Re:Zero Kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu

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The impact of his landing spread over the earth as Garfiel slowly straightened his back.
This time, Garfiel crumpled his nose not to trace a scent, but to display his fury. Clicking his neck and gritting his razor fangs, he glared straight ahead with eyes alight with wrath.

In front of him was a line of two carriages.
Garfiel"s murderous presence had shocked the ground dragons into a state of extreme agitation while the driver frantically called out to calm them.
For Garfiel, this driver was a familiar face,

[Garfiel: Just when I was wonderin" who it is, if it ain"t th"noisy bro. Hah! Should"ve guessed. If that b.a.s.t.a.r.d"s dupin" anyone into doin" this, it"d be you]

[Otto: That statement is awfully…… oh, nevermind, I know all too well what people think of me…]

Garfiel stuck his hands into his trouser pockets, while the driver―― a troubled-looking youth with longish grey hair, Otto, gave him a wry smile.
Skillfully controlling the reins, once he had managed to calm the agitated dragons, Otto let out a small sigh.

[Garfiel: Y"act like it"s no big deal, but ground dragon usually pack their bags "n run off when I"m serious "bout threatenin" "em]

[Otto: I had to persuade pretty hard to make sure that didn"t happen, you know. And besides, I"ve informed them beforehand that you"d be coming]

[Garfiel: Hah――?]

Unable to believe what he"d just heard, Garfiel"s ears twitched at Otto"s statement.
His fingers unconsciously reached for his forehead as he stepped forward, intending to ask Otto what he was trying to say.

[Garfiel: What"s that supposed t"mean? You thought y"could slip outta here thanks t"the chaos and then got yerself caught when I found ya. Ain"t that what happened here?]

[Otto: Yeah, you"re exactly right. Taking advantage of chaotic situations is bread and b.u.t.ter for us merchants. But just when I"d been promised a handsome reward and was about to succeed without incident……]

[Garfiel: …………]

Otto buried his face in his hands, his schemes ruined. But, sensing a certain calmness in Otto"s gestures and words, Garfiel"s confusion only deepened.
This isn"t the att.i.tude of someone whose plans had just been foiled. In fact, doesn"t his expression look just like Roswaal"s when everything was playing right into his hands?

[Garfiel: That f.u.c.kin" att.i.tude and that f.u.c.kin" expression…… y"look just like the f.u.c.kin" a.s.shole I hate th"most in this world]

[Otto: There goes another horrible appraisal…… but, just for reference"s sake, mind if I ask which one you"re referring to? I really want to be improving our relations.h.i.+p from now on]

[Garfiel: Hah! Me "n you? Don"t make me laugh, moron. ――The a.s.shole I hate th"most in this world is lointerin" in th"nicest room in th"Sanctuary, gettin" the VIP treatment this very f.u.c.kin" moment]

[Otto: I see, I see… must be tough, when the one you have your heart set on is falling head over heels for your love rival. I do sympathize with your plight]

[Garfiel: Y"want me t"force yer f.u.c.kin" mouth shut? Oy?]

Garfiel smacked his tongue in annoyance as Otto mocked his feelings for Ram.
Indeed, Garfiel could have settled this with force if he wished to. This escape attempt had already failed the moment Garfiel found out about it.
They weren"t going anywhere. But as long they didn"t try to force their way through, Garfiel saw no need for any unnecessary violence.

His first order of business should be to settle this matter quickly and return to the Sanctuary.
His priority was to preserve the Sanctuary, and this was nothing but a minor distraction.

[Garfiel: Anyway, now yer escape plan has failed. If that son of"a b.i.t.c.h is here, tell him t"come out. He better start apologizin" for pullin" this s.h.i.+t, or there"s gonna be pain]

Garfiel needed somewhere to vent his pent-up frustration.
And besides, Garfiel needed to know just what that youth―― Natsuki Subaru―― was thinking, pulling a stunt like this.
It was only a couple of days ago when he"d boasted that he would break through the Trials and liberate the Sanctuary.
Even if he had lost heart, it just happened way too quickly. Frankly, it"d be too much of a cop-out if that were the case.

It"s about time Garfiel slapped him straight――

[Otto: Ehh, unfortunately, I"m afraid I won"t be able to meet that request]

[Garfiel: Hah?]

[Otto: Haven"t you noticed? You said it yourself, I"m wearing the face of the man you hate the most in this world. Then surely, you don"t expect me to do something that that hated man wouldn"t do?]

[Garfiel: ――――]

Ambiguous and roundabout, Garfiel couldn"t understand Otto was insinuating.
But Garfiel could tell that those weren"t statements he could just let slide. And above all, the fact that he was wearing the same face as that man he despised―― Roswaal―― meant that everything was going to plan.

[Garfiel: ……Th"f.u.c.k are you plottin ‘, oy]

[Otto: Oh right. Speaking of that face you and I both know, I guess you can call it the "I"m totally plotting something" face?]

Otto rubbed his nose as he said this, looking like he had just done something mischievous. Garfiel narrowed his eyes, and only now noticed the strangeness of this scene.

There were two carriages, Otto, and two ground dragons before him. ――But there was no driver on the driver"s platform in the rear carriage.
Or rather, it was more than that.

[Garfiel: How come… when th"dragon freaked and jolted the carriages… none of the b.a.s.t.a.r.ds inside showed their f.u.c.kin" faces?]

[Otto: Hmm, I wonder why that would be?]

Otto shrugged, playing dumb, while doing nothing to stop the pale-faced Garfiel from approaching the carriages. Garfiel swiftly hopped onto the back of his carriage and wrenched open the flap to the pa.s.senger deck.
And, when he saw what was inside, Garfiel made a deafening clench of his teeth.

[Otto: ――There"s no one there, you know?]

[Garfiel: No s.h.i.+t…… gh. Th"f.u.c.k is going on! I smelled th"stench of a whole f.u.c.kin" crowd of"em movin" with the carriage……!]

Sending spit flying as he stepped into the pa.s.senger deck, Garfiel"s sentence abruptly trailed off halfway.
At his feet, strewn all over the pa.s.ser deck, were piles of clothing. Countless articles―― men"s, women"s, adults" and children"s, all dumped together. Meanwhile, faced with this sight, Garfiel"s cheeks contorted as he realized that his nose had been deceived by this remarkably simple trick.

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(The amazing fan art is by @HaruSabin!)

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I"m finis.h.i.+ng up Part 3 now, it should be done in a few hours!

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