Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- (Re:ゼロから始める異世界生活)

Is there seriously no one?

If anyone...

has even the slightest recollection of him at all...

It's all right. That's enough, Subaru.

This is Julius.

Julius Juukulius.

I think you've all figured this out,

but he's one of Gluttony's victims that's been left nameless.

But he retains his consciousness.

All of Gluttony's victims until now

either had their memories consumed and ended up like Lady Crusch

or had both their names and their memories consumed, like Rem.

But Julius only had his name consumed.

You mean he's an exception?

Everyone else has forgotten him, but he remembers himself?

He wears the uniform of a knight.

I'm sure he was an acquaintance of myself and Ferris,

or perhaps even closer than that.

At the very least, I thought of you as friends.

Damn it!

Just two friends?

I don't think that's all there is to it.

Lady Anastasia...

I've got a suggestion for all of ya.

May I?

There are people in this city

who were either transformed by Lust

or left nameless by Gluttony.

We may have captured the Sin Archbishops,

but I doubt they're gonna just come out and tell us how to fix 'em.

So we're stuck.

Did you have to bring that up right now?!

In which case...

we just gotta ask someone else who probably knows.

Someone else who probably knows?

Someone really smart?

That's right.

And there's someone really smart here in this city, ain't there?

Quit being vague! Just tell us who it is!

You don't mean...

Shaula the Sage.

Shaula?

Yep.

One of the three great heroes of Lugunica...

Shaula the Sage.

Long ago, in the Dragonfriend Kingdom of Lugunica,

there was a group of heroes who accomplished great deeds.

The Sword Saint, the Dragon Lord, and the Sage,

known collectively as the three great heroes.

Right?

Yep.

The keeper of knowledge who foresees everything that will ever be.

In the Auguria Dunes at the far eastern edge of Lugunica

stands the Pleiades Watchtower, built to guard the sealed Witch of Envy.

The legendary sage who lives in seclusion there

just might have the answers we're lookin' for.

Frankly, I'm still against this.

I mean, that's the place even you weren't able to get to, right?

Two years ago, when the royal family fell ill,

I set out for the Pleiades Watchtower in search of a cure

by order of the council.

But... I never made it there.

No matter how far I traveled, the tower in the distance never drew closer.

It must have been some sort of barrier,

and I was unable to cross it.

The Auguria Dunes are famous for being a giant den of mabeasts, right?

Should Mister Natsuki and the others really be going there on their own?

All we can do is have faith.

I have a duty to escort Lady Felt and that Sin Archbishop.

Besides...

there are still people in this city who need us.

A place Reinhard failed to get into, huh?

When I just hear that part, this all seems pretty hopeless.

Subaru, you're getting a scary look on your face.

If you get so lost in thought that you neglect our physical contact,

then Betty's cuteness will go to waste, I suppose.

Oh, sorry!

Wait, you're right!

I only zoned out for a minute, and look how uggy you've gotten!

I have not! Argh!

Beatrice.

Isn't it just about your bedtime?

Would you like to sleep with me tonight?

I'll do that, I suppose.

Staying up all night is bad for your health.

Natsuki, you're still up?

Yeah.

Even on a safe road, someone should keep watch, right?

Yeah, we just don't have enough people, do we?

Sure wish Ricardo would've come with us...

But with his arm like that...

How about you tell the truth already?

Huh? Where's this comin' from?

What are ya—

You're a lousy actor. Just drop it.

You're not Lady Anastasia.

Quit having your way with her face and voice.

How strange.

How did you know I wasn't Ana?

Something's seemed off this whole time, but I know for sure now.

Lady Anastasia is a realist,

but she'd never talk so coldly about a close friend

with an injury that'll change his life.

It's a bit embarrassing when I keep getting outed left and right.

Left and right? I'm not the only one?

Priscilla Barielle.

The one who called me a vixen.

She is a scary one.

Who are you?

What are you trying to—

Echidna.

What?

My name is Echidna.

As for what I am... well, I'm what they call an artificial spirit.

Frankly, it's not surprising that you'd think I took over Ana's body.

That's why I was hesitant to tell you the truth.

What kind of terrible joke is this?

You're... Echidna?

In Lady Anastasia's form?

Wait, were you behind everything that just happened in Priestella?!

Would you just calm down?

I think there's a huge misunderstanding here...

You expect me to calm down, you vile witch?!

What have you done with Lady Anastasia?!

I wish you'd stop treating me like the mastermind of some evil scheme.

I have no intention of harming Ana.

I've been with her for over ten years.

What the hell are you...

Wait, over ten years?

Let me clear up the misunderstanding first.

I'm not the Echidna you're thinking of.

Other than the fact that I'm an artificial spirit

and the fact that my name is Echidna,

I know nothing about myself.

You're an artificial spirit?

Like Beako?

Strictly speaking, this fox muffler Ana always wears is my real body.

So I've been watching all of you for a long time.

Are you telling me this now

because you're finally fully prepared to take over her body, Foxidna?

Foxidna?

I'm not sure I really like that name...

I have no intention of taking over Ana's body.

The current situation is not what I wanted.

If it's not what you wanted,

why don't you go back into that fox muffler already?

I would love to do just that...

but I no longer can.

Explain.

What state is Lady Anastasia's body in right now?

To be blunt...

I'm using Ana's od as a medium

to overwrite her consciousness with my own.

Her consciousness is sleeping at the depths of her od,

and I have full control over her body.

I can even use magic with her gate,

even though it's defective.

Her gate is defective?

Then won't using magic now put strain on her body?!

I'm only doing something that chips away at her life

because her life was in danger to begin with.

I have, of course, talked with Ana about this and earned her consent.

So this isn't the first time you've borrowed her body?

There were a few other occasions,

but none where I became unable to return.

So I'm at a loss right now myself.

You see, I love Ana.

I don't know if I'm right about this since I lack the experience,

but I feel as if she's something very close to family.

I just want her to be as healthy—

and above all, as happy—as possible.

So the real reason you want to see the Sage is...

I only want to know how to give Ana her body back.

I'll use you and your companions for that if I must.

Can you be certain the Sage knows how to get you back to normal?

I'm not.

But if this Sage sees all and knows all, as they say,

there's a chance.

I will make the choice that offers the highest probability of success.

No more or less.

I can't say I accept this, but I understand.

You have a goal and know what you need to do,

and it doesn't interfere with our goal.

Indeed. We both have things we wish to ask the Sage.

Okay, got it.

Just don't mention borrowing Lady Anastasia's body to Julius...

or to anyone else.

That's fine, but I'm surprised you won't be telling them.

The timing sucks as it is.

I just don't want to make unnecessary waves right now.

I see.

There's someone else you want to ask the Sage how to help, after all, yes?

Well...

We'll stop by Margrave Mathers' mansion on the way.