"Emilia-sama, is everything to your comfort? Is there anything you would like me to bring for you?"
"No, thank you, Rem. I am fine as I am,"
Emilia occupied the foremost carriage of the evacuation caravan, a position that, while not the safest due to her being the primary target, she insisted on maintaining.
Rem was keeping a lookout on things around here, all the while attending to her lady's needs.
"As you wish. If you need anything, please do not hesitate to summon Rem." She bowed and began to turn away.
However, she did not get far. "Rem, before you leave, can I ask you something?" Emilia called out from behind her.
"Of course! What's on your mind, Emilia-sama?" Rem replied, though she felt a twinge of concern when she noticed Emilia's downcast expression.
"It's about Subaru. Did he… Have a good time in the capital? Did he run into any trouble?" Emilia inquired.
"…Why do you want to know?" Rem asked, sounding a bit hesitant, but Emilia didn't pick up on it.
Emilia bit her lip, "Well… it's just that… When we briefly talked, Subaru didn't seem like himself, he looked… Nervous? I'm not sure, but I'm really worried he might be upset with me for leaving him behind in the capital."
That thought lingered in her mind—whether Subaru was angry with her or not. She hoped he wasn't, even though she knew she deserved it.
'Ah, so that's what's bothering Emilia-sama,' Rem realized, finally understanding Emilia's concern.
She felt a sense of relief that her lady was concerned about her hero's well-being. Although she had a hint of jealousy over another woman's worry for Subaru-kun, she was nevertheless happier that someone cared for him so deeply.
Additionally, she was pleased to avoid discussing the knights' ambush in the capital. She really wanted to inform Emilia and her Nee-sama about it, but Subaru had specifically asked her to stay silent, assuring her that he would share the news himself.
She smiled reassuringly at Emilia, "Emilia-sama, you shouldn't worry too much. Subaru-kun had a good time in the capital and was looking forward to meeting you again."
"Really? You think so?" Emilia asked, her eyes hopeful..
Rem nodded affirmatively. "Yes. Subaru-kun accepted your punishment with grace; he's not upset with you at all. In fact, he wants to apologize to you for his mistake. So if Emilia-sama is still worried, then she should talk with Subaru-kun to clear the air, " She thought it best not to mention the need for a deeper conversation.
Emilia slowly nodded, contemplating, 'So Subaru isn't mad at me, even if I do deserve it. Thank goodness!'
"I understand, thank you for your advice, Rem. You've reeeeally eased my worries," she said, beaming at Rem.
Rem bowed gracefully, "You're welcome, Emilia-sama."
Emilia giggled at Rem's maid-like manners, "Just call me Emilia, Rem. We're friends, after all, right?"
Rem returned the smile, "Of course we are. If that's what Emilia wishes, then Rem will gladly accept."
With a nod and smiles exchanged, Rem walked away, though her smiling expression changed once her gaze landed on a merchant off to the side, conversing with one of the soldiers.
An ordinary-looking merchant, yet he carried the unmistakable scent of a witch cultist.
With a narrowed look and a sneer adorning her face, Rem will be closely spying on the man.
A sudden light flashed in the corner of her eyes, she locked up and saw a red light flying upwards into the sky.
'It's the signal!'
Immediately, soldiers ran around, barked orders, and did one last check as the carriages all prepared to evacuate. Rem saw how the merchant looked up and noticed a brief flash of panic on his face.
The signal meant that Subaru, Crusch and Wilhelm were done with the scouts and are now heading towards the Archbishop.
'Subaru-kun, please be safe,' she thought, sending a prayer to him before she followed after the merchant, who suspiciously sneaked off into the woods.
————————
The crunch of leaves and twigs echoed as Subaru strolled through the forest, his hands tucked into his pockets, making his way to his goal.
'A Witch Cult Archbishop... Let's see what you've got. I hope you don't let me down,' he thought with a smirk.
The Archbishops of the Witch Cult were notoriously feared by everyone. Just the mere thought of , let alone facing one in person.
But not Natsuki Subaru; he was actually looking forward to the fight.
As he broke through the tree line, Subaru spotted his destination: a massive stone wall loomed ahead, with steps leading directly to the entrance.
It was clearly a cave, likely man-made, as indicated by the stone patterns. The fresh tracks on the ground suggested it had been made recently.
Subaru cupped his hands around his mouth and called out, "Pizza delivery! I've got a medium pineapple pizza, a large Coke, and some fries on the side!"
He held his breath, waiting for the appearance of someone, to show themselves.
He was ready for the Archbishop who had dared to attack his home and threaten his friends.
Moments later, he heard the sound of footsteps approaching from within, the clatter of boots on stone growing louder and louder, and he could see the repulsive, tar-covered Od drawing closer to the entrance.
Then he heard it.
"Ah? AH?! A DELIVERY?! Could this be THE precious, sacred GIFT?! At such a moment as THIS?! At this CRUCIAL, INEVITABLE, GLORIOUSLY DECISIVE instant?!"
The voice was raspy, unhinged, and downright unsettling. Subaru felt a chill run down his spine.
Then he finally caught sight of the voice's owner.
'What. The. Fuck?' That was his immediate reaction. The archbishop's appearance was so far from what he had anticipated that it was evident on his gaping face.
Draped in the witch cult cloak, the man had a sickly light green complexion, bowl-cut dark green hair, wide bloodshot eyes, and jagged, gnarled teeth.
What stood before him resembled more of a corpse than a living being.
"Have you come here to complete the ORDEAL? A TESTAMENT, a holy PROOF of your DEVOTION?! By the strength of your diligence, your determination, your unyielding resolve—will you pave the path for her DIVINE presence to embrace this world anew? AGAIN! AGAIN! AGAINAGAINAGAINAGAINAGAIN!"
The Archbishop continued his frenzied ramblings, his words devolving into nonsensical syllables of madness, as he dug his fingers into his own skin, drawing blood.
Suddenly, he halted, his head snapping towards the gaping Subaru so quickly that it made him flinch. The archbishop narrowed his eyes on him.
"Name, tell me your name," he demanded in a serious tone, only to quickly shake his head.
"No! NO! How utterly RUDE of me! The diligent guest, the faithful soul, should not bear the burden of first introduction! No, it is I—ME! Me, me, ME! How unforgivably SLOTHFUL I have been! My BRAIN TREMBLESSSS!"
He concluded his outburst with a deep bow, a crunch echoing as if he had broken his back.
"Archbishop of the WITCH'S CULT! representing the sin of SLOTH; Petelgeuse Romanée-Conti-ESSSS!"
Then he snapped back, the sickening crunch following as the Archbishop pointed his finger at him, "Your TURN! DECLARE your NAME! Fellow BELIEVER in LOVE,"
Subaru gradually shut his mouth, inhaled deeply, and allowed the confusion and shock to envelop him like water droplets cascading over infinity. He shoved his hands into his pockets, slouched his shoulders, and shot a smirk at the man before him.
"The name's Satoru Gojo, at your service,"
'Sorry cousin, but No way in HELL am I telling my name to this freak. You take this one for the team,' he mentally apologized to his cousin, who, in japan, responded to his telekinetic message with a sneeze.
"GREAT! FANTASTIC! Surely, surely—you must be one of the BLESSEDS, yes?! A chosen soul! One who has been graced, blessed, ENVELOPED by HER love! Her SACRED, most PURE, most JOYOUS, most GLORIOUSLY BEAUTIFUL LOVE! THE LOVE! THE LOVE! THE LOVE! THE LOVE!" Petelgeuse's quivered as he wrapped himself tightly in his own arms, rocking in maniacal ecstasy, chanting "love" over and over—a fervent, deranged mantra.
It hadn't been two minutes yet Subaru was beginning to feel exhausted by this man. There's only so much madness one can endure before the urge to obliterate him and his kin becomes overwhelming.
Yet, for the sake of the plan, he had to restrain himself.
Petelgeuse retrieved a book from his cultist robe. It had a black cover and appeared ancient. Subaru scrutinized it with his six eyes.
'You've got to be kidding me…' he clicked his tongue in mild annoyance and frustration.
Just like that repulsive, tar-like substance, his eyes couldn't make sense of the book. He had no clue what he was looking at.
At face value it looks like a random book belonging to a lunatic, but Subaru sensed something magical radiating from it.
"Presentation of the GOSPEL! The PROOF of LOVE! Let me uncover what it REVEALS about YOU!" Petelgeuse began flipping through the pages rapidly, his eyes spinning wildly and his tongue lolling out like a dog.
But then he halted, the manic expression on his face shifting to confusion, which caused the archbishop to narrow his eyes at Subaru.
"I can't find you in the gospel…" he rumbled, sounding somewhat rational.
Petelgeuse began to tremble violently, his eyes bulging as if they might pop from their sockets. "YOU!" he shouted, jabbing a finger at Subaru.
"You're NOT marked by HER love! You are NOT meant to be HERE! Why, WHY did you come?! What could you POSSIBLY offer ME?! Was it all a LIE? A DECEPTION? Was the entire DELIVERY story nothing but a FABRICATION?!" He glared at Subaru, seething with anger.
Subaru raised his hand in a calming gesture, "Hold on, let's take a moment to calm down. It may not be in your book, but I do have what you need, wrapped up and ready for you. Can you just tell me what it is?"
It was a blatant lie, evident to anyone, but Petelgeuse didn't seem like the sharpest tool in the shed.
And he was quickly proven right.
"AH?! You do, you truly DO! The most VITAL piece of the ORDEAL! The HALF-ELF, the key, the ESSENCE, the SACRED PART that will allow HER—her DIVINE GRACE—to WALK this world ANEW! The PROOF, the PROOF of my LOVE, my unyielding COMMITMENT to HER!" As Petelgeuse continued to speak, he inched closer to Subaru, who fought hard to resist the urge to back away.
'The half-elf? So this freak really is after Emilia…' He had to hold back the urge to punch a hole through the archbishop's face, taking a deep breath to steady himself.
"Yeah, I have it," Subaru said, gesturing to the side. Petelguese followed his gaze, staring intently at the indicated spot.
"I don't see anything—"
A loud whistle from Subaru interrupted him, followed by the rustling of bushes as a figure burst forth from the underbrush.
Dressed in grey armor adorned with gold accents, her dark green hair flowed freely in the wind, exuding an air of pride and determination. The sword she wielded glimmered with a vibrant green light.
"One Blow, One Hundred Felled!"
She shouted, unleashing a powerful gust of green wind that sliced through the cave's stone as if it were mere butter, causing significant damage to its structure.
The cave couldn't withstand the pressure and ultimately caved in, burying and killing dozens of cultists inside.
Petelgeuse stood frozen in shock, his already unsettling expression becoming even more grotesque.
"How… HOW could this HAPPEN?! My FINGERS! My beautiful, my PRECIOUS fingers! So ruthlessly, so CRUELLY, so CHAOTICALLY, so ARBITRARILY, so utterly ARTLESSLY DESTROYED! This INJUSTICE—it's so UNFAIR! ABSOLUTELY UNFAIR! My BRAIN TREMBLESSSS~" Petelgeuse convulsed with manic despair.
He began to shriek, pulling at his hair and skin in a fit of rage, clearly outraged by the unfolding events.
"What a disgusting lunatic," Subaru muttered, while Crusch stood next to him.
"I concur. Such an unsightly character seems perfectly suited for the witch cult and their brand of madness," she replied.
At last, Petelgeuse ceased his outburst and turned his attention to the pair. Blood streamed from his eyes as he bit into his fingers, drawing more blood.
"I see… I UNDERSTAND now. So, THIS is how things are DONE, is it? Very well, VERY WELL! I am READY—oh, so READY! Prepare yourselves, for it is TIME! Time for you to BEHOLD, to WITNESS, to TREMBLE before the WEIGHT of HER LOVE for ME!" he declared, glaring at them, prepared to retaliate.
"Sorry, but I doubt a dead man can accomplish much," he smirked at him.
"Huh?" Petelguese asked, but then he suddenly froze. His expression remained locked in a crazed look as his head detached from his body, crashing to the ground, followed closely by his lifeless form.
The blade glimmered in the sunlight before being twirled gracefully and then carefully returned to its sheath.
"It's done," Wilhelm announced, gazing at the Archbishop's lifeless body with barely concealed revulsion.
"Thanks for the sneak attack, Wilhelm!" Subaru said, giving a thumbs up to the older man.
"I'm honored by your appreciation, Subaru-dono," Wilhelm replied.
This was Subaru's plan: to lure the Archbishop out of hiding while Crusch would collapse the cave, killing the cultists inside, and Wilhelm would then sneak attack him at the opportune time.
Overall, the plan unfolded flawlessly, right down to the details.
Except for one thing.
"I don't want to sound ungrateful, but is Petelguese really dead? I mean, he won't just come back if we turn our backs, right?" he asked, examining the body.
Archbishops were feared for their strength and cunning, so witnessing one die so easily felt… anticlimactic.
"No man can survive beheading, I can assure you, Subaru," Crusch replied as she inspected the corpse.
Subaru quickly scanned the body, and like she said, it appeared to be dead; the Od and that strange tar-like substance surrounding it were nowhere to be found.
Petelguese was truly dead.
…But why did he still feel that something was off?
"…If you say so," he muttered, rummaging through his robes until his hand found what he had been searching for.
He pulled out the black book that Petelguese had been holding, the so-called "Gospel."
"Subaru… Is that…?" Crusch asked anxiously as she noticed the book in his hands. Wilhelm mirrored her concern.
"It's the gospel. The 'Proof of Love' that the archbishop can't stop talking about. I'm interested to see if I can gain any information from it," he replied, flipping open the book.
The pages were in immaculate condition, smooth to the touch, as if it had just been printed. This was at odds with the ominous aura the book exuded.
Unfortunately, that was the only positive aspect, as the text on the pages was, to put it mildly, completely illegible.
Even the Six Eyes couldn't decipher it.
"I can't make heads or tails of this, Crusch, Wilhelm, can any of you read it?" He asked the candidates and their butler, displaying the page to them.
They recoiled instantly, as if they had touched something scalding.
"Subaru-dono, I beg you, please don't ever do that again!" Wilhelm exclaimed, instinctively shielding Crusch from the open pages.
"Why not? It's just a book," he replied, puzzled by their extreme reaction. it was just words on paper, nothing too dangerous about it.
"Subaru, while I understand your ignorance, you must refrain from such reckless actions as pointing that book at anyone or even reading it again," Crusch said firmly.
"... That serious?" he asked, closing the book to ease their worries.
Crusch nodded, "That book is a sacred text to them, a living proof of one belonging to the cult. The rumors say that once someone receives a gospel, they become a devoted member of the cult."
Subaru glanced at the book in his hand, now aware of the potential dangers it posed. Yet, he was still left with many unanswered questions.
Finally, he stood up and tucked the book into his pocket. "Thanks for the warning, but I'm taking it with me. I have an expert on books I want to consult about it."
Crusch looked at him, seeing he was telling the truth about the expert, then nodded in understanding, "I see… In that case, I won't stop you. But you should avoid carrying that book in public; you could be mistaken for a Witch Cultist and thrown into the dungeons."
Subaru nodded at the warning. Knowing what those cultist do, he was sure what awaited them at the "Dungeons" is just plain old medieval torture.
Prisoners don't have any rights here. Actually the word "rights" probably doesn't even exist.
"Now that we're done here, it's time to head back and announce our victory—" Subaru ignored what Crusch was saying and glanced to the side.
"Watch out!" he yelled, startling Crusch and Wilhelm. Before she could react, Subaru had already lunged toward the duchess, pulling her away just as something crashed violently into the spot where she had been standing, sending dirt and stone flying.
Subaru and Crusch tumbled to the ground, eventually coming to a halt with him holding her tightly.
"Are you alright?" he asked, gazing closely at the duchess's face, which was wide-eyed.
"S-Subaru?!" she stammered, a hint of pink coloring her cheeks. It was then that he became aware of their awkward position.
With her pressed against his chest, their faces mere inches apart and her legs tangled with his, it was clear what kind of situation they found themselves in.
Flustered, Subaru quickly disentangled himself and scrambled to his feet, embarrassment flooding over him.
He avoided looking at her flushed face, realizing that his attempt to save her had turned into an awkward moment straight out of a cliche anime moment.
"H-here, let me help you up," he said, stuttering. Great, just what he needed. With both of them blushing, he assisted the flustered Valkyrie to her feet.
Neither of them dared to meet each other's gaze, but their moment of discomfort was interrupted when the attacking figure emerged from the bushes, dressed in the witch cult's attire.
He looked furious for some reason.
"HOW?! HOW?! This is IMPOSSIBLE! Explain yourself THIS INSTANT! How—HOW could you possibly SEE them? My UNSEEN HANDS?!" he growled at Subaru.
Her erratic behavior was reminiscent of before; her wide, unblinking eyes, maniacal demeanor and gaping mouth could only signify one thing.
His Six Eyes confirmed it, and he scowled.
"Petelgeuse! He must've switched bodies when he died!" he declared to the two, who both glared at the Archbishop.
"So even after death, you resort to forbidden methods just to remain walking on this world. Despicable" Wilhelm spat, getting into a stance.
"It seems that your audacity knows no bounds, witch cultist. Do you not understand the sanctity of life?" Crusch immediately followed suit, her flustered demeanor gone as if it wasn't there.
"AUDACITY!? The sheer INSOLENCE! YOU, the wretched one who so cruelly, so HEARTLESSLY, so MERCILESSLY destroyed my fingers—MY fingers, my DEVOTED, my ZEALOUS, my DILIGENT FINGERS—DARE to LECTURE ME about LIFE?! HYPOCRITE!" He pointed at her, his face a sneer.
Subaru sensed the impending attack aimed at the duchess. Five shadowy, purple appendages emerged from Petelguese's Od and lunged toward her.
The duchess remained motionless, her glare fixed on the Archbishop, ignorant of the threat approaching her.
Subaru recognized the attack.
"Crusch, get back!" he yelled at the duchess, who, despite her intense focus on the Archbishop, obeyed his command and leaped away just as the hands smashed into the ground where she had been standing.
Subaru teleported beside them. "Hey, did you guys see that?"
Wilhelm shook his head. "I didn't see anything, Subaru-dono."
"Me neither. It seems only you can perceive his 'Unseen Hands,' Subaru."
Subaru nodded slowly as the hands loomed over the frenzied archbishop.
"Looks like it," he replied, but then his hand blurred to the side, catching a knife thrown at him.
The witch cultist who had thrown it revealed themselves, and soon, more cultists emerged from the forest, encircling them in a semi-closed formation.
"It looks like there are still more cultists we haven't dealt with Crusch-sama," Wilhelm remarked, glancing at the cultists around them.
"That seems to be the case, Subaru. Are there any others nearby?" she inquired, but received no answer. Actually, unlike the Archbishop, who was babbling something about love, the atmosphere was eerily quiet.
She turned to Subaru and noticed he was lost in thought, staring intently between two specific cultists and then back at the Archbishop, a thoughtful expression on his face.
"Subaru?… Subaru!" she called out again, raising her voice slightly to grab his attention, which finally worked.
"Uh—oh, yeah? What's up?" he replied.
"What's up?" she echoed, astonished. "Can't you see what's happening around you?!"
"I mean, I do, but it's just—" he struggled to put his thoughts into words. For some reason, Subaru seemed invested with something. Crusch had no clue what it was.
He took a deep breath and said, "Sorry, I was just lost in thought." His expression then turned serious.
"Anyway, Wilhelm, Crusch, I have a plan. I need you both to stay here and handle the cultists, especially those two in front of me," he whispered, nodding toward the cultists that needed to be eliminated.
"What about the Archbishop?" Crusch asked quietly.
"Don't worry about that love-obsessed lunatic; I'll take care of him myself." He flashed a confident smirk at them.
If it had been anyone else, Crusch would have scolded them for their arrogance, but she had been in a similar position before, and it nearly cost her life.
And considering this was Natsuki Subaru they were discussing…
Crusch nodded at Subaru, "Alright, we'll follow your lead."
"I have faith in your confidence and strength, Subaru-dono."
Subaru acknowledged the trust placed in him and then turned his attention back to the Archbishop, who was still throwing a tantrum about his Gift being exposed. What a complete nutcase.
"Oi! Petelgeuse! Ain'tcha missing something?" he yelled over the Archbishop, who was biting his fingers and staring at him.
"The AUDACITY, to disrupt my SACRED PLEA for her FORGIVENESS! HER, the one who GRACED me, who BLESSED me with her—"
Subaru pulled the gospel from his pocket and raised it high, causing the Archbishop to fall silent at the sight.
"Ahh? AH?" Petelgeuse frantically patted himself down, searching for something before realizing it was missing.
"Oh NO! My GOSPEL! My TESTAMENT of LOVE, of DEVOTION, of HARD WORK, GONE!" Petelgeuse panicked as he noticed the absence of the gospel.
Then, narrowing his eyes dangerously at Subaru, he almost snarled, "YOU! Return it to me, my GOSPEL! GIVE IT BACK!"
"Of course, you can have it back," Subaru replied, but instead of returning it, he tossed it to the ground and smashed it with a blast of cursed energy, partially destroying it.
A silence fell over the crowd. The cultists, who had been waiting for their master's commands, flinched at the shocking display. Crusch and Wilhelm were left in stunned disbelief at what had just occurred.
As for Petelgeuse, poor Petelgeuse, his expression was as if he had just witnessed the murder of his one true love. His entire body seemed to freeze in shock.
Then, in an instant, he snapped into action.
"AUTHORITY OF SLOTH: UNSEEN HANDS!" Petelguese bellowed, his voice echoing even louder than before as numerous invisible hands emerged from his Od, each brimming with power, and surged toward Subaru, indifferent to the damage they would cause.
"Get down!" Subaru yelled, prompting both Wilhelm and Crusch to duck just in time, narrowly avoiding the hands that were aimed at the dodging Subaru.
The cultists, however, were not as fortunate; they were overwhelmed by the oncoming hands. Some had their limbs crushed or torn off by the sheer force, while others were simply knocked aside.
About half of the cultists sustained injuries or died, while the remainder managed to escape harm only because they were focused on Subaru, though they were disorganized. The encirclement around the trio was broken.
Before the hands could reach him, Subaru teleported next to the archbishop.
"Hey, ugly! Over here!" he shouted, successfully grabbing the furious Archbishop's attention.
"Come and catch me if you can, loser!" He stuck out his tongue before turning and sprinting away.
Petelguese seethed with rage, foam forming at the corners of his mouth due to Subaru's cowardly taunts. "YOU WILL NOT ESCAPE!"
Using the unseen hands, Petelguese propelled himself forward, soaring high into the sky in hot pursuit of the man who had destroyed the evidence of love.
The cultists, witnessing their leader chase after Subaru without a second thought, were left in a state of confusion. What should they do now?
They failed to recognize that their hesitation and uncertainty was exploited by Crusch and Wilhelm, who immediately took the offensive, cutting down their numbers before they could mount any significant resistance.
As for Subaru, he took off running, a trail of chaos followed him. Invisible hands reached out from all directions, yet none managed to touch him or even come close.
Petelguese, using his Unseen Hands, had conjured two massive hands to grip him while two others served as legs, propelling him forward.
To an outsider, it appeared as though he was flying through the air. However, from Subaru's viewpoint, he looked utterly ridiculous.
"RUN to your heart's content! You CANNOT escape! You cannot FLEE from ME" Petelguese growled, unleashing a flurry of invisible hands at Subaru, who skillfully dodged each one.
He ducked, weaved, and whenever Petelguese attempted to corner him, Subaru would simply teleport away, infuriating Petelguese with every failed attempt.
"Come on, even a nine-year-old could aim better than you!"
His taunts only fueled Petelguese's rage.
Eventually, all good things must come to an end. After breaking through the treeline, Subaru found himself barreling toward a cliff. He halted just before the edge, spotting spikes below.
'Yikes, that would be a painful way to go,' he thought, imagining someone falling onto those spikes. Or even doing something as stupid as voluntary jumping in.
Just then, the ground shook as Petelguese burst through the treeline and caught up with him. Upon seeing the cliff, Petelguese erupted into a loud, grotesque laugh as he descended to the ground.
"There's NOWHERE left to RUN, you FILTH! You will PAY—oh, you will SUFFER—for the BLASPHEMY you dared, so BRAZENLY, so FOOLISHLY, so STUPIDLY, to commit against HER! Ahhh, the thought, the sheer JOY of it—I can't WAIT to see the LIFE drain from your eyes as I CRUSH you to DEATH! My BRAIN TREMBLESSSS" he cackled, scratching his face maniacally.
Unfazed by the man's theatrics, Subaru simply let out a loud yawn at the threat, showing no concern whatsoever.
"Man, all your raving and madness about love means nothing to me."
Petelguese paused his actions and fixed a narrowed gaze on Subaru. "What?"
"If Satella loved you, she would have given you a better power than what you have," Subaru replied with a casual shrug.
"Honestly, What your authority does is summon invisible hands and connect you with others, allowing you to possess them if your own body is destroyed. That's pretty pathetic, even fourth-grade sorcerers have cooler powers than yours,"
Subaru appeared unserious and uncaring on the outside, but inside, he was filled with joy. The reason for his excitement was clear: he could see it.
The black tar enveloping the archbishop's Od was known as an Authority, and in Petelgeuse's case, it was known as the Authority of Sloth.
This Authority granted him the ability to summon invisible hands that he could control at will, unseen by anyone else. Additionally, he could connect with individuals of his choosing, known as "Fingers," which would allow for a seamless transfer of his Od to other bodies upon his death.
Subaru was thrilled to realize that he could perceive and comprehend these Authorities just like everything else, enabling him to play his cards comfortably as he always had.
But, the caveat: It seemed he would need to experience these Authorities and their functions firsthand, which he did with the cultists in the scout unit. He noticed a small black mark on his Od, and the two cultists he instructed Wilhelm and Crusch to kill also bore a similar mark. Upon closer examination, he discovered it allowed him to see a connection to the archbishop, much like a person's bond with a spirit.
As Subaru was thinking about this revelation, Petelguese clenched his teeth in frustration. "How SLOTHFUL of you! Truly, how IGNORANT, how PITIFUL! You have NO IDEA—no comprehension—of what SHE has given me! NOTHING, NOTHING at all! The GOSPEL she so GENEROUSLY, bestowed upon me, the POWER she so graciously, so DIVINELY granted to me—they are ALL the PROOF, the TESTAMENT of her LOVE for ME! And through the ORDEAL, I will PROVE HER LOVE in return! Enough, ENOUGH of your NONSENSE!"
In a fit of rage, he unleashed a massive hand towards Subaru, determined to crush this nuisance for his blasphemous words and disrespect. This worm will now understand his full wraith!
The hand descended rapidly towards Subaru, stopping just an inch above him, hovering ominously.
"What?!" Petelgeuse exclaimed, exerting more power but to no avail. He summoned additional hands, but the result was the same. How could this be? First, he could see his gift, and now he could block them so easily?!
"See? What did I tell you? A pathetic power given to you by an equally pathetic person. You could never touch me with those. I could just walk away and be fine, and do you know why? Because the power you have, given to you by the witch, is worthless. She doesn't care about you or your useless devotion, Mr. 'mY BrAiN TrEmBlEs.'" He mocked the archbishop by mimicking his voice.
Subaru delivered these words with a grin, relishing the growing fury on Petelguese's face, which was turning increasingly red.
"You… YOU! YOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOUYOU—!" Petelgeuse's body trembled violently, his voice rising in a frenzied cacophony, his erratic movements amplifying his deranged fury. Until he finally snapped.
With a crazed roar, tens or maybe hundreds of hands emerged from his Od aiming and attacking everywhere in sight, it seemed that petelguese was so far in had rage that he had even neglected targeting Subaru properly.
The assault continued for several minutes until he was compelled to halt. The exertion of wielding his power took its toll, causing wounds to open across his body, with blood streaming from his ears, eyes, and mouth.
A cloud of dust enveloped him, obscuring the view. Yet, the devastation was clear. The terrain was severely damaged, with shattered and uprooted trees, uneven ground, and a crumbled cliffside.
However, none of this concerned Petelgeuse. Not in the slightest. For the first time in ages, he felt a genuine hatred for someone, and witnessing their death filled him with overwhelming satisfaction and joy.
"Ahahahaha! I DID IT! THIS is the FATE that befalls those who DARE to undermine the DEVOTION, the ZEAL, the UNYIELDING FAITH of her SERVANTS! This is your DOWNFALL! Caused by your own SLOTHFULNESS! Ahahahaha—!"
Lost in his triumph, Petelgeuse failed to notice the movement and vibrations in the air until a faint blue glow caught his attention.
Standing unharmed amidst the chaos was Subaru, his attire pristine and a blue orb hovering serenely beside him. Greedily consuming the cloud of dust.
A smug smile spread across Subaru's face. "I I already told you this wouldn't work on me, dumbass. What the hell are you celebrating?"
Without waiting for a response, he threw the blue orb toward Petelgeuse.
"Authority of Sloth—Ack!" Petelgeuse attempted to summon his unseen hands, but for the first time, the toll of his overexertion overwhelmed him, rendering him unable to use his authority.
In an instant, his body was drawn into the blue orb, tearing him apart and leaving no trace behind, not even a remnant of the spirit.
Indeed, Petelgeuse Romani-conti was a spirit, just like any other spirit in this world.
'So the body-swapping lunatic archbishop was a spirit all along—disgusting. Why the hell does such a thing even exist?' He felt a deep sense of displeasure at the very thought.
He couldn't help but think of another person who had swapped bodies, feeling the mix of disgust and frustration from Petelgeuse being directed to him.
'And where on earth is that clown? First, we had the mabeast invasion, and now the Witch Cult is attacking, and he's nowhere to be found?' he thought, his fists tightening in anger.
'Roswaal... we're going to have a serious conversation,'
In the end, the Witch Cult's attack was successfully repelled, their mission ended in failure, their leader dead, and an undercover merchant's bombing attempt was thwarted by a blue-haired Oni-maid.
This day marked a historic victory against the Archbishop, achieved without a single casualty, whether civilian or soldier.
Leading this legendary achievement was the commoner Natsuki Subaru, who would later be known as The Legendary Butler, the Slayer of the White Whale, and now, the Slayer of Sloth.
And so, with his head held high after successfully defending his home, Subaru left the scene. Completely oblivious to the authority gradually seeping its way into him, attaching itself to his Od.