New Horizons
A Week since the Last Death (Fifty Deaths)
"Five gold coins?! Have you gone out of your mind?! Buddy, if I were you I'd tell your woman to quit peddling, it's clear she doesn't know what she's doing."
"I believe that the one who knows nothing about-"
"Leave this to me, Natsuki-kun. I'll handle it."
"Hum? Seems like your woman's the one wearing the pants in the relationship, don't you think, buddy? "
"Hey, "buddy", Anastasia's nobody's w-"
"Let him believe whatever he wants, Natsuki-kun. And you, could ya just forget 'bout him? It's me you're bargaining with."
"Tch, you stuck-up woman. Why should I even give a damn about what you say? No respectable peddler would attempt to swindle a fellow tradesman in such a brazen manner. Five gold coins for a mere piece of cloth... Unbelievable!"
"Why, I'd say the same thing about you. A respectable peddler would never be so ignorant of the market fluctuations."
"Whatever do you mean? Are you trying to say that I'm unaware of current market trends?"
"That's exactly what I'm sayin'."
"Absolutely outrageous! I won't let a foolish woman insult me in such a way!"
"Look, you piece of-"
"Natsuki-kun..."
"..."
"As I was saying. You're manifestly unaware of market trends, or else you'd know that what you call a simple piece of cloth is Lugnican cotton. Which's produced only in the capital and sold only to the cream of the crop. If ya were aware of this, you'd never have called it a piece of cloth. Or are you also oblivious to what has happened in the Royal Capital?"
"I won't deny it, what you did back there was amazing. You managed to sell that pile of fabric we bought three days ago for three times the price. I can't say I liked the way the peddler talked to you, but in the end you handled it beautifully."
Five days had passed since they had left the Royal Capital, the city that had fallen into disgrace. And although at first the atmosphere within the carriage in which they were traveling had been dense and heavy, it had rapidly lightened up. It is true that the reasons for which they had started the journey were not exactly the most endearing, just as the circumstances surrounding them weren't, however, this was no reason not to make the trip as pleasant as possible.
The positions within the carriage were not fixed, and therefore, the rule was that a change of posts would take place from time to time. At first, the coachman was Halibel, who had quietly taken the reins from Patrasche. But as they moved further away from the city, the closer they got to lunchtime, and this meant that they would have to make the first stopover of the journey...
Upon a quick glance at the sky, Halibel had determined that this was the opportune moment to bring the carriage to a halt, and carefully pulled on the reins that bound him to the land dragon. Subaru and Anastasia climbed down from the passenger compartment and quietly began preparations for the meal. Subaru took it upon himself to gather firewood, while Anastasia poured ingredients into a steel pot they had packed in their luggage. Halibel, in turn, fed Patrasche and, once Subaru returned with the firewood, lit the campfire.
The three settled down at the campfire, Halibel sat cross-legged on the ground, while Anastasia and Subaru shared a fallen log which they used as a chair. Without a word being spoken, that first lunch went by without incident. And once each of them had finished their meal, the utensils were washed and put away again. Undisturbed by that awkward silence, Anastasia and Halibel got into the carriage, since Subaru had relieved Halibel as coachman...
"Many, lacking in bargaining skills, have no choice but to try to destabilize the one with whom they are negotiating in order to push them into a corner and force them to change their offer. It is not worth placing any value on what they say, after all, they only bark and don't bite. And I told you once before, didn't I? Information is every trader's most important resource. If you possess more information than the person you are negotiating with, your chances of getting a profitable deal done increase considerably."
In admiration, Subaru nodded vigorously. "Right, I remember hearing back in my world that it was important to know the market you intend to invest in, or something to that effect."
"In your world..." Anastasia mumbled, pensively.
"You still don't believe me?" Subaru asked, furrowing his brow ever so slightly.
"No, it's not like that... It's just... Could you tell me more about your... world, about what lies beyond the Great Waterfall? You hail from the same place as Hoshin of the Wilderness and, um, well, I'm curious."
"Oh... "
Perplexed, Subaru remained silent in response to Anastasia's unexpected request. Until that moment, the girl had never shown the slightest disposition to take his word for it; at least as far as his place of origin was concerned. Apparently, up until recently, Anastasia still held on to the idea that people originating from a place beyond the waterfall, was nothing more than a legend to further enhance the glory of the Great Hoshin or mere idle chatter of slackers with nothing better to do than lie about their origins. Subaru really could not blame her; in his world, most people would have trouble accepting that a person could come from another world.
After a few seconds of silence, Subaru cleared his throat and began to talk about everything he could remember from his old world. They were both in the carriage's passenger compartment; much as at the time of the start of their journey, Halibel was in the coachman's box seat. The next stop would be at dinner time, they had enough time to engage in a long and nostalgic conversation. Inevitably, in Subaru's mind popped up the memory of what had happened on the second day of their trip...
At that time, it was once again Subaru's turn to take the reins of the carriage. Carefully, Subaru had lifted Anastasia's head from his lap and gently placed it on the padded leather seat. After making sure he had not awakened her, he looked up, at which point his gaze met Halibel's. It was early in the morning, but that did not mean they would squander their time. Subaru was very clear about the importance of not losing sight of their objective; this was not a leisure trip.
Halibel had raised the question of whether he was fit to drive the carriage, to which Subaru had replied with a single nod. He had barely slept, that was true, but that did not render him incapable of steering Patrasche. After all, his uncanny connection with the earth dragon assured him that, if he made a mistake, it would go unnoticed by the passengers; namely Halibel and Anastasia.
Gingerly, thus seeking not to wake Anastasia up and render all his previous delicacy in moving her head futile, Subaru left the wooden body of the carriage, intended to house the passengers, and plopped down in the driver's seat. Releasing a weary sigh, Subaru softly stirred the leather reins, prompting the carriage to start moving forward.
Hours passed, and feeling his eyesight begin to blur from the fatigue and the pounding headache that was racking him, Subaru massaged his temples. The night before, Anastasia had taken one of the bottles of wine and had begun to drink straight from it. More giggly than usual, the girl had offered of the drink to Halibel and Subaru. Halibel had reluctantly refused, on the grounds that it would interfere with his work as a bodyguard, and Subaru would have liked to do the same, but he was finally swayed by the girl's energy and had acquiesced.
Bad idea. Subaru was not used to drinking, he seriously could not think of another time he had ever drunk before in his life, and it had taken its toll on him. Even though he had barely had a couple of drinks, he could feel the splitting headache, a result of the hangover, drilling into his skull. Subaru knew, Anastasia really enjoyed drinking, but he had never had the opportunity to actually witness this in person.
As if she was just chugging down water, Anastasia let the crimson liquid slide down her mouth and down her throat. The girl downed three-quarters of the bottle all by herself, and soon this began to be reflected in her demeanor. With silly laughter, the girl lightened what until a few minutes ago had been a heavy atmosphere. For the first time in more than twenty-four hours, the silence was utterly shattered.
Shortly thereafter, Anastasia had managed to cajole Halibel into joining her for a second bottle of wine; no doubt the two were alike in their fondness for booze. That night, the trio remained in front of the campfire, whose fire never died out thanks to the constant branches with which the demi-human regularly nourished it to keep it alive. The words flowed, yet they spoke of nothing in particular. The hours slipped by, the night's youth waned, and it was then that exhaustion finally caught up with Anastasia and she fell into a deep sleep.
Subaru, however, was incapable of drifting off to sleep. With his gaze locked on the dying embers of the bonfire, Subaru could not stop revolving in his head around what had happened that cursed day the cult attacked the city. What lay ahead for him? He had agreed to join them, and that meant he had to obey whatever his gospel dictated. If he did not, he would be stripped of his power.
And it was precisely this that troubled him, that prevented him from shutting his eyes. Subaru was determined to do whatever the Gospel told him to do. However, he still did not know what such a resolution would entail. What did Pandora want from him? What would be his first mission? What would be the missions that would follow?
He would get blood on his hands, there was no denying it... However, he could not help thinking that his hands would not be the only thing that would end up soaked in blood. He had made up his mind to abide by what the Gospel said without demur, but this was easier said than done. Would he really be capable of slaughtering innocents in the name of the witch who had forcibly dragged him into this wicked world?
Subaru had been plagued by that nagging question all night, and even now, as his mind hovered between consciousness and unconsciousness, it continued to haunt him. It was then that Subaru was able to register a distant sound. At first he paid no heed to it, however, given the persistence of it, his mind was inevitably drawn to it, by the need to make sense of what it was. It was laughter; Anastasia and Halibel were laughing pleasantly.
Once again, that heavy silence had been obliterated. However, this occasion would prove to be the definitive one; Anastasia had finally managed to break the ice for good. Subaru would stay out of the conversation, refraining until its conclusion from intruding and spoiling the moment; as if it were a delicate picture painted by time and space.
What Anastasia and Halibel talked about was completely unimportant; even more so, considering that what spurred the conversation was Anastasia's lingering inebriation. What was really relevant, was that from then on, the exchanges between them became smoother. The awkwardness vanished completely, and thanks to that, the three of them were able to interact with each other in a natural way...
As a byproduct of this, Subaru no longer had the opportunity to turn his attention back to the worries and fears that lurked at the core of his being. The days took on a lively glow and the nights grew more jovial. The darkness that had been enveloping his heart was temporarily dispelled. However, that was but a temporary effect of the conversation that had arisen that day between Halibel and Anastasia.
Now that her words were no longer constrained by the heavy atmosphere, Anastasia had revisited those ideas she had proposed during the preparations for the journey. The first thing she did was to request Subaru to take a detour to the nearest town; there they acquired a whole plethora of materials and tools.
To Subaru's surprise, however, most of the merchants with whom Anastasia negotiated were not from that village, but merchants who had fled from the capital. When Subaru questioned Anastasia about it, she answered with complete certainty that the goods those merchants were selling so desperately at that moment, would quickly increase in price.
Many of those merchants had lost everything due to the cult's assault, or their businesses had been totally thwarted by it. Hence, in fear of sustaining a total loss, many of them were selling their wares at ludicrously low prices. Wasn't that a cruel practice? Anastasia was taking advantage of the dire circumstances in the capital to reap profits. However, was this not the same thing that many companies in his world did? The plight of some will always be the bliss of others.
When faced with a need, whoever responds to it the fastest will benefit from it the most. And she had been right. Subaru had no doubt, just as Anastasia had managed to resell those fabrics at several times their original price, she would do the same with the other goods she had acquired. In that sense, Subaru could not help but think that she was like those people who bought hundreds of tickets for an important event, only to resell them at an exorbitant price.
Anastasia Hoshin's greed knew no bounds, even when that name had been taken away from her. Knowing how to anticipate a rise in the market and take advantage of it was part of the core skills of a good merchant. Subaru could not help but think that, to some extent, merchants like Anastasia, had ethics and morals that were at the very least slightly tainted. He quickly dismissed that thought, though.
Who was truly in a position to claim that they possessed immaculate ethics and morals? Neither the most evil is completely evil, nor the most good is completely good. Everyone has their own reasons for doing what they do, just as he had agreed to make a deal with the devil in order to save Julius and Anastasia, avenge Mimi and carry out his own vendetta. And is anyone entitled to declare those reasons invalid...?
"Hoh! That subway you speak of sounds like an amazing way to get around! It'd make it so easy to transport goods... Hmm? What's the matter?"
"Ah? No... It's nothing." Subaru shook his head from side to side, in an attempt to rearrange his thoughts. Before he could realize it, he found himself daydreaming.
"..." Subaru's words failed to convince Anastasia, nevertheless, quite the contrary. The girl eyed Subaru with suspicion.
It is true that since the unpleasant silence had faded away, Subaru had been able to take his mind off what haunted him so fiercely, but that did not mean that his fears had been banished along with the silence. Slowly, they had been gnawing at him from within, giving shape to a deep uneasiness in the depths of his mind.
Subaru fancied he had stopped thinking about it, but it never really came to pass. Unbeknownst to him, his fears had only grown deeper, always searching for an answer, always digging for a solution to his dilemma. Was he really willing to do whatever it took to retain his newfound authority? Was he prepared to drench himself in the blood of the innocent, of those who had not done him the least harm?
Without Subaru being aware of it, his heart found itself in an eternal pursuit of an answer that could satisfactorily appease his doubts and concerns. And just at that precise moment, the answer that he had been subconsciously craving for so desperately had sprung into his mind. His reasons... No one could doubt the validity of his reasons.
Much as Anastasia took advantage of the needs of others in the midst of such a crisis, Subaru would take the demon's hand without feeling regretful about it. In the same way that no one would sacrifice themselves for the happiness of Anastasia and Subaru, they would not hesitate to sacrifice whatever it took for their own happiness.
Bereft of power, Subaru would do naught but die, ultimately losing everything he held dear. The only way to retain that power, lay in trampling on the dreams of the innocent. So this was no time to let regrets weigh on his conscience. He simply could not forget, could not let his own naivety blind him again; the weak do not get to choose.
The weak have no place in this cruel world. Subaru knew it, he had experienced it in his very own flesh to the utmost extent of what this meant. It was too late to turn back now. It did not really matter who the winner was, as long as he and Anastasia achieved their goals, right? The kingdom, the witch, Pandora, or any of the remaining countries... Any of them could take the victory for themselves, as long as they remained out of Subaru's way.
Each side would have their own reasons, as would he... Although ultimately it would all come down to protecting one's own interests, the very thing that the powerless are incapable of undertaking. So once again, he had reached a self-indulgent and selfish response, but if it was enough to soothe his spirit until the gospel was updated anew, Subaru was willing to immerse himself in the faux tranquility it provided him.
Faux tranquility, because, no matter how hard Subaru tried to disregard it, it was one thing to murder an enemy who had made an attempt on his life, and another to slaughter innocent children, women and men, who had not even so much as taken a glance at him. The answer that Subaru had reached, implied that the frustration, hatred, envy and wrath that burned in his heart, were intense enough to reduce his humanity to ashes.
And even if he wished to ignore it, Subaru could still feel it throbbing, the weakness that was his conscience, his humanity. However, for better or for worse, what Subaru neither consciously nor subconsciously had taken into account, was how dense the amalgam of negative feelings that throbbed in the other half of his being really was. Regardless of this, Subaru had clung to that notion, that he could forego his own humanity, execute hundreds, thousands of innocents, and still remain himself.
Like a house of cards, Subaru had piled up answers, solutions and self-indulgent and groundless conclusions in order to quell the storm of doubts that was raging in his mind. It was the only way Subaru had managed to move forward in such a convulsive moment of his life as that one was. And the thing is that, again, Subaru, as much as he wanted to turn a blind eye to it, knew, he knew that regardless of whether Pandora had granted him control over his Authority of Wrath, he was still fundamentally weak; his heart and mind were weak. But he simply could no longer afford to let this, his weakness, prevent him from acting.
So Subaru filed this answer in his mind, and believing himself prepared to deal with whatever fate, and Pandora, had in store for him, he wet his lips. Perhaps he had found the solution to his problems, even if it was a temporary one, not unlike shoving a folded sheet of paper under a piece of furniture to keep it from wobbling, but this was not the time to bask in victory. So knowing that he had been found out, Subaru discarded further attempts to convince Anastasia that nothing was amiss, and instead opted to change the subject.
"Yeah, you're right, but the subway would really be the solution for public transport, not goods transport. For that it'd be better to use a freight train." Subaru reasoned, nodding.
"That's all you've ta say?" As expected, Anastasia was not content with his answer.
"Hum... Anastasia, if I remember correctly, you owe me a date, don'tcha?"
Eight Days since the Last Death (Fifty Deaths)
"I'm truly sorry I couldn't take you someplace more... refined."
"Shouldn't I be the one saying that?" Grumbled Subaru, as he unfolded a long fabric blanket and spread it out on the lawn.
Anastasia cast a sidelong glance at Subaru as she stirred the boiling contents of the steel pot they had been using to prepare their meals, her purple hair swaying in the summer breeze. "I was the one who invited ya in the first place, though, so no." After saying this, she brought a spoonful of the pot's contents to her mouth, and blowing softly on it to bring down its temperature, she gave it a taste.
"Still... Damn it, stay in one place!" Subaru had intended to retort, yet the wind blew the picnic blanket away and so he was forced to shift his attention back to it. Groaning, Subaru picked up four rocks the size of his fist and placed them on each corner of the blanket. Seeing this, Anastasia could not help but let out a giggle.
"I can tell it's been a long time since you've done any outdoor activities, Natsuki-kun."
"..." Subaru paused what he was doing for a second upon hearing Anastasia's remark, but immediately proceeded with arranging the blanket and utensils without a word.
"I really wanted to take ya to that beautiful restaurant near the mansion." The girl went on, her attention focused on the contents of the pot, as she stirred it steadily and gently
"They specialize... or specialized, I think the owner was one of the first to leave the capital... they specialized in exotic dishes; nothin' that at least I woulda eaten at Lugnica or Kararagi. Maybe you'd have recognized one of 'em as a recipe from... your world."
"Or maybe they were simply Gustekan or Vollachian dishes." Subaru suggested, looking down in satisfaction at the neatly unfurled picnic blanket. "I'm glad you finally believe me that I'm from another world, but you don't need to fuss over that stuff." He added, finally beginning to tidily set the utensils on the blanket. "My life back there wasn't exactly joyful, and I can't say I miss much from there. 'Sides, the food back home's basically the same stuff you can find in Kararagi."
"What about the mayonnaise? You're the first one to bring it here."
"While Hoshin clearly came from the same country as me, it's apparent that he lived many eras before I was born, so back then mayonnaise didn't even exist. Though you'd know that mayo isn't originally from my country, it was a foreign sauce that my parents loved, and well, I inherited a taste for it."
"Hmm... And aren't there any other foreign dishes from your world that you'd like to eat again?"
"As I told you before, I didn't really go out of my house that much. So I didn't frequent the foreign fast food restaurants that people my age used to hang out at... But there are a few snacks that I'd like to try to recreate."
"Snacks?" The girl asked, turning her head to look at Subaru.
Subaru finished putting the tableware in place and then stood up, avoiding tripping over any of the things lying on the fabric blanket. When Subaru had suggested that they should have the date they had agreed on before the city was attacked, the truth was that he had done so simply to change the topic of conversation, and had not thought too far ahead.
Anastasia, however, did not accept that he backed out once the subject came up. Since they were in a rural area and far from any restaurant up to Anastasia Hoshin's greedy palate, Subaru had proposed that they wait until they reached one of Lugnica's major cities. However, Anastasia had insisted that such a thing was not necessary, and proposed that they go for a picnic.
Having declined the invitation to the picnic, an invite that was obviously extended to him as a mere courtesy, claiming that it was a private moment for Anastasia and Subaru, Halibel seized the opportunity to take a nap in the carriage, while the two young adults went in search of a good spot to set up the picnic. After a ten minute walk, they found a clearing carpeted by short grass, perfect to place the piece of Lugnican cloth that Subaru had adapted, applying his sewing knowledge, to use as a picnic blanket.
Ornately patterned with a blue and white plaid, the blanket was the result of scrap fabric that Anastasia had opted not to sell. Anastasia was not an expert cook; however, much like Subaru, she knew enough to prepare decent food. And sure enough, she had decided to prepare a traditional Kararagi dish; Miso Soup.
"Food prepared in small portions, usually fried. I particularly like the potato and corn ones." Subaru replied, as he crouched down next to the girl.
"Oh! If ya ever reinvent those, I'd like to try them."
"Consider it done." Subaru assured, as he took a taste of the soup Anastasia had been cooking. "It's ready!"
Immediately after this statement, the two of them put the conversation on hold as they poured soup into a pair of bowls. Together they moved to the blanket that Subaru had stretched out on the lawn, and carefully sat down cross-legged facing each other. On top of the picnic blanket and served on small ceramic plates were spread out the other ingredients that they could freely add to the miso soup.
Delicately, Anastasia stretched out her hand and, using wooden chopsticks, took and poured a pinch of an ingredient not dissimilar to a scallion, the leaves of which Subaru had finely chopped. A piece of deer meat and a small portion of rice rounded off the mixture. The ingredients were not exactly the same as those traditionally used in his homeland, but it was evident that in Kararagi they had really made an effort to emulate miso soup; if only they had tofu there...
"You know," Anastasia started suddenly, "rice as such didn't exist in this world before the arrival of the Great Hoshin. It was he who, after years of strivin' and experimentin' with all kinds of plants, found the one that resembled the most what he knew as rice..."
"Humu. I can well sympathize with his desire to bring to life in this world, what for us was an essential part of our diet back in ours." Subaru replied, once he swallowed the portion of food he had stuffed into his mouth.
"..." Receiving no response of any kind from Anastasia, Subaru looked up from his plate and glanced over to where Anastasia stood, now immersed in her own thoughts.
"..." Noticing that Subaru was now quietly staring at her, Anastasia's face flushed a soft reddish hue, which was enough for the girl to avert her gaze, in an attempt to hide it.
"Ahem!" Spotting a teasing smile taking shape on Subaru's lips, Anastasia coughed softly and added. "It's just that I was thinking... I never doubted that the Great Hoshin was an extremely unique individual. Legends and stories fly back and forth 'bout people claiming to come from beyond the Great Waterfall, having rumors pop up about it from time to time isn't particularly unusual. Even so, most of them had no proof whatsoever to back up such a claim, and I'm convinced that many of them were indeed lyin'... If there was anyone who'd lead me to believe that such a thing was possible, though, it was the Great Hoshin; but deep down I always considered it to be just that, legends and false rumors. To think that all this time, without almost realizin' it, our society was strongly influenced by people from another world, completely foreign to our own..."
"To be honest, it's a bit overwhelming for me." Subaru declared, drawing his focus back to the contents of the bowl he held in his left hand. "Just one mistake, and we could've caused the delicate balance of this world to collapse. Who's to say that in a few years my actions won't spark a war that'll wipe out one of the four major countries?"
"And who's to say that your inventions won't bring prosperity n' peace to the victims of war and the Witch Cult's assaults? You can't see everything from such a negative perspective, Natsuki-kun, or else you might wind up missin' out on much of the beauty of my world."
Perplexed, Subaru looked up at the violet-haired girl again, as he opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water, searching every corner of his mind for something to retort her with. Ultimately, he failed in his quest and found it necessary to acknowledge that Anastasia was in the right. This did not imply that he was going to change his stance on the visitors of his world, however, he really had to admit that his own, dreadful, past experience had led him to regard this world, and everything related to it through a rather dense filter of pessimism.
"Wait a minute... Your world?" Quired Subaru, putting emphasis on the your, once he had regained himself.
"Yup, my world. You also refer to your homeworld as your world, I don't see the problem with me doing the same. And besides, you well know that it's only a matter of time before this world belongs to me alone." Such an outrageous statement was uttered with complete self-assurance, a big toothy grin plastered on her face.
"Are ya sure you weren't wrong to stay with me?" Whispered Subaru, looking down at the hand in which Echidna, his second spirit, if only temporarily, found herself.
Following this, they both went back to concentrating on eating, and after several minutes, they both put the completely empty bowls down on the blanket, in these only the wooden chopsticks remained. Without so much as a word, Anastasia leaned over to the basket they had used to carry the food and tableware, and after a couple of seconds rummaging around inside, she pulled a bottle out of it.
"You know I'm not used to drinking, right? You already talked me into it a couple of days ago, I'm not about to budge on that again." Subaru affirmed, regarding her with a wary look.
"Don't be so stiff and borin'! Who cares if in your world you ain't old enough to drink! You're not in your world anymore! What's more, you seemed to be havin' a good time the other day."
"My mother warned me that this moment would come... Bad influences have finally reached me. And yes, but the two drinks I had were enough to give me one helluva headache the next day." Subaru whined flippantly, as he tried to crawl away from Anastasia. This caused the violet-haired girl to pout adorably.
"Come on, don't be like that…" The girl then grumbled at him, refusing first and foremost to beg him; perhaps no one remembered her, but that didn't mean she had ceased to be Anastasia Hoshin.
"Yeah, it's true that I partially dislike drinking because I'm not old enough for it, but that's not the sole reason why, you know? I neither like the flavor nor the smell of it very much. The wine you gave me last time was too bitter for my taste."
"You haven't even tasted this wine yet! Not all liqueurs, and certainly not all wines, taste the same. This one I've been saving fer a special occasion; it's sweeter, so I promise you'll like it. Give it a try!" Subaru was sure that was not a plain proposal, it came out sounding more like a command. Anastasia really was passionate when it came to booze; maybe she just wanted to share that sentiment with Subaru.
Sighing in defeat, Subaru took his glass, in which until a moment ago there had only been water, and held it out to Anastasia. She gestured that this was not necessary with a smile of victory on her face and instead handed him a wineglass, which she promptly filled. With hesitation painted all over his face, Subaru brought the wineglass to his mouth and took a sip of the reddish liquid. Contrary to what he had believed, the flavor did not displease him at all; Anastasia was right, that wine was sweeter and tastier than the one he had tried before. However, the same could not be said for the sensation of the drink sliding down his throat.
"Koff! Koff! Wh-What the heck?! How much alcohol is in this! It almost made my throat burn from the inside!" Complained Subaru between fits of coughing.
"Don't be a crybaby, it's not that high in alcohol, just a little more than the one I gave you last time. It's a top quality red wine produced in one of the best vineyards in Vollachia, so don't even think of wasting a single drop of it!" Anastasia threatened, as she half-closed her eyes and savored the taste of her drink with relish.
Now more reluctantly than before, Subaru took another swig of the wine. Once again, he could feel his throat burn on contact with the liquid. However, the burning lessened with each gulp he took, and soon Subaru began to enjoy the wine almost as much as his boss. Before he realized it, Anastasia had produced a second bottle from the basket.
The tension and frustration that had been weighing on his chest finally began to recede, gradually releasing him, until the thoughts that tormented him blurred away until they receded into the farthest part of his mind. Subaru would be lying if he said he was not enjoying that heady rush. Months and months of emotional distress disappeared in a few minutes.
"Y-you know... I-I think I should… I shoulda jumped at yo-your offer to drink with ya months… ago." Subaru stammered, as he stirred the contents of his glass rocking it around.
"I told ya, Natsuki-kun. It ain't worth holdin' on ta such a rigid sense of morals if it's only gonna cause ya trouble. I mean, it's not like you're hurtin' anyone, anyway!" Anastasia declared, as she emptied what was left of the third bottle of wine into her wineglass.
Unlike Subaru, the girl's demeanor had hardly changed; or at least that's how it appeared. "All that stress... all that suffering... If only I'd known I could drown them this way before..." Subaru muttered, as he stared intently at the red liquid lying at the bottom of his glass.
"Yes, Natsuki-kun!" Anastasia exclaimed cheerfully, as she stood up and paced to sit next to him. "Life's too stressful, moments like these're necessary for us to be able to keep goin' without breakin' down in the face of the hardships it throws at us." Anastasia took a small pause, in which she inched closer to Subaru until their shoulders came into contact. "Runnin' a company is not an easy task, it involves a lot of effort, dedication and work, ranging from making sure that every department is content, to constantly makin' sure that we maintain cordial relations with the trade guilds in each country. Sure, there are people who help me with that, however, it ain't my style to relegate all the responsibilities n' stick to just collectin' the money... What I mean is... Shoot, I think I forgot what I was 'bout ta say!" And having said this, the girl began to laugh.
"Huh?" For an instant, Subaru stared at Anastasia dumbfounded, unable to comprehend what had just happened. However, after coming out of his stupefaction, he also began to laugh.
"But now," the purple-haired girl went on, once she stopped laughing, "now I don' have to stress over it. I guess I'd look at my situation in a rosier light and consider this trip as a well-deserved vacation." Despite her optimistic words, Subaru noticed that the girl's mood dropped a little.
"Anastasia..." Subaru said in a worried tone, in search of the best words of comfort.
Nevertheless, Anastasia, crestfallen, continued speaking before he could say anything else. "I shouldn't complain, I know. After all, I do have you." Anastasia raised her head, at which point their gazes met. "What right do I have to complain about my situation, when you've suffered so much more than I have?"
"Anastasia, that's not-"
"True? Yes, it is. You've been in very bad shape since what happened in Priestella, and yet 'ere ya are, strivin' to give back to this greedy gal what has been taken from her."
"Ana-" One more time, Subaru tried to deny Anastasia's words, but was again cut off before he could.
"You've been through so much since we met... Sometimes I think if the best thing wouldn't be to terminate our contract and set ya free. I-I feel you've suffered so much cause of... because o' me." Anastasia revealed in a shaky voice.
"That's not true! The... The thing that haunts me has done it since before I even knew of your existence." After everything that had happened, Subaru would not accept Anastasia taking the blame, not when she had absolutely nothing to do with it. "You're not to blame for me reeking of the witch, and you're not to blame for the Cult taking an interest in me. If anything, I'm the one to blame for Gluttony going after you."
"..." In response to such words from Subaru, Anastasia remained silent. Silence that she shattered until after a couple of minutes had elapsed. "So we're both being eaten away by guilt..." Voiced the girl in a sorrowful mumble. "You, cuz ya think you're to blame for Gluttony attacking me, even though he went after the other candidates as well. And me, cuz I monopolized ya and robbed ya of the chance to make this world yours, while making your life miserable in the process."
"Uh? What you talking about?" By that point, nothing Anastasia was saying made any sense to Subaru. Rather than answering Subaru's question, Anastasia looked down at her wineglass and took a mouthful from it. After a while savoring the red wine that had flowed into her mouth, Anastasia finally mustered up the courage to speak.
"Despite what I told ya a moment ago, that deep down I'd never come to accept that the travelers from beyond the Great Waterfall were real, the truth is that, just as the Great Hoshin made me seriously consider the possibility that they were, the same was true of ya. It was so obvious, from your complete lack of a background, to your groundbreaking ideas... I actually believe that instead of deep down doubtin' the veracity of your words, I always believed in them. I just... I just refused to acknowledge it; maybe because I felt guilty, maybe because I understood that my greed had finally gone too far. I didn't wanna accept that you came from beyond the Great Waterfall, cause I would've to recognize that I robbed ya of your bright future."
"Your greed went too far? Stealing my future? What do you mean by that?" In spite of Subaru's urging for a straight answer, Anastasia kept beating around the bush.
"You've got no idea how much I desired you, Natsuki Subaru." Such a statement on Anastasia's part stirred up turmoil in Subaru's mind, whose face, already flushed due to drunkenness, turned the color of the wine he was drinking. "The day ya signed our business agreement, 's the day I landed the best deal of my life; even the day I was appointed the president of Hoshin Company doesn't come close to it."
"I don't think that can be true." Claimed Subaru, refusing to accept Anastasia's words. How could he be worth so much?
"You're so clueless..." Anastasia made a short pause, and then continued. "If the royalty of Lugnica weren't extinct, if the country weren't in the political mess it's in, I'm sure the royals themselves woulda endowed you with a title of nobility and asked ya, nay, begged ya ta work directly for 'em. They'd have married ya off to one of the princesses n' bound ya to the kingdom fer life. After all, as one who shares origin with 'im, it's beyond dispute that you're the true heir of Hoshin of the Wilderness."
"I don't believe I am." Subaru stubbornly contradicted her, shaking his head.
"'Cause of your self-esteem issues, but yes, you are." Affirmed the girl without the least hint of doubt in her voice. "Halibel's right, you'll change the world. But not on account of ya slayin' one or two Sin Archbishops, but rather because with that head of yours ya will change the course of our world's history. Dozens, maybe even hundreds of books will be written 'bout ya. The impact you'll have on this world will be that far-reachin'. And... And next to your name, will be mine. I'm gonna be the legendary merchant who discovered your potential before anyone else did... Don'tcha think that's unfair? You shouldn't have to share the glory with anyone else. So that's what I mean when I say that I robbed ya of your bright future. Had it not been because I monopolized ya, perhaps you wouldn't have gone through so much misery, and I've no doubt that by now this world would've been yours; that was your destiny as a prodigy hailin' from beyond the Great Waterfall."
"... No." Was all Subaru managed to reply, throwing Anastasia off.
"Huh? Don't ya agree with me? Are ya still in state of denial due to your lack of self-esteem? Why, Natsuki-kun, I think it's time for ya ta address dat..." It was clear to Subaru that what Anastasia was hoping to hear from him was that he did agree; that her greed had gone too far. How long had that guilt been weighing on her?
"Anastasia, before meeting you, my life was completely meaningless. I'd started reinventing things cause it was the only thing a useless piece of shit like myself could do. I lived in fear, dreading that at any moment I would die or just straight up lose the will to live. You robbed me of my future? Anastasia, before I met you I had no freakin' future. That I could make this world mine? You're way off the mark, back then I didn't have a shred of ambition in me, so such a thing would never have occurred. Quite the contrary, I've no doubt I would've given up halfway, that's my pitiful nature..."
"Give up? But Natsuki-kun..." Before Anastasia could continue, Subaru cut her off.
"Do you really think I'm incapable of giving up? If so, I'm glad; that just goes to prove that you're wrong to believe that you ruined my life or stole my future."
"..." At this statement, Anastasia closed her mouth tightly and furrowed her brow slightly in dismay. Subaru paused momentarily and, noticing that Anastasia was still more than attentive to what he had to say, went on.
"I... When I first met you, I couldn't help but admire you, admire your determination, and your greed. Unlike me, who settled for anything and gave up when feeling defeated, you strived to achieve everything you wanted no matter what. It was your greed and your determination that kept me from giving up… again, even when in more than one instance I really wanted to. And it's true that since what happened at Priestella I haven't been... ehmm, doing exactly well; I know, I haven't been entirely in my right mind. But that has nothing to do with you or the work I do for you, I swear. I do admire you, Anastasia; I can't think of a better person with whom to share that glory you speak of."
"Nat... Subaru-kun," Subaru's body shivered sharply as he heard Anastasia called him by name, "you really have no idea how much I desire ya." And having voiced out what lay in her heart, Anastasia took Subaru by the shoulders and straddled him, the two now facing each other.
"Ana- Wha... What are you doing?!" Subaru, taken aback by the purple-haired girl's bold behavior, tried to pull his face away from hers in order to have a better perspective of his surroundings, as if he was afraid of being devoured, but Anastasia would not allow him to do this. Taking advantage of Subaru leaning back, Anastasia pushed him gently, placing her light weight on Subaru's abdomen. Subaru was left lying down, with Anastasia lying on top of him.
"Ya don't know how nervous I was the day you first came to my mansion. I tried so hard not to show how I truly felt. To be completely honest, Subaru-kun, if ya hadn't accepted so readily, I woulda been willin' ta do anythin' to get ya to join my company. I'd have given ya half of it if necessary; and I will eventually. But tell me, why did ya accept so easily? It's impossible that it was simply 'cause of yer lack of business experience or due to yer impulsiveness, so tell me, Subaru-kun. What drove ya to do it?"
"A-Anastasia, don't know if..." Subaru, who felt more cornered with each passing second, tried to make the girl desist from continuing her interrogation by pulling her off him, but she stopped him by placing her hands on his shoulders and pressing with what little physical strength she had, pinning him to the ground.
"Tell me Subaru-kun, I must know." The girl persisted, passion burning in her gaze.
"I... I... I just thought, 'I really wish to follow someone like this greedy girl'. I wanted to follow you, I wanted to work for you, I wanted to know you, I wanted to find out what was the source of so much greed and determination, I wanted to learn from you... As I got that, I couldn't help but think that I wanted to help you satisfy that greed. And now I desire to be by your side, I want us to achieve together what we both desire. So I... I desire you too, Ana."
A beautiful smile formed on Anastasia's lips, passion and desire exuding from her gaze. "We both expressed our desires already, Subaru-kun. I think it would be only right for both of us to act upon them, don't ya agree?"
Without waiting for Subaru to answer her, Anastasia started to bring her face closer to Subaru's face. Given the closeness of their bodies, the girl of soft features did not take long to shorten the distance between their lips. Their noses brushed, and Subaru could feel Anastasia's breath caress the skin of his face. Was that really happening, or was it all the product of a hallucination caused by the excess of alcohol?
Even though that question had surfaced in his mind, Subaru did not hesitate to act according to his wishes, just as Anastasia had so eloquently said. He desired it, he really desired it. The day he lost her it finally dawned on him, he loved Anastasia, loved her madly, and the prospect of sharing his life, his glory, with her, made him yearn for the future. If they really both desired each other in such a way, then there was definitely only one thing left to do.
Their lips drew closer, to the point of almost touching. Would something interrupt them, like in the manga he used to read? This thought stayed in Subaru's head until his lips met Anastasia's. The first thing he perceived was a strong taste of wine, it was evident that the girl had imbibed considerably more than him. Then, with his mind racing at a thousand thoughts per second, Subaru took the time to feel the texture of her lips; they were soft, like silk.
The kiss started out as clumsy and innocent, evidence of their inexperience, but Anastasia quickly followed her instincts. She hugged him tightly, wrapping her delicate arms around his neck, as if she feared he might vanish, just like everything else in her life had.
The kiss started out as clumsy and innocent, evidence of their inexperience, but Anastasia quickly followed her instincts. She hugged him tightly, wrapping her delicate arms around his neck, as if she feared he might vanish, just like everything else in her life had. Anastasia opened her lips a little, allowing her tongue to pass through, which with a soft touch requested Subaru's lips to allow it to enter his mouth. The latter, aroused, did not hesitate to obey. The wet texture of Anastasia's tongue invaded his mouth.
Having overcome the initial shock, Subaru let his hands start to wander up and down Anastasia's body. Subaru, even in his inebriated state, or perhaps due to it, came to understand that this kiss would not remain as merely that. No, maybe that would be the day he would stop being a virgin otaku. Or would have been, were it not for the fact that his body was abruptly flooded with an unpleasant sense of alarm. It was the Gospel.
"Ana..." Subaru attempted to say between kisses, but the girl cupped her hands on either side of his face and pressed her lips against his harder, trying to silence him. Who would think that a girl as beautiful as her could be so desperate. While Subaru could sympathize with the feeling, he really did, the sensation that was forcing the gospel into his being kept him from fully indulging in the moment; he needed to give a look at its contents. "Anastasia... Wait a moment." He was finally able to say, pushing Anastasia away from his face.
The affronted look Anastasia shot him did not bode well, however, Subaru resolved that he would deal with it another time. Without removing Anastasia from on top of him, Subaru reached out his hand and slipped it into the basket. Taking only a moment, he pulled the black tome out of it, which he opened to the last page that had been updated. Underneath the paragraph that spoke of his meeting with Petelgeuse, a new one had surfaced.
All along the ground you tread, corpses will litter the surface. The blood of the innocent will rain down from the skies, showering everything you set your gaze upon. The monster you fear most, you must become. Woe betide those dwellers of the last village you blanketed with your poisonous aura, for their souls shall be mowed down by your eyes brimming with wrath. Blazing envy towards those who peacefully wallow in their own ignorance; let the jealousy that suffocates you be the punishment of their self-indulgent ignorance. The wrath born of envy will tear from your innocent, naïve, unsuspecting victims the cries that shall give voice to the hymn of despair.
"Hm? Subaru-kun, are you alright?" All the resolve he had managed to muster up through self-indulgent ideas and arguments vanished in a heartbeat; as it could not be otherwise.
That provisional remedy, that soothing thought with which he had assuaged his fears and doubts, had proved inadequate. Feeling Anastasia's lips and smooth skin had only increased his fear of losing her and the authority that enabled him to protect her. Faced with his first mission as Sin Archbishop, Subaru felt despair pervade every recess of his soul.
All aboard, the ship has sailed. I do hope y'all are pleased with the beginning of the Subaru/Anastasia relationship. For some, it may have taken me too long to start developing the romantic relationship between the two, but without first having Anastasia in a situation where she was forced to realize her feelings for Subaru, I just couldn't do it.
However, that same context is what will prevent them from being able to have a normal relationship... Now, Subaru hasn't exactly been doing well for a while now, so it can't be otherwise; you'll understand better what I'm saying in the next chapter. After all, this chapter and the next one are the culmination of much of what I've been building up to since almost the beginning of the fic.
From here on there will be no turning back. If you wondered before why, even though I said that my fic was heavily inspired by Oboreru and Ayamatsu, Subaru still behaved in a "normal" way, at least by Subaru standards, then you will find the answer in the next chapter. I hope you're ready to meet the real Sin Archbishop of Wrath.
Now, regarding Commander Cost's question about the last chapter; it was the amused smile. In case it wasn't clear, Halibel was amused by Anastasia and Subaru's behavior.
I must say, the next chapter is one of my favorites, if not my favorite; I hope you guys feel the same way. Anyway, as always, thanks for your support and see you next time.