--Approximately fifteen minutes had passed since they had left the building where Roswaal had been staying.
"We've arrived. This place is called the Graveyard, and it's a puny little grave."
Saying this, Garfiel jerked his chin and pointed to an old ruin on the outskirts of the Sanctuary. Constructed from piled stone, its architecture was primitive and far from magical.
It is not known how long it has been since it was built, but judging from the cracks in the walls and the extraordinary density of ivy growing there, it is certain to be over 100 years old.
Although the entrance to the ruins faces the forest, most of the building is swallowed up by the forest, making it impossible to tell at a glance how large it is. If this is the tomb for one "Witch of Greed," then it may be possible to think of it as being similar to the pyramids of the original world.
"I wonder if it's the same in any era or world that those in power want to rest in big tombs..."
Touching his chin as he expressed his thoughts, Subaru tilted his head at the sheer scale of it all.
For Subaru, who was a relatively ephemeral person, the thought of how he would be evaluated after his death was not of much interest to him. Although, this was furthered by the certain philosophical view that he was not a person of great importance who would leave his name in history.
Anyway,
"I've come to the cemetery, but what should I do here?"
Emilia, standing next to him, looked up at the ruins and asked Garfiel a question with a bewildered look on her face. Subaru, who had the same question as her, also turned his gaze to the back of the blond young man who had been leading the way. Garfiel clicked his canines and turned around,
"You can ask that bastard Roswaal about the details when you get back. For now, all I want you to do is get inside, Lady Emilia."
"Should I just go in here? Not go in and do something?"
"The sun has just come up. The Trial hasn't even begun yet, even if we enter the depths of the tomb. We haven't been able to prepare anything yet, so we'll just have to find out if we're qualified."
「W-w-wait a second! You're jumping ahead again. There's no explanation at all about trials, preparations, qualifications, or anything like that!」
Subaru stood between Garfiel, who looked as if he was about to forcefully push Emilia inside, and called on him to take responsibility for his actions. However, Garfiel wrinkled his nose and made the same annoyed expression he had shown countless times in the past hour,
"Yeah, it's fine. Once you're inside, you'll understand everything when you return to Roswaal. If you ask me to explain it, I'm not very good at making logical statements, so it'll all get all tangled up and incomprehensible."
"You're forcing me to sign a contract that won't let me read the contents, there's no way I'd be able to do something like that if I'm too scared. If you're not good at organizing your thoughts, then answer my questions one by one carefully."
"Oh... well, never mind. I can't stay until sunset, so let's keep it short."
Garfiel opened his arms lightly and swallowed the proposal. Relieved that they were finally going to be able to have a proper discussion, Subaru wondered what he should ask first――and then,
"This is the 'Grave'... in other words, the Grave of the Witch of Greed, correct?"
"That's what I've been told. In truth, we don't know whose bones are buried there. This is the graveyard of the Greedy Witch, at least that's what the villagers and I have been taught."
Though the answer left Subaru feeling somewhat uneasy, he swallowed the discomfort for the time being. Then, he picked out a few words from the previous statement that had caught his attention.
The two that seem important are "trials" and "qualifications."
"What do you mean by 'trials' that begin inside a tomb? Frankly, after my experiences these past few weeks, I don't have a very good impression of that word."
"Don't worry, I hate being tested either. So, it's a 'trial' but... I don't know what it entails."
"Hey"
"Don't be mad. I'm not joking. I just know that it will happen inside the tomb. If we can't pass that "trial", then we won't be released from this dead-end experiment field."
"Freed... by who?"
"That's what we call 'qualifications'. Those who qualify can't leave the testing site. As long as the 'trial' isn't over, the witch's possessiveness won't let them go."
It's an indecisive answer, but Garfiel doesn't seem to be intentionally misinterpreting things. He's breaking it down in his own way and speaking what he understands. But even so, it's still not a clear answer, probably because even to him, it's vague.
However, Subaru tries to piece together the fragmented answers he has now and arrive at an answer in the form of an awareness of the current situation. And the answer he comes up with after putting the scattered pieces together is,
"Only those who are qualified can enter the tomb, and unless those qualified overcome the trials, they cannot leave the 'Sanctuary'... is that right?"
"Ahh...? Is that how it feels?"
"I've chewed it over quite a bit, but is it still no good...?"
Tilting his head, Garfiel gave an unreliable reply that probably didn't seem to make sense. Subaru put his attitude towards him on hold for the moment and looked at Emilia beside him. She caught Subaru's gaze and put her own conclusion to his answer on her tongue,
"Earlier, when I entered this 'Sanctuary', I lost consciousness... is that what it was?"
"That was the border, and I was knocked unconscious because I crossed the line of escape? No, but both Otto and I were fine at the time…"
"That's probably because you don't have the qualifications."
Emilia suddenly found herself unconscious, and just as they were getting an answer, Garfiel interrupted. He pointed at Subaru, then at Emilia with his other hand, and said,
"Emilia-sama, being a half-elf, is qualified. However, Subaru, being pure-blooded and single-mindedly human, is not qualified. So he can come and go as he pleases. But that means he cannot take the trial."
「Wait wait Wait. So what, considering what you just said, is this what you mean?」
Subaru held his breath and organized his thoughts. He then remembered what Garfiel had said when they'd first met, and when he'd guided them to the Sanctuary, and realized something.
"The only ones who can take the trial are half-elves... no, half human, half demi-human. And everyone who lives in this 'Sanctuary' is in that position."
"--Ah, I didn't say that."
Hearing Subaru's answer, Garfiel nodded in satisfaction and blinked.
In the next moment, his eyes opened and turned gold, his pupils narrowed and became more like those of a carnivorous beast. The tips of his canines seemed to lengthen, and the claws of his raised hands became sharpened like blades.
It was as if his small frame had grown a size larger - but no, it was not an illusion. His short golden hair had grown long enough to cover his back, and his exposed limbs were now completely covered in golden fur the same color as his hair.
"I still have a lot of blood left in me. That's why 'atavism' is no problem for me."
"...That's amazing. Can I pet you?"
Struggling to keep his surprise hidden in his comments, Subaru quivers his fingers to hide his agitation. However, his request is abruptly cut short by Garfiel, who reverts to his original form once again. Witnessing the change in him, Emilia gasps and takes a step forward,
"So, this village is definitely a gathering place for demi-humans..."
"To put it more precisely, it's a gathering of a mix of demi-humans and humans. They like to gather people of similar status from various races. That's probably why they call that bastard Roswaal "demi-human lover."
"That's why Roswaal was like that. For me, this place is..."
After that, Emilia puts her hand to her lips and goes into deep thought.
On the other hand, this information was not something Subaru could take lightly. This meant that the people here, although slightly different in details, shared the same origin as Emilia. This meant that they could understand her pain, as she had been shunned and rejected in the past.
For her, it may just be a way to lick her wounds. But what will she think when faced with the possibility of finding someone to lick her wounds with?
Even though he thought he understood and tried to touch her wounds, Subaru, having never experienced the same pain, did not know how to heal them without making them worse.
"It was an unexpected turn of events, but I somehow understood the village's circumstances and the qualifications. Now the problem is… the test. I said I don't know what it entails, but at the very least, it will take place after sunset."
"That's what I've been told. I don't know the details. However, the reason I came here is to confirm whether I am qualified to take on the challenge. If I come at night and the trial begins, it will be a trial by fire."
Pointing his thumb at the ruins and his chin at Emilia, Garfiel confesses his current objective. Subaru nods and quietly opens his mouth as he looks out at the tomb that awaits them.
Overgrown with vines and stale darkness, the place beckoned me to come in. The word "trial" sounded solemn, and it didn't seem like a simple exploration of old ruins would be the end of it.
Above all, sending Emilia to a place where there may be danger - that fact was unbearable to Natsuki Subaru.
"Sorry, Ram. I don't think I can listen to your advice straight away."
"Did you say something?"
"I'm so nervous about having Emilia-tan suddenly step in, it's heartbreaking. So wouldn't it be best for Garfiel to step in first, both as a confirmation and as a sacrifice?"
Subaru makes the suggestion with his finger raised, and Garfiel is dumbfounded for a moment before breaking into a smile. He slaps his knee again, making a dry noise as he says,
"Isn't that the place where you'd normally show off by saying you're going there?"
"I want to say it, but I really want to look cool, but if something were to happen, I think you're a better candidate than me in terms of survival rates. You'd probably be able to crush the ground and survive with ease. You're the strongest, after all."
「Oh? Well, well, it's true that I'm the strongest. I don't know if there's a trial or what, but no matter what danger befalls me, I'll never give up Penny Penny!」
It's unclear what exactly he's trying to protect, but Subaru doesn't want to ruin Garfiel's good mood by rubbing his nose, so he says nothing. However, his expression quickly dispels the good mood, and he says, "But..."
"Sorry, but I can't go inside. That's the contract."
"...contract?"
"Oh, how rude. And what's more, I didn't do it."
Kicking the dirt, Garfiel spoke with a click of his tongue. This wasn't a joke or a flippant remark, it was a fact that he couldn't enter. What would happen if he broke the taboo? That was not the kind of question to ask in front of Emilia, who valued agreements.
In any case, the situation was now completely cornered. Letting Emilia go alone was out of the question, and the Garfiel scouting plan had already been thwarted. That left only one option.
"I'm going to go look for Otto for a bit, so could you wait for me?"
"The sun will go down before we know it while we're doing that. --Don't worry. I'll go."
Subaru tried to prepare yet another sacrifice, but Emilia gently rejected it. Having made up her mind, she turned her gaze towards the entrance to the tomb, her amethyst eyes filled with caution for whatever might happen inside.
She too was probably expecting something disturbing to happen, judging from the sound of the word "Trial" and the ominous nature of the stage "Witch's Tomb."
I felt so pathetic that, despite having the same anxieties and concerns as her, I was powerless to take her hand.
"Just a little bit inside... No, at least I'll go in and check around the entrance first."
"I think it's best to leave it at that. Subaru is not qualified. If anyone other than a human is invited to the witch's tomb, they'll end up like Roswaal."
"Like Roswaal...could his injury have been caused by coming in here?"
Remembering the sight of Roswaal covered in bandages, Subaru suppressed his shock and looked up at Garfiel. He nodded with his arms crossed, confirming his statement.
"If someone without the qualifications had stepped in at night, that's not what would have happened. It was him, so it was fine, but if someone without the qualifications had walked in, it wouldn't have been surprising if it had exploded."
"So that's what you meant when you said it wasn't someone who did it..."
I finally understood what Roswaal meant by his roundabout way of speaking. He said that he wasn't hurt by any particular person, but that's what he meant.
However, that raises another question: why did Roswaal enter the Tomb?
--An unqualified person. He should have known that he was.
"...As I thought, I'll check inside first."
Putting his suspicions about Roswaal aside, Subaru came to this conclusion as he looked down.
Hearing that answer, Emilia and Garfiel both looked stunned for a moment,
"Hey, hey, did you hear me? It's dangerous for someone without the qualifications to enter. What happened to Roswaal happened at night, but you can't feel safe during the day either."
"That's right. It's dangerous, so stop, Subaru? I'm sure I'll be fine. I've never really been grateful, but maybe being a half-elf will come in handy…"
"I'm glad you're not worried about me though."
The two of them tried to stop him. Subaru looked at Emilia, who was pulling on his sleeve, with a gentle gaze, and he gently removed her fingers from his touch.
"If we calmly divide up the roles, it's only natural, you know? Anyone who goes in is at risk. Based on previous information, there's just a slight possibility that I'm in more danger. So from then on, it's just a matter of what each of us can do."
"What can you do?"
"If, by any chance, something dangerous were to happen inside and Emilia-tan were to get injured, I wouldn't be able to treat her. Of course, it would be a different story if Garfiel turned out to be a very unexpected man and a skilled healing magician."
"Most wounds heal if you spit on them."
"Such is the suspect's statement… But that's how it is. If there is a possibility that either I or Emilia-tan could be injured, I would like to leave Emilia-tan behind as an insurance as she can use healing magic."
As Garfiel confidently proclaims this, Subaru tries to persuade Emilia.
Emilia was somewhat shaken by Subaru's reasoning, but perhaps deciding that she couldn't give in on the crucial part, she shook her head and said, "But,"
"I can't heal serious injuries... especially life-threatening injuries. Puck doesn't respond, and there are limits to what I can do. Even Roswaal seems calmer now, but..."
"Well, that wound was quite dangerous... But still, just trust me when I say I'm foul-minded. I think I'm pretty tough in this world, you know?"
As Emilia persisted, he smiled and responded with words that weren't even a joke.
In fact, I don't think there are many people who are as bad at giving up as Subaru. If he was given the chance to try again and again, he would definitely try again and again.
No matter how many times your heart is broken or crushed, you will continue to struggle to find the answers you seek.
That was what Natsuki Subaru meant to him.
Subaru: "What if you promise me? Then you'll feel at ease. I'll definitely come back to you, Emilia-tan. I'll never leave your side."
"--I will."
Emilia held out her pinky finger in a joking manner, which drew a much more enthusiastic response than she had expected. She held out her pinky finger to the surprised Subaru in the same way, tilting her head slightly,
"What are you going to do with your fingers?"
"Eh? Ah, so with our little fingers intertwined like this... wow, Emilia-tan's fingers are so slender and white and cute..."
As their fingers intertwine, Subaru is moved by the unexpected contact. Then, following the amethyst eyes that urge him on, he clears his throat lightly,
"If you lie, I'll give you a thousand needles."
"I cut my finger!"
At the same time, the little fingers separate and a promise is made between Subaru and Emilia.
This time, he was making the promise with full understanding of just how important it was to Emilia. There was no way he could treat it as lightly as before.
"Well, I'll go and have a quick look inside. I'll basically be patrolling while shouting, so please keep calling out to me from outside so I don't get lonely."
"You're a guy who I can't tell if you're cool or bad."
Subaru: "He's quite the cautious type. And yet, he still goes against Ram's advice…"
The second half of the sentence was merely muttered to himself, and in his mind, Subaru bowed down and apologized to the pink-haired girl.
The witch's delusion---the words she spoke were disturbing, but she did not want Emilia to hear them. Surely she would become even more adamant in her insistence that she enter.
"Subaru, if you think it's dangerous, please turn back immediately."
Folding her hands in front of her chest, Emilia looks at Subaru with a sad look in her eyes.
Subaru showed her his original thumbs up with his pinky raised, flashed his teeth, and stepped forward - towards the tomb.
Stepping over the ivy that trailed beneath his feet, he focused his eyes on the darkness that was already several meters ahead of him from the entrance. Silence pervaded the tomb, and for the time being there was no sign of any resentful voices or vicious creatures lurking about.
Although, there's no real way to know what lies beyond the darkness.
"Oh well, whatever. You can't get the cubs if you don't enter the tiger's den. I don't want any tiger cubs though!"
As a tiger lover, I have a desire to adore young tigers to my heart's content, but I wouldn't say it's something I would be willing to risk.
In any case, Subaru, influenced by Garfiel, roused himself with idiomatic phrases and stepped into the tomb with determination.
And then, the moment he stepped onto the cold ground of the tomb――
"--fart?"
A mysterious sensation, like something was slipping out from under my feet.
Shocked, Subaru looked down and was speechless. The floor had vanished.
"Wait... no way..."
--The flags were collected too quickly.
The foothold he tried to step on was nonexistent, and he had no way to support his body as he leaned forward. Subaru instinctively stretched out his hands, but they failed to touch the wall or floor, and just like that, his body was sucked into the darkness below.
"Ahhhh――!?"
I fell deeper and deeper into an abyss that seemed to go on forever.
※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※
--And so, about ten minutes had passed since I woke up at the bottom of the abyss.
Subaru wandered through the darkness, not knowing where it would lead, and at the end of it all he met a girl.
And now, when she asks me, I tell her what has happened so far.
"So after all that, I fell, and was walking around trembling with loneliness and hunger, when I found you. ...Are you satisfied with this?"
"Yes, I'm satisfied. It seems that you are more than I expected."
Subaru looked warily at the girl before him, who was giggling and holding the back of her hand to her mouth.
His legs are gradually building up power, ready to run at any moment, and his palms are opening and closing repeatedly, ready to instantly subdue his opponent.
However, Subaru's poorly planned attack,
"There's no need to be so cautious. Besides, you yourself have judged that your chances of winning are slim if you challenge me, right? Bravery and recklessness are similar but not the same thing."
"Sorry, but giving in just because I'll lose doesn't suit my personality. Besides, you said I shouldn't be on my guard... but could I really do something like that to someone who calls themselves the Witch of Greed?"
"I see. You're certainly right. That was an oversight on my part."
Despite receiving Subaru's reply, filled with irritation and rebelliousness, the girl - the one who called herself Echidna - did not change her attitude. It was a detached attitude that could not be put on the same level as being relaxed or amused by Subaru's weak and struggling attitude.
It was as if she was reading a manga and looking down on the characters, looking at them from another dimension. To her, Subaru wasn't even on the same stage.
That was why Subaru treated her with the utmost caution.
A person who exuded an even more oppressive presence than the White Whale. She called herself the "Witch of Greed." Whether this was true or not was a minor issue. The problem was how overwhelming she was, making even Subaru feel that she was someone he couldn't just laugh off.
However, she gave Subaru a sidelong glance, seeing the cold sweat on his forehead, and,
"But it really hurts me when you treat me so coldly. As you can see, I'm just a weak girl. It's not like I don't mind when a boy looks at me like that."
「The girl you're talking about is waving the ruby that says "death flag"? Let me tell you, my internal vigilance sensors have been going off the deep end for a while now.」
It was a skill that had sprung up within Subaru from the many experiences of 『Death』 he had had since coming to this world. Despite having this skill, the number of deaths he had suffered had only increased, but the constant thought that he would never experience such a thing again had made Subaru conscious of his wariness.
According to that, the danger level of the girl before him is comparable to even Betelgeuse.
However,
"It's impossible to have a proper conversation like this. That can't be helped. Well then, how about this idea?"
Saying this, Echidna gently raised her right hand in front of her face. Subaru gasped at the movement, and immediately afterwards, she flicked her fingers with the tip of her raised hand.
A light sound rang out, and immediately afterwards—the world before Subaru's eyes changed completely.
The cold stone space that had previously seemed to be the bottom of a tomb had vanished, and in its place was a green grassland swaying in the wind - well, it was the top of a small hill.
「Wha――?!」
"Why don't you come over here instead of playing around there?"
Laughing at Subaru, who looked around in shock, Echidna sat down in one of the chairs surrounding a white table placed on the top of the hill, and gestured to the seat directly in front of him, offering it to him.
Not understanding what was going on, Subaru hesitated as he made his way towards her. There were steaming teacups lined up on the table, and as Subaru looked at them in silence, she said,
"There's nothing dangerous in it, so don't worry. If you want, I can drink it first. It won't prove anything if you doubt whether witches can be poisoned, though."
"...I'm at a loss. Ever since I entered this place, my common sense has been completely overturned. What's going on here? Can you even use teleportation magic or something?"
The teleportation magic Subaru had previously experienced had been performed by Beatrice.
Subaru was thrown out of the Forbidden Library by her hand and sent flying all the way to the livestock sheds of Arlam Village. According to Julius, it was a level of magic that was said to have been lost, but it wasn't that surprising considering the person before him was a witch.
"Teleportation... Ah, Yin magic. No, if that's the case, you're mistaken. That magic has many drawbacks. I don't really like using it. What I just did was a bit of entertainment. I have some freedom of movement. This is my castle after all."
"Your castle...?"
Subaru frowned at Echidna's words and looked around again.
The wind-swept grassland stretched on forever, and no matter how hard I looked I couldn't see anything beyond the horizon. I don't know whether such a blank patch of land actually exists, but it was certainly a fantastical sight.
Subaru swallowed, realizing this, then shrugged his shoulders and smiled,
"Unfortunately, no matter where I look, there's not even a castle, let alone a hut. What? Are you rebuilding your castle or something? Or have they taken everything but the chairs and the table to pay off their debts?"
"Hehehe. You are truly interesting. Apart from fellow witches, there are very few people who have spoken so rudely to me in front of me. I never thought that the number would increase after my death."
Echidna laughed lightly as she counted the memories on her fingers, and was pleased to add Subaru to the mix.
Instead, Subaru grimaces as he notices a word in her words that he can't miss. She has definitely said it now: "After death."
"If you're really the Witch of Greed, then you should be dead according to my memory. In the first place, I came here to visit your grave."
"Thank you for your kindness. I would like the flowers offered to be placed at the entrance. I don't drink alcohol, so I would prefer sweet offerings if possible."
"So there's a culture of offerings in this world… I'm sorry, but I don't have any souvenirs and I forgot to buy flowers. I hope you'll be satisfied with my smile."
A smile that was like flowers blooming in abundance - although they were poisonous flowers.
Echidna purred with amusement as she watched Subaru demonstrate this. She then brought the cup on the table to her lips and quenched her thirst,
"I have never had such fun drinking tea in my life. I guess even in death there's something to be discovered. There's always something new to discover."
"I'm not sure if you and I can even have a conversation anymore... Shit, I'll drink it. I'll drink it!"
Feeling foolish for treating an unsuspecting person with such a frayed heart, Subaru snatched the cup from the table and drank it down.
It has a mysterious taste that is neither water, tea nor black tea. It is not unpleasant.
"You're very brave to drink what the witch offers you."
"Ha. There's no way I'm scared now after coming this far. In the first place, if you were planning to kill me, I'd be reduced to ashes in the next frame. I can't be cautious about a cup of tea."
He waved, put his empty cup on the table and continued, "Thank you for the meal."
"It wasn't bad, but what kind of tea was it?"
"It was generated in my castle. To put it simply, it's my bodily fluids."
"What the hell did you make me drink, you bastard!?"
Kicking his chair to his feet, Subaru struggled to spit out the liquid he had just swallowed. However, she laughed at his exaggerated reaction,
"That's disappointing. I don't think I look that bad."
「No matter how beautiful a girl's bodily fluids are, I don't want to drink them without being prepared! Or rather, even if I was prepared, I don't want to drink anything that has the word bodily fluid in it! My sexual preferences are normal!」
I don't think there is anything exciting about secretions like saliva and sweat.
If it were Emilia or Rem, she thought to herself, but she hid her thoughts in her heart.
"Shit, I can't throw up. --Hey, it's not bad for your health or anything, right?"
"Don't worry. It's easily absorbed by the body. It's a bodily fluid after all."
"You're not saying anything clever, stop making that face!"
Subaru was put off by Echidna's slightly boastful attitude. Echidna continued to tilt her cup towards Subaru with a cool face, and continued, "Even so,"
"You really are a strange person. The fact that you are standing before me like this is proof of that."
「What do you mean? You're saying that you're such a beautiful girl that if you were a normal person, it would blind the other person? Let me tell you, in my opinion, you're the most beautiful girl, so I'm always feasting my eyes on you. So even when I look at you, it's rare that I think you're that cute or anything.」
"No, a normal person would puke if they stood in front of me. Funny, right?"
"It's not funny at all!"
As the conversation continued, with only unsettling words coming out of his mouth, Subaru once again looked at the girl sitting in the chair.
Her hair and whole body are as white as snow. Her black clothes look like mourning clothes, giving a strange sexiness to her beautiful features that still retain a youthful look. I think there is something magical about mourning clothes on a beautiful woman, but the feeling of oppression that never goes away makes her presence seem like a threat.
"Now then――"
Then, looking up at Subaru, who still remained on guard, she placed the empty cup on the table and ran her finger over the rim,
"Even talking to you like this is a fresh joy for me, but I'm sure that's not the case for you. Isn't there something you want to say or ask?"
"...That's right. That's right! I was so engrossed in the atmosphere that I completely forgot, but you're right. You are... No, before that, where am I? Are we really inside the tomb?"
For Subaru, this was the place he connected to after the fall he had taken immediately after stepping into the tomb.
The fact that he had been told it was the bottom of the tomb was only believable up until the dimly lit space he had been in earlier. But now that he had been invited out onto the plain, even those beliefs were now in doubt.
In response to Subaru's question, Echidna lightly stroked her own white hair with her hand,
"That question is half right and half wrong. Your body is definitely in the tomb, but your spirit is in my castle. In other words, this is a dream."
"A dream...? But I don't remember your face enough to see it in my dreams."
"I'm in a dream, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the place is in your dream. This is my castle - in other words, in my dream. Do you know of a place similar to this?"
Subaru held his breath as Echidna pursued him. Then he shook his head slightly,
"Wh, what is your basis for saying something like that..."
"I have no proof. I just had a feeling that way. Your attitude was like that of someone who turns a blind eye to something they already know."
"...It's true that I don't know. But what you say isn't wrong."
Though she didn't say it harshly, Subaru felt as if he was being condemned by her words. And in truth, he was unable to control the waves of emotions battling within his heart.
Echidna's words were not wrong, but Subaru's response was not a lie either.
When he was told that he was inside a dream, Subaru was surprised, but at the same time it made sense to him, as if he had understood the sensation in his heart as something familiar.
I don't know anywhere in my memory why I feel this way, but I can't find it.
"I've accepted for the moment that this is your dream. So how do I get out?"
"The only way to wake up from a dream is to either decide to wake up or be woken up from the outside. Of course, even if I tried to act from the outside, my body is already gone, and it's difficult to wake up on my own from someone else's dream. If I don't decide to wake you up, I don't think you can wake up."
"--! Then it couldn't be you..."
Subaru shivered at Echidna's matter-of-fact words.
The meaning of "her castle" took on a more concrete form. Subaru's soul, imprisoned there, was now in her palm. Ram's words about the witch's delusions became more real.
"Are you planning on not letting me escape...?"
While taking the utmost caution, he spoke words that could cause a fatal rift between him and the witch, knowing full well that if she were to reveal her true nature, he would never be able to defeat her.
And in response to Subaru's question, she let out a small sigh,
"No, it's nothing. If you want to go home, I'll let you go. I didn't call you, you just came on your own, you know."
"What are you going to do about my nervousness? Sirius isn't breathing."
"Unlike you, Sirius can't stand in front of me. I bet he's throwing up in the shade."
Subaru is left weak by Echidna's casual, venomous words. What is it that she wants in order to be with Subaru?
Although it was a short time, I still couldn't grasp her character. It's impossible to understand a person who is called a witch in such a short time.
"Anyway, if you can go home, please do. There must be a kid upstairs who's worried about me. If I have the time to drink your bodily fluids, I'd like to put that kid at ease."
"That's fine, but are you okay with that?"
"What's that?"
"Go back from before me. -- The opportunity to hear from the Witch of Greed is something that not many people other than you would get, even if they wanted it."
After hearing that, Subaru became aware of the meaning of her words for the first time.
That's right. That's right. Focusing only on the threat she posed, Subaru had made a serious oversight. If she was the Witch of Greed, if she really was what she was called, then
"Do you know the answer to what I want to know?"
"You're asking me where this knowledge comes from--?"
Echidna chuckled once again at Subaru's squeezed-out words. She laughed, but the smile was the happiest she had yet, and it put more pressure on Subaru than ever before.
The atmosphere distorted, and the atmosphere of the grassland, which had spread out over the blue sky, began to collapse in an instant. The sky cracked, the grassland burned, and the world beyond the horizon collapsed.
Feeling as if he sensed a tremor that didn't exist, Subaru hastily reached out his hand to the table that he knew was there. The moment he touched it, it dissipated in his hand, turning to sand. And then,
"You're an interesting person after all."
Echidna looked up and the scenery around her changed, and an eerie pattern began to envelop the world. Darkness spread, stretching its limbs and wrapping around Subaru's entire body.
They desperately try to escape the horror, but the collapse of the world is already spreading close to them. There is no foothold to escape. And just like that, the world is lost.
"If we are to exchange questions, this amount of space is enough. To find out what we want to know. To have that desire - that greed - I will affirm it."
All that remained between them was the space for the chairs they had been sitting on. They were so close they could almost reach out and touch each other, and it was a world just for them to sit and talk.
The rest of the world is gone. There is no end in sight to the darkness below, with no foothold to stand on. It's probably no joke, but if you fall, there's no way to come back.
While this sent chills down Subaru's spine, Echidna was in high spirits as she sat in a chair.
She clapped her hands and gazed at Subaru with shining eyes,
"So, what do you want to ask? I'll answer anything you want, as long as it's something I can know. Are you talking about Daphne, the 'Witch of Gluttony', who created beasts other than those of God in order to save the world from starvation? Are you talking about Carmilla, the 'Witch of Lust', who gave emotions to non-human beings in order to fill the world with love? Are you talking about Minerva, the 'Witch of Wrath', who beat and healed all kinds of people while lamenting the world's strife-filled world? Are you talking about Sekhmet, the 'Witch of Sloth', who drove a dragon beyond a great waterfall just to bring peace to her? Are you talking about Typhon, the 'Witch of Pride', who continued to judge guilty people with the innocence and mercilessness of her youth?"
It was a list of things I had never heard of - no, things that were known in the current world but that shouldn't have existed.
Subaru was speechless at the amount of information being poured into him, but Echidna continued to laugh,
"The incarnation of thirst for knowledge who sought all kinds of wisdom, even leaving her attachment to the afterlife. Are you talking about Echidna, the 'Witch of Greed'?"
Pointing at herself and mockingly saying, "And," she continued,
"The 'Witch of Envy' who destroyed all those witches and turned the world against her to feed herself - are you talking about her?"