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{3rd Pov}
A few more days passed, and once again, he found himself back in the Capital.
This time, however, he wasn't alone. Emilia, Reina, Roswaal, Beatrice, Rem, and his other spirit allies accompanied him.
News of the White Whale's subjugation and the defeat of not one but two Sin Archbishops had already spread like wildfire. It wasn't just the Capital that was abuzz with the story—major cities, influential towns, and even distant provinces had caught wind of the astonishing events.
The tale had crossed borders, reaching the ears of the other three nations as well.
And the one at the center of it all—the person responsible for these impossible feats—was none other than Natsuki Subaru.
Identified as both an ally of the Emilia camp and one of her most famous supporters, Subaru's name was now inextricably tied to the grand narrative of heroism.
Even the revelation that Reina van Astrea, the current Sword Saint, had sworn her undying loyalty to him had not been omitted from the spreading story.
Though there were some who doubted the truth behind his accomplishments, questioning whether he truly achieved these feats alone, such skepticism was quickly drowned out.
With prominent individuals such as Crusch and members of the Council of Wise Men vouching for him, any dissenting voices remained a small and scattered minority.
He had become an unprecedented hero.
He had accomplished what no one before him had even dared to dream—slaying one of the legendary Three Mabeasts and defeating two of the Sin Archbishops.
The feat was especially remarkable considering the defeat of the Sin Archbishop of Greed—an entity who, in the past, had annihilated an entire city single-handedly.
Recognizing the significance of such unparalleled achievements, Miklotov, ever the shrewd and calculating leader, wasted no time in announcing that he will bestow a noble title upon Subaru.
But it wasn't just a hollow title; it came with actual land, authority, and political weight.
Subaru was not Emilia's subordinate, but rather her strongest and most dependable supporter. At this moment, his influence surpassed even that of Roswaal.
This was no trivial matter. The Roswaal family had served as court magicians for generations. They had accumulated unimaginable wealth and influence over the last four centuries, rivaled only by the Astrea household.
In fact, most of the magical knowledge that currently flowed through the Kingdom of Lugunica could be traced back to the very first Roswaal. During a time when magic was a foreign concept, it was Roswaal who had brought it to prominence, fortifying the kingdom through sheer knowledge and arcane power.
Had Roswaal chosen to support another royal candidate—such as Crusch or Anastasia—the election would have been all but decided. His strength was second only to the Astrea family, and his prestige even outshone the present-day Sword Saint.
As the descendant of one of the Three Great Heroes who sealed the Witch of Envy, the current Astrea household would normally be expected to remain the most powerful Noble house.
But with the previous Sword Saint now deceased and killed by the White Whale, and the Astrea house weakened—its Sword Demon growing old and Heinkel proving utterly useless—Roswaal's popularity had reached its peak.
That is, until Subaru entered the scene.
Yet, despite all the acclaim, despite all the reverence Subaru now received from every corner of the kingdom and beyond, the man who watched him from the shadows felt only emptiness.
As he gazed at the bustling Capital, a hollow look clouded his eyes.
'Why, Sensei? Why must you torment me this way?' he thought bitterly, his gaze involuntarily drifting toward Subaru.
Echidna, ever so present, never missed a single opportunity to remain close to Subaru. Around him, she behaved like a girl deeply in love—playful, devoted, affectionate. She was every bit the image of a tender, loving partner.
But towards him? She was cold, indifferent. After her last venomous insult, she hadn't acknowledged him even once.
She wasn't ignoring him out of spite—no, it was worse than that.
She genuinely did not care if he existed or not.
He hated to admit it, but he knew Echidna's personality better than anyone else—perhaps better than even she did—because he was, by all accounts, an obsessive maniac when it came to her.
That's what made it all the more unbearable. He knew she felt real love for Subaru.
And that was what hurt him the most.
If she were only pretending—if it was all an act to feed her unending greed—he could have endured it. He could have rationalized it, even dismissed it.
But no, there was no manipulation in her eyes, no hunger, no deceit.
She loved Subaru.
With genuine affection, pure emotion, and no ulterior motive.
Just… love.
And that simple, cruel truth shattered him more deeply than any blade ever could.
He had seriously contemplated ending his own life, but Subaru had intervened with a chilling warning: if Roswaal were to go through with killing himself, Subaru would use his power to resurrect him—over and over again—trapping him in a state where death would no longer be a release.
Only now did Roswaal truly understand the weight behind Subaru's words—a pain far worse than death itself.
He thought bitterly that it would have been better to die before ever meeting Echidna again than to witness the sight of her displaying real, unmistakable affection.
And not just affection—but genuine, heartfelt love.
Something he had always considered completely beyond her capability.
And worst of all, she directed it towards another man.
'Truly, I deserve this,' Roswaal muttered silently to himself as he walked in quiet resignation beside the rest of the group toward the prestigious Inn reserved for nobles.
Upon their arrival, everyone began booking rooms for the night, and Roswaal, without exchanging a word, entered his assigned quarters. He poured himself a generous amount of wine and sought to drown his ever-growing sorrow in the bottle, hoping the bitterness of the drink might dull the sharp edge of his pain.
Meanwhile, at that very moment, the Sword Demon—Wilhelm van Astrea—stood solemnly at the entrance gate of the Inn.
…
Wilhelm found himself at a loss. He did not know how to face his granddaughter after so many years of separation, guilt, and silence.
As soon as he received word that Zero and his companions had arrived in the Capital, he had wasted no time making his way to the inn where they were rumored to be staying.
He had made all the preparations in advance—he had informed the inn's staff to contact him immediately upon their arrival, even going so far as to provide a metia, a magical communication device, so that they could reach him without delay.
Thanks to these efforts, he had been notified the very moment they registered at the Inn.
Wilhelm took a deep breath and exhaled heavily. He was mentally prepared for anything: harsh insults, cold rejection, perhaps even a well-deserved slap across the face.
Still, none of that mattered anymore. He had made up his mind. He would do whatever it took to make amends, to apologize, and most importantly, to seek his granddaughter's forgiveness—no matter how long it would take or how difficult the road would be.
After a brief conversation with the innkeeper, he was directed to the room where Reina and Zero were staying.
To his great surprise, he discovered that Reina and Zero had reserved a single, luxurious suite—one clearly intended for couples.
'I suppose it's true, then… They must be in love with one another,' Wilhelm thought, his heart heavy with a complex mix of emotions.
He bore no objections to their union; in fact, he inwardly approved of the match. He had long believed that Zero was perhaps the only one truly worthy of Reina. In his eyes, Zero possessed both the strength and the compassion needed to walk beside her.
Taking another deep breath to steady his nerves, Wilhelm raised his hand and knocked gently yet firmly on the door.
There was a moment of complete silence—tense, drawn-out, almost breathless.
Then, slowly, the door creaked open, revealing Reina and Zero standing side by side in the entrance, facing him directly.
"Wilhelm," Reina muttered, her eyes narrowing as she spoke his name. Wilhelm flinched subtly at the sound.
She hadn't referred to him as 'Grandpa' or even 'Respected Grandfather'—titles she used to say with warmth in her voice.
Zero gently patted Reina's shoulder and said with a calm, reassuring voice, "I'll take my leave now. This is something the two of you must talk about privately."
Reina nodded in agreement, but not before planting a soft kiss on his cheek.
"My Liege, I will return to your side as soon as I'm finished speaking with him," she said tenderly.
Subaru gave her a small nod and stepped out of the room without another word.
Wilhelm stood still, silent. Watching that simple interaction made one thing abundantly clear to him—she truly, deeply loved Zero.
As Subaru disappeared beyond the door, Wilhelm finally stepped into the room. The air was thick with unspoken emotions. For a long moment, the two simply stared at each other, an ocean of history swirling in the silence between them.
"R-Reina… I came to apologize for my mistakes," Wilhelm finally said, forcing the words out as he broke the heavy silence.
"I wronged you… I said things I never should have. Words I deeply regret. I am ashamed of myself, and I know... I know it may be impossible for you to forgive me. But I wanted you to know that I understand that," he said sincerely, bowing his head low in shame.
"That's it?" Reina asked, her tone calm—unnervingly calm. For some reason, the softness in her voice made his nerves spike more than if she had shouted.
"Y-You're angry… I know," Wilhelm stammered, but he was cut short when he met her eyes—cold, expressionless, devoid of warmth.
"Wilhelm van Astrea," she said, her voice perfectly measured. "What gives you the right to barge in here while I'm spending time with my Lord and disturb our peace and leisure?"
She hadn't raised her voice. She hadn't insulted him. She had simply asked a question. And that made it all the more devastating.
"I—I… This wasn't—" Wilhelm stuttered. He had prepared for accusations, tears, or screams. But this measured coldness, this indifferent demeanor—this, he hadn't anticipated.
"I came here to apologize," he said at last, almost in desperation. "I came to take responsibility and bear whatever punishment you deem necessary for my sins."
Reina let out a soft sigh, her expression unmoved. "And if I were to forgive you… would you leave me then?" she asked, as though she genuinely needed to know.
Wilhelm was completely thrown off. He couldn't understand what had happened to her—why she was speaking like this, why she seemed so unmoved.
"R-Reina, I don't understand… Why are you acting this way? You should be angry with me! If you want to punish me, then do it! I'm ready—I deserve to be punished for what I've done!" he said, voice rising with helplessness.
"I suppose you really don't understand, Wilhelm van Astrea," Reina said coldly. "Lord Zero told me he managed to wake you from your delusional state. But he also told me the choice of what to do with you would be entirely mine."
Then, for the first time, she smiled—a gentle, genuine smile not meant for him, but inspired by thoughts of someone else.
"I've made my decision," she said softly. "I want to spend the rest of my life beside Lord Zero—tending to him, protecting him, loving him. I want to build a new family with him, bear his children, and live a life dedicated to him and him alone. That is the path I've chosen. I want nothing to do with you—or that man you call my father—in the future."
Her words hit Wilhelm like a dagger to the heart. There was no anger, no hate—only total disinterest. And that hurt more than any rage ever could.
He collapsed to his knees, overwhelmed by despair.
"R-Reina… what are you saying? What about your mother? What about your grandmother?!" he asked, his voice shaking with disbelief.
This had been his final, desperate attempt to reconnect with Reina—no matter how shameful or repulsive the method may have been.
"I mean… I don't remember my mother at all," Reina said with a slight shrug. "And as for Grandma… while I'll always love her, she's already passed on. The dead don't ask us to shackle ourselves to the past."
Her tone was almost casual, but her words were merciless. Cruel in their emotional detachment.
And it was in that moment that Wilhelm understood—he had done more than hurt her.
He had created a version of Reina who no longer felt connected to them. The opposite of love had never been hatred—it was indifference.
"I… see," Wilhelm whispered brokenly. Slowly, he pushed himself to his feet, his movements stiff, like a man twice his age.
He looked at Reina, who stood there with her arms crossed, her expression unreadable.
"Then… I apologize for intruding," he said quietly, his voice stripped of all pride.
With staggering, unsteady steps, Wilhelm left the room.
Some people believe they will always be granted forgiveness, no matter the magnitude of their mistakes.
But they fail to understand the truth.
Second chances are not guaranteed—and some mistakes are too grave to ever be undone.
Some mistakes are truly… unforgivable.
To be continued...
(A/N: I hope you liked this chapter.
To be honest I have no idea what to talk about related to me or where I live, instead lets focus on the chap.
Okay, first for those who have not understood yet, Echidna loves Subaru.
Now that she has recovered her lost self, she is no longer that emotionless bitch.
However she will have to prove herself to be worthy of him.
Also this is the punishment that Subaru had given to Roswaal.
One might question why would he go to such lengths?
Simply he died first six times due to him, whether directly or indirectly.
Subaru isn't taking revenge for what he did to others, his main focus is to take revenge for what he had done to him.
Also simply killing him doesn't makes sense?
Or maybe reading all that Subaru suffering fanfics has finally rubbed off me?
Either way, this is the conclusion of Roswaal's schemes.
Also, how did you like the conversation between Reina and Wilhelm?
Personally I think Reina made a good choice, she simply cut off her relationship with Wilhelm and Heinkel.
That was a mature decision I think.
Also Subaru didn't force her, he let her make the choice, I mean she was abused by them, not him, so it wouldn't make sense for him to barge in and try to mend it.
It will be selfish and unreasonable.
Also I am wondering if I should make that Special chapter that I spoke earlier?
Yeah, the one that would reveal what happened in failed loops?
I think you will be satisfied with it, as it would conclude the nature of Return of Death.
We are on the ninth chap, 107k words, excluding that Special 10k words Campione chap.
So yeah, these are the longest chaps I have ever written.
I am currently writing another interesting Re Zero idea, it will be 10k words, would you like it if I upload it here?
The premise is that the Original Subaru- In the same loop as he is denied help from the Royal Candidates get a Template System.
And No, Subaru isn't going to return to Emilia like a loyal dog, he will try(But I won't let him *Evil Smirk*)
Emilia is going to suffer for that, and man imagine when Roswaal finds out that his main chess piece has left the board.
Subaru's achievements won't be instantly revealed and I plan to make Crusch, and Anastasia fall in love with him. Make them Yanderes or Gouderes.
Also no genderbent Reinhardt there sadly... just enjoy Reina here, she is a masterpiece after all.
If you are thinking about relationship between Subaru and Crusch and Ana in this fic(The Great Sage), then discard it.
Unless I pull out some shitty event it isn't going to happen.
With Priscilla's fascination with him she is indeed a option.
Anyway, I hope you liked the chap)