Chapter 132: The Trial Ends
[ "—MOM!!" Natsuki Subaru called out to his mother.
Hearing this, Subaru's mother stopped, turned around, and looked at Subaru.
"…I have things I must do, so this will be a long farewell." Subaru paused, then added, "The place I'm going is a bit far, and I won't be able to contact you. I'll probably make you worry a lot. I won't do anything dangerous… I don't dare to claim that. In short, I have to go to a place filled with danger to help someone who constantly gets into trouble." ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"This is…"
Emilia lowered her head slightly.
"The final farewell to his mother… to this home."
Yuriusu added.
"To think Natsuki's resolve for the person he loves is truly…"
Anastasia stroked her hair.
"Still, he says he won't do dangerous things, but immediately doubts his own words. Whether it's Emilia-sama, little Rem, or anyone else, everyone hopes Subaru will cherish himself…"
Ferris was saying this, then suddenly realized that most of the danger sought him out on its own, and to break the deadlock, he had to accompany danger, so he closed his mouth.
—
[ "No matter where I go, I will think of you all. I will never forget…"
"Subaru." Subaru's mother came before Subaru.
"Subaru—it's okay. Mom knows exactly what Subaru wants to say, so you don't have to try so hard to think about how to say it."
"You say you know… why…"
"Because I'm Subaru's mom."
"…" ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"Sigh, the logic doesn't hold up, but it's hard to refute."
Ferris shrugged.
"Really, Natsuki-san is crying again."
On the other side, Otto looked at the screen and said.
—
[ Subaru was silent, and then the scene became moist again.
Subaru was crying again.
But not a single member of the audience mocked this scene.
How could one mock such a final farewell?
"Like, like this… acting like a child… it looks so pathetic… I'm sorry, Mom. In the end, I still couldn't repay you." Subaru's mother reached out and stroked Subaru's hair.
"I didn't give birth to you because I wanted repayment, you know. I gave birth to you because I wanted to do something for you. I gave birth to Subaru because I wanted to love you. If you want to do something for your father and me, then use that heart for someone else. If that person is someone Subaru likes, and if you have a child you want to love with her… wouldn't that be wonderful?"
Yes, Subaru truly did that.
Because we all saw it.
Running for it with his life on the line.
"Yeah, it would be wonderful," Subaru replied.
"If you want to cry, then cry as much as you want. As long as you smile in the end, then it's perfectly fine. Because what's truly important isn't the beginning or the process, but the end." ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"Huh? This phrase…"
I have an impression of it. Or rather, I've always remembered it.
Emilia thought.
Subaru had told her this. Subaru said this was something said by the woman he respected most in the world.
She had been curious about who it was at the time.
"Hmm… is it consequentialism… hmm?"
Yuriusu was just thinking this when, in the scene, Subaru's mother denied it.
—
[ "Does that mean as long as the result is good, everything is OK?" Subaru tried to understand.
"That way of understanding is wrong. This is homework Mom left for you."
"…Then I'm leaving." Subaru sighed.
"Yeah, go on."
Then, he turned around, took a step—
"Ah… right. Subaru, Subaru, I forgot one thing."
Hearing his mother's call, Subaru turned his head back. "Take care."
"…Yeah, I'm off!" ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"…Will Subaru never be able to hear his mother say 'Welcome home' again?"
Emilia's eyes were slightly moist.
"…"
Everyone was silent, giving a wordless answer.
—
[ Then the scene shifted, and Subaru arrived inside an unknown building.
Is this a school in their world?
Called a high school?
He arrived at a doorway, grabbed the doorknob, took a deep breath, and opened it…
"You arrived earlier than expected." Greeting Subaru was a beautiful woman with demonic beauty.
The Witch of Greed, Echidna, sat in her seat, reaching out to stroke her own hair as she spoke.
Then she spoke again: "Welcome—did you gain anything during the time you faced your past?" ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"This…"
Roswaal's cheeks flushed, and he stammered.
"Ah, this is truly, this is truly…"
Otto also didn't know what to say. As for why, it should be because.
—
[ "There's one thing I want to make clear first. You look really good in that school uniform." Subaru naturally accepted the fact that Echidna was there and spoke his mind directly.
Echidna was wearing what Subaru called a "school uniform," her hands folded between her thighs, smiling and looking directly at Subaru.
This outfit was a bit strange, but it definitely couldn't be called ugly.
Plus, the one wearing this outfit was the white-haired Echidna, who possessed demonic beauty, making Roswaal outside the screen heart-thump with excitement.
Women admired her beauty, and men's heartbeats seemed to skip a beat.
The Witch heard this, paused for a moment, and then laughed.
"Haha, thank you. To receive such praise makes it worth it for me to specifically recreate this outfit from your memories."
Echidna stood up and spun around in place.
"But compared to short skirts, I prefer long ones. After all, the longer it takes to lift, the more it stimulates the imagination."
"I see. Then I'll look forward to the next time you lift your skirt." ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"…That's too deliberate. Couldn't Subaru-dono see it… No, since he was so calm, perhaps he already saw it."
Wilhelm said.
"Hmm, saying these ambiguous things to Natsuki probably won't work at all. After all, Natsuki's heart has already been divided in half by Emilia and Rem."
Anastasia looked at Emilia and Rem and said.
"Mother…"
That dignified and graceful mother… to go to such lengths to please Subaru…
Beatrice said softly.
—
[ "So, what is this place? I entered a place called your graveyard, and then…"
"You, who possess the qualifications, entered the graveyard, so the 'Trial' began; that is all."
"I'm starting to remember. Where did you put the memories of when we first met? I had forgotten you completely."
It seems indeed, Echidna had sealed Subaru's memories.
However, it was slightly different; according to Echidna's explanation, it was less of a seal and more of an interference that rewrote his memories.
"Uh… so does that mean I cleared it?"
"I am satisfied enough with this result. When you said 'I'm sorry,' it made even me moisten my eyes."
"You're so annoying! Don't tell anyone, it's so embarrassing!"
Echidna not only mentioned this, but when she said "I'm sorry," she even imitated Subaru's tone perfectly.
This made Subaru incredibly shy.
Then, after the conversation, Echidna indicated that Subaru had completely passed the trial.
And Subaru also learned that there were three trials.
Just like that, the world gradually disintegrated. Or rather, this false world gradually disintegrated.
The first trial belonging to Subaru had ended. ]
.....
( Translator-kun: A little fan service we got here... )