Y/N POV
As I entered the room, everyone's gazes landed on me and my swords as they were a little shocked at what just happened. I mean, I did what I could to stop a fight, so I guess it was agreeably fine...
"Y/N nii-chan!" Felt gasped as she ran over and gave me a hug, delighted that I was back.
"Welcome back, Y/N." Subaru said as he smiled and gave me a bro hug, before going back to sit down beside Beatrice, who happily took her contractor's hand before warily eyeing me for a while.
"Huh? Who's this commoner that entered the room without acknowledging my presence? I believe that I'm quite significant enough to be given a care about." Priscilla said as she looked at me with contempt before suddenly remembering who I was. "Wait... you're that boy..."
"Oh, hi, Prisca-san, do you still have the diamond I dropped way back?"
"Diamond? You mean that jewel back then?"
"Ya... and please... since..." I suddenly boosted myself right beside her, and whispered. "I do not wish to reveal any secrets regarding your Vollachian history, so how about you take a temporary leave, and I'll explain the specifics of some things you might want to know at a later date, hm?"
"You... I do not where you gained such knowledge, but if you intend to go against me, know that the world's luck is on my side."
"I have no will to go against you, so I guess that's a yes from you then?"
Priscilla sighed as she waved a hand to Al and Schult, and turned to leave. "My business here is finished anyways, so take care of yourselves."
Well, all that ends well, I guess?
I jinxed it almost too immediately. My comrades chose this time to enter the room, and Al widened his eyes under his helmet as he noticed the red-haired girl next to me, and unsheathed his sword immediately at Yae as she blocked it with her kunais.
"You! What are you doing here? Don't think you can assassinate the princess on my watch again." Al said to Yae as she snarled back.
"I'm not here for your petty disputes anymore. Y/N-san here saved me, and I'm only here because it was his will."
Hm? I knew Yae looked up to me as a savior figure, but not this loyal... when did this change occur? It isn't bad, though, and I'm not complaining at all.
"Calm down, Aldebaran..." I said as I lifted the sword after I coated my hands in diamond. "The former Grand Chamberlain of your faction is now in my hands, so what happens to her is under my field of jurisdiction, okay? Now, follow your princess before she snaps again."
Al gave me a weird look through his helmet, before sheathing his sword and sighing. "Well, I'll trust this one on you then, bro." The Priscilla camp members then left, and I felt relieved as they left, hoping that the trouble will be a lot less now.
"Y/N-san..." Yae said as she pulled me aside. "How did you know that I had a history with Al?"
"I would be lying to say it was pure intuition, and since you're my comrade, I'll tell you the truth. It's simply because of an ability I have. Going into the details would take a long time, so I'll tell you about that at another time."
"I... understand. Thank you again, Y/N-san." Yae said as she blushed slightly and took a seat in the room, before our next pod of disaster dashed through and hugged me as she flew onto my neck.
"Y/N! What is happening here? Omega said to stay back, but you shouldn't just leave me like that, you know?"
Sphinx has appeared.
And now at least three people are on alert.
Wilhelm van Astrea was one of them. His eyes burned with a specific hatred directed towards the girl who just hugged me with affection. He was going to unsheathe his sword, but Reinhard stopped him.
"Reinhard, you shouldn't stop me. Do you know who that is? She... is the witch of that war! Who slayed hundreds of my comrades!"
"Grandpa, you should leave that hatred behind. Times have changed. As Y/N once said, we shouldn't forget, but we should forgive. Also, do you still think she'll fight you?"
Wilhelm looked at Sphinx, who continued to latch onto me like a monkey hanging from a tree, and he sighed.
"Y/N-dono , I'm eternally grateful to you and Subaru-dono for giving me the opportunity to slay the White Whale, the foul beast who killed my wife. But I want to ask you why and how did you recruit that witch to your side?"
"Well, Wilhelm-San, then I believe that answer is quite simple." I turned to him, "As a certain friend of mine once said, 'I just wanted to save a cute girl'."
Subaru looked at me with a funny expression that I couldn't exactly deduce, but he's probably dying of cringe on the inside somehow. Then again, isn't that kind of his signature line?
"I understand the, Y/N-dono, but if she ever turns against us, will you be the one to strike her down?"
"IF she does indeed, then I'll just turn her back to our side. That is the way of a Liberator."
"I see."
After our conversation ended, I had a talk with Anastasia, who wanted some trade business deal struck with me, and I happily obliged as it would further improve my relations in this kingdom, and in the Kararagi City States as well.
Crusch also had a talk with me to fill me in on the events that occured while I was gone, including the talk at the Flugel's Tree, which involved people deciding what to do with the White Whale's corpse and some further discussions on our victory against the Great Rabbit.
Lots of people definitely did not believe that we actually killed the Great Rabbit successfully right after we eliminated the White Whale, but the dead body of the last rabbit definitely proved our victory, along with a meteor that I received from Echidna that allowed me to record the event.
Yes, I placed it on top of the Graveyard and let it begin its recording before I left for the mansion.
My plan sprung into action when it entered its next phase, and that was the suggestion of distributing food to Lugnica via the White Whale's corpse, since it was a waste to go and just burn it. I mean, I could easily recreate Whale meat since I already analyzed its genome data and element formation, so if they ever needed food, I'm just going to make another whale.
Also, it's to fulfill Daphne's original wish to end world hunger. She did say that people took gluttony too lightly, and I will defy the expectations by simply erasing the fact that anyone would be killed to get food.
The last problem is the Black Snake.
The most annoying part of the Black Snake is that I don't know where its location is.
If I did, I would just nuke it after I got uranium, but it seems that option isn't avaliable yet. I could potentially go to Elior Forest and use the frozen Black Water as a guiding compass, but it's too risky for now, since it even has a consciousness of its own.
The Blight Sword is related to that Mabeast, so it seems I have to obtain that before I can take on the Black Snake. Well, I don't have any plans to subjugate it for now, so I'm just going to leave that for now.
At least Subaru stuck to the plan I made, so now that corpse is not wasted. Come to think of it, I should probably go out to take some fresh air.
Timeskippu*
I stepped out into the street, walking around the shops and stores to scan the items that were being sold by the citizens of Lugnica. To be honest, other than food, everything else is quite worthless, considering I can make most of them myself. I could probably also cook just by using my control over the elements, but that's going to take some time to learn...
On my way towards the place where a disaster would take place, I bumped into a young man who was wearing a hood. I felt as if I just got reflected by a pure force, and steadied myself as I looked at him. "Hey, are you okay? Sorry about that..."
"Thank you for being respectful. As one would give another an apology when they accidentally trample on another's rights, correct? When people give respect, it's natural that I also return respect to the person who showed me it." The boy said as I suddenly caught a glimpse of his white hair, and I gasped silently.
This speaking style... that arrogance and hair...
Sin Archbishop of Greed, Regulus Corneas!
"Ah... I see. Well, thank you as well, then. I'll be on my way." I said before he gave me a slight nod as we walked away from each other.
He didn't recognize me? That's odd, I thought he would. Is it because of my new clothes? Probably, considering that none of the archbishops ever change their clothes... I think...
Well, I don't want to get into a brawl with him right now unless I have to, and not even in Critical Overload can I have a chance of guaranteed victory.
After some more strolling, I came across a pair of people bickering, and immediately recognized them.
"Oi! Subaru! Rachins!"
"Heh? Oh, Y/N-san." Rachins sais as he dipped his head with respect, before lifting it up as Subaru gave him a look.
"Why are you being so nice to Y/N? Share some of that familiarity with me, will ya?"
"Why would I, you annoying prick..." Rachins grumbled at Subaru, annoyed by his... friendliness? "Besides, Y/N had helped me back then, so of course I'm familiar with him."
"Eh? When did you two meet?" Subaru looked at me confusingly, and I just sighed and gave him a look that said, 'We'll talk about it at a later time'.
"Anyway! Don't bother me! I'm working right now!" Rachins yelled at Subaru, who just went back with a sarcastic response.
"The you who used to screw around and mess with people is now doing proper work... I'm so happy for you."
As we continued to walk, we arrived at the clock tower that was a symbolic landmark of the Water Gate City. However, there seemed to be an unusual amount of people crowding near the base. Rachins disappeared into the sea of people, but Subaru and I were able to catch up to him as we noticed something strange.
The people... they were all... stopped.
"Huh? What's happening here?" Rachins demanded as he walked into the square, where everyone seemed to be staring at the same thing, up in the sky. "Hey! What are you looking at? Hello?"
The people did not respond to Rachins' outburst, and instead continued staring in the direction of the clock tower. As our eyes drifted up, we caught an eccentric figure that was standing atop the tower, looking down at us with a smile as she begun speaking.
"- To all of whom had been interrupted by me, I would like to offer my sincerest apologies."
Everyone stared at her. It was not because she was beautiful, but just strange.
Her outfit seemed to remind me of something, but I just can't grasp what exactly it was that made me reminisce about it.
"Please, allow me to just take a tiny amount of your time, thank you."
The figure spoke again as she raised her arms, and I noticed the other weird thing about this figure.
This feminine voice, the bandages surrounding her body, the golden hooks with chains...
Without a doubt, she is-
"I'm the Witch Cult's Sin Archbishop of Wrath." She said with malice as she smiled.
"My name... is Sirius Romanée-Conti."