He regretted allowing her to make that face. He regretted making her put on that face.
He didn’t want anyone else to go through that.
“Please—I’m begging you.”
Subaru lowered his head toward the villagers as he made his earnest plea.
The thing he was asking seemed completely unrelated to their most imminent problems, a waste of precious time. Even though Subaru had to speak to them about evacuating, his words were about something completely different. It was as if he was reconfirming for himself just what terrible things had been said to Emilia over and over.
“”
Indeed, the villagers looked conflicted, at a loss as to what reaction they ought to have to Subaru’s words. Even if it had been the topic they were speaking about, the conclusion clashed with the issue at hand.
Mutual bewilderment left them perplexed. However, that was not the only thing born from it.
“—Petra?”
Hearing the sound of small footsteps, Subaru called out the name of the little girl walking to his side.
The girl with reddish-brown hair—Petra—was a village girl Subaru knew well. She responded to Subaru’s call with a nod as she reached Subaru’s side, turning around as she stood to face the villagers with him.
Then her next words proved that she did not only seem to be taking his side—she was.
“Why won’t anyone listen to what Subaru’s saying?”
It was guileless. It was brutally honest. That was why her chastising tore a hole into their hearts.
“Subaru’s so worried, he looks about to cry. Why won’t anyone help him?”
“That’s…”
“When I was in trouble, when everyone was in trouble, Subaru came through, didn’t he? He’ll probably come through for us today, too, right? Then why…?”
Adults had too many walls up to launch the attack called “innocence” that only children were capable of. With the adults cowed into silence, Petra gazed sadly at them before grasping Subaru’s hand.
“The older girl at the mansion, that’s the girl always wearing white, isn’t it? She was the one bringing potato stamps when we did the radio aerobics.”
“…Yeah, that’s right. She was the stamp girl. She wanted to mingle with everyone, but she couldn’t just come out and say so. That’s just how she is.”
Subaru grinned as Petra’s words brought him back to the peaceful days they’d spent together.
It became a ritual. Every day, Emilia would accompany Subaru down to the village and do radio aerobics with the villagers. Emilia was always watching when Subaru gave his stamp of approval with the potato stamps he’d carved himself.
These everyday scenes were the tangible bonds Emilia had formed with the villagers.
That fact made understanding and hesitation rise upon the adults’ faces. But no adult grumbling or hesitation had any traction with children. Other hands rose as different children rushed over to Subaru’s side.
“I’m okay with Big Sis, too!” “If Petra’s fine with her, then I’m fine with her!” “We won’t let Big Bro be the only one to act cool!” “Subaru’s gonna cry, so we’ve gotta help him!” “Yeah!!”
The children made a ruckus; their voices seemed to blow the previous atmosphere away. Seeing the children lined up against them, the anxiety-ridden adults glanced at each other’s faces.
They needed one final push. Faced with their indecision, Subaru stepped forward. With both arms, he held on to the children, pulling them in as tightly as he could.
“I don’t expect everyone to accept her just like that. But I want an opportunity without you rejecting her at the start. I want you to give her a chance.”
“A chance…?”
“A chance to be a girl you can get along with…a chance for you to understand each other.”
As Subaru elaborated on his words, his hands let go of the children he had held, freeing him to get on his knees and show that his resolve went far beyond bowing.
“”
Even Ram’s eyes widened as murmurs spread.
But of all assembled, it was Wilhelm, Ferris, and the other members of the expeditionary force behind Subaru who watched his entreaty in silence.
It was enough. Though it was embarrassing, he had no reason to hesitate.
“Everyone, there’s a lot of things I’d like to say, but right now, this is the only thing I want to ask of you. And one thing more: Let us protect the time needed to make that chance happen.”
“”
“Please… This is why I came back.”
His voice came to a halt. The villagers were silent.
That was to be expected—as far as they were concerned, Subaru was their savior, yet there he was, pressing his own forehead to the ground as he made his plea…a plea to “let them” protect.
Their positions were completely reversed. But the sight of the Subaru they knew like that was—
“—Oh geez, Master Subaru, there’s just no winnin’ against you.”
Speaking those words, and roughly scratching his head in the process, was none other than the leader of the young men who had caused their eruption of worry to begin with. He had a guilty look on his face as he walked over to Subaru and reached out with a hand.
A dumbstruck Subaru gazed blankly as that hand grabbed his shoulder and pulled him to his feet.
Then, with Subaru having yet to say anything, he spoke.
“If you’re gonna say you’ll protect us and put that much into it…guess it can’t be helped.”
The conflicted young man’s statement was as contagious as the initial worry had been. His words were the trigger for the villagers to say with quaking voices:
“It is so terrible getting old. I’m driven to tears so easily…”
“Goodness, he really is so much trouble. It’s blackmail, I tell you.”
Complain as they might, the warmth and relief in their voices left Subaru agape. Petra thrust a finger against his forehead, still smeared with dirt, and spoke.
“Subaru, your face is all dirty!”
Petra’s words sent the uncontrollable urge to laugh spreading throughout the village.
He knew it was a stretch. He thought they’d say it was too far. And yet, they’d accepted his plea anyway.
The villagers’ smiling faces made Subaru sigh with relief.
Truly, the sight was the same as on the days they’d spent to date.
“…Thanks, everyone.”
“That is our line, Master Subaru.”
This time, the words of Muraosa, representing the consensus of the village, nearly did bring Subaru to tears.
4
And ’twould have been a far prettier tale if the matter had ended there, but…
“Am I mistaken, or did you not actually say anything about the most important part?”
“A, aa—!”
Subaru was trying to hide his half-tearful face when Ram’s impartial observation snapped him out of it. Reflecting upon her words, he realized that he really hadn’t explained any of the most important part at all.
He was so focused on the parts relating to Emilia that he’d completely forgotten about the plan to evacuate the villagers.
“Oh man, I messed up…”
“Just when I thought you had become somewhat useful. It seems Barusu will be Barusu.”
Feeling Ram’s disappointed gaze, Subaru, unable to summon any excuse, immediately turned back around to explain things to the villagers. “It cannot be helped,” said Ram to him, shaking her head as she spoke.
“I shall explain about the evacuation and accompanying compensation in your place. Barusu, return to your underhanded schemes.”
“Uh, that’s all right? Er, I mean, you’ll be all right?”
“It is you who are not all right, Barusu. Can you switch to speaking to the village’s humans about practical matters in a heartbeat? Your personality is hardly suited to it.”
“Suppose you’re right! It’s
embarrassing, but I’m counting on you, Older Sis!”
“—?”
Ram was basking in his respectful words when she cocked her head with a questioning look. Then she headed toward the villagers. This was Ram, blessed with a great deal of comprehension and insight. Tossing the rest of the explanation to her would doubtlessly turn out all right.
This done, the next issue was—
“—Subaru, I would like to finally move the issue forward.”
Julius said that just as Subaru was switching mental gears. Subaru greeted his words with a nod and headed back to the expeditionary force’s ranks. They had to shift to the next phase of the operation.
Upon his return, Ferris smiled at Subaru and casually sent a wave his way.
“Subawu, you did great with that speech~. You moved even Ferri’s heart.”
“Don’t dig it back up! And don’t lie! And really don’t dig that up! It’s embarrassing!”
“There is nothing to be ashamed of. You very much said it in your own way, and because of that, you moved the hearts of the villagers to such an ext—”
“Don’t dig it back up! Leave it in the ground! We’re talking about the next operation!”
Subaru yelled both at Ferris, clearly full of malice, and Julius, clearly devoid of malice, as he dragged the topic back.
Events to come would proceed as they’d hammered out in midmarch. Once convincing the villagers was taken care of, they’d rendezvous with the detachment with the traveling merchants and evacuate the civilians. During that time, they needed to deal with feeding false info to the Witch Cult and—
“…Deceive Lady Emilia with a forked tongue, and shoo her far, far away with the people of the village, meow.”
“Watch how you say it! Even if it fits the plan, it sounds way too bad that way!”
“Because I can’t agree with it, meow. Why do you need to send Lady Emilia far away? Lady Emilia has both a reason to fight, and the power to do so… Am I wrong?”
Of the entire plan, this was the only point Ferris saw fit to disagree with. Subaru and Ferris didn’t see eye to eye on Emilia’s place in the plan.
When he thought back, Ferris was the one who’d brought Emilia into battle during the final fight in the village. Ram seemed to have helped convince her, but Ferris’s assessment of Emilia’s power might have proven correct.
At least, as far as Emilia’s having the power to slug it out with even Petelgeuse—
“—Even so, I don’t want to let Emilia fight the Witch Cult.”
“Haah, we’re talking past each other…”
Seeing Ferris slump his shoulders with an exasperated air made Subaru feel bad, but he wouldn’t take back his view. It was the one thing he would not budge on. Subaru’s selfishness—or rather, the deep-rooted bad premonition in his chest—made him want Emilia kept away from the Witch Cult, by extreme measures if need be.
The premonition was probably founded in the look on the side of Emilia’s face when she’d defeated Petelgeuse at the end of the last time around. The madman’s death had made tears trickle for reasons even she did not understand.
“Ferris. Sir Subaru has his own feelings on the matter. Sir Subaru has his desires where Lady Emilia is concerned, just as you have your expectations for Lady Crusch.”
“Old Man Wil…”
“It is doubtless you prefer some outcomes over others. Surely you can understand his earnest feelings.”
It was Wilhelm who interjected, having held his peace during the dispute up to that point. The old swordsman’s words made Ferris’s cheeks tighten; he subconsciously touched the dagger on his hip.
“Just as you adore Lady Crusch, Sir Subaru wishes for Lady Emilia’s well-being— A boy is concerned for the welfare of the girl he loves. It is only nature.”
“Having it said that bluntly makes me feel a little blushy and pathetic, but…”
Subaru scratched his cheek, welcoming Wilhelm’s support with a pathetic look. Ferris had a pouting look on his face, but he did not offer any further rebuttal. The knights around them gave Subaru warm looks as well.
“Anyway! We’re gonna do this just like we worked out! We’ll set up the scenario so Emilia listens to reason. Ferris, Wilhelm, I’m counting on you for some really persuasive backup!”
“Understood.”
“Sure thing~!”
When the two freshly acknowledged their role as persuaders, Subaru cut the conversation off then and there. If Ram pulled off convincing the villagers, the remaining issues were relatively few. Subaru turned around and spoke.
“OK, Julius. About that favor I asked about earlier. How is…”
“—Do you mean me? I’ve been listening the whole time.”
Everyone’s breath caught as a third party’s voice interjected at that juncture, the very end of the exchange. Subaru, the only one who realized the identity of the speaker, naturally looked up. And then—
“Heya, long time no see, Puck. How’ve you been?”
He smiled toward Puck—the little cat swishing his tail as he floated in the sky.
The presence of the suddenly appearing Great Spirit surprised the expeditionary force, putting it extremely on edge. Puck, glancing at their reaction, accepted Subaru’s greeting with a stroke of his own whiskers as he spoke.
“Mm, I’m in a very good mood. Right now, I can easily dispose of an insect pestering my beloved daughter.”
“This is an awkward question, but this insect to which you refer…”
“Do you really need to ask?”
Puck’s eyes remained round as a ghastly, overpowering aura poured from his entire body.
That sense of antagonism made tension run through not only Subaru, but the entire expeditionary force as well. The knights, sensitive to hostility, immediately put their hands to the hilts of their swords, an understandable reaction.
Though he was bathed in their wary stares, Puck’s ghastly aura did not relent as he continued, “Subaru, I have a few things to say to you. Do you know what they are?”
“…I broke my promise to Emilia. On top of that, I came back against her orders. Those are my sins, and I won’t make any excuse for them.”
“—”
Subaru’s reply made Puck’s cheeks twitch. These were Subaru’s answers to the questions Puck had tossed his way—for once already he had experienced that pop quiz when he drew Puck’s ire.
At the time, Subaru had been unable to say anything to the enraged Puck. He’d hurt Emilia through his own selfish actions, and as a result had let her die; he couldn’t speak a single word. That was why—
“Of course you’re angry at me for all that. If your mind won’t be set at ease until you punish me, I’m prepared to accept and face whatever punishment you have to give…but now is not the time.”
He’d broken his promise, trampled on her pleas, and Subaru had added to those sins by coming back. But he absolutely would not permit the final and worst among them—letting her die—come to pass.
“Danger’s nipping at Emilia’s heels. I want to do something about it. I want to take her fate of facing terrible things, grind it into sand, and blow it away. Please, work with me so I can do that.”
“…You sound quite…full of yourself.”
“Yeah, I’m a man who’s full of himself. You didn’t know?”
When Puck spoke in a low voice, Subaru closed one eye and replied thus. Hearing this, Puck folded his short arms. Then the little cat made a tiny grunt and spoke.
“Somehow…you’ve changed, Subaru, but at the same time, you haven’t.”
“That’s ’cause human nature ain’t an easy thing to change.”
“I suppose not. Methods aside, it seems you still treasure Lia in your thoughts.”
A moment after he spoke the words, the ferocious pressure that had dominated the entire area to that point abated.
Freed from the sense of menace, which had made him feel like his entire body was being frozen, Subaru sighed at length.
The same went for the expeditionary force, Julius and Wilhelm included. In particular, Ferris exaggeratedly patted his own chest.
“W-we’re all right now? No one’s killing us all of a sudden, meow?”
“Relax. We’re brothers in kitty ears, yes? Do I look like that mean and scary a spirit to you?”
Puck responded lightheartedly to Ferris’s gloomy words, visibly puffing his cheeks up. His demeanor until a moment before had seemed like a bad joke, but one way or another, the spirit’s anger seemed to have been assuaged.
“Well, I wasn’t that angry in the first place. I’ve been quietly eavesdropping on the villagers for a while now, you see.”
“So that’s where you’ve been?! Then you knew what I was trying to do all along?!”
“Mm, it makes a nice story…enough that it almost softened me up before I realized it.”
“Don’t flip this around! Talk seriously, would you?! This whole discussion’s for Emilia’s sake!”
Subaru was happy that they were shooting the breeze like normal, but on the other hand, he was eager to gloss over how much it had gotten under his skin. After that, he looked over his shoulder, grimacing Julius’s way.
“And you should’ve mentioned you managed to call Puck over. I was shakin’ in my boots.”
“I did not surprise you intentionally. I knew the Great Spirit was present at the same time the buds made their return… I am relieved that your conversation ended peacefully.”
“Well…I do feel the same way…”
Sharing Julius’s relief, Subaru slumped his shoulders in exasperation.
Calling Puck to the village was one of the tasks Subaru had asked Julius to do—to have him send his quasi-spirits to the mansion and bring Puck back without Emilia’s being the wiser.
This was to gain his cooperation in the skullduggery required to get Emilia to evacuate.
“If Ram, the villagers, and Puck are all on the same page…”
“Lia won’t be able to really put her foot down, huh? I really must say, though, you’ve scrupulously prepared.”
Puck made a strained smile at Subaru’s attention to detail. But Subaru shook his head at the little cat.
“We’re facing the Witch Cult. Nothing’s too much where those guys are concerned.”
Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-, Vol. 9 Page 7
