Arc 7, Chapter 61 "Welcome to the Gladiator Island!"
--It was the feeling of being marooned in a dark, cold place.
The environment was as dark as closed eyelids and as cold as a cheek against a neglected iron. He was desperately seeking salvation, savoring the sensation of being bound all over with chains of inconvenience.
It is also the reason why he kept reaching out to them so selflessly, as if they were at his disposal.
But that was not why he reached for the white light coming before him at the last moment.
Light - no, it was a girl with a pathetic look of determination on her face. He reached out to her not because he wanted to save her. It was because he felt he had to save her.
So he distorted the chains that tried to block even a flinch, and reached out this hand, his own hand.
His own, this hand--.
"--small."
Muttered Natsuki Subaru, looking at his hands reflected in his blurry vision.
That hand, palm facing the ceiling, is an extension of Subaru's own hand on his shoulder. It grips, closes, and moves as you think it should. Without a doubt, it is his own hand.
However, they were one size smaller than Subaru's expectations, the hands of a child.
In other words--,
"I missed it......"
A chance to rise from the ashes that they should have somehow managed to seize after much hard work. It was the result of literally dying over and over again, and yet it left his hands.
How many sacrifices have he made for what he had given up?
How many sacrifices did he have to make to--,
"--!? Yeah, what the hell am I doing, man!?"
A moment later, there was a jolt of blurred consciousness, and Subaru put the hand he had been watching to his face.
The memories that come back to him lead to a dangerous game of tag with Olbart, which was worse than the unusual situation we came across in the Demon City.
After countless "deaths", Subaru was supposed to have succeeded in winning the victory and unlocking the victor's crown - "infantilization".
He also remembers Olbart touching his chest and trying to break Subaru's "infantilization".
The next moment, he thought he heard the words of love whispered in his ear - and then--,
"Suddenly I was unconscious and then...... and then?"
Subaru tries to find out what happened, and tries to search his own memory, which is in a blur. But no matter how hard he pushes and pulls, the door containing his interrupted memories refuses to open.
Subaru bit his back teeth hard at the tightness of the door and his slowly growing impatience--,
"--Well, let's not be in such a hurry, but stand firm. Fortunately, we have saved your life, and it won't be too late to do something after your companion wakes up."
"--ah?"
Suddenly, a voice was heard from right beside him, and Subaru turned to look at it, stunned. Then, his eyes met those of a person lying beside Subaru, who was resting his cheekbones on a hard bunk with both hands.
With a smiling, full face and someone who was looking into Subaru's face from a close distance.
"WHA!?"
"Oh. That's a nice response, but you should keep a low profile. If you're too loud, the island owner will glare at you and set you up for a troublesome death match. Of course."
"Uh, ah, yeah......"
"I don't mind that kind of bad taste, in fact I like it."
The blue-haired person who jumped up involuntarily and said aloofly in front of Subaru, whose eyes were black and white.
He wore his long hair tucked behind his head and dressed in an outfit reminiscent of a rarely seen Japanese style. Surprised by this strange face, Subaru swallowed his spit and chose his words and his question.
Not only a strange partner, but also a strange place, a strange environment, a strange air--,
"......Who are you? Where am I?"
"--Oh, that's so good! I love that question! It's exactly what I was hoping for...... No, it's even better!"
"Huh?"
Subaru cautiously tried to see how his opponent would react, but his opponent, his eyes shining with joy, quickly took his hand and shook it up and down with such force that he thought his shoulder might be torn off.
I was not caught off guard. And yet, it was as if he couldn't react.
Before Subaru's astonished eyes, the other party released his arm and spun around as if dancing on the spot.
"Let me answer you! I have crossed the Black Lake and arrived at this island - Ginunhive, the solitary island of the gladiators, with a swirl of wonderful premonitions and a bad look in your eyes!"
With his theatrical tone and gestures, he is a person who speaks rudely for a first meeting. However, the other party was oblivious to Subaru's feelings and carried on with his attitude and theatrics with impunity.
It was as if he was a stage actor who deserved thunderous applause.
"--Cecilus Segmunt."
The way he stretched his arms out to the left and right and said his name was like a Kabuki performance.
Of course, there should be no such thing as Kabuki in this world, so they probably did not imitate the real thing. Even so, the pose had a power that took his breath away.
But it was not only the powerful pose that took Subaru's breath away, but also the familiar sound. He frowned as soon as he thought of where he had heard it.
What he heard was from Abel's mouth.
His name is, one of the "Nine Divine Generals"--.
"I am the 'Blue Lightning' of Vollachia. --The star of this world."
Subaru was blindsided by the person who so brazenly said this.
The name and title given, both of which match Subaru's memory. They match, but there is one very big problem.
It's--,
"--Vollachia's Strongest is a Child?"
--The first thing that struck him was that Cecilus Segmunt, who was smiling in front of him, was a child about the same age as the shrunken Subaru, and had the appearance of a bad boy.
△▼△▼△▼△
--The severe effects of "infantilization" are taking their toll on both Natsuki Subaru's mind and body.
The physical effects are easy to understand: Subaru now has the physical capabilities of a child of about ten years old, just as he appears on the outside. His arm and leg strength, as well as endurance and instantaneous force, have reverted to pre-pubescent levels.
However, it is doubtful how useful Subaru's physical abilities were originally by the standards of this other world, so you might say that the difference is slight. It's a sad story.
Far more serious are the effects that are more apparent on the inside than on the outside.
"Maybe I'm getting weak in the head......"
Although the expression is misleading, it is a simple way of expressing the bad situation in which Subaru finds itself.
The ability to conceive, think, and draw out knowledge is weakening. Even if the desk they are using is the same as before, their ability to open drawers is weaker and they are unable to reach drawers that are higher up.
--The infernal game of tag played against Olbart in the keep of the Red Lapis Castle.
The number of attempts they put into that measure, which was out of the norm, was very much influenced by the reduction in thinking. Surely before the shrinkage, they would have found a solution a bit faster.
Perhaps a little sooner, and he would have been spared the pain.
Fortunately, it was not Subaru at that time, but everyone important to Subaru that saved the day.
He felt like everyone's voice, their support, was echoing in my head--,
"No, no, that's not what I meant......"
Suddenly, something suddenly filled his heart, and Subaru hurriedly wiped it away with his hand.
The mixed feelings of relief and sadness are probably more akin to homesickness. Before infancy, the rush and responsibility made it bearable, but apparently the body of a child is lowered to a tear barrier. If he's not careful, he's likely to cry ragged tears.
"......Don't cry, don't cry. I'm an idiot, am I. No, I am an idiot."
No matter how much he grieves, he can't help everyone who isn't here.
Letting the tears evaporate with the friction, Subaru tried hard to get back to the point. If he didn't, that would be the only way he would ever get a chance to see everyone again.
What is important now is neither his own weak mind nor his budding sense of nostalgia. He needs to look more closely at the essence of the problem.
In other words--,
"Did I hear from Abel or Zikr about the age of 'Number One' or something like that......?"
Sipping his nose, Subaru searches his memory for the answer to his question.
He heard that Cecilus Segmunt - that is the strongest of the "Nine Divine Generals" of Vollachia. In other words, he is the most powerful person in the empire.
In the first place, the reason why they headed for the Demon City of Chaos Flame was a strategy to get Yorna, one of the "Nine Divine Generals", to become an ally. In order to regain the imperial throne, he had to get as many of the "Nine Divine Generals" on his side as possible.
Then, of course, they should have all been talking about the "Number One" person properly.
So he's prying open a hard drawer and somehow looking for answers--,
"All I can recall is information that he's not well-liked and not very dependable......"
He is not sure if it was because that was the part that had the greatest impact, or if that was all he was actually told, but that was all the information Subaru had on "Number One".
Unfortunately, he can't find the information he wants now there, such as the appearance and age of "Number One".
"But if you're talking about the lack of popularity because he's a child, that's easy enough to understand."
It is a strange story of an empire where the strongest people are supposed to be great, but they are not well-liked, even though they are supposed to be the strongest.
It would also make sense if they said that the strongest person is a child. Many adults would be reluctant to follow a child, no matter how strong.
Yes, once Subaru has come to terms with its prior information and new knowledge.
"--So it looks like they've come to some sort of conclusion."
Subaru looked up to see a blue-haired boy, Cecilus, standing in front of him in the same posture as before.
Leaving him alone and lost in thought, Subaru blinked his eyes and then,
"I-I'm sorry. I've been neglecting you."
"Ah no no, it's fine. After all, I'm used to being left out of discussions. Ahaha!"
"I-I see......"
Cecilus shows his white teeth and openly confides his sad situation to him.
He was amused by his attitude, but he was glad if he was not offended by his rude response. After all, he had a lot of questions he wanted to ask him.
There were so many that he wanted to twist his neck to figure out where to start.
"Sorry for being rude, I apologize one more time. I'm......"
"That is it! There is no problem. Of course, it doesn't mean that rudeness, rudeness, and arrogance will be tolerated, but I have the capacity to let it slide to some extent. If you are small, narrow, and shallow, you are just playing a minor role and getting beaten up."
"Oh, oh, yes. Thanks, that helps. So I'm......"
"Speaking of which! I didn't ask you this because you were thinking about it, but how did you feel about what you just saw? I was thinking about it, but I didn't ask you earlier. I was wondering if I could add it to the list of "namesake speeches" or not!"
"Hey, wait a minute, let me tell you my story......"
"Oh yes! I have a ton of other questions I'm curious to ask you! What do you think? I'm sure you'll tell us all about it in great detail--"
"--LISTEN TO ME!!!"
He tried to speak calmly, but all of his attempts were interrupted by the lightning-fast speech of the other party.
Fearing that he would be swept away by the momentum, Subaru involuntarily let out a loud yell. When Subaru huffed after doing so, Cecilus rolled his slitted eyes and then,
"Oh, did I do it again?"
"Template statements at a level almost unheard of today......"
"Revel? Temprate?"
"Well, it's my local word for degree or promise."
"Ho-ho-ho, local! That's interesting! Oh, I see that's a no-no."
The "Blue Lightning" has a twinkle in its eye and is quick to jump on the object of its curiosity.
Perhaps those two names also symbolize his personality, which is too honest in his desires, like lightning falling on a high place? He is totally restless.
--Though perhaps it is also an act to hide his true nature.
"So what are you going to tell me about it? I can't stop my heart from beating out of my chest at what you're going to tell me! Hah~, I feel so alive!"
"......Doesn't look like an act at all."
With sparkling eyes, the boy wants the story to be told from Subaru's mouth.
He doubts that he can even tell a lie, an attitude that seems to have nothing to do with concealment or deviousness. In the first place, what is the point of setting such a trap for Subaru now?
If not with Abel, Subaru would be nothing of note in the empire. --Of course, there are some exceptions who persistently try to take Subaru's life.
"But that was the exception to the rule, and I wouldn't want to see him again if I could."
"--? What's wrong?"
"No, I'm talking about this one. And, I'm Natsuki Subaru......ah"
Cecilus tilted his head, said his name to cover up the question, and then Subaru immediately realized that he had been careless.
In her cross-dressing state, she called herself "Natsumi Schwarz" and was careful not to spread her name inadvertently in the Empire, but the child's detachment spoiled that.
Perhaps, just in case, Cecilus, who holds the position of the first general of the empire, would know the name of the king-elect of the neighboring Kingdom of Lugnica and its officials--,
"Natsuki Subaru, is it? It's a strange sound that somehow rolls mellowly over the tongue. By the way, which is the family name, Natsuki or Subaru?"
"--. Th-the family name is Natsuki, and my name is Subaru."
"Ha-ha. Yes, sir. Then I'll call you Subaru-san! However, if I find a better way to call you, I will change it depending on my mood."
Waving his hand in the air, Cecilus replied, not having the slightest idea what he was talking about.
While he is relieved to hear this, a slight doubt grows in Subaru's mind. --Is this child really Cecilus Segmunt?
"----"
If you think about it, anyone can just self-report. Of course, even the boy in front of him can do it. Just as Subaru declared himself as "Natsuki Subaru".
Naturally, the name and two names of the strongest "Blue Lightning" in Vollachia are well known.
It is too much to be possible to happen to run into the most powerful man in Vollachia in such an unknown place. It is more likely that a child, yearning for the name and title, calls himself "Blue Lightning". It would be more natural to think so.
"Oh? You're looking at me with a kind of clouded look in your eyes, aren't you? What's wrong with me?"
"......Are you the real 'Blue Lightning'?"
"It came out! He said it again! He says it every time!"
Cecilus laughed when he threw a direct doubt that he was not good at probing.
It is doubtful whether we can continue to call this boy Cecilus, but it seems that people other than Subaru also have doubts about the authenticity of his identity.
But--,
"It's easy to say, 'I'm real'! But that doesn't prove it either, does it? On the other hand, even if you talk about my hidden information...... that deserves proof, you can't tell the difference between authenticity and falsehood. Subaru-san, you don't know me that well."
"That's...... yeah, you're right."
"Then it's a waste of time to argue about the authenticity of my identity. Let's just cut the nonsense out and move on to the next topic! It's much more constructive that way, even though I'm a destroyer!"
He felt like he was being talked down to with a great deal of vigor and verbiage, but there was no room for rebuttal when he was furiously and breathlessly folding his arguments. Besides, what he says is true, albeit extreme.
Subaru has no way to tell the authenticity of "Blue Lightning". Nor does he have a clue. Then, even if he doubted the tentative Cecilus, he would not find the answer.
And when it comes down to it--,
"----"
Once he removes his interest from Cecilus, the next thing that comes to mind is the question of the situation.
As he tried to get Olbart to remove his "infantilization", Subaru's consciousness was engulfed by a void - no, something much darker - and scraped away.
But you can tell by looking that he didn't just pass out without anything.
For example, Subaru, facing Cecilus, is lying on a shabby bed.
Even in Shudrak villages with limited resources, efforts were made to make beds comfortable by using soft plants and trees. However, he could not feel any such consideration in this bed.
All there is, is a platform where you can just lie down and that's it.
Helping to give the impression of such bleakness are the contents of the bleak room, which is empty except for the bed.
The gray walls are dry and cracked, and the floor is stained with dirt that cannot be removed. The damp air was also bad for his chest, and he couldn't say that the environment was comfortable.
It was as if he was trapped in a prison cell.
"Um, Cessy, can I ask you something?"
"Cessy! What's that, could it be me?"
"I'm not sure if I can call someone real or fake Cecilus......"
He doesn't mean to say that in case he met the real Cecilus somewhere, but that was Subaru's drop-off point for a boy whose authenticity was unknown.
Calling him Provisional Cecilus is rude and troublesome to begin with. Apart from being suspiciously familiar, his demeanor is very friendly, and he doesn't want to be disliked.
"If anything, they may be the friendliest in the empire...... No, they're no match for Flop and Medium, as you'd expect. But I have a feeling it's a good match."
However, overconfidence is not advised, as there have been cases where a person was friendly at first and then changed his/her mind.
Then again, it was an unusual piece of luck for Subaru to happen to meet the O'Connell siblings when he was with Rem. It may be one of the greatest pieces of luck in his life.
Was he approached by Flop at that time? Perhaps he couldn't stand to see Subaru with Rem.
"Cessy, Cessy is it?...... How special! What a strange sound! When I think back, I have never been called by a nickname before."
Cecilus, on the other hand, is excited about his first nickname.
He chose a somewhat cheesy name for him, but if he's so happy with it, it's bad to water it down, and he doesn't think he needs an alternative. He doesn't really have any other ideas."
"So, getting back to the subject...... this isn't Chaos Flame, is it?"
"Is it Chaos Flame......? Yes, it's not at all. Rather, in the Empire, it is just the opposite of the West and the East! As I said, this is the Gladiator Island of Ginunhive."
"Glahdiaytor Island......"
Rolling the unfamiliar word "Ginunhive" around on his tongue, Subaru's lips curved.
Aside from the name of the place, he had a bad feeling about that crown. If Chaos Flame was called "Demon City" because of the large number of subhumans living there, then there must be a reason why Ginunhive was also given such a crown.
The Gladiator Island, it is--,
"--Gladiator, Island?"
The image of a "gladiator" sounded easy to get and was familiar to him.
As he recalls, yes, it was a word that Al would blurt out from time to time. He spent more than a decade as a gladiator somewhere, feeling like he was going to die.
He also said that he managed to survive the loss of his left arm and escaped from that environment.
Then this is the place to--,
"No way, the death game venue......?"
"Desu gayme? Is that a local word too? What does it mean?"
"......I meant coliseum, or a venue for killing each other."
"Oh, I see! Then you understand quickly! This is the very 'venue of Desu Gayme'!"
"--tsk"
Cecilus laughs at Subaru, who is struck with a horrifying chill and fearfully mentions the possibility.
His light tone as he struck his hand in front of his chest made Subaru doubt even his empty ears. But no matter how long he waited, the words he wanted to hear did not escape Cecilus's mouth.
-No, it leaked, but it wasn't the words he wanted to hear.
"Welcome once again to Gladiator Island. It's rare for someone as young as me and Subaru-san to come in, and even if we did, we wouldn't live long, so I have high hopes for you."
"Tha......"
"Tha?"
"That's ridiculous! That's not how...... that works, that's something!"
With a bloodthirsty look on his face, Subaru turned his voice inside out to Cecilus in front of him.
It's just too much to accept. It must be some kind of mistake to find himself in such a place.
"Because until I woke up I was in Chaos Flame......"
"No, no, I was on this bunk while I slept. I was having nightmares. I can understand why you would be nodding off because it's not a comfortable place to sleep, but I was in Chaos Flame during that time as well."
"That's not what I meant! You know what I mean!"
"Hmm."
Irritated by the insensitive Cecilus, Subaru bit him, spit flying.
He closes one eye at the appeal and assumes a listening position in which Cecilus does not interject. Subaru's eyes swim at the sight, and he looks around the room.
"I was in Chaos Flame. I'm in here for some reason. Some of these people I was working with."
"I'm here as a matter of fact, even if you say it's a mistake. If I accept that statement, it would mean that I have been sent from the island to the Demon City."
"If I'm on the Gladiator Island, then it could be the other way around!"
"I don't know. --If that's the answer, I can tell you right away."
Cecilus shrugs at Subaru's tantrum that he is not listening and quietly reaches out his hand. His slender fingertip points to a wall at the back of the room.
--No, it's not a wall. He showed him a window there, fitted with iron bars.
The window, through which a moist breeze flows in, is high but communicates with the outside of the room.
"No, no no no......!"
Lips quivering, Subaru jumps off the bed in a hurry.
As soon as he stood barefoot on the cold floor, his head jerked and he felt weak, but he managed to suppress it and ran to the window. He then jumped and grabbed the bars, forcing himself to lift himself up and place his chin on the window frame while awkwardly writhing.
And then he managed to turn his attention to the view outside--,
"--Ocean?"
"Yes, it's a lake."
Subaru muttered in dismay as he looked out the window.
Cecilus picks up the murmur and tries to affirm Subaru's words. But Cecilus's affirmation is wrong. Subaru said "ocean," not "lake," and he didn't misspell it. (TL's note: The word for "ocean" is "umi", and the word for "lake" is "mizu-umi" in Japanese.)
Yes, Cecilus made a mistake. If he made a mistake, even the view outside could be a mistake.
Subaru knew that it was nothing but his own wish.
"As far as I can see, it's all black lake......"
"The entire island is surrounded by a lake. The only way to get to and from the other side of the island is to 'raise' the only drawbridge. It is truly a natural barrier or prison!"
Unable to lift himself up, Subaru slips and slides out the window. As Subaru kneels on the floor and hangs his head, Cecilus's mouth is on fire.
Why is he in such a good mood in such a hopeless place?
"Why......"
"Yeah?"
"Why do you look so happy?"
An adult Subaru would probably have clammed up and not asked straight.
Being a child with no self-control, the question overflowed straight out of his mouth. Cecilus, with a childlike look in his eyes at Subaru's overly honest question, turned to him and said, "That's it!" and turned around.
"Because I can feel it, the end of the opening act!"
"Opening act......"
"I was thrown into the "Desu Gayme venue", although I didn't really understand what was going on, and had to fight to the death with blood and wind! A new wind with a different premonition from the scent of blood blew in under me! If that's the case, it would be a lie to say that the story doesn't move."
He doesn't understand Cecilus's story at all, as he rambles on and on, pointing his fingers. --No, it's not that he doesn't understand. It's not that he doesn't want to understand.
Because if you're trying to understand his point in its entirety, it's--,
"Otherwise, it wouldn't be funny. It would be sacrilege for any decent plot to keep a star actor offstage!"
--Wouldn't you say that the strongest "Blue Lightning" in Vollachia is the narrative brain?
△▼△▼△▼△
Cecilus Segmunt, the storytelling brain that seeks out the tumultuous, has a lot to say.
He suspects that if he was left alone, they would be chattering on and on.
"I was just strolling outside, and there you were, crawling up on the shore. Isn't that amazing? This doesn't happen very often. It's a fate! Or should I say 'story'?"
"----"
"I've always been a rather intuitive person, as you probably don't know. I found it today when I was walking along because I felt as if the wind was inviting me."
"----"
'Of course, you survived that situation, and you have a good chance of being the world's favorite! Let's show them the good part, Subba...... barru...... hmmm?"
Cecilus twists his head and mulls over what is going on.
Subaru's bare feet move over the cold stone floor as he listens to the unintelligible and insubstantial conversation spilling from the man's lips.
It is reckless to go out of the room where he woke up and walk like this in an unknown land.
Still, there are things he needs to be sure of.
"It's true, isn't it? That I wasn't alone?"
"Huh?" Oh, yeah, it's true. I would like to commend you for that as well. Not only did you save your life in that situation, but you also saved your partner's. That's really a stroke of luck and courage......"
"I don't care if you have talent or guts or whatever." So, who are you dealing with?"
"It was a little girl. Roughly the same age as Bassu...... Oh! This sounds pretty good to say, doesn't it?"
The conversation is easily off the main topic, but he got what he wanted to hear.
Perhaps what Cecilus is struggling with is what to call Subaru in response to being called "Cessy" himself. He doesn't care what he calls him, as long as it's not a very bad nickname.
What's important is the story he gets out of it--,
"--Louis."
When we talk about being about the same age as himself - only, about the same age as Subaru is now, the person who comes to mind is naturally Louis. Under the circumstances, Medium was reduced to about the same age, but since she was not in that keep, she was not a candidate.
Frankly, though, Subaru's mental image of Louis is a jumbled mess.
"I'm not going to throw you out before we have an answer to that question. Besides, maybe with your help......"
If he can use Louis's "transference", he may be able to get out of this dangerous island.
He doesn't know the whole island yet, and the only other person he had met here is Cecilus, but from what he has told him, it must be the worst environment for a child to spend time in.
So--,
"We have to get off this island as soon as possible."
"It's a pretty big ambition, but I think there are a lot of obstacles. From what I've heard, there has only been one person in the past who has been able to escape from this place, and that's why the 'curse rule' was created."
"Then I'll be the second one. No, with my companion, there will be three of us."
Interrupted by his determination, Subaru involuntarily retorted. Cecilus heard this and looked at him lightly, then whistled a high pitched tune.
It kind of put him in a good mood, but he couldn't afford to care about that.
And then--,
"Bassu, I'm here."
After a few moments in the dimly lit, damp, cold air-filled passageway, Cecilus stopped abruptly. With his hands clasped behind his head, he shuffled his chin in a room with a dingy wooden door.
Looking up at the door, Subaru asked, "What is this place?"
"It's a healing room. It is also called the corpse room. There are many people who die in the arena and become corpses here."
"It-it's a room for healing, right? Where's the healers?"
"Healers! There are at least healers, but there are no such precious magic users. If we put them there, there would be fewer deaths, but that's not the island owner's policy."
"----"
Subaru couldn't help but keep his mouth shut when he was answered in a flirtatious manner.
It was all a bit of a blur, but in the Vollachian Empire, there are very few people who can use healing magic. That is why Rem's healing magic was treated as valuable.
But the fact that Louis is being thrown into a healing room without a healer.
"The girl you were with was very weak, so that was the reason. The name of this room is to treat the wounded, so there are enough blankets and tools to patch them up. We were treated as we were earlier, and the sleeping conditions were terrible, weren't they?"
"Only Cessy would be a...... gladiator."
"Ahahaha, you're right! Here, let's have an emotional meeting."
Cecilus taps him on the shoulder, doubly reading Subaru's mind.
Pressured by the momentum, Subaru swallowed his spit and headed for the door with determination. He pushed open the door and frowned at the unpleasant smell emanating from inside.
What overflowed was a mixture of blood and carrion that smelled like the height of unhygienic hygiene.
Perhaps hygiene is dead, or perhaps the room is not so spacious, but one can see used tools and properly washed bandages hanging out to dry.
In such a not-so-nice environment--,
"That's your companion sleeping over there."
"Louis!"
As Subaru looked around, Cecilus pointed to a bed in the back.
It seems to be a room that serves as an infirmary, with two beds that are a little better than the one in which Subaru was laid out, and a small blanket at the far end of the bed that is puffed up.
Subaru rushed over to the place where he was rushed by a feeling of anxiety. He hurried over to Louis, who was standing right there, not knowing what to say to him.
But--
"--Huh?"
Subaru froze in surprise as he ran up to her and tried to shake his little shoulders.
Not because he couldn't find the words to say. --It was because he couldn't find anyone to say them to.
It was not Louis, the girl who had been laid there and raised on the island with Subaru, that stirred Subaru's heart in a complicated way.
She has a small head, two overly prominent horns, and flaxen hair that is aligned at her shoulders. The girl's petite body was wrapped in an ornate kimono, which was removed to reveal only a simple undergarment.
It was not Louis, nor was it his fellow Medium who accompanied him to the Demon City Chaos Flame and was reduced to a small size by that Olbart's technique.
And there she was--,
"......Ta, Tanza?"
There is no response from the sleeping girl to the trembling call.
But even if you don't answer, you know it when you see it. The girl who was neither Louis nor Medium, her identity was Tanza the Deer Girl, a follower of Yorna Mishigure, the Empress of the Demon City.
"Why, why is this girl here......?"
"What is it? Did I do something wrong again?"
Cecilus, behind Subaru, who is surprised to see a sleeping face that is different from what he had imagined, says something silly.
Of course, it is not his fault. Not that he is, but--,
"That's not what I'm talking about! I was told that Louis was here."
"Well, I don't know. I explained to you that there was a girl who went up to the island with you. I was surprised, too, that she was not who you thought she was."
"U, kuh......"
Subaru is at a loss for words, unable to say anything back to Cecilus's plausible answer.
Indeed, it was Subaru who assumed that he meant Louis when he said "the girl with him". He can only apologize to Cecilus for that.
But this is strange. Why is Tanza with Subaru?
If it turns out that it was Tanza who was with him in the first place--,
"What about Louis......"
Subaru puts his hand on his head and worries about the safety of Louis, who is nowhere to be seen.
By telling them who she is, Abel, Al, and Medium see Louis as a danger. Yorna may be able to protect Louis, but only because she doesn't know who she is.
If she knew that Louis was a Sin Archbishop, even she would change her mind, just like Medium.
And he can't find any reason for Abel and his friends to keep Louis's identity a secret.
"I had to take her back to Rem."
Louis's presence was a thin and feeble thread connecting Rem and Subaru, who had no memory of him.
Even though it was Louis who followed him without permission, Subaru had a reason to bring her home. Above all, even Subaru had not decided what to do with Louis.
And yet, he doesn't know where Louis is, and Subaru is on this island for some reason.
"This is no time to be like this......!"
Subaru's thoughts were not at all coherent.
Still, he knows he has to get off this island and back to Chaos Flame now.
"If you can, take her with you to......."
"Oh, you don't mind, do you? That girl wasn't the one Bassu was expecting, was she?"
"It wasn't. It was different, but there was no reason to leave her behind, right? Besides, I'm sure Yorna is looking for this girl too."
Yorna was deeply in love and did not spare herself even for the sake of a young child she had just met.
Without her, he would not have been able to pick up a win in his game of tag with Olbart or raise that monstrous old man to the foundation of the game in the first place.
So, he thinks it is a natural repayment to return Tanza under Yorna.
"I think your enthusiasm and ideas are admirable, but as I said before, I think it will be difficult."
However, Cecilus's opinion is watering down Subaru's feelings.
Even though the way he speaks and behaves has not changed from the beginning, Cecilus's story is basically severe. However, he can't afford to be frustrated by the harshness of reality, if that is so.
"I heard you. You say it's hard to get out. But if you look for a boat or lower the drawbridge you were talking about earlier......"
"The drawbridge 'raises' it. That's a challenge, but the problem lies somewhere else. The biggest problem is the curse rule, curse rule."
"Kerse rule......?"
It is an unfamiliar word, but if it is said to be the biggest problem, it cannot be ignored.
When Subaru frowned, Cecilus pulled his hands into the sleeves of his kimono and said, "Yes".
"The 'Rules of the Curse', or 'Curse Rules'. A very nasty and powerful rule laid down by the island lord who rules this Gladiator Island. Break it and you die! Disobey and you die! Resist and you die! --Death Curse!"
"......ah"
"It covers the whole island. Do you see it?"
Cecilus spun around on the spot, waving his sleeves in the air.
It was said in a light-hearted manner and without any sense of seriousness, but the existence of this death curse or something like it was too much in line with the image of the empire to laugh it off as a lie.
"S-so no one can get out of here?"
"Yes, it is. If I didn't, I would have left long ago. The magical beast in the lake is a strong enemy, but I can run on the water if I want to. Do you know how to run on water? How to run on water. You put your left foot out before your right foot sinks......"
To a stunned Subaru, Cecilus begins to speak an overused blanket statement.
It seems to be the way ninjas run on water, and it seems that many of the superhumans in this world can actually do it. Oh, no, this is no time to escape reality like that.
"So, this island owner? Is this island owner putting a curse on us? If so, why don't you ask him to lift the curse? I'm here by mistake......"
"Hahaha, that's a funny quip! I'm sure it's just a mistake, but when you go up to the island and get a curse mark engraved on you, you are one of the gladiators. It's a sign that you have the right to be a gladiator, but it doesn't sink in."
"--tsk"
Denying the words he clung to, Subaru gulped.
Hearing the word "curse" brought up nothing but bad memories for Subaru. And as expected, it was as if the memories were destined to be overlaid in a worse form.
"So you're, not kidding......"
He was thrown into an unknown place with a child he didn't know much about. Not only that, he was told by someone he barely knew that if he tried to leave that unknown place without permission, he might die because of a curse placed on him by someone he didn't know.
What in the world does he believe, and how did he get into this situation--,
"......Yes, it is. Yes! Cessy! You're the 'Nine Divine Generals', aren't you!"
"Oh"
"Then maybe you could get in touch with the outside world or something? Let's see, this sleeping girl or the one at Yorna's place in Chaos Flame......"
Eyes bloodshot at the thought, Subaru grabbed both of Cecilus's shoulders.
Subaru forgets his own shamelessness when Cecilus closes one eye at the touch.
Earlier he treated Cecilus as a lying wolf boy, and now he expects him to be "Blue Lightning" as he calls himself.
He thought he might listen to him because he is one of the "Nine Divine Generals" of the Vollachian Empire, the most powerful being in the empire, and someone who treats him with familiarity.
It was really just a cash child's idea, an idea that came to him.
Hence, Subaru's speculation comes up empty as usual.
Or by the obvious questions that Subaru might have come up with on his own if his thinking had not been slowed down by "infantilization".
It is--,
"You know what, Bassu?"
"Oh, yeah, what?"
"What is this Nain Devain Jenerals thing?"
"Huh......?"
Cecilus tilts his head curiously as Subaru holds him by both shoulders.
Subaru was astonished, not understanding what he was being told. To Subaru, Cecilus continued, "Well, I mean,"
"I don't really know why I'm here. I think maybe there's some development that will move the story along, and I think that's what you are."
What a bombshell to knock more confusion into the young Subaru's head.
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--It was the feeling of being marooned in a dark, cold place.
The environment was as dark as closed eyelids and as cold as a cheek against a neglected iron. He was desperately seeking salvation, savoring the sensation of being bound all over with chains of inconvenience.
It is also the reason why he kept reaching out to them so selflessly, as if they were at his disposal.
But that was not why he reached for the white light coming before him at the last moment.
Light - no, it was a girl with a pathetic look of determination on her face. He reached out to her not because he wanted to save her. It was because he felt he had to save her.
So he distorted the chains that tried to block even a flinch, and reached out this hand, his own hand.
His own, this hand--.
"--small."
Muttered Natsuki Subaru, looking at his hands reflected in his blurry vision.
That hand, palm facing the ceiling, is an extension of Subaru's own hand on his shoulder. It grips, closes, and moves as you think it should. Without a doubt, it is his own hand.
However, they were one size smaller than Subaru's expectations, the hands of a child.
In other words--,
"I missed it......"
A chance to rise from the ashes that they should have somehow managed to seize after much hard work. It was the result of literally dying over and over again, and yet it left his hands.
How many sacrifices have he made for what he had given up?
How many sacrifices did he have to make to--,
"--!? Yeah, what the hell am I doing, man!?"
A moment later, there was a jolt of blurred consciousness, and Subaru put the hand he had been watching to his face.
The memories that come back to him lead to a dangerous game of tag with Olbart, which was worse than the unusual situation we came across in the Demon City.
After countless "deaths", Subaru was supposed to have succeeded in winning the victory and unlocking the victor's crown - "infantilization".
He also remembers Olbart touching his chest and trying to break Subaru's "infantilization".
The next moment, he thought he heard the words of love whispered in his ear - and then--,
"Suddenly I was unconscious and then...... and then?"
Subaru tries to find out what happened, and tries to search his own memory, which is in a blur. But no matter how hard he pushes and pulls, the door containing his interrupted memories refuses to open.
Subaru bit his back teeth hard at the tightness of the door and his slowly growing impatience--,
"--Well, let's not be in such a hurry, but stand firm. Fortunately, we have saved your life, and it won't be too late to do something after your companion wakes up."
"--ah?"
Suddenly, a voice was heard from right beside him, and Subaru turned to look at it, stunned. Then, his eyes met those of a person lying beside Subaru, who was resting his cheekbones on a hard bunk with both hands.
With a smiling, full face and someone who was looking into Subaru's face from a close distance.
"WHA!?"
"Oh. That's a nice response, but you should keep a low profile. If you're too loud, the island owner will glare at you and set you up for a troublesome death match. Of course."
"Uh, ah, yeah......"
"I don't mind that kind of bad taste, in fact I like it."
The blue-haired person who jumped up involuntarily and said aloofly in front of Subaru, whose eyes were black and white.
He wore his long hair tucked behind his head and dressed in an outfit reminiscent of a rarely seen Japanese style. Surprised by this strange face, Subaru swallowed his spit and chose his words and his question.
Not only a strange partner, but also a strange place, a strange environment, a strange air--,
"......Who are you? Where am I?"
"--Oh, that's so good! I love that question! It's exactly what I was hoping for...... No, it's even better!"
"Huh?"
Subaru cautiously tried to see how his opponent would react, but his opponent, his eyes shining with joy, quickly took his hand and shook it up and down with such force that he thought his shoulder might be torn off.
I was not caught off guard. And yet, it was as if he couldn't react.
Before Subaru's astonished eyes, the other party released his arm and spun around as if dancing on the spot.
"Let me answer you! I have crossed the Black Lake and arrived at this island - Ginunhive, the solitary island of the gladiators, with a swirl of wonderful premonitions and a bad look in your eyes!"
With his theatrical tone and gestures, he is a person who speaks rudely for a first meeting. However, the other party was oblivious to Subaru's feelings and carried on with his attitude and theatrics with impunity.
It was as if he was a stage actor who deserved thunderous applause.
"--Cecilus Segmunt."
The way he stretched his arms out to the left and right and said his name was like a Kabuki performance.
Of course, there should be no such thing as Kabuki in this world, so they probably did not imitate the real thing. Even so, the pose had a power that took his breath away.
But it was not only the powerful pose that took Subaru's breath away, but also the familiar sound. He frowned as soon as he thought of where he had heard it.
What he heard was from Abel's mouth.
His name is, one of the "Nine Divine Generals"--.
"I am the 'Blue Lightning' of Vollachia. --The star of this world."
Subaru was blindsided by the person who so brazenly said this.
The name and title given, both of which match Subaru's memory. They match, but there is one very big problem.
It's--,
"--Vollachia's Strongest is a Child?"
--The first thing that struck him was that Cecilus Segmunt, who was smiling in front of him, was a child about the same age as the shrunken Subaru, and had the appearance of a bad boy.
△▼△▼△▼△
--The severe effects of "infantilization" are taking their toll on both Natsuki Subaru's mind and body.
The physical effects are easy to understand: Subaru now has the physical capabilities of a child of about ten years old, just as he appears on the outside. His arm and leg strength, as well as endurance and instantaneous force, have reverted to pre-pubescent levels.
However, it is doubtful how useful Subaru's physical abilities were originally by the standards of this other world, so you might say that the difference is slight. It's a sad story.
Far more serious are the effects that are more apparent on the inside than on the outside.
"Maybe I'm getting weak in the head......"
Although the expression is misleading, it is a simple way of expressing the bad situation in which Subaru finds itself.
The ability to conceive, think, and draw out knowledge is weakening. Even if the desk they are using is the same as before, their ability to open drawers is weaker and they are unable to reach drawers that are higher up.
--The infernal game of tag played against Olbart in the keep of the Red Lapis Castle.
The number of attempts they put into that measure, which was out of the norm, was very much influenced by the reduction in thinking. Surely before the shrinkage, they would have found a solution a bit faster.
Perhaps a little sooner, and he would have been spared the pain.
Fortunately, it was not Subaru at that time, but everyone important to Subaru that saved the day.
He felt like everyone's voice, their support, was echoing in my head--,
"No, no, that's not what I meant......"
Suddenly, something suddenly filled his heart, and Subaru hurriedly wiped it away with his hand.
The mixed feelings of relief and sadness are probably more akin to homesickness. Before infancy, the rush and responsibility made it bearable, but apparently the body of a child is lowered to a tear barrier. If he's not careful, he's likely to cry ragged tears.
"......Don't cry, don't cry. I'm an idiot, am I. No, I am an idiot."
No matter how much he grieves, he can't help everyone who isn't here.
Letting the tears evaporate with the friction, Subaru tried hard to get back to the point. If he didn't, that would be the only way he would ever get a chance to see everyone again.
What is important now is neither his own weak mind nor his budding sense of nostalgia. He needs to look more closely at the essence of the problem.
In other words--,
"Did I hear from Abel or Zikr about the age of 'Number One' or something like that......?"
Sipping his nose, Subaru searches his memory for the answer to his question.
He heard that Cecilus Segmunt - that is the strongest of the "Nine Divine Generals" of Vollachia. In other words, he is the most powerful person in the empire.
In the first place, the reason why they headed for the Demon City of Chaos Flame was a strategy to get Yorna, one of the "Nine Divine Generals", to become an ally. In order to regain the imperial throne, he had to get as many of the "Nine Divine Generals" on his side as possible.
Then, of course, they should have all been talking about the "Number One" person properly.
So he's prying open a hard drawer and somehow looking for answers--,
"All I can recall is information that he's not well-liked and not very dependable......"
He is not sure if it was because that was the part that had the greatest impact, or if that was all he was actually told, but that was all the information Subaru had on "Number One".
Unfortunately, he can't find the information he wants now there, such as the appearance and age of "Number One".
"But if you're talking about the lack of popularity because he's a child, that's easy enough to understand."
It is a strange story of an empire where the strongest people are supposed to be great, but they are not well-liked, even though they are supposed to be the strongest.
It would also make sense if they said that the strongest person is a child. Many adults would be reluctant to follow a child, no matter how strong.
Yes, once Subaru has come to terms with its prior information and new knowledge.
"--So it looks like they've come to some sort of conclusion."
Subaru looked up to see a blue-haired boy, Cecilus, standing in front of him in the same posture as before.
Leaving him alone and lost in thought, Subaru blinked his eyes and then,
"I-I'm sorry. I've been neglecting you."
"Ah no no, it's fine. After all, I'm used to being left out of discussions. Ahaha!"
"I-I see......"
Cecilus shows his white teeth and openly confides his sad situation to him.
He was amused by his attitude, but he was glad if he was not offended by his rude response. After all, he had a lot of questions he wanted to ask him.
There were so many that he wanted to twist his neck to figure out where to start.
"Sorry for being rude, I apologize one more time. I'm......"
"That is it! There is no problem. Of course, it doesn't mean that rudeness, rudeness, and arrogance will be tolerated, but I have the capacity to let it slide to some extent. If you are small, narrow, and shallow, you are just playing a minor role and getting beaten up."
"Oh, oh, yes. Thanks, that helps. So I'm......"
"Speaking of which! I didn't ask you this because you were thinking about it, but how did you feel about what you just saw? I was thinking about it, but I didn't ask you earlier. I was wondering if I could add it to the list of "namesake speeches" or not!"
"Hey, wait a minute, let me tell you my story......"
"Oh yes! I have a ton of other questions I'm curious to ask you! What do you think? I'm sure you'll tell us all about it in great detail--"
"--LISTEN TO ME!!!"
He tried to speak calmly, but all of his attempts were interrupted by the lightning-fast speech of the other party.
Fearing that he would be swept away by the momentum, Subaru involuntarily let out a loud yell. When Subaru huffed after doing so, Cecilus rolled his slitted eyes and then,
"Oh, did I do it again?"
"Template statements at a level almost unheard of today......"
"Revel? Temprate?"
"Well, it's my local word for degree or promise."
"Ho-ho-ho, local! That's interesting! Oh, I see that's a no-no."
The "Blue Lightning" has a twinkle in its eye and is quick to jump on the object of its curiosity.
Perhaps those two names also symbolize his personality, which is too honest in his desires, like lightning falling on a high place? He is totally restless.
--Though perhaps it is also an act to hide his true nature.
"So what are you going to tell me about it? I can't stop my heart from beating out of my chest at what you're going to tell me! Hah~, I feel so alive!"
"......Doesn't look like an act at all."
With sparkling eyes, the boy wants the story to be told from Subaru's mouth.
He doubts that he can even tell a lie, an attitude that seems to have nothing to do with concealment or deviousness. In the first place, what is the point of setting such a trap for Subaru now?
If not with Abel, Subaru would be nothing of note in the empire. --Of course, there are some exceptions who persistently try to take Subaru's life.
"But that was the exception to the rule, and I wouldn't want to see him again if I could."
"--? What's wrong?"
"No, I'm talking about this one. And, I'm Natsuki Subaru......ah"
Cecilus tilted his head, said his name to cover up the question, and then Subaru immediately realized that he had been careless.
In her cross-dressing state, she called herself "Natsumi Schwarz" and was careful not to spread her name inadvertently in the Empire, but the child's detachment spoiled that.
Perhaps, just in case, Cecilus, who holds the position of the first general of the empire, would know the name of the king-elect of the neighboring Kingdom of Lugnica and its officials--,
"Natsuki Subaru, is it? It's a strange sound that somehow rolls mellowly over the tongue. By the way, which is the family name, Natsuki or Subaru?"
"--. Th-the family name is Natsuki, and my name is Subaru."
"Ha-ha. Yes, sir. Then I'll call you Subaru-san! However, if I find a better way to call you, I will change it depending on my mood."
Waving his hand in the air, Cecilus replied, not having the slightest idea what he was talking about.
While he is relieved to hear this, a slight doubt grows in Subaru's mind. --Is this child really Cecilus Segmunt?
"----"
If you think about it, anyone can just self-report. Of course, even the boy in front of him can do it. Just as Subaru declared himself as "Natsuki Subaru".
Naturally, the name and two names of the strongest "Blue Lightning" in Vollachia are well known.
It is too much to be possible to happen to run into the most powerful man in Vollachia in such an unknown place. It is more likely that a child, yearning for the name and title, calls himself "Blue Lightning". It would be more natural to think so.
"Oh? You're looking at me with a kind of clouded look in your eyes, aren't you? What's wrong with me?"
"......Are you the real 'Blue Lightning'?"
"It came out! He said it again! He says it every time!"
Cecilus laughed when he threw a direct doubt that he was not good at probing.
It is doubtful whether we can continue to call this boy Cecilus, but it seems that people other than Subaru also have doubts about the authenticity of his identity.
But--,
"It's easy to say, 'I'm real'! But that doesn't prove it either, does it? On the other hand, even if you talk about my hidden information...... that deserves proof, you can't tell the difference between authenticity and falsehood. Subaru-san, you don't know me that well."
"That's...... yeah, you're right."
"Then it's a waste of time to argue about the authenticity of my identity. Let's just cut the nonsense out and move on to the next topic! It's much more constructive that way, even though I'm a destroyer!"
He felt like he was being talked down to with a great deal of vigor and verbiage, but there was no room for rebuttal when he was furiously and breathlessly folding his arguments. Besides, what he says is true, albeit extreme.
Subaru has no way to tell the authenticity of "Blue Lightning". Nor does he have a clue. Then, even if he doubted the tentative Cecilus, he would not find the answer.
And when it comes down to it--,
"----"
Once he removes his interest from Cecilus, the next thing that comes to mind is the question of the situation.
As he tried to get Olbart to remove his "infantilization", Subaru's consciousness was engulfed by a void - no, something much darker - and scraped away.
But you can tell by looking that he didn't just pass out without anything.
For example, Subaru, facing Cecilus, is lying on a shabby bed.
Even in Shudrak villages with limited resources, efforts were made to make beds comfortable by using soft plants and trees. However, he could not feel any such consideration in this bed.
All there is, is a platform where you can just lie down and that's it.
Helping to give the impression of such bleakness are the contents of the bleak room, which is empty except for the bed.
The gray walls are dry and cracked, and the floor is stained with dirt that cannot be removed. The damp air was also bad for his chest, and he couldn't say that the environment was comfortable.
It was as if he was trapped in a prison cell.
"Um, Cessy, can I ask you something?"
"Cessy! What's that, could it be me?"
"I'm not sure if I can call someone real or fake Cecilus......"
He doesn't mean to say that in case he met the real Cecilus somewhere, but that was Subaru's drop-off point for a boy whose authenticity was unknown.
Calling him Provisional Cecilus is rude and troublesome to begin with. Apart from being suspiciously familiar, his demeanor is very friendly, and he doesn't want to be disliked.
"If anything, they may be the friendliest in the empire...... No, they're no match for Flop and Medium, as you'd expect. But I have a feeling it's a good match."
However, overconfidence is not advised, as there have been cases where a person was friendly at first and then changed his/her mind.
Then again, it was an unusual piece of luck for Subaru to happen to meet the O'Connell siblings when he was with Rem. It may be one of the greatest pieces of luck in his life.
Was he approached by Flop at that time? Perhaps he couldn't stand to see Subaru with Rem.
"Cessy, Cessy is it?...... How special! What a strange sound! When I think back, I have never been called by a nickname before."
Cecilus, on the other hand, is excited about his first nickname.
He chose a somewhat cheesy name for him, but if he's so happy with it, it's bad to water it down, and he doesn't think he needs an alternative. He doesn't really have any other ideas."
"So, getting back to the subject...... this isn't Chaos Flame, is it?"
"Is it Chaos Flame......? Yes, it's not at all. Rather, in the Empire, it is just the opposite of the West and the East! As I said, this is the Gladiator Island of Ginunhive."
"Glahdiaytor Island......"
Rolling the unfamiliar word "Ginunhive" around on his tongue, Subaru's lips curved.
Aside from the name of the place, he had a bad feeling about that crown. If Chaos Flame was called "Demon City" because of the large number of subhumans living there, then there must be a reason why Ginunhive was also given such a crown.
The Gladiator Island, it is--,
"--Gladiator, Island?"
The image of a "gladiator" sounded easy to get and was familiar to him.
As he recalls, yes, it was a word that Al would blurt out from time to time. He spent more than a decade as a gladiator somewhere, feeling like he was going to die.
He also said that he managed to survive the loss of his left arm and escaped from that environment.
Then this is the place to--,
"No way, the death game venue......?"
"Desu gayme? Is that a local word too? What does it mean?"
"......I meant coliseum, or a venue for killing each other."
"Oh, I see! Then you understand quickly! This is the very 'venue of Desu Gayme'!"
"--tsk"
Cecilus laughs at Subaru, who is struck with a horrifying chill and fearfully mentions the possibility.
His light tone as he struck his hand in front of his chest made Subaru doubt even his empty ears. But no matter how long he waited, the words he wanted to hear did not escape Cecilus's mouth.
-No, it leaked, but it wasn't the words he wanted to hear.
"Welcome once again to Gladiator Island. It's rare for someone as young as me and Subaru-san to come in, and even if we did, we wouldn't live long, so I have high hopes for you."
"Tha......"
"Tha?"
"That's ridiculous! That's not how...... that works, that's something!"
With a bloodthirsty look on his face, Subaru turned his voice inside out to Cecilus in front of him.
It's just too much to accept. It must be some kind of mistake to find himself in such a place.
"Because until I woke up I was in Chaos Flame......"
"No, no, I was on this bunk while I slept. I was having nightmares. I can understand why you would be nodding off because it's not a comfortable place to sleep, but I was in Chaos Flame during that time as well."
"That's not what I meant! You know what I mean!"
"Hmm."
Irritated by the insensitive Cecilus, Subaru bit him, spit flying.
He closes one eye at the appeal and assumes a listening position in which Cecilus does not interject. Subaru's eyes swim at the sight, and he looks around the room.
"I was in Chaos Flame. I'm in here for some reason. Some of these people I was working with."
"I'm here as a matter of fact, even if you say it's a mistake. If I accept that statement, it would mean that I have been sent from the island to the Demon City."
"If I'm on the Gladiator Island, then it could be the other way around!"
"I don't know. --If that's the answer, I can tell you right away."
Cecilus shrugs at Subaru's tantrum that he is not listening and quietly reaches out his hand. His slender fingertip points to a wall at the back of the room.
--No, it's not a wall. He showed him a window there, fitted with iron bars.
The window, through which a moist breeze flows in, is high but communicates with the outside of the room.
"No, no no no......!"
Lips quivering, Subaru jumps off the bed in a hurry.
As soon as he stood barefoot on the cold floor, his head jerked and he felt weak, but he managed to suppress it and ran to the window. He then jumped and grabbed the bars, forcing himself to lift himself up and place his chin on the window frame while awkwardly writhing.
And then he managed to turn his attention to the view outside--,
"--Ocean?"
"Yes, it's a lake."
Subaru muttered in dismay as he looked out the window.
Cecilus picks up the murmur and tries to affirm Subaru's words. But Cecilus's affirmation is wrong. Subaru said "ocean," not "lake," and he didn't misspell it. (TL's note: The word for "ocean" is "umi", and the word for "lake" is "mizu-umi" in Japanese.)
Yes, Cecilus made a mistake. If he made a mistake, even the view outside could be a mistake.
Subaru knew that it was nothing but his own wish.
"As far as I can see, it's all black lake......"
"The entire island is surrounded by a lake. The only way to get to and from the other side of the island is to 'raise' the only drawbridge. It is truly a natural barrier or prison!"
Unable to lift himself up, Subaru slips and slides out the window. As Subaru kneels on the floor and hangs his head, Cecilus's mouth is on fire.
Why is he in such a good mood in such a hopeless place?
"Why......"
"Yeah?"
"Why do you look so happy?"
An adult Subaru would probably have clammed up and not asked straight.
Being a child with no self-control, the question overflowed straight out of his mouth. Cecilus, with a childlike look in his eyes at Subaru's overly honest question, turned to him and said, "That's it!" and turned around.
"Because I can feel it, the end of the opening act!"
"Opening act......"
"I was thrown into the "Desu Gayme venue", although I didn't really understand what was going on, and had to fight to the death with blood and wind! A new wind with a different premonition from the scent of blood blew in under me! If that's the case, it would be a lie to say that the story doesn't move."
He doesn't understand Cecilus's story at all, as he rambles on and on, pointing his fingers. --No, it's not that he doesn't understand. It's not that he doesn't want to understand.
Because if you're trying to understand his point in its entirety, it's--,
"Otherwise, it wouldn't be funny. It would be sacrilege for any decent plot to keep a star actor offstage!"
--Wouldn't you say that the strongest "Blue Lightning" in Vollachia is the narrative brain?
△▼△▼△▼△
Cecilus Segmunt, the storytelling brain that seeks out the tumultuous, has a lot to say.
He suspects that if he was left alone, they would be chattering on and on.
"I was just strolling outside, and there you were, crawling up on the shore. Isn't that amazing? This doesn't happen very often. It's a fate! Or should I say 'story'?"
"----"
"I've always been a rather intuitive person, as you probably don't know. I found it today when I was walking along because I felt as if the wind was inviting me."
"----"
'Of course, you survived that situation, and you have a good chance of being the world's favorite! Let's show them the good part, Subba...... barru...... hmmm?"
Cecilus twists his head and mulls over what is going on.
Subaru's bare feet move over the cold stone floor as he listens to the unintelligible and insubstantial conversation spilling from the man's lips.
It is reckless to go out of the room where he woke up and walk like this in an unknown land.
Still, there are things he needs to be sure of.
"It's true, isn't it? That I wasn't alone?"
"Huh?" Oh, yeah, it's true. I would like to commend you for that as well. Not only did you save your life in that situation, but you also saved your partner's. That's really a stroke of luck and courage......"
"I don't care if you have talent or guts or whatever." So, who are you dealing with?"
"It was a little girl. Roughly the same age as Bassu...... Oh! This sounds pretty good to say, doesn't it?"
The conversation is easily off the main topic, but he got what he wanted to hear.
Perhaps what Cecilus is struggling with is what to call Subaru in response to being called "Cessy" himself. He doesn't care what he calls him, as long as it's not a very bad nickname.
What's important is the story he gets out of it--,
"--Louis."
When we talk about being about the same age as himself - only, about the same age as Subaru is now, the person who comes to mind is naturally Louis. Under the circumstances, Medium was reduced to about the same age, but since she was not in that keep, she was not a candidate.
Frankly, though, Subaru's mental image of Louis is a jumbled mess.
"I'm not going to throw you out before we have an answer to that question. Besides, maybe with your help......"
If he can use Louis's "transference", he may be able to get out of this dangerous island.
He doesn't know the whole island yet, and the only other person he had met here is Cecilus, but from what he has told him, it must be the worst environment for a child to spend time in.
So--,
"We have to get off this island as soon as possible."
"It's a pretty big ambition, but I think there are a lot of obstacles. From what I've heard, there has only been one person in the past who has been able to escape from this place, and that's why the 'curse rule' was created."
"Then I'll be the second one. No, with my companion, there will be three of us."
Interrupted by his determination, Subaru involuntarily retorted. Cecilus heard this and looked at him lightly, then whistled a high pitched tune.
It kind of put him in a good mood, but he couldn't afford to care about that.
And then--,
"Bassu, I'm here."
After a few moments in the dimly lit, damp, cold air-filled passageway, Cecilus stopped abruptly. With his hands clasped behind his head, he shuffled his chin in a room with a dingy wooden door.
Looking up at the door, Subaru asked, "What is this place?"
"It's a healing room. It is also called the corpse room. There are many people who die in the arena and become corpses here."
"It-it's a room for healing, right? Where's the healers?"
"Healers! There are at least healers, but there are no such precious magic users. If we put them there, there would be fewer deaths, but that's not the island owner's policy."
"----"
Subaru couldn't help but keep his mouth shut when he was answered in a flirtatious manner.
It was all a bit of a blur, but in the Vollachian Empire, there are very few people who can use healing magic. That is why Rem's healing magic was treated as valuable.
But the fact that Louis is being thrown into a healing room without a healer.
"The girl you were with was very weak, so that was the reason. The name of this room is to treat the wounded, so there are enough blankets and tools to patch them up. We were treated as we were earlier, and the sleeping conditions were terrible, weren't they?"
"Only Cessy would be a...... gladiator."
"Ahahaha, you're right! Here, let's have an emotional meeting."
Cecilus taps him on the shoulder, doubly reading Subaru's mind.
Pressured by the momentum, Subaru swallowed his spit and headed for the door with determination. He pushed open the door and frowned at the unpleasant smell emanating from inside.
What overflowed was a mixture of blood and carrion that smelled like the height of unhygienic hygiene.
Perhaps hygiene is dead, or perhaps the room is not so spacious, but one can see used tools and properly washed bandages hanging out to dry.
In such a not-so-nice environment--,
"That's your companion sleeping over there."
"Louis!"
As Subaru looked around, Cecilus pointed to a bed in the back.
It seems to be a room that serves as an infirmary, with two beds that are a little better than the one in which Subaru was laid out, and a small blanket at the far end of the bed that is puffed up.
Subaru rushed over to the place where he was rushed by a feeling of anxiety. He hurried over to Louis, who was standing right there, not knowing what to say to him.
But--
"--Huh?"
Subaru froze in surprise as he ran up to her and tried to shake his little shoulders.
Not because he couldn't find the words to say. --It was because he couldn't find anyone to say them to.
It was not Louis, the girl who had been laid there and raised on the island with Subaru, that stirred Subaru's heart in a complicated way.
She has a small head, two overly prominent horns, and flaxen hair that is aligned at her shoulders. The girl's petite body was wrapped in an ornate kimono, which was removed to reveal only a simple undergarment.
It was not Louis, nor was it his fellow Medium who accompanied him to the Demon City Chaos Flame and was reduced to a small size by that Olbart's technique.
And there she was--,
"......Ta, Tanza?"
There is no response from the sleeping girl to the trembling call.
But even if you don't answer, you know it when you see it. The girl who was neither Louis nor Medium, her identity was Tanza the Deer Girl, a follower of Yorna Mishigure, the Empress of the Demon City.
"Why, why is this girl here......?"
"What is it? Did I do something wrong again?"
Cecilus, behind Subaru, who is surprised to see a sleeping face that is different from what he had imagined, says something silly.
Of course, it is not his fault. Not that he is, but--,
"That's not what I'm talking about! I was told that Louis was here."
"Well, I don't know. I explained to you that there was a girl who went up to the island with you. I was surprised, too, that she was not who you thought she was."
"U, kuh......"
Subaru is at a loss for words, unable to say anything back to Cecilus's plausible answer.
Indeed, it was Subaru who assumed that he meant Louis when he said "the girl with him". He can only apologize to Cecilus for that.
But this is strange. Why is Tanza with Subaru?
If it turns out that it was Tanza who was with him in the first place--,
"What about Louis......"
Subaru puts his hand on his head and worries about the safety of Louis, who is nowhere to be seen.
By telling them who she is, Abel, Al, and Medium see Louis as a danger. Yorna may be able to protect Louis, but only because she doesn't know who she is.
If she knew that Louis was a Sin Archbishop, even she would change her mind, just like Medium.
And he can't find any reason for Abel and his friends to keep Louis's identity a secret.
"I had to take her back to Rem."
Louis's presence was a thin and feeble thread connecting Rem and Subaru, who had no memory of him.
Even though it was Louis who followed him without permission, Subaru had a reason to bring her home. Above all, even Subaru had not decided what to do with Louis.
And yet, he doesn't know where Louis is, and Subaru is on this island for some reason.
"This is no time to be like this......!"
Subaru's thoughts were not at all coherent.
Still, he knows he has to get off this island and back to Chaos Flame now.
"If you can, take her with you to......."
"Oh, you don't mind, do you? That girl wasn't the one Bassu was expecting, was she?"
"It wasn't. It was different, but there was no reason to leave her behind, right? Besides, I'm sure Yorna is looking for this girl too."
Yorna was deeply in love and did not spare herself even for the sake of a young child she had just met.
Without her, he would not have been able to pick up a win in his game of tag with Olbart or raise that monstrous old man to the foundation of the game in the first place.
So, he thinks it is a natural repayment to return Tanza under Yorna.
"I think your enthusiasm and ideas are admirable, but as I said before, I think it will be difficult."
However, Cecilus's opinion is watering down Subaru's feelings.
Even though the way he speaks and behaves has not changed from the beginning, Cecilus's story is basically severe. However, he can't afford to be frustrated by the harshness of reality, if that is so.
"I heard you. You say it's hard to get out. But if you look for a boat or lower the drawbridge you were talking about earlier......"
"The drawbridge 'raises' it. That's a challenge, but the problem lies somewhere else. The biggest problem is the curse rule, curse rule."
"Kerse rule......?"
It is an unfamiliar word, but if it is said to be the biggest problem, it cannot be ignored.
When Subaru frowned, Cecilus pulled his hands into the sleeves of his kimono and said, "Yes".
"The 'Rules of the Curse', or 'Curse Rules'. A very nasty and powerful rule laid down by the island lord who rules this Gladiator Island. Break it and you die! Disobey and you die! Resist and you die! --Death Curse!"
"......ah"
"It covers the whole island. Do you see it?"
Cecilus spun around on the spot, waving his sleeves in the air.
It was said in a light-hearted manner and without any sense of seriousness, but the existence of this death curse or something like it was too much in line with the image of the empire to laugh it off as a lie.
"S-so no one can get out of here?"
"Yes, it is. If I didn't, I would have left long ago. The magical beast in the lake is a strong enemy, but I can run on the water if I want to. Do you know how to run on water? How to run on water. You put your left foot out before your right foot sinks......"
To a stunned Subaru, Cecilus begins to speak an overused blanket statement.
It seems to be the way ninjas run on water, and it seems that many of the superhumans in this world can actually do it. Oh, no, this is no time to escape reality like that.
"So, this island owner? Is this island owner putting a curse on us? If so, why don't you ask him to lift the curse? I'm here by mistake......"
"Hahaha, that's a funny quip! I'm sure it's just a mistake, but when you go up to the island and get a curse mark engraved on you, you are one of the gladiators. It's a sign that you have the right to be a gladiator, but it doesn't sink in."
"--tsk"
Denying the words he clung to, Subaru gulped.
Hearing the word "curse" brought up nothing but bad memories for Subaru. And as expected, it was as if the memories were destined to be overlaid in a worse form.
"So you're, not kidding......"
He was thrown into an unknown place with a child he didn't know much about. Not only that, he was told by someone he barely knew that if he tried to leave that unknown place without permission, he might die because of a curse placed on him by someone he didn't know.
What in the world does he believe, and how did he get into this situation--,
"......Yes, it is. Yes! Cessy! You're the 'Nine Divine Generals', aren't you!"
"Oh"
"Then maybe you could get in touch with the outside world or something? Let's see, this sleeping girl or the one at Yorna's place in Chaos Flame......"
Eyes bloodshot at the thought, Subaru grabbed both of Cecilus's shoulders.
Subaru forgets his own shamelessness when Cecilus closes one eye at the touch.
Earlier he treated Cecilus as a lying wolf boy, and now he expects him to be "Blue Lightning" as he calls himself.
He thought he might listen to him because he is one of the "Nine Divine Generals" of the Vollachian Empire, the most powerful being in the empire, and someone who treats him with familiarity.
It was really just a cash child's idea, an idea that came to him.
Hence, Subaru's speculation comes up empty as usual.
Or by the obvious questions that Subaru might have come up with on his own if his thinking had not been slowed down by "infantilization".
It is--,
"You know what, Bassu?"
"Oh, yeah, what?"
"What is this Nain Devain Jenerals thing?"
"Huh......?"
Cecilus tilts his head curiously as Subaru holds him by both shoulders.
Subaru was astonished, not understanding what he was being told. To Subaru, Cecilus continued, "Well, I mean,"
"I don't really know why I'm here. I think maybe there's some development that will move the story along, and I think that's what you are."
What a bombshell to knock more confusion into the young Subaru's head.
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