Arc 6 – 59, 'What Smiles in the White World”

Arc 6 – Chapter 59, “What Smiles in the White World”

ーーThat is that, this is this.

Ending their conversation with that, Subaru and Julius both experienced a strange sensation.

The truth was, he did not know if he had managed to reach close to Julius’ complicated heart. What he ended up thinking of was whether there could’ve been better words, a more perfect way of action, a further beautiful way of connection.

A way of action which could’ve overwritten this absurd reality, instead of reaching a reckless conclusion like “that is that, this is this”.

Julius: “But, it is very befitting of you. Both for better and worse, you see.”

Subaru: “......Is that so, eh. You know, how much of what befits me overlaps with the me until yesterday, actually quite concerns with my present self’s identity.”

Julius: “In terms of the establishment of one’s self, my former self was very much greatly shaken as well. As one who’s already tasted the same crisis, let me give you some advice. ーーThat is that, this is this.”

Subaru: “Oh shut up!”

Subaru howled in response to Julius’ ridicule of their earlier banter. Julius shrugged his shoulders at his objection and seemingly had an air of composure.

Indeed, seems like he seriously did manage to make his heart stand up once again a bit. Although they had been words quite immature and maladroit, it was all thanks to the listener being apt.

Regardless, whilst the two of them interacted in that fashionーー,

Shaula: “Master-sama~, are you done~?”

Subaru: “Oh? Shaula?”

Behind them, peeking from the top of the staircase leading to the third layer was Shaula, calling out to him.

With her black braid dangling down as she peeked down to the lower floor, she was looking at them with her voluptuous chest touching the floor.

Subaru: “Why so well-behaved? Were you that kind of a character?”

Shaula: “Well, when Master-sama’s talking to someone one-to-one then that’s when it’s some real solid talk, isn’t it. So I was told before to stay away cause I break the mood if I’m there, so I’m just abiding by that...... oh right, Master-sama has forgotten everything!”

Subaru: “Solid talk and breaking the mood, eh......”

Subaru furrowed his eyebrows in response to Shaula, who was laughing earnestly and openly. Seeing Subaru, Shaula then jumped and descended from the staircase in one breath.

Jumping over two hundred stairs, Shaula made a silent landing onto the floor. She then proceeded to stand beside Subaru and grab his arm into her chest.

Subaru: “I’ve told you several times already, stop doing this kind of stuff. Emilia-chan will misunderstand.”

Julius: “Hmm, Emilia-sama huh?”

Subaru: “Don’t hmm me. There’s just that small possibility, you know. Even if it’s a possibility as absurd as finding a needle in a desert, it’s still a possibility.”

Saying so, Subaru forcefully unfastened Shaula’s arms. Upon that gesture, Shaula said “A~h” and pouted with a dissatisfied expression,

Shaula: “Master-sama is so mean. Treating me like this when I’m thirsting for warmth.”

Subaru: “If you’re thirsting for warmth then go hug Meili or Beatrice. Both of their body temperatures are pretty warm since they’re kids...... Beatrice, she’s pretty warm for being four hundred years old.”

Bringing that to light by connecting the shocking truth had been confirmed earlier and the truth he had confirmed several times, Subaru was shaken by Beatrice’s little girl energy.

The conclusion, she’ll always remain a little girl no matter how many years she may live.

Shaula: “Boo. I won’t report anything to the cold Master-sama. It’s the disciple’s strike. The manager is to listen to the voice of the workers.”

Subaru: “Ah, geez, I get it I get it. I’ll positively handle and improve the labour conditions, so let us hear your report. Did something happen?”

Shaula: “It’s suspicious whether you’ll really improve them. But but, I’m an obedient, cute disciple so I’ll answer! ーーReid’s book has been found.”

Subaru: “......Huh?”

So said Shaula as she distanced her braid and shoulders away.

Subaru widened his eyes upon how unexpected those words were. Julius also widened his eyes just as much.

Julius: “Miss Shaula, what did you say just now?”

Shaula: “Li~ke I~ sai~d, I’m saying Reid’s book has been found. Something like the book which has that scum’s name on it, I personally think it’d be better to just burn it and throw it away. You think so too, right, Master-sama?”

Subaru: “Ha, ha, ha......”

Shaula: “Hahaha? Master-sama, is that a laugh?”

Lowering her hips, Shaula looked at Subaru’s face from below. Looking back into her black eyes teeming with rustic simplicity and naivete, Subaru opened his mouth.

Shouted.

Subaru: “ーーThat should be the first thing you say!!”

※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※

Emilia: “Ah! Look, Subaru! We found Reid’s book!”

Said Emilia with a wide smile and voice like the chime of a silver bell, noticing Subaru climb up the staircase.

What she pointed towards with her hand was the bulky book Ram was carrying in her arms. It seems that was Reid’s『Book of the Dead』. It got found rather quickly.

The library, filled with a vast amount of books no matter where one lookedーー it was unknown from which age this existed, but if this recorded all of the dead in this world, then the amount of books was rather suitable.

Subaru: “Good job finding the book we aimed for amongst all of this. While I was busy with Julius’ counselling...... therapy? Aromatherapy? Something like that.”

Emilia: “Caoonselliing......? Ah, I don’t really get it but, hehehe, isn’t it quite something. But, I’m not the one who found it.”

Emilia, with her chest puffed up, stated the achievement wasn’t her’s.

What that implied was immediately made clear by her subsequent actions. Emilia gently pushed forward the dark blue haired young girl who had embraced her by the waist,

Emilia: “Meili is the one who found it. Isn’t it meritorious?”

Subaru: “Who says meritorious in this day and age...... but that aside, so Meili found it! That’s certainly meritorious! Good work.”

Accepting Emilia’s words, Subaru then automatically commended the achiever as well.

With her arms around Emilia’s slim waist, and whilst she was being caressed by her, Meili averted her eyes out of embarrassment in response to Subaru’s words.

Meili: “N-Not really. It was a book that just caught my eye, and I just happened to mention it. It got found just slightly quickly, so I don’t think it’s anything grea~t.”

Subaru: “Don’t be stupid. You can brag about what you did well just fine! Really good, Meili. You’ve nullified the negative of trying to push me back to zero right away, huh!”

Meili: “By something this si~mple!?”

Meili widened her eyes in surprise, as Subaru forcefully brushed her head. Meili didn’t take a liking to it, saying “My hair will get dishevele~d!” but that simply made Subaru relax his cheeks.

Subaru: “It’s fine. It was just an attempt anyway, and you compensated for it with a big achievement, let’s agree to that.”

“ーーーー”

Subaru: “So, Reid’s book...... nobody has seen it yet, right?”

Meili tried saying something in response to the smiling Subaru, but remained with her mouth closed.

Whilst keeping Meili’s faltering within his vision, Subaru turned his attention to the book for the moment, which was the root subject.

The book Ram was carryingーー the patterns drawn at its back cover, those were characters Subaru couldn’t read.

Neither did it possess a bizarre feeling like giving Reid’s vibes upon a single glance.

Subaru: “No matter how unconventional the actual person himself may be, the book recording that isn’t like that, huh.”

Ram: “If the binding was meaninglessly over the top, or if the title aggressively self-asserted itself then it would’ve been easier to find. It’s helpful that Meili made up for that and found it.”

Subaru: “See, look, Meili! Even Ram is complimenting you! That one and only Ram! This Ram! You really can be glad about it...... ghe~gh.”

Ram: “Kindly shut up.”

With his side gouged by her fingers, Subaru collapsed in agony at the same spot. And after quietening Subaru, Ram lightly shook the book in her arms,

Ram: “There’s what happened with Barusu. It’d be a disaster if one did something rash and lost memories like Barusu did. That is why, it’s been shown to nobody.”

Subaru: “W-We, haven’t confirmed if the reason for my memory loss, is that, book......”

Ram: “Hah!”

The comment, which didn’t convince him alone, was slashed down by Ram’s laugh.

The truth was, it was nearly impossible that his memory loss and the『Book of the Dead』were unrelated. Even if they’ve found the book they aimed to, it was only natural that they would have disputes over how it was to be utilised.

Echidna: “......In the end, I am unable to come up with any inference or suspicion. Though if possible, I wanted to opt for the eyes which would be the least endangered out of everyone here.”

Echidna apologetically lowered her eyebrows before Subaru, who was lightly holding the book.

What she said was true, and the fact that she had been concerned for everyone was unquestionable. That is why, Subaru was able to respond earnestly to her saying “Don’t let it bother you”.

Subaru: “Well, for now, I’ll dive into it. If I lose my memories, then put me down with ice and explain everything to me gently.”

Beatrice: “Nobody, is going to perform such a violent act, in fact......”

Subaru: “I know. Because you’re kind.”

Caressing the perturbed Beatrice on her head, he gently pressed her wide forehead. Beatrice pouted with a discontent expression, and took a single step backwards.

And with everyone’s gazes focusing on him, Subaru sat down on the spot, crossed his legs, and took an immensely deep inhale.

ーーAtop his knees, Reid Astrea’s『Book of the Dead』.

“ーーーー”

Upon being conscious of it, there definitely was certain ominousness being emitted from the book.

A similar sensation also existed back when he read Meili’s, her『Book of the Dead』, but the sense of intimidation this book had was far greater. Perhaps what the reader could feel changed depending on whose book was taken. ーーJust what kind of a life, would he be made to read, he wondered.

And, would Subaru’s memories be able to withstand it.

“ーーーー”

Putting his hand on the front cover of the book, Subaru, for only once, looked towards everyone who was watching over him.

Beatrice, Meili, Ram, Echidna, Julius, Shaula, were watching him.

Andーー,

Emilia: “ーーSubaru.”

Subaru: “Well then, I’ll be leaving. I may get late coming back, so you can go ahead and have dinner.”

Emilia: “......Stupid.”

Seen off by that smile of Emilia’s, Subaru turned the front cover of the『Book of the Dead』over.

Upon that instant, the characters written on the book glowed, and Subaru was made to undergo a hallucination as if information was being struck into his brain from his eyeballs.

And in but a moment, his consciousness was taken in towards the bookーー,

ーーHis consciousness, was detached from the library, and propelled towards darkness.

※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※

ーーWhat he felt when he read Meili’s『Book of the Dead』, had become quite amorphous now.

The spectacles he had witnessed, the life she had walked, the paths she had tread were distinct in their own ways.

However, his memories of witnessing those spectacles, tangibly speaking, becoming one with whose name was the title of the 『Book of the Dead』, and being made to personally experience those subjective thoughts, sights.

To summarize, the journey of treading through the content of the『Book of the Dead』, was to assimilate into that person.

In those moments, the Natsuki Subaru witnessing the contents of the book was『Meili Portroute』.

That is precisely why, it could be believed that queer self consciousness which bore the presence of Meili, as『Me』, constantly shadowed Subaru’s consciousness from close vicinity.

If that was the potency of the『Book of the Dead』, then right now, what Subaru was supposed to be laying his eyes on was the life of Reid Astrea, his subjective world within his incomprehensible thinking.

What he thought, what he liked, what he disliked, what he loved, what he despised, what he achieved.

He was supposed to become one with the philosophy of Reid Astrea, and be shown his life.

Thus, Subaru noticed the abnormality at once.

ーーThe place where he was, right now, definitely was not that past of Reid Astrea’s.

Subaru: “......Ah?”

He stood in a white, white location.

His environs, unduly spacious, white, ambiguous space of no visible end stretched across, and without knowing where his self was, Subaru was exhausted of reason.

He could see his hands. He could see his legs. Upon turning his neck, his torso and hips were also there.

In other words, Subaru’s body was here. This did not coincide with the phenomena that had occured in Meili’s『Book of the Dead』. Unable to concur, he was thrown into an unnatural circumstance.

From what he could see, Subaru’s attire was the same as when he decided to read the『Book of the Dead』.

Whether that was due to Subaru recognising that he would look like this in this『Present Condition』, or the will of something else, like the work of the library’s will, hence reconstructing Subaru in that form.

He did not want to consider that the moment he read the book, his entire body got captured inーー,

???: “ーーWell well? Oh onii-san, you’ve come here again?”

Subaru: “ーー~hk.”

Suddenly, Subaru’s shoulders sprang up upon hearing a voice which wasn’t his own, but that of another.

The voice came from behind, Subaru spontaneously jumped ahead and subsequently turned around, making a circle, remaining to be on his guard. In response to Subaru’s spasmodic conduct, the personage behind rounded eyes.

Subaru: “ーーWho are you.”

Looking at that person, Subaru whispered openly, with perplexity and bafflement.

That was his encounter with someone, completely unexpected and unknown to Subaru.

The one standing there, was a young girl Subaru had never seen before.

Pale toned, with hair lengthy, truly lengthy, like transparent gold threads. They spanned across the white floor, submerging underfoot her standing self like a sea of golden.

Large, round, blue eyes, limbs like transparent porcelain. On the other hand, she wore unshapely clothes on her body, seemingly crude, pale cloths attached together, hurting her beautiful impression.

“ーーーー”

A young girl he had never seen before. That was how it was supposed to be.

However, before that young girl’s form, Subaru narrowed his eyes and rubbed his eyelids with the back of his hand. A gesture to seemingly recover the field of vision from haze, but her visible form didn’t change.

Even after looking at her yet again, she remained a young girl whom he was unacquainted with. ーーHe felt his memories, throb faintly.

???: “Did you calm down a bit, onii-san?”

Subaru: “What’s this place...... no, who are you? Which one should I ask first?”

???: “How covetous, onii-san. But, the quality of vomiting out the honest emotion of wanting to ask both is certainly not bad. We, love covetous people, you see.”

Saying so, in response to the baffled Subaru, the young girl cleaved her lips sideways and smiled.

Yes, she smiled, and that was the only befitting expression for describing that smile.

The young girl was thirteen to fourteen years of age, but gave the impression of being even younger.

Coupled with her well-featured physical appearance, unquestionably, a smile would suit the young girl, and yet.

In Subaru’s eyes, her smile, seemed ominous.

His instincts guessed, as if, the soul of this young girl, had belittled a great number of lives.

And whilst Subaru shuddered, before him, the young girl reported.

???: “This place is, lonesome white, the final destination of the soul. The cradle of Od Lagna. ーーThe Hall of Memories.”

Subaru: “Hall of, Memories......?”

???: “Yes yes, the Hall of Memories. Andーー”

Subaru widened his eyes upon hearing the term unheard of.

Whilst making a satisfied expression upon seeing Subaru’s reaction, the young girl, spoke.

Whilst smiling, the malice, which had taken the shape of a young girl, said.

Louis: “ーーWe are, Witch Cult Sin Archbishop representing『Gluttony』, Louis Arneb.”

“ーーーー”

Louis: “Pretty sure it’ll be for a short while again, but please be caring, onii-san.”