Re:Zero Kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu

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After that, the venue"s preparation proceeded at a rapid pace.
Though they weren"t professionals, the damage was repaired so well that it was barely noticeable anymore. Just by looking at the fine workmans.h.i.+p, one could tell just how often those women had to clean up after Regulus" tantrums.

After Emilia agreed to proceed with the wedding, No.184 and a few of Regulus" other wives tended to her hair in the dressing room and decorated her with various adornments.
Except for the times when Annerose helped her with her hair, this was the first time Emilia"s hairstyle had been so elaborate since Puck disappeared within the crystal.

Her long silver hair was gathered up and woven into a braid.
So as not to distract from the purity of her white dress, Emilia"s bridal gown was completed with only a few more simple adornments.

[Emilia: ――――]

Looking at her reflection in the mirror, Emilia admired the women"s handiwork.
Indeed, she looked very different from usual. With no one around to make demands about her hair aside from Subaru"s occasional requests, it had been a while since she was imbued with such feminine charm.
Though she couldn"t help but feel it was wasted on her.

[No.184: Well, let"s go. Please take care not to damage Husband-sama"s mood]

No.184 reminded Emilia as they headed out of the dressing room.
Turning into the chapel, Emilia saw that the attendees had already lined up, waiting for her arrival―― all of them wives of Regulus, along with Regulus himself in a white tuxedo standing in front of the altar.

Although she didn"t know the exact procedures, Emilia stepped onto the red carpet laid from the entrance and walked towards the altar where Regulus was waiting.
Regulus nodded with satisfaction when he spotted the beautifully adorned Emilia,

[Regulus: I almost didn"t recognize you when you put on the dress, but the adornments took it to a whole other level. I was right to have kept No.79"s seat vacant. I couldn"t be happier with with my judgment]

[Emilia: No.79……Why"s that number vacant?]

[Regulus: Well, there used to be a woman who I initially thought would be a perfect fit for that number, but unfortunately I deemed her unsuitable before the wedding could take place. Although her all-important looks was very close to my ideal, I nevertheless reluctantly kept that seat vacant. But thanks to that, I met you, so it was all worthwhile after all]

[Emilia: Kept… vacant……]

What"s that supposed to mean?
The mere sound of it reignited Emilia"s already desensitized sense of awryness.
But even with this vague outline, she couldn"t quite put her finger on just what it was. Meanwhile, Regulus adjusted his suit in front of Emilia in her bridal gown.

[Regulus: Well now, shall we commence the wedding ceremony? I suppose it"s a bit on the informal side, but I hope you don"t mind? As long as the ceremony proceeds properly, the rest are just superficial details. I"m not one of those fools who prioritize the surface only to lose sight of the essence. Failing to see a matter"s substance that way is simply laughable. How can someone be satisfied with only exteriors and outward appearances? Content with their ignorant, self-contained existence, they"re are too stupid to even notice that they"re being laughed at behind their backs]

[Emilia: ――――]

While Regulus continued his convoluted tirade, No.184 walked to the other side of the altar. Apparently, she would serve as the facilitator of this ceremony.
Indeed, she seemed to be fulfilling a coordinating role among Regulus" 53 wives as well. Though it wasn"t clear what that coordination amounted to when Regulus could kill any of them on the slightest whim.
That was just another reason why this man was beyond forgivable.

[Emilia: Say, Regulus. There"s something I have to tell you before I marry you]

Therefore Emilia wanted to make it absolutely clear.
No.184"s expression tensed at Emilia"s words. But Regulus gave a surprising friendly nod in reply.

[Regulus: Aah, that"s right. There are some important things I want to tell you as well before you become my wife. Though I suppose I could gradually teach you after we are married, it"s vital that you should be mentally prepared beforehand. To discover our differences here and there after we"re already married would be tragic, don"t you think? In order to make sure something so unfortunate doesn"t happen, I think it"s crucial that we openly share our thoughts with each other. Once we become a couple, we"ll be bound heart and soul, so it"s important that we sort this out first]

[Emilia: Mmn, yeah. If it means being bound heart and soul, it"s important, isn"t it]

[Regulus: Right? It"s good that we get on the same page. So, my other wives must have already told you some of the rules, but why don"t we go over them. First, once you"re married to me, you are forbidden to smile]

[Emilia: ……?]

Frowning, Emilia didn"t seem to understand Regulus" meaning. But Regulus raised a finger and continued, [Well…],

[Regulus: It"s quite important, you know. I like your face. I really like your face. I select my wives based on their faces. Beautiful, adorable, charmingly well-proportioned faces. I"ve had 291 wives in all, and all of them had beautiful faces. Your face is adorable too. And that"s why you will become my wife. Do you understand?]

[Emilia: ――――]

[Regulus: Here"s what I think. There are many, many people in this world much more selfish than I. Don"t you often hear about couples whose love begins to die the moment they get married? They went into a relations.h.i.+p because they liked each other, but as soon as they"re living together all sorts of problems start popping up. Incompatible tastes in food. Incompatible habits. Incompatible hobbies. Incompatible schedules. There"re all sorts of selfish excuses, and once the illusions about their partner fall away, they treat them like trash. I utterly despise such hopeless people]

Smiling, Regulus happily extolled his views on love.
Innocently, unreservedly, he raved about his indignation at those who scorned love.

[Regulus: Who isn"t a little selfish? But why the disillusionment? Someone you like may have different sensibilities than you, but why the disillusionment? How can people be so stupid? Isn"t it absurd? That why I select partners based on their faces. If my partner has a face I like, I won"t grow disillusioned no matter what kind of person is behind it. Because I love that face. As long as that face is there, my love would never die]

[Emilia: ――――]

[Regulus: Even if they don"t put away their clothes after they take them off. Even if they"re a murdering maniac who indiscriminately butchers children. Even if their cooking skills are atrocious. Even if they sold their own brother to pay off their debt and ran away. Even if they don"t separate different colored laundry that"ll color-bleed into each other. Even if they"re a psychopath who secretly kills animals for fun. Even if they have G.o.d-awful taste in clothing. Even if they"re money-grubbing by nature. Even if they don"t like to bathe and smells like a homeless person. Even if they seriously believe the apocalypse is coming and keeps on talking about it―― I don"t dislike them]

One after another, Regulus pointed to the 53 women present, shouting.
It wasn"t clear which one which of those descriptions matched which one of the women. Nor could Emilia understand how he could claim to love only their faces and separate that from the person underneath.

[Regulus: I would never say it in past-tense like "I used to love". I love your face. Even if you"re the Witch who seeks to slaughter every person in this world in utmost, excruciating agony, I will not grow disillusioned. As long as I have your face]

[Emilia ……What does that have to do with not smiling?]

[Regulus: It"s very simple. There are times when a girl who"s normally cute and beautiful can suddenly turn repulsive the moment they smile, you know? As if I could allow such a thing. So, it"s not only smiling, but crying as well. Either way, I won"t allow your cute adorable face to be distorted in any way. So, no smiling. No crying. No sulking. Only adorableness is permitted]

Holding Emilia"s chin in his fingertips, Regulus quietly demanded.
As for what would happen if she refused, those earlier events had already answered that question.
But what made no sense was how he could he commit such senseless atrocities when he claimed to love their faces.

[Emilia: You said you love their faces and would never grow disillusioned…… if so, then why did you attack this person earlier?]

[Regulus: Huh?]

Seeing Emilia pointing to No.184, Regulus tilted his head.
Without lowering her arm, Emilia broke free from Regulus" fingers,

[Emilia: If I hadn"t pulled her away, this person would certainly have died. This is also someone whose face you love and therefore took as your wife, correct? If that"s true, then how could you do such a thing?]

[Regulus: Aah, that"s simple too. It"s because, temperate as I am, she still managed to upset me. I don"t ask for much, do I? But some people are just way too inconsiderate. I thought surely none of my wives is like that, but what else can I do when it"s right in my face? Since there"s no helping it, I had no choice but to fulfill out my obligations]

[Emilia: And so, you became disillusioned? You"re contradicting what you said just now……]

[Regulus: I"m not disillusioned. I still like her face, I still love her. Even if she"s dead, that still doesn"t change my enduring love for her. Don"t you hear it often? "Even when someone you love dies, that person lives on inside your heart, because your love for that person endures and will not fade"? That"s exactly how it is with me]

Regulus" twisted logic was impeccable.
Impeccable, without the slightest confusion, his logic was complete within his mind. Without the slightest room for reb.u.t.tal, it was perfect, flawless.

In front of the speechless Emilia, Regulus furrowed his brows.
Because he spotted a color of distrust within the silent Emilia"s eyes.

[Regulus: I"ve actually been wondering for a while now…… do you, maybe have a problem with me? If so, then that"s really disappointing. I"ve already made concession after concession out of consideration for you, yet can"t you appreciate my considerations at all? A person shouldn"t be all talk, you know. If you have just the slightest consideration for other people"s feelings, if you could just put yourself in other people"s shoes, you wouldn"t be like this, I don"t think. If a person can"t even make that modest effort, then I can"t see how such a person can have any value whatsoever. It"s disrespectful. More specifically, it"s disrespectful to me. That, that"s unforgivable]

[Emilia: I think marriage should be something reeeaally beautiful]

[Regulus: Huh?]

[Emilia: It"s a ceremony that joins two people who love each other and want to be with each other. It"s a reeeaally big deal to like someone, and so, to find someone out of all the people in this world and have that person also like you back…… is an amazing thing, I think]

Emilia in her bridal gown held a hand to her chest, while, listening, Regulus" face contorted with disbelief. The expressions of the wives in attendance, including No.184 at the altar, began to darken.
They must be worried for her, Emilia figured.
――It was proof that they were compa.s.sionate, kind-hearted people after all.

[Emilia: Why do you call your wives by their numbers?]

[Regulus: Why get caught up on names? Just like getting bogged down by the superficials, it"s a complete misunderstanding of love. I don"t need these superfluous embellishments to be confident that my love is real. And so, there is no need to debase myself with such vain trivialities. For love to be equal, one has to let go of those inessential aspects, don"t you think?]

[Emilia: ……I see. But, I don"t dislike being called "Emilitan" by Subaru at all]

[Regulus: Subaru……?]

Hearing a name he could not let slide, a color of displeasure rose on Regulus" face.
But Emilia ignored the s.h.i.+ft in Regulus" expression as she continued,

[Emilia: When Subaru calls me Emilitan, his voice is packed with feeling. And, occasionally, when he leaves out the "-tan", I can immediately tell that it"s something special. I don"t think it"s pointless at all. Names should… carry that kind of feeling]

[Regulus: Hey uh, it"s like you"re just talking by yourself at this point, but, who is Subaru? It"s a person"s name, isn"t it? Actually it"s a man"s name, isn"t it? A girl who"s about to marry mentioning different man"s name in front of the man she"s about to marry, that goes against all common sense no matter how you look at it, doesn"t it? Even if it"s just some random stranger"s name it still hurts, you know. It hurts. You know?]

[Emilia: He"s not a random stranger. Subaru is my chosen Knight, a person who calls me by my name and tells me that he loves me]

[Regulus: ――Hha!?]

Hearing Emilia"s answer, a flood of bloodcurdling aura gushed from Regulus"s body.
Sensing this, No.184 and the other wives immediately tried to run for it, but,

[Regulus: Don"t move!! Anyone dares move, I"ll cut their head off!]

[Emilia: ――――]

[Regulus: I"ll let you explain yourself. Try to choose your words carefully so I don"t misunderstand. I don"t want this wedding to turn into someone"s funeral. You know?]

Heaving his shoulders, shuddering, Regulus suppressed his emotions as he spoke.
Held in place by Regulus" threat, none of the attendants moved. But, without flinching, Emilia met his swelling aura head on.

[Emilia: Marriage should be between two people who love each other. But, I don"t think this meets that criteria at all]

[Regulus: ――――]

[Emilia: Because, I still don"t know how to love a man as a woman. Even though Subaru tells me that he loves me, I still can"t return his feelings or even give him a straightforward answer. That"s reeaaally unfair of me, and I know how much it hurts him. But…]

Regulus fell silent. But Emilia wasn"t thinking about him.
Anyone could tell. That Emilia"s eyes did not see him at all.

[Emilia: Even though I don"t know how to love someone, I"m sure someday I will. One day I will love someone as a woman. And I"ve already decided who I"ll love when that day comes. That"s why…]

Taking a breath and looking up at Regulus, Emilia spoke.

[Emilia: ――I can never be yours]

[Regulus: ――hk! Aaaagh is that right!? Well I don"t want a selfish b.i.t.c.h like you as my wife either! ALL THE BETTER HHAAHHH!!??]

Regulus" face burst red at Emilia"s declaration.
In front of Regulus" reaching fingers, Emilia"s whole body surged with mana to meet his attack. To counter his unknown destructive mechanism, her first action should be――

Just when their attacks were set to begin, a violent noise crashed throughout the chapel.
Accompanying the sound was tremendous momentum as something shot straight into Regulus" body like a bullet. Cras.h.i.+ng into Regulus in his white tuxedo and shattering upon impact was a wooden door panel―― one of the two at the chapel entrance that they had just reinstalled.
It had flown all the way from the entrance to hit Regulus.
And,

[???: d.a.m.n it, we kicked at the same time but the result"s not the same at all! What"s with your leg strength!?]

[????: Sorry I didn"t adjust it properly. But it managed to hit the target I was aiming to hit, so it turned out alright, didn"t it?]

[???: The flas.h.i.+ness of the entry is nowhere near the same, okay? My kick only managed to open the door, but your kick landed a direct hit on the enemy……]

Two grumbling silhouettes appeared at the chapel entrance.
One was a black-haired boy, and the other a red-haired youth.

Emilia"s eyes widened in astonishment, and in front of her, Regulus picked away the wooden shards like picking off insects. Standing there, unhurt, he was glaring at the two intruders with contempt in his eyes.

[Regulus: You certainly have the gall, cras.h.i.+ng a sacred wedding ceremony. I don"t remember inviting any male guests, but mind telling me who you are and what wedding presents did you bring? HHA!?]

Met with Regulus" bellow, the two at the entrance looked at each other.
Then, giving each other a nod,

[Subaru: Spirit Knight without his spirit partner, Natsuki Subaru]

[Reinhard: Descendant of the Sword Saint, Reinhard van Astrea]

Announcing his name, Reinhard took a step forward.
Next to him, Subaru gave Emilia a wink before pointing at Regulus, saying,

[Subaru: I object to this marriage. ――And I"ll be taking the bride with me]

-=Arc 5 Chapter 48 End=-

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Emilia!! >_

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Next Arc 5 Chapter 49:
I"ve set up an ! I"ve posted the link to Chapter 49 there as well! ❤

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I"ll be working on Arc 5 non-sequentially from now on and focus on the chapter I enjoy the most, the next ones being Arc 5 Chapter 57 & 58! ❤

Check the for the links to the other chapters once they"re out!

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Let me know if you see any typos! 

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Next Arc 5 Chapter 49: