Hail the Witch's Apostle!
Thirteen Hours since the Last Death (Fifty Deaths)
This was not the first time Subaru had made a mistake of a similar nature. Of course it wasn't! Nor was it the first time he had made an error in judgment when speaking with Petelgeuse. In the past he had believed that he could manipulate him into murdering Utada, in that cursed loop that he himself had derailed by allowing despair to control him. Petelgeuse, a madman of eccentric beliefs who was easy to deceive.
Or so it seemed. His mental and emotional volatility made predicting how he would react to an action or word most challenging. Just as he had been mistaken in believing that he could conceal that he did not have a Gospel in his possession, with the artifice that he belonged to the faction of the Witch Cult that did not worship the witch, and that this would be enough to avoid provoking Petelgeuse's wrath, he had been mistaken in believing that hearing that Subaru held the title of Envy would please him.
"Yet again! Yet again! Yet again! Yet again! Yet again you have reviled Love, the love that has been poured upon you! It is obvious, evident, indubitable, unquestionable, undeniable, irrefutable that you haven't been sufficiently chastened for your sins! You spat blasphemous words against the magnanimous witch! And despite having been pardoned for it, you do it once again! Unable to learn from your mistakes, unable to progress! Foolish proud anomaly! Stagnant in your stupidity! Isn't your indolence in changing those despicable parts of your personality just slothfulness?!"
"I don't even know what you're going on about! I just told you the truth!" Subaru exclaimed, while evading one of Petelgeuse's black hands.
"Argh! Impossible! Yet again you dare to defy the authority vested upon me! Why is the despicable anomaly so beloved?! What have you done? What?! What?! What?! What?! What?! What?! What?! What?! You insult the witch with your words and actions, you do not prostrate yourself before her divine name, nor do you pay respect to her sacred Gospel, and yet you are unfairly favored! Sin, your anomalous existence is nothing but a terrible sin! My brain tremblesssss!"
"Would you please cut the bullshit! I haven't done anything against your beloved witch! I even joined the Witch Cult! Isn't that proof enough of my loyalty to the witch!"
"You may have joined us followers of the witch, such as you claim, but your blasphemous tongue, which has not ceased to voice insults towards the witch's love and her good will, betrays your intentions. You have not changed, you have stagnated in your inadequate attitudes and thus incurred in sloth. This diligent believer in love will not accept that you should besmirch the title of Envy!"
It was pointless. Dialoguing with Petelgeuse was already difficult when he was calm. Now that he was so worked up by Subaru's assertion, dialogue was not an option. Before making another attempt to convince him that he was not lying by claiming to be Envy, Subaru needed Petelgeuse to stop attacking him. So he would forcefully pacify him.
Subaru was uncertain if he could pull it off, but he had to try. "Stay out of this, Patrasche! Leave everything to me, Hal-san!" Subaru shouted, much to the perplexity of the livid Petelgeuse.
It was only understandable that Petelgeuse did not quite get what had come out of Subaru's mouth, after all, that message was directed to the warrior who was hidden at a safe distance and to his earth dragon, which had already taken position to charge at Petelgeuse. This was his first combat since the Wrath Witch Factor within him was activated, and he had to fight it alone; it was his moment to prove that he was no longer as weak as before, that he was no longer powerless.
"You must reconsider your actions, you must repent, you blasphemous anomaly! Your diligence is misused! Why do you so diligently shun the punishment that is to fall upon you for your faults, but refuse to accept that you have failed the love and kindness with which you have been blessed?! Don't you get it, get it, it, it, it? You must submit to the witch!"
"I haven't named it yet, so for now this will've to do..." Subaru muttered, turning a deaf ear to Petelgeuse's ranting. Glaring at Sloth, ready to dodge another of his attacks if it proved necessary, Subaru let the anger that burned at the core of his soul flow out. "Archbishop Romanée-Conti, you leave me no choice but to share some of my pain with you! Authority of Wrath!"
"Hnk! What's the meaning of this, this, this, this, this?!" Petelgeuse exclaimed, seething. His body, like that of his subordinates, was covered by a dark robe, and so at first it was not obvious, but unsightly blisters had enveloped both of his arms.
"And that's not all!" Subaru was unable to see how his authority had manifested itself in Petelgeuse's body, so he had to keep attacking.
Subaru's gaze traced to Petelgeuse's bare neck, and there he aimed his rage. No energy of any kind was emanated from Subaru's body, nothing that could suggest that his ability had been triggered other than a small crimson tinge that illuminated his eyes. A shallow cut appeared on Petelgeuse's neck, from which blood quickly began to flow.
The damage seemed to be minimal, yet every small wound that appeared on Petelgeuse's body served to make Petelgeuse lose more and more of his temper. However, the price of it was simply too high. With moistened eyes and a grimace of immense pain on his face, Subaru brought one of his hands to his throat. Subaru knew it, waking up that morning he had come to understand it; the price of using his Authority of Wrath.
But he had finally been able to feel on his own skin the true implication of it; using his Authority would harm him as much as it would harm his enemies. Intense pain coursed through his arms, to the point where he felt like he could scream. He could feel it, the sensation of his neck being sliced, and his arms being set ablaze. He was reliving it, he was experiencing once again the pain he was making Petelgeuse feel. That was Wrath's punishment.
"It's not possible, it's not possible! It is not possible! Impossible! Impossible! Impossible! Impooooossible! Have my love and devotion been abolished? Have they been surpassed? Why is this heretic, who stagnant in his laziness refuses to change his inadequate way of living his life, able to reach me with his authority, and I am not able to reach him?!" Petelgeuse bellowed, increasing the amount of shadowy arms with which he was attacking Subaru.
"M-Maybe you aren't as loved as you think, Petelgeuse!" Taunted Subaru, wincing.
Subaru swiftly turned his eyes towards the barrier of black hands raining down upon him, and as he did so he remembered the terrible sensation of being dismembered by the Bowel Hunter. As if an invisible swordsman had sliced them with a sharp Katana, the shadowy hands were severed. However, this was only enough for Subaru to step out of their attack range, as Petelgeuse quickly replaced them with a piercing shriek of fury.
"My blessing… my blessing… my blessing… My blessing, my blessing, my blessing, the gift that was granted to me with such goodwill and kindness, defiled! Defiled by your eyes, defiled by your Authority! I shall not allow it! I will not allow my diligence and loyalty to prove in vain! I will not allow you to mock the love given to me! The love bestowed upon me is superior to the love bestowed upon you, slothful heretic Spirit Arts User! And I shall diligently prove it to you!" Subaru shot a look of disdain at Petelgeuse.
Cynically, Petelgeuse was complaining about not being favored enough by the damned witch, simply because Subaru had been able to harm him with his Authority. Was he obviating that he was capable of murdering Subaru with the mere touch of one of his unseen arms? Just by thinking about it, Petelgeuse could reduce Subaru to a bloody pulp. While Subaru would suffer excruciating pain to only manage to harm him slightly.
"Pandora was right..." Subaru whispered, as he leapt to his side, dodging another barrage of ghostly blows.
Pandora had stated that the effectiveness of his Authority of Wrath would depend on the psyche of the person on whom he used it. If his enemy had a weak and bendable mind, terrible physical effects would take place. If his enemy had an iron will, they would experience nothing but intense pain. Petelgeuse apparently had indeed been physically afflicted, however, with such weak effects he would never be able to defeat him. And destroying his shadowy hands would get him nowhere, he would simply be delaying his imminent defeat.
"This must be an ordeal of love, love, love, love, love, love! Ordeal of Love! For there can be no other explanation for the blasphemous rise of an anomaly capable of seeing the blessing that has been granted to me, the blessing that only my eyes are allowed to behold! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! So it must be! The witch is putting my love, my diligence, my loyalty to the test! It cannot be otherwise, I must diligently overcome this ordeal that is being imposed on me! I must overpower you, subdue you, subjugate you, crush you with the love that has been poured upon me! I must bring you into submission with the blessing granted to me! I shall repay the goodwill shown to me! ..."
While Petelgeuse was ranting on and on, seeking to convince himself that Subaru's existence was nothing more than a way to test his diligence, Subaru used the time to look for a way to stop Petelgeuse's onslaught. He would not be able to defeat him, that much was clear to him. However, that did not mean he could not stop him.
But how would he accomplish such a feat? How would he stop the insane Sin Archbishop who claimed to be diligently advancing towards his goal? Relentless, Petelgeuse would crush anything that stood between him and that which, he believed, would serve to repay for the love given to him. Subaru could admit that he respected that part of Petelgeuse, that relentless diligence, that devastating strength, that determination to overcome his own sin; Subaru desired it.
How could he stop him? Had anything ever stopped him before? Pandora. If the Gospel commanded it, Petelgeuse would cease attacking. It was likely that the previous afternoon Petelgeuse had wished to return to the place where his finger had fallen defeated, in order to fulfill his promise to make Subaru and Halibel disappear. If such a thing had not happened, it could only be because new orders had surfaced in his Gospel. Pandora had ordered him to prepare for Subaru's welcoming. Had such a thing happened?
However, Subaru had no way to reach Pandora... It was useless. Was it really impossible to make Petelgeuse change his mind about anything? Was it impossible to stop him without first destroying all his fingers? No... Subaru remembered. Roswaal and Emilia had been able to make him retreat. How had they managed it?
If he took his own life and used Return by Death, perhaps he would reappear back at the mansion and then he could question Emilia about it. Subaru seriously considered this option, but as he barely dodged another of Petelgeuse's shadowy hands, he cursed under his breath. He could put his head down and accept defeat, but by doing so he would only be proving once again that he was still weak, as weak as the day he first set foot in that world. Subaru was no longer powerless, he had to prove that, to himself, to his allies and to his new "comrade".
Perhaps Halibel was right, sometimes he could get too proud and stubborn. True, he had already broken the promise he had made to Anastasia in that hellish hole, but that did not mean he would stop abiding by it entirely. It was too early to give up. Once again, Subaru fervently racked his brain - how could he stop Petelgeuse?
"Got you!" Petelgeuse exclaimed, his countenance of madness and frustration metamorphosing into one of madness and ecstasy. "You pretend to be the Sin Archbishop of Envy, but it is evident that you lack the love and passion necessary to hold a title of such immense value."
"Fuck..." Subaru had been careless, and now found himself in the clutches of one of the giant jet-black hands. His body was now at the mercy of Petelgeuse's corrupted judgment.
Subaru did not waste time writhing around, trying to free himself would only involve a useless waste of energy. Like a bird trapped in a cage, he could only watch his captor, waiting for him to open the door of his prison to fly away from there. However, the fingers of the shadowy hand were as implacable as its owner, it would not open no matter what might happen.
Would that be the moment to accept his defeat and let himself be dragged into the clutches of death? No, it was not yet the time to do so. If he cried out and asked for Halibel's help, the shadowy hand would undoubtedly close, squelching him to his death. No, such a thing would not prove necessary, Halibel was undoubtedly already moving that way. However, that did not exactly mean a good thing.
If Halibel intruded on the meeting, Subaru would undoubtedly lose his chance to turn Petelgeuse into an ally. How could he convince him that he was not lying when he said that the sin of Envy lay within him? The witch's presence would certainly stop Petelgeuse from killing him, and at the same time convince him that Subaru was not lying...
Subaru knew just what to do.
"To me you're nothing but a pathetic liar, desperately seeking to give value to your meaningless and loveless life. Yet you have audaciously taken the sin of the witch for yourself, when your soul lacks the envy necessary to be worthy of such an honor. Therefore, I will now use your flesh to atone for such a transgression. Now, with the Authority vested in me, I've to-"
"P-Petelgeuse, wait... just a second." Subaru blurted out with difficulty, due to the force with which the shadowy hand was holding him in the air.
"Nothing that can emerge from your blasphemous mouth can convince me not to use the authority granted upon me to silence the heresies you insistently spew. It's to purge despicable beings like you that I have been vested with Sloth, to serve the witch who has blessed me with so much. I am to pay for the love that has been poured upon this believer in love with the relentless diligence of my deeds. The witch's name nor her sin shall ever again be sullied by-"
"Petelgeuse...! Don't you wanna meet the witch you prattle on about so much?!"
The flow of words out of Petelgeuse's mouth came to an abrupt halt. In perplexity, the archbishop watched Subaru transfixed; Subaru could sense it, could feel the strength of the shadowy hand's grip diminish slightly. To then increase once again in a violent way; hatred was drawn on Petelgeuse's facial features.
"Only your death alone will purge the sins of your corrupt soul! You have defiled the love so kindly given you, you have profaned the image of the witch! Are you unable to recognize your own slothfulness, you accursed sinner? You are irredeemable! I must use your blood to purge-!"
"A-Argh! I told you to shut the hell up, dammit! I'll show you that Envy indeed dwells in me!" Subaru exclaimed, looking the Archbishop of Sloth in the eyes. He could feel it, Wrath flowing through his veins. An amalgam of intense emotions burned in his soul. It was time to break the taboo and have Petelgeuse experience Satella's expressions of love; he would fulfill Sloth's wish. "I do truly hold the Authority of Envy, and call it Return by-"
Time stopped. In retrospect, the scenery surrounding Subaru really had not changed much. The most glaring change had been the ceasing of the breeze that gently ruffled the leaves of the trees surrounding the abandoned house. This was difficult to notice, however, when you find yourself completely surrounded by hooded people.
Frozen and mute, Petelgeuse's subordinate cultists had stayed out of the fray. The group of assassins had only been serving as spectators to the fight between the two Sin Archbishops. Before Subaru broke the taboo, they had stood motionless, and had remained so when the dark figure made its presence known.
Subaru was able to sense it immediately, the anger and jealousy fiercely emanating from the shadow. Never before had Subaru perceived such a towering hostility, not even when he had confronted the fake Zarestia. A murderous bloodlust enveloped Subaru, who paralyzed could do nothing but endure the shadow's punishment.
As his heart was squeezed like one of those stupid stress-relieving toys would have been, Subaru could feel the shadow's jealousy pervading his body and soul. And in response to these encroaching emotions, the wrath in his heart blazed with more intensity. Subaru could feel a thought surface in his head, a déjà vu of emotions; he was no longer powerless.
The shadow tirelessly crushed and grinded Subaru's heart, over and over again, ground the organ into a pulp of flesh and blood. However, her emotions never reached Subaru, her jealousy never overwrote Subaru's soul. It was too late to force her sickly love on him. Frustrated, the shadow returned to the vortex from whence it came and vanished as abruptly as it had appeared.
Once the flow of time returned to normal, the invisible hand's grip on Subaru disappeared and he collapsed to the ground, like a puppet whose strings had been cut, blood gushing from his nose, eyes, mouth and ears. Feeling deeply disoriented and with blurry vision, Subaru tried to search for Petelgeuse, expending all of his energy in doing so. But to no avail. All he could see were the black robes of the cultists.
Just as these had surrounded Subaru and Petelgeuse before, now a smaller group surrounded only Subaru. Or at least this is what he believed. However, at that very moment, Petelgeuse was undergoing the same fate as Subaru. With blood gushing from every orifice of his head, Sloth lay on the ground, surrounded by a group of his subordinates. Subaru had successfully managed to transfer his physical sensations to Petelgeuse.
Although Subaru had grown fairly used to coping with the backlash that came with breaking the shadow taboo, Petelgeuse was the first of the two to get up. With his gaze reddened and his face drenched in blood, the Sin Archbishop shoved the minions that had been surrounding him out of his way.
"Standing... Koff! still... Koff! sloth..." Petelgeuse stammered, in between a bleeding fit of coughing. With staggering steps, Petelgeuse stumbled towards where Subaru stood. As never before, resolve and diligence drove his actions. "Out of the way, out of the way, out of the way, out of the way, out of the way! Are you so blind that you're unable to see that you are committing the worst of sins?! Is that any way to repay for the love you have received?!" With these words, Petelgeuse ordered his subordinates to make way for him.
Once the hooded men stepped aside, Subaru's figure was revealed. Subaru's image was a mirror image of that of Petelgeuse. Dirt smeared his face, and his coat was stained with bloody mud. Coughing up a clot of blood, Subaru fixed his gaze on Petelgeuse's eyes; he was prepared to continue the fight if necessary.
Such a thing proved unnecessary, nevertheless. To Subaru's great surprise, as soon as Petelgeuse's eyes met his stained face, he collapsed to the ground, his knees and elbows on the filthy, blood-soaked earth. Not caring one bit if by his actions he might stain his robe, not caring if by his actions he lost his dignity, Petelgeuse kowtowed to Subaru; finally, Petelgeuse's forehead touched the ground. Petelgeuse had cried out that he would subdue Subaru, but at that moment it was he who was being subdued.
"..." Stunned Subaru could do nothing but watch Petelgeuse in silence. The truth was that, by forcing on Petelgeuse the feeling of being tortured by the witch's shadow, Subaru never, even in his wildest contemplations, considered that he could bend Petelgeuse's spirit in such a way.
"My brain... trembles... Wonderful... Simply wonderful..." Petelgeuse muttered, ecstasy brimming from every word uttered. Hearing this, Subaru's bafflement only increased. Before him was prostrate the most volatile person he knew, and so it was impossible to predict what might happen next. "Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful... Wonderful! Wonderful! Wonderful! Wonderful! Wonderful! Wonderful! WONDERFUL!"
Frantically shouting the same word repeatedly, Petelgeuse began to bang his head into the ground over and over again. It was hard to tell because Subaru's blood had already showered over the area, but apparently the lunatic had been hitting the ground so hard that he had cracked his head open. Not caring about his own well-being, Petelgeuse kept repeating the same word as he slammed his head against the ground.
None of the people present made a move to stop the self-destructive actions of the representative of sloth. His underlings were used to this sort of situation, and Subaru was too shocked to even move; still, it was not like he would do anything to stop Petelgeuse if he was capable of doing so. In the middle of that wooded area, in front of the abandoned house, the only source of sound was Sloth's guttural, rapturous voice.
After almost a minute had passed, Subaru came out of his astonishment and was able to produce words again. "What's supposed to be so wonderful?" The bizarre scene unfolding before him was utter nonsense, and Subaru needed to put an end to it once and for all.
Suddenly, Petelgeuse jerked his movements to a halt. A pool of blood had formed under his face, and now drops of the crimson liquid were steadily dripping off his face into the puddle. For a couple of seconds, Petelgeuse stood motionless, as if processing the question posed to him. And then, without raising his head, the witch's zealot spoke.
"Wonderful, magnificent, extraordinary, marvelous, amazing... What you claimed turned out to be the truth; from your mouth that I had mistakenly considered blasphemous, sacred truths have come forth. I finally understand why you're so beloved!" Moved to the verge of tears, Petelgeuse spoke ecstatically.
"You finally get it." Subaru said, letting out a large amount of air from his lungs. Petelgeuse had finally understood. A small smile formed on Subaru's lips, a smile that faltered as he realized Petelgeuse had not finished his speech.
"I have sinned!" The madman cried out, banging his head against the floor. "Much it pains me to admit that I have sinned! Since I've been stuck in the impression you left on me yesterday and have doubted you, I'm guilty of the very sin of which I accused you of so much. I stagnated in a single idea, and therefore I have fallen into sloth!" With more impetus than before, Petelgeuse resumed his self-flagellation. "I have failed Love and sinned against the good-will of the witch! I have been blinded by sloth, and hence failed to perceive the envy that dwells in your soul!"
"Never mind... Water under the bridge, right?" As in previous loops, Subaru tried to calm the crazed Petelgeuse, though in vain.
"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no... I have failed! I have sinned against love! I have failed to perceive the presence of the witch in your heart! I have neglected Satella's wishes! I will have to use this body to purge the sins I have committed! There's no way a despicable sinner like me can be forgiven! I've sinned! I've sinned! I've sinned! I've sinned! I've sinned! I have sinned! I HAVE SINNED!"
"Calm the heck down! I forgive you, isn't that enough for you?" With little hope that his words were going to reach Petelgeuse, Subaru declared that he would forgive him. That said, Petelgeuse heard his words loud and clear.
"Is what you say true?!" Petelgeuse questioned him, looking Subaru in the face for the first time since he had kowtowed to him. "Would you be able to forgive this filthy sinner, who has failed to perceive the reason for the enormous love that has been poured upon you? Will you show leniency to this sinner who has insulted the blessing that has been granted to you?"
"I don't give a damn about anything you said." Subaru elucidated, spitting out the blood that had pooled in his mouth. "If you consider the sin you have committed against me to be so terrible, then make it up to me. Become my ally and help me purge the true blasphemous Sin Archbishops from the Witch Cult. Help me achieve my goals, and by doing so you'll be serving the witch you so worship."
"Truly you are the recipient of the witch's goodwill; in you, her envy inhabits..." Petelgeuse mused, his gaze gleaming with admiration and devotion. To then break out of his rapture and exclaim. "You're wonderful! I have indeed incurred in the worst of sins in doubting your devotion and loyalty to the witch! I can feel it, I can feel the witch's love pouring out of you, I can sense her infinite jealousy enveloping your soul! With her hands, with her fingers, with her claws, with her shadow she envelops your heart and makes it her own!"
"..." With a disdainful look taking shape on his face, Subaru listened to Petelgeuse's praise. The witch... Subaru knew, taking revenge on her was out of the question, so he would exploit Return by Death at her expense, wring out his own life and make sure to leave nothing for her. And he would use her zealots for his own well-being.
"No individual who has ever set foot in this cursed world has ever been able to hold in their body a single fraction of the blessing of envy! You are the first, the most faithful follower of Satella! It cannot be otherwise, you, and no one else but you, are the Witch's Apostle! The representation of her desires and emotions in this world! You shall bring to this world the future that Satella desires, you, the embodiment of her love and goodwill! You alone are worthy to be called Envy, the true representative of the Witch! You shall impose her Ordeals upon the wretched inhabitants of this world and bring Satella back!"
"Witch's Apostle?" There was no denying it, he disliked that name, but if it served to get him a powerful ally like Petelgeuse, then he would not prevent him to call him that. Still... Subaru took a long look at Petelgeuse in silence. His watery eyes had overflowed and now tears soaked his blood and mud stained face.
Once again, Subaru had to admit that he had never believed that the effectiveness of his Authority of Wrath would be so high; and not only on a psychological level, but also on a physical one. Previously, he had only managed to get small superficial wounds to take shape on Petelgeuse's body, but by inflicting upon him the sensation of being tortured by the shadow, Petelgeuse, just like him, had ended up bleeding from every orifice of his head.
Subaru had never seen himself in a mirror when experiencing such torture, and therefore had never been able to see how gruesome its effects were. It was as if he had suddenly ascended several meters while on the Fourth Layer of the Abyss... Pushing those thoughts from his mind, since the last thing he wanted to think about at that moment was his world or the anime he saw in it, Subaru went back to pondering regarding the results brought about by his Authority of Wrath.
Why had it affected Petelgeuse so little before? Why, upon breaking the taboo, had Petelgeuse suffered the same gory effects as he had? What had changed between then and now? Were there other conditions that played a role in the intensity of the effects of his ability, other than the willpower of his target?
Why had it affected Petelgeuse so little before? Why, upon breaking the taboo, had Petelgeuse suffered the same bloody effects as he had? What had changed from one moment to the next? Were there other conditions that influenced the intensity of the effects of his ability, other than his target's willpower and mental strength? Did it have something to do with the presence of Satella's shadow? Subaru knew that this was not the right time to search for answers to these questions, but eventually he would have to address the issue.
"Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, most definitely yes. Witch's Apostle; indeed, a title worthy of the person who carries the Witch's desires, Satella's longings. Live your life diligently, Witch's Apostle! Diligently pursue the Witch's goals and fulfill your sacred destiny! I, the representative of the sin of Sloth, will make sure to atone for my sins by assisting you in everything you ask of me! Even if I were not indebted to you, I would fervently do so! Mine soul's thine, O Witch's Apostle!"
"Good to know..." Subaru muttered, tired of listening to Petelgeuse's religious fanatic monologues. Seeking to divert the course of the conversation, Subaru reached into his coat and pulled out his Gospel, ignoring altogether the feeling of discomfort that had prevented him from doing such a thing earlier. "Petelgeuse, it was indicated to me that I'd meet you here, but it was never specified to me what would happen upon arrival. I don't think that stupid fight had anything to do with it, now did it?"
"Gah!" Instead of answering Subaru's question, Petelgeuse let out a gasp of surprise. His eyes, which he had opened wide, grew wet again and tears began to flow like a river, washing down his dirty face. "I had already been convinced of the truthfulness of your words by perceiving the witch's presence within you, but to see the proof of love in your hands truly fills my unworthy being with exhilaration."
"..." Subaru did not respond to Petelgeuse's enraptured assertion. Silently, he waited for his question to be answered. Noticing Subaru's sharp gaze trained on him, Petelgeuse collected himself, and with a smile that might as well split his face in two, he pointed to a group of cultists standing a few feet behind him.
"Why, of course not, Witch's Apostle, to bring you before me for such a reason as that might well be considered a disgrace to the love that envelops your presence. Those there, are diligent believers in love, who with absolute loyalty have followed the Witch's word since they were called by her to join the Cult. I have been instructed that I must part with them, so that they may be assigned to you, Witch's Apostle."
"I'm sure a few minutes ago you wouldn't have considered it a disgrace to make me come just for that..." Subaru muttered wryly, as he took a closer look at the witch cultists singled out by Petelgeuse. After a few seconds, he was unable to find any traits that distinguished them from the other cultists, so he looked back at Sloth. "Well, I suppose they could come in handy at some point. Do I need to give 'em lodging or food?"
Subaru knew that his question could very well be misinterpreted, after all, it came out as if he was asking about the care of a pet and not human beings. However, he was among lunatics, so a question like that would never be deemed stupid. Petelgeuse shook his head vehemently.
"That wouldn't be necessary. They shall act as shadows. They will lead normal lives, mingling among those who live meaningless lives, waiting for the moment when their presence shall be required."
"I see... Well, that explains how they make it to pop up almost out of nowhere." Subaru replied, nodding with satisfaction. Perhaps in another time he had refused the assistance of despicable assassins such as those, but considering he might encounter hundreds of dangers along his path to vengeance, he simply could not afford to be picky; never look a gift horse in the mouth, goes the saying. "Is there anything I'd do to let them know I need their help? And what assures me that they won't ignore me when I do?"
"The power of the Gospel, though not as strong in them as in the Sin Archbishops, will let them know when they must act on the name of the Witch Cult. Moreover, one of them will always be near you, ready to serve you; they shall keep in touch with each other. And I can guarantee that they'll never fail to appear at your side and serve you with utmost devotion! The reason I've been instructed to grant you a group of my own followers, is because they are considered within the Witch Cult to be the most faithful and diligent among all. I can ensure you that every one of them would lay down their own life for you if so required; after all, they only know the path of love."
"Sounds good... So... That's all you had to give me?"
"I was also instructed to deliver this to you, Witch's Apostle." Petelgeuse said, as he beckoned to one of his subordinates. The hooded person approached him, with a dark package in his hands. Petelgeuse took the package, and immediately handed it to Subaru.
"And this is...?" Subaru inspected the package; he unwrapped it, fashioning a purple, almost black robe, like the one worn by the Sin Archbishops. Unlike the hoods that those worn by the subordinates sported, the hood of this one did not completely conceal the face. In addition to the robe, inside it was a Conversing Mirror.
"With it, you may contact any of the believers in love who are nearby, should you need to, Witch's Apostle. Likewise you shall be able to contact me and any of our comrades who hold one of the sins if we happen to be close to you." Petelgeuse refrained from mentioning anything regarding the robe, there was probably nothing he had to say about it.
"Thank you..." He already owned one Conversing Mirror, but there was no reason to decline being gifted with a second one.
"That's all which I have been told to deliver to you as a welcome to the Cult, Witch's Apostle. If you should happen to meet that person, it's possible that you may receive one puppet if you so desire; I do not see how a request of yours to receive one could be refused, after all there is no one more worthy of being given subordinates than you, representative of the Witch."
"That person, huh?" Muttered Subaru to himself, thinking of Pandora, to then speak to Petelgeuse. "Thank you for everything, Archbishop Romanée-Conti."
"You mustn't thank me! Just to be in your presence, brimming with the witch's love, makes my heart swell with glee!" Petelgeuse exclaimed vehemently. "I have already fulfilled my sacred duty of welcoming you to the Witch Cult, and therefore you are free to depart if you so desire, Witch's Apostle." Petelgeuse informed him, bowing.
"May I ask you something?" Subaru inquired of his comrade Sin Archbishop after a moment of silence.
"You may ask me anything you wish, Witch's Apostle! If I'm able to answer your question, I will, and if I'm not able to do so, I shall use this flesh of mine to atone for my lack of information, for such can only be the result of despicable idleness."
"You don't need to punish yourself..." Subaru remarked before posing his question. "Tell me, Archbishop Romanée-Conti, do you know where the Sin Archbishops of Lust and Gluttony might be?" Before even answering Subaru's question, Petelgeuse took hold of his hair and began to pull at it viciously.
"Once again I have sinned against the Witch and her emissary, I have failed to repay for the love I have been blessed with! And so, I have incurred in sloth! I have failed to please the Witch's Apostle, the representative of her envy and her love! Sadness, dismay, melancholy, despair and grief pervade my heart, for I do not know the location of those heretics who disavow the Witch's love!"
"I had to at least try..." And with those words, Subaru walked away from Petelgeuse, in the direction of Patrasche. Once over Patrasche, Subaru shot a glance at Sloth, who kept on with his session of self-flagellation. "I'll be waiting for the moment when we work together, Archbishop Romanée-Conti." And with this as his farewell, Subaru started his way back to Anastasia's mansion.
The truth was that he felt deeply overwhelmed by everything that had transpired and was eager to head to the meeting point he had agreed upon with Halibel as soon as possible. As he rode away from Petelgeuse, who had begun to reprimand his subordinates for some reason unknown to Subaru, followed by the group of hooded people assigned to him, he looked down at the robe he had been given.
Perhaps if he had made different choices, he would never have ended up in that situation. Undoubtedly, he would have to use his wrath and resolve, his drive to save Anastasia and Julius, and his lust for vengeance, as the fuel that would allow him to keep going no matter how much he dirtied his hands and corrupted his soul. He would achieve his goals, even if it meant actually becoming the Witch's Apostle.
I finally got to show you the Authority of Wrath in action, and yes, it may not seem too powerful so far, considering its disadvantages, but you'll see... And yes, Subaru finally recruited the first Archbishop he wanted as an ally (and yes, writing Petelgeuse's a lot of fun), what better way to do it than to share some of the witch's love with him? Next up is Regulus, but we all know that one won't be so easy.
Ok, I don't have much to say today, just don't worry if I don't update next week. Pokémon Legends Arceus is out, and for those who don't know, I'm a huge fan of the franchise. So I might binge it all week long lol. Anyway, as always, thanks for your support and till... next week?