Trails of Hope and Suffering
Five Hours since the Last Death (Fifty Deaths)
Well into the night, the taut, heavy silence that had pervaded the atmosphere of the mansion was shattered. Subaru, who had barely moved since Anastasia fell into a deep sleep, shifted his reddened eyes ever so slightly. With a tired expression, he looked toward the door of his room. How many hours had passed since he and Anastasia arrived at the mansion? At the time, Subaru had had too much on his mind and had forgotten to check the time, so it was a complete mystery to him.
One, two, three, four, five hours, perhaps. Subaru was aware that how much time had passed was not at all relevant, especially considering the circumstances, but nevertheless, a part of him insisted on keeping track of the elapsed time. Sighing, Subaru looked away from the wooden door and glanced at the girl sleeping behind him. An exhausted smile broke out on his face; there was no need for him to obsess over time any longer.
Since learning of the Witch Cult's assault on the city, Subaru had not ceased to dread the passage of time. One miscalculation could cause the destiny of his dear ones to slip too far out of his control. And despite all his efforts not to waste time needlessly, his efforts, once again, proved to be wasted. All that stress and fretting turned out to be justified.
The destinies of Mimi, Julius and Anastasia drifted too far from his grasp. There was still time to amend the destiny of the latter two, however, Mimi's had indeed drifted away into the depths of the ocean of death, and so he could never get her back. The same applied to her brothers. His weakness had cost the lives of the triplets and the existence of Anastasia and Julius.
Thus it was no longer necessary for him to keep stressing over the ticking of every second, but that did not mean he could finally shut his eyes and rest. No, he had waited in silence just for that precise moment. Ricardo, Kitzu, Maju and maybe Utada, or Halibel, Emilia, Ram and Julius, one of those two groups had returned to the mansion; there was even the possibility that both had returned at the same time. In any case, he could only call it a day, once he had spoken to Halibel; so there was no return to look forward to other than that of his demi-human ally.
Subaru brought his right hand to his face and, curling it into a fist, rubbed his eyes; first the right and then the left. He blinked a couple of times and took a quick glance around his room.
Subaru brought his right hand to his face and, curling it into a fist, rubbed his eyes; first the right and then the left. He blinked a couple of times and took a quick glance around his room. It was dark, with only a little moonlight filtering through the only window in his room, but after hours of sitting there, in the corner of his bed, engulfed in the blackness, his eyes had become completely accustomed to the darkness.
The room was just as he had left it in the morning. In one corner was a pile of dirty clothes, and on the wooden desk next to the bed lay dozens of papers stacked up. In addition to the papers, which were sketches of reinvented artifacts, on the desk were also scattered different types of pencils, each one for a specific purpose.
At first he had considered so many pencils and drawing implements to be superfluous, an unnecessary extravagance, but over time he learned to use them and came to genuinely appreciate that there were tools to suit everything he intended to put down on paper. After several seconds of staring at his desk, Subaru shook his head and terminated that train of thought.
He was physically and mentally drained, and so he was daydreaming more than usual. Opting not to waste any more time, Subaru was about to get out of bed, but as he tried to do so, he felt a small tug on his left hand, which forced him to sit down again. Subaru turned quickly to look over, and what he found was Anastasia's face, on which was drawn an adorable pout.
He had forgotten... Upon falling asleep, Anastasia had been caught in a turbulent sleep, akin to a mental roller coaster, sometimes placid, sometimes nightmarish. The expression on her face had become volatile; both rapidly and constantly shifting between tranquility and distress. Because of this, Subaru, who had been a silent witness to this, and had been feeling frustrated at not being able to do anything for her, had reached out his hand towards her and taken the girl's hand.
When Subaru's warmth was transferred to Anastasia, she was finally able to consummate a placid and restful sleep. Subaru, who was washed over by a sense of relief upon noticing this, was unable to let go of Anastasia's hand again. She longed not to be deserted anymore and he longed not to desert her ever again. His boss was right. They both needed each other, this was an undeniable truth.
Several hours had gone by since, and Subaru, whose consciousness had grown thin due to fatigue, had forgotten that this had even transpired to begin with. Much to his regret, that was the moment to let go of Anastasia's hand. Carefully, he took hold of the girl's fingers with his free hand and slowly peeled them away from his hand. In a few seconds, his left hand was finally free, however, Anastasia's remnant heat lingered on his skin.
The merchant girl stirred in her sleep, gently moving the sheet that covered her. After that she became motionless again, so Subaru began to walk towards the door stealthily. However, a soft voice stopped him. "Natsuki-kun, you're not planning to go talk to Halibel without me, are you? The three of us are a team now, so I deserve to take part in the meeting, don't you thunk. Besides, you said you would explain to both of us in more detail the surrounding circumstances of your joining the cult."
Subaru's face remained expressionless. It was true, he had told her that he would elaborate on the cult's interest in him. It was clear that hearing that Subaru had become a Sin Archbishop had shaken Anastasia, and so she wished to better understand what had led Subaru into it. After a moment in silence, Subaru chuckled a little. "I didn't want to wake you, but I suppose even that turned out to be in vain."
"You ain't particularly sneaky, Natsuki-kun; better leave that to Halibel-san."
"I'll keep that in mind..."
"... So she'll be stayin' at the mansion too? Since when didja start bein' so damn generous, kid?" The third option had been the correct one. Ricardo's group and Halibel's group had merged and had returned to the mansion together. The purple-haired gentleman lay prone in one of the luxurious armchairs in the room, his prideful countenance unchanged.
Ricardo had already briefly filled Subaru in on what had happened after the last time they had seen each other. The captain of the Fang of Iron had located the spot where Utada and Subaru were cornered by Capella, and there he had met the four mercenaries who had left for the castle after the triplets fell ill; along with them, he had taken Utada to the castle to be treated by Kitzu. Once Subaru's bodyguard had recovered, Ricardo decided it was the right time for them to head back to the mansion.
"..." Subaru shot Ricardo an annoyed look and refrained from answering him. Seeing Subaru's reaction, Ricardo could not help but laugh.
"Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. M'kay, I don' think Ryuushika-sama will've a problem with housin' two victims of the Witch Cult's attack fer a while. After all, your contribution ta his company has been nothin' short of monumental." Ricardo remarked, with a grin.
"Thanks. But you're wrong about something, only he will be staying at the mansion." Subaru replied, gesturing to the comatose Julius.
"Oh, so dat's how it is? What 'bout your new... pal...?" Ricardo looked at Anastasia, on whose face a complicated expression formed. "Hmm... Yer face looks familiar. Ya wouldn't happen to be the girl who came up to me a few hours ago at the border between the nobility district 'n' the royal lands, wouldya?"
"Y-Yes, I am. Sorry for the inconvenience." Affirmed Anastasia, then immediately apologized.
"No need to apologize. Still..." Ricardo seemed puzzled by the girl's attitude, but before he could inquire about it, Subaru cut him off.
"Ricardo, I will be leaving the mansion for a while. I don't know for how long yet, but I need you to let Ryuushika-sama know about it."
"Huh? Leave? What'cha on about, boy? And besides, why don'tcha tell 'im in person? With everythin' that's happened, I don't doubt that he'll be forced to travel 'ere. 'Cause of this Witch Cult siege thing, it's likely that Operation Reinvention will've to be put on hold fer a while."
"No, I can't wait, Ricardo. What took place today changed everything, there's no turning back now." Ricardo seemed ready to insist further, however, he was silenced by the seriousness reflected in Subaru's eyes. "She'll come with us; and by us I mean Halibel and me."
"You'll be takin' Halibel with ya? Whatever do ya mean by what took place today changed everythin', boy? Where'll ya go?" Ricardo found himself more and more confused by every word that came out of Subaru's mouth. From the look on Subaru's face, it was obvious he wasn't lying, but that only made things more complicated.
"Don't know yet." Subaru replied flatly.
"You don't know... And when'll ya be back? You've work to do, ya forget?"
"I don't know either. And that doesn't matter, in my room there're enough designs to cover my absence for several months and even years. Ana- Ryuushika-sama instructed me that it wasn't necessary for me to exert myself so much and to rest a little, so that's just what I'll do. I will heed his orders and stop working for a while."
Stunned, Ricardo clutched his head in disbelief, flattening his mohican with his hands. "Don' think that's what he meant, kid..."
"Whatever, I'm likely to leave in a couple of days. While I'm gone, I'll give up my room to Julius, that is, that royal knight; so there shouldn't be a problem with his stay at the mansion." Subaru declared, putting the matter to rest.
"Leaving aside all this nonsense 'bout this sudden trip o' yours, how do ya intend fer us to take care of the knight? Accordin' ta Kitzu, none of the healers in the castle figured out how to wake 'im up."
"Never mind that, he doesn't need to be taken care of."
"Eeeh?! Boy, couldya possibly make some sense for a change! How do ya mean it ain't needed?"
"You've heard of Sleeping Beauty disease, haven't you? The disease that causes those who are afflicted with it to remain asleep without their bodies changing despite not eating or drinking." Ricardo nodded at Subaru's question. "Then you may recall that in the Royal Guard it was reached the conclusion that the Archbishop of Gluttony was most likely to blame for it."
"Yeah, I know, what'cha gettin' at with dat?" Ricardo seemed to be getting impatient.
"Why, that's it... That knight suffers from that condition, and that's a result of meeting Gluttony."
"No way! Gluttony's... dead." Doubt and uncertainty flashed in Ricardo's eyes; the beast-man eyed the sleeping knight sidelong.
"Ricardo, do you really think I'm lying?" Subaru asked, staring the mercenary captain in the eyes. For several seconds no one spoke; after which, Ricardo let out a long sigh and said.
"If you're so sure of it, it's likely that your Divine Protection's related to that. Am I wrong?" Subaru replied with a toothy grin. "I see... And that knight's someone important?"
"Sure is, so make damn sure he's treated like any high-profile guest would be. When I come back I don't wanna learn that he was taken out of the mansion and dumped on the street."
"Like hell we'd ever do somethin' like that!" Ricardo stated vehemently. Subaru nodded, satisfied with Ricardo's answer. "Tell me one more thing," Ricardo added, his expression growing serious. "Does all this have anythin' ta do with what happened with Mi-? "Before Ricardo could continue, one of the mercenaries suddenly entered the room, panting.
"Hetaro-san and Tivey-san have finally regained consciousness!"
"Huh?" The first to show bafflement at such news was Subaru.
These were turbulent times, and many things were taking place at the same time, but what had befallen the triplets, after long hours of uncertainty, was finally the center of attention. If it had not been before, it could only be due to the atmosphere of mourning that had descended on the mansion. Dozens of corpses now lined the entrance to the mansion, but none of those present felt ready to take it in. There were issues that had been avoided until that moment, and the condition of Tivey and Hetaro was one of them, but the situation could not remain as it was.
The lack of information on the part of those who had left the mansion that day, with the Royal Castle as their destination, had been laid bare. Ricardo was the only one who had correctly deduced the real outcome of what had befallen the triplets. Due to all she had experienced, Anastasia had never really stopped to consider what Mimi's death entailed for her siblings. And Subaru, Subaru had assumed things without even bothering to check them out.
"... I'm such a coward... I-I was really afraid to see the looks on Hetaro and Tivey's faces when they'd see me; I was terrified to see how they too would be unable to recognize me... And therefore, I didn't even contemplate goin' to see them, to tell 'em 'bout what happened with Mimi and comfort 'em for their loss... I'm so pathetic, so despicable..." Anastasia whispered, distressed.
Those who had just come back to the mansion, together with Anastasia and Subaru, left the hall of the mansion and made their way to the room where the two triplets were, guided by the mercenary who had reported their awakening. Failing to hide his dismay, Ricardo was the first to signal his subordinate to lead him to them.
Subaru had not been there at the time it occurred, but it was evident that Ricardo had already been apprised of Mimi's demise. After all, and although Ricardo had not said so himself, he had most likely decided to go back to the castle because the mercenaries coming from the mansion had informed him about Tivey and Hetaro's condition.
And he, who knew the triplets better than anyone else, including Anastasia herself, and was aware of what had transpired at the mansion thanks to the mercenaries who had rushed to the castle to ascertain the fate of their peers, had the best possible insight into what might have happened to the siblings after Mimi's death. Ricardo was undoubtedly, among those present, the most knowledgeable.
Yet there was still a lot of information that needed to be brought to the surface. It had all happened so rapidly. Subaru and Anastasia had arrived at the hall within minutes of the arrival of the mercenaries, who had been busy acquainting their colleagues with what had unfolded on the way to the castle. Subaru had come in just as Ricardo had wrapped up the briefing and had been quick to bring up the subject of Anastasia and Julius' stay in the mansion.
Admittedly, that topic in question was of minor importance at the moment, especially compared to everything that had ensued that day following the cult's attack, nevertheless, Anastasia was Subaru's priority and that was not about to change. Subaru, who had believed that the triplets had died along with their sister, had opted not to bring up the subject upon arriving at the castle, and Anastasia, who had dreaded her encounter with them, had done the same.
Together they had chosen not to confront the harsh reality that awaited them in the mansion and instead had withdrawn into the bubble that was Subaru's room. However, the coming of Halibel, Ricardo and the others meant that they had to venture out of that cage of their own making. Now they would have to face the outcome of that terrible day, arguably the worst of their lives.
"You aren't." Subaru whispered, making sure only Anastasia could hear him. For her to undergo all of this, the pain of losing loved ones, the pain of seeing them hurt, unable to do anything for them, undoubtedly proved to be an unbearable experience. "That you're here, and not in my room, is proof of that. If you had really chosen to shy away from the reality, you woulda stayed there."
"B-But... I neglected them..." Anastasia replied softly, sorrow painted on every one of her facial features.
"There was nothing you could do for them, Anastasia. Since they don't remember you, if you had been the one to tell them about what happened with Mimi, the outcome might have been worse. Likewise, if you had tried to comfort them, it's possible that the three of you would have ended up even more hurt than you already are. So for now you'd better let Ricardo handle it all."
Subaru was certain that this was not what Anastasia wanted to hear, however, it was necessary for him to tell her so. She at that moment could not be an emotional support for the triplets; to them, she was nothing more than a total stranger. Subaru could not deny that it partially reminded him of what went on with Emilia during his first cycle of death. At that moment he really felt that he could empathize, however slightly, with his boss's pain.
Subaru offered his hand to Anastasia, and she, noticing this, grabbed it. From the outside it could be perceived as a romantic gesture, but such was not the case, or at least that was not Subaru's intention. In that instant, Anastasia had only him, it was his responsibility to be her emotional support in that tough time, in that moment when neither Ricardo, nor Julius, nor Mimi, nor Hetaro, nor Tivey could be there for her.
Nevertheless, Subaru once again felt the weight of guilt rising in his heart and mind. He had decided not to tell Anastasia about what had befallen the triplets, he had deliberately withheld that information. Fearing the reaction Anastasia might have, he had avoided the subject over and over again, to the point where he allowed the girl to sleep in cruel ignorance, under the same roof where, supposedly, the corpses of her dearest bodyguards lay.
Feeling guilty about it might seem uncalled for, especially in light of how events had unfolded. Even so, Subaru could not help but wonder how Anastasia would have reacted if both triplets had indeed died and he had not brought it to her attention until it was already too late... Therefore, Subaru once again felt the need to apologize. But, feeling her hand gently trembling in his own, Subaru settled on postponing his apology and pushing those thoughts momentarily to the back of his mind.
As he felt Anastasia's warmth surge into his body through her hand anew, Subaru eyed Halibel, who had been walking a few feet away from them, occasionally casting curious glances at Anastasia. Halibel perceived that Subaru was looking at him and stopped in his tracks, thus allowing Subaru to catch up with him. Now Halibel, Subaru and Anastasia were walking down the hallway of the mansion, bringing up the rear of the group that was heading towards where the surviving triplets were.
"Hal-san, with everything that's been going on, I didn't get a chance to ask you. What happened with Ram and Emilia?" Subaru quietly questioned him.
Subaru had considered asking Halibel about it when he noticed the absence of both girls in the hall, but had decided to do so once he had informed Ricardo of Anastasia's temporary stay and Julius' not-so-temporary stay, and, of course, of his imminent departure. However, his plans had been thrown into disarray by the news that Mimi's siblings were still alive. But now was the right time to do so, and he could not let his feelings of guilt get in the way of his search for information.
The truth is that Halibel had seemingly complied with Subaru's last orders. He had brought Julius, as he had instructed, and from what he had heard from Ricardo, Mimi's corpse had been placed near the entrance of the mansion along with the corpses of the mercenaries who had fallen in the battle against the six-armed cultist.
On their way back to the mansion, the group had passed through the same place where the battle had taken place, and had collected the bodies of their fallen comrades. Perhaps having managed to bring back, if not all, most of them, would have been impossible had it not been for the presence of Utada and the four mercenaries who left the mansion a while after the departure of the rescue party.
"The two went straight to their room as soon as we got to the mansion. Ram-san told me that she and Emilia-sama were exhausted and that she wished Emilia-sama ta sleep in a comfortable bed." Halibel replied.
"So Ram finally woke up..." Subaru said more to himself than to Halibel.
"Yup. Luckily she woke up shortly before Ricardo told me he'd be comin' back. She's able to walk on her own and lead Emilia-sama, who seems to still be quite shell-shocked by what happened. If not fer that, carryin' the knight 'n' the pair of corpses Ricardo asked me to carry woulda been near impossible."
"... I see..." Subaru muttered.
Had it not been for the fact that, owing to Anastasia, he now had a better understanding of what had transpired at the mansion, he would not have doubted in rushing to Ram's place to question her. He still wanted to ask her some questions, but he would wait until the morning; she and Emilia deserved a rest. While musing about it, Subaru looked ahead of him, there, a few steps away from him, was Utada, walking between Kitzu and Maju; his bodyguard was currently sneaking a sidelong peek at him. It seems that eventually I'll have to talk to him too, Subaru thought...
Ricardo was the first to step into the room where the brothers were being nursed. Subaru had not finished walking into it when the smell of medicinal herbs filled his nose; it was a tad overwhelming. On two small beds, separated by a wooden table on which stood a Lagmite lamp, lay the two triplets.
"How're they doin'?" Asked Ricardo to the three healers who were busy keeping the little demi-humans alive.
"They both stabilized about four hours ago, but it wasn't until now that they woke up, cap'n. Not long ago they're both conscious, but they drifted back to sleep. No doubt they're worn out." Reported one of the healers.
"Understood... Did they say anythin'? While they were awake." The captain inquired.
"They mumbled a few words, but nothin' that made much sense." Chimed in another of the healers. "Oh! But they asked 'bout their sister. Any news about Mimi-chan, captain?"
A fleeting grimace of grief flickered across Ricardo's face, but it disappeared as quickly as it appeared. "She unfortunately died in the castle." He informed curtly.
"It can't be..." Gasped the healer, holding his hands to his head. "Dang it!" The reaction of his colleagues was no different.
"That certainly explains what happened to Tivey and Hetaro. Given how the Divine Protection of Trisection works, it's a miracle that they're still alive. I've to thunk ya guys for that, and Kitzu who made every effort to save Mimi. It's likely that this allowed Hetaro and Tivey ta survive." Ricardo solemnly stated.
"... Hetaro... Tivey..." Subaru looked back at Anastasia, whose pained expression had deepened.
"Captain... I failed to save Mimi-chan, so please allow me to help save Tivey-san and Hetaro-san. Their condition may have already stabilized, but that doesn't mean they're out o' danger. Captain... Only by doin' so can I begin to make up for my mistakes!" Kitzu pleaded, making a bow.
"Hehe... Ya don't have to ask such a thing o' me, Kitzu. You're the best healer in the Fang of Iron, I don't think there's anyone better than ya to ensure that both of 'em make it through this devilish ordeal." Ricardo said with a weak chuckle bereft of vigor. "But first get it out of yer head that you're responsible fer Mimi's death; ya ain't."
And with those supportive words, Ricardo gave Kitzu space so that he could join the group of healers who were treating the triplets. The mercenary captain's gaze fell on Subaru and then proceeded to approach him. At the same time, the other members of the Fang of Iron who were present moved closer to the beds in order to get a better look at the little demi-humans who were sleeping with pained expressions.
"Could ya answer me what I asked ya earlier, boy?" It was obvious to Subaru what Ricardo was referring to.
"That if my journey's related to what happened with Mimi? That if Gluttony has something to do with it?" Subaru asked back. Ricardo nodded. "Yes." And with that single word, Subaru made a turn and walked to the exit of the room. However, before he crossed the threshold of the doorway, Subaru heard heavy footsteps closing in on him from behind, and so he stopped. "Ricardo, you've a duty to fulfill in this mansion. Following me isn't an option for you. Besides, I'm sure I'll end up gettin' my hands dirty, which's why I want to involve as few people as possible."
"So that's how it is..." Ricardo murmured, the feelings in his voice indecipherable. "You're right... I've a duty to fulfill in this mansion. If it weren't fer dat, I wouldn't mind followin' ya on your journey, even if it means gettin' blood on my hands."
"I know."
"Anastasia... once again... I'm truly sorry!"
"You're sorry? Now what are ya apologizing for? Whaddaya think you did wrong this time?" Having left behind the room that functioned as a temporary sickbay, Subaru could not take it anymore and proceeded to apologize yet again. How many times had he apologized to Anastasia that day? Subaru had already lost count.
"I... I thought Tivey and Hetaro had died... Considering the way their Divine Protection bound the three of them together, I thought there was no way they would survive. And yet I chose to keep it from you, even after I told ya about all that I had kept from you."
"Again, Natsuki-kun, there's no need to apologize. I understand perfectly well that you did it to protect me..." Despite her words, Anastasia furrowed her brow ever so lightly. "Still... Please don't treat me like I'm a li'l gal, I've been through a lot to get to where I am- was... So I consider myself capable of dealing with tough situations like this without falling apart... at least not to pieces."
"Y-Yeah, you're right." Subaru replied with a nod. Having discerned that that conversation had ended, Halibel, who had decided to give them both some space, quickened his pace so that he could catch up with them. However, Subaru added. "Are you sure you don't want to stay with them?" Having relieved some of the guilt that afflicted him by apologizing, Subaru was quick to question Anastasia about whether she did not rather stay with her cherished bodyguards.
"N-No. You're right, at the moment they don't need me to be by their side... Just knowing they're alive, that's enough for me." It was clear that Anastasia was trying to appear strong-minded, yet weakness seeped into her voice. One more thing Subaru could empathize with.
"Well then, let's go to my room. Hal-san, there are many things I must tell you, you and Anastasia."
"Finally..." Said the warrior teasingly. However, the solemn expression etched on the faces of both Subaru and Anastasia was enough to make the smile disappear from his face and be replaced by a countenance of seriousness; the truth he was about to hear would be a shocking one, of that much he was certain.
"... Heck... I figured it would be somethin' shockin', but I never thought it would be this shockin'." Halibel was evidently at a loss for words. As Subaru had anticipated, the disclosure had taken Halibel, who would never have expected to hear something like what he had just heard, aback.
"I was quite shocked to hear it too..." Anastasia agreed. The girl was sitting on Subaru's bed, next to him, not unlike how they had been several hours ago. Halibel, on the other hand, was sitting in a chair in front of the black-haired man's desk. That room was the safest place they had at their disposal to speak about such a delicate subject.
"Yeesh... I was expectin' ta hear somethin' rather stunnin', somehow related to the lady over there." Halibel said, looking towards Anastasia. "But clearly my expectations fell short... So now you're a Sin Archbishop? The Archbishop of Wrath... Sounds kinda ominous; it does explain why I sensed such a dramatic a change in ya when we met in the castle garden, though."
"I'm the Archbishop of Envy as well, but seeing how much the witch who holds such sin is... frowned upon, I would rather avoid using that name." Subaru remarked, shifting his gaze to his arms covered in burns, scars and charcoal black spots; marks that symbolized his sins. "Of course, the fact that I now hold the title of Sin Archbishop alone makes me a full-fledged monster in the eyes of this world's society, though. No matter what sin I represent, I'd be hunted down by the Royal Guard should my title be exposed."
"Ya aren't wrong, Su-san. It's true, though, that ya'd be quite a bit more hated by the people if they found out that you're the Sin Archbishop of Envy. I've no doubt that the Sword Saint himself would be dispatched to slay ya."
"Fuck... The last thing I'd want to do is fight that monster." Subaru mumbled, hugging his head. The very thought of having to face Reinhard Van Astrea made his body tremble uncontrollably.
"And yet ya aim to take on the Witch Cult from within. When the time comes to fight Greed, what're we gonna do? That son of a bitch's another monster on the level of the Sword Saint. Ya know it, the two of 'em clashed in the castle and neither of them came out victorious." A somewhat nervous Halibel voiced out.
"We won't." Subaru declared, looking up. "Antagonizing Greed would outright backfire on us, we wouldn't get anything out of it." Hearing this, Halibel frowned slightly in confusion, which prompted Subaru to continue. "You're wrong 'bout one thing, Hal-san. My goal's not to take on the Witch Cult. I don't intend to make an enemy of their leader, who's herself a monster whose name I dare not mention, nor of Greed, an invincible bloodthirsty monster, nor of Sloth, who's a monster capable of switching bodies as if they were mere vessels."
"Sloth? Does that mean we only destroyed one of his vessels?"
"It does. Plus, I learned that the fewer human vessels he has at his disposal, the more powerful he'll be. It's definitely not in our best interest to fight him again."
"So we'll only hunt down the remainin' Sin Archbishops then?" At Halibel's question, Subaru replied with a nod. "But why them? I still don' get it."
"That's what I haven't explained to you yet." Subaru replied, giving Anastasia a sidelong glance. She looked back at him, and noticing how Subaru was seeing her, gave him a small nod. Subaru recognized this as a sign that he could continue. "Hal-san, you weren't wrong in believing that what I'd tell you would be related to her; at least not entirely. She's Anastasia, Anastasia Hoshin, and you mayn't recognize her name, but she's the rightful owner of this mansion and the person you've worked for all this time."
"Huh?" Halibel indeed looked bewildered by the sudden revelation.
"Don't you see, Hal-san? You, more than anyone else, should be able to piece together and figure out why I decided to join the goddamn Witch Cult." Having said this, Subaru went silent and stared intently at the face of his first follower.
Halibel promptly nodded in understanding. "Ya mentioned Gluttony in the castle, I'm damn sure of it. And back then ya're in a hurry fer somethin', it was as if ya were waitin' for somethin' to happen. I take it that had to do with 'er... Miss Anastasia." Subaru nodded, signaling that Halibel's observations sings were on the right track. "It's clear to me that ya aren't lyin' when ya claim that she's the owner o' this mansion and... apparently my temporary boss... In that case, there's only one explanation. Tis mysterious new Gluttony devoured her name, and so ya wanna slay him in order to return to her what he stole from 'er."
"You got everything right." Subaru said, nodding in satisfaction.
"And the knight ya asked me to bring. Was he also affected by Gluttony's authority?"
"He was, I'm sure of it. It's like the captain of the Royal Guard said, Anastasia lost her name, while Julius lost both his name and his memories."
"The lady 'n' the knight... Su-san, if they both lost somethin' at the hands of Gluttony, how come ya remember 'em and no one else?" The beast-man asked, greatly puzzled.
"I was actually talking it over with Anastasia a few hours ago..." Upon saying that, Subaru looked at the girl beside him. "Anastasia, I really didn't feel in the mood to talk about it back then, but in fact my body gives off Witch's miasma, and that's apparently why I'm an anomaly to the Witch Cult."
"Witch's miasma?" Asked the girl, confused.
"Yeah. Halibel was already aware of it; however, there's more to it than just that... Hal-san, I myself ain't sure why I can remember Gluttony's victims, but it seems to be related to my body exuding the witch's miasma. And that in itself, is also the cause of the Witch Cult attacking the city..."
"..." Anastasia and Halibel stared at Subaru with their eyes wide open, in utter transfixion.
"As I said before, I ran into the leader of the Witch Cult, a freak who enjoys playing with the lives of others. She orchestrated the attack on the city, with the goal of convincing me to join the cult... And I would've refused, except that I came to see in a vision how Gluttony devoured the existence of Anastasia and Julius, and murdered Mimi... That fucker's a sneaky rat that not even the Kingdom Knights have been able to catch, hence I had no choice but to join the cult, so as to hunt him and Lust down from within the organization..."
"I understand..." Halibel responded, clearly overwhelmed by the piece of information he had just received.
"..." Anastasia, on the other hand, simply took Subaru's hand and squeezed it tightly but tenderly, thus signaling to him that she was there, supporting him. Neither of them was able to grasp how Subaru had not broken down emotionally after everything he had experienced.
Halibel cleared his throat and spoke. "But that only explains why ya wanna kill Gluttony. Why do ya wanna kill Lust as well, Su-san? Besides, was it really necessary fer ya to join the Witch Cult? Wasn't there a less risky way?" Thus questioned the shinobi warrior to Subaru, his mind still hazy with doubts.
"Lust... Lust's the key to everything, Hal-san. I found her after I took down Sirius. Or should I say she found me- us, Utada and me...? Anyway, I was able to find out that she's the person behind the assassins that killed... that tried to kill us in Priestella. She definitely knows the name of the person who put a price tag on my head, and I'm gonna get that information out of her before I send her to hell."
This revelation came as a surprise not only to Halibel, but also to Anastasia, who knew nothing about Subaru's personal vendetta on Lust and the mysterious client. They both stared in dismay at Subaru, who had begun to emanate a menacing, suffocating aura. It was evident that rather than the desire to recover what had been stolen from Anastasia and Julius, what was driving him was a thirst for revenge.
"I see..." Halibel whispered.
"And to answer your second question... I cannot stress enough that I had no choice. In all the hundreds of years that the Witch Cult has existed, the Kingdom Knights have been unable to find any trace that would lead them to find, much less defeat, any of the Sin Archbishops. Only by joining the cult will I be in a position to find Gluttony and Lust. Besides, I don't think that without the power I obtained by becoming Sin Archbishop we woulda been able to defeat all the archbishops we're going to hunt down. The weak have no say in this world... Without at least a little authority, it's simply impossible to change the world, Hal-san."
"When're we leavin'?" With his doubts cleared up, Halibel resolved that it was time to get down to business.
"In a couple of days. Tomorrow, at dawn, I'm meeting with one of the Sin Archbishops just outside the city. And I need you to come with me." Subaru informed, as he got out of bed and walked over to the wooden desk, from where he took his Gospel. "This's the Gospel that was given to me, here I'll receive the orders I'm to follow."
"Okay, by all means, Su-san. It's not exactly what I'd in mind, but I've no doubt that this way you'll be able to change the world. Shit, if ya succeed ya might even wipe out more than half o' the Witch Cult. That'd be more than enough to change the course of history in this world. You'd be changin' it from the shadows, I actually like it better that way." Halibel said, resuming his usual casual demeanor and nonchalant attitude.
"Natsuki-kun, lemme come with you!" Anastasia suddenly chimed in with vehemence. Subaru, with the Gospel still in his hand, turned to look at the girl.
"No, sorry, Anastasia, but tomorrow Halibel and I may be stepping right into the lion's den. Until I've a better understanding of how relations between Archbishops work, I won't let 'em see you." Subaru replied firmly, giving no room for argument. "Besides, I might run into one of the Archbishops I'm looking for, and that could lead to us clashing right there. It's too risky for you to come with us this time."
"Su-san, perhaps I misunderstood. But will the young lady be comin' with us on this quest to find the Sin Archbishops?"
"Yup, Anastasia's gonna join us."
"Don'tcha think it'll be too dangerous a journey for 'er?" Once again, Halibel seemed to have second thoughts regarding a decision of Subaru's. Subaru, however, could not say that this bothered him, quite the contrary. The last thing he wanted was a follower who would do everything he said without question; after all, he was prone to making errors in judgment. Before Subaru could respond to Halibel, however, Anastasia did it instead.
"I-I really need to distance myself for a while from all those who were once my employees, friends and family, Halibel-san. I've a lotta things to think about, and a lotta things to reconsider now that I lost everything I worked for since I've been a child... You pretended to work for me, so you were never my employee, and Natsuki-kun is still able to remember me, so you're both the most suitable people to be my traveling companions during this adventure of self... rediscovery." Halibel seemed unsatisfied with Anastasia's answer, and she could tell, so she quickly continued, this time with the goal of self-selling in mind. "I can assure ya that I won't be a burden. My job will be to take care of the finances of the trip. Given that we're likely to be moving all over the continent, it's necessary to keep expenses to a minimum, while also lookin' for ways to generate money. And I'm pretty confident in my skills as a trader."
Halibel looked at Subaru and then back at Anastasia and then heaved a long sigh. "If Su-san says you'll travel with us, then I can't say otherwise... I guess we'll be travelin' companions fer a while, Miss Anastasia."
"Thank ya!" The girl exclaimed, a beautiful smile forming on her mouth.
Subaru watched the interaction in silence, choosing not to intrude. That was only the beginning. Conversations like that would probably happen more and more consistently over the coming months; hopefully, the topics discussed would no longer be so grim. Or maybe they would be even more so. Considering the future that lay ahead, Subaru could not help but lean toward the latter on the scale of probabilities. The smell of death hung in the air, and Subaru knew it, his newly acquired Authority would be the cause of much of it.
First of all, yes, my intention is to continue with weekly updates, however, I still haven't been able to get back into the old routine. Because of this, days that I was supposed to write, I end up not doing so. As I get back into the routine, I'll try my best to update as often as possible; hopefully we'll be back to weekly updates soon. For now, consider this chapter my delayed Christmas present and my way of wishing you a happy new year.
Putting my inability to return to the routine aside... Finally Subaru has addressed the elephant in the room. Subaru, Halibel and Anastasia will set off on a journey that won't end until Gluttony's blood has been spilled, and Anastasia and Julius have recovered what he stole from them; of course, revenge will also play an important role in it.
Anyway... I really don't know if I'll update next week, but I assure you that I won't disappear again, I just need to get back to normal. Well, happy new year to all of you. See ya in a week or two, three at most hehe.