Chapter 58.2
Subaru arrived at the stable just after the break of dawn .
[Subaru: Sorry for cooping you up in here, Patrasche]
Hearing Subaru’s voice, Patrasche reached out her head and nudged him with her nose . Her gesture was at once filled with affection and carrying a tinge of complaint at being left aside for so long, prompting a ticklish feeling inside Subaru’s heart .
[Subaru: I know you just woke up, but I need your help . Can you take me back to the Mansion?]
Holding her face up to Subaru’s palms, Patrasche snorted, as if to say “What ‘am I going to do with you, Subaru-kun……” .
Sighing with relief that at least his dragon was on board with his plan, Subaru untied Patrasche’s reins from the stable and prepared to bring her outside .
Without other encumbrances weighing her down, the usual half a day’s ride might be completed in even less .
If they set out in the morning like this, they should reach the Mansion just before dusk .
[Subaru: Just a messy plan assuming I’ll start over anyway……]
This time, Subaru was determined to return to the Mansion, and, unlike the loops before this, he wasn’t going to bring the villagers . Frankly, it was because he was convinced that he would be doing it all again, and had resolved to eliminate all unnecessary variables aside from the goal of gathering information .
The loss of the friendship he had struck up with Lewes would be regrettable, but,
[Subaru: My relationship with Garfiel is already as horrible as can be, and I’m just about to make it even worse…]
Having transferred the command authority to himself―― Subaru could just imagine Garfiel seething with bloodshot eyes, looking for whoever took it .
It probably wouldn’t take long before he finds him . After all, Subaru didn’t order Lewes to keep it a secret, and Lewes herself would tell the truth if she was asked .
All this was within Subaru’s considerations .
[Subaru: ――Still, can’t help but worry about leaving Emilia with just a note]
If this world was only a sacrifice to be erased as soon as it was rewound, then logically, his concerns for Emilia in this world shouldn’t even exist .
No matter how much she suffers, grieves, or otherwise rejoices, all of it will be lost along with the world itself . But, even though his mind understood this,
[Subaru: It’s still no excuse at all…]
Even knowing that this was a soon-to-be-abandoned world, Subaru still didn’t want to make Emilia cry .
Finding out that he had left without a word would likely bring her more pain than she could bear . Losing the only support she could lean on, she probably wouldn’t know what to do with herself . While a part of him was glad that Emilia relied on him like this, it still hurt all the same .
In order to make sure that doesn’t happen, or at least hoping that it wouldn’t last too long if it did, Subaru left her a note .
That said, there was nothing special written inside, only an assortment of run-of-the mill words of consolation . Since he couldn’t tell her the truth, it was all he could do to try to keep her from worrying .
[Subaru: It’s better than nothing…… wait, what if Emilia doesn’t actually need me that much?]
Ever since Puck went missing, Emilia had been relying on Subaru more than ever before .
So that thought was only wishful thinking, and he knew it couldn’t be as simple as that .
In any case, Subaru must leave the Sanctuary and leave Emilia behind . In order to rewrite the unsalvageable present with a future that could yet be saved, he would have to harden his heart and make the necessary sacrifices .
[Subaru: Before anyone notices, let’s…… oh?]
While leading Patrasche out of the stables, Subaru picked up the saddle he had stored away in the carriage . Giving it a light pat, he threw it over Patrasche, when he caught something in the corner of his vision . It was,
[Subaru: Petelgeuse’ Gospel……?]
A thick book in black binding, hidden away in the corner of the carriage .
Once belonging to Petelgeuse, honestly, Subaru had wanted to get rid of it, but he couldn’t exactly hand it off to other people . Besides, he figured it might reveal some useful information about the obscure Witch Cult, and so ended up keeping it .
[Subaru: Come to think of it, that view’s kinda changed after what Roswaal said]
After fitting on the saddle, Subaru casually picked up the Gospel .
Feeling its dense weight in his palm, the image of the blood-drenched madman surfaced in his mind .
A man with an overzealous devotion to the Gospel, believing that it was his only way to express his loyalty to the Witch .
Inside, like some poor parody, its pages hinted at its owner Petelgeuse’ future actions .
[Subaru: Roswaal, Beatrice, and Petelgeuse…… why’re they so convinced that only they could read this thing……?]
Grumbling, he casually flipped through its pages .
But suddenly, his fingers froze, as a strange, strangled noise escaped his throat――
[Subaru: I can, read it?]
――When he realized that he could read the words written on the Gospel’s white pages .
Although the letters were something like a child’s scrawling, they lined up to form words that carried meaning . What was more, those words were in the form of “Yi” glyphs that Subaru could understand .
[Subaru: How could…… unless, it’s recognized me as its owner? But I didn’t do anything to……]
At that thought, Subaru suddenly noticed something .
The last time he tried and failed to read this Gospel’s contents was before he came to the Sanctuary . It had been in the Capital, and after returning to Roswaal’s Mansion . Since then, he hadn’t had a chance to open the Gospel to check, but it could only be related to something that took place in the Sanctuary .
Although, the direct cause might be something that didn’t exactly happen in the Sanctuary .
[Subaru: What the hell did Echidona do to me……?]
Just like the Trials inside the Tomb, there was a good chance that Echidona had tampered with his physical body in some way . He had a feeling that it had something to do with the tea Echidona gave him at her so-called tea party .
Echidona was joking about it being her bodily fluids, but what if it was something else?
Something that drastically changed Subaru’s body from before .
[Subaru: Actually, I don’t know if that’s the reason, considering all that’s happened last loop]
It could have just as easily been caused by the Witch of Envy’s wrath after he revealed Return by Death to Echidona .
Subaru hated the fact that he couldn’t go there and ask her this very moment .
[Subaru: ……Then again, it might not have accepted me as its owner after all]
Being recognized by a Gospel belonging to the Witch Cult doesn’t exactly put one’s mind at ease, but, after quickly scanning over its contents, Subaru determined that all the messages were meant for Petelgeuse .
Since it was undated, Subaru couldn’t tell when the events of the first entry took place . But from the Gospel’s page after page of scribbled accounts, a picture of Petelgeuse’ activities began to take shape .
The entries were basically “where to go” and “what to do”, but contained no description of what would happen as a result . Perhaps Petelgeuse had no interest in the outcomes, and merely improvised the rest by doing whatever he thought benefited the Witch Cult .
Reading on like this, he came to the final entry .
Though there were more pages after it, they were all blank after this point . On the final page, there were still the crimson words “THE END” which Subaru had scrawled in blood .
Before that, was the Gospel’s last original entry:
[Subaru: “Go to Mathers Domain, put silver-haired Half-Witch to Trial”……huh . What’s that supposed to mean?]
Without knowing what the “Trial” would entail, Subaru could gather no information aside from that Petelgeuse was to attack Emilia .
Nonetheless, Subaru had managed to confirm that Petelgeuse’ atrocities were indeed committed in accordance to the Gospel’s instructions .
[Subaru: ……Right, my bad my bad . Let’s get going]
Watching Subaru lean against the carriage, Patrasche gave him a few impatient nudges with her snout . Giving her a wry smile, Subaru placed the Gospel back in its original spot in the carriage .
Consigning what he had just witnessed into memory, his mind began drifting onto other concerns .
Specifically, escaping the Sanctuary and returning to the Mansion .
[Subaru: Hopefully we can get out without causing a stir in the Sanctuary . So take it nice and quiet, ok?]
[Patrasce: ――――NGHH!!]
As Subaru climbed onto her saddle, Patrasche let out a high-spirited neigh in response to her master’s request .
Getting the feeling that his partner didn’t understand his request at all, Subaru calmed the overexcited Patrasche and set the course straight for the edge of the Sanctuary .
He could already begin to see the sun’s true form in the distant, eastern sky, showering its light upon the tops of the forest canopy . If he doesn’t hurry, the early risers will soon be up, making his flight far more difficult without the cover of night .
Just as Subaru tried to carefully give Patrasche a signal to accelerate, Patrasche broke into a sprint . The Divine Protection of Wind Evasion activated around the ground dragon’s body, shielding Subaru from the turbulence and the wind .
Shooting out of the Sanctuary, they entered the forest . Following paths no wider than animal trails, Patrasche unhesitatingly galloped in the direction of the Mansion . Same as always, though Subaru was holding the reins, Patrasche navigated by her own volition, choosing the paths she believed to be best for her master .
Though it made him feel a tinge of loneliness, there was nothing else to do except to leave it to Patrasche’s discretion . Grasping tightly onto the reins, contracting the muscles of his body, they merged into a single shadow speeding through the forest . If nothing stands in the way, they should come out of the forest within an hour, leaving the bounds of the Sanctuary behind them . But,
[Garfiel: JUST…… HOLD’ON A GODDAMN MINUTE, OY!!]