Chapter 34 – Unveiled
"What?" Subaru asked with a curious tone as Reinhard stared in his direction. "Something on my face?"
"…Nothing, Subaru." The Sword Saint shook his head, looking visibly anxious as he inspected the teenager before him still. "It's just…"
"The armor, eh?" Subaru looked smug as he motioned to the black and gold Vibranium covering his body. "I can get you are jealous and all, the other knights mentioned it too. It is not just eye-candy, mind you; this thing packs a real mean punch too! Propulsion beams in the palms and soles, the extra bladed limbs; I think there is a whole lot of other features I have yet to test! Neat, eh?!"
"…Your armor seems impressive, yes, but that isn't really what troubles me at the moment." Reinhard, whilst acknowledging the boy's boisterous claims, remained preoccupied regardless.
"I think it might have to do with our current situation, Subaru." Karen, who was sitting beside the Avenger on the floor, indicated with a somewhat frustrated tone.
"…I understand that you may feel irritated Karen-dono, yet it is not as though I had a hand in choosing how to accommodate the two of you. This was a direct request from the Council." Reinhard bowed his head in sincere apology as he turned to stare at the stern Synthezoid glaring at him.
"Ah, ah, Karen! I get it, you are mad, but I'm fairly certain Rein tried to argue in our favor!" Subaru attempted to dissuade his companion's frustration to no avail, as she immediately retorted back.
"That may be so, but it is still a most aggravating thing for the Council to group us together with this… lowlife." Karen rebuked as she pointed out to the woman seated in front of them.
"Nfufu! It seems the armored woman genuinely detests my guts…" Elsa chuckled as the Synthezoid insulted her. After surviving an encounter with a Hulkbuster and fighting to protect a Royal Candidate, the Sword Saint had apparently apprehended her as the 'sole' survivor in the midst of the Prison Tower's collapse. "I wonder, does it somehow irk you that we share a cell?"
"Irking me is underselling it; a depraved murderer such as you has no business even being alive right now." Karen angrily threatened with a luminous glint of her eyes as she scowled in the presence of the Bowel Hunter.
"Is this a call to battle I spy? I'm not fond of fighting creatures such as you though…" Elsa shook her head with disappointment. "None of your similar companions had any entrails worth showing."
"Why don't we test if mine are?" The Synthezoid bellowed, earning a cold stare from the assassin.
"Ho~… If you are so eager to battle, I would can most certainly accommodate to that; I couldn't get my fill clashing blades with the armors out there, perhaps you'll be more enjoyable." Elsa replied as her sadistic smirk intensified sinisterly.
"AH!" Subaru shouted, stepping in between the two women as they stood up. "Hold it! Time out, time out! NO FIGHTING! NO-!"
"I insist as well." Reinhard spoke up with alarm as he approached the bars of the cell, the air growing simultaneously prickly and cold as a visibly blue, menacing aura emanated from the swordsman. "The situation is delicate enough as it is. I beg you, cease your folly and disengage before-"
"Before you step in here and neutralize us all, yes, yes…" Elsa nodded as she spoke uncaringly, sitting back down on the cell's stone floor. "No need to repeat yourself for the umpteenth time, Sword Saint."
"Hmph…" Likewise, Karen stepped backwards, leaning on the brick wall opposite to the one Elsa lied against, her eyes focused on the assassin with disgust.
"Huh… Karen just freaking despises you." Subaru commented as he relaxed slightly, he too staring at Elsa with disdain. "Not like I don't understand her though, I hate you too. Rather than a woman, I can't help but think of you as a vampiric monster of some sort; all you ever really do is talk about murder, gutting people alive or fighting, it's honestly tiring at this point."
Two hours had transpired since Bordeaux Zellgef announced an emergency summon, for the Royal Candidates to rendezvous at the Throne Room for a post battle meeting.
Two hours had transpired since the end of the dreadful siege, the one night war that had decimated the Capital.
Two hours had transpired since Subaru had returned from the Nexus of All Realities after vanquishing Ultron... and since arriving to the Royal Castle, they had remained imprisoned in an underground cell that managed to survive the madness of the previous night.
Under the collective order of the higher-ups, the Council of Elders that oversaw all affairs in the Kingdom of Lugunica since the passing of the Royal Family, the Avenger and his partner A.I. stayed under the watchful vigilance of the Sword Saint, who carried a prisoner of his own, 'The Bowel Hunter' Elsa Granhiert.
Understandably, having witnessed alternate realities and prior events from inside Nexus, Karen was rightfully infuriated at the decision of the Elders of simply relegating Subaru to an outlaw and locking him up with a murderer of Elsa's caliber. Looking back at the tremendous effort that Spider-Man had poured into saving the Multiverse from Ultron's onslaught, indiscriminate massacre, the newborn Synthezoid felt insulted at this treatment. Yet, she had to begrudgingly reign-in the overflowing, newfound emotions her body allowed for, for it was Subaru's decision to respect the Council's orders.
It seems that the boy understood the precariousness Ultron's invasion meant for Lugunica as a whole, so he would rather avoid antagonizing the panicking government any further. Lest he could perjure the Royal Selection, anyhow.
"Say, Rein? We've been here for a while now…" Subaru commented with boredom as he stared at the Swordsman beyond the iron bars.
"Hmm?" Reinhard looked worryingly at the boy.
"Have all the Candidates arrived yet? The dampness in the air, the sound of droplets forming a puddle and the smell of wet dog are getting to my head. Also, not to insult the cold, rough stone that your Lugunican cells are built on, but my ass is getting flatter by the second. You got a pillow in one of your fancy pockets? Hehe!" The teenager teased the redhead with amusement to pass time.
"*Sigh…* My- My apologies, Subaru… I have no pillows here to spare for you." The sorry Reinhard face-palmed at the awful jabs at his country's treatment of a hero.
"Eh, no biggie. It might come in handy to have a flat butt. Aerodynamics, you know?" Subaru giggled like a moron before his face smirk relaxed a bit. "For real though, are you okay? During the battle, Ultron smacked you around pretty hard. Any injuries that need treatment? Can you see my fingers? How many am I holding up?"
"I'm all right Subaru, thank you for the worry." Reinhard nodded as he thanked with sincerity, his mouth smiling ever so slightly at the friendly gesture of worry expressed by the boy. "My wounds heal extraordinarily fast, as you might expect; I can gaze at the two fingers you are holding up perfectly fine."
"Oh… Well good!" Subaru smiled back with relief. "I just thought you'd might have gone coo-coo upstairs after looking at the dress you put over Elsa here…"
"She was a naked, injured mess when I arrived…" Reinhard explained with monotony as both he and the Avenger stared at the assassin. "I just grabbed a dress from one of the houses nearby and handed it for her to wear-"
"Oh my! I didn't take the boy that dresses as a masked pervert for a fashionista!" Elsa disrupted the conversation with a laugh at Subaru's mockery of her, mocking him in return.
"Mngh… I'm not a pervert! At least I don't think I am-!" Subaru barked back in annoyance. "In any case, long, blue polka-dot dresses don't suit you! It makes you look fat! Reinhard really DID hit his head if he thought it fitted you! Hmph!"
"As I said, my head is fine. Although… No. Maybe some things do linger on my mind still after all. Posterior to my clash with Ultron, I mean." As expected however, Reinhard's curiosity for the foe that had managed to corner him with relative ease would not allow for comfort to be found, not until some proper answers were delivered.
"…" The Avenger fell silent whilst Reinhard's voice and demeanor turned serious.
"He knew about my family. About things that I have thought, that my father and grandfather had thought, yet we've never spoken about. He knew about events he couldn't possibly know about as though he had lived them himself." The Sword Saint asked in a neutral tone, suppressing his emotions and anger at the memory of the fight. "In addition, he also spoke as though he did not belong to this world, as though he did not belong on any world-"
"If you have any questions for us, then we should have the right to ask as well." Karen interrupted as she talked back at Reinhard in Subaru's stead. "Why is it that you are ensuring a murderer's safety? Why is it that you are protecting the life of the woman that attempted against your liege?"
"Whilst my circumstances are most troubling, Karen-dono-"
"And so are ours, Reinhard." Karen argued as Reinhard attempted to justify himself. "If you wish for the truth, then await for the meeting. Until then, you are just our guard, not our interrogator."
"…" Reinhard stood silent, lacking a response for the Synthezoid's argument.
"Karen, that was a bit much, don't you think?" Subaru whispered with reproach.
"…I am not treating the man that lumps you with a criminal with respect." The A.I. responded indifferently.
"We've been over this, he had no say in-"
"Everyone has a say in their lives, especially after such a battle." Karen shook her head before gazing at Subaru with preoccupation. "Subaru, risking your reputation and your life, you CHOSE to stand against Ultron, for everyone's sake. Even before that, you chose to criticize the Candidates and the Council for their shortcomings, and your argument went upheld after YOU slayed the Whale and Sloth. Why is it then that, understanding such risks, the likes of Reinhard choose not to heed what they believe to be correct? Is it not because they lack the morality to do so?"
"Ugh…" Subaru looked troubled as Karen held his accomplishments before his face, using them as a means to criticize Lugunica.
"I've no respect for those that would chose the knee over doing what they believe to be right." The A.I. stated with confidence. "And I believe that what's right is for us to be released immediately; we should be out there helping coordinate search and rescue, aiding civilians and injured soldiers, not holed in here with a criminal."
"…" The teenager meditated on her words, secretly agreeing that it would be a better use of his time to be out there helping others, instead of being held inside a cage awaiting interrogation. But weighing the possibility of his actions potentially offending an already infuriated Order of Knights and Court of Nobles, specially so due to the destruction incurred during the siege, he surmised that the only way of quelling their anger was to come clean on the nature of their slayed enemy. If they lost men and close ones during the battle, then they deserved answers as well, simple as.
*Creak~!*
"Reinhard, it's time." The heavy doors to the dungeon burst open, a heavily bruised and bandaged Marcos Gildark issuing an order for the jailor to release the prisoners. The time for the summon had arrived at last.
"Welp, took you long enough Marco-Polo." Subaru commented as he stood up, stretching his sore legs all the while, not noticing the stare of contempt the green-haired knight was giving him.
"…Here." As Reinhard moved onto unlocking the cell's door to release the prisoners, Marcos handed the redhead a set of three pairs of iron collars and handcuffs, along with a chain to link them together. Not one pair of cuffs and a collar meant for Elsa, but three meant for all inside the cell.
"Huh?" The Sword Saint looked visibly confused as he held the cuffs handed by his superior. "But Subaru won't-?!"
"No buts. Have them restrained, that's an order." Marcos immediately silenced any form of dissidence with severity, not taking any chances for an argument to occur. "Knowing them though… The handcuffs might as well be symbolical rather than practical."
"You guess correctly, knight." Karen assured despondently as she shook her head, her face expressing disappointment. "Even for that lowlife, it would be most easy."
"It is almost cute to know someone would feel safe around me just because my hands are tied, fufu!" Elsa followed as Karen insulted both her and Marcos, entertained by the thought of nobles and elders thinking she was so easily controllable.
"…Just know, I don't hold it against you Rein." Subaru assured, as he was the first one to step out of the cell, unfazed by the commentary of the two women.
"My apologies once more, Subaru…" Reinhard bit his lower lip in bitter frustration as he handcuffed the Avenger.
Meanwhile, inside the Throne Room…
"…I say he should be put to death, at the very least-!"
"-Isn't he the one that warned about the invasion though-?"
"He must have been the one that instigated it first-!"
"The invader came from his world, did it not-?!"
"But he was the one that sent him away with a portal-!"
"I heard he vanished mid-battle and soon after, the armors perished-"
"Hmph! This is all just a ruse! He is the one responsible-!"
"This was HIS fight! He should be the one held responsible for the damages dealt to the City-!"
"How convenient of you to forget Spider-Man saved your ass!"
"You dare-?!"
"Don't think I didn't see you running around like a headless chicken-!"
"Where is he now-?!"
Debates numerous regarding the fate of the Avenger in their custody exploded within the Throne Room. The once luxurious hall was a disaster posterior to the fierce battle: broken glass strewn about as fine powder and crystal shards, fallen ruby banners and drapes laying on the floor unceremoniously and pieces of broken marble and gold accumulating as though debris they were alongside the pillars and walls. Yet, even such a broken appearance did not deter the tumultuous voices of men and women arguing within the room from echoing resoundingly.
"Ergh…" Bordeaux deflated on his seat as he rubbed the temples of his head profusely, assaulted by a brewing headache provoked by loud murmurs and yells of all those present in the hallowed yet dilapidated Throne Room. "Even when he is not here, Natsuki is an Od damned headache…"
"Hmm… This does look troubling…" His fellow Council member, Miklotov McMahon, commented as he scratched his beard repeatedly in equal distress. "I don't think even two weeks ago opinions were this divided. The nobility is furious, but the knights just look tired."
"It is not as though we don't understand; we didn't buy Natsuki's words in their entirety until AFTER the invasion…" One of the elders to Miklotov's right tried to justify the chaos in the room with a sound argument.
"Try to tell that to them though." Another elder shook his head tiredly. "Barely a house stands in the Noble District. Hell, the Market District barely fared any better! The wall dividing the Districts is just gone...!"
"Hmm… I'm just amazed the knights outside are managing to keep looting at bay." Miklotov sighed as he pondered the fate of the civilians that flooded the streets from outside the City walls post battle.
"If they do so, then it is thanks to the surviving mercenaries and adventurers the Candidates hired. They are assisting under the different squadrons instructions-" As Bordeaux explained to his fellows the current situation in the City, a yell from one of the Candidates' servants disrupted the very delicate 'peace' that remained in the room.
"YA GOT A PROBLEM, ASSHOLE?!" From the sidelines of the hall, Garfiel growled thunderously as a murderous red aura surrounded him, his fangs bared and his eyes glaring at the men calling for Subaru's death. Most of his vestments were torn and burnt during the battle, so the boy was now wearing one of Otto's spare green robes over his body instead of his normal apparel. "C'MON! REPEAT DAT BULLSHIT! SEE IF I DON'T WIPE DAT FACE OUTTA YER HEAD!"
"As I said, that disgusting-looking, arrogant brat should be hanged for the destruction of my Manor. Do you even realize how much it costed?! More than you'd make in a lifetime, I assure." A nobleman cried with disgust as Garfiel called him out. "Agh, someone get rid of this half-blood already! Desecrating this hall, the gall!"
"GRRRRRR-!" The boy's scowl deepened, his pupils shrinking within his green irises. Garfiel's blood boiled at the thought of his Captain's life somehow hanging under these moronic men's thumbs. "DAT'S IT! I-!"
*PULL!*
"Owgh-! Ram, what gives?!" Garfiel cried as the oni maid, Ram, pulled his ear harshly, diffusing a potentially horrible situation from occurring.
"Think about what you are doing, Garf." Ram responded with disappointed eyes, still holding the boy's ear tightly in her grip as a form of threat. "If you beat up a noble, it won't just be Barusu that gets the death sentence-"
"Hmph! Cap'n shouldn't even be getting' sentenced ta begin with!" The boy complained heatedly. "He saved these guys, so why are they even talkin' 'bout killin' him?!"
"It's not as though I enjoy it any more than you, but Barusu does need to explain to them properly. The City is in shambles, and probably the entire country even, so someone must answer for all the trouble."
"If answering means executing him, then you can be certain I'd do anything possible to prevent that Ram-san." Otto interrupted with a stern tone and gaze. "Natsuki-san didn't go through all the trouble of Sanctuary and fighting that monster just so he'd be sent to the gallows. That is just too unfair!"
"And I'm saying you should just leave it to Barusu to defend himself in court." Ram refuted yet again. "He holds the key details we ignore, so perhaps that will dissuade the people gathered here from wanting him dead. All we can really hope is that he won't have his foot in his mouth when push comes to shove."
"Even if that means exposing Roswaal-sama?" Frederica argued back, pointing out Ram's words with vexation. Similar to Garfiel, with her previous clothes torn apart during the battle, the head-maid had dressed up in a spare maid outfit left behind in Patrasche's carriage. However, as this one outfit was designed for the likes of Rem, it exposed quite a bit of her cleavage and legs. Better that than nothing was the logic.
"Huh? What is this about Roswaal-sama?" Rem herself, the owner of the outfit, wondered aloud from In front of Frederica as she spoke in an ominous tone.
"…Certain events took place when we were trapped in Sanctuary, Rem." Emilia explained in a reserved voice, reminiscing with regret the entire disaster. Due to her constant rush into combat, as well as the fact that she went around healing the injured, her previous white and amethyst regal dress was burnt, torn and bloodied. As such, she was now dressed in a more casual outfit that she would normally wear during her free days at the Mansion: a casual white and green combination dress. "Amongst them, Roswaal did some unsavory things… No, saying unsavory does not gift them enough credit. If I must say, his actions were vile, to say the least."
"Vile-?!" Rem repeated, mortified by the implications. Slowly, she turned to look at her liege beside her with… a hint of fear in her blue eyes.
"It would seem I~ will be the one lamenting most this da~y, hmm?" Roswaal's typical smile faltered slightly as the accusatory gazes of his companions narrowed down on him, Rem especially as she stared with confused frustration at the guilty Margrave. "However, this does not mean I can so ea~sily surrender…"
"Roswaal-sama… What did-?" Whilst the maid dreaded to question the actions of the noble to her right, the squeaky, loud voice of a little girl disrupted her inquiry.
"SUBARU!" Beatrice, who had remained quiet yet fidgety before Rem, yelped as she sensed Subaru's presence approaching. "He's near! Betty can feel him coming, in fact!"
"Huh-?!" Everyone in the room responded to the sudden cry of information by staring at the Gates with expectation.
*Crea~k!*
"REPORTING!" Marcos was the first one to enter the room, and despite his injured state, he managed to muster enough breath to deliver an impressive shout. "Per direct order of the Council of Elders I, Marcos Gildark, presently deliver the 'prisoners' set for interrogation before the Dragon's Kingdom of Lugunica's Court, Council and Royal Candidates! Step forth!"
"…" Following this, Reinhard nervously stepped into the room with a face of shameful disgust, his right hand holding a steel chain as he wrangled Elsa, Subaru and Karen inside the room, in that order respectively. The chain linked their collars tightly, ensuring that none of them moved away from the group unless their wrangler decided it so.
"THERE HE IS!" One of the Court's mages shouted angrily as the Avenger came into the room, and following suit, a plethora of infuriated knights and nobles began screaming vile insults into the air.
"GO DIE!"
"BASTARD!"
"KILL HIM!"
"TO THE GALLOWS ALREADY!"
"I WANT HIS HEAD!"
"PIECE OF SHIT!"
"Crusch-sama…" The infuriated Wilhelm mumbled with anger through the patches and bandages that covered his bruised face; he felt mortified by the visage of his grandson parading the hero around like a criminal set for execution, and even more so by the fact that there were people in the room that felt as though he should be killed.
"I understand, Wilhelm…" Crusch, who herself was sitting in a wheelchair whilst casts covered her left leg and left arm, acknowledged her servant's anger with a low and hoarse voice. She, too, felt insulted by the treatment towards Subaru perpetrated by half of the Court. "I understand your anger… But you must endure it…"
"Hmph." Meanwhile the tired Felix, who was the one pushing Crusch's wheelchair, gazed at the boy with indifference. He felt neither cheerful nor slighted by the way the Avenger was being humiliated; he would prefer that he was not there to begin with. "That's what you get for overstepping."
*CRACK!*
"This some bullshit…" The tiles under Garfiel's feet cracked under the pressure imposed by the boy, his vision becoming hazy as Subaru walked past him toward the center of the room. "How am I s'pposed ta calm down… When lookin' at this Ram?!"
"…" Ram's calm demeanor broke for a moment as Garfiel spoke to her, the oni's pink eyes turning red within her scowling face before she exhaled with exasperation and relaxed slightly. Nevertheless, wrath tainted her voice as she produced a few, brief words. "Restrain your anger Garf, and you too Otto…"
"…Tsk!" It was rare for Otto Suwen to frown in frustration, and much more it was for him to scowl in fury. Yet, now the grey-haired merchant was a mere provocation away from rushing to Subaru's side as his face turned beet red with anger.
"What the hell…" Not so different fared Rem as she held the hem of her dress with trembling hands, her horn threatening to sprout forth at any second whence witnessing the state of her beloved.
*Hug!*
"Please, at ease Rem…" Frederica, sensing the animosity of her younger colleague, hugged her from behind in an attempt to calm the tension.
"Kuh…!" All things considered, Emilia's reaction could be called 'calm' in comparison to what she was really capable of doing. The temperature around her significantly dropped, her feet accumulated some ice and snow around them and her amethyst eyes scowled in Subaru's direction whilst he slowly moved forward.
"I understa~nd asking for more restrain would be ludicrous given the situation, Emilia-sama." Roswaal murmured with a neutral expression as he approached the half-elf's ear, his sharp eyes unfaltering even as he witnessed Subaru's dilemma. "But if you we~re to unleash a spell here, your candidacy would be revo~ked-"
"You needn't warn me so, Roswaal…" Emilia closed her eyes as she desperately tried to calm herself, shaking her head vehemently in response to the Margrave's advice. "I'm fine. Perfectly fine…"
"…Then let's hope you rema~in that way." Roswaal slowly took a step backward, distancing himself from the half-elf as he turned to look at the boy before the Council.
"What a moronic display, nothing but a flock of scavenging filth this so-called 'Court' is." Priscilla commented with repugnance whilst hiding her scowl with a fan.
"Tsk! This is why I didn't want to be regarded as a knight dammit…" Aldebaran behind her averted his angered gaze from the display.
"Hey! Why is Boss-Bro tied up?!" Mimi objected from Anastasia Hoshin's arms with a mortified face.
"Mngh! This feels all kinds of wrong Boss." Likewise, Ricardo snarled at the sight with unease as he stood at the back of his Lady's group. The wolf-man's fists shook with indignation, reminiscing with disgust of the time in which he too wore such humiliating restraints.
"It is not as though I don't understand your apprehension, but…" Anastasia lamented with subdued anger as she shook her head at the scene; the slavery of Kararagi she had always despised flashing on her mind.
"…" Julius, on the other hand, refused to look away from even a second, a stern yellow left eye fixated on the atrocity before him. Even if a patch, due to the bleeding bruises on his forehead, blocked the right half of his vision, the finest knight would not avoid witnessing the unfairness; he would not avoid the truth, if only to silently judge the ones responsible.
*Clink!*
"Eesh… If I knew it'd be this warm a welcome, I would have thrown in some cologne." Subaru murmured sarcastically as he walked forward slowly, the chains of his shackles clinking loudly as he gazed at the mob of knights and nobles to his sides indifferently. "You okay Karen?"
"Okay? I could destroy this room with everyone in it and not regret it for a second." The Synthezoid whispered back dejectedly as she walked closely behind him.
"Keep it together. I know strong emotions are somewhat new to you given your body, but the way out of this are words, not fists."
"I understand that… Quite ironic, I should be the one to keep your emotions in check, not the other way around." Karen spoke with regret clear on her face. "I'm sorry, Subaru."
"Nah, don't be. If anything, I'd feel thankful if you could rely on me as I have been relying on you this whole time." As he answered, Subaru shook his head whilst smirking.
"…I've always been relying on you though." Karen mumbled with a tinge of sadness.
"Huh? What was that?" Subaru missed what Karen said, distracted by the yells.
"Mind keeping me in mind in your conversation?" Elsa teasingly whispered as she turned her head slightly to look at Subaru.
"Ugh, you shouldn't even be a part of this. Can't you leave?" The boy was quick to murmur back with displeasure. "More like, break free from your chains and get bodied by Reinhard already."
"You would use the Sword Saint as a weapon to put me down? Who knew you thought so little of your friends." Elsa giggled in mocking of the boy.
"That is not what I meant; Reinhard is not a weapon-!"
"Then don't talk as if he were. If you wish to put me down, do so with your own two hands Avenger." The Bowel Hunter gazed away with a satisfied face.
"Oh, fuck off! As if I'd feel good killing someone, even you…" Elsa's words made Subaru swallow memories of times gone with resentment.
"…" Karen, hearing this, glared heatedly at the assassin. "Elsa, you-"
*Hug!*
"Subaru!" As the Synthezoid was about to give a piece of her mind to Elsa, Beatrice came through the crowd lining the hall's sides and rushed the boy into a hug.
"Hey! Beako!" Subaru smiled with relief as the Great Spirit stuck to him.
"Subaru, are you alright?! You went to fight that monster, are you not injured I wonder?!" Beatrice spoke quickly as she inspected the boy's armor for gaps and wounds untreated.
"Uh, no, I'm fine! I'm just- Hey, I really am fine-!" Subaru tried to argue as he squirmed uncomfortably due to his chains.
"Stop moving in fact! Let Betty treat your wounds properly!"
"What are you, my mom when I scraped my knee at the park?! I'm fine!"
"Hush, I suppose!"
"What do you want then, for me to tell you I'm injured or to shut up?! I can't do both!" The contractor and his Spirit argued back and forth childishly before a group of most bemused nobility and elders.
"Marcos, do you know exactly who this child is?" Miklotov inquired to the green-haired knight before actually commencing the interrogation of the Avenger. "Her presence feels somewhat… Not normal, I would say."
"As I understand it, she is the Beatrice-sama elder, a Great Spirit of Yin-" Marcos tried to explain before Beatrice interrupted.
"THE Great Spirit of Yin. The Great Spirit of Yin that flung the pesky metallic menace into another dimension during last night's battle, in fact." Beatrice spoke with disdain as she turned to glare at the Council and Marcos. "As well as Betty's Subaru's contracted Spirit, so that would imply you have wrongfully incarcerated the man that saved you all, I suppose."
"So the rumor was true?!"
"That was Natsuki's doing?!"
"She looks like a child…"
"Shit, if a Great Spirit that could perform such a feat says so…"
Murmurs and whispers praising Beatrice abounded in the hall as her involvement in the conflict went exposed. In turn, many of the voices that had insulted Subaru before fell silent in confusion and introspection of their previous statements.
*STOMP!*
"HEY! HEY, REIN!" Following the Spirit's example, Felt screamed as she ran past the mob of knights that lined the hall's center.
"Felt-sama…" Reinhard paralyzed in his tracks as his liege stepped before him, dreading looking her in the eye as the hand holding Subaru's chains trembled.
"What is this?! Why is Big Bro tied up like a criminal along- along Elsa of all people?!" The little blonde girl asked repeatedly in confusion. "What gives?!"
"It was under our direct command that such measures were used to restrain Subaru Natsuki and his companions, Candidate Felt." Bordeaux announced, interrupting the girl's vexation with a stern tone. "The Sword Saint was simply made to comply with said commands as the knight he is."
"Wha-?! Then order him to release them immediately!" Felt shouted back to the elders sitting at the table before the Throne.
"To release them? Including the assassin that once targeted your life?" One of the councilmen asked back with a tired tone.
"W-Well, you can keep Elsa locked up, but you should at least release Big Bro and- And… Huh? Who are you?" As Felt turned to look at Subaru, she finally came to notice Karen behind him.
"My name is Karen, and I am the Artificial Intelligence designed by Tony Stark to assist Subaru in combat, investigation and many more such activities." The Synthezoid spoke with all the politeness she could muster.
"Karen?!" Emilia yelped in awe.
"So that is the disembodied woman's real appearance?" Tivey affirmed from Ricardo's side, adjusting his glasses in astonishment.
"I don't wish to be mean… But doesn't she resemble Ultron? You know the red face and metallic body…" Hetaro mumbled uncomfortably.
"They could be related, if Bro's letter is anything to go by." Ricardo scratched his chin as he recalled Subaru's urgent written warnings.
"Artificial Intelligence, like the one that threatened our Kingdom just last night?" Miklotov wondered with apprehension.
"Huh?" One nobleman amongst the crowd looked flummoxed upon the mention of an A.I. coming from the elder directly.
"…" In return, however, both Karen and Subaru remained silent.
"If I remember correctly, Natsuki, you sent a letter to warn the Candidates of the coming danger days prior to the actual invasion… Am I wrong?" Miklotov continued as he motioned for Subaru to answer him.
"…Yes, I did. I managed to-" Subaru nodded when responding. As he was about to explain further however…
"SEE?!"
"HE'S GUILTY!"
"IF HE KNEW FROM BEFOREHAND, THEN HE MUST HAVE HAD A HAND IN THIS!"
"EXECUTE HIM!"
The shouts of the Court intensified, drowning Subaru's words and justifications in a sea of insults and calls for his death.
*SLAM!*
"SILENCE! SILENCE!" Bordeaux screamed as he punched the table, silencing all mockery with wrathful authority. "For goodness' sake! We are conducting an interrogation here; keep it together already you hasty idiots!"
"But elder, he just admitted to-!" One of the noblewomen in the crowd tried to argue.
"He admitted to knowing of the attack, not his involvement!" Another elder interrupted, subduing the crowd alongside Bordeaux.
"Natsuki." Miklotov proceeded to direct the conversation back to Subaru with a serious tone. "Regarding the invader known as Ultron… Please, start with what you know about him. Origin, powers, his army, how you came to know of his arrival, in that order… And DO know that we will realize if you were to lie."
"His origin, huh… Where to begin…" Subaru made a hesitant face for a few seconds before continuing to speak, clearing his throat so that his voice may be better heard by those present in the room. "In the year 2015, which would roughly be around 8 years ago for all present, my mentor Tony Stark created Ultron as a peacekeeping initiative."
"Peacekeeping? Are you telling us that destructive monster was created to preserve order?!" Bordeaux inquired with anger.
"Hold on, that's not all." Miklotov stopped the councilman as he processed what Subaru just told him with worry. "You mean to say that Ultron was created by the same man that trained you, am I wrong?"
"Ah, yes." Subaru looked regretful for a second before coming to terms with his own words. "The Avenger known as 'Iron Man', Tony Stark, was the one who created Ultron. And as I said, he did so with the intention of protecting my world, Earth, from alien invasions-"
"'Alien', do we even have such a word?"
"Dunno, but I don't like it…"
"Wouldn't that make Natsuki an invading 'alien' too?"
"All the more reason to have him killed! Hmph!"
"His mentor was the one that created the monster!"
"Who is to say this entire disaster wasn't orchestrated by him too?!"
"Ugh…" Subaru shook his head with disillusion as the judging murmurs around him doubled down on their negative opinions.
"So he was a creature created by your mentor, understood." Miklotov dismissed the murmurs as he came to comprehend Subaru's claims, writing them down. "Natsuki, proceed again. Explain to us what was the reason behind… Ultron's deviation from his purpose."
"Hmm." The boy nodded slowly as he prepared himself to explain. "Ultron was made to protect Earth from invasions and the like, to keep peace around my world, but he- He became unhinged from studying humanity. He lacked morality, or rather; his judgement towards people was skew against humans. You know, because of our historical tendency for war… So then, he came to understand 'peace' as the end of all wars."
"Or perhaps, as the war to end it all, huh?" Bordeaux reasoned with a troubled face, resting his head on his hand as he leaned on the table.
"However, there is something to add about Ultron's origin." The Avenger swallowed nervously as he continued speaking, wondering if the concept he was about to mention would even make sense for those present. "The Ultron of our Universe is supposed to be dead already."
"…Huh?" Bordeaux mumbled in confusion, prompting the others in the room to do so as well.
"Our 'Universe'?"
"The hell?"
"Huh?"
"What is Natsuki talking about?"
"My, my… Are you sure you haven't lost your marbles, mister hero?" Elsa joked as she shook her head, feeling quite disillusioned with the Avenger's mad claims.
"How to put in layman terms…" Unable to ignore her, regardless of how much he disliked the assassin, the teenager made a troubled face, looking at all the confused expressions of everyone in the hall with worry. "Are any of you familiar with the concept of the Multiverse?"
"Multiverse…" Roswaal repeated the word with fascination, the implication of 'multi' indicating that the sheer scale of what Subaru spoke of might truly be beyond their scope of comprehension.
"The Multiverse refers to realities beyond our own. Realities that, whilst resembling ours, differ in either great or small aspects." Subaru clarified with a serious expression, his ominous words making everyone present freeze in astonishment. "Whereas OUR Universe is one in which Ultron perished years ago, within the Greater Multiverse, there's a number of 'Ultrons' that yet live, or even more, are just being created-!"
"I-I'm sorry, I fail to follow this confusing mess of an explanation." Marcos shook his head as he gazed at Subaru with contempt, making the boy look around him once more.
"Universe…? Multiverse? Hum?" Emilia whispered as she scratched her head with a flummoxed frown.
"Realities?" Crusch too remained pensive upon the mention of realities, the plurality of the word alarming her.
"These concepts seem confusing, to say the least…" Priscilla fanned herself profusely, attempting to quell her own worries with difficulty.
"Erm- Big Bro, you kinda lost me…" Felt's ears were about to expel fumes from how many things she was overthinking, not one definition spoken by Subaru sticking to her brain.
"Er… I don't really know how to make it easier to-" Subaru paused awkwardly as he failed to explain yet again the complexities of Ultron's arrival to Candidates and the nobility. He was on the verge of rambling in desperation until a single, brilliant merchant girl's voice spoke in his defense.
"Oh, I get it!" Anastasia Hoshin stepped forward with a smirk on her face as she set Mimi down on the floor.
"My Lady?" The orange feline moppet looked at her liege with confusion when she approached Subaru's side.
"Umm… Ana?" Subaru stared at the mauve-haired Candidate with surprise.
"I think I can explain this concept with relative ease, Natsuki-kun. At the very least, in a way those of MY world can understand." The girl reassured with a confident smile and a wink.
"Ah! Well, by all means, go on!" The boy smiled with relief.
"So, as I understand it, 'a' Universe refers ta ours." Anastasia explained as she grabbed some pieces of marble from the broken floor tiles, and rearranging them into a circle with some of the rubble strewn about inside it. "Our Universe is comprised of Natsuki-kun's world, the Four Nations that form our land, the… other worlds that Natsuki-kun has implied exist, the stars an' the like, am I wrong?"
"No, that's basically the gist of what a Universe would be!" Subaru looked impressed as he complimented Anastasia's quickness to understand. "As Ana said, within the circle that would be our Universe exist… Other Dimensions, other worlds, the stars, galaxies, entire civilizations that we might not even know; all of that exists in ONE Universe!"
"An' our reality consists of everything that exists and has happened within that one Universe. The wars of ages past, the rise and fall of countries and empires, all of us being born and living our lives until finally coming together inside this room-" Anastasia continued as she then proceeded to draw another circle with a similar composition to the original one. "Meanwhile, out there, there could be ANOTHER Universe different from ours in either an infinitesimal or macroscopic aspect."
"Wait, 'another' Universe?" Felt commented with frustration from beside Anastasia, stepping forward inside the first circle drawn by the merchant.
"Another Universe, in which versions of us that are not ourselves exist." Subaru assured with discretion.
"!" The concept eerily resonated with Roswaal as he figured it could possibly relate to Subaru's ability of manipulating time. "Us that are not ourselves…!"
"Roswaal-sama?" Ram noted her master's sudden tension with worry.
"…" However, the clown himself refused to elaborate further as he fell silent, fixated instead on the explanations offered by Subaru and Anastasia.
"Please, elaborate further Candidate Hoshin, Natsuki." Miklotov indicated as he and the other elders expressed sudden interest in the exposition given.
"Imagine if you will that the circle that contains Felt is our Universe." Subaru pointed through his cuffs at the blonde Royal Candidate. "In OUR Universe, Ultron was slain by the Avengers years ago. In OUR Universe, I met Emilia and Felt when a sudden Spatial Displacement flung me across the stars and into your Kingdom."
"However, in this OTHER Universe parallel ta ours, a key event that was supposed ta occur didn't, an' this Ultron villain that was supposed ta die… won instead." Anastasia's smile deflated into a frown, as she understood the weight of her own words. "Oh my…"
"By the Od…" Reinhard mumbled with dread, soon followed by the Court and the knights' gasps of fear.
"Which would mean… In that Universe…!" Emilia took a step backwards in shock at the revelation, soon followed by the Court surrounding her.
"N-No way…"
"As if we'd believe that-!"
"Oh, hell no…!"
"What is going on?" Rem commented as she noticed the sudden unease of everyone present.
"Uh- I think I got lost somewhere…" Garfiel scratched his head with confusion, failing to understand the tension in the room.
"My goodness-!" Otto and Frederica however perfectly comprehended the alarming situation.
"Um, Sis? Da fuck's happenin' here?" The blonde demi-human boy swallowed with nervousness as he stared at his half-sibling's horrified face.
"Garfiel… If Ultron won in his Universe, then that means all of us-!"
"PREPOSTEROUS!" A man's hoarse and irritated shriek disrupted the panic flooding the room, his tired blue eyes staring daggers into Subaru's back.
"Is there something you wish to add, Heinkel?" Miklotov sighed as he pointed to the man leaning near the gates all the way at the back of the room; Heinkel Astrea had disrupted the anxiety with his anger.
"Elder, this entire thing is a shit show, a disaster manufactured by this impertinent 'otherworldly' asshole called Subaru Natsuki to shift the blame away from himself-!"
"And how exactly do you rationalize that he has manufactured any of this, Heinkel Astrea?" Crusch defiantly asked from her place, sitting beside the man's father. "I've yet to register a lie from Natsuki's lips."
"Oh please, if he were to be insane, then he'd buy his own hype for sure! Or tell me you've never considered that possibility, Crusch-sama?!" Heinkel argued with irritation the green-haired woman's belief on the Avenger's words.
"True, if the person themselves considered his obviously unbelievable claims to be true, then my Divine Protection would fail to register a lie. In such cases, I would of course dismiss the person as insane, not worthy of being believed." The Duchess affirmed in a neutral tone.
"Crusch-san…" Subaru mumbled with fear that he might have lost the faith of the noblewoman. Nevertheless, these fears were thankfully unfounded.
"However, Heinkel, Natsuki Subaru's claims have YET to be proven false." Crusch smirked defiantly as she gazed at the redhead sharply. "Was the display of sheer, raw power demonstrated by the invader and his army not enough proof that his outrageous claims may be truthful? I for one believe that the foe we battled was indeed of the caliber to lay waste to our world, and all out there… As he did in his own Universe."
"Ha! All this crap about other 'Us's' and whatnot is still purely speculation!" Heinkel yet refused to let go of his criticisms, doubting the validity of Subaru's claims or Crusch's arguments. "Ya want to buy our belief?! Show me some Od damned PROOF that that is the case! That there are other realities out there!"
"Y-Yeah!"
"Like he says!"
"If there's no proof, then he is still at fault!"
"Natsuki lies!"
"*Sigh…* And just when mineself thought we were over the loud morons. Logic is wasted on the ignorant, Karsten." Priscilla shook her head as she sighed disappointed, looking back at Crusch with pity.
"Proof of Subaru's claims can easily be provided, Heinkel." Karen intervened as she turned her head around slightly, looking back at the redhead with indifference.
"…Who the hell said YOU of all things could pronounce my name, armor?" Heinkel however spat back at Karen with disgust.
"Karen, was it?" Miklotov pointed to the Synthezoid with his right hand, prompting her to step forward. "If you wouldn't mind showing us said proof?"
"If you wouldn't mind releasing this shackles from us, elder?" Karen responded despondently as she indicated to the collars and handcuffs placed on Subaru and herself.
"You impertinent armor, how can you speak to one of the elders like that!" A knight growled with hatred, repudiating Karen for her behavior.
"Yeah, how dare you-!"
"At ease, men!" Marcos ordered sternly, demanding silence from the troops present. "Elders?"
"That's alright, Marcos." Miklotov nodded as one of the other elders indicated for the shackles to be released immediately.
"Just Natsuki and Karen, however." Bordeaux stressed whilst glaring at the smiling Elsa, who stared right back at him.
"Hmm… That bald old man is sharper than he looks." The Bowel Hunter commented as she licked her lips. "You have battle experience in you, don't you? I can tell from the few bandages under those robes that you too were present during last night's fight. Unlike the other cowardly elders, of course…"
"Keep talking, Granhiert. See if I don't rush your execution." Bordeaux remained calm before he turned to look back at Marcos. "Marcos, release them already."
"Yes sire." The Captain bowed as he approached to the prisoners with the key in hand.
*Cla-clack!*
"Mn-Agh…!" Subaru breathed with relief as he rubbed his neck repeatedly, the collar restraining him laying unceremoniously on the floor. "Man, you don't notice how restrictive that thing is until it's taken off! I don't think I've ever breathed air this cleanly before~!"
"I'm just glad they finally came around to releasing us; there was no point in the restraints to begin with." Karen admonished as she glared at the handcuffs in the green-haired knight's hands.
"Is this really safe?"
"I don't really know?"
"Would the restraints have worked to begin with?"
"You all saw the power of Ultron last night, did you not?"
"In hindsight, maybe we were too relaxed by the notion…"
"There's no way cuffs are enough to impede the armor from attacking us…"
Soon did the Court and the knights came to acknowledge the silliness of attempting to deter Karen from raging with simple restraints; there was no point in trying to encase living Vibranium with mere iron.
"All right metal woman, nuff' chit-chat!" Heinkel shouted with animosity, ordering Karen around as he stepped forward. "The proof! Provide it already!"
"…" Karen stood still for a second, exchanging ominous looks with Subaru.
"Just… Show what CAN be shown." The teenager mumbled with nervousness.
"What wouldn't endanger you, I understand." The A.I. nodded as her eyes lit up blue, radiating a projection describing Ultron's original Universe.
*Shwooom!*
"What in the blazes-?!" Heinkel exclaimed with amazement as a screen appeared before all in the hall.
"Oh! Like the bracelet of Candidate Felt!" Miklotov replied with a glad face.
"The answers to our questions, huh?" Roswaal felt strange as he stared at the display, sensing as though this was the moment in which fate turned.
And then… Ultron's voice inundated the hall.
"There's only one path to peace-"
"H-Hey, isn't that voice…?" Heinkel stepped away from the screen with fear clear in his eyes.
"N-No way…"
"Fuck off, are you serious-?!"
"Oi, oi! Why is the window talking back to us-?!"
"Rein-!" Felt quickly hid behind her redheaded servant as the sudden surge of fear overwhelmed her.
"I-It is fine, Felt-sama…" Reinhard reassured with a neutral expression, not sensing any danger whatsoever from the hologram. "I don't sense any particular hostile presence…"
"Ya'll sure like ta panic before every single little thing, huh?" Anastasia shook her head, displeased by the behavior of all the supposed higher-ups around her. Apart from the likes of Subaru, Karen and Reinhard, she was the only one in the Throne Room smart or wise enough to understand the intricacies of Earth's technology.
"Karen, what is this-?!" As the room grew tense hearing the maniacal machine's words spoken once more, Marcos inquired Karen with anxiety tinging his voice.
"I ask that you please be at ease." Karen assured with an indifferent tone however, uncaring for the distress of those present. "Ultron is gone, I assure you that. What you see and hear nevertheless… are his memories. At least some of them, what can be understood by you."
"Ultron's memories…" Emilia whispered quietly as she inspected the hologram with some fear.
"*Cough-Cough!* Hmm-Hmm! Continue then, Karen." Miklotov instructed, directing everyone's attention towards the screen.
"…Understood." With that, Karen proceeded with replaying the recording.
"There's only one path to peace…"
"The Avengers' extinction."
"The elimination of all life."
The spectators gasped in astonishment as Ultron spoke promises of death for all, images of calamities most disgusting and destructive across the stars following rapidly in succession and silencing any word of protest or rebuttal from the crowd instantly.
"You don't have to do this… I made you for peace!"
As the hologram transitioned from massacre to massacre perpetrated by the robot with haste, the visual of Tony Stark's own death appeared on-screen.
"…" Unnoticed to all but Emilia, Rem and Beatrice, Subaru averted his gaze from the demise of his mentor. It was enough with seeing it once; he need not witness it again.
"It's evolution."
"Only a primitive mind would fail to see the distinction… Which is why you have to die."
The deaths of the Avengers, whom they had never even seen before, managed to rile up the nobility present with perilous thoughts.
"H-Hey, wasn't that man wearing one of the armors?"
"And he killed him like that-?"
"That would have been the 'Iron Man', right?"
"Isn't he his father or something-?!"
"And he just murdered him?!"
"Holy fuck…"
"Forget that! Didn't you look at the other images?!"
"He was fighting in the stars!"
"Please, just continue watching in silence everyone." Subaru instructed with an uncomfortable face, lamenting the deaths of the Universe he had avenged. "Just… Watch until the end."
"…" The Court and the knights both meekly obeyed with aghast faces as they returned to look at the screen.
"Fascinating!"
"The Infinity Stones!"
"Those are-!" Reinhard's pupils shrunk as he gazed at the Stones, all the description of their powers Subaru had offered to him paling in comparison to the absolutely unstoppable force he had clashed with hours prior.
"He obtained such items from slaughtering your world, huh…" Bordeaux commented in an unheard voice as a single droplet of sweat rolled down the side of his head.
"Unfortunately for the other Universe… And ourselves." Miklotov shook his head as he lamented, predicting accurately the fate of the parallel Lugunica.
"There are worlds beyond my own… Worlds that need ME!"
"I'm going to bring about peace in our time to every corner of the universe!"
"Listen Skynet! I've seen the 'Killer Robot' movie and I really don't think it needs a sequel!"
"…You have spirit."
"You can't… WIN!"
"I already have."
"That is another hero from Earth, Captain Marvel." Subaru described as the battle between the Cosmic hero and the Synthezoid replayed from the point of view of the machine. "She is supposed to be one of the strongest around, yet even she-"
*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!*
"She perishes, if the other previous displays are anything to go by." Roswaal mumbled as he glared with slight fear at the absurd powers and might displayed before him. "We had no chances to begin with, huh…"
"Not without Subaru, in fact." Beatrice affirmed as she hugged the teenager tightly.
*Paf!*
"…" In return, the boy smiled weakly whilst patting his contracted Spirit on the head.
"WH-WHO ARE YOU?! WHAT IS YOUR PURPOSE?!"
"Roswaal-sama!" Ram screamed with horror as the image changed again upon Carol Danvers' death, changing into a picture of Roswaal choked by Ultron to death.
"This is it-!" Priscilla indicated as even she sensed the dread in the air. "The moment in which the machine invaded our world in the parallel reality!"
"A servant to the Witch of Greed… living for nothing but the purpose of resurrecting her!"
"You are surprised your little book did not foresaw me… That is to be expected. Your limited magic, in all its 'disgusting' nature, could never hope to account for the omnipotent."
*SLAM!*
"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?! MARGRAVE MATHERS!" Bordeaux screamed with animosity as the recording paused, the words spoken by Ultron triggering an immediate fear and disgust in everyone present for one Roswaal L. Mathers.
"…" However, Roswaal himself remained silent, staring with indifference at the screen.
"Is the Margrave a cultist?!"
"Is that why he supported a half-devil?!"
"It was him! He was in cahoots with Sloth the entire time!"
"Filthy cultist!"
"Please, just continue watching!" Miklotov hastily spoke up, attempting to ease the tensions whilst not averting his apprehensive gaze from the guilty Margrave. "Any and all accusations can be conducted once the memory reaches its conclusion!"
"Hmph!" Begrudgingly agreeing with his colleague, Bordeaux swallowed a wave of insults and sat back on his seat, his infuriated eyes fixated on the screen displaying Roswaal's death. "Damn imbecile, way to sully your grandmother's legacy…"
"The me that is not me… You weren't strong enough, and your dream ended so pathetically because of that." Dropping his accent as he bore witness to his bloody demise, Roswaal quietly whispered to himself as the machine murdered him in the memory.
"Kuh-!" Ram averted her eyes from the scene, feeling hurt from even hearing her master's gargles as he drowned on his own blood.
"The… A Witch-? BOOK?! A GOSPEL?! He wanted to-?!" The twin to her side, Rem however, trembled in confusion as she failed to understand the information given properly. It was one thing to know that her master safeguarded a Witch's tomb, she knew of this already. It was another to know that, throughout the entire time she had served under him, the man himself seeked to resurrect said Witch with the use of a book that foretold the future. As though a cultist with his Gospel he were… In denial, the girl shook her head from side to side slowly.
"D-Damn…! This is fuckin' wild…!" Garfiel's legs trembled whilst staring at the devastation past the Margrave. Burning buildings, hundreds of people lay dead on the streets, a missing Royal Castle replaced by a fuming Crater instead… In comparison to them, they had it easy with their own invasion.
"SWORD SAINT."
"DRAW YOUR BLADE ALREADY; THIS WORLD APPROACHES ITS DARKEST HOUR!"
"The Dragon-!" Wilhelm gasped in awe as he witnessed Volcanica appear in the screen, ordering Reinhard to draw his blade as the army of legionnaires destroyed the Capital below them.
"Volcanica…" Crusch stared with angered confusion at the image before her, failing to understand a certain detail of the Divine Dragon's appearance on the battlefield. "Why did it appear there, but not here?"
Yet then, as suddenly as the Dragon had made its presence known…
*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!*
"…It's…"
"It's done… At last… Peace."
Their world ended with a rainbow gleam, blazing lights of destruction that reduced the Four Nations of the Land of Od Laguna into dust within an empty Cosmos.
Everyone died, and Lugunica's most powerful bore witness to their own death.
"Huh…" As everyone fell silent, frozen stiff in absolute fear and dread, Subaru sighed with slight relief despite the tension. The recording shown by Karen was a heavily edited one, at least one that removed any appearance of Satella or the Witch of Envy, ensuring that Subaru's connection to her went hidden and undetected. Still, even if he avoided such a troublesome revelation, the fact that the video was a most scary one remained present in both his and everyone's minds.
"…B-Bullshit…" Heinkel mumbled in denial, his shuddering frame rocking back and forth as he refused to believe the sight shown to him. "Th-Th-Th-This is an illusion of some sort! Yes, an illusion cast by Natsuki to-!"
"This is no illusion, father." Reinhard interrupted with a calm voice, suppressing his abysmal fears desperately and replacing them with monotony instead. "Having fought and lost against that monster, I can attest for Ultron's unreal strength. Had it not been for Subaru's warnings, we would all be dead. All of us…"
*THUD!*
"…Urgh- Urnf-!" Heinkel dropped to his knees, holding his head as he threatened to puke from the existential fear coursing through him.
*BARF!*
But he wasn't the one to puke first; instead, one of the younger nobles to the side did as he passed out on the floor. And with this, panic most extreme ensued in the Throne Room.
"H-HOLY FUCK-!"
"WE DIED-?!"
"B-B-B-B-BUT W-W-E-WE AR-AR-AAAR-R-R-ARE S-ST-STILL ALIVE RIGHT NOW-!"
"ALIEALIEALIEALIEALIEALIEALIEALIEALIEALIEALIEALIEALIEALIEALIEALIEALIEALIEALIEALIEALIEALIEALIEALIEALIEALIEALIEALIEALIEALIEALIEALIEALIEALIEALIE-!"
"G-G-GET ME OUTTA HERE-!"
"S-S-S-S-SCREW THIS-! I WANNA GO HOME-!"
"U-UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-!"
*SLAM-SLAM-SLAM!*
"ORDER! ORDER!" Bordeaux shouted as he repeatedly slammed the table with his fists. This, however, failed to garner any attention from the frightened Court.
Some sat on the floor in a fetal position, rocking back and forth, as they denied reality with all they had.
Others passed out cold, lying serene, splayed on the floor, unconscious and uncaring to the living nightmare they had just witnessed.
And half of the nobility rushed to the entrance gates with aghast faces, refusing to admit the truth, their fright-induced lunacy eliciting most perturbed actions; stepping over each other like savages in an attempt to flee the Throne Room.
"If anything, this just demonstrates not everyone could handle the knowledge of death." Karen murmured with indifference as she looked in Subaru's direction. "They witnessed it once, and they cannot move forward anymore…"
None of them could hope to be like you, Subaru…
"A-Ah…!" Felt stumbled on her feet as the destruction of her world flashed sporadically on her mind, her small body trembling as she held for dear life to Reinhard beside her.
"Hmm… Am I supposed to be thankful to mister hero then? About being alive right now? I don't particularly feel grateful though…" Elsa averted her gaze dejectedly from the screen; secretly feeling conflicted by the viewing. "All that tells me is that there are powers out there even more mortifying than Mother's…"
"You can shove it if you think I want your thanks, Elsa." Subaru retorted to the assassin as she mumbled away. "I didn't do it for gratitude or adoration; I fought Ultron because someone had to."
"That's all good and nice, but how are we supposed to continue the interrogation when half the hall is screaming at the revelation, huh?!" Bordeaux interrupted Subaru's admonishment of Elsa with infuriated words.
"You ask me?! It's not like I could just tell them all to shut up and sit quietly, cue ball!" Subaru complained back with a troubled face.
"Reinhard! Marcos! Make some order here-!" When elder Miklotov was about to prompt to the Sword Saint and the Captain for the crowd to be controlled, a sudden shift in the room's ambience threw his train of through into disarray.
"Actually, I might just be able to help with that; controlling a mob with non-lethal force is quite an easy feat." A voice interrupted Miklotov's order to the strongest knights present. A voice known to Subaru and Karen…
*CREA~K!*
"Huh?! Now what-?!"
"What the-?!"
"Gagh-!"
"What is this force-?!"
"Invisible-?!"
"Ugh- Let go-!"
As the gates to the Throne Room burst open from the outside, an ethereal black fog and orange light pushed the nobles gathered by the entrance aside, the crowd dispersing back to their original standings as a most ominous presence made itself known…
"HUH?!" Subaru shouted in vexation as the fog and lights cleared, recognizing the man in the midst of it all as none other than... "STRANGE?!"
"That's Doctor Strange for you, Spider-Man." The smirking, smug Sorcerer Supreme that had fought by his side against Ultron corrected the Avenger. "It's good to see you again, kid."
AUTHOR'S NOTES
BACK AT IT AGAIN WITH ANOTHER CHAPTER BEFORE THE END OF THE WEEK, BABY!
Now, I KNOW some of you will complain that we didn't get resolutions from this chapter, or even as many reactions as we could have had. BUT (and it is a pretty big but, not gonna lie) I'm saving most reactions to Roswaal's fate, Subaru's armor, Karen and the actual fight against Ultron for when Emilia, the cast and the nobility actually manage to understand the concept of the Multiverse fully. A~nd that is all for the next chapter, I'm afraid.
Don't worry though, there's always a rainbow after the rain, the new Chapters, Interludes and Side Stories will all come eventually… AFTER A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR: RAID SHADOW LEGENDS-
I'm kidding! I'm kidding…
For real, there IS going to be some relaxation for Spider-Baru eventually.
But until then… The interrogation must continue first.
As always, looking forward to your reviews, comments AND criticisms/recommendations.
See you next chapter, boys and girls! Bye-Bye!