5
“How long do you intend to sleep, fool?”
“Chokobi?!”
A shock jolted his mind out of the dark abyss.
The blow landed on the side of his head, like someone was stepping on his head as he lay on the ground—no, not like that. It seemed that was exactly what was happening.
The right side of his head was pressed against the floor, and the left side was being stepped on, which made both sides hurt. And thanks to that sharp pain, he had been woken up…
“…Hu…uh? I…gah.”
Subaru sat up blearily, the metallic taste of blood in the back of his throat.
Suddenly, his right shoulder and his back, his left hand and his legs, and all the rest of his body cried out in pain.
His vision turned red from terrible agony, and he slumped again, quivering like a fish out of water.
He’d been able to ignore the pain somewhat on an adrenaline high, but after having passed out and woken up again, it had all come rushing back. But every part of him hurting like that meant…
“…I’m…not dead.”
“Of course not. Could a dead man speak? Your current state is more impressive than your half-hearted jester act. I shall at least compliment you there.”
“Huh?”
As he checked himself in a daze, Subaru was struck by that haughty retort.
When his mind had made sense of what was being said, and while he remained cautious of the pain that was surely about to return, Subaru slowly sat up.
Looking around, he saw that he had been lying on the ground and that there were several thick branches here and there around him— No, these branches have been woven together.
Flashing back to Rem yet again, Subaru realized he was in a prison cell made of tree branches. And he was confused.
He felt uneasy, thinking he might have messed up and been caught by Todd or the others, but…
“You need not scramble so. Your pursuers are not here. Though I won’t deny that the situation is a tad too uncomfortable for me to say, ‘Be at ease.’”
“You’re…”
“I did not expect to see your face again, Subaru Natsuki.”
Subaru’s ears twitched in doubt as the man said Subaru’s name with a smirk.
Only his eyes were visible, so Subaru couldn’t say for sure, but he seemed to be smiling.
The haughty man was laughing, while locked inside the same cage as Subaru.
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