(Thank You Roanz, Kizarat, Nero, Vimal, Chris, Soriosh, H-X, Aaron, Baegislash, Rodolfo, Ahbahl, Jean-Loup, Jake, Zozorok, Relax Gaming for helping me with proofreading on the Live Draft! <3)
********** ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO TAPPEI NAGATSUKI, THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR OF RE:ZERO, THIS IS A TRANSLATION OF THE FREE JAPANESE WEB NOVEL INTO ENGLISH JAPANESE WEB NOVEL SOURCE:
===
The breeze sweeping through the Sanctuary brushed against Subaru's hair as he came out of the house. Breathing in the scent of grass carried in the night's wind, Subaru stepped out into the night-befallen Sanctuary and headed for his bed in the Cathedral.
Walking across the grass, and following along the trail by the light of the moon, Subaru began to think on how he should make use of his time in this loop.
Having been assured that there is no limit to Return by Death, Subaru was now able to do something he had never done before―― that is, to sacrifice an entire loop solely for the purpose of gathering information.
Since he was already determined to throw in his life, there would be no other, more efficient way to take advantage of Return by Death.
[Subaru: If I just try something different each loop, the solutions to all the obstacles are bound to start appearing one by one……]
And then, all he would need to do would be to link them together and fulfill them all in a single loop.
To break through the obstacles that stand in his way, and beautifully hold onto everyone's futures: that, would be his perfect victory.
Although, just who would be included in that perfect victory was something to consider in and of itself.
[Subaru: ――――]
Suddenly, Subaru stopped――
――when he smelled something in the wind other than the grass beneath his feet.
Subaru looked up. And in front of his field of vision, was a youth standing in the middle of the star-lit path.
With his arms crossed and his spiky golden hair fluttering in the wind, Garfiel gave his fangs a click.
[Subaru: You sure are a timely bastard]
[Garfiel: What's that, y'don't seem surprised t'see me. Well, that's kinda odd, but does help move th'conversation along]
Just after he was talking about him with Ram, Garfiel showed up here. Subaru couldn't help but scratch his cheeks and remark on the timing.
Then, Garfiel gestured with his head, as if signalling something to Subaru.
The small figure took a few steps, went off the path, and headed towards the forest.
Watching the figure go further and further away, venturing into the thick undergrowth of the forest, Subaru did a light stretch and turned to the Cathedral――
[Garfiel: Wasn't I tellin ya t'follow me with that nudge just now!? Oy!!]
Garfiel came running over shouting abuse at Subaru, who was trying to walk away, and Subaru held up his arms and shrugged,
[Subaru: Just a little joke. I didn't miss the point, don't worry]
[Garfiel: Kinda pissin' me off here. Y'keep up or I eat ya]
[Subaru: Normally, wouldn't saying something like "I won't eat ya" have a more calming effect here?]
Roughly swinging out his strides again, Garfiel didn't respond to Subaru's comment. Subaru had a bad feeling about how Garfiel sounded like he wanted to say something but didn't, but all there was to do now was to follow in small quick steps behind him.
Leaving the main road and entering the forest, after walking a short distance, Garfiel snorted.
They've arrived in a small clearing amidst the rows of trees, about the size of a round table enough to seat 4 or 5 people. There, Garfiel turned around,
[Garfiel: So…… th'hell did y'bastard see in th'Tomb?]
[Subaru: ……you too?]
After Emilia and Ram, he was the third person to ask him that.
Unlike with the previous two, Subaru would have to be cautious what answer he gives to Garfiel, since he probably wouldn't give up asking until he's gotten to the bottom of it.
Not minding the thoughts going through Subaru's head, Garfiel spat out [Me too, huh?], and clicked his fangs, as his golden irises narrowed into slits,
[Garfiel: I don't know who said what t'ya where, but I ain't gettin' ignored so easily. "Suspicious Berube extends th'same t'his family", as they say]
[Subaru: Sorry, I took a bit of time trying to wake Emilia in the Tomb. Whatever you think I saw in there is just your imagination, you know]
[Garfiel: Y'got some nerve givin' me that. Yer whole body's reekin' of the Witch's stench, y'think y'can fool me with that? Ah?]
[Subaru: ――――]
Wrinkling his nose as he said this, Garfiel's words were full of hostility.
Hearing his, Subaru couldn't say a thing. Yet, at the same time, he also sensed that something was out of place.
The reason for Garfiel's hostility――was the Witch's lingering scent.
That had been Subaru's conclusion in all the loops so far, and what Garfiel just said also verified this. The problem was, the timing of when he brought this up in this loop was strange.
Subaru had been terribly nervous as he came out of the Tomb, expecting some sort of attack from Garfiel.
Subaru had just Returned by Death, after dying right in front of the Witch, no less. So the Witch's lingering scent must have been far thicker back then than now.
But, unexpectedly, Garfiel and did not take any actions to attack him. Instead, he even seemed to be expressing genuine relief for Subaru and Emilia's return.
All throughout their meeting in Lewes' house, and as he watched Garfiel leave the room, this very point had been bothering him.
Up until their parting, everything had been normal, and yet when they met again after only 10 or so minutes, Garfiel's attitude had drastically changed, and Subaru couldn't imagine why.
Could it be that the stench was so pungent that his nose lost all sense of smell, and it only managed to recover after some time had passed?
Subaru lifted his arm to smell himself, but could only smell the fatigue that had accumulated over the course of the day. Resolving to wash himself as soon as he gets the chance, he turned to Garfiel.
[Subaru: About that Witch's lingering scent… I've had quite a few people point that out to me before]
[Garfiel: ……Heh, that so? Those guys must have been pretty accommodatin' t'not do anythin' about it, oy. Such a revolting smell too, why would they, I wonder]
[Subaru: They probably decided to overlook how I smelled and judge me based on my actions instead. It'd be a great help if you could do that too. At least, you let me go when I just came out of the Tomb, right?]
[Garfiel: ――――]
[Subaru: My loyalty to Emilia is beyond question, and I don't intend to do anything to harm the Sanctuary. I hope you can believe that much. So, if you could just quietly let me off that'd be a huge help]
From a conveniently optimistic standpoint, the fact that Garfiel didn't attack the moment Subaru opened his mouth at least showed that he was still rational. So it should be possible to reach a compromise through words.
In fact, Subaru could almost see a slight waver in Garfiel's eyes. After all, Garfiel wasn't the kind of person who would thoughtlessly eliminate Subaru just because he could sense the Witch's scent on him. It was only when that stench was combined with some other condition that he began to take action.
Whatever it may be, in this loop, it didn't seem to have triggered yet. So it was up to Subaru to find out just what that trigger is in the meantime.
[Garfiel: ……Y'haven't answered my first question]
[Subaru: Mm?]
[Garfiel: What did y'bastard see. In the Tomb. Whether I let y'go or not will depend on th'answer y'give me]
Glaring at Subaru, Garfiel asked again, though the force in his voice had somewhat diminished from before.
There were only two kinds of answers Subaru could give him――the truth, or the same lies he told to Emilia. Which one was the right solution? There was a need to make sure of that,
[Subaru: In that case, let me ask you a question as well]
[Garfiel: Don't get yer situation wrong here. I ask, y'answer. Y'want me t'eat ya?]
[Subaru: Don't be mad. Allow your shoulders to relax, and just take it easy and answer]
Garfiel bared his fangs, while Subaru slightly wiggled his shoulders and drew in a deep breath.
Keeping the question lodged in his throat, he locked his eyes onto Garfiel, and,
――Here's the moment of truth.
He encouraged himself with that thought,
[Subaru: ――I saw a bunch of kids who looked exactly like Lewes-san, you know anything about that?]
-=Chapter 53 End=-
===
I might edit these again when I wake up tomorrow. Please let me know if you found any typos while reading ❤
===
Chapter 54 Live Draft: