Alright here is the chapter. Sorry for the extra time it took to write this. I didn't plan on writing 8,000 words. This chapter was supposed to be shorter but I decided on a different endpoint. So anyway enjoy the chapter. P.S. I'd like to thank one anonymous reviewer for directing me to some threads to better understand the arc 5 divergences in the Greed IF. Thank you, random internet man.
Subaru walked behind Ram. She was explaining all the tasks they had to do today. Subaru was barely listening, after all, he already knew everything he was supposed to do. Ram got to where Subaru thought the list ended, then she started listing all of Rem's tasks as things he had to do. "Wait," Subaru interrupted the maid, "Aren't all of those Rem's tasks?"
Ram stared at him. Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Normally Rem would take care of all of those things, but she isn't in the mansion. She is currently busy in the capital." Damn. The loop is already beginning to deviate from last time. Subaru merely gave Ram a nod before thinking: That isn't what I should say. I should make a joke. I should say something else. But the moment had already passed and Ram was finishing her explanation of all the things Subaru was to do.
They continued walking through the mansion as Ram explained where everything was located in the mansion. "And that is the end of the tour Barusu. I will not give you another one. Despite the lack of intelligence, you have demonstrated so far I expect all this information to be remembered." Ram explained. "Now it is time to begin our first task: cooking breakfast."
The two workers arrived in the kitchen. Ram quickly began getting to work. "What are we making?" Subaru asked the pink-haired maid.
"Without Rem here we will be making steamed tatoes. It is my best dish." Ram stated. After she said this she lowered her head to think. A few moments later she raised her head and turned to ask him, "Unless you have some level of competency in cooking."
"I can cook," Subaru answered. He remembered the thousands of loops spent learning to cook in preparation for his expedition to the Pleiades Watchtower. So many loops of preparation went into that trip. He remembered the torturous journey trying to get to the watchtower. Subaru remembered the feeling of starving to death over and over trying to reach it. Only for Echidna to eventually tell him he had to go through during sand time. Then he remembered being killed thousands of times by those bears. Then another thousand deaths to whatever those beams of light were. Then another hundred loops just to get away from the watchtower.
"Alright, I'll let you cook. I will be watching you to make sure you don't mess it up thanks to your general incompetency." Ram replied. Most likely making sure I don't poison the food. Subaru didn't reply to Ram instead checking through the kitchen assessing what ingredients they had on hand.
Subaru got to work using all the information Echidna had drilled into him. She knew a surprising amount about cooking. I guess it was easy information to satisfy her curiosity with. Echidna. Why? He ignored the gazes that Ram cast his way frequently. Her eyes were narrow. She's watching pretty closely. It was probably knowing where everything was that set off her suspicions. Subaru continued his work. Throughout the process, Ram's eyes began to grow wider. The smell of the food Subaru was cooking was good enough to make any chef proud, and maybe a little jealous.
Subaru stepped back. "And it's done," He proclaimed in a neutral tone. "You wanna try it, Ram?" She was going to try it first anyway. Also, I won't be a good judge of taste. Subaru couldn't remember the last time his sense of taste had worked on anything.
Ram nodded walking forward to taste the food that Subaru had made. When some of the food touched her taste buds her eyes widened, and a hint of a smile reached her lips. "It is… acceptable." Subaru's expression remained neutral at the compliment. "Now, I will go serve breakfast and you will clean the kitchen. Once you are done there begin doing the rest of your tasks." Ram instructed her gaze moving across the kitchen and the mess Subaru made while cooking. That much of a mess is worth it if he can make food this good. I think it's better than Rem's cooking. To be this good at cooking at such a young age. What an interesting man you are Barusu. Ram thought to herself trying to fully analyze the boy.
"And, dinner is done." Subaru proclaimed stepping back from the finished meal. "You wanna test it again?" He asked Ram who was still watching him intently. I can't expect full trust after one day.
Ram tried his dish again. Giving the rating, "It is passable. I'm going to go serve this, and you should be done for the day. Very surprisingly if I may say. I had expected you to slack off the entire time."
"Well, then good night Ram." Subaru pushed a smile onto his face, "See you tomorrow morning." He turned around and left the room not waiting for a response from Ram. When he left the kitchen he breathed a sigh of relief. Alright, today is over. Now I need to try something. Subaru opened the door to the kitchen. One down. He moved on to the next door he could find. He pushed it open to reveal a storage room. He walked to the next door leaving the last door open.
Just have to open every door. On the outside of his mind, Subaru opened door after door leaving them all fifteen minutes he had opened every door in the mansion, every door but one. The last door was the door to his bedroom. He stood in front of the door. "Please, Beako." He whispered raising his hand to the handle. He turned the handle and pulled the door open. On the other side was a massive library. Shelves that reached to the ceiling, filled with books of Echidna's knowledge, towered above Subaru. And in the center of it all was the library's keeper. Beatrice.
Tears leaked out of Beatrice's butterfly-shaped eyes. She breathed in to ask the boy a question. "Are you Betty's they?" She asked the boy who stood before her.
"I…" Am I? Echidna always said it was up to Beako. But how else do I take on her suffering? "I am your-"Subaru stopped himself. But I'm not they I can't be they. They left her alone in a library for four hundred years. No. Am I they? Am I the one that left her alone so long? Echidna said I wasn't. She said I wasn't. She said I wasn't. Echidna? Please, Echidna. Please. I need an answer. Echidna please I need you. Echidna, why? WHY?
Beatrice was watching the boy. Her expression had been slightly hopeful but now it had fallen. "I am…" He tried to say something. Please be my they. Please let me out of this contract. Please let me die. Beatrice wished to herself."I don't know if I'm your they." Subaru admitted.
I'm sorry Beako but I don't know. I don't know. Echidna, please. Please give me an answer. "Get out," Beatrice commanded raising her palm. She gathered mana and released it towards the boy. Subaru was thrown from the library by a gust of wind.
Subaru landed in the hallway. Please. Subaru began to move robotically. His mind was too busy thinking about Beatrice to focus on his movements. He walked to another door and closed it. Then, he shambled back to his own room opening the door to reveal just a bedroom. Subaru closed the door behind him locking it. Subaru walked over to the bed collapsing. He didn't bother to get into sleeping clothes or get into the perfect position. He just fell onto it.
Subaru lay on his back and whispered, "Echidna, please. Please. Please. Echidna please answer me. I need you Echidna." He kept whispering until his eyes drifted closed and his mind entered sleep. Subaru didn't realize it but, at the same time, someone else was wishing for an answer.
"Mother, please. Mother. Mother." The spirit rocked back and forth while clutching a book to her chest. "Mother please give me an answer. Please. I need an answer. Mother, I need you I suppose." She kept whispering that over and over and over again and again and again. Beatrice linked the door crossing to a far off door. She got up out of her chair carrying her tome of wisdom. Beatrice began to walk to the doors of the library. She opened them and on the other side was a large room, a room full of vines. The surrounding plant life had begun to reclaim the room. Something hung floating in the center of the room.
Beatrice walked to the center of the room touching the thing that was floating there. She flattened her palm on the soft blue. Beatrice straightened her neck and moved her gaze to the large crystal. She gazed straight into the center of the crystal where a young girl was preserved. Ryuzu Meyer.
Images flashed in Beatrice's mind. They were the memories she shared with the young girl in the crystal. Beatrice began to cry. The memories of spending time with the girl, and of growing to like her. The memories of making her first real friend. Beatrice's eyes were overflowing with tears that poured down onto the ground.
More memories flashed through the spirit's mind. They were all of that fateful day when Hector had come to find Echidna. She remembered saying goodbye to Ryuzu. Saying goodbye to her first and last friend.
Recent memories entered the spirit's mind. These memories were of a boy one who had broken her door crossing immediately. She remembered draining his mana and reading its emotional state. Her first impression of the mana was: It feels like I just drained my own mana I suppose. Beatrice immediately the emotional state she got from the mana was remarkably like her own emotions. He felt like me stuck, left behind, and trapped. He felt old. He knows what it's like to live for hundreds of years, I suppose.
Beatrice had also felt something else when she drained his mana. She'd felt the remnants of a contract on the boy's soul. A contract that reminded her of her mother. Someone under the same circumstances as me in fact. If he isn't they. Then…
"They will never come," Beatrice whispered. And she knew it was true. "They is not real." Again she knew it was true. She looked up at the girl in the crystal. "If there is no they then, I must release myself. Goodbye Ryuzu."
Beatrice took her free hand pushing her palm onto her chest above where her heart lay. Beatrice gathered mana into her palm. She breathed in to perform the incantation. Beatrice smiled and realized that the tears that now fell from her eyes were tears of joy.
"Al Minya, I suppose."
Garfiel felt the disturbance immediately. The tree he had been sharpening his claws on began to tear apart, but it wasn't Garfiel that ripped the tree apart. It was a massive amount of mana that was just released. Garfiel felt it begin to pull him in. Wh't ther h'll's going on. He thought to himself.
Garfiel didn't have time to think anything else because his demi-human instincts screamed for him to run. Garfiel realized his instincts were right and began to run. Or at least Garfiel tried to. But the massive well of mana was pulling on him. Garfiel was using all of the strength of his legs and all it got him was moving forward a few meters.
"My amazin' sel's gonna die." Garfiel realized. But that didn't mean he wasn't going to go down fighting. He didn't want to die, so he fought. He was able to stop himself from being pulled in, but he wasn't able to move forward and get away from the pull of the mana.
Until something strange happened. The pull of the mana stopped. "What?" That was all Garfiel could say. The mana's still there. Garfiel observed. It hadn't gone away just stopped pulling on him. But the mana was still changing. It feels like it's calming down. The demi-human boy mused.
The next change of the mana happened so fast that Garfiel didn't realize it happening. The mana had flared up growing active again. Instead of staying pooled there in one spot, it split into a massive ball of arrows of stopped time. Then the remaining mana exploded outwards. Massive shards of shadow mana came flying outwards in all directions.
Garfiel finally figured out what was going on, but by that point, it was too late. Shards of magic pierced his body turning him into a purple crystalline statue.
Garfiel's fate was shared by every living being in Sanctuary. Whatever hadn't been swallowed by the black hole of mana was instead turned into a crystal statue.
The intact citadel of dreams stared out across the devastated land that was once called Sanctuary.
At the same time back in the mansion a sleeping boy dreamt.
Images flashed through the boy's mind. They were of Beatrice crying while holding her tome of wisdom. More images. All the times during the sanctuary loop where Subaru failed to save Beatrice. He watched her die thousands of times. Until finally he just dragged her kicking and screaming from the burning library. He remembered the one loop where he'd told Beatrice that he was they. Immediately afterward Beatrice had killed herself. She had told him the contract did not bind her any longer and she could finally die. She had thanked him.
Subaru woke up. He directed his tired eyes towards the clock that hung on the wall. It read 12:35. What the hell was that? Never mind it's nothing just remembering things I should go back to sleep. Subaru closed his eyes. He pushed his mind into a mindset perfect for falling asleep. And the boy retreated again into the depths of sleep.
Subaru woke up for the second time. He looked at the clock to see that it was 4:45 am. Alright time to get ready and then head to Arlam. Subaru dragged himself out of his bed it was difficult though Subaru felt like his bones had gained extra weight. I slept the entire night. Why do I feel tired? Never mind it doesn't matter I just have to take on their suffering. Subaru dragged himself into the bathroom to practice his smile.
When he was done with that Subaru continued his morning routine. He walked to the exit of the mansion. But this time when Subaru walked towards the exit he noticed the pink eyes watching him.
When he got outside Subaru for a good spot and when he found it he began his radio calisthenics. With all the deviations so far I should be ready for anything. Speaking of which I should check if it's still there.
Before Subaru performed his magic practice he reached towards another kind of magic, a more authoritative kind of magic. Subaru didn't use it because it was incredibly painful and damaged his body for very little reward. He remembered how it felt the last time he had used it.
He was in the sanctuary and the great rabbit was killing him again. He was trying to keep the loop going to gain information. Rabbits were beginning to crawl up his legs. He seized that darkness that flowed through his body. Subaru's eyes began to bleed immediately after seizing the authority. Out of his chest grew a single tiny hand. It looked like an arm he would see on one of the Ryuzu clones. He tried to grab the rabbits climbing up his legs, but it could barely extend even an arm's length away from him. The rabbits devoured him in that loop.
He remembered waking up in the tomb and entering a tea party with Echidna. "What was that?" He had asked her.
"That was the authority of sloth. It seems it housed itself within you when you killed Petelguese." Echidna answered with a smile.
"Why was it so weak?" Subaru demanded an answer. Echidna simply stared at him and gestured to the cup of tea that was waiting for him. Subaru grabbed the cup and drank the entire thing. "There you go now give me an answer."
"Ahh, so impatient. Now, my guess, and this is merely conjecture, is that you are highly incompatible with the authority." Echidna explained. Subaru just gave her a cold stare. "To make it easier to understand you have used return by death eight thousand four hundred and fifty-six times so far in the sanctuary. You have done this for the sole purpose of getting it right. My reaction, to you repeating the same five days eight and a half thousand times to perfect the resolution, would be: My, how diligent." Echidna finished her explanation smiling at him.
Back in the current time, Subaru was thinking. Even if I do have it the authority would be near useless. Well, it's something I can use. Too bad the authority of Greed returned to Echidna instead of me when Regulus died. He lamented on the potential usefulness of that authority. Don't think of that. Time to find the authority. Subaru delved into his mind searching for the darkness that represented the authority. He stood there for fifteen minutes while he searched his mind. Nothing damn. I guess Satella didn't let me keep it. Satella. Satella, why? Why did you throw me back here? Please answer me.
Subaru moved onto his magic practice to try to distract himself. He was only able to use Shamac twice today because his mana hadn't fully returned. "Hey, mister you got any other cool magic?" The same strange voice from yesterday asked him.
Subaru looked around trying to pinpoint the source of the voice. Subaru's eyes searched and searched but he couldn't find the source of the voice in the morning darkness. Twice now I've heard that voice both times I was using magic. If I do magic practice at the end of my morning routine when the sun is up then maybe I'll be able to find the voice. It's a shoddy plan but I think finding this voice is important.
With a plan for tomorrow in his mind, Subaru set off for Arlam village. I need to ask about Meili if she isn't there again. Along the walk towards the village, Subaru's eyes darted around the forest that surrounded the path. Might catch a glimpse of Meili or a mabeast. Though it is highly unlikely. Meili may be young but she isn't an idiot.
Subaru arrived at the edge of the village and relaxed his surveillance of the nearby forest. This was a grave mistake. Because right after Subaru stopped searching the forest multiple attackers pounced on him. They grabbed him and climbed on him. "Hey Subaru!" His attackers shouted.
Subaru looked at them and thought, Oh it's the village kids, not mabeasts. Good thing the loop hasn't diverged that far. Subaru's eyes darted around searching for a certain child. No Meili. He confirmed in his mind.
Subaru wasn't able to think much after that because the children continued to attack him, and they all began shouting the questions they'd come up with since yesterday. Subaru saw an opportunity, and he grasped it shaking all the kids off of him. They started to come at him, but Subaru raised his hand, and offered a deal, "How about this. I'll answer one of your questions and you answer one of mine."
"Yeah, that sounds great." All the kids said in unison. They began to jump up and down with a twinkle in their innocent eyes. They huddled together just like yesterday, whispering suggestions to each other. Once they had their question they began to nod to each other before all turning to look at Subaru.
"How'd you get a family name?" They asked him, "Are you a noble?" A few added an extra piece to the question.
"Where I come from everyone has a family name." Subaru answered, "And no, I'm not a noble." He gave them a little bonus by answering the second part of the question. He forced the smile on his face wider and pointed to the children. "Now you have to answer my question. Do any of you know a girl named Meili?"
The kids all just looked at him tilting their heads, and asking "Who is Meili?" They don't know her at all. What changed the loop? My best guess is Roswal and his book.
"Alright, I have to go to work now see you all tomorrow," Subaru said. He turned to leave waving to the children. They waved back. Subaru began his walk back to the mansion. When he was out of earshot of the children he sighed, and the smile on his face disappeared returning his face to its natural expressionless state. No Meili and no Rem. Though the mabeast attack will probably still happen. If it doesn't happen naturally Roswal will force the event the happen to prevent the future from deviating.
Subaru arrived back at the mansion and was greeted by Ram. Subaru pushed a smile onto his face. "C'mon Barusu we have work to do. You have to cook breakfast, though you'll most likely mess it up." And with that, the two began their daily tasks.
The day proceeded and the two staff members worked without interruption until just after lunch. Ram was in the dining room clearing off the table and washing dishes, and Subaru was cleaning the dust off of the many windowsills of the mansion. It was a pretty easy task as things went. Subaru was dusting the windows on the top floor when something interrupted him.
"Hey, Subaru can I talk to you." Subaru turned to see who had spoken. His eyes landed on a grey cat.
"What is it Puck?" Subaru responded. This didn't happen in the original loop. What is causing all the deviations?
"Subaru, do you know where Beatrice is?" Puck's voice was cold. Subaru could feel his limbs begin to grow numb.
"Is she not in the forbidden library?" Subaru asked. Beako?
Puck didn't respond to his question and instead, he asked another one, "Would you ever hurt Beatrice?" The air grew even colder. Subaru could feel his bones begin to freeze. He had to start blinking quickly otherwise his eyelids would freeze shut.
"No I would never hurt Beatrice," Subaru answered. When Subaru had opened his mouth he felt his saliva begin to freeze. Beako?
"You haven't lied." Puck stated as he stopped freezing Subaru.
"Puck what happened?" Subaru asked. It might be time to reset the loop. But I need to know where Beako is first.
Puck closed his eyes to think. He finished thinking opening his eyes to look at Subaru, "I believe you to be trustworthy Subaru, so I'll give you this information. I have been unable to find the forbidden library or Beatrice since I returned to the mansion. Have you seen Beatrice?" Puck asked Subaru another question.
Subaru simply nodded. "When?" Puck asked as the air began to freeze once more.
"Last night." Subaru forced the words out of his freezing mouth.
"What happened last night Subaru?" The air grew colder. Subaru could feel his brain begin to shut down. Hypothermia was setting in.
"She asked me if I was they!" Subaru yelled out. Puck merely tilted his feline head. The air warmed slightly.
"I don't know what that means, but I assume it has something to do with Echidna." Puck admitted. "My memories of Echidna, actually most of my memories, were likely made inaccessible by my contract with Lia." He let the air return to normal temperatures. "Subaru you know more than you let on. I'm going to try and figure out what door Beatrice could've linked the Library to."
"Have you tried leaving open every door in the mansion but one and then opening that one door?" Subaru gave a suggestion to the spirit.
"No, but that is a good idea." Puck told the boy, "I will talk to you again tomorrow."
After Puck left Subaru tried to focus on his work. But he kept thinking of the spirit of the library. Beako? Where did you go?
Aside from that interaction the rest of Subaru's third day took place as normal until he walked to his room to go to sleep.
When Subaru got to the hallway that contained his room Subaru's eyes widened slightly. Subaru registered that someone was standing there at the door of his room waiting for him. It was a young woman with silver hair that fell to her waist, and she had eyes that glowed with a deep purple.
Subaru recovered from his shock and forced a smile onto his face. "Hey, Emilia-tan." Subaru greeted her while forcing an upbeat tone into his voice.
Subaru could see Emilia jump back into reality as if she had zoned out. "Hey Subaru." She responded to his greeting. "I'm just here to make sure you're ok after what happened with Rem. I'm here if you want to talk about anything. You did save my life after all, and it would be against my self-interest to be indebted towards you."
"Don't worry about it Emilia-tan. I'm completely fine." Subaru reassured the silver-haired girl. He forced the smile on his face to widen.
"Oh, alright, well then have a stupendous night Subaru." Emilia moved out of the way of the door. A smile appeared on her face. Though if you looked closely you could see it wavering at the corners.
Subaru stepped past Emilia and walked into his room. "Good night Emilia-tan," Subaru called to the girl before he closed the door. Once the door was closed his smile disappeared. His face returned to its normal corpse-like expression. She was suffering I can't let Emilia-tan suffer this timeline must be destroyed I must find a way to stop her from suffering. I should be the only one that has to fake a smile.
Natsuki Subaru once more walked to the center of his room. He slackened his jaw and pushed his tongue through his teeth. Only I should suffer only I should fake a smile only me only me only me. ONLY. ME. Subaru began to bite his tongue. "Behold an unthinkable present." His own voice resounded through his mind. Images flashed through Subaru's mind. Images of people, so many people crying over his corpse. The things he was shown in the second trial played through his mind over and over again.
They weren't real. The memories kept repeating. Echidna said they were nothing but a tiny probability. Just a tiny probability. The images continued flashing through his mind. He bit further into his tongue. Subaru began to taste blood. Just a tiny percentage chance. Just a small chance. A final image played in Subaru's mind. It was the loop where he'd thrown himself off of a cliff. The first time he'd killed himself. Beatrice was crying. Her tears crashed to the ground as she looked at his body. Beako, why?
Subaru's body collapsed. He felt his eyelids begin to drift closed. Subaru's jaw loosened on his tongue. He had barely even bitten into it. Subaru could only think: Why? Beako, why? Where did you go Beako? Puck wants to see you. The only other thing Subaru's mind registered was the taste of blood in his mouth. Subaru's eyes closed, and his mind retreated into the depths of sleep.
Subaru was drowning in a massive pool. He tried to swim to the top. Subaru kept trying to make it to the top but he always drowned and returned to the bottom of the massive pool. But each time he drowned the pool grew. Finally after what felt like years of struggling Subaru finally reached the top of the pool. He breached the surface and he was finally able to breathe again. Finally able to fill his lungs with air. As he breathed in the air his sense of taste returned. The water tasted of salt.
He began to tread water, as he did that he took his left arm and wiped the water from his eyes. He opened his eyes for the first time in a long time, and he saw why the pool of water existed. As the sight sunk in his hearing began to return as well. He heard the sound of crying. So many people were crying. His eyes finally sent signals back to his brain. These were the people from the second trial. Emilia, Beatrice, Julius, Felix, Wilhelm and so many more.
Subaru tried to escape. He stopped treading water and tried to swim down into the massive pool. But it wouldn't let him whenever he put his head below the water he heard screaming. The screaming of all his friends. He heard the suffering he'd sworn to take for himself.
"It wasn't real!" Subaru screamed to the thousands of crying people. "It wasn't real," Subaru stated. "It wasn't real," Subaru whispered.
Subaru's eyes snapped open. He awoke to a cold sweat, and he felt out of breath. It wasn't real. It wasn't real. It wasn't real. It can't be real. It can't be real. It can't be real. Please. Please don't let it be real.
Subaru tuned out his own thoughts. He ignored his ranting brain and began to move on instinct. He lifted himself off of the floor he had collapsed onto last night. Please don't let it be real. Subaru slapped himself. The echo of the slap resounded across the room. Subaru tried to drag himself to the bathroom but he could barely move. Subaru felt more tired than he was before he slept. His bones felt like they were made of stone.
Subaru just pushed a smile onto his face and dragged himself out of his room. Subaru continued to pull himself trying to reach the exit of the mansion. Subaru arrived at the massive doors. He lifted his arms. They were heavier than boulders. He pushed the door open and was blinded. The brightness of the morning forced him to close his eyes.
"Hey Subaru." Two separate voices called out to him. Subaru forced his eyes open. It was a little easier now, as he grew used to the brightness. His eyes searched for the source of the voices. Right there a few meters in front of him stood Emilia and Puck waving to him.
Subaru slammed a smile onto his face. For Emilia and Puck, it looked like the boy was grimacing in agony. "Hey guys." Subaru greeted the two while he tried to push a happy tone into his voice.
"Subaru are you-"Emilia began to ask the boy a question.
"I'm doing great Emilia-tan." Subaru gave her a thumbs up. This made Emilia tilt her head. It looked like Subaru could barely lift his arm to give her a thumbs up.
"Hey Subaru can you join me inside for a moment." It was Puck. He said it as more of a command than a question. Did he find Beako?
"Ok," Subaru responded. I need to take on Beako's suffering so I need to know where she was during the entire loop.
"Lia, can you wait out here?" Puck asked the girl.
Emilia tilted her head in confusion, then she nodded to the spirit.
Puck motioned for Subaru to follow him. When the two were inside the entrance of the mansion the temperature began to drop. Subaru felt his limbs begin to grow numb. Subaru began to blink faster so his eyelids wouldn't freeze.
"Subaru." The spirit began, "I checked every door in the mansion. I tried what you said. The library is gone. Do you have any idea where the library went? I do not take a missing sister lightly Subaru." The temperature dropped further. Subaru felt the skin on his arms crack and flake off as Puck froze him alive. Where did you go Beako? Where, where, where, where? Echidna, where is Beako? Echidna. Subaru realized where Beatrice went.
"Sanctuary!" Subaru forced the raspy word out of his freezing throat. The temperature in the room slowly began to return to normal.
"I've heard Roswal talking about that place." Puck responded, "Thank you Subaru. I will be dealing with Roswal instead of you from now on. Go back to work."
Do I end the loop? No. I have to find out what happened to Beako. With that thought in mind, the boy kept the loop going focused entirely on finding out what happened to Beatrice.
Around thirty minutes after Puck's conversation with Subaru, a 400-year-old spirit and 400-year-old wizard were having a conversation.
"Soooooooo, dear Subaru thiiinks she is aaaat Sanctuary does heeee." So he already knows about the Sanctuary, Beatrice's they, and Echidna. On the outside of Roswal's mind, a smile formed on the clown's face. He had learned all this in this conversation with Puck. So he can loop that far. My, what an incredible ability. Although. This is a deviation from the book.
"Well, I will check the Sanctuary myself. I needed to leave today anyway." The clown said without his speech pattern. If I can correct a deviation that will be good. I would like to be the final Roswal. With how far the future is diverging though, I very much doubt that I am the final Roswal. "Thank you for informing me of our dear missing librarian," Roswal spoke his gratitude. Roswal began to walk towards the exit of the mansion.
Meanwhile, Subaru and Ram were trimming the hedges in the front of the Roswal mansion. Both workers were completely focused, so neither noticed the clown walking towards them.
"Natsuki Subaru," Roswal called to the boy. Roswal's voice snapped both workers back to reality. Just in time for both of them to notice Roswal begin to hover. By the time he opened his mouth again he was 5 meters above the ground.
"Watch over Ram, also Rem is coming back to the mansion tonight so watch over her too." With those words given the margrave began to rise higher in the air. Once he reached about ten meters in the air he coiled his body like he was about to jump. It looked a little odd as he was currently floating in the air. He uncoiled his body, and the greatest mage to have ever lived shot through the sky with the speed of a dragon.
Where is he going? Subaru thought as he watched the mage shoot through the sky. Subaru turned to go back to trimming the hedges. As he turned he glanced at Ram who was staring at where Roswal had flown off to. Her lips were turned upwards in a slight smile. Ram's eyes turned to Subaru. She realized Subaru was looking at her, Ram blushed slightly and her lips reversed into a scowl.
"Get back to work, idiot Barusu."
It wasn't until the sun began to set that Subaru realized something. Alright, that's the third day done. Wait third that doesn't feel right. Third day. Subaru had an odd feeling in his stomach. It's the third day. Subaru heard sounds in his mind. They were the sounds of chains and Rem screaming at him. He'd slept through the majority of that day.
It's the fourth day. Subaru realized. His legs began to move before he thought about what to do. He realized that he was running, sprinting, dashing towards Arlam village. As he ran images sped through his mind. They were his memories of Arlam village and of the children that inhabited the village. Mild, Meine, Cain, Dine, Lucas, and Petra. He wouldn't end the loop without trying to take on their suffering.
Ram's eyes followed the boy as he ran toward the village. Is this where he reveals himself. I doubt that he's a spy, but I can't risk it. She thought to herself before she began to chase the boy.
Ram ran through the forest to the side of the running boy. She didn't try to mask herself as she usually did. With how franticly he's running I doubt he'd notice me even if I shouted. Ram continued to follow the boy. He hasn't stopped or even slowed. Even I'm getting a tiny bit out of breath. He shouldn't have this much stamina. Unless I underestimated his physical capabilities severely. Ram observed the boy. Suspicion began to grow in her chest.
Subaru collapsed as he arrived in the village. Subaru tried to get up, but his knees screamed at him. His heart was beating as if it would explode. The faces of the children flashed through Subaru's mind. Must take on their suffering. Subaru pushed aside that instinct that told him that he needed to stop and rest. He stood up and began to shamble towards the center of the village.
In the center of the village all the villagers had huddled around the body of a child. Subaru pushed his way through the crowd. "Mild." He forced the boy's name out of his dry throat.
"Mild where are the others?" Subaru asked the boy. The villagers tried to grab him until they realized he was the young man who spent a lot of time with all the children.
"Hey Subaru. How are you?" The boy asked Subaru then he remembered the question Subaru had asked, "Oh right the other kids went to play with another little girl who showed up this afternoon."
"Was her hair purple and in a braid?" Subaru asked, and the young boy nodded.
"Yeah she was cool she had this nice dog. It bit all of us though, that wasn't nice." The boy started to ramble. "They went to play in the forest. Then, I told them it was getting dark so we shouldn't. It's boring playing in the dark you can't see anything. Right Subaru? Oh and then there were some big dogs. They looked scary. And a blue-haired lady, she also looked scary, she chased the big dogs and was yelling about dying, I think." Mild's words grew less coherent as the curse started to affect him.
The curse starts slow we should have time to get Beako. Wait where is Beako? Is there a way to get rid of the curse without her? Think. How do I get rid of curses?
Subaru heard words from long ago playing in his mind. "So what is Beako anyway?" Subaru asked the witch of greed a question.
"She is an artificial spirit of my own design."
"What's the difference between artificial spirits and spirits?"
"Artificial spirits are created synthetically by someone like me. And the difference is mana consumption. Artificial spirits need far more mana to sustain themselves than regular spirits, also there are some other differences that are applied to them, but those are my own improvements."
"What improvements?"
"The ability to drain mana from conscious beings instead of just the surroundings. They are more powerful than normal spirits. Then finally I gave them the ability to remove curses. Curses are irritating so I wanted to be able to remove them."
Subaru snapped out of his memories. PUCK! He's also an artificial spirit created by Echidna. So he should be able to remove curses. But first I need to find the other children. Subaru stood up from the slowly dying boy and ran out of the huddle of villagers. His eyes darted across the forest surrounding the village. There is no way I can apply this plan on my own. I need someone to help. And then only I suffer and not the children and me. But where is she?
Subaru's eyes searched and searched and he found nothing. Damn. "RAM!" Subaru shouted. There was no response. "Ram now isn't the time to be stubborn." No response. "Those kids need our help." No response. "Rem is in the forest with them." Ram burst out of the forest right next to Subaru.
"Let's go Barusu." Subaru nodded to her and began to run.
Subaru heard Ram following him close behind. He ignored every instinct that kept telling him to rest. There. Subaru spotted the clearing where the kids were laying. When he got there and stopped running he tried to stop himself from collapsing. But he couldn't manage it and his body began to give out.
Subaru saw the ground start to get closer. Then it stopped. The ground stopped getting closer before he fully collapsed. "Get up, Barusu." Ram growled. Ram had caught him and then she lifted him to his feet.
"DIE WITCH BEASTS!" Both of them heard Rem's scream resounding across the forest. She's already in that angry state. She's definitely in her oni form.
"I'll take care of Rem you get the children Barusu." Subaru nodded. It's the best way to take on all the children's suffering. Ram turned towards the voice of Rem and ran into the deep forest.
Subaru picked up two of the children. One in each arm. Once again he ignored his body's screams for him to stop, and he ran towards the village. While he was running he began to think of a plan. I need to get all the children out of the forest and into the village. Then, I help Ram calm down Rem. And finally, go back to the mansion to grab Puck to de-curse the children. With a plan confirmed Subaru's eyes took on a cold determined look.
Subaru was almost done getting all the kids back to the village. Right now he was running towards the clearing to help the last child. He saw her lying there her orange hair tied by a red ribbon. Petra. Subaru arrived in the clearing and kept running straight towards Petra. He picked her up in his arms which were also now screaming for him to rest.
Subaru stood up with Petra in his arms. However, Subaru soon realized that the loop was about to end. Mabeasts surrounded the clearing. Their red eyes gazed down at Subaru. Subaru did not think about his next action instead of thinking he simply yelled out a word.
"SHAMAC!" A cloud of shadow mana filled the clearing. Subaru's instincts stopped working against him. They stopped telling Subaru to give up and to rest. Now they told him to run. Subaru's mind and instincts aligned and he took off running towards the village.
Subaru saw the light of the village coming toward him as he ran. He heard mabeasts behind him growling and he could feel their breath on his hair and back. I need to take on their suffering. He thought and pushed his body faster. But it wasn't enough the mabeasts were still gaining on him.
They gained on him until Subaru heard a sound. It was the sound of chains. Then another new sound. It was a sound he'd heard so many times. It was the sound of bones being shattered by a morning star.
Subaru felt parts of the witch beasts splatter onto his back. He kept running. Rem please don't end the loop here. Subaru heard the sound of shouting. It was Ram trying to calm down Rem.
Subaru crossed the threshold between forest and village. Rem hadn't killed him. He'd made it. Subaru didn't realize right now but it had been Ram that saved Subaru's life there. She'd been able to redirect Rem to the mabeasts instead of Subaru.
Subaru set down Petra with the other children. "What can we do to help?" The villagers asked Subaru.
"Don't worry there is not-"Puck. Subaru changed his plan. "I need you guys to go to the mansion and bring the girl who lives there down here. Don't worry if she looks dangerous I promise she is the only person who can help these kids." Have to at least try to prepare them for the resemblance to Satella. "And can someone get me a lantern?"
With his newly acquired lantern in hand, Subaru sprinted back into the dark forest. Need to stop Ram and Rem from suffering. Subaru's body screamed for him to stop moving. Subaru ignored it and kept going.
Subaru was so tired that he didn't notice the tree root sticking out of the ground. At least until he tripped on it. Subaru noticed that the ground was coming closer. Oh, I tripped. Subaru was too tired to raise his arms to stop himself. He hit the ground with a crunch. His nose breaking as he slammed into the ground.
Subaru tried to push himself up, but he realized he was still holding the lantern in his right hand. He collapsed onto his side as his arm gave out.
"Hey, you're the guy with the pretty cool magic." The voice that had spoken to him when he practiced magic spoke to him again. Only now did Subaru realize the voice sounded childlike. Subaru again tried to find it but he couldn't see in the darkness.
Subaru remembered the lantern he held and raised his right arm. Right there about a meter away from Subaru was a black orb about the size of a marble. "Ow. That's bright." Is it…
"Are you a spirit?" Subaru asked the orb.
"Yep, I'm a quasi-spirit." The orb flashed when it spoke to him in its childlike voice.
I need to keep going, I need to take on their suffering. Only I should suffer only me. Only. Me.
"Can we form a contract?" Subaru asked the spirit.
"We could." The spirit said cheerfully. I need to take on their suffering. But I need ways to apply my knowledge to do take it on. This spirit can help.
"But I won't." The voice of the spirit suddenly sounded serious, like the voice of an adult.
"Why?" Need to take on their suffering. Only I should suffer.
"You aren't very cool mister. Just your magic is cool." The spirit reverted to its child-like voice. Only I should suffer.
"Why?" Subaru asked.
The spirit didn't respond instead it simply vanished.
"WHY?" Subaru screamed. Why? Why? Why?
Subaru lay there in the dirt unable to move.
He lay for a few minutes until a clown floated down in front of him. Roswal looked disappointed.
While Subaru was saving the children Roswal had seen the ruined land that had once been the Sanctuary. It was at this point Roswal made a decision in his mind. I will not be the final Roswal. With a plan in mind, Roswal flew back towards his mansion. Where from above he was able to see Subaru lying on the forest floor.
When he landed he looked down at the boy and commanded him, "You are going to reset. I will tell you why so the next Roswal can be closer to being the final one. Beatrice killed herself on your first full day of employment. Right after your final conversation with her." Roswal saw the boy's eyes widen. Roswal's eyebrows rose. So he didn't know about this. Interesting. "I am giving you three seconds to reset or I will kill you."
"3"
Subaru was so surprised he couldn't respond. He doesn't think I'll do it. Roswal thought to himself.
"2"
Subaru kept looking at Roswal. Subaru's eyes had lost their steely determination. They returned to being the eyes of a corpse. I will do it Natsuki Subaru. Don't doubt me.
"1"
Subaru kept looking at him with cold eyes and a surprised look. He isn't afraid of dying. He is surprised but not afraid. Why isn't he afraid?
Roswal raised his arm and four balls of mana coalesced in front of his palm.
"Die" The four colors of mana shot from Roswal's outstretched hand straight into the boy's chest. He was not afraid of death. As if he's experienced it before. Ah, so that's it. He returns by death.
Roswal felt a tearing sensation in his chest. He couldn't tell if it was like being pushed back or left behind. While he tried to determine what it felt like he thought: Ah so this is what it feels like to be on the receiving end of this power.
Roswal was too engrossed in his fascination to notice the large mass of shadows rising behind him. Inside those shadows was a woman with eyes of a deep purple and hair a glowing silver.
And that's the end of the chapter. Hope you enjoyed it. Also if you're wondering why Satella showed up at the end it's because Roswal pretty much completely figured out return by death. It's the same thing she does in arc 6. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed see you guys next chapter. P.S. if you want to ask me any questions then you can pop over to Reddit I post links to the story when I finish each chapter. Just type in Shattered Kasaneru and you'll find all the threads. I'm more likely to respond to any questions over there.