Volume 4 - Chapter 109.1

Chapter 109.1
Chapter 109 [The Wrong Choice]

[Otto: Just like we discussed, the villagers will evacuate while I’ll distract Garfiel . Natsuki-san said not to worry too much about buying time, but I’m feeling a little more greedy than that…… so, can I count on your help?]
After parting with Subaru, and before setting out with the two bait carriages, Otto spoke with Ram in a corner of the village .
Ram crossed her arms at Otto’s rather unconfident query, then leaned into a wall and closed her eyes . Met with her silence, Otto tried to suppress his impatient agitation at the urgency of the imminent battle,
[Otto: Uhm, sorry, but…… we really don’t have much time……]
[Ram: Impatient men are repulsive . As I said before, it would depend on the conditions]
Opening a single eye, Ram promptly rebuffed Otto’s imploring gaze .
This “before” she mentioned was referring to three days ago: the night Subaru challenged Roswaal to a bet, and Otto asked Ram to fight alongside him .
Roswaal had asked Ram to leave the room so he and Subaru could be alone .
And as Ram came out of the building, Otto was waiting for her outside . He had accurately predicted that Roswaal would ask her to leave before discussing the crucial matters of the Gospel, and so he managed to catch her in a moment when she was free .
Simply put, three days ago, Ram and Otto had been no more than shallow acquaintances .
They could count their interactions on a single hand, and Ram hadn’t a shred of interest in any man except for Roswaal . Other than the familiar faces from Roswaal’s Mansion, Lewes and Garfiel were probably the only people she talked to in the Sanctuary .
And so, when Otto called out to Ram, and she looked at him as if she was looking at a pebble on the side of the road, he had to start by building their cordial relations from scratch .
[Otto: Greetings, uhm…… Ram-san . It sure is a nice night out]
[Ram: ――――]
[Otto: Hello?]
[Ram: ――Ah, I was wondering who you were . So you’re that lackey who follows Barusu around everywhere . I wasn’t used to seeing you without him, so I had some trouble identifying what creature you were]
[Otto: I’m not even human anymore!? The fact that you have that impression seriously hurts! Although, well, I can kind of understand why I’d be treated like Natsuki-san’s accessory……]
[Ram: A man who accepts being anyone’s accessory is worthless . Begone]
[Otto: So harsh!?]
Ram’s unapproachable attitude swiftly tore Otto’s friendly overture to pieces .
Without showing the slightest interest in Otto, Ram leaned against the side of the door and crossed her arms .
[Otto: So uh… do you have a minute to talk?]
[Ram: Regardless of whether I’ll remember it, but haven’t you even considered starting a conversation by presenting your name? Regardless of whether I’ll remember it]
[Otto: Why’d you remind me twice that you might not remember it? Hhaah…… my name is Otto Suwen . I’m just a humble travelling merchant, but I’d appreciate it if you could memorize my face and name]
[Ram: That would depend on how interesting this talk is]
Otto despondently gave his name, while Ram refused to concede any of her domineering attitude .
Although she indicated that she was willing to listen, she would immediately put a stop to it should it turn out to be pointless . Otto pumped himself up once more and decided to broach it from a different angle,
[Otto: This would be related to what Natsuki-san and the Margrave are currently discussing, but…… Ram-san . Would you be interested in helping Nastuki-san and myself release the Sanctuary from its Barrier?]
[Ram: ――That’s enough . Ram’s only desire is to fulfill Roswaal-sama’s most earnest wish . For as long as I respect Roswaal-sama’s will, liberating the Sanctuary that way would be pointless]
[Otto: But that’s assuming everything proceeds as the Margrave intended…… correct? Ram-san, are you aware that events have already diverged from that path?]
[Ram: ――――]
It was Otto who proposed, at the end of his conversation with Subaru, that they drag Ram in as an ally .
Subaru was overwhelmingly reluctant about it, but, going from what he said, Otto judged that it was a bet with good chances of victory .
Opening her eyes, Ram’s emotionless, pink irises fell on Otto .
She uncrossed her arms as the fingers of her lowered right hand grazed against what must’ve been her wand beneath her skirt .
How he chooses his next words would decide whether or not he incurs her wrath in the form of her wind blades .
Holding his breath and wetting his lips with his tongue, Otto showed the same fearless smile as he would when making a challenging business deal .
The stiffness of his body disappeared as his accelerated pulse fell to a more comfortable pace .
Now, just as always, it was time to stand firm .
[Otto: Events have diverged from the Margrave’s plans―― and for the first time, you have a chance to realize your true wish . And I believe Natsuki-san and I can help you with that]
Ram’s fingers wavered, hesitating―― and then left her wand . Seeing this, Otto determined that his sales pitch was nothing to be scoffed at .
After she’s heard Otto’s proposal and learned the details of his plan, Ram presented several conditions .
Honestly, revealing their entire plan to Ram was a rather huge gamble for Otto and Subaru . If they misjudged their proposal’s impact on Ram’s heart, then all their plans would be leaked to Roswaal . But there was enough value in getting Ram on their side to take this risk .
Ram laid out several conditions in exchange for her cooperation, and, finding them entirely reasonable, Otto accepted .
Otto didn’t mention the details of her terms to Subaru . Because he needed her maximum cooperation, and it was necessary to keep some of the actions he had to take secret .
If Otto had told him, Subaru would have stopped them . If Subaru gave in to his emotions and ruled out this plan, it would’ve meant leaving the rest of their fate to chance .
[Ram: You have an unfortunate personality, you know that? I have no idea what you do for a living, but you’d make a terrible merchant]
[Otto: You totally remember I was a travelling merchant, right!?]
Ram remarked with a snort at Otto’s secret determination, as a pained wail echoed throughout the Sanctuary .
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
――Faced with the pressure of the beast’s overwhelming aura, Otto was surprised that his body wasn’t trembling .
The abhorrent figure looming before him was a colossal monster four meters in length .
Crooked, razor fangs extended like sabres from its enormous mouth as its claws curved in brutal crescents like life-reaping scythes of Death . Every strand of golden fur coating its body was a wire thick enough to tangle any mortal blade that struck it .
Only the glint in its eyes, golden as its fur, retained vestiges of what it was before its transformation . But the lack of commonality between now and what was there only moments before made all of it seem unreal .
It was Garfiel, after he’d shed his human body for the form of a ferocious tiger .
Vile smelling breaths escaped his throat in growls, exuding a pressure enough to freeze the hearts of every creature in the forest .
[Otto: ――――]
Consciously forcing his lips to smile, Otto wished he could say something, anything, to lighten the mood .
But no voice escaped his frozen throat, and even his supposedly smiling cheeks ignored him and remained rigid .
And, belatedly, Otto realized why he wasn’t trembling .
――It was not because he wasn’t afraid . Rather, it was because, in the face of certain “Death”, Otto’s body had given up on improving his chance of survival .
After all, trembling in the face of fear is the body’s mechanism to ignite its instinct to survive .
It is the soul screaming to the body: “Do not give up!”―― but, in a situation where this would be entirely pointless, it was only natural that his body wouldn’t tremble .
He had heard about it . And he had imagined it .
He knew that Garfiel possessed both beastman and human blood alike, and that he could transform into a monster .
But reality surpassed Otto’s flimsy imagination and manifested a creature so far beyond human understanding that it devoured his spirit to its core .
To think that, in the presence of such a creature, he could have uttered something so foolish as “We bought enough time, but why don’t we try and beat him?” . Of course he shouldn’t try to beat him . As if he stood a chance .
And yet,
[Ram: Garf transformed…… we’ve met all the conditions now]
Muttered the small girl beside him, her voice entirely unchanged in the face of the overwhelming presence before her .
He hadn’t even the mind to ask “What conditions?” . But, with a movement so mechanical that his neck creaked as it turned, Otto looked to the girl―― to Ram .
Ram’s lips relaxed slightly, and, for the first time, she showed Otto something like a smile .
[Ram: Garf made a mistake by picking this obvious choice . ――We’ve won this fight]
[Otto: ――――]
You damn sure about that? Otto quipped in his mind, forgetting his usual politeness .