The Phthonus cast react to all if-stories

by Cracken1244

The cast of Re: Zero is now reacting to all of the if-stories, after having watched two seasons of the anime. The setup for the cast has been made separately. Current progress: Nearing the end of Wrath-if reactions!

5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Author's note: I feel like I put way too much dialogue. I think it was 'A.J. Savage' who mentioned that in the last chapter, but here I am. I'll try to balance it next time.

Anyways, I wanted to mention a few things. First is the seating arrangements of the cast members. It's kinda a minor thing and there's probably going to be some inconsistency.

The third row from the front has the Emilia camp seated in the middle. Subaru's body is in the center with Beatrice using it as a seat. On her right is Emilia and on her left is Rem. On Rem's left side we have Garfiel, Otto, Petra, and Frederica in that order.

Directly in front of Subaru's body is Crusch. On her right is Wilhelm and on her left is Felix. From Wilhelm's seat, about two seats away, is Reinhard and Felt. (Reinhard feels awkward being that close to his Grandfather.) On Felix's left side, we have Julius, Anastasia and Ricardo. And in front of Ana is Mimi and her brother. (Mimi wanted the front seat.)

At the last row, on the top, is Pricilla and Al. And on the 2nd last row, to the extreme left, is Roswall and Ram.

The second thing I wanted to mention is about characters who have a certain way of speaking, like Roswall and Garfiel. I haven't bothered writing them out like that, but that does not mean that they are not speaking in that way. Just use your imagination.

And I'll be updating my profile, and using that to give a weekly word count update or something. Yeah, that's it. See you soon (Hopefully).

With that large, final teardrop collapsing towards the ground, the audience watching it floundered within the turbulence of their heart. Having formed a relationship with the spirit which resembled the physical distance between them, many individuals mourned such a result while others accepted it.

"I really can't believe this," caressing his green hat, Otto spoke softly, "To think that such a resolution would be reached between these two. I know that I am judging it based on how good the relationship between Natsuki-san and Beatrice-sama is in our reality, but still."

"I think it is a fairly fair conclusion, I suppose." Interjecting the apparent pity and discomfort, it was the spirit who sat with her back straight. "I do not need that look coming from you. Do not sully Betty's small pride any further." Looking away, she masked the turmoil in her own heart. "Well, Betty's pride was degraded by her own actions, or lack thereof, I suppose. Even now, as much as I want to simply accept my counterpart's death, a part of my soul hurts at the thought of the executioner being Subaru."

"No, that was not my intention," waving around his arms frantically, Otto soon adopted a slightly irked expression. "I think it is not that strange now is it? I am simply worried about my friends. And considering that Natsuki-san is someone dear to my heart, I believe I have a right to also care about the people whom he finds special. Not to mention, with the amount of time we have spent together, it would be fairly hard for me and for others to simply not care about you. So that is why, I am not expressing pity and half-hearted consolation, instead true worry and care."

"Hmm? 'Dear to my heart'. Otto-san-Otto-san, just what was the meaning of that, hmm?" Surprisingly, it was the junior maid Petra who rudely interjected before the spirit could even reply. With a bright smile that had the intention of eating away new love rivals before they formed, she gazed at Otto. In response, he could only gulp in suspense.

"You know, Otto-san. I have always had this weird suspicion about you."

"I-I see. A suspicion, is it?"

"Yes! I am pretty sure I am completely wrong in thinking so! But still, it is fairly concerning. Your ulterior motives of befriending Subaru, that is."

Gulp

Walking closer, Petra suddenly grabbed Otto's shoulder and peered straight into his eyes. With those round eyes and that scary smile, one could almost hallucinate a weird aura emanating from her.

"That 'Dear to my heart' phrase. You don't mean anything deep about it now, do you? You don't, right? Of course, you don't! There is no reason for me to start thinking about ways to snub a new love rival ! Ha-Ha! Hmm, what do you say Otto-san?"

"I-I am very sorry! I got carried away and said something without clarifying my exact meaning behind it. I promise, I promise you that me and Natsuki-san are just friends. Just friends! That is why, please let go of my shoulders. I feel like I am starting to hear a cracking sound that my shoulders should definitely not be making!"

Seemingly satisfied, Petra let go of her enemy's shoulders and also let go of the alarmed gazes upon her. And then with a change in expression that was now adorably serious, she turned towards Beatrice. "Even with how hopeless he is, what Otto is saying is completely right! All of us in this camp truly care about you, Beatrice-sama. And just as how we want to rely on you, you should also rely on us."

"-Hopeless? Eh, I am hopeless?"

"Otto-san should shut up for a bit!"

"Y-yes, Petra-sama!"

With a sigh that seemed to reflect the annoyance in her heart, she gazed at Beatrice with a warm look. "In fact whenever Subaru talks about you, he always tells others to be friendly towards you. He encouraged me to become such good friends with you."

"-We are not f-friends, I suppose!"

"He instructs Frederica-neesama about your favorite sweets. He even requests Emilia-sama to spend time with you when he can't. All of it is so that you could open up to us even more. And now, with Subaru still slumbering peacefully, it is up to us to help each other. Don't you think so?"

"-All of that is, all of that is unrelated to the current situation. That Betty deserved what she had sowed. As Subaru would say, it is 'Karma', I suppose. I am responsible for my actions and for the consequences that befit them. If that Subaru turned out like that, because of my influence, then I can accept such a conclusion."

"I believe such a worldview is too restrictive," with a gentle but confident tone, Crusch Karsten arrived at the scene. Gazing at her own knight at the edge of vision, to divert some of her words towards him, she spoke, "Everyone is responsible for their own actions and for the consequences that one must face. That innate responsibility for one's own life is something everyone must grow accustomed to. But there are always situations where one is unknowingly ignorant of what surrounds them. Situations that a person is forced into, or results that one did not create. Situations that one cannot completely control."

"What are you trying to get at, I suppose?"

"My point also relates heavily with a major problem in Natsuki Subaru. His tendency to snatch away responsibility from others, that is. He blames himself for many things that were completely out of his control ; for results that were completely out of his sight." With an expression similar to what one would display when dealing with a troublesome individual, the dutchess continued, "I am sure that the nature of his ability is also a factor in his thought process. But making mistakes and dealing with their consequences by accepting responsibility for them is a part of life. Supporting each other in that is completely fine, I believe. And I also believe that no one should simply carry other's burdens on their back."

"..."

"When Natsuki Subaru jumped off that cliff in arc 2, you quietly blamed yourself."

"Nngh! I suppose!"

"I apologize for having a pretty great ability at reading other people. But I believe that the core reason for your closeting this time around is that one instance. Am I wrong?"

With trembling eyes and a large sigh, Beatrice responded to the person who had her cornered, "After all you said, in the end the fact remains that Betty did not do anything. And so, when this if-story showed me a Subaru who was thanking me for establishing a contract with him, Betty's mind went blank. How could I even accept such gratitude?"

At the response that was surprisingly unlatched, Crush placed her palm on top of the spirit's small head, closing the distance between them. "Despite her age and maturity, she really is a kid at heart. And just like her contractor, she still does not accept responsibility for all the good she has done. " Letting her tongue savor the words on it and noticing the attention she had garnered from the rest of the room, she spoke, "I do think that the situation leading up to that event was very cursed. And I mourn that death as well. But I noticed how many individuals in this place would either blame themselves or others, but would not recognize Subaru-sama's decisions. No, recognize would be the wrong word. Respecting his actions and decisions, would be the right phrase."

"B-but Crush-sama, how could we respect and casually accept a decision that led to his death? A death that could have been prevented." With a downward spiral in his eyes, it was Felix who spoke. Drowning in despair, there was only negativity for the young man. But internally he was searching, searching for a breakout.

"Felis, all of that is spoken only in hindsight. And while we point fingers and consider what-ifs, we end up disrespecting Subaru-sama's resolution, albeit unintentionally. I myself, consider none of his struggles to be meaningless."

"I agree with Lady Crush's wise words," tapping Felis's shoulders, it was Wilhelm. He looked towards his grandson, but instead of turning away like he would usually do, he kept his gaze steady. "I don't really have a right to say this considering that I still have not taken full responsibility for what I have said and done. When my wife went to fight the whale in place of my son, I blamed him and myself. And when the result of the battle was out, I blamed my grandson. But this entire time, never have I once respected her decision. Her decision, a decision that she made of her own free will and with the pride of a swordsman." Words were spoken, words that made many widen their eyes in surprise.

Among them was Reinhard, "Honored Grandfather." With surprise and disbelief, Reinhard would have cried had it not been for his divine protection of 'no-cry'. After all, his grandfather had seemingly entered a redemption arc. Not knowing what to say or do, he simply stared back.

Taking delight at this development, Felt happily smacked her knight's back.

And another who watched with amusement was Pricilla Barielle. "Ho, so the sword demon is finally beginning to move on. Interesting."

While this was happening, Beatrice was quietly thinking about the words spoken to her. Still not fully convinced and unable to understand, she was going to retaliate with stubborn words. Fortunately, she got interrupted and engulfed by the two ladies on her side. Buried in flesh, there could be no retaliation.

"Beatrice," with a voice containing sugar, Emilia spoke first. "I know you are confused and so am I. You have no idea how to deal with all this. You want to pay for all the guilt that is consuming you and at the same time, you want to stay at Subaru's side. As much as I want to respect the path that Subaru has walked until now, it is still fairly difficult to just accept it. I can't help but think that it could have been different. That a lot of his struggles should not have happened. But I understand that this is all a part of my knight. The path that he has walked until now is very important to him. I cannot just say to him, 'This should not have happened. There is no meaning in that. Or, you should not have done that'. And I am an idiot, so I need other people to help me with the answer. People like you."

"..." Responding with silence, Beatrice let her resistance die. She could easily recognize that the half-elf was doing all of this to make her feel accompanied by others. And she could not help but fall to it. She could almost imagine her contractor's silly smile right now, as he would feel joy at this development.

"That's right, Beatrice-sama," emphasizing her hold on her, Rem entered the chat. "I have only just started to become better friends with you. As a fellow woman ensnared by Subaru-kun's charm, we have to get along."

"Hmph. I suppose."

"Despite not having any memory of the actions I took in arc 2, I naturally feel nothing but guilt about it. Rem recognizes that event as something that has happened, and not as a fabrication. But despite my desire for punishment, I still desire to stay with Subaru-kun. And you are someone who witnessed the truth presented by the screen. Someone who can aid in my repentance and aid Subaru. Rem has spoken for way too long, but what I desire to convey is that Beatrice-sama is someone needed by not just one person, but by many."

As the desire to resist had died down in the embrace of the two women, they flashed smiles of relief at each other.

And watching that with a smile of his own, was Roswall. "That lonely girl really has come a long way, huh." He recalled how it was before. How Beatrice had slowly lost her hope. Roswall knew that there was nothing he could have done for Beatrice. After all, only Beatrice herself can choose her path. Even when he let Toska in, in hope that maybe he would be able to drag her out, it did not work.

The days that he would cry for Beatrice were still fresh in his mind. The days that did not take action still caused him immense regret. But only so much could be done with regrets, as drowning them with alcohol would stop working for Roswall. And in the end, all he could wish for her was a peaceful death. That's why, seeing her find company in so many people gave him true joy. A joy that would go unnoticed by all.

"Hmmmm. Hmmmmm. Hmmm? Hmmm! Hmmm! Hmmmm?"

Unable to bear these noises, Trivey turned towards its source with a sigh. "Nee-sama, what is it? Just what are you troubled by now?"

"Ah, sorry sorry. Mimi is very troubled. She still doesn't understand why that wrathbaru would kill the spirit-sama. He even said that they are of the same kind."

"Hehe," with a giggle that garnered both their attention, Anastasia lovingly stroked both their heads. "Wrathbaru, huh. I definitely like that name and I think we should use that for this Subaru. And I think you answered your own question, Mimi."

"Huh?!" With puzzlement in her eyes, and with a tilt of her head that felt like a snap, Mimi exclaimed back.

In response, Anastasia raised one finger and acted like a teacher. "It's because they are the same kind that he came all the way there to kill her. No, he went there to put her out of her misery. I am sure you understand what 'misery' I am talking about."

"..." With a quiet nod, the answer was received.

"If his words are correct, then Wrathbaru is also suffering from the same misery and desires a release from it. But being unable to achieve that, he decided to help another in it."

"But, Anastasia-sama," cutting in, Julius waved his fingers through his hair. "I apologize for intruding without permission but isn't that contradictory? Suba….Wrathbaru escaped from the mansion to preserve his life didn't he? And then in the opening cut, he even had to dispatch Ram-san. On top of it, he appears to be guarded by one of the strongest men in the world right now. All of that evidence seems to support his desire to live. Yet at the same time, he desires to be released from life? Desiring two contradictory goals at the same time is …."

"It's fine, isn't it?" With a wave of his arm, his only arm, Al was the one who spoke out. With a jovial mood, he said, "A lot of times in life, two beliefs or desires can be true at once. Even when they contradict each. For example, a person might have the chance to escape from a place that they call hell, yet choose to suffer in it even though they hate it. Or continue to fight with the will to survive, despite their desire to die." Al spoke while recalling the time he spent on the gladiator island. Even though he once had the chance to escape from the place that he disliked, he refused to take it. Even though he did have the ability to end his life when he wanted to, he still continued to fight. Using an uncountable amount of death's just so he could survive for another fight to the death.

"Ka-ha, I get it ! I get it! You really are an old fella, huh." With a loud rumble, it was the wolfskin Ricardo who replied. "It's the kind of feeling you get when despite being free, you still end up keeping a slave colllar on you. I did that for a couple of years, until Ana-bo came along. It was a miserable experience, don't recommend it. Kahahhaha."

As Ricardo laughed his heart out at the memory, the others simply looked in exasperation.

"Is it similar to my own desire? I truly believe that compared to Subaru, I am way inferior as a knight. But despite believing that, I believe that my title of the 'Greatest Knight' isn't just for show." Despite not fully grasping it, Julius let his thoughts flow.

The screen started once again.

"There's a proverb where I used to live, something like, a drowning man will even clutch at straws."

Needless to say, the cast immediately recognized who that voice belonged to. The voice of that same person who had last been seen murdering a great spirit.

"Beatrice," intently staring at the spirit, Emilia had a confused expression on her face. And it wasn't just her, but the rest of the room were also looking at her.

"What is it, I suppose?"

"Umm, this straw thing. What is it? If a drowning man will even clutch at it, then it must be something really awesome!"

With that question having been asked, Beatrice looked around the room and basked in the attention. "It cannot be helped, I suppose. Because Beatrice is the greatest Great spirit of all time, I shall teach you people!"

As that statement received a round of applause, the greatest Great spirit of all time readied herself. Taking a deep breath, she let out her words.

"...Don't goddamn know, I suppose!"

"E-ehhhh?!"

"What do you think of Betty, huh? You think she is some encyclopedia which can be conveniently used. Do you think Subaru has, in this one year, told me everything and anything about his world? Hell no!"

"Eh?"

"Betty only knows a few words and maybe a few stories. Not the entire history of his world! And do you honestly think that the little information I know is just conveniently going to appear on this screen? And then I will give you some detailed and fun explanation about it? Betty has grown completely tired of this trope. This 'lets-use-Beatrice-as-a-dictionary-trope'."

"I..we are sorr-"

"Tch! Don't need your apologies. Betty cannot fill the void in your guys' characters with my knowledge. First go and get some character development, I suppose."

As the mood had literally collapsed, a hand popped into vision. The hand of a person with only one arm.

"Me too! Me too!" Raising his arm with joy, one could almost imagine a rebellious expression on Al's face. "I protest as well. I am also tired of the 'use-Al-as-a-encyclopedia-if-need-be-trope'. And hell, haven't I ever explained that I have a form of amnesia. I don't even remember most of my life! Ha-ha!"

As the two individuals protested and an awkward silence fell in the theater, there was only one individual who was completely uninterested by it. That person had the back of his hand under his chin and had the most serious expression ever.

"A drowning man will even clutch at straws." Savoring those words, he memorized it at the forefront of his mind and gave gratitude to his 'Captain'. Yes, that person was Garfiel. Spreading his arms wide, he acted as if he had been given the grace of god himself.

And to this, three people facepalmed simultaneously. It was Petra, Frederica and Otto, who would await the day that Garfiel uses that proverb in a completely out-of-place situation.

A man seemed to be listening to the voice. With his face almost touching the carpet, the man was breathing in a way as if he had sprinted over a long distance. With his heart beating with fear, the old man was on his knees.

Showing the signs of an experienced and successful person, he was now in front of an opponent who was the same age as his grandchildren.

"Straw, do you know what's that? Maybe there is straw like what I am thinking of here… Like wheat, something like that. The one in the water is so desperate, that even knowing how useless it is, they will grab at it with all their might."

"..."

"To put it plainly, dying humans will desperately try to survive no matter what, that's the meaning of the proverb. It's different from using brute force in case of a fire. They're still thinking of turning their fortune, but to grasp at straws is a stupid idea."

"Huh, considering this is coming from Barusu, it is a surprisingly good quote," with a smug tone, it was Ram who gave that compliment. Yes, Ram. The character who had been neglected for a very long time. To be blunt, the author almost forgot she even existed. Hearing that nostalgic voice and that playful spite, others expressed smiles of relief at that resurrection.

"Of course it is, Ram," with pride in her words, Emilia shook one finger from side to side. "Subaru always utters some awesome sounding words. Of course, I don't understand even half of them!" With her head held high, she pronounced that half-hearted compliment.

At that, Ram could not help but sigh in pity.

"It is because it is hard to grasp, that it is awesome!" Of course, it was only Garfiel who completely understood the greatness of his Captain's quotes and difficulty in understanding them.

Clearing his throat, Wilhelm nodded deeply and said, "Putting aside whether it is cool or not, I do believe it is fairly accurate. Having seen and experienced many battles, I have witnessed this human nature many times. It is a natural part of being a human. And considering that I myself have been put close to death on multiple occasions, I understand the desperation one feels. But I disagree with the sentiment that grasping at 'straws' is a stupid idea."

"How so, Honored G-grandfather?" With nervousness, Reinhard asked. Of course, everyone could feel the sentiment behind his words and supported his attempts of getting close to his family.

One such person, Felt said, "Well considering your ridiculous strength, I am sure you have never experienced a 'do-or-die' situation."

Without hesitation and recognizing his own strength, he replied instantly with a nod. But then looking at everybody in the room, he felt a weird sense of alienation. Feeling as if he was being left out of something grand, he stated, "I am very sorry for not having experienced a deathly event in this day and age."

"Why are you apologizing?! And don't say it as if its some kind of a new trend!"

"Ahem," with a fake cough, Wilhelm brought the drifting conversation back to track. "The reason why I disagreed is that it's usually the cornered opponents in a battlefield that are the most dangerous. By utilizing something ,which from a logical perspective is nothing but a hollow straw, they can end up making a comeback of sorts. And by underestimating that piece of straw, the one in an advantageous position can easily lose."

"Ah, a situation where one goes, 'Ha, what's that going to do?' and then end up losing at the end. I get that." Agreeing with the experienced swordsman was the experienced warrior, Al.

"Well that sentence coming from Natsuki-san is fairly ironic." With deep interest, Otto continued, "In that mansion filled with despair, he was in a very cornered position. One could use his own words and call him a drowning man. And not knowing what to do, that drowning person had reached out blindly. To him who did not know of Beatrice-sama's actual strength, it must have been the same as grasping onto a straw. Of course, that attempt is what allowed him to be 'saved'."

Of course the moment Otto had said Beatrice's name, a cold glare from a certain spirit was set on him. "Are you trying to imply that Beatrice's help is as unreliable as a straw, I suppose?!"

Letting out a girlish shriek, Otto hid behind Garfiel. And witnessing that reaction, Beatrice just sighed and muttered, "Maybe I'll try and feed him to Patrash later."

The man was intently listening to every word. He was doing this not out of interest but out of fear.

The screen displayed the source of that fear. Rumors, rumors that had piled upon each other. Rumors that spoke of the one called the Purge king. A title bestowed on him due to his actions, success and his ability of evaluation.

With incredible force, he expanded his organization, known as the Pleiades. All those who opposed him, their families and anyone related to them would be hunted and made an example of.

Right now the old man was in the headquarters, placed in the shadow of the four nations for the purpose of controlling the underworld society.

At this information, all of the cast displayed varying degrees of surprise.

"An underworld leader," quietly gasped Emilia. Having studied from various books, Emilia had eventually learned about the city of Ganak and its violent underworld. So she knew that this 'Pleiades' organization was a, "A criminal organization. And the rumor says that it even makes an example out of entire families. B-but, it's all just a rumor right? I mean, we are talking about Subaru here…." Of course, Emilia was in disbelief. Emilia, who was excessively kind and naive in many ways, could never tolerate such villainy.

"Yes! It's Subaru, after all. There is no way he would take such unreasonable measures," with confidence and naivety, Petra proclaimed.

"It is Subaru, after all," repeating those words, Anastasia directed attention towards her. "Saying that, aren't you guys just turning yourself away from reality? Ah, I am not being malicious here or anything."

Hearing those words, Julius turned towards her and questioned, "With all due respect, Anastasia-sama. Do you really believe that Subaru is exactly the same as these rumors suggest him to be? Considering his character, I find it to be far- fetched."

"Hmm, I know that many of you have been inspired by Natsuki Subaru in some way or another. You see him as an ideal, a figure you can strive for in good conscience. In a way, we might have all formed an ideal version of him in our minds. And so when that kind figure falters, your own heart falters as well."

"..." With silence, Julius and the others carefully let in those words. Because of Julius's recent inferiority complex towards Subaru, he had ended up developing an aspiration of sorts. And so when that same 'knight' was being treated with such rumors, he was bound to feel disbelief. But, the ring of reality is always present.

"But in reality, things are much more convoluted. With just the smallest of triggers, a person can change for the better or for the worse. We have seen many of the situations that have led to the development of his character. But there is always a chance that something could change him for the worse. The viewing this time is showing us exactly that."

"But Anastasia-sama, these are just based on rumors, right?" Though Julius, Emilia and some others let those words settle inside them, Petra could not. Throughout the show that came before this, Petra had witnessed the brutal acts of violence carried out by individuals who she thought were incapable of it. Of course, now she has grown to trust those same individuals. But the shock to her system still remained.

"If those were only rumors then why would that old man act the way he is doing right now? Petra-chan is a fairly clever person, so tell me what he is feeling?" Placing a small smile on her lips, Anastasia asked her delicately.

"Um, he is scared. Scared of being there, scared of Subaru…"

"Yep, he is trembling and his entire posture suggests a complete suggestion. Considering I have many years of experience, I can safely say that that is not a negotiation or a discussion. I am sure you get it by now."

Suddenly a loud clap was heard. Looking towards its source, they spotted Priscilla who appeared to have reached some kind of a conclusion.

"So the pitiful brat is still drowning…"

Seeing that she appeared to have no intent to explain, they just ignored her for now.

The screen started to show the surrounding area.

Luxurious paintings, extravagant decorations and expensive items were on full display in the reception hall.

At this sight, the already surprised eyes were widened even more. All of the audience were in complete awe at the sheer display before them. And the fact that this was only a fraction of the total wealth was astounding.

"Just how much would all of this be worth," Anastasia muttered under her breath. This time it was her turn to be in absolute disbelief. "I know that because of his knowledge, power and his own talent he would be a shining treasure. One capable of great potential and money. But to achieve this much in just two years is more than what I could do in 20." Right now, she was filled with jealousy and greed. A truly brutal mixture. Having spent a multitude of years engaging in and perfecting her craft, she still had not achieved the wealth that she desired.

And to see a young man achieve all of this in just two years, made her feel a pang of envy. Desiring to achieve a similar sight in her life, she was also filled with despair at her potential inability to do so. With her lifespan as short as it was, there was a chance that her hand would be too short to grasp.

More than anything, "If this is just the result of two years, then what about 10? What would happen if he were to continue expanding for a longer period?"

The screen displayed even more.

The purge king sat on his lavish throne , a rightful treasure that was situated at the back of the room. This dazzling setup was very clearly displaying the king's power.

At the sight of Subaru, many whistled and others gasped in awe. Some of the little ones, such as Petra, Mimi and Trivey had whirls in their eyes at the never-before-seen wealth.

"Hot damn!" With the eyeballs behind his helmet almost popping out in surprise, Al exclaimed. "I mean this is honestly just plain badass. Pal is looking cool as hell on that throne. This gives me a whole 'The Mafia Boss' type of feeling."

"Yeah, this is making my heart all fired up," added Ricardo. "I know he is an underworld boss and must be engaging in some shady deals, but you gotta admit that this is awesome."

"Hell Yeah! Captain! Captain! Captain!" Firing off on all cylinders, was Garfiel. Raising his hands in a victory pose, he had bright twinkles in his eyes. "I know that this is not my amazing self's Captain, but still I gotta say, 'As expected of Captain!'"

"To think that I would ever see the day that Natsuki-san is sitting on a throne," patting his hat, Otto sighed in admiration and surprise.

Most of the male group expressed respect and admiration. As kids, many of them had even fantasized about becoming a king. Most of the female group however, had other reactions.

"Is onii-chan really alright?" With concern and care in her voice, Felt expressed her question. "He looks like he has not been eating at all. Is he even sleeping at the very least?"

"Subaru-kun has such a huge position. Is he able to handle it well? Wouldn't he be drowning in stress?" Such words came from Rem.

"Considering that Subaru-sama is a criminal leader, I would never serve him. But as a maid, it pains my heart to see him in that physical condition," added Frederica.

Rubbing her eyes, Petra looked once again at the screen. For her, the only experience she had with enormous wealth was her time in the Roswall mansions. But considering that this was incomparable to that, she wondered in shock how one organization could gain this much in such a short time.

The display of power did not stop. Lining the walls were dozens of experienced and renowned men, top mercenaries and soldiers. And at the left and right side of the throne were the two absolute existences.

The admirer, Halibel and the blue lightning, Cecilus Segmunt.

"The sheer amount of money that must have been required to hire all of these individuals is absolutely incredulous. The financial power is easily comparable to that of a nation's. And though the military might is small in number, the two individuals at his side are easily making up for it. So this is the king, Natsuki Subaru's power. " Carefully analyzing the cards possessed by Subaru, it was Crusch who commented. "As an enemy, they would be an impossible nightmare to deal with."

"Indeed, it is a blatant display of power and quite an enigmatic sight," Reinhard said with a smile of curiosity. "The only sights comparable to this would be the royal palaces of Vollachia and Lugunica. Of course, because of their history, prestige and national power, they are on a higher level. But to build all of this in two years is probably a new record."

"Comparable to that of a small kingdom then," added Julius. "With two of the strongest warriors by his side, it is no wonder that his expansion went uncontested and that the Great spirit Puck cooperated with him. Though I do wonder why he would make such a huge setup and why did he choose the underworld society to do it?"

"Nya," with a fake cat sound, Ferris prodded his two fellow knights. "But speaking of Vollachia, don't you think it is strange?"

"Strange, except for you?" Looking at Ferris, it was Felt who inspected him.

"Nya!"

"Sorry, sorry. Do go on."

"Ferris is talking about Cecilus-kun. From my impression of him, I would say that he is absolutely loyal to the Empire and its reigning Emperor. Would that person really change his loyalties that easily?"

"No, it's fairly impossible." The one to answer him was the Crimson princess, Priscilla. "That dog would not wail its tail for another master. His loyalty to Vincent is high and Vincent's hold on him is also high. It would be foolish to conclude that just by guessing his goal correctly and offering him a way to achieve it, he would offer his loyalty to the brat."

"Hmm, so the Emperor is most likely being opportunistic here," with her eyes shining in interest, Anastasia looked towards Priscillia with a sly smirk. "You sure do know a lot about it, huh. To even know and casually reveal information on the nature of their relationship, just who were you before joining the election?"

"I have no obligation to tell that to a commoner."

Hearing that conversation, Al facepalmed his helmet. "I had forgotten but, no one here knows that Princess is the little sister of the current Emperor. For them, she is just a person selected by her previous husband as the candidate and has Vollachian origins. Considering that in the election is Vollachia, all siblings except one are not allowed to survive, it would be a huge shock if someone were to find out that Princess holds the eligibility for the Vollachian throne."

Looking at the display before him, Roswall had a smile of acknowledgement on his face. Now he knew full well why his counterpart reacted the way he did. Infact, he would praise WrathBaru for how far he had come in just two years. "Very good, Subaru-kun. But, I am certain that the reason you have gone this far is because of what happened in the mansion. Maybe you have understood my philosophy, that everyone is endlessly weak and that this weakness is caused by our emotions. In this case, I guess you are believing in betrayal and distrust."

Purge king: "Sigrum-san?"

"..."

At the moment his name was called, Sigrum froze in place. With his chin on his arm, the purge king looked at him with dark eyes. With his smile gone, he evaluated him.

Trying to create an excuse, he panted and shivered.

"The environment has become really cold, huh," rubbing his arms, Trivey muttered.

Nodding, his sister added, "Yeah, if that guy says something wrong, his life might be forfeit. Not only that, looking at the king's eyes makes me feel very uneasy."

Many individuals agreed with that sentiment and uneasily rubbed their chest.

At Sigrum's lack of response, Subaru shrank his shoulders.

"Ahh, for making you bored, I apologize. Having my stories get off topic is a bad habit of mine since long ago, and if I talk in this roundabout way we might never get to the point."

"Yes, that really is a bad habit of Subaru." With a relieved smile due to the tension dissipating, Emilia looked fondly. "Intentionally and unintentionally, he really does love to divert the conversation."

"Must have learned from his parents, I suppose," added Beatrice.

Sigrum: "I-I am fine..that is,..."

Purge king: "I'm talking"

With a finger of his right hand held to his lips, the king pointed at him with his left.

A loud gulp went throughout the theater as many watched in suspense.

"And the mood has changed once again," said Crusch. "Subaru-sama must have assimilated well with his role as a king. All of his mannerisms, his way of talking and his posture seem to help in throwing off the other party. And right now, he seems to react in a way as one would do with a lower subordinate. But something feels off. An emotion, present clearly in his eyes that I can't quite put a finger on."

"Yeah," said Anastasia. "From his previous words, he very clearly is conveying respect to the other party. But he is not shying away from showing that he holds the power here."

"Well, this really is nothing close to a negotiation," added Wilhelm.

"I don't like seeing Subaru like this," said Petra while shivering in fear. She clutched onto Frederica and spoke, "He feels like another existence altogether. Someone far out of reach."

A silence that felt like eternity passed.

"..Sorry. I didn't mean to threaten you. It's just that, these two people here, and these others present all follow me because I hired them, but that's not your case is it? So, then, how should I say it….I acted in a manner I am used to, sorry."

"..."

With a quiet tone that conveyed respect, the purge king gave his apology. His tone did not show his hidden intentions to those who listened. His terrified eyes were lacking in confidence, yet that narrowed gaze peered at inner thoughts, the entirety of his nerves focusing on the other party's moves.

Those dark eyes asked only one question.

-Are you my friend, or my enemy, I wonder.

"Huh, so he is afraid," tilting her head to the side, Felt spoke out. "But doesn't that feel very off given the current situation. He literally has the other person's life in his hands and is surrounded by powerful individuals. On top of that, that old man is on his turf. Why the hell is he afraid of an old man who is currently trembling in fear?"

"Maybe he is so over-cautious that it has turned into morbid fear. Pal could be considering that one-in-a-billion chance where that old man could hurt him somehow. And so, he is treating him as a potential threat," Al made that assumption.

"If that is the case, then this cannot be just called paranoia," Anastasia spoke. "It is more like a curse that the purge king is afflicted with. But putting that aside, his ability to observe the other party to such an extent is worthy of praise. Not underestimating him and not giving him any advantage, it is a valuable trade indeed."

"Barusu," Ram muttered that initially. Having paid close attention to wrathbaru, the clever had already started to discern the reason for his fear. "Are you still haunted by what happened in the mansion?"

Sigrum desired to assert that he was not an enemy, but having been silenced before, he did not desire to raise the King's ire.

His fear led him to silence. The organization was frightening to him, and it had reached the core of the underworld. He had tried to avoid this incurable illness, but ultimately, he was not able to. And so he had come here, to offer complete submission.

But he had realized how naive his determination had been. Panting in search of oxygen, he was drowning in that cursefull gaze.

His opponent was drowning in his own curse, with fear ruling his heart and doubt gnawing away at him. He himself had the strongest fear within him, fear of others. And with this curse, he would eat away at others.

Purge king: "So, um..so, the straw story. A story of desperately trying to survive…hm, it's understandable. Sigrum-san came to our place to talk to us, to try and make sense of this idea."

Sigrum: "..."

Purge king: "I'm fond of reasonable people. People who are willing to talk are much more trustworthy than those who just punch you in the face. I don't know what sort of nefarious rumors you have heard of us, but I want to request you to not judge us according to those…I prefer to avoid making waves if possible."

"So it was wonderfully connected with that straw story in the beginning," with a deep nod, Priscilla admired his setup. "The old man who was trying to survive, had no choice but to submit. That was him drowning and subsequently grasping onto a 'straw'. What is ironic is that the person who has put him in such a predicament is also drowning in his own fear. And how he judges this old man would probably be his way of grasping onto a straw."

Agreeing with the princess, Al also said, "This Wrathpal is filled with a lot of contradictions. He said he wants to avoid making waves but, if that was the case he did not need to make this enormous organization. Isn't he just attracting more attention towards himself? And all of those blatant displays of wealth are bound to get others envious. Plus he also went and murdered the Margrave over there. This is not going to end well."

The purge king yielded the turn to speak by gesturing with his left hand.

Sigrum: "Ah"

With silence, the purge king led Sigrum onwards.

"Sigrum-san?"

"No…thing…My apologies. In what regards my side, it is as stated in the offer sent by letter. I wish for good relations with all members of your organization, from now on and for a long time."

Without expressing too much humility, Sigrum expressed his position. The purge king narrowed his eyes and after mulling it over, he smiled. Having surprised him with that smiling expression, he gave a deep nod and said,

"Let's have a nice partnership , Sigrum-san. The details will be discussed with the person in charge later on..This was the best and wisest choice for you."

"Ah."

"Please continue to treat our association favorably from here after."

With his hand raised, he concluded the meeting. Sirgrum slowly lifted his body. Because of him having grown stiff, his posture briefly stumbled, but enduring it with difficulty he let out a long breath.

Sigrum: "Thank you very much. From now on, this side will display favor towards you."

Purge King: "Hmm"

Concealing the numbness of his tongue, he bowed to the king and turned back. A strong sense of relief and achievement was blowing like a storm within him. With lightened footsteps, the faces of his family members waiting for him to return home rose in his head one-by-one.

Somehow his wish had been granted.

An audible breath of relief was felt in the theater as many celebrated the survival of the old man.

"For him, it must have been the same as having survived from a wild predator," said Otto as his tense body collapsed on the chair.

"Even if he is an underworld boss, Captain ain't unreasonable after all. Seems like the rumors were exaggerated," rubbing his nose, Garfiel roared with glee.

"Thank god," with a bright smile, Emilia expressed her relief. "That person can now go back to his family. Oh look, he has such cute grandchildren!"

Suddenly a noise was heard.

Sigrum: "...?"

A faint sound came from behind him. The sound of a coin hitting the floor.

"Tails"

One short word. And then-

What was that. Faster than Sigrum could understand-

His view tilted, becoming even with the floor. The carpet had suddenly grown closer, and that was the last he felt.

Loud gasps of shock and confusion resounded in the room. The ones with praiseworthy eyes recognized the situation with incredible speed and tried to gain an understanding of the reason behind it. Others looked around in befuddlement.

"What the-what just happened?! It was all fine and then the old man just collapsed," Felt screamed out first. "The way it all happened….so suddenly, is that old man d-dead?"

"Huh, No! There is no way. He must have c-collapsed due to p-physical exhaustion or something! Yes, that must be the case…" Naively, Petra tried to deny the reality before her.

But, "Unfortunately, he has been perfectly executed." The one who attempted to splash water on those individuals was Roswall. Knowing full well that he hasn't had too much dialogue at all, he attempted to make up for it now. "The way that entire scene has been executed, clearly implies that it must have been Cecilus-kun who did it. With that speed and skill it would be a piece of cake."

"T-Then, he must have acted on his own," clenching her fists tightly, it was Emilia. At the thought of that old man's poor family, her heart drowned in sorrow. Something like that was intolerable for Emilia.

"He said 'Tails'."

"-Huh?"

"A coin was very clearly flipped and it landed on tails. The one who spoke that result was the purge king. And do you really believe that any of those subordinates there, much less Cecilus-kun, would act out of order. It was a clean decapitation order by Subaru-kun." At that conclusion, Emilia went silent.

"That is insanity!" This time it was Otto's turn to complain. "I mean he is a 'underworld' boss, so I was expecting some unreasonable activities, but even for them this is going too far. There was no reason for that murder. There were no signs that Sigrum-san was lying and he had no reason to lie. It was an unreasonable decision based on extreme paranoia. As expected, I can't help but feel furious.."

"Shit, Captain. I wasn't expecting this…" With Garfiel's comment, everyone went silent. After a few minutes that felt like an eternity, the first to speak up was Crusch.

"It appears the final test for Sigrum-san was luck," with one finger raised, she spoke. Crusch was unmistakably angry at such a tyrannical way of doing things. She had already made the clean distinction between the Natsuki Subaru she knew, and the Purge king. And thus, the ever-noble Crusch found no reason to hold back her indignation. "With an unreasonable flip of a coin, he let luck decide whether that person was lying to him or not. And then, to not risk another enemy, he quickly eliminated him. It was a downright insane judgment that was not supported by any evidence. More than anything, it is a foolish and contradictory decision. By acting the way that 'king' is doing right now, he is going to endlessly create more enemies. Whatever his reasons are, it cannot justify such a cold-blooded murder." One of the factors that caused Crusch frustration was the fact that he was sitting at the position of a king. Her deep feelings and ideologies towards leaders of the world was driving her forward.

The one most affected by Crush's comment was Rem. Putting her head down, she recalled her actions in arc 2. The actions that still haunt her to this day.

If Natsuki Subaru's miasma and his suspicious actions could be considered as evidence, then there was not enough of it. Sure, considering that witch cultists could always have some weird trick up their sleeves, her acting in haste might have been the correct decision. But the fact remains that her reason for doing so was driven by her paranoid suspicion and her endless hatred. She wasn't a judge who carefully considered evidence on both sides of an argument, and then made a proper decision. She had not been ordered by her employer or by her sister. And Rem hadn't even been developed mentally, gained enough experience and associated with more people, to be able to confidently declare someone a criminal. She was nothing but a young adult, one that only believed in her own way of living and did not consider any other.

In a manner that was even worse than her's, this 'purge king' functioned with crippling doubt. He did not need evidence for anything. Just a hunch, or in this case a flip of a coin was more than enough to take a life. Driven by endless hate and by paranoid suspicion, he continued to eliminate and make more enemies. It wasn't lost to Rem, that the ones who created such a monster, was she and her sister.

"Its ironic how Natsuki-san, one who had been through unreasonable situations, is now the one forcing them on others," Anastasia spoke while rubbing her scarf. "I am surprised that his men even follow him, is what I would have said. But he must have already taken actions to gain leverage over them. With that financial and violent manpower, his knowledge and power, and his way of functioning, he is clearly a great threat. I am sure that one of the great nations, if not more, would soon move against him. I am already betting that it would be Lugunica. They already have lost their 'Margrave-san' and have to exact their 'justice'."

"Justice, what a joke," snorting away, Felt spoke. "At their surface they will chant, 'Its for Justice' and thoroughly use their strongest 'weapon' aka Reinhard. But at their core, they would probably move to reclaim the prestige they lost when one of their own was so easily murdered. I don't really disagree with them that much. Even I would feel humiliated if one of my own people were murdered. But calling it justice is just propaganda. After all, there is no Justice for that old man, much less for the family he left behind."

"Well, putting aside the justice part, I definitely agree that he is a threat that must be eliminated," spoke Crusch. Though she had wanted to give a proper reply to Felt regarding the Kingdom's justice, she quickly recalled the situation with Fourier and stopped. Despite the fact that the entire royal family was dying at that time, the Kingdom's officials were more concerned about the covenant with the dragon. They were more concerned with preservation of the present order, rather than honor and prestige. The covenant that had given the Kingdom a large part of its identity had turned into a curse. Worshiping the Dragon as their deity, they refused change. And she was also aware of the existence of the six tongues, a shadow organization created to reserve the kingdom's internal peace. Needless to say, their actions were far from 'Justice'. Though she understood the necessity of some of these decisions, she still looked down on this way of doing things.

"The fact that the kingdom has not done anything in two years, is a shame in itself," spoke Julius.

"Well, I am sure that places like Kararagi and Vollachia would find his knowledge to be valuable," Felix spoke. "If that is how Subaru-kyun gained his immense wealth, then there would be more merit in keeping him alive."

"It seems my assessment of his eyes was correct," Wilhelm spoke in a disappointed tone.

Watching over the conversation, Al was completely silent. But inside, "Tch, sitting in their comfortable positions and freely judging others. Do they think that they are the perfect embodiment of 'good' or something? Do they have any idea about how many people die in the coliseums, all for the sake of other people's entertainment. There is no justice there. Everyone does whatever it takes to survive, that is all. Pal is doing the same, in his own twisted way. Nah, don't get me wrong. I don't support this Pal at all. But I don't have any right to judge him. I have my condolences for all his victims and I believe that only they have the right to judge him, not these guys."

Threat. Threat. Threat.

This convenient proposition that was nothing but a facade, spread through the cast. "It's necessary. He is a threat, so it is necessary." Thoughts like those, rumbled through many. Others such as the members of the Emilia camp, looked around in alarm. But-

"Ha-ha…..Ha ha ha!" A loud, unashamed laughter spread through the place. With eyes flashing on that Princess, Priscilla smirked with amusement.

"It truly is incredibly amusing, seeing fools speak among themselves that is." Of course, those words definitely brought upon some hostile gazes but she just took it in stride. "All of us here, including me, have something in common."

With shivers running up her spine, Felt asked in disgust, "No, no. I definitely don't think so. But do go on."

"Throughout this entire viewing, we have been observing, analyzing and judging the person known as Natsuki Subaru. Judging each of his actions based on our own sense of values. If an action doesn't suit our own standards, then we condemn it. If it does or if it goes beyond it, then we commend it. Don't you agree, slum girl?"

"...Tch, yeah we have been doing that. But it does not relate to this situation, does it?"

"Ku-huh. As expected from your small brain."

"What was that?!"

"This time you evaluated him as a threat that must be eliminated. But that is nothing but a facade!" Suddenly a surge of anger, similar to a burning flame, originated from Priscilla. Ignoring the surprise on others, she continued, "I honestly don't mind your hypocritical judgements. I have seen more than I could even point out. And I myself have done it. But I loathe how you all are so brazenly lying through your teeth. Using a delusion to cover up your true feelings is just pathetic. It is not because he is a threat that you are condemning him. If it was just based on that, then there are many other individuals here in this room that fit the criteria." While saying that she pointed at Emilia, Reinhard, Ram, Roswall and Petra. Hm? Petra?

"The reason is simple. You want to end him. You want to kill him. You want to bring him to justice because for whatever reason, you think you are worthy to do so."

"..."
"You cannot bear to see him like this. You are angry and disappointed at him. But because you have grown to care for him, you cover up the predicament in your own heart by calling him a threat. Praising someone when they do something good and belittling them when they do something bad is pretty common. Taking a stance where you support someone should they continue on a righteous path and abandoning them when they stray off it, is wise."

"..."
"And if that is the case, then no need to pretend to be different. State your conditional love freely. But don't pretend to care for him more than you actually do, fools."

With those merciless words, those who had been in the 'he-is-threat' stance, went into silence. Meanwhile others like Emilia, Rem and Al, who disliked Wrathbaru's actions, but still cared for him and his well-being, watched with cautiousness.

"Now, now, now," with an awkward smile, Otto addressed everyone. "Let's not forget that this is an if-story. At its core, it is nothing but an impossible reality. If we start considering the possibility that our Natsuki-san could turn out like that, then that might also apply to everyone in this room. Like what if Reinhard-sama were to suddenly snap and go insane."

"Ah do not worry, I have a divine protection that completely negates insanity," Reinhard cheerfully announced. "No one! I repeat, NO ONE ASKED!" Felt, yelled at him.

"Ahem, well my main point is that we should constantly maintain a distinction between Wrathbaru and Natsuki Subaru. Forgetting that, would be truly foolish."

Halibel: "..."

Gazing with narrowed eyes, Halibel was observing the man's decapitated body.

Brilliant handiwork.

"Truly brilliant," said Wilhelm as he observed the body in a similar manner. "The sword skill that Cecilus-san possesses is truly wondrous. Reinhard, you have had a bout with him right?"

"Yes, Honored Grandfather. But as mentioned before, I do not wish to share the results of that dual as it would sully both of our wishes. Though considering his personality, I am uncertain whether he has kept his side of the promise," he replied with a wry smile.

"Hm, then how about this as a question. You have observed my skill many times in the past, and so, how high would his 'level' be, compared to mine?"

"Um, I am unsure of how to answer this question," Reinhard mumbled. His intention was clear. He did not want to raise the ire of his grandfather by saying something intolerable.

Scratching his head, Wilhelm clearly understood that sentiment. "Well, for the honor of the sword demon, you would want to give an honest answer, right?"

Nodding, Reinhard gave his evaluation, "His skill with the sword would be similar to yours when you were at your prime, Grandfather. But his speed is on a completely different level. And though you have a large amount of experience, out of everyone I have ever met, I believe that Cecilus Segmunt has killed the most people in this world. Each of his blows are deadly, but his killing intent is almost imperceptible."

Sighing at that information, Wilhelm spoke, "I guess I really have grown old. It wouldn't be long before I have to retire. Well, um, Reinhard. You see, we have not really associated that much in a while but, uh, would yo…."

"...?"

"One day, would you like to practise some sword skills with me? I am certain that this old man would be able to impart some new techniques."

"...! Yes. Yes! I would love to, Ojii-sama."

The limbs of his corpse had not jerked, and its head was still unaware of its demise. It was an artfully created corpse that had only lost its life and nothing more.

"Hm, that shinobi-kun is called the admirer isn't he?" With an inquisitive tone, Mimi spoke. "I was wondering about what exactly he admires. But could it actually be that he admires the state of dead bodies?!"

"N-Nee-sama, that would be too ridiculous," with complete doubt, Trivey spoke against her.

"No, but we already have previous examples don't we? Like the bowel hunter for example. Or even this 'Purge King". Or the 'Lolimancer'. Or the 'blue lightning' . So it would not be that strange, would it?"

"Have you ever considered that he could be admiring something else entirely? Like alcohol, or kiseru pipes."

"I mean, that would not be cool at all. That is all!" With a joyful voice, Mimi expressed her logic. And with a sigh, her brother gave up.

Meanwhile Petra-chan was shivering in fear. "Because of Mimi-san, I now have a very scary image of that Halibel person. No well, when he casually stopped Beatrice-chan, I was already scared though." For some reason, she could imagine a very clear image of Halibel dancing at a party. But his partner is a dead corpse and everyone around him thinks that he has an eye for beauty.

Listening to that conversation, Ricardo facepalmed. "I feel like the pride of us Wolf-humans has been degraded even further. I want to cry."

But he did not indulge in a hobby of judging corpses.

Purge King: "Oh, ueh…kh"

Watching the corpse, the king on his throne closely held his mouth closed.

He had seen the moment of a corpse being made many times, but because his temperament was sensitive, he showed no signs of getting used to it.

"So he has not gotten used to that sight yet," said Julius. "Well a person does not get familiar with it that easily. But even knowing that, he still creates more corpses. That is yet another contradiction."

"Maybe he can't help it," Roswall said with his usual way of talking. Though Julius still held resentment towards the respected Margrave, he chose to listen anyway.

"It appears that for Wrathbaru, murder has turned into a solution. A solution for his distrust of others. With the doubt in his heart, he cannot give anyone a chance to gain his trust. He cannot believe in them. And so he kills them. If they are dead, then they can't hurt him. At this point it would have turned into a habit. A habit that has thoroughly corrupted his mind. A habit that leads his entire life."

"Murder becomes a habit, huh. I thank you for your words." At Julius's gratitude, Roswall raised one eye in surprise. It appeared that, despite his feelings Julius still wished to carry himself as a knight. Not letting his emotions gain over him, he gave the Margrave a meaningless recognition.

Cecilus: "Acting like that towards the dead, isn't it insulting after giving these orders? I wouldn't ask for you to become used to corpses, but maybe you should at least aspire to avoid creating them, how about that?"

"I'm not killing for enjoyment as well..I'm not. I'm unable to look straight at such a scene, but I'm present anyways. It's the least I can do."

"That's being deceitful"

"It sure is. But I'm sure that he is aware of that," said Anastasia.

Anastasia and Crusch had already digested Priscilla's words. They knew full well, that they were being deceitful. At the end of the day, they cared about the Natsuki Subaru in this theater. They would be more than willing to aid him and his friends. But they held their own goals and their closest companions as a priority. Crusch in particular did hold a degree of affection for Subaru and had a great debt to him. But she did not desire to pursue it at this point. With her memories returned, she strongly desired the position of King.

Anastasia only wanted a certain partnership with Natsuki Subaru. Together, she wanted to give life to the otherworldly inventions and knowledge that he possessed. And to translate all the various texts left behind by Hoshin. She wanted to leave behind a legacy. Of course, she would not force him and would give more than equal compensation.

Both of them had made a clear distinction between Wrathbaru and the Subaru they knew. Regardless of their feelings towards Wrathbaru, they held no doubt towards the current Subaru. After watching his journey, they had no reason to do so.

But the key word was 'future possibility'. Is there a chance that in the future, something might cause Natsuki Subaru to become distorted? Someone different from who he is today?

That chance was causing a fear of the future. Because if they were to become enemies with Natsuki Subaru then their opening would be very narrow. Now that they knew of his power, the optimal way to win would be to incapacitate him before he could activate it. Capturing him, not allowing him to die by any means and maybe even sealing him, would be the way. That is, if Satella or anyone else did not interfere. But one mishap, one mistake, would be all it takes for their downfall. And that thought, the thought that they were powerless, had scared them.

More than anything, their hearts hurt at such a possibility.

But maybe this passive method is the problem.

" " Staying closer to him and making sure that he does not fall to a path of darkness, would be a better choice than being constantly afraid of the future."" With great synchronicity, Crusch and Anastasia had this thought at the same time.

His employer held a handkerchief in front of his mouth, fighting off nausea, but his colleague's words held no absolution for him. That his employer did not get enraged by this, was proof that he knew his actions were deceptive.

While looking at that young man's face which had grown as pale as a corpse, Cecilus continued with an offhand, 'Anyhow'.

"I'm more so astonished at that contradiction of yours, boss. The conversation ended so peacefully, to give a sudden order to kill is quite surprising even for you." While speaking as such, Cecilus with dissatisfaction puffed up his cheeks. It was an inappropriate gesture coming from a man in his twenties, but because of the immaturity of his mind, it fit him greatly.

His human beauty and his regular conduct was what was allowing this behavior.

To Cecilus's point, the boy contorted his cheeks.

"And I did tell you, I didn't want to have him killed. Like I told him, I wanted to believe it. It didn't look like he was lying or anything either."

"Then, why?"

"Even if it does not seem like they are lying, liars are going to lie, after all."

The boy bit on his lip as Cecilus gazed on him with curiosity.

In that horribly dry way of life, an unshakable strong will could be felt.

His two subordinates were both unknowing of what happened in his past, but a situation must have caused him to adopt this belief.

Something close to a situation, where a person close to him had hidden away the doubt within their heart, all the while smiling, then spewing hatred and murderous intent with the very same fingers and lips that had been kind to him.

That would have taught this boy.

"First cut the buds, then break apart the branches. I'll never be fooled twice."

"Well, that perfectly described the exact trigger that changed Subaru-kun," with melancholy in her heart, Rem put her head down. To her relief, she felt two palms on her head, belonging to Beatrice and Emilia respectively.

"Our actions affected Barusu even more than I had previously thought," looking at that will, present in his eyes, Ram felt a tremble throughout her soul. It reminded her of Roswall. Though her master held his own way of living that was nothing but a curse, his will to follow through was strong. Despite knowing that his methods would corrupt him, he had continued anyway. But if the ability to change and adapt was the real 'strength', then both Roswall and Wrathbaru remained stubbornly weak.

"Of course it did," yelled Felt. "At the end of the day, Onii-chan was an immature kid who had led a relatively safe life. He isn't from the slums, where you had to learn not to trust others in order to survive. He isn't from Vollachia, where the strong prey on the weak. He isn't even from Kararagi, where orphans are used as slaves. And so yeah, your actions heavily affected him." Stomping in anger, Felt was then calmed by her knight who gave an apologetic look to the maid.

"Hm, 'The oni who created a King'. Would be a suitable title to a tragic play I guess," said Priscilla. "In particular, I like that 'First cut the buds, then the branches' quote."

"Eh, really Princess?" Al question dubiously.

"It is a ruthless way of working, but it could be considered a strength in its own right." What Priscilla recalled with that quote, was the imperial selection of Vollachia. That ruthless selection where she cut off the lives of so many of her siblings. And so she knew that with one perspective, you could call Wrathbaru a coward. But with another perspective, it is a strength.

Tightly, the boy grabbed his own shoulder, and pressed his nails over the cloth, into his skin. Those nails ruthlessly clawed into it ; that skin was being torn, that blood was oozing was certain.

He used that self-harm as a ritual to maintain himself.

His subordinates had been with him for long and knew of it, so they did not stop him. Satisfied with the pain, the boy slowly rose from his throne.

"The corpse, make it neat and bury it. And an envoy's to be sent to their shop. Everything's to be confiscated, but if they follow along, do not treat them poorly. If they refuse, then purge the family and burn the store. When the takeover ends, have the next one in charge greet you. With that, it'll be decided whether to destroy them or not."

"Goddammit Captain! Going after the family as well, is a little too far." With frustration on his voice, Garfiel expressed himself.

"It's how he said it, 'First cut the buds'. As unfortunate as it is, he is thoroughly making sure to eliminate any seeds of revenge. But I am pretty sure that it's already too late for that." Anastasia explained.

"Self-harming himself. His body is clearly rejecting this way of life," Emilia spoke with pain in her heart. "But why is he just giving an order to no one in particular? Who exactly is supposed to carry it out?"

"I think that's the point, I suppose."

"Beatrice?"

"He does not intend to entrust this task to someone in particular. There is no way he would trust anyone of his subordinates. Instead, he is treating them as a group. Because everyone has their own weaknesses and strengths, it allows the chance of failure. If someone were to be greedy, lazy or incompetent, then the group would suffer. But by making them move as one, and only caring about the end result, he is attempting to remove that chance. Pleiades only focuses on the achievements of the association. It is a good system, but at the end of the day, the power is still consolidated by the King. If the 'head of the table' was to be decapitated then the whole system would fall."

With a calm tone, the boy had ordered.

These were rough instructions that were not directed to anyone in particular. It focused on the result and of the accomplishments of the organization.

It was an ideal workplace environment where everyone would try their best.

That was the guideline of the leader, and his way of fighting.

"Boss, ya forgot your coat."

"Ah, thank you."

"Hmm, interesting," with narrowed eyes, Crusch observed Halibel. She had started noticing that his decorum was very different than the others. Especially his out-of-place 'care' towards the Purge king.

Standing behind the boy, Halibel gently draped a black coat over his shoulders. Just slightly draping that on his shoulders, he added a reminder. Straight after, his whiskers grew numb due to the faint killing intent. At its intensity, he lowered his eyes.

He did not have to check the source of that intent.

Probably, it was because he stood behind him.

"Aww, he almost looks like a downtrodden puppy!" It was Petra who said that. From dancing with a corpse, to appearing like a puppy, it seemed that her mind worked in mysterious ways.

Meanwhile, Ricardo was shedding a single tear at the state of his species.

"..Halibel-san, I do not want to kill you."

"Hahahha, then you can just not do it. Instead, just use me well."

"But wouldn't it be the worst to destroy oneself by having too many tools…That'd be a pretty shitty way to die."

Mumbling to himself, the boy pondered on ways to kill his own aide.

"Onii-chan is serious, huh. But it would be too much of a loss to kill one of his greatest assets. With the way he is living right now, the only way he would achieve any peace would be to kill everyone. Or something similar to putting everyone in an endless 'check'." With a heavy sigh, Felt stated that.

"But Halibel-san is a shinobi," Reinhart stated the obvious fact. "If it's an assasination, then he would see it coming from a mile away. And if brute force in the form of Cecilus was to be used, he could simply escape."

The words that had been quickly brushed off were not a joke. He would, if it was possible, try to kill Halibel.

It was simply all of the factors that inclined him towards not killing him, which stopped him.

Cecilus: "Boss, boss. These offerings that person brought, where should they be moved to?"

"Offered goods..The contents, what were they?"

"Contents were…Ah, there's a magic stone. From where did they learn of Boss's tastes? They'd come having paid that much regard, truly, I feel even more sorry for them."

"Lopping off his head was Cecilus-san's idea so.."

At the room's entrance, the king, having been stopped, twisted his cheeks in annoyance. And at that breezy attitude of Cecilus, he sighed,

"The magic stone, I'll ask you to put it in my room. Other than that, do with them as you all prefer."

"Wrathbaru-kun must have developed a liking for magic stones in these two years. But given his temperament, shouldn't he worry about the magic stone being tampered with and double check it?" Rem spoke.

"Well, magic stones are utilized for various different purposes such as powering a magic device or strengthening a building. Considering Onni-chan does have a gate, he can easily use it. Though I do wonder about what exactly he is going to use it for." Mulling over that trait in Wrathbaru, Felt could not shake the feeling that it was way more important than one would expect.

"Actually, how did that old man find out about the stone?" With a glimpse of curiosity in her eyes, Anastasia felt like she was onto something with that question. "I mean, it could be just an unintended information leak, or some of his partners and 'survivors' could have spread that. But could it be related to something bigger. What I mean to suggest is that there could be someone on the inside who is purposely leaking information to the outside. Along with this, other information could also have been released. Such as their location for example. That old man must have come here through a private invitation because there is no way that the Purge king would reveal his location publically. And considering that this is the underworld society, having the location of their hideout being revealed would be the same as walking naked."

"I completely agree, Anastasia-sama. It could be anyone on his side, anyone who desires revenge and freedom would be willing to take a risk." Julius gave his approval.

"Yes, yes, definitely understood. And, boss."

"..What is it?"

Cecilus brought a finger to his eye, tracing it.

"Those dark circles are quite severe. Maybe you should sleep softly next to the princess for a while?"

At those words, the boy's tongue clicked.

"Hm? Who could this princess be?" At Emilia's ridiculous question, everyone deadpanned and pointed at her in unison.

"Eh? Me?!"

"Emilia, why would Bubby have cooperated with Wrathbaru if not to ensure your safety? And other than to grant my wish, why would Wrathbaru come out personally?"

"But, given how he distrusts everyone around him, why would he trust me? I would not imagine this Subaru being capable of sleeping next to anybody, given his extreme fear. But the way Cecilus-san said it, seems to imply that he has been sleeping next to me for quite a while now."

"It isn't that surprising is it now?" With apparent jealousy, Rem spoke to Emilia. "In that entire mansion, you and Beatrice-sama were the most trustworthy. You were very transparent with him and did not do anything that could be counted as a betrayal. You were honest and expressed all your emotions directly to him. Unlike us, you did not secretly harbor suspicion and ill will. And because your character stayed the same throughout his loops, you became a pillar of support to him. So it would not be that strange for him to trust the person known as Emilia, in whatever form or manner."

Though Emilia still wanted to disagree at some points, she accepted the overall logic.

Cecilus just laughed it off, but the other men froze with tension. At the possibility, that because of his irritation, Cecilus's slaying could be ordered, they would have to somehow force a draw by using every force in the place, including Halibel.

"- I'll think about it."

The boy did not order this in haste, and turned away with those words.

Relief spread throughout the room, and the men watched the back of their leader. That waving Cecilus's inability to read the mood, had been one of Halibel's concerns as of late.

"Doing something as part of a group, really aint one of mah strong points either."

Shaking his kiseru up and down, Halibel gazed at the boy's departing back. As the most senior employee, guarding and other such duties were handed to him. However, whether inside or outside the mansion, threats to his life were very few.

The former because of fear, the latter because his existence was unknown to many.

The reception room, which was decorated with various arts and paintings, was not the only one. The flaunting of that violent financial power was to allow a posture of non-aggression. All of that display served to avoid unnecessary enemies.

Attaining victory without a fight would be the ideal situation. But due to jealousy, enemies would always exist. So then, to reduce that number was the king's wish.

"Halibel-san, please watch over Cecilus-san with care, to keep him from going out of control."

"Understood, leave it to me. Boss, are ya going to see the princess?"

"Hmm."

That he accepted Cecilus's suggestion, perhaps annoying him, he replied with a grimace.

And then he reached the innermost section of the headquarters, the deepest part of the building named Pandemonium.

He had arrived at a door where the amount of keyholes and locks would make a person shudder.

Indeed, some of the cast did shudder at that.

"What the," Mimi said. "This is making my head spin. How many different keys would you have to have to bypass that?!"

"Indeed Nee-sama. It clearly shows that the 'princess' is deeply valued." While trying to adjust his monocle, Trivey spoke.

"Feels more like a prison to me."

"Ah! Reminds me of the princess room!" Clapping her hands together, Emilia declared that.

Looking at Emilia as if she was looking at a lunatic, Beatrice replied, "No, no. This and that are completely different. 'This' looks like a prison made to keep a captured princess. 'That' looked like a room for babies."

Puffing her cheeks, Emilia replied back, "I am not talking about the place's appearance itself, Beatrice. I am talking about the intent behind it."

"..Intent. Ah, to keep you protected and isolated, I suppose."

"Un! Mother and the rest of the elf's kept me ignorant and safe the entire time. Granted, I was nothing more than a baby at that time. But even now, the exact same situation is happening! And I bet that both Puck and Subaru are keeping me ignorant of the outside."

"Well, that's true. Regardless of their intent, it is not a good way to go about it. Self-efficacy is important, you know."

"Self-efficacy?"

"It's your ability and belief that you can accomplish something, in different situations. It's different from your own self-value. If one does not experience the world and at least attempt to accomplish even small goals, then they would probably have a lack of confidence in a situation. And by keeping you locked and ignorant, they are not giving you any chances to grow. Get on with the 'character development' already, I suppose!"

"...? Well anyways, this is yet another conversation that I need to have with Father."

The number of keyholes neared fifty, showing the importance of the person inside and the obsession of the person outside.

But above all, what made his obsession most obvious, was the fact that the keys to fit in those keyholes, did not exist.

To open it then, "Puck."

"I'm called and so I appeared, nyanyanyan."

With an exhaustive voice and excessive flashes of light, the gray-furred cat appeared. With a cute and silly attitude, he floated down on the boy's shoulder.

"Yo, you're here again after quite a while. Is Lia the reason you came?"

"The door, open it."

"Hmm, what's with that tone? If you spoil the father's mood he might not let you see the daughter, you know. If you could understand the feelings of a father with a daughter at such a ripe age just a bit better, it would make me happy…"

"Puck."

On top of his shoulders, Puck was stroking his whiskers.

Seeing his face marked with those deep dark circles, he sighed with a, "My oh My," and then,

"You endured it until you couldn't anymore, didn't you? It can't be helped. That effort of yours is commendable, so I'll let it slide just this once."

Saying that, with a satisfied air, he pointed his arms at the door. And through the many keyholes, a faint light poured through.

"-Click."

Soon after, the light turned into keys made of ice, and fighting inside the door, it opened.

The method to open a door that would not open, was to make a key that did not exist.

"It's admirable how he found that blindspot. With that amount of preparation, sneaking would be impossible. And if force were to be used, then it would inform the others. Even if someone with a good affinity for fire magic were to attempt the same thing it would most likely not work, given the precision and memorization required for each keyhole." Pricilla said that with a satisfied nod.

Halibel: "It's admirable how easily ya find blind spots. If there's a keyhole then it would be natural to find a key that fits it. But if someone were to imitate this, then it'd become a problem for them."

Puck: "There's also the question of the magical wavelength. If someone other than me tried something similar, then you both, and I as well, would be informed of it. And even then, I am always there with Lia."

"That's right."

Without paying attention to them, the boy put his hand on the door and paused.

"While I do agree that the security is impeccable, associating with an underworld boss is definitely not a great idea. The spirit must have become desperate in a way," said Crusch.

"I mean, it could actually be pretty smart depending on how you play it." Refuting Crusch, Felt continued, "By staying under the shadow of a great organization, they could mask their own presence. And in a scenario where the organization has been invaded and defeated, they could either escape or play the 'Captured princess' card. But I do agree that the spirit seems to have gotten desperate. They could have just gone back to the Elior forest. Unless for some reason, that place has become unsafe or that someone is hunting them."

Behind him, with a face feigning ignorance, stood Halibel. The boy gazed up at that face.

"Halibel-san, you can go now."

"Is that so? But, I should greet the princess once in a while, don't you think?"

"You can go now."

His words were absolutely refused. This was not something worth being stubborn about, so Halibel chewed his kiseru and backed off.

"If anything happens, feel free to summon me."

"Hm! It's exactly as I had suspected it." Anastasia clapped in conclusion. "That shinobi is different from all his other colleagues. Given his behavior, I would say that he is not serving the King just because of money or fear. I think it is out of actual loyalty. It's ridiculous, but his friendly behavior and lax attitude is completely different from everybody else's. With Cecilus, his mannerism is largely caused by his apparent, immature mind. We are also unsure about whether he is a complete spy or if he is truly siding with Pleiades. Or, he could be drifting between both at the same time. Halibel had no reason to follow the king right now, but he did it anyway. He is clearly not just blindly following orders, instead he is working on his own free will."

"Maybe he wants to be friends with Wrathbaru," Felt said.

" "Aww, you can do it Halibel-chan!"" At Felt's guess, Petra and Mimi started supporting Halibel.

Meanwhile, Ricardo was banging his head on the armrest.

The boy was giving him a warning look, his hand still on the door.

Until he turned the corner and could no longer be seen, the boy's sight was piercing onto his back.

Rather than cautious, his employer was always fearful.

"Ah, If I said it like that, he would definitely not call out for me then."

With such a murmur, he spewed purple smoke from his mouth.

Smoke hit the ceiling and with nowhere to go, scattered.

-That it was, somehow, a hint of their future, was the thought that came to his mind.

.

.

.

Chapter end.