Chapter 53 - x

CHAPTER 1

A BEELINE TOWARD SLOTH

1

Subaru Natsuki began the strategy meeting he'd dubbed Witch Cult Hunting Made Simple.

It was before dawn on the Liphas plains. A group of about fifty warriors and mercenaries had gathered together. Standing at the center of attention of so many accomplished people was a little rough on Subaru's nerves.

These people were older, veteran soldiers or rough-and-tumble beast people mercenaries. From Subaru's perspective, they were from a different world. Barring very specific circumstances, Subaru would never have had the opportunity to cross paths with them. And now these residents of a world unconnected to his own were sitting in a circle with Subaru at the center.

That his meandering path had put him in command of such people sent a gale of anxiety and weakness through Subaru's heart. But his passion and will to fight were every bit as intense.

"Figures…"

The scene before Subaru's eyes was what he had yearned for every time he experienced Return by Death, something that had seemed almost impossible to reach. Subaru's piddling readiness and self-respect gave rise to an urge so great that it was almost painful; he didn't want to fail the innumerable people who had guided him so far ever again. He criticized himself for this more harshly than anyone else could have.

"—"

"What is it, Subaru? You went quiet all of a sudden."

When Subaru put his fist to his chest in self-admonishment, someone watching him from the side called out to him. It was the other man who stood out even among their current company, a gorgeous man wearing the uniform of a Knight of the Royal Guard—Julius Juukulius.

"I hardly think you're getting cold feet, but…time is of the essence. You said yourself there's not a moment to spare, no?"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. You don't need to snap at me every time. The first thing you say at times like these is important, so I was just thinking about how to put it best."

"Such concern is unnecessary. Everyone here already knows your conduct before large numbers of people is problematic. Pay it no concern and simply be yourself."

"Gah-ha-ha-ha! Ya sure said it, Julius! Hey, bro, he really got ya there!" "Grrr…!"

A vein bulged on Subaru's forehead as his darkest moment was dragged out into the open. Ricardo, commander of the beast-man mercenary band called the Iron Fangs, broke into laughter as sympathetic expressions spread among the knights of the expeditionary force. Apparently, news of Subaru's humiliation at the royal palace had traveled further than he'd thought.

"That's so humiliating…!"

"Yes, yes, now that's enough feeling ashamed of yourself! Subawu, it's your duty to work hard to clean the slate so you can live without shame, right? And Julius, I understand your urge to needle him, but think about how you say things!"

"It seems you misunderstand, Ferris. I had no such intention. Certainly, it would be a happy day if he has become a better speaker for it."

"You really have a roundabout way of doing things…"

Ferris sighed, looking thoroughly annoyed at Julius's sardonic reply. Seeing his reaction, Subaru finally understood the purpose behind Julius's words and deeds. That only gave him the same feelings as Ferris, though.

"A little banter is fine. That said, I believe we should finally address the subject at hand. Our priority should be countermeasures against the Witch Cult."

It was the sharp-looking Wilhelm who dragged the conversation back from the tangent.

Of all his companions, Subaru expected the most out of the Sword Devil, both mentally and in terms of combat. Subaru had cooperated with him in slaying the White Whale, the elderly warrior's mortal foe of many years. In return, he unreservedly lent Subaru his strength.

Joining Subaru and Wilhelm's force were the survivors of the White Whale expeditionary force as well as the Iron Fangs' reinforcements. These fifty-odd individuals formed the Anti-Witch Alliance, which would challenge the Witch Cult.

"Well, since Wilhelm asked and because time's a-wasting, I'll get to the point. The topic of discussion today is Witch Cult Hunting Made Simple… The actual contents are pretty simple. Like with anything, simpler methods give more intense results."

"Logical. What is your plan, then?"

"How about we kick their asses—go in for a preemptive strike to take the enemy commander's head and victory along with it."

"...…"

Subaru's conclusion sent a faint whiff of surprise through those present. His words were the very definition of audacity. That "commander's head" belonged to one of the Archbishops of the Seven Deadly Sins commanding the Witch Cult.

"Well, that's definitely simple. Assuming we pull it off, it'd be a huge blow to the Cult."

Amid the group's unease, which was beginning to border on unrest, Ricardo was the first to speak up in admiration. The huge dog-man showed off his fangs as he smiled, touching those sharp canine teeth with a finger as he spoke again.

"That's if we can pull it off, though. Anyone can talk big. Can't go countin' our chickens before they hatch."

Ricardo was the first to show he understood Subaru's aim, but he also made sure to call for caution. Subaru thumped his own chest in response and immediately followed up.

"Of course I have a plan. I proved I'm not reckless enough to hunt a whale without a fishhook, didn't I?"

"Man, I already believe you. That's why I wanna hear your reasoning, get it?"

While Subaru was brimming with confidence, Ricardo prompted him to get on with it as he ground his fangs together. Subaru realized his other comrades shared the dog-man's feelings when he saw how they drew closer, eagerly awaiting the details of his proposal.

"Okay, I'll lay this out one part at a time. First, the Witch Cult is targeting the Mathers domain, where Emilia is. This is due to all sorts of background information. We'll leave it at that for now, okay?"

"So those are the starting conditions? Very well. In truth, we anticipated that it was likely an incident related to the Witch Cult would occur in the Mathers domain. The appearance of the White Whale at the same time cannot be dismissed as mere coincidence."

"So what…the Witch Cult used the White Whale to seal the highway with its mist and isolate the Mathers domain, meow? Looks like the Cult is getting serious. Well, considering their dogma, that almost goes without saying."

When Subaru began going over the situation, Julius and Ferris both added their thoughts. Apparently, though the Witch Cult was still unfathomable in many respects, the fanatics' obscure activities were underpinned by a pervading hostility toward half-elves. Given that, the current attack on the Mathers lands was no doubt due to the announcement that Emilia was participating in the royal selection.

That indiscriminate cruelty would eventually result in a massacre of the villagers. Subaru genuinely believed the cultists were beyond redemption.

"The Witch Cult is after Emilia's life. But that doesn't mean they'll ignore the humans near her. They don't discriminate—they'll kill women and children without mercy."

"There is no room for doubt on that point, however repugnant it may be."

Seeing Subaru's anger, Julius nodded. His eyes held no surprise in them —only furious indignation. The Witch Cult's capacity for evil was common knowledge in this world, after all.

"I want to save Emilia, the people at the mansion, and of course all the villagers. Now, I thought about getting everyone in the area to the mansion and holing up there, but…"

"Against the Witch Cult, whose members can appear anywhere without the slightest warning, sheltering in place seems a poor plan."

"Yeah, we're gonna pass that one up."

The point of holing up was to maintain one's forces and hold out for some kind of impending victory. Subaru's force couldn't count on reinforcements, so it wasn't much of an option.

Besides, wasting the fighting strength currently in Subaru's hands on a defensive battle would foolishly squander the one clear advantage he possessed. The information he'd gleaned from Return by Death would be worthless the instant events greatly diverged. If an armed group paraded into the mansion, even Petelgeuse would probably revise his plans. He might change the method of attack, or even call off the attack altogether.

Furthermore, if Subaru was to maximize the value of what he'd obtained through Return by Death—

"—We need to go after the Witch Cult lurking in the forest before they figure out what we're up to. While they're prepped to strike first, we've gotta strike even before that, and crush 'em."

"I appreciate the enthusiasm, meow, but how do we find the Witch Cult in the forest? No one's managed to grab their tail in four hundred years. We need something to go on."

"Yeah, about that… Long story short, it's like fishing for the White Whale."

"Meow…?"

Subaru's suddenly cryptic explanation made Ferris's big, round eyes bulge even bigger.

"I used my scent to lure the whale in, right? I can do the same thing with the Witch Cult, too."

"…"

"Yeah, this condition I have is scary stuff. It's a real pain in the butt, haha."

"…"

"Ha-ha-ha…"

Subaru's dry laugh was the only sound in the silent atmosphere; when it trailed off, an unsettled air hung over the plains. He looked at the faces of those around him, wondering how they would respond to his long-awaited, long-delayed plan. Subaru himself could not explain it any better; he had no reasoning for why he could lure demon beasts and Witch cultists save his physical makeup. All he could do was recognize the fact and say, That's how it is.

Someday the truth behind that would become clear, but even if there was some terrible reason it was so, the best thing he could do right now was rely on it. Hence—

"I figured in advance my story wasn't gonna sound very persuasive."

Subaru surveyed the silent knights and beast people, speaking the truth in the most honest way he could think of.

"I think calling it crazy talk, unbelievable stuff, is the natural reaction to have. But still…"

"Sir Subaru."

"…Please believe me. I've said a lot of stupid things in my life, but I meant everything I just told you. That's how I decided to be, and that's why I want your help."

Up to that point, those around Subaru had reached out to him time after time, only for him to reject them and trample on their feelings. He only realized this now that he was facing his first true challenge.

Subaru was powerless and ignorant before the task that loomed before him. On his own, it would be impossible. He needed help from others—from everyone.

"I only have one head, so it's the only thing I can ask you with. But if this single head won't do, I'll bow it as many times as you like, so please, lend me your strength."

"…"

Subaru pleaded with them, lowering his head for all to see.

Those around Subaru were silent; the only sound was that of the wind crossing the plains. After several moments, the first to speak was a small beast man, a lieutenant of the Iron Fangs called TB.

With an adorable face, he adjusted the position of his monocle and stared straight at Subaru. "I understand what you are trying to say. However, if you ask us to believe you without any basis for…gah?!"

"What are you worrying about, TB?"

In the middle of his lecture to Subaru, TB was interrupted by a single blow from his older sister Mimi, who stood nearby. She smacked his back, and as her younger brother groaned, she laughed innocently.

"Mister here worked reaaaally hard to take down that big fish, you know!

No one who worked that hard would try to trick us, so it's okay!"

"S-Sis, could you please be quiet?! This is a very important conver—"

"You're always trying to be crofty… Wait, huh? Cro? Cru? Crufty…?" "Crafty?"

"That's the one! You won't grow big if you're doing that all the time!"

Mimi bluntly scolded her teary-eyed younger brother. Then, turning from the wilting TB, she pointed at Subaru.

"You didn't fight that big fish earlier, TB! So if you can't trust Mister here, just trust in your big sis!"

"—"

"Big Sis believes in Mister, so since you believe in Big Sis, you can trust Mister, right, TB? Besides, Mimi will protect TB no matter what happens!" Mimi puffed her chest out as she spoke, brimming with confidence. Though her words surprised TB, they immediately wore him down. The hostility he'd displayed earlier drained from his face. The sight of the siblings made the others unwittingly break into broad smiles.

Amid the unexpected outpouring of laughter, Mimi tilted her head with a curious look and asked, "What?"

"Nahhh, don't sweat it. That was perfect. You said it great."

His eyes softening, Ricardo patted Mimi's head so hard that his huge palm almost looked like it would pop her head right off.

"There's still things that bug me, but havin' come this far, we're not gonna doubt bro now. We crossed that bridge a long while ago." "—" Subaru's eyes widened at the unexpected words.

Then, in apparent agreement with Ricardo, Wilhelm stepped forward. "Sir Subaru, a man should not lower his head lightly. Indeed, to avoid meeting a person's eyes when you ask something of them is unacceptable— had you looked, you would surely have noticed it yourself by now."

The Sword Devil's solemn words urged Subaru to lift his chin and look around. As he examined the faces of those surrounding him, Subaru realized that their feelings had not changed. Not a single thing about them was different since the discussion began—

"You know, meow, it puts us in a bind if you go quiet all on your own like that. It's not as if anyone thinks your story is a lie, Subawu."

With a subdued look, Ferris passed a finger through his own fur as he spoke. The absence of objections proved that everyone present agreed. Under Subaru's gaze, Julius maintained his usual elegant handsomeness as he stood straight.

"Besides, Subawu, your decoy plan is what decided the fight with the White Whale. It was Lady Crusch who chose to bet on that…which means doubting Subawu is the same as doubting Lady Crusch, and there's no way Ferri could do such a thing."

"That is a very Ferris-like thing to say, but Sir Subaru has simply earned our trust through his actions. That is the plain truth known to all who witnessed that battle."

"H-hey, Old Man Wil?!"

"Of course, I am included in that."

Ferris was visibly nervous, his voice going shrill, but Wilhelm merely nodded strongly in Subaru's direction, paying no heed to the retort.

Such unreserved consideration made Subaru's cheeks run hot as he appreciated the surrounding atmosphere.

"I'm so uncool… Guess I'm as bad at reading the atmosphere as ever."

"I believe an atmosphere is something to be breathed, not read?"

"Oh, shut up! I knew that already! And that the less you can read it the more you obsess about it!"

Julius's comment made Subaru's voice go ragged as he swept away all the excess sentimentality within him.

He'd unnecessarily embarrassed himself again. All things considered, though, it wasn't such a bad price to pay.

"Our trust in you is the result of your own accomplishments, Sir Subaru."

Although Subaru could not clarify his reasoning on such an important plan, he'd done enough to earn their trust. Just like Rem had somehow come to believe him, even though the contents of Subaru's words might have given them pause, they did not doubt his motives.

It was the proper way for someone who'd Returned by Death, bearing information from a lost world, to coexist with others—and at that moment, Subaru felt as if it had all come together, right before his eyes.

2

"I—I wasn't crying! I just felt like all the suffering and regret I felt coming all this way had finally paid off, and when I drifted off, some protein-infused alkaline water spilled out of my eyes. That's all! Don't get the wrong idea!!"

Subaru tried his best to hide his tears. At any rate, he glossed over the conflicted emotions inside him, raising his head and diving into the main topic.

"Anyway, if everyone trusts me, that speeds things up a lot. So my selling point is that the Witch Cult and demon beasts react to my scent. I'll use that to lure the Witch Cult."

"So we'll wipe out whatever appears in one fell swoop? If it could become more than an impractical theory, that sounds like a fine plan, but what do you estimate the actual odds of success to be?"

"Odds?"

"The probability that they will detect you and willingly reveal themselves."

Julius, who had not questioned the plan's viability up to that point, voiced his doubts for the first time.

By this point, the members of the expeditionary force who had participated in the battle with the White Whale didn't need an explanation for Subaru's peculiar ability. But Julius and the relief force that had just joined them hadn't seen it for themselves. Naturally they wanted to know Subaru's worth as a decoy—they were betting their lives.

"Given the nature of this strategy, we cannot allow the matter to remain vague. What do you think?"

"The probability of me drawing them out is a hundred percent. They'll come for sure."

"That is a bold statement."

"Those cultists'll come out for sure. It's because they're them, and I'm me."

Julius received an explanation that didn't really explain anything. When it came to confidence in himself, Subaru was second to none. The facts he discovered via Return by Death were absolute. That certainty was his sole advantage.

"You mentioned before…that you have a history with the Witch Cult, didn't you?"

"Yeah. Those are the worst memories I have. I won't let 'em get away with anything like it ever again."

Strictly speaking, that "history" was a future that had yet to come. So long as the actions of Subaru and others did not change it, that horrible future would be realized; he was in this place, at this time, to defy and shatter that destiny.

"…I see. Very well. So we'll be using your presence to lure them out then. Is that right?"

"…You…were easier to convince than I thought."

"I never intended to oppose your plan to begin with. I simply wanted to see if you had the resolve to lead such a dangerous operation. If you lacked the determination, it would have been necessary to find a substitute."

"Say what you want, but it's way too late for me to be getting cold feet now."

Subaru snorted at Julius's mean-spirited prodding as he brushed his meager personal worries aside. If he acted timid now, it would play right into Julius's hands. Subaru made a point to stand up straighter.

"I'm saying this loud and clear. The Witch Cult is gonna show up wherever I am. The Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins is no exception. So basically, when they come out, we beat them senseless. As far as that goes, it's a pretty simple plan."

"It really does sound simple when put that way… I have to say, Subawu, between this and the White Whale, you really enjoy using yourself as a decoy."

"Hey, don't say it like I do this every time something comes up. It's only been coincidence up until now. It's not like it's every single…"

Thinking back, his main role during the fight against Elsa in the loot cellar was being a distraction, followed by luring the Urugarum out in the demon beast forest. Then he became the bait for the White Whale. At the present, he was planning an operation against the Witch Cult that centered around his serving as a decoy—

"Huh?! Wait—it really is every time!"

"It would appear you have both ample experience and ample success under your belt. Perhaps we can count on your performance this time as well."

"You can…! You can, but…!"

Though Subaru groaned as he listened to Julius's words, he couldn't find a way to respond.

"So now that we've settled on me acting as a decoy, I wanna focus on everything else. First, the Witch Cult is hiding out in the forest around the manor. There's no better place for it. As for the possibility of other places the cultists could be based…the mist takes care of all that. They wanted to use the mist to cut off the Mathers turf. That means they're hiding out in this region somewhere. Closing off all roads leading out works against them, too."

There was no need to persuade anyone on that point—the White Whale had made it clear. Its obedience of the Witch Cult meant that the demon beast's appearance was necessary for whatever the cultists had planned.

Of course, the White Whale was no help to the Cult this time, having already been slain—

"The White Whale was taken down pretty much right when it appeared. We'll reach the cultists before they figure out what happened."

"Then this will be a battle against time. If we press our blades to the necks of those hiding in the forest, it will come down to a proper contest of strength. With Julius's reinforcements and the Iron Fangs added to the expeditionary force, as well as my modest strength, I do not think we shall lose."

"Well, that's how it is."

Subaru agreed with Wilhelm's assessment.

The fighting ability of the Witch Cult disciples following Petelgeuse couldn't be underestimated. However, many of the troops following Subaru's command were fierce warriors that had survived a battle with the White Whale. Even accounting for Petelgeuse, they were more than a match for a fight with the cultists.

Even Subaru could put up a fight if it was hand-to-hand combat. But considering Wilhelm's skill, it wouldn't be strange to watch heads fly after a single blow. In other words, everything else came down to how much they could tilt the circumstances in their favor, with victory hinging on a single decisive battle.

"Setting up a big ol' ambush means we'll have an overwhelming advantage…!"

In the first place, Petelgeuse had no idea a force was coming for them. The Witch Cult had always been the attacker. Their name was synonymous with irrationality and contradiction. Without a doubt, they'd never even considered that someone might threaten them.

—Subaru would smash that conceit to pieces.

"Maybe everything's been great for you bastards up till now…but we aren't going to let that happen this time."

"—"

Everyone who heard the conviction in Subaru's words wore a tense expression.

They knew. The battle awaiting them was a chance to strike a blow against the vile existence known as the Witch Cult, which had never been possible until that very moment.

"After we enter the Mathers lands, I'll smoke out the Witch Cult lurking in the forest. But the Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins is a sly one. He has a bunch of people under him, split into ten or so groups."

"Where did you learn this?"

"From last time Sloth popped his head out. He called his servants fingers, telling them apart with names like right middle finger, left ring finger, and stuff. He didn't seem to go as far as including toes, so we shouldn't have to worry about twenty groups showing up or anything."

Petelgeuse had distinguished between the groups under his command according to fingers. Subaru hadn't had the luxury of confirming that the Cult leader had ten fingers, but he surely ought to have the same ten that any human being did. Moreover, the madman's state made Subaru think that his followers were divided into groups equal to that number of fingers.

For some reason, though, Subaru's reply stirred unrest within the expeditionary force. Subaru raised his eyebrows at their reaction, but Julius's next question helped him realize what was wrong.

"Subaru, does the prior history you mentioned involve the Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins? More importantly, is Sloth masterminding the attack?"

"—Sorry. I didn't explain enough. Yeah, the Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins we're gonna bump into is that Sloth bastard. He's the one I have a connection with. In this world, he's the owner of the face I hate the most."

"Hmm. Incidentally, I presume your second-most-hated face belongs to me?"

"Don't get carried away. Don't be trying to make yourself a big part of my life, all right?"

It seemed as if Julius joked to hide his admiration, while Subaru could only scowl in response.

When it came to ranking faces he despised, Petelgeuse definitely took the top, with Subaru's own following at the number two spot. Julius was fairly high up on the charts, but it'd take an awful lot to dethrone the leader and runner-up.

"That asshole's put me through hell. But thanks to that, I know for a fact my odor's effective, on top of the knowledge that he splits up his followers into fingers."

"Meow, I see. That's why you're so confident… Better not to ask about what happened, hmm?"

"…Yeah, that's right. Please don't. I'll tell you about anything that's important, though."

"Loud and clear. Asking seems like it'll just leave a sour taste anyway."

Somehow, Ferris seemed sympathetic when he saw the unbridled rage Subaru displayed when discussing the Witch Cult. Perhaps Ferris was connecting Subaru's condition with some kind of tragic past of his own. That would have been a misunderstanding, but Subaru made no move to correct him.

"Also, not to put a damper on our plan of attack, but I've arranged for some insurance, too. I asked Anastasia and Russel for that before we set out to take down the White Whale."

"Insurance you asked the lady for? What kind of evil plan is this…?"

"It was just a normal request! Geez, who the hell do you think your employer is?!"

The genuine look of doubt on Ricardo's face drew a yell from Subaru.

"Actually, what I asked both of them to do was touch base with the villages near the highway—I wanted them to hire the dragon carriages from every traveling merchant in the neighborhood. The client is Marquis Mathers, and the condition is that he pays the asking price for everything the carriages are hauling."

"…Ha. That should get 'em fired up."

"There's no question this is going to break the bank, but it's a necessary expense to save people's lives. It's the obvious call to make since Roswaal is off prancing around somewhere again right when we need him."

The lure of gold ought to attract plenty of helpers. The money actually belonged to Roswaal, but it was his own fault for not fulfilling the duty of a landlord that he mentioned so often.

Either way, Subaru had finished laying the groundwork for the evacuation plan—getting Emilia and the villagers out before the Witch Cult attacked— though it had failed before.

"This leaves us with a small problem…namely that we don't want the Witch Cult to get wind of what we're up to, so I wanna hook up with the group of hired merchants along the way."

"Certainly, it would be wise not to put them on guard when we depend on the element of surprise. We should assign people familiar with the

circumstances to guide the merchant group. TB."

"I understand. If the lady's involved, I think it's best we send people from our camp. We'll dispatch four messengers. Your instructions, please."

"Oh, that was fast. I appreciate it."

Subaru felt relieved after witnessing Julius and TB's quick decision making.

"Also, I wanna send a messenger from Crusch's to the mansion. If we don't let Emilia know about the alliance treaty and incoming reinforcements, things'll fall into chaos."

"Ahhh, a handwritten letter. Meow that I think about it, you wrote one, huh?"

Ferris clapped his hands together. Properly speaking, though, Subaru had merely had a letter written for him. Rem had penned a message with details about the alliance, plus a liberal interpretation of his plans against the Witch Cult. Handling such complex writing was still somewhat beyond Subaru.

If that letter reached the mansion, they'd surely be able to deal with any unforeseen situations on their end. It would give them a chance to prepare beforehand, even if they were forced to rely on the insurance policy Subaru had set up.

"That's…probably all there is to say. It's a plan that leaves a lot to be hashed out along the way, but everyone here ought to already know what this fight means."

"Meanin' it's our best chance to give the Witch Cult a bloody nose!"

As Subaru finished wrapping up the talk, Ricardo burst into ferocious laughter while he stood with his furry arms crossed against his chest. The fierce beast man's conclusion bolstered the morale of every man in the expeditionary force.

"…Throughout the years, there has surely never been a battle against the

Witch Cult that has afforded us such an advantageous position."

Wilhelm drew his body straighter, channeling razor-sharp hostility as he spoke. To the Sword Devil, the Witch Cult that the White Whale answered to was as despicable as the beast itself. The only thing that accompanied his overflowing will to fight was a strong sense of reassurance.

"To be granted such an opportunity so soon after finally fulfilling my deepest wish… The greatest problem is keeping my blood from boiling."

"I'm counting on you, Wilhelm."

"As you wish."

The elderly man who had dedicated himself completely to a life of the sword responded very briefly. His demeanor projected a sense of unsurpassed trust. Subaru took this in, surveying the fifty-odd faces of his comrades.

Thanks to them, he could fight. The instant that crossed his mind, words naturally began flowing out.

"The fight with the White Whale was so hard I could've sworn I was a dead man. As a matter of fact, some people did die, while others were erased and will never get to go home."

During the battle, several lives had been snuffed out by the demon beast menace. Its mist had annihilated the memories of their existence; their very names had been scrubbed from the world.

"Right now, I don't think there's much reason or logic behind why we're standing here instead of them. If I had to say it was anything, we were a little luckier. That's all."

There had been many sacrifices, and a great deal had been given up for an opportunity to slay the Demon Beast of Mist. Perhaps, as it was with natural disasters, people set aside their personal differences when pointing their blades at the demon beast. Therefore, Subaru thought both those who had lived and those who had died had given their all.

"—"

Though it wasn't what he'd intended, Subaru's words became something like the speech a commander gives before deployment. For everyone listening closely, the address he gave was like a kind of promise that they braced their hearts with on the eve of their coming battle. It was much like Crusch's address before they set off to fight the White Whale.

Combat knew no mercy and made no distinction between the lives of the highborn and the low-. That was why they should all strive to do everything they could.

But Subaru sympathized so much with those he had come to terms with and accepted that he couldn't read the atmosphere.

"If even the tiniest thing were different, we'd probably all be dead. We're all still here after surviving a fight like that. If that's the case, then let's just get past one more."

"—?!"

"Let's win with such a landslide that not a single one of us dies. Make sure that everyone lives and goes home. We already beat a monster like the

White Whale. We ain't gonna lose to the likes of the Witch Cult."

These were the idealistic delusions of a young man who could not grasp the reality of the situation. No matter who had what advantage, casualties were an inevitable part of battle. Subaru knew this, and the warriors, with all their experience, understood far better than he did.

Because they understood that, inside their hearts was something separate from the resolve to march toward death: an acceptance of death. Subaru wanted to challenge their resolve to die specifically because he noticed this lying within them.

"We're gonna make sure no one dies. Dying for the sake of scum like that is just stupid."

Subaru was afraid of death. Dying constantly trashed his life with an unbearable sense of fear and loss. He thought it was like that for everyone; he assumed that was how it had to be. Subaru, who had experienced death more than anyone via Return by Death, didn't want anyone else to know what it was like.

That was why his every action was a rejection of it.

His final words to close out the Witch Cult Hunting Made Simple meeting were explosive.

Before the shocked members of the group, Subaru raised his hand, opening his mouth as he looked out over everyone's face. After all, he'd been told that a man shouldn't make light of bowing his head—and to look people in the eye when making a request.

"On that note, I'm gonna go ahead and ask right out—let me cling to you guys while I rely on you for everything."

3

"Among the Archbishops of the Seven Deadly Sins, the two most famous are probably Sloth and Greed."

Julius spoke to Subaru while riding his land dragon alongside him. Even though they rode together, there was a world of difference in how the two sat astride their dragons. Subaru was desperately clinging to the black dragon he had named Patlash, while Julius rode elegantly.

"And that's why I can't stand you…"

"I shall let that slide and continue what we were discussing. Even among the famous Archbishops of the Seven Deadly Sins, two stand out. In terms of reliable records, information on Sloth is far more prevalent, but in terms of the scale of damage, the unforgivable crimes of Greed are second to none."

"So reliability versus how much damage, huh? Nothin' good from either one by the sound of it…"

"Certainly not."

Julius seemed deflated whenever the Witch Cult was brought up, as if he had also suffered at their hands.

"The individual you know as Sloth is suspected of being responsible for more than half of the Witch Cult's activities. Considering that the Witch Cult operates on a global scale, one can only say he possesses miraculous mobility."

"So the bastard really gets around."

"The name itself rolls off the tongue rather oddly—for a man who dubs himself Sloth, he must be a rather diligent worker. That being said, applying such energy in a direction no one wants suggests a mind that is far beyond help."

The features of the madman—bony cheeks and fiery, gleaming eyes— crossed Subaru's mind. The Archbishop of Sloth, Petelgeuse Romanée-Conti, earnestly strove to be the most diligent, and urged others to be as hardworking as he. Even though he called himself Sloth, he bore a rather substantial hatred toward laziness. His rate of activity, unusual for the Witch Cult, must have been an expression of that hatred.

"It pains me to say this, but the knights have learned little of the Witch Cult. Since they are hidden to begin with, it is difficult to expose them during peacetime. When they cause harm, the first witnesses are always doubted— even then, all that remains in their wake is something akin to a charred plain."

"So the dilemma here is like detectives that don't investigate unless a crime's been committed. I feel you, though…"

Seeing the regret on Julius's face kept even Subaru from poking fun. It would be wrong to criticize the knights' investigative abilities. After all, it didn't change the fact that the Witch Cult was at fault.

"—However, this time, it will be different."

It was Wilhelm, coming up beside them, who interrupted their exchange. Riding his favorite mount, the Sword Devil hemmed Subaru in from the side opposite Julius, staring straight ahead. His eyes were quietly filled with an eagerness to fight as he touched the hilt of the treasured sword hanging from his hip.

"We will take down the leader, allowing none to escape. Just like the White Whale, he will pay for all his wicked deeds. That is the will of every soul in the kingdom, and the earnest desire of the knights."

"Exactly as you say. These cowards have fled from the blade of justice. However, this time, we shall not give them the chance. Our swords will find them."

Wilhelm nodded, and for once Julius's expression hardened as his raw emotion became visible.

Subaru wasn't the only one with a reason to despise the Witch Cult. For some people who'd lived all their lives in this world, cursing the cultists came as naturally as breathing.

"Incidentally, since we got fired up talking about Sloth, who's this Greed guy?"

"Unlike Sloth, Greed is a name associated with few calamities. But the content of those records is more than sufficient. The Empire incident in particular is widely known."

"By that you mean the damage was especially huge?"

When Subaru posed his question with a grimace, Julius indicated yes with a nod.

"The Fortress City of Gackler—located in the Empire of Volakia, found at the south of the world map. It was known as the most solidly defended city of that nation's border regions. It had a standard garrison of thousands of troops, while the settlement itself was enveloped by a complex set of defensive walls. It was a place truly worthy of the name Fortress City, but…Greed conquered it. Single-handedly, no less."

"He took down a whole city?! By himself?!"

This was no mere tale of one knight worth a thousand footmen. Subaru's voice cracked when he heard the shocking account.

"'Soldiers must always be strong'—the common people consider this way of thinking to be 'the Imperial Way.' The Empire is a nation that lives and breathes that ideal, and even its basic infantry are fierce fighters. The Fortress City was manned by such soldiers, but it fell to a single Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins who called himself Greed. It is said that even 'Eight Arms' Kulgan, hero of Volakia, was slain in that battle."

It was Wilhelm who explained when Subaru voiced his surprise. Complex emotions appeared in the Sword Devil's eyes when he spoke the name of the hero defeated by Greed. Wilhelm lowered his head when Subaru noticed.

"I once had an opportunity to cross swords with Kulgan. To avoid an international conflict, we represented our two nations in a proxy match. He was a very skilled man. Though I managed to cut down six of his eight arms, he skewered me through the stomach. The match was called off with us both on the brink of death…and thus the match ended without either side declared the winner."

"That was a real casual way to bring up such an intense story…!"

Put plainly, it was difficult for a young man's heart to remain calm after he'd heard a tale about the Sword Devil's prime that was worthy of a novel. He felt a little like digging for more details, but Wilhelm had already mentioned that his worthy rival had landed a blow upon him; even Subaru wasn't insensitive enough to pick at Wilhelm's old scars.

That said, the danger Greed presented weighed heavily on Subaru's mind.

"Sloth and Greed…then on top of that, Pride, Lust, and Wrath, huh? Even without a Gluttony, sounds like a pretty grim future to come, huh?"

"—You seem to be looking quite far ahead."

"I'm not eager to see it. I think the odds of meeting them are pretty high, though."

On the eve of their battle with Sloth, thinking about what was coming made Subaru's chest throb. The unavoidable clash with Petelgeuse no doubt meant earning the permanent ire of the Witch Cult. And if the Witch Cult saw Emilia as an enemy, clashes with the other Archbishops of the Seven Deadly Sins were inevitable.

"Well, the talk about Greed already soured my stomach. Throw me a bone here."

"I have nothing good to say about unsettling the heart with discussions of an uncertain future. You should concentrate on the battle that stands before you, for Lady Emilia's sake."

"Yeah, I get it already. I'm just a little nervous right before the operation's main event."

Clicking his tongue at Julius's attempts to settle him down, Subaru shifted his gaze farther down the highway. Far ahead, in the sky to the east, night had begun to give way to light, with the tip of the morning sun still hidden beyond the dimly lit sky.

The expeditionary force hunting for the Witch Cult had already entered the Mathers domain. Riders and mounts alike went along in exhilaration, morale high as they traversed the plains. From the looks of it, they were not bothered by Subaru's reckless request, for which he quietly breathed with relief.

What Subaru had said earlier was simply his honest feelings. He didn't want to lose a single member of the expeditionary force. There was no reason for there to be casualties against the Witch Cult.

Subaru was determined to do whatever it took to bring about that result.

"That said, being the decoy is about all I can manage…"

"Did you say something?"

"Nothin' at all! I'm just thinking about if that detachment met up with our 'insurance' or not!"

"Ahhh…no reason to worry, I'm sure. They are well aware of their roles. We cannot end this operation in success unless we both meet our respective objectives. They are more determined to fulfill their duty than your thoughts of concern appreciate."

Subaru was just trying to change the subject, but the unexpectedly strong reply left him at a loss. Julius's words showed no hint of concern, making Subaru feel all the smaller.

Before he could smooth any of that over, the scenery in front of them changed.

"—It's coming into view."

"Yeah."

Subaru nodded when Julius murmured, noticing the change of scenery.

Down the highway, in the direction of the approaching dawn, they began to see a thin row of green trees. That line marked the end of the plains while showing them the entryway to the great forest that enveloped Roswaal Manor and Earlham Village.

It meant that soon, Subaru would see the combined might of the Witch Cult and that hateful madman once more.

"—"

Just as during the battle with the White Whale, he felt tense, as if something had tightened in his chest. Subaru touched his fist to his abdomen to suppress a pain that he couldn't get used to no matter how often he experienced it.

Then, baring his teeth, he brushed his feelings of weakness aside and spat out a laugh in an apparent attempt to stir his soul.

"Now, then. We've done this before, but…let's do this—Mr. Fate, you're on."

4

"Here—we—go…"

Subaru felt the sensation of trampling fallen leaves as he trod along the difficult-to-navigate path. He stepped over sludge and tree roots as he made his way deeper into the dimly lit forest. If he looked overhead, the sun and the blue sky peeked through gaps in the leaves; the breeze blowing through was rich in moisture. With the lukewarm wind reminding him of the cold sweat on his brow, Subaru wiped it off with the back of his hand, exhaling deeply.

—At that moment Subaru was walking in the forest, isolated and defenseless.

Left to his own devices, Subaru was no longer accompanied by the companions he had traversed the highway with; he was not even riding Patlash. Without even a weapon to rely on, he was the definition of helplessness.

"Had to leave Patlash behind. This is one battle I can't have her stand by my side."

Slightly out of breath, Subaru laughed a little as the words trickled out.

He'd already gone a fair distance along terrain wholly unfit for walking.

Squeezing through the gaps between skinny trees, snapping the fallen branches as he passed by, and scrambling up lichen-strewn hills, Subaru forged ahead. Though they were called animal trails by some, the ground was so poor for travel that the barely existing paths barred his way.

It was the third time Subaru had walked through the forest like this.

He'd been carrying someone in his arms both the first and the second time. He'd seemed so much lighter then; he wondered why his current steps felt so heavy by comparison.

"Probably 'cause I'm stunned by my own stupidity that I'm doin' this for the third time. Since it's try number three, I just wanna take it easy and head home… Now, then."

While he was murmuring, right as he leaped over some mushrooms that looked vaguely poisonous, the atmosphere abruptly shifted. It was different from the reflexive sense of tension he'd felt when confronting Elsa or the White Whale. The unpleasantness of the atmosphere clung to him, making Subaru really feel the sweat he hadn't been heeding.

"Here it comes…almost like when you suddenly see a roach in the corner of a quiet room…"

When encountering a black noxious insect, a strange battle of wills would break out—one where it seemed certain that the first one to move would perish. Time seemed to stretch beyond all limits, feeling like infinity.

It was a time much like that, with plain, distasteful trepidation crawling over the entirety of his flesh.

Abruptly, he strained his eyes. To the left and right, the forest scenery seemed uniform. But he felt as if he'd seen this somewhere before—in fact, he actually did recognize this landscape.

"I walk all those paths that ain't worthy of the name and I still get here every time. It's a little funny. I dunno whether to call it a sense of direction or guesswork, but it's too sharp, whatever it is."

Or perhaps he just really had a good nose for evil.

It'd be kind of cool to be known as a hunting dog trained to track down the Witch Cult, but if Subaru was a dog, he was of the beaten variety, having lost every battle to date. He wanted to strip that label off himself this time around.

"—Thanks for the warm welcome."

Subaru squinted, staring into the gloomy darkness ahead of him as he spoke the words of thanks. Of course, there was not even a scintilla of friendliness on his face. But the people to whom he spoke lacked any a smidgen of humanity to care. It was very late to do so, but he wondered who they were.

"I don't suppose you Witch Cultists would tell me even if I asked."

"—"

In an instant, several figures had surrounded Subaru, robed in black outfits that blended with the darkness.

At some point, the sound of the wind and even the chirps of the insects had vanished. It was a rather cliché signal that they had arrived. Now that he understood, suddenly encountering them didn't surprise him anymore.

He felt an out-of-place sense of relief—but that was only because he'd encountered the cultists exactly as planned.

"Sorry, I know you came all this way, but I wanna talk to your leader.

That means you guys are in the way."

"—"

"To be honest, it doesn't feel good not to understand any of this, but I probably outrank you, right? Please?"

Subaru waved a hand, seemingly to command them to go away. As he did so, the figures in black robes bowed their heads to Subaru in a show of respect, maintaining the posture as they seemed to glide away, melting into the darkness once more. This, too, was the reaction he had expected.

Though it left him conflicted, the Witch Cultists held no enmity toward Subaru. So long as he did not indicate hostile intent toward them, and Petelgeuse didn't command them otherwise, they would do Subaru no harm.

He didn't really want to know the circumstances that lay behind that judgment.

"Sure would be nice if I could just order them to pack up their things and head back to the family farm…"

Subaru sighed deeply, his shoulders sinking. Things were never so convenient.

Either way, it was clear that he was near his destination. He recognized the scenery around him, and he'd met what he assumed was a Witch Cult patrol. If memory served him correctly, all he needed to do was keep heading deeper into the forest.

His eardrums were filled only by the sounds of his footsteps along the ground and his own breathing. He felt like he was walking through prolonged, never-ending darkness, but that sense soon came to an end.

"—Ohh."

The trees obstructing his path opened before him, and Subaru leaped into a rocky place; a sheer cliff filled his vision.

A sudden break in the forest spread before the tall, precipitous rock face, almost as if the forest had been gouged by a giant claw. Several boulders lay at the bottom of the cliff; the cave within which the Witch Cult was lurking was hidden behind a particularly large one. The malicious group was surely preparing its cruel schemes within.

But it seemed that there would be no need to converse inside the cavern this time around.

After all—

"—I have been waiting for you, DISCIPLE of love."

The man in a priestly habit had come to greet him with arms spread wide, immersed in a world of madness and delight.

His cheeks were gaunt. His eyes seemed ready to fall from their sockets. His hair was a deep green. His skin had an ashen, unhealthy sheen. His limbs, stretching out from under the black habit, were slender and frail, like gnarled branches. He looked like a man in his midthirties, but his deathly overall appearance made fifties seem hardly a stretch.

The only lively part of him was his eyes, but it was with these, and the overwhelming, fiery light of madness within them, that he stared at Subaru.

"I am Petelgeuse Romanée-Conti—Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins of the Witch Cult, entruuuusted with Sloth!"

With spittle on the tip of his outstretched tongue, the madman—Petelgeuse —laughed, proudly invoking his name as he extended Subaru his hospitality.

5

When, with a very deep bow and lavish laughter, the madman greeted him, Subaru put a hand to his chest. Standing before Petelgeuse, his mortal enemy, he realized that he was exceedingly calm.

"It's strange…"

This was the enemy he had hated so much, cursed with his desire to kill, the despicable foe that was the cause of all his woes.

He'd raged that he would snap the man's neck with his own hands, had he not? And yet, with the demonic fiend before him that very moment, Subaru was embraced by relief.

"I welcome thee, beloved child, recipient of Her favor! Spleeendid…ahh, splendiiiid! What depths of love entwined about you! What heights of love

wrapped around you! What heat with which love embraces you! I am grateful! I am TRULY, sincerely grateful!!"

In front of Subaru, deep feelings stirring in him, Petelgeuse quickly broke into madness. He plucked at his hair and scratched the back of a hand, drawing blood; the madman was overwhelmed, unable to keep his fierce emotions inside him.

The first time, Subaru had seen his madness in fear; the second, in enmity. Subaru now saw him for the third time. Finally, what he felt was not really disgust; rather, he felt this was just how the madman was.

At the same time, he was certain Petelgeuse's ways would never be compatible with those of normal people.

"—"

Without thinking, Subaru gave his cheek a tug, then took a deep breath. After calming himself, he waved lightly at Petelgeuse, offering the friendliest smile he could manage.

"Yo. Wasn't expecting such a big welcome. I've gotta say, all this doesn't seem real…"

"That iiis to be expected! For many, the beginning comes as a surprise. Anyone can realize one particular day, 'I am loved.' And once realizing it for the fiiirst time, you cannot let that love go—yes, for love is everything!!"

When Subaru sought a place to begin, Petelgeuse eagerly ran with the conversation. Spreading his blood-smeared arms wide, he extolled his particularly insane vision of love—very twisted yet forthright.

"For love! For the love granted to us! I, we cannot fail to reeespond with diligence! Accordingly, we administer the trial, the ordeal! To give meaning to the favor the Witch has granted to this world, to this age, to me! For love, for love forloveforloveforloooove!"

"So you can't be lazy about it. You've gotta be diligent to faithfully repay that love."

"YES—precisely!!"

When Subaru picked up the gist and pretended to understand, Petelgeuse laughed maniacally, deeply impressed.

The understanding and agreement were strictly on the surface. With Subaru keeping pace on the surface, and Petelgeuse unable to peer into his soul, the words were nothing more than sweet, empty nothings. Truly, Subaru wished he could end the conversation there and then.

"Ah, er, so what should I do now? Can I…join you people? What else is needed? A handwritten letter, a formal document with a stamp? I don't have an actual stamp, so will a fingerprint do?"

But Subaru suppressed all the disgust welling in him and turned to face Petelgeuse. The longer he kept the conversation going, the more likely it was that he could drag useful information out of the madman.

"Hmm, hmm…that spirit, that enthusiasm, that forward thinking, is to be treeeeasured… However…"

As the calculating Subaru stepped nearer, Petelgeuse sniffed the air, as if confirming that the scent of the Witch was really present. Then, as an ecstatic smile came over him, the madman extended both hands, showing Subaru his ten perfectly intact fingers. The slender, gnarled digits that resembled branches quivered.

"…The favor that you have been granted is too thick to add you to my fingers at thiiis juncture… I wonder, just how rich is the love of the Witch I see before me? Even Wrath would be envious of this… Could it be that you are Pride?!"

"Pride…?"

"Among the six Archbishops of the Seven Deadly Sins, only the seeeat of Pride is currently vacant! None of this generation worthy of the sin had appeared in this era…but the Witch Factor has suuurely reached the next

generation's Pride—you have received your Gospel, of course?" Taking a step, Petelgeuse closed the distance between them.

Petelgeuse's question, posed with his head tilted ninety degrees, could not fail to throw Subaru off.

He accepted at face value the good news that the seat of Pride among the Archbishops of the Seven Deadly Sins was vacant. But Petelgeuse suspected that Subaru might be the one to fill that vacancy. It was easy for him to claim that he could, but should he do so, and how would Petelgeuse react if he did? It was a hurdle he hadn't anticipated at all.

And he didn't have a clue about the Gospel the guy was asking about. Was it some kind of code word used among members of the Witch Cult, or a trap for the unwary? If the former, it was hazing the rookie Witch Cultist; if the latter, the madman was engaging in psychological warfare.

"Errr, well, you see…"

He didn't want to clumsily say anything rash, but silence would only make him seem more suspicious. Amid that extreme stress, Subaru strongly closed his eyes—once.

Behind his closed eyelids, faces rose up—faces of the people Subaru had to protect.

That was all he needed to harden his resolve.

"Setting aside the Gospel, about this Pride…if it takes a lousy personality to qualify, I just might be who you're looking for. I'm interested, but I'd like to hear a few more details first…about Archbishops of the Seven Deadly

Sins, and this trial you mentioned."

With few avenues for follow-up, Subaru kicked the Gospel issue down the road and pursued the madman's statements—about the Archbishops of the Seven Deadly Sins, of which much was unclear, and the trial Petelgeuse had spoken of several times over.

Trial—given the situation, it was probably the current plan of attack. If he could find out details, perhaps even where the fingers were hiding out, it'd be the perfect intel to gather. Naturally, the meddlesome question might send Petelgeuse flying into a rage, but Subaru was already on guard for that.

Behind his lighthearted tone of voice, Subaru was already prepared to commence hostilities when he let the question fly. For his part, the madman slowly stuck his right hand's thumb into his own mouth.

"—My brain—is—shaking."

With a dull sound, he crushed his thumb with his back teeth, sending fresh blood trickling out of the corner of his mouth. There was a slight tremble in his halting murmur, but the mad delight from a moment earlier had completely vanished. His hollow gaze sent a shudder through Subaru, quickening his pulse. His heart beat at such a high tempo it hurt, feeling as if it were slamming against his rib cage from the inside—and right before Subaru's eyes, Petelgeuse withdrew his thumb from his mouth and said: "The trial… Thaaat is fine. I do not mind at all."

"…"

"It ought to be some time until word reaches all regions that the highway is sealed. Similarly, the trial will not begin yet—for time is something we still pooossess."

In contrast to his disquieting actions, Petelgeuse's words to the eager-tolearn Subaru were, if anything, amiable. A smile came over Subaru at the reaction; he strained not to let his cheek twitch.

"Huh…sealed the highway? What trick did you use to do that?"

"A very simple ONE. The mist. That is eeeenough explanation, I believe?"

"—Yeah, it's plenty."

Subaru nodded at Petelgeuse's brief reply.

The statement, suggesting that the mist and the sealing of the highway were connected, was proof positive that the White Whale and the Witch Cult were linked behind the scenes. Furthermore, from that exchange Subaru learned that word of the White Whale's subjugation had not yet reached Petelgeuse's ears. The cultists hadn't realized Subaru had brought the expeditionary force with him.

"So you sealed the highway so that you could do the trial with no one to interfere. That's a pretty shrewd way to operate, Mr. Petelgeuse."

"Yes, the trial is sacred, inviolable! To fail to overcome at all costs, no maaatter the predicament, would be insincerity toward love! Yes, toward love! The love granted to us! The love poured onto us! We must RESPOND to that love!"

"Yeah!"

Separate from his statements regarding the trial, Petelgeuse got fired up by his personal thoughts on love. The madman bent back, eyes bulging, stretching his tongue as he gazed intently at the heavens, frothing at the mouth as he searched for something intangible.

Ignoring Subaru's double take at the unhinged reaction, Petelgeuse did not stop.

"Aaaaaall must be sacrificed for love! The silver-haired half-demon, whose very existence is insolent, must answer for the deep crime of her very life! Those who bear sins must undergo trials! Yes, they must be TESTED!

To find whether they are slothful or diligent! And it is my hand that must be

FIRST!"

"So the trials are…to question their sins, to test if they bear sins?"

"For that purpose, the trials! For that purpose, the sins! The Archbishops of the Seven Deadly Sins! Accordingly, I MUST test her! If she is not tested to see if she truly possesses the Witch Factor, then whether she is a suitable vessel cannot be—"

Gripped by madness, Petelgeuse slipped an arm into his habit. Then, after a little rummaging, his fingertips pulled out a small, case-bound book. Subaru thought it about the size of the pocket dictionaries that were common in the world he came from. Deftly opening the book with one hand, Petelgeuse ran his bloodshot eyes along its pages.

"My duty is recorded within the Gospel, and I must fulfill it as proof of my love! If you are indeed Pride, you will understand my loooofty ideals! After all, it has been centuries since the vacancy among US, the forsaken bearing the titles of sins, has been filled!!"

"Hold on a sec! I need to hear more about this Pride and this Witch Factor stuff…"

"—Present your Gospel."

"—!"

Petelgeuse suppressed his madness once more, forcing back a sudden wave of emotion. Subaru, unable to keep up with the shift, unwittingly took a step back when Petelgeuse pressed closer.

At Subaru's reaction, Petelgeuse, the crazed zeal still absent from his eyes, tilted his head ninety degrees.

"Present your Gospel. The proof of your favor—"

Speaking this, the madman extended his blood-smeared right hand toward Subaru, demanding proof that he was a coconspirator. His undamaged left hand touched the beloved book within it. From his demeanor and actions, Subaru understood.

That book was a Gospel.

And as if to affirm his conviction, Petelgeuse thrust his Gospel text toward Subaru.

"You are not recorded within the text of my Gospel. Therefore, who aaare you, and why have you fortuitously come to appear in this place?"

"Ah! So that book is called a Gospel! I see, I see, I get it, I get it. Well, you should have said so!"

On the brink of a decisive rupture, Subaru made a grand show of patting his chest and putting a hand into his pocket. Of course, he didn't have a single page inside it, let alone a book.

"—"

Petelgeuse's pupils contracted slightly as they watched Subaru's pantomime. His madness-filled eyes caused a countdown to destruction to begin ticking down in the back of Subaru's mind. The numbers were proceeding with unusual speed; failure was surely close at hand.

Therefore—

"Oh, my bad. So, so sorry."

"What IS it?"

"About my Gospel, you see, I…used it as a pot stand and it got dirty, so I threw it out."

—Therefore, this was the watershed moment.

Judging that it was impossible to drag things out any longer, Subaru instantly brought the conversation to a conclusion.

Petelgeuse looked taken aback the instant Subaru's frivolous reply reached his ears. But when the statement immediately transformed to an insult inside the madman's brain, his visage turned fiendish.

"Proof of her favor!! Authority of Sloth!! Unseen HAAAAANDS!!"

The madman screamed with a reptilian look as his shadow exploded—no, the shadow swelled up as if exploding, becoming multiple black arms that stretched toward the heavens.

These were evil hands, imperceptible to normal people, able to destroy a human body with ease.

The hands danced high above like serpentine heads, locking on to Subaru. The black, shadowy, evil hands snapped down like whips, the tips of their fingers aimed at the ground, shooting out at breakneck speed.

And a moment before those black tendrils reached him, Subaru beat a hasty retreat from the spot.

"I told you before—if you can see 'em, they're not that hard to dodge!" "What is this—?!"

Subaru had said it the last time around, so to Petelgeuse it was an assertion ungrounded in fact. However, the madman did not take the time to dismiss Subaru's statement as nonsense.

A total of seven pitch-black hands bore down on Subaru to tear him limb from limb. On bad, rocky footing, he leaped over them with legwork that could not be called pretty, even if one was charitable.

With Petelgeuse to the front, Subaru leaped heavily to the rear, putting as much distance between them as he could. He did this both to escape the range of the attack and to get out of the way of the counterattack.

"Just now, YOU saw my Unseen Hands—"

"Right now, I'm not the one you should worry about."

After his all-powerful move was countered, froth rose to the corners of Petelgeuse's mouth as he seemed ready to raise his voice again. To forestall him, Subaru pointed behind the madman's back. That was the signal for the counterattack.

"Wa—!" "Ha—!"

Overlapping bestial howls formed a destructive shock wave that rumbled through the air and tore up the ground. The rocky ground was stripped bare, kicking up a dusty swirl of wind. The wave caused cracks in the ground, leaving crevices resembling a spiderweb; a hole was gouged into the sheer cliff, precipitating a landslide.

"Wha—?!"

Petelgeuse looked back, raising his voice in shock, eyes bulging as the beast person siblings landed, unleashing their combo attack.

The sleeves of their white robes fluttered as the brother and sister—TB and Mimi—roared on all fours.

The two had landed behind Petelgeuse, opposite Subaru, ignoring the madman as they pounded a roaring wave into the freshly cut cliff. The ferocious shock wave pulverized the rock face, the blasted pieces flowing downward like an avalanche, clamping shut the entrance of the Witch Cult's hideaway.

Rock and earth collapsed into a massive pile, and in an instant the cavern lair had become a tomb.

"Awesome, now they're buried alive—you guys can suffer and regret all that you've done!"

It was Subaru who raised his middle finger, teeth bared as he ferociously pounded the insult home.

As dust danced in the air, and the impact of the landslide was conveyed by the rumbling ground beneath their feet, it went without saying that the fate of the Witch Cultists inside the crushed, buried entrance was sealed. Their plight sent Petelgeuse gazing toward the heavens.

"How…how can THIS be…?"

The madman's throat trembled; he plucked at his head, causing droplets of blood to begin to flow. His violent gesture tore hair away, and as the skin on his head bled, Petelgeuse stamped the ground in fury.

"My fingers…cruelly, without mercy, without order, without warning, without provocation, without meaning, slain, murdered, slaughtered… Ahh, ahh! My brain is shaaaaaaking!"

"Woahoo, that old guy sure has a screw loose!"

"Sis, I think all the Witch Cultists are like that."

Viewing Petelgeuse's passion with childlike disgust, the siblings, Mimi and TB, exchanged sour looks and lighthearted banter. Of course, their intervention at that juncture was no coincidence or miracle. They were Subaru's reinforcements, coordinating with him according to plan.

The two had concealed their presence while accompanying Subaru and had responded to his signal to block the entrance to the Witch Cult hideout. Now the enemy was Petelgeuse alone, putting Subaru and company at an overwhelming advantage.

"…Ah yes, that is right—it is fine."

However, Petelgeuse's tears were just ceasing to flow as he calmly murmured. The madman slowly looked at the faces of Subaru and the others, one by one, and calmly laughed. And laughed—

 "IT is fine. It IS fine—it is fine! Ahh, fine! FINE!

Yesyesyesyesyesyesyesyes!!"

"Uhyaa!"

The way the madman's mood rose midway through his words, his voice turning shrill, made Mimi's shoulders jump.

Having exposed his madness, and coated with a thin layer of cold dread, Petelgeuse thrust the fingers of both hands into his mouth at the same time. Then, one by one, he crushed the fingertips with his teeth.

With all ten of his fingertips crushed, a considerable amount of blood flowed as Petelgeuse said, "It is fine. Now I uuunderstand! Now IS the time for struggle! For love, yes, for looooove!!"

Petelgeuse raked the ground with his fingernails, ignoring Mimi and TB as he declared war on Subaru alone. But Subaru shrugged his shoulders toward the madman, his face displaying none of the same militancy.

"…Sorry to disappoint when you're all worked up like this, but…" "What is this?! I shall attend to this trial with love— This! Very! Moment!"

When Petelgeuse thrust out a bloody finger, proclaiming vehemently,

Subaru said to him, "I'm having someone else take you on."

The answer made Petelgeuse's eyes widen. And the instant he tried to raise a skeptical voice— "Yaaaaaaaa—!!"

Petelgeuse lifted his face in shock as the earsplitting cry crashed down from overhead.

And then the Sword Devil's blade bit into the madman from below the shoulder—slicing him in two.

CHAPTER 2

—FIGHT

1

Let us rewind time to just before the end of the Anti-Witch Alliance conference.

"Oh, right! I forgot the important part!"

When Subaru palmed a fist, it was in the particularly quiet atmosphere immediately following his request to the expeditionary force—on the verge of setting off with great ardor to enter the Mathers domain.

I didn't explain enough, he thought, feeling sheepish as he immediately backed away from his grandiose words, but Subaru could not be negligent about the most critical part. Thus, he addressed one and all:

"I called this plan Witch Cult Hunting Made Simple, but the ultimate target, the Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins… I want to pick who goes after him real carefully."

"Carefully?"

"Yeah. After all, whether we take the archbishop down decides whether this plan works or not. I want to pick our best members. What I mean is Wilhelm and some Iron Fangs who're confident about their sneaking abilities. Ah, they have to be okay even if the archbishop's staring straight at them."

Subaru's condition furled the brows of everyone sitting in the circle around him. Their expressions shifted to bewilderment, anxiety, and unease; the men sitting beside one another differed somewhat individually, but their faces surely added up to a sum total of "doubt."

It was a natural reaction. Subaru, knowing he should explain further, scratched his face as he continued.

"Errr, you see. Just like I said, the plan itself is simple—I lure out the

Witch Cult so we can hit them. That much is the same as with the White Whale, but…I think it's pretty hard to expect their reaction to be as simple as a demon beast's."

"Ahh, well, that figures. Subawu's scent made the White Whale lose track, but unlike a demon beast, the Witch Cult won't go grrr quite that much, huh?"

"Well, that's exactly how the White Whale reacted to me… Anyway, ideally, we hit the Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins with a surprise attack and take him down the instant I lure him out. We have to absolutely make sure he dies instantly, so prioritizing that is another requirement."

Subaru affirmed Ferris's explanation and tied the logic together. The surrounding reactions to his plan turned sour, with disgust visible on the faces of many. The sternest face of all was Ricardo's, bared fangs included.

"Wait, wait. We can't do that. Can you leave us out of this one? We can't be sneakily murderin' people after gettin' all fired up about a proper battle like this. No way. I didn't hear about this."

"That's why I'm explaining it now. Besides, I mean just for the Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins. The I'm-a-lure plan's other ten parts depend on this. You'll have lots of places to make noise."

Subaru tried all he could to convince Ricardo, the dividing line inside the circle.

"Not that we can underestimate the other Witch Cultists, but the Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins is a different story. I want to make extra sure we take him down."

This time Julius interrupted his explanation to the jeering Ricardo.

"So prepare for all possibilities, is it? I commend that line of thinking, but what of your logic for selecting people? Of course, I have no objection to selecting Master Wilhelm."

After glancing sidelong at Wilhelm, who sat with closed eyes, Julius touched his own slender knight's sword as he looked at Subaru.

"I wish to hear the reason why I was not among your initial selections."

"Seems like you're not unhappy about that, but you're not exactly pleased, either…"

The Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins was the main event, leaving Julius with some objections to being removed from the decisive battle. Ferris, seeing the two clashing in their opinions, patted Subaru on the shoulder before speaking.

"Hey, Subawu. If this is just you still holding a grudge against Julius…"

"I have no such vulgar suspicions. Such a possibility has never entered my mind…but I would be disappointed to find that you are a human being so obsessed with trivial matters that you lose sight of the greater picture."

Subaru wasn't sure how serious he thought all that, but he felt Don't give half-hearted orders was the point that Julius wanted to drive home. Subaru, reflecting on having lost sight of the larger picture through obsession with small things in the past, raised a finger and responded.

"The magic of the Archbishop of Sloth…maybe it's not magic. It's not a spell or a spirit, but anyway, he has a special ability. That's one reason I don't want a big gaggle of people rushing him."

"…Special abiwity? What? First I've heard of it."

"Best I can describe it, it's an ability to extend a bunch of hands invisible to the eye. With one exception, you really can't see 'em, and if they hit you, they can rip your limbs off pretty easily. The range is pretty much as far as he can see."

"Wha…?!"

Subaru's off-the-wall reasoning left Ferris in shock, looking as if someone had poured cold water on him while he slept. Julius's brows furled as well, and a not-insignificant shock took hold of the expeditionary force.

—The Unseen Hands under Petelgeuse's control were literally an invisible menace. Subaru would never forget the sight of that nightmarish power cruelly toying with Rem's body. And in a large-scale melee, the might of that menace could throw everything into utter chaos.

"That's why I don't want to go with numbers. It'll just raise the number of casualties."

"…You're saying that with a completely straight face, huh? I can't check without Lady Crusch here, but…"

"If Crusch were here my answer would be the same. That ability's the biggest obstacle to taking Sloth down."

Deep down, he didn't think that was all there was to it, but even so, he was sure of that part. Taking it in, Julius, the first to have spoken up, lowered his eyes, sinking deep in thought before asking, "Incidentally, you said there was one exception. And that exception is?"

"Me."

"I see. A simple tale."

Faced with Subaru's simple explanation, Julius could only make that curt reply. Julius sank into thought, but in the meantime, someone else clenched a fist.

"I get it!"

It was Mimi who had spoken, vigorously clenching her fist. With an impetuous laugh, she grabbed the shoulders of TB, standing beside her, and shook them hard as she said, "All right, Mimi and TB will go with Mister!

And the old man, too! That's best! What, not good? You won't go?"

"Sis, you're being impulsive again…"

TB, accustomed to his older sister's lack of inhibition, made no move to refute her. Subaru was happy for the volunteers, but he wasn't sure they fulfilled his conditions.

"Ya can rest easy. Besides me, Mimi's the best of the bunch at everythin'. She ain't my second in command for nothin'."

"I can really trust you on that? She looks like the type who sneezes at the worst possible time."

"Subawu, you're not really one to talk, are you? …Ha, can't be helped, meow. Ferri will go with you, too. That should make you rest a little easier, right?"

"Seriously? That's a big help, but you're all right with this? To be honest, we're crossing a dangerous bridge here."

"To think you would say that…"

When Subaru expressed his surprise at Ferris's declaration, Julius's eyes went wide at Subaru's reply. "Huh?" went Subaru, turning his head at Julius's reaction, but Julius said nothing more.

Julius let the matter of Subaru's intent lie, proceeding to turn Ferris's way.

"I shall leave Master Wilhelm, Mimi, TB, and him in your hands, my friend."

"Yes, yes. Lady Crusch entrusted me with this from the beginning, so don't worry, it'll be fine."

"Even so, I must."

"…Yes, yes. Then I'll stick a little concern for you in a corner of my heart, Julius."

Ferris gave a strained smile; Julius's expression was the very image of seriousness as he drew himself up. The easygoing exchange demonstrated the trust between the two friends. Put bluntly, Subaru was a little jealous.

Either way, the brainstorming seemed to have resulted in Julius agreeing, too.

"Don't feel like arguing anymore?" said Subaru.

"Since you are the only one who can see the archbishop's power, it cannot be helped. If the numbers are increased further, you cannot easily instruct others to evade, I take it?"

"Glad you're quick on the uptake."

As might be expected, people who fought were quick to understand tactics.

Subaru could counter Unseen Hands by dodging the evil hands himself, but beyond that, the asset he brought was seeing the hands' movements and getting other people out of their way. And for purposes of the operation, the fewer people the better. The Unseen Hands power was advantageous against numerous opponents, and that was another reason Subaru wanted to confront Petelgeuse with as few people as possible.

"So that's why I wanted to insist that Wilhelm come with me, but…"

Julius, Ricardo, and others had ceased to object, so Subaru turned the conversation toward Wilhelm, who'd maintained his silence up to that point.

When he cautiously checked on Wilhelm, who had neither approved nor disapproved, the man's eyes opened. The Sword Devil trained his clear blue eyes on Subaru, nodding without a single contrary word.

"—You do not need to ask about my resolve. I am your sword, Sir Subaru. By your will, I shall cut down your foe."

" "

"Please, employ me however you wish."

Granted such highly refined trust, Subaru could only nod, swallowing his astonishment.

When he looked back, he saw the siblings quarreling, Ferris's shoulders slumping, and behind them Julius, Ricardo, and the rest of the expeditionary force entrusting Subaru & Co. with this crucial matter.

Accepting this, Subaru nodded strongly, this time without worry.

"Yeah, this fight—we're gonna win this!"

2

"Did we get him?!"

Subaru hastily covered his mouth with his hand after he unintentionally exclaimed out loud.

They were at the center of the rock-strewn place in front of the sheer cliff. Wilhelm had just leaped forward, his blade biting into Petelgeuse's slender body at a sharp angle as he sliced it apart.

The madman's body had been slashed from shoulder to hip. His posture swayed wildly from the deep, fatal wound. Even so, Petelgeuse's eyes remained wide open, glaring at Subaru until the bitter end.

"This cannot b—"

But Subaru would never learn what the madman had intended to say.

A horizontal cut traced an arc, sweeping away blood as it parted the wind. That instant, Petelgeuse's severed head spewed blood like a water fountain as it was sent flying.

The sight of a person being decapitated before his eyes left Subaru speechless. However, adamant denial seemed to drive the headless form forward, causing it to extend its withered, branch-like arms toward Subaru.

"Inelegant to the extreme—fall, like a man."

The Sword Devil's blade mercilessly dismembered the body struggling against its own death. The slice sent both arms flying from their shoulders; the blade returned to directly strike the torso, tearing it from the lower body at the waist, sending the madman-turned-sack-of-flesh tumbling to the ground, innards pouring out.

The gushing blood and muscular twitches soon stopped, leaving only the powerful stench of dead blood.

The spectacular manner of death, utterly lacking in any respect for humanity, made nausea well up into Subaru's throat. But he somehow managed to avoid actually vomiting as he said, "I-it's over…right?"

"If it's not over by now, even Ferri will start believing in this favor-ofthe-Witch nonsense," Ferris replied from behind Subaru, who was timidly peering at the corpse. He moved beside the unsettled Subaru, examining the remains without hesitation.

"Though it's not much of a surprise, he's definitely dead," Ferris observed. "You have it on the word of the royal capital's greatest healer."

"Oh…really…?"

The corpse, no longer retaining the shape of a person, seemed more like a prop than anything else. Reassured by Ferris's words, Subaru felt the urge to vomit recede as he looked toward the forest.

As planned, their main target—the Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins —had been taken care of. Those remaining were Petelgeuse's fingers in the forest.

"Hope everyone else is doing all right…not taking too many risks."

"Sir Subaru, they are not soldiers who would freelance in violation of your instructions. Even if unavoidable combat does take place, Mr. Ricardo and Mr. Julius are with them. A worst case is unlikely."

Back from checking the severed head for himself, Wilhelm respectfully stood at attention. The Sword Devil's guarantee was reassuring. Yet, it did not wipe away Subaru's worry to any great extent.

The object of his worry was the other detachment—those heading off to deal with the Witch Cultists drawn to Subaru until he could make it to Petelgeuse and lure him out in person.

They had surmised that Petelgeuse's subordinates were scattered around the forest, ten groups in all. Subaru had commanded the two fingers he'd encountered midway to return to base, and their actual retreat had already been confirmed. The idea was to let them go, follow them with the tenacity of a sumo wrestler's leg hold, and use them to work out the locations of the rest —Subaru had strictly ordered his people not to attack, even if they held an advantage in numbers.

But if they were spotted by the opposition, combat was no doubt unavoidable.

"I'm seriously afraid of accidents if that happens. This is the plan I drew up, and it has one crucial hole in it…I don't know what the Witch Cult people are thinking, and this unexpectedly large number of people fighting scares me…"

"Yes, yes, the plan maker must not show worry! Besides, I've heard this talk from Nervous Subawu over and over. It's getting old." Ferris sighed with an exasperated face at Subaru, who was worried about the other side now that his side was taken care of. "I understand you're scared, but with Julius and them, fighting shouldn't be a problem, meow. If Julius is fighting seriously, Old Man Wil's probably the only one here who can take him on."

"…That so? He's that strong?"

Ferris had elaborated to address their young leader's inexhaustible worry, but the details still left Subaru conflicted. In terms of his being a reliable ally, Julius's strength was more than welcome—but given his deeply rooted sense of distaste to date, it was difficult for Subaru to accept Julius's worth at face value. Even if the physical wounds from their duel had completely healed, untreatable phantom pains haunted Subaru even then.

"It really does run deep… Setting aside whether it's unconscious or not, I do understand your aversion to him, though…"

"—? What'd you say?"

"Nothing much. In the first place, Julius and them should be much more worried about us! After all, Ferri thought this plan was reckless all this time."

Ferris raised his brows and glared at the acrimonious Subaru, who knit his brow in response.

"…Yeah, I get it. But it worked out, didn't it?" Subaru said as he glanced at the rocky place that had become their battleground.

"Looking at the results only. When the Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins suspected you, you were nearly done for, weren't you? It was definitely by the skin of your teeth. Ferri hates people in a hurry to die before his eyes."

"I'm not in a hurry to die at all. Well, not that it sounds very convincing right now…"

The sternness of Ferris's gaze told Subaru that apologizing further would be meaningless.

It had actually been Ferris obsessing over the operation's little details right up until the end. Ferris hadn't objected to the broad outline of the operation itself—Subaru "fishing" for Petelgeuse, luring him out as a decoy —but he was abnormally fixated on hammering out the specifics to raise their degree of safety.

In point of fact, Subaru couldn't deny the low reliability of the plan, given that it greatly hinged on Subaru himself. Everything about luring out the Witch Cultists—locating Petelgeuse, the main target; slowing him down; gathering intel—was on Subaru's shoulders alone. If even a single thing happened contrary to Subaru's expectations, he would perish. Ferris really, really hated that.

In the end, no useful counterproposal emerged, so he hadn't stopped

Subaru from carrying out the plan, but—

"Subawu, you know how only going by results leaves a bad taste in my mouth, and still you…"

Ferris's resentful words triggered a memory of other words that had come out of the healer's mouth, spoken close to a half day before at the height of the battle with the White Whale. Ferris had spoken of accepting his role in battle.

Just like Subaru, Ferris was decisively unsuited to the field of battle. On top of that, belonging to the knights meant that, compared to Subaru, he had many more opportunities to feel utterly powerless.

The last words he'd thrown out had an echo of loneliness, as if he'd been betrayed by someone who shared his powerlessness—

"I'm a little surprised, though. I thought you hated me and all."

"Don't be absurd. I don't choose who I heal based on whether I like them or not."

"I wanted you to deny hating me, you know!"

Even if your worth was understood, how you accepted it depended on whether you acknowledged it yourself. When Subaru unwittingly gave a pained smile, Ferris had a sullen face when he touched his only weapon—the dagger on his hip.

"Whether I like or hate someone has no relation to whether it's worth keeping them alive. It's because…that's what Ferri's power is, that others recognize that power."

"Ferris?"

"Besides, a lot of people died in the battle with the White Whale. When someone's squished flat, or erased by the mists, even Ferri…even I can't heal that."

The usual composure in his voice absent, Ferris touched the relief carved into his dagger with a finger. This was the family crest of the Lion Rampant —the same crest on the treasured sword his master, Crusch, had carried.

The touch of Ferris's fingertip seemed to put courage, and more than that, resolve on his face as he glared at Subaru.

"Don't get conceited and think you're the only one who doesn't want people to die in this fight."

"…I'm trying to keep that in mind, too."

He was trying to, but in truth, trying might have been the extent of it. With Ferris's gaze straight on him, Subaru could accept that he wasn't the only one, but he couldn't change his ways. No matter how much Ferris might object, he'd carry out the plan without deviating.

If it was Subaru's own life on the line, he'd probably always bet that chip first.

"We've finished checking the cave. The people inside were completely crushed by falling rock. I feel kind of bad for them."

"Oh yeah, it was perfect! Perfecto-mundo! They all went booooom!"

Just when the conversation was at a pause, the beast person siblings returned from checking on the buried cave. Greeting the pair, Subaru walked over to Petelgeuse's remains.

Uncertain elements had been swept away, and the danger had been completely eliminated. Subaru was no longer feeling tense, and his stiff cheeks had finally slackened.

"Wiping 'em all out in an unexpected outside attack—to be honest, it was pretty unsportsmanlike, but don't think badly of me. After all, you're way, waaaaay worse than I am."

With his opponent already a corpse, all he could do was make a hollow declaration of victory. That the victory had been earned with a surprise attack, practically an assassination, made it baser and hollower still.

Even so, Subaru couldn't help but say it, because now it felt real inside him.

Petelgeuse had been struck down—the result Subaru had redone the world several times over to achieve.

"Wilhelm, thank you very much. Also, sorry for making you push yourself."

"Push myself, you say?"

"Cutting him down with a surprise attack from the rear, it's the worst, right?"

Wilhelm's face became slightly clouded. He was complicit in no mere surprise raid, but a sneak attack. A knight would surely have that on his mind.

But Wilhelm's expression immediately broke into a strong smile.

"I abandoned chivalry long ago. It is nothing you need concern yourself with, Sir Subaru."

"But I'm the one who made you tag along and help with a surprise attack, so…"

It was a fact that the opponent was a heretic against whom honest, forthright measures were useless. Even so, asking others to cooperate in a cowardly scheme like this didn't sit well with him at all.

"Well, Ferri didn't mind at all, meow. Julius might have hated it…but I think he's shrewd enough to accept it."

"That's why I didn't want to tell him to do it. Well, I could sorta predict how you'd react, though."

"Isn't it better to be a little cowardly and have your friends live than to stick to chivalry and have them die, meow? Subawu, whether you or Julius is right is just a matter of your point of view."

Having Ferris intervene was a big help. Wilhelm said nothing, whereas Mimi tilted her head as if she was wondering, Is there a problem with that…? She was a mercenary through and through.

And what TB then did deserved mention as even more mercenary than that; having finished looking around the area, the little cat-man walked over to Petelgeuse's remains…and, without a moment's hesitation, began fishing around in his pockets.