Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu web novel

　A roar was heard.

　Hunger made Subaru lick his tongue at the blood dripping from his right hand, when he heard a voice in the distance. Anger, anger. Rage. Someone was angry. Someone was furious. The voice of someone raging about something.

　--I don't care, right now I just want to satisfy this hunger.

　I chew and chew and chew and chew, but it's still not enough.

　What can two fingers satisfy? How much can flowing blood quench this thirst?

　Not enough. Not enough. Not enough at all.

　Even if he devoured his right hand, his remaining left hand, and even if he devoured his own body, it still wasn't enough. There was no limit to his appetite. He simply wanted what he wanted. And for that reason...

"--Hmph!!"

"---What the?!"

　A blow from above pierces Subaru's head as he lies on the ground, sending up a shockwave as his body sinks into the ground. The force is so great that the earth buckles, creating a crater in the hills around Subaru.

　And the sender of the blow, breathing heavily as his fist rested against the back of Subaru's head,

"I can't take it anymore, why is everyone fighting...? Using violence is the lowest... the worst..."

　A half-crying voice came down from the sky, and Subaru, who was trying to taste the earth, was brought back to reality. At the same time, a drop of water hit the back of his head, and he looked up as if guided.

　The outline of the blonde girl became blurred and the teary-faced figure almost disappeared.

　--I wondered what had happened to me, and when I tried to raise my body up with my right hand, which I had placed on the ground, I realized it was still intact.

　So in an instant, Subaru turned to the disappearing girl,

"Thank you for healing me...!"

"...That's it."

　The witch turns away and disappears with a sulky look on her face.

　Just before she disappeared, her face was red even though she wasn't looking at me, and she couldn't hide the happy tinge in her cheeks.

　And so the blonde girl - the Witch of Wrath - disappeared from the spot, and in her place appeared another crude coffin.

"Neru-Neru is such a nosy old lady. Isn't this just a little lesson for you to learn, Subaru?"

　Being spoken to from within the coffin as if it was nothing at all, Subaru jumped to his feet and immediately leapt away from the crater, his expression clearly showing wariness towards Daphne.

　Daphne, who was invisible, snorted at Subaru's reaction.

"That's right, you have to be that vigilant. After all, this world is all about eat or be eaten."

"I don't want to think it was that brutal...! What was that just now? It was only for a short time, but... I was definitely going mad."

"It's hunger that drives you crazy. Extreme hunger turns people into things worse than beasts. If you could see his right eye, it would be even more interesting."

"...Get messing around."

　Subaru judged that it was probably an evil eye, something similar.

　Ram's clairvoyance was the ability outputted from Subaru's knowing eye, but whereas hers had absolutely no offensive ability whatsoever, Daphne's was far too vicious.

　Should they be called the "Demon Eyes of Hunger" or the "Demon Eyes of Starvation"? The moment his left eye met his, Subaru's unconscious hunger caused him to devour the fingers of his right hand.

　The hunger that even leaves pain behind, everything in sight is just food to satisfy the insatiable hunger. In other words――

"Could that be the view the Great Rabbit sees...?"

"Those kids were born to emulate Daphne's hungry nature... so it's easy to understand why they would want to eat each other."

Subaru: "How dare you say that so nonchalantly... In the first place, doesn't it pain you to give birth to such a creature? The fact that you lectured me like that means you too understand that feeling of hunger. The child you gave birth to... Ah, making your child feel that way..."

"--? Even if the Rabbit is hungry, Daphne won't feel hungry either."

"...I was stupid to ask."

　We're at a stalemate. No matter how hard I try, I'll never be able to understand this witch.

　To her, even the magical beasts that she gave birth to were nothing more than emergency rations that she could pick at when she felt hungry.

　It's the ultimate self-sufficiency, producing food from your own body and eating it yourself.

"If you had just disappeared into another dimension and been self-sufficient so as not to cause any trouble to anyone, then no one would have had any problems."

"So, what did you want to ask Daphne, Subaru? If you're just going to say bad things about Daphne, then I'd rather you just leave, because staying awake will only make me hungry."

　In the coffin, Daphne was lying down, facing away from Subaru, with her whole body relaxed.

　I finally understood why she was in that portable coffin and why her whole body was bound with restraints. It wasn't a cage to keep her danger from escaping.

　It's simply a fashion trend that aims to reduce the calories consumed by moving and freeing up the arms and legs, as well as to alleviate hunger.

　The only exception might be the eyepatches he is wearing, but even those are most likely only there to avoid the physical fatigue that would come with using his demon eyes.

　From beginning to end, her existence is complete in and of itself.

　A mass of nothing but 『Appetite』――the Witch of 『Gluttony』 was indeed an apt nickname.

"Honestly, I don't think there's any point in asking, but... what should we do to destroy the Great Rabbit?"

"Eh? You want to destroy the Great Rabbit? That one is weak, easy to eat, and multiplies quickly; it's the masterpiece of Daphne's creations."

"If you can accept the idea of ​​eat or be eaten, then you can kill someone to survive. I want you to accept the idea of ​​survival instinct that isn't just based on appetite."

　Subaru throws words at the hesitant Daphne that are an extension of his sophistry.

　In truth, Subaru had already half given up on extracting any information from Daphne. Not only was it unlikely that he would be able to extract any useful information from her, but he couldn't see any signs of being able to hold a proper conversation with her in the first place.

　At first glance, it seems like they're having a proper conversation, but that's her bad nature. In reality, she just chews over the ball Subaru throws, and instead of throwing it back saying she wants it, she just wants the next ball.

　However,

"Since you eat in order to live, you have to accept that you have to kill in order to live... hmm, that's, yeah, that's, certainly, isn't it?"

"--Eh, does that work?"

"If you think that's correct, then I'm convinced it's Daphne. Subaru, do you think it's Daphne?"

　Subaru's true feelings were that she was by far the most witch he had ever seen, but if he started to say that, it would seem like there would be no end to it, so he remained silent.

　Daphne, who had been pouting, simply brushed off the silence with a suitable "Hmm."

"If you want to destroy Ooto-chan, it'll be a piece of cake if you use Metomet, DonaDona, or MiraMira."

"Wait, your nicknames are confusing. Dona Dona... is that Echidna? Metomet... is it Sekhmet? And Mira Mira?"

"Carmilla... it's lust. It seems she doesn't want to meet Subaru."

"It's a little sad that the person in charge of erotic things like 'Lust' dislikes you, but your plan won't work. The witch can't leave the tomb. You can't lend her your power."

"...Hmm, is that no good?"

　The help operation was an offer Subaru could never have hoped for. If only they would come out and use their powers only against the rabbit and Erza.

"Even if you were to get outside... instead of destroying the Great Rabbit, would you be satisfied with just eating it and then go home?"

"Daphne, I've never felt full in my life."

"So even if we let you out, you guys wouldn't be able to get it out."

　Subaru stuck out his tongue at the answer, which was too predictable, and rejected Daphne's suggestion. She cleared her throat in the coffin,

"If that doesn't work, then I think the only thing we can do is work together as a group and eat them all. Those kids can't multiply from zero either... haa haa..."

"Apart from eating them, we'll have to kill them all... but if even one remains, it will revive, right? I've heard they move in groups, but are they always together?"

"Yes, there are. There are many of them, but they have one consciousness. It's like a single consciousness is shared by the group. They don't have the intelligence to split up."

"Is that so...? In that case, wouldn't there be a punchline to this horror story where the ones left after the extermination start multiplying again...?"

　Even if the monsters causing damage are defeated, the rest of the monsters continue to multiply underground and elsewhere, leaving the protagonist with the usual punchline that "the predicament isn't over!" in monster panic stories.

　As for the Big Rabbit, at least, he seems to have no such wisdom.

"By the way, how many giant rabbits are there on average? If they're cannibalizing each other, I would think there must be a system in place to keep their numbers down to a certain level."

"...I wonder? Subaru, are you the kind of person who counts the number of water droplets when fog appears?"

"That's the level you're at... No, I understand you're unreliable. I'll see for myself."

　Considering the number that had swarmed around Subaru's body, there must have been over a hundred in that scene alone. If they were to consume the entire Sanctuary, the number was likely close to tens of thousands.

　Even if you want to kill everyone, you need to consider the methods and means.

　While Subaru was pondering on how to defeat them, Daphne yawned loudly, expressing her boredom. She continued to mutter to the silent Subaru,

"Subaru, if you're still pondering riddles like that, Daphne, can I just disappear now? It makes me hungry to exist."

Subaru: "Saying you don't want to exist because it makes you hungry is a pretty rude thing to say. Ah, regardless of how it went, it was helpful. Thank you. ――And also."

　After throwing out a half-hearted thank you, Subaru added one last thing.

　Daphne gave me a strange look, and I said in the most disagreeable voice I could.

"I will destroy that bastard rabbit. I have already killed the White Whale as well. Don't complain, Mother."

"..."

Subaru: "Four hundred years, the time that those people you created for reasons you may or may not have thought were for your own good, have gone on a rampage. That's enough now. —I'll erase you without a trace."

"Just a human."

　Subaru declares war, and Daphne responds in a way she's never seen before.

　She split her mouth wide open, and for the first time, she expressed a clear emotion other than "appetite."

"If it's something you can do, you should try it."

　The Witch of Gluttony laughed, her red tongue sticking out from her mouth, which was lined with extremely sharp teeth.

※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※

　A strong wind blew towards him, and Subaru instinctively raised his arm to block his view.

　A gust of wind blew up the grassland beneath my feet, sweeping the green leaves around me. I instinctively followed them with my eyes, and when I saw them being sucked into the sky, I turned my gaze back.

"Sorry for asking something so unreasonable, Echidna."

"I knew it would end up like that, so I stopped it."

"There's no other way. She released him of her own accord and removed his eyepatch. I hope you'll praise her for not touching her body."

"That's right. If he had touched Daphne, it wouldn't have ended there. If it was just her left eye, Daphne wouldn't have been much of a threat. The real terror of Daphne comes from her right eye, and after she is "devoured."

　Subaru could only be taken aback by the terrifying statement that came out.

　To be honest, just that "not that much of a threat" part was enough of an anomaly for Subaru.

"...It's fine if you introduce the status of the opponent you've already defeated. If you have plans to fight a monster similar to that guy, I think you should ask about it."

"A monster, you see."

　Unable to wipe away the negative impression he had of Daphne, Subaru blurted this out, but when he heard Echidna's somewhat dry muttering, he realized his mistake.

　It seems that she considers Daphne to be a friend. The fact that she can be friends with that witch makes it hard to shake the impression that Echidna is a witch after all, but that's one thing, and this is another. Treating other witches like monsters in front of witches is even more...

"Ah, I guess I was being too inconsiderate. Sorry. I was a bit annoyed. I have no comment to make about your friend. That's all I can say."

"Hehehe, there's no need to be so concerned about the witch. It's just a familiar word of rejection."

"…I can't really use cheap words when it comes to Daphne, but I don't think of you as a monster. I'll put that into words and correct you."

　Echidna's eyes widened in confusion at Subaru's words.

　Subaru averted his gaze from that reaction, disgusted by the self-serving thoughts in his mind.

　It was obvious that what he had just said was just an attempt to curry favor. Of course, half of what he said was his true feelings, but he couldn't help but be aware that he didn't want to give a bad impression to the witch who was cooperating with him.

　Of course, I think a witch with a long history would be aware of that.

"No, no more. Even if you try to fool me with sweet-sounding words like that, I won't be fooled. Would you like some more tea and cookies?"

"Even if you say it with such excitement, it's not convincing! What's with that, you act like a weakling? It's not even at the level of being lonely or anything."

　I'm worried about Echidna's future, as she has gone along with such obvious flattery.

　Even though he knew that she no longer had that, his heart still throbbed.

"I'll decline your bodily fluids and the cookies that may have been mixed with anything in them."

"I didn't put any hair in it."

"Now I can't help but doubt every word you say!"

　I have resolved never to eat or drink at this place again.

　Echidna gave a wry smile as Subaru looked at her suspiciously. She then looked at him intently, as if observing him. That look she gave him every now and then made him feel uncomfortable for some reason.

"I don't like the way you look at me, like you're trying to see through my insides."

"If I could see everything about a person just by looking into their eyes, then I wouldn't mind staring at you so hard I burned you to a crisp... but even so, I wonder if you're aware of that or not."

"What are you talking about? Awareness or unawareness?"

"This is just based on my own limited imagination, but your state just now must have been quite a shocking scene for a human. It's not an easy thing to succumb to hunger and eat your own flesh."

　Echidna's matter-of-fact tone made Subaru reaffirm just how terrible the situation he had been in. The fact that he had five fingers on his raised right hand was thanks to the witch's spectacular healing techniques, who had healed him rather than assassinated him.

　When Subaru told her to convey his gratitude to her, Echidna closed one eye,

"As for Minerva, she simply ignored my calls and rushed out. If she saw a wound, she would rush out regardless... She wasn't one to live long. In fact, she was the first of us to be killed."

"The end of the witch… huh? I heard that you were all eaten by the witch of 'Jealousy'. Is that a topic I'm comfortable asking about?"

"It's difficult to say whether asking the dead about their cause of death is insensitive. It's not something that's done very often before. As for me personally... yes, I agree. I don't intend to tell you everything. It would affect the honor of the other five."

　Echidna remains silent about the cause of death, and Subaru comes to understand that this is inevitable.

　Subaru himself had died many times already, but it was impossible for him to laugh about the causes of those deaths. Death is something so deep and heavy.

"If you think about it that way, you guys are probably one of the few people with whom I can share these feelings."

"...Well, I don't know about that. We've both died once, but I don't know if I can still think like you."

　Subaru had hoped that his words would garner some sympathy, but his words were denied.

　Subaru wanted to say something to Echidna about her cold attitude, but his thoughts vanished when he saw her serious expression. She looked at Subaru, furrowing her brow in a somewhat painful manner,

"This relates to what we were talking about earlier about self-awareness... are you aware that you are in a distorted state right now?"

"distorted...?"

"There's no doubt that the special circumstances of 'Return by Death' caused this. So, as someone who knows the cause, I can only find it extremely painful, but I think it would be even more so if it was something that the victim was unaware of."

"That doesn't make sense. So, what do you mean..."

"Do you think it's normal to be able to converse with the person who ate your finger just because the wound has healed?"

"――――"

　For a moment, Subaru's breath hitched.

　Echidna observed Subaru, whose movements had stopped, carefully with her eyes. As Subaru started to breathe again, which he had forgotten,

"It seems he wasn't unaware."

"...I think it's a matter of mindset, of how you think about it. To be honest, I'm aware that my thoughts right now aren't very normal. It feels like I'm cutting out everything else for the sake of the most important thing."

"What else?"

Subaru: "Right now, my biggest goal is to break through this stalemate. That goes for the mansion, the 『Sanctuary』, and most importantly, Emilia. As always, I'm stuck in a dead end and don't know where to start, which is troubling…"

　Taking a breath through his nose, Subaru looked up at the sky.

　Blue sky, white clouds drifting by, a somewhat tranquil atmosphere. With that in view, I wanted to slowly enjoy the scenery and immerse myself in the boredom of looking up at it in real life.

"That's what I've got, and I've decided to use it to the fullest."

"...So you affirm 『Return by Death』?"

"That's not to say I approve. However, for someone like me who doesn't have many tools at my disposal to begin with, that's about all I can do. …I don't want you to get the wrong idea, but it's not something I want to do."

　Echidna seemed to have read his intentions, and Subaru emphasized this even though he knew it was pointless.

Subaru: "If it means sacrificing my life in order to reach the future I desire, then I will do so. I have also been guaranteed that the number of times I can use 'Return by Death' will be limited, for the time being, as long as I can maintain my sanity. Then, all that remains is for me, a weak-willed person, to muster all my willpower and stretch my limits."

"By repeating 'death', one can reach out with one's fingertips. ーーThat's a resolve that an ordinary person wouldn't have."

"There's been too many deaths... I guess at some point, my mind is starting to go mad too."

　It's not that he despises "death". Rather, Subaru's experiences with "death" have strengthened his conviction that it is a frightening thing that cannot be undone. There's no doubt about it. His fear of "death" has increased more than before.

　And yet, it was easy for Subaru to think of using his own "death" to his advantage.

　Having accumulated his own "deaths" and seen a world that could only end up that way, Subaru could no longer bear the "death" of people he knew, even more so than his own.

　If it would save them, or them, from the inevitable fate of death, he would be willing to sacrifice any amount of his own life, which he could easily get back.

　I will swallow the pain, the suffering, and the fear, and die in order to survive.

　ーーThat was the root of Natsuki Subaru's resolve that was now being called distorted.

"If the only sacrifice I have to make is breaking my heart, then I will do it. I see, 『Return by Death』 is the perfect power for someone like me, powerless, ignorant, and dependent on others."

"..."

"I thought you might say something like, 'You don't need to belittle yourself like that.'"

"Considering the obstacles that stand in your way, I can't say that lightly. In fact, if you wish to do something about your current situation, there's no way you won't make use of it. Personally, I'm unhappy that I have to rely on 'Jealousy' though."

　Echidna is the type who understands the situation, as she doesn't offer easy consolation.

　It's not exactly reassuring, but it's nice to have someone to kick your ass like this.

　There's something rewarding about walking a path that you know will leave you covered in scratches.

"In the end, I guess I'll have to repeatedly use 'Return by Death' and exhaust all my options. If this is the case, I'm worried about how much more pain I'll have to endure."

"..."

"One of the mysteries we need to solve is whether the 'Sanctuary' is a testing site, and what experiments you were conducting there... but you're not going to tell me that, are you?"

"...No, I don't. I told you. I don't want to be looked down upon by you."

　Echidna shook her head in response to the question, refusing Subaru's request.

　Subaru responded by cracking his neck and saying, "Well, that can't be helped."

"If you won't tell me, then I have no choice. I'll just go around on my own and uncover the secret you're trying to hide. You won't get in the way of that, right?"

"...If it's going to be exposed, then I guess there's nothing I can do. If you're going to subjugate me and forcefully expose my secrets that you don't want to reveal, then I'll just accept it."

"I feel like I'm doing something wrong, so could you please change the way you say it?!"

　Echidna blushed slightly and looked away from Subaru.

　I'm not sure if she's trying to tease me or if she's just naturally like that. From what I saw during the tea ceremony, Nenne seems genuinely innocent, which makes the witch scary.

　And as we were talking like that,

"yeah--"

　Suddenly, Subaru felt a dizzy feeling in his head as he sat in his chair. It was similar to dizziness, and it shook Subaru's consciousness for a while.

"It seems that your physical body is nearing awakening."

"So this tea ceremony is over... I guess it was worthwhile."

"Last time, I didn't expect anything to happen, and the conversation was completely off-putting. I guess I was able to live up to my reputation as the Witch of Greed a little bit."

　For a witch who loves to talk, teach, and chat, this tea party was something she was very satisfied with. Her joy was hard to hide, and as Subaru left she seemed to have some regrets, which made him feel a little reluctant to leave, but he shook his head and cut off the sentimentality.

　The witch is strangely poignant, but it's not good to get too attached to her. She's a witch, and on top of that, she's dead. I'm not sure which is the bonus, though.

"What should I do when I want to come here?"

"A condition for the tea party? No no no, it's not good, you'll end up relying too much on me. Certainly, there is no one outside you can confide in about 'Return by Death', and for now, I'm the only person you can open up to, so I understand how lonely you must feel, but I'm a dead person, and you're a living person… it's no good, already."

"Even if you say that while you're squirming with unexpected joy like that, it's not very convincing!"

　How should we interpret the current situation in which the restaurant's popularity is skyrocketing simply because it has been a long time since customers last visited?

　While I was undecided on how to react to Echidna who was glancing my way with one hand on her cheek, she laughed, hiding her mouth, "Hehehe."

"Don't look so troubled. I'm a girl too, so there are times when I want to have a little fun conversation like this. That's all. I understand the gap between witches and humans."

"...Echidna."

"The condition for the tea ceremony is that you shout from the bottom of your heart at the tomb that you 'want to know'. I was able to invite you the first time without question, but it won't be so easy from the second time onwards. The third time too... I think it will be difficult. A superficial shout won't reach me."

　Listening to the rapid-fire speech, Subaru remembered what had happened just before he was invited.

　Having had his entire body devoured by the Great Rabbit, he achieved "Return by Death", and while his body writhed in agony as it dragged on the feeling of "death", his consciousness continued to scream out as to what had happened.

　This time, Echidna had heard about it and invited him to a tea party. If he wanted to come here again, he'd have to work just as hard, or even harder.

"Certainly, I'd rather not do that..."

"That's probably true. This may be the last time we meet face to face. Of course, that won't be the case if you decide to take on the 'Trial'."

　Just like during the first Trial, it seems she will be present during the second and third Trials. If Subaru takes on the Trials in Emilia's place, then a reunion is all but guaranteed.

　In other words,

"So we'll meet again in the Hall of Trials. Tea probably won't be there then though."

"If you really want to drink it, I wouldn't hesitate to make it for you..."

"No, if I see the manufacturing process I'll be even less interested in drinking it, so that's fine."

　When I held out my palm to refuse, Echidna looked the most disappointed I'd ever seen her look.

　I don't know what it is that makes her push her bodily fluids so hard. Is it some kind of sexual fetish where she feels pleasure when a part of herself becomes a part of someone else? Her karma is deep.

"I guess I'll be disappearing soon... Well then, Echidna, thank you for your help. See you again..."

"Before that, is it okay?"

　Feeling his body becoming increasingly numb, Subaru was about to say goodbye to Echidna, but Echidna herself stopped him.

　She stood up from her seat, the hem of her mourning skirt swaying as she walked towards Subaru,

"I participated in the tea ceremony and transferred some of my knowledge to you... but haven't you forgotten something?"

"lost item?"

"It's a compensation."

　Echidna narrowed her eyes and showed her red tongue to Subaru, who tilted his head.

　Subaru's eyes widened at his words and he muttered to himself, "Compensation..." Echidna nodded in response, "Yes, compensation."

"I'm sure I imposed a fee on you last time, but that comes with making a deal with a witch. Let's keep the payment from last time and ask what it would be this time."

"Shh, is it okay to pay by promotion? Right now, I don't have many cards in my hand, so having them taken away or having conditions imposed on me would make it even more difficult."

"I guess I'm not quite good at speaking to negotiate with witches."

　Subaru retreats, chair in hand, and Echidna corners him, a sadistic look forming on her cute face. She looks Subaru up and down, pondering what she should take from him.

　The price the witch has to pay is that last time, she would forget Echidna's existence when she returned to reality. If she were to do the same this time, the contents of the tea ceremony itself would disappear, and the goal would become more distant. However, it is unclear whether she would be able to comply with other heavy conditions if they were imposed upon her.

"Okay, I've decided."

　As Subaru prepared himself for what was to come, Echidna bent over and brought her face closer. When Subaru flinched as her lips nearly brushed his, she moved even further beneath him - into his chest.

　Her white hair fluttering softly in the wind, the faint scent of flowers drifting from the witch stirring nearby, Subaru feels embarrassed for the first time in a long time due to his weak immunity to beautiful girls.

　Echidna ignored Subaru's thoughts and touched his chest,

"May I have this?"

"...Oh, huh?"

　Subaru was perplexed, and Echidna removed her hand from his chest―― In her pale fingertips was a handkerchief fluttering in the wind.

　The white fabric had gold trim around the edges, and the lining was embroidered with a grey Great Spirit.

"The handkerchief Petra gave me before we left the Sanctuary...?"

"You should be grateful to the person who gifted you this. It is filled with pure concern for your safety. Each needle and thread is imbued with magic. The power that resides in such things is very interesting."

"...Petra, is that so?"

"So you feel for me. I feel bad for the person who felt for me, but I'll take this."

　Echidna smiled as she saw Puck's embroidery on the lining, then she put the handkerchief away in her bosom. Then she let go of Subaru, and,

"I have certainly collected the fee for the tea ceremony. I look forward to seeing you again soon."

　Echidna teasingly picked up the edge of her skirt and bowed elegantly.

　It was so unlike her to at least send him off in a casual manner - Subaru stood up from his chair,

"Thank you for all your trouble. For everything. --Good day."

　I bowed in the same manner, pinching the edge of my clothes, making Echidna smile wryly.

　And then the scene was enveloped in a white light - and Subaru left the tea party.

※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※

　--When Subaru regained consciousness from the tea ceremony, the first thing he felt was the sudden coldness and hardness of the floor, and the foul taste of the dirt in his mouth.

「Ugh! Burp burp! Is this the default every time…?」

　Subaru spat out the foreign object in his mouth, sat up, and shook his head to regain consciousness.

　First, while checking his physical condition, he recalls the events before he woke up. He remembers how he was killed and eaten by a giant rabbit and returned, and how he was invited to Echidna's tea party right after that. He was treated badly by Daphne, but he steeled himself and returned, saved by Petra's childlike feelings.

　None of these events have been erased from my memory.

"Echidna kept her promise. This tea party hasn't been erased from my memory either."

　This time, the white-haired witch was clearly burned into my memory.

　Although she is not exactly witch-like, the fact that she kept her promise, combined with her kind attitude towards Subaru, makes her one of the few allies.

　It's unfortunate that there doesn't seem to be much opportunity to rely on it,

"This time was the best harvest... I don't know if I can call it that, but there it is."

　Placing his hand over his chest, Subaru recalled the events of the tea partyーー that is, how he had been able to confess his 『Return by Death』, and savored the feeling of relief.

　Although it was limited to Echidna and the other witches, being able to confide in her about it and rack her brains about it with someone was the best thing she could have gained.

　One of the reasons was that he was able to hear the thoughts of someone who knew more about the other world than Subaru about "Return by Death."

　However, it also means that she has returned bearing the troublesome news that the Witch of Jealousy is the cause of everything, and that one day she will have to face it.

"With this renewed spirit, I am Natsuki Subaru reborn. For now, I will rely on the power of this witch. No matter how many times, I'll use my life for her."

　If that gets me closer to the answer, then so be it.

"My sense of time is all messed up because of the tea party, but right now we're right after the Trial."

　Echidna had said that the scene in "Return by Death" hadn't been changed, but as Subaru shook his head and looked around, there was no doubt that this was a tomb.

　Confirming that what she said was correct, Subaru knew he had to start by getting Emilia out of this situation, so he went looking for her.

"Considering what happened right after 'Return by Death,' it's the third time, so I need to think about how to deal with Garfiel. I don't think he'll suddenly try to kill me though."

　Still, it's the actions of a shortsighted person. It's impossible to tell what's going to happen.

　Remembering him reminds her of her immediate "death" - the direct cause of her death, when she was eaten alive by the giant rabbit, and the scene of the villagers massacre that preceded that, and a dark emotion unintentionally wells up within her.

　The defeat of the Great Rabbit, the defeat of Elsa, the mystery of the "Sanctuary", and Garfiel's final blow.

　Subaru, however, felt he could not forgive it, even though it was an event that had not yet occurred. Garfiel had to be made to repay him somehow.

　While thinking this in his mind, Subaru's negative feelings towards Garfiel, who must be out in the open, grew stronger, but his thoughts were suddenly interrupted. Because,

"... Emilia, where are you?"

　--She's nowhere to be seen.

　Subaru frowned in discomfort and strained his eyes in the dark tomb, but no matter where he looked in the not-so-large Trial chamber, he couldn't find Emilia's slender body lying there.

　It was an unprecedented and extraordinary situation.

"If I had just undergone the Trial, then Emilia should still be in the middle of it..."

　Originally, Emilia was unable to pass the first Trial, and was facing the pain of her past. She should have been by Subaru's side.

　And yet, she was no longer in the tomb. However, the timeline had undoubtedly returned Subaru to the place immediately after the Trial.

"..."

　I had a bad feeling.

　The fact that Emilia wasn't here and the situation being different from before.

　The change that shouldn't have happened was because Subaru's actions had altered the future. But what effect could Subaru's actions have when he wasn't awake?

　Driven by a sense of urgency, Subaru ran out of the Trial Chamber and into the passage. His footsteps echoing, he passed through the passage and out of the tomb.

　And what Subaru saw when he stepped outside the tomb beneath the moonlight was...