Volume 4 - CH 81.2

But then, what would he have to do to clear the Second Trial? Unlike the First Trial, he couldn’t figure it out at all.

[Subaru: Just thinking about it won’t get me anywhere. ……I just have to do the things that I can do]

Shaking his head and clenching his indecisive heart, Subaru stood up. He pressed his hand against the mossy wall behind him and peered into the dark entrance of the Tomb.

He had been pondering here alone, with neither Patrasche or Otto at his side.

Embarrassed by the sheer stupidity of their last exchange, he had asked Otto to bring Patrasche back to the stables. In the end, although it consoled him to see Patrasche’s concerned gaze as she left, Subaru needed some time alone to sort over the various thoughts on his mind.

[Subaru: The primary problems that need addressing are the Sanctuary and the Mansion. In the Sanctuary are the Trials, Garfiel, and the Great Rabbit. In the Mansion are Beatrice and Elsa…… I’m fighting on too many fronts here]

With not a single solution in sight, he was just about falling into despair. But this was no time to be despairing. He must steadily eliminate his problems, one at a time―― while no longer treating his life as if it were disposable.

[Subaru: First is to confirm the status of the Trials. If the Second Trial has just started then all’s well, but if it’s completed and the Third Trial has started, that’s even better]

At least, if he could remove the Barrier sooner, that would help the situation greatly. He should start thinking about how to move Garfiel as well. In the worst case, when the Great Rabbit attacks, they’ll be able to escape outside. Even Garfiel wouldn’t be so stubborn when he is faced with the Great Rabbit.

Removing the Barrier would move the problems of the Sanctuary closer to resolution.

Thinking to this point, a faint glimmer of hope opened before Subaru’s eyes, bringing with it relief.

He had been racking his brain over the endless problems, but now he finally saw something that could be leading to the answer.

[Subaru: ――――]

Standing at the entrance of the Tomb, Subaru held his breath as he gazed into the darkness of the stone corridor.

If he enters, the Trial would start, and he may be faced with another present that was not to be. Subaru could never get used to those scenes, no matter how many times he saw them.

But he knew that he was not allowed to ignore or forget them.

If he cannot escape, then he must face that challenge.

Subaru inhaled a deep breath, held it inside, and stepped forward.

Venturing into the Tomb, he would challenge the Trials and release the Sanct――

[Subaru: ――――!?]

The moment he stepped inside, a sensation swept over him like a punch to the skull.

Alarms, alarms, the alarm bells were ringing.

Caught in this cycle of discord and dissonance, Subaru panted as he tumbled towards the Tomb’s exterior. Instinctively, he knew. If he takes one step deeper inside, the torment racking his body would explode in ferocity.

[Subaru: U, gh…… hha, ph, ua]

Tumbling out of the Tomb and throwing his hands onto the grass, Subaru puked over and over.

The moment his body completely exited the Tomb, the agony tormenting his body fell away. The headache, the nausea, the numbness of his limbs all faded as Subaru looked up with his teary eyes,

[Subaru: A… ugh…… what was… that……?]

He looked to the entrance, but just as he reached out his hand to crawl towards it, a primordial rejection rose inside him.

It wasn’t in fear of the trauma from the Trial or anything of the sort. ――It was simply that he understood that the Tomb had rejected him.

[Subaru: What, is……]

It rejected him. Understanding this, Subaru immediately realized what had happened to him.

Patrasche was injured when she went inside to bring him out. Roswaal was severely wounded when he went in to challenge the Trials. The Tomb rejects those who lack the qualifications to challenge the Trials. And it had just done so to Subaru.

[Subaru: That can’t be…… I mean, that would……]

Standing up, tottering, Subaru mustered the courage to face the Tomb once more.

But, in just one step, the moment his foot entered the headache and nausea returned as the overwhelming malaise crushed him so that he couldn’t even stand.

[Subaru: Hha…… hha, hhah……h]

Stumbling back drawing ragged breaths, Subaru pulled away from the entrance of the Tomb. This attempt only confirmed what he had already realized.

[Subaru: That… vile……]

Floating into his mind was the white-haired Witch in her funerary dress.

At their parting, surely, she was asking Subaru,

“Will you take my hand, or will you take Satella’s?”

And Subaru turned down her hand to choose Satella’s.

If this was her revenge for his choice, then that’s just far too――

[Subaru: And just when I thought……!]

In the very, very end, that apparent gesture of goodwill that had made him almost think fondly of her,

{Echidona: ――You’re not wrong in the least?}

Hearing the mischievous voice of the Witch he should not be hearing, he turned his head to the sky,

[Subaru: Revoking my qualifications…… you said nothing about this, ECHIDONAAA!!!]

――Natsuki Subaru had lost the qualifications to challenge the Trials to liberate the Sanctuary.