[ "GRAAAAHHH!" The Sword Demon charged, and after a full-power slash, Petelgeuse Romanee-Conti was cut in two.
"It's… over, right?"
"If this isn't over, then even little Felix might start believing in nonsense like the Witch's Affection. He's completely dead. The Royal Capital's top healing mage can vouch for it." ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"Naturally, it's not truly over, nyaa. Little Felix is still there saying 'completely dead,' even though that body is indeed dead."
Ferris, off-screen, spoke in a cheerful tone, but his expression was clearly not happy.
This time, due to various information discrepancies, it would lead to a Return by Death.
"Next… the madman Petelgeuse will surely possess a 'Finger,' won't he?"
Yuriusu said.
—
[ "We've finished checking the cave. Those people inside are very pitiful, all crushed under rocks."
"Oh, perfect! Perfect, perfect! All squashed flat!"
On screen, Tivey and Mimi finished checking the cave that had been buried by the roar earlier.
Then, Tivey touched Petelgeuse's corpse.
"Hmm, doesn't seem to be carrying anything good… What's this?" Tivey pulled out a Gospel.
"Ah! That thing, it's probably the book Petelgeuse called the 'Gospel'." Subaru replied.
"Whoa! This is a Gospel? Ugh, I touched it!"
Tivey immediately threw it away in disgust.
"I admit its owner is creepy, but you shouldn't just throw books around, even suspicious ones."
Subaru said as he picked up the Gospel, then opened it and flipped through it. ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"Whoa, don't touch that, Natsuki-san!"
Otto said from off-screen.
"Should I call it brave, or ignorant fearlessness…"
Yuriusu murmured.
Everyone off-screen collectively considered it evil and filthy.
"Can't be helped, I suppose. Lil'Bro is a foreigner; he doesn't understand how much the 'Gospel' is hated by everyone in this world."
Al said.
—
[ "The enemies here are all killed. I wonder if everyone else has killed the other enemies. Maybe we should go back and check. Hey, time to go back! Time to go back!"
Mimi on screen urged.
"But it shouldn't be this smooth… This is something I did. Don't you remember how many times the results of my efforts have been betrayed so far? How could it be this smooth… It must be some kind of trap…" Subaru put the Gospel in his pocket and said cautiously.
"Why are you so suspicious, nyaa! Let's go quickly, there's still a lot to do, right?"
"Hmm… He wouldn't revive once we look away, would he?"
"Big Brother is too annoying, just to be safe!" Mimi said, extending her staff and casting magic, blowing Petelgeuse's corpse to smithereens. ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"After all he's been through, a little caution is understandable."
Anastasia said from off-screen.
"But since he's confirmed dead, isn't it unnecessary to do that?"
Ferris said.
Seeing that few people objected, Al couldn't help but retort:
"Why do you people from other worlds all think this way? You just don't want to finish them off, do you?"
Al was very confused.
How many incidents in those other-world works happened because they didn't finish them off? It's a classic trope.
They still haven't learned their lesson.
"Oh, the operation went smoothly."
Puck said.
—
[ On screen, Subaru reunited with Yuriusu and the others, then repeated the method of Subaru luring and the subjugation party ambushing.
It seemed to go very smoothly.
Then, everyone discovered something strange.
In one area, the Iron Fang members were completely wiped out, almost utterly crushed. ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"This is… indeed."
Anastasia froze for a moment at the tragic state of her mercenary group, then realized.
It was Petelgeuse.
—
[ "Get down!" Subaru shouted.
The next instant, Wilhelm, Yuriusu, and the others immediately reacted, lowering their bodies.
And those who didn't squat down in time…
"Ah—"
They "flew" into the air, a chunk of their throat torn out, dying on the spot. ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"It's the 'Unseen Hand'!"
Felt exclaimed from off-screen.
Those sacrificed warriors didn't actually fly into the air; they were grabbed by the Unseen Hand, then had their throats torn open.
"Isn't this number a bit bad?"
Otto said.
At first glance, there must be dozens of them, possibly around thirty.
"Are so many hands going to deal with the subjugation party? Ah no, Boss!"
"Subaru?!"
Garfiel, Emilia, Beatrice, Rem, and the others became worried.
Because it seemed the target of the Unseen Hands was Natsuki Subaru.
—
[ "Huh?" Subaru's nape was grabbed by an Unseen Hand, and then he was carried away.
"Damn it! Subaru—" Yuriusu's figure gradually became smaller.
It seemed Yuriusu wanted to save Subaru, but the Witch Cultists rushed out from the side.
The subjugation party had to deal with the Witch Cultists first.
"Damn it. Let go… Let go of me!" Subaru flailed his limbs, trying to break free, but it was naturally in vain.
Then, his back hit a large tree, stopping there.
"Cough, damn it! Just who, where did this guy come from…"
"Ah—my brain, it's, trembling."
A female voice rang out.
A young woman with red hair and a face full of freckles walked closer, step by step. ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"This… I remember her, it's her."
Yuriusu said from off-screen.
In the world he saw before, the one where Subaru had gradually entered middle age and vowed to kill Petelgeuse.
This woman had appeared.
"Then what should we do now?"
Otto asked Yuriusu.
"Ricardo-sama, Wilhelm-sama, and other strong individuals are there; they'll rush over quickly after dealing with the Witch Cultists."
Yuriusu said.
Then…
"Ah…"
Why did I just remember?
In my memory, Subaru had once said with a bitter smile that he was also a possession target.
How did Subaru know? Naturally, it was…
Yuriusu's expression became grave.
—
[ "You, and… Petelgeuse, what, is, your, relationship? Quickly, let go…"
"…I am, a 'Finger'!" As always, Petelgeuse spoke various insane words.
Then he, or she, rummaged for something in her bosom.
"…Gospel! My guidepost! My Gospel! It's not in my hands now! Ah, I know! My Gospel, my guidepost of love! It must have been, taken by you, by you, by you, by you!"
She lunged at Subaru.
Then…
"Spirit!" A red spirit, or rather, a quasi-spirit arrived, and a ray of light spread out.
Petelgeuse seemed extremely flustered.
Subaru also broke free from the Unseen Hand and fell. ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"What is this?"
Emilia asked.
"It seems I came to… ah, no."
Yuriusu initially thought he had come to save Subaru, but that was not the case.
—
[ "I can't just leave that guy alone. But, I need combat power comparable to Wilhelm-san to fight her! She is…" Subaru seemed to have intended to use this opportunity to escape, but felt it would be too much of a waste to let her go.
"…Do you have any orders, Subaru-dono?" As soon as Subaru said that, Wilhelm arrived. ]
.....