Re:Zero Kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu

===

===

[Al: They killed each other…… ’til only one in five"re still breathin". They"ll need absolute rest… this"s as bad as it gets…]

Looking over the scene of carnage once more, Al let out a stifled mutter.
Meanwhile, sitting next to him, Subaru had no strength to reply.

After being driven into the refuge-shelter, the gathered refugees had slaughtered each other.
It probably started over something trivial.

They were crammed into this narrow s.p.a.ce, in fear of the Witch Cult"s demands.
While time pa.s.sed like this, terrible thoughts began creeping into their hearts. "The situation won"t improve even if we wait here like this, will it?" "Shouldn"t we try to do something?"
Those surfacing thoughts compelled them to action, and action meant contact with others. But contact doesn"t always end well.

The same thing happened when Garfiel and Al clashed on the street.
But in here, Subaru wasn"t around to stop them. The arguments escalated, emotions collided as it also spread to their surroundings, turning into a vicious cycle.
Hate and mutual frustration boiled until they became unbearable, finally ending in tragedy.

[Garfiel: I knocked the survivors unconscious n" treated their wounds. Buryin" the dead……’ll have t"wait. Captain, y"send word yet?]

[Subaru: Yeah. The Iron Fang are on their way. We can let them carry the survivors back, I think. ……But the problem now is…]

Subaru had underestimated the damage that the amplification and propagation of emotions could cause.
In the confined s.p.a.ce of the refuge-shelter, it was impossible to predict the range of the emotions pa.s.sing through the minds of those trapped inside. Naturally, they couldn"t be expected to stay positive, but even with negative sentiments, the outcomes can vary dramatically with the type of emotion.

It"d be nice if it started with sorrow and gloom which don"t involve any active behavior.
However, if the first emotion to spread was something like anger, clearly the result would be just what happened in this shelter.

[Subaru: When you"re chased out of your home and forced to hide in a shelter…… anyone would feel some resentment…]

Considering that the Authority of “Wrath” shares and amplifies emotions, the more people are within range of the Authority, the more effective it will be.
Simply put, imagine if all the people around you are mirrors, any light you project will be reflected back to you. If light here is replaced with emotions, it goes without saying that they would come back amplified.

Even the most simple contact with others could have horrible consequences.
It is an Authority that would force a person to be alone even when tormented by anxiety and fear.

[Subaru: Makes me wanna puke……]

[Garfiel: Captain, what"s the plan? I"m on board with checkin" th"other shelters, but if this goes on…]

After treating the wounded, Garfiel came over with sweat dotting his brows, looking uneasy. Subaru could understand Garfiel’s anxiety, but he was still at a loss as to how to respond.
He just couldn’t make up his mind. The idea of checking the refuge-shelters, looking for combatants to join them and warding off the spread of desperation isn"t itself wrong.

But, the urgency of the situation wouldn"t allow Subaru to slowly search through the city.
It was even possible that the few people who had the will to fight would actually accelerate the tragedy. In a sense, the refuge-shelters had become like petri-dishes of emotions. Maybe persuading them to leave the shelters instead might just increase their chances of survival.

[Subaru: But at this rate, if we don"t take back the Control Tower, everyone will die]

These were the refuge-shelters of urban Priestella.
These shelters were likely designed for surviving floods when the floodgates are released. In the unlikely event that Subaru would be forced to release the floodgates, the people who left their shelter to avoid killing each other would be doomed.
Whether it was staying inside or coming outside, there were no perfect solutions.

[Garfiel: Captain……]

[Subaru: ――――]

Garfiel"s voice jabbed the indecisive Subaru"s side.
It was a voice yearning for answers, and salvation. Like someone seeking a guiding light in the darkness to cling to.

Just how should he answer that expectation?
Subaru was just as lost. Fumbling in the dark, Subaru was just as lost as he was.
But, there was no point in showing his weakness here. He wouldn’t be saving anyone by throwing a tantrum. With the time it takes to complain, he could say something meaningful instead.
Something, anything, as long as it does some good.

[Al: "Captain, Captain"…… you sure have a lot of faith in him to keep chantin" that prayer, lil"bro. You two"re so sweet I"m gonna cry, y"know……]

But, while Subaru racked his brain for something to say, it was the one-armed man who broke the silence. Leaning against the wall looking over the carnage, Al turned his gaze to Garfiel.
Those sardonic words stunned Garfiel for a moment.

[Garfiel: Hah? Th"f.u.c.k"s that supposed t"……]

[Al: You can"t tell? It’s exactly what it sounds like. Stop mindlessly mewing, expecting others to make the decisions for you. "Captain", what is that, some kind of prayer? Callin’ to some kinda superman who could just fix everything no matter what it is?]

Cutting Garfiel off, Al went on mocking,

[Al: All I"ve seen from you so far is reliance, but does this guy really look like someone to rely on? When it comes to fighting, you"re way stronger. If it"s smarts, there"s bound to be someone smarter. Even if it’s luck, well, if you call this situation lucky no one"s gonna believe you]

[Garfiel: Shut up! Who d"ya think y"are, criticizin" th’Captain!? The f.u.c.k"d you know about this guy!? Y"know how incredible he is!?]

[Al: Incredible? What"re you, ten? What"s so incredible about him? If he"s really incredible, he"d have done somethin" by now. Or does he already have a plan and he"s just screwin" with us?]

Al"s sarcastic tone was unfazed by Garfiel"s barked retaliation. Al bent down his waist to look Subaru in the face, but Subaru didn"t say anything in reply.
Seeing this, Al stretched out his back once again with [See?],

[Al: If he could take everythin" on his shoulders and fix every last one of"em, that"d really be somethin". He"d be a protagonist at that rate. But most of us average folk can"t take that kinda responsibility. Naturally, that"s true for me, but the same goes for the bro here. So why put kinda burden on him? Don"t be expectin" too much. I kinda feel sorry for the guy]

[Subaru: ――――]

Subaru had no idea why Al was saying this.
Was he being influenced by the Authority of Wrath again? If so, just what kind of emotion was dominating Al’s mind right now?

Was it anger, sadness, or some other emotion?
It almost seemed like indignation, but also lamentation, or even derision. Even this was too difficult to tell.

[Al: Say, bro. What"re you thinkin’ so hard for, anyway?]

[Subaru: ……What am I… um]

For a way to save this city. To make sure the people in the refuge-shelters don"t get hurt.
To save Emilia. To heal Crusch. To retrieve Rem. To drive out the Witch Cultists. To find the optimal path in which everyone is saved.

[Al: It’s for your Princess-sama, can"t you even give an immediate answer like that?]

[Subaru: ――――]

Hearing Al"s disappointed voice, Subaru lifted his head.
Al kept his gaze on Subaru. Since he was wearing a helmet, Subaru couldn"t see his face. But, for some reason, Subaru felt his own chest tighten.

[Al: As for me, I"m doin" everything for Princess-san…… Priscilla. So frankly I don"t really give a d.a.m.n about what happens to the other people. Followin" you too, it"s just so I could increase my survival chances and the chances of findin" Princess-san]

[Subaru: Al…….]

[Al: That’s why I don"t get you, bro. "This"s important, that" things a priority too"…… if you keep thinkin" like that, you can"t see what"s the most important anymore. Tryin" to get everythin" at once, isn"t that just the overused excuse of a guy who can"t sacrifice everything for the one thing most important to him?]

Clicking his tongue, Al seemed to be stifling some kind of emotion.
Even Garfiel couldn"t bring himself to interrupt his overwhelming ferocity. And Subaru, on the receiving end of that feeling, could not answer him with any confidence.

[Al: The one thing most important to you, isn"t it that missy with the silver hair? If you wanna help that young lady, then stop agonizin" and start takin" some action. Simple, isn"t it?]

[Subaru: ……How can you say that? I"ll definitely kill the b.a.s.t.a.r.d who took Emilia, but as much as I want to, we still don"t even have a plan yet. You think this is going to be easy?]

[Al: Yeah, but that"s gotta easier than tryin" to save everything at once. Don"t force yourself, lighten the load a bit, and you"ll see a change in what you can or cannot do. Am I wrong?]

Subaru’s whimpering resistance was shot down by Al"s biting statements.

[Al: Are you tryin" be a saint or a hero? There"s a limit to how much you can overreach, y"know]

With a shrug, Al swiped Subaru"s indecision aside as he would something stupid. Meanwhile, listening to him, Subaru couldn"t help but be confounded.
When Subaru was arguing with Anastasia in the City Hall, insisting on a stance based purely on impulse, it was none other than Al who took his side.

Al was the one who voiced his support for Subaru"s obstinate self-satisfaction.
Yet why was he completely turning it on its head now?

[Subaru: That"s not what you said back then, is it? Were you on my side or weren"t you? Which is it?]

[Al: Nonono, you got it wrong. I never said it"s bad to pursue self-satisfaction. I"m sayin" it"s about time you saw the limits of your self-satisfaction. After seein" the carnage in here, you still think you can save everyone and everything? Enough"s enough, isn"t it? Just be honest and protect the most important thing, to h.e.l.l with rest of it]

[Subaru: To h.e.l.l with……you mean just run away? When the situation’s like this?]

[Al: What"s wrong with that? When there"s nothin" you can do, what"s wrong with runnin" away? For me, once I pick up Princess-san, I"m leggin" my way outta here. I got no reason or obligation to risk my life for the people here]

Sticking a finger into the bottom of his helmet, Al scratched his neck, staring at the astonished Subaru.

[Al: You should do that too, bro. Just save the missy…… Emilia, and get as far away as you can from here. Since even if you wipe out pests like the Witch Cult, they"ll just start creepin up again in no time. They"re like the whackos that randomly slash people on the streets. Just gettin" involved with them is bad news]

In Al"s view, there was only one solution.
The Witch Cultists were indeed like pests, Subaru wholeheartedly agreed with that. And he also couldn"t deny that nothing good can come from getting involved with them.
But the Culists were the ones who had decided to get involved. Subaru was only putting out fires as they came.
Like Al said, there was probably no way to know why they were doing what they do.
And of course, Emilia being taken hostage made all the difference. But even if Emilia wasn"t involved, Subaru wouldn"t have run away.
If you ask why――

[Al: You don"t have to be the one to do it, bro. So why bother?]

[Subaru: When you see a child jumping into an intersection at a red light, without thinking, you"ll run up and grab him, right? ……Maybe it"s kind of like that]

[Al: ――――]

Al sucked in a breath at Subaru"s answer.
Was everything he just said solved by a simple answer like that? It wasn"t clear. But it was true that when Subaru sank into thought, that was the answer that came to mind. It was also true his chest felt lighter after he said it.

[Subaru: I"m don’t think of them case by case like trifling things. Since I am here, I will do what"s within my power. I know there are plenty of things beyond my reach, one look at the people here and it"s obvious. But…]

Wouldn"t it be cowardly to pretend that everything was beyond his reach?
Surely, Subaru would never do that, would he?

[Garfiel: Cap……]

Garfiel almost called out to Subaru when he heard that calm answer.
But just when he was about to say the word "Captain", Garfiel hesitated. Perhaps because Al pointed it out just now, Garfiel felt somewhat reluctant to use it.

Subaru was slightly amused to see Garfiel pausing for consideration.
At the same time, he thought of something. An idea.

An ingenious idea that could just turn the Authority of Wrath to their advantage.

[Subaru: Garfiel, no need to hesitate. Just say it like usual]

[Garfiel: ――――]

[Subaru: It made me kinda embarra.s.sed at first, but I"m used to it by now. I can"t guarantee that I"ll be able to meet that expectation, but I will do the best I can]

Subaru wasn"t sure what he must have looked like in Garfiel"s expectant eyes.
But, when Garfiel had thought himself trapped in a dead-end, Subaru’s actions made him see hope. It was the same for the lonely girl who had once cursed everything in this world.
That was why Subaru must take responsibility for his actions.

[Garfiel: ……aye, Captain. Understood. Same here, I"ll give everythin" I got t"help. So no more whimperin"]

[Subaru: Good. Then I"ll be counting on you. Once we hand the wounded over to the Iron Fang, let"s return to the City Hall right away. Anastasia will probably oppose it, after all]

Dusting off his b.u.t.t as he stood up, Subaru gave Garfiel a few pats on the shoulder.
Seeing Garfiel give an affirming snort and tighten his fists, Subaru turned around to face the silent Al,

[Subaru: My gut has made its decision. It may be different from what you wanted]

[Al: ……Suit yourself, bro. At least, "til I decide that movin" with you guys won"t get me any closer to findin" Princess-san, I"ll keep stickin’ around]

Despite his proposal being shot down, Al replied without any apparent hard feelings.
While sensing something incomprehensible about that att.i.tude, Subaru directed his steps outside in order to prepare to move out as soon as reinforcement arrives.

Garfiel followed behind him, and Al as well, a little further away.
Looking at the backs of the two walking ahead, Al supported his neck by placing his single right arm behind his head, and then exhaled a long sigh,

[Al: Wonder what"ll happen……tryin" to live up to all those people"s expectations. You probably won"t know "til you really end up payin" for it]

-=Chapter 40 End=-

===

I know you guys have been waiting, I’m doing these in my free time and I hadn’t had much this month.
The next part should be out in about a week.

===

Let me know if you find any typos! ❤

===

Arc 5 Chapter 41: [Not done yet]