CHAPTER 15: QUALIFICATIONS AND TRIAL
Early the next morning, Subaru goes to the old, ruined tomb again. He hadn't had the time to do it yesterday, but now looking at the tomb more thoroughly, it's clearly in surprisingly good repair. There's the ivy reaching over the entrance, but otherwise the ruins have been carefully weeded and the tomb itself shows signs of damage and degradation to the walls having been mended.
Subaru: “I kinda don't get how the people here really feel about this tomb.”
I mean Garfiel and Lewes want Emilia to take the trial, which'll get them out of Sanctuary.
Subaru: “Thinking like that, the witch's just some big nuisance for Garfiel and the others, but they're treating the tomb so importantly like this...”
Otto: “It might just be the opposite. This tomb would be what's binding everyone to this land. Then, they surely musn't let the tomb collapse before anyone can complete this TRIAL they have here. If tearing it down would release them, it feels as though Garfiel would've done it long ago.”
And Otto's there too. He'd slept in the dragon carriage last night, got startled awake by Subaru and forced into this early-morning tour of the tomb. With much complaining.
Otto: “But in saying, receiving a chance to hope for some uncommon item at the WITCH OF GREED's cemetery, of all things... it was worth being brought along. Perhaps there wouldn't be some kind of, WITCH OF GREED-ish something around here. It could be a profit.”
Subaru: “You start advertising you've got a witch-related item up for sale, and won't the Witch Cult hound you endlessly? Send off the announcement from here and the place'll be a sea of flames, I'm sorry about waking you up gimme a break.”
A quiet falls over the surroundings, the only noise being the chirping of insects in the trees and the rustle of wind through the leaves. Perfect, fresh atmosphere for a morning stroll.
Otto: “Although, we're not just here to breathe in this pleasant air and leave, are we? If you really wanted to enjoy a morning stroll, you wouldn't have called me, you would've called Emilia-sama.”
Subaru: “Emilia-tan's surprisingly not a morning person. She's dangerously adorable when she's all spaced out and still waking up but... eh, I'll get to that after thing'sve calmed down. That talk from yesterday's gotten me weirdly stressed which's probably playing into it, so I'm giving her a little more sleep.”
Otto: “So, while the Princess is sleeping, us men will get up to some nefarious plotting. How naughty of you, Sire.”
Otto narrows his eyes and shrugs, playing along, but honestly what he's saying is the truth of it. If Emilia or anyone else saw what they were doing at the cemetery here it'd be inconvenient.
Otto: “Alright, so what will we be doing? I'm not especially confident in my magical skill, so the majority of what I do is utilizing water and wind for things such as, silencing the noise of footsteps or making myself disappear for an instant behind a flash of light... ah, I can also make footsteps sound out from an entirely different location...”
Subaru says that this magic utilization profile sounds like it'd be incredibly useful for a robber. Otto asserts that he is not a robber no sirree. Although he has no compunctions on eavesdropping. Otto is in HIGH ENERGY and GOOD SPIRITS. Subaru points at the tomb. Subaru: “I'm thinking of popping inside the tomb for a sec. If things go like I expect, the lights inside the tomb'll turn on and my outlook's looking good. If it's no good I'll probably just dead collapse so could you pull me out then.” Otto: “Do I seem like someone who'll just nod and say, YES, UNDERSTOOD, after hearing that explanation!? 'Dead collapse', what is that, please stop, that's terrifying.”
Subaru looks at Otto with a gaze suggesting he's talking to an uncooperative child. Subaru: “Listen now, this is the Witch of Greed's cemetery. Actually, people who go in without the witch's permission get their consciousness tugged right away. I got done in sound asleep yesterday. It's a dangerous place, so don't you go in.” Otto: “If yesterday didn't work, Natsuki-san, then it just shouldn't work for you. Why are you going inside knowing that you'll collapse, if you're just doing it to be a bother then let's stop here. Or rather, if that does happen, how am I meant to help you?” Subaru: “Just one after another with the questions... If you think you can get answers to everything, you'll devolve into a man of spoiled character.”
Otto: “Please do tell me, Mr. Obfuscates-Explanations-With-Tenable-Words!”
Subaru clicks his tongue and his face sours at Otto's accurate reading of what he was doing. Looks like Otto's got the knack of dealing with Subaru. Subaru: “Look. Here's a rope I've borrowed from the carriage. It's tied around my waist, so if I hypothetically do faint then could you gently, peacefully, lovingly pull me out.”
Otto: “I suspect that no matter how gentle, peaceful, and loving I am you'll wind up covered in dirt, dust, and scratches.” Subaru: “Circumstances are circumstances. Here I'll lend you the rope.” Otto: “But I'm the one lending you!?” Anyway Subaru hands Otto the rope, Otto gives the knot around Subaru's waist a good check and a strong pull, confirming that it all looks fine. Otto's a dependable man, even if he's complaining the whole way about it.
Subaru: “He's a trader but manipulating him's so easy, right in my hands... How I wonder if this boy'll be okay.”
Otto: “He's forgotten that I am literally holding his lifeline, this man.” After sharing some wry joking, Subaru heads for the tomb's entrance. It's perfectly dark inside the tomb and he can't barely see shit and it still feels like the ground'll crumble out from under him the second he steps inside.
Subaru: “Well, not like the ground actually crumbled, and if I do collapse it'll be on the very first step so that actually makes it easier.” Otto: “Natsuki-san, go whenever you'd like, but please give a signal saying when you are going.”
Subaru: “Right, going.” Subaru is READY. Worst case and he'll just be invited back to the witch's tea party. That said the party involved losing his arm, getting punched into health, drinking bodily fluids BUT—
Subaru: “Compared to being on the brink of living and dying, this is so much less awful—!” He steps inside, and— Subaru: “My foot is, properly, on the ground. It didn't crumble.” So at least he doesn't fail on the first step. Feeling some relief at this, Subaru takes a second step inside, getting swallowed completely by the tomb's darkness. Probably, Otto can't see him anymore.
Otto: “Are you still there, Natsuki-san? Just like when you entered, when you collapse please give a signal saying that you are collapsing.” Subaru: “That might be kinda tough. I'd hate to accept that I'm collapsing, so if it seems like I'm collapsing I'll scream 'I don't wanna collapse!'” Otto: “He stresses a complex and unnecessary pride, this man!” Confirming each other's positions with this back and forth gives Subaru relief. The relief pushes
Subaru on to the third step, then the fourth—
Subaru: “—oh” Otto: “Oh...” And the inside of the tomb dispels its darkness, revealing itself. The lights installed along the corridor walls at even intervals, coming about to Subaru's shoulders, are alit with wavering flames. The corridor's made of the same material as the tomb's exterior, and is wide enough that if two Subarus stood side-to-side with their arms outstretched it'd be pretty cramped. Height is such that if Subaru jumped he'd hit his head. If Rom was here, he'd have to slouch or he'd be dragging his bald head across the ceiling and start a fire from the friction of it.
Otto: “...The lights have turned on. What are the conditions for this, exactly?”
Subaru: “People who can take the Trial at night get this kinda welcome. ...Worst case, I thought I might've just spaced out and been daydreaming, but...”
Subaru touches his forehead, recalling the sensation of Echidna's fingertips touching him there in the dream.
Subaru: “I got my souvenir from the tea party all set. Kinda feels like she went off and took the compensation for it herself, but anyway I'm not planning on telling anyone about it.”
Otto: “I can see inside as well, but judging by what you've said, what will happen to me if I enter too? Do you think I could rob the WITCH OF GREED's tomb?”
Subaru: “An evil magician I know tried going in and his whole body got busted up, he's recovering now. Got nothin' on what'll happen to you.”
Otto: “That's incredibly terrifying!”
So Subaru could try going further but he'd probably end up dragging Otto inside too so Subaru gives up on that idea. Either way, Subaru's got the qualifications for the Trial, and Subaru judges it safe to regard everything Echidna told him as credible. Including the stuff about the witches.
Subaru makes some 2ch jokes to himself putting together that 400 years ago the witches were off doing whatever the fuck they liked and terrorizing the populace and he is so glad he got transported into this century and not that one.
Thinking about the Witches of Sin and the mess with the Witch of Envy makes this generation feel very nice. But then he thinks about the wickedness of the Cardinals which counterbalances that. Everyone titled as Witches is just fucking unbearable.
Anyway Subaru recognizes preparations as all set, and decides they'll wait until night to see what happens with Emilia-tan's trial. Now that Subaru can take it, he'll be taking advantage of their higher flexibility of options and adapt to how the situation sees fit. It's kind of a shitty haphazard plan.
Subaru returns to the tomb's entrance and meets back up with a worried-looking Otto, unfastening the rope around his waist and dumping it beside the tomb's entrance.
Subaru: “It could be useful for something, or I guess you'd say I might suddenly use it tonight so let's leave it here. Sorry for forcing you into this, Otto.”
Otto: “No, so long as you're safe it's all fine... but, more importantly, you look very empty-handed. You go into a tomb and don't procure anything, then what on earth were you doing in there?”
Subaru: “It's really hard to tell how much of what you're saying is serious, is this just your acting style? I don't belong to any faith but I am religious, I'm not gonna do something like robbing tombs.” He doesn't believe in any God in particular, but pays respect to the many many gods out there ala secular nation Japan. The narration makes a little jab about how you could call that a bunch of cowards overworried about the existence of inconvenient ghosts and curses etc.
Otto: “Of course every word of it was a joke. More importantly, if this was all it was, I wasn't really needed, was I? Why did you bring me along?” Subaru: “No, whether or not I could get in itself was kinda dicey, and if I collapsed it'd be a burden to somebody, and if I popped it'd be burned into their souls forever, and I figured the best one to be the victim was you.”
Otto: “What kind of selection is that!? It certainly feels like you picked through process of elimination!” Subaru: “You idiot, when I consider who to burden the first name that comes up is yours. Don't make me say it, it's embarrassing.”
Otto: “As a human being you should be embarrassed by that, that logic!”
Garfiel: “Ain't y'two bein' a damn racket right early in the mornin', oi. Havin' a shoutin' match smack above where the witch's sleepin's YOOHOROROI CROWS BECAUSE DAWN 'xactly.” Subaru: “He sure is a pain, that Yoohororoi. When I next see him I'll be sure to let him know.” Subaru separates his gaze from the tomb's entrance and looks to the forest at his side, seeing the
INTERLOPER to the conversation aka Garfiel, who rubs away the sweat on his brow.
Garfiel: “Just sayin', 's coincidence we bumped into each other. My amazin' self was off doin' my daily runnin' round the outskirts of Sanctuary, and here ya were. Y'don't needta be so wary.” Subaru: “We're not wary. Sides, we weren't talking about anything that'd be that problematic for you to overhear. Right, Otto. Absolutely nothing would've been problematic if he heard it!” Subaru aggressively taps Otto's shoulders. Otto: “Wueeeuh?” Otto: “Ah, ahh, exactly, we weren't particularly doing anything problematic or suspicious? Just a little graverobbing rehearsal or I suppose um, a quick look around or, well that's all we were up to!”
Subaru: “Amazing, Otto. I've never seen someone so good at digging their own grave before a grave before.” But it looks like Garfiel masterfully tuned out Otto's somewhat-confession.
Garfiel: “Nwhat, ain't like 'm gonna tell or get mad or anythin'. If yer not bustin' things up, doin' anythin' that'd be a drawback for SANCTUARY, then I ain't gonna do anythin'.” Subaru: “Really, now. I'm sincerely grateful for that guarantee. Most unfortunately, if I got into a fight with you I feel I'd have absolutely no chance of winning.”
Garfiel: “Yer pathetic even 'fore the fight's started... 's what I'd liketa say but, I'll stop here. Ain't a surprise you see my amazin' self 's an opponent. After all, I'm the strongest!” Garfiel's eyes sparkle, full of confidence. And honestly trying to refute him here would just be stupid. Even though Subaru kinda wants to bring up the topic of supermonster Reinhardt. He swallows the urge down.
Subaru: “Well,”
Subaru: “It's about time for Emilia-tan to be waking up, and I wanna have our daily morning routine so I'm thinking of heading back. You're still halfway through your jog. Then we'll...” Garfiel: “Yer goin' back to the cathedral. Then, I'll see ya off 'till there.” Surprised by Garfiel's proposal, Subaru goes to decline it before Garfiel interrupts him yet again. Garfiel: “Jus' listen 't what people tell ya. Or, in the first place your lot sh'better stop wanderin' round SANCTUARY. Ya don't know what'll be out there.”
Subaru: “—? Heck is this. That's a pretty weird thing to say to someone. I mean it almost sounds as if there's something dangerous here.” Garfiel: “That's what'm sayin' I'm tellin' ya.” Garfiel clicks his teeth and approaches Subaru and Otto, lowering his voice. Garfiel: “Pisses me off shamin' my group, but the people livin' in Sanctuary ain't a single monolith.” Subaru: “What do you mean by that?” Garfiel: “The village chief granny's ideas, takin' Roswaal n' the humans hostage, n' getting' Emilia¬ sama t' take the trial n' break th' promise with the witch's all completely legit. And most people here're takin' th' granny's side and goin' with those ideas... but some people ain't.”
Garfiel's tone drops. Garfiel: “Fer the guys who wanna stay holed up'n Sanctuary forever, yer bein' here's a problem. Ya dunno what they'd do to mess up Emilia-sama takin' the TRIAL.”
Subaru: “You mean... there's a chance they could aim their designs at me and Otto?” Garfiel: “Thinkin' there's a chance they could slap Emilia-sama herself 'round too, though. Eh, it's
EVEN BREATHING GETS RAGGED OUTSIDE THIS HOLE. While yer with me, that bunch ain't gonna try anything annoyin'.”
Garfiel speaks cheerfully, but now Subaru's uneasy about having left Emilia behind. So uneasy, that it's really more like loathing for his own idiocy at not realising that possibility himself. There was a divide between people of SANCTUARY and the Arlam villagers when they first met. So then, why had it not occurred to Subaru that there could be factions? There was no way everyone would approve of the way things were going. There had to be some people who didn't want their situation to change the way Lewes' plan would make it.
Subaru: “I have to get back now!”
Garfiel: “Oop, scared ya bit too much. You don't gotta be that panicked, they ain't gonna do anythin' while it's still light out, and Emilia-sama's back in the cathedral right now anyway. You really think they're gonna pull somethin' where there's other people loiterin' about? 'F they're gonna pull anythin', they're gonna pull it on people like you and that noisy guy, putterin' bout in small numbers.”
Subaru: “Ghuhm... that, right. If they go against the majority's will, it worsens their position, so they can't act rashly.”
Subaru lets out a sigh and gets his frenzied heartbeat under control. Then he suddenly notices something, eyebrows raising.
Subaru: “Did you maybe think it'd be dangerous for me and Otto to be walking around alone, and come out here to help us?”
Garfiel: “...Eh?”
His face still averted from Subaru and Otto, expression not visible to them,
Garfiel: “'S no way that'd be it. Coincidence. 'S coincidence, 'm sayin'.”
Subaru: “Behold, Otto. This is a correct tsundere. When we met him yesterday was his incredible tsun, and now here we're getting some more lovable dere.”
Otto: “Hmm, being someone who experienced that tsun to the forehead, I have some difficulty accepting parts of what you're saying, but I can't deny that there is a masculine instinct in me which wonders whether this man is trying to manipulate us into thinking perhaps he surprisingly isn't that bad of a person.”
Subaru: “Holy hell you're so easy.”
Otto: “He got me!!”
Otto's scream echoes through the morning forest, startling birds into flight. Rowdy Otto on one hand, and impossible-to-hate amicable Garfiel. While with these two, Subaru feels for the first time in this world that he's gotten, in the truest meaning, a couple of partners in crime he can treat equally. Subaru: “But I'm pretty damn easy too.” And his cheeks loosen into a small smile.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
The atmosphere while standing outside the tomb waiting that night is clearly different to what it was that morning. Emilia: “Night comes, and it really does feel like a tomb. It looks creepier than yesterday.” Says Emilia, who fiddles with the end of her braid. She glances at Subaru.
Emilia: “Do you think it's fine to go in yet?” Subaru: “It'd be easy to tell if it had 'Opens 7:00pm' written across the front, but it really doesn't have anything there.” Subaru figures that if the Trial just kinda starts 'around' night, then the surroundings being dark would be enough of a sign.
Emilia: “Right. Then, I suppose I'll go.” She gives a small sigh, apparently not yet fully determined. While waiting for her to get herself all embravened up, Subaru tilts his head to look behind them. You have SANCTUARY team of Garfiel and Lewes, Roswaal Representative Ram, and for some reason Otto. Thinking in terms of Team Emilia, if you add on Emilia and Subaru to Otto, they're suddenly the majority. Subaru: “Or you think in terms of who's left back in SANCTUARY, and we're immediately the smallest team here. It's a hard world, or I guess it will be with what's coming up.” Emilia: “What're you mumbling about? It's kinda making me sooo curious.” Subaru: “Talking to myself. You get yourself and your heart all set and prepared for what's next,
Emilia-tan. Though since we didn't get to hear about the TRIAL's content, the unease here is amazing...” Emilia: “But everyone until now who's challenged would be the same in that. I couldn't be so sneaky as to be different. With the same conditions, I'll do my best.”
Emilia balls her hands into fists, getting pumped, and Subaru puts his hands to his eyes, feeling the radiance. His own self who tried to get a witch to help him cheat now just looks sneakier. My god is Emilia straight-laced and fair.
Subaru: “Auuugh it's too EMK (Emilia-tan Maji Kishidou).”9 Emilia-tan is Seriously Chivalrous
Emilia: “Ah, I feel it's been a while since I've heard you say that.”
Emilia gives a small laugh, Subaru's usual line getting a good smile out of her. Subaru nods, deciding there is yet some worth in his joking. Subaru: “Anyway, we don't know what could be inside, so if you feel any danger say so immediately. You call my name, and I'll be there in an instant.” Emilia: “But you'll swoon if you come in.” Subaru: “Who says swoon anymore? Emilia pouts. Emilia: “But,” Emilia: “Thank you, for worrying about me. ...Puck hasn't shown up at all, and I really am sooo anxious. I feel like I'm completely leaning on you right now, Subaru.” I have no idea what the fuck Subaru's referencing here but he's referencing something, COME
REST YOUR BODY AGAINST ME, also Emilia-tan is light as a feather so if he's not touching her he gets anxious over whether she's really there or not. Emilia: “The way you're wiggling your fingers's creepy so no.” That said, Emilia's stress has now unravelled and she does a little stretch. Emilia: “It kinda feels like my shoulders've gotten a little lighter. Subaru, has this been your aim even since we first met?”
Subaru: “If I could do that kind of therapy, I wouldn'tve been a lonely boy who made things like the peak of origami DRAGONSOULMOBILE in his overwhelming free time all by himself.” And how did he brag about his mastery of the fingercrafting arts. Of course that said the only people he had to show it off to were his parents. Emilia tilts her head at Subaru's ludicrously shitty tale of the past, not understanding shit. But it's cute so Subaru crosses his arms and nods, judging everything as good. Still not looking like she really gets it, Emilia turns toward the tomb. Emilia: “—This time, I really am going. Pray that I'll come back safely.” Subaru: “I'll be praying so hard the Bhudda's ears spurt blood.” And she disappears into the tomb, the lights in the corridor turning on. Lewes: “Yer look down, squert.”
Subaru indeed looks anxious. Lewes gives a granny-esque smile unfitting to her youthful features.
Lewes: “Yer don't have to worry, it's alright. It has this osterntatious name erv TRIAL, but it's nerrthing life-threatening.”
Subaru: “You know the Trial's contents?”
Lewes: “I've taken it befer. If yer a half-breed and it judges yer qualified, it's natural to do. In the end I wersn't able to beat it, but... lookiere, I'm still 'round'n kicking.”
Lewes does a little hop to prove her healthiness. It's charming and it looks like she's doing it to sweep aside Subaru's anxiousness, which Subaru appreciates.
Subaru: “Were you hit with a curse that keeps you a loli on the outside but super-accelerated your insides into a granny? Emilia-tan'd still be lovable if that happened to her, but it's the real Emilia-tan that I like, personally.”
Lewes: “Dersen't that reply make my seriousness look stupid. Yer like Lil' Gar, dunno how to respect yer elders, Lil' Su.”
Subaru: “That's not it though? Honestly, I am feeling a little better now. I'm sorry for making you worry.”
Subaru bows his head, Lewes is shakes her head like like “But why didn't yer do that to begin withhh” and makes a show of wiping away tears with her sleeves. Meanwhile, Garfiel's there with his arms crossed and expression serious, quietly glaring at the tomb. And surprisingly, Otto and Ram are talking about something, and even look to be hitting it off well. Subaru barely ever gets that with Ram.
Subaru pledges to himself to have Otto give him lessons on how to talk to Ram without pissing her off, then turns his attention back to the tomb. He realises that at some point, his hands had come before his stomach in a praying position, thumbs together.
The waiting's hard. If he's going to have to wait so long, then maybe it would've been easier that he take the TRIAL. At about the same time he has that conceited thought, the change comes.
Everyone swallows their breath. It's an instinctive reaction to losing their light source and the world plunging into darkness, AKA
Subaru: “The cemetery lights're out!?”
Lewes: “They're meant ter stay on while the TRIAL's going, but...”
Subaru: “Then this's an irregular development?”
Lewes looks kind of lost too, even though she should know what's going on, and Subaru judges that things aren't going as anticipated. Garfiel's uncrossed his arms and is running over. Neither Ram, brows furrowed, or a panicked Otto, look like they could give an answer either. And thus,
Lewes: “Lil' Su!? Yer won't get ter enter without the qualifications...”
Subaru: “I took the training course and am properly qualified. —I'm going in. No matter what, I'm dragging Emilia-tan outta there and coming back!”
As fucking if he could just stand here waiting doing nothing. The second Subaru steps inside the tomb, the lights come back on. Subaru senses Lewes and Garfiel catch their breath at this from behind his back, and he races into the tomb before anyone can speak to stop him.
The air in the corridor's dusty as ever, and every breath seems to degrade the lungs. Putting all his power into each step, Subaru rushes to the end of the corridor—to the back of the tomb.
Subaru: “Fuck, I messed up. I shouldn'tve had this weirdly trumpcard-esque mood, and just gone in with Emilia...”
Subaru says as he runs, until the lights in the corridor expand, and he realises he's reached a small chamber. He slides to a stop and looks the place over. It's really nothing more than a rectangular space with four walls. There's nothing else in there, except a door in the very back bordered by pale-blue lights. And on the floor before the door, Subaru sees a silver-haired girl, collapsed prone.
Subaru: “—Emilia!!”
He runs straight for her, intending to pick up her delicate body and get her out of here WHEn—
<—first face your past>
Subaru feels a whispering at his ear jolt his consciousness. He has no time to wonder what's up with it.
He falls to his knees, collapses gracelessly, and tumbles like a doll. He rolls along the floor with the momentum, coincidentally coming to a stop beside Emilia. At an unconscious Emilia's side, Subaru's is too pulled into unconsciousness—
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
—Whenever Subaru wakes from sleep, he always feels a choking sensation as if lifting his face from a pool of water. The feeling resembles rising up from the sea known as slumber, desiring to breathe in the air known as reality—
???: “GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD MORNING, SON!!”
Subaru: “hdmfsiudfmhsdifhsjdkf!!”
That poetic awakening comes on this morning in the form of Subaru receiving a ruthless, destructive attack. Relishing the feeling of a weight pressing down on his body and agonisingly squeezing the air out of him, Subaru pushes the weight aside as hard and he can, coughing violently.
???: “Heyheyheynow, whatwhatwhat's this. Waking up in the morning to my love-filled diving press's regular thing. Negligence Is The Enemy flaring up in here!”
Subaru: “Ghak, eughgkk, expecting way too... much of a sleeping opponent... or, what.” the hell just happened? Subaru seems to ask as he raises his head, teary-eyed. And, gazing down at a Subaru half-ejected from the bed, is somebody standing before him who rolls his neck.
???: “Once again I ask, what's this. It almost looks as though you're seeing your naked middle-aged dad early in the morning!”
Says Subaru's half-naked middled aged dad—Natsuki Kenichi—as he takes a pose, laughing heartily, blessing his son with wakefulness.10
10菜月賢一 / Vegetable(&Rapeseed. Energy, brightness)-Moon Wisest. / The 'Ken' in Kenichi's name is the same 'Ken' in the word賢者/賢人 'Wise Person' translated here as 'Sage/sage' respectively.
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