Chapter 60: Stand up!
Subaru felt his mind going through the same process as he went in his previous two visions, the feeling of a dark void all around him until his mind had returned into the world like usual but something was different about this time. Compared to the last two times he had to restart, this time he was in a different area. Instead of waking up in the library, he was in the stairs with Ram and Meili. This made the boy realized that his "checkpoint" had changed, meaning that this was the moment after having Ram agreed to keep him from giving up in finding Rem's memories.
'I guess this is better but...how do we deal with that damn woman?'
Subaru was annoyed that there isn't a true way to beat the woman in the shadows since this is the third time he had lost to her. Due to this, Subaru now questions what he should tell everyone regarding the threats that are coming. He knows that the two gluttonies would be the first things to deal with before the three Organization members would come in to make things tough. This is something they could still handle but it is when the woman that controls the shadows comes in where they are in trouble.
'What can I do? None of us are prepared for this and if we put our focus on attacking the first two waves, we would still be in a disadvantage since that woman would just kill us all...Damn it Natsuki Subaru, what would you do if you were here?!'
Subaru thought and thought but his thought process would be interrupted when he received a slap on the face. This caused Subaru to almost fall down the stairs, yet he managed to balance himself while his left cheek was hurting. He placed his left hand and looked at the direction the slap came from, seeing that Ram was looking at him with a cold expression.
"Ow. What was that for?!"
"That was for ignoring me, Barusu. Stay focused on the conversation."
"Sorry Sorry...what were we talking about?"
Ram looked at Subaru with a stern facial expression before slapping him again.
"Ow."
"Stop forgetting things."
"Alright!"
"Stupid Barusu, we were discussing what we will do next with the Sin Archbishops of Gluttony."
"Right, sorry, I think something else came to mind."
"And what might that be?"
Subaru looked at Ram for a few seconds before looking down the stairs. The boy took a few seconds to think since he knows that things have gotten much difficult. While thinking this, he started the question Ram,
"Do you know of anybody that can control shadows?"
"Are you referring to Yin magic?"
"I..."
"Right, you forgot everything. Stupid Barusu. If you are referring to Yin magic users, then the only ones to pull this off is Roswaal-sama, Beatrice-sama, and somehow you, Barusu."
"Is that really everyone who can use Yin magic?"
"What are you insinuating here?"
Ram stopped in her tracks as she said this, giving Subaru another cold stare that completely surprised and slightly intimidated the boy.
'Is she always like this? How does Natsuki Subaru put up with her cold ass demeanor?'
"I'm just saying that there might be a bigger threat coming here aside from the Sin Archbishops of Gluttony."
"As in Sora-sama's enemies?"
"M-Maybe, I don't know fully but I just know there is a threat that is stronger than everyone."
"Hmph. You are stupid Barusu, for not knowing the exact details. Then again you are stupid regardless."
"That's just mean."
"Hmph."
Ram continues to give him a cold stare before she turns around and continues heading down the stairs.
"Alright then Barusu, explain what this new threat is capable of."
"Right."
Subaru quickly caught up with Ram before explaining the woman in shadows, explaining all the things he has seen her do without implying that it had happened. Ram took note into what Barusu said, seeing that this new threat is something that should be taken into account now alongside the three Organization members and the two Sin Archbishops of Gluttony. She crosses her arms and realizes that this won't be an easy journey, but it isn't something that they can't handle.
"Seems like we have our work cut out for us."
"Y-Yeah."
"Just don't slow us down, Barusu."
Subaru nodded at this before the two reunited with the others. As they were together, Subaru looked at the group and watched that everyone was acting the same as before, causing him to gain the group's attention.
"We need to get Sora's memories back."
This sentence alone was able to get Emilia, Beatrice, Rem, Ram, Sora, Meili, and Elsa's attention. As they all turned towards Subaru with a confused facial expression, the boy continued to speak.
"The threat that is coming won't just be the Sin Archbishops of Gluttony but we also have to account some of Sora's enemies and some woman who commands the shadows."
"Some woman?"
The group looked confused, yet they see now that they have more work cut out for them. Beatrice was a bit skeptical when she heard her amnesia contractor speak about a woman who can control the shadows, making her suspicious on who can that be since at the moment only her and Subaru are Yin users. Elsa processes what Subaru said before questioning it a bit,
"What does this woman that uses shadow look?"
"I-I'm unsure, the only thing I know is that this woman wears a dark robe of shadows around her, covering her face."
"Hm. Well what should we do then?"
Elsa gives a serious facial expression towards the boy which does put pressure onto him. He is unsure on how to handle this but the only thing that he knows is that maybe Sora with his memories could do something to save everyone.
"We need Sora at full strength with his memories, that way we have a powerful warrior to deal with this woman with shadows."
"That would work but we need to figure out how to get those memories back in the first place. Considering the time frame we are working before the threat arrives, we don't know how long it will take to find the memories of Sora, yourself, and my own."
Rem's words got through Subaru, seeing that this might take a while until he has a thought in mind. He is aware that this ability of his to somewhat rewind to a specific point in time could allow him to find out the answer to Rem's question in how long would it take until the three of them got back their memories. As he had this in mind, another thought came into mind.
'Even if I can use this visions to help me find the solution to the problem, I don't want to abuse this kind of ability like that. People die and I don't want to just watch them continue to suffer and perish by that monster just to solve one problem.'
Subaru didn't want to watch the others suffer yet he didn't know how to solve the problem they were in, causing the blame to fall on the Natsuki Subaru he once was.
'Where the hell are you?!'
Subaru was annoyed by his previous version since he just left it all to him, the weak and pathetic version of him. Seeing that it all falls to him, he regained the motivation he got from his talk with Emilia in his second vision. He looked at Emilia first before saying confidently,
"We will need to work together on this. The first is finding something in this library that could help restoring our memories first. Should we get attacked, at the very least we will be together."
"Is that really your plan? How stupid, Barusu. That's just asking us to do the exact same thing we have been doing since you lost your memories."
"Okay Okay, no need to be mean."
"Hmph."
"I will have to agree with Ram-sama, this isn't much of a plan. If anything, we are leaving ourselves open to be attacked."
"I know but that's what I want the enemy to think."
"That is reckless, Subaruuu."
Subaru turned towards Emilia, caught off guard that she wouldn't go along with his idea. This disappointed him until Sora stood up to help the boy out by saying,
"I say we try this idea."
"Huh?"
"Sora-sama, mind explaining why you are siding with Barusu's pathetic idea?"
"Respect Betty's Subaru, in fact! Despite him being an idiot, you better respect him."
"Of course, Beatrice-sama."
"Wait what?"
"Sora, why do you side with my contractor's stubborn plan, I suppose?"
"I think we should focus on getting our memories back and even if the plan is weak, I think if we stick together, we will make it together."
Elsa and the others all looked at Sora to see how determined yet calm he was speaking when answering Beatrice's question. This helped the group go along with Subaru's plan, causing them to start looking around the library. As they began to search for an answer to the first problem, being the memories of Subaru, Sora, and Rem, Shaula eventually joined in as she tried to hug her master once again.
"Maa~ster!"
"hk!"
Shaula was squeezing Subaru which caused Emilia to use her elf strength to quickly separate the two, having felt very jealous by this. As she does this, Shaula looks at Emilia with an annoyed facial expression before looking at Subaru with a smile.
"How can I help, Maaa~ster?"
"J-Just follow us for a bit."
"Alright!"
Shaula nodded at Subaru and started following them. As they walked for a bit, looking around in the library for something that could help them, they eventually ended up back to a familiar place. The group looked around with Emilia being the one to find a rather peculiar book lying around in the same place Ram, Beatrice, and herself had found Subaru.
"Hm. How haven't we noticed this before?"
"Well Emilia-sama, we were too focused on Barusu's stupidity to notice this book laying on the floor."
"She makes a fair point, I suppose."
"Why are you all being mean to me?!"
"Hmph. This is barely even the surface of "mean"."
"Let's not lose focus." Elsa says this as she grabs the book from Emilia, wanting to know the contents of it. As she looks over the cover, something catches her interest.
"My My, isn't this quite the mystery."
"What is it, Onee-san?"
Meili went to take a look with Rem, Beatrice, and the others eventually taking a look at the title of the book, catching their attention.
"Reid's book? How? Why?"
"That is something we are unsure of, Emilia-sama, but we will figure this out together."
"Right."
Emilia nodded at Rem before trying to open the book, only for Subaru and Ram to stop her from doing this.
"Hold on there, Emilia-chan. We don't know what might happen if you do that."
"Come on Subaruu, I want to help."
"I-I mean you can b-but I rather be the one to read it."
"Barusu, you already have lost your memories once, are you trying to lose your memories once again."
"We don't know if that is the cause for his amnesia, I suppose."
"That may be true, Beatrice-sama, but that is still something we should consider as a risk."
"Yes, as Ram-sama said, we should be cautious with who ends up reading the book."
The group all debated on who should be the one to read the book of Reid Astrea with only Subaru thinking that it should be him. Given that nothing mad happen to him when he read the book of Meili in the previous vision of events, he believes that he will be fine reading this book. He looks at the group with a confident facial expression before saying,
"I should be the one to read it."
"No. That's too risky."
"I know Emilia-chan but I have a feeling that everything will be fine. You have to trust me on this. All of you. All I ask is to have some faith in me."
"Faith in an idiot like you, Barusu? Ha! Don't make me laugh."
"Isn't that a bit too harsh?"
"No need to worry Sora, Ram-sama is just being her usual self."
"Hm. I guess my older-self got used to it then." Sora says with a skeptical voice.
"We really shouldn't waste too much time. If the boy volunteers, then we might as well have him read the book."
"As much as it pains me to agree with the bowel hunter, she makes a point. We already have trouble making its way towards us."
The group seeing that they really don't have any other choice, they give the book to Subaru with the boy grabbing it and preparing to read it. As he was opening the book, Emilia grabbed his arm and looked at the boy with concern. Subaru could only look at her for a brief moment, being intimidated by her beautiful face. As he looked away with his face being beet red, he began to speak on Emilia's concerned look to him,
"I-I understand your concern E-Emilia-chan...but know that I will always come back to you no matter what."
"Y-You promise?"
"Of course."
"Okay b-but you better keep this promise! You rarely keep your promises."
"Wait What?! Really?! Damn it Natsuki Subaru."
Emilia giggled as she heard this before giving the boy a kiss on the cheek, wanting him to be relaxed and to know that she is there for him should anything bad happen. Subaru's face was stunned for a moment by this before he regained focus and quickly opened the book to start reading it.
When he read Meili's Book of the Dead, it had become quite amorphous. The spectacles he had witnessed, the life she had walked, the paths she had tread were distinct in their own ways, however his memories of witnessing those spectacles, tangibly speaking, becoming one with whose name was the title of the Book of the Dead and being made to personally experience those subjective thoughts, sights. To summarize, the journey of treading through the content of the Book of the Dead, was to assimilate into that person. In those moments, the Natsuki Subaru witnessing the contents of the book was Meili Portroute.
That is precisely why right now what Subaru was supposed to be laying his eyes on was the life of Reid Astrea, his subjective world within his incomprehensible thinking, what he thought, what he liked, what he disliked, what he loved, what he despised, and what he achieved. He was supposed to become one with the philosophy of Reid Astrea, and be shown his life. Thus, Subaru noticed the abnormality at once. The place where he was, right now, definitely was not that past of Reid Astrea's.
"...Ah?"
He stood in an oddly white location. He could see his hands. He could see his legs. Upon turning his neck, his torso and hips were also there. In other words, Subaru's body was here. This did not coincide with the phenomena that had occurred in Meili's Book of the Dead. Unable to concur, he was thrown into an unnatural circumstance. From what he could see, Subaru's attire was the same as when he decided to read the Book of the Dead. Whether that was due to Subaru recognizing that he would look like this in this Present Condition or the will of something else like the work of the library's will, hence reconstructing Subaru in that form.
"Well well? Oh onii-san, you've come here again, so soon?"
"~hk."
Suddenly, Subaru's shoulders sprang up upon hearing a voice which wasn't his own but that of another. This voice came from behind Subaru, causing him to spontaneously jumped ahead and subsequently turned around, making a circle and remaining to be on his guard. In response to Subaru's spasmodic conduct, the personage behind rounded eyes.
"-Who are you."
Looking at that person, Subaru whispered openly with perplexity and bafflement. That was his encounter with someone completely unexpected and unknown to Subaru. The one standing there was a young girl that the boy had never seen before. A pale toned with hair lengthy, truly lengthy, like transparent gold threads. They spanned across the white floor, submerging underfoot her standing self like a sea of golden. Large, round, blue eyes, limbs like transparent porcelain. On the other hand, she wore unshapely clothes on her body, seemingly crude, pale cloths attached together, hurting her beautiful impression.
"Did you calm down a bit, onii-san?"
"What's this place...no wait, who are you? Which one should I ask first?"
"How covetous, onii-san but the quality of vomiting out the honest emotion of wanting to ask both is certainly not bad. We, love covetous people, you see."
Saying so, in response to the baffled Subaru, the young girl cleaved her lips sideways and smiled. Subaru looked at the young girl and could see that she was thirteen to fourteen years of age but gave the impression of being even younger. Coupled with her well-featured physical appearance, unquestionably, a smile would suit the young girl, and yet in Subaru's eyes, her smile, seemed ominous. His instincts guessed as if the soul of this young girl had belittled a great number of lives. Whilst Subaru shuddered, before him, the young girl reported.
"This place is, lonesome white, the final destination of the soul. The cradle of Od Lagna. -The Hall of Memories."
"Hall of...Memories...?"
"Yes yes, the Hall of Memories. And-"
Subaru looked at the young girl as she paused herself for a brief moment, still containing the smile yet making the boy feel a dark aura in the room. The young girl continued,
"-We are, Witch Cult Sin Archbishop representing Gluttony, Louis Arneb."
"..."
"Pretty sure it'll be for a short while again, but please be caring, onii-san."
There was a pause in the air with Subaru trying to process everything that had been said. Thanks to his previous visions and the explanations he got, he knows that a Sin Archbishop is a threat. This caused him to pull out Starlight keyblade while holding it in an off form, hoping that this oddly looking defense form can show that he is ready to fight while also trying to think on what he can do. He isn't skilled and the fight against the Organization member in his previous vision proved it when he alongside the three Gabaou and the young Sora were easily knocked to the side. While this was a thought in his mind, he started to think about something else, something he wanted to know since he does have a lack of information.
"What is the witch's cult?"
"Awa~ ~tsu."
Subaru's question got Louis' attention, causing her to put her hand on her mouth while she smiled widely. Had the two been acquainted in Japan, Subaru would've found Louis quite cute yet the smile here represented a hidden evil behind it.
"-The Witch Cult you see is, basically, a gathering of people loathed by this world."
"Oh?"
"Even onii-san must have at least heard the name Witch of Envy, no? The Witch Cult, has a deep connection with that Witch-sama...we~ll, you can think of it as something like followers."
"...Then what you said just now, refers to Sin Archbishop, huh. Regardless, it's the same name of a villain."
"Oh no, well no, ah no, as it's no, we're telling you no, even though it's no you kno~w."
Horizontally shaking her head in refusal, Louis harbored her own petite body in Subaru's line of sight. With no signs of the smile fading away from those lips, her refusal was merely in appearance as well.
"Don't tease a tender young girl with such words, onii-san. Even we get hurt, you know? Because we are the owner of a heart more fragile and easy to hurt than all others."
"Not convincing at all. Also that way of first person, is it cause it's stuck to your character or is it a cool appeal like a one man army? We or us, it's not stable, you know."
"A~h...you don't have to worry about that. It's just that there are too many selves, so it's getting airy as to which one is to be the subject, that's all. At this point, we're getting sick of it actually, you know."
Whilst saying so, Louis lightly oriented her gaze downwards, continuing her words saying,
"But, it can't be helped, isn't it. They are gifts from onii-chan and nii-sama after all, must earnestly accept them or it'll be disqualification as a little sister. We're siblings so we must help each other out and cooperate, you know."
"...Well, you're an adorable little sister, considerate of your elder brothers. I was the only child so I'm jealous."
"Is that so eh? Onii-san may have also gotten a little brother or little sister about now, no?"
"Could you stop saying terrifying stuff!? I don't want to imagine that!?"
Subaru's parents were isekai'd to another world with him through some different means since it is implied through others that he was the first one to this world before them. Had his parents created a little brother or little sister, he wouldn't be sure how to handle it since they would be missing out on many cool things from japan. As Subaru was thinking of how they could've been transported to another world, he hoped that it was through reincarnation but then again that wouldn't explain how his parents also arrived, making him wish that maybe he was just teleported.
"—We understand, onii-san."
"—~hk! Don't joke around about that! Anyway as if you know anything about me! Saying things as you plea-"
"—You're inexcusably apologetic towards dad and mom, aren't you? Seeing them treat you differently and with more respect and trust, you're regretting how disobedient of a son you were. No, you were always regretting. Both now and earlier, isn't it?"
Subaru was stunned for a moment, caught off guard by what the young girl had said. She had seen through what he was feeling since in all of his visions, he had not wanted to deal with his parents due to how much pain he had cause them in Japan.
'I know Natsuki Subaru might have done something to amend with our parents but how does she know about this?'
"Why do we understand, you say? Isn't it obvious we'd understand. Because there's not a single person who knows about onii-san as much as we or us do, after all."
"Don't touch me!"
"Ah."
Louis had a sour look on her lips at Subaru as the boy swung around the keyblade all around him, keeping distance between the two. As he does this, he feels uncomfortable how familiar the young girl was being with him, causing him to start being a bit hostile.
"What's the deal with you?! What do you want to say?!"
"We just want onii-san to be relieved, we're telling you. It's alright. It's alright. There's a pro~per fullstop, on your feelings for dad and mom. Even if it may be one-sided, it's with the intention of facing them. Your heart got relaxed, we're telling you. Pretense, you see."
"..."
Subaru looked at Louis with hesitant as he sees her stabbing her arm with her own hand.
"Pretence, is completely healthy. It makes it look as if there are no problems within one's heart at all. You're skilled at it, onii-san, isn't it. It's sad that you're skilled at it, onii-san, isn't it."
"I don't get what you want to say. I don't get it, but it'll become an injury so stop. Well then, let's play the catch of conversation. No beamers allowed. Let's keep in mind to only throw curveballs."
"M-Mutually?"
"Mutually. Yeah, for example...let's continue the conversation about Sin Archbishops from earlier or about the keyblade here."
Subaru tried to get Louis to stop by returning to their previous topic or even changing to another subject, wanting to see what the young girl knows. The young girl looked at the weapon of the boy for a brief moment before losing interest. Subaru noticed this and quickly tried to think of something.
"If you are Gluttony, then there must be six other similar people, no?"
"If onii-chan and nii-sama are also included, then that would make exactly six, we guess? Ah, but it got reduced by three people recently so there may be three people now. If only those two could just die quickly as well, you know."
"...If that's what you say then your sense of comradeship seems pretty low."
"It's obvious, you know. We may name ourselves as something like Sin Archbishops but we are just a gathering of people loathed by this world anyway. Just the way of calling us is different, but we're the same as the Witch after all."
"Witch? What do you mean by that? Same as the Witch which seems to be believed as being excessively frightening?"
"As one would expect, the nature of the Witch of Envy is worse than even us so we don't want to be lumped together, you know. The rest is the same. Both Witch and Sin Archbishop are the same thing which are just called differently. The good-for-nothings compatible with the Witch Factors, are just called differently due to different eras and positions, that's all."
"Hm."
"We~ll, the present onii-san has forgotten about everything he learned and us anyways, so whichever one may be fine, you know. We get it, we do get it, we get it you know, as we get it, but we got it, because we got it, because we had gotten it..."
"Shut up."
"Ah."
Subaru looked at Louis with some caution, trying to figure something out. He is unsure on how this young girl could be such a threat yet his mind would wonder into some of the manga and anime he had been watching. He put away his keyblade and started to touch Louis' hair which completely caught her off guard.
"W-Wh-What is onii-san doing?"
"Hm...Could it be that you're a lineage of gods?"
"Lineage of gods, you say...ah, is it this? Something like, reincarnation into different worlds? Don't really get it but us and that are unrelated. Certainly this is a place which can feel weird, though. This is, a place just as how it appears. A place where e~verything disappears, that's why, a place with nothing. We're standing here all alone, that's why we may seem like the guardian deity of this place, isn't it."
"The cradle of Od Lagna, was it? Including the name Hall of Memories as well, nothing at all got into my head from head to toe."
"Hm, hm, hm, hm~, guess so… Basically, this is the place where souls are filtered."
"Filtering, souls?"
Subaru had many questions floating in his mind yet he had a feeling that maybe in this place he could find what the group had been looking for. As this was something in his mind, Louis with a happy expression, pulled her knees towards herself and said,
"Yes, yes. You use a dust cloth which had been used once again after washing and drying it, no? The same goes for souls. By clearing the dirt stuck onto it, it is used once more when in a clear state again."
"That dirt stuck onto it...wait, does it mean memories or experiences and stuff?"
"If that's what you can understand, then let's keep it that way, alright? Onii-san, do as how you'd like."
Louis stuck her tongue towards Subaru for a moment before the boy started to look around the white void, wanting to find something to help him in his troubles. As he looked around, he wished that he could find something that could tell him that it is a soul or even memories similar to the library containing the book of the dead.
"It's not something so easy to comprehend, you know."
"That god called Od Lagna is pretty malicious, isn't it."
"It's not an article so great as to be called god, that thing. That thing has nothing like such splendid ideology, after all. It's just a mechanism, you know. A mechanism for keeping the world from breaking is what it is."
"A mechanism?"
"Whether its Witch Factors, or Divine Protections, or Sword Saints, or Witches, it considers nothing, you know. If there's something nice about Od Lagna, it's just that it's uninterested, equal, impartial, and favors nothing."
Narrowing her eyes with seeming disinterest, Louis interposed her own face in the space between her knees which she had pulled towards herself. Sidelong glancing at her, who had her cheeks curved by her white kneecaps, Subaru took a short inhale.
She was a young girl who had continued conversing quite obediently till now. He could think that perhaps, she had not spoken any seemingly false lies either. That is precisely why, Subaru inhaled.
Inhaling, exhaling, inhaling once more, and then, he looked at her.
And, asked her.
Louis seemed disinterested in the topic while she sat down on the floor. Subaru was unsure on what to think from the information he just learned. Some of what he learned was important regarding world building for the boy yet there was something that lingered in his mind. He remembered that the girl had mentioned that he had returned, implying that he was in this white void before. With this, he knows that prior to having lost his memories, he had been here before which only causes him to say,
"-The one, to steal my memories of everything till two to three hours ago, is it you?"
"Yeah, so?"
"..."
This was too quick of a response for Subaru, not expecting to get an answer that fast.
"So the me of roughly a few hours ago, did indeed come here as well, huh."
"Speaking strictly, the way of arrival was a bit different, you see. But we~ll, the purpose was the same. The result was slightly different, that's all. But, how amazing. How wonderful. After how many times did you manage to come here?"
"..."
"Hey, answer, onii-san. We answered, you know. -After having gotten eaten by us, what count of onii-san are you, onii-san?"
Subaru was now thinking critically on the question he was asked.
'What does she mean by how many times? Does she know...? Well of course she would, if the true Natsuki Subaru had this power then it would mean that this girl knows of the visions and how I'm able to see different events. No, wait that can't be the case. If it were visions, then why could I feel everything happening...? Regardless, the ability to return to a checkpoint should be something-'
"—nobody must get to know? If it's about that, then it's too late already, onii-san. Us meeting onii-san happened a little while ago, no?"
"..."
"The Rule about how nobody must get to know, has already been broken a little back but happenings of the Hall of Memories don't leak outside easily. That's why the scary, scary Witch won't make a move."
"Y-You mean that thing...the woman in shadows?!"
Hearing this caused Louis to drew her face closer to Subaru, who was sitting cross-legged. She was interested in the question he said, seeing the fear in his eyes.
"Hey, onii-san. Which time is this?"
"It's the fourth time."
"~tsu! Amazing, how amazing, so amazing, it's amazing, isn't it amazing, we're telling you it's amazing, because it is amazing, because it is amazing that we admire and yearn for it...gluttonous drinking ~tsu! Gluttony ~tsu!"
"Gah ~hk!"
"We irresistibly want to taste onii-san so much, that our stomach would be filled to bursting! From our experiences, we think appetite and sexual desire are similar. Sexual desire in other words is love, right? In other words, onii-san, we-"
Thrusting away Subaru, Louis was in the position of riding a horseback, breathed out warm sighs with an aroused face. With blood rushing to her cheeks and eyes spellbound, Louis had her tongue crawl on Subaru's neck lacking any hesitation. At the same pace, the words she tried to continue on to his thoughts finally caught up to what they would be,
"—Love you."
His heart exploded, reminded of the words of love fired at Subaru during his second vision when Emilia showed him how much she cared for him.
"-Let's see, you tiny damn sexologist ~hk!"
"-Uhi."
Subaru opened his eyes and quickly managed to get Louis off by using his keyblade to knock her off. As he does this, he quickly pins Louis down while also checking on his neck. He felt violated by what she was doing, causing his grip to be strong to keep her from doing anything.
"Did you let your guard down? How unfortunate! In this position, I have an overwhelming advantage! If you don't want to get your neck strangled like this, my memories are to be—"
"—Returned, you say? You'll strangle the neck if they're not returned? Our neck, a feeble little girl's?"
Louis gazed at Subaru, who was breathing roughly through his nose and loosened her lips with the earlier excitement in her eyes not dimmed in the slightest and from her loosened lips. She asked with an imitative voice which felt as if it were a curse,
"Is onii-san, really going to do something like that?"
"-Do you think, I can't?"
"Not really think, we actually know, isn't it. After all, look, it's such that the current us know more about onii-san than onii-san himself anyway."
Subaru looked at Louis with what seemed to be anger in his face but that wasn't the true emotion he had. He was hesitant on doing something like this because he was taught to be a good person by his parents. As he thought of his parents, he started to think about everyone else with the first person coming to mind being Emilia, his official girlfriend. He then thought about Beatrice, Meili, Ram, Rem, Sora, Elsa, Patrasche, Shaula, Kishida, Julius, and Anastasia. As he thought of everyone, he could hear the young girl say,
"-Strength has faded away from your arms, isn't it, onii-san."
"..."
"We really had no intention of resisting, you know? After all, over here we are just as how it appears or a weak young girl. Unlike onii-chan or nii-sama, we must take the form of eaten people or we can't put out any powers, isn't it."
Louis looks at Subaru with a curious facial expression, wanting to know what the boy will do next. Subaru took a moment before he lot go of Louis' neck.
"Shit...~hk!"
"Don't feel down anymore, onii-san. It was a good performance, a good performance. After all, to be honest...it's such that we didn't even think that onii-san would come back here."
"Do you think that's any good consolation?"
Subaru sat down on the ground, annoyed with himself while Louis laid on the ground for a moment before sitting up, looking at the boy as he was sad and defeated.
"But we~ll, it turned out nicely, did it not. If something like the memories of Natsuki Subaru are regained, the current onii-san will end up dying is what that means anyway, stay without doing something idiotic like committing suicide, you know."
"...wait what?"
"Huh, what's with that weird reaction? It can't be, did you not notice? If memories return, the current self will get overwritten, and its existence will get terminated...That's, the same as dying, no?"
Subaru was petrified by this, completely unsure on what he should do now. He doesn't want to permanently die but he also knows that the others need the true Natsuki Subaru if they want to escape the situation he found himself.
"-Right now, Natsuki Subaru is dead, isn't it. He's nowhere, after all. But, if Natsuki Subaru comes back, this time it'll be onii-san who will die, isn't it. He won't be able to go anywhere, after all."
"..."
"Um you kno~w, does Natsuki Subaru really have the worth to go so far for and be recovered eh? Onii-san must also be capable of doing the same things, no? Onii-san must have also come to love the people around him in the same way, isn't that right. The people around too will also come to love onii-san the sa~me way. What's so wrong with that?"
"What's..."
'...wrong with that? To Emilia-chan and the others, I want to return the Natsuki Subaru they lost.'
Subaru intended to resolve himself should he find the chance to recover memories, he shall take it without any hesitation however he doesn't want to disappear himself. He had thought and hoped that either he merged with the Natsuki Subaru that was lost or even just gain all the memories without losing himself yet this wasn't the case. Seeing that he might end up dying himself made him terrified.
"What would it be like? Never seen a person who had their memories returned before, so we have no idea."
Louis unveiled her teeth, as if ridiculing Subaru's conflict with the expression in her eyes being that of a cat tormenting a mouse.
The offender who heisted these memories, even irresponsibly, was pleased to say that she knew nothing of what would happen thereafter. That was not a lie, but certainly the truth.
"Onii-san, you got this life by being born and everything, it won't do if you don't celebrate it. As a result of us eating the memories of Natsuki Subaru, onii-san is here. In other words we, are something like onii-san's birth parent, isn't that right. To try and choose the option of having yourself die in front of that parent, isn't that what's called lack of filial piety, onii-san."
"Something so, absurd is...~hk."
"-Memories are what shape people, onii-san."
"..."
"The present onii-san, has relationships which the present onii-san has created. Why don't you try living again anew, facing forward. We think that's also an option, you know."
"..."
"On top of that, don't know how we should feel saying this but...Natsuki Subaru, didn't really feel like the image of an ideal man you know?"
Louis closed her eyes to focus on a specific memory before continuing to speak,
"Pitiable Emilia! A miserable girl who is avoided by everyone, just because of having her birth being the same as the former Witch! Ah, how kind must be myself, to still remain by her side!"
"Wha-?"
"Weak, fragile Beatrice! Without anyone to rely on, a lonely girl who spent a time of solitude all by herself! My self must pull her hand through the dark and dangerous path!"
"..."
"Misguided Master Sora, showing off his powers without realizing how much pain it cause. Even with that power, he still failed against an old fragile warrior."
"..."
"Devoted and tries to dedicate gratuitous love, Rem! Foolish and beautiful, how pure. Surely she is an incomplete existence who gains the real feeling of living by becoming frantic for the sake of someone else, other than herself. Precisely that, must be led by the existence known as Master Sora!"
"What're you...what're you trying to do!?"
"Speaking for what Natsuki Subaru used to think, we're telling you. Wanting a sense of superiority. Not thinking it was for the sake of someone else all of the time, you know. Flocking only convenient people around, getting drunk on the pleasant feeling of offering a hand. Not even throwing any feed to a dog which won't get emotionally attached. Keeping those away."
"..."
"Do you really intend to hand yourself over, to that Natsuki Subaru?"
The question had been asked twice with Subaru now having serious thoughts about this.
'I...I don't know anymore. I don't want to die. I don't want to die.'
"-We~ll, what do you want to do, onii-san."
"~hk."
Louis with her slender hands grabbed Subaru's hands, wanting to know what Subaru will say.
"We~ll."
"..."
"What? What will you do? What is it that you'll do? What are you going to do? What are you going to do huh? What do you want to do? What do you want to do it like? Whatever you do it'll alright you know? Whatever it ends up as we'll forgive you—"
'Wh-What do I do...?'
"We~ll...What do you want to do? Onii-san."
This choice was getting to Subaru, causing him to fall to the ground on his knees, unsure on what should he do. He doesn't want to die but he also needs to get the true Natsuki Subaru back. This was so conflicting to the point where he held his hands on the back of his head, completely unsure what to do.
"We~ll, what'll you do, onii-san."
"..."
Louis tried to pat the boy in the back only to be pinned back to the ground by Subaru. As she was backed on the ground with Subaru's grip on her neck, she smiled.
"We~ll?"
"..."
The young girl laughed sadistically and looked up at Subaru, who was petrified and lost. She looked at the boy's dark eyes before smiling at him,
"Pinning down a feeble young girl and placing your hands on that thin neck. Gets you shivering with thrill, no? Or perhaps instead, if it's a predisposition like that of onii-san's, such experiences become commonplace, is that right?"
"~hk."
"You're trembling, so cute. In this shape, can you make such an important, important choice?"
Louis continued to smile for a bit before moving to kiss Subaru's wrist, throwing Subaru off for a moment before recalling a feeling the Natsuki Subaru that had killed Meili in the second vision had felt. This feeling was completely wrong and disgusted Subaru to his very core.
"Ugh!"
"—So after all, there really is an occasion which comes your mind?"
"Nons~hk! Nonse—"
"We're no~t speaking nonsense, you know. Instead, the one not being serious is onii-san, no? With more seriousness, earnestness, solemnity, you should love yourself."
Those words were superficial to Subaru, knowing that Louis shouldn't be trusted. As he thought of this, something caused him to say,
"Do you have proof?"
"Proof?"
"Do you have the proof that if I regain Natsuki Subaru, the me present right now would disappear?!"
"We don't. We don't you know. Apparently we don't. As we don't. We don't we're telling you. We don't though. Even though we apparently don't. Apparently we don't as we're telling you. Even though it means we don't you know… Will that, be of any comfort?"
"..."
"It's just going around in circles, onii-san. Even we can't speak of what we don't know. If we or onii-chan, nii-sama die, then will what was eaten come back, we wonder. ーーTo be honest, never returned something which we ate so we do~n't actually kno~w. After all, we've eaten it up, you know."
"..."
"What will you do, onii-san."
Once again this question was asked, causing him to think back on many important things. Both his current self and the true Natsuki Subaru have their parents with them, have the trust of their friends of this world, and have fallen in love with Emilia, the beautiful siler haired half elf. All this people he had been fighting for the past three visions had finally helped him come up with an answer.
"No...No, no, no… no~… ~hk."
"That's right. It's natural, you know."
"No..."
"Hm hm. We get it. We quite do get it. As we get it. We do indeed get it."
"I refuse...hk."
"It's onii-san's life, after all. Why must you surrender it to others, you know."
"I, everyone...more, with everyone..."
'Want to stay longer with everyone.'
Even though his time was not for very long with these people, he had grown a fond of each and everyone of them and was in love with Emilia. He did not wanted to let that go.
"...I refuse."
"That's right. That's how it is. Then, what do you think you should do?"
"...I, just as myself."
"Yes, onii-san will be, just as onii-san. That is correct. It got plundered once. It's a game of musical chairs. The guy sitting on the vacant seat, is the king, you know."
"..."
"The opponent who got pushed away, must exit. You have to recognise. Your own existence. You have to shout loudly, that you are real! Hey, isn't that so!"
Subaru had stayed silent while Louis continued.
"Recognize! Natsuki Subaru is the closest person to onii-san ~tsu!"
Subaru looked forward and had many things coming to mind, one of them telling him that he shouldn't die for someone else's sake. Louis could see this and quickly started to cheer.
"Well the~n, kill him! Let's kill him! Let's go ahead and kill him! You have to kill him! Do kill him! If you kill him! Let's end up killing him! Just kill him! End up killing him! If you can only kill him! If you kill and crush him!"
"Natsuki Subaru will..."
"Onii-san is this universe's one and only, not a substitute article for anyone, Natsuki Subaru!"
"~hk."
Tears building up, his field of vision was blurred due to the feelings welling up inside of him.
His mind had a direct impact on his flesh body. The beating of his heart, his breathing through aching lungs, he could unmistakably feel them vividly right now. As he looked up, he noticed someone was overlooking Subaru.
"...Did you, appear because you got scared of me, Natsuki Subaru."
"..."
The blurry shadow of a person said nothing. Standing on the white floor, the white world behind its back was watching Subaru. With his face soggy, informed the existence who had panicked and appeared forth suddenly.
"I will...I will not disappear. I don't want to die. That's why, I..."
"..."
"Want to stay together with everyone. I love everyone. That's why, I am..."
"..."
"That's why, I am...That's why, I am, not you! You and I are…"
"...Who are you talking to, onii-san."
Louis looked at Subaru with a dumbfounded face, having noticed that someone else had gotten his attention. She turns towards the direction he is looking only to see that there is nobody but the large white void staring back to her.
"Nobody, nobody's there, but still, who are you talking to, onii-san."
"..."
"This is, our place...no hindrances are supposed to get in, and yet. In this place, talking to someone aside from us...just stop. Onii-san is our, our...~tsu!"
Subaru ignored Louis and continued his focus on the shadow figure that looked oddly familiar yet he was not sure. He first assumed that it was him until all of a sudden he noticed the shadow slowly taking form
"Why are you trying to choose only one of the two?"
Subaru was shocked when he saw the shadow taking form into a maid, one with blue haired which was an identical look to Rem. As the shadow formed into Rem, a second shadow appeared which resembled Sora but a much older version of the boy. Before Subaru could say anything, the two spoke to the boy in unison.
"Stand Up!"
The boy looked up at the two with tears streaming down his eyes.
"Stand Up!"
The two voices spoke in unison with a stern voice, both of them sounding serious yet with faith in their voice.
"Stand up Natsuki Subaru...Stand up! Stand up...Rem's friend!"
"Stand up Natsuki Subaru...Stand up! Stand up...my apprentice!"
The two voices spoke to Subaru, allowing him to see the faces of Rem and Sora back when either of them had their full memories. Rem remained the same with the exception that she is wearing a maid outfit while Sora definitely looked much older than the one, he met in the outside. He looked at the two and was unsure how to respond, being the apprentice of one and the friend of another but this was something that made him want to stand up.
"Come on Subaru, I know you are better than this. Don't give up...Stand up proudly!"
"If you've stood up, then please go. Go and save everything."
Subaru looked at the two with uncertainty in his eyes, not sure if he can even save everyone. For the past three visions he had barely been able to do much. Despite this, he feels like he can stand up the more Sora and Rem spoke with confidence and motivation to him.
"You can do it, after all you are Rem's treasured friend."
"Don't give up, my apprentice...my friend."
Subaru hearing this caused his heart to feel a powerful emotion, causing him to see just how strong those words were to him. This caused him to increase the desire to not give back the position he is in to Natsuki Subaru but at the same time he felt a strong desire stem from his very core.
"..."
His wishes, his desires, him wanting to secure everything and not wanting to lose anything at all from his hands, not wanting to let go of oneself from oneself's own hands. Feeling the cowardly greed, something bloomed which became a power granted by this wish. A facter wandering and jolting, connected with existence.
"Come...Cor Leonis."
Within Subaru, the seed of the greed witch factor which had lost its destination budded. Subaru finally stand firm and smiled at the two before looking at Louis with a motivated facial expression.
"Onii-san? What happened? Look, continue the one from earlier...continue it?"
"..."
"Continue it..."
"No."
"Huh?"
"I'm fed up of your gut-wrenching explanation, you stupid loli."
"Gut-wrenching you say...how harsh. Even though we had, in our own way, pro~perly thought of onii-san, and just given advice..."
"Also stop using words I know for purposefully making me hear sarcasm about myself like this. Even if you try to shake me like this, it's of no use. The present me will no longer waver."
Subaru pulled out his Starlight Keyblade as he noticed a keyhole randomly appearing. Louis noticed this and quickly started to stomp the ground with anger.
"A~h, shit, shit, shit. A single step more, a single step more was left, and yet! A single step more was left and yet, huh. Why, how come, did it fail, huh. Who tricked onii-san, huh."
"..."
Subaru was silent on this as he can only see an evil brat going on a rant when something didn't go their way.
"With a single step more, Natsuki Subaru and Natsuki Subaru could've been completely torn apart and yet...!"
"...What's up with that? Why'd you do something like that?"
"—Isn't it obvious, because we can't eat the same human twice ~tsu!?"
"~hk."
Subaru jumped out of surprise when suddenly Louis screamed as if she was vomiting blood. As Subaru was caught off guard by this, Louis continued to complain.
"It each had to be separate! The Natsuki Subaru who got eaten once and the Natsuki Subaru left to be eaten each had to be separate. For that, we had concentrated attention on this plan or that and yet...it was all stupidity! Laughable, isn't it!"
"...I won't laugh. It's not funny, not one bit."
"Is that so? Is that really so! But, onii-san also hates us, isn't that right? Isn't it fun to see our hated self being sad? It must be feeling good, right? Even though onii-san would have...only you would have fulfilled us, who've gotten sick of eating...by only you, us of Satiation could've ~tsu!"
"Satiation?"
"Both Lye of Gourmet! And Roy of Bizarre Eating! Know absolu~tely nothing! From one to the next, thoughtlessly unbridledly eating messily like a bunch of idiots...for our sake, who are locked up here and don't have the freedom to choose? Don't make us laugh, useless siblings ~tsu!"
"You, get together with your comrades and things like people's memories and, names...is it fine to notate it as that? At any rate, you go around stealing things like that. Go around eating things like that. Isn't that right?"
Subaru pointed his Starlight keyblade and was tempted to attack Louis with it yet he restrained himself, now wanting to know something.
"Why the hell are you all doing something like that? What is the goal, of all of you?"
"It's to become happy."
"...wait what?"
"It's to become happy. What other goal is there? To become happy is the goal of living, isn't it? Or, did you think that our loathed self had twisted and distorted away from that? Wrong. That's wrong. It's wrong anyway. As it's wrong. Certainly it is wrong. As it's too wrong. Apparently it's wrong. As we're telling you it's wrong! A~h, our soul hurts...~tsu!"
"What's the connection between, the goal of becoming happy and stealing others' memories..."
"—Sa~y onii-san, have you ever thought life is unfair?"
"I have."
"Awa ~tsu."
"I mean, life is always unfair."
"We think so too. Rather, life is unfairness itself. Can't choose birth, can't choose parents, can't choose the environment, can't choose the future, not a single thing can be chosen. Always, it's made to be a system of that kind. It's being atop a belt conveyor."
"..."
"...But, what if that wasn't the case?"
"What if birth could be chosen? What if parents could be chosen? What if the environment could be chosen? What if the future could be chosen? What if all options were as per imagination?...Everyone, would choose a better life, isn't it? Is that wrong?"
"That...may be true but—"
"—That's it."
"Huh?"
"If birth could be chosen, if parents could be chosen, if the environment could be chosen, if the future could be chosen, if all options were as per imagination, everyone would choose a better life. That is why, we are taking time and making utmost effort, and searching the greatest life for us."
"..."
"Surely, it is somewhere ~tsu! Where we can live with our head held high, like us! A future filled with roses, such that we'd think we were glad to have lived this life! Until the time of fortuitously meeting that destined life, we'll eat, crunch, chew, lick, suck, indulge, gluttonous drinking ~tsu! Gluttony ~tsu!"
"For that, you steal the memories of others, and eat them...?"
"Once the desired life is found, by affixing the Memories and Name, we will live that life with our head held high. Unfortunately, as of now, everyone's been omitted from being selected...there had been lives which were on the right track but, you know, we won't be satisfied by a few meagre experiences."
"Then why did you, who practices such an unbalanced diet, go as far as to use that pain in the butt measure to try and chew me? Is it your obstinacy as a food fighter, something like never excusing what was left to be eaten?"
"It's not such a silly reason. It's because onii-san, is our destiny."
"...What?"
"Men and women of all ages, all kinds of humans, races, positions, anything and everything, leaping above it all and having eaten all kinds of things are us, but there's a single thing, which is unknown to us. Do you know what it is?"
"What might it be? I don't know. My good-for-nothing self's way of grieving or something?"
"—It's the experience of Death."
"Death?"
"No matter how many of others' memories are eaten, it's impossible. Only the memories of Death, can never be obtained. After all, isn't that the way it is? Memories, are the record of the period of living after all. That's why, something like the memories of the time of dying don't exist. Only onii-san, is an exception."
'What is she talking about? Dying? Me? I mean that would explain how I keep rewinding time and the trigger of rewinding time...well damn that sucks, of course my power as to involve a loser like me dying.'
"Hey hey, what does death feel like? It's surely rough, right? It's agonizing, right? It's terrible, right? It's painful, isn't it? There was also a time when it didn't hurt, isn't it? Some say it feels good, is that true? When dying, do you actually always feel delighted? Or, do you stop caring anymore? An easy victory? Hey, hey hey, heyheyhey!"
"...If you have my memories of everything I had experienced in this world up until after the original Natsuki Subaru lost his memories, then shouldn't you be knowing all that."
"As memories, you see! But, on second thought that is old, as it's not real! We want a more raw experience. We can't be satisfied by a reused stale ingredient. What will satisfy us, is a new, fresh and juicy state of mind nobody is aware of ~tsu!"
Louis had a smile on her face once again as she continued to speak.
"The sole special memories in this world, which nobody else can experience! Not just that, but the simplicity of just quickly dying and redoing upon making a mistake! Even upon finding the greatest life for oneself, there's always the possibility of ruining it by some sort of failure, isn't that right? But, if it's onii-san's life then that isn't there! It's alright, we'll do it well such that nobody will find out!"
"..."
Louis: "Neither Emilia, nor Sora, nor Beatrice, nor Ram, nor Meili, nor Julius, nor Anastasia, nor Shaula, nor Patrasche, nor Petra, nor Otto, nor Garfiel, nor Frederica, nor Lewes, nor Roswaal, nor Clind, nor Annerose, nor Felt, nor Reinhard, nor Grandpa Rom, nor Yabuto, nor Kishida, nor Waraki, nor Crusch, nor Felix, nor Wilhelm, nor Ricardo, nor Mimi, nor Hetaro, nor Tivey, nor Priscilla, nor Al, nor Schult, nor Heinkel, nor Kiritaka, nor Liliana, nobody no one nobody no one nobody no one! Deceiving them, we will live happily! That's why, please. Let us eat onii-san's life, such that we fill our stomach?"
Subaru just look at the girl, seeing that she is starved for more yet there was something he was confused.
"Wait, if you took my memories then what happened to Sora?"
"Onii-san's master? Ah yes, we met him. He was su~per nice to me and feed me real food."
"Wait how?"
"Don't know. We don't complain about it but we wanted to know his memories. When we did it, he disappeared but we still retained his memories. He really has so many interesting memories but they didn't fully satisfy us."
"How come?"
"We~ll..."
Louis thought for a moment as she was trying to look through the memories of Sora, even causing Subaru to be curious to know what Sora's memories are like. Louis took a minute before she continued to speak.
"Although he died twice and was brought back, we saw that he was cliche. A typical hero by his own right but nothing special like Onii-san."
Louis said this which annoyed the boy, seeing that she is only focused on him. This made him angry since he knows for sure that Sora probably has an even better if not awesome life compared to him. Eventually he finally knew what he had to say.
"...You won't get a third chance. My anguish, my death, my life, everything belongs to me. There's not a single thing, which I'll give you!"
"..."
"Starve to death, bloody bastard. If you can't choose but a single way to die in life, then that's what I'd suggest to you. Suffer the most, in this whole world."
Subaru smiled as he held his keyblade high and proudly.
"I won't become as you wished. My name is Natsuki Subaru, the name given to me by Natsuki Kenichi and Natsuki Naoko. Nothing else. I am myself."
"Even though it may get overwritten, and disappear?"
"Hmph. I, who enter into others' hearts with shoes on through speaking bluntly, have no need to be mannerless and occupy the spot of sunshine either. That's my answer. Cut your hair, stupid."
Subaru pointed the keyblade towards the keyhole presented to him, causing the tip of the keyblade to shine for a moment before firing a beam of light at the keyhole. As Subaru was starting to disappear, Louis began to say,
"...A~h, enough. So there's no choice but to leave the rest, to onii-chan and nii-sama, hu~h."
"Lye and Roy? Your brothers that are going to attack? I am aware of those pricks."
"onii-chan and nii-sama rea~lly want to meet you."
"Hmph. As if this time they will win. I will break out of this problem...then I will get all of our memories back."
Subaru looked at the bright light with a smile on his face, knowing that he will get Rem's memories back like he promised Ram and Sora's memories back to turn the tides. As for his own, he is scared of being replaced but at the same time it isn't sure that this could happen. Either way, he will break out of this predicament he is in and save everyone, no matter what it takes.
'Don't worry...Rem...Sora...I will continue to stand. I promise.'
Subaru smiled as he disappeared in a bright light alongside the keyhole that had appeared in front of him and Louis. As Subaru left, Louis looked around just looked annoyed since she was once again alone in the white void.
"A~h, a~h, a~h, God damn it! Not even turning around, what a man ~tsu! Won't excuse you. Won't let you escape. Absolutely, absolutely...~tsu! Don't think it's over with this, Natsuki Subaru...~tsu! Your life, belongs, to u~u~u~sーー ~tsu!"
Subaru's body glowed for a moment in a bright light, alerting three people that were watching over him. He was shinning bright for a few seconds before the light faded away with Subaru returning back to his body, seeing that he is back in the realm of the living. He looked at his surrounding for a moment before noticing a girl with a long red dress and with two hair drills approaching him.
"You finally woke up, I suppose."
"Yeah Beatrice, I'm back."
"Does Subaru remember Betty?"
"I remember you, Beatrice. I still don't have all my memories but I still remember your cute little face."
"That's good, keep praising Betty, I suppose."
Subaru notices that Beatrice wants to be patted in the head to which he does, making Beatrice happy. As he does this, he looks around to notice that young Sora and Rem were the only ones there.
"Where is everyone?"
"Shaula noticed that someone was approaching the tower. Since we assumed that it could be the Sin Archbishops of Gluttony, Emilia-sama with the Bowel hunter went with Shaula to deal with the threat. Meili and Ram-sama went to alert the others."
"I see."
"What happened while you were in there, I suppose?"
"Yeah, you were out a while."
"W-Wait, how long?"
"For one hour and a half."
Subaru was dumbfounded when hearing this, alerting him that Lye of Gourmet and Roy of bizarre are almost arriving. This slightly annoyed Subaru since he wished he had more time but at this point he knows that he should make the best of things. As he was getting up, he quickly thought back of everything that happened before answering Beatrice's question.
"When I dove into the Book of the Dead, I was brought to a white, empty place instead of Reid's past. That's where the girl who's the Sin Archbishop...of Gluttony was, she named herself as Louis. According to what that Louis said, that place was something like Od Lagna's cradle, the Hall of Memories is how it seems."
"Od Lagna..." Beatrice said with a bit of confusion.
"Louis, said it was a mechanism to keep the world from breaking or something. Do you have any idea about it?"
"Betty isn't well-knowledgeable regarding that either, I suppose. But, just that it is the core point of this world...the place where all the mana returns to, is what it's said, in fact. All mana returns to Od Lagna, and gets circulated...In other words, Od Lagna is an existence heavily tied with the death and resuscitation of spirits. That's why, it can't be stated as something unrelated to Betty and the others. However, Betty is special due to my origins. Betty's existence does not go by way of Od Lagna. In that sense, unlike other normal spirits, Betty is able to hold an objective view at Od Lagna, I suppose."
"Unlike normal spirits, you say...Is that so. So I guess that's behind you all living for long despite your appearance...If you ask me, I think Beatrice's cuteness makes her more of a fairy than a spirit."
"...That, Subaru said that once before too, I suppose. It seems stupid Subaru doesn't know, but fairy is not a compliment here, in fact. That's why, we~ll, Betty can't feel either straightforwardly happy or be angry for being insulted, so it's just weird, I suppose."
"Hmm, is that so. Apologies for my rudeness, then."
"That's weird to hear. Fairies aren't evil in my world." Sora spoke which did caught the others attention. Subaru was curious to know if Sora was also from Japan yet he took down that thought when he realized that older Sora looked to be a few years old with this Sora looking very young. He turned to Beatrice and continued to speak.
"Sorry. I meant that you're so cute that I want to eat you up."
"The feeling of wanting to eat being complementary to cuteness is what is strange, in fact!"
"Huh, is that so? Don't you kinda just feel like putting cute stuff inside your mouth?"
"Subaru, please stop saying stupid things or else."
Rem looked at Subaru with some intimidating eyes, causing the boy to fall on his back before quickly getting up, apologizing for having said something that made Rem uncomfortable. As he apologized, he looked at the two and for a brief moment he saw Rem and Sora like their counterparts in the hall of memories, making him remember what he needs to do first.
"I know we should help the group but I want to talk to my parents first, get something out of the way."
Rem, Sora, and Beatrice noticed this, the three unsure on what Subaru wants to do yet they trust him. The four started to walk towards the second floor. As they were walking towards the second floor, Subaru took the chance to speak with Sora since he did wanted to speak with the boy.
"How are you holding up?"
"I'm okay, are you okay? There was a bright light before you woke up."
"Yeah, I'm alright. I just...wait, what? A bright light?"
"Yeah, it was so cool."
"Hehe I didn't mean for that to happen but that's pretty cool. I just wanted to ask you Sora if you are holding up okay with this whole amnesia thing?"
"Well...I don't know. I know that Riku is not the real Riku, that all of my friends are safe, and all of the things I had done in this world by Rem but...I don't know how to feel. I'm lost."
'Lost...I know how you feel.'
Subaru understood this because he himself was lost in the first two visions but thanks to Emilia, he was able to be motivated to not give up despite not being the real Natsuki Subaru. Wanting to help encourage Sora, he looked at the young boy and patted him in the back.
"I know that things are difficult because you don't have memories of things that happened in this world but know you are not alone. You got Rem, Elsa, Emilia, Beatrice, Ram, my parents, maybe Shaula, Kishida, Julius, Anastasia, and even myself. We are here to help you."
Sora was silent about this, appreciating what Subaru was saying though the one thing that was on his mind was Kairi and Riku. He missed the two so much, wishing to speak to them in order to tell the two that he is alright and to make sure they were truly okay. All of this made him want to be alone, yet he knew that Rem would never let him be sad. Seeing how much she loves him, he was a bit unsure on what to do with this since he is young but he appreciated the amount of care she shows him. He turned towards her and smiled before looking at Subaru and responding to what he said.
"I'm still a bit lost and don't even know what to do but I will also be there for all of you, my friends."
Subaru nodded at this before the two turned forward as they were all arriving at the room. As they arrived, the four of them watched Kenichi, Julius, and Kishida all three working together against Reid Astrea. Subaru and Sora both paid close attention to the way the three knights fought against the very first sword saint. Kenichi with his vast skills of the modern world used to keep up against the first sword saint. Julius used his six quasi spirits to help him keep up against Reid yet during the fight he realized that he isn't performing at his usual strength.
Julius was still a very skilled knight yet he was having trouble keeping up. Kishida continued to use his skills from both his training with the knights of Lugnica and the training with the first sword saint. Reid looked at the three and was tempted to beat them within a few seconds, but he was curious to see how long before the three can make him be serious. Reid blocked each attack with ease, with only Kishida and Kenichi giving him a little trouble.
This prompted the stick swinger to try and knock out Julius first yet he was almost caught by Kenichi's attack since the man was expecting him to attack Julius. As Reid blocked Kenichi's attack, Julius took this opportunity to attack their opponent while he was distracted. Reid barely noticed this and quickly moved out of Julius' attack, with the knight only being able to slice off some of Reid's hair.
Reid was completely caught off guard by this yet he was very impressed by this, making him take the fight a bit seriously. He jumped back for a moment before charging at the three knights with rapid speed. Reid targeted Julius first with the knight being able to block a few attacks before he was knocked out of the fight with one powerful hit to his chest.
Kenichi and Kishida both noticed this and quickly used the opportunity to try and land a hit on the stick swinger. As they attempt this, Reid was able to dodge both attacks before knocking the two to the ground with a few hits from his chopsticks. With Kishida and Kenichi knocked to the ground, the trial ends in failure for the three knights. Reid looks at them and was somewhat impressed by their skills yet he was still craving for a real fight. As he starts walking away, everyone started to check on Kishida, Kenichi, and Julius.
"I-I'm sorry my lady."
"Don't push yourself."
"...Understood."
Julius got up with the help of Anastasia while Naoko, Beatrice, and Subaru went to check on Kenichi, seeing that he was knocked to the ground with extreme force. As the three check up on him, he moves himself to lay on his back side while looking at both his son, his son's spirit, and his wife.
"Are you okay, dad?"
"Hehe...don't you worry my son, your amazing dad will be fine."
"You should stay down, honey."
"I'll be okay love, just a little scratch."
"Don't be foolish, I suppose. We already have one, in fact." Beatrice turns towards Subaru as she says this.
"What?"
"Okay, my son may be stubborn but the great Natsuki Kenichi will be alright."
As Kenichi finishes responding to Beatrice's response, tried to get back up only to end up getting slapped by Naoko in the back of his head.
"Stop being stubborn."
"Okay Okay, I'll rest."
Kenichi listened and laid back down with Naoko watching over him. Subaru stayed with his father for a moment before turning towards Kishida to check up on him alongside Beatrice, Sora, Meili, and Ram. Meili assisted Kishida in getting up while Ram just gave the knight a cold glare while saying,
"I got to say, you are quite pathetic for a knight."
"That's too harsh, Ram."
"It's Ram-sama for you."
"Hold up, I'm a knight. I should be higher status than you, maid."
"Hmph."
"Okay Ram, no need to be harsh."
"Shut it, Barusu."
"Don't be rude to Betty's Subaru, maid."
"Apologies, Beatrice-sama. Barusu is just stupid."
"Hm."
Beatrice gave Ram a stare before turning her attention to Kishida. Subaru helped Meili in getting the knight back on his feet before the boy patted him in back.
"You'll be alright."
"Ha! Says the one who lost their memories. Thanks."
Subaru nodded before turning his attention to Beatrice.
"Think you can take care of him for me? I need to do something important."
"Hmph. You are forgetting an important word, I suppose."
"...?"
"...Ugh, you really are hopeless, I suppose. Fine but you better praise Betty for her hard work when you are done, in fact."
"O-Okay."
Subaru says this with a nervous voice before turning his attention towards his parents, wanting to clear up somethings with them before continuing forward. As he approached them, so many things were coming to mind with two big things being how he was back in Japan with his parents and how he is scared to return the real Natsuki Subaru back to everyone. Once he managed to arrive at his parents location, he looked at them for a moment before a smile appeared on his face, always enjoying the two being happy. As he smiled for a brief moment before returning to a serious facial expression, he approached the two to say,
"Mom, Dad, is it okay if we talk in private?"
"S-Sure thing, my baby boy. Is everything alright?"
"Y-Yeah, just something in mind."
Naoko and Subaru both helped Kenichi get up before they went towards the stairway for some privacy. Once arriving there, Kenichi sat down in the stairs alongside Naoko, both of them looking at their son.
"What did you wanted to talk with your mother and I, my amazing son?"
"W-Well I guess you can say that I'm lost."
"Lost?"
Subaru had a pause for a moment since he wasn't sure in how to put things into words, yet he pushed forward.
"I-I'm unsure on how to say this but...I just don't know what to do..."
"What do you mean, my baby boy?"
"I know that there is a lot I have done in this world...the Natsuki Subaru they all knew is not here and if I get him back...I'm afraid of losing this me...I'm afraid of dying."
"My son..."
"My baby boy...there is no need to be afraid, we will be here for you."
"I don't know mother...I'm afraid..."
Subaru fell on his knees as he was unsure what to do now. The only thing that is keeping him going is the promise he made with Ram and what both older Sora and Rem in a maid said to him. Kenichi and Naoko both approached their son to hug him while he continued to speak with tears streaming down his eyes.
"I-I'm s-sorry mom...dad...I-I'm sorry about everything...I-I'm sorry a-about everything...I should've done more for you two..."
"It's okay my baby son...we are still here for you because we love you."
"I'm sorry my amazing son, I should have done something. Don't blame yourself for what happened back then."
"..."
The Natsuki family stayed together with Kenichi and Naoko hugging their son, seeing that he is in pain. As they stayed like that for a moment, Subaru continues to speak to his parents,
"If I bring back the real Natsuki Subaru...I could possibly die."
"What do you mean?"
Subaru looked at his parents, seeing that they are confused but mostly worried. The boy felt uncertain at first yet he continued to speak, wanting to inform him what Louis had told him.
"There is a chance to get my memories back but that could cost my existence."
"How so, my awesome son?"
"Let's put it this way, that Natsuki Subaru will override the current me, meaning that I would die."
Kenichi and Naoko both looked at their son with uncertainty in their facial expressions, understanding what their current son is afraid of. This prompted the two to hug their son once more, wanting to comfort him.
"My baby boy, your father and I will protect you. We won't let anything bad happen to you."
"Yes, your amazing mother and awesome dad won't let anything bad happen to you, son. There is no reason to be afraid. We will protect you."
"..."
Subaru continued to have tears streaming down his eyes, happy that his parents are by his side yet he knew that at some point he was going to eventually die in a sense since he would need to return the original Natsuki Subaru even though he doesn't want to. As the Natsuki household were hugging for a long time for the second time until finally they separated with Naoko and Kenichi smiling at their son, wanting him to be happy. Subaru smiled back at his parents, appreciating everything they are doing for him.
"I-I know that you are here for me, mother, father...I promise that I won't give up. I will keep fighting with everything I got...with both of you by my side."
"Of course, we will always be by your side my son."
"Anything for my baby boy."
He smiled at his parents as he felt happy, not only because he got to fix his relationship with his parents but also that he has them in his side with Ram in making sure that he doesn't give up. As the three got up, they noticed Beatrice approaching the group.
"Are you all done, I suppose?"
"No need to be rude, Beako-san."
"Pardon me, Naoko-sama. Betty's Subaru sometimes can be stubborn."
"Yeah, that is how my amazing son can be."
"What? How?"
"Hmph. You both are idiots, I suppose."
"Beako."
"S-Sorry..."
Beatrice looked down as she got intimidated by Naoko's stare. She looked down for a moment before feeling a pat on her head. She looked up to see the gentle smile of Subaru's mother, reminding her of Echidna for a moment before seeing just how much Naoko cares for her compared to her own mother, despite how she still cares for her.
'I suppose mother would be slightly jealous of this...then again, mother was special in her own way, I suppose.'
As Beatrice had a smile in her face, Kenichi turned towards Subaru to pat him in the back before saying,
"I just want to say that there will be moments where you will be down, wanting to give up. Heck, you already felt this back home...which is my fault. I should have done something about it, maybe I could've done more. Then when you disappeared for a couple of months, I felt this guilt eating me away."
'Disappeared...so I really was just taken away. I suppose that is better than being killed...that would've broken them.'
Subaru continued to listen to what his father had to say.
"I still have trouble at night since you were on your own here, surviving the harsh environment and the hell you've put through but when there was a chance to see you, we took it. That is one thing we don't regret because the person you became was one who fought for others. Sure, you were still a bit stubborn but you were no longer held back by your depression. That is something I wish I could've given to you but even now you are still the same son that we met when we arrived to this world."
"Am I really? I feel greedy and selfish because...I want to still be me and if the other me were to take over...I am afraid of losing myself or well die. I don't want to die, nor any of you to die."
"And we won't my amazing son. Everyone here is strong, including yourself. No need to be harsh on yourself. As for yourself, I want to believe that you won't die, the two of you could probably combined your minds to become the ultimate Natsuki Subaru."
"Okay dad, that's not exactly how fusion is like."
"Regardless, just don't worry about it for now. For now we should beat this tower then when the time comes to deal with your memories, we will figure something out."
"Okay dad."
The two nodded at each other before they got up and approached Beatrice and Naoko. As the four of them were together, Beatrice looked at the group with Subaru asking,
"What brings you here anyway?"
"Betty is here to check up on you three, I suppose. You were gone for a while with the others worrying."
"Hm. Is that right?"
Kenichi looked at Beatrice which caused her to pout, knowing that she was worried for them but mostly towards Subaru. Because Kenichi could see through this, eventually Naoko and Subaru could see through this. The three of them started patting Beatrice on the head, causing Beatrice to get embarrassed from this.
"Ah!"
Subaru and his parents laughed it off while Beatrice was annoyed for a moment before just accepting it. After a moment, Subaru looked around until he suddenly felt something off. He closed his eyes until he suddenly could see a map all around the tower with a few lights glowing.
'What is this?'
Subaru looked at the lights until he realized that these indicated all of his allies, making him aware of his group's location. This helped since he can see that Emilia, Elsa, and Shaula are fine for now.
"We should gather with the rest of the group. We need to prepare for the fight coming to us."
"That is a good idea, I suppose."
Naoko and Kenichi nodded at what their son and Beatrice said before the four of them started to return to the trial room. As they were walking towards the trial room, Subaru started to think about what he can do to help.
'This new ability...Cor Leonis...maybe this will allow me to be useful.'
Subaru smiled with confidence as the group arrived back into the trial room. Subaru looks around to see that Kishida and Julius are back up on their feet. As the group gathered with Julius, Anastasia, Kishida, Ram, and Meili, Subaru quickly asked everyone to gather around which even got Reid's attention. He sat down near the group in a good distance to hear the conversation that is about to unfold.
"What do you want, Barusu?"
"I just want to let you all know that Emilia, Elsa, and Shaula are engaging the two Sin Archbishops of Gluttony. This means we have to prepare ourselves for the fight ahead."
"That is right, we should prepare."
Rem said this with Sora and a few others nodding at Subaru, all of them preparing their harsh fight against the Sin Archbishops of Gluttony.