"Well, boy? You want an appa?"
No matter how long or far I go, I die and return here… I've been killed multiple times already. How do I escape this? I need to find someone with wealth and befriend them, or I have no hope or future in this world.
"Boy, hello?"
"My bad, I'm broke sorry for wasting your time."
Well, there is one option I never considered a good idea remotely. The fight that I every loop I avoided. All I could feel in that direction was blistering coldness. Perhaps I should see what happens, and if I die, I'll have some knowledge in the next loop.
Remember what I learned in my previous world. Those concepts can still be applied in this world regardless of whatever power people may possess here. My power is dying and returning. The pain is real, but I can only survive by breaking. I wonder if this is hell or something, and I just died?
I head towards the loud noises I heard in all previous loops. It was a fight of some sort. I have no power here other than dying and returning, and my physical strength, which won't help against most things people possess… I need to fix what I'm lacking severely, knowledge and power. Force may be impossible to gain, but learning will be much easier.
As I head toward the freezing temperatures, I see two figures. A silver-haired girl and a blonde-haired girl.
The freezing temperatures are starting to take effect. But I can't back down now, or the knowledge I gain will be pointless.
Wait, there's another figure now approaching…
"Ara Ara. I am afraid I cannot disclose that information to you. I wonder if you will die here, and your beautiful bowels… what color will they be?"
From the looks of it, she's talking to the silver-haired woman.
A flying cat? What the hell?
"Puck! Kill her!" The silver-haired figure demanded
So the name of the cat is Puck. I got one word, and it's for a flying cat… Fucking wonderful.
I must live a bit longer… I need to learn more about this situation.
My body felt numb as I fell to the ground, slowly dying. Before I died, however, I saw a massive explosion, and a red-haired knight questioned himself out loud, staring at my soon-to-be-dead body, "What is going on?"
I tried to speak, but it was too late. I died.
I was right. The Capital of Lugina is far different than what I imagined… Soon I will be the King, and this Capital will belong to me.
Roswaal instructed me to conceal my magical presence, but I wasn't concerned. Watching people's reactions to someone that resembled the Witch of Envy and had strong magical power was necessary. I need to know the degree they fear me to understand what I need to do to stop them from stressing me.
"Excuse me, miss," a voice called out to me. I turn around and see a red-haired knight and another man. He looked quite strange, wearing some sort of black uniform. He wore black shoes, but they looked weird. Almost like something someone from the slums would wear, but at the same time, it looked much more expensive. Odd.
"Well, that's one down," the boy told the knight.
Down? What does he mean by this? I've never met this boy, so how does he know of me? This is all very strange…
"What do you want with me? I am simply taking a stroll… Did you call for a guard due to my appearance being similar to that of the Witch of Envy?"
The knight said, "This boy stated that you and another person with blonde hair will be attacked by a black-haired woman. The detail the boy gave me, the only conclusion I could make was that he was describing the Bowel Hunter."
Who's that? What kind of knight would simply believe the words of a stranger with weird clothing… Either there both idiots, or somehow this boy is correct. But how?
The boy spoke, "First off, don't call me a 'boy.' That's a bit disrespectful. Second off, what kind of name is the 'Bowel Hunter'? Sounds like the worst evil nickname someone could be named."
The boy started laughing after saying it… Weird.
"So, sir knight, what are you planning to do? I find this whole situation quite odd."
Before the knight could speak, the boy said, "Really? Do you find this situation odd? That's funny… VERY FUNNY. I DO TOO. In what world does someone with crazy ice magic get killed by a criminal named the 'Bowel Hunter'? It's honestly beyond my comprehension."
The knight coughed, "I intend to follow you to ensure nothing goes wrong. Even if the boy's prediction is false, it would be better to ensure nothing happens than allow anyone to die due to my negligence."
How did this boy know about my abilities? Nobody should. Nobody except for Puck and Roswaal knows how my magic works, yet this boy does… Either he's a spy, or something else is going on. But if he was a spy, why be disrespectful to me? None of this adds up. It's the same feeling I had when Roswaal found me. It's like this boy knows more than he should…
"Whatever, I do not mind. However, later I do have some questions to ask that boy."
Heh, he looked mad when I called him a boy again.
'Lia, that boy, he's… I can't read his emotions.
'What? How?'
'I'm not sure. I've never failed to tell if someone has malice or ill intent. When I try to read that boy, I get multiple responses. I don't get it.'
This boy has piqued my curiosity. Whatever power he has will be helpful for me to use. If he's a spy, I need to deal with him quickly. But I can't simply kill or injure him here in the Capital… I suppose I should wait for things to play out.
The boy spoke again, "So, judging by your clothing, I would assume your nobility?"
Hmm, a simple question, so I'll give him a simple response.
"Correct, I am a Royal Selection candidate."
The boy grinned at me while the knight looked worried.
"So, assuming my predictions turn out correct and I do indirectly save your life, I would like a reward."
This… boy who hasn't even given me his name.
The boy's facial expression changed like he noticed something behind me?
"Knight man, blonde coming."
The knight seems to just be in shock. Why? Who would dare to attempt to confront me in battle? What the…
That brat stole… My insignia? Why! Why would she do that? Was this all a set-up by that boy?
The boy laughed, "Well, now this whole thing makes more sense."
Annoying rodent. This girl is weak, but I can't kill her in front of a knight. I'll aim an icicle at her leg.
"AW," the girl screamed in pain while Reinhard looked like he spotted something important… Weird.
The boy coughed, "Since any moment she'll appear, I may as well get this show started. HEY, BOWEL HUNTER, COME OUT, YOU SCARED BITCH"
Is this boy insane? Yet everything he does seems… I can't read it. He's not dumb, but I can't find a reason to explain he's brilliant for his actions. Everyone is staring in the Capital…
The knight spoke, "Please do not do that again."
When he said that, I felt something coming at an immense speed in my direction.
'Puck block!'
Narrowly escaping a fatal blow. When I turned around, it was none other than the person Reinhard described. This boy. He's mocking me, making me seem weak and dumb. How dare he.
This is going well. Almost too well. Now this woman will be indebted to me, and I can not be killed again so quickly.
"Yo knight man might want to assist miss loyalty over there."
"I told you, my name is Reinhard. And yes, I was about to"
Well time to see how powerful this random knight is.
What the hell? Did he just kill her with a single strike of a sword? Ok, I must be the weakest person in this world, or he's the strongest. She killed the Royalty women who were also powerful quickly… Jesus.
Wait, she's alive? How?
"YOU" I hear her scream at me. She must've figured out I ruined her plan. Now she's going to kill me powerfully.
She dashed toward me since her name was the 'Bowel Hunter,' I could probably move my stomach just a bit, so she thought she had struck me with a fatal blow. Then someone should be able to heal me… Decent plan.
*Slash*
I watched in both shock and annoyance. The knight quickly stopped this woman. She has some regeneration ability, however. Now she retreated, and Reinhard was tending to the blonde-haired girl.
If I let this boy die, not only will it look bad for my campaign, but this boy can be helpful, not to mention if he's a spy, I need to deal with him regardless. His death does not benefit me one bit.
I began to heal him, but his body had countless scars. Nothing about this boy or where he came from, and the knowledge he knows makes any sense. I will find out, and for his disrespect, I will make him regret it. Cruelty is something a King must show when justified.
This boy does not deserve my help.
Who deserves it is-
Why wasn't I saved by some knight that day?
Why was I left alone to rot away on that ice?
I just don't get it…
I began to heal the boy, but his wound was far less severe than I thought. Did he purposefully get hit? Nothing is adding up…
The boy coughed, "Thanks."
Thanks? Is he thanking me for healing him? His eyes, black eyes, black hair… But his eyes, why do they look familiar?
The boy then fell unconscious again. Great. I'll heal and take him to the mansion to integrate him further.
I watched as Reinhard healed the girl. Why heal such a weak slum rat that stole my item? Pathetic. Everyone in this Kingdom is either invalid or helps the vulnerable. Weakness isn't something that should be accepted…
"Miss Emilia, I trust that boy in your care. I will be taking this girl with me."
I assume he's arresting her. Good, getting what she deserved.
I nod at the knight and continue to gaze at the unconscious boy. Something just felt off. I will find out. However, no matter what it means, I will learn what power, origin, and identity is.
"Miss Emilia, who is this?"
I look down at the unconscious boy wearing odd clothing, whom Miss Emilia brought back to the Inn.
Emilia stared at the boy, responding, "Now that you mention it, I never even heard his name. But he seems to know information about me and my magical abilities."
Hearing that made me question the boy further. He must be a spy to know of her abilities. Nobody outside the mansion knows…
"Information? This boy that you don't know even his name, yet he knows your magical ability?"
Emilia nodded, "Well, he seemed to not be aware of anything other than my magical ability. Puck also can't detect his emotions, making reading him even harder."
I've never heard Emilia say Puck failed at reading a person's intent before. This is strange.
"Does the mansion have some sort of cell or dungeon, Ram?"
Not a strange request. He is most likely a spy.
"Yes, Miss Emilia. However, Roswaal's permission is required to use the facility, which shouldn't be an issue given the circumstances."
Then I saw a devilish smile appear on Emilia's.
"Are there torture devices? I don't think this one will be easy to crack."
I simply nod. Emilia is terrifying even to me. Roswaal is the only reason I even feel safe being around her.
I woke up. Good, it seems my checkpoint updated this time. For some reason, this power requires me to complete some tasks. Not sure what it is in particular or if it even related to this woman in the first place, but that's at least good news…
Chains? What the fuck? Where am I?
My arms are spread out, connected to chains, and adjusted so my feet cannot touch the ground. This is nothing compared to the torture methods I saw in that prison or the stories my mentor taught me. The question is, why am I being held here to be tortured?
Well, I guess I should let whoever plans on torturing me learn that I'm awake.
"HELLO" I shout with a fake pitch of fear and dread.
Although mentally I was fine, I was very thirsty. Water, fuck I need water.
I hear footsteps coming. It's the same girl I planned to use as my way out of being killed. How ironic and cruel this world is.
"It seems you've got to awaken" the girl looked at me, picking up pliers.
Think, what did my mentor say about torture. Right, the first step is figuring out who is the one torturing you. If they have any shred of morality within them, exploit it. If they don't, your dead, as even if you tell them what they want to know, they'll kill you regardless.
"So you're going to torture me?" I said, continuing my act of being scared.
The girl smiled, but it was fake. She doesn't want to torture me, or she doesn't like the idea of doing it. So now it's just a battle of psychological warfare. Something I doubt this girl has any idea how to understand or do.
"Correct, unless you tell me the information I need," the woman replied
When I saw her eyes, I already had a plan in mind. However, I needed to confirm it. The better option is to see her reaction to my own questions.
"What's your name," I ask, instantly changing my tone to deadly serious.
The girl looked shocked. Maybe I should've continued to pretend to have been scared…
"My name is Emilia. Odd that you don't even know that," she replied, staring at me with confusion and anger.
So she thinks I'm a spy. That's the only way these events could transpire. Considering my knowledge of her magic, that may have been a secret that would make her assume I was a spy. Now that I know that much, I can move this conversation into my control.
"Emilia, bring me some water," I ask again with my serious tone. I need water, so this is the first thing I should ask.
She laughed, "And why would I do that if you haven't answered a question I planned to ask you?"
Your smile at the question of torture was fake. I grinned, the response I was expecting, "For one, you're a terrible liar. You don't want to torture me or even like the concept. But you will do it if I don't answer your questions, right?"
She looked shocked. Let's see what she comes up with as a response.
"Does that change anything? You in no position to ask for anything," she replied with a more emotional tone.
I sigh, "You are an idiot."
This seemed to have enraged her. She manifested what looked to be an icicle and shot it through my leg. A non-lethal point.
"Going to keep talking?" she said, sounding like she felt accomplished.
Time to either hit the mark or die. Dying doesn't matter, however, so this is a win regardless of the outcome.
"Yes, I am because this pain is nothing. Compared to seeing your parents die in front of you and everyone you care about die due to your failures… This is nothing!" I yelled at her.
The goal is to make her empathize with me and convenience her that any form of violence won't get her the answers she wants.
What the?
What did he just say?
What… Why tell a stranger that's torturing you that? Even though I would generally assume he's lying, my gut tells me he's not. Now that Puck can't even read his intents, should I rely on my intuition?
The boy looked at me, confused. I guessed when he said that, I froze. But I still don't understand what this feeling is. Familiarity?
"So, who hurt you?" the boy asked me.
I can't hide my emotions like this boy can. He can read me like a book, and I know it. This is bad…
I remember Puck explaining that he could only hide his intent from Puck if he was crazy. But this boy is not crazy. He's intelligent.
"Let me down from these chains, bring me some water, and I'll answer your questions. In exchange, tell me who hurt you," the boy demanded.
How did he take control of this? I literally have him chained up, and he did this with words? How?
This boy could be the most significant asset I can have. Do I listen to him? Considering his value now compared to what I thought initially…
I coughed, "I'll agree if you tell me one thing. What is your name?"
The boy stared at me. His eyes, unlike others, showed nothing. Emptiness.
"Which name?" the boy asked.
Which? What does he mean by that… Multiple aliases? No, since an alias isn't your name. A name is permanent…
"Your name, your name was given to you by your-"
I stopped before I said it. Why do I feel compassion? I don't get it. Why?
"I think I'll give myself a new name. That man I was before has faded from my memory. Now that I'm in this world, I'll call myself Subaru Nakamura," he said calmly but spit the last word. His last name?
I wonder, "Subaru Nakamura? I assume Subaru has always been your first name, but what made you choose your last?"
The boy looked surprised. This is just a game to him, but it also feels natural to me. I can't tell.
"The name of the person that killed my parents was Kenzo Nakamura."
My body froze. He named himself after the person that killed his parents? That's like me calling myself… I can't even imagine it. Why?
"Why?" I asked. I couldn't keep doing this.
This masked performance with this person. I can't torture someone like this. I will lose. But why do I care?
"I killed him. But the name stained my memory. Since using the name given by my parents would be disrespectful to them, I will take his name as my own."
I didn't get it. I can't understand him.
This girl doesn't get it. My mentor told me once why he never told me his name. Names should be associated with honor or respect. He told me he had too many regrets to even say his name. I feel the same now, but having no name would be confusing, so I decided to take the name of the man that killed my parents.
Hearing it will remind me of my failures and what I need to do to amend them. I may have a chance to do something significant compared to my last.
"Emilia?" I ask, noticing her breaking down in tears.
"SHUT UP" she yelled.
What is up with her? Unless… was I spot on? I was merely guessing, and my goal was to be somewhat correct. Was I, ultimately, right?
"Emilia, I told you my name. Now can you complete your end of the deal?"
The girl stared at me. She looked broken. She seemed to be hiding something, perhaps trauma or some event. But I doubted what I said in this encounter would break her…
"YOU GOT YOUR REVENGE! WHY CANT I GET MINE?" She screamed at me, burying the icicle deeper into my leg.
I wasn't sure how to respond, in the sense that she was very emotionally unstable. If I say something wrong, it will ruin all my progress if I die. I must display the correct response, but I know nothing of her circumstance.
"I didn't get my revenge," I responded, ready to follow up.
"HOW DID YOU NOT?" She yelled, forming another icicle and digging it into my other leg. The pain was starting to hurt now.
"Because when I killed him, my parents did not return. All that I was left with was death and despair," I responded, removing my masked tone to see how my normal voice would sound saying those words.
She stared at me for a moment like she realized something.
"I'm sorry," she mumbled.
This woman. This is so strange I can't even comprehend it anymore. I need to know what happened to finally understand what is happening.
"Emilia, if you have anger in your heart and have nowhere to release it, then revenge consumes you. You become what you hated. So pick one of the two options: either release all your anger on me that you have for that person, or you can untie me. I don't care which you choose. Just pick one."
The moment I said that, the icicles within my legs disappeared. This wasn't good, however, as now I was bleeding out. I'd be dead in thirty seconds.
"EMILIA, YOU DON'T JUST OPEN A WOUND LIKE THAT. THOSE ICICLES WERE PREVENTING ME FROM BLEEDING OUT," I yelled at her. I didn't want to die in this loop; I made it too far. I was spot-on about everything.
My vision got blurry. I guess I'll have to do this again.