Chapter 32: The Promise Made with Beatrice
[[ "...Ugh... Ugh!" Subaru's loop began once again with a scream as its opening line.
"Guest, guest. Have you calmed down now?"
"Guest, guest. Have you finished your tantrum?"
"Ahhhhhh!!"
Subaru screamed again upon hearing Rem and Ram's voices. ]]
.....
~Inside, the Theater~
Beatrice and the rest turned their hopeful gazes toward the twin maids—only for Ram to offer a slow, resigned shake of her head, her usual sharp composure softened by regret.
Beside her, Rem's shoulders slumped, her fingers tightening against her skirt. "I'm sorry…" the words went unspoken, but the weight of them lingered.
This timeline… was not the one they remembered. Unlike Ram and Rem's memories, it seemed this loop was not the one that would break the situation.
[[ "Ram and Rem, those two, were very worried about you."
Emilia looked at the silent and depressed Subaru in front of her with concern.
Then...
"That's right..."
Subaru, thinking of something, looked at Emilia seriously.
"...There's something I want to tell you, Emilia."
Upon hearing this, Emilia's expression became tense, and she sat up straight. ]]
.....
~Inside, the Theater~
"I wonder what Subaru wants to tell me..."
Emilia felt a mix of curiosity and hope. She was unsure of what Subaru had to say, yet she couldn't help but wish that he would confide in her—that way, she could be there for him. Her eyes remained fixed on the screen, watching the Subaru within it—
[[ "Emilia, I return by dea—..." ]]
.....
~Inside, the Theater~
"So that's it—he's going to confess."
Julius's voice held quiet astonishment. Around him, others shared the same realization, as if they'd all overlooked the obvious. Subaru's relentless cycles of suffering had buried this simple truth, and in turn, made them forget it was even an option.
"Why ain't the screen movin'?"
Garfiel frowned at the frozen image, scratching his head.
"Betty suspected before that there might be some taboo, and now it seems my guessed was correct, I suppose."
"Pfft—maybe the WiFi's crap and it's buffering. …Nah, that ain't— ugh!"
Al wanted to make a joke, but he seemed to have seen something he shouldn't have on the screen.
[[ At that moment, Subaru, Emilia, or rather, the entire world paused.
Then, a black mist appeared and gradually changed shape... ]]
.....
~Inside, the Theater~
"Huh?! No way... No freakin' way! Is this...? Is this really...?!"
Al's voice cracked with panic as he stared at the screen, his usual laid-back demeanor completely shattered by whatever he was seeing. His outburst drew confused glances from the others in the theater.
[[ Then, the mist on the screen formed the shape of a hand.
The black hand inexplicably entered Subaru's chest, looking as if it were caressing his insides.
Finally, the screen ended its brief pause.
"...Subaru, what's wrong? You suddenly stopped talking. I'm worried."
The Emilia on the screen was worried about Subaru's silence.
And Subaru was trembling with fear... ]]
.....
~Inside, the Theater~
"AAAAHHH!! Why you?! Stay back! Don't come any closer!!"
Al's terrified screams reverberated through the theater, his metallic armor clanking as he recoiled.
"Al, control yourself. This racket is unbecoming."
Priscilla snapped, fan fluttering in irritation.
"P-Princess? Ah... right, haha! Yeah... That... that thing should be Lil Bros problem. Let Lil bro deal with it! Has nothing to do with me! Nothing at all!"
Al's laughter rang hollow as he forcibly calmed himself, gauntleted hands trembling.
"This is—"
Reinhard's eyes widened in rare surprise.
"The Witch of Envy, I suppose!"
Beatrice shouted, clutching her dress.
"The Witch... What's her connection to Subaru? It must relate to that cursed scent clinging to him."
Julius' grip tightened on his sword, anger flashing across his usually composed face.
"Wait wait wait, this isn't funny. In another world, he'd be a high-ranking Witch Cultist with that stench. Don't tell me... Natsuki-san's actually the 'Archbishop of Envy' without realizing it?!"
Otto blurted.
"Otto-sama!"
Rem and Natsuki Rem both refuted Otto's statement.
"Logically, the Witch Factor requires the previous holder's death to transfer. The Witch of Envy isn't dead—just sealed. Therefore, Subaru couldn't possibly be her Archbishop."
Puck reasoned, floating with crossed paws.
"Brother is right. It seems Subaru's 'Return by Death' is likely given by the Witch of Envy... But why forbid him from speaking of it?"
Beatrice analyzed further.
"Looking at Natsuki's reaction, trying to say it out loud is very painful. Facing the loop, he can't say anything and has to hide the pain in his heart... It's unimaginably cruel."
Anastasia sighed, fingers twisting in her scarf.
"Anyway, quit yappin' and keep watchin',"
Garfiel grunted, golden eyes fixed intently on the screen.
.... ....
In the dark void, Natsuki Subaru's consciousness quietly stayed here.
"That's all..."
Subaru's consciousness heard something.
"That's all, please, please don't let them know anymore... Please..."
If Subaru remembered correctly, the "Dark Garden" had always been her domain, but she seemed to be bound by something. What had happened?
The Witch of Envy pleaded, but there was no response here.
"If... they knew... it would be fine, let them see clearly what they did to the one I love..."
The tone changed,
Envy... No, Satella said this.
"No, I can't tell them... These are all moments that belong only to me and my beloved..."
Satel... No, the Witch of Envy retorted.
.... ....
[[ "Wha, what's wrong? You've been really strange since just now? If there's any problem..."
The Emilia on the screen asked the trembling Subaru.
"...I have a request... Leave me alone."
After saying that, Subaru lay down on the bed as if he had given up. ]]
.....
~Inside, the Theater~
"Damn... boss has completely given up."
The group watched Subaru's broken form with silent understanding. No judgment came - not even from Julius, who simply clenched his fists before letting them fall slack.
He knew what he should say - that one must remain strong, that despair solves nothing. But the words died in his throat. Julius had never known this particular agony: being torn from his world, stripped of power, drowning in unanswered questions. Facing such trials... he couldn't honestly claim he'd fare any better.
[[ "—If I die this time, maybe there won't be a next time..."
"...You've become quite a good-for-nothing."
The Subaru on the screen muttered to himself, and Beatrice walked over. ]]
.....
~Inside, the Theater~
"Betty is coming to find Subaru? With Betty here, maybe."
Beatrice hoped that the self on the screen could do something.
"Brother said, maybe there won't be a next time... Oh—I used to worry about that too."
The fear that the number of deaths was limited, that period was really nerve-wracking.
[[ "I'm not in the mood to have a lengthy discussion with you. What are you here for?" Subaru, on the screen, asked Beatrice.
"...Brother and that girl asked Betty to come see you. Because you looked strange after you woke up, they suspected that Betty had done something when you first woke up. Since you're fine, Betty is leaving."
"Wait a minute. You feel sorry for me, right?"
"I don't."
"I'm going to report to Puck."
"Hmm... Maybe I feel a tiny~ bit sorry."
"If you feel sorry for me and want my forgiveness, then promise me one request."
"...Tell me about it."
"The morning of the fifth day... that's the day after tomorrow morning. Until that time, can you protect my safety?" ]]