Chapter 12(207): Overcome the Fear of Death
Hikigaya shook his head. Rem didn't press the question and instead began opening doors one by one, just as he'd said.
Even for Rem, this troublesome method was the only way to find Beatrice.
At the same time, Ram, having just left Emilia's room, seemed to realize something. Without stopping for even a second, she used her mastered wind magic to rush toward Rem's direction.
Supporting the nearly unconscious Hikigaya on her shoulder, Rem searched door after door. Even now, luck wasn't on their side.
If there was anything keeping Hikigaya going, it was Rem's life.
His own death didn't matter, but as Ram had said, someone as kind as Rem absolutely could not die.
Second by second, time slipped away. What Hikigaya feared most finally happened.
Ram arrived, her unextinguished killing intent fixed squarely on Hikigaya.
"You dare touch Rem, die!"
"Sister…? What's going on?"
If everything until now had been part of his plan, then this, this reunion of the sisters, marked his failure.
He had no right to ask Ram to trust him, especially after what he'd just said.
'Checkmate.'
Ram was already furious, and seeing Hikigaya leaning against Rem only made it worse.
"Rem, put that man down right now! His goal is to kill Emilia-sama! No, from the very beginning, his goal was to get close to us and then, then…!"
"Sister… what are you saying…?"
"Rem, put him down!"
"Sister… why…?"
Hikigaya had never expected this. One sister was a siscon, the other a brocon, and yet because of him, an outsider, they now stood opposed to each other.
They looked the same. Their voices carried the same rhythm. And yet, they stood on completely different sides.
"Rem, put him down. I won't say it a third time!"
"Sister, I don't think he's done anything wrong… If you're judging him as an enemy just because of the Witch's scent…"
Clearly unwilling to continue arguing, Ram advanced, violent wind magic swirling around her.
"Rem, have you forgotten Lord Roswaal's orders?"
"Sister, he's Emilia-sama's savior! He could've abandoned her, but he didn't! And… and he told me that no matter what, you have to believe in yourself… So this time, I choose to believe Hachiman-kun. He's not that kind of person!"
"It seems you've truly been deceived by his words…"
"Sister…"
There were no more words, only a wind blade that struck Hikigaya before anyone could react.
Rem didn't retreat. Instead, she stepped forward and blocked the attack head-on, sending herself flying backward.
"Rem, don't help him. Believe me, he's not who you think he is."
"Sister… ever since we were born, I've never once opposed you. I always followed behind you. But this time, just this once, I want to believe him. I don't even know why…"
As she said this, a gentle smile appeared on Rem's face.
---
[Ram: "I never imagined we'd one day stand on opposite sides."]
[Rem: "But this time, I proved you were wrong, Sister."]
[Ram: "Yes… the me in that video was impulsive. I have to admire Hachiman's intelligence and his unique conviction. And most importantly, no matter the outcome, Rem… you've grown up."]
[Ram: "The you who no longer follows in my footsteps is the strongest of all."]
[Those words made Rem feel completely at ease. Perhaps Ram was right, she had always been following her sister, and after Ram lost her horn, Rem tried to become the Ram of the past instead of being herself.]
[Hikigaya: "No matter what, this isn't a bad development."]
[Yukinoshita Yukino: "Before saying that, could you worry about yourself first? You're already grown, yet you still make people worry."]
[Kushida Kikyo: "Exactly, exactly."]
[Sakura Airi: "I usually take your side, but this time I agree with Kushida. You can't keep making people worry."]
[Karuizawa Kei shrugged helplessly.: "Well… can't help it. That's the guy we fell for."]
[Kamuro Masumi: "Yeah… he really doesn't give people peace of mind."]
[Hikigaya: "Everyone, relax for now. If I didn't have much confidence earlier, now that Rem is on my side, I at least have a little."]
[Horikita Suzune: "A little? That doesn't sound like you."]
[Hikigaya: "Try having a gun pointed at you all the time, you'll get it."]
[Horikita Manabu: "Suzune, he's right."]
[Horikita Suzune: "…If my brother says so…"]
[Hikigaya: "Damn brother complex."]
---
The sisters' confrontation was the last thing Hikigaya wanted to see. They loved each other deeply, yet now stood against each other.
Watching Rem shield him, Hikigaya clenched his teeth. His body lost all support and collapsed to the floor.
Crawling like an insect, yet driven by unwavering resolve.
Step by step… toward that door.
'Beatrice, if you can hear my call…!'
Without hesitation, there was no room for hesitation, Hikigaya used every ounce of strength left in him and pushed open the door leading straight to hope's dawn.
The blonde loli sat with her legs crossed, eyes still on her book. Noticing Hikigaya, she clicked her tongue disdainfully.
"Look at you, how ugly. Anyone can tell you're here to beg for help. But why should Betty save you, I suppose?"
'You're unbelievable…'
In his current state, Hikigaya couldn't say a single word.
Seeing that he was truly on the brink, Beatrice finally dropped her lofty attitude. She walked to Ram and Rem, forcibly ending their standoff.
Ram: "Beatrice-sama, please stay away from that man!"
Beatrice: "I understand his condition better than you. In his state, even if I only had one-thousandth of my power, he still couldn't kill me."
Rem ignored them both, immediately running to Hikigaya's side and gently holding him in her arms.
Hikigaya tightly held Rem's hand, his consciousness unable to focus at all.
But at the very last moment before losing consciousness…
"Beatrice… Rem… she… she's been… cursed…"
"The caster… should be that… little dog… mabeast… the villagers… are in danger…"
After saying those two sentences, he lost the last of his strength. All that remained was the sound of voices calling out to him, echoing endlessly in his ears.
---
[In the chat group, Ram showed a relieved smile: "Mm-hmm, Ram really made a huge blunder this time!"]
[Hikigaya: "No, wait, acting cute at a time like this is way too unfair. I almost died just now, you know."]
[Ram: "But the outcome turned out pretty good, didn't it, Hachiman? At least it didn't end up the way you feared."]
[Rem: "Hikigaya-kun, my sister didn't mean it. Please don't blame her…"]
[Hikigaya let out a helpless sigh. Since Rem had said so, what could he even do? Still, if the version of himself in the video had noticed the exchange between Ram and Rem just now, he probably would have realized something.]
[All of this was inseparable from Roswaal.]
[At the same time, Roswaal, watching the development in the video, simply wore an amused smile: "My, my, surviving even this is quite impressive. What happens next is truly fascinating. Though, sadly, the pace of this ridiculous video is slow enough to bore me."]
[Beatrice: "Could you please restrain that nauseating curiosity of yours for once?"]
[Roswaal: "Hahaha, Beatrice is as humorous as ever."]
[Beatrice: "You really are a lunatic."]
[Puck: "With such terrifying things happening in the hallway, Lia, it's kind of amazing that you can still sleep."]
[Emilia's face clearly showed worry, but after Puck said that, she grew embarrassed instead.]
[Priscilla: "Hehehe, truly lacking any sense of crisis. I have no idea what makes you think you're qualified to become a royal candidate. That said… your subordinates are rather interesting. Look, despite everything, he still refuses to hurt your maids. If only he could serve me…"]
["Name your price."]
[Emilia immediately panicked: "Hikigaya-kun is not my subordinate! And he's not something you can buy with money! He, he should be my friend!"]
[Priscilla's smile didn't fade. She simply stared at Hikigaya in the video and said: "I see. Written as 'friend,' read as 'slave.'"]
["Still, I don't think you can protect him. I'm certain that the day he meets me, he'll abandon you and become my subordinate instead."]
[Emilia: "That's absolutely not true!"]
[Hikigaya: "So this is the kind of war royal candidates fight… Somehow, it's different from what I imagined."]
---
Hikigaya felt as if his body was unreal, his mind still unable to focus, and everything before his eyes remained blurry.
Something round… white… like a sphere…
Other than that, he couldn't see anything.
He gently extended his hand, reaching toward that single ray of light…
"So soft…"
He couldn't hear any words, nor was there any response. All he felt was a violent jolt in his brain.
Why was that?
When he opened his eyes again, Hikigaya saw a silver-haired girl leaning over him. The only difference was that her cheeks were flushed a shade so red it defied description, as if a sentence were stuck in her throat, unable to come out.
As his consciousness gradually cleared, he finally understood. The trembling he felt earlier was because Emilia's thighs were shaking uncontrollably. If one looked closely, it was obvious what had happened.
While Hikigaya was unconscious, Beatrice had lifted the curse on Rem. And after hearing Rem's explanation, Ram finally understood what had really happened, though making Ram admit she was wrong was impossible. Instead, she immediately put on a sweet, nothing-happened smile and said, "It was just a little test for Hachiman, that's all."
Naturally, all of this was expected. But if the curse caster really was that mabeast, then Rem and Ram absolutely couldn't remain here any longer.
Even though Rem's worry and Ram's guilt made them desperately want to see Hikigaya wake up, now was not the time to hesitate. The longer they delayed, the greater danger the villagers would be in.
Besides, Beatrice was here. Though she looked like she disliked Hikigaya, when he collapsed, she had been the most worried of all.
So leaving everything to Beatrice was the right choice.
Emilia only arrived afterward. When she saw the unconscious Hikigaya, guilt instantly flooded her heart. Beatrice didn't fully explain what had happened, yet even so, Emilia believed the fault lay entirely with herself.
She had brought him here, yet failed to protect him from suspicion. If anything had happened to him, the blow she would suffer would be immeasurable.
Thus, after Beatrice finished treating him, Hikigaya was entrusted to Emilia. In the spacious room, Emilia used a lap pillow, hoping he would wake sooner. She gently stroked his cheek, her heartbeat steadily accelerating.
At the moment she felt both worried and relieved, she suddenly felt a jolt in a certain part of her body. What followed was a sensation like an electric shock, instantly leaving her weak.
"So soft…"
Even if it was one of the most important places for a girl, and even though she knew he was unconscious, the suddenness still made her body heat rise rapidly. Her thighs, supporting Hikigaya's head, began trembling uncontrollably.
"B-b-b-b-b, "
"Emilia, why is your face so red? Did something happen?"
"N-no… nothing…"
"Sorry for worrying you with my recklessness."
"N-no… it's nothing…"
Since this wasn't his first lap pillow, Hikigaya wasn't particularly surprised. Still, given that it was Emilia, gratitude naturally welled up inside him.
But that wasn't what mattered most right now.
He slowly sat up, staring intently at Emilia's flushed face.
"How long was I asleep?"
"N-no… ah, I mean… I don't know."
"Alright… We need to head to the village as soon as possible. Even if it was that little dog mabeast that bit Rem, there has to be someone behind it. This was definitely not an accident, just like the incident at the warehouse."
Even though he had only just awakened, Hikigaya's thoughts remained tense. The more he thought, the more wrong it felt. If the enemy's true target was Emilia, a royal candidate, then everything made sense.
"Um… Rem and Ram already went ahead."
"The two of them alone are not enough … I need to go immediately…"
As he spoke, Hikigaya tried to stand and take a few steps, but his body refused to cooperate. He staggered and collapsed again.
If Emilia hadn't reacted quickly, he would have fallen flat on his face.
Supporting him with her body, Emilia spoke firmly, fully aware of his condition: "You can't go anywhere right now. You used far too much magic, your body is exhausted. And… Hikigaya-kun… right now, you can't do anything."
Her words finally made Hikigaya realize, in this otherworld filled with monsters and mabeasts, in this dangerous world… He could do nothing.
Yes. That familiar sense of powerlessness again.
He slid down and sat on the floor, his expression turning despondent.
"I'm sorry… that's not what I meant. Hikigaya-kun, you know you need rest right now."
"And don't underestimate those two sisters, they're incredibly strong!"
Hikigaya gave a bitter smile: "Yeah… maybe from the beginning, I shouldn't have been so full of myself…"
"That's not what I meant…"
"Let me be alone for a bit."
Realizing she had said the wrong thing, Emilia became flustered. Though Hikigaya looked dispirited, his mind was still racing through possibilities.
No matter how much despair others placed on him, he had endured far worse already. One more blow wouldn't break him.
Watching Emilia reluctantly leave the room, Hikigaya regained his composure.
Before acting on his own, he had to consider every possible variable. He didn't want to start over again.
First, the most likely variable was the hidden curse caster. Because of looping, he knew timelines could shift. For example, the first time he opened the door, he saw Beatrice, but in the second loop, he didn't.
Thus, if the first time he was bitten by accident, the second time the mabeast had clearly targeted him. That alone proved intent.
Second, against a single mabeast, Rem and Ram could easily cope. But… What if there were more than one?
What if the forest was filled with countless mabeasts? Worse still, what if the villagers had already been cursed? Time would then be the biggest issue.
If they couldn't bring everyone back safely, the blow to Emilia's royal selection campaign would be catastrophic.
Finally… Elsa was severely injured, but with this world's magic, she might recover quickly. Though there was no direct connection, if fate aligned the curse caster and the Bowel Hunter appeared together, the situation would spiral beyond control.
In the end, it all came down to combat power.
If that could be solved… everything might still be reversed.
He couldn't rely on Emilia. Beatrice couldn't leave the Forbidden Library.
So what options remained?
Roswaal?
That man held too many secrets, he wasn't a usable ally.
"So this really is a dead end…"
"Someone without combat power surviving in this world…"
"The answer was obvious from the start…"
"Resolve yourself. In a world of life and death, looping is my only choice."
"Then… let's make this game even crazier."
---
[Kōenji: "Subarashii! Beautiful! This man has completely overcome his fear of death!"]
[Kiryuuin: "Unbelievable. Truly unbelievable. Making such a do-or-die decision without knowing whether Return by Death has a limit… Is this rationality, or emotion? Either way… he's incredibly charming."]
[Asahina: "Casting aside his former cowardice and inferiority complex, Hikigaya has clearly become someone else entirely. If he returned to Advanced Nurturing High School now and faced us again, he wouldn't even be in the same league."]
[Katsuragi: "I hate to admit it, but he's become something akin to a monster…"]
[Sakayanagi: "It seems I was wrong. I once believed only those born geniuses deserved to be called geniuses. But now… you've taught me otherwise, Hachiman. You, who continue evolving, are the closest thing to a true genius."]
[Ichinose: "Knocked down again and again, yet still rising and treating this cruel world with kindness… That's who you are, Hikigaya Hachiman."]
(End of this chapter)