Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-, Vol. 6 Read online

  Copyright

  RE:ZERO Vol. 6

  TAPPEI NAGATSUKI

  Translation by Jeremiah Bourque

  Cover art by Shinichirou Otsuka

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

  RE:ZERO KARA HAJIMERU ISEKAI SEIKATSU

  © TAPPEI NAGATSUKI / Shinichirou Otsuka 2015

  First published in Japan in 2015 by KADOKAWA CORPORATION, Tokyo.

  English translation rights reserved by YEN PRESS, LLC under the license from KADOKAWA CORPORATION, Tokyo, through Tuttle-Mori Agency, Inc., Tokyo.

  English translation © 2018 by Yen Press, LLC

  Yen Press, LLC supports the right to free expression and the value of copyright. The purpose of copyright is to encourage writers and artists to produce the creative works that enrich our culture.

  The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book without permission is a theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like permission to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), please contact the publisher. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.

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  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Names: Nagatsuki, Tappei, 1987– author. | Otsuka, Shinichirou, illustrator. | ZephyrRz, translator. | Bourque, Jeremiah, translator.

  Title: Re:ZERO starting life in another world / Tappei Nagatsuki ; illustration by Shinichirou Otsuka ; translation by ZephyrRz ; translation by Bourque, Jeremiah

  Other titles: Re:ZERO kara hajimeru isekai seikatsu. English

  Description: First Yen On edition. | New York, NY : Yen On, 2016– | Audience: Ages 13 & up.

  Identifiers: LCCN 2016031562 | ISBN 9780316315302 (v. 1 : pbk.) | ISBN 9780316398374 (v. 2 : pbk.) | ISBN 9780316398404 (v. 3 : pbk.) | ISBN 9780316398428 (v. 4 : pbk.) | ISBN 9780316398459 (v. 5 : pbk.) | ISBN 9780316398473 (v. 6 : pbk.)

  Subjects: | CYAC: Science fiction. | Time travel—Fiction.

  Classification: LCC PZ7.1.N34 Re 2016 | DDC [Fic]—dc23

  LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016031562

  ISBNs: 978-0-316-39847-3 (paperback)

  978-0-316-39848-0 (ebook)

  E3-20180131-JV-PC

  CHAPTER 1

  IMMATURE NEGOTIATIONS

  1

  Right now, the Return by Death phenomenon was on the third series of loops from Subaru’s point of view.

  The first set concerned the loops related to the badge-theft incident on the day of his summoning.

  The second was centered around the demon beast attack on Roswaal Manor.

  “This is the third one… I’ve died twice already, and what do I have to show for it?!”

  In the previous loops, Subaru had pieced things together from information gleaned over several run-throughs of Return by Death, managing to break out of seemingly impossible situations. Yet this time, Subaru had blundered to his “death” not once but twice; he didn’t even have the full picture of what had happened in each loop that led to his death.

  But even with such paltry gains from Return by Death, he’d gained one, and only one, solid piece of information.

  “Petelgeuse Romanée-Conti…!”

  He, the commander of the oddballs in the Witch Cult, was the root cause of the entire tragedy that had befallen the village and mansion. Eradicating that abominable madman was now the driving force behind all of Subaru’s actions.

  To escape from the loop, he needed to cast a very wide net and dredge the depths of his memory.

  —The hatred that Subaru had accrued from his first and second deaths stoked the flames of his bloodlust.

  “First, I need to figure out how much time I actually have.”

  The Witch Cult raid on the mansion and village had taken place in the preceding half a day before Subaru had reached the village. Pathetic details of his second death aside, Subaru had arrived in the village at more or less the same time.

  “Working backward from that, I have at most five d… No, four and a half days?”

  Upon voicing the words, Subaru ground his teeth at just how little time it was. When considering how long it took to travel from the royal capital to the mansion, that didn’t leave him more than two days. In that limited interval, he had to stop the Witch Cult—by wringing Petelgeuse’s neck.

  “I can cry about it later… Next is figuring out the victory condition for breaking out of these loops.”

  An absolutely unavoidable tragedy would unfold at the mansion and the village, and the Witch Cult was responsible. The only answer that Subaru could come up with in response to his current fate—

  “I’m going to butcher Petelgeuse.”

  By putting an end to that crafty murderer, that madman, the root of all evil, everything could be saved.

  And clearing that simple condition required an equally simple solution—in other words, power.

  Subaru needed a group of his own to face the Witch Cult under Petelgeuse’s command. When he considered that, the military might of the Emilia faction was actually quite meager. In the first place, Subaru had never seen a hint of private troops under the command of Roswaal.

  Perhaps Roswaal himself was so powerful that he didn’t need an army to defend his territory.

  “Come to think of it, where the hell was Roswaal during the attack…?”

  Subaru hadn’t caught sight of him during his first or second time through the current series of loops. The magic user was gaudy in both appearance and fighting methods; if he’d fought seriously, there would have been clear evidence around the mansion. But no such signs were apparent.

  “The Witch Cult attacks right when Roswaal’s away? Or maybe Roswaal couldn’t fight because he was assassinated out of the blue?”

  If it was the latter, then the Witch Cult had been meticulous, and if it was the former, Roswaal had truly dropped the ball. Subaru could only sigh either way.

  “…Besides, I still don’t know anything about that monster that wrecked the mansion at the end of my second time around.”

  He recalled the sight of the four-legged beast he had caught a glimpse of right before his death, so massive that the creature could have been mistaken for a mansion itself. Its breath froze everything around it; no doubt Subaru had died from the freezing cold. If that monster was part of the Witch Cult’s arsenal…

  “I really don’t have enough strength to put up a fight.”

  Barring his way were the Witch’s disciples, Petelgeuse, and quite possibly that snow-breathing monster as well. The balance of power simply put Subaru at an overwhelming disadvantage. He needed a way to bolster his side.

  —And Subaru knew just the place for that.

  2

  After dropping by the shops and stalls along Merchant’s Street, running through the middle strata of the royal capital, Subaru and Rem arrived back at Crusch’s mansion right on the cusp of evening. Holding each other’s hands under a sky gradually beco
ming scarlet, they were greeted by Wilhelm at the front gate.

  “I see you have returned.”

  The aged gentleman, dressed in long-sleeve, formal black clothing, narrowed his blue eyes as he saw the two of them nestled so close.

  “Sir Subaru, I believe it is the nature of a boy to have a fickle heart, but as an individual, I cannot approve.”

  “What are you talkin’ about, Wilhelm? I’m just holding Rem’s hand so I don’t get lost. Isn’t that right, Rem?”

  “Yes, of course it is. Subaru’s sense of caution is rather lacking, so I would be too worried about what might happen were I to take my eyes and hands off him. Even when we were at the mansion, I couldn’t let my guard down.”

  “Er, I think that might be overstating it just a little…”

  Subaru and Rem lightheartedly responded to Wilhelm’s remark. Subaru smiled weakly after hearing Rem’s seemingly earnest reply as he shifted his gaze to the area in front of the mansion’s entrance.

  “Seems like someone’s meeting with Crusch again?”

  He was looking at the dragon carriage outside the iron-barred front gate as he posed the question.

  The carriage lacked showy ornamentation but was still somewhat refined, no doubt to display the owner’s status. Subaru saw that the red land dragon drawing it along had a very glossy-scaled hide. The driver, wearing formal clothes of his own, did not engage in pleasantries beyond a simple acknowledgment with his eyes.

  “Correct. Now that she is participating in the royal selection, Lady Crusch cannot refuse those who request an audience with her. Of course, she invited some of them herself.”

  “Guess all sorts come out of the woodwork to meet with a potential future king. Well, I guess even people like that have their own problems…”

  Wilhelm broke into a wan smile as Subaru briskly stated the facts. But then, the old man’s face twitched. His blue eyes peered into Subaru’s, seemingly searching for something.

  “Sir Subaru. Have you had some change of heart while you were away?”

  “Ehh? What is it all of a sudden? Did I become a lady-killer in the two or three hours I was gone?”

  “You wear the visage of a man haunted by an ordeal…and one of no small consequence.”

  Subaru responded to the words with nonchalance, but his expression changed. It shifted from a vague smile to a “real” one.

  “Oh, Wilhelm, you big kidder. What, you think I went through some kind of weird transformation?”

  “It is difficult for me to call it a minor change. There must be a reason why there is now such a dark glint in your eyes— I understand better than most.”

  As the man nodded, Subaru realized that he had never taken a good look at Wilhelm’s eyes. Wilhelm was an individual seething with hatred against someone for some unforgivable sin, which was no doubt why he had noticed the flames of hatred burning within Subaru.

  “Are you…going to kick me out?”

  “No. It is no doubt best to let you do what you wish, Sir Subaru. I much prefer you as you are now, rather than how you were but a short time ago.”

  The two exchanged dark smiles. Though neither shared what tormented him on the inside, they understood each other at least on the surface.

  “Subaru. You are making a bad face.”

  “Hee-hee-hee… Er, ow, ow, ow! Hey, Rem! You’ll tear it off…!”

  The pair’s excessively dark exchange was interrupted when Rem painfully pulled on Subaru’s ear.

  “Please do not give me reasons to worry.”

  “Hey, it’s super rare for you to ask for something, but you’re being way too vague. In any case, you can relax. I’ll deal with everything from here on out, somehow.”

  Rem, unable to keep track of the conversation, had grown concerned. Subaru poured as much affection as he could into a smile.

  Now that he knew what he needed to do, Subaru didn’t feel apprehensive at all.

  —After all, it was reassuring to know that the only thing he had to do was murder someone.

  So Subaru wondered why Rem’s face seemed even more concerned than before. Her eyes showed her hesitation, but just before she said something…

  “It would appear that the guest will be taking his leave.”

  As Wilhelm murmured, a man exited the mansion’s entry hall and began striding toward them. He was a tall man with long blond hair, clad in formal clothing with sophisticated trimmings. He was probably thirty years old, give or take. He had an air of capability about him.

  The man casually acknowledged their gazes as he reached the front of the gate, touching the well-groomed beard on his chin.

  “My, my. What unusual people.”

  The visitor’s smile was warm, his manner of speaking was gentle, and he had a low, beautiful voice that seemed to naturally filter into people’s minds. He gave them a friendly look, but Subaru did not recognize him. Naturally, this brought furrows to the young man’s brow.

  “Ahh, pardon my rudeness. I am called Russel Fellow. I hope we can see more of each other in the future…Subaru Natsuki.”

  “…Thank you kindly. Incidentally, how do you know my name? Someone give it to you? Anonymity is more my speed, so if my name gets around, I’ll be too embarrassed to go about my business.”

  “Just a little something I heard through the grapevine. After all, you are a famous man who declared himself the knight of Lady Emilia, candidate at the royal selection conference. That being said, few are aware that this very person is currently staying at Lady Crusch’s residence.”

  Subaru was guarded, but Russel displayed no ill will on his face. Even so, Subaru was cautious of what might be hidden in the reply. The man seemed to be intentionally engaging him in a verbal joust, which made it hard for Subaru to like him.

  The atmosphere was steadily worsening when Wilhelm briskly interrupted with an aside.

  “Mr. Russel. Did your meeting with Lady Crusch go well?”

  Russel shrugged and shook his head.

  “Unfortunately, no. Lady Crusch is a remarkably strict person. She turns rather sharp eyes toward us, as she is quite strict in her views. Judging from events to date, swaying her will not be easy.”

  “Is that so? How unfortunate. If you have not yielded, it will be difficult to make others agree.”

  “With a noble title and you on her side, I think it is the other candidates I should pity, Mr. Wilhelm… You call yourself Wilhelm Trias now, yes?”

  Wilhelm nodded in response to Russel’s words, lowering his deeply wrinkled face. “As I am now, nothing good will come from invoking the name of my wife’s family.”

  “You are very strict as well, so much so that I am mightily impressed as someone who cannot live in the same fashion. That being said, allow me to cheer on your side.”

  The conversation, which was inscrutable from the outside, came to an end, and Russel walked to the dragon carriage in front of the gate. Then, just before climbing in, he looked back and said, “Should Lady Crusch succeed in her current endeavors, we would feel nothing but delight. It would help achieve your great ambition as well, Mr. Wilhelm. I have high hopes.”

  With that, Russel climbed aboard the dragon carriage. Wordlessly, the driver saluted and spurred the land dragon to a run. Like the man holding the reins, the land dragon was very unsociable and surprisingly silent as it galloped away.

  Subaru watched the dragon carriage fade into the distance as he asked Wilhelm about the visitor.

  “Wilhelm, who was that guy?”

  “Russel Fellow, treasurer for the Merchant’s Guild operating here in the royal capital. In name, he is a merchant like any other, but he is a crafty manipulator of both legitimate and unscrupulous movements of goods in the capital. It would be wise to assume he knows more about you than simply your name, Sir Subaru.”

  “Eww. It’s downright creepy to have an older man interested in me instead of a girl.”

  “Mm, I share that sentiment. Now, then—”

  After his resp
onse to Subaru’s casual banter, Wilhelm turned to face them once more.

  “Mr. Russel was the last visitor for today. I had thought to finally head in, but…did you have something you wished to discuss, Sir Subaru?”

  Subaru scratched his face, feeling awkward about throwing off Wilhelm’s plans. That said, beating around the bush wasn’t going to help anything.

  “Sorry, but I’m the last visitor for today. I want to have a talk with Crusch—the topic is…whether she could lend me a hand with something.”

  3

  “That you are my final visitor for today is an amusing turn of events.”

  Heedless of the fact that her schedule had gone awry, Crusch responded with a good-humored smile.

  Dressed in male attire, Crusch was sitting heavily in a chair in the reception room with her legs elegantly crossed. She stroked her deep-green hair, her amber eyes narrowing as her gaze pierced his chest.

  Subaru thought her sharp look would have bowled over his old self in an instant. Now, with Rem at his side, he didn’t feel nervous at all facing her like this.

  In the meantime, Ferris stood behind Crusch, his feline ears twitching as he glared at Subaru in obvious dismay.

  “Fortunately, there is a break in my schedule between now and supper. I am able to humor you without any issues until then.”

  “Since mew asked out of the blue, this is the only time she has available, meow. The depth of Lady Crusch’s indulgence should make mew bow your head to the ground in gratitude, Subawuuu.”

  “Do not be concerned. I need no thanks nor groveling.”

  “Oh my, Lady Crusch. Your gallantry and generosity are making me fall for you even more… I’m in love!”

  Ferris and Crusch engaged in their usual game where the master rebuked her servant for his attitude.

  “Beating around the bush won’t solve anything, and I don’t think you like that stuff, anyway.”

  Subaru needed to be careful how he broached the topic, but a roundabout discussion would only draw Crusch’s ire.

  “You sought this audience. I shall let you start— What is it you want?”