5
Subaru had already been running around the city for ten minutes, running from Regulus. His task was to occupy his attention for as long as possible.
- Focus! Focus! Focus! - he repeated the master's words under his breath, panting heavily.
It was not easy to dodge the Archbishop's destructive fury. His attacks had already demolished almost the entire Third District. The famously beautiful streets were ruined. Water poured out of, broken canals.
He was afraid that one of the evacuation centers would be damaged. Fortunately, before the fight he had memorized their location on the map and now he was running away to avoid all the places where the inhabitants of Priestella could be.
- Calm down at last! Why don't you finally realize that you don't stand a chance? You're going to die anyway, so why couldn't you die right now! - cried the Archbishop, then he delivered a powerful kick to the wall of the building where Subaru had just run.
The boy felt the structure wobble. Having no choice, he jumped straight into the dust cloud below and disappeared from Regulus' sight. He deliberately steered to keep them in the Third District, which was already littered with booby traps. He acted deliberately, taking advantage of the white-haired man's passion: Greed would not allow an enemy to die except before his eyes. He desired a face-to-face battle to prove his superiority. That was why Subaru was convinced that the Archbishop would jump into the dust cloud behind him.
- Come on, you moron! I'm not afraid of you! - he shouted for effect and took off at a run.
That is how you have to fight him. Those who fought him before were powerful and honorable and that is why they lost. I am weak and cowardly. But I can run.
- Finally understand everyone where you belong! Everyone is different! Being born determines what we have available to us! I was born this way! I am the perfect man and with me you have no chance! Understand your weakness, accept it and die!
A massive shockwave rained down on the Subaru from the side, which it failed to avoid. He landed a few meters away, among the rubble of the destroyed building. He was hit in the head and felt blood dripping down his face.
- Ha! You've had your run! - cried Regulus, coming out of the dust cloud, which he had split into two halves with the help of Authority. - But this is the end! Sad that it came so soon, isn't it?
With a wide, mischievous grin, he looked at the groaning Subaru. He could already feel the victory coming.
- That's right. It was bound to happen. Considering the power differential, it was completely predictable. I'll finally have peace and quiet. Phew!
He slowly walked up to the boy. Along the way he stepped on some brick that had crumbled into dust.
I hope he doesn't stand on my head.
- Don't you yourself think this is absurd? There are plenty of people like you who think they can beat me. None have even scratched me, This is what happens when someone believes in a false self-image that has nothing to do with their abilities. Too much is unhealthy. This is how the world works! - said the Archbishop.
It is this attitude that will doom him. Greed leads to senseless wars and tragedies. It is a desire that cannot be satisfied, which is why it is common to consider modesty a virtue and praise those who do not need much to live.
Regulus celebrated modesty while being greedy. He intended to punish others for their lust for possessions, remaining as if completely unaware that his vices were after all the same.
- I will destroy those who do not understand that they should be content with what they have," he perorated, drunk with the drama of the situation. - They are incorrigible fools. They will learn nothing! - he announced and corrected his hair.
He was genuinely concerned. He wasn't lying - he thought everyone but himself was a fool who deserved to be punished. And he was very saddened by it all. He looked down at Subaru with a look of compassion.
- Now, politely tell me where the fornicator is, and you will die quickly and painlessly. I have no taste for slow mistreatment of my enemies. See? I am merciful.
- Merci... ful... - choked out Subaru, barely panting. - Someone who uses his own wives...
- What? Oh, that's the thing. You figured it out? Clever boy. I wonder how you knew about my Lion’s Heart... All in vain! - Regulus replied. This time he did not get angry. He even smiled. - Yes, my Authority has to do with my wives, but I'm sorry, they are in the temple and you are here. You wouldn't be able to do anything anyway.
- Because they surely won't betray you?
- The answer is even simpler. My heart is in the hands of one of them, but I myself do not know which one has received this honor. And neither does she," he explained indifferently.
I was right. He needs his wives to protect the Lion’s Heart! Only in my life I would never have guessed he was using them in such a way...
- They all have equal rights. I love them the same, therefore the responsibilities are the same too. It's a basic rule when you have more than one wife, right? And I love them so much that I gave my heart to them!
- And the one who has it doesn't even know it....
- After all, everyday people are not even aware of their own heartbeat. How would such a girl notice that there was another one inside her? - Regulus smiled sinisterly.
Then Subaru understood the situation. It reached him how Regulus had hidden his heart.
Effective. And the worst part is, there's no way to get it out...
- It is a wife's duty to take care of her husband's possessions, but as you know, I am devoid of desires. I do not covet material possessions like you ordinary people. I am able to give my beloved wives what is most precious to me! I have given myself to them to take care of me. Isn't that the greatest proof of married love?
Psychopath.
Regulus portrayed his evil acts as natural, innocent. He didn't regret them one bit. Before Emilia ran to the temple, Subaru had shared a few theories with her about where exactly the Archbishop's heart might be, but he hadn't come up with one. It was beyond his comprehension that someone could be so despicable.
- I already know how to beat him... I wish I could pass this on to Emilia.
If Regulus was telling the truth, then... theoretically... there's a possibility. It's just that... it's no longer up to us to make it work. It's up to one of those girls to give up her life willingly.
- Hm? What? - choked out Regulus, looking at Subaru rising from the ground.
The boy, who seemed to be dying just moments ago, shook the dust from his clothes and rubbed his face.
- Well, as you can see," he chuckled to the astonished Archbishop. - I pretended that I had one foot in the grave. I smeared myself with the blood that dripped from my cut forehead and I moaned a little for show. I was convinced that if you saw a barely breathing enemy, you would start chattering like a fool.
We did it! I now know all about his Authority. It wasn't easy, but I got it.
- How much longer... ...are you going to make fun of me?!
Greed didn't like that he had lost his edge. Enraged, he threw himself at Subaru with a superhuman speed that would have surprised Reinhard himself. However, the boy already knew how Regulus' power worked. He was prepared.
He instantly activated the power stored in his right leg and performed a sideways dodge. The attacker had no way to change direction in flight. He missed.
This speed also comes from his Authority. He stops the time of his body at the right moment and thus breaks the laws of physics. He is not affected by gravity or air resistance. It's a powerful force, but he doesn't use it fully. He probably can't fully control it himself...
- Is this a mockery?! Who do you take me for?!
- A disgusting piece of trash, if you really want to know," cried Subaru, showing him the middle finger.
Now he had to figure out how to tell Emilia what he had just learned. And how to explain to her that he had to make a choice.
It's the only way to save this city.
Behind him, the temple building loomed up between the buildings. As they fled, they came very close to it.
Emilia-tan is now fighting her battle there.
At the exact moment he thought of it, a massive, towering pillar of ice rose from the temple.
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