“Among the Witch Cult, the most famous are probably ‘Sloth’ and ‘Greed,'” said Julius while riding alongside Natsuki Subaru on an Earth Dragon.

Subaru, on the other hand, was desperately clinging to Patrasche, but Julius rode with flair. He didn’t want to be compared and feel miserable, but whether he knew about Subaru’s inner turmoil or not, Julius continued,

“While the names of the Archbishops of Sin are widely known, their names actually come up in activity reports most often for those two. ‘Sloth’ appears more frequently, but the magnitude of damage is greater with ‘Greed’.”

“Sounds like a real mess… How widely known are they?”

“It’s not like there are detailed reports about them.”

Reluctantly engaging in the conversation, Subaru stuck out his tongue at Julius, trying to synchronize his breathing with Patrasche while urging Julius to continue. Noticing Subaru’s uncooperative attitude, Julius took a deep breath and then waved his fingers side to side.

“‘Sloth’ has a very high involvement rate in the Witch Cult’s activities. About half of the damages caused by the Witch Cult across various regions involve the name ‘Sloth.'”

“So he’s the meddling type, huh?”

“He seems to have an extraordinary obsession with being the first to charge in. He might call himself ‘Sloth,’ but he’s quite the hardworking fellow—provided that his vigor isn’t directed towards heretical deeds.”

Subaru remembered how Petelgeuse was always forcing himself to be diligent and expect the same from others.

Although he was in charge of ‘Sloth,’ Petelgeuse seemed to detest the true meaning of ‘laziness.’ Perhaps, that rebellious spirit was what led to the abnormal activity frequency of ‘Sloth’ within the Witch Cult.

“But it’s surprising that, despite his frequent appearances, there are no details about him. Didn’t the Knights ever corner him or something?”

“Essentially, the Witch Cult’s activities are not even catchable until the actual damage occurs. You only realize it was their doing when you stand on the site of the harm—they’re a bunch that thrives on stealth. It’s not even easy to be present and keep your life.”

“But this time, that won’t be the case.”

Subaru’s question made Julius frustrated. However, it was not Julius who formally rejected his answer but another rider—Wilhelm—who was opposite Subaru.

The old man was looking at Subaru with quiet fighting spirit in his eyes while sliding the scabbard of his treasured sword.

“If we can suppress this initiation, it will truly become a contest of our strength. If I, along with our remaining companions, Lord Ricardo, and Lord Julius join forces, I believe we will not be inferior.”

“Yeah, I think so too.”

Analyzing the disparity in their combat power calmly, Subaru replied affirmatively to Wilhelm.

If they were to purely compare their fighting power, the Witch Cult, led by Petelgeuse, should not be able to match up against the superior numbers on their side. Furthermore, Petelgeuse himself wasn’t that strong in combat.

If one were to close in, even a novice like Subaru could dodge his attacks. If it were Wilhelm, he could easily take off Petelgeuse’s head in an instant.

—The real issue in dealing with him was still the ‘Invisible Hand’.

Whether they could slip through the black mist-like, endlessly stretching palm and approach him would be a defining factor. It’s not an exaggeration to say that it could determine life or death. And Subaru was the only one who could counter that ‘Invisible Hand’.

“This operation includes that. I’m counting on you, Wilhelm.”

“Understood.”

Wilhelm bowed his head solemnly and briefly replied, radiating a sense of reliability.

Subaru was filled with the urge to entrust everything to him, while Julius nodded several times, saying, “Exactly.”

“I feel that if it comes to a real battle, there’s no way I would lose. I’ve been regretting missing those opportunities until now… but this time, it won’t happen.”

Julius, eyes simmering with quiet rage, was clearly feeling the same way. As a member of the Knights, he must have harbored intense emotions towards the Witch Cult that had continually evaded capture.

Subaru completely agreed with him on that.

“By the way, we talked about Sloth, but what about the other notorious ‘Greed’?”

“Greed doesn’t have many reported sightings compared to Sloth. However, the events associated with his name carry too much weight.”

“Too much damage, you say…?”

At Subaru’s clueless remark, Julius closed his eyes as if reflecting deeply while the seriousness lined his profile.

“The Volakia Empire, located to the south of the kingdom, had a city called Garkra, which was fortified and known as a Castle City. —It was conquered by a single person.”

“Conquered!? A whole city? By just one person?!”

“Soldiers must always be formidable—this spirit breathes life into the land. Even a single soldier from that nation is a fierce warrior. To conquer a Castle City protected by such soldiers, the Archbishop of Sin, who goes by ‘Greed,’ did so all alone. He even defeated the hero of Volakia, ‘Kurgan the Eight-Armed.'”

As Subaru stood in shock, his mouth agape, Wilhelm continued, naming the fallen hero and hinting at nostalgia in his expression.

Realizing the change in Subaru and feeling his own discomfort, Wilhelm softly shook his head.

“Kurgan and I crossed swords several times. —He was a good swordsman. I severed six out of his eight arms, only to get impaled in return. It ended in a standoff, both of us near dead.”

“That was an unexpectedly intense backstory!”

Wilhelm’s tales from his days as a sword demon were rather light-novel-esque and unsettling. Although there was a desire to delve deeper into that topic, Subaru couldn’t bring himself to do so considering that Wilhelm spoke of a good rival who had faced defeat.

Still, the topic of ‘Greed’ weighed heavily on Subaru.

“With Sloth and Greed, and add four more… no, three if we exclude Gluttony. The road ahead is looking tough.”

“—You’re already considering what’s next, huh?”

“Reluctantly, it seems highly likely.”

With their confrontation against the Witch Cult looming ahead, Subaru stared far off, contemplating the future.

The clash with Petelgeuse, the embodiment of ‘Sloth,’ was an unavoidable situation, especially since he would likely poke his nose into things. And facing Petelgeuse meant an inevitable conflict with the Witch Cult.

“I will likely encounter the next Archbishop of Sin before long… It’s annoying how it’s a classic trope, but once you take one down, another pops up like in a delinquency manga.”

Things rarely ended in a final battle. If it was said that the conflict wouldn’t cease until one side was obliterated, it indeed felt like Subaru would eventually have to confront the Archbishops of Sin repeatedly as long as he resolved to keep moving forward alongside Emilia.

“It’s already a tough time hearing about ‘Greed’ even before they arrive. Someone save me.”

“If you’re already getting down about future events that haven’t even happened yet, then that’s hard to respond to. —Subaru, you should focus on what’s currently in front of you.”

“Yeah, I know. I’m just a bit nervous about ‘Sloth’ being right in front of me.”

Subaru tightened his jaw as he took in Julius’ warning. Moments before, he caught a murmured, “Sloth…?” from Julius, but he dismissed it as inconsequential.

The night began to brighten, and the glow of sunlight began to rise faintly beyond the darkening sky.

They had already stepped into the Meisters Territory, and the joint force of the extermination team and beastman mercenaries was gallantly charging ahead on their mounts.

What lay ahead was not the mansion of their lord, Roswaal—but rather the path straight towards it, as Subaru had also considered an operation of escorting Emilia and the villagers who remained back at the mansion.

It was indeed not unthinkable to lower the risks for protecting them, but—

“Only I know they’re definitely coming, and timing will be thrown off if we jump in to protect them. In that case, the future becomes uncertain.”

If an armed group entered the mansion, even the fanatic Petelgeuse might reconsider his plan. Though he suppose he may simply push through regardless, any disruption could make the future Subaru knew diverge significantly.

Having defeated the White Whale, the morale of this collective was currently incredibly high. However, it was uncertain how long that morale could hold against an enemy whose arrival was unknown.

Constantly living in fear of their opponent would weaken morale and put a hefty burden on Emilia and the villagers they had to protect. Certainty became a matter of speculation.

“Well then, the best way to proceed according to the future I see is—going for a preemptive strike and taking them out in one fell swoop!”

Fear of an opponent whose whereabouts were yet unclear wasn’t the correct approach for Subaru, who had glimpsed a possible future. He should be searching for ways to utilize the chance given through his death reset.

Therefore, the method was now—

* * *

Subaru slowly advanced his footsteps, feeling the plant debris underfoot.

He trudged through the dim, rocky forest floor, breathing heavily as he navigated the uneven terrain.

The sun had already arisen to a high position, sending its beams through the gaps in the trees. The breeze felt damp, making Subaru more aware of the cool sweat forming on his brow from his quickening heartbeat.

—Now, Subaru was utterly alone.

Walking isolated in the chilly forest without even Patrasche, who dashed down the roads side by side, he felt reliant and out of place. He had nothing in his hands, and his reluctant movements sounded conspicuously empty.

“I—left Patrasche behind. He wouldn’t be able to keep up for this fight.”

With a small laugh, Subaru admitted, slightly out of breath.

He had been walking alone for quite a distance at this point. Weaving between thin trees, stepping on fallen branches, and cautiously descending a slippery slope. The unmarked path was nothing more than a beast trail that incessantly obstructed Subaru’s journey.

This was probably the third time he had walked through this forest.

He thought of how he had someone in his arms the first two times—now, he felt considerably lighter but heavier at the same time; perhaps it was the state of mind directed toward the place his feet stood.

“Both things might be true, but… it’s not something to brag about.”

Unable to protect those he had held in his arms during the prior attempts resulted in his current situation.

Now in the third bout, he had to avoid repeating such mistakes at any cost. This included the reason behind his current situation.

“——”

Avoiding stepping on a toxic-looking mushroom, he took a small leap, using the nearest tree trunk for support. The moment he landed, he felt the air shift.

It wasn’t the tautness of anticipation before battling the White Whale—this atmosphere felt like it clung around him, forcing him to recognize his own sweat that he had been oblivious to until now.

“Here it comes… It’s like suddenly realizing there’s a cockroach lurking in the corner of a quiet room.”

He faced the unmoving black object X, staring in silence. The sensation of a drawn-out time during a lonely confrontation stretched like eternity, circling around an unspeakable dread.

Scanning his surroundings, he recognized this peculiar familiarity had rooted itself in his memory.

No, indeed, he had encountered this scene before.

“Having walked such difficult paths repeatedly and still arriving here just proves how sharp my instincts have become—it’s almost laughable.”

Or perhaps he had refined his senses.

The hunting dogs honed exclusively for the Witch Cult—while such a title had a certain flair to it, he’d prefer to abstain from that role. Just this once, he’d prefer to step back.

“——Thanks for the warm welcome.”

Steeling his gaze against the faint darkness ahead, Subaru spoke with a hint of irony. There was no warmth in the sentiment, fully aware they had no notion of human emotion.

Come to think of it, what on earth were they?

They moved like puppets, feigned emotions absent, leaving Subaru to wonder what their true intentions might be.

“I guess you wouldn’t answer even if I asked about that, would you, Witch Cultists?”

“——”

Silently, the figures surrounding Subaru were men donned in black robes merging with the darkness.

The sounds of wind and insects had vanished from the world without him noticing, and the ground was prepared for their arrival. Thus, he felt little surprise, only relief at having reaped what he’d sown.

“I’ll listen to more details from your heads, but… just take a hike for now.”

“——”

“I may not know much, but I’m higher in rank than you guys, right? Please indulge me.”

Raising his hand, he instructed them to go away. Respectfully, the black-clad figures bowed their heads toward him and glided back into the shadows. This aligned with his expectations.

There was a hint of complexity concerning their relationship with him; they didn’t bear hostility towards Subaru. As long as he made no hostile movements or unless Petelgeuse commanded otherwise, they had no intention of attacking him.

“If only I could tell them to disappear to another country and never come back, that would be a breeze.”

Exhaling, he let his shoulders sag at the reality of the situation.

While the prospect of such directives could never be deemed zero thanks to the indications provided by someone like Petelgeuse, presently, it seemed his standing was lower than Petelgeuse’s, who would remain a nuisance above him.

Nonetheless, it was a relief that the set-up went smoothly. The groundwork was well laid—there had been possibilities where this entire strategy could collapse, and the frontlines of battle might have opened right there and then. Though he played it cool, Subaru knew he had walked a tightrope with the current encounter.

Finding it amusing that he had become a tad bolder to step in even in such a moment—a clearer self-analysis would suggest it felt closer to desperation.

“Well, this isn’t a bad flow. So, here’s hoping, my lever.”

After confirming the disappearance of the black garments, Subaru stepped firmly onto the ground.

He strode deeper into the world ruled by his own breath and footsteps, feeling oddly as if time had halted, like he was endlessly wandering through the dark alone. However, that introspection was soon stretched to an end as the trees opened up into a stunning cliff.

The towering rock face rose before him, as if the forest had carved its mark deeply. A massive boulder obstructed the ground just below the cliff, and somehow, touching it would guide Subaru into a cold, dark cave hidden behind that very rock.

But before he could touch the stone, the shadows welcoming him arrived first.

“——I’ve been waiting for you, my beloved disciple.”

A man with arms wide open and a jubilant expression was before him.

Hollow cheeks and sunken eyes. His dark green hair had an unwholesome shimmer, and his limbs, visible beneath the black robes, looked frail like withered branches. He appeared to be in his mid-thirties; however, the frailty conveyed could easily mislead one to think he was in his fifties.

Yet, only the lingering manic glimmer in his dual gaze stripped away any semblance of humanity as it scrutinized Subaru.

“I am of the Witch Cult, the Archbishop of Sin in charge of ‘Sloth.’ Petelgeuse Romanee-Conti…!”

His tongue extended, drooling, the madman—Petelgeuse greeted Subaru with raucous laughter.

* * *

Faced with the arch-nemesis Petelgeuse, Subaru felt an odd sense of calm wash over him.

Surely in his short life, no one had been the object of his hatred more than this man.

He could only focus on killing this man, which painted his view crimson, with murderous thoughts burning in his mind.

The worst disaster was this man who had ruthlessly slaughtered those he held dear and close.

He promised himself he would snap this very neck. Yet, seeing the specter of this withered old tree before him, what currently flooded Subaru’s heart was a tiny bit of relief.

—This was akin to the feeling he got recently when successfully connecting with a Witch Cultist.

“Welcome, you beloved child of the Witch! Amazing. Amazing. Amazing! How profound is the love that envelops you! How grand is the love embracing your very being! How heated is the love wrapped around you! In this place! To see a beloved disciple like you reveal themselves anew, what a splendid occurrence!”

As such thoughts crammed into Subaru’s mind, Petelgeuse went full throttle, his focus entirely engulfed in mania. He thrashed his head, clawed at the bones protruding from his hands, and drew blood with wild abandon, unable to restrain the ecstasy of his fervor.

The first time, it had been fear; the second, hostility; now, finally, this third dose exposed the disgust that felt only natural. All Subaru understood was an inexplicable disdain for the existence that was Petelgeuse.

Holding back the feeling of vexation from boiling over from his cheeks, Subaru sighed to center himself, slightly raising his hand and saying,

“I appreciate the warm welcome. I’m kind of lacking in the sense of realism here, though.”

“That’s only natural! I too started suddenly! Everyone suddenly understands they are ‘loved’ one day. Once you realize it, you cannot let go of that love—love is everything!”

In an effort to grasp a starting point in conversation, Subaru tried to engage, and Petelgeuse eagerly picked up, spreading his blood-soaked hands as if embracing the world, reflecting on the ease with which he trampled over lives without remorse, preaching about love—a twisted love, at that.

“To the love received! In response, we, I must respond with diligence! Thus, I impose trials, throw tests. Within this world, in this age, daily rhythm, at this moment, within this fleeting heartbeat, I find meaning in receiving the Witch’s favor, for love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, leeeeeeeeeeeeee!!”

“So laziness won’t do. You have to diligently return the love.”

“Precisely!”

Petelgeuse’s face radiated joy upon hearing Subaru’s confirmation.

Subaru, against his will, continued listening, suppressing the rising feeling of disgust to maintain composure—seeking time to gain anything.

“So, um, is there anything I need to do to join you here? Like paperwork or signatures, since I don’t have a proper seal, would a thumbprint suffice?”

“It may seem your love is rather far too evident to accept you into my ranks… I feel even this rich fragrance of the Witch has not been granted to me. The ‘Lust’ or ‘Wrath’ would surely be envious… Could you perhaps be ‘Pride’?”

“Pride…?”

“Among the six seats of the Archbishops of Sin, only the position of ‘Pride’ remains vacant! Until someone adequate appears, the Sins have not come to fruition… the Witch Factor should probably have already descended to the next Pride. —Have you received the ‘Gospel’?”

As Petelgeuse took a step closer to Subaru, tilting his head at a 90-degree angle with inquiry, the confusion only spread in Subaru’s chest—regarding whether he was ‘Pride.’ He held no answers. Meanwhile, he didn’t understand what Petelgeuse’s ‘Gospel’ was either.

Unable to return a hasty answer and not permitted to let the conversation flow silently, Subaru fell into silence, driving Petelgeuse to raise an eyebrow with a puzzled expression on his face.

“—Your brain is trembling.”

Petelgeuse whispered in a thin and hoarse voice.

But there was a trembling in that frail utterance, removing all prior ecstasy, replaced by an emptiness compounding an unsettling sensation in the listener.

Merely facing him sparked a wave of anxiety, and Subaru grew acutely aware of his accelerated breathing.

His heart raced, pulsating against his rib cage, even causing pain at its rapid beat.

His legs began to shake, and if he weren’t properly focused, he felt he might lose his balance due to Petelgeuse’s overwhelming aura as the man inclined his head to the opposite direction and shoved his right fingers into his mouth, biting them off.

“The presentation of the ‘Gospel.’ The proof of your affection—”

A jet-black book, bound impeccably was pulled from within his black robe.

The tome, about the size of a dictionary from his original world, was deftly opened in one hand, and Petelgeuse’s bloodshot eyes scurried over the pages. Then it was declared,

“Your name is not recorded in my Gospel. So why do you appear before me? What meaning do you bring with you?”

“If that book is titled ‘Gospel,’ then… Well, let’s just say it got dirty from being used as a trivet, so I tossed it.”

—This was the turning point.

The moment Subaru’s foolish retort reached Petelgeuse ears, the madman’s demeanor shifted to a wild rage.

Immediately, the madman’s aura exploded outward, and from the depths emerged countless black hands reaching skyward.

Each palm bore the power to rip a human being apart effortlessly—a nightmare manifesting.

Those hands soared upward, locking onto Subaru with the speed of a snake ready to strike, accelerating toward him menacingly.

—Just before their assault—

“Cover me!!”

Subaru flung a magic mineral stone into the sky.

Though colored red, indicating offense, its trajectory faced the sky, not Petelgeuse. Rising high, the magic stone exploded in the dawn-lit sky, illuminating it.

Simultaneously, Subaru performed a full backstep, putting as much distance between himself and Petelgeuse as possible, trying to evade the black palms that sought to ensnare his limbs.

“So sweet, you are! Sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet!!”

As Subaru positioned himself for escape, Petelgeuse advanced with his ‘Invisible Hand’ extending to attack.

Seven magical hands spun like a whirlwind around Subaru, eager to deliver judgment to the traitor who disrespected the Witch’s love.

But—

“Aaaah!”

“Hah—!!”

The ripple of a combined roar shook the air, rippling devastation across the earth.

The rocky ground erupted, earth chunks hurled about, fissures spiderwebbed across the terrain, leaving claw marks on the cliffside.

“Wha—?!”

In front of Petelgeuse, a pair of beastkin siblings executed a coordinated move, detonating a colossal boulder that had been piled up low. —This action also served to block one of the Witch Cult’s assembly points concealed behind the rocks.

“Being buried alive is just fine. —Suffer for your actions.”

Subaru flashed a middle finger, grinning wickedly.

Before the quaking gaze of Petelgeuse, the boulder crumbled under the strain from the spawned fissures, decimating the Witch Cultists hiding beneath.

Clouds of dust rose, the impact resonated through the ground, and isolated Petelgeuse opened his mouth wide, tears pouring from his eyes—

“What a… what a thing you’ve done…!!”

Scratching his head with both hands, he pulled at his hair. The once carelessly wielded strands stood severed, blood flowed from his scalp, as he stamped his feet in rising rage.

“To so ruthlessly, mercilessly, chaotically, arbitrarily, carelessly, pointlessly, eliminate my fingertips… Oh, oh, oh! My brain! My brain! My brain… trembles, trembles…”

“Ugh, that old dude is scary~”

“Witch Cultists are like that, oh sis,” said the beastkin siblings, Mimi and Tibby.

Quietly stealthy, those two who had been trailing behind Subaru sprang forth at the signal of the magic stone’s glow, immediately blocking the reinforcements as planned.

Petelgeuse glared slowly at the two who had pulled off this precious feat.

While Subaru could not see their faces from behind, Mimi, who had never displayed a negative emotion until now, broke into a small gasp, shuddering, and widened her eyes.

Standing beside her, the astute-looking Tibby shared her horror and repulsion yet held his mouth tight, freezing in position. And then,

“‘Sloth,’ in fact—”

The moment Petelgeuse uttered that, a black mist burst explosively into the world.

It possessed the force and speed to envelop everything in its sight. With no means to resist, Subaru found himself frozen before the advancing pitch-black entity.

Surely, he never imagined Petelgeuse possessed such a hidden trick beyond the ‘Invisible Hand’!

“Huh?”

A dazed voice escaped him, tilting his head to glance at his elevated palm,

The black mist he had expected to engulf him brushed against his body, yet—nothing felt out of place.

“What…?”

Confirming the normalcy of his limbs, Subaru blinked in confusion. Yet, as he checked on the unaffected state of his own being,

“—Aah”

Mimi and Tibby both fell to the ground with troubled expressions.

They were both taut-faced, sweating profusely as they struggled to breathe, gasping for air.

It was the damaging consequence of Petelgeuse’s deed.

And as the two halted, the shadow hanging over them wriggled once more, with black hands targeting both of them—

“Hey, you! Don’t ignore me! Your focus should be on me!”

“…Ah, indeed.”

Subaru stamped down and spat, catching Petelgeuse’s attention.

The man reflected upon his immediate reaction and turned back, his soulless stare now fixated on Subaru with lifeless eyes tailoring judgment on the very person who had yet to suffer his influence.

“Indeed, it appears to be ineffective upon you.”

“Huh?”

Unlike Mimi and the rest, the words of currently placid Petelgeuse cast no effects upon Subaru.

Gazing intensely at Subaru, Petelgeuse shifted into a calmer expression as the fervor ebbed, saying

“That’s good. Very good. —This is splendid! Let’s proceed! Let’s see which of us will receive the love from the Witch’s passion more fittingly!”

His voice uplifted with fervor as his fingers pointed out, “Oh, love, love, loveeeeee!!”

“…I hate to interrupt your little celebration but…”

Tapping the ground with his toes, Subaru looked toward the exuberant Petelgeuse.

With narrowed eyes, Petelgeuse squinted suspiciously at Subaru’s lackadaisical demeanor.

“What on earth do you mean!? Right now! Right at this moment! I am risking everything to take on this trial—”

“I’ve already arranged someone else to handle you.”

Declaring decisively while pointing, Subaru conveyed his intentions to Petelgeuse, who widened his eyes in shock,,

Trying to voice his protests, Petelgeuse now stood transfixed, struck into silence—

“Waaaaaah!!”

Catapulting through the gaps of trees, a blade descended upon Petelgeuse, slicing into his right shoulder and exiting through his left side as the old swordsman made a diagonal cut clean through him.

“`

 

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