Ten days since Subaru's arrival in the Sorcerer Kingdom.
"Another day, another experience!"
It was a new day. It had been a little over a week and some change since Subaru Natsuki first came to this city. A city that was actually in an entirely different world. And top it all off, this was the second time he had experienced this. He was one lucky guy to be on such a roller coaster of an adventure. And suffice it to say, the last 10 days had been more of a luxury treatment than he experienced when he first came to the country of Lugunica.
Subaru was a personal guest of the Sorcerer King, himself. And he'd seriously been living like it.
Locking the door behind him, Subaru slung his knapsack over his shoulder and left his room. His room was one of the VIP suites in one of the best hotels in the entire city! His same room where he was treated to first-class foods that were either delivered here, or if he so chose, where he could dine in the in-house restaurant, all free of charge.
The place where he was staying was known as the Rising Sun Inn. And it was immediately obvious why it had this name. To him, at least. He doubted anyone else other than Ainz was aware that the architecture of the entire building was decidedly Japanese.
"Kinda makes me wonder if he had it constructed this way to keep a little bit of the old Japan alive in some way, even if we are in a completely different world." As he had found out in a conversation with him, the Sorcerer King was also someone who hailed from Japan, meaning that he was the third person, himself included, who'd been summoned to another world. But the circumstances were indeed different with them all.
Ainz Ooal Gown lived in a Japan where most of the entire world had been completely torn apart in every way imaginable. And it almost sounded like something out of an apocalypse movie to Subaru. The things Subaru knew about Japanese living that were commonplace probably just didn't exist anymore in the wrecked future Ainz came from. Or at least, weren't available to anyone besides the controllers of the megacompanies that messed everything up in the first place.
This made Subaru wonder, how was Lugunica going to turn out? After all, the Royal Selection was still going on, and five women, all of whom he was acquainted with in one way or another, were fighting to earn the approval of the public to be selected as the new king. Or rather in their cases, the queen.
"I kinda torpedoed Crusch's plans with the whole White Whale, thing." But even if he said that, Subaru couldn't find it within himself to feel any sympathy for having gotten in her way. It was first come, first serve in this world. And the defeat of that mabeast was serving him well.
Having done a personal service for the king was worth the danger that came along with it. Not that Subaru knew at the time of fighting the White Whale that he would be getting any sort of rewards for it. At the time, he simply wanted to defeat an enemy that he hated and everything that came along with it.
"I guess I can't mess around for too long, today, though. There's something Ainz wants to talk with me about." The moment he'd gotten up this morning, Subaru received a message from the Shadow Demon. Apparently, the Sorcerer King needed to speak with him later on, today. And apparently, it was good news!
Subaru didn't have any clue as to what the skeleton king wanted, but if it was something he'd want to know about, then the Japanese teenager wouldn't keep him waiting. "It's just one great thing after another with his place."
And with that, Subaru vanished from his Ryokan-style hotel and set off into the city. He had some time to kill before his appointment with the Sorcerer King, so there was no reason he couldn't hang out for a while at the place that had quickly caught his eye on his very first day. The guild association headquarters.
The area where his hotel was situated was something of a walk from his destination. But Subaru didn't attempt o summon transportation of any kind because he enjoyed slowly taking in everything there was to see!
Standing at a corner, he needed to wait for a few moments because traffic was changing. And for anyone who lived in this city full time, the person directing the start and stop of those in their carriages was normal. But for Subaru, he couldn't believe that a robed skeleton was floating in place a few feet above the ground, giving out hand signals so that everyone could move around safely.
It was an undead called an Elder Lich.
"It's funny, in games, the undead are usually an enemy monster." But, that also was not too far off from the truth of this world, either. Despite this nation being ruled over by an undead magic caster, there was apparently a great stigma in most of the world that the undead were the enemies of all living things. Subaru had heard from a couple of people who took him for a foreigner that it took quite an adjustment. For many people to come to terms with these kinds of monsters roaming the streets.
Subaru had learned that they were skilled magic users that were also incredibly intelligent, meaning they could easily be assigned a variety of purposes. Subaru had even met another Elder Lich while he visited the magician's guild department and found that he was completely professional and very eager to talk to him about this world's magic!
Finally able to get moving again, Subaru crossed the street to continue.
As he'd learned, magic in this world was divided into levels, or rather, tiers. And apparently, these tiers went up to the number ten.
From what he had gathered, a normal person was capable of learning spells up to the third tier. And that was also the requirement for graduating from the Eclipse Acadamy school of magic. Subaru still didn't know how impressive that was because of how little he'd seen, but if it was good enough to get one a diploma, surely it was worthy of praise?
"Then again, maybe I'm only saying that 'cause I already got told that I'm not talented in that area."
Though his self-deprecating words were negative, Subaru didn't dwell too much on it. As a matter of fact, he was coming to terms with this reality. In fact, it was something that began when he was in Lugunica. Indeed, it was a world of magic and demihumans and elves and monsters. But at the same time, Subaru realized how wrong he was for thinking that the rules of life did not still apply.
There were always going to be people who had and people who had not. So it made complete sense that there were people who were skilled in an enviable area and those who simply lacked that apt. And from his understanding, it was the same way here in this world, too. The reason that third-tier magic was the standard for graduation from the magical institute was that a normal person could not be asked to go any further, and those normal people were the majority.
He was suddenly reminded of the words of a certain indigo-haired magician when the two of them were in a bath together. "You are uuunlikely to be as blessed as a genius such as I. I boast only because I must."
At the time, it was disappointing, but he was getting over it. Internally shrugging, he thought to himself, "I guess if everyone's blessed, then no one would be."
That line sounded familiar, but Subaru couldn't immediately remember where from.
"I guess I'll focus on what I can do!"
Subaru had been so wrapped up in his thoughts of what he'd learned about this city that he didn't even realize that he'd arrived at his desired destination. The guild association building houses different sections for the multitude of guilds that were part of the organization. It was the kind of place where if one was looking for work, information, trade, or to make purchases, they only needed to come here.
And needless to say, one of Subaru's favorite things had been to come here and meet with all the locals who told him about how amazing it was to be in these lines of work. Not only did it spark a fire in him because it was something new and fantastical, but Subaru also felt a little bit of envy that these people got up every day, knowing exactly what they wanted from life and how they would pursue it.
The interior of the building featured an open sitting area, and there was a front desk that was staffed by a few employees wearing uniforms that made them easily recognizable as front desk attendants. Subaru had become comfortably familiar with the layout of the building by now.
Making his way toward the sector that housed the traffic for adventurers, Subaru took a look around for a few moments, noticing how anyone who wasn't busy was socializing. And upon looking up on the second floor, he immediately noticed someone he had come to recognize.
She was a blonde woman who wore her hair up in a high ponytail. And what made her stand out so greatly to Subaru washer attire. For it, like the hotel that he was currently staying in, here very clearly Japanese inspired. That was to say, she was wearing a white, karate gi. But, instead of adorning it in the traditional way, the upper half was left hanging around her waist, revealing a red, sleeveless shirt that she wore beneath. Her body was one of a seasoned fighter, and her exposed arms were noticeably toned and muscled. And to top it off, she was noticeably taller than him, being at least 6'1.
The woman was performing a rather unusual exercise the moment Subaru approached her. She was doing pushups. But that wasn't what was so different. The blonde woman was standing upside down performing this exercise with a single hand, and seemingly without any loss of balance.
"Man, you're just making my morning radio calisthenics look completely lame by comparison. Thanks for embarrassing me so early in the morning. Like I needed that." His dry snark was all in good fun. Though they had only spoken on four separate occasions, this woman was someone who had been a great help to him the very first day he entered this building. In fact, she'd pointed him out for being not from the city, going by his expressions of inexperienced wonder upon seeing everything for the first time.
She wasn't wrong.
"That you, Subaru?"
She'd stopped what she was doing the moment he'd spoke, pushing herself into the air with her one arm and performing a perfect aerial somersault to land on her feet with a noticeable boing from her ample chest.
"Oh sure. Just go ahead and show off how good a gymnast you are, too! Not gonna give guys like me any kind of complex with that sort of behavior. I get it, girls are more flexible than guys." But even though he said this, he did find her feats of athleticism to be truly impressive.
This woman was known as Indira Pluton.
If Subaru was to go back to talking about the people who are the haves and ones who are the have nots, then Indira was definitely part of the latter. As a matter of fact, among the human population of adventurers, she was arguably the most famous in the entire guild, and inarguably the most so among women. She was one of the few who'd attained the title of Hero. And from what Subaru understood, this was an honor only bestowed upon very few individuals who had surpassed what was considered to be the normal limitations of their race.
That was to say, among humankind, Indira was essentially an idol of martial strength to aspire to.
"What're you doing here so early in the morning? You seem like the kinda kid who'd wanna sleep in until midday."
Feeling that moment of hers hit a little bit too close to home, Subaru decided to let it slide since he'd been the one poking fun at her from the very start. "Once upon a time, that was true. I think it's fair to say that my bed and I were intimately closer than you'd expect. But, you can't stay inside forever. Especially when there's a whole city to explore and I still haven't even chopped the tip of the iceberg."
Sitting down at the same table as him, Indira crossed one leg over the other in a noticeably unfeminine way. "Well, it can't be helped. There's a whole lot to see in the capital, especially when you're not from around here."
Indira immediately noticed that Subaru Natsuki was not one who'd ever been in a place like this. The very first time she saw him, he was looking around like a child who was being told they could have their own pick of whatever selection of toys they wanted. And from that point, she took it upon herself to show him around, just to ensure that he didn't get run into anyone who might be willing to trick someone from out of town.
But that wasn't the only thing she noticed about him that was unusual, either.
To Subaru's surprise, when she'd gotten a closer look at him, she identified his Hand of Algol to be a magic item of Runecraft make, despite Subaru not wearing it in its weaponized form. She'd been the first to take notice that it was nothing other than an accessory that could have been seen as nothing more than a bangle to be worn on the wrist.
And when he thought about it, this made a bit more sense to him, considering that he was now in the world of this item's creation.
But that wasn't it, either.
Subaru soon learned that Indira wasn't unfamiliar with these sorts of trinkets. And there were two reasons why. The first was that one of her teammates was a dwarf, meaning that she was well accustomed to spotting items created by dwarf craftsmanship. And the second reason was that Indira also owned something similar to his Hand of Algol, given to her as a reward by the Sorcerer King, himself.
Apparently, the Sorcerer King was the one who implemented the transition for the adventurer's guild to transform from being the sort who did what was essentially mercenary work to inspiring them to explore the unknown parts of the world in a more classical sense. And it also surprised the public that the ruling monarch seemed to have quite a fondness for the idea of exploring the unknown as well.
Indira's crystal-like, blue eyes fell upon the satchel Subaru placed onto his lap and her curiosity was immediately piqued. "Say, what's in the bag? Hope you're not smuggling any sort of contraband around here?"
Leaning over the table with a sneer, he couldn't help but find such an accusation to be hilarious. "As if! Everybody knows that when you're a stranger in a strange place, the last thing you wanna do is go and start breaking the laws and end up in trouble where you don't know anybody!"
He had something resembling personal experience in this.
Patting his knapsack, Subaru did not reveal its contents, but he would explain further. "This is actually something I have for the Sorcerer King. I think he might find it to be interesting. I...brought it from home and he might not have seen it before. Just a little thanks for the hook-up he's given me." Subaru had been so enamored with this place that he'd completely forgotten to hand these items over to Ainz. Forgotten multiple times, in fact.
It was of course possible for him to have them delivered by the Pleiades when he saw them again, but Subaru felt it more appropriate if they were given face to face. Specifically meaning, he wanted to see the expression of the skeleton king when he saw what Subaru had in his bag!
"But then again, he doesn't really have facial expressions, does he?"
"Trying to butter up his majesty with gifts, are you? Aren't you the ambitious little guy!" Not that Indira could blame him. The Sorcerer Kingdom had many meritocratic systems where those who succeeded with noticeable skill and ability were assigned to important roles in society. That was to say, the people who ended up failing must have done quite an expert job of being inept. "If he ends up approving of you, maybe he'll even summon you to ask for council. It could happen. Just ask my great-granddad."
Indira was of course just joking around. She didn't think the odds were particularly high of Subaru becoming a frequent visitor of his majesty. But, low odds weren't the same as zero, after all.
Eyes widening, this jump started Subaru's interest and he felt compelled to ask more. "Your great-grandfather? Who was he?" Considering how famous Indira was, it wouldn't have surprised Subaru if she came from a family that also accomplished many impressive feats in their time.
"Back in the old days, he was the guild master of the adventurer's guild. His name was Pluton Ainzach. He was an adventurer too, once upon a time. But he retired in order to manage the guild itself. When the Sorcerer King began the reformation of the guilds in the country, it turns out that Pluton was pretty receptive to the idea of the shift." A family secret was that her great-grandfather secretly lamented that adventurers didn't live up to their name and that he'd long sought for someone to set them free.
And that was when the Sorcerer King appeared with his revolutionary ideas.
"Anyway! Great-grandad Pluton was consulted by his majesty a lot in his life. And he was rewarded well for all his assistance. That what you're looking for, too?"
At the moment, Subaru didn't have any such lofty goals. And he certainly didn't want to be accused of being greedy. "More like I just wanna thank him for the assist that some of his guards gave me. I...sorta got into some trouble back home and they happened to come along at just the right time. If they didn't, I'd have been finished."
In spite of speaking of a situation that could have had a very grim outcome, Subaru said this with a tone of lightheartedness. Subaru didn't feel like sulking over what was already done. "I know I didn't do it alone, but just thinking about if I'd given up one step earlier, a whole lot of innocent people could have gotten hurt, or even lost their lives." He wasn't saying he was their salvation or anything. That was too weighty for him. But Subaru did indeed feel a sense of accomplishment in having persevered through that trial.
"Yeah, I didn't ever give up until I found a way."
Not bad for a former NEET who didn't even have a Master Sword at his side.
"Is that so? What kind of trouble did a guy like you end up in?" Indira sounded mildly interested upon hearing this. The very first time she met Subaru, she pegged him as someone who wasn't from the city, yet she hadn't specifically asked where he'd blown into town from. And that wasn't the only thing about him that caught her interest. Her instincts told him from their first conversation that he was someone who wasn't as ordinary as he looked.
"Well let me be the first one to say that I wasn't looking for trouble. It found me!" It wasn't that he wanted to hide anything from her, it was just impossible for Subaru to explain to Indira what he'd gone through before coming here. After all, it wasn't like the Witch Cult actually existed in this world. And mentioning the White Whale was completely a no-go. The reason that the Sorcerer King was so interested in the creature in the first place was that it was something unique to the world from which he had come.
Subaru hoped he could get the general point across by making a similar enough comparison.
"Back in the place where I lived, there were these...criminals who liked to show up and cause trouble. They were pretty infamous from it. But this time, they chose the wrong place to try and ransack. Me and a good friend of mine got wind of their dirty plans and wanted to head them off. But we were way too outnumbered."
This was the gist of the situation. He couldn't reveal all that much more, but it was close enough. Subaru and Rem simply couldn't do it all by themselves. The task was too massive. As he stood now, Subaru Natsuki was firmly aware of what his limits were. And trying to recklessly exceed them was like pushing a boulder up a hill covered in grease. The boulder was a whole lot more likely to roll backward and squash the person shoving it.
"And that's basically when some of the people who work for the Sorcerer King ran into me. I explained the situation and they were happy to help. Things turned out alright in the end. I just know that I wouldn't have been able to hack it if I didn't have her by my side." If it were not for the existence of a certain blue-haired maid, he didn't even want to imagine how differently things would have been.
The out of towner may have said this a bit more tenderly than he intended, because Indira was quick to catch on, leaning over the table with a greedily curious smirk. "Oh? Does Subaru have a girl waiting for him back home? This is a tale as old as time! The two of you ended up in a pile of shit and had to hold each other together, only for the man to have to walk off into the sunset by himself at the end to go and find himself."
A jolt ran through Subaru, a bit unnerved at how accurate her assumption was. And he was so taken off guard that he slapped a hand on the table a few times before rolling in hearty laughter. "I don't know what kinda story you read that stuff in, but I'd rather stay in the realm of reality!" He wasn't going to give Indira the satisfaction of knowing how close she was. She'd likely use this as ammunition to further taunt him.
He was proven right when she joined in on the laughs a few seconds later.
"Well, it's just good to hear that you know how to take initiative and stand up for the people around you. You probably saved a lot of lives, and that's good. And it's even better that you had someone beside you to help carry the load. Probably more than you realize, Subaru. A lot of people try to take on more than they can reasonably handle and I don't think it ends up well for them. I'm glad to hear that you weren't prideful enough to try something like that."
This was a mistake Subaru hoped he never made again. And he'd already made many in his life.
Holding up a finger, Indira spoke again, "Since I'm in such a good mood, today, I'll give you some advice that I think you can make good use of!"
His curiosity piqued, Subaru locked eyes with the blonde woman, curious what kind of wisdom an experienced adventurer such as herself would I've to a former butler like him. "Yeah? What is it? A good human sponge tries to soak up knowledge wherever he can!" Though he said this, it was pretty ironic coming from a guy who had willingly chosen to neglect his schoolwork.
A mischievous grin spread across Indira's face, stretching all the way to the woman's eyes. And then, she stood up from her chair before performing a few martial arts katas, extending her hand in an open palm before striking the air with a punch that Subaru couldn't even perceive the movement of. "First, in order to receive this information, you have to publicly refer to me as The Ultimate Older Sister with Fists of Adamantite!"
A moment of silence passed between the two of them, and Subaru looked at her with a dumbfounded expression, unable to process what had been demanded of him.
And it seemed others in the guild had seen Indira's display. A passerby even seemed to mutter something that sounds like "Indira is at it again with that stuff."
Collecting himself after a few moments, Subaru said, "I'm gonna do that, right after a get myself a glass of water and throw it at you for even thinking I'm gonna call you that! If you wanna get a nickname, find something that rolls off the tongue. Like...the Sword Saint. It's badass and it's smooth." She had such a crappy sense of naming that it should have been a talent all on its own, far as he was concerned.
"Here I am trying to give you some sage advice and you're threatening me with a cup of water? Lucky for you, that happens to be my weakness, so I'll let it slide this one time." Indira sank back down into her seat, conceding defeat.
"After a few tries, I always find out my opponent's weakness. It's just a matter of time, Indira. I always wear'em down." This may have been a pretty smarmy thing to say, but it was true to his own life. And at this point, Subaru didn't mind poking some fun at his own situation.
"Well, since you're not an amateur at squeezing your way out of trouble, I'll tell you this," Stopping for a few seconds, Indira's playful expression morphed into one that was noticeably more serious, her tone even changing to reflect this. "I'm serious about not trying to do too much by yourself, Subaru. It sounds like you have yourself a good friend at home who really has your back. You should do everything you can to protect that bond, no matter what."
This sudden change in demeanor from Indira grabbed the Japanese teen's full attention. He had never heard her speak like this, and so he knew she wasn't joking around. Suffice it to say, Subaru felt he had earned every bit of trust that he had from the people that he cared about. And he had paid in his own blood to gain that trust. With everything he'd accomplished after he'd returned to the mansion, Subaru felt his deeds had deepened everyone's respect for him, even if they weren't there the entire time.
"Nobody's an island, Subaru. That's why you need to have allies who you can trust with your life. At least, that's the way it is with me and my friends. I do what they can't do, and they do what I can't do. I know it sounds corny, but it works. You're still really young and you've got plenty of adventuring time to play around with. It's why I don't want people like you to make mistakes that can take away all your potential. When something like that happens, everything is cut short. Your dreams. Your bonds. And even your life."
Subaru felt as if the world itself had slowed when these words penetrated into his mind. Because they'd sounded all too familiar to him. Preventable mistakes and the crushing sense of loss when one felt that everything was coming to an end? That was a place Subaru knew all too well. And what made him wonder with morbid curiosity was the inflection in Indira's voice when she relayed her advice to him. He wasn't the most insightful guy who could see through people by any means. But he felt Indira's words sounded...personal?
"Has she been through something like that, too?" He wanted to ask. He wanted to inquire if Indira had experienced something like that in her life, too. And yet a voice inside his head stopped him. "Don't be nosy. You know better than that, now. Mind your own business." He swallowed down his own curiosity, feeling it sink into his stomach like a dense rock.
At this point, Subaru didn't have it in him to make any flippant remarks about how he would be fine or how he wasn't thinking that far ahead into the future. He could only think about what he'd left back in Lugunica and how he wanted to return to them as a better, stronger Subaru.
He didn't want to lose everything he'd worked so hard for.
"I understand. And thanks, Indira. I'll keep all that stuff in mind. Part of why I'm here in the city is to learn more about things I wouldn't have ever seen if I stayed at home. And I'm planning on bringing back a version of myself that'll make everybody proud of me." When he returned to Lugunica, he would ensure that the next trial he faced wouldn't be anything like what had come before.
"Good! Glad you're so easy to talk to, Subaru! Well, that concludes my sage advice for today. This one was a free trial since you're new in the city. But next time's gonna cost you. My going rate is paid by the silver coin, just to warn you."
Hearing this kind of talk made Subaru feel that he never visited a big city like Tokyo or Osaka back in Japan. He probably would have ended up running into some kind of scammer who would charge him just for directions. "Don't make me spread the word that a big-time adventurer like you is trying to punk me out of money for advice. You'd better stick to your real job, else people will start to et the wrong idea about you."
"Don't knock me just because I'm trying to start my own side gig, Subaru. Everybody needs a source of income. Like it or not, money is one of the ruling powers of the world. And I dunno about you, but I like knowing where my next meal is going to come from."
Indira seemed so amused by her own words that this was one of the few times where she hadn't taken notice. To how strongly her speech had affected him.
"A job, huh? A real job..." Subaru muttered this while leaning on the table, his eyes drifting off in another direction. Even the thought of having to find real work when he came back to Lugunica felt daunting.
But, as if the world itself was intent on saving him from falling too deep into this line of conversation, an unknown voice came to happily break up the moment.
"Yer not boggin' down someone else with more of yer bad advice, are ya?!"
The person approaching them was not a large man. Indeed, he was noticeably shorter than Subaru, which meant that he was far, far shorter than the even taller Indira. Despite this, the man's presence was much greater than his physical stature. The reason for his height?
He was a dwarf. And the first one that Subaru had ever seen close up.
Typical of their race, the dwarf had a mighty impressive, red beard. His hair, which was the same color, was tied up in a multitude of braids. Unlike Indira, whose attire was more fit for a martial artist, the dwarf wore a suit of impressive full plate armor, and he didn't seem to have any trouble moving in it whatsoever. But what drew Subaru's eye most strongly was the miniature war hammer at the dwarf's waist, the second half of which very closely resembled an axe blade.
The first thing that came to mind upon seeing his full form was, "This guy looks pretty badass."
"I don't wanna hear any of that from the same guy who always wants to take the path of greatest resistance. Maybe next time I listen to you, we won't pointlessly get lost and even up at our destination two days late." Though her jab was said in good humor, Subaru still got the impression that Indira and this dwarf went on like this very often.
It immediately reminded him of how he and Ram got along with one another.
Stomping a heavy, booted foot on the ground, the dwarf immediately retaliated with aggression that was just as hot as his red hair, "That happened one time! Yer gonna stop bringing that crap up in public! 'Sides, it happened years ago!"
"Doesn't mean you aren't gonna do it again when we least expect it. You're never holding the map again!"
As the two locked eyes with one another, Subaru felt like he could see sparks of electricity shooting from one to the other as the tension seemed to build up. Fortunately, the pressure died down mere seconds later and both of them enjoyed a good-natured laugh from their banter.
"Sorry for goin' on in front of ya like that, kid. That's just how the two of us are. Ain't nothin' but good fun! Seems like our fearless leader has picked up a new pal. Is he on your list, Indira?" The dwarf jabbed a thumb in Subary's direction while looking at the blonde woman for confirmation. But this only confused Subaru as to what he was talking about.
"Her list? What the heck does that mean?"
Fortunately, it took not even a moment for Indira to clear up the misunderstanding. "Nah, not him. He's just someone that I met a couple of days ago. He seemed lost and I decided to give him a helping hand. Subaru, this is the warrior of my team, Sund'r. As you can see, he's a dwarf."
Sund'r eyed Subaru for a few seconds, up and down. His gaze was so strong that Subaru felt like the dwarf was reading him like a piece of paper. "Nice to meet ya, kid. If Indira says yer good, then yer good." Since the two of them weren't anywhere near eye to eye length, it made it much easier for Sund'r to take notice of what Subaru was wearing on his wrist. Even in its non-weaponized form, there was no way that a dwarf would not recognize a piece of craftsmanship that was created by that person.
"So...what's this list that I'm hearing about? I don't wanna sound like I have a dirty mind or something like that, but I don't know if I wanna be on the list of an older woman who seriously looks like she could crush me." This was of course just Subaru's way of keeping the mood easy and further inquiring on what the dwarf was asking about with that question of his.
To his surprise, this seemed to be a question that Indira wasn't so willing to answer. "It's nothing. Just some business involving the rest of our team."
"Speaking of which, the rest of the squad is waitin' for us outside. I'm just the one who came in to find ya. We've gotta keep on with the plan since we're all back in town, now. We need to keep things on track so we can get back to action as fast as possible."
Sund'r said this in a way that implied utmost urgency. And Subaru would have been lying if he said he wasn't curious what this pan of theirs was. But he knew that he shouldn't ask more than what they were willing to tell. He of all people knew that some secrets were meant to be kept private.
"Right. Well, I guess this is where I'm gonna have to leave you, Subaru. I hope your meeting goes well, today. Let's meet back up here in this place and we can hang out, again." Getting out of her seat to rise to her full height, Indira extended a hand to the Japanese teen, which Subaru readily took.
"I'd like that. And don't worry, I promise to keep all that advice you gave me in mind. I think it'll be helpful in the future."
He was curious to know what the rest of her team was like. But that was probably a mystery that would be best unsolved until another day. From the way that Indira and Sund'r got along with one another, Subaru immediately understood that what she was telling him wasn't just empty words. He could immediately see that there was a strong deal of trust between the two of them. And he could only assume that it was the same with the rest of her friends.
"It must be awesome going on adventures with all of your friends and getting into trouble together." To Subaru's dismay, when such things happened to him, he was never accompanied by the entirety of the people he had come to care so deeply about. For some reason, they were always in pairs or separated.
He hoped it wouldn't be the same when they next found themselves in a fix.
"Anyway, I don't wanna keep you too long. You guys probably have some super important missions to get started with. I hope you come back safe, Indira!" The idea was thrilling to him and he hoped that he could experience the same thing, one day.
Turning toward him, Sund'r was he one to speak, "Oh, we won't be takin' on any jobs for the foreseeable future, kid. See, our team's a little...how do I say...inactive right now."
Not fully comprehending the meaning of this, Subaru could only think that perhaps they were winding down from having recently finished many back-to-back quests and needed to take something of a vacation. "Oh, are you guys taking a break from work?" Considering that this was basically the same situation that he was currently in, Subaru could understand this.
"More like we can't work right now. We're don't have our magic caster anymore."
Indira's words lacked their usual energy and confidence. She hadn't even looked in Subaru's direction when speaking these mood-changing words. And for a moment, Subaru felt like he saw a shadow of regret in the blue eyes of the normally upbeat woman.
"Anyway, we need to get moving. Remember what I told you, Subaru. And take care."
With that, Indira and Sund'r set off, leaving Subaru there alone to ponder the small, but enormous meaning of what had just been revealed to him.
"I wonder what they've been through to where Indira puts that much value on her friends the same way I feel like I do."
Hours later, within a meeting chamber of the Sorcerer King's palace.
"It's been about ten days since he first came here to this world. I do hope Subaru is enjoying himself. I assume he will be elated when he finally learns the truth of that assassin's motives."
Ainz was truly pleased with the progression of their current projects. The White Whale was a unique creature that was seemingly one of a kind in the world Subaru came from. And only Subaru himself knew how and where to find the beast. Extending a hand of welcome to him had been a worthy endeavor. And it only interested the undead king further when his suspicions of the teenager being from the same world as himself were confirmed.
Information. It truly was one of the greatest weapons that could be obtained. The lack of it could lead to disaster, and having it could change situations for even those who were the weakest.
Were it not for his servants gathering the proper knowledge beforehand, it would have possibly taken far longer to even come up with the idea to mold the Dragon Soul Stone from the body of that Dragon Lord. The waiting period could have taken years, at worst. But because things had turned out the way they had, truly exquisite benefits were now falling right into their laps. "Sometimes slow and steady truly does win the race."
"And now that I have another hand of information to give to him, I'm sure he will be grateful. Ah, I will have to give thanks to Demiurge. As always, his interrogation methods are sublime." A feeling of great gratitude welled up within him for the assistance of his valuable subordinate. And it was equally positive compared to the utter lack of care Ainz felt toward the suffering that their captive had endured.
The world that Subaru had been dragged off to was still quite mysterious. The White Whale itself was a worthwhile find. But the Sorcerer King's curiosity had still not been satisfied with this alone. "It makes me wonder if there are more interesting treasures to be found in that place. Perhaps, if he is willing, Subaru might be interested in giving further—"
Knock. Knock. Knock.
His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the sound of knocking outside of his door. It was of course ill-advised to come into the presence of the Sorcerer King without announcing oneself, first. This was a rule of manners that all those who served him were well aware of.
"You may enter."
For the first time in hours, Ainz verbally spoke, permitting the person, or persons on the other side of the doors to present themselves before him.
As the doors parted, the undead king was treated to a small handful of familiar faces. But it would have been more unusual if his guests were people he didn't recognize.
They were Yuri Alpha, Lupusregina Beta, and of course, Subaru Natsuki.
The Pleiades maids filed into the room one after the other, standing on either side so that their charge could walk in between them.
"Lord Ainz, we received a notice that your honored guest, Subaru Natsuki, was interested in being brought back to the castle by the two of us. As such, we seized the moment to do as we believe our master would have ordered." As always, Yuri was by far the most formal of all her sisters and her display of fidelity was the most practiced of all the non-domestic maids.
Nodding in response, Ainz acknowledged their effort. "Thank you very much, Pleiades. You have done well."
In perfect unison, both Yuri and Lupusregina spoke, "It is our greatest joy and honor to serve your will, Supreme One."
No matter how many times he heard someone doing it, Subaru just couldn't get over how strange it was that two people could speak together in such perfect synchrony. The only time where it didn't sound unnerving was if they would have been singing together. But, Subaru didn't think that these maids were going to be forming a musical idol group anytime soon.
"And I appreciate it, too. It would have been a pretty lonely walk if I decided to come up to the castle all by myself on foot."
"Hey, Big Sis! Would it be funny if Subaru forgot the Sorcerer King's Crest and tried to come onto the castle grounds without it and the guards thought he was a trespasser?" The redhaired maid couldn't swallow down the laughter, no matter how weakly she pretended to hold her hands over her mouth to suppress it.
Shaking her head, the bespectacled maid replied, "I do not believe that our guest is careless enough to forget such an important gift that was bestowed onto him by our master, Lupus. Please do not make such jokes at his expense."
"Yeah, especially since I'm right here to be the butt of it! I can forget a lot of things, but not something that valuable! I don't wanna imagine the kind of trouble it'd cause if it fell into the wrong hands and someone started abusing something like this to get free food and weapons or something." Once again, Subaru had a history of getting involved with royal insignias. If anyone wanted the crest in his pocket, they weren't getting it easy!
Feeling an arm wrap around his shoulder from behind, accompanied by a very girly scent, Subaru found that Lupusregina had embraced him very closely, an amused, but fiendish grin on her face. "Funny you say that because there's a really interesting story about the Sorcerer King's symbol. Y'see, when they were first created—"
Clap, Clap!
Lupusregina's regaling tale was cut short by the sound of her sister demanding her attention by clapping her hands. "Lupus, now is not leisure time. Do you intend to continue carrying on like this in front of the Supreme One when he has pressing business with his guest?"
Realizing that she'd allowed herself to get a little too carried away, the redhaired maid returned to her place and resumed the posture of a maid, bowing lowly before speaking, "Please, forgive me, Lord Ainz! I became a bit carried away because I just wanted to play around with Subaru and make him feel more at home. It won't happen again while in your royal presence."
The room was filled with silence. And then a few seconds later the Overlord allowed himself an amused, but short chuckle. "Think nothing of it, Lupusregina. In fact, I think this sort of behavior should be more encouraged. There is no need to be so stiff. We don't want him to feel stifled in the slightest, now do we?" One of the main reasons why Lupusregina was selected to be one of Subaru's guides was due to her social skills. There were very few types of people she couldn't get along with. But, as mentioned by her sister, it was possible for her to get carried away at times, which was why Yuri was necessary.
A two-person team was well fitting for this sort of assignment. Three was overbearing, but one wasn't enough.
"But even still, there is some important business that I have with Subaru. I am sure he will have time to spend with the two of you when our conversation ends. But until then, the two of you are permitted to return to your regular duties. You will be called for should I require you.
The Pleiades bowed before their master in perfect form before they turned to leave. "Understood, Lord. If only you require us, you need but say the word." Ever the dutiful one, Yuri voiced the shared opinion of all those who served under the undead king. "And Subaru, I hope that you remain well. Please conduct yourself with the utmost dignity before the Lord Ainz."
While her words may have been strict and unflinchingly diligent, Subaru just couldn't feel uncomfortable around the bespectacled maid. Her serenity was definitely a calming presence. But, the second before he could thank her, the Japanese teen felt a hard, sneak attack slap on his back. It made him seize up and he immediately knew where and who it came from. But by the time he turned to demand an explanation, Lupusregina was already shuffling out the door with her sister.
Over her shoulder, the redhead maid whispered something that sounded like "I'll tell you the story later."
Grimacing, Subaru reminded himself to make a mental note to play some sort of trick on Lupusregina the next time he got the opportunity.
Unfortunately for him, his plan to formulate a prank of some sort was interrupted by the voice of the Sorcerer King. "It seems that you are getting along well with my Pleiades, Subaru. I am happy to see that. As expected, they have succeeded in the area of being tour guides."
"She's lucky she's a sexy maid, or else I might actually hold a grudge! Fortunately, I'm a guy who's above that kind of pettiness."
"Oho! Is that you see her? You wouldn't happen to have a sort of fascination with women who wear maid outfits, would you, Subaru?" Ainz didn't often have conversations like this with other men. Or rather, when it did occur, he was never the one to initiate such talks.
Without him having full control of it, the image of two twins formed in his mind. Both of them were dainty, beautiful young girls. One had pink hair. One had blue hair. And he thought fondly of how the two oftentimes acted in tandem when doing their duties in their cute outfits. Though he tried to suppress a smile that betrayed his thoughts, he failed miserably and could only relent. "I'm not saying that I don't, Ainz. I'm not saying that I don't." Subaru even found himself chuckling a bit at the thought of their identical, but different faces.
But he didn't feel comfortable talking about his maid fetish. It was too embarrassing.
"Either way, I'm glad you invited me back. This room doesn't seem to have changed much since I was last here." The sun was still shining out of the massive windows and the table meant for large gatherings was still as pristine looking as always. "Oh! Before I forget! I have something that I wanted to give you, Ainz! I should have handed it over on the very first day, but I was just so excited about everything that it slipped my mind!" Subaru brandished his knapsack and presented it before the Sorcerer King.
Eyeing it for a few seconds, Ainz responded in a tone that was unusually dry, "A backpack? How interesting. I have indeed always wanted one of these. A truly rare item to come by."
"Ha! I'll bet! But it's actually what's inside the backpack that's the really interesting thing. I'm not sure if you have something like this in this world and I just felt you might wanna check it out and see if it'd be of any use to you." As far as he was concerned, it was only fair, considering all that he'd been given by him. Besides, it wasn't as if they'd ever miss a few of these things in Lugunica.
Holding a hand out, the Overlord intended for Subaru to put this on hold, just for now. "While I am curious t know what sort of treasures you have brought with you, I would ask that it wait just a bit. You see, Demiurge is satisfied with his interrogation of the assassin who sought to take your life. And he has informed me that he would like to relay this information to both of our ears. I hope this is satisfactory for you?"
The words that came from Ainz's unmoving mouth were almost like the revelation of seeing just what a child wanted when unveiling a birthday present! Elsa was the very first person to ever take his life, and she had been given the opportunity to do so multiple times. And succeeded. Words could not even describe How greatly Subaru wanted to know the reason for which she had attacked him in the first place. While he was aware that he was never the main target, it was because of his interference that she'd ended up failing.
"I. Can't. Wait."
Subaru said this in a tone that was devoid of the enthusiasm and mirth that he'd been filled with throughout the entirety of the day. Inside his heart, he could feel absolutely nothing but loathing for the woman from the northern country who'd ruined his first day in Lugunica. Even if he had nothing but bad times ahead of him, Elsa was the very first person to teach him the fear and pain of death.
Handing over the contents of his bag could absolutely wait until later. This was far more important.
"If I can understand the meaning behind her actions, then maybe I can even use this to help protect everyone back at the mansion."
"I understand. Well then, let us learn together what Demiurge has pulled out of this woman." Ainz crossed the room, sitting down at the table in front of something that hadn't been here the last time Subaru had visited. It looked like nothing more than a normal mirror that was about a meter in height and of an oval shape.
Beckoning for the black-haired teen to come and sit next to him, Ainz began to explain, "This is a Mirror of Remote Viewing, Subaru. It is a useful item that allows the user to see things at vast distances." But it was also a very balanced sort of tool, considering that there were some limitations to its power. But those flaws would not be an issue for the two of them, today. Usually, the Mirror could not transmit sound, but Ainz had already expended a scroll that would transmit the dialogue from whatever conversation they viewed in on.
"We will be using it to look in on Demiurge's location with the assassin. And from there, he will have her explain to us everything that he has learned."
Silently, Subaru nodded. This all sounded simple enough to him. The mirror sounded like a truly convenient tool. Neither he nor Ainz would actually have to go to the scene, themselves. "Besides, I don't know if I'd be able to look at that bitch face to face. There's a chance I might..."
Shaking his head, Subaru pushed those thoughts away. He needed to keep a cool head. If he didn't, then there was no way he could use what he was about to learn to its greatest potential. "I'm ready. Elsa's caused a whole lot of damage to me and my friends. I need to know why and who put her up to this. 'Cause whoever's name comes out of her mouth is going to be the next person I have a problem with." He sat down in one of the chairs next to the Sorcerer King, prepared for anything that'd come his way.
Deciding that Subaru had resolved himself for what they were soon to see, Ainz silently cast the spell [Message], using it to connect directly to Demiurge. And it took only a second or two for his call to be answered. "Demiurge, I am currently here with Subaru Natsuki. And he is eager to learn the findings of your efforts."
The voice of Demiurge responded to him without wasting a second. It was no different than if he was standing right here in front of his master to relay his thoughts. "Ah, Lord Ainz. Please allow your servant to thank you for the time you have granted. I am truly pleased to serve you with all that I am. And I believe Subaru will be elated to know that the mystery has been unraveled."
Activating the Mirror of Remote Viewing, the undead king manipulated the picture that it showed to both himself and his guest, using hand movements to control the direction the screen displayed, zooming both in and out to enhance the clarity and visuals. Subaru found this to be very reminiscent of a touch screen. Except, in this case, Ainz didn't need to touch the mirror in the slightest!
After a few more moments of searching, Ainz finally located the scene he was looking for.
For what Subaru assumed to be a person cell, it was a surprisingly decent-looking room. Except for the fact that it was completely and blindingly white. The room was entirely featureless. No furniture. No nothing. Just a pure box of smooth whiteness.
Except for the person who was standing straight in the middle. She was rather tall for a woman. But slightly shorter than Subaru remembered. This was because she'd lost her heels and was now standing completely barefoot. She was the only other black-haired person Subaru had ever met in Lugunica, and hers was now a stringy mess that looked like it hadn't seen a comb in weeks. Her soft facial features looked exhausted and blurred out like she hadn't slept in forever. The way her eyes were stretched open even seemed a little bit unnatural. And in those eyes, Subaru saw none of the crazed hunger for blood or even the sensual eroticism he'd come to associate with this woman.
She was Elsa Granhiert, the Bowel Hunter.
"Not looking so pretty these days, are you, Elsa?" Though Subaru said this quietly, he couldn't help but feel a sort of savage pleasure at knowing she'd undoubtedly been declawed.
"Now then, Demiurge, have the assassin explain everything to the last detail. We are watching." This time, Ainz spoke out loud so that Subaru knew that the report was about to begin.
For the first time in days, Subaru heard the voice of Demiurge. It still sounded as pleasant and methodical as always. "Very well, Lord Ainz." Without warning, a brief flash of blue light illuminated the room, and from it, Demiurge appeared, wearing his crisp, red suit as always.
"I hope that my investigation will be of great use to you, Subaru. Please watch and listen closely to observe all that I have learned."
Demiurge could not see them, but he knew he was being watched. And even if it was from a distance, he could not allow himself to be anything but his greatest before the eyes of his master.
Turning toward the captive from another world, Demiurge's smile did not falter. With footsteps that made it look as if he glided across the white floor, he appeared at Elsa's side, placing a hand on the woman's shoulder. The Bowel Hunter twitched from his touch, her eyes darting to the corner where her jailer had appeared. "Now then, all you need to do is explain one more time specifically what you told me. Do this, and everything will be easier from here on."
Demiurge's words were like a honeyed apple dangling in front of the face of someone starving for a bite.
Elsa's lips trembled. Her mouth looked dry, and the moment she spoke, her voice took a few attempts to gain any strength. "Y-Yes."
"I was c-contacted by someone to kill the boy named S-Subaru Natsuki. It was just supposed to be another job and I readily accepted because he had previously gotten in my way."
This was the truth. Subaru already knew he'd been the one to throw a Reinhard-sized wrench in her attempt to murder his friends. But what shocked him most greatly was that Elsa had been specifically asked to go after him! She wasn't stalking him purely out of some sick desire to get back at him for sullying her bowel hunting record. Someone paid her to do this!
"Is she serious? Who in the world would wanna knock me off?!" He wouldn't lie. Subaru knew that he had done some pretty stupid things in the capital. But had he done anything that would warrant sending a bloodthirsty assassin after him? What for?
Who hated him that badly? In what way could Subaru have offended someone to where they'd go this far?
He searched his memory. During that day of the royal selection, he'd mouthed off to hundreds of knights and nobles. Was it possible one of them was behind this? If so, he wouldn't even have a face to go with a name!
As much as Subaru despised the smug face of Julius Juukulius, he didn't think for a moment that an uppity bastard like him would resort to such an underhanded method. This wasn't because Subaru thought highly of him in any way. It was simply that he was the very first to call the Japanese teenager out on his misbehavior and didn't hesitate to challenge him to a duel to punish him for his actions. A guy like that would never hide behind an assassin to get the job done.
"Then...who?" None of this made sense to him. He knew he'd just have to keep watching to learn more.
And learn more he did, because Elsa was nudged to continue speaking.
"He sent a letter to us. My partner and I answered because I was eager to avenge my earlier defeat. We were going to attempt to isolate Subaru Natsuki from his allies. But he was never alone. We could not risk attacking the entire mansion. And when we learned he was leaving, I thought it was the perfect chance. We were also told to eliminate anyone he was traveling with at the time."
Once more, this was something Subaru could confirm to be true. The only problem was, Sebas was aware of Elsa's presence and caught her before she could truly get the jump on them.
"If Elsa was getting frustrated because I wasn't leaving the mansion, that means she and whoever else the Shadow Demon detected in the background were skulking around for a couple of days! Damn, they're persistent!" Damn, they're persistent!"
But this also meant that there was still another assassin out there who escaped. Subaru didn't understand why this person was not at Elsa's side. Where had they gone? Who were they? He remembered that the Shadow Demon mentioned that there were two women.
"And? The name of the person who put you up to this task in the first place? Who is it? We can do nothing more until we know the name of the mastermind behind this entire plot."
Subaru nodded in agreement with Demiurge in that bleach white room. He wanted to know exactly who was directing these killers toward him and for what reason! And the words that came from Elsa's patched mouth next sent a wave of colossal disbelief throughout his entire existence.
"The name...the name of the man who hired us. He is the royal court magician of the Kingdom of Lugunica. Roswaal L. Mathers."
At the very moment he heard this admission, it was as if time stopped and the world made no further sense to him.
Roswaal? The very same Roswaal that Subaru knew? The Roswaal who'd given him a job and allowed him to live in his mansion when he had nowhere else to go? Roswaal, who was going out of his way to assist Emilia in her candidacy as a participant in the royal selection? The Roswaal who was known to be one of the few nobles in the kingdom who treated demihumans so well that two of them were members of his maid staff?
"Roswaal? Roswaal? Roswaal? Why Roswaal? Why would he do...but I just don't—"
Subaru felt like his mind was being thrown into a world where there was nothing but confusion. He could think of no logical reason that Roswaal would send an assassin after him, much less Elsa. He thought he had been prepared for whatever it was that would be revealed, but nothing in the world could have made him ready to hear that he'd been living in the same house as someone who would plan his death so methodically. He felt physically unwell with the passing of every second.
Nothing made sense! Where had any of this even come from!
He needed to know more. And yet, Subaru was afraid to continue looking at the mirror, terrified that he'd learn this entire situation was a plot more insidious than he ever would have imagined.
Though had remained silent because this name meant nothing to him, he immediately noticed Subaru's increase in distress. He wanted to ask what this meant and why Subaru seemed to be thrown back by the mention of this Roswaal person's name. But he contained this desire. For now. They needed to learn everything that Demiurge had squeezed from this woman in order to make a truly informed decision.
Subaru sank down a little in his chair, uncertain of how this news could become any worse. "This has gotta be some kinda mistake. It had to!"
But what came from Elsa's mouth next did the deathless teen no favors for his growing psychological pains.
The words from her mouth were so lifeless and filled with regret that it would have been difficult to believe they were coming from a real person's mouth and not some sort of hollow shell that simply resembled a woman.
"He was also the very same person who contracted me to obtain the royal insignia from the half-elf in the capital by any means. I almost succeeded, but Subaru Natsuki enlisted the aid of someone I could not overcome. And so I needed to...retreat. I accepted this new assignment in hopes of undoing my previous mistakes. But I failed. Again. The margrave told me to give the boy a message from him when I successfully killed him, but didn't explain what it meant."
Subaru could no longer contain himself. He jumped out of his chair so fast that it was pushed back away from him. "It was HIM?! He was the one who set Emilia up to get robbed in the first place? How could he do something like that when he's the one who's supposed to be helping her?!" Subaru slammed his fist down on the table like a wrathful rage. His eyes were wide, almost glowing with anger.
At first, Subaru thought that it was just racial prejudice against Emilia that would have made some shadowy manipulator not want her to participate in the royal selection. That would have made sense to him, regardless of how foul a plan it was! But Roswaal? She was living in his mansion the entire time and he was trying to make sure she failed for some reason! What could he possibly gain from this? It was true that Roswaal was the one Subaru was probably least familiar with. But he never once had any suspicions that the magician was this deceitful manipulator.
"And? What exactly was this message?" In spite of everything that had been revealed, Demiurge never lost his calm. He simply urged the assassin to continue spilling everything that she had once told him in private.
Subaru was clenching the edge of the table with so much force that he felt the blood pounding in his fist! His eyes were glued to the magic mirror, hoping time would just accelerate so he could learn of this message that his would-be killer was meant to deliver to him. "What is it? What is it? What is it?!"
"All the margrave told us was that we were to tell Subaru Natsuki that he made the wrong choices."
Subaru's face contorted into one of total confusion, wholly unaware of the meaning of these words. "I...made the wrong choices?" What in the hell did that mean? It was easily the most unclear thing that Elsa has spoken about in this confession.
What did he do wrong? When? How?!
But it seemed this was everything Elsa had to give, because Demiurge stepped in front of the defeated woman from Gusteko, announcing that he would be taking his leave at the moment so that he could perhaps obtain further useful information from her. Subaru was so entrenched in his own thoughts that he didn't even hear Ainz tell Demiurge that he was satisfied with these results and hoped to hear more from him, soon.
So gripped in a truly mind-melting level of rage and disbelief, Subaru's entire body felt numb to everything. If he was strong enough, he'd have flipped this entire table just to vent even the most minuscule fraction of his frustration.
"I don't get it! Why would Roswaal do any of this?! What's the point of trying to kill me? Why would he send Elsa to steal Emilia's insignia?! She can't even participate in the race without it. He's the one who told me so, himself!" Subaru found himself pacing back and forth throughout the meeting chambers, his thoughts running a thousand miles a second. He needed to figure this out. He needed to tear apart every bit of information that Elsa had told them.
"Subaru."
The Sorcerer King called out to him, but at this moment, nothing else existed aside from Subaru's own thoughts. The world faded away.
"This doesn't make any sense! I helped him! If it wasn't for me, then whoever was controlling that mabeast would have made sure all the children in the entire village were slaughtered! I was the only one who knew about it when Roswaal was off doing who knows what! I was doing his damn job for him!"
He wanted to lash out. All Subaru could picture in his mind was the smiling face of Roswaal, his true intentions concealed beneath a visage covered by colorful makeup. And even the phantom image of the magician just served to further enrage him. So much so that Subaru couldn't even stop to understand what all of this meant.
"Everything that I went through for the people of Arlam Village. TWICE! I suffered so goddamn much just so everyone in the village wouldn't have to. And meanwhile, Roswaal was never fucking around when we needed him! He wiped out all those mabeasts without breaking a sweat, but only wanted to show up at the last minute when—"
Everything stopped. Subaru froze in place. His mind was suddenly blank as realization dawned on him. pieces that he had never even considered were starting to come together to form something that he could finally understand.
As if struggling to speak, Subaru's words came out like a hollow whisper. "He only shows up at the last minute..."
"When I first came to the mansion, I ended up getting killed in my sleep because I was cursed and I didn't know it. And when I learned the curse came from some sort of shaman, I set out to uncover the mystery and save anyone else in the village who might have been cursed, too. And on the loop where we finally won, that was when Roswaal had to go off on some kind of business. And he only showed up at the end when Rem, Ram, and I had already drawn out the big Bossgarm mabeast and were a couple of inches from winning. And it was the same thing with the Witch's Cult! He only flew in at the last minute when me and Emilia had already defeated Sloth! He was nowhere to be seen, before that, no matter how many times everybody in the whole damn mansion and village died!"
This couldn't have been a coincidence. He wouldn't write it off as one! Roswaal only arrived when it seemed like he had already suffered and come to the right path that led to victory. So why did he apparently want Elsa and her unknown partner to tell him that he'd made the wrong decisions? What could that even mean? How had Subaru done anything wrong when he once again saved everyone?
Subaru held his head down in panicked frustration, hands grasping the wooden table like he was trying to force it out of his way. But the piece of furniture was the only thing providing a steady, heavy barrier for him to lean against when he felt like he would otherwise collapse from this absolute hurricane of uncertainties. He wanted to bang his head against a wall if it would just help him concentrate better! Anything that would provide answers would have been welcome!
"What was so different about that last time? Did Roswaal say or do anything that was out of the ordinary? What could be special about that time, specifically? Was it something about him leaving the mansion? Why did he leave and come back like that?" There was something here that he just wasn't getting. There were too many failed loops where he'd had many different interactions with so many people. It was impossible for Subaru to keep track of every single line of dialogue he'd exchanged.
But it was only when Subaru remembered that afternoon when Roswaal departed from the mansion that something clicked within his mind. "But how could he be dissatisfied when I'd saved everyone again? Why would he order Elsa to kill me and then say I made the wrong choices? It doesn't make any sense. Not unless..."
Subaru blanched, the color vanishing straight from his face as something horrifying and unreal took root in his mind. "He knows. He knows about Return By Death."
His mouth was as dry as a scorched bone. An uneasy, creeping anxiety, and a truth he didn't want to acknowledge assaulted every fiber of his being. How was it possible anyone other than him could know about his power? Subaru had already experienced the hard way that if he attempted to force the taboo, the Witch would punish him by murdering anyone who'd heard him speak the forbidden words. So what made Roswaal exempt from this?
"That's why he wasn't freaked out when Rem died so mysteriously and I lived!" Roswaal knew that no matter what, the situation could be undone. That's why he left the mansion, not caring what would happen!
He felt his blood pulsing in his head, threatening to burn him up from the inside out. He didn't even know if he was thinking of speaking out loud at this point. Raw, unbridled bloodlust emanated from him so thickly that he thought even his eyes would bleed.
Once again, Subaru had been betrayed by someone he thought was his friend. "That piece of trash was only putting on an act, pretending like I was part of his house. He didn't give a shit that Emilia died in those loops! He didn't care how much anguish Ram went through when she saw her only family dead in that bed! He let the Witch Cult stroll into his territory and kill his people. And it's because of him that Puck went on a rampage once Emilia died!"
When he thought about it, so many things added up. How could he, such a seemingly weak and powerless teenager manage to save Emilia from anything? How was it possible that he, Subaru, could unveil the mystery surrounding the mabeasts in the forest, rescue the children, and survive without dying from those cursed bites? What were the odds that he could ever come back from his humiliating display in the royal selection with such a world-changing victory like defeating the White Whale and a Sin Archbishop?
"It doesn't make sense. And he knew it. No regular person could do all of that. Not on the first try, at least." But Subaru didn't only have one try. He'd failed and failed until he found a way to win. It was only because of Return By Death that Roswaal could justify leaving anything in Subaru's hands. Because he'd always find a way to succeed, no matter how long it took.
Subaru whirled around in the direction where he thought Ainz was still sitting. But in truth, he had forgotten that anyone else was even in the room with him. He'd been too wrapped up in deciphering the meaning behind this wicked deception that he'd shut everything else out in his anger. "He's been manipulating me the entire time! Me and his own staff! He's using us all just so—"
He froze, in shock that he was no longer alone in the room with the Sorcerer King.
Standing at the side of the skeleton king was a figure who had the body of a beautiful woman wearing a maid outfit. But it was neither Yuri nor Lupusregina. She was someone Subaru had never laid eyes on before. Even in his state of blind fury, he wouldn't mistake this stranger for someone else. She was, from what his fuzzy and unfocused mind could tell, some sort of demihuman? Her head was that of a canine, and she stood primly in place by Ainz, neither of them moving a muscle.
"Who...are you?" Where had this person come from? And why were the two of them so silent?
Subaru's eyes were wide with shock, darting from one person to another, uncertain of what was coming next. Ainz had no facial expressions to speak of. And the dog-maid woman's face was completely unreadable to him.
Breaking the science, the Sorcerer King gave his subordinate an order. "Pestonya. Do it."
Nodding, the maid approached Subaru on silent heels. A gloved hand outstretched, she spoke a single word, one that sent Subaru Natsuki descending into a world of blissful silence where his feelings of betrayal and anger would not haunt him.
"[Hypnos]."
Without having a single moment to question or even resist, Subaru felt his strength, his rage, and everything else that kept him on his feet vanish into nothingness. And without even having known it, he fell into the arms of the woman who sent him into a sleep from which he would only wake at her command.
Hypnos was a powerful sleeping spell that inflicted a permanent sleeping effect on any who fell victim to its effect until the user or a specialized third-party released the one under its influence.
"He is asleep, Lord Ainz."
"So it seems. Thank you for coming here so quickly, Pestonya. I hope I can count on you to care for Subaru until we are able to talk more clearly with him. It would appear that this is not the time." Coming to her side, the Overlord's flaming eyes looked down at his guest from Japan, a feeling of dismay coming over him. He hadn't thought Subaru would take this news so hard to the heart.
Pestonya held Subaru close to her breast, caressing his head almost as if he were a child. Sure enough, he was very close to manhood. But the face of someone so young who was in this sort of mental distress was something she could not in good conscience walk away from. She was truly thankful her master summoned her to assist.
"It was my fault this happened." The red orbs that were Ainz's eyes disappeared as he lamented this mistake. He'd only intended to help Subaru understand who had sent someone to kill him. It never once occurred to Ainz that he would have this sort of mental meltdown and retreat into himself so aggressively. The feeling of guilt inside him wasn't powerful enough to trigger his body to calm him down. But it was just strong enough to be nagging to him.
"Please, Lord Ainz, you must not blame yourself for anything." Pestonya's gentle voice was reminiscent of a calming presence in itself. "You only sought to help this boy, who I hear has done a great service for Nazarick. That he did not respond well to what he had learned is not your fault, nor is it his own." She could tell when someone's heart had been weighed down by a burden that was too much to bear. And in Pestonya's arms, she could tell that this boy was crying in his spirit.
"I see. Even still, I suppose this is proof that Subaru has not had a very easy time in the other world. I would like to know more about how he's suffered, but now is not the time. I want him taken to Nazarick. And his mental healing will be your priority. Ensure that he receives your full attention. After all, this will be part of your role for what you will undoubtedly oversee in the future."
The plans were still very much a work in progress and something that had only been discussed by the two of them. But Ainz intended for Pestonya to one day become the overseer for healers who would specialize in the care of those who were suffering from all sorts of spiritual and psychological pain. "Something like this requires the gentle hand of one such as yourself. I am counting on you to take care of Subaru for me, Pestonya."
"[Gate]."
With a wave of his hand, Ainz summoned the 10th tier spell that would return Pestonya to the direct exterior of their true home. But just as he thought the homunculus maid would make haste to leave, he found that she had remained in place. And this time her gaze had shifted from the boy who'd just become her patient to her Overlord master.
Her kind face looked up at him with an expression of deepest admiration. And though Ainz was accustomed to this, he was curious what her thoughts were.
"Is there something troubling you, Pestonya?"
"Not at all, Lord Ainz. It is just that everything you have said is further proof that you have no reason to feel badly. As always, no matter what situation arises, you always take the most direct and appropriate responses to remedy the situation. And it only deepens all of our love and worship of you. But, I fear I may be babbling and wasting your time. It is only to be expected, after all." She looked up at her Overlord master, her eyes twinkling with reverence to his entire being. "It is only natural, because you are a Supreme Being."
Pestonya would have loved nothing more than to courtesy for her Overlord, but she currently had her hands full. Literally. And so, the homunculus maid bowed as deeply as she could before carrying the black-haired young boy with her through the Gate, the portal closing after she'd vanished through it.
Left alone in the conference room, Ainz reseated himself. "This bears investigation. Who is this Roswaal character? If he were simply an enemy, wouldn't Subaru have just taken this as confirmation that he needed to be countered? The relationship sounds much deeper than that. But I don't think anything can be done until he is in a more stable frame of mind."
Subaru even mentioned how there were some people who'd died. Whatever this Roswaal was scheming, it must have been truly grave to force Subaru into such a state. He hoped that he could recover, soon.
Shifting his gaze, Ainz took notice that his guest had completely forgotten the knapsack that he'd brought with him. And if he remembered correctly, Subaru mentioned that the contents were supposedly a gift for him. "It may be a bit rude to look inside without Subaru here to present it to me..." But even if he said this, Ainz reached out a skeletal hand and grabbed the small bag, emptying the contents in front of him.
About a dozen loud sounds hit him as he observed the items that spilled out. To his eye, they didn't look particularly impressive, but Ainz knew that appearances could be deceiving. Which was why he decided to do something of a test.
"[Appraise Magic Item]."
A green light emanated from his hand, aimed down at the mysterious objects before him. And within seconds, the knowledge of these articles became known to him through analysis of the magic. And to even his own surprise, Ainz Ooal Gown found his mouth hanging open momentarily. His reaction was so strong that he nearly felt his emotions boil over to their limit from the sheer astonishment of what he'd just learned!
"I have to contact the Floor Guardians. If these are capable of what I hope they are, then Subaru Natsuki's value to Nazarick has just skyrocketed tremendously."