Chapter 1

In a despair filled theater, something was playing on the screen. Its occupants watched with dread ,amusement, and sadness at the scene before them.

Reinhart: "That is not possible." The wounded and exhausted sword saint said as he shook his head with remorse.

Reinhardt: "As the head of pleiades, the purge king Natsuki Subaru, starting with the murder of Roswall Mathers,among the people of the kingdom, as well of the Vollachian empire and the Kararagi-city states,and among the subjects of the Holy kingdom of Gusteko has already had 126,702 people killed in total."

At that moment, almost everyone in the theater stopped breathing for a few seconds. With eyes widened, filled with disbelief and fear, some of them turned to look at the face of an innocent sleeping boy. How could they not, especially after knowing how kind this person is.

"Haha, this is…. it's a joke right? Yeah yeah, it has to be." Someone spoke, it didn't matter who because everyone had similar thoughts. But alas, they already knew the cruel truth.

"To think that this same hero could be capable of that extreme of a change."

"This person ….is he really able to hold such insanity."

"This is our fault, isn't it? If I could have perished instead."

Everyone truly understood how insane this was, but also understood its cause. The disease of despair caused by the wrath of a demon had now latched itself into the viewers hearts as well. The purge king's disease was now enveloping the theater itself.

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Some time earlier in the theater…..

"So, it seems this time we are watching some weird alternate reality," said a mentally exhausted, yet hopeful looking, blond little girl. Despite her appearances, this individual bore a great duty as a potential future queen of the great kingdom of Lugunica. But for now, those rebellious eyes of hers were dimmed and filled with complex emotions as she looked towards the sleeping boy who was from an altogether different world.

"Felt-sama, are you sure you don't need a long break before we continue further with this?" The sword saint asked with a worried look, one that really did not suit his face.

Heaving a tired sigh, the young girl looked towards her tiresome knight. "This dude really needs to stop being so selfless already. We already had Onii-chan drowning in his own, twisted self-sacrifice during the sanctuary arc." Thinking of the name made her snort in disgust, considering the place was the complete opposite of what the name suggests. Dead, powerful witches hidden behind a barrier. Those detestable, yet necessary trials that almost broke/crushed the mental capacity of her Onii-chan and Onee-chan.

Furthermore, there were attacks on both the sanctuary and the mansion, orchestrated by an obsessive clown. And the fact that this clown was the sponsor of Emilia infuriated her even more. Her eyes softened when she remembered what her Onee-chan went through in the elior forest, especially at such a young age. Her strength and the resolve she displayed during the trials was breath-taking. All of it, the byproduct of receiving her knight's faith. "Really, those two deserve so much better than what this world offers."

"Felt-sama?" Reinhard asked for her again, with his eyebrows pressed in worry.

"Ah, sorry Reinhard. But yeah, it's fine, don't you think? We don't really have a choice anyways, plus everyone wants to watch as well. Isn't that right, you eavesdropping, fox-faced woman?" Felt said and looked away with a pout.

"Of course, though I do dislike being called in such a crude manner." She was a shrewd person, addorining light purple hair and lovely features, speaking in a native kararagi accent. Only now does she know the real origin of her native language. It was the product of another world, a world from where that nasty-eyed boy arrived from.

"Hmm, as much as I would love to have Natsuki-kun form a partnership with me, having all my dreams be realized only thanks to common knowledge that a boy from another world has will not be desirable. A passive approach here will yield better results and after seeing how insanely in love he is with that half elf, plus his attachment to his camp, trying to force him into anything different would backfire." After having reached various steps in her ever-changing opinion about the boy, this was her conclusion.

She also felt some pity towards that half elf, Emilia. Her past had been exposed to all and her real reasons for entering the selection had been unveiled. Anastasia had secretly begun to have some respect for her competition. But unlike Felt, she still dislikes the naive nature and the incompetence that brought about such a tragedy for Natsuki Subaru.

"Doesn't this if-story, an alternate path for Natsuki-kun sound kinda interesting? Not to mention, according to the screen, the decision that is leading to this divergence is his suicide during arc 2. I'm sure that a lot of us were dissatisfied at seeing him give his life for the same individuals that caused him so much torture. And he did it all, simply because he believed in their good hearts. So, what do you think, Julius?" With care in her voice and slight perturbation on her face, Anastasia addressed her disheveled knight. But it wasn't his clothes that were disheveled, it was his heart instead.

"Anastasia-sama, I-I am not sure that I have the right to give my own opinion here. But considering the care being shown to me, a care that I am grateful for receiving, I shall indeed answer. An answer that is the same as your wishes, Anastasia-sama."

"Gosh, you could have added something more to it, you know."

"I am extremely sorry for not having given a sufficient answer."

Anastasia sighed at Julius.

The finest of knights had an unsure and gloomy tone. Though there was still elegance in his words, that elegance was combined with low confidence in his own ability to answer. After seeing his fellow knight, Subaru's story in this theater, Julius was filled with a myriad of emotions. His actions at the castle and how he had to later cut his friend's life with a sword that he holds dear to his heart.

His slight suspicion and doubt towards his friend, that latter became bigger due to Subaru's connection with the witch. Incomprehensible emotions directed to that same witch, the one who is said to have destroyed half the world.

And even some mixed feelings about those other witches that helped his friend. Along with his own growing envy towards Natsuki Subaru.

He was filled with doubt. Doubt towards his own ability as a knight being the foremost. And the fact that Subaru declared a blashphemous wish, a wish to save the evil witch, Satelle. Julius bites his lips as he thinks about his own duty as a royal knight, and his friendship to Subaru. Again, he was filled with nothing but doubt.

"Hm, seems like this will take longer than I had hoped." Anastasia mused, recalling how she and the other members of her camp tried to encourage Julius. Looking to another side, she spots the demi-human twins from her camp playing a game with Petra. A game known as Othello. Ricardo and Frederica were watching over them with amusement.

Despite that cheerful sight, even a witchbeast would say that they were all forcefully distracting themselves. Looking away, the merchant wasn't even conscious of her own hollow eyes.

"That is also another reason why I latched onto the idea of watching this if-story. It might just help us all. I mean, just how much worse could it get for Natsuki kun even if he did run away."

Overlooking that interaction was another pair of amber eyes, brimming with strong will. That woman always acted in a manner that befits the desire of her soul. She was currently in a quiet mood. After all, the viewing had been long. A journey that was unexpected for her. A journey that she did not think possible. Crusch Karsten had gone through many phases during this viewing.

Pity, sympathy, doubt, faith, disappointment, anger, sadness and a little bit of affection. None of these words would be enough to describe the turmoil in her heart. Even her growing affection towards another candidate's knight was indecipherable. And she did hold feelings of mild hatred towards the sponsor of that candidate.

" But right now, there is another person I need to focus on."

"Ferris.."

"Yes. Crusch-sama?" A cat-demihuman answered in a strained voice. Intentionally making his voice sound as normal as he could, he forced a smile in order to not cause any trouble to others. This was the farce that the greatest healer, Felix Argyle, put on.

The memories of the show flashed through his mind like PTSD. The hellish life of Natsuki Subaru was imprinted in his brain. Why exactly was he gifted with better senses than others? His enhanced hearing made the blood-curdling screams a torture.

Felix disliked seeing others suffer or get hurt. Especially those whom he could trust to an extent. And he hated himself more for allowing seeds of distrust to guide his dialogue. Albeit small, he did belittle the young knight in ways that were unfitting to his decorum. Causing shame on himself, and bringing insult to his liege. Along with that, a part of him had begun to recognize his Master's feelings towards Natsuki Subaru. It was something that made him extremely conflicted.

"Crusch-sama, I suggest we give Ferris some more time to himself." An elderly butler spoke in a hushed tone of voice. The sword demon, Wilhelm Trias looked in pity and consideration towards Felix. The old warrior had seen many things in his life, but this theater and the story shown on it was a first for him.

The boy who he looks to with respect in his heart, held untold suffering inside. Suffering that he would only wish on the worst of his enemies. But what moved him more than anything, was Natsuki Subaru's inability to give up.

The 'Parent and Child episode' was especially inspiring to him. An inspiration to mend his own broken relationships while he still has the chance to do so. The veteran knight looked towards his grandson with eyes filled with guilt and nervousness, but trembling with strong conviction. "Though my instinct gives me a bad feeling about this if-story."

"Hm, commoners and the dramatic scenes they love to create." The sun Princess muttered as she observed the display before her, adorning a prideful smirk on her face. She soon lost interest in them and then changed her sight towards that slumbering beauty, the one who has been the center of their attention."

" How displeasing that someone else would attract so much attention away from mineself. If only the person himself was awake." The princess looked towards that boy with a softer gaze than what it was before. " A boy whose capacity to change so much in so little time. Every struggle for him has been bleak, but he has come out of it better than before. It will be interesting to see his future growth from a close proximity. A person who could give me immense entertainment. Though the rest of that camp is not so interesting."

On her side was a bandit-looking, one-armed man whose face was covered by a crude helm. As always, his scar-jammed face was rendered unseeable. That middle aged man from the same world as Subaru was sipping a nostalgic coke bottle, something that he had long since forgotten the taste of.

The man had sympathy towards his fellow 'isekai-character' and a little anger towards him. "Why haven't you run away yet, pal. The people you love are still alive but at what cost and for how long? With more people to protect, just how long will you continue to die and fight in this world. Unlike me, you have had the chance to live a happy life only to deny it. Ah! I guess this if-story might offer me some solace".

Al gazed at his arms, one missing. He peered into something deeper inside, something that only he could see. He recalled his pal's return by death and also his ability to use the sloth witch factor. But then he recalled something that made him suppress a shudder traveling through his very existence.

(One day you must definitely come…. to kill me.)

(I will definitely…..save you.)

"Pal, that path is a bit…..because I couldn't even….." Stopping his thoughts, Al quickly shakes his head and goes back to relishing the taste of soda.

A silver-haired, half-elf who had a voice that sounds like the chimes of a bell, is currently hugging the figure of a sleeping boy. "Subaru," she spoke with a tone of affection and sadness, mixed in a blender with the feeling of guilt.

The girl's face was filled with tear-stains and there were dark bags under her eyes. But it was also filled with some strength and a tight resolve to make up for her sins.

"Though if Subaru was here, he would say it's his fault not mine." Thinking that, Emilia pinched her knight softly. Emilia had gone through several moments during this viewing.

She tried to hurt her face when the full appearance of the witch was revealed, which was thankfully stopped by others. She cried the whole night after seeing her knight getting eaten by the rabbits and then she lost complete faith in herself after seeing the last loop. A dread caused by the possibility of Subaru leaving behind the world he dies in, caused immense anxiety in her heart.

At the end of the witches tea party, even that witch who looked exactly the same as her, that double-personality disorder girl, she helped Subaru out of her unmatchable love for him. That had once again stopped Emilia from believing in herself. "Though my stupid knight, even if it was only through the screen, he gave me strength again." Emilia placed her fingers to her lips. Her gaze consciously turned towards the lips of her knight. As the distance closed, her heartbeat naturally quickened, but,

"Are you done putting on an embarrassing display, I suppose?" A voice arriving suddenly, made her jump in surprise.

"Be-Beatrice! S-since when!?"

"Hmph, since when do you think, I suppose?" The cute spirit replied with a smug tone.

"-Please, don't tell Subaru! I'll be too embarrassed to even look him in the eyes…."

"I think that my contractor will be pleased to hear of it , I suppose."

"...Well, if it makes him happy….No! Not that!"

The small spirit looked away with a satisfied gaze while Emilia continued to vehemently protest with a blush.

"Seems she is a bit better than before, I suppose. Well as embarrassing as it was, even Betty was in a similar state of self-doubt, I suppose. But considering that Betty's stupid contractor was the one who asked for my help, he has to take some responsibility for it, I suppose. Unlike the case with Mother, this time I shall make my own decisions, I suppose." The spirit who had remained a lonely little girl for 400 years, had suffered due to her mothers true intentions, intentions caused by her uncontrollable greed. So like a kid who slowly grows out of their parent's shadow, Beatrice strongly continues forward to a future that can choose herself.

" How unfair, even Rem wants to hug Subaru-kun." A soft voice said with a cute pout on her face. The maid who formerly served Roswall had now woken up from gluttony's gourmet. Sitting on his Subaru's left side, the blue-haired maid was amazed at her beloved's journey in this world. But, worried for his mental health, she secretly harbored some doubts about not having taken Subaru's hand in arc 3.

And unable to forget, much less forgive her own actions in arc 2, she still wanted to at least try to achieve some redemption for her actions. "Subaru-kun truly did show his love for me more than enough times. And that is why Rem shall try her hardest to stay by your side." Though thinking about the premise of this upcoming if-story made her shudder in guilt.

"Hah! It's Barusu we are talking about, in the end he will get into some trouble or another." So said her other half, having read exactly what was going on in her sister's mind. The pink haired maid had less poison in her words than normal.

Even if she felt guilt, sadness, or anger, she had already accepted that she doesn't have the right to judge Barusu's decisions, whether it was in an alternate reality or the real one. What was shown in Subaru's second trial had opened up the terrifying possibility of alternate worlds existing alongside this one. "Wonder if there is a reality where this crowd was never teleported into this theater."

"Ne-Nee-same," the red oni looked at the blue oni who had hesitatingly called out. But instantly, her loving little sister caught sight of something and looked away with a distasteful grunt.

"Rem," for just a moment, untold grief flashed in Ram's eyes, knowing who her sister had looked at in such a way and why. But she soon returned to maintaining that strong facade in her face, just like usual.

Meanwhile, that same person who was given such a gaze was sitting with his defeated eyes to the ground. The strongest magician of the kingdom was seated at the back. The clown had accepted any punishment with conviction. Roswall had resolved that after his wish was completed he would gladly give his life to the person he promised it to.

But what shattered even this 400 year old dream was the goal itself. Now he was stuck in a loop, filled with his inability to fulfill his goal, given the situation he found himself in. After losing his guide, the gospel, Roswall thought to use Subaru as his guidance. He never thought that it would mean repeated deaths on Subaru's part. His guilt had already been on the brink of collapsing in these 400 years. And now, with the way forward blocked, all he was left with was his own remorse.

Two pairs of eyes were observing that same broken clown. "What do ya think, Otto-bro!?" An obnoxiously loud, almost feral voice, came from a boy who could easily be misunderstood as the leader of some hooligans.

"Calm down Garfield. I agree with your animosity towards that guy, but that is why we must continue to remain calm." The gray- haired, internal affairs minister of the camp, relayed to the person he thinks of as his younger brother. Both of them had a large enough difference in their age, and different roles bestowed upon them. But looking at them sitting together playing shatranji, while they talk about their common enemy, one could only describe them as brothers.

"But Otto-bro, we need to decide that clown's fate as soon as possible. Otherwise, he is just going to come up with another scheme."

"Of course, making a countermeasure is necessary. But doing it without Natsuki-san present would be way too pretentious and disrespectful. Not to mention, the bet made by Natsuki-san, as infuriating as it is, includes Roswall's involvement in this camp."

"Do you mean to say that we really should just forgive, forget and then go live with him like it's normal!?"

"No, that is an absolute refusal on my part. And that is why we have to wait for Natsuki-san's awakening, so that we can express our own opinions. For now, instead of wasting more time on that person we should start focusing on Natsuki-san!"

Both of these brothers expressed a sad smile when thinking about the third member of their trinity. After various struggles and after going through a period of major self-doubt, they were able to unite under the desire of wanting to help their friend and benefactor. They don't think themselves deserving of that nasty-eyed boy right now. However, they still would try taking those first few steps to make themselves worthy of him.

"Though we need to think about how exactly we are going to do so, huh." Otto mused while also pondering about Natsuki Subaru's wish of saving a certain 400 year old half-elf. To be honest, it was another thing he was completely against.

"Don't you think you should discuss this with Betty in the conversation, I suppose?"

"That's right, other than the goddamn clown ,it's unfair to not include us when speaking about my knight. Isn't that right Rem?" Though the last part was said in the usual Emilia way, her small acknowledgement of the clown's existence was filled with so much ice that it might have sealed the entire theater if left unrestrained.

"Yes, Emilia-sama."

Such was the interjection made by the three girls, who were the closest to Natsuki Subaru's heart.

"Me too! Petra also wants to help Subaru. I mean, Subaru-sama!" A little maid, who really should not have been shown such hellish memories of the person she loves, said those childish words. But nonetheless, with a lot of support from her senior Frederica nee-sama, she somehow maintained her fragile sanity while also showing strong conviction, unbefitting of her young age.

"Ara Ara, Petra-chan. You need to settle down and address everyone properly with the right etiquette, you know." Her mentor, a demihuman maid with razor sharp teeth, softly reprimanded her.

Suddenly, a small and energetic voice screamed, "Ah! I lost again to Petra-chan!" The vice captain of the iron fang, commonly known as gorgeous Mimi, was seen dejected, having lost yet again to the maid.

With a sigh, her brother Trivey decided to finally present her with the cruel truth of the world. He slowly told her that she has actually not been properly connecting any of her pieces, not even blocking the other foe's.

"Ah, why don't ya little children run along and let me try huh?" The wolf captain of the iron fang spoke in a native kararagi dialect and looked towards the two with a fatherly gaze.

"Stop getting off topic and let's start the discussion about Subaru's future, I suppose. The screen hasn't activated this if-story yet." With words from the great spirit who was sitting at Subaru's lap , the other members of the camp were now ready to talk. But,

"Hmm, I think I would love to join this conversation as well," Anastasia said.

"Nah big-sis, let's just hurry up and merge our camps together. I don't care about whatever rules or prophecies that won't allow this." Felt said.

"Considering how we already have an alliance in play I would request to be the first to offer my aid as well as requesting to be the one to undertake the task of delivering proper justice to your sponsor." Saying this, Crusch Karsten partially declared her intentions.

"Ho-ho, if you people are putting in your claims at this auction then I shall demand the highest prize." Priscilla Barielle said.

The tension of the room had risen like a hot summer day and all the candidates were facing each other. Irony had it that they were not competing for the throne this time. Instead, their claims were brought due to Natsuki Subaru's influence. But before they could truly begin that conversation, a sound distracted them.

"Look, it's starting!" Not even seconds had passed when Mimi noticed the screen's activation. Drawn by the light, everyone turned to look and began to settle in their seats.

On the black screen suddenly someone's melancholic and hopeless voice is heard. A pleading voice that was familiar to all.

"I heard a voice ripe with hatred."

"A sound which would not leave my ears."

"It's Subaru," spoke Emilia and her eyes moistened when thinking about arc 2. "I cannot ever forget what the twin sisters caused, but just like Subaru I have already forgiven them. Especially after knowing about how much Subaru cares for Rem, I want and need her to be with us."

"Subaru kun, and I guess that voice full of hatred he is talking about belongs to…" The oni had no need for even completing that sentence.

"Yeah, I guess my words of hatred really must have caused him some insanity." Despite Ram's clear regret she still watched on, knowing that if something were to happen to her sister or to Roswall she would still display her wrath without any restraint. "Well, one of them is now already in danger." She thought about the man she loved, the one who had given up to such a degree that he wasn't even looking at the screen.

"Words imbued with rage followed me."

"It was frightening, so frightening that I could not bear it."

"I was being crushed by the pressure of this noise which did not obscure its murderous intent."

"But considering that Subaru had escaped thanks to Beatrice-sama, he should be safe right?" Petra questioned with scared eyes.

"I would like to believe he will be safe, but…"

"Subaru's mental state is definitely not safe.."

Anastasia's statement was finished off by her knight.

Rem started shedding some tears after hearing his fear, but was surprised by both Beatrice and Emilia, who spared a hand to comfort her.

As for the great spirit, she was only hoping with dread that she might have helped him escape at the very least. But once again, remembering that this story is called Wrath-if, left her with a bad premonition.

"It gripped into my soul and would not let go."

"The more one clung onto their life, the more certain it would become that someone else would be hurt by them."

When some expressed their confusion at the last sentence, Priscilla decided to offer them enlightenment.

"It's because that's exactly what he ended up doing when he decided to run away instead of leaping to his death."

"Meaning?"

"Because he strived for his own survival, all the while running due to fear and distrust, he had pretty much condemned the blue maid to her death. And of course, the wrath of her sister would continue to follow him even if he did escape. For simplicity's sake, it's because he died and made those selfless self-sacrificing actions that most of you stayed alive and happy. Happy until his secret got exposed, that is." So proclaimed the princess, with a slightly sadistic gaze towards the Emilia camp and others.

"So the only real way out for Subaru-kyun was to d-die."

"It's fine, Ferris. Isn't that why this if-story is here, in order to show us this other way? Let's be patient and hopeful about it."

While this was happening, Ram had realized something that made her blood run cold. " In this situation, would I have let go of the chase? No, even if it meant breaking the chains holding my power, I would have continued to chase after him. The cruel things that this me might do to him, run Barusu, run as fast as you can." So pleaded the red oni, even after knowing that this world is not gonna fulfill her wish.

"First and foremost, I was sorry, so sorry and yet I was drowning."

As he said these words a white landscape was starting to become visible.

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Chapter end.