Volume 4 - Chapter 54

Chapter 54
Chapter 54 [To Know Of Hell]

As the fatal question escaped his lips, Subaru realized exactly where he stood .
The words came out, landing safely in Garfiel’s ears―― and the golden-haired youth’s expression changed . Witnessing this, for a moment, Subaru’s thoughts froze still .
It was the same Garfiel who had always kept up his guard around Subaru, sustaining the tough facade with his razor-sharp leer, determined not to show any sign of weakness .
But now, that expression was being twisted into something else .
It was almost like the expression of a child on the verge of tears after his most precious secret had been revealed .
[Garfiel: You…… th’hell did y’just say?]
But that fleeting, transient expression only lasted for an instant .
As if eradicating that lapse of weakness, Garfiel squeezed shut his eyes, grit his teeth, and glared back at Subaru like a man possessed .
The silence that permeated the forest and the almost-lonely stillness was abruptly turned, as goosebumps crawled across Subaru’s skin on the receiving end of that stare .
It was his body reacting to the threat of impending danger . An exaggerated reflex to――
[Subaru: You look like you’re going to kill someone]
Touching on “that topic” must have been the last thing Garfiel wanted . His reaction made Subaru quite certain of that .
Without uttering a sound, the coldness of Garfiel’s glare only intensified with Subaru’s mutter .
The fleeting trace of weakness was gone, and, in its place, there was now only dagger-like malice directed at the target of his glare .
Pierced by that gaze, instincts warning of danger pulsed throughout Subaru’s body . But, consciously ignoring this, Subaru kept up his undaunted facade,
[Subaru: Do I have to say it again? I saw some kids who looked exactly like Lewes-san wandering around the Sanctuary . And I’m pretty sure they weren’t Lewes-san]
[Garfiel: ……I don’t know what y’mean . So y’saw Granny takin’ a walk? It’d be another question if she’s strollin’ around in th’middle of th’night, but that ain’t anythin…]
[Subaru: ――Two of them]
[Garfiel: Hah?]
Just as Garfiel tried to rationalize what Subaru described, his desperate excuses shattered as Subaru held up two fingers on his outstretched hand,
[Subaru: I saw two kids looking exactly like Lewes-san walking around at the same time . Maybe one of them was Lewes-san, but then……who would the other one be――]
――The moment he finished his sentence, all sense of up and down blurred into one .
[Subaru: ――Ghua!]
He felt his back slamming into something hard, wrenching all the air out of his lungs .
His spine had crashed into something large and uneven―― the trunk of a tree, and was being pinned there by an enormous force as he dangled sideways, unable to escape .
Suspending Subaru in mid-air with his hand pinning his stomach against the tree, Garfiel stared straight into Subaru’s eyes,
[Garfiel: ――And where th’hell did y’see that, oy]
[Subaru: Nowhere too weird…… just… in the forest……]
[Garfiel: No… that ain’t possible . We took too much fuckin’ care t’make sure that wouldn’t happen or it would’ve been found out by y’nosy bastards a long time ago]
Garfiel’s palm pressed harder as he spoke, sending stomach fluids spilling from Subaru’s lips . Regardless of Subaru’s struggling and kicking, the arm wouldn’t budge an inch .
Like an insect pinned up for display . He shuddered at the thought .
[Garfiel: Yer belly’s gonna touch yer back if we keep doin’ this? How ‘bout y’start tellin’ the truth before that happens?]
Twisting his lips into a sadistic grin, Garfiel amped up the pressure against Subaru’s body .
As if Garfiel was proving that he wasn’t joking, Subaru could feel his bones and organs beginning to creak . Gasping, heaving painful breaths,
[Subaru: Th……at’ll, depend on your atti……tude]
[Garfiel: Now ain’t that funny . Y’still think y’can negotiate with me on equal footin’? I thought I taught ya t’get rid of those conceited ideas?]
[Subaru: You could just…… finish me off here without getting any answers, but that won’t solve anything]
[Garfiel: …………]
Uttering those fragmented words, Subaru could sense that Garfiel was listening .
――Subaru had half-expected this furious reaction from Garfiel up to now .
The only time Subaru actually saw the Lewes-clones was during their final showdown with the Witch in the previous loop .
Before that, he had never even imagined their existence, much less spotted any of them in the Sanctuary . But, thinking back on it now, there were actually quite a few peculiarities that hinted at their existence, though there’s no need to get into that here .
Regardless, that was just how well the clones were hidden in the Sanctuary .
It’s hard to imagine Garfiel keeping the existence of more than 20 replicants a secret, so it was probably something known among the residents of the Sanctuary .
If anyone on this side knew about it, it would be Roswaal, and possibly Ram .
Either way, just mentioning it was enough to put Garfiel on edge, that much was the expected half .
As for the unexpected half――
[Garfiel: ……Y’re fucked up]
Spitting this out, Garfiel released Subaru’s body .
Without any warning, Subaru dropped to the ground with a surprised [Uwa] . Rolling, tasting grass and soil in his mouth, he spat out the dirt and stood himself up . Then, looking back at Garfiel,
[Subaru: D-don’t just let go all of a sudden, scared me there]
[Garfiel: Shut up, freak . Quit fuckin’ around . Y’fuckin’ testin me?]
[Subaru: Testing?]
Seeing Subaru tilt his head, playing dumb, Garfiel clicked his tongue, leering,
[Garfiel: Y’thought I was gonna kill ya when y’said that, didn’t ya]
[Subaru: …………]
――The half that Subaru didn’t expect was that Garfiel chose not to immediately kill him .
Even when provoked like this, Garfiel was still giving him a chance to explain himself .
Realizing that Subaru had said those words knowing they might result in his death, Garfiel violently kicked his foot into the ground,
[Garfiel: Quit fuckin’ around… Y’think yer gonna stake yer fuckin’ life and act like nothin’s happenin’? Y’fuckin nutcase . Y’make me sick]
[Subaru: Kinda hurts when you put it like that…… and it’s not like I don’t care or anything]
Subaru smiled weakly at Garfiel and scratched his own head .
While doing so, he noticed that his fingers were actually shaking .
Although Garfiel had stopped inflicting pain on Subaru, his hostility did not seem to diminish in the slightest .
And even now, Subaru’s physical body was screaming with primal terror as though his organs were being wrenched and twisted .
It was only natural, considering the intentionally-provoked Garfiel was standing right in front of him .
That is to say, Subaru more or less understood that he was facing down the same giant golden tiger who rampaged through the forest in the night, slaughtering the villagers .
Just the memory of its ravaging fangs and claws froze his heart with terror .
But still――
[Subaru: If just my life is enough to fix everything, then that’s a pretty fair trade]
If whittling down at Subaru’s heart was the only price to pay, then it’d be quite a bargain .
It’s not every day that you can get a HAPPY END so cheaply .
Even though Subaru’s resolve could break at any moment――the meager foundation supporting it was firm and unbreakable .
Garfiel must have understood this as well . Crunching up his nose into a disgusted grimace,
[Garfiel: I got no good impressions of a bastard with eyes like that . Normally, I’d crush ya on th’spot, but……]
[Subaru: I’d be pretty bummed out if you did that… I’d still prefer if you could magnanimously overlook this . And it really sounds like we’re speaking the same language here……so]
[Garfiel: …………]
[Subaru: Any chance you feel like answering my question?]
Patting off the dirt on his body, Subaru asked once again .
Garfiel’s face soured at the return of the forcefully interrupted topic, and, turning his eyes away,
[Garfiel: Don’t wanna]
[Subaru: Is that right . Oh well, no helping it]
Getting a reply that sounded like something from a stubborn child, Subaru shrugged and casually dropped the topic .
In return, an expression of complete bafflement came onto Garfiel’s face .
[Garfiel: Y’…… aren’t y’gonna……]
[Subaru: But you don’t want to talk, right? And I don’t have the power or the persuasive skills to make you . Well I mean, I could keep bugging you to tell me, but the rewards aren’t really worth the risk, so maybe another time]
[Garfiel: ……what]
[Subaru: Oh don’t make that confounded face, Garfiel . No matter how much you want to keep your secrets hidden, I’ll be sure to expose it . I kind of have to, you know]
Garfiel’s head sprang back up at those words, and Subaru returned his gaze head on .
Their eyes met, but there was no longer the same tension as before . The spirit in Garfiel’s pupils seem to have faded, while Subaru’s steeled their resolve .
[Subaru: Garfiel . I’ll be sure…… to expose all the Sanctuary’s secrets you people are trying to hide . I know I have no other choice, so I’ll absolutely make sure of it]
[Garfiel: ……Shut up . Y’realize if I stuff yer fuckin’ mouth right now there ain’t gonna be no “absolutely” or “sure of” t’speak of, oy]
[Subaru: Sorry, but I’m absolutely sure . As long as I haven’t given up, I know I’ll uncover everything there is to uncover . If there’s anyone to blame for that, blame your own sloppiness]