The Cowardly Boy
"—Hey, young man, stop spacing out. Are you going to eat the Appa or not?"
The moment his consciousness returned, in front of Subaru was a ripe, bright red fruit.
Looking at the Apple-like fruit, the phrase "fruit of wisdom" suddenly flashed through Subaru's mind.
The forbidden fruit that, once eaten, would get you expelled from paradise.
If he bit into it now, could he get released from this bewildering situation?
"Hey, young man?"
A middle-aged man frowned and called out to Subaru, who didn't respond.
Slowly returning from the foggy edge of his consciousness to reality—like a spring popping up, he lifted his head.
Scanning the surroundings, Subaru felt his heart pounding wildly and his breath quickening.
It was noon on a busy main street, at the entrance of a fruit shop.
Various vegetables and fruits were displayed, and standing in front of them was the store owner, a man with a conspicuous white scar and a scary face.
Faced with the suffocatingly familiar and noisy scene, Subaru grabbed his head tightly.
"Am I... back?"
He only said that before dizziness and nausea overwhelmed him, and he collapsed on the spot.
.
.
.
"The shop owner's unexpectedly a good person!"
Worried about Subaru collapsing suddenly in front of the store, the fruit shop owner not only took care of him but also gave him a free fruit and a glass of water.
Meanwhile, Subaru was eating instant noodles soaked in water.
"Alright, let me sort this out. First, this should be reality. In game terms, this is a save point. If possible, I really want every time I open my eyes to be Reinhild, not this scar-faced middle-aged man."
"Then the most important question is under what conditions I returned here and how many chances remain. The second time, I'll call it the second loop. In the second loop, I definitely died, but why did I come back here to start it?
Did I die, or does time automatically bring me back here, or maybe when consciousness fades I return here? It looks like I have to go through the first loop again first."
Muttering to himself, Subaru nodded firmly.
Yes, Subaru was running away—running away from what happened on Emilia's side, finding a reason to abandon her that would ease his conscience.
Because Subaru was just an ordinary Japanese high schooler.
If it was for Reinhild, who had helped him before, maybe he could muster the courage.
But Emilia was just someone he had just met.
He couldn't step into that life-threatening place again for her.
"Well, the instant noodles are finished. I should get going. Emilia's probably helping the shop owner's child right now..."
Returning the water cup to the shop owner, Subaru thought about what was happening now, but he quickly shook his head again.
"Whatever. Didn't Emilia get lost for an hour? Without me, she probably wouldn't find that grocery store.
And that little girl can delay things a lot, right? That Bowel Hunter probably won't waste too much time in the storeroom.
As for Old Man Rom and Felt—they're just thieves, not worth pitying."
"Besides, Elsa isn't only strong; she's immortal.
That kind of monster is impossible to beat.
Vampires being scared of garlic and sunlight—who knows if those rules even apply here?
If they don't, this isn't a game; every trial means death... death, I don't want to die, not again..."
Subaru covered his head and breathed rapidly.
Flashes in his mind were the shining blades and the bloody, dazzling smile dancing in the carnage.
He couldn't stop trembling all over.
That fear, that despair—were feelings Subaru, who had lived an ordinary life until now, had never experienced.
He didn't want to think about anything anymore, didn't want to remember anything, just wanted to retreat into his shell and forget it all.
—The reflected light of blades, the head flying into the sky, Felt sinking into a sea of blood, and indescribable pain.
"Ha~~~"
After a long exhale, Subaru stood up again and walked straight toward the building where he was supposed to get his residence permit.
He didn't choose to alert Emilia because he feared that the excuse comforting his conscience would lose its effect the moment he saw her, or rather, he didn't want to see the girl who might die because of his weakness.
In the third loop, the boy scared out of his wits by death chose to run away.
Leaving aside how Subaru's actions affected Emilia, at least the four little followers trailing Subaru wavered accordingly.
Among them, the three hooligans retreated after following a short distance.
After all, they were just street punks, not terrorists.
Cowardly bullies like them wouldn't dare to rob near government offices.
Reinhild, watching the departing trio and Subaru, hesitated a bit.
The trio needed a lesson, but the boy's desperate voice just now concerned Reinhild more.
In the end, Reinhild continued following Subaru, escorting him into the office.
While considering what to do next, Reinhild suddenly saw the figure of a close friend.
"Julius! What are you doing here?"
The finest knight Julius was a man who carefully groomed his purple hair at the back.
He was about 180 cm tall, slim but not frail, best described as lean and handsome.
His amber eyes, which attracted the opposite sex, were frighteningly fitting.
His golden, ornate uniform bore a dragon motif; at his waist hung a thin sword like a Western rapier.
His dignified stance matched his title.
"Reinhild. I came here because of a black-haired boy who has something my family cares about. So, who are you helping this time?"
Julius immediately understood what Reinhild was doing.
After hearing Reinhild's target, he was told about Subaru's situation.
Of course, because Subaru fainted directly and appeared experienced at coming here, there was no missing important info like illiteracy or lack of money.
"I see. Although I don't know who Elsa is, and immortality sounds like a joke, since you say so, leave him to me.
I promise, as long as I have breath, I won't let him get hurt.
You go enjoy your rare vacation."
Julius nodded and gave his promise.
Reinhild awkwardly scratched the back of her head but didn't tell her close friend about her own "Phoenix's Blessing" ability.
By the way, at this time, Reinhild himself didn't know that after dying and reviving, she would gain the upgraded "Continuation of Phoenix's Blessing."