Chapter Text
– Ah, he’s awake, Rem.
"It feels like my consciousness is rising to the surface from the depths of the ocean. The bed is so soft and comfortable, it doesn’t want to let me go."
The boy’s awakening in a new place began with the familiar voice of one of the maids reaching his ears.
But he chose to ignore it.
– This is just my first time waking up, so I can sleep another half hour. – Subaru muttered without even opening his eyes, choosing the very familiar habit of indulging in a bit more rest.
– Those are the words of a true slacker who sleeps past noon, Sister.
"Noon? Did I really sleep that long?" – Distrusting this new voice, he decided to use his tried-and-true method to check the time: the stubble test. Touching the rough hairs slightly grown on his chin, he began analyzing. – "Considering I last shaved the morning before yesterday, that voice was lying. It can’t be later than 12 p.m.!"
– Ha! Caught you in a lie! – Subaru suddenly sat up on purpose to startle whoever was in the room with him. His finger pointed at the first silhouettes his eyes caught. – I seriously doubt you eat lunch that early!
Despite his love of extra sleep and multiple awakenings each morning, Subaru had an excellent ability to fully wake up when needed. So it didn’t take long for the haze in his eyes to clear, revealing those responsible for the blind dialogue.
His sudden action startled the girls standing by his bed. They stepped back, moved toward the center of the room, and looked at him while holding hands. And while one of them was just surprised by the sudden movement, if you knew what to look for, you could spot a note of genuine fear in the other.
They were about 150 centimeters tall. They had large eyes, pink lips, and shallow facial features that made them look cute.
Two girls—one of whom Subaru already knew—looked almost identical, more like mirror images with minor differences. Both had short hair, but in different colors: Ram’s was pink, and the other, unknown to Subaru, had light blue. Their bangs covered opposite eyes, further emphasizing their mirrored appearances.
– Barusu, – said Ram, who had recovered quickly, – you already missed breakfast, and lunch will be in two hours. My sister and I already had to carry you from the library to your room, so at least have the decency to wake up early and not keep people waiting who want to talk to you.
– Barusu!? – The boy latched onto the most important part. – You’ve turned my name into a blinding curse, Ram-chi. How cruel! – He clutched his chest theatrically.
– At the very least, I have taste and skill in giving people nicknames. – The sharp-tongued maid pointed out how she had been addressed herself.
– Ahem, never mind that, Ram-chi. Just tell me, who wants to talk to me? Don’t tell me it’s Emilia-tan? – Subaru hoped, eyeing the silent maid. – Wow, you weren’t lying, you two really are like two peas in a pod. True eye candy, seeing twin maids together!
– Ha, don’t you dare hit on my Rem, Barusu.
– Please don’t flirt with my sister, dear guest! – Rem hugged her twin. Despite the joking tone, Ram’s synesthetic ability let her sense more seriousness than she would’ve liked.
But Subaru didn’t have time to respond before he heard a familiar, saving voice:
– Could you wake up without making so much noise?
The girl hadn’t even knocked, having heard their voices from down the hall.
The beauty of her long silver hair was on full display, flowing freely down her back today. Her outfit wasn’t her usual attire but was designed in slightly darker pink tones that, in Subaru’s humble opinion, suited her slim white figure. The skirt was a little above the knee, showing off her slender legs, though they were mostly covered by thigh-high socks.
– Wow! I don’t know who picked out this outfit, but I completely agree with their taste! – Subaru was glad to see the silver-haired half-elf first thing in the morning. As lovely and cute as the maids were, he still preferred her company.
– I don’t quite understand what you mean, but… thank you, I guess. – Emilia was still a little flustered by the boy’s compliments. – But that’s not why I’m here! I don’t know what happened between you and Beatrice, but she really wanted to see you.
– Oh, so it was her? – Subaru recalled Ram’s earlier words. – She didn’t say what she wanted? She ended the conversation pretty quickly last time, saying we’d talk today…
– No, she didn’t say. – Emilia shook her head, then looked at the maids still watching their exchange. – Let’s step out for now, okay? Beatrice insisted you two have privacy, and she should be here soon.
– Don’t do anything dangerous this time, Subaru! – She warned him again, wagging her finger like a child. – Don’t provoke her—I don’t want to wait so long for you to wake up again! I’ll be in the courtyard. Come find me when you’re done. – With that, she left, taking the maids with her and leaving Subaru alone to ponder her words:
"She waited for me to wake up?"
Since Beatrice hadn’t shown up yet, Subaru decided to get dressed in the familiar tracksuit lying on the nearby chair, with its holes and tears from the fight with Elsa now neatly sewn up.
"I wonder who did this? As much as I’d like it to be Emilia… I doubt it was her." – She didn’t strike him as someone who could sew this well. – "She did mention she’s a royal candidate? Yeah, this wouldn’t really be a task for someone like her. Most likely Rem or Ram."
"This tracksuit is one of the few things connecting me to my old world." – Subaru looked at the patched holes with a hint of sorrow. – "Once I get some other clothes, I’ll keep this one as a trophy."
– You’re already awake and coherent enough to answer my questions, I assume. – A familiar loli voice came from the side.
– Did no one teach you to knock? – He couldn’t help but throw a jab at the girl, though it had no effect—she was still staring at him with a dead-serious expression. – Fine, so what did you want to ask?
– What are you?
Such a question couldn’t help but catch him off guard. For several seconds, Subaru simply stared at the girl, as if trying to find deeper meaning or context in her expression, but all he saw was suspicion.
"And how am I supposed to take that? She thinks so little of me she’s not even asking who I am, but what I am? Really?" – And then Subaru had an epiphany. His face broke into a proud smile, his right hand stroked his chin, and his mind drifted into a fantasy world—all while Beatrice’s suspicion intensified by the second.
Finally, he broke the silence with an absurd line.
– This is that moment where I get told I’m special, right!?
Now it was Beatrice’s turn to look confused. It seemed he’d drawn his own conclusions from her question, and judging by his stupid face, they were clearly wrong. Well… in a way, he was special, but she wouldn’t exactly call it something to be proud of.
– Your attitude changed after you drew mana from me. – Subaru continued to think aloud. – That must be how you gauge power! Tell me, I have some kind of “strong” mana, right? Or maybe I’ve got some cool trait like super-fast growth? Oh, maybe I can use all elements or nullify spells!? I’ve been told I have a lot of magical talent…
– Enough, stop! My ears are bleeding from your uneducated nonsense. – Her irritation began to overpower even her suspicion. – Stop dodging and answer my question! – Still, she had to stay alert. For all she knew, the boy could be using his stupidity to avoid answering.
– But I really don’t know what to say. – Subaru’s tone grew a bit more serious. – If you want an answer, then ask the question in a way I can actually understand…
He already had a few theories about why she was reacting like this, but it was better to hear it from an expert before jumping to conclusions.
– Haaah... – For some reason even she didn’t fully understand, the boy’s ignorance about his own condition made her breathe a small sigh of relief. Though deep down, a possible answer was forming—and it wasn’t a flattering one.
"I really hope he’s not a monster."
– Very well, Betty will explain everything, I suppose. – Beatrice’s eyes followed his every movement and reaction, but all she saw was a boy genuinely excited to get some answers. – You… are an anomaly.
– Ha–? – Subaru’s surprise was ignored as the great spirit continued her monologue.
– A being like you is practically impossible to create, and yet right now, I see an exception. Betty suspects that someone conducted extremely complex experiments on you. – She added in a whisper: – It feels like Mother’s work, but even for her, this would be insanely difficult.
– Wait, wait! I’m sure no one experimented on me! And I’m not some “being,” both of my parents were regular humans…
– Yes, you’re a pure human, and that’s the strangest part. A newly adult human shouldn’t have an Od source as fresh as a newborn’s. Someone who’s never even cast a hundred spells in his life, – which she couldn’t confirm exactly, but based on her magic analysis and Emilia’s morning report, she’d reached a few conclusions, – shouldn’t have gates so sturdy and a reserve so small.
Beatrice was growing heated, listing everything about him that baffled her. In all her long life, she had never seen anything like this, so her reaction was understandable. The sight of Subaru looking just as confused both calmed and irritated her, and no mental analysis helped explain how this boy had ended up in such a state.
– A normal human with that much miasma concentration should drive everyone around him insane, but in your case, due to several overlapping strange factors, it somehow became possible!
– How could someone with a fully human body and Od have gates with partial elven traits, producing mana so toxic it could literally poison someone!?
– Answer Betty honestly—don’t dodge. I’m not here to judge you if the answer is yes, so don’t be afraid to reveal your secret. – Beatrice paused for ten seconds before asking: – Do you possess an Authority?
That question... didn’t even faze Subaru. To be honest, he was tired of being surprised. Given that this was still a magical world with unknown rules, he was ready for anything. His lack of knowledge played a role too—he simply didn’t know the weight the word “Authority” carried. He only suspected they were “cheat powers,” and kind of took having one for granted. Only the fact that they were connected to the deadly sins hinted that they were rare, especially according to Satella.
He didn’t have much time to process the spirit’s chaotic monologue, but he came to one conclusion:
"Seems like it’s related to my new powers. Both the ones I got in the beginning… and the ones I copied."
– Yeah. – Not knowing what else to say, he simply nodded.
– I see. Thank you for your honesty, I suppose. – Beatrice’s tone became a bit more respectful, though it seemed mostly performative. – That seems to answer part of my earlier reasoning. But something still bothers me more than anything else. Why did you curse yourself? Or more precisely… why did you curse your entire body?
– Eh..? Ah, that! – The cursed boy did not immediately understand what was being discussed, but the clarification about the body led him to the thought that was heading in the right direction.
"She definitely means Elsa’s ability." – He shuddered slightly at the memory of that name. – "Even though her regeneration was described as a curse, I didn’t think it was meant so literally. But I need to clear something up."
– Listen, I didn’t curse myself. It’s a bit of a weird situation that’ll be hard to explain...
– Fine, you can keep the explanation to yourself for now. Betty will find out later. – The girl cut him off, noticing he wasn’t eager to talk about it right this moment. – But from what I’ve understood, here’s my advice: Don’t lift that curse – with your kind of gates, you won’t last long without it.
– But why?
– Is your curse somehow connected to bodily regeneration? – And when he nodded in response, she continued. – That’s probably one of the main reasons why you don’t have to worry about that “black sludge,” I’d say. Your body has, surprisingly, been processing and disposing of the corrupted mana remnants quite well from the beginning, but its resources for that wouldn’t have lasted forever. That curse on you is exactly what’s providing the necessary resources – and it’s using that very mana as fuel. Betty’s not sure how that’ll affect you in the long term, but you definitely don’t need to worry for at least a few years.
"So that’s what the black sludge was." – Realizing he’d have enough time to figure it out, Subaru returned his focus to the curse. – "Tch, so I won’t be able to get rid of it anytime soon after all. Thanks for the skill, Satella, but who’d have thought it would come with such a downside..."
Beatrice, now relaxed, sat down on the nearest chair and let her feet dangle.
– So, Betty will sum it up: Tonight, a black-haired boy wearing strange clothes arrives at the mansion. His abilities are largely unknown and hard to understand. He emits one of the strongest miasmas Betty’s ever seen in her life. The miasma is so thick due to the curse and, I assume, an Authority, that it becomes poisonous to any weak or unadapted body – yet causes no passive harm, as it normally should. On top of that, his mana reserves are ridiculously low for such durable and powerful gates, which makes it obvious to anyone that they were artificially grafted, with some poor elf acting as the donor in a cruel experiment. The only question is how it was done so precisely, leaving no trace but indirect signs. From what Betty heard from the half-elf girl, you should be nearly 18 years old, but your Od is only a few days old, which would be impossible unless you...
The Great Spirit began flipping through not just every book in the library in her mind, but also any mentions of similar situations from her mother. The perfect memory installed by the same mother helped greatly, quickly bringing her to the right clarifying question:
– Did you come from beyond the Great Waterfall?
– Great Waterfall? What’s that?
No, Subaru hadn’t forgotten the term – this was simply the first time he’d ever heard it. Even though he and Satella had little time to talk about worlds and their differences, some information inevitably slipped through. For the witch who had spent her whole life in a flat world and accepted it as natural, it was difficult to remember to explain something that was common knowledge. Just as Subaru, whose worldview only ever included spherical planets, hadn’t thought to ask if it was different here.
Such an answer – in the form of a question – gave Beatrice another piece of the puzzle named “Subaru,” and greatly amused her.
– Pfft—Aahahahaha! – The built-up stress from waiting and having the conversation vanished instantly. She laughed so hard that tears formed in the corners of her eyes, which she quickly wiped away. – That only answers Betty’s question, heheh, I suppose.
– That’s just rude—why not explain first?! I know geography’s never been my strong point, but did you really have to laugh like that?
Subaru was genuinely embarrassed by the whole thing. He didn’t understand why not knowing the location – or existence – of some waterfall had made the usually expressionless, over-aged loli laugh so hard.
"But it seems like she’s not suspicious of me anymore. That’s good, I suppose?"
– Heheh, heh... Alright, ahem. – The spirit quickly composed herself. – Betty will think about what to do with you, but I won’t oppose your stay in the mansion. Be happy, hm! – She turned her head away with a slight blush, lifting her chin.
"How cuuute~" – That’s what he thought, but he was also relieved he didn’t say it out loud.
– Betty doesn’t like that weird look in your eyes, I suppose. Stop it!
– My apologies, dear Beako, I’ll take note of that!
– What did you just call me!? – Upon hearing such “indecency,” Beatrice jumped off the chair, hands on her hips and puffing out her small cheeks. Unfortunately for her, that only made the boy even more charmed.
– I called you Beako, sweet loli! It’s my thank-you for the very important information. Also, I often give nicknames to close acquaintances and other good people!
– Take your thanks back, I suppose! – The girl in the red dress protested. – And what the heck is a “loli”!? Betty doesn’t know yet what it means, but she already doesn’t like it!
– Ah, that... I’ll explain later! – In truth, he had no intention of doing so. As fun as it was to tease her, he didn’t want to overdo it.
– Hmph. Well, you’ll tell Betty everything you know sooner or later. – Beatrice would never admit it, but she was genuinely happy not only to have a new source of information but also an interesting person she could freely chat with. – It’ll be fun to study a chimera like you.
– Hey, just no experiments, alright?
– ...Betty will think about it, I suppose. – She said in the most serious tone, barely hiding her sly smirk.
– Don’t joke like that! – Subaru cried out in feigned fear, but when she didn’t respond, he asked again. – That was a joke, right?? – There was a little less fake terror in his voice this time.
– Hmph, who do you take Betty for? – Clearly signaling that the conversation was over, she walked to the door. Grasping the handle, she added one last thing. – Tonight, the library door will be open to you. Don’t you dare not show up!
Without giving him a chance to say a word in return, the Great Spirit left the room, leaving the black-haired boy standing there alone.
"That was weird… but I think it went well. I didn’t get to ask everything, but what I learned is already a lot."
"So I really won’t be able to get rid of this regeneration?" – In truth, Subaru still thought the ability was very useful, even if it contradicted his Authority. Using death as a tool was something deeply alien to him, even if the consequences were minimal. Having a spell to help avoid pain made taking injuries and avoiding death easier, but there was the inner symbolism. The thought of using abilities from that despicable woman wouldn’t leave his mind, constantly reminding him of the fear, pain, and tears she had “helped” him endure.
"Don’t think about the bad stuff." – He slapped his cheeks a few times out of habit, shaking off the disgusting memories, and headed toward the door.
But the world, it seemed, wasn’t going to give him even a minute of rest.
A familiar sensation of chilling cold wrapped around him before he could even reach the door. The frozen world, for a moment, reminded him of one of yesterday’s events, allowing him to recognize what was happening.
Save Point!
"There it is! Now I’m sure that’s what this is." – This time, better prepared, Subaru memorized most of the sensations from the moment the checkpoint was placed. He didn’t know exactly why, but at this point, any information – even abstract or sensory – was valuable.
"I wonder how the Witch chooses the timing for these?" – Yet another important question he wouldn’t get an answer to anytime soon. If what Satella had told him about her second self was true, he had no desire to meet her at all.
For now, the only thing he could hope for was that Envy would continue making reasonable choices.
– Alright, I bet Emilia-tan’s already been waiting! – The thought of his new friend brought a gentle smile to his face. – "Now I know for sure it wasn’t in vain to save them. Thanks for the support, Tella-tan."
Reaching the door, Subaru opened it and stepped out of the guest room. Recalling all the cute moments with both girls, their behavior and similarities, he came to an interesting conclusion:
– Could it be that Emilia-tan likes me too?? – But after a few more steps down the corridor, he shook the thought off. – Nah, that’s dumb. I’m thinking too much of myself.
– Still, I should totally ask her out on a date! I’ll figure it out based on her reaction. – Subaru nodded firmly. – But...
"I haven’t asked anyone out since middle school! And never on an actual date!! What do I do!?"
The sudden realization made Subaru stop in the middle of the hallway.
"Wait a sec—doesn’t Satella already like me!? Wouldn’t that make me a womanizer or something?"
Realizing he’d stopped, Subaru resumed walking toward the main hall and the mansion’s exit.
"Then again, we’re not dating, and I’ve never even responded to her feelings. But I don’t want to break Tella-tan’s heart!"
Subaru swung between extremes, finally landing on this thought:
– A date doesn’t mean we’ll start dating right away! First, we’ll just get to know each other better, and I’ll decide from there. – Unsurprisingly, the self-doubting boy once again dumped his romantic worries onto his future self.
At last, after walking the long corridor, the anxious black-haired boy opened the main hall doors, only to see, not far off in the yard, one of the girls he’d just been thinking about.
– Hey again, Emilia-tan!