(A/N: This chap is bigger than your dick lol)
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{3rd Person POV}
"I—I'm back," Echidna whispered, her voice a strange mix of awe and disbelief as she stared at her own hands. Her fingers twitched slightly, as if confirming her existence, the physical reality of her return.
Her gaze slowly shifted, settling on Subaru. She didn't look away immediately. Instead, her eyes lingered on him, filled with emotions too complex to read in a single glance—curiosity, relief, and something deeper, perhaps even longing.
"If I'm not mistaken… you're the true Echidna, aren't you?" Subaru asked, his voice low but steady.
Echidna let out a soft sigh, her expression unreadable. "Yes," she replied calmly. "I am indeed the original Echidna. However, I also carry the essence and memories of the Echidna from the Castle of Dreams… so in the end, the distinction doesn't make much of a difference."
She paused before continuing with a hint of concern in her tone. "Also, I'm currently releasing the Witch's Miasma. That may pose a problem for you."
Subaru nodded and without hesitation, summoned his aura. Utilizing the Authority of Lust's unique ability—Transmutation—he separated a quarter of his own Aura and began to condense it. Through careful manipulation and intense focus, he shaped it into the form of a gleaming ring.
Once finished, he gently reached for Echidna's hand and slid the glowing ring onto her middle finger.
"Is this… an engagement ring?" Echidna asked, visibly surprised. She stared at the ring, marveling as her Miasma began to stabilize, gradually being cleansed by the Aura within it.
"I didn't expect it to actually work… especially not on the first try," Subaru admitted with a chuckle. His mind, now enhanced to the point of operating like a miniature supercomputer, processed ideas and calculations at an alarming speed.
However, despite the cognitive upgrade, his emotional intelligence remained stubbornly the same—likely an intentional safeguard to preserve his core personality and identity.
(A/N: After all, if Subaru became emotionally smarter with each death, wouldn't he end up a completely different person over time? That's why he still makes a few dumb decisions here and there. But trust me—he always puts a lot of thought into his serious choices. I just don't show it all because, let's be honest, that'd ruin the fun.)
With the cumulative effects of his increased dexterity, refined control over his Aura, and several synergistic upgrades, Subaru could now create some truly ridiculous things with his Aura—items or constructs that would be considered overpowered by most standards.
This ring was one such creation.
However, despite this newfound power, Subaru had no intention of abusing it. His Aura was finite, and its regeneration was painfully slow. Unlike Chi, which would only leave a person weakened if depleted, exhausting his Aura would—result in death.
"Well," Subaru said, gazing directly at her, "whether you've changed or not doesn't really matter. Our contract is still valid."
He smirked, eyes gleaming with playful boldness. "Which means you belong to me. So yeah, consider that ring an engagement ring."
Echidna smiled faintly and rose to her feet. "Indeed… not to mention, you are my perfect match... husband," she added softly. This time, her words carried an unmistakable weight of sincerity. A faint blush dusted her cheeks, hinting at feelings far more genuine than her usual manipulative charm.
Subaru blinked, momentarily stunned. He had been joking—at least partly—when he gave her the ring. The Echidna he had known before was calculating, emotionally distant, and incapable of genuine affection.
But now? This version of her was different. Not completely changed, but no longer entirely fake either.
She quickly sidled up to him and wrapped her arms around his, nestling his arm between her abundant chest with a pleased grin.
'She's acting like a clingy girlfriend now… still as manipulative as ever,' Subaru thought to himself. 'I just hope Reina doesn't get mad.'
It had been quite some time since Subaru had realized Reina's feelings toward him. Whether those feelings were romantic or platonic hardly mattered anymore. The depth of her obsession—unhealthy as it was—was deeply rooted in her childhood and the traumas she had endured.
He had planned to propose to her after resolving the issues plaguing the Sanctuary. Unfortunately, things had already gone off track.
He had kissed Satella.
It wasn't planned. It wasn't calculated. It just happened—an instinctive act, like something his very soul compelled him to do. And the strangest part? It had felt natural. As though he truly did love that mysterious, beautiful woman.
Both Satella and Envy fit his ideal type frighteningly well.
As for Echidna? He had initially sought her out for her power and knowledge. The idea of having the Witch of Greed at his side—on his terms—was too good an opportunity to pass up.
So he struck a deal, one so extreme that most would call it insane. And yet, she accepted it without hesitation. No blink. No flinch. A true lunatic.
Subaru let out a long sigh and began walking out of the trial chambers with Echidna beside him.
When they stepped outside, Roswaal was the first to react. His eyes widened and sparkled with childlike excitement as he practically leapt forward.
"Senseeeeeei!!" Roswaal cried out, launching himself at Echidna.
Before he could reach her, Subaru flicked a finger, using a pulse of Psychic energy to casually knock Roswaal to the ground.
"M-Mother… Is that really you?" Beatrice's voice trembled as her eyes welled with tears. She stood frozen, staring at the woman she had never expected to see again.
"Yes, it's m—" Echidna started to say, only to abruptly stop.
Her voice caught in her throat as the cool steel of a sheathed sword pressed lightly against her neck.
Reina stood there, eyes narrowed dangerously, her presence radiating an overwhelming killing intent.
Even Echidna, with all her knowledge and power, couldn't comprehend how the Sword Saint had closed the distance so quickly.
"Witch." Reina's voice sliced through the air like a poisoned dagger. Her tone was laced with venom, each word carrying the weight of pure, unfiltered hatred. "Who gave you the audacity to touch my Lord's hand so intimately?"
Subaru let out a weary sigh, rubbing his temple with a hint of exasperation. Of course this was going to happen. He really should have seen this coming—he had known Reina long enough to predict her reactions. And yet, here he was, caught in the middle of a brewing storm.
Sweat began to bead on Echidna's forehead. Despite being the infamous Witch of Greed, despite her pride and immense magical power, the sheer pressure emanating from Reina's killing intent made her chest tighten involuntarily. The bloodlust was suffocating.
Reina's rage was palpable—it was not just anger; it was devastation cloaked in righteous fury.
Echidna, however, stood her ground. She turned to face Reina fully and spoke with unwavering conviction, her voice steady despite the storm before her.
"I have made a binding contract with your Lord," she said solemnly. "My body, my soul, my mind—every fiber of my being belongs to him now. In every way that matters… I am like his wife."
Her words echoed in the stunned silence that followed.
Roswaal's jaw slackened. He was frozen in place, staring at the woman who had once been his beloved mentor and idol. Now, she was draped over Subaru's arm like a lover, speaking words of unity and ownership without shame. His brain struggled to process what he was seeing.
Reina's eyes widened as they turned bloodshot. Her fists clenched at her sides, trembling.Her Divine Protection of Empathy told her it was the truth.
The truth of Echidna's words resonated like a gong in her heart.
She wanted to scream. She wanted to reject the reality in front of her.
But she couldn't.
There was no deception, no illusion. The contract was real. And Subaru had accepted it.
A burning sensation clawed at her chest, like something was consuming her from within. Her heart twisted with a pain she couldn't name—a hollow, gnawing ache that made her want to tear the world apart. She felt betrayed. Abandoned. Replaced.
And it was killing her from the inside.
Even Emilia, standing off to the side, felt her own heart ache. The sincerity in Echidna's words struck a chord in her too. It felt like a dagger had passed through the hearts of everyone present.
Reina gritted her teeth, her eyes shadowed by her bangs. Rage pulsed within her as she withdrew her sword from her back. She gripped the hilt tightly and slowly began to unsheathe it, the blade of the Reid Sword glinting with divine radiance.
For a moment, everyone held their breath.
But just as the blade was halfway drawn, Reina suddenly halted. Her knuckles turned white, her hand trembling. Her eyes welled up with tears.
And then—just as quickly—she returned the blade to its sheath.
"I… I can't," she whispered, her voice cracking with sorrow.
Tears slipped down her cheeks as she turned her back on the group, her heart too heavy to bear. She took a step forward, intending to walk away from it all. To disappear from this unbearable scene.
But before she could take a second step, Subaru moved.
He reached out, grabbed her wrist, and spun her around in one fluid motion.
And then—without hesitation—he kissed her.
Reina's eyes widened, her mind freezing in shock. The despair, the hollowness, the pain—all of it shattered in an instant. Replaced by an overwhelming euphoria that she hadn't dared to imagine.
Her heart thundered in her chest, and time seemed to stop. Subaru's arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her flush against him, their bodies pressed together so tightly it felt like even the air between them had vanished.
His lips moved against hers with urgency and passion, and when his tongue brushed past her lips, she instinctively allowed him in. Their tongues danced, tangled, and tasted each other with a hunger born from bottled-up emotions.
Tears streamed down Reina's cheeks as she kissed him back, passionately, desperately. Her hands gripped his shoulders, her knees weak beneath her.
And when their lips finally parted, a glistening thread of saliva still connected them. Reina stood there, panting, her breath shaky and uneven. Her face was flushed, her heart pounding like a drum.
"W-Why?" she managed to breathe out, still stunned. She looked into his eyes, searching for meaning, for explanation.
The moment Echidna had declared her bond with Subaru, Reina had believed she had lost everything. That Subaru had chosen someone else. That she was no longer needed—no longer wanted.
In that moment, she had given up.
She had been ready to destroy everything—Echidna, the world, herself. But even then, a small part of her couldn't bring herself to hurt him. So she had decided to run away instead. Like the coward she believed herself to be.
But then he kissed her.
And now… now, she didn't know what to think.
Subaru cupped her cheek gently with one hand, wiping away the tears.
"Forgive me… for not telling you sooner," he whispered. "But Reina… I love you."
Her breath hitched in her throat.
"Y-You… you love me?" she repeated, barely able to process the words she had longed to hear for so long. The words that had haunted her every night. The words that had given her hope and driven her mad in equal measure.
She wanted to believe him. But it felt like a dream.
Until she felt it.
Her Divine Protections, sensitive to emotions and intent, activated on their own. And the torrent of love radiating from Subaru crashed into her like a wave.
It was real.
It was pure.
It was everything.
With a cry, Reina threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly, her body trembling with joy. She rubbed her cheek against his chest, her voice trembling with emotion.
"I love you!" she exclaimed, her voice rising in pitch.
"I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU!!!"
Her declaration echoed through the clearing like a song of madness and devotion.
Everyone watched in stunned silence.
Rem and Ram, both standing nearby, exchanged glances. They had always suspected Reina harbored deep feelings for Subaru—perhaps even loved him—but the sheer intensity of her love… this was something else entirely.
It was devotion bordering on the divine.
Meanwhile, Subaru just smiled softly. He leaned in and kissed Reina gently on the forehead, sealing their bond with a tenderness that made her heart flutter all over again.
"Sir Z-Zero, what did the Witch mean by calling herself your wife?" Ram asked, her voice laced with confusion and suspicion, her crimson eyes narrowing slightly.
Subaru exhaled through his nose, his expression one of mild irritation. He looked over at Ram and replied firmly, "She's not my wife. I'm beyond the Great Waterfall now, and from what I recall, all we did was form a contract in which she gets my otherworldly knowledge for her surrender. That's all there is to it."
The twin oni sisters glanced at each other, exchanging doubtful looks. Despite Subaru's words, something about the Witch's demeanor—and his own reactions—made the situation seem far more complicated.
"Y-Yes! There's no way Sensei would become someone's wife!" Roswaal chimed in with an eager, almost desperate smile on his face. His voice was overly cheerful, but the tremble in his tone betrayed his inner turmoil.
Echidna, however, interrupted without hesitation, her tone calm yet cutting. "But I am essentially his. I've given him everything I possess—my soul, my mind, my body. In every possible way, I belong to him."
Subaru's brow twitched in irritation, while Roswaal's smile instantly evaporated. His expression crumbled into shock, as though the air had been knocked from his lungs.
"S-Sensei…" Roswaal stepped forward shakily, his posture unsteady, "I-I waited for four hundred years… I followed every instruction you left behind… I dedicated my life to your resurrection."
Echidna looked at him impassively, her eyes devoid of warmth. "Roswaal, if I'm to speak the truth, then you must hear it plainly. You were merely a pawn in my larger scheme. Your efforts to resurrect me? They were unnecessary. I could have returned on my own, with or without your help."
Roswaal's lips trembled, his breath catching in his throat. "T-Then why?" he asked, almost pleadingly. "Why did you guide me? Why did you teach me the magic to take over the bodies of my own descendants?"
A faint, cruel smile touched Echidna's lips. "Because, Roswaal… it amused me."
Those three simple words struck harder than any sword. The final nail in the coffin.
Roswaal collapsed to his knees like a puppet with its strings cut, eyes wide and blank. A man broken not by combat, but by the truth.
He had always known, deep down, that Echidna didn't love him. Yet he had clung to the hope, however irrational, that one day she might. That his devotion would mean something. But now, hearing her say it was all just a game—his entire existence reduced to a punchline—he felt as though his soul had been crushed.
He was still happy to see her. That part hadn't changed.
But the knowledge that all he had done amounted to nothing more than her entertainment? That ignited a fury within him.
Then came a smaller, trembling voice.
"Mother… why did you leave Betty all alone?" Beatrice asked quietly, her violet eyes shimmering with pain.
Echidna's expression faltered for the first time. She was silent, caught off guard.
"…Because," she finally said, choosing her words carefully, "I wanted to see what choice you would make. And I must say, I commend the one you've made."
A gust of mana surged through the air as a spark flew past Echidna's cheek, a razor-thin arc of energy slicing through the air.
"SHUT UP!" Betty screamed, her voice raw with heartbreak. "You left Betty alone! Zero was right all along! Mother didn't love Betty! You just used Betty!"
Echidna didn't flinch. Her gaze met her daughter's.
"Yes," she admitted. "Yes, I did. Because I was consumed by Greed. That's the only truth I can offer you. If there's one thing I'll say to you, Beatrice—it's this: never trust me. I'll do anything if it means satisfying my Greed."
Betty's tiny fists clenched at her sides. She had hoped—desperately hoped—that Echidna would apologize. That she would show even a sliver of regret. That they could start again—just her and her mother, with Zero at their side.
But no such words came.
Echidna didn't even pretend to care and told the harsh truth that Betty wanted to hear the least.
Before Betty could respond, another voice—bold, arrogant, and brimming with fury—cut through the tension.
"What a pathetic mongrel," Gloria spat venomously, stepping forward with regal disdain. "Claiming to be my father's wife… Hmph. A Witch who knows nothing but greed isn't even worthy of being my father's cocksleeve."
Silence.
The entire forest clearing went deathly quiet.
"W-What's a cocksleeve?" Emilia asked, tilting her head innocently, utterly unaware of the vulgarity. Her confusion was genuine.
Rem and Ram both winced, their eyebrows twitching in sync. Even the ever-patient twin maids couldn't hide their shock. The Spirit of Yang, as it turned out, burned hotter than fire itself.
Subaru cleared his throat loudly, stepping in to change the direction of the conversation. "Betty, I know she hurt you. And yes, she does deserve punishment for her choices. But you all don't need to worry, her very existence is tied down to me. It is her retribution" he said firmly, placing a protective hand on Reina's head.
Her face was still buried in his chest, inhaling his scent as if trying to preserve it in her memory. Her mind echoed with only one thought: He loves me. Nothing else mattered to her in that moment.
Suddenly, the rustling of nearby bushes interrupted the tense atmosphere.
A man emerged, running toward them in a near-panic, out of breath.
"Master Fl— I mean, Sir Zero! Emilia!" Geuse shouted, stumbling into the clearing.
"Emilia, are you alright?! I heard from one of the Ryuzu clones that Roswaal had gone after you. I rushed here as fast as I could. I was so worried!"
"I'm fine, Father Geuse," Emilia replied, offering a small smile of reassurance.
Geuse looked around the clearing, trying to assess the situation.
Roswaal was still on his knees, broken and shaking. Rem and Ram were embracing each other tightly, their eyes moist with concern. Emilia's face showed subtle traces of pain and doubt. Betty stood with clenched fists and wet cheeks. Reina clung to Subaru, whispering incoherent words of love. And then… standing confidently among them…
"Echidna?!" Geuse shouted, pointing at the Witch in disbelief. "You're alive?!"
Subaru raised an eyebrow at Geuse and gave him a look filled with ironic pity. "Damn it, Geuse. When did you become the police?"
The former Sin Archbishop blinked in confusion. "W-What?"
Subaru sighed heavily, looking out across the chaotic group. Their emotions were unraveling at the seams, each person lost in their own sea of heartbreak, anger, or longing.
'This is going to be a mess to fix,' Subaru thought, rubbing the bridge of his nose. 'I've got a long road ahead of me…'
But he didn't flinch. Because no matter how twisted or broken the pieces were—he intended to make it right.
Still it didn't make it any easier though.
Why is he surrounded by problem children?
*Sigh* He hoped he can meet Aizawa one day to discuss how to handle such situations.
To be continued...
(A/N: You don't know how bad the situation is in India, first let's be honest the Britishers did the worst here.
Whether stealing 43 trillion dollars worth of wealth, or making millions of people go through several famines.
Do you know why Indians are skinny fat? Because our bellies stores more fat than others to survive famines like situations.
I am not kidding, while I am Middle-class, my father and mother had been raised poor.
My mother often had to eat stale bread and salt in her childhood, my father hardly ever got meat in his childhood, even if it came it was so less that essentially all he eat was bread with the broth.
Even just a few months before I was born, my parents ate food that was mostly broth and few vegetables, and let me remind you they had to do physical work.
So now when people get to eat ample of food, their bodies store the fat to ensure survival.
It is sad to be honest, most of the Indians here have inferiority complex to Foreigners due to that, atleast the poor and lower middle-class, who have an history of their family being poor.
So yeah better watch your pockets because people's first mentality, especially poor is to steal from foreigners.
Anyway, It is time that our boi propose to Reina, if you are asking me then will she remain Yandere? Then no- Subaru will help to get rid of her insecurities and that what I believe a healthy person should do, but in the end she will become a Goudere as a result.
Let be honest her devotion and love from him cannot be changed, only her insecurities can be slowly gotten rid off.
I am also uploading this chap early... since I see you guys haven't been donating powerstones lately, so I plan to take my time leisurely, I may upload two chaps in succession, or one after one or two days of gap.)