Wrath left leaving many wrought with sadness and grief.
"Subaru...." Ram closed her eyes in hurt as she thought about what her actions could have caused, 'Why? Why does everything I do just seem to hurt you? Even the you that suffered from the trauma I brought... it seems I could not help you... even if I did... I just hope I helped this you somehow. '
Ram wanted to hope that she at least helped that Subaru.
They all did.
Ram wouldn't even be surprised if Priscilla or Anastasia wanted that Subaru to redeem himself.
"He killed so many people...." Emilia murmured as she clutched her hands above her heart, a pained look on her face, "This time...."
Rem didn't want to say anything, but she couldn't stop herself from at least commenting on it, "Subaru... my hero could become like that because of us? Me? I hope that at least Subaru-kun would redeem himself."
Crusch couldn't help but agree, even if she knew such hope was wrong on a fundamental level, 'This isn't my version of Subaru. Still though... I want him to be happy no matter what. To become a hero, if he wants to.''
"Pfffft," Priscilla interrupted with a condemning look in her eyes, "You all make me laugh. Truly, you are twisted in the head. All of you, it seems. How apparent."
"And what the hell do you mean, huh?" Felt's face warped and twisted into something negative, "It seems that you only have backhanded shit to say or nothing but insults. So I'm kind of wondering what it's gonna be this time?"
"Lady Felt-" Reinhard was interrupted by Felt's shushing gesture.
"Huh? My divine words you refer to as that?" Priscilla's face scrounged up into distaste, "Truly, you lack any elegance or intelligence with such a foul voculabery."
"You actually make me want to jump off of a bridge. Genuinely. You are so damn annoying," Felt frowned as she grew tired, "You know what, whatever. Just say what you meant and leave it at that."
Everyone didn't much care for their banter anymore. It had grown tiring. Two people that just idn't seem to get along. It was the same old same old with them.
'Well done, Lady Felt! Your maturity is growing.' Reinhard was happy at Felt's maturity, 'if her behaviour betters she might end up like a truly noble lady, no one will be able to doubt her then.'
"Very well then, I'll inform you all of your lopsided manners and morality." Priscilla stated as she folded her fan, shaking her head in disappointment, "All of you are so quick to condemn others. So quick to see them as evil. Didn't some of you think like that when we first came to this place?"
Silence.
"Time and time again you choose to condemn others or yourselves as vile and evil. Every time the Witch Cult appeared, better yet your own wrong actions, you choose to mindlessly see it as evil without understanding what drove them. Yet, when it comes to Subaru Natsuki all he seems to get from you appears to be a 'Oh he made a mistake' or 'He'll get better'. Tch, it might not seem like it to you all but it seems like you all like giving him, any version of him, preferential treatment."
Priscilla sneered.
"You are all a joke."
Then, a response came.
"I know we're being hypocritical." Emilia faced Priscilla without hesitation, her response was emotional in every sense of the word."Of course, I know that what that Subaru did was wrong on every account. Of course, I know that every person he killed had their own valuable life. I know it's wrong. But... I...."
"It is hard to care about faceless people, about statistics, people who we do not know." Crusch voiced, her tone as usual, "It is even harder because those people are not part of our world. They aren't part of the reality we live in. So I, too, find it hard to get upset about. Especially after learning only one side of the story."
"Yes... It's hard to see a world where Rem's hero didn't become someone so admirable," Rem confessed, "Seeing him be afraid of me makes me want to... but I can't help it. Subaru is one of the few people I love the most, even if it isn't the one I love. I... I don't mind all the evil that that one has caused. It might have been wrong, but he has his reasons."
"Yeah, while it sucks and I get it," Felt frowned as she realised what she would say, even acknowledging, "But... there's nothing we can do. Condemn him more? Make him hate himself even more like that idiot clearly does?"
"It's... best to try and let that Subaru just figure his own shit out," Garfiel also let his voice be heard, "That man ain't my cap'n. Still, if he even has a shred of humanity left, I hope he might redeem himself. I dunno."
Garfiel didn't want to talk about it anymore as the tone of his voice clearly indicated, 'To enslave sis like that I... I wanted to kill him but what would that have done? Anything?"
Frederica was of the same mind, she saw what her version of Subaru had gone through, 'Even if I know it's vile. I cannot mindlessly condemn him. I need... '
Anastasia frowned, "Well, it might be easy for you all but The Purge King stays like that in my book. Whatever he's done was wrong no matter the reason by most people's standards. Ah, who cares anyway, none of us here are most people."
The knights shared their standards, acknowledging what The Purge King had done as evil yet all of them couldn't help but want something good for him eventually.
Their knightly demeanour and way of life had them acknowledge that their intended purpose was to fight evil. To destroy it for all that good represented. There were times in their lives when each and every single one of them had done evil. Perhaps not times that they remember or even much care about.
They were all even in someone else's eyes.
"That Subaru-dono seemed like he could still be redeemed. Perhaps not become what our version of Subaru-dono is, yet I still saw it in his eyes." Wilhelm sighed reluctantly, "If he had no hope of redemption, us knights would have approached the situation ourselves."
"Heh," Priscilla had some sort of odd smile on her face, "I see. That boy seems to have quite a character across realities. Especially for these reactions to occur for him."
Yet, before anyone could ask her to elaborate it occurred.
"It's time."
The Warden made his presence known.
"This is the last one, correct? After that, we can all return home?" Crusch asked the entity politely.
The rest all nodded, letting their own thoughts be heard aloud. Each speaks about what might come next.
"This is indeed the last one. He will be summoned now."
"So this is the last one. Apparently, he's supposed to be the most evil one, right?" Ricardo asked the entity with crossed arms, "I mean, he was supposed to be what... 'Pride' if I remember correctly?"
Anastasia nodded, "Yeah, but the last one didn't seem to fit the Sin motif. Stil, Pride is supposed to be the one that didn't call Reinhard for help and did everything himself."
"Imagine Big Bro coming in and being like 'Ah! I'm the greatest ever bow down before me!'" Felt chuckled as she thought about the possibility, "Oh no, what if he might be like..." Her face twisted as if she ate something disgusting, she looked at Priscilla, "He might be like... you.."
"Pheha, that boy could never hope to match mineself's magnificence!" Priscilla dismissed with a wave of her fan, "Still, it would be best to see him with some pride. Then he may be worthy of standing beside me."
Rem and Emilia frowned at that.
Even the edge of Crusch's lips twisted downwards ever so slightly.
In a small flash, he appeared.
---So you get that done..." The last Subaru Natsuki they were supposed to meet was not facing them, merely talking to whoever he was talking to before being summoned.
Yet, immediately he turned around.
His eyes scoured every place and every person.
A flash of recognition occurred in his eyes.
And everyone noticed his appearance.
He almost looked precisely like their Subaru, of course with some differences.
It was mainly just the hairstyle and cloak he had on. The rest, meaning his tracksuit, was still the same par some darker colours.
"Oh... hello there," Subaru smiled at them, "So, if you guys don't mind me asking what's up?"
"Uh... well hi, Subaru! I mean, other Subaru," Emilia awkwardly greeted him.
"Emilia-tan?" The slightly dishevelled boy smiled in amazement, "You're here along with... me?"
He pointed to the Subaru that was asleep nearby.
"This isn't a dream, is it?" He chuckled, "I mean it's kind of weird to see myself sleeping there while I'm here and awake."
"Eh, okay bro here's what's up. You've been teleported here to talk with us from your alternate reality. In our reality, we're all friends with our Subaru--" Felt quickly talked before someone particularly scoffed at that, but she ignored it, "When we were summoned to see all that he had gone through. So yeah we know about Return by Death and a lot of other loop stuff our Subaru had gone through."
"Really? Man, that's some stuff straight out of an anime." The one they decided to call Pride just chuckled at that, "That's absurd. Still, considering this Isekai World I believe you all."
"You are taking it quite well. I guess that is a trend amongst a lot of Subaru-kun's." Rem acknowledged, "I'm surprised you're taking it so well, though. Aren't you worried about whoever summoned you, including us, here?"
"Nah, I'm not really worried." He smiled at that, "If they wanted to kill me it would've been done already."
"That won't happen with us here, I suppose." Beatrice nodded beside the sleeping Subaru, "Betty knows that the entity isn't here to harm us, I suppose. Even still, you can count on Betty and everyone else to keep you safe, in fact."
The dishevelled boy smiled.
"That's nice of you." He smiled, "Say, aren't you that spirit that lives in Roswaal's mansion?"
"You speak of me with a tone of unfamiliarity, I suppose." Beatrice frowned, then she continued speaking with a tone of sadness, "Betty assumes that we aren't contracted in your world."
He chuckled and smiled a bit too awkwardly, "Yeah, I mean I've heard about you but I'm not contracted with you."
Beatrice just nodded in understanding, "I understand, I suppose. It would be childish of Betty to think that we would end up together in every reality, in fact."
"So, you contracted with that Subaru? How did that happen?" He asked them with a smile.
"I can answer that, Other Subaru." Emilia smiled, "A lot of stuff happened after you got knocked out by Elsa and taken to the Roswaal mansion after we met at the loot house. You defeated Sloth, overcame a lot and folded Roswaal's plot to twist you into someone like him. You needed to beat the Great Rabbit and--"
"Betty wants to tell this Subaru about that, in fact! Betty can convey it the best. She doesn't want anyone else to tell him about her contracting, in fact." Beatrice cutely interrupted.
The man that the Warden called Pride just looked on in interest, "Then go ahead, Beatrice."
With happiness, Beatrice recalled the moment, "After a long, long time of Betty's foolishness her Subaru had gone to save her from loneliness. After the Clown's estate was set on fire Betty refused to go out and wished to perish there. Yet, her Subaru had ignored any failures that she had made and saved me from that. He promised to make me happy and to make sure I never feel alone again."
"....That's such a heartfelt story," He smiled at that, crossing his arms "To think that other me and you could get together like that."
Beatrice nodded with a nostalgic smile on her face.
"Actually, other Subaru, what happened in your world? Anything interesting?" Emilia asked him, "The other Subaru's had quite... a few things happen to them in their lives."
"Me? Interesting? Nah, I'm just a guy devoted to my Emilia-tan." Other Subaru smiled at her with a loving, tender smile, "I just want to make her happy and get her to become queen."
"The same goal as our Subaru?" Julius remarked, "It's quite satisfying to see you resemble him on that level, at least."
"Really now? It's nice to see a world where I also love Emilia-tan." He chuckled in happiness, "Honestly if he really loves Emilia-tan like me I doubt our lives vary all that much."
Rem frowned a bit at that, but shook off the growing sadness, "That seems to be so, Other Subaru-kun. What about Rem? Rem would like to know what happened in your world to her other self?"
Other Subaru just stared for a second, "You died."
"Oh..." Rem just nodded her head in understanding, "Rem understands."
"Yeah, I heard you died because of a MaBeast bite or something like that." Other Subaru recalled, commenting somewhat heartlessly, "I mean I didn't get a chance to meet you. But well, what can you do?"
"So, to be safe because you did not go to the loot house you didn't meet Emilia-sama?" Frederica asked him, "I see. So Elsa most likely killed Felt-sama and her guardian."
Felt frowned at that, sadness emanating from her before she just shook her head, "It is what it is. I can't get mad at Big Bro for this, it wasn't his job to save us." She looked up at the Other Subaru, "I mean, it's not like you knew what was going to happen."
He just stayed quiet and crossed his arms, then he started to speak after a good 7 seconds, "I dunno about that. It's a bit morbid of you to assume you're already dead."
"Wait, so...?" Felt looked up in wonder, "Wait. if Old Man Rom and I don't die then what happened to Elsa?"
He just shrugged, "Last I heard she was just off doing stuff."
"So that bitch isn't dead?" Garfiel interrupted with annoyance, "Fucking hell. Other Cap'n, you gotta kill that hag! She's a terrible hag that just kills people and works for the Witch's Cult?"
Strangely enough, he didn't seem all that surprised, "Is that so? Well, I'll be sure to keep information like that in mind. Uhm... whoever you are."
"You... You don't know me?" Garfiel asked him curiously.
"No, eh sorry about that." He just shrugged again, "I mean I don't really know you. Who are you, actually? Sorry if it's too much of a bother but can you tell me why you called me 'cap'n'."
"I... My name is Garfiel and we met at Sanctuary." Garfiel spoke calmly, his tone getting more heartfelt and enthusiastic as he thought about what his captain had done, "You got me to stop acting like an idiot there and saved everyone there from Echidna's plans. You got me to stop hiding away and face the future as everyone's shield."
"So he did that." He took note of that, "Well, I can't just let my version of Garfiel suffer like that, right? I'm going to see what's up with him. Who knows, maybe he'll even join me in making Emilia-tan queen."
Garfiel smiled at that, "Well, I can be pretty stubborn."
"Don't worry about that, Garfiel, I don't give up so easily as well." He nodded to him.
All this time, Anastasia and Priscilla stayed oddly silent, just looking at him and taking note of him.
"Man, all of these people here." He took note, "Though why is Felt here? I mean did we become friends in your reality."
"Yeah, you saved my life by getting Rein to stop Elsa. After that, I figured out that I'm a candidate for the throne. I joined and Reinhard became my knight. We became friends even if we are rivals!"
He just looked at Felt for a few seconds, "You're.. a candidate? So you are Emilia-tan's rival in this reality?"
Reinhard smiled, "Yes. And I'm certain that she will win."
"I see...." He just nodded his head a few too many times, "Well that's interesting."
Beatrice stared at this version of Subaru, he seemed a bit odd, yes, but not evil. He just had a lot of Miasma on him. More than any one of the had seen before. More than Wrath and Gluttony.
Still, she didn't want to make him remember that.
'I doubt that Oni Maid wants to as well. I suppose that is why she too hasn't said anything about it.'
"What's that thing in your bag there, Natsuki-kun." Anastasia asked him, "I see an outline of a book of some sort. Are you someone that reads?"
"Hm, this? Yeah, I got this quite a bit ago. " He smiled, "It's a pretty interesting read."
"Is that so? Can we see?" Anastasia asked him politely.
"Barusu, reading? I knew he had some smarts but to be an active reader as well? Ram should stop being so surprised." Ram gave him an odd compliment.
"... Sure," He grabbed it and revealed it.
He showcased the item without any worry.
"A gospel?!" Reinhard stated in horror, his eyes quickly focusing on the man who showed the gospel again.
"You... Suybaru you have a gospel?!" Felix muttered in horror, "What.. how?"
"Wait, everyone! I'm certain that this Subaru-kun has an explanation!" Rem protested the thought of mindlessly condemning him.
"Subaru," Crusch spoke calmly, "Surely you know what it means to carry a gospel, along with having the Witch's Miasma."
He nodded at that, "Yeah, still though I had to grab a hold of one. These things are pretty interesting and can be useful if you keep it in mind."
"I see, but still you know that if you carry that you will be arrested, Subaru?" Julius asked him, to which he received a nod in comparison.
"Subaru-dono, I understand the temptation to use such a thing to your advantage but I must ask of you to decline using it." Wilhelm voiced, continuing to talk after that, "The consequences will be dire."
"I understand that," He smiled and nodded, "But it's also pretty useful. Say, for example, if I want to infiltrate the Witch's Cult then it can be easily done."
"You as a Witch Cultist, Subaru-kun~?" Roswaal spoke for the first time as well, "That is quite an odd look."
"Really, is that so?" He simply cocked his head ever so slightly to the side, "Well, it doesn't change the fact that it is pretty useful."
"Is that all it really is?" Priscilla interrupted whatever was about to be said next with her own tone, "Your fake kindness and friendliness reeks. They might be stupid but mineself is not. Do not think you can trick me. Your manners say all."
"What... what might you be talking about, Priscilla?" Emilia asked her in confusion, not understanding what she meant.
"She might be speaking the truth here, Emilia." Crusch also spoke, "A lot of things give me quite the wrong feeling when it comes to this Subaru. I was willing to look it over, but the gospel might actually be meaning something."
"They're right. Remember when the Warden said that the Natsuki-kun's that was going to be summoned would all be from good to evil with varying degrees?" Anastasia spoke as well, "I've been in the business for too long to not notice someone use vague language and phoney friendliness to their advantage. Along with that, he seems to keep everything about himself pretty vague and only seems to want to gain information on everyone here."
Anastasia looked at her fellow royal candidates.
"His behaviour had been slightly odd ever since coming here. Still, he's quite good at deception." She finished off.
"Really? I think you are all jumping a bit ahead here. I mean, maybe this Subaru doesn't want to talk too much about himself. That isn't bad." Emilia protested.
"Half-wit, you can---"
"Shut your mouth." Subaru sneered the moment he heard Priscilla insult Emilia.
"What did you say?" Anastasia asked him again, "Was there something wrong with what she said?"
Emilia raised her hands, "It's not that big of a deal."
"I... Emilia-tan, I cannot stand someone insulting you like that. I apologise, I shouldn't have lost my temper like that." He smiled.
"But you aren't sorry," Crusch spoke and faced this Subaru with a stern look, "The wind of untruth showed up the moment you said you were sorry."
"That's not it---"
"The warden said you were the most evil. And the warden hasn't lied to this point. So, with you possessing a gospel and how you described and acted on some parts it was getting easier to notice your facade." Anastasia explained to him, "I just needed to check what might be your trigger and Priscilla said it for me." She smiled, "And there it was." Anastasia remarked as she stood next to Julius, "Seems like insulting his 'Emilia-tan' is quite a trigger for him."
Immediately, he calmed down and just looked down for a second.
"You are such a deceitful person. It's almost spectacular how you can change your demeanour so quickly. The only thing that's surprising is how dishonest you can be. You were quite spectacular, and I doubt that any of us would have noticed it if it wasn't for the warden explaining how this would go at the beginning. You have a spectacular way of deceiving people."
The man in question looked at all of them after looking down for a second.
"Thank you." He spoke sincerely with a smile.
Yet nothing showed in his eyes
"So, what kind of Subaru are you truly? The act is up. It would be best for you to just tell us." Crusch told this Subaru.
"I.... Subaru, please just tell us. If a mistake was made we'll all say sorry!" Emilia tried to speak about it, "I promise!"
"Emilia-tan, it seems that no matter what world you are in you stay so beautiful. I can't help but love you." He looked at her lovingly, "Well, I'm supposed to be devoted to the Emilia in my reality, but I can't help but notice you in that light as well. Damn, I hope that I'm not doing NTR here, hahaha!" He laughed rambunctiously.
Emilia recoiled.
With his gospel in hand, Subaru Natsuki just smiled at them, "I'm Subaru Natsuki. Witch Cultist and Archbishop of Pride! Haha!"
His grin grew wide and manic as he proclaimed his status to the horror of many.
"A large amount of Witch's Miasma and that gospel, Betty hoped that it wasn't true." Beatrice shook her head in horror, "Don't let another if you end up with this fate, I suppose."
"Subaru-kyun is... a witch cultist? It can't be!" Felix spoke in worry and horror, 'The man that was supposed to be so much greater than me is one of those vile people?!'
"The wind of untruth did not blow this time." Crusch frowned, quickly hiding the pained look on her face, "So you truly are the Archbishop of Pride in your reality."
Pride nodded, "Yeah, things just ended up that way. All of it was fine, though, so long as I helped my Emilia-tan I'm fine with it. It isn't even all that bad."
"The witch cult not being 'all that bad', have you lost your mind?!" Wilhelm voiced in horror.
"Who is this guy?" Pride pointed at Wilhelm with a smile, taking some joy in his reaction, "It's all a matter of whose perspective you're viewing it from. It's a pretty nice group of people all thing's considered."
"You're speaking of the Witch Cult in such a carefree manner. As if being part of it won't ruin your life, Subaru." Ricardo told Pride.
"Okay, and?" Pride shrugged, "My life isn't that much to begin with."
"And? Don't you care? You don't want to make a better future? To give everyone a happy ending?"
"Future? I mean, you're talking like it's going to matter for much longer." Pride retorted. "But it's fine. "
"Natsuki... you're actually part of the Witch Cult!" Otto spoke up, "Doesn't it click with you why this is bad? You'll be hunted down! You can be killed at a moment's notice? You can die again and again!"
Pride just looked at them, "Just because it's something bad means I should care? Beside, I'm used to dying so I don't really see a reason to care."
"How... why did you become part of the Witch Cult?" Petra muttered softly, a bit of fear in her voice as she noticed the gleam in Pride's eyes.
"Well, after I finished my business with Elsa I got approached by some very curious people. It was all sudden, of course, but I couldn't help but accept it. Being part of their little cult gave me the opportunity to help you, Emilia-tan."
He looked at Emilia in a way that clearly unnerved her and made her camp members stand closer to her.
"You... stay away." Garfiel sneered with anger, standing beside her to keep her safe. "I don't know what your problem is, Pride. But, I'm not taking any chances."
Pride just shook his head, "I would never do anything to hurt Emilia-tan's wellbeing."
Pride sounded so sincere, so genuine, that no one doubted him.
'He's telling the truth. Though I wonder which kind of well-being he's thinking of,' Crusch thought analytically, 'I need to make sure he's not lying about anything. Sure, he's pulled away some of the facade but I have to make sure he doesn't try to trick anyone.'
"Subaru... Why did you become like this?" Reinhard asked him softly, to which Pride looked on with disgust, "What drove you to become an Archbishop?"
"Hahaha... failure, of course." He grinned as he remembered what had happened, he grew nostalgic, "And you, you bastard."
Pride's hatred oozed out when he referred to Reinhard.
"But that's a whole other thing." Pride shrugged once more, again, "Anyway after seeing my beloved Emilia-tan die again and again I finally understood what I needed to do. Anyway, after a lot of loops and loops, I killed the, I don't remember their names so just make something up, group. Bla bla bla I died a couple of times, figured out I could just send some guards as a distraction, Reinhard showed up suddenly and Else escaped."
"So, everything still ended up as usual?" Felt muttered in surprise, "You just used the guards as an extra?"
"Did I not just say that?" Pride frowned at her.
"There's more to this, mongrel. What else happened?" Priscilla demanded to know immediately.
"I saved Elsa after she got away from Reinhard. Nothing more." Pride let her know, not caring all that much for any of it, "We started working together to make Emilia-tan queen. That's it. Nothing more interesting than that."
"And then what?"
"Well, nothing spectacular happened. Save Elsa, get to Meili and get her to patch up Elsa. After that well... I just joined the Witch Cult after Elsa and I became allies." Pride quickly and casually explained, his tone flippant.
"So what happens after that, Subaru-dono? Death and mayhem?" Wilhelm frowned at him, the old man's disappointment was immeasurable.
"No, I tried to kill Sloth." Pride retorted, "After I figured out what Sloth was all about and his plans for Emilia-tan I knew I had to stop him.
Emilia cringed yet still decided to speak, "Do you mean when he tried to make me a vessel?"
Emilia didn't like how Pride seemed to look at her. It wasn't like how her Subaru had looked at her now. No.
It was vile.
Wrong.
Like she was just... something.
As if she was just an item.
One that she stopped being a long time ago.
Yet Pride didn't seem to understand that.
Pride smiled so happily when Emilia spoke, his smile stretching yet not quite turning into a grin, it almost reached his eyes, "Yes, I couldn't let him do something like that. To summon the Witch of Envy like that? To taint you in such a way?"
"Haha," Pride laughed as if he heard the greatest joke of his life, one that he told.
Suddenly he stopped laughing.
"Absolutely not."
"So, does that mean you were trying to infiltrate them? To stop them from the inside?" Julius asked politely.
'Wait? So does that mean you weren't like all the others?" Rem asked pleadingly, not wanting to see another Subaru commit evil acts no matter what.
He continued to elaborate, not caring for what any of them were saying besides chuckling a bit, "When that happened, I tried to stop him. I died, of course. Then I died again. Then I died again and again. Then we became friends---"
"Why? Why would you become friends with Sloth of all people? Don't you know what kind of person he is?" Ram asked Pride calmly, her tone strangely enough not accusing at all.
"Oh, I know. Still, if you look past all of the craziness he's pretty nice." Pride recalled, "I still killed him though. His possessing me was kind of the last thing I needed to figure out how to really kill him. I have to say though, being possessed is genuinely annoying."
There grew hope for many of them.
Maybe, just maybe this Subaru wasn't as evil as told.
He fought against Sloth and seemingly killed him after much trial and error.
It didn't matter if he did it with the intent of helping people.
Because no matter what -- He did what was good.
"Yeah, after dying 400 times or whatever more it was," Pride looked annoyed at their gasps of horror, particularly ignoring the girls that were close to his sleeping other self, "I finally had a counter for everything. He died."
"H-How did you fight off Sloth's possession ability, I wonder?" Beatrice asked with a little quiver, her hand shaking ever so slightly as she stood close to her contractor, "Did you... Did you contract with a spirit, I suppose?"
"Right. I contracted with a little fire spirit. She's pretty great," Pride smiled, "Don't get too jealous, okay?"
"Alright, to keep this short since I don't wanna exposition dump all of this. Okay, uh, Met up with Meili, we are friends, killed some guys and uh... I teamed up with Roswaal."
"You and I are allies, Subaru-kun~" Roswaal smiled, "To think that you and I could truly work together. It is fortuna~"
"Don't say it like that," Pride waved him off, "My heart belongs to my Emilia-tan! In my world, you weren't that creepy."
"I am what I am, Subaru-kun~" The clown grinned.
"Yeah, that was it for me. I just didn't like you from the get-go." Pride admitted, grinning while looking at their faces, "Well anyway I have to speedrun this, I killed a crap ton of Witch Cultist's and Roswaal helped me by making Emilia seem responsible for it all, blowing you guys out of the water."
"Subaru, I know that killing the Witch Cult is somewhat a good thing but why do all of these things? Why make me seem responsible for them? Why didn't you ask me or try to get to know me?" Emilia asked him.
"Because you are perfect, Emilia-tan. I just want to help you," That same, obsessive smile was there, looking at her like an item, "I just knew what was best to do. Why would I ever ask you?"
"You're wrong, Subaru. Please, think about it. I'm a person, no matter what. Above all else, I deserve to be treated properly. Please try to see that." Emilia pleaded with him, "Please, try to see me as a person."
"But I do see you as a person, Emilia-tan. It's just that I see how perfect you truly are. I love you and I'll make you the greatest. No matter what." Pride smiled with love.
It would have been a loving proclamation.
If he didn't just have an unsettling look in his eye.
"I killed Regulus." Pride grinned in satisfaction.
"The Archbishop of Greed? Did you do that to eliminate more enemies of Emilia-sama?' Frederica asked him.
"Completely. I can't let anything get in the way of my Emilia-tan's candidacy. All of the Witch Cult had to be destroyed. All of it!" Pride proclaimed.
"Well.... at least you have one positive thing."
"I, with the help of Elsa and the lesser fire spirit, killed all of Regulus's wives by burning down his mansion, destroying his authority. It was beautiful. After all, that ranting and talking about," Pride took in his breath, his had formed a fast out of anger, "Anyway, Elsa chopped his head and we saw him squirm."
Pride started to imitate Regulus, "No! My perfect self has his wives betray him! My rights bla-bla-bla uagh!" He comically imitated Regulus dying with a creepy snicker after it.
"You managed to kill Regulus with only them? That is.. quite interesting. Why does Elsa follow you? Why does Meili follow you?" Felt asked him, "Did you give them money or something?"
"I'm their employer. Whatever else is unnecessary." Pride dismissed easily, "I don't tend to want to think about that too much."
"Elsa, that creepy hag of a woman got in bed with you?" Felt asked Pride to which he looked at her in an offended manner.
"Yeah, she works for me now." Pride explained, "What else is there to it?"
"I...."
"Don't ask me why. You know why. It's because she's useful. That's it." Pride sighed before suddenly having an odd snicker.
It happened and stopped time and again.
Yet, the cast wasn't surprised. After hearing what the other Subaru's had pulled off to achieve their goals and who they worked with it didn't astonish any of them.
"Didn't Elsa kill you, though?" Felt asked beside Reinhard, "Why...."
Felt just shook her head.
If Subaru could forgive everyone who had killed him here then he wouldn't let Elsa bother him that much.
Everyone else knew that.
"Yeah, she killed me a lot but why would I care?" Pride shrugged.
"It's because she took your life, Subaru. Your life is valuable."
"Yeah, sure it is --- Hehahahahahaha!" Pride burst into laughter.
"So, you were destroying the Witch Cult to give Emilia more power?" Ricardo spoke, "The girl got more legitimacy. Still, you had my lady and Priscilla to worry about."
"Yeah, they were pretty difficult to deal with but I got it done." Pride admitted, "But I got it done like usual. Elsa and Meili were particularly useful in dealing with all of you."
"You hurt mineself? Impossible!" Priscilla easily dismissed/
Pride just grinned at that.
"Egh, anyway what happened? A camp got destroyed--"
"Wait, are you talking about Lady Crusch's camp?!" Felix asked in worry and fright, "it... She didn't make it without you, did she?"
"Yeah, I heard about that, sucks to be the only survivor, eh, Felix?" Pride smiled as if he was talking to his friend, "Don't worry, though, after you survived you and I became close friends."
Now Felix grew more worried, "W...What are you talking about?!"
Everyone focused on both of them now, some seemed to be ready to jump in at a moment's notice.
"How fortunate of you to be the only survivor there. Even better is that I found you." Pride smiled in a comforting manner, "Don't worry though, without the green girl there you, well, I'll let you figure it out."
'I.... I.... Did I kill myself or did... no, did Pride make sure I survived in order for him to jump in and.' Felix's horror grew to unimaginable heights.
"Enough of this, Pride -- no, Subaru." Crusch's cold as steel voice made itself heard firstly, "There is no reason to continue like this."
"Why? I'm not even done yet." Pride spread his arms apart in a show, "Isn't that the point? We talk."
Julius frowned, "Indeed it is. Still, don't you see that what you are doing is wrong? Are you intentionally trying to hurt Felix?"
"Listen, I don't really need to hear much from someone I killed in my reality." Pride explained flippantly, "You should have seen the look on your face."
Julius narrowed his eyes as Felix looked up at Pride.
"When I got Felix to kill you for me." Pride had a smile of nostalgia as if he was recalling a fond memory, "The boiling blood. The screams."
Felix wanted to cry.
"It seems that Felix is pretty much nothing without his lady. So eager to kill you, Julius. He didn't do it with any hesitation it looked like. Just an animal ready to follow commands." Pride smiled, "Well, maybe it's in your nature, Felix. From the looks of it huddling behind that green girl's skirt like a dog is what you want."
"Why? Why make Felix kill me?" There was some odd sense of pleading from Julius as he just wanted to know the answer, he didn't seem to mind his own death all that much.
"Because I didn't like seeing some pretty boy knight there ready and willing to stop me from helping my Emilia-tan the way that she needed to be helped." There was a level of spite in Pride's voice, some sort of pettiness at Julius for simply being himself.
"That's... it?" Otto looked at the remorseless face of Pride, "You just killed him because of that?! You... you can't do that! Someone will stop you!"
Otto looked at Pride in fear as he just seemed to chuckle with genuine humour. Nothing they tried seemed to make him care.
"Who? You? Listen. Last time I saw you I made you clean up the corpses and held my hand on your head. You're my dog." Pride stated factually with a grin.
"I... because I didn't have my debt absolved I..." Otto looked down in horror, "I became a slave. Your slave."
"I... I...." Otto didn't know what to say, to think he'd be reduced to that. his own morals shattered as a Sin Archbishop's slave.
"Yeah, you were a nice dog. So don't go thinking you have all of these morals when you've cleaned up corpses. Some corpses you ended up cleaning up might have belonged to some of the people here." Pride taunted him.
"You are admitting these things without much worry, Pride. Don't you think some of us here might start to restrain you and stop you from returning to your previous acts." Crusch told him steely.
".... You, stop me from helping Emilia-tan?" Pride looked down for a few seconds, almost looking quiet, "You know I would genuinely kill you all if any of you tried something like that."
"You could never kill us by yourself."
Pride grinned.
"I promise you I'll find a way."
And he was telling the truth.
"Hah! If you think that you can defeat mineself then you shall be surely mistaken. How about I eliminate your weak life here?" Priscilla taunted haughtily, "You and that half-wit you talk about in your world mean nothing."
"I'm somewhat inclined to agree with her, Natsuki-kun. I don't think that you can harm any of us when we are all together. I think you are overestimating your strength."
"Subaru, your crimes... if needed, I will stop you here."
The rest let him know that too, talking with varying degrees of certainty. All of them asked him to not be too hasty and think about it.
Pride took a breath and looked downwards, then he looked up.
"You all said you can eliminate me, right? To stop me? I challenge you to try that. Try to stop me. You won't be able to do that. Maybe you will kill me once, but I know that I'll get you right where I want you. The difference is, though, that when I get to you there will be nothing of you left. There is nothing you can do to stop me from coming at you loop after loop with the most evil actions there are. You will lose this fight. Every ounce of training, effort and experience you gained will mean nothing against me. All of it will just be a waste of the time you would have left." Pride smiled, his tone never changing from calmness.
His tone was unnaturally calm.
He sounded serene.
"You should kill yourselves before I get to you."
Priscilla stayed quiet, her hands shook ever so slightly.
Terror.
His tone of sincerity and honesty was precisely as expected.
He would genuinely do that.
Fear.
Horror.
Everyone was now scared. Horrified at this man who simply spoke the truth.
It wasn't a possibility.
It was a certainty.
And none of them could avoid him.
"Maybe I'll let you all go if you bark for me and proclaim Emilia-tan as the greatest! Maybe I'll let you all out of my grasp. Who knows? Maybe I won't make you repeat the same actions loop after loop if some of you quit."
"It's coming to an end, Pride."
The voice of the warden came out.
"Oh, so that's your warden." Pride commented, "Hey."
He waved to him.
"Pride won't be doing any of that. He'll be leaving soon enough anyway."
The warden spoke, to which Pride just nodded.
"Fair enough. I did learn some useful things today. I gotta get right back to practice." Pride looked forward to it.
"Is that all you live for? To make people suffer for your 'Emilia'?!" Felt demanded to know, her voice quivering in fear.
"It's what I do best," Pride confirmed.
"B-But I don't want that! I don't want any of it! Please, Subaru, remember what you wanted to be when you first came to our world!" Emilia decided to plead once last time, "You wanted to be a hero!"
For once, Pride stayed silent and his gaze was cast downwards.
And for once, his tone was genuine and heartfelt, "Emilia-tan, I was never supposed to be a hero. Ever. I'm a monster that just wants to see you happy. The kindness you showed me was everything and I won't stop until I repay you with all I can. I love you! I really love you!"
His tone turned obsessive, his grin sad and maniacal at the same time.
It was a contradiction.
"That's why I won't stop. Not now, not ever. I'll be the villain that the world needs so you can rise up. That's why I'll never quit, I'll make sure you get there." Pride grinned at them.
They wanted to hide in a hole to escape him.
'....I... can't I do something to him?' Reinhard wondered desperately, 'Can I even do something? Can I even beat Return by Death? It'll just be an endless cycle.'
No one had anything positive to say to him.
'You're so perfect, Subaru-kun. I could not help but stand her
"Goodbye, Subaru. I hope you regain some of your former self." Crusch was the only one with some level of pity as she comforted Felix.
"I... Subaru-kun... I don't know but... I hope you can become better, even if it's too late." Rem spoke somberly.
"Subaru... please, it won't be the way for you to earn my love. Not like this." Emilia spoke somberly, hoping that it wouldn't be futile.
Pride just sighed, "I'm not worthy of any of it to begin with. I love you, I don't expect the same you to reciprocate those feelings."
None forgave him, none gave him, please. They just told him to be better while some didn't have the guts to say anything more.
Pride just listened but in the end, shook his head.
"It's time."
"Well, time to get right back to it." Pride muttered.
And with that, Pride vanished.
And the terror, somehow, did not vanish with him.