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

I'm back here again...

Sister, Sister. It appears our guest is still half-asleep.

Rem, Rem.

For one so young, it's quite sad how out of it he is.

What is the matter, sir?

Do you feel unwell?

What's wrong, sir?

Do you have a chronic illness flaring up?

Let me see your hands.

So it's true...

I wasn't mistaken.

No, sir. I think you are mistaken about everything.

No, sir. I think your very birth was a mistake.

When I think about what's to come, I can't laugh off that comment...

But right now, even that's a good feeling.

Sister, Sister.

Could our guest be a troubled man who takes pleasure from torture?

Rem, Rem. Our guest appears to be

a pervert who's turned on by insults.

Sorry to do that out of the blue,

but I trust you both.

Let's be friends, okay?

It was awfully noisy, so I came to check...

Subaru, I'm glad you seem well.

There was a lot on my mind a second ago,

but seeing you blew it all away, Emilia-tan!

I guess you were the wonder drug that my heart needed.

Sorry, I have no idea what you're saying.

But good morning. I'm glad you're well.

Yeah, good morning.

Okay, might as well get started...

Hire me to work in this mansion!

There are two broad conditions

I need to clear in order to survive a week in Roswaal's mansion.

First is to earn the trust of the staff here.

If I don't gain those girls' favor,

they're likely to kill me to keep me silent.

That goes not only for Rem and Ram,

but for their master, Roswaal, as well.

And second is to defeat the shaman that attacks Roswaal's mansion.

I'm exhausted...

You're quite the hard worker.

I'm not done yet.

I still need to prepare dinner and clean the rooms.

I'll get back to work after a little break.

It's only your first day, and you're so spirited.

Well...

Some important things are at stake here.

By the way, what kind of magic does Emilia-tan use?

Technically, Lia isn't really a magic user.

That goes for her contract with me, too.

She's a spirit arts user.

So magic users and spirit arts users are different...

Magic users cast magic with their own mana,

but spirit arts users draw from mana in the atmosphere.

And how are those two different, Sensei?

Basically, it depends on whether or not you use a gate.

A gate?

Mana passes through a gate within your body.

You both draw mana in and expel it out through the gate.

I see... So it's like a faucet for MP.

You should have one, too, Subaru.

Really?! Does that mean I can use magic, too?

Want me to figure out what your attribute is?

Magic users are divided into fire, water, wind, and earth attributes.

Whoa, that's totally a magic sound effect!

I know what your attribute is.

Yes! I've been waiting for this!

Is it the burning fire of passion?

Or a relaxed, cool-guy water type?

Or maybe a gentle wind blowing across the plain?

Or is it solid, reliable earth?

Shadow

It's shadow.

All rejected?!

Wow, shadow? That's very rare.

What is shadow, anyway?

Weren't there only four attributes?

This is a category error!

In addition to the four basic attributes,

there's also shadow and light.

Is it actually some amazing ability?

Like a talent that only comes along once in 5,000 years?

With shadow magic,

you can obstruct an opponent's vision, block sound,

slow their movements, and things like that.

It's just debuffs?!

An easy one would be something like Shamac.

That's a blinding spell, right?

Want me to show you?

Wait, Puck...

For real?! Let's see, let's see!

Shamac!

Okay, that's it.

What'd you think? That was Shamac.

Are you all right?

I-I'm fine!

It's not too flashy, but it seems pretty effective!

That means I can use this Shamac, too, right?

Well, that depends on your training.

Want to try the beginner's course?

Please, Master!

I'll act as a support and use the mana inside you,

so the magic will come from your own gate.

Lia, on the off-chance that Subaru's magic goes out of control and explodes,

you should step away so your clothes don't get messy.

That only happens if I screw it up really bad, right?!

If you're relaxed enough for lighthearted comments like that, you'll be fine.

Now, visualize the flow of mana through your body,

then expel a part of it out of your body through your gate.

Visualizing, I can do.

Fantasizing is what I do best.

Huh? That's not good. The gate just—

Long story short,

you don't have very good control over your gate,

so you shouldn't try too hard.

You're the one who said I'd be fine.

Tee-hee!

That's not cute at all.

Well, for better or for worse, your gate isn't very well-used.

That's why the mana inside ignored the user's will and burst its way out.

What am I, a soy sauce bottle with a loose cap?

You shouldn't move.

You used up all the mana in your body.

You might not be able to work any more today...

No! I have to!

Don't try to overdo it!

This is exactly when I need to overdo it!

I can't waste a single day!

You really are hopeless...

What—

Chew.

Chew and swallow it. Three, and... go!

Wh-What was that?

A fruit called "bocco fruit."

When you eat it, the mana in your body activates,

and your gate regains a little of its strength.

Sorry... I guess I've caused you some trouble.

You don't understand, Subaru.

It's more satisfying to hear a single "thank you" than a lot of "sorry"s.

I did it because I wanted to help you,

not because I wanted an apology.

Okay?

So, Ram, given what you've seen so far,

what do you think of him?

In terms of abilities, he's completely incompetent,

but he can be excessively quick-witted when it counts.

I believe it may be necessary to keep an eye on him for a time.

This is a problem we must handle with utmost care.

Be sure to give the proper warnings

so that your sister doesn't act rashly.

I guess that's about all I can expect of the first day.

I earned quite a bit of trust from Ram and Rem... I think.

But the problem is that shaman's attack...

How do I fight that?

You want to know more about shamans?

Yeah. How do you avoid curses?

There is no way.

Huh?

There is no way to undo a curse once it's been activated, I suppose.

Once it's activated, that's it.

That's what curses are.

It's actually possible to nullify instant death resistances?

However, before they're activated, curses are just simple spells,

so I can easily undo them.

The witch's scent...

You know, Rem mentioned that, too.

Who is this witch?

Are witches related to shamans?

In this world, the word "witch" refers to only one person.

The Witch of Envy?

Exactly. The Witch of Envy, Satella.

Long ago, she devoured the six witches who bore the names of the deadly sins,

and drained half the world dry. She's the worst of the worst, I suppose.

It's said that she was starved for love.

It's said that she doesn't understand human language.

It's said that her body never withers, weakens, or dies.

It's said that, though she was sealed by the powers of a dragon, a hero, and a sage,

they were unable to destroy her flesh.

It's said that her body is that of a half-elf with silver hair.

I'm...

Satella.

What would it take to make someone steal the Witch of Envy's name?

Oh, I guess "steal" makes the person sound bad...

Maybe I should say to make someone "borrow" the Witch of Envy's name.

In either case, they must have no fear of death, I suppose.

One who would steal her name can be called nothing but insane.

I see... So that's why...

Huh?

If people just saw her as a crazy freak,

she wouldn't have to be involved in this royal selection mess.

What are you talking about, I suppose?

Nothing.

Good morning!

It's another sunny day, perfect for drying laundry!

Let's make this a day filled with happiness!

Now... Victory!

Victory!

You're so energetic again this morning.

Yep! Even as I'm ordered around and disciplined by the maid sisters,