"Emilia, get away from him, now Emilia," Natsuki Subaru's voice cracked with fear as he lunged forward, trying to stop what was happening. His instincts screamed that something was terribly wrong. But it was already too late.
With a slight exertion of strength, Lucien pulled Emilia into his arms. The next instant the sound came, the sickening rupture of flesh, and a hand pushed through her chest, the blade appearing at her back.
"Liya," Lucien murmured.
"Lady Emilia," Puck and Rem gasped in horror; they could not believe their eyes.
"Bastard," Subaru bellowed, his face flushed with rage, veins bulging. He kicked fiercely at Lucien's head, his foot connecting with a force born of desperation.
If only he had known sooner, he thought. If he had acted earlier, perhaps he could have saved her.
A blur of motion, and Lucien was already ten meters away, Emilia in his arms. His right hand seemed like a ravenous maw as it began drawing the life from her body.
Puck, driven by pure fury, transformed into a feral form, his fangs and claws losing all cuteness as shards of ice rained from his hands.
Rem charged forward, a glowing demon horn emerging from her forehead.
Lucien merely flicked his fingers. Invisible air bullets formed and erupted outward, instantly dispersing the first wave of attacks.
Emilia's body withered rapidly. With a resounding thud, she crashed to the ground, turning into nothing but ashes.
"Emilia," Subaru, Puck, and Rem cried out as one, frozen in shock and rage.
Lucien activated the luminous screen, but there was no confirmation of Emilia's death. His experiment had failed once again. If he could not truly kill Subaru, then killing even key supporting characters meant nothing.
"I will save you, Emilia," Subaru whispered through clenched teeth.
Subaru leapt toward Lucien, recklessly throwing himself forward, seeking death in hopes of triggering his Return by Death ability.
Lucien did not hesitate. With the slightest movement, the air shrieked, and Subaru's body flew back, his forehead pierced through.
Suddenly the sky darkened, a frigid wind howling, and a huge shadow loomed, massive claws slicing down.
Then Lucien blinked. He was back in the tavern, staring at the ceiling, the softness of Elsa beside him. He sat up, rubbing his forehead as fragmented memories sorted themselves into clarity.
He opened the screen. Another day of his lifespan was gone.
This was the third failure.
It was now undeniably clear: if Subaru was not truly killed, then killing other major characters had no effect.
Unless Subaru somehow did not activate Return by Death.
But how far did that ability reach? Did it reset events only around Subaru, the entire kingdom, or even the whole world?
The implications were terrifying.
"Master?" Elsa's violet-amber eyes blinked open.
The silk sheets fell away. Lucien ignored Elsa, standing naked by the window, watching the world outside as he lit a cigar, smoke curling in the cool morning air.
After finishing the cigar, Lucien was gone from the window.
When he arrived at the village the fourth time, he was in the body of a middle-aged man, not a child. Subaru's vigilance would be even stronger now.
The next day, Lucien waited for Subaru and Rem. Emilia and Puck did not join them this time.
From a distance he could see Subaru's face tightened in unease. Subaru had planned to skip the village visit, but Rem insisted. After a few moments of hesitation, he followed her.
This time, Subaru swore he would find the culprit.
Why were people transforming like this?
"Stop." Subaru suddenly called out as a group of children surrounded Lucien.
Subaru blocked Rem to keep the kids back, his gaze scanning them intensively, trying to identify Lucien.
Both Rem and the children were startled by Subaru's fierce tone.
"What are you doing?" Lucien asked calmly as he approached, carrying a hoe, clearly heading to work in the fields.
"Go play somewhere else," he told the children, and they scattered.
Lucien nodded at Rem and passed right by Subaru, who was so focused on the fleeing children that he did not notice Lucien carrying the hoe.
Suddenly Subaru felt sharp pain in his neck, then saw Rem's alarmed face as he flew backward.
Before him was a headless corpse, blood pooling around it. It was undeniably Subaru's own body.
He spun, hitting the ground hard, still hearing Rem's scream.
"I'm back again," Lucien said as he stood by the window, memories becoming clearer far faster this time. His fourth attempt had also failed.
Meanwhile at Roswaal's mansion, Subaru jerked awake in his bed, clutching his head in agony.
What was happening? Who was this other person? Someone who could transform into others freely — adults, children — was it one person or a group?
And why were they targeting him?
After four loops it was clear: this adversary wanted him gone.
This time, they ignored Rem entirely.
He could not go back to the village.
His forehead drenched in cold sweat, Subaru decided the village was a trap like a beast waiting to devour him.
But at lunchtime, Rem once again suggested they visit the village.
Subaru could only watch helplessly as Ram and Rem left the mansion the next day.
He could not let them walk into danger.
"Ram and Rem are in mortal danger," Subaru whispered as he entered Betty's Forbidden Library.
Betty stared at him as though he were mad.
Meanwhile in the village, Lucien had disguised himself as an old woman.
He still refused to accept that killing Subaru was impossible.
Subaru was challenging his limits directly.
Lucien regretted missing the arc when Subaru first transmigrated; it would have made acting in the world far simpler.
As for the mansion arc, it was more troublesome because of Roswaal, Puck, and Betty. The upcoming Royal Capital arc and White Whale arc would be even more complicated.
After much thought, Lucien decided he must eliminate Subaru here, in the beginner village.
So far he had found no suspects aside from Subaru himself.
This was the best opportunity; later arcs would only bring more chaos.
Lucien narrowed his eyes as he watched Ram and Rem walking down the path.
Subaru was not with them.
Was it an ambush?
Lucien was wary of Roswaal, Betty, and Puck. If they unleashed their full strength, the fight could be very difficult.
Their magic was unpredictable.
Lucien did not have many tricks, but if he was truly powerful, he could break through spells with sheer force alone.
Like a certain bald man.
____
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