――Since they left the house where Roswaal was recovering, about 15 minutes had passed.
[Garfiel: We're here. It's called the graveyard but it's jus' a lame ol' grave]
Saying this, Garfiel jerked up his chin to point at an old ruin on the verge of the Sanctuary. Constructed from an assembly of stones, the architectural style was primitive, and quite far from the impression of anything magical.
It is unknown just how many years had passed since it had been built, but from the cracks that littered the face of its walls, and the remarkable density of the sprawling ivy, it must have been something from over a century ago.
The entrance of the ruin was in line with the forest, and most of the building was engulfed into the trees, making it impossible to guess the true size of the structure at a glance. If this was the burial place of the "Witch of Greed", then perhaps it could be thought of similarly to a great pyramid of the original world.
[Subaru: A powerful person wanting to sleep in a large tomb; this is the same for all Ages, and in all Worlds, huh...]
Touching his chin and ruminating on these thoughts, Subaru tilted his head to the grand scale of the building.
Being someone who lives in the moment, Subaru wasn't all that interested in what people would think of him after his death. But then again, the fact that he wasn't an important enough person to leave any real trace in history, probably contributed to the development of this view.
Anyways,
[Emilia: It's good that we got to the grave, but what are we supposed to do here?]
Standing next to Subaru, Emilia looked up at the ruins, and asked Garfiel this question with a puzzled face. Subaru had the same question as well, and directed his gaze onto the back of the blonde youth guiding them here. In response to this, Garfiel clacked his canine teeth as he looked back,
[Garfiel: You can hear the details from that bastard Roswaal after you get back. So fer now, what I want Emilia-sama to do is just to get inside]
[Emilia: All I have to do is go inside? Don't I have to do something once I'm inside?]
[Garfiel: Now the Sun's still up. Even if ya get deep inside the Tomb, the "Trials" won't start. Ya got no preparations or anything, and first you gotta check out whether you have the qualifications] ("Trials" 試練 is the same word used by Petelgeuse in Arc 3. Some anime subtitles may have translated it as "Ordeals")
[Subaru: Wa wa wait, wait a second! You're jumping all over the place. Trials or preparations or qualification, there's no explanations at all!]
Cutting in front of Garfiel, who might decide to forcefully push Emilia inside, Subaru called out to his responsibility to explain. But Garfiel only showed the irritated face he had already shown so many times in this last hour, and wrinkling up his nose,
[Garfiel: Yeah who cares, what's the problem? Go in, and afterwards when you get back to Roswaal you'd understand everything. If ya make me explain all that stuff, I'll make mess of it and ya' won't understand a thing]
[Subaru: It's like you're forcing us to sign a contract without reading its contents here, there's no way in hell we're going to do something like that. If you're bad at organizing words, then just answer my questions one by one properly]
[Garfiel: Uugh... yeah, whatever. I'm stuck with ya til sunset, so make it short]
Slightly spreading out his arms, it seems Garfiel swallowed his proposal. Relieved that they were finally able to get some discussion going, Subaru wondered what he should ask first ––So then,
[Subaru: This is the "Graveyard"….. meaning the grave of the "Witch of Greed", is that right?]
[Garfiel: That's what I heard. Actually, I got no idea whose bones're buried here. This place is the grave of the Witch of Greed, 'least that's what the guys at the village told me]
The rather half-assed reply gave Subaru the feeling that something was out of place, but he gulped down this sense of incongruity for now. Then, picking up on some words from his earlier remarks….
Two terms that seemed to be of particular importance were "Trials" and "Qualification".
[Subaru: The "Trials" that will start inside the Tomb, what is that? I have to admit… from my experience over these past few weeks, I don't have a positive impression of that word at all]
[Garfiel: Calm down, being tested and all that, I don't like it either. So, ah, the about the "Trials"...I don't know any details]
[Subaru: Oy]
[Garfiel: Don't get angry, I'm not playin' aroun' here. Just, I know it happens inside the Tomb. And those who can't clear those "Trials", won't be released from the impasse of the trial grounds]
[Subaru: Release...who?]
[Garfiel: The ones who possesses "Qualification". Guys who're qualified can't get out of the trial grounds. Long as the "Trials" aren't completed, the Witch's desire to possess will not let go]
It was a flimsy answer, but Garfiel didn't seem to be distorting the topic on purpose. Having digested the contents as best he could, he had said exactly what he understood. But still, if his statements didn't answer anything on-point, it's probably because his own understanding was vague in the first place.
However, connecting up the fragmented answers from just now, Subaru managed to form some kind of an understanding of the current situation in his mind. So, the answer he got from combining the scattered pieces was,
[Subaru: Only those who are qualified may enter the tomb, and if a person with qualification cannot clear the Trials, they cannot get out of the Sanctuary... is it like that?]
[Garfiel: Ah...? Somethin' like that... I guess?]
[Subaru: I thought I digested a lot but still it's still pretty useless...]
Twisting his neck, Garfiel, who probably still didn't understand, gave back this unreliable reply. Reserving his attitude for now, Subaru turned to Emilia beside him. Taking in Subaru's gaze, Emilia voiced her conclusion on the matter, which was
[Emilia: Earlier, when I entered the Sanctuary, my consciousness suddenly died out... was that, what this is?]
[Subaru: That was the barrier, and when she passed across the range she fainted? Well, Otto and I were all good and healthy...]
[Garfiel: That's probably cuz you got no qualification]
Just as Subaru understood the answer to the reason behind Emilia's sudden collapse, Garfiel interrupted, pointing one finger at Subaru, and at Emilia with another,
[Garfiel: Emilia-sama, bein' a Half-Elf, has the qualification. But, Subaru, bein' a straigh' up pure-blooded human, doesn't have the qualification. So y'can go in and out freely. But, y'can't take the Trials]
[Subaru: Wait wait hold on. So then, considering those lines, is it something like this?]
Holding his breath, Subaru organized his thoughts. Then, recalling their conversation on his first meeting with Garfiel, and as he guided them to the Sanctuary, Subaru noticed it.
[Subaru: The ones who can take the Trials are Half-Elves... or, half-bloods between humans and demi-humans. So that means the people living in the Sanctuary are all like that?]
[Garfiel ––Aah, I didn't mention this yet did I]
Listening to Subaru's answer, Garfiel nodded looking satisfied, and blinked.
In the next moment, opening his eyes, his pupils had turned gold, and thin like those of a carnivorous beast. The tips of his canine teeth grew, and the nails of his raised claws sharpened like blades.
An illusion of his small body getting larger –– rather, it was no illusion. His short blonde hair had grown so much that it covered his back, and the same golden hair grew on his exposed arms and legs, covering up everything.
[Garfiel: I also got a whole lot o' those blood left in me. "Atavism" 's my specialty]
[Subaru: ...Woooow. Can I snuggle in it?]
Racking his brains searching for a way to hold back his excitement, Subaru stuffed his hands into his armpits to conceal the shaking of his fingers. But that request had to be canceled seeing Garfiel had already returned to his original shape. Having witnessed Garfiel's shapeshift with her own eyes, Emilia gasped in her breath, and took a step forward,
[Emilia: So, after all, this village is a gathering of demi-human species...]
[Garfiel: More accurately speakin', it's a collection of mix-bloods between human and demi-humans. For th'love of it, all sorts of races o' people like that're gathered here. I'd say that Roswaal bastard has a "Demi-Human Fetish" or something]
[Emilia: So that's why Roswaal said something like that. That for me, this place is...]
Saying so, Emilia placed her hand on her lips and sank deep into thought.
For Subaru on the other side, this information wasn't very light to take in either. In any case, this meant that the people of this place, even though the details may vary, all had this one thing in common with Emilia. Emilia's past, of being shunned, and rejected, perhaps they could understand that pain,
To her, perhaps that may just be licking old wounds. But, if there were others who could support her in this way, what would she feel about that?
He knew her scars, and wanted to caress them, but Subaru, never having experienced the same pain, could not possibly know how to heal them without opening them up instead. All this, had haunted his mind.
[Subaru: That's an unexpected flow of things, but I understand the circumstances of the village and the qualification now. So then... the problem is with the Trials. You said you don't know the contents, but at least know that is going to happen after sunset, right?]
[Garfiel: Yeah, that's the thing. I don't know the specifics either. Only that you're here to check if ya qualify, at least. If you came here at night, the Trials would start, and that'd be the real deal]
Pointing to the ruins with his thumb, and nudging to Emilia with his chin, Garfiel revealed their current purpose. Nodding to what he had just heard, Subaru gazed up with his mouth open, at the Tomb which was waiting.
Tangled in dense, festering ivy, the thin darkness of the sickly air beckoned, waiting for them. The term "Trials" only served to deepen this solemn impression, elevating it in his thoughts to something more than an expedition into an old ruin.
And, more than anything, that he might possibly be sending Emilia into a place of danger –– this fact, was unbearable to Natsuki Subaru.
[Subaru: Sorry, Ram. Looks like I'll be going against your warning a lot sooner than I thought]
[Garfiel: Y'said somethin'?]
[Subaru: Suddenly getting Emilia-tan to venture inside gives me so much anxiety it breaks my heart. So first, for scouting and sacrificing purposes… shouldn't Garfiel rush in first?]
Lifting up a finger, Subaru made his suggestion. Garfiel looked blank for a second, and then gave a broad smile and once again slapped his laps while making a dry sound with his throat, and,
[Garfiel: Isn't that normally the place where ya say "I'll go!" to show off?]
[Subaru: I do want to say it, and I do want to show off quite a bit, but if something happens to me, the probability of me surviving is way too small, so I think you're more suitable for that. Seeing you can crush the ground with a stomp, you can probably come back alive pretty easily. You're the strongest, after all]
[Garfiel: Uh? W, well, I am the strongest. Don't know 'bout the Trials or anything, but no matter what kind danger falls out, I'd be like "Penipeni never yields" and all that!]
What exactly he was holding on to was unclear, but Garfiel was in a good mood, rubbing himself under the nose, and there was no need to pour cold water on that, so Subaru didn't say anything. But then, that good mood quickly evaporated, and Garfiel went on [But then]
[Garfiel: T'bad I can't go in. 'S cause of my contract or somethin']
[Subaru: ...Contract?]
[Garfiel: Yeah, it's annoying as hell. Besides, shouldn't be me doin' this]
Kicking the soil with his foot, Garfiel declared this with a click of his tongue. He didn't seem to be joking around or anything, so apparently it was a fact that he could not enter. As to what would happen if he violated the agreement–– that was not a question he could ask in front of Emilia, considering how important promises were to her.
Anyways, now that the situation was blocked in every direction. Letting Emilia go alone was out of the question, but the Garfiel-scouting-plan was dead. Then, in that case, there was only one choice remaining.
[Subaru: I'll go look for Otto so can you wait for a bit?]
[Emilia: Within the time you do something like that, the sun would go down––It's alright. I will go in]
Just as Subaru was trying to get another sacrifice, it was gently rejected by Emilia. As if her mind was now prepared, she glared at the entrance of the Tomb, while lights of vigilance gleamed within her violet pupils, wary of what might arise inside.
She too, judging from the sound of "Trials" and "The Tomb of a Witch", must have guessed what unsettling things might be taking place within.
Carrying the same concerns and anxieties as she did, yet to lack even the strength to hold her hand, wouldn't that be far too pathetic.
[Subaru: Ok just a bit inside... no, just near the entrance, but I'll just go in a little bit and check, how's that...?]
[Garfiel: I think it's better if ya don't? Subaru ain't got the qualifications. If ya go in without bein invited by the Witch's Tomb, you'll end up just like Roswaal]
[Subaru: Like Roswaal... You mean that guy's injuries, are because he went in there?]
As the image of Roswaal's bandage-covered body resurfaced in his mind, Subaru tried to press back his astonishment as he looked up at Garfiel, who crossed his arms and nodded in confirmation,
[Garfiel: Well it won't be like that for any unqualified dumbass that wanders in there at night. It's only cus it was that guy, tha you got somethn like that. I wouldn't be surprised if a normal guy without qualifications went in there and got ripped in half]
[Subaru: Those injuries weren't inflicted by anyone, so that's what he meant...]
Roswaal's roundabout statement finally made sense. When he said earlier that he wasn't wounded by anyone in particular, he had been referring to something like that.
But then, another question arose. Why did Roswaal enter the Tomb?
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――That he himself was unqualified, he must have known that.
[Subaru: ...I better go check inside first after all]
Leaving the doubts about Roswaal for later, Subaru lowered his head as he made this conclusion.
Hearing his answer, for an instant Emilia and Garfiel looked stunned, before,
[Garfiel: Oy oy, were you listenin to me? It'd be dangerous if a dumbass without qualification goes in. Roswaal got like that at night time, but even if it's noon ya won't be much safer]
[Emilia: Yeah, it's dangerous, don't do it Subaru? If I go, it'd be alright. I was never thankful for it, but being a Half-Elf has its uses too, I guess, so...]
[Subaru: I'm glad you're worried about me, but]
Casting a gentle gaze on Emilia, who was tugging on the end of his sleeve, Subaru softly picked off the fingers which were holding onto him,
[Subaru: If we calm down and divide up our roles, isn't this the natural conclusion? Going inside is dangerous, that's the same for both of us. What we know so far just means that I might be in slightly more danger. So next we be should be looking at what each of us can do]
[Emilia: What we can do?]
[Subaru: If something bad happens inside, I won't be able to heal Emilia-tan. Unless Garfiel turns out to be that kind of insanely surprisingly guy, and happens to be an amazing healing magic user, then it'd be a different story]
[Garfiel: Wounds, mostly you can just rub spit on 'em and it'll be good, right?]
[Subaru: Judging from the suspect's testimony... it's pretty much like that. Since either of us have the possibility of getting injured, I'd want to keep the healer Emilia-tan safe as an insurance]
Taking a sidelong glance at Garfiel, who had said those words proudly, Subaru tried to persuade Emilia.
Emilia seemed somewhat shaken by Subaru's argument, but, deciding that she could not give ground on the important part, continued with [But], shaking her head from side to side,
[Emilia: Major injuries... or if it's a life-threatening wound, I won't be able to treat it. Puck isn't responding either, so there's a limit to what I can do. Roswaal has settled down now, but...]
[Subaru: Well, those wounds were pretty dangerous ones, huh. ...But still, try to believe in the slipperiness of my survival skills. I think I rank pretty high on the resilience index of this world, you know?]
He smiled at Emilia, who was not letting go; only, this time, his reply did not sound like he was joking.
In fact, it's rare to find someone as bad at giving up as Subaru. If he were given an infinite number of chances to keep trying, no matter how many times it takes, he would probably keep trying.
No matter how many times his heart is broken, and crushed, he will keep struggling in search of the answer he was seeking.
Because that, is Natsuki Subaru's –––.
[Subaru: Then what if I make you a promise? Then you won't have to worry anymore. I promise, I will return to Emilia-tan's side, and I will never leave you]
[Emilia: –––ok]
Holding out his pinky finger, saying it almost teasingly, he received an unexpectedly favorable reply. Like the stunned Subaru, Emilia held out her pinky as well, and slightly tilted her head,
[Emilia: Um, what do you do with this finger?]
[Subaru: Eh? Uh, we tangle up each other's pinky fingers like... Uuuoooouu, Emilia-tan's fingers are super thin and white and cute...!]
Their fingers tangling up, Subaru was moved by the unexpected contact. Then, following the violet pupils waiting for the next prompt, he quietly cleared his throat, and
[Subaru: Pin-ky-pro-mise. Liar-turns-into-a-pin-cushion]
[Emilia: Pinky promise!]
Their pinky fingers separating at the same time, in this way, the promise between Subaru and Emilia was sealed.
This time, it was a promise made upon an understanding of how heavy promises were to Emilia. It was no longer possible to treat them like he did before, when he had taken them so carelessly.
[Subaru: So, I'll just take a quick look inside. Basically, I'll keep calling out while I'm looking around, so make sure to keep calling back to me from the outside so I don't get too lonely]
[Garfiel: Son of'a… sometimes I can't tell if yer a badass or a wimp]
[Subaru: I'm a rather careful person. But in the end, I'm breaking Ram's advice after all...]
Muttering the second half of that sentence in his mouth, Subaru apologised to the girl with peach-colored hair in his heart.
The deranged will of a Witch –– what she had said was a disturbing term, and one he did not want Emilia to hear. Because surely, she would insist on going in by herself, with an even firmer attitude.
[Emilia: Subaru. If you feel there's something dangerous, you have to come back right away]
Emilia held her hands in front of her chest, and saw Subaru off with a worried gaze.
And in return, Subaru shot her an original thumbs-up with his pinky finger raised, sparkled his teeth in a smile, and took his step forward –– turning toward the Tomb.
Crossing over the ivy under his legs, he concentrated his sight on the absolute darkness that lay several meters beyond the entrance. The Grave was filled with silence, and for now, there seemed to be no sign of begrudging voices, or atrocious creatures lying in ambush.
Still, on the other side of that darkness, what could be awaiting him, was truly, in every sense, unknown.
[Subaru: Ee~h, screw it. "If you don't venture into the tiger's den, you won't get the tiger's cub", right? Not that I need a baby tiger or anything!]
As a mofumofu fur-enthusiast, he did have the desire to pet a baby tiger one day, but it was not something he would take any risks over.
Anyways, Subaru, apparently influenced by Garfiel, cheered himself up with an idiom, and making up his mind, he stepped inside the Tomb.
And, the moment he stepped onto the cold surface inside–––,
[Subaru: –––eh?]
There was a mysterious feeling under his foot.
Astounded, Subaru looked down and lost his words. –––The floor, had disappeared.
[Subaru: Wa, wait... That's just way too...]
–––early for the FLAG to be recalled.
The footing he had expected to step on did not exist, and there was not a single thing to support his body as he tilted forward. The hand which he quickly extended out could touch neither the wall nor the floor, and so, Subaru's body was sucked into the darkness beneath his eyes –––.
[Subaru: aaaaaaaaaAAAAAH–––!?]
Deeper and deeper, he fell through the endless abyss.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
––– Then, it was around 10 minutes after waking up at the bottom of the abyss.
Walking around in the middle of a seemingly neverending darkness, at the end of his path, Subaru found himself in front of a lonely girl.
Now, in answer to her questions, Subaru told her everything that lead up to here.
[Subaru: So that's how, falling down after all sorts of things happened, and then walking around feeling hopeless and a little hungry, I stumbled into you. ...Satisfied?]
[Echidona: En, satisfied indeed. It seems you are a person who's even surpassed my expectations]
Covering her mouth with the back of her hand, the girl let out a quiet laugh that sounded like "ku ku ku" as she noticed Subaru watching her with a guarded look.
Sizzling energy was building up in his legs as if he was readying himself to dash out at any moment, and he opened and closed his hands as if preparing to seize her.
But naturally, Subaru's clumsy assault plan was…
[Echidona: There's no reason to be so cautious. And besides, surely you yourself can tell how little of a chance you have if you go up against me? Bravery and a fool's courage are easily mistaken for one another, and yet are quite different things]
[Subaru: Sorry, admitting defeat doesn't really suit my personality. And when you say there's no need to be so cautious... considering I'm standing in front of a person who calls herself the Witch of Greed, is it even possible to follow that advice?]
[Echidona: I see. You really are as you say. It was my bad]
As she received Subaru's agitated reply full of rebellion, the girl ―― the one named Echidona, did not alter her attitude. Rather, with tremendous ease, or perhaps finding the powerless Subaru's dogged attitude amusing, her own attitude was one which transcended even the shifting of dimensions.
Almost like reading a Manga, it was as if she was looking down on a sketched out character with eyes of a completely different dimension. To her, Subaru had never even been standing on the same stage as herself in the first place.
It was precisely because of this, that Subaru regarded her with the greatest caution.
A person emitting an oppressive aura that surpassed even that of the White Whale. The one going by the name of the "Witch of Greed". To what extent was all this real, was an irrelevant question. What was relevant, was that she was a person who was not to be taken lightly, whose overwhelming existence could be recognized even by the likes of Subaru.
However, as cold sweat emerged all over Subaru's forehead, she sent him a playful glance,
[Echidona: Alas, to be treated so cruelly really hurts my feelings. As you can see, I am only a meek and gentle girl, you know? If a boy looks at me with those eyes, it's not like I wouldn't get any ideas]
[Subaru: You aren't talking about the girl who's got "DEATH FLAG" written in big red letters on it, are you? Just so you know, ever since I got here, my caution sensor's been acting up like crazy]
After having tasted "death" so many times since coming to this world, Subaru had acquired some sort of an ability. Even though his deaths are still piling up in spite of this ability, his constant desire to avoid that experience again is forcing Subaru to incorporate more and more vigilance into his consciousness.
And according to that, the level of danger this girl posed was no less than when he was standing in front of Petelgeuse.
Although,
[Echidona: It seems we won't be able to talk properly this way. It can't be helped. ――In that case, how about this arrangement?]
Saying this, Echidona softly raised her right hand in front of her face. Subaru gulped down a breath at this gesture, and immediately after, the girl snapped her fingers with her raised hand.
A faint sound rang out ―― and the world transformed before Subaru's eyes.
The cold stone space of the bottom of a crypt vanished, and panning out in its place was a prairie of green grass swept by the wind. ――And, on top of a small hill,
[Subaru: Wha――!?]
[Echidona: Instead of playing in a place like that, how about here?]
Laughing at Subaru's amazement as he looked all around, on top of the hill, Echidona ―― sitting in one of the chairs surrounding a white table, showed Subaru a seat opposite her own, and pleaded for him to come.
With no idea what just happened, Subaru hesitated as he came up to her. Neatly placed on the table were steaming cups of tea.
Seeing Subaru staring at her silently,
[Echidona: Don't worry, there's nothing dangerous inside. I could take a first sip if you like? Although, if you suspect whether a Witch can't be poisoned, then it wouldn't prove a thing]
[Subaru: ...I'm beat. Since coming in here, all my common sense just keeps getting overturned. What happened just now? You could use Spatial-Transition magic as well?]
Before this, Subaru's experience of Spatial-Transition magic had been at the hands of Beatrice.
With her hands, she had thrown Subaru out of the Forbidden Library and launched him all the way into a livestock barn in Arlam village. ***This happened right after Beatrice threw him out in the Arc 4 Chapter 3 Prelude: Arc 3 Ch71 [The Girl In The Forbidden Library] excerpt – TC
According to Julius, this magic was a lost art, but if the person in front of his eyes was a Witch, then it would not be such a surprising thing.
[Echidona: Spatial-transition... oh, the Dark magic. No, this is your misunderstanding. That magic has a lot of disadvantages. I'm not fond of it so it's not something I'd use. This now was just a small trick. I have some degree of freedom here. Because this is my Citadel, after all]
[Subaru: Your, Citadel...?]
Furrowing his brows at Echidona's words, Subaru looked all around once again.
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The wind-swept grasslands seemed to be endless, and in all directions there appeared to be nothing beyond the horizons. In reality, whether this empty landscape actually existed was another matter, but it was truly a fantastical sight.
Noticing this, Subaru gulped down his saliva and then shrugged his shoulders with a smile on his face,
[Subaru: Unfortunately, I can't see a Castle or even a hut anywhere. What, is your Citadel being rebuilt right now or something? Or did they repossess everything except your table and chairs because you can't pay back the loan?]
[Echidona: Fffhaha. You really are funny. In front of me, there are very few people who could throw such impudent retorts, except other Witches like myself. Surely, after my death, I never thought there would be an increment in that number]
As if the number of times Echidona could remember herself laughing at a joke was something that could be counted on one's fingers, adding Subaru to that list seemed to bring her great joy.
But on the other hand, Subaru's face loured as he caught a phrase which could not be missed from her words. Just now, she surely said this. That it was "after my death".
[Subaru: If it is true that you are the Witch of Greed, then you should be dead if I remember correctly. I came here to visit your grave, after all]
[Echidona: Oh in that case I sincerely thank you. If you wish to bring me some flowers then please place it near the entrance. I am a person who is not fond of alcohol, so if you want to make an offering then something sweet would be appreciated]
[Subaru: So there's a culture of offering in this world too, huh... Sorry, but I didn't bring any local produce and I forgot to buy the flowers. Please be satisfied with my smile]
It was a smile of flowers blooming in profusion–– the poisonous types of flowers, though.
As Subaru was showcasing that, Echidona purred pleasantly. She then brought the cup resting on the table to her lips, and, taking a sip, she went on,
[Echidona: I've never had a chance to drink tea so happily even when I was alive. Just as I thought, there are things to look forward to even after death. New discoveries are inexhaustible]
[Subaru: You know, this conversation between you and me being a thing in itself is already really weird. ...Damnit, I'll drink it. I'll just drink it!]
Acting so cautious and on edge in front of a person who had no guard up started making him feel stupid, so Subaru, as if plundering it, snatched the cup from the table and gulped down its contents in a rush.
It was neither water, nor tea, nor black tea, but had an inconceivable taste. It was not unpleasant, though.
[Echidona: Drinking up something a Witch gave you, you must be quite courageous]
[Subaru: Hah. Having come all the way here, how can I be frightened now. First of all, if you wanted to kill me then in the next panel I would have already been in cinders. So I shouldn't be so cautious about a cup of tea]
Swinging his hand, he placed the emptied cup down on the table with [Thanks for the treat], and continued,
[Subaru: It was neither good or bad but, what kind of tea was this?]
[Echidona: Considering it was something formed out of my Citadel. If I put it into words, it'd be my bodily fluid]
[Subaru: What the hell did you make me drink!?]
Subaru jumped up knocking his chair away, and struggled to vomit out the liquid he just drank. But, she only softly giggled "kkuku" at Subaru's dramatic overreaction
[Echidona: That was unexpected. I didn't think my appearance was that bad]
[Subaru: However much it may be the body fluids of a beautiful girl, I don't want to drink it without being prepared first! And even if I was prepared I don't want to drink anything described as bodily fluids! I have normal fetishes, you know!?]
He had no property of being excited by saliva or sweat, at least he thought.
Although if that was Emilia's or Rem's, he thought it might not be too bad, but he quietly hid that in his heart, and went on,
[Subaru: Crap, I can't vomit this out. –––Hey, this isn't bad for my body or anything right?]
[Echidona: Don't worry. It is easily absorbed by the body without obstructions. It is bodily fluid, after all]
[Subaru: You aren't really saying something good, stop doing that face!]
Seeing Echidona's slightly bragging attitude, Subaru winced. And Echidona, to whom Subaru was voicing his vehement objection, only tilted her cup with a refreshing expression, and went on [Anyways],
[Echidona: You really are an intriguing character. The fact that you are standing in front of me normally is proof of that]
[Subaru: What, you're too much of a beautiful girl so normally other people's eyes collapse when they see you or something? I'll say this first, I feed my eyes on who I consider to be the most beautiful girls on a regular basis. So even looking at you I don't have many opportunities to think of you as a that cute of a girl]
[Echidona: No, when normal people stand in front of me they vomit. It's funny, right?]
[Subaru: What's so funny about that!?]
Right from the beginning of their conversation, there had been nothing but unsettling words popping out. Subaru took another look at the girl sitting in the chair,
Her hair and her entire body were white like snow. Her black clothes looked almost like she was in mourning dress, and a remaining hint of youthfulness gave her beauty a color of bewitching glamour. He mused in his thoughts about how a beautiful woman in funerary clothes could have a certain magical charm, but her never-disappearing aura of oppressiveness kept making him regard her existence as a menace.
[Echidona: So–––]
Then, looking up at Subaru whose vigilance had not dissipated, she placed her emptied cup on the table as well, and, tracing her finger on the edge, she went on,
[Echidona: Talking on like this would be a refreshing pleasure for me but ...it wouldn't be so for you, would it? I think there must be something you want to say, or want to ask, isn't there?]
[Subaru: ...Yeah there is. That's right! Being swallowed by the atmosphere I had completely forgotten, but that's right. You are ... no, actually before that, where the heck is this? Is this really inside the Tomb?]
For Subaru, this was connected to the place he fell into not long after he stepped into the Tomb.
He would have readily believed that the gloomy place from before was the bottom of the Tomb. But now, having been invited to a prairie like this, even that felt doubtful.
To that question from Subaru, Echidona softly stroked her own white hair with her hands, and,
[Echidona: That question was half correct and half incorrect. Your body is surely inside the Tomb, but your mind is in my Citadel. To put it into words, this is inside a dream]
[Subaru: A dream...? But, I don't remember your face so much to see you in a dream]
[Echidona: You are inside a dream, I could say, but it does not have to be inside your dream. This is my Citadel–––so, it is inside my dreams. A space similar to this one… don't you know it?]
To Echidona's pursuit, Subaru held his breath. He then slightly shook his head,
[Subaru: Wha, what is your basis for saying something like that...]
[Echidona: I have no assured proof. But, somehow or another, I just felt it. Your attitude looks away from something you know; I just felt like that your's resembles the behavior of a person like that]
[Subaru: ...It's true, that I don't know. But, what you're saying is not wrong either]
It was not a severe way of putting it, but to Subaru, it felt like her words were an impeachment.
Echidona's words were not mistaken, but Subaru's reply was no lie either.
When he was told that he was inside a dream, Subaru, while he was surprised, also comprehended it easily. It was as if this feeling was well-known and understood by his heart already.
Why it felt like that ―― he could not find the reason even searching through all his memories, though,
[Subaru: I'll accept that this is inside your dreams for now. So then, how do I get out of here?]
[Echidona: To wake from a dream, one either wishes to wake up, or is woken up externally. However, even if someone tries to wake me from the outside, my body is no longer present, and it is quite difficult to wake yourself from someone else's dream. So, you can't wake up until I feel like letting you go, and decide to wake up, I think]
[Subaru: ――! Then, are you actually...]
Subaru shivered at Echidona's simple words.
Her Citadel, the meaning of that word now carried a shape of vivid reality. Subaru's captured soul was now in her palms. The deranged wills of a Witch which Ram had spoken of―― the truth of those words swelled in his mind.
[Subaru: Not planning on letting me leave...?]
Even though he was exercising the greatest caution, he was throwing words which may enter him into a fatal rift with the Witch. The fact that if she revealed her true nature he would have no chance against her was well understood.
And then, to the question by Subaru, she spilled out a small sigh,
[Echidona: No, not really. I will let you go if you want to go back, you know? I was not the one who called you here, it was you who came by yourself, after all]
[Subaru: What are you doing to my nervousness? 'Mr.Serious' is not breathing, you know?]
[Echidona: Mr.Serious, unlike you, is not standing in front of me. Maybe he's vomiting under the shade of a tree somewhere?]
In front of Echidona's smoothly spewed venom, Subaru felt sapped of all his strength. In the end, what was she trying to do by coming into contact with him?
It had only been a short time, but even after their conversation he had no grasp of her character at all. Although, for a person referred to as a Witch, it was not surprising that it would not be possible to understand her so easily.
[Subaru: Anyways, then please let me go if you can let me go. There's probably a girl who's waiting and getting worried about me. If I had the time to drink your body fluids, I'd rather go back to that girl so she won't be so worried]
[Echidona: That's fine with me, but is it fine with you?]
[Subaru: Fine with what?]
[Echidona: To go back when you are right in front of me, that is. –––An opportunity to have a conversation with the Witch of Greed, it's not something that people other than yourself could get even if they tried]
This being said, it was the first time that Subaru understood the meaning of her words and taken them into his focus.
Yes. It was. He had only been focused on her menace so far, but had overlooked the most important thing. If she was the Witch of Greed, if she was really the existence which had borne this name in life, then,
[Subaru: You...know the answers to, the things I want to know?]
[Echidona: You are asking me, for the whereabouts of knowledge ――are you?]
In response to Subaru's wrenched out words, once again Echidona laughed with "ku ku ku…". Laughing, this laughter which felt like it was her happiest yet, inflicted the sense of oppression upon Subaru more strongly than ever before.
The atmosphere distorted, and the ambiance of the endless grasslands suddenly began to collapse. The sky cracked, the prairie burned up, and the world beyond the horizons started to decay.
Feeling a non-existent tremble, Subaru hastily stretched out his hands toward the surely existing table. But the moment he touched it, it scattered as if changing into sand. Then,
[Echidona: Just as I thought, you are an amusing being]
Lifting her face, the scenery around Echidona deteriorated, and a bizarre pattern started to cover over the world. A shadow was expanding, extending out arms and legs that stuck and clung onto Subaru's entire body.
In revulsion, he tried to desperately escape, but the collapse of the world had already spread very close to the two of them. The scaffold for escape did not exist. And just so, the world gradually lost out,
[Echidona: If you want to exchange questions and answers, then this space is plenty enough. To know what you want to know. Your desire for such a thing――or rather your Greed, I do approve of it]
What remained between them, was just the space between the chairs in which they were seated. It was a distance close enough to touch if he only stretched out his arm, a world in which they shall sit upon their chairs and have their talk.
The world outside of this had already disappeared. The bottom of the darkness to which his footing had been lost seemed to have no end. Probably without a joke, it would not be possible to come back if he were to fall.
As a chill ran down Subaru's spine, seated on her chair, Echidona seemed to be in a good mood.
She clapped her hands, and gazed into Subaru with her shining eyes,
[Echidona: Come now, what would you like to hear about? If it is anything I know, then I would answer to anything. Is it about the "Witch of Gluttony" Daphné, who had created beasts differing from God, to save the world from hunger? Is it about the "Witch of Lust" Carmilla, who had granted emotion even to those who are not human, to fill the world with love? Is it about the "Witch of Wrath" Minerva, who punched and healed every person, out of grief for the world filled with conflicts? Is it about the "Witch of Sloth" Sekhmet, who drove the Dragon away, beyond the Great Falls, just to bring peace? Is it about the "Witch of Pride" Typhon, who kept on judging the guilty with the innocence and ruthlessness of her youth?]
They sounded unfamiliar ―― or rather, they were the enumeration of a history which should no longer be existing in the current world.
Instilled with the massive amount of information, Subaru could not utter a sound. In front of him, Echidona was still laughing.
[Echidona: Is it about the "Witch of Greed" Echidona, the Incarnation of the Thirst for Knowledge, who remain with her regrets in the world after death, to seek any and every wisdom in the world?]
Pointing to herself with a finger, she said as if with self-ridicule, and went on with [Or…],
[Echidona: The Witch of Envy, who destroyed all of these Witches and made them her food, and turned the rest of the world into her enemy ––– is it about her?]
-=Chapter 10 End=-