.
"...I guess I shouldn't be surprised. But under those veils, you all look just like normal people.
Emilia had never seen the mansion so bustling with life, before. Though she had only lived here for a couple of months, and it was still surprising to see dozens upon dozens upon dozens of people fluttering through the halls.
To her surprise, she recognized quite a few of the faces. They were the people from the village down the road. But, none of this made sense to the silver-haired half-elf. She thought that the villagers did not trust anything that came from her mouth. She was so accustomed to being rejected that it didn't occur to her for even a second that they might have changed their minds.
"What...is going on here?"
She couldn't understand any of this. Especially how this many people had come to the mansion at once! She could only assume that Ram let them inside.
But, as she came down a flight of stairs, the royal candidate noticed a familiar face directing the traffic that was a flood of people. She was wearing a maid outfit and was instantly recognizable by her blue hair.
It was Rem.
Yet again, confusion assaulted her. Ram should have been in the capital. Wasn't that where she was ordered to stay to take care of Subaru?
"Rem!"
She made her presence known and approached the younger of the oni sisters.
"Lady Emilia. It is good to see you again." She performed a customary bow to the candidate that her master was supporting. There was...much that she likely had the burden of explaining. Just as soon as she got everyone settled in the house. There was no fuss about space. The Mathers mansion could easily accommodate the population of Arlam Village. After all, in the past, this mansion had housed events that welcomed three times this amount of people.
Before Emelia could even open her mouth, and she took one look at the blue-haired maid and noticed that her outfit was unusually filthy. She was covered with a sort of reddish-brown smudge. "R-Rem, why do you look like that? It isn't normal for you to be so untidy. And what are all the villagers doing here? I tried my best to persuade them to come to take refuge at the mansion, before, but..." Yet again, it seemed as if someone has succeeded at something that she utterly failed to do it. This only seemed to worsen her mental load and increase her sense of self-loathing.
Though it had only been a couple of days, many things had transpired, and especially in the last 24 hours or so. The responsibility of explaining all these things fell to Rem. "It is only blood on my uniform. You are not to worry, Lady Emilia. I am unharmed." She did not know if this was the proper time to explain the fullness of the situation. Especially when she was alone. Indeed, she knew that there were probably things that he wanted to be the first one to talk about. Knowing this, Rem could not bring herself to say more.
"Blood? But how? Who's? Were you in a fight of some kind? Was it the mabeasts in the forest?"
This was the first place that her imagination could have jump too. After all, it would not have been the first time that she had a confrontation with those creatures. But, unless someone willingly ventured deep into the forest, she didn't think that they would have been a problem. After all, Emilia did take measures to ensure that the barrier was functioning properly.
Rem seemed unusually reluctant to speak. And Emilia didn't know how to urge her on.
But, to the surprise of both, the front doors opened, and through it came the familiar pink-haired oni sister. It was Ram.
"Ram! I—"
But the silver-haired girl was cut off from speaking due to her contracted spirit materializing in front of her face. "Lia. We...need to talk."
It was Puck. And though he had only spoken with a few words, he was using the tone that she seldom heard from him.
"Puck! Do you know what's going on? Why are all the villagers coming to the mansion? That must mean there is something dangerous happening near the village, right?" What else could it be? She had never seen the villagers evacuate before. I could only mean that they acknowledged the situation to be great enough to where they would take refuge in the same house as a half-elf like herself.
The Great Spirit was unusually silent before he finally decided to just spit it out. "Lia, it's Subaru. He's back."
Her eyes widened in shock.
This was the absolute last thing that she expected to hear. Why? Why would Subaru come back to this place? She had told him to stay in the capital and continue healing. Surely the House of Karsten would have informed her that he was better before sending him back? That could only mean that he went off on his own, again. Why was he always doing things the way he wanted to?
"...Subaru. Why didn't you listen to me?"
But, that opened the door to yet another question. If he had returned, then where was he? Surely the first thing he would have done would have been to come see her, wouldn't it?
"Lia, the Witch Cult is supposedly out there. Somewhere in the forest. That's why the villagers have decided to leave their homes and come here. And I think it was Subaru who convinced them to leave."
He found it so difficult to even look at his daughter when she was in this state of hurt and confusion. The only thing that he wanted to do was to make it go away. Make everything disappeared that displeased her. She shouldn't have to think about things like this. She was too young. Too emotionally immature. She wasn't ready for this. As her father, he simply wanted to make it go away. To make Subaru go away. Puck blamed him for all of this. And yet, he had a sneaking suspicion that if he made any aggressive moves, he would pay for it in a way he didn't like. "Damn you, Subaru. How did you find out about the contract? Who have you been talking to?"
"The Witch Cult is out there? And Subaru isn't here in the mansion? You left him out there by himself, Puck? Rem, you were with him, weren't you? Did you know about this? Wy would Subaru be facing the Witch Cult? What does he have to do with them?"
Her mind was going a million miles a minute. Nothing made sense. Every time someone spoke, all it did was create more questions. She needed someone to tell her something that made sense to her!
"Lady Emilia. Somehow, Subaru is aware that the Witch Cult, being led by a Sin Archbishop, is going to attack the village, and then the mansion." Rem conveniently left out the part where a half-elf was going to be their target. "And with the aid of someone he made contact with in the capital, Subaru is planning to destroy the Witch Cultists before they even make it to the village."
"Has Subaru...come back because of me?"
Emilia did not mean to sound conceited. After all, the idea that anyone would go so far for her own sake was something that was completely foreign to her. That was why, when Subaru behave so kindly to her, she rejected him and all the kindness that he offered. Emilia had lived a life that was more disappointments than joy and happiness. She wanted to be accepted and sought after by other people, but these are all things had eluded her. It was not that she did not believe he was attempting to be considerate toward her. But rather, she believed that she was unworthy of anyone's compassion.
This was simply the world that she knew.
Rem was silent. This was not for her to say. It was not her place.
Ram, who did not know the full situation, also chose to remain silent along with her sister.
But Puck, who's priorities were different, choke to speak. "I can't say what he has in mind, Lia. But, all I can say is, something about Subaru is different." Puck's mind rewinded to how Subaru had killed that Witch Cultist. It was not that he had any sympathy for Witch Cultists. In fact, Puck truly only cared for one person. And that person was his reason for existing. But the enthusiastic boy who did workout exercises with his daughter and let village children ride him did not resemble the one who he saw just a few minutes ago.
"Pretty crazy how you bastards keep falling for the same trap."
This was the third time that Subaru had lured a group of Witch Cultists to their deaths. And it was frighteningly easy. All he did was walk around the forest and expose himself, knowing that they would be drawn to the scent of the miasma that flowed out of him. Because they recognized him as being one of their own, they completely let down their own guard until it was too late. All Subaru needed to do was give the signal, and a surprise attack would be issued by the demons that Demiurge had allowed to patrol the forest and the outside perimeter.
The first time, a group had been torn to shreds by a pack of savage hellhounds who devoured their prey, bones and all, incinerating the remains in their flaming maws.
The second set was a group of six Witch Cultists, who Subaru led straight into a clearing where they were ambushed by a squadron of Rot Demons. And their names were perfectly indicative of exactly what kinds of creatures they were. Masses of humanoid, black goo, would one be forgiven for thinking they were part of the slime race. The ooze of their bodies was sticky, making them a perfect trap for enemies who attacked physically. And the Witch Cultists had met their ends from the rot-inducing gas that emitted from the bubbles that popped as they rose to the surface, turning their victims into masses of decaying flesh.
The third group of Witch Cultists was the biggest one yet, with ten hooded members appearing before Subaru. And, just like the rest, they seemed to be quietly eager to take him to their leader, assuming him to be a new member to their ranks. They were wrong. They were led into a particularly dark section of the forest where they were attacked by a swarm of flying demons that were winged, glowing vermillion creatures that, like the Shadow Demons, were two-dimensional life forms. But unlike the recon creature that lurked in his shadow, these demons had the ability to perform the [Energy Drain] skill by physical contact, with each touch robbing their victim of physical and mental stamina, leaving them helpless before they met their deaths. And this time, it was Subaru who personally executed each Witch Cultist. Without hesitation, he capitalized on their fatigue, showing them the same lack of mercy he knew they would have done to the people in Arlam. One by one, Subaru made use of the [Shockwave] spell, which was quickly becoming his new favorite. In his wake, the bodies of the Cultists were turned into piles of gruesomely managed flesh that littered the floor of the forest.
But, no matter how many of them fell to a horrible death, Subaru felt absolutely no sense of satisfaction. Indeed, he would not be relieved until that person was dead at his feet. He already said it once before. Subaru would not rest until he had his hand around the neck of Beelguese Romanee-Conti and crushed the life out of him!
He attempted to repeat the same pattern for about another 10 minutes. However, Subaru began to wonder if all of the Fingers had been exterminated. He would be pleased if that was the case. Because if so, then it was time to confront the last obstacle.
What a bunch of idiots these Witch Cultists were.
They didn't know him from a hole in the ground, and yet because he was enveloped by the same weird miasma as they, these hooded zombies immediately assumed that he was an ally. Their lack of foresight led to their deaths.
"Just assuming things are going to work out for them without even checking my papers? Who does that?" For some reason, this way of thinking now seemed so alien to Subaru Natsuki.
The trees obstructing his path opened before him, and Subaru leaped into a rocky place; a sheer cliff filled his vision. A sudden break in the forest spread before the tall, precipitous rock face, almost as if the forest had been gouged by a giant claw. Several boulders lay at the bottom of the cliff; the cave within which the Witch Cult was lurking was hidden behind a particularly large one. The malicious group was surely preparing its cruel schemes within.
"I have been waiting for you, DISCIPLE of love."
The man in a priestly habit had come to greet him with arms spread wide, immersed in a world of madness and delight. His cheeks were gaunt. His eyes seemed ready to fall from their sockets. His hair was a deep green, styled in an unflattering bowl cut. His skin had an ashen, unhealthy sheen. His limbs, stretching out from under the black habit, were slender and frail, like gnarled branches. He looked like a man in his mid-thirties, but his deathly overall appearance made his fifties seem hardly a stretch. This was clearly what happened when one didn't practice proper skincare.
The only lively part of him was his eyes, but it was with these, and the overwhelming, fiery light of madness within them, that he stared at Subaru. "I am Betelgeuse Romanee-Conti: Archbishop of the Witch Cult, representing Sloth!" With spittle on the tip of his outstretched tongue, the madman, Betelgeuse, proudly invoked his name as he extended Subaru his wicked hospitality.
And for the first time since he entered this forest, Subaru smiled.
"No, Betelguese. You're a dead man. You just don't know it, yet."