Dawn broke once again over the picturesque village of Arlam. Golden light caressed the thatched roofs, while the morning wind rustled the leaves with a deceptive softness. It was a bucolic scene, of an almost annoying perfection.
An idyllic painting, frozen in a time that we have already taken the time to contemplate... again, and again.
As an unshakeable constant in this fractured world, Kozuwa Kurisu stood on his balcony. His amber eyes stared at the horizon, waiting for the gears of fate to set themselves in motion once more.
Suddenly, he turned his head, plunging his gaze directly into the void, breaking the fourth wall with disconcerting naturalness.
Kurisu: « Ohh, hi everyone! Well, last time, we left off on a little cliffhanger, didn't we? »
His tone suddenly became more playful, almost childlike.
Kurisu: « Well now, I'm going to see how our dear Subaru will react in this loop... And I'm also going to start preparing a few things regarding his "little" torture scene, kekeke. Without further ado, I leave you with our dear author-san. Me, I'm going to go have a good time. »
Meanwhile, in a luxurious guest room of the Mathers estate, a scream of terror shattered the silence.
Subaru sat up with a start in his bed. Sweat chilled his back. His hands frantically gripped the sheets while his lungs burned, seeking air with desperation.
The ghost memory of the curse crushing his entrails and the scourge brushing his flesh still haunted his mind. He had just died. Again.
But Natsuki Subaru, driven by a determination bordering on madness, slapped both his cheeks violently. The sharp crack echoed in the room, chasing away the shadows of panic. He had to save the twins. He had to save Emilia. And so, he began the loop again.
This time, he chose to stay at the mansion as a guest, behaving with his usual joviality by day, while asking subtle questions and searching by night to understand how a presumed killer could infiltrate.
The days flew by, modeled on the plot of the original work. Inevitably, the fateful morning of the fourth day arrived.
Subaru stood before the gates of the estate, his bag on his shoulder, ready to leave. After farewells that were more than doubtful and charged with a tension that he was the only one to feel, he took to the road.
But, a strange thing... he did not veer toward the edge of the forest to reach the cliff and wait for the opportune moment. His steps guided him straight toward the village of Arlam.
From his perch, Kurisu immediately noticed this change in trajectory. He set down his cup of tea, looking sincerely surprised.
« Well... Why is he heading toward the village? Did he take the wrong road? No... that's not his style. »
He tapped the balustrade pensively, analyzing the situation before letting out a small laugh.
« Ah. I see. The butterfly effect is already in motion. Don't tell me you suspect me, Subaru? Kekeke... Well, my dear Subaru, come. I am waiting for you. Let's see how well your reasoning holds up. »
Subaru entered the village with a falsely relaxed gait. At first wary of this stranger with the dark gaze, the inhabitants eventually opened up. Drawing his arsenal of corny jokes, Subaru relaxed the atmosphere. Amidst the laughter of the children, he casually slipped in a few questions about the eccentric man living in the large house.
The villagers' answers left him stunned. Everyone described Kurisu as a charming man, though a bit strange. A man who played with the youngest and helped in the village without demanding anything in return.
But the finishing blow was given to him by the village chief: this strange man lived peacefully with his three wives.
Subaru (in thought): « Three?! A harem all for himself?! What a lucky bastard... I take back what I said, he's my true enemy! »
Despite his flashing jealousy, Subaru had to face the facts. Nothing dark emerged from these testimonies. Kurisu's social alibi was ironclad. Wanting to be sure nonetheless, he decided to go and confront him directly.
In the distance, Kurisu observed the scene, delighted.
« Did you really think I would leave clumsy traces? Walk into the lion's den, little detective. I've planned a little something to gently put you back on the script's tracks. »
At the moment Subaru raised his hand to knock on the door, Kurisu literally vanished into the house.
Subaru knocked. After a few seconds of silence, light footsteps echoed.
Voice: « Yes, I'm coming! »
The door opened to a magnificent young woman with long light green hair and amber eyes of infinite softness. Subaru stood there speechless.
Subaru: « Uhh... I am... Uhh... » he stammered, completely losing his composure.
Marielle: « You must be Mr. Subaru? »
she asked with a polite smile.
Subaru winced, his paranoia momentarily taking over again.
Subaru: « Yes... But... How do you know that? »
Marielle: « Well, our Mari-sama told us that if one day, a young boy with black hair and a rather weird style of dress, sporting a gaze even more terrible than that of a seasoned killer, showed up... then it must be Natsuki Subaru. »
This description stung Subaru to the quick. He clenched his fists, outraged.
Subaru: « That's defamation! My eyes aren't that bad, first of all! »
He sighed, trying to regain his seriousness.
Subaru: « Uh, anyway... May I meet Kurisu? »
Marielle shook her head gently, looking apologetic.
Marielle: « I am sorry, but Mari-sama has gone to run an errand. He is away for the moment. »
Her smile returned, warm.
Marielle: « But he shouldn't be long. You can wait for him on our balcony if you wish. »
Subaru felt a pang of hesitation. Entering his number one suspect's home in his absence? It was risky. But he swallowed his pride and chose to move forward.
Subaru: « Very well... I'll follow you. »
A few minutes later, Subaru found himself sitting in a wicker chair, nervously sipping a cup of tea. Opposite him stood Marielle, Sylphy, and Celestia.
Celestia: « H-here, M-Mr. Subaru... »
stammered the young girl with purple hair as she refilled his tea. Her hands were shaking so hard that the cup clattered dangerously against the saucer.
Subaru thanked her with a nod, set down his cup, and resumed his detective expression.
Subaru: « Uhh... You are all Kurisu's wives, is that right? »
The three young women nodded in unison.
Sylphy: « That is indeed the case, I am Sylphy. »
Marielle: « I am Marielle. »
Celestia: « A-and I am Celestia, Mr. Subaru... »
Subaru scrutinized them at length. He was looking for a flaw, a trace of fear in their eyes. He found only profound serenity.
Subaru: « If it's not impolite of me... What kind of person is Kurisu to you? »
A short silence settled on the balcony, disturbed only by the breath of the wind.
Sylphy: « Well... Mari-sama... is truly special. »
An affectionate smile was born on her lips.
Sylphy: « He is rather playful and very rarely shows moments of weakness... But he is deeply kind. »
Marielle: « Indeed. »
added the woman with green hair.
Marielle: « Mari-sama has always respected our choices. He lets us do what we want and never forces us to do anything, while taking great care of us. »
Celestia: « I-it's true... »
continued the shiest one, blushing slightly.
Celestia: « After all, he still decided to look after us when we had no one left to turn to... »
Sylphy: « Yes... although Mari-sama is sometimes... zany. »
Marielle: « Eccentric. »
Celestia: « A-and a bit weird too... »
The three wives looked at each other, a light laugh escaping their lips. They turned to Subaru, displaying a smile radiant with sincerity.
The Three: « But he is a good person! »
Seeing this pure love shining in their eyes, Subaru's tension suddenly dropped. His stomach unclenched. The social and emotional alibi was perfect. He had been wrong all along. Kurisu was not the assassin.
Subaru (in thought): « I am completely paranoid... Yet, I don't know why, but the very idea of this guy continues to make me feel deeply uneasy. »
Before he could open his mouth to apologize, the balcony door burst open.
Kurisu: « Hi girls, I'm home! »
Setting eyes on the balcony, he feigned outrageous surprise.
Kurisu: « Ohh! But we have a distinguished guest, don't we? »
Sylphy: « Indeed, Mari-sama. He came to see you... but you weren't here. »
Kurisu gave them a warm smile.
Kurisu: « Well, thank you for keeping him company. Sorry, but... can you leave us alone for a moment? »
The three women nodded obediently and headed inside. Before closing the door, Celestia poked her head through the gap.
Celestia: « If you need anything at all, call us! »
Kurisu gave her a reassuring wave, and the door closed. Silence fell heavily. Kurisu sat down casually opposite Subaru, crossing his arms.
His gaze suddenly became sharper.
Kurisu: « So, Mr. Yakuza-eyes... To what do I owe this immense honor? »
Subaru remained silent for a moment. His animosity had almost completely melted away.
Subaru: « Well... I came to check certain things... »
he began, scratching the back of his head.
Kurisu: « Ohh? And so? »
he asked, resting his chin on his clasped hands.
Subaru: « But your wives have already confirmed them for me. »
Kurisu: « Interesting. And what are these famous "things," if I may ask? »
he insisted, a mischievous smile dancing on his lips.
Subaru held his gaze, looking peaceful.
Subaru: « Although you're a frankly strange guy... you don't look like a bad person. So, I don't think you're the person I'm looking for. »
Kurisu let out a muffled laugh, draped in his usual condescension.
Kurisu: « Only now do you realize that? Well, one could say you're not exactly a sharp one... »
Subaru took the jab without flinching. His thoughts were already turned toward the hill, toward the true danger that awaited him tonight.
He had to prepare for it.
He stood up promptly.
Subaru: « So, since I've finished what I had to do here... I'll leave you. »
Kurisu: « Very well. Go do what you have to do, great detective. »
Subaru turned on his heel. As he placed his hand on the handle, Kurisu's voice echoed behind him, strangely calm and icy.
Kurisu: « Ohh, and one last thing... »
Subaru stopped.
Kurisu: « When you are in the forest later... pay a little more attention to your surroundings. »
Subaru froze instantly. A glacial shiver ran up his spine. He spun around abruptly, his eyes wide with incomprehension.
Subaru: « You... How do you... ? »
Subaru (in thought): « He knows I'm going into the forest? How could he know that?! »
Paranoia returned to crush him with all its weight. Doubt assailed him once again. But the sun was already sinking on the horizon.
The hour of the attack was approaching. He no longer had time to solve this new mystery.
Subaru: « No... I don't have time for this! I must prepare! »
Fleeing this oppressive house, Subaru opened the door and bolted without a word, his mind boiling with unanswered questions.
Left alone on the balcony, Kurisu watched Subaru's frantic silhouette cross the village to disappear into the growing shadows of the forest.
He said nothing. A simple satisfied smile, the smile of an absolute predator, stretched his features.
Slowly, he raised his head. His amber eyes left the landscape to stare at the empty space above him.
Kurisu: « Well, dear readers... stay tuned, for chaos is about to begin, kekeke. »
And so, time passed, inexorably bringing the mansion closer to its bloodiest night.
.....
Time passed with suffocating slowness until the end of the day. Shadows lengthened over the vast Mathers estate, devouring the golden light to make way for a twilight tinged with anguish.
Subaru, his stomach knotted with visceral fear but driven by implacable resolve, found himself once again on his hill, eyes fixed toward the mansion.
He watched, holding his breath until his lungs burned, seeking the slightest anomaly in the rustling of the leaves, the smallest metallic glint that might betray the killer's identity.
And so, as if the script itself—cruel and unalterable—had decided to force the march of its story, everything happened exactly as planned.
The icy clinking of chains sliced through the silence of the forest. Subaru threw himself to the side in a desperate survival reflex, narrowly dodging the first attack which pulverized the trunk of the tree right behind him. Panicked, breath short, he dashed into the gathering darkness of the undergrowth.
Branches scratched his face, his muscles screamed, but he ran. He ran blindly, praying to find an escape, until the topography of the forest brutally betrayed him. A steep cliff. An impassable wall of rock. A dead end.
Despair, cold and heavy, invaded him. He understood at that precise moment that he had merely been dancing in the palm of his aggressor since the beginning of the hunt.
The metallic clicking drew closer slowly, methodically, finally revealing the silhouette of his executioner under the pale light of the moon.
It was Rem.
Her eyes, usually so soft and full of devotion, were now nothing but two chasms of unfathomable and icy hatred.
On his part, comfortably tucked away in the darkness of the foliage above, Kurisu observed the scene. He let out a deep sigh of weariness, distractedly rubbing his temple.
Kurisu: « Even when given clear clues, he still ends up getting trapped like a beginner... Truly a case apart, this one. »
he whispered to himself, slowly shaking his head at the pitiful performance of his "protagonist."
Below, the tragedy followed its course. Subaru, heart broken by this revelation, shoved the maid in a final desperate attempt to flee. He took a few chaotic steps, hope reborn for the space of a fraction of a second, until a shrill whistling tore through the night air.
Subaru: « Aaaahhhhhh! My leg! »
His scream of agony ripped through the night, so powerful it sent nearby birds into flight. Ram's wind blade had struck from the shadows with surgical precision, cleanly severing his right leg at the knee. Subaru rolled violently onto the rocky ground.
The grass was instantly stained with the dark red of his blood spurting in pulses. His entire body froze, struck down by the unspeakable pain of the amputation. He could neither move nor crawl. His mind, drowned in an ocean of suffering, wavered at the gates of madness.
Kurisu, perched on his branch, had already analyzed the invisible trajectory of the attack. He knew exactly behind which thicket Ram had concealed herself. A carnivorous smile, almost predatory, slowly stretched across his lips.
Kurisu: « Well... How about we have a little fun? »
He disappeared into a rustle of leaves so minute it blended with the wind.
On the ground, Subaru's vision blurred under tears and pain. Suddenly, on the edge of unconsciousness, he saw a small, delicate hand reach out over his gaping wound.
Rem: « Water mana, heal this wounded body. »
A bluish glow, soft and soothing, enveloped the tattered stump. The blood stopped flowing almost immediately. Subaru let out a long, trembling groan, panting pitifully as the pain receded just enough to return his lucidity.
He felt a wave of indescribable relief and turned his head toward Rem, face bathed in sweat and tears, seeking a glimmer of pity in her eyes. Had she spared him? Had she understood he was not an enemy?
Rem: « If you die so easily, I will not be able to extract any information from you. »
The young girl's voice was flat, dead, devoid of the slightest spark of humanity. Subaru's relief shattered into a thousand pieces, replaced by absolute horror. She wasn't healing him out of kindness.
She was sealing his blood vessels to keep him alive, conscious, in order to prolong his ordeal. Matching action to words, she slowly raised her enormous morning star, ready to crush the remaining flesh and bones of her victim.
But before she could strike her blow or spit out her first question, the sound of light, almost nonchalant footsteps echoed in the blood-stained clearing.
Kurisu stepped calmly from the bushes, walking with disconcerting ease into the middle of this nightmarish tableau. In his right arm, hanging like a rag doll, he held Ram firmly, totally unconscious.
Subaru was struck with stupor. The pain was almost forgotten for a second. Seeing Kurisu here, in the heart of this deadly forest, holding the powerful wind mage with such ease, defied all logic.
But for Rem, the impact of this apparition was devastating.
From the instant Kurisu set foot in the clearing, a suffocating aura descended upon her. The smell. The Witch's miasma emanating from him was of a terrifying density, crushing, to the point of tearing a violent retch from her. She staggered back.
Then, her gaze fell upon her twin sister, inert, in the hands of the very incarnation of the evil that gnawed at her past. Her eyes widened to the limit of possibility, blood vessels almost bursting under the pressure of a hysterical rage.
Rem: « Who are you!? What have you done to my sister, you miserable cultist!? »
she screamed, her voice tearing in a bestial cry, spitting tears of pure hatred.
Kurisu stopped a few paces away. He gauged the enraged servant from head to toe, without making the slightest defensive gesture. He tilted his head slightly, wearing a dry and sovereignly condescending smile.
Kurisu: « Ohh, me? Well, nothing special. I just came to stop a torture session of very poor taste. »
Rem's brain made the connection at lightning speed. This foul man, who exuded death and miasma, was stepping in to protect Subaru... who carried the same abject stench.
Rem: « So you're with him, then... You filthy bunch of cultists... You're going to pay for what you've done! »
In a roar of blind fury, she swung her flail with devastating force, breaking the air itself, and brought it down straight toward Kurisu's skull to reduce it to mush.
Kurisu did not blink. He simply raised his free hand and snapped his fingers.
SNAP.
The sound was dry, strangely clear. And suddenly, the world went out.
No light, no wind. The rustling of the leaves stopped abruptly. The drop of blood beading from Subaru's cheek remained suspended in the void. The steel ball bristling with spikes, launched at a deadly speed, froze exactly one millimeter from Kurisu's shoulder, defying the laws of physics.
As if the very fabric of reality had just obeyed him, the entire universe had entered stasis. A tomb-like silence, heavy and oppressive, fell upon the clearing.
Only Kurisu and Subaru could still breathe.
Kurisu cast a sidelong glance at the figure of Rem, petrified in her momentum of murderous rage. A look of deep disgust deformed his features.
Kurisu: « You really call this an interrogation? »
he said, his voice echoing strangely in this space without an echo.
Kurisu: « It's just low-grade sadism, Rem. You are so blinded by your traumas and your inferiority complex that you don't even see that this pitiful brat on the ground is probably the only sincere and innocent thing in this damn house of madmen. »
He turned away from her with contempt, passing under the frozen chain of the flail, and walked calmly toward Subaru. He crouched down before the bloodied boy. Subaru breathed in jagged gasps. His eyes, widened by terror and incomprehension, darted frantically from the frozen Rem to this being with divine powers.
Kurisu: « Do you see, Subaru? »
Kurisu began in a professorial tone.
Kurisu: « When you rush in headfirst without having all the cards in hand, this is how it ends... with one less leg, a guaranteed torture session, and a Rem who hates you from the depths of her being. »
Subaru trembled with his whole body. Confusion mingled with anger and absolute despair.
Subaru: « Who... what the hell are you...? »
he stammered, spitting out a bit of blood, voice broken by exhaustion.
Subaru: « A god...? The devil...? »
Kurisu smiled. An amused smile, cruelly devoid of the slightest human warmth. He leaned in a little closer, totally dominating the scene.
Kurisu: « Well... I am but a simple spectator. A somewhat peculiar spectator, who likes to intervene at certain specific moments in the story, solely for his own personal pleasure. »
He made a theatrical pause, planting his amber eyes, glowing with a dangerous intelligence, into Subaru's.
Kurisu: « But you, Subaru... you are truly interesting. Since the first day we met, you've intrigued me. You should know why I say that, shouldn't you? »
Subaru's brain was running at full speed, fighting against waves of pain that threatened to make him sink. A spectator? Someone who spoke of "history," of a "scenario"? Someone who knew he was repeating the same days? Subaru swallowed painfully.
Subaru: « You... you know... about... what happens when I die...? The Re... Return by Death? » he dared to articulate, voice trembling with uncertainty.
Kurisu burst into a frank, loud laugh that violently broke the artificial silence of the frozen forest.
Kurisu: « Kekeke! I didn't think you would let the cat out of the bag so quickly, even faced with the obvious. But yes, you're not wrong. However, that's not the only reason for my interest. Let's just say... that I deeply love seeing you struggle, crawl, and fight for your life against plot forces that far exceed you. It's... fascinating to watch. »
Subaru grit his teeth until his gums bled. A wave of helpless hatred rose within him. He had just understood. This guy wasn't an enemy sent to kill him. Nor was he a providential ally.
He was worse.
He was a selfish entity, a player who used the suffering of others as vulgar entertainment. If he had to suffer to amuse him, Kurisu would leave him to agonize. If he was helping him today, it was only to prevent "the play" from becoming boring.
Kurisu: « Fine. Don't look at me with those puppy-dog eyes. I'm in a generous mood tonight. So, listen carefully, I'm going to give you a few clues. »
Kurisu stood halfway back up, pointing a nonchalant finger toward the paralyzed maid.
Kurisu: « First of all, it was indeed dear Rem who eviscerated you with her mace during your previous loop. Why? Because of your awful "Witch's scent." »
Subaru frowned, confusion momentarily replacing anger.
Subaru: « My scent...? What scent? What the hell are you talking about?! »
Kurisu raised a hand to stop him from speaking, refusing to dwell on details that Subaru did not yet have the right to understand.
Kurisu: « Silence. Listen to the rest. Rem is your physical executioner, yes. But that's not all. Because what killed you during your very first stay at the mansion... what slowly drained your mana during your last loop... and what was going to kill you miserably in your sleep if you hadn't come out to play the hero... is a curse. A curse that was inoculated during your visit to the village. Rem has absolutely nothing to do with that. »
Subaru's eyes widened. His breath cut off sharp. The mansion faded from his mind. The village?
Subaru: « A curse... in the village?! »
he spat, panic seizing him. He thought back to the smiling faces, the laughter of the children with whom he had done gymnastics that very morning.
Subaru: « But who... who did this to me?! Tell me! Who is the culprit?! »
Kurisu's smile widened, cruel and satisfied. He had just baited his prey, but he refused to give him the final reward.
Kurisu: « Ah! Find out for yourself, boy. True, I'm giving you clues to keep you from going in circles... but if I served you the final solution on a silver platter, it wouldn't be fun at all anymore, would it? Where would your character development be? »
Subaru dug his nails into the damp earth, rage boiling in his veins. He didn't care about this psychopath. He didn't care about this sick game.
Subaru: « I don't care about your stories! I want to protect them! Emilia, the children in the village... and even... even those twins who want to kill me! I don't want them to hate me because of this damn imaginary scent! Tell me how to break this! »
he pleaded, his voice broken by emotional exhaustion.
Kurisu let out a small mocking chuckle as he leaned over him again.
Kurisu: « Imaginary? Oh, I assure you that you reek of death, big guy. But let me tell you a juicy little secret. »
He lowered his voice, adopting the tone of a conspirator.
Kurisu: « I have exactly the same scent as you. But much, much stronger. And guess what? It is precisely because of my mere presence in that village that dear Rem was already on edge and totally paranoid long before your arrival. You were but the spark on a powder keg that I had prepared myself. You paid the price for my aura. Deliciously ironic, isn't it? »
Subaru took the blow full in the chest. The revelation took his breath away. Everything made sense. The sudden hatred, the disproportionate animosity, the rushed murder in the previous loops... Everything had been biased from the start by the simple existence of this monster.
Despair, dark and crushing, engulfed him. He lifted a heavy, glazed gaze toward the man with amber eyes.
Subaru: « Why... »
he whispered in a dying voice.
Subaru: « Why are you telling me all this... What can I do, then?... Help me... If you can stop time, you can fix everything... Save me... »
Kurisu sighed, slowly straightening up, scanning the broken brat at his feet as one observes a pitiful insect.
Kurisu: « Well, it's very simple. In terms of abilities, yes, I could heal you, snap my fingers, vaporize this girl and save your skin. Right here, right now. »
He made an icy pause.
Kurisu: « But if I do that... your relationship with the other sister will be destroyed forever. Those twins will hate you for eternity for having survived because of me while Rem would be dead. You will remain the weak and useless coward in their eyes. And frankly? That would make for an absolutely appalling narrative arc. »
Subaru no longer understood. This director's language exasperated him as much as it terrified him. Kurisu then slowly reached out his hand toward Subaru's sweaty forehead.
Kurisu: « So... I refuse to help you further. Die with this precious information in mind, and try to do a bit better on the next attempt, alright? But just before you go... »
Kurisu's finger stopped a millimeter from Subaru's skin. A flash of pure malice, of unspeakable cruelty, crossed his light pupils.
Kurisu: « A little tip between us. In your next loop, when you are at the bottom of the pit, you should really try to talk about your "Return by Death" power to that half-elf... or to anyone else, for that matter. Confide in them. Try to reveal your big secret with all your strength. I guarantee you, on my honor, that something... extremely interesting will happen. »
Subaru's eyes widened. A piece of advice? A way to get out of this by allying with Emilia? Hope pierced through for a microsecond, blinding his judgment. He was about to open his mouth to ask for details.
He never got the chance.
Before Subaru could realize the true nature of this Machiavellian psychological trap, Kurisu placed his index and middle fingers on his forehead. With a simple invisible impulse, almost gentle, the magic worked. Subaru's heart muscle was instantly stopped. No suffocating agony. No scream. Just immediate nothingness.
Subaru's heart stopped beating.
The boy's vision abruptly plummeted into absolute black. The frozen world around him shattered into a thousand shards of silent glass. Space and time twisted upon themselves in an inaudible scream, and the merciless wheel of the loop began to turn once more.