"Do you think Satella was the one who was with Subaru before and kissed him at the end of the episode?" Reinhard asked.
"Who knows..." Julius replied with a bit of worry about what they saw in the last episode.
A couple of flashbacks from the last episode was shown and Subaru now wakes up after he dies from it. He checks his left eye to see if it was still there and in relief, he found out that it is still there. He looked at Emilia who starts to act hurt once again in her sleep as Subaru remembers the past time loop where Emilia was with him on his death and kissed his rotten corpse.
"She turned out that way because I wasn't with her. And I was going on about how I didn't want her to look sad..." Subaru uttered.
"Wait, he means Satella right? But why is it..." Otto uttered.
"You guys really are fooled by the fact that it was Satella. When will Satella get out from Subaru's intoxicated body just to replace Emilia in the Trial? Do you think it's that possible?" Tanya asked.
"Wait, wait for a second! So you mean that the girl from the last episode was the Princess and not the Witch herself?!" Garfiel angrily asked.
"I thought you guys knew that it won't be Satella. But I assume that you were convinced by the way she looks like Satella after all." Tanya said.
"H-Huh...? Then... The one who was with Subaru on his death was..." Emilia uttered.
"The insane version of you, Emilia, not Satella. Since you and Satella both have the same looks, as what some haters say over here, you were isolated and gone insane after Subaru wasn't with your side because he had to face Elsa and Maylie and at the same time, he lost Beatrice as well." Kazuma replied.
"Th-Then... I-I... kissed Subaru..." Emilia uttered.
"You just kissed a disgusting corpse. Hahaha! What a disgusting scene you made there! To think that insanely was you?! Hahaha!" Priscilla mocked.
"Ainz, Tanya, Naofumi, give me permission to steal her bra..." Kazuma angrily uttered.
"Eh!?" Ainz asked.
"Now you're going too far, dumbass." Naofumi said.
"Fine by me. Make sure she gets punished and make her stop acting like a big bitch." Tanya replied.
"Okay!" Kazuma said with a smug and warms his hand up.
"Why are you allowing him to do that, Tanya?" Ainz asked in worry.
"Remember, he was a man before in his past life. Could it mean..." Naofumi whispered and the both of them ended up getting hit by Tanya's rifle.
"Fools deserved to be fooled by fools. Deal with it." Tanya said.
"Huh?" The two asked.
"Good thing Tanya cleared things up about that or else..." Satella pouted.
"Heh. You do like kissing me on my dead body? Want it?" Subaru asked and Satella rapidly nodded on him.
"What are you, a driller?" Halibel asked about Satella's actions.
"Emilia, are you okay?" Subaru wakes Emilia up and she opens her eyes slowly.
'I'll save Emilia and the Sanctuary, and the mansion, too. I'll save every last one of them, even if it costs me my life.' He thought.
"Subaru..." Emilia uttered.
"How he will save us...? He has failed like three times already." One villager asked.
"Don't lose your hope in Natsuki-san! I know he has some great ideas out of his big brain!" Otto said.
"You surely cheer that idiot, huh? But yeah, I agree. I hope he saves everyone, including Roswaal-sama..." Ram said.
"Ram..." Otto uttered.
"Could you not be so loyal to that clown? It infuriates me..." Garfiel angrily yelled.
"Are you jealous?" Ram said with a smug and hits Garfiel with her elbow.
"You..." Garfiel blushed but looks away with an annoyed look.
"Are you feeling all right?" Ram asked.
"Yes... because Subaru was there for me, I think." Emilia replied.
'The biggest problem is Roswaal. He knew that I've been looping, even if he didn't know that I have to die to do it. He's obviously following the Tome of Wisdom. He won't condone anything that goes against what's written, and if it does, he won't balk at using my loops to redo it. What's forcing him to do all that?
"By doing that... you can become like me."
I... won't ever be like you. Not ever. So... is it okay if I turn to you again? There are so many things I want to find out and get you to agonize over with me.' Subaru with his thoughts, enter the Trial room and seeks help from someone.
"Invite me, Echidna! I'll give you my life as many times as you want it! Or my pride or anything else! So please, Echidna! Let me..." Subaru stopped and slowly loses his consciousness and falls asleep.
"I-Is he serious...?" Echidna asked with a blush.
"Why of all people, she wants that Witch's help?" Rem asked.
"I mean, giving his all for me to get my wisdom and knowledge is just... too much, I guess." Echidna said with a sweet look of hers.
"Damn you, Subaru-kun..." Roswaal angrily uttered.
"Oh. Is he mad?" Lucas asked on Roswaal's expression.
"Hm? I think he is! Let's move away from him or he'll eat us." Mildo said and the two ran away.
'Behold an unthinkable present.'
"Huh?"
"...iar! Liar. Liar! Liar! Liar! Liar! Subaru, you liar!" Emilia cried on Subaru's dead body from the scene where he found Rem's unconscious body.
"What is this...?"
"Emilia-sama!" Wilhelm called as he heard Emilia's cry.
"You liar! Subaru... Subaru... You liar... You said... we'd be together..." Emilia sobbed.
"Felis! Come here at once! This is urgent! Hurry!" Wilhelm yelled.
"W-What the...? What's going on?!" Mimi asked as everyone was surprised to see the events from the previous episodes.
"Let me throw a guess over here. We are now seeing the situations where Natsuki Subaru died just to leap to another loop and what happened to that loop after he left them. Am I right?" Crusch asked.
"Well, you nailed it, Crusch." Tanya said.
"Eh?! B-But why?!" Rem asked.
"For him to witness all the events that happened on every loop he left and the possible endings that should've been shown to you all but were not shown because Subaru has leaped already to another loop." Tanya replied.
"There would be no time and it would be useless to show you guys those events since the main character himself, has died on that loop." Naofumi added.
"Won't this hurt us, even more, to see ourselves in despair after his deaths?" Minerva asked.
"You are all destined to despair on his deaths. For those who won't, you all have your own reasons but, your seats are already booked in hell." Tanya said.
"Heh! Like hell I will feel sorry for that guy!" Priscilla said, but in her thoughts, she does feel a little bit of sorry for Subaru.
"Don't show any expressions of worry on bro, later on, my lady." Al said.
"Is that a warning, Aldebaran?" Priscilla asked with an annoyed look.
"I just can't watch some fake expressions from people towards Subaru. It kinda... annoys me." Al said.
"This is not you, Al..." Priscilla said.
"And also... Would you mind not moving too much because you lost..." Al uttered as Priscilla felt something's missing from her clothes. She looked at Kazuma and blushed that God took her bra as well.
"N-No... Kazuma-sama!" Priscilla cried.
"Hm? Oh, sorry! I took this away from you after you were so annoying the whole time! Here, here, take this! Muwahaha!" Kazuma exclaimed while spinning both panty and bra of Priscilla.
"I'll punch him later for being a pervert." Tanya said.
'Even if you were the one who allowed him to stole those...' Ainz and Naofumi thought with a facepalm.
'I don't recognize this... I don't recognize this scenario. How could I recognize it?'
"Old Man Wil!" Ferris called.
"His throat's been stabbed! We haven't a moment to lose!" Wilhelm replied and Ferris starts to heal the wound on Subaru's throat.
'Stop... It's no use. He's already dead.'
"I won't let you die! I won't let the one who saved me die in this way!" Wilhelm said.
"Why did this have to happen now? Stop joking! Stop fooling around with us!" Ferris cried while tears flow from his eyes.
'Stop it... Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!'
"It's too late. His soul is already gone." Ferris said.
"They were too late..." Felt said.
"He was already dead in the first place, what do you mean about them being late?!" Mildo angrily asked.
"I know but if they were with him in the first place, this could be prevented! You understand me?!" Felt angrily replied.
"Mm... Uwaah! Mommy!" Mildo cried.
"Again?!" The kids sighed.
"Why? Why?! Why did you die so easily? Subaru-dono, you are..." Wilhelm uttered.
"Weakling. Coward. You're leaving behind everyone you cared about, forcing all of the pain and suffering on us." Ferris said.
"You said... You said... that you loved me." Emilia cried. After hearing this, Subaru opened his eyes in reality and checks his body if the wounds were still there.
"Was that..." He uttered and now vomits all of a sudden, to the fact that he can't deal with his own death that was shown earlier.
"...how that world looked after I died. Or was it the trial? Not really my past, but the second trial?" He added.
'Behold an unthinkable present.'
"Subaru?" Emilia called as the scene shifted to the episode where Subaru got possessed by Petelguese and was killed by Julius.
"Not this one..." Julius uttered in disappointment, remembering the time where he killed Subaru because he was controlled by Petelguese already.
"I can't... I can't watch this part..." Ferris uttered.
"..." Reinhard and Al had nothing to say on this one since they don't partake in this event.
"Emilia-sama, please... Wipe Subaru's face for him." Julius said while offering a handkerchief on Emilia who has a horrified look on Subaru's corpse.
"Why? Why does Subaru look like this? Why did this have to happen to him? To save me? Why? Please tell me." Emilia said.
"I wanted to speak with you more, Natsuki Subaru. I wanted to call you a friend." Julius said and Subaru in reality wakes up once again and starts to scream in pain after seeing the event from the past.
"Those are the events that will happen after Subaru dies. And who knows, what could've happened in the future of those loops where Subaru, who saved Emilia, is no longer with you guys." Tanya said.
"After he beat you so badly, he wants to call you a friend after you died? Pathetic." Satella said.
"Now, now, Satella. Forgive the person, will you? It has happened already in the other loop." Subaru said.
"Why so kind to them? They're meanie..." Satella pouted.
"Lame..." Halibel slowly shook his head in disappointment.
"Stop... it... Please... Stop it!" Subaru cried and falls once again.
'Behold an unthinkable present.'
"After all that nonsense you kept spouting... Was this all part of your plan as well, Beatrice-sama?" Ram asked in her sharp eyes as the scene shifts to the cliff scene where Subaru dies to escape Ram's wrath and to restart again.
"H-Hey... Why are those Witch Cultists with you, Ram?" Otto asked.
"Tch. This scene..." Ram uttered.
"Sister..." Rem uttered on her sister.
"I don't like where this is going, I suppose..." Beatrice said.
"Why? I knew you couldn't be "that person." But still..." Beatrice uttered while crying.
"*sighs* This is what you call "love"? Honestly... There's no help for you." Ram said on the corpse of Subaru.
"Says the one who fell in love with a damned clown and not expressing her feelings because of her damn work as a maid under that bastard!" Garfiel yelled.
"I know you hated me on that scene but, I, myself, didn't like that loop. There's no way I would get angry that much because of what happened to Rem." Ram said.
"But you have shown them the true anger you have against Subaru-kun in his first days in the mansion. Why feel regrets about it?" Roswaal asked.
"Roswaal-sama... I..." Ram uttered.
"See?! She acts like an oblivious bitch when she talks to that damnation! Could you talk to him the way you treat us, Ram?!" Garfiel angrily yelled.
"Gar, that's enough." Ryuzu said.
"Take it easy, Garfiel." Otto said.
"How could you Ram?! How could... you?!" Minerva cried.
'Behold an unthinkable present.'
"So it is you." Puck said in his beast form while facing Reinhard in a blizzard of snow.
"Emilia-sama and Subaru are both gone now, aren't they?" Reinhard asked.
"Reinhard and Puck!?" Julius asked.
"This even happened too...?" Reinhard asked.
"Well, you'll experience something amazing over here." Naofumi said.
"Amazing? Amazing in what?" Echidna asked.
"Lia is asleep. Forever. I don't want to exist in a world without her. Therefore, per our contract, I will freeze this world solid. He and I are equally guilty." Puck said.
"H-Huh?! Freeze the whole world?!" Lucas asked.
"Y-You can do that?!" Petra asked Puck.
"Uh... Eh..." Puck uttered, unsure if he can answer the question or not.
"Why are these events showing up? Why?" Emilia asked.
"You are putting Subaru into suffering, am I right?!" Rem angrily asked on Echidna.
"Huh? I didn't do anything about this." Echidna said.
"Lies! Then why you won't meet with him quickly?!" Rem asked.
"That's not an easy task to call me out and invite you to the party. It has some consequences you need to deal with. And if... you are worthy enough." Echidna said.
"Tch." Rem clucked her tongue and looked at the scene.
"And that is why you're trying to destroy the world? I am going to stop you from causing any further harm. If you must resent someone, please resent me." Reinhard said.
"I don't resent anyone, Reinhard. You are a true hero. And a hero is all you can be." Puck said. With Reinhard's sword already channeling his power to it, he fired an enormous blast up to the sky, erasing the clouds from the blizzard and kills Puck slowly in the process.
"He killed Puck..." Otto uttered.
"That power is amazing, isn't it?" Naofumi said.
"Yes, it is." Ainz agreed.
"I accept your praises, Ainz-sama, Naofumi-sama. But, I guess that happened because I had to save the world from Puck. I'm sorry about that, Puck." Reinhard said.
"It's okay. What are you apologizing for? You did well on preventing me to destroy the world. You saved everyone out there." Puck said with a smile.
"Good thing Puck understands the situation more than anyone else in here." Echidna said.
'Behold an unthinkable present.'
Subaru and Emilia are found both lying on the floor, dead and cold after Elsa eliminates them inside Old Man Rom's bar.
"And that's the end of it. This wasn't a very rewarding job at all." Elsa said.
"Elsa..." Puck angrily uttered.
"Ah, not that damn scene again where I died!" Old Man Rom whined and many laughed at it.
'Behold an unthinkable present.'
"I only prevented the situation from worsening. I could tell that Subaru-kun was already beyond help. Surely he wanted me to end it as quickly as possible." Rem said to Ram in a scene where she killed Subaru at the mansion and his arm was hanging on the chandelier.
"And now the scene where you killed Subaru has shown up. Do you feel any regrets about it? How dare you talk to us all in a way like you didn't do anything harmful against him? But you too... killed him as well." Priscilla said on Rem who feels ashamed of what she did on Subaru.
"I... I was not in my..." Rem uttered while crying.
"Rem, don't mind them." Ram said.
'Behold an unthinkable present. Behold an unthinkable present. Behold an unthinkable present. Behold an unthinkable present. Behold an unthinkable present. Behold an unthinkable present.'
"Can you no longer stand, Subaru-kun?" A familiar voice that is close to Subaru said and this made him look up.
"Rem?! I-Is she...?!" Frederica asked as they heard Rem's voice. But most of them know that this is only another illusion that they have to witness.
"Have I fully healed already...?" Rem asked. Ram knows that it isn't true, but she remained silent to prevent saying more negative comments towards her sister.
"This can't be real." Subaru uttered.
"It is real. I will be by your side whenever you wish it, Subaru-kun." The voice is known to be from Rem said.
"Rem..." Subaru uttered.
"Yes. I am your Rem." Rem said. Subaru stands up and sees Rem, which made him cry.
"Rem..." He cried.
"Yes, I am Rem. Your very own, all-purpose, ever-useful maid." Rem said.
"You..." Subaru uttered.
"Are you all right? Are you tired?" Rem asked.
"I don't know. Maybe I am tired. But I haven't even done anything yet... If I were stronger, smarter, and capable of a lot more, they wouldn't have had to hurt and suffer so much." Subaru replied.
"Subaru-kun..." Rem uttered.
"If the world was still going on after I died, how many times did I just leave them all to die?" Subaru asked.
"Subaru-kun..." Rem uttered.
"How many times did I let you die? How many times do I have to kill you?!" Subaru yelled.
"Subaru-kun..." Rem approaches Subaru and hugs him.
"It's all right." Rem said.
"Rem..." He uttered.
"I love you. I love you, Subaru-kun. So everything will be all right." Rem said.
"That doesn't... answer anything..." Subaru uttered.
"It does. Holding you the way I am right now is the answer to everything. You've been through so much, Subaru-kun. You suffered so much pain all alone... But you don't need to feel so sad all the time anymore." Rem said.
"I..." Subaru uttered.
"I will take the place of everything you're feeling. Just entrust everything to me, and just rest for now. All you need to do is sleep." Rem said and she slowly moves her lips to Subaru.
"Did she just say, sleep...?" Kadomon asked.
"Then that's..." Garfiel uttered.
"I hate to say this but, don't kiss me, Subaru-kun!" Rem cried.
'She knows what happens if he does that.' Echidna thought while looking at Rem.
"Rem..." Subaru uttered and stops Rem from kissing.
'It's easy to give up. But it doesn't suit you.'
"Who are you?" He asked all of a sudden.
"Huh?" Rem asked.
"I'm asking you who you are." Subaru said.
"S-Subaru-kun, what are you-" Rem was stopped by Subaru.
"I knew that when I was at the end of my rope, clutching my knees and wallowing in anguish, you would come and stay gently by my side. You'd listen to my troubles, let me vent my insecurities, and wring everything out of me until my tears ran dry... And then you'd say, "Now, stand up."
You wouldn't tell me to just rest. You wouldn't tell me to give up and entrust everything to you. You like me and I like you, you're good to me and you love me, but you're also stricter with me than anyone else. Rem is the one girl who doesn't go easy on me!" Subaru said and quickly stands up and backs away from Rem.
"You're wrong! Please listen to me, Subaru-kun! I just don't want to see you suffering so-" Rem was stopped again by Subaru.
"I'll show you my weakness and my fragility. But I'll never let you see me give up!"
"Because you are my hero, Subaru-kun!"
"Get out of here, you fraud! Don't you dare coddle me with Rem's face and voice!" Subaru yelled and throws a punch in the air.
Rem was happy to see that Subaru realizes that the Rem he was with wasn't the one who was with him in times of his despair and agony. Even at the moment where Subaru is in the corner of his problems, he still managed to tell the differences between the Rem he's with right now and the Rem who knew him way better from before.
"Go get her, Natsuki-san!" Otto said.
"Don't get fooled by whoever that Rem is!" Minerva added.
"You guys..." Reinhard chuckled.
"Then if that's not Rem, who is she...?" Emilia asked.
"You know already who used Rem to test Subaru in that one, Lia." Puck said.
"Eh..." Emilia uttered.
"Haha! Interesting!" Ricardo said.
"Yes." Al agreed.
"Th-This isn't... what I was told... t-to expect..." Rem said in a different voice and Subaru notices it.
"Huh?" Subaru asked and Rem now changes into a small girl with a green scarf around her neck, has light-pink hair, and has a downcast eye.
"EH?! It wasn't her?!" Some asked and points to Echidna.
"Huh? Why I would transform into someone like her? I can charm him on my own, though." Echidna mumbled.
"C-Carmilla...?!" Otto asked.
"I-I-I am finally in the scene, I guess... Now, you see h-how I can use my p-powers towards s-someone..." Carmilla sobbed.
"Jeez, this is unexpected." Al said.
"It's fine! For as long as you didn't hurt Natsuki-san out there." Otto said and pats Carmilla.
"T-Thank you..." Carmilla replied and slowly hugs Otto.
"Awww!" Some of the villagers cooed.
"What are you, a sloth?" Sehkmet yawned.
"But she almost kissed him." Rem mumbled angrily.
"Someone's jealous. Heh." Ram said with a smug.
"Sister!" Rem cried.
"I-I'm Carmilla, th-the Witch of Lust. N-Nice to meet you..." The girl named Carmilla greeted.
"Witch of Lust? But you're too adorable for that role." Otto said.
"A-A-Adorable...?!" Carmilla asked and blushed.
"Why are some witches in here are better than the bitch in our world?" Naofumi sighed.
"Heh. You had the chance to kill her before but you did say no and gave her that funny name." Ainz said.
"I know..." Naofumi uttered.
"Is this weird place part of Echidna's dream? What were you trying to pull earlier?!" Subaru angrily asked.
"E-Earlier...?" Carmilla asked.
"I'm talking about you coming to me disguised as Rem! Was that your power?!" Subaru angrily asked.
"I-If I looked like s-someone else, it's because... y-you wanted to see me that way..." Carmilla said.
"What?!" Subaru angrily asked.
"I-I didn't w-want to, but Echidna-chan said a-all I had to do was dote on you..." Carmilla said.
"So Echidna is the one behind all this?!" Subaru angrily asked and approaches Carmilla.
"Going any further will endanger your life." Echidna called from nowhere as Subaru's chest hurts him and the whole place now transformed into Echidna's tea party.
"Carmilla's "Faceless Bride" makes one forget to breathe when in her presence. In the end, it even makes your heart stop beating." Echidna said.
"I-I-I'm sorry if I-I d-did that to him!" Carmilla cried.
"No, no, it's in the future. No need to apologize." Rem said.
"Eh...? A-Are you sure...?" Carmilla asked.
"Yes. Even if it makes me a bit angry that you used me to almost knock him down. But I know he can handle the situation." Rem said with a smile and Carmilla cried.
"T-Thank you..." Carmilla said and hugs Rem this time.
"Adorable!" Kenichi yelled from above.
"Hey, dad! They might hear us!" Subaru cried.
"Come here now, dear." Naoko called.
"What the hell have you been plotting, Echidna?" Subaru asked.
"Isn't that obvious? An evil scheme, of course. I am a witch." Echidna replied.
"Why did you do something like that?" Subaru asked.
"Because it was the most effective method, that's why. If I'd left things alone, your mind would've worn away to nothing in the trial." Echidna replied.
"So you're telling me you did that to save me?" Subaru asked.
"I can't make any excuses for the fact that I wounded your heart as a result. I've resigned myself to accepting your rage." Echidna said while touching the tips of her hair. Subaru stands up without the pain and sits in front of Echidna.
"I know what it is you want to know more than anything right now. Allow me to explain the trial. Just like the first one, the second trial puts you in a world recreated from your memories. It's a thoroughly well-constructed unreality." Echidna said.
"Then-"
"However. Your Return by Death is the Witch of Envy's Authority. Basically, only she knows whether the things you saw in your second trial happened in some reality." Echidna said.
"You mean all that stuff might have actually happened?" Subaru asked.
"I'm only saying it's a possibility. Instead of counting the many people you have failed to save, you should focus on counting the many you have saved." Echidna said.
"Idealistic clichés like that don't help!" Subaru said.
"I know that you have given all of your strength, physical and mental, to survive thus far. Not a single thing you've experienced on your way to this point has been a waste. You have arrived at this moment by doing everything in your power, at the risk of your own life. That's something you should be proud of." Echidna said.
"Something's wrong in here." Ferris said.
"Hm?" Crusch asked.
"Why I am feeling that she is helping Subaru-kyun and praising him more than I expected? And also, shared some helpful details on how to pass the Trial. It looks like she... she wants something in return." Ferris said.
"Oh? I understand. So that woman's still up to something on Subaru-dono." Wilhelm said.
"Yes. What could it be?" Ferris asked.
'That guy knows what I wanted from Subaru. Wait, is he even a guy?' Echidna thought on Ferris.
"Why do you keep trying to help me like this?" Subaru asked.
"I think it's a little mean to force a girl to spell that out for you." Echidna said while blushing and looking away. She clears her throat and gets serious this time.
"Would you be willing to form a contract with me, Natsuki Subaru?" Echidna asked.
"A contract?" Subaru asked.
"Huh?!" Roswaal asked in disbelief.
"Eh? What's with the reaction?" Felt asked.
"Ah- Ahem, nothing." Roswaal replied.
"Roswaal..." Echidna uttered in guilt while looking at a familiar face.
"Why is Roswaal acting differently when Echidna and Subaru are both together and are up to something?" Ricardo asked.
"He could be related to the Greed, herself, in which we all don't know. Same to the little brat over there." Al said.
"Yes, a formal contract with the Witch of Greed. Would you enter into one with me?" Echidna asked.
"I-Into one?!" Rem asked.
"What is the meaning of this, Echidna?!" Minerva angrily asked.
"I don't like where this is going..." Sehkmet yawned.
"Hey, hey, calm yourselves down." Tanya warned.
"Contract with her? But how?" Emilia asked.
"What happens if I do?" Subaru asked.
"It's simple. From now on, whenever you run into an obstacle you can't overcome, when you feel you're being crushed by the weight of your sins, I will give you my support. I'm confident in the amount of knowledge I have. I should be able to come up with a way for you to deal with any problem. Above all, I can share in your Return by Death ability." Echidna said.
"What does that mean? You're actually telling me the selling points of making a contract with you?" Subaru asked.
"I think it only makes sense to explain the merits of such an act. All the better for me if it makes you lean toward agreeing to it at all. It's all calculated." Echidna said. Subaru sighed and looked into the skies.
"That might not be such a bad idea." Subaru said.
"Hey! No!" Minerva yelled and the other witches excluding Echidna cover her mouth.
"Wh-Why?" Otto asked.
"Just keep watching. Or I'll send you all to Gulag, you witches." Tanya warned.
"Y-Yes..." The Witches replied.
"Meaning?!" Echidna asked in excitement towards Subaru who was shocked by her expression.
"I mean, uh... right. If you absolutely insist, I wouldn't mind entering into a contract-" Echidna said.
"It's a little late to try and play it cool now! Anyway, how would we form this contract?" Subaru asked.
"To establish a formal contract, you and I need to form a bond between our souls. First, we raise our palms to each other, like this." Echidna said as she raises her palm towards Subaru. He sighed for a while and is about to raise his palm towards her. Until an explosion interrupts them two.
"Wh-Wha...?!" Subaru asked.
"Eh?! What happened?!" Otto cried.
"Subaru-kun!" Rem called.
"Uh... A Minerva landing for you all..." Sehkmet said.
"Wow! Nice landing!" Daphne said.
"H-How can you see that with your blindfold?" Frederica asked.
"What is going on?" Emilia asked.
"Something's not good in here." Reinhard said.
"I'm gonna have to... put a stop into to that contract!" Minerva called as she arrives to stop the contract between Subaru and Echidna.
"The Witch of Wrath?!" Subaru called.
"I won't accept it!" Minerva said.
"So you're after him, too? I suppose you're jealous." Echidna said.
"Stop teasing me! I'm outraged! I'm indignant! I'm absolutely boiling with anger!" Minerva yelled.
"How is she even here? Don't you have to swap places with the other witches to let them appear?" Subaru asked.
"That's a lie! She's a bad-natured jerk who plays mean tricks like that for no reason!" Minerva yelled.
"Then, the other Witches can appear as well without swapping Echidna out?" Crusch asked.
"Yes! And also, DON'T DO MAKE CONTRACT WITH HER, SUBARU!" Minerva yelled with all of her strength.
"Calm down, jeez." Typhon said.
"I-I-I'm scared..." Carmilla said.
"Of what?" Otto asked.
"Of what will happen next in this scene..." Carmilla sobbed.
"Well, I didn't want to just keep popping witches into existence, and let one of them take you from me." Echidna said.
"Wha... Take away from you...? Who do you think you are?!" Rem angrily asked.
"You don't own Subaru, you know!" Emilia added.
"But do you own him? Is he yours for you to act like that?" Echidna asked with her eyebrow raised on the two.
"I..." Emilia uttered.
"But still..." Rem uttered.
"Don't act like you do love Subaru too. And you too, don't act as he loves you. So stop with that reactions." Echidna said.
"Crap! The catfight between those three for my son has begun!" Kenichi cheered.
"Dad!" Subaru cried.
"He's mine. He's mine. He's mine. He's mine. He's mine..." Satella mumbled on her own while looking at the three with her deadly gaze.
"Yikes... Uh, Subaru..." Halibel slowly points on Satella.
"Oh god..." Subaru sighed.
"Stop being taken in so easily by all of Echidna's smooth-talking! It pisses me off! Also, he hasn't even told you what parts of that contract... would be... bad... for you!" Minerva yelled and stomped the ground.
"H-Hang on! "Bad" for me?!" Subaru asked.
"She's talking about your payment for contracting with me. I think calling it a bad thing is a bit of an exaggeration, though." Echidna said.
"What is it you want from me, then? What payment do I have to give?" Subaru asked with his eyes wide open on Echidna.
"It's very simple. Everything you feel, everything you think, everything that remains in your heart, the future as you know it, anything you accomplish, all the potential within you, all the fruit of the unknown that is borne from your very existence... I want a taste of it." Echidna said while looking at Subaru.
Roswaal now gets furious about this and he starts to grip his fists in anger and slowly shakes within his rage. Echidna taps Roswaal from behind and calms the clown down.
"I'm sorry but... You must accept how I wanted Subaru and his potentials, right? You must support me from whatever I want from him, do you?" Echidna said.
"B-But!-" Roswaal was stopped by Echidna.
"It's fine. When the time comes that he and I will be one, I will return to you, and Beatrice." Echidna said.
"But deep inside, you just wanted to be with Subaru, aren't you?" Kazuma asked from behind Echidna while swirling Priscilla's panties.
"E-Eh!?" Echidna asked while blushing.
'How did he read my mind?!' She thought.
"Don't hide it. Admit it, you kinda like him a little bit, right? Slowly?" Kazuma asked. Echidna blushed and walked away from the two.
"T-Teacher..." Roswaal uttered sadly.
"Hah. Sucks to be you." Kazuma walks away while whistling and swirling some pantsu.
"Kazuma-sama!" Priscilla cried.
"Th-That's all true... B-But don't assume that she just t-told you everything..." Carmilla said from behind.
"The Witch of Lust?" Subaru called.
"E-Echidna-chan... isn't lying... But there's a lot... she's hiding from you." Carmilla said.
"Hiding a lot? What does that mean, Echidna?" Ram asked.
"Oh? So you're now worried for him, huh? After your other loop was very furious on him." Echidna said.
"That was the other Ram, not me. And I can't let you do anything that would make Barusu feel sad or lose his all." Ram said.
"Heh." Garfiel scowled and looked away from Ram.
"Don't bother listening to these two, Natsuki Subaru. Once you have formed a contract with me, I will, without fail, guide you to the future you desire." Echidna said.
"This wouldn't be the promise you always preceded with "In the end..." would it? *sigh*" Another witch that is lying on the ground said.
"And who are you?!" Subaru asked.
"The Witch of Sloth, Sekhmet. Just letting you know my name for the record and all." Sehkmet sighed.
"She is slothful. Look at how she lies on the ground." Ferris said.
"Thank you." Sehkmet said and yawned.
"They keep coming one by one. What the heck is going on?" Kadomon asked.
"The boy must have himself a feast, eh?" Old Man Rom asked and the Witches blushed onto it. While some looked at him with their eyes wide open.
"You did intentionally said that, didn't you?" Kadomon asked.
"Wha..." Naofumi dropped his jaw in shock after hearing it.
"The Old Man is cultured. I guess he is a cultured weeb that has been isekaied in this world." Ainz said.
"But as an old man. What a shame." Tanya said.
"N-No! They can't have Subaru! No! No!" Satella yelled.
"Hey! Stop whining!" Subaru cried.
"You're the sixth..." Subaru uttered.
"I'm only here as a watchdog to preserve the fairness of this place. But I will fulfill my obligation to her." Sehkmet sighed.
"Oh, Baru, you're here? Is everyone here now? That's unusual!" Typhon said.
"It's been a long time since we had a tea party. You should have invited me, too." Daphne said and now the witches have surrounded Subaru.
"Tch. Damn them all..." Echidna uttered.
"Hah. She's getting pissed." Minerva said.
"Indeed." Sehkmet said.
"Why do you guys keep appearing one after another?! What do you want from me?!" Subaru asked.
"I believe I told you already. It's the promise that's always preceded by "In the end..." Sehkmet said.
"In the end"? Echidna, you said you'd guide me to the best possible future, didn't you?" Subaru asked.
"Yes, I did. It was true." Echidna replied.
"And with tour help, would I arrive at the best possible future by following the best possible path? Why aren't you saying anything? Answer me, Echidna! Answer me, Witch of Greed!" Subaru yelled at Echidna.
"For the purpose of attaining the future you desire, you must accept any sacrifices made along the way. Is that not the resolution you made, Natsuki Subaru?" Echidna asked.
"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait!" Subaru said.
"No, I will not wait. You are the one who needs to understand better. Just think about it.
The Return by Death Authority you possess is a tremendous thing. You do not fully understand how truly useful it is. It allows you to restart the world all you want until you reach your desired future. It's the embodiment of the ultimate ideal any seeker could wish for!
Of course, I won't force you to Return by Death. You will use it to achieve the result you desire, and I will lend you all the wisdom you need to fulfill your wish. I expect all the results that come about in the process to contribute vastly to the satisfaction of my curiosity! We will agonize over, struggle with, and solve the same problems together.
We will have the optimal relationship to achieve that! As I make use of your power, I want you to use me to achieve your best possible future, too. My maidenly heart's affection for you and desire to help you are real. I'd be more than content to have you treat me as a convenience.
If it's what you want, you're welcome to use my body for your comfort! I gladly offer it to you! I will give you the strength to move forward with my words. Whether you want comfort, motivation, or love, or even hatred, I will give it all to you. I can give it all! You like girls who give you everything, don't you? You need me!
"And this is why she is called the Witch of Greed." Satella said. Everyone down below has now discovered Echidna's true colors and what are her true motives on Subaru.
"You..." Emilia uttered.
"Echidna..." Reinhard uttered.
"Why I can't... get all of those you wanted, Teacher...?" Roswaal asked in jealousy.
No one but you can satisfy my curiosity now. If you use your power to save someone, I want you to save me! I cannot control my own greed! No matter what happens, I will guide you to the future you desire. I swear it! I absolutely swear it!
And the Sanctuary's liberation lies beyond that. You can save everyone trapped there- the one you love and all those you care about! For that purpose, I want you to take me, use me, and robe me of all the greed you want, so we can take hold of our future! That is all I want from you, all I desire from you, and all I offer in return.
I have now told you everything... truly, every last detail, with passion. This might be close to love. It's a vow of love! And how will you respond to my love? I want your answer! That is one of the answers that will satisfy my curiosity, after all." Echidna explained with her greedy smile on Subaru all the things she wants from him and the things that could possibly happen if the contract between the two will be final.
"I can't believe that all of those things... You'll do it for Natsuki-san?" Otto asked.
"That title deserves you from being a Witch of Greed. Now it all goes down to that bastard whether he makes a contract with her or not." Garfiel said.
"Please no, Subaru-kun..." Rem uttered.
"Damn you Subaru-kun... Damn you with all of my life..." Roswaal angrily uttered.
"Echidna..." Subaru uttered.
"Yes?" Echidna asked.
"You're going to use me?" Subaru asked.
"I am. And you can do the same to me. That's what this contract is for. If you want to criticize me for using it as a means to keep you as my own, I'll accept that. It's the truth, after all." Echidna said.
"It's not as if I never considered that your intentions might not be 100% good. But... that's just way beyond the pale!" Subaru said while grabbing his face in disbelief.
"I don't quite understand what you find so problematic." Echidna said.
"Everything about your attitude is so infantile and shallow! It's all completely superficial! When you laugh, even when you're mad, your attitude is... Echidna, you're incapable of understanding how anyone else feels! This is one of those times when you could get angry..." Subaru said.
"I see. You have taught me much. When we next have a chance... I will just do that." Echidna said with a serious look. She snapped her fingers and fixed everything in the whole tea party.
"Subaru understands it. Now it is time for him to go!" Rem said.
"But what if he can't get out?" Echidna asked.
"And why about that?!" Rem angrily asked.
"This is a situation where he had no choice but to accept my offer. Easy as that." Echidna said.
"Where is Roswaal?" Emilia asked. They heard some bashes and yells from the other room as Roswaal releases all of his frustrations and anger at the other room.
"Ah, nothing. He is just taking the comfort room." Tanya replied.
"But I heard some yells. What are those? And where are they from?" Ferris asked.
"But first, why not have a seat? I'd like to discuss our contract a bit more." Echidna said.
"I just remembered... There was one thing I wanted to ask you when I saw you again." Subaru said.
"Oh? What might that be?" Echidna asked.
"Once I hear your answer, I think I'll be able to make a choice. You know Beatrice, don't you?" Subaru asked.
"Subaru..." Beatrice uttered.
"He didn't forget to ask that. What a relief." Otto said.
"Yes I do. I was deeply involved in her birth, after all." Echidna replied.
"Beatrice has lived her life under a contract forcing her to wait for "that person." I believe that contract was with you." Subaru said.
"True. I'm the one who ordered her to protect the forbidden library and await the one who would come for her." Echidna said.
"Then who is "that person"? How can I set her free?" Subaru asked. A moment of silence occurred before one of them talks.
"Good question! Whoever could it be?" Echidna asked.
"What?! You... You're saying you don't even know who Beatrice is waiting for?!" Subaru angrily asked.
"I really don't know." Echidna replied.
"H-Huh...?" Beatrice asked in shock after hearing this.
"Beatrice?" Emilia called on Beatrice who kneels and cries.
"Y-Y-You don't even know too who "that person" is...? Why? Why...?" Beatrice cried.
"Echidna! Answer her!" Crusch yelled.
"How can I answer that? Like what I said, I don't know. And this happened in the future, remember? Don't tell me the past version of me knows who "that person" is than the one in the future." Echidna said.
"This is confusing..." Crusch said.
"But why? Weren't you the one who told her to wait for them?!" Subaru angrily asked.
"You've made quite a misunderstanding. I didn't force Beatrice to make that promise so she'd give the forbidden library to "that person." Echidna said.
"What?" Subaru asked.
"That wasn't my goal at all. By making her promise to wait for "that person" to come to her, I want to find out who she will choose to be "that person".
"M-Me...? To choose...?" Beatrice asked.
"If it's not Subaru, then who?" Puck asked.
"Roswaal can't be that person!" Otto said.
"Of course he isn't you dumbass." Ram said.
"Argh! My mind can't take it anymore!" Garfiel yelled.
Of course, her staying there for 400 years without choosing anyone is one result of that. Her inability to choose anyone so easily all this time and wanting to due as she agonized over whether to keep upholding the contract or not are also results of that." Echidna said.
"And how do you feel about that?" Subaru asked in a pissed tone.
"I think it's wonderful." Echidna said in a joyful tone.
"Echidna... You are a witch! You're an unfathomable monster beyond all comprehension! And I... I won't take your hand. I know whose hand I want to take. There's a girl who's been tied down by the words you spoke out of pure curiosity, without malice. My mind's made up. I'm going to take her hand. I won't go with you." Subaru said.
"Subaru..." Beatrice said.
"..." Echidna had nothing to say on Subaru's decision.
"Heh. You failed, Witch of Greed." Ram said with a smug.
"And you also failed to be loved by your master. What a shame." Echidna said at Ram and made her look angry.
"Hey, why is the whole place going... dark?" Mildo asked.
"Oh, no..." Carmilla sobbed.
Everyone felt shocked as the skies turned dark and they felt someone's presence.
"She's here." Minerva said.
"N-No! I have nothing to do with any of this!" Carmilla cried while covering her head.
"A really troublesome girl just showed up at a troubling time to start some trouble." Sehkmet said.
"Oh! I'm feeling very, very hungry!" Daphne said while drooling. Subaru looked at Echidna with her angry expression as she looked at someone who approaches them. He turned around and he has a shocked expression as well.
"Hey! It's Tella! Long time no see!" Typhon called on Satella who's approaching them all with her ominous aura. The title "The Witches' Tea Party" appeared.
"Satella?!" Everyone looked from behind as the Witch of Envy has finally appeared right before their eyes.
"This sensation... It's her." Julius said.
"S-Satella...?" Emilia asked.
"Damn her..." Echidna angrily uttered.
"C-C-Crap..." Carmilla sobbed behind Otto.
"That's her...?" Otto asked.
"Hey! Wait, where's Satella?!" Subaru asked as he finds Satella.
"She's over there, dumbass. She possessed herself to her future self to make everyone feel her presence. Don't worry, after that, she'll come back in here." Halibel said.
"Oh, crap..." Subaru uttered.
"She volunteered to re-enact the future, huh?" Tanya asked.
"No one knows that the real Satella is here." Ainz said.
"Just shut your mouths. And stop swirling them, will you?!" Naofumi asked Kazuma.
"Satella...!" Echidna angrily uttered.