Chapter 54: Volume 4 - Chapter 54

Chapter 54

As the fatal question escaped his lips, Subaru realized exactly where he stood .

The words came out, landing safely in Garfiel’s ears―― and the golden-haired youth’s expression changed . Witnessing this, for a moment, Subaru’s thoughts froze still .

It was the same Garfiel who had always kept up his guard around Subaru, sustaining the tough facade with his razor-sharp leer, determined not to show any sign of weakness .

But now, that expression was being twisted into something else .

It was almost like the expression of a child on the verge of tears after his most precious secret had been revealed .

[Garfiel: You…… th’hell did y’just say?]

But that fleeting, transient expression only lasted for an instant .

As if eradicating that lapse of weakness, Garfiel squeezed shut his eyes, grit his teeth, and glared back at Subaru like a man possessed .

The silence that permeated the forest and the almost-lonely stillness was abruptly turned, as goosebumps crawled across Subaru’s skin on the receiving end of that stare .

It was his body reacting to the threat of impending danger . An exaggerated reflex to――

[Subaru: You look like you’re going to kill someone]

Touching on “that topic” must have been the last thing Garfiel wanted . His reaction made Subaru quite certain of that .

Without uttering a sound, the coldness of Garfiel’s glare only intensified with Subaru’s mutter .

The fleeting trace of weakness was gone, and, in its place, there was now only dagger-like malice directed at the target of his glare .

Pierced by that gaze, instincts warning of danger pulsed throughout Subaru’s body . But, consciously ignoring this, Subaru kept up his undaunted facade,

[Subaru: Do I have to say it again? I saw some kids who looked exactly like Lewes-san wandering around the Sanctuary . And I’m pretty sure they weren’t Lewes-san]

[Garfiel: ……I don’t know what y’mean . So y’saw Granny takin’ a walk? It’d be another question if she’s strollin’ around in th’middle of th’night, but that ain’t anythin…]

[Subaru: ――Two of them]

[Garfiel: Hah?]

Just as Garfiel tried to rationalize what Subaru described, his desperate excuses shattered as Subaru held up two fingers on his outstretched hand,

[Subaru: I saw two kids looking exactly like Lewes-san walking around at the same time . Maybe one of them was Lewes-san, but then……who would the other one be――]

――The moment he finished his sentence, all sense of up and down blurred into one .

[Subaru: ――Ghua!]

He felt his back slamming into something hard, wrenching all the air out of his lungs .

His spine had crashed into something large and uneven―― the trunk of a tree, and was being pinned there by an enormous force as he dangled sideways, unable to escape .

Suspending Subaru in mid-air with his hand pinning his stomach against the tree, Garfiel stared straight into Subaru’s eyes,

[Garfiel: ――And where th’hell did y’see that, oy]

[Subaru: Nowhere too weird…… just… in the forest……]

[Garfiel: No… that ain’t possible . We took too much fuckin’ care t’make sure that wouldn’t happen or it would’ve been found out by y’nosy bastards a long time ago]

Garfiel’s palm pressed harder as he spoke, sending stomach fluids spilling from Subaru’s lips . Regardless of Subaru’s struggling and kicking, the arm wouldn’t budge an inch .

Like an insect pinned up for display . He shuddered at the thought .

[Garfiel: Yer belly’s gonna touch yer back if we keep doin’ this? How ‘bout y’start tellin’ the truth before that happens?]

Twisting his lips into a sadistic grin, Garfiel amped up the pressure against Subaru’s body .

As if Garfiel was proving that he wasn’t joking, Subaru could feel his bones and organs beginning to creak . Gasping, heaving painful breaths,

[Subaru: Th……at’ll, depend on your atti……tude]

[Garfiel: Now ain’t that funny . Y’still think y’can negotiate with me on equal footin’? I thought I taught ya t’get rid of those conceited ideas?]

[Subaru: You could just…… finish me off here without getting any answers, but that won’t solve anything]

[Garfiel: …………]

Uttering those fragmented words, Subaru could sense that Garfiel was listening .

――Subaru had half-expected this furious reaction from Garfiel up to now .

The only time Subaru actually saw the Lewes-clones was during their final showdown with the Witch in the previous loop .

Before that, he had never even imagined their existence, much less spotted any of them in the Sanctuary . But, thinking back on it now, there were actually quite a few peculiarities that hinted at their existence, though there’s no need to get into that here .

Regardless, that was just how well the clones were hidden in the Sanctuary .

It’s hard to imagine Garfiel keeping the existence of more than 20 replicants a secret, so it was probably something known among the residents of the Sanctuary .

If anyone on this side knew about it, it would be Roswaal, and possibly Ram .

Either way, just mentioning it was enough to put Garfiel on edge, that much was the expected half .

As for the unexpected half――

[Garfiel: ……Y’re fucked up]

Spitting this out, Garfiel released Subaru’s body .

Without any warning, Subaru dropped to the ground with a surprised [Uwa] . Rolling, tasting grass and soil in his mouth, he spat out the dirt and stood himself up . Then, looking back at Garfiel,

[Subaru: D-don’t just let go all of a sudden, scared me there]

[Garfiel: Shut up, freak . Quit fuckin’ around . Y’fuckin’ testin me?]

[Subaru: Testing?]

Seeing Subaru tilt his head, playing dumb, Garfiel clicked his tongue, leering,

[Garfiel: Y’thought I was gonna kill ya when y’said that, didn’t ya]

[Subaru: …………]

――The half that Subaru didn’t expect was that Garfiel chose not to immediately kill him .

Even when provoked like this, Garfiel was still giving him a chance to explain himself .

Realizing that Subaru had said those words knowing they might result in his death, Garfiel violently kicked his foot into the ground,

[Garfiel: Quit fuckin’ around… Y’think yer gonna stake yer fuckin’ life and act like nothin’s happenin’? Y’fuckin nutcase . Y’make me sick]

[Subaru: Kinda hurts when you put it like that…… and it’s not like I don’t care or anything]

Subaru smiled weakly at Garfiel and scratched his own head .

While doing so, he noticed that his fingers were actually shaking .

Although Garfiel had stopped inflicting pain on Subaru, his hostility did not seem to diminish in the slightest .

And even now, Subaru’s physical body was screaming with primal terror as though his organs were being wrenched and twisted .

It was only natural, considering the intentionally-provoked Garfiel was standing right in front of him .

That is to say, Subaru more or less understood that he was facing down the same giant golden tiger who rampaged through the forest in the night, slaughtering the villagers .

Just the memory of its ravaging fangs and claws froze his heart with terror .

But still――

[Subaru: If just my life is enough to fix everything, then that’s a pretty fair trade]

If whittling down at Subaru’s heart was the only price to pay, then it’d be quite a bargain .

It’s not every day that you can get a HAPPY END so cheaply .

Even though Subaru’s resolve could break at any moment――the meager foundation supporting it was firm and unbreakable .

Garfiel must have understood this as well . Crunching up his nose into a disgusted grimace,

[Garfiel: I got no good impressions of a bastard with eyes like that . Normally, I’d crush ya on th’spot, but……]

[Subaru: I’d be pretty bummed out if you did that… I’d still prefer if you could magnanimously overlook this . And it really sounds like we’re speaking the same language here……so]

[Garfiel: …………]

[Subaru: Any chance you feel like answering my question?]

Patting off the dirt on his body, Subaru asked once again .

Garfiel’s face soured at the return of the forcefully interrupted topic, and, turning his eyes away,

[Garfiel: Don’t wanna]

[Subaru: Is that right . Oh well, no helping it]

Getting a reply that sounded like something from a stubborn child, Subaru shrugged and casually dropped the topic .

In return, an expression of complete bafflement came onto Garfiel’s face .

[Garfiel: Y’…… aren’t y’gonna……]

[Subaru: But you don’t want to talk, right? And I don’t have the power or the persuasive skills to make you . Well I mean, I could keep bugging you to tell me, but the rewards aren’t really worth the risk, so maybe another time]

[Garfiel: ……what]

[Subaru: Oh don’t make that confounded face, Garfiel . No matter how much you want to keep your secrets hidden, I’ll be sure to expose it . I kind of have to, you know]

Garfiel’s head sprang back up at those words, and Subaru returned his gaze head on .

Their eyes met, but there was no longer the same tension as before . The spirit in Garfiel’s pupils seem to have faded, while Subaru’s steeled their resolve .

[Subaru: Garfiel . I’ll be sure…… to expose all the Sanctuary’s secrets you people are trying to hide . I know I have no other choice, so I’ll absolutely make sure of it]

[Garfiel: ……Shut up . Y’realize if I stuff yer fuckin’ mouth right now there ain’t gonna be no “absolutely” or “sure of” t’speak of, oy]

[Subaru: Sorry, but I’m absolutely sure . As long as I haven’t given up, I know I’ll uncover everything there is to uncover . If there’s anyone to blame for that, blame your own sloppiness]