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

Julius, you need to stay here and rest until your wounds have healed.

No matter what!

You heard her.

Of course.

I've already caused too much trouble for you and Lady Emilia.

After all this, I could never shamelessly disobey you now.

I will do as you say.

A simple "understood" would have sufficed, man.

He's right! You don't have to worry about us!

We're saying that you need to rest.

You can trouble us as much as you want.

You're one of us, after all.

Patrasche, look after Julius, would you?

If anything odd happens again, call us.

See? Even Patrasche is saying, "I will not let you get away next time."

Strangely enough, it really does sound like that's what she's saying.

She might've said it in a more feminine tone, though, since she's a lady.

I will behave myself and focus on my recovery.

It is a luxury to rest surrounded by such lovely maidens, after all.

Feeling more like yourself again, I see.

Will Julius be all right, I suppose?

Don't worry about him.

Seems like he's past the worst of it.

I never thought he'd do such a thing, even after what Gluttony did.

Well... yeah, I agree with you there...

but what he did was basically like a man getting measles.

It could have ended in failure for all of us because he acted on his own.

If that had happened,

I'm not sure the examiner on the second floor would have let us leave unscathed.

Not even that sham sage there.

Who, me?

Calling me a sham sage is super harsh!

It's not like I ever even claimed to be a sage!

The only name I have is "Shaula," the name Master gave me!

I only have eyes for Master!

You heard her. What devotion.

Look, the point is, his mistake didn't turn out to be fatal!

Just take that as a win, okay?

Hmph. I simply don't want anyone getting in my way.

Do you two just want to do nothing but fight?

Even I can't deal with this.

You're right.

What we need to do right now is talk things over.

We have to figure out a way to get

past the second exam by the time Julius recovers.

The reason the examiner acknowledged Lady Emilia

was because she got information out of him while fulfilling his terms.

The conditions for passing this exam are rather fickle.

Yeah. It's nasty in a totally different way than the third floor exam.

What's the problem?

There's no need to rush. Why not just take it slow?

We can't really go slow, though...

My master and his friends can stay here as long as they want!

I waited hundreds of years for you to come here, you know.

Yeah, but...

So you can take all the time you need to pass the exams legit!

I'll be watching over you all the while.

No matter how many days, years, or centuries it takes.

Just have some fun here with me before you go!

Shaula...

This looks tasty!

Touch.

You must've felt pretty anxious while I was laid up for a couple days, huh?

So you can relax and hang all over me as much as you want today.

Don't be ridiculous!

I'm just collecting extra mana to make up for the time you spent asleep, I suppose!

Sure, but then why

did you hold my hand while I was asleep and you couldn't collect any mana?

That had nothing to do with mana.

That was just to keep Betty's heart filled. It was unrelated.

Okay, Beako, don't worry about me!

Go ahead and fatten yourself up on my mana!

I won't get fat just from absorbing lots of mana, I suppose!

All right.

That's enough, you two. Let's eat now.

Ram and I prepared the meal today.

We'll have to take some to Julius later.

You know...

I did kind of expect as much,

but you have the worst table manners I've ever seen.

Were you that hungry?

It's not that! This stuff just tastes too good!

What do you usually eat?

Mabeasts and stuff.

You eat those giant worms?!

And stuff like bears and horses, too.

I never thought I was too particular about food,

but I might become the half witch's apprentice if the food tasted like this!

Apprentice? You mean mine? To learn to cook?

I wanna get better at cooking

so I can win Master's heart through his stomach and make him say,

"I'm not letting you sleep tonight."

Not shy at all about your ambitions, are you?

Subaru, Betty will stay in the carriage with Emilia and Ram.

Okay, got it.

Don't be up all night.

It'll hinder your growth so you stay a shrimp forever...

Wait, you'd be adorable!

Okay, stay up all night, Beako!

No need to worry.

Betty won't get any bigger than this, I suppose.

I will always be this cute.

So I can go to sleep early without issue, I suppose.

Emilia-tan, take care of Beako, okay?

Sure. See you tomorrow.

And don't stay up too late yourself.

Subaru, it's you.

Hey. Did you eat?

Yes, I did.

Are you here to watch Miss Rem?

That was the plan, but...

Want to take over tonight?

No.

You were unconscious for two days until this morning.

I'm sure she has longed for night to come, as well.

Well, if you wanna let me do it, I won't argue...

But are you sure?

The truth is that I would like to stay by Lady Anastasia's side until she awakens.

But I'm unsure what I should say first when she does awaken,

and that makes me hesitate.

Shouldn't it be, "I've been worried about you. I'm glad you're awake"?

The question is what you should say after that.

You think so freely.

I envy you for that.

Perhaps I will let you stay here tonight.

I will return to the carriage to rest.

I'm a bit tired after the events of today.

Julius! Actually, I think you should wait for Lady Anastasia to wake up!

I'll wake you once I've finished what I need to do!

Julius said Rem longed for the night to come... but...

Oh, crap. I fell asleep.

Foxidna?

Why is there a bird inside the tower?

It vanished?

That can't be right.

A feather?

Is there something in the wall?

Foxidna.

Natsuki?

This is the perfect view for a nighttime stroll, isn't it?

It sure is.

It's just a shame that beautiful view is all black right now.

I still like it, though. It's like the ocean at night.

And above all...

the air is so clear and cool, it makes the stars really stand out.

Romantic, isn't it?

Well, it's true that the stars are pretty.

So what excuse do you have for what's going on here?

Excuse?

For slipping out of your room in the middle of the night,

taking a secret passage nobody else knows about,

and playing with the birds out here in the night air.

That's way too suspicious.

I think you might be exaggeratin' about the secret passage.

I mean, you made it here, didn't ya?

That was... because the bird kinda led me here.

Well, the same goes for me.

I was just takin' an aimless stroll around the tower,

and I saw a bird flying.

I wondered what it was doin' and followed it, and I ended up here.

Are these the same birds we saw flying when we were trying to overcome sand time?

The ones whose eyes Ram borrowed for her clairvoyance, yes.

They've been like this the whole time.

I've been so puzzled by it.

You and I are the only two people here right now.

Why don't we speak frankly?

Not with the me who's pretending to be Anastasia, but with me?

That's perfect. There's something I wanted to ask you, too.

Ask me?

Subaru Natsuki, just who are you?

Who... am I?