Re:Zero – Starting Life in Another World. Volume. 1.
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‘CHAPTER 4:- FOURTH TIME’S THE CHARM.’
‘Sub-Chapter 3.’
Now that Subaru thought of it, most of the circumstances surrounding his and Satella’s meeting were coincidence.
Both the first time and the third time Subaru had run into Satella in a place not far from this main street, but that was about the only thing in common. At the very least, it would help if Subaru knew when the theft would be taking place…
“Just how long was I sitting glumly there in front of that fruit shop?”
Subaru felt like it could have been a few minutes, but at the same time it could easily have been almost an hour.
“Should I just wander about and leave everything to chance? Hope that the red string of fate between me and her will bring us together?”
Subaru had lifted both of his pinkie fingers in front of his face, twisting them around as if they were dowsing rods while spectators watched on with curious glances.
As Subaru continued searching he realized that he was in a place that he remembered seeing before.
“I guess my ties to fate are working pretty well after all!” Subaru said, full of himself, before realizing just where he was. Before he knew it, he had wandered into an alley.
“Isn’t this the place where I first met Satella…?”
He felt that it was similar, but he couldn’t be sure. Even if this was the exactly same alley as before, there was no guarantee that she would come running down it.
“After all, the dead end I was at when I was killed the third time was in a completely different place…”
Even if it was certain that Not-Satella would get her badge stolen by Felt every time, the route that they took after that would differ depending on the circumstances. It was possible that the first and second times the route they took was the same, but the third time, because of Subaru’s interference, fate must have shifted slightly.
After thinking that far, Subaru realized just how shallow his thinking was. If he entered this familiar alley, it was possible he would run into Felt and Not-Satella. However, that also meant meeting another set of people as well. In other words…
“I really am tired of looking at your faces, Dumb, Dumber, and Dumbest,” said Subaru wearily as he turned around, and saw the same three thugs blocking his path out of the alley.
Their looks, their clothes, their faces—everything was the same. Both their goals and their equipment must be the same as well. Subaru was making absolutely no progress at all. Subaru supposed that made sense, though; after all, he was just walking around the same places as before.
“Why these guys when I have so much trouble finding Not-Satella and Puck…”
The reason Subaru was having trouble meeting up with Satella was that her actions were probably affected by several other random factors besides Subaru. However, the reason that Subaru kept encountering Dumb, Dumber, and Dumbest was probably because they had picked him out for a target early on.
That’s why, even if he picked a different alley, he would always run into these guys. Their event was unavoidable.
“Even if I’ve come up with a splendid theory as to why all of this is happening, it doesn’t make me any happier. So what do you want with me, guys?”
“Just what is this fool mumbling about?”
“He’s probably just too clueless to understand what’s going on. How about we show him.”
Dumb and Dumber’s conversation was the same as ever, and that made Subaru feel even lousier about the whole thing. However, this didn’t mean that he could let his guard down.
The bar set for the conditions necessary to clear the Dumb, Dumber, and Dumbest event wasn’t very high, but there wasn’t a 100 percent chance that Subaru would be able to make it out of this alley. After all, they were the ones who had caused his death the third time around.
As he was thinking about that, Subaru’s thoughts drifted to what happened the last time, just as he was dying. As he lay dying, he was able to pick up some of the sounds of what was happening.
Subaru tried to remember the final conversation that Dumb, Dumber, and Dumbest were having. What were they afraid of? There was a word that they said. Subaru thought he should be able to remember it…and it was…
“Guards!!”
Hearing Subaru’s sudden and unexpected SOS, Dumb, Dumber, and Dumbest jumped. The silence of the alley was broken and the volume of Subaru’s yell was sure to have reached the main street.
With all of Subaru’s training in kendo, his sense of shame about suddenly yelling out was long gone.
Additionally, Subaru, who realized at this point in his life what a loser he was, wasn’t one to let his pride be hurt by suddenly calling for help.
“Someone! Someone please call some men over here!”
“Wha… What, are you kidding me?! You’re really going to start calling for help?! Who does that?!”
“In this sort of situation you’re supposed to listen to us if you want to avoid getting hurt! You’re just going to ignore us and call for help?! That’s not normal!”
“What?! Don’t give me ‘That’s not normal’! In what world is this not normal?! Oh! It can’t be! You’re not saying that you’re trying to do something where it’d be trouble if I called out, are you? Oh my God!”
“Shut up! You know what we mean!”
“I’m not listening! I can’t hear you through that thick wall of insincerity! Police!!”
Subaru continued to yell and keep the thugs on their toes, but on the inside he was breaking out into a cold sweat.
As Subaru had been breathing his last during his third time around, just as his consciousness was leaving him, Dumb, Dumber, and Dumbest had said the words “guards” and “run.” In other words, in this world, there was an organization that functioned like a police force.
That information led Subaru to the new option, “Call for Help.” Even he thought it was a pretty lame tactic.
But unfortunately, Subaru didn’t seem to get a very encouraging reaction from the crowd out on the main street.
“Well, looks like that didn’t work…”
“Threatening us like that…I almost got a little bit scared there, man.”
“Just a little bit!”
“Not even a little bit! Only a tiny bit!”
In unison, Dumb, Dumber, and Dumbest proceeded to deny how pathetic they were, in about the most pathetic way possible.
As the men tried to regain control of the situation, after looking at each other and nodding, each of them took out their weapons. One took out a knife, one took out a rusty hand ax, and finally the last one…
“Why are you the only one without a weapon? What? Didn’t you have the money to buy something?” Subaru taunted.
“Shut up! I’m stronger without a weapon! I’ll beat you to death, you little punk!”
“Man, I would have loved to show you all what happened to you guys the second time around.”
Remembering how he had landed that perfect suplex, Subaru wanted to give himself another pat on the back, but at the same time, he realized that he was in a pretty bad spot right now. It was looking more and more like Subaru wasn’t going to make it out of this.
“Can’t you guys let me off easy? …I’m not a big fan of pain.”
After going through the experience three times already, Subaru knew that he was never going to get used to dying. To top it all off, the cause of death in all three instances was because of wounds inflicted by a blade. The sharp pain that went along with those wounds always felt fresh and was always a shock, as if his nerves were being whittled away.
Subaru didn’t want to experience that kind of death again, and that was not all.
“Just because I’ve been Returned by Death a few times already, there’s no guarantee that it will happen this time as well…”
Subaru had no reason to think his Return by Death had a limitless number of uses. Subaru didn’t notice a number on his body or anything, but as the saying goes, Buddha only has the patience to save you three times.
If what was happening to Subaru was a gift of the Buddha’s good graces, Subaru had already used up all of his continues.
“If I die here, my life in this new world may really come to an end. …I guess my best bet is to try to run away, even if I get injured in the process.”
The weapon that looked the most able to inflict a mortal wound was, of course, the tried and true knife. The hand ax really did have a lot of rust, so if Subaru blocked himself with his convenience store bag, he’d get away with a blunt hit rather than being cut. Of course, the weaponless guy was a safe bet. So Subaru focused all of his attention on Dumber, the one with the knife, and played through his escape in his head.
Three… Two…
“That’s enough.”
That voice suddenly and clearly cut right through the dry tension of the alley. In the voice’s gallant tone there was no sense of hesitation, and no ounce of mercy. Just listening to the voice was enough to be overpowered by its existence, and it was a perfect match for carrying the voice’s owner’s intentions.
Subaru lifted up his head, and Dumb, Dumber, and Dumbest turned around. In front of them was a young man.
What stood out about his appearance, more than anything else, was his flaming red hair. Underneath it were sparkling blue eyes that could only be described as “daring.” His extraordinary good looks helped magnify his sense of gallantry, and with one glance you could tell that this young man was a cut above the rest.
He was slender and tall and wore well-made black clothes, and while it did not have elaborate decor, around his waist he also wore a knight’s sword, which endued him with an inordinately intimidating air.
“No matter what the circumstances are, I will not allow you to perpetrate any more violence against that young man. That is enough.”
As the young man said this, he walked straight past Dumb, Dumber, and Dumbest, and got between them and Subaru.
Subaru was at a loss for words at the young man’s bold attitude, but Dumb’s, Dumber’s, and Dumbest’s reactions were different.
All of the thugs’ faces went pale, and with quivering lips they pointed at the young man.
“That burning red hair and sky-blue eyes…plus that knight’s sword sheath engraved with the image of dragon’s claws… It can’t be…”
The thugs stared on in disbelief.
“Reinhard… Are you the Master Swordsman Reinhard?!”
“Well, I suppose I don’t have to waste time introducing myself. …Although I am not fond of that title everyone gives me. It’s still too heavy for me,” the man called Reinhard muttered with a tinge of self-deprecation in his voice. But the light in his eyes was unwavering.
The thugs, overpowered by the young man’s stare, took one step back. They looked at each other as if trying to determine the best time to escape.
“If you’re planning on running away, I’ll let you off this time. Just head back out toward the main street. However, if you plan on being stubborn, you will have to deal with me.”
Reinhard put his hand on the hilt of his sword and motioned to Subaru behind him with his chin.
“We’re down three against two. They have the advantage on us in numbers. I’m not sure if the little help I can give will be enough to make a difference, but I will do the best I can, on my honor as a knight.”
“Wha-what?! Are you kidding me? This isn’t even a contest!”
After hearing what Reinhard had said, Dumb, Dumber, and Dumbest were completely out of sorts. They scattered like baby spiders, forgetting to even hide their weapons as they ran out onto the main street. Unlike the first time around, none of them threw any insults as they ran. That was a testament to the difference in scale between them and this young man.
As soon as the thugs left the alley, the heightened tension that had permeated it immediately faded away. Realizing that this was something the young man did purposefully, Subaru was again at a loss for words.
More than anything else…
“For you to do all of that and still keep so cool…it’s like you and I aren’t of the same species.”
The level of human purity in his face, his voice, his stance and actions, were all way too high. If his personality and upbringing were also the same way, if he wasn’t doing something corrupt on the side, there was no way it all could balance out.
Putting his jealousy aside, Subaru let out a flat-sounding laugh, and then prostrated himself on the ground.
“You have saved my life, and I, Subaru Natsuki, am forever grateful. I must say that I am impressed with both your honorable intentions and bravery…”
“You’re giving me too much credit. It was because their advantage of three against one fell to three against two that they became unsure of themselves. It would have been different if it was only me against them.”
“No… Given how scared they were of you, even if it were ten against one…or even a hundred against one, I still think they would have run away. But what’s with your gallantry stats?! You’re like a saint both in body and mind. You’re so brilliant I think I’m going to go blind!”
To be honest, there was such a difference in their looks, Subaru really didn’t want to be standing next to him. Subaru examined Reinhard again, but the more he looked at him the more he thought that this beautiful young man had to have been chosen by God.
However, he did not look like he was a guard.
“Umm…I can just call you by your name, Mister, uh…Reinhard…right?”
“I don’t need the ‘Mister.’ You don’t have to be so formal, Subaru.”
“Well, we’re pretty close all of sudden, huh? Anyway, thanks again, Reinhard. You’re the only one who came running when I called. I have to say, it makes me feel a bit lonely that no one else seemed to care.”
Given how many people were out walking on the main street, it wasn’t possible that Reinhard was the only person who heard Subaru call out. But as Subaru complained, Reinhard lowered his eyes slightly.
“I don’t really want to say this, but I think I can understand them. For the majority of people, the risk of interfering when thugs like those are involved is too great. You were right to call for guards.”
“The way you’re saying that…are you a guard, Reinhard? You don’t look like one at all.”
“I get that a lot. I am off duty today so I’m not wearing my uniform, and even I know that the way I look, I’m lacking the sternness of an authority figure,” Reinhard said, spreading both his arms, but Subaru thought differently.
The biggest reason that Reinhard didn’t look like a guard was that he appeared to be far from the lowly, rough sort of idea Subaru had of what a guard should look like.
“Now that I think of it, didn’t they call you something like ‘master swordsman’…?”
“My family’s position is rather special, you see. So I’ve got a lot of heavy expectations placed on me. Every day’s a battle.” Reinhard smiled, shrugging his shoulders. Apparently Reinhard had a sense of humor as well.
Subaru was now completely sure that this guy was the perfect human being. Forget about lamenting to God about the unfairness of it all, at this point, Subaru was just impressed.
“By the way, I thought that your hair and clothes, and also your name are pretty unusual, but… Where are you from? Why did you come to the capital of Lugunika?” Reinhard asked, looking down at Subaru and his appearance.
Given that Subaru’s background was unclear, it seemed to be a pretty natural response for someone who was a guard.
“It’s a little hard to answer that first question. Last time when I said, ‘a small country to the east,’ it didn’t work, so let me rephrase that. I’ve come from a place even farther east than here, a place no one has ever seen before—from the ends of the Earth,” finished Subaru with a glint in his smile. Subaru thought that it was a pretty safe answer, but Reinhard looked surprised.
“Farther east than Lugunika…? You can’t mean beyond the Grand Cascade. Is that supposed to be a joke?”
“Grand Cascade?” Subaru tilted his head with the unfamiliar term.
Cascade…like, a waterfall? Subaru, who wasn’t familiar with the geography of the surrounding area, had no idea what Reinhard was talking about. The only places Subaru really knew in this world were the main street, alleys, the slums, and the loot cellar.
“It doesn’t seem like you’re trying to fool me or anything, but… Well, that’s fine. Anyway, it looks certain that you’re not from the capital, but you have a reason for being here, right? Right now, Lugunika is not as peaceful as it usually is. It’s falling into a state of unrest. Whatever you’re here for, I’d be glad to help.”
“Come on, it’s your day off, right? There’s no need for you to waste a day off just to help me out, you’ve really done more than enough already. …But, I would like to ask you a question, if I could.”
Subaru shook his head in response to Reinhard’s offer, but then he raised up a finger as if he suddenly remembered something.
“I’m all ears. I’m not a very informed individual, so I’m not sure I can help all that much, though.”
“Well, it’s less of a question and more me asking about a person, so no worries. So anyway, have you seen a silver-haired girl with a white robe walking around in this area?”
Not-Satella’s appearance was one that stood out. Of all of the things about her, the color of her hair and that hawk-embroidered white robe in particular stood out the most. If someone like that was walking around in the capital, there was a good chance that Reinhard, a guard, had noticed.
“A white robe and silver hair…”
“If I were to add anything, she’s extremely beautiful. Also, there’s this cat… Well, it’s not like she’s carrying it around in front of her, but she has one, if that’s helpful.”
If there was someone who was wearing a white robe, had silver hair, and had that cat spirit, then it had to be her. However, the cat was usually hidden away inside her hair, so expecting a sighting that included the cat was hoping for a little too much.
“…What do you plan on doing when you find her?”
“Something she lost…er…I guess something she’s looking for? Anyway, I want to give what she’s looking for back to her.”
Of course, Subaru didn’t have it on him right now, and it was even possible that she hadn’t had it stolen from her yet, but there was no need to complicate things.
Reinhard narrowed his eyes at Subaru’s response, and then silently thought for a few moments before answering.
“Unfortunately, I can’t say I’ve seen anyone like that. If you’d like, though, I don’t mind helping you find her.”
“I can’t ask that much of you. It’s all right, I’ll figure things out on my own.” Subaru lifted up his hand to refuse Reinhard’s request, and then turned to exit the alley and walk along the main street. It was possible that he would run into Not-Satella again, like he did the third time around.
If possible, it might be better to catch Felt and keep her from stealing the badge in the first place. Considering what would happen otherwise, Subaru thought that might be the best approach to take.
“The problem is, considering how fast Felt is, whether I could really catch her or not. In the worst case, I could get some guards to come to the loot cellar, but…”
“Loot cellar?”
“Oh, don’t worry about that. Forget I said anything. It’s just the name of a place an old man I know likes to hang out.”
As Reinhard reacted to his statement Subaru tried to divert his attention and at the same time rejected the idea of getting guards involved. Even if Subaru brought guards with him, with Elsa as an opponent there was a good chance that it would only result in more casualties. That’s just how superhuman that assassin’s skills were.
“Well, if all of the guards here were superhuman as well, it might be a different story… Anyway, I guess I should head back to the main street.”
“Are you going?”
“Yeah, I am. Thanks again, Reinhard. I’ll have to return the favor one day. …Can I meet you again if I go to a guard station or something?”
“I think so. If you just give my name, they’ll know where to find me. I’d love to see you again, so stop by for any reason at all.”
“Have I really done anything, or said anything to raise our relationship score that much? …Anyway, if I ever get stuck or lost again I’ll be sure to stop by,” said Subaru jokingly, waving his hand good-bye.
“Be careful,” said Reinhard, as cool and gallant as ever.
Pushed on by those words, Subaru was able to exit the alley with absolutely zero damage, all the while not noticing just how much the young man with the blue eyes was sizing him up as he watched him leave.
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Diamond. Diamond. Diamond.
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