“I see,” Rem said simply, perhaps waiting to see if I had more to say. “So, that’s why you want my advice,” she finally said after I didn’t say anything more.
She sat on the bed, deeply in thought. Then, after about a minute, she spoke up, “Subaru, do you think Crusch is the type of person to go back on her word? Surely, you’ve realized by now. Crusch values honesty. She won’t break a promise so easily.”
“So you think I should tell her about the other two Archbishops?”
Rem nodded her head once. “Yes.”
“If that’s what Rem thinks, then I’d be a fool to not follow her advice.” Even if I had my own reservations, I decided to trust Rem’s judgement. I had asked for it, after all.
Rem smiled.
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“Subaru, do you care to tell us why you’ve called for this emergency meeting?” Crusch asked sternly.
Beside her chair, Felis said, “Don’t you know it’s an ill omen to call a meeting at this late hour, nya?”
“After discussing with Rem,” I nodded to my blue-haired maid standing just to the side of my chair, “We’ve decided to give you more information— vital information,” I corrected.
“This is not something that could have waited until the morning?”
“You need all the time you can get to strategize.”
“I’m listening.”
“The White Whale is being controlled by Sin Archbishops,” I began, but Crusch spoke up.
“If this is about the Sin Archbishop of Sloth, I’ve already promised you my strength.”
“It’s not that,” I shook my head, “There are two more.”
The atmosphere suddenly grew darker.
“And you did not think to tell me this information sooner?”
“As I was saying, I myself just finished discussing this new information with Rem. It’s an added complication to the situation, but I still think it’s something that can be overcome. I have a hidden trump card in my back pocket, so to speak.”
“Oh? And what is the trump card you speak of?”
“To be honest, there’s actually two.” I readjusted my position to sit up straighter in my chair. “The first is that I know the abilities of all three Sin Archbishops. I will tell you their strengths, and my opinions on suspected weaknesses. Second, I will bring reinforcements to the battle from the mansion— there’s a great spirit there who will listen to me.”
Rem walked up and cupped her hand against my ear, “Puck won’t leave Emilia’s side, you know?” Then she stepped back.
“I know Rem,” I said aloud, not caring if Crusch or her allies could hear me, “I’m not talking about Puck.”
Rem stared at me in confusion for a second, but then she seemed to come to a realization.
I turned my focus back to Crusch. “The first Sin Archbishop is Ley Batenkeitos. He is the Sin Archbishop of Gluttony; just like the White Whale, he can erase the memories of those he touches. If you let him touch you, it’s possible no one will even remember you existed. His power is three-fold. First, if he knows your name, he can erase everyone else’s memory of you after he touches you. Second, even without knowing your name, he can erase your memories just by touching you. Third, he gains all of the memories of those he touches— this includes magic ability and martial ability. In other words, he’s an absolute monster who is extremely skilled at combat just from devouring others. My recommendation is to utterly annihilate him with superior firepower before he can fight back. I worry that even Wilhelm will lose a martial contest, and the moment he touches you the battle is over. If you can destroy him with magic from afar, that’s best.”
I paused to let everyone digest that. “The second Sin Archbishop is the one attacking the Roswaal manor tomorrow. Petelgeuse commands invisible magic hands that contain extraordinary strength. In addition, he is a spirit and not a person. If you destroy his body, he will just possess the body of any other member in the Witch’s cult, as long as they aren’t too far away. My recommendation is to kill every single member of the Witch’s cult nearby, and only then kill Petelgeuse. If even a single host remains, he will continue to revive like a cockroach.”
I paused one more time, taking a sip of the water on the coffee table in front of me.
“Lastly is the third Sin Archbishop. To be honest, I don’t know which one it is. I just know there’s a third one.” It had been close to five years since I had last watched Re: Zero, and I honestly couldn’t remember. “If it’s a man with white hair, there’s is no chance for victory and you might as well run. If it’s a woman covered in bandages, any attack you land on her will also land on you. Those are the other two I can remember. If it’s not one of those two, then I don’t know anything about them.”
“That sure is a lot of information you were withholding from us, is it nyat, Subaru-kun?” Felis said with a strained smile.
Crusch waved a knife hand at Felis as if to cut off his words. “Don’t mind Felis. Thank you for the added information. This certainly changes things.” Crusch looked to her other side, right at Wilhelm. “What are your thoughts?”
“In this case, I believe we should not split up after we kill the White Whale.”
“But!” I tried to cut in, but Wilhelm talked over me.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“I did not say we should back out on our deal, Natsuki-dono. Instead, I believe we should have our entire forces evacuate Roswaal’s manor together. Then, if the other two Archbishops come for us, we can make a united stand.”
I practically sagged in my seat as I let out a shaky breath. Crusch spared a moment to look at me from the corner of her eye.
“Very well, we have much to discuss and plan. In the morning, we shall finish our preparations for the White Whale subjugation, and then we will deal with these Sin Archbishops. If you aren’t careful, Subaru-dono, then you may just accelerate my ascension to the throne. Subjugating the White Whale and killing off half of the Witch’s cult in a single day? Do you really think Emilia will be able to take the crown after we accomplish such a feat?”
I smiled, a clever retort on my lips, “Ah, but if Emilia’s knight was the person who led the charge, then would that not also benefit Emilia?”
Crusch smiled back at me, almost predatory. “Very well. Tomorrow, then, Natsuki Subaru.”
At that, Crusch stood up and left the room. Felis and Wilhelm followed her out.
“That went well.” I sagged into my seat.
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In the early hours of the morning, with the sun still below the horizon, Rem and I stood before Flügel’s tree. At its base, the tree was so wide it looked more like a flat wall than a round trunk.
Just next to us, Crusch and Wilhelm also stood nearby. The rest of the forces were setting up various magic and military equipment.
“For some reason, mabeasts love my scent. I’m no commander, and I would hardly try to tell you how to manage your troops.”
“I’m sensing a, ‘but’, coming,” Crusch interrupted wryly.
“But, hear me out. Rem and I will lead the White Whale right here, by the nose. It will definitely follow me. Then, when the timing is right, blast the tree so that it topples down. We will pin the Whale to the ground with Flügel’s tree, and then Wilhelm can cut off its head. We’re going to speedrun this shit.”
“If the beast does respond to you as bait, then we shall attempt your plan,” Crusch agreed, but still looked skeptical that I’d actually be able to draw the whale’s attention.
“Make sure you time it correctly,” I warned. “If you break the tree too late or too early and miss the Whale, we won’t get another chance.
“I know,” Crusch said simply.
I reached out and grasped Rem’s hand, squeezing it. “It’ll be soon, now.”
“Aye. We should get ready,” Crusch said.
I helped Rem up onto Patrasche— the black ground dragon I picked out earlier in the day. After she was mounted, she reached out a hand and pulled me up with her. I sat directly behind her as she steered Patrasche into the formation. Crusch and Wilhelm followed close behind.
From my position behind Rem, I wrapped my arms around her— hugging her from behind. She was so tiny that the back of her head barely came up to my chest, since Body Talent made me taller than the original Natsuki Subaru. Patrasche ran forward, her body undulating under us as she moved.
“No matter what, I’m never letting go of you. You better not do anything reckless, Rem,” I warned.
Rem turned her head slightly to glance at me before she moved her eyes back to the path ahead of us. “If you are in danger, I won’t be able to hold myself back.”
After all of these coming battles were over, I was going to get stronger. Strong enough that Rem wouldn’t have to fight for me anymore— strong enough that Rem and I could fight as equals. No, I’d become strong enough that I could fight to protect Rem. That’s what Martial and Psychic talent were for, afterall.
Now in proper formation, everyone waited in the dark silence of night. My flip phone sat silently in my pocket. My company-issued Smartphone was separate, so I could keep my promise to Anastasia and give her the flip phone after this was all over. Funnily, it would be out of charge sometime tomorrow, anyway. I felt a little bit bad, tricking her like that. But then again, she was a manipulative asshole anyway, so I didn’t bother feeling too guilty about my deception.
A cheery ringtone ran out across the fields. Chatter came up from a few of the men around me before the squad leader hushed them into silence. Crusch and Wilhelm looked into my eyes, and I nodded toward them once.
“The White Whale is coming! Be ready!” Crusch shouted to the men, her voice projecting across the fields.
I stared up at the moon, knowing where to see the White Whale from my memories of the anime. Once I spotted it, I pointed up to it. “There!” I shouted.
Crusch and Wilhelm saw it the moment I pointed, and the rest of the military force followed my point soon after.
“Now, Rem,” I commanded quietly.
“Yes.” Rem whipped the reins on Patrasche, sending her forward at a run.
Honestly, I wasn’t too sure if this gambit would work. In Canon, the Witch of Envy, Satella only made Subaru smell like her because she touched him with her magic. Would she bother coming to me? Even worse, would she recognize that I body-snatched Subaru and kill me the second she realized what happened? If I died, would I really be able to count on return by death? I honestly wanted to avoid finding out that last one, if at all possible.
I took in a deep breath. “Rem, I can return by d—”
Time around me froze. A hand grasped around my heart, its pointed claws poised to tear my vitals apart. A single finger caressed my heart, lovingly, enviously.
Then, it was over and time resumed. Patrasche continued to gallop beneath me, and Rem still steered from the front.
“I’m back!” I shouted in triumph. “Did it work?” I asked Rem.
“Yes. You stink horribly,” she said without a hint of remorse.
Above us, I could see the White Whale’s silhouette turn toward us.
“The nightbreaker is about to launch,” Rem warned me. “Cover your eyes as they adjust.”
Right after she said it, the night sky lit up— an artificial sun turning night to day. I blinked to get the tears out of my eyes, but they adjusted soon enough.
Now able to properly see, I looked up as the White Whale’s massive pupils focused in on me. It dove, heading straight down. Rem turned Patrasche, moving us toward Flügel’s tree.
“This plan better work,” I said. It was one thing to see a character on a screen do it. For me, this was real life. I could feel my heart beat with adrenaline, my fingers tingle in anxiety, and my mind desperately try to warn me of the coming danger.
“Don’t jinx us,” Rem warned with a bit of humor in her tone.
I needn’t have worried. In moments, the tree was right ahead of us on the left. Explosions went off, the magic artillery firing. The tree, bigger than any skyscraper, began to fall. The White Whale didn’t even notice it, so intent was it on chasing us from behind. I felt the ground tremble and shatter as the White Whale’s gaping mouth opened and destroyed the earth behind me.
Patrasche ran as fast as a car from my old world, and in seconds we were practically past the tree.
It began to hit the ground with an earthshaking boom, but it somehow managed to be quieter than I would have expected. Rem just urged Patrasche forward faster, trying to outrun the chaos going on behind us.
“The tree isn’t going to land in time,” Rem said, dead serious.
She moved to get up, letting go of the reins and trying to hand them over to me.
No longer able to hold onto her body, I was forced to grab the reins lest I fall off the speeding ground dragon.
“Wait!” I shouted, moving the reins to a single hand. I reached out for Rem just as she forcefully jumped high into the air. “Rem!”
Looking behind myself, I watched as Rem’s horn grew out from her skull, glowing a prismatic white. She landed on the Whale and promptly hit it in the face with her flail— temporarily making it rear up as it flinched.
I watched as a burst of fog shot out from a vent on its skin, washing over and enveloping Rem.
“Rem!” I screamed again, trying to turn the reins, trying to force Patrasche back to Rem. The intelligent ground dragon ignored my desperate attempts to turn her around as Flügel’s tree fell down smack on the Whale’s back.
Things were supposed to go better this time. I stared on as the dust settled before me, horror and apathy competing for a prized place within my heart.