“———”

Gripping a staggering truth, Subaru felt his entire body drenched in cold sweat.

This was, to Subaru’s knowledge, one of the most terrifying situations.

Familiar scenery, conversations he had heard before; it was beyond the realm of déjà vu.

It wasn’t something he vaguely remembered; it was a series of events that had truly occurred. The implication was clear—he had “returned by death.”

“But why…?”

There were no premonitions whatsoever.

It felt as if the world changed the instant he blinked.

It was so surreal that he doubted the malfunction of the power granted to him. Was it possible that, for some reason, the “death” part of “return by death” had been omitted, and only the “return” was activated?

“Am I an idiot? No, I really am an idiot.”

Even at this point, Subaru restrained himself from being overly optimistic about his predicament.

It might have sounded ridiculous, but he had to trust in “return by death.” Until now, his power to turn back time had never been triggered by anything other than “death.”

Having turned back time, it was an absolute truth that Subaru had lost his life.

“—Okay, I accept that. I accept it, but what next?”

Pressing his fist against his forehead, Subaru urged himself to calm his tumultuous mind.

If he had indeed returned by death, the next thing to focus on was the cause of his death. He needed to reflect on the events of just ten seconds prior and remember what had happened.

“…Nothing’s coming to mind.”

However, even when recalling the moment he must have met his end, nothing surfaced.

Just a slight clue, no matter how much he scrambled through his memories, nothing would emerge.

The intended tavern, the conversation with Flopp, the distant commotion of Main Street, the faint scent of the shadowy alley, the faint sound he heard—those were the only fragments.

Each of them was unrelated to the reason for Subaru’s impending doom.

“Damn it, why am I always like this…!”

If he had always been vigilant to changes around him, he wouldn’t have embarrassed himself like this, and Subaru cursed and berated his carelessness.

Yet, part of his rational mind glared back at him, pointing out how unreasonable that demand was.

It wasn’t like he had a surveillance camera. He couldn’t maintain hyper-awareness of his surroundings 24/7. He wasn’t a master who could instantly react to any minor changes in the environment.

Natsuki Subaru was, undeniably, an ordinary person.

That evaluation didn’t change even now, as he relived his “memories” and reconsidered himself.

And thus, he must not cease thinking and acting.

“—The situation resembles when Shaula first killed me.”

On the journey to the Pleiades Watchtower, Subaru and the others confronted the “sandstorm” of the Augria Sand Dunes, only to be shattered by Shaula’s attack from the watchtower while defending against the sea of sand.

The initial strike from that sea baptism began when Subaru was obliterated by a white light that gave him no chance to react.

What had happened, what the cause of death was, were voids of certainty—but the one undeniable truth was that he had died; it was, indeed the same refrain of death from that sandy sea.

However, unlike back then, he was in the middle of the city now.

The imminent danger to his life was coupled with the resolve different from that of the sand sea; the environment itself was fundamentally altered.

“In this situation, what is taking my life…?”

With the sudden “death,” the impression of being shot by Shaula was all too vivid.

If that were the case, he might have been sniped again, but Subaru had died within an alley—though not particularly high, it was a place surrounded by buildings that obstructed visibility.

If targeting him, the line of fire would only pass front and back, but it didn’t seem like favorable terrain for a sniper. Of course, since he couldn’t be sure how accurate his memories were, it was possible that it could be a pristine sniper’s ideal shooting spot—

“—Hey there, sir? What’s with the grim frown? Something’s bothering you?”

“Ah…”

“Were you not listening to my advice? If you keep frowning like that, good fortune will flee! It’s downright challenging to chase after what has escaped! I’m basically on top of a wagon here!”

Flopp dramatically gestured with his hands over his chest in front of Subaru.

Though Subaru felt that this overacting was meant to cheer him up, he couldn’t help but stiffen at his gestures.

If he was searching for the cause of his death, he would also have to investigate the perpetrator at the same time.

In that case, if Subaru’s cause of death wasn’t from a sniper, the most likely suspect was Flopp—who was with him and closest to him.

However, at the moment of Subaru’s death, Flopp had been in Subaru’s sight, and he had shown no signs of attacking him.

Of course, he understood that there were many in this world who could take his life in one blow without Subaru even realizing it. Nevertheless, Flopp hardly seemed capable of such a thing.

First of all—

“Does Flopp have any reason to kill me?”

The highest possibility might be that he was merely masquerading as good while robbing Subaru. But it would seem odd to do so openly in the middle of the city.

After all, it was outside the gate, during the line outside, that he first met the O’Connell siblings.

If he wanted to finish the job without being caught, it would be better to sway Subaru outside the gate before entering Gwararu where the guards were. Even if he wanted to cash in on “Beast’s Horn,” Flopp’s involvement was crucial, preventing Subaru from being taken advantage of. —There was no point in sandwiching Flopp between them.

They could deceive and snatch the horns outside and then simply exchange them within the city.

There was no rational explanation for the motivation.

Numerous had killed Subaru in the past, but there had been some sort of rational reason behind it. Unless it was some sort of beast that couldn’t communicate, that was supposed to be an absolute rule.

Therefore—

“Flopp, why are you being so nice to us?”

“Huh? That’s a sudden question.”

“Ah, sorry for the abruptness. It just made me a bit uneasy.”

At the seemingly random question from Subaru, Flopp raised his well-shaped eyebrow in surprise.

Feigning a bitter smile at his reaction, Subaru held his breath, waiting for Flopp’s response. —There were no rational suspicions, so it just came down to whether or not he could trust him.

Having taken the trouble to be so caring and helpful towards Subaru, he wanted reassurance that neither Flopp nor his sister, Medium, had any ulterior motives.

“—Hmm.”

Perhaps Subaru’s inner turmoil was reflected in his eyes, as Flopp squinted his beautiful features.

The self-proclaimed confidence and ease he usually exuded turned into an intelligent and handsome man staring at Subaru.

Then, shaking his head in front of the tense Subaru, he said,

“It’s not a complicated story. It’s quite simple. What my sister and I are doing for you, your wife, and your niece is…”

“Is…?”

“—Revenge!”

“…Huh?”

Throwing his hands open wide, Flopp declared that to Subaru in a loud voice.

The clash between the spirited, cheerful declaration and the sinister content was so striking that Subaru, for a moment, couldn’t grasp it. He was dumbfounded, eyes wide open.

In that moment of rigid surprise, Flopp ruffled Subaru’s hair, saying, “Listen to this!”

“My sister and I once lived a life that danced on the edge of life and death! Abandoned by our parents, we were raised in an orphanage that was extraordinarily terrible!”

“An orphanage…?”

Vaguely, the image of a facility resembling a modern orphanage floated in Subaru’s mind.

However, it was easy to imagine that the environment and facilities of this world’s orphanages would vastly differ from those in modern society.

It was likely that the environment was beyond Subaru’s wildest imagination.

Revealing how he was raised there with gestures, Flopp continued,

“Every night, huddled with children in a similar plight, we all swore our resolve to escape that situation. My sister and I managed to seize the opportunity and finally break free. It was the first time we reached a night without being struck, and I made a vow—revenge.”

“Revenge… against the people from the orphanage?”

“No, that’s not it. —Against the world!”

With the same expression he had when he boldly claimed revenge earlier, Flopp clenched his fists.

To the dumbfounded Subaru, he leaned in with passion.

“My sister and I grew up being beaten by the adults in that facility. But were those adults truly happy while striking me? No, they were not. They too were wretched. Unfortunate adults hitting unfortunate children. Is there anything more tragic than this?”

“———”

“Even the adults who lash out in violence are not happy. I became a merchant with the intention of pulling both myself and my sister out of this misfortune. And I wish for as many people as possible to escape misfortune. Just like the person who rescued us that night.”

“Is that revenge against the world?”

“Exactly. My sister and I are struggling to take revenge against a world that imposes misfortune. Helping you and your wife is part of that.”

After saying so, Flopp sheepishly rubbed his nose, slightly embarrassed.

Receiving such fervor from Flopp along with the revealed warmth, Subaru became speechless. Gradually, as that warmth permeated into his mind, Subaru’s resolution was instantly decided.

“Thank you, Flopp. I’m glad I met you and Medium in that line.”

The answer he sought, needing assurance about who he could trust.

And the answer he received was more than Subaru could have hoped for. Thus, it was settled.

Subaru would not doubt Flopp O’Connell’s goodwill.

He resolved to firmly believe in the noble desire for revenge against the world’s absurdities he had decided to undertake.

Then all that remained was—

“Flopp, this road has a pretty bad feng shui, though. Mind if we take another route?”

“What? What’s that supposed to mean? Is your scowl and that look in your eyes related?”

“It’s like some item to divine the omens, but my look has nothing to do with it! But really, this road is bad. Going around is fine, so I’d appreciate it!”

Relying on Flopp’s goodwill, Subaru strongly pushed the conversation.

If he had decided that Flopp wasn’t the perpetrator, the next problem was to avoid the imminent “death.” It was an attack, whether by sniping or something else.

If he could avoid the trigger conditions for the attack, it would lead to sidestepping “death.”

The first step was crucial: he had to avoid repeating the same actions as before.

Change the path, alter the timing, and proactively mitigate any potential harm brought upon him.

If he could achieve that, he would be able to evade the unwanted “death.”

“I can’t recall ever wanting ‘death’.”

Even then, the times had been choices he had to make due to pressing circumstances.

He wouldn’t have chosen “death” had he not been cornered into situations where it was the only way to save himself. Damn it, Subaru felt that he wanted revenge against the world too.

“I don’t understand about the omens, but I like your serious expression. It might be a bit longer, but let’s take a different path.”

“That would help! Let’s head towards the busy Main Street!”

“Consider it done.”

Fortunately, Flopp didn’t push back against Subaru’s unnatural insistence and the two proceeded to alter their course toward the tavern. They retraced their steps yet would pass as few alleys as possible to get to the tavern.

Even if they had now been targeted, if they were indeed caught in the line of fire before the tavern, there may still be a way to avert being targeted. In the worst-case scenario, just displaying a vigilant Subaru might scare off the opponent.

“Then, sir, let’s go this way—”

As Flopp passed beside Subaru, he was about to guide him down a different path.

It happened at that moment. —Flopping his head slightly back toward Subaru, Flopp’s eyes widened as if realizing something.

“—Whoa.”

Before Subaru could request a clarification regarding Flopp’s reaction, it was too late.

Because Subaru’s mouth was now fully open—not to ask Flopp anything, but to expel a torrent of blood.

“Ugh!? ”

It was an instant maneuver.

Something had grasped the back of Subaru’s head, forcing him to look up. Then, a hot sensation passed through his exposed throat, and blood burst forth.

As Subaru drowned in the overwhelming blood and pain, he understood that his throat had been slit.

“Guh…!”

Pressing both hands against the gash on his neck, Subaru, amidst the searing pain and blood loss, sought a way out.

The injury was deep and wide, cutting through crucial veins and causing blood to pour out. He needed to wrap the shirt he had taken off around his neck to stop the bleeding—but first, his priority had to be to escape from his enemy behind him.

Moreover, Flopp was here. He had doubted him when suspecting him. Even if he reconsidered later, Flopp was—

“Re, run…!”

Rem was at the inn. He had to return to her somehow, even while bleeding from his neck.

Get back, pull her out, it’s dangerous! Even if she resists, he would still drag her out. As long as Rem was alive. She had to survive. To do that, he needed to stop the blood flowing from his neck.

Blood, blood, stop the blood—

“—Ugh.”

He stopped.

▲▼▲▼▲

“—Hey, sir, you should have a smile on your face.”

“—”

“If you lack a smile and ease, good fortune won’t come your way. From here on out, you’ll be looking for traveling companions, right? Then you need to seek favorable connections!”

Flopp pressed his finger against his forehead, vigorously advocating that as Subaru moved to comply.

Watching his performance, Subaru quickly placed both hands on his own neck. He wasn’t feeling the warmth of blood spilling, nor the heat of life leaving his body. With every heartbeat, he felt the sensation of blood gushing forth.

His life was oozing away, and he felt the impending dread of “death” drawing near.

“If you don’t want to, what’s up, sir? You look quite pale.”

In silence, Subaru was gripped by Flopp’s concerned inquiry.

His serious gaze urged the memories of the moment when his throat was cut.

Yes, he had been slashed across the throat.

Blood had gushed out, and instinct screamed for him to flee. Yet, even that warning became muted as this moment returned.

Meaning he had died again. He had returned by death once more.

But this time it was different from the initial instant death. This was a clear display of malevolence directed at him.

“…Bwah!”

Fingers pressed against his neck, hurrying to remember how to breathe, Subaru finally recalled the rhythm. As Flopp touched Subaru’s shoulders, he asked, “Are you alright?”

Subaru had no time to respond.

He couldn’t stay there.

“F-Flopp, today… uh, it’s just bad feng shui. We should go back now!”

“Fu-sui? But, in that condition, it seems like you need to rest a bit…”

“No, resting’s useless! I need Rem to hold my hand to avoid this episode!”

“Is that so… That’s quite a problem!”

In a rush from anxiety and urgency, Subaru blurted his chaotic response. Flopp, being the kind-hearted person he was, paid attention to the concern in Subaru’s tone rather than the substance of the words.

Grabbing at Subaru’s shoulder, Flopp nodded despite his surprise. Following Flopp’s lead, Subaru found himself torn between where to go.

Advancing forward, he would continue along the original course, but going back would bring him close to the side where he had lost his head.

Whichever way he went felt like entering a deadly dead-end, leading Subaru to choose a separate alley to head back toward the Main Street.

Last time he had failed, but the opponent wouldn’t intend to slay them in front of other people—no, they would look to kill Subaru separately. Taking precautions meant heading toward the Main Street as a priority.

“Sir! Your hands are freezing! You should get your wife to warm them up!”

“Ah, I want to see Rem’s face as soon as possible!”

In the end, even if he returned without accomplishing his goal and was scolded for it, that was fine.

More importantly, he needed to get back to Rem—

“—No!”

Doubting whether he should return, thoughts of concern twisted in Subaru’s mind.

Still not grasping the identity of the opponent while heading back to Rem seemed dangerous. He had no idea where the opponent had been targeting them, but returning to the inn would only reveal their base to the enemy.

“———”

Cursing his inadequate thoughts, Subaru bit his lip at the same time the sight opened up.

Exiting the alley, Subaru and Flopp emerged onto the bustling Main Street. To either side, the number of people moving about couldn’t even compare to a major city, but it was still a substantial step away from the secluded alley with the tavern.

That said, jumping into a crowd took courage. He had to decide on the next course of action while avoiding this.

“Given we’re on the street, our inn should be over there. So, let’s—”

“No! We can’t return to the inn. Meeting Rem is out of the question!”

“Huh? Aren’t you contradicting yourself!?”

Emotionally unstable, Subaru reacted in a way that seemed frantic, refusing to let himself head back to Rem’s side. On the other hand, he also acknowledged it was ungrateful to maneuver Flopp without giving him a proper explanation.

Yet, what could he say to convince Flopp?

It wasn’t like he could simply sway one side of faction members like Emilia’s squad, or persuade familiar faces like Anastasia or Julius, the journey companions.

To get Flopp to lend him serious ears lacked the weight or justification necessary.

Even this seemed excessively greedy, hoping for Flopp’s good nature.

“Damn…!”

The cards in hand for Subaru to overturn this situation were dwindling.

In a state where he was away from cherished Rem, being attacked in an unfamiliar city, he was with Flopp—who had good intentions but lacked combat abilities. And without any advantages Subaru himself could leverage.

If he didn’t know who was targeting him, he wouldn’t even know who to be wary of.

“Could it be… the hunter…?”

Defining the unseen enemy within his mind conjured up the image of a “hunter.”

A figure that had once killed Subaru in the Badheim Forest and had also previously targeted him alongside Rem. Ultimately, while they hadn’t encountered the hunter since, they might still have been quietly stalking Subaru.

Whether in the Badheim Forest or in a settlement of the People of Shudrak, someone had always been by Subaru’s side. Perhaps the hunter had sought to act when Subaru was with Flopp, who was defenseless in terms of combat power.

“If that’s the case, it’s like being obsessed with a prey stolen from a bear. Why is this guy targeting me so hard? What have I done for this…?”

“Sir? Are you alright? What’s got you so troubled? If I can help, you should speak up. You’re acting strangely.”

“Flopp…”

As Subaru cautiously peeked from side to side, Flopp called out to him.

Flopp pinched Subaru’s shoulders, a serious gaze urging him to open up to him, and Subaru genuinely considered relying on his goodness.

There was a chance Flopp might believe in him and offer assistance.

“Flopp, I feel pathetic for always leaning on you, but would you listen to me?”

“Of course! Even if it’s something I can’t help with, my sister might be able to help. We’re a partnership that fills in each other’s weaknesses after all!”

“To be honest, it might be more of a problem for Medium, but…”

If the opponent unleashed unrelenting violence, perhaps the only course would be to deliver brute strength to counter it. Being clear and strong, Medium’s strength.

With this in mind, Subaru began to explain the situation to Flopp, first without mentioning “return by death,” that someone was persistently targeting him.

“Actually, someone has been追いかけてきていて…”

“—What’s that?”

Determined, Subaru started to explain the situation carefully to Flopp, avoiding touching on the penalties of “return by death.”

However, as he began to speak, Flopp’s gaze shifted elsewhere. He narrowed his handsome brows, turning to observe the street.

Something caught his attention, and Subaru, late to react, turned to notice it too.

“—!”

In the distance, someone was screaming.

Not just one person either; multiple individuals were raising cries of anger and terror. Their voices grew more urgent, mixing with sounds unlike screams—

“What—!?”

Flopp’s throat caught as his eyes widened, and Subaru too turned to look in the same direction.

Moments later, both of them froze upon spotting what was unfolding.

—A massive wheel was barreling towards Subaru and Flopp.

“Sir, watch out—!”

Before Flopp could finish, a crash abruptly struck Subaru’s entire body. He was flung violently, bouncing and tumbling against the hard earth.

The momentum didn’t stop, crashing him into a wall. Yet it didn’t end there; the following impact slammed down on him again, sending him flying once more.

“—Ah, ugh!”

Tumbling over, lying face down, Subaru’s vision blurred into darkness.

It wasn’t that the sky had suddenly grown cloudy. A completely different reason overshadowed his sight. He understood that finding the truth wouldn’t yield anything good.

Still, there was something he could say—

“I, I…!”

Dying, his cells cried out to his instincts.

Having experienced “death” over thirty times as Natsuki Subaru, he had a vague understanding of the level of damage one would need to incur to lose their life.

This time, he clearly surpassed his limits.

“———”

He was throbbing.

But this was beyond what hurt in parts of his body. The entire body hurt. The very existence of Subaru had melded into the phenomenon of “pain.”

There was no specific location that hurt; it was as if Natsuki Subaru had become “pain” incarnate. Being “pain” meant it was natural for it to hurt. Everything hurt. It wouldn’t dissipate.

Far away, an incessant ringing in his ears echoed, like a train whistle.

Among that noise came the chaotic shouts of the people—no, there was no joy to be found. “Abyssal Wailing” would be more appropriate. Abyssal Wailing, how laughable—what a four-character phrase.

Despite the sound, what unfolded felt too heavy and rigid to be real.

“Ah, g-gah…!”

Uttering something was beyond impossible.

The mouth trying to sound out words had been ripped apart. With missing teeth, his lips flowed freely—something had torn somewhere, causing the air to escape. There was blood, sound, and “pain.”

Something was happening, something was—

“A-aah…!”

Something, again, had killed Natsuki Subaru.

▲▼▲▼▲

“—Hey there, sir. You shouldn’t scowl.”

“—”

“If you lack smiles and ease, good fortune won’t visit you. Surely, you’re set to look for companions in this journey, right? Then you need to search for good relationships.”

Flopp condescendingly rubbed his fingers against Subaru’s forehead gently.

Watching him, Subaru couldn’t help but put his hands on his own shoulders. He was keenly aware of the blood not seeping anymore, nor the sensation of pain fading.

—Once again, he had died.

“Yet… yet was that a dragon cart…?”

Crushed by impact, blown away, and immobilized, the flickering candle of his life had finally extinguished.

Consumed by the pain echoed throughout his entirety, Subaru had been murdered. He had lost his life.

“———”

Trembling as they grasped his shoulders, his knees began to quake.

Even if the body failed to remember the disaster cast upon him, the soul did. The memory of devastation wormed through him, the agony of being torn asunder even now gnawed at the spirit.

As this grew unbearable to withstand, Subaru could no longer hide his fear for the malice crashing down on him.

The first instant death, the second decapitation, and the third death under the dragon cart—none of them were mere coincidences. There was no doubt, the will to kill Natsuki Subaru was evident.

That will had ruthlessly snuffed his life out. But the most terrifying thing was that, having experienced three instances of “return by death,” Subaru was still yet to acquire information beyond “the enemy exists.”

The foe left no clues to the dying Subaru.

“Then, you need to erase that frown… what’s wrong, sir? You look terrible.”

“Flopp…”

Again, Flopp concerned himself over the somber change in Subaru’s complexion.

The ruckus on the Main Street was likely a response to the dragon cart being uncontrollable. And at the moment of collision, Flopp had been reaching out to help Subaru.

He couldn’t make it in time, for Subaru had taken a hit strong enough to kill him, yet it was hard to believe Flopp had escaped from it unscathed. —He too must have been caught in that calamity.

“Besides, until now…”

The enemy couldn’t just be satisfied with Subaru’s death and leave.

Flopp had witnessed both the first and second incidences; if they were cautious individuals, it was only natural to silence Flopp as a witness.

This meant that all along, Flopp might have been into Subaru’s predicament, too.

That was interminable. Subaru ground his teeth.

“—Flopp!”

“W-What is it!?”

Crushing his cowardice with clenched teeth, Subaru directed his focus forward.

And with that resolve, he grasped Flopp’s hand, startling him. However, he had no time to consider Flopp’s surprise.

Given how things stood, the countdown to death had already begun.

Whether stepping forward or retreating, both paths led to hell; caught in the triple agony of avoiding death would be no less awful.

Yet still, he had to search for a path to survive. —Not just for himself and Rem, he couldn’t abandon the good brother who had helped him and return him to his sister.

Therefore—

“—Flopp! We need to run!”

“Out of nowhere, huh!? What’s going on!?”

“This is no time to split hairs! Life is limited! Not a second can be wasted!”

Stopping to ponder an argument was the wrong move here.

Subaru quickly made that judgment, compelling Flopp to relent with his forceful reasoning. As expected, the momentum swayed Flopp and made him nod, saying, “That’s definitely true!”

“Life is short. My sister and I must pursue our goals—we should cherish every moment, and yet…”

“Let’s run! We’ll run straight to the tavern! Tiny details can wait!”

“Understood! Just don’t pull me along like that! My hair’s going to get messed up!”

As Flopp let out a hue, Subaru yanked him, pushing him forward.

Though hearing Flopp’s cries felt like a scream, Subaru moved ahead on the path—making haste toward the tavern to recruit a bodyguard.

However, their aim was not merely to secure protection for their journey.

They were racing toward more urgent help, hoping to escape this relentless cycle of death.

“`

 

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