Arc 5 – 3, 'Each Gives Perspective”

Arc 5 – Chapter 3, “Each Gives Perspective”

Emilia: 「It wasn’t fair to Otto-kun that we decided so much on our own.」

After speaking with Joshua and returning to her room, Emilia speaks as she offers Subaru a seat. Subaru seats himself there and chuckles,

Subaru: 「Leaving Otto’s panic aside as a legend for future generations, I basically always support your ideas, Emilia-tan. But if I’m gonna mention something to be worried about, it’d have to be the fact that they’re ready and waiting for us.」

Emilia: 「I don’t think Anastasia would take risks anyway, if she’s sending messengers. Mimi-chan may’ve been there, but Joshua-kun still took control when I tried to take control.」

Subaru: 「She recognizes you as an opponent if she’s sending her Knight’s family as her messenger. I always wondered why in Sengoku dramas, when they send important people as messengers, they don’t just kill them. But turns out there’s all this background stuff. Didn’t think I’d be learning that by experience.」

It’s a question of trust between the parties and the people. If the people learn that the rulers acted unjustly, it harms the ruler’s standing. And each faction faces too many enemies to be acting disgracefully. Otherwise, since a group faces more clandestine enemies the larger it grows, it’s simple logic to be careful when challenging influential people.

—The meeting with Joshua Juukulius is over, and night has fallen upon the new Roswaal Mansion.

Since it would be awful to send them back on the same day they arrived, they offered to let Joshua and Mimi stay the night, and accepted the invitation to Pristella City. Joshua had been rather imposing when discussing the topic, but everyone saw his relief peeking through when their side accepted the invitation. His monocle was likely just a decoration to garner a certain impression from others, the earnest young lad.

Subaru: 「He’s way more likeable than his brother.」

Emilia: 「You are always so insincere about Julius. Do you still have a grudge from that time in the palace?」

Emilia catches Subaru’s mutter, and amusedly pokes fun at him. Just thinking about the affair used to make his face redden in shame, and his stomach burn with indignation. But how about now that some time has passed?

Subaru: 「It’s still too vivid for me to laugh and smile about it. I was young back then. And I have reflected on my actions. Wish he’d do the same.」

Emilia: 「But I heard you both apologized and made up. It’s so uncool to give shallow apologies and keep simmering on the inside.」

Subaru: 「Mnngh... But I’m only human!」

Emilia looks at him reproachfully, but Subaru remains stubborn. Subaru looks away. Emilia frowns at him for a moment, but ultimately can’t hold back her grin.

Emilia: 「Fine. Subaru, you are just so stubborn. But you’re not allowed to fight with Julius if we see him in Pristella. You’re a knight now, and knights mustn’t misuse their power.」

Subaru: 「Yeah yeah you’ve bested me my Liege.」

Subaru covers up his blushing with some jokes and rubs at his upper lip. He gazes absently around Emilia’s room, before seeming to remember something,

Subaru: 「Oh yeah, Emilia-tan. I don’t really know much about Pristella, is it known for anything?」

Emilia: 「Hmp, you need to study more, Subaru. Pristella is one of the five main cities of Lugnica, on the Tigracy River that marks the border with Kararagi. It’s famous for being built right on a huge lake, with canals flowing through the city.」

Subaru: 「Ok so leaving aside that that’s all second-hand information, it’s a floating city. Well you have Venice, so may as well be possible here too.」

Venice springs to mind when it comes to aquatic cities. The town is surrounded by water on all sides, with lakes winding nonchalantly through the stone cityscape. It’s one of those romantic places that everyone visits at least once, and Subaru regards it as a picturesque spot too. And so that’s the impression he gets of Pristella.

Emilia: 「No, Subaru. Pristella isn’t a floating city, it’s a Watergate City.」

Subaru: 「Watergate?」

Emilia: 「Yes. It’s in the middle of a lake, so the city floods when it rains. They built huge walls around the city to stop that, and there’s gates to regulate the water levels. The gates are sooo amazing and famous that they don’t call it the Floating City, they call it the Watergate City.」

Emilia’s explanation flips Subaru’s pretty water town into an enclosed watery jail. The concept is all so beautiful, and then they ruin it with these giant walls. Subaru tilts his head, wondering why they built this whole mechanism.

Emilia: 「I think there’s lots of theories behind the city’s construction. Like, they were testing the limits of their technology, or trying to conquer the floods without relying on magic or the Dragon, or trying to trap a powerful, evil witchbeast.」

Subaru: 「None of them sound sensible but they all somehow feel possible which is how you know humans did it.」

The average person wouldn’t come up with the idea, but the geniuses of humanity are fundamentally liberated from the reins of common sense. And sometimes their ideas get realised. Either way.

Subaru: 「But we still don’t know what they’re planning. ...Doubt they’re just being nice and directing us to what we’re looking for.」

Emilia: 「Are you sure? Have you ever considered trusting in people more, instead of being so suspicious?」

Subaru: 「Sorry, but all the candidates have their faults. And I don’t trust what they’re plotting for a second.」

Crusch herself is trustworthy, but Subaru doesn’t know whether she’ll stay a demure lady, and he has to keep wary of Felis. That problem is solved if Wilhelm reins Felis in, but the Sword Demon puts Subaru on edge too. Knowing their circumstances, it’s difficult to trust them when they’re left to their own devices.

Subaru has no idea what Anastasia is thinking, or what drives her. He cannot divine her motives for sending this invitation. Julius may be the knightliest of knights, but Anastasia is ultimately in control. And the business lives of the members of Iron Fang are unrelated to who they are as people. Subaru can’t dislike them.

Reinhardt and Rom from the Felt Faction may merit trust. But Felt’s thoughts are unclear to Subaru. So long as she’s willing to participate in the Selection, Subaru must brace for the tricky, devious girl to be scheming something. If she seriously deploys Reinhardt, and he becomes their enemy, their chances of beating him in combat are a dream within a dream.

The Priscilla Faction is hardest to read. Subaru cannot trust either of them. Al might also be from Japan, but he is surprisingly loyal to Priscilla. So he will not stand up for Subaru, while Priscilla’s capriciousness is already terrifying. She could randomly visit to decapitate him with a smile on her face. That’s her breed of absurdity.

Even though a year has passed, no candidates know the motives of the others. Subaru needs to probe deeper if he wants to know more than what he learned at the Palace. Which is one reason for accepting this invitation.

Subaru: 「Honestly I am terrified of being in Anastasia’s debt. How did she figure out you were looking for a colourless spellstone anyway?」

Emilia: 「Puck showed himself in the Palace, so I didn’t want anyone to know he’s limited. I was trying to be sooo careful... but you just can’t stop people from saying things.」

Subaru: 「That’s what happens. So even if we get the spellstone, it just means things are back to status quo from the other factions’ perspectives. The benefits are in establishing the debt.」

That said, Puck’s return will enhance Emilia’s already significant combat strength. But no amount of combat power alone will secure Emilia’s win in the Selection. It would just make their defeat of the Sizeable Hare more convincing, if anything.CHeCk for new stories on no/v/el/bin(.)c0m

—The defeat of the Sizeable Hare in Sanctuary.

This second achievement of the Emilia Faction, unrelated to the defeat of Sloth of the Witch Cult, is unfortunately not recognized by the public. There were no witnesses to the Hare’s defeat, and it is impossible to retrieve any corpses as proof.

They threw the thing into another dimension never to return. It’s the truth, but not believable. The Al Shamac spell that Beatrice used is forgotten in this era, and she lacks the mana to demonstrate the technique again.

So while they reported the Hare’s defeat to the Capital, it has yet to be deemed as a legitimate achievement. And if they go into detail, they will have to describe Sanctuary in detail too, and thus reveal that Roswaal kept a hidden village in his territory. Ultimately they had to stop pressing the issue.

They were told that their claims would gain credibility if the Hare remains unseen for the next decade, but by that point it’s too late to be a useful achievement. Though it doesn’t bother Emilia too much, since it all happened extremely suddenly.

Subaru: 「But it’s still annoying. Seriously how much pain did those fucking rabbits put me through...」

Emilia: 「But we really did beat the Sizeable Hare, even if they don’t believe us. That scary witchbeast won’t hurt anyone else any more. Isn’t that enough?」

Subaru: 「Emilia-tan you are way too positive and kind...」

When you do something righteous, it ought to be acknowledged. Emilia speaks magnanimously, making Subaru recognize how pathetic he is. How nice would it be if he could think the way Emilia does? He will never achieve it. It just irritates him not to get recognition he deserves.

Emilia sees Subaru sulking, and her mouth relaxes into a smile. Subaru hasn’t noticed that Emilia sometimes gazes at him with this tender look in her eye. Or that her expression during these moments lacks the maternal spark of a mother watching over a child, and is instead something indescribably complex.

Emilia: 「And people already know that you’ve achieved things, Subaru. It’s formally recognized that you fought the White Whale and defeated Sloth.」

Subaru: 「For those... it really feels like I only got the scraps. People were doing a lot more than me for the White Whale, and I just happened to snag the perfect moment at the end. And I didn’t have that goal in mind for Sloth.」

All he was thinking during the Petelgeuse fight was to protect Emilia. Or, no, that’s not quite accurate. What Subaru felt back then was both desire to protect Emilia, and hatred for Petelgeuse personally. It’s not a question of which is legitimate. Both are, and both desires are Subaru’s own. It makes him uncomfortable that a fight which was basically a personal grudge is deemed as being for the sake of the world at large.

Emilia: 「But that’s the same for the Sizeable Hare. You defeated two of the witchbeasts that had been tormenting the world for four hundred years in such a short timespan... I know I’m not one to say this, but it’s like you’re doing sooo much more than you should.」

Subaru: 「Yeah. And there I am involved in both. Honestly, I think what I’ve done’s excessive. Let’s just hope the last one doesn’t show up.」

Emilia: 「—Yes.」

Subaru trusts in the power of words and prays to never encounter the Blacksnake. But Emilia’s response is rather wooden. It’s almost as if she has some personal thoughts on the Blacksnake.

Garfiel isn’t trying to belittle Otto as he urges caution. It’s just that he needs to make the comparison if he’s going to get his point across to Subaru. Though he doesn’t pass up the opportunity to play with Otto.

Subaru: 「Yeah, I’m definitely relying on you for that. Don’t want to draw it out so this’ll be short but, I’m counting on you, Garfiel.」

Garfiel: 「Yeah, make sure ya do. Count on The Strongest of Shields, aka The Legendary Guardian, Garfiel Tinzel!」

Garfiel proudly points at himself with his thumb. Subaru nods at him. He takes a sip from his own glass of milk, regretting how awesome Garfiel’s titles are. He’ll probably get even more titles once his might and valour resound all through the Kingdom. Will Subaru’s imagination be strong enough to provide for Garfiel then?

Subaru: 「I wonder if I’ll ever have a stroke of genius like Invisible Providence again... only Fortune herself knows when she’ll smile upon me.」

Garfiel: 「Yer mullin’ over somethin’ again. You ain’t gotta trouble yerself. Y’get things done when it matters. I got faith in that.」

Emilia’s the same, but the trust in Garfiel’s gaze is incredibly convincing. It instantly makes Subaru feel that he must match up to it. He’s trying not to mistake the self-improvement needed to meet that trust with blind, headless sprinting.

Subaru: 「If we’ve got Garfiel then we don’t have to worry about our combat strength. Emilia-tan’s a pretty strong fighter on her own too, and I’m decent enough with Beako. The problem here’s Otto... are you seriously coming with us?」

Otto: 「Of course I am! I don’t want to know what insane arrangement you and Emilia-sama will land yourselves in if I don’t go!」

It’s also electrifying how little they trust Subaru when it comes to negotiations. Emilia is as honest and pure as she appears, and while Subaru is devious he’s also inexperienced. So naturally they look like sitting ducks to Otto.

Otto: 「Also, Pristella is the birthplace of Hoshin of the Wastes, the founder of Kararagi. It has contact with Kararagi since it’s on the border, making it a highly significant place for merchants. I find myself duty-stricken to visit it too.」

Subaru: 「I thought you washed your hands of being a merchant ages ago. The hell are you doing.」

Otto: 「You are mistaken if you think that I will resign myself to being an Internal Affairs Minister forever! My ultimate goal is still to be a successful merchant with his own shop! This is a necessary road to get there, a necessary road on the path to my goal!」

Garfiel: 「Possible that th’road leads ter yer death.」

That stuff about trapping him here is honestly pretty shallow, and if he yearns to go and can help them as Internal Affairs Minister, it makes sense that Otto should join them. Everyone in the mansion knows, for all their banter, that they can’t function without Otto. And Otto knows it, too, which is why he can’t leave.

Subaru: 「Or you could just be a masochist but we’ll disregard that.」

Otto: 「Did you just agree at me in an incredibly impolite way or am I only imagining it!?」

Subaru: 「It’s not important. Anastasia’s going to be there, and we don’t know what terms she’ll hit us with. We’re counting on you. You’re on bureaucracy, Garfiel’s on military. And I’m there to make things fun.」

Otto: 「Do more!」

Subaru could try his absolute best, but he will never be stronger than Garfiel. He could study his

absolute best, but he wouldn’t have time to eclipse Otto as a bureaucrat.

Subaru: 「Just gotta do what I can do. One of those positive steps to self-improvement that I’ve mulled over with Beako.」

Garfiel: 「Yer gonna be fine if Emilia-sama ‘n Beatrice’re with ya. Meanin’ my amazin’ self gotta cover for Otto. Watch yer back for me, yeh?」

Otto: 「Why does it feel like I’m the greatest burden here... I can’t say that I agree with it.」

Subaru gets serious, and Garfiel accepts his post of babysitter. Otto grumbles and takes another sip of his liquor. The night grows darker, the mood pleasant.

Subaru: 「Now, we’re gonna be busy tomorrow, so I’m calling it about here. What about you, Garfiel?」

Garfiel: 「I’ll stay’n drink some more with Otto. Gettin’ pretty close t’beatin’ him at Shatranj. Might pull it off now that he’s drunk.」

Garfiel disregards Subaru and grabs a game board and pieces from the back of the room. The game is called Shatranj, with rules similar to Shogi or Chess. Subaru finds himself impressed that every world has these games. Otto is apparently quite good at them, and though Garfiel has been trying his hardest, he has suffered losses upon losses. Also Subaru is outrageously good at Othello, but struggles at Shogi and Chess.

Subaru: 「Don’t stay up too late. It’ll stunt your growth.」

Garfiel: 「Yer said that before n’ so that’s what I been doin’ but yer sure this fuckin’ works? Don’t feel I grew at all this year.」

Subaru: 「Frederica absorbed some of the growth so your case is complicated.」

Garfiel: 「Fuck you Sis!」

Roars Garfiel, baring his fangs as he slams the Shatranj board on the table. Then he hunches over and starts meticulously arranging the tiny pieces. While watching Garfiel go at it, Subaru waves to a red-faced Otto.

Subaru: 「Don’t you get too drunk either. If you wind up hungover and useless, Petra will think even less of you.」

Otto: 「I feel like she’s been rather harsh with me lately, but perhaps it’s just me. Could you have a word with her?」

Subaru: 「You mean tell her to try harder?」

Otto: 「I was clearly asking you to tell her to be nicer to me!」

Subaru answers with a bitter smile, telling Otto that it’s impossible, and leaves the two to play Shatranj as he exits the room. The crystalights in the hallway tell Subaru that it’s almost past midnight. Usually he would be in bed by this hour, but,

Subaru: 「Wound up running late today.」

With that excuse, Subaru ignores the staircase to his room on the third floor of the eastern wing, and heads for the women’s bedrooms in the western wing. Where,

Subaru: 「—Mind if I come in?」

Subaru always knocks on the door. He knows that no one will reply. So does he say it because he has hope? Or perhaps he confirms that there is no reply, so that he doesn’t forget.

—So that he doesn’t forget the inferno, always blazing in his chest?

Subaru: 「—」

Subaru opens the door. A pitch dark room welcomes him. It’s a simple room. Its layout is identical to the countless other guest rooms in the mansion, but it plainly lacks in furniture. Just a bed in the middle of the room, windows, their curtains, a small table, and a vase with flowers. Subaru knows that no one will complain, but he still dislikes the austerity.

Call it sentimental, but he wishes that the place had some human warmth. Perhaps the day will never come where he manages to disregard that wish as weakness.

Emilia: <If you could rationalize things that way, I don’t think we ever would’ve found common ground to our arguments. I like you sooo much just the way you are.>

Beatrice: <It is a vice to want beyond your means, in fact. Subaru, you are reckless on your own, I suppose. ...But you’re not alone any more, so I’ll manage something for you even if you’re being greedy, in fact.>

Subaru: 「They’re coddling me. And Emilia-tan is tantalizing me with those provocative statements.」

Subaru wishes she would be more careful about saying ‘I like you’ or ‘you’re so cool’.

He has told her how he feels, but Emilia is too immature for it. Their relationship still has yet to go anywhere romantic. But even supposing it did suddenly go somewhere romantic, Subaru is not mentally ready for it either. Give him two more years, no three—or even more if it’s possible. That’s the kind of loser he is.

Subaru: 「God it’s so rude of me to go on about Emilia or Beatrice while I’m here. Petra’d beat me up if she heard this.」

Petra might have the best grasp of romance and its subtleties out of anyone in the mansion. Somehow everyone is terrible at relationships. Roswaal leads the charge with his toxic obsession, with the others all having their foibles too. Garfiel’s feelings for Ram are still a middle school crush, though Subaru has no place to talk. Ram’s ideas about extreme loyalty dictating love are perplexing, and Frederica’s love life is a complete unknown. Otto sometimes mentions while drunk things about being raked through the mud for philandering, but the consensus is that these claims are lies and pretense. It’s a disgrace to these adults that a thirteen year old girl is beating them.

Subaru: 「So how does that stand. I don’t think that tendency will change much, even after you wake up. Either because I’m a loser, or because you respect me.」

Subaru pulls a chair over and seats himself beside the bed. Moonlight slips in through the crack in the curtains, illuminating her face as she sleeps.

The light of the moon spills over her pale face, pink lips. She is a sleeping beauty with short blue hair, her curvy body garbed in thin negligee, her chest rising and falling in time with her breathing.

—She has slept for over a year now.

Subaru: 「Got lots of things to tell you today. Since some guests showed up uninvited, and with this crazy offer. I started my day with my usual—」

Subaru speaks calmly to her as she sleeps. He uses his same comedic phrasing as always, but his tone is incredibly gentle. He speaks as though lulling a child to sleep as he cheerily tells her about his day.

She doesn’t respond. Even so. These trysts unfold every night. Tonight is rife with things to discuss. Until the moon sits low in the sky, the tale goes on between Subaru and the Sleeping Beauty.