Re:Zero - Starting from Zero (Natsuki Subaru)

……

Echidna chuckled softly.

"All of this has been made public."

"In that case, isn't it about time I looked at some new possibilities?"

Echidna looked up at the sky, as if she were speaking to the sky itself.

Although it's unclear whether Tianmu can hear it.

[Subaru Natsuki, the Desire Man: ...tsk]

[Sloth Natsuki Subaru: So this is how it turned out? What if I had made a different choice?]

[Sloth Natsuki Subaru: But back then, I really did my best; everything was beyond my control.]

[Arrogant Natsuki Subaru: Hmph...]

[Gluttony Natsuki Subaru: This is a hero, this is Natsuki Subaru...]

[Gluttony - Subaru Natsuki: But why? The more I understand the heroes, the more I understand Subaru Natsuki, the further I feel from finding the real Subaru Natsuki...?]

[Angry Natsuki Subaru: What on earth is going on...?]

……

The sky curtain.

"What exactly is this place?"

Natsuki Subaru looked around and realized that it was indeed exactly the same classroom as he remembered.

"You are qualified for the trial, and you have entered the grave."

"So the trial has begun, nothing more."

"Didn't you hear me? First, you have to confront your past."

Echidna said this.

"I'm starting to remember, what exactly did you do to me?"

I've completely forgotten about you.

Subaru asked.

"Since we trust you to keep the secret, it's more straightforward to manipulate your memories."

Subaru Natsuki didn't care about Echidna's words.

"So, does that mean I've passed the trial?"

"As someone who witnessed the whole process, I believe you have delivered a satisfactory result."

Echidna smiled.

"Everything happened...to you!"

Subaru Natsuki's face flushed slightly.

Echidna deliberately imitated Subaru Natsuki's crying tone.

"sorry!"

Because it was a deliberate imitation, you could hear the mockery in it.

"Seeing this, I couldn't help but get teary-eyed," Echidna said.

"Don't tell anyone else, it's so embarrassing!!" Natsuki Subaru shouted.

"Speaking of which, is this world...?" Natsuki Subaru quickly changed the subject and asked.

"Yes, this place is built based on your memories."

"A fictional world that is reproduced as it is to the greatest extent possible."

"Including your parents and everything else." Echidna stared into Subaru's eyes.

"Is it really everything?"

Subaru asked.

"I also heard a lot of things I didn't know."

"You really don't know those things?" Echidna countered.

"Regarding the image of your father, which differs from your understanding."

"Did you really never have a single doubt?"

"Those things you thought you were hiding in your heart, do you really want to completely cover them up?"

Echidna appeared behind Subaru Natsuki at some point and said this.

"A genuine desire to be understood by others."

Echidna reappeared at the very back of the classroom.

"And the selfish desire for those who understand you to still love you."

"Didn't you ever pursue your fictional father or your delusional mother?" Echidna sat down on the podium again.

"Do you dare to make such a statement?" Echidna whispered in Subaru's ear again.

"That's far too idealistic and too opportunistic."

"Don't you think so?" Echidna laughed.

"Don't look down on my parents, Echidna," Natsuki Subaru said calmly.

"What's wrong?" Echidna asked.

"I have given my complete answer."

"My father and mother accepted all of this."

"They cheered me on and wished me a safe journey."

"Their words, their smiles, everything about them completely shattered my imagination."

"My parents were strongmen beyond the capacity of my meager imagination."

Subaru Natsuki stood with his hands on his hips, looking intently at Echidna.

Don't underestimate them!

"I have told them everything I feel for them."

"I will absolutely not be fooled by your words."

Echidna's expression changed for a moment, then she gave a helpless chuckle.

Echidna turned around.

"This trial is truly over."

"I'm really looking forward to the next question."

Echidna walked to the window and looked at the scenery outside.

"Next question? What? There's more than one trial?!" Natsuki Subaru asked in surprise.

"There are three trials in total for the tomb."

"To liberate the Sanctuary, one must overcome all the trials."

"I'm so happy that I can finally talk to you about this."

Echidna smiled.

"Seeing you so surprised makes my heart flutter too."

At that moment, everything around them began to gradually disappear.

"Things have begun to disappear. Once you leave here, you will return to where you were before," Echidna said.

"Hey, Echidna," Subaru Natsuki suddenly said.

"What's wrong? Do you want to punch me again?"

"You certainly have that right, but I'm a woman, and my face..." Echidna didn't turn to look at Subaru.

Subaru Natsuki interrupted Echidna: "Thank you."

Natsuki Subaru thanked him earnestly.

"Even if those two people aren't real people, even if the two people in reality didn't hear what I said."

"Thanks to you, I was able to say what I wanted to say."

"So, thank you."

Natsuki Subaru smiled and thanked him, his sincerity seemingly genuine.

Echidna was stunned for a moment, completely unexpected that Subaru Natsuki was serious and would actually say that.

"You're a really hard person to understand, and you're quite intriguing."

"It's even a little scary," Echidna commented.

"It's my honor to terrify the Witch-sama," Natsuki Subaru said with a smile and a shrug.

Natsuki Subaru turned and walked outside.

"By the way, you seem quite excited for me to take on the next trial."

"I can't meet your expectations."

Subaru Natsuki said.

"So that means?" Echidna asked.

"It is not my duty to liberate the Sanctuary through trials."

"There will be someone else who fulfills your expectations."

These were the last words Natsuki Subaru left behind.

Echidna looked at Subaru Natsuki helplessly.

"That's not necessarily true," Echidna said.

Everything before his eyes began to disappear, and when Natsuki Subaru opened his eyes again, he found himself back in the ruins.

After Natsuki Subaru woke up, he was stunned for a moment before he realized that he had accepted the trial.

Natsuki Subaru had just come to his senses when he saw Emilia standing to the side, looking pained.

Oh right, I remember now.

I only came in because I saw that Emilia, who had entered the Relics Challenge Trial, seemed to have encountered some problems.

Emilia had already passed the trial, but she still collapsed to the ground in pain.

What exactly happened?

Subaru Natsuki tried to stroke Emilia's pained face.

I thought this would make Emilia feel better, but Emilia opened her eyes and curled up in even more pain.

"Emilia, cheer up!"

"Emilia!"