The Ghost Living in the Past
"What?"
Subaru had no intention of ending the conversation.
"Yes! That stench, the scent left by The Witch, it's disgusting and despicable.
Seeing my sister talk to you, Rem was anxious and furious beyond measure.
The cause of the trouble my sister suffered—someone related to the witches… actually swaggering right up to her side…!"
"Enough. Judging someone evil just by their aura is wrong. By the way, who exactly are you guys?"
"You know his situation and still took him in, even protect him? Is there a 'good person' in the Witch Cult? That's just absurd. Sister, you should start."
Rem ignored Leander's question, her face serious as she spoke to Ram.
"Rem, are you really ready?"
"Please, sister."
"Understood."
The next moment, a white glowing horn appeared on Rem's head.
The mana in the air was rapidly absorbed, and a visible torrent of magical power flowed into the staff in Rem's hand.
Then, a phantom horn appeared on Ram's head as well.
The once unremarkable girl now gave Subaru a feeling very close to his first sight of Reinhard.
"Aaah!!! Horns, horns! Sister's horns! Wonderful! Rem finally became Sister's horn!"
Rem leaned against a tree, shouting wildly.
Tears of blood flowed from her eyes.
Her pure white maid outfit was stained red by the blood streaming from her body.
But in the girl's eyes, there was no pain—only endless joy and relief.
Bang!!!
Ram suddenly appeared in front of Leander. Their fists collided, cracking the ground beneath them.
Ram retreated four steps; Leander took two back.
"Only fifty percent of my prime strength? Sorry, for the sake of my foolish little sister, I need to end this fight quickly."
Despite Ram being on the defensive in the rushed clash, she seemed certain of her victory.
But before Subaru could say anything, he found himself airborne.
"Escape."
That was Leander's shout.
Before hitting the ground, Subaru saw Ram's hand entwined around Leander's waist, slashing hard, spraying blood everywhere.
"Ugh... Leander!!"
Pressure struck Subaru's abdomen instantly, causing him to vomit for a long time.
Then he looked down at his hands touching the ground, pulled at the ropes binding him.
At that moment, only blankness ruled Subaru's mind because at the rope's end was blood—and a severed hand.
—This is bad, very bad.
"I must find reinforcements. Yeah, I can still make it."
He cut the ropes with a small knife, deceiving himself.
He ignored any possible clues around him and hurried toward the place emitting black smoke—to escape and avoid seeing more parts.
—Damn it, I had planned to gather all the intel this time.
But once the threat approached in an unexpected form, all I could do was desperately cling to the hope of survival while bleeding out.
I was too arrogant, my thoughts too naive, my thinking too shallow.
Gasping for breath, almost rolling down the slope, Subaru let regret flood through him.
Tears blurred his vision as they spilled out in quiet sobs.
His steps became frantic.
Suddenly, he ran into an open space with no trees. The night was pressing at the edge of the sky, then—
"—Ah?"
A strike from the flail crushed the part of Subaru's right leg below the knee.
Losing balance, Subaru violently slammed into the ground.
The wound on his cheek reopened from the impact; the bone in his shoulder cracked loudly. The pain struck like an electric shock to his brain, spreading through his whole body.
Subaru screamed in agony.
"Aaagh! My, my leg!?"
The part of his right leg below the knee was shredded like torn paper.
Blood gushed from the wound, staining the ground red.
Pain ravaged his nerves.
"Ugh—!!"
Subaru clawed at the ground, screaming without voice.
His body writhed wildly; his empty right hand pounded the earth and trees.
His fingernails broke and peeled, the heat boiling his consciousness.
So much pain, unbearable pain, pain to death.
The pain was like a rasp grinding his nerves, as if his muscles and organs were exposed and planed off in slices.
Every second, blood flowed out rapidly, reminding him constantly that he was dying.
"Water mana, please heal him."
Suddenly, a soft palm pressed down on Subaru's struggling body from above.
Once his movements were restrained, Subaru, with bloodshot eyes, noticed Rem in a maid outfit by his side. His body was covered in blood, but his clothes were intact.
Rem
Her palm glowed with a pale blue-white light as she poured warm magic into the flattened area of Subaru's right foot.
It felt almost ticklish from the healing magic.
The pain did not vanish completely, but Subaru's mind returned to reality, overwhelmed by shock.
At this point, Subaru didn't understand why Rem was healing him. Meeting his gaze, Rem faintly smiled.
"If you die this easily, then we wouldn't get the intelligence we need."
Rem's words filled Subaru with deep fear.
After finishing the emergency treatment, Rem stood and pulled the iron ball closer while making the sound of the chains.
Lying on the ground, Subaru saw the iron ball, which had dug a hole in the earth.
Seen up close, it looked crude and rough—a violent device designed purely to threaten life.
Rem deliberately moved the iron ball into view, clearly demonstrating her intent.
Your life is now in my hands—this was a warning so Subaru could understand.
"How is Leander? Was it worth it? Paying such a huge price just to become that inexplicable horn?"
"Of course! Sister lost her horn to protect me, cut down by the Witch Cult, changing from demon to human. Rem would give anything to restore her sister's former honor. But, but, why do you still keep chasing us, witch cultists!!!"
Rem was agitated.
Her pale blue pupils were full of anger directed at Subaru.
From the moment they first met until now, Subaru had never seen her like this.
This was truly the first time Rem showed such emotion.
Her snowy white cheeks flushed a furious crimson, and she even showed a murderous intent, looking down on Subaru.
"You massacred Rem's village, cut off my sister's horn, yet Rem hasn't even sought revenge on you.
Why do you still fixate on us? Do you know how uneasy I was when I saw you call out my and my sister's names?
Do you know how scared I am? I'm so afraid you'll take more from me again.
So tell me, what exactly does the Witch Cult plan to do to us, to my sister?"
Hatred.
In Rem's glaring eyes, Subaru saw a black, murky hatred.
For the first time, Subaru felt he had come close to understanding a part of Rem's true nature, and he was dumbfounded.
"I-I don't know… My family never believed in any sect for generations…"
No sooner had he said this than the twisted iron chain lashed violently at Subaru's upper body.
The clothes torn by branches and other objects during his escape ripped further, revealing skin with similar tearing wounds.
Subaru's screams echoed through the forest.
Then the similar questions and answers repeated.
After several rounds of questioning, the sound of the iron chain played a few times, followed by a chorus of screams and wails.
Whenever Subaru's consciousness nearly drifted away, Rem would use restorative magic to heal him.
Back and forth between healing and violence, Subaru's spirit was drained, and his awareness broke several times.
"Ah, ah, ah, this boy is about to die. That won't do. He's the second person I want to kill. By the way, did you see the gift I gave you?"
A voice interrupted the endless torture in the darkness.
Elsa appeared, smiling.