Re:Zero Kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu

(Thank you Omair, Fairouz, Lee, Roanz, Sude, Unseen Feet, Dor for your help on the livedraft!)

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Tonight was the fifth night―― the threshold of fate that was the final deadline when Elsa would attack the Mansion. If things progressed the same way as the first loop, then at this point, no doubt Elsa had already begun her attack.

But no matter how depraved Elsa may be―― it was still unlikely that she would descend on the village and ma.s.sacre its inhabitants. So as long as Otto didn"t enter the Mansion, he shouldn"t be touched by the danger.

Of course, doing this would be none other than abandoning those in the Mansion: Frederica, and Petra. And Beatrice, and Rem.

[Subaru: …….This time, I"ll use everything to find out what happened in the Sanctuary. That"s… already decided. If I try to be greedy, I"ll only end up with nothing. That"s the reason I have stand by and watch, isn"t it?]

Emerging in his chest, was the guilt of watching while allowing the worst to happen. Suppressing that guilt with the sense of mission and duty, Subaru spurred on the cruelty of his heart.
Steel. Turn his heart to steel. In order to reach that perfect future, he will use every method at his disposal. Permit, and accept sacrifices along the way, no matter how much it wore down his heart.

[Subaru: As long as we are smiling at the end, I"ll……we"ll have won]

And so, in the face of sacrifices, all he could do was to hold down the wavering of his heart.
He must not hesitate to pave the way so that he would retrieve everything in the end. Regrets were not something that should concern him now.

[Subaru: ――――]

Having watched all the dragon carriages pa.s.s before him and vanish into the forest, Subaru let out a sigh.
Now, there were only the Sanctuary’s residents and people a.s.sociated with Roswaal"s Mansion left behind. All that remained was simply to wait for the dawn and bear witness to whatever was about to happen to the Sanctuary. If he could do that, then this loop"s objective would have been accomplished.

[Subaru: Staying here forever and getting our faces eaten by bugs isn"t the way to go, so how about we go back? It"s starting to get kinda unpleasant with you staring at me like that]

[Garfiel: Don"t try"ta tell me what to do…… Say, y"haven"t asked a peep about Emilia-sama"s Trial tonight]

[Subaru: The fact that you"re here already answered that, I figured. I"d be lying if I told you I didn"t expect a bleak result this time]

At least, transforming her worry for Subaru and the hostages into motivation wasn"t going to work. If Emilia was to prevail against the Trials, something fundamental would have to change. Otherwise, chances are that none of the Sanctuary"s problems could be resolved in these rushed circ.u.mstances.

[Subaru: That"s why I have to see this through to the end. I can"t just wait for Emilia to pa.s.s her Trials without finding out what"ll happen next]

So that he will not repeat his mistake, Subaru will take the risk of staying on in this third world.
The highest number of times Subaru has died in a single series of loops was four. If he intended to break through in the fifth world, he had only one more death after this.

[Subaru: There"s still a mountain of things I need to confirm……]

――He was already thinking of his own "Death" as a foothold to reach that breakthrough.
Not even Subaru himself noticed just how twisted his own statement was. He signaled to Patrasche to return to the Sanctuary, and Garfiel, watching him from behind, muttered,

[Garfiel: ……Talkin" like y"understand everythin". Just the f.u.c.k y"think y"know?]

[Subaru: Garfiel?]

Unable to hear that whispered question, Subaru turned around on his saddle. And abruptly, in front of his eyes――

Garfiel leapt towards Subaru atop Patrasche"s back, his palm slas.h.i.+ng towards Subaru"s neck like a blade.

The sight of fingers shredding through the air burning into the back of his eyes, Subaru"s voice died in astonishment at the unreal and sudden approach of "Death."
It was not that he never considered the possibility of Garfiel"s attack, but he never thought it would come so directly in this place.

[Subaru: ――――!]

The shrill whistle of a swinging blade was followed by the pain of tearing flesh striking Subaru accompanied by the spray of blood. Reflexively holding his shrieking throat with his hand, he felt a thin crevice beneath his voice box that had been gouged out by the claw.
Pressing with his palm while feeling the blood seeping through his fingers, Subaru hurriedly grasped the reins and signaled Patrasche,

[Subaru: Garfiel! What"re y……!]

[Garfiel: Y"re gonna get in the way? What y"think yer doing, huh?]

While Subaru screamed from Patrasche"s back at the sudden attack, Garfiel, landing on the ground, directed his rage and bloodied fingers at an entirely different direction.
Subaru, his face contorted in pain, turned to look in the direction Garfiel was pointing, and saw a single girl standing with a wand in her hand―― Ram, with her peach-colored hair swaying, and her stern gaze fixed on Garfiel.

[Subaru: Ram!?]

[Ram: I had a bad feeling so I stayed, and it turned out exactly as I thought. Barusu, you better thank me that your head is still connected to your torso]

[Garfiel: Without that wind screwin" up the aim, it would"ve lopped that head flyin"]

Hearing the uninvited Ram"s remark, Garfiel shook his head in acknowledgement. Speechless at their exchange, the pain of the wound only further inflamed Subaru"s thoughts,

[Subaru: What the… h.e.l.l are you doing, Garfiel!? Were you trying to kill me just now!?]

[Garfiel: That, and failed. If yer askin" what I was tryin" to do, dunno know how else t"answer ya]

Garfiel plainly confirmed his intention to kill. Hearing this, Subaru"s single eye opened wide as his lips trembled at the incomprehensible act. Since,

[Subaru: If that"s the case, couldn"t you have killed me anytime you wanted? When I was imprisoned, no, even before that, if you just didn"t heal me wouldn"t I have already died!?]

[Garfiel: If I did that, the hostages would"ve exploded. Now that they"ve left, everythin"s in order for me t"kill ya, ain"t it?]

[Subaru: That"s……!]

Feeling his thoughts being dyed pure red, Subaru was struck dumb by Garfiel"s words.
All along, Garfiel had him in his sights and was looking a way to dispose of him without the problems that came with it, and sending away the hostages played right into his lap. Yet, there was still something else that felt unnatural. That is――

[Subaru: If you kill me here, what happens to Emilia"s Trials? Not trying to be narcissistic here, but if I"m her primary motivation, when I"m dead, doesn"t that mean the Trials will never end?]

For Lewes" faction, which hoped to liberate the Sanctuary, there could be no situation worse than this.

Although his actions could perhaps be attributed to blind rage, seeing him conversing just now, none of his calm and rational demeanor fit the description of someone who had lost themselves to rage.

In other words, Garfiel"s attack just now was the result of cold calculation. Just what did it mean――

[Garfiel: I……]

[Ram: No point listening to excuses, and it"ll be meaningless trying to persuade him, Barusu]

But, just as Garfiel began to speak, Ram sharply cut herself between them. Turning her wand towards Garfiel, who clicked his tongue,

[Ram: You should stop trying to hide your true intentions with logic, Garf. It isn"t like you]

[Subaru: O, oy, Ram]

[Ram: Stand down, I"m speaking. ――Either way, Garf has already made up his mind to kill you, Barusu]

Hearing Ram confirm Garfiel"s murderous intent, Subaru could only close his mouth.
Ram slowly approached Subaru while keeping her vigilant glare fixed on Garfiel, and, holding out her hand, she softly traced her fingers over the underside of Patrasche"s neck.

[Ram: Good girl. Do what you have to do now. That master of yours on your back… is incredibly dull, both to himself and to others]

[Patrasche: ――――]

Calmly, and somewhat gently, Ram said this to Patrasche, who replied without words. Patrasche extended out her tongue and licked Ram"s fingers in response, before lowering her head and setting out her steps in the direction of the woods, regardless of Subaru"s commands,

[Subaru: W-wait. You two, what"re you……]

[Ram: Don"t let go of the reins. As long as you do that, your ground dragon will do everything in her power to protect you, Barusu. You are as fortunate as a man can be]

[Subaru: Listen to me! No, tell me why! What do you know that"s making you do this!?]

[Ram: There"s no time to explain, and explaining is futile. Do as I say, Barusu. ――Ram can buy you about a minute, use that time to get however far you can. This is the only resistance Ram could offer for you]

He couldn"t understand the meaning of the last part of Ram"s reply, but there was already no time to ask.
After hearing her last syllable, Patrasche speeded away with a small neigh. And, shaking around on the ground dragon"s back, Subaru felt the Divine Protection of Wind Evasion coming into effect as they were swallowed up by the flock of trees.

[Subaru: Ram――!]

He screamed. But there was no answer.
As his vision became obscured by the forest, all Subaru could do was to bite his lip and be carried along on his involuntary flight.

※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※

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This part was finished last night, but I didn’t want to release it until I could do a final edit in the morning.
I should be able to finish the chapter today, but depending on whether I’m satisfied with the quality I might release it the next morning again.

There is still enough time to finish four chapters this month! ❤

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Chapter 41 Live Draft: