Re:Zero Flaw If

Back to the Present

Sekhmet arrived the next day. She was in a maid outfit, to her displeasure. This was the only way they could think of to get her to stay at the mansion. She would say she was a maid from the capital who Los knew. Los would second this and recommend her to Frederica. Hopefully, then she would be accepted, and Los could go to the Sanctuary.

Just on cue, Los heard a knock at the door.

Frederica opened it to see Sekhmet outside. She curtsied and said, "My name is Seme. I would like to become a maid at this mansion. I met Los earlier—he can reference me."

Frederica looked puzzled and called for Los.

Los sped downstairs and arrived.

"Do you know this woman, Los?" Frederica asked.

Los nodded and replied, "Yes. She was one of the maids who cleaned up after I was knighted. She did such a good job that I asked her if she wanted to come here."

Frederica looked suspicious and asked, "Is that all?"

Los was confused and asked, "What do you mean?"

A voice in his head spoke up.

"Sometimes when a drunk man and a mai—"

Los reddened and saw Sekhmet peeking her head in through the door with a devious grin plastered across her face.

"N-no, nothing like that, Frederica."

"Like what?" Frederica asked, confused.

"N-nevermind. Forget I said anything."

Frederica turned back to Sekhmet and said, "Well, at the very least, you can help Petra learn with me. We'll see how you do."

Petra had been brought in to serve as a maid by Subaru and Emilia, so it was safe to assume she would be one of the maids that Elsa would target.

With that, Sekhmet was let in, and she carried all her belongings to a guest room.

The plan they had set the day prior was that Sekhmet would wrap the entire estate with her unseen hands so that any threats would have to pass through them.

Los, Subaru, and Emilia would go to the Sanctuary.

Rem decided to stay back at the mansion to help the new maids.

And with that, they departed for The Sanctuary.

Time Skip – On the Way to the Sanctuary

Frederica had given Emilia a necklace with a blue crystal on the end of it, which would allow them to pass the barrier surrounding the Sanctuary. It began to glow as they got closer.

In addition to surprise bodywear, Petra had tied a white handkerchief around Subaru's arm, which signified a prayer for safe travels or some such.

Emilia spoke up then, "Um... Subaru, I don't know why, but Puck isn't coming out."

Subaru frowned and asked, "Has this happened before?"

Emilia nodded. "There have been times when Puck wouldn't come out for a few days..."

Subaru seemed to remember something and said, "Could it be?"

Emilia saw him looking serious and said, "B-but don't worry! I have contact with lesser spirits as well, so if Los isn't around, I can protect you!"

Subaru grinned and replied, "Wow, Emilia-tan! You're so manly!"

Emilia laughed at this before remembering something. "Frederica told us to watch out for someone named Garfiel, right?"

Subaru nodded, thinking back to the interaction. "I wonder what kind of person he is."

Emilia wondered out loud.

Otto, who drove the carriage, interrupted to say, "We are in the forest now."

Subaru and Emilia drew back the curtains to look at the trees.

Emilia began to clutch her seat.

Subaru noticed this and remarked, "Emilia-tan. Are you actually nervous?"

Emilia turned to Subaru with a surprised expression and asked, "How could you tell?"

Subaru smirked, "I know everything about you!"

Los, who had been sitting with his arms crossed and his eyes closed, opened an eye to look at Subaru with a quizzical expression.

Subaru smiled, turned to Los, and said, "At least that's what I'd like to say, but anyone could notice. Right, Los?"

Los smiled back and nodded.

Emilia noticed she was indeed outwardly nervous and said, "You're right! I'm sorry for worrying you. When I think about arriving at the Sanctuary, a place where only demihumans live..."

Los looked puzzled, and Subaru replied, "Actually, I should apologize to you, Emilia. I wasn't thinking that far ahead. I guess that there might be other half-elves like you there, huh?"

Emilia nodded and replied, "I've never met another half-elf, but maybe, just maybe..."

As she ended the sentence, the crystal on her neck began to shine brightly.

"Emilia!" Subaru shouted, alarmed.

"Um..." was all she could say as she stared at the light on her chest.

Subaru, looking alarmed, said, "I have a bad feeling about this suddenly."

He reached out and grabbed the necklace off of Emilia.

The instant he took it from her, she became limp.

Los reacted quickly, catching her and setting her down gently.

"What's going on?!" Subaru shouted.

In Los's head, another voice spoke up.

"Take the pendant, Los. There is someone you should meet."

At these words from Sekhmet, Los took the pendant.

The light grew brighter until everything was swallowed by it.

Arrival at the Sanctuary

Subaru and Los opened their eyes to find themselves in the middle of the forest, the dragon carriage nowhere in sight.

The first thing Subaru did was yell, "Los! What was that? Did you see anything?"

Los shrugged and said, "I don't know, but someone's coming."

As he said this, a small figure stepped out from the woods before them.

She was barefoot, wore a white robe, and had pink hair with pointed ears.

Subaru took note of the ears and asked, "Are you an elf?"

With no words, the girl began to run.

'Follow her, but do not catch her.'

The disembodied voice of Sekhmet instructed.

Los patted Subaru on the back and said, "We should see where she's going."

After a short distance, Los arrived at some ruins. Even restricting himself to a walking pace (at least for him), he still got ahead of Subaru, who came gasping along a few moments later.

"Where—gasp—did—gasp—she go—gasp—"

'Tell him to go in that room.'

Sekhmet instructed, referring to the stone structure.

Los pointed at the room and said, "I don't know, maybe in there?"

Subaru nodded and straightened out.

The two walked into the stone structure.

Subaru walked forward while keeping his hands on the wall, not trusting the path.

Los looked at him, concerned. "Subaru, are you—oh."

Subaru slumped down where he was.

'He is meeting with the one I spoke of. She will take you after.'

Los nodded, but just moments later, he heard another voice in his head.

"My, my. Aren't you interesting?"

Los closed his eyes.

When he opened them, he was no longer in the dank, dark passage.

Meeting Echidna

He was now in a brightly lit field surrounded by green rolling hills—a scene beautiful yet uncanny.

A single table occupied the space.

Sitting at the table was a woman with white hair. She had a teacup in front of her, as well as another teacup across from her with another seat.

Los raised an eyebrow but made his way up to the table.

Sitting down, he reached out for the tea.

But in his head, Sekhmet's voice rang out.

"I wouldn't drink that if I were you."

Los was confused and asked, "Why not?"

A dull laugh sounded in his thoughts before Sekhmet spoke again.

"It's made of her fluids. Namely, her spit."

Los wrinkled his nose in disgust. He had a strong distaste for saliva.

Echidna smiled and spoke up.

"It's fine. It's not for everyone."

She tilted her head and continued.

"Anyway, what's this? Sekhmet lived, and yet her soul lives on here with me. I do not understand how this could be possible, but I suppose your existence is an anomaly in and of itself, Los-sama."

When she said his name, her tone and face hardened.

"As you are probably aware by now, I can see your memories. Interesting, albeit slightly lacking before you got here."

Los nodded in response, and she continued.

"This does not fulfill my greed in the slightest. Are you from the same world as Natsuki? Are you of the same species? What are your powers? Are you a weapon or simply a powerful individual?"

She sighed and said, "All are questions I will likely never find the answer to."

Los had blanked out at this point, coming back to his senses as he asked, "Is there a reason you have brought me here?"

Echidna nodded and said, "Yes, but allow me to rest a hand on you for but a moment. Since you did not drink the tea, you will be pulled back to the real world. I need to use the Envy Witch Factor to increase your resistance to being pulled back."

Los nodded, and she did just that.

A pain like a cramp flared in his stomach for a moment before fading.

Smiling, she sat back and said, "Good. Now we can talk at leisure. But first..."

Her face darkened, and an eerie smile crept across her face.

Then, as she spoke her next words, the world seemed to shift.

"Behold—an unthinkable present."

A Glimpse into Ruin

Los's vision faded to black.

He tried to look around, but all he could see was darkness.

He was a disembodied consciousness with no way to move in any capability.

All he could do was watch.

The scene before him unfolded.

The capital lay in ruin.

Los stood in the center, his hand outstretched.

The land had been leveled to the earth as far as the eye could see.

An unsheathing sound could be heard behind him.

He turned to face Reinhard van Astrea, who wore an expression of pure hatred.

"Who are you? Why would you do this?"

Los began to crackle with black and red energy and grasped his head in his hands.

Reinhard continued, "Only the truest scum could end the lives of so many without a thought."

Los scratched his head until it bled.

He crackled fiercely with even more energy.

Reinhard drew the dragon sword and stated, "I will cast you down, foul one. Your marred existence will no longer be allowed to stain this world."

Los screamed.

Red energy burst out from him, rocketing high into the sky.

When it cleared, he stood motionless, now surrounded by black and white energy.

It covered his entire body, and his eyes glittered as he stared Reinhard down.

Without moving a muscle, an invisible force severed Reinhard's arm.

Reinhard had detected no intent to attack.

He gasped but, with his remaining arm, swung the dragon sword.

It cleaved clean through Los.

But Los stood as if nothing had happened.

Reinhard and Los went forehead to forehead and shot off into the sky.

Clashes ruptured the fabric of reality.

Reinhard soon fell, steaming from the sky.

He was cut to pieces.

Los landed across from him, turning to walk away.

However—

Reinhard's corpse began to glow.

His arm regrew.

Standing up once again, Reinhard raised his sword to the heavens and exclaimed:

"I will destroy this very world to be rid of you. Make no mistake."

Los turned and crackled with energy.

Two balls of crackling energy began to form in his hands.

He slammed them together.

The Los who watched this unfold knew what he was doing—

And wanted to avert his eyes.

But he had no eyes to avert.

As Reinhard swung the sword down, blue light engulfed the area.

But Los had produced something worse.

The infinite mass had been fully unleashed onto the world.

Los, Reinhard, the blue light—

The very world and universe itself—

Were crushed and folded into nonexistence by its weight.

As the scene faded to black.