CHAPTER 125: THE ROSWAAL MANSION BATTLE
???: “—DONAA!!”
The only one who manages to immediately react to the oncoming threat is Otto. He holds his hands out in front of him, influencing the world with a canto—the torrent of mana breaks through the mansion floor as up surges a wall of earth, which blocks the whole of the wide hallway and impedes the shadow's advance. However,
Elsa: “Nuisance.”
Subaru: “Just one hit!?”
One short statement, and two swings of a kukri. The slash tears through the wall like paper, and with one kick to the bisected blockade, the whole thing crumbles instantly. Scattered particles of mana alongside the collapsed wall's remains. An archetypically sadistic smile alongside the silver gleam of a knife.
Elsa: “First is to slit your throats and silence you, or I suspect you won't be cooperative.”
Subaru: “Stop saying this terrifying stuff!”
Using the momentary opening Otto created, Subaru holds Petra close and tumbles into a neighbouring room. Otto follows a second behind, shutting the door before immediately manoeuvring behind the bed. A slash cleaves through the door. The dangling lower portion of the door plummets, kicked, into the room.
Subaru: “Take this I guess!”
Elsa swoops into the room, for Subaru to attack her with a wooden clothes-hanger. She dodges by tilting backward and slices the thing in two with a flourish of her blade, aiming for Subaru's throat with the backswing. But thanks to Petra jumping in and pushing Subaru out of the way, the contact ends with only a graze.
Elsa: “Goodness. Bad girl.”
Subaru: “She's our pride and a good girl, moron!”
Blood seeps from Subaru's neck. He presses down on the wound pulls Petra close, retreating. A ghastly grin arises on Elsa's face as she prepares to pursue them. However,
Otto: “Then how about this!”
Otto tosses a spellstone, aiming for Elsa's face. This glowing red thing, packed with fire mana, behaves much like a shotgun bullet. It's Otto's trump card, even more pure than the one he used against Garfiel.
Otto's hidden ace shoots straight for the defenceless Elsa—detonates.
The spellstone bursts apart in crimson halfway between Otto and Elsa. Noise and light whip through the room, a heated wind fanning Subaru as he watches: His eyes focused so intensely that time feels to lag, Subaru sees how Elsa doesn't even bother to turn around as she throws her knife and curbs Otto's spellstone.
The stone detonates at an unintended point in space, burning Otto's eyes. He screams as he pitches back. Elsa drives her foot into Otto's exposed stomach, sending him shooting away to crash into a wall. She does not even glance at the crumpled Otto as she instead turns toward Subaru, who swallows his breath. Elsa's brows hitch up.
Elsa: “Oh? You're... I think I know you from the Capital.”
Subaru: “I-I'm honoured you remember me. So with that relationship in mind, would you mind overlooking us?”
Elsa: “I make a point to, no matter how long it takes, witness any guts I previously failed to behold.”
Subaru: “She's a collector!”
Subaru can feel Petra clutch tighter at his sleeve. His thoughts solder white. He keenly senses that his gate is dead. He can pray or set his soul ablaze, but neither his mana nor his gate are giving the slightest murmur of response. It's impossible for him to use Shamac here, and more importantly it would be a fool's work should he immobilize himself again. Which leaves him with only one method—Invisible Providence.
Subaru: “—”
The instant he decides to use it, a dark, alien thing slithers through Subaru's body. It had been still, but began asserting its presence the moment it realised that Subaru was calling it, eager to display its power and cheering. A foreboding feeling strikes him, as if he is feeding a repugnant monster. While consciously ignoring the feeling, Subaru issues orders to the dark power shrieking its birthing cry, and determines to cut open a pathway from his inside to the outside.
He could cry blood with this agony, and he is aversive to using this power. Regardless. He clings onto what he can, utilizes what he can, and lives while capitalising on whatever he can. All to save everyone he wishes to be saved.
Elsa: “Ahh... what a thrilling expression you have.”
Subaru: “I'll show you something better.”
Elsa: “How excited I am.”
Taking aim at Elsa's core as she brandishes her two blades, Subaru pulls the trigger taut.
Now he just needs to release, and her slender form will be shredded mauled and perforated. Subaru: “—○○○” A squirming thing flows into his bloodstream, courses through his whole.
It almost feels like the air he breathes is chromatic, like he is cloaked in blazing heat, as the dark alien nails extend, Elsa's bisection conceivable and anticipated. Just like this, offer up everything, and—
???: “Subaru!”
A grieving cry, and the dull pain of a pinch at his side. Subaru scrunches his face in surprise, the repugnant emotions inside him dispersing immediately. What remains are the faint dregs of dark taint, and unchanged emanations of black murder.
Elsa has begun swooping near, and Subaru as he panickedly tries to repair his aim will not manage it in time—when, Elsa: “—Close.”
???: “—Evaded!?” It takes Elsa a microsecond to ascertain the gust closing in from behind, and dodge. She aborts her attack on Subaru and twists away, dancing out from under the claws which gouge her back. Flipping backwards, she drives a kick into Frederica's flank and rides the momentum to jab her elbow into Subaru, sending both of them flying as she somersaults backwards—escaping from between them to calmly land on the room's bed.
Elsa puts her hand to her back, looks at the blood on her palm. She looks to be in ecstasy. She then looks at Frederica, kneeling on the floor, and tilts her head cheerfully. Elsa: “Yet another... no, two more people to receive me. Truly a wonderful mansion.”
Frederica: “That ambush did not even work... those are not the reflexes of a human.” Frederica groans in frustration, unable to hide her shivering. The blow to his chest leads Subaru to cough as he crawls over to Frederica.
Subaru: “Frederica, my bad, thank you. And, Petra too.”
After addressing Frederica, Subaru thanks Petra, her hand in his. Petra shakes her head with her eyes teary. Petra: “N-no, I'm who should say sorry. But, Subaru... your eyes looked so scary, and...” Subaru: “Honestly, I think I was on the border of getting swallowed. That might've turned out bad if
I wasn't pulled out of it. Guess I can't be careless about using Invisible Providence...” Petra: “Inv... what?”
It doesn't even merit any surprise from Subaru that his ace is a double-edged sword. The problem here is how its uses are now limited further—all he can do is pray that this current backfire resulted from using it in quick succession. He at least can anticipate that counting on Invisible Providence for this fight will mean losing far too much in exchange.
Petra: “Big Sis Frederica...”
Frederica: “It must have been frightening for you, Petra. You did well to not cry.”
Petra still clutches Subaru's sleeve when Frederica calls her. Frederica gives that appraisal of her precious faux-sister's efforts while turning to face Subaru, her expression stern.
Frederica: “Subaru-sama, my apologies. I recognize that you desired for me to take Rem-sama and flee the mansion... I've failed my task.”
Subaru: “No, it's hopeless it in this situation. And the outside's even worse than here... where's Rem?”
Frederica: “I have her.”
Frederica holds nothing in her hands, both equipped with clawed cestus. Subaru is anxious about Rem's apparent absence, when Frederica turns her back to face him. Firmly secured there with ropes, carried on Frederica's back, is Rem.
She's bound securely, but that still makes way to an overwhelmingly surreal scene.
Subaru: “I know we're in an emergency, but it looks like Rem's neck'll snap if she's moved around too much it's terrifying!”
Frederica: “Fortunately, would be a word I'd hesitate to use, but Rem-sama has been separated from the regular flow of time. Being so, I find nothing apparently affecting her even despite some somewhat rough treatment...”
Subaru: “E-even so try to treat her carefully as possible okay?”
It's the result of Frederica thinking to do the best she can. Subaru doesn't want to complain about it when he doesn't have any alternative plans to offer. He will have to have Rem endure through an uncomfortable experience for a little while. But either way,
Subaru: “None of us can fight except Frederica. Me and Petra aren't battlers. Rem's asleep. Otto fought his best, but for all his struggle he fruitlessly wound up...”
Otto: “Except I'm not dead!? Could you please not spin these terrifying tales while people are dizzied from hitting their head!?”
Subaru looks down solemnly, which resuscitates Otto who lies tumbled on the floor in a corner of the room.
He shakes his head and crawls over to the group, and trembles at the bisected door and clotheshanger.
Otto: “Who would've thought that the spellstone would be shot down like that... it worked fine on Garfiel.”
Subaru: “They've got different experience when it comes to fighting, and their brains are probably made different. Don't compare them. It's sad.”
Frederica: “Garf... then he truly has been raised in the manner which he appears to have been. I was not watching over him...”
Subaru puts a stop to Otto's cruel comparisons. It seems like even Frederica has some thoughts about Garfiel after their ten-year reunion. She might feel guilty that her eyes strayed from him and he grew up into a sort of a punk. Leaving all that business aside and their fostering of brother-sister relations as something to do later,
Subaru: “Gotta do something to solve the problems at hand.”
Elsa: “Can I assume that you're about done with your pleasant chat?”
Subaru: “Sorry for making you wait. And how about you? Are you mentally ready for a five-versus¬one beatdown?”
Elsa: “I'm afraid you're including three, or perhaps four stray children in your calculations?”
Elsa smiles faintly as she accurately counts the number of non-combatants. The kukri in each of Elsa's hands sway as she easily hops off the bed. Watching this, Subaru realises: —No blood is dripping from Elsa's back any more.
Subaru: “But it looked like it'd been pretty deep?”
Elsa: “You mean my wound? Don't worry, it's fine. Look at what's happened already.”
With that, Elsa does a turn on the spot. And just like Subaru suspected, the wound Frederica inflicted on Elsa's back is perfectly gone. The clawmarks still remain gaping open on her clothes, so it wasn't that he'd imagined it.
Frederica is the first as everyone except Subaru swallows their breath, faces tense. Conversely, Subaru just gives a deep sigh and curses his bad premonition for being correct.
Subaru: “I mean I knew killing you won't make you stay dead... but are you kidding, your wounds heal too? You're basically just a monster.”
Elsa: “I don't remember ever discarding my humanity, and I have to have some contentions about how you're saying this to a woman. Besides that, where could you have learned about my characteristics?”
Subaru: “Anyone'd think something was up the second you weren't split in two by Reinhardt.”
Elsa: “I don't go through experiences like that one often. I almost did get split in half. —I wonder what a hero's guts are like. It's extremely fascinating.”
Although having borne witness to such incredible combat strength, it doesn't seem Elsa has learned her lesson. It'd be fine for her to go around hounding Reinhardt, who feels like he wouldn't die even if you killed him, so why is she so focused on constantly causing problems for Subaru's team? He has too many bitter complaints and grievances with Roswaal than he can ever hope to voice.
Frederica: “Subaru-sama... her being present here would mean, Garf is...?”
Asks Frederica timidly, her expression stiff. Having witnessed the abnormality of Elsa's constitution, she is anxious about her brother's absence. But Subaru has no answer which can dispel Frederica's unease. If there's anything he can tell her, it's,
Subaru: “Unfortunately, I can't explain why she's here either. But I seriously doubt Garfiel's been beaten down in such a short timeframe.”
Frederica: “From what I witnessed, their strength seemed on even par... Garf had looked to hold a slight advantage.”
Subaru: “That's how I see it too, but in the end we don't...”
...know, Subaru means to say as he glances toward Elsa, when his breathing freezes. Following Subaru's gaze, Frederica looks over there as well and also holds her breath. Elsa's brows furrow, perplexed, as she also looks at that same spot above her head.
It looks like the room's ceiling is sinking in—falling—and,
???: “Th'fuckin' cheek!!”
???: “Ee, eep!?”
Subaru: “That moron!!”
The instant they hear the ceiling breaking, Subaru and the others rush to the door. Right after the five of them flood out the door, the ceiling collapses to crush the entirety of that room, furniture groaning and wood snapping apart thunderously.
The explosive noise and the gale gust out the room, the aftermath of the destruction flowing down the corridor. Up billow plumes of white smoke. Subaru spits the gritty dust from his mouth as he tumbles down the hallway to escape the scene. It seems that everyone has manage to avoid getting caught in the collapse. And from beyond the smoke,
???: “Don't yer pull none'v th's stupid crap! Now out'n'front we go!”
A familiar, uncouth voice shouts with fervour. The battering of metal on metal and the noise of a blow follow the voice, until a silhouette cuts through the smoke and tumbles into the hallway.
Subaru: “Uh, wha!?”
Seeing that tumbling silhouette, Subaru finds himself yelping in surprise. Well of course. This figure is not the one he anticipated, and is instead a clawed furry quadrupedal beast—with spotty fur, which looks much like a hyena. But it is not the size of a hyena. It's huge, twice as big as Subaru.
Subaru does shudder for a moment at the arrival of the giant beast, but immediately notices that the hyena's eyes are devoid of life, and the animal is dead. He looks to find that its neck bones are broken, and may be bent into angles opposite of what they're meant to be.
Something possessing incredible power had obviously snapped the thing's neck. And if we're to say that there's anyone in this mansion who could probably do that to the beast, it'd be—
Garfiel: “Hey, Captain. Th'hell, y'were still inside?”
—Garfiel, who kicks the smoke away and coolly appears in the hall. He notices Subaru and the others staring in astonishment at the dead hyena, and guffaws.
Garfiel: “Yer don't need t'freak out, 's all good. My amazin' self killed it.”
Subaru: “Right, thank you... or not! You stopped paying attention to her! And so I thought I was gonna die! I was terrified! I thought I was dead!”
Garfiel: “Yeah yeah my bad, but my amazin' self wasn't thinkin' t'let her go fer an instant. Sh'ran off while I was tangled up with th'pest.”
Subaru: “Pest which means?”
Garfiel's face twists bitterly as he clicks his fangs. This pest he's talking about probably means the hyena. Going off the previous conversation, it definitely has to be some kind of witchbeast but—and that's when:
???: “Geez! I can't believe this! Elsa! Elsa! Dooo somethingggg!”
Elsa: “I'd love to, but I'm sure you're the one who said 'leave this to me, go do something about the others'. Though I'm happy to have more bellies to gut.”
Two female voices, one loud, one calm. Instantly, the room that Garfiel crushed bursts once again, and again silhouettes cut through the smoke to appear in the corridor. Weighty footsteps, and light footsteps—with a size disparity so large you'd hesitate to call them only two pairs.
Otto: “...What is that thing?”
Unable to keep silent any longer, Otto points at it and asks Subaru for an answer. Subaru feels the cold, damp sweat oozing down his body.
Subaru: “From what I'm seeing, a biggish hippo.”
Otto: “Bigg'ish'?”
Subaru: “Yeah. 'Cause hippos are big anyway.”
If you took a hippo and tripled its size, it might manage to be this creature. Black flesh, with a thick rocky hide. Its round eyes host a red gleam, wicked and hostile. Its mouth is so large that it could probably eat Old Man Rom in one bite, with flat teeth like mortar stones. It resembles a hippo at a glance, and is probably what you'd get if you tripled a hippo's wickedness and ferocity.
???: “Spotty Rex's deaddd! He's deeeaaadd! Poor boy! It's awfuulll! Awfuulll!”
High-pitched sobs wail out from atop the giant hippo in mourning of the hyena's death. The person riding the hippo, legs flailing everywhere, is a small girl. Her brown hair hangs in a braid, and her features are rustically simple.
Her face is familiar to Subaru.
Subaru: “...From the witchbeast forest.”
Back when Subaru got caught up in the loop series at the mansion. She's from when Subaru went into the deepest reaches of the forest to save the children from Arlam Village. And she's the main reason that the children were lured into entering the forest. Subaru had heard from Roswaal that she vanished after the whole affair was over, but,
Petra: “She's from back then!”
It seems that Petra has reached the same conclusion. If Subaru had been the only one to notice it, then he might have discarded it as some kind of misunderstanding on his part. But if Petra's memories are telling her the same thing, he has to accept it.
This girl was involved with the witchbeast debacle. With the current situation considered, that means that even that debacle was—
Subaru: “Roswaal's, plans!”
She's working with Elsa. So Roswaal was behind the witchbeast affair too? Which means that the events in the Capital, the events in the mansion, all of everything was in Roswaal's hands. All of Subaru's efforts had been in accord with a future dictated by a dark book of prophecies.
Subaru: “Like I can accept something so stupid!”
Fate being fixed is a real no thanks. At very least, it will start changing from now on. All this means is that he's put the witchbeast debacle aside as another thing to interrogate Roswaal about, and that he has yet another reason to smack that clown in the face.
Subaru blazes with rage and rebellion. The girl atop the hippo finally notices his gaze. She blinks her round eyes and waves at Subaru.
Girl: “Oh, you're the guy from before. And Petra-chan's here too. It's been aaageeees.”
Subaru: “Y-you're sure not discouraged from talking. You do realise what this situation is?”
Subaru can't hide how the girl's unconcerned attitude catches him off. She tilts her head at Subaru's blatant caution.
Girl: “I realise, I'm wooorkiiing. Mama'll scold me if I don't do my work. But then Elsa's there off doing whatever she wants.”
Elsa: “Taking the rear post is tediously boring, it was a mistake to appoint me there. My methods are far more vivid and fresh for enjoying life, compared to being made animal feed. Being killed by me is the better choice for the victim too, correct?”
Elsa starts walking over to the hippo's side as she directs the conversation onto Subaru. Subaru sighs, then raises his finger.
Subaru: “Okay, then I'll give you the coolest proposition ever. You take that knife you're holding and flip it around. And then you plunge the thing into your stomach. After that you roll around on the floor. Guts everywhere, I'm happy, you're happy. It's the seppuku challenge. Isn't it cool?”
Girl: “Pff! Ahahahaha! That's awesome! Come on, Elsa, wanna try it? Elsa, you like guts. It'll be fun! I'm excited!”
Elsa: “Sorry, but I've already done that so many times after getting this constitution that I'm bored of it.”
After learning that his super cool proposition has already been practised in reality, a super cool shudder rushes down Subaru's spine. Regardless, this doesn't change that they have two predicaments sitting in front of them.
Subaru: “I don't know how it works, but is it safe for me to think she's controlling the witchbeasts?”
Garfiel: “Doubt yer wrong. S'th'same f'th'ones outside, n'same f'that mutt, allv'm're doin' whatever sh'says no fuckin' fuss at all. —What's the plan, Captain?”
Honestly, the situation has changed immensely from the initial plan. It's not just Elsa, they have another foe—and it's someone who commands massive witchbeasts. So long as there are beasts outside, it's going to be nigh impossible to escape the mansion peacefully. And most importantly, Subaru's team has not yet assembled all of the people they need to save.
Even if they take Frederica, Petra, and Rem to the village, it's not enough.
Subaru: “Garfiel... can I ask you to do something crazy?” Garfiel: “Try me, Captain.” Subaru: “I want you to stall Elsa and the girl simultaneously.” Garfiel: “—” Subaru knows that he's asking for something unreasonable.
Just Elsa alone is a foe who presents unparalleled difficulty. While Garfiel is keeping her put, he also needs to keep the attention of the massive witchbeast. Subaru has, since coming to this world, learned the threat witchbeasts present to a painful extent. And so,
Garfiel: “No problem. Just leave it t'me. Gotten fired up now.” Subaru: “—!? S-seriously? No kidding? You can do it?” Garfiel: “'S what'm here for. Been talkin' some massive talk. Too late fer me t'start whinin' over th'enemies bein' strong'r havin' numbers. 'S a THE MEEDAN WHO SHOULDERS THE MOUNTAIN
LOSES ANYWHERE TO RUN.” With that, Garfiel clatters his shields together. Even Subaru can tell that it's bravado, and not supported by any real self-confidence. Regardless, Garfiel is the only one he can rely on for this.
Subaru: “Garfiel. I know I already said this countless times in the carriage, but...” Garfiel: “I hear ya. My amazin' self got no ideas'v dyin' in this place either.” Garfiel interrupts Subaru and eases him by pushing him forward with his shoulder.
He is indicating that there is no need to say anything else. Repeating it would be inconsiderate toward Garfiel's resolve. So Subaru swallows his words and returns a push to Garfiel's shoulder. By that alone, he presses a dicey form of trust on Garfiel. Garfiel: “Now get goin'. I ain't able t'get serious 'f yer gettin' in th'way.” Garfiel bares his fangs as he speaks to the others.
Hearing it, Otto, Petra, and Frederica look at each other.
Otto: “Garfiel, don't die. I don't want to be zipping around cleaning Natsuki-san's messes by myself.” Frederica: “We truly have not spoken enough. But very well. We'll speak another time, with
Grandmother alongside us.”
Petra: “Y-you can do it, scary-looking man.”
Garfiel smiles wryly while nodding to the three. Subaru feels like they just loaded a pile of death flags on him, but actually with how huge the pile is it flips into a comforting life flag, is how Subaru rationalizes things in a bid to cling to hope.
Garfiel: “N' so, yer opponent from now on's my amazin' self. This time I ain't gettin' distracted and I ain't lettin' yer flirt around. My claws n' fangs n' shield's're gonna beat yer into tears!”
Roars Garfiel as he sharply turns around. Bathed directly in his aggression, Elsa smiles while the girl's mount give a low growl.
Elsa: “Mei Lee. Don't interfere this time.”
Mei: “But you're the one interfering, Elsa! I'm just doing what Mama saaaiiid tooo!”
While having their disagreement, Elsa and the girl attack Garfiel. Garfiel braces himself as he catches the heavy blow on one shield and the sharp blow on the other, sparks flying as Subaru runs away as fast as he can.
Subaru: “Otto! Frederica! Situation's changed! Since we can't leave the mansion out anywhere proper, we'll escape from a different route so we don't get eaten by witchbeasts!”
Otto: “You say 'a different route', but I'm sure we'll be faced with the same outcome even should we take a backdoor. If we can't have Garfiel supporting us for combat, what should we do?”
Subaru: “What if you do frantic witchbeast negotiations with your BLESSING OF XENOGLOSSY, and depending how the bargaining goes they surrender the path and we escape? Here's your chance to be the lead role.”
Otto: “Witchbeasts generally just say ME EAT YOU WHOLE, so it isn't really a conversation!”
It was a faint hope to begin with, and Otto looks miserable as he responds to it, running alongside Subaru. Yes, there exist people who you can speak with, but not communicate with. It seems that principle works for both humans and animals. Elsa makes good proof of it. Which means that there's only one escape path Subaru can think of left—
Frederica: “Subaru-sama. I have an idea for an escape route.”
Subaru: “I know, Frederica. It's probably the same place as what I'm gonna suggest. But...”
There's a problem with that route. Just as Subaru goes to point out what it is, he dashes out the hallway and swallows his breath.
Subaru: “No matter where we run they just can't make it easy for us, fuck!”
—Before them, two hyenas notice their presence and come rushing to attack.
Though the cast of the Roswaal Mansion Battle has changed, the fight remains heated.
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