*This chapter is an edited MTL
Subaru's shoulders trembled silently as he was cut off by the cold stare.
Whether it was anger or sadness, Subaru could no longer tell as he was swept up in a torrent of mixed emotions.
It's just,
Subaru: "No…, I'm, properly, everyone's..."
Crusch's assurances, for example, are off the mark.
The idea that he was working by his hatred of the Witch Cult was nothing more than a misguided and perverted view.
Subaru's thoughts and feelings should always and forever be for someone else. It had to be that way.
And yet, his words did not come clearly, and Crusch, hearing them, shook her head and said,
Crusch: "You cannot deceive others with a lie that cannot deceive even yourself. What would you call the light in your eyes now but madness and murderous intent? Are you aware of that, Natsuki Subaru?"
Subaru: "——"
Crusch: "Sir, you've had that look in your eyes ever since you came back to the mansion, have you not?"
Was it pity or sympathy that was put into her words as she pointed it out? Either way, Subaru's reaction to hearing it was so dramatic that he involuntarily tried to touch his eyes to check them with his fingertips.
By doing so, he was only proving that he was unable to deny Crusch's words.
Crusch: "I do not know why you are so obsessed with the Witch Cult. Many have had their lives twisted by them. You must be one of them. Your anger and your hatred may be justified, but it has nothing to do with our negotiations."
Subaru: "Even if—"
Crusch: "Hm?"
Subaru still bit down at Crusch, who pronounced the negotiations over, not wanting to rehash the negotiations that have ended. She gulps as she closed one eye and waited for Subaru to continue,
Subaru: "Even if I hate the Witch Cult, so what? Oh, they are the pests of the world. It would be much better to kill every last one of them. I do believe that. I do, but you're right, and that has nothing to do with this."
The hatred that will never disappear, the despair that will never be lost, the craving for Petelgeuse' death that nestles in Subaru's chest, fills his entire body with negative energy.
He was aware that this was not the kind of thing that would make a good impression on others. However, even such an emotion was necessary for Subaru to maintain his sanity at the moment.
And he was proud that he was able to insist on what he had to do without being swept away by those feelings.
So,
Subaru: "That's not going to be a reason to break off negotiations, though...!"
Crusch: "You are off topic again, Natsuki Subaru. The content that the origin of Sir's actions may be hatred is irrelevant to the merits of the negotiations. It does, however, have a lot to do with the fact that he is an unqualified negotiator. It may not be irrelevant to the negotiations."
Subaru: "What do you mean... by unqualified...?"
Subaru continued to ask the question as he literally gritted his teeth and had to squeeze it out.
Crusch folded her arms and bit Subaru's question with the tolerance of a child who was not listening,
Crusch: "If we assume that the origin of Sir's behavior is hatred of the Witch Cult, then it means that even Sir's approaching Emilia in the first place was just a stepping stone to that end."
”Listen," said Crusch, holding up one finger of her right hand on her crossed arms,
Crusch: "If Emilia gives her name in the Royal Selection and her origins are made clear in the center stage, it is obvious that the Witch Cult would begin to move. Not many decoys are as effective as this as a means of holding their heads down, which normally would not even let them get a clue of its activities."
Subaru: "Me! You think I’m going to get revenge on them by using Emilia as an excuse!"
Crusch: "Do you think the way you're behaving now, Sir, is going to convince me to say something else? With that hatred in your eyes and that murderous intent in your every word. It’s so deeply painted on that it cannot be washed off or removed, much less forgotten."
No, no, no, no, no, no.
In no way does Crusch's statement capture Subaru’s true nature.
The root of Subaru's feelings stem from his desire to save people. His desire to kill Petelgeuse is only a requirement to achieve that goal.
And it would be a bad idea to mistake the means for the end and focus only on the means.
If you have to kill, you cannot progress without killing, so what's wrong with seeking means, measures, and methods for killing?
He must die. He should not be allowed to live. Subaru was correct. He was trying to do the right thing, so everything should cooperate with him.
Subaru: "My hatred has nothing to do with their evil! Their evil! They should not be alive! That's why we should kill them all! That will save everyone! Everybody will be saved! They should die so no one else has to die…"
Crusch: "I told you, Natsuki Subaru. You can't fool others with lies that cannot even fool yourself."
His voice was cold as Subaru retorted with a rough breath and bloodshot eyes.
Crusch narrowed her eyes and looked at Subaru, who’s shoulders were heaving as he sat up,
Crusch: "It's not convincing to make a statement that you are not working with hatred, with murderous intent, and with hatred of the Witch Cult."
Subaru: "H, how..."
Crusch: "Don't you get it?"
Subaru asked back in a hushed voice, and Crusch's eyes twinkled with a pity that was clearly recognizable.
However, Subaru, who did not understand what she meant, only raised his eyebrows, and in response, she lowered her eyes, unable to hide her dismay and disappointment,
Crusch: "—You, not once did you mention that you wanted to help Emilia."
Subaru: "—Ah?"
Crusch: "—Sir's words are simmering with a black emotion inside that is so superficially mended that he wants to save someone, to protect others. At least, it doesn’t overlap with what I saw in the throne room."
Subaru's gaze wandered, unable to grasp the meaning of what was said.
—She doesn't think that he wants to help Emilia?
It cannot be. Subaru has always lived for Emilia ever since he first came into this world and she saved his life.
Whether it was in the throne room, the incident at the training grounds, or even now. If this situation is left unchecked, she and the village will be lost. That is why he is acting.
Absolutely, Absolutely, Absolutely, his heart would be in despair if they were lost.
Wilhelm: "I will not allow you to move any farther forward."
Abruptly, a voice broke the silence and threw itself at Subaru.
In the moment his consciousness was jolted back to reality, standing in front of Subaru was an old man with an upright posture—Wilhelm. He stood next to Crusch across the table, looking at him with a faint hint of pity in his aged wrinkles.
His condescending gaze, his demeanor, and the pitying expression on his face were strangely irritating.
Rem: "—Subaru-kun."
As his impatient emotions were getting irritated, he turned his gaze when he felt a tug on his sleeve and saw Rem, who was still sitting down, pinching the edge of his clothes with her fingertips.
She wore a look of frustration and some sadness on her well-featured face,
Rem: "Please calm down. Acting violently won’t solve anything. Even if it did, Rem is no match for Wilhelm-sama."
Subaru: "...Violence? What are you talking about? A Rampage, that kind of thing..."
Ferris: “Wait, wait, that’s nyot too myuch to ask, right?”
Ferris shrugged and sighed heavily at Subaru as he tried to continue. He raised his eyes to Subaru, pointing to the arm not grabbed by Rem,
Ferris: "What are you going to do with that teaspoon in your tightly clenched fist? Maybe my parents didn't discipline me well, but I just don't like the way nyou're holding it."
Ferris pointed this out to him, and he noticed it for the first time. Subaru's right hand was holding the spoon brought with the cup of tea that had been served. He was holding it upside down, as if he was going to strike it against something.
—When in the world did he do this?
Ferris: "Don't go on a rampage jyust because I hit the bull's-eye. Even if you go on a big rampage here, Rem-chan will keep you in check while Wil-jii will cut you in half, right?"
Crusch: "And I wouldn't want to give such an order, would I? We've spent a few days together, and there will be political problems. Above all, it would make the room dirty."
Despite nearly being disrespectful, Crusch looked up at him, and her demeanor was relaxed. It seemed to show the size of her character, and it also seemed to ridicule Subaru's weakness that he had no choice but to express his anger through such a tiny piece of metal.
All of this was terribly irritating.
Subaru: "You're not going to help me no matter what, are you?"
So, rather than apologizing, his pouting words came first.
Ferris was offended by this, and Wilhelm looked at his Lord with one eye closed. Crusch, however, responded with an "Ah," to his question,
Crusch: "Your statement is not very credible, and what we can gain by cooperating with you is not appealing. —So, I'm going to stay neutral."
Subaru: "The Witch Cult is coming. When that happens, it will be you who kills the people of that village. Your «Sloth» in knowing and doing nothing will kill that village."
Crusch: "That's very arrogant of you. Then I have one thing to say."
Subaru glared at Crusch, uttering the pronoun of a despicable man. Crusch stood up and looked Subaru straight in the eye.
Her penetrating gaze gave Subaru an uncomfortable feeling as if she was looking into the inside of his mind from the depths of his eyes. And then,
Crusch: "I can roughly tell if the person I am facing is lying or not. I have always prided myself on the fact that I have never been deceived by others."
Suddenly, Crusch spoke of such a thing.
She continued peering into the depths of Subaru's quizzical eyes,
Crusch: "If I may say from experience, Sir, you are not telling a «lie»."
Subaru: "Then..."
Crusch: "You are stubbornly convinced that your delusions, which you yourself do not consider lies, are the truth. —That is insanity. You are a madman, Natsuki Subaru."
Here and now, Subaru clearly understood that negotiations had broken down.
He did not believe that he could do anything of importance with a person who treated him like a madman, like that despicable man.
Above all else, his heart could no longer bear the humiliation he had endured to this point.
Subaru clenched his teeth and bit into the edge of his lip, blood trickling down his chin.
Crusch saw his painful wound,
Crusch: "Ferris, you can heal him."
Subaru: "I refuse!"
Subaru refused much faster than Ferris could move, and left his seat. He headed for the exit of the reception room,
Crusch: "It's time for dinner now, why don't you join us?"
Subaru: "It's like a horror story, isn't it, to eat at a table with a madman? I don't know if you're an elegant person or a Kabuki actor, but you're a little out of your league."
Subaru responded to her sarcasm with his own sarcasm and put his hand on the door of the reception room.
Looking back with only his head, he saw that Rem, who had straightened her posture, was bowing politely to Crusch,
Rem: "I apologize for the trouble we have caused you in the short time we were here. On behalf of the master of our house, I would like to thank you."
Crusch: “Is that Sir’s… no, Lord Mather’s answer?”
Rem: "Yes, it is. I have been instructed to respect Subaru-kun's wishes in all respects."
It was a meaningless exchange, and from Subaru’s side he could not see Crusch's face. However, there was no small amount of regret in her voice as she spoke to Rem, who was saying goodbye.
It was a different emotion compared to the clear disconnection she had directed toward Subaru, and even that seemed somewhat irritating to him.
Subaru saw Rem walking up to him at a quick pace and opened the door.
They were in a stranger's house. However the route to the house’s entrance and the gate to the aristocratic district of the Royal Capital was obvious.
Crusch: "Do you know where you’re going?”
Subaru: "Be a good king, at least. You Dictator."
He said as if to spit out the last words behind him and violently closed the door.
Thus, the negotiations with Crusch ended disastrously.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
It was past dusk when negotiations broke down and Subaru stepped out into the aristocratic district.
The sun had already disappeared into the far west, and the darkness of night was slowly beginning to fall over the world. The lights of the crystal lamps illuminated the streets at even intervals, and Subaru, arms crossed, leaned his back against the iron fence as he waited for Rem to come out.
Subaru: "Damn, every one of them…“
Tapping his crossed arms with his fingers, Subaru let out a growl of frustration from his mouth.
The only thing that he could think of were the negotiations he just had with Crusch, and the humiliation of having been put down so thoroughly.
The regret of having failed to gain her cooperation swirled in his heart,
Subaru: "You clueless person… why are you getting in the way of what's right…?"
It was a feeling akin to unmitigated hatred for those who stood in the way of his path.
Subaru's idea of eradicating the Witch Cult was not wrong. Their refusal to cooperate with him was what was wrong.
They didn’t know because they had not seen, had not heard, had not felt the tragedy, the heartlessness, and the loud laughter of that vicious man.
They were the pests not worth keeping alive.
Subaru: "That's enough, that's enough. Forget about the heartless people who messed up. Put the more important things in front of you now…”
They should celebrate any small amount of progress, rather than being stopped in their tracks by their previous embarrassment.
To begin with, the request for help from Crusch was only the first thing Subaru tried. There were other more likely candidates in the eradication of the Witch Cult. Those being,
Rem: "Sorry to keep you waiting, Subaru-kun."
And then, while Subaru was stamping his feet in frustration, Rem appeared from the gateway. Subaru had been waiting for her to come back out from collecting their belongings, which they had used during his stay at Crusch's mansion.
It would not look good if he came back after his outrage just because he had forgotten something. Subaru, who could not return, was replaced by Rem, who held their luggage in both hands,
Subaru: "I'm sorry. Give me your luggage. I'll carry it too."
Rem: "It's okay. It's not heavy and Subaru-kun is still convalescent."
But she was adamant about refusing Subaru's offer. Normally, Subaru would have balked more, but currently he was devoting his thoughts to other things, so he was not that concerned about it.
He immediately lowered his proffered hand,
Subaru: "Well, you aren’t opposed to leaving Crusch's place, right?"
Rem: "No. Not if that is what Subaru-kun chose to do."
Subaru: "Well, it's a little late for it now. I'm not sure how I’ll continue the treatment after all the trouble I've caused. I'm sorry for what I did to what Emilia had entrusted me to do.”
Emilia had offered something in exchange for Subaru's treatment and entrusted them to see it through. He felt a little guilty about the fact that he had often taken her kindness and affection without giving anything in return. They would have to talk about it after everything with the Witch Cult was settled and he’d made peace with her. Certainly, Subaru would talk to her after saving the day.
For that reason, he had to make sure that Petelgeuse died.
Rem: "Subaru-kun. That, about the negotiations with Crusch-sama…"
Subaru: "All she talked about was credibility, profit, and other such petty matters, didn’t she? She doesn’t have a human heart. Who would follow a person like that?”
Subaru interrupted Rem, who was about to say something, to swear and cut the conversation short.
Rem, perhaps taking Subaru's feelings into consideration, didn't try to drag the current topic any further. Instead, she asked,
Rem: "What are we going to do now? If what Subaru-kun said is true, there is not a moment to lose."
Subaru: "If it's true?"
Rem: "——hk. There is not a moment to spare. Should we return to… Lord Roswaal’s Mansion?"
Subaru interrupted with a catch.
Subaru: "Even if we go back alone now, we won’t be able to do much. We have to go back with a force that can counter the situation. And if we don't, we need to have an alternative."
If Subaru and Rem returned alone, it will just be a repeat of the last time’s unfoldings.
Or if they left earlier than last time, they might be able to reach the mansion without encountering them—
Subaru: "In the end, I’m still anxious about intercepting them with the forces remaining in the mansion."
The only two people who could fight were Ram and Rem. Or maybe you could count Emilia, who was contracted with Puck, among those who could fight, but the rest were just amateurs, the villagers and Subaru.
All of the witch cultists led by Petelgeuse were armed, and their fighting power was on a level that Subaru could not compete with, even if it was not as strong as that of Rem's. The possibility that the villagers and Subaru could be included in the force ratio would be quite small.
Subaru: "We don't have the numbers, we don't have the strength. What the hell is Roswaal doing…?"
Roswaal alone could potentially destroy the forces of the Witch Cult if his power was used well. And yet, Subaru hadn’t seen him neither the last time nor the time before. The same goes for Emilia, but where in that mansion had they—
Rem: "Subaru-kun, Roswaal-sama, …if it went as planned after his departure from the Capital, it is very likely that he is not at the mansion right now."
Subaru: "—! Did you know that? Did you know that Roswaal is not at the mansion as scheduled?"
Rem: "Roswaal-sama is supposed to be in Garfiel… uhm, visiting with some of the most influential people in the territory, and he will be staying for a few days."
(T/N: Garfiel here refers to The Sanctuary from Arc 4.)
Subaru: "Damn, bad timing! That’s why you can't handle the raid!"
Subaru scratched his head and cursed at Rem's answer, just as he feared.
After all, it seems that the perverted lord is not at the mansion at the critical time. If that was the fatal cause of the territory being overrun,
Subaru: "It’s still no excuse for Crusch, but the lord's competence is the problem, isn't it…?"
Subaru's impression of Roswaal as competent even if he was a pervert was being rewritten into the inescapable impression of him being both a pervert and incompetent, and Subaru frantically racked his brains.
In other words, since Roswaal’s strength could no longer be expected, the situation of overwhelmingly insufficient forces would continue as previously envisioned. This would be true even if Subaru and Rem were able to return safely,
Subaru: "So, in the end, we have no other choice but to return with our forces."
Subaru nodded to Rem, who looked at him with bated breath.
Their plan had been decided. And there was no time to spare for the two of them. If they want to surpass the results of the previous time and the time before that, they had to leave the Capital by at least the end of tomorrow.
Considering that it was now the time when night was beginning to fall, they had about half a day to go.
Subaru: "Anyway, we'll just have to find someone else who might be willing to help us. Rem, are you familiar with the geography of the capital?"
Rem: "I've been here several times, and I've been looking around with Subaru-kun for a few days, so yes. ...but who?"
Subaru: “It's obvious. —Most likely, that righteous hottie."
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
It is no exaggeration to say that Reinhard Van Astrea is the ideal person for Subaru.
He had such strength that one can only assume was loved by the gods, and he had a beautiful appearance as if he had been blessed by a goddess. He had a gentle disposition and treated all people without distinction, and above all, his sincerity was unquestionable.
He was a symbol of absolute justice and never overlooked even the smallest of evils. Subaru was convinced of this.
The viciousness of the witch cult and Petelgeuse was an affront to human dignity.
They would never be forgiven, Subaru could never forgive them, and Reinhardt would never forgive them either.
He also had the assumption that he would not come up with clever arguments such as mutual interests like Crusch and Ferris had.
It would be foolish to negotiate with such interests held high in front of him, who was sincere and whose righteousness seemed to shine deep in his heart.
If he was justice itself, he would not allow such a thing at the expense of the king's people. Therefore, for Subaru, the breakdown of negotiations with Crusch was not even a blow.
Reinhardt would surely be on Subaru's side.
With his tremendous swordsmanship, he would surely knock Petelgeuse's head off.
Feeling his lips twist with anticipation and satisfaction, Subaru set out for him with slow steps.
Upon arriving at the lonesome villa, he was informed that his hero "had left the capital two days ago.”
Night was coming.
It was roughly twelve hours before their time limit to leave King's Landing.
It was approximately four days until the mansion was attacked and the tragedy unfolded.
—A dark cloud was beginning to loom over the challenge to exterminate the Witch Cult.