Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu web novel

"A fragment of the past that Garfiel saw..."

"In the truest sense, they are merely fragments. I was the one who muttered to myself, picked up the sobbing child, and fled the tomb. I know the general outline."

　Taking a deep breath, Subaru turned to face Σ.

　Garfiel's past - it wasn't what Subaru had hoped for in his discussion with Σ, but it was one of the issues Subaru would have to deal with eventually.

　Although the order was a bit off, the information we could obtain at this point was satisfactory.

"Can I ask you something? What did he... Garfiel see in the past, and why did he give up on liberating the Sanctuary? Why is he so resistant to letting the residents go outside?"

"--What the child saw was the moment he was saying goodbye to his mother."

"Time for Parting"

　Subaru felt something dug into his chest.

　Parting from one's mother - that was a sound that was not unrelated to Subaru's thoughts during the Trial.

　However, unlike Subaru, who can look back on this with a bright and cheerful heart, Garfiel cannot. This is why he is so maddeningly tied to the Sanctuary.

"Do you know the child's mother, Su-bou?"

"...Just to be clear, I heard it briefly from Frederica. Their mother was a normal human, and then after a series of events, she gave birth to them. And so, she left them in the Sanctuary."

"I left this place alone, cold-heartedly, and am happy..."

　Complementing what Subaru found difficult to say, Σ lets out a fleeting smile.

　The details she had added were exactly what Subaru had heard from Frederica about their mothers. Their turbulent lives were likely the result of a great deal of bad luck.

　If I recall correctly, Frederica and Garfiel both use their parents' surnames, with Frederica's father being Baumann and Garfiel's mother being Tinsel.

"But if I remember correctly, according to Frederica, they were separated from their mother when they were still young... Even if they were shown memories from that time, I don't know how clear they were."

"It's a Trial created by Echidna, who possesses the Book of Wisdom, right? It shapes the world by appealing to the person's original memories, rather than something as unreliable as uncertain memories. ...It should unfold an unerringly accurate picture of the past, just like the scenery the young child saw."

"..."

　Subaru reconsidered after hearing Σ's statement, realizing that it was a weak argument.

　In fact, Echidna relied on Subaru's memories to recreate the townscape and school buildings of his original world, which were impossible to recreate in this one.

　In the sense of drawing out the deepest parts of a person's memories, it could be said that Subaru himself was the embodiment of this.

"I get it. I agree with that. But the problem is... why would Garfiel be so hurt by rewatching the scene of his farewell to his mother that he breaks down in tears?"

"..."

"I shouldn't say this, but for him, that's a story about a break-up when he was young, and he's been away from his mother for a long time. Dwelling on past issues forever seems a bit out of character for him…"

"Do you think that the memory of being abandoned by your mother as a young child is such a minor wound for you?"

　Just as Subaru was about to get to the bottom of the point he didn't understand, Σ interrupted him with words that were extremely sharp.

　Feeling as if a blade of words had been pressed against his throat, Subaru instinctively went quiet. Σ lowered his eyes in grief at this Subaru.

"Although, even those around her, including myself and my sister Frederica, didn't understand just how deep the thorn that had pierced her heart was. Or perhaps even Garbo himself wasn't aware of it, but that wound surfaced when he came into contact with his past during the Trials. ... I believe that this is the reason why she is so overly conservative now."

"...So what? The reason he is refusing to open up the 'Sanctuary' isn't because of the outside world or anything like that, but because of the negative feelings he has towards his mother who abandoned him and chose the outside world?"

"She hates the outside world, doesn't she? The outside world that took her mother away and left her behind. Even if she wanted to go after it, the barrier would prevent her from taking us with her to the outside world. It's a contradiction that the child, who was wanted to be cherished by both her mother and the inhabitants of the 'Sanctuary', could not bear."

"Does he hate his mother? For leaving him behind in the outside world?"

　Subaru, who has never been abandoned by his own family, cannot understand this pain.

　No matter how much Subaru made a fool of himself, or how much his parents told him he was a worthless person, they never abandoned him or gave up on him.

　Subaru had been saved by that blessing, but now that blessing was tormenting him.

"I wonder..."

　In response to Subaru's question, Σ avoided giving a clear answer right away.

　Her eyes wandered, she searched for words with some confusion, then she let out a small sigh.

"I never managed to find out what she really thought about her mother. I was too timid. Finding out what she really thought about her mother would only remind her of that time… when she was whining in the tomb, so I was never able to find out."

"Σ-san..."

"But even though he knows about his past, he still introduces himself as Garfiel Tinsel. He combines his mother's family name with his own. I believe he does this so he won't forget."

"So that I won't forget..."

　Subaru's words made Σ's chin drop, and he looked lovingly around the dilapidated hut, the failed hut that Garfiel had worked so hard to build with his own hands,

"So that I would not forget the emotions I felt when I saw the past. Whether that emotion was anger or sadness, I still don't know."

※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※

"You look awful, Natsuki-san. Are you aware of it?"

　When Otto saw Subaru reunite with him in the middle of the village, he let out a wry smile.

　Subaru shrugged and looked at him, finding that to be a bit of an exaggeration.

"You're the one who's gotten pretty dingy after not even seeing each other for half a day. Having fun in the forest at your age? You should grow up a bit."

"Nobody wants to get all muddy and all that!"

"Don't shout, it's pounding in your sleep-deprived head. Speaking of lack of sleep, the dark circles under your eyes are out of this world. You're sacrificing sleep to play in the mud… are you assaulted by an obsession to use the little time you have left to do all the things you regret?"

"Could you please stop making it sound like a short story from a popular pastime?"

　Otto's cry brings up another piece of unnecessary information: it seems that in this world, too, there was a time when works that chronicled the remaining days of patients with incurable diseases were popular.

　"Anyway," Subaru continued, thinking to himself that it might be worth importing various stories from the previous world once the various troubles around them had been settled.

"Let's stop messing around here... but actually, how did it end?"

"I can't deny that it was tough without Natsuki-san… but even so, I think it's fair to say that it went well. This is something I can praise myself for."

"You're great, you're the only one we can rely on, Ganbarou."

"The cheers were so empty! It felt like the air had become dry!"

　As Subaru watched Otto's over-reaction, waving his arms up and down, he couldn't help but feel grateful for his help. But it would be too embarrassing to actually say it aloud, so he intended to take it to his grave and never say it.

"Anyway, it's good news that the preparations on that side are progressing. By the way, how is the progress on the other one? Do you think it'll be of any use?"

"That part… in this short period of time, it's going to be tough. There's simply not enough time. If I cut down on my sleep, I might be able to finish it by the day after tomorrow… that's about it."

"You're cutting down on your sleep? You're such a hard worker, I can't even put it into words."

"Ahh! What a swarm of snakes...!"

　Otto holds his head in regret for his slip of the tongue. However, even without this situation where he had to be reminded, he would probably have used his own judgment to make up for the lack of time by using up his sleep.

　Subaru trusted him as a friend because of his unsparing sincerity.

　Otto, unaware that Subaru's expression and attitude showed no gratitude whatsoever, wiped away the expression of anguish from his face and turned to face Subaru, "So then,"

"Do you think it's Natsuki-san who is able to set the stage? To be honest, with all the troubles that have arisen on Emilia-sama's side, I was wondering whether I should just pack up my belongings and run away in the middle of the night."

"I'm sure the missing pieces are coming together one after another. I'm a bit worried though, because I still haven't finalized the picture of how the pieces will fit together to complete the whole thing."

"Are you sure? We don't have much time left..."

"If we can't fill in all the pieces in time, we can fill in the missing pieces with love, courage, and friendship. In the stories I know, that's how it works."

"You see, Natsuki-san. I did say that I was ignoring the odds of winning, but that was only if the fight was actually viable. Betting on something with zero chance of winning is not just stupid, it's the act of someone wanting to die…"

　Otto was grumbling something, but Subaru ignored him and started walking away. Otto reluctantly kept pace with Subaru as he followed.

　Without adding to his anxiety or trying to calm him, Subaru heads to the building where Roswaal is waiting - not that it's necessary, but to bring him the details of their progress.

　After our discussion with Ryuzu Σ, we learned some bits and pieces of Garfiel's past.

　Σ didn't have any further information, but she told me that the reason she couldn't be proactive about liberating the Sanctuary was because Garfiel's rejection of his past, and θ's inability to accept the situation at the tomb as his replacement, had been so unstable.

　Due to the rotation of the replicas, the θ in question is scheduled to appear tomorrow.

　What did θ see in the Trial? It was probably the memory of Lewes Meyer's encounter with Echidna, but what did he see there that made him reject anything outside of the Sanctuary?

　By finding out this, we should be able to find a way to break θ's stubborn heart. And if this is possible, there will no longer be anyone to give Garfiel advice, and there should be an opportunity to have a discussion with him before he goes out of control.

　Garfiel may show off his rough and violent ways, but his true nature is not so short-sighted that he fully approves of violence. At least, that's Subaru's impression.

　If he really was short-sighted and believed in solving all problems violently on his own, then he should simply eliminate everything that might threaten his "Sanctuary".

　Unless it was Emilia with Puck at her side or a fully prepared Roswaal, there was no one who could be considered a force to be reckoned with against a beast-like Garfiel.

　Right now, the most powerful person in this Sanctuary is undoubtedly Garfiel, and if he attacks with his claws and fangs bared, all problems will be violently settled.

　The reason he does not do so is simply because, despite his appearance, he is naturally inclined to seek rational solutions.

"So, we've been taking advantage of that pampering and scheming behind the scenes… but when you put it like that, it makes us sound like the villains."

"I don't dislike this method of using whatever is around me. But I agree that it's not the kind of protagonist you'd find in a fairy tale or a comedy."

　Hearing Subaru's muttering, Miscreant B, who cooperates with Subaru's unheroic, villainous plan, shakes his shoulders. Miscreant A can only think that if B is keen on it, then that's fine.

　Either way, Garfiel's problems are the culmination of the various factors surrounding the Sanctuary. If he can be persuaded, then problem B will be all but solved.

　And then, the big problem A, the "Trial"――what about Emilia?

"I'll come and see you again later."

　It was already evening, and night lights were coming on all over the Sanctuary. The sunset had sunk halfway into the western sky, and the world had turned a mixture of orange and purple.

　Night would soon fall, and if nothing had happened, the time would have come to take on the "Trial."

　However, as of yet, there has been no report of Emilia waking up.

　Even if he were to wake up in time for the Trial, given the time it would take for his mind to prepare, tonight's challenge would undoubtedly be postponed.

　Or, in the worst case scenario, Subaru's favorite challenge tomorrow could be in jeopardy.

　Even Puck, who was the trigger for Emilia's mental issues, hadn't been able to clearly tell her how long it would take for her to recover from the initial shock.

Subaru: "I know it all depends on how we support Emilia after she wakes up, but… since we don't know how much damage she's taken, I can't help but feel like we're just throwing it away."

"I don't mean persuading Lady Emilia, but do you think you could do something similar? I only heard about Lady Emilia's situation after the fact, so I can't really say for sure."

"First of all, there's no doubt that they were so confused that they couldn't even tell who was nearby. It was the first time I'd ever seen them making such a fuss like a child. As for the question of whether or not we can do it...the truth is that we have no choice but to try."

"So everything is a tightrope walk..."

　Subaru's unreliable answer made Otto sigh, showing he still had no intention of running away. Subaru's awareness that he was forcing Otto to join him in a battle with little chance of success led to him feeling sorry for him.

　Even so, the way he refused to abandon them was a relief to Subaru.

"If that's how it is with Lady Emilia, then what about Garfiel? Have you managed to get any bargaining chips to soften his attitude a bit?"

"I think you've gained an opening for negotiations. The problem is that it's going to take some time to prepare to bring them to the negotiating table."

　How I interact with Garfiel will change depending on how my discussions with θ go. How θ responds to tomorrow's meeting will be the only way to find out how to conquer Garfiel.

　The difficult thing about any negotiation is that you have no choice but to take things as they come and use the information you have so far.

　You could say that it's like walking a tightrope every time.

"--Arrived, huh? This time, you'll also be joining in the discussion."

　When they arrived at the house where Roswaal was waiting, Subaru called out to Otto, who was standing next to him. Otto frowned in disgust at Subaru's words,

"Yes, well, I understand. This time, unlike last time, there's no reason for me to be outside. I'll just accompany him… Ah, so I'm going to declare that I'm on the Margrave's side. I wonder if I'll be able to keep my head attached even after this problem is safely resolved."

"Don't worry. If your head is blown off, then mine is either blown off or rabbit food. I'm not going to let you die alone!"

"Wow, that's not encouraging at all!"

　Subaru gave a thumbs up and declared in a firm manner, to which Otto screamed.

　And so, as they were engaging in light-hearted banter at the entrance to the building, the door was suddenly pushed open from the inside - and from within, a maid appeared, a cold look in her eyes.

"It's getting late at night, why are you making such a fuss right outside the door? I'm calling into question the character of my master, Roswaal-sama. Get your act together."

"Sorry about that… but, are you here? Is Emilia alone?"

　After apologizing for Ram's harsh words, he pointed out the strangeness of her being there. Ram then sighed softly and shrugged in a deliberately exasperated manner.

"There's no need to worry, I'll be back soon. I was called here to help with the preparations as Balusu and the others are heading to see Roswaal-sama. --What a hassle to cause you, Roswaal-sama."

"So in the end it's all our fault…But what about Roswaal's preparations? He's still unable to get out of bed, so it's nothing."

　Subaru knows that in reality he has enough energy to get off the bed and kick Garfiel's head into pieces, but in this situation he pretends not to know that.

　Ram closed one eye at Subaru and said, "It's fine," in an irritated tone, as she slipped between Subaru and Otto.

"Roswaal-sama is waiting for you, so please come in quickly. Be careful not to drag on the conversation too much and cause trouble for Roswaal-sama. Once that's done, I'll have you take over as Emilia-sama's attendant."

"What a hasty guy. Roswaal is pretty much the same as usual, so are you really that worried about him? I want you to prioritize Emilia right now. If she wakes up alone then..."

"Ram shouldn't be by Emilia's side if she awakens. Don't you understand that?"

　This time, Ram looked at him with eyes that looked foolish, and left a disgusted Subaru behind as she walked away. As Subaru watched her leave in silence, Otto, who was beside him, nudged him with his elbow,

"If you weren't intentionally trying to anger me then wasn't that a pretty nasty exchange?"

"...I know. I was a bit skeptical about what I just said too."

"If you understand that, then I can just say that you're mean."

　Subaru silently brushed Otto's elbow off him and entered the building through the open door. Otto followed behind him. Accompanying him, Subaru headed to the bedroom at the very back and knocked lightly on the door.

"Roswaal, it's me. May I come in?"

"Oh, it's here. Here you go."

　A clownish voice came from behind the doorーー a voice that sounded just like the one before, and with a bit of surprise, Subaru opened the door.

　and--,

"Oh, I see."

　Seeing Roswaal on the bed, Subaru nodded slightly in understanding.

　He finally understood what Ram had been talking about when he mentioned "preparation."

　As Subaru was agreeing with this, Otto suddenly popped his head in next to him and exclaimed, "Uhi." Now that he thought about it, this was the first time he'd seen it.

"Wow, it's really admirable that you took the time to give us a progress report. I don't dislike that about you."

　Roswaal spoke in a drawn-out, buffoonish tone, wearing clown makeup for the first time in a long time.

　Open your arms and welcome them both.