CHAPTER 28: TALK OVER TEA
Feeling the morning daylight burning his eyelids, Subaru uprights himself in the darkness. Looks like he wound up falling asleep while he was thinking. But since he was submerged in the sea of thought late into the night, it means he only slept one, two hours.
Subaru: “Would never think of this back in the old world. Sun being up in itself'd be my sleeping hours.”
Subaru glances around at those awake inside the cathedral. They notice Subaru's gaze on them and wave, Subaru giving replies to the Arlam villagers greeting him as he stands up and heads for the cathedral's entrance. The refreshing morning air welcomes him outside, where it seems the people of SANCTUARY and the evacuees are cooperating to start with food rationing.
???: “Oh, you're awake, Subaru-sama.”
Subaru: “Hey, good morning. 'Nother fresh morning today.”
???: “It is. The wind's chilly... it seemed you managed to get some good sleep as well, Subaru¬sama.”
The woman acquaintance who addresses Subaru smiles as she touches her finger to her cheek. Subaru also tries touching his cheek, to find a something mushy—a sticky track of drool.
Subaru: “Augh no embarrassing”
Why was it that sleeping for short hours made it easier for this sloppiness to show up? Seemed even little catnaps could have regular sleeping habits attached. Smiling at Subaru as he thinks about this pointless crap is the woman, and another woman who has dog ears. Subaru accepts the wet cloth she presents him, thanks her, and wipes his mouth. He asks for confirmation that the shit is off his face, the women affirm it is. Subaru tells them he's gonna use the cloth for washing himself/his face too and heads off for the waterin' spot, waving the women goodbye.
Subaru glances back at the two, seeing no signs of discomfort or disagreement between them as they chat. These different races definitely have some natural-feeling communication going on between them.
Over these few days—include the days overwritten by RbD and it's a week—there hasn't been any discord between the evacuees and the people of SANCTUARY. The evacuees have high morale, and loathe to say it but the presence of their Lord Roswaal brings them some relief. In reality you can add that they have faith in Subaru who's eating meals alongside them, but Subaru views his own influence scantly and doesn't think far enough to notice that. Betraying the leeriness of this place, there're a good number of SANCTUARY dwellers like the dog-eared chick who've come to be open for conversation. It's so pervasive that Subaru can believe that the divide between the humans and the half-bloods is entirely something that exists only in their minds.
Subaru: “Though what's definitely dividing is the existence of the damn barrier... Dunno what the person who put it there was thinking, but it wasn't nice of them.”
If we're believing Garfiel's words, this place is apparently the WITCH OF GREED'S TEST SITE. Which would mean that this barrier being here to stop half-bloods from leaving was probably the witch's work.
Subaru: “Echidna... huh. Just getting less and less apparent what that witch's goal is.”
White skin to white hair, a monochrome girl garbed in black dress. Lost her life 400 years ago, but still bound to the present day as a ghost. Contrary to her blustering that she wasn't interfering with the present day, she'd been meeting with Subaru at the TRIAL's location and butting in on his activities. Subaru figures she has some deep and mysterious reason for it, but,
Subaru: “If she's just a meddler who likes watching the aftermath, she's seriously hopeless. Or actually what're you supposed to think about a lady who makes people she's meeting for the first time drink bodily fluids for no reason...”
The unpleasant memory of drinking the Chidna Tea is resurrected. Although, that was supposed to be something that happened in a mental world, so Subaru wanted to believe that his body did not actually absorb any Chidna bits. Either way, regardless of Echidna's plans, the fact of SANCTUARY being surrounded by a barrier and the residents stuck inside remains true.
Subaru: “For that to change, the biggest obstacle is... yeah, it's probably Garfiel.”
Even if Subaru gets to talk with Echidna, even if Subaru gets to challenge the TRIAL, the coming bottleneck is how to deal with Garfiel, whose hostility towards Subaru has shot up. If Garfiel's change in stance toward Subaru is coming from the Witch's stench—from a negative side effect of RETURN BY DEATH—then to change that stance is gonna be a monumental effort. Subaru had utilised the stench against the Ulgarm and during the White Whale fight, where it acted as a key to break the deadlock, but,
Subaru: “I can get stinkier, but I don't know if there's a way to remove the stink... doubt it's something that'll go away with deodorants. Or what the hell am I saying. Stinky, not stinky, what am I, garbage?”
Either way, Subaru can consciously make the stench intensify by attempting to tell someone of his RETURN BY DEATH. And taking that thought into consideration, it doesn't seem like the stench remains elevated indefinitely at that thickness. It seems alight to say that just like usual odour, it weakens with the passage of time. Though taking that the other way, it means there's no way to weaken the smell outside of that.
Subaru: “So there's no chance of hoping Garfiel'll ease up. And, this isn't something I really want to consider, but... if I fail, and RETURN BY DEATH again...”
If he loses his life again, and restarts inside the tomb, the lingering scent on Subaru will overlap with the Witch's stench. Just thinking of how Garfiel will react to that is terrifying.
Faced with the worst of conditions and losing his life, Subaru could alter the result through do-overs. Salvage absolutely everything—was Subaru's greed, but presently it was not the case that he had fulfilled everything. There were yet still things he could not bring back. But regardless, Subaru intended through his do-overs to select a future better than the ones from before said do-overs. It was hard being grateful for RETURN BY DEATH, but he could think of several one-way paths toward abysmal futures that would have proceeded without it. However,
Subaru: “By repeating, I can do something... but with every re-do, my relations worsen. Having the difficulty rise with every re-do is definitely a first.”
Subaru could still establish rational discussions with Garfiel presently, but whether the chance would come again to converse with him following the multiplication of the stench was unclear. Unable to trust a Subaru wafting in stink, Rem at the very least had stolen his life with her flail.
Remembering the people left in the mansion—remembering the sleeping Rem—next leads Subaru to the thought of the assassin. Here again appeared that gleeful killer, blade-wielder who had jumped right to the top of the Subaru Kill Counter. Incidentally that grey cat spirit shares first place, and in equal second place with one kill are many of his buddies, is the state of things.
Subaru: “Looking back on it, it's a depressing kill count. Or in this case a killed count? ...Anyway, counterplans for Elsa. We get in a fight and I can't beat her, and the choices for actual fighters wind up as Roswaal or Garfiel.”
But even Roswaal would be affected by those wounds of his. So in the end the best solution to the problem is, after all, to make Garfiel an ally. And for Garfiel and Elsa to fight, it was essential to break the barrier around SANCTUARY. In the end, the important things are,
Subaru: “Conquering the TRIAL before the mansion attack and freeing SANCTUARY, appeasing Garfiel and getting him to come along to the mansion, repelling Elsa, happy end... or so.”
Stating that much, Subaru scrunches his brows at the conflicting problems. To appease Garfiel, SANCTUARY had to be freed. To free SANCTUARY, Subaru had to break through Garfiel and challenge the TRIAL.
These two points conflicted. He couldn't do it. Otherwise it may be possible to appease Garfiel through conversation, but thinking back on his experiences with him so far and the talk they had last night, Subaru wanted to clutch his head with how low the probability of that succeeding was. For better or for worse, interacting with the straightforward Garfiel is simple, thus changing his opinions on matters he's already decided on from the start is difficult. Meaning that if there's any chance for Subaru, it's,
Subaru: “Aim for a chance to sneak into the tomb, contact Echidna and maybe get some other opportunities. Otherwise sneak in when it's time to challenge the TRIAL and conquer it.”
Washing his face at the waterin' spot, Subaru reaches this conclusion and heads for a direction separate from the food rationing grounds. He wipes his face with the wrung-out cloth, his destination being the lesser-populated edge of SANCTUARY. He continues down that road, crossing over a hillock AND
Subaru: “...And of course, I was expecting way too much with that opportunism.”
Sitting in the middle of the clearly-visible and direct road to the tomb, in the exact same posture as yesterday night, is Garfiel. —Go to the tomb first thing in the morning, and sneak in behind Garfiel's back.
This potentially profitable plan for the morning is for now stuck at a standstill.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Subaru: “You're sure putting in work early in the morning.”
Garfiel: “Speak fer yerself, don't goddamn show up right first thing 'n the day. 'S there any damn point 'n you goin' outta the way t' work my amazin' self up?” Subaru raises his arm in greeting at Garfiel, who opens one eye, his displeasure on full display.
Subaru draws his arm back down at the expected reaction, turning his attention to the petite figure standing beside the seated, cross-legged Garfiel. Subaru: “I figured Garfiel'd be here, but I didn't expect to see you here, Lewes-san. Good morning.”
Lewes: “Nnr, is a nice morning. Are yer going on a stroll too, Lil' Su?” Subaru: “Call it a stroll and you could say it's a stroll, but it's nothing so pleasant. I came here packed with some 'just maybe' expectations, and also to annoy Garfiel.”
Garfiel: “You...” Ignoring Garfiel's getting pissed off, Subaru tilts his head at Lewes. Subaru: “'Too', then you're out on a stroll, Lewes-san?” Lewes: “My havin' a stroll cerms ertached, 's where it is. I heard Lil' Gar hadn't come home and wers sitting out here on the ground... well, I'm seein' how things'll go, alongside.” Lewes fiddles with her long, wavy pink hair with her finger. Her other hand holds a small package, which from its size and shape is evidently a simple foodstuff. It's probably stubborn not-moving-from-this-spot Garfiel's breakfast. Subaru rubs his chin as he looks at the two. Subaru: “Have you known eachother long, Garfiel and Lewes?” Lewes: “Least since Lil' Gar wers small.. he's still small now, though.” Garfiel: “Oi, look'ere granny. 'V far overshot yer height, yeah?” Lewes: “But yer haven't grown any bigger than erkspected. Either way, I've known him since he wers much smaller than now. I'm even used to these erkschanges.” Subaru's eyebrows rise as he notices something. Subaru: “Going from your phrasing... Garfiel hasn't been in SANCTUARY since he was born?” Garfiel: “...Don't probe inta anythin' unnecessary. You wanna case'a STRIKE SUDDEN BLACK
BAUTAUK TABLES TURN?” Subaru: “Right, that did not communicate and so it cannot not stop me. Which means, if you'd like to answer, Lewes-san...”
Garfiel's about grinding his teeth at Subaru's attitude as he completely ignores last night's warning, but Subaru doesn't give a shit and keeps right on going. Lewes gives a tired sigh.
Lewes: “Lil' Gar enterin' SANCTUARY wers ten-and-something years ago. He wers still a toddling little baby. Lil' Roz brought him along with...”
Garfiel: “—Granny, don't say anythin' unneeded more than that.”
Garfiel narrows his eyes, voice low. Subaru internally panics that he might've just carelessly trampled too far, but,
Lewes: “Who're yer speakin' ter with that kinda lip, yer moron.”
Garfiel: “Aaauow!”
Lewes gives Garfiel's head a good whack. Lewes has little girl arms. They're probably not that strong, but Garfiel clutches his head as he looks up at Lewes, his expression as if he's been struck by lightning.
Garfiel: “Gr-granny the hell're you doin' all sudden...”
Lewes: “Ers that any way fer yer ter speak ter me, who's most all raised yer and ers like your parent? I swear, ert's so pathetic and embarrassing and sad I'm about ter cry. Take this'nthisn'this”
Garfiel: “Sto—ow, au, we're, we're bein' watch, aug,”
Garfiel manages holds back Lewes' blows, his expression one as if his secret shame were being observed. Subaru manages to keep himself from accidentally, unconsciously smiling at their exchange.
Subaru: “I've just managed to surmise objectively the depth and length of your relationship. ...Garfiel, are you seriously planning to sit here forever?”
Garfiel: “Gonna be here fer everythin' 'cept doin' my business. 'S a good chance there's guys 'round who'll take advantage 'f the gaps when my amazin' self ain't lookin.'”
Garfiel's got his guard up against anyone sneaking in, and is maintaining it even through this conversation. For Subaru, with his 'just maybe' tier expectations, it's not something to be dejected about. If Garfiel's attitude and statements for the past half day have been a sudden change, it's probably necessary for Subaru to re-evalute his assessment of him. But either way, that getting stubborn Garfiel to move is difficult hasn't changed.
Subaru: “Actually, isn't the TRIAL at night? I'm not gonna get anything from it even if I sneak in at day. Isn't your sitting here like this pointless?”
Garfiel: “Yer ain't gonna get my amazin' self t'move like that. You sneak in th' tomb at daytime n' wait for night, and with my not goin' inside yer conditions get all fufilled. My amazin' self ain't the only one ready f'r a long fight. Don't underes'mate me too much.”
Subaru: “Tch, got leaked.”
Subaru raises his hands, shrugging, indicating he's given up. Garfiel snorts and glances at Lewes.
Garfiel: “So I ain't movin' from this spot fer a while. Granny, food.”
Lewes: “What attertude is that when someone goes outta their way to bring it to yer, deplorable. Here.”
Despite the complaints, Lewes hands him the parcel. Garfiel accepts and opens the package to find some dumpling-esque food inside which he steadily settles into his stomach. With Lewes assisting him like this, the battle's going to be one of endurance.
Subaru: “It'll be hard to do something about these conditions... Nothing for it, I'll come back again.”
Garfiel: “I said yer don't hafta. You ain't getting' through, I ain't lettin' yer through, I ain't permittin' ya through. All you gotta do's shut up n' make yerself small.”
Done eating, Garfiel licks his fingers as Subaru goes to turn his back. Subaru gives him a wave with his back turned and leaves, Lewes coming up beside him.
Lewes: “Lil' Gar's dern with his food, so. I wanna talk with yer a bit, Lil' Su.”
Subaru: “What a coincidence. I have things I'd like to ask you too, Lewes. Though I really wanted to do it after seeing Emilia's face, but...”
Subaru glances up the sky. Sun's only just risen. Subaru's memory has it that the morning after the first TRIAL, Emilia woke up around midday. Subaru wanted to go along with his desires and look at her sleeping face, but he should probably proceed along with this other event.
Subaru glances down at Lewes, observing her. Her expression looks sleepy and she's powering her little legs to match Subaru's pace. The loligranny was a creature which tickled the heart, even should you know its true form.
Subaru: “Want me to give you a piggyback?”
Lewes: “...And jerst when I was wonderin' why yer were looking at me with eyes all tender. Lil' Su, are yer one of them attracted to little girls? Yer even less salvageable than Lil' Roz.”
Subaru: “That suspicions of a loli complex toward me are false accusations's a good point of mine. The thing which determines which galge games I buy is whether there's an upperclassmate or older sister character in the romancable heroines. Even now the one I'm desperately trying to get to glance back at me's in the older sister class... or actually recently, I found out she's seriously kinda older than me but, my mind's never gonna change. That's just what I'm like.”
Lewes: “And just what is that like, ers something I wanna ask but, I'm sure it's fine. No piggyback. Yer hips and legs get weak if yer don't walk around proper.”
Subaru: “And there's another amazing statement showing the appearance gap!”
And just how true does the state of her only looking young and truly being elderly feel! There's also the possibility that only her skin or whatever is young and her insides are geriatric. The loligranny, in surprisingly dire states.
Lewes: “Yer look like yer thinking of something erhverwhelmingly stupid.”
Subaru: “Wha, no, seriously? But I was paying attention not to let it slip out on my face and keeping my expression posed, supposedly.”
Lewes: “Yer face looks the same ers when Lil' Gar pinches hidden pastries. Children do always the same things, no matter the child.”
Subaru: “This granny, keeps showing off her granny appeal one-after-another...”
Lewes' granny appeal aside, Subaru tilts his head.
Subaru: “Huh?”
Subaru: “This talking's... fine but, where are we going? Or actually this is seriously late to be asking but with Emilia-tan borrowing your bed, where are you staying, Lewes-san? Outside?”
Lewes: “Yer instantly treating me like I'm homeless after I lend my house's... a statement which means I can only think yer fergot about my more-er-less standing as this place's head. I do have friends I can make lodge me fer a few days.”
Subaru: “Well, that'd be right. Might be a few days, but all the people here are unexpectedly nice people.”
It's not just the citizens at the food rationing. As Subaru thinks back on the frequent chances he's had to interact with the residents of SANCTUARY, his eyebrows furrow, wondering if the friction Garfiel talked about wasn't just a huge exaggeration. Subaru elects for silence, Lewes shooting him a glance and nodding.
Lewes: “Hm,”
Lewes: “Something not sitting right with yer?”
Subaru: “No, I mean saying it like this's something, but... it's just, it's different from what I envisioned. Half-elf Emilia got some incredible treatment at the palace, so I was thinking maybe half-bloods get treated like that everywhere. And so then I was thinking the half-bloods' feelings towards pure-bloods might be pretty complex.”
At very least, for being trapped here in the test site aka SANCTUARY, the residents aren't particularly displaying any grim emotions. Of course they internally probably did think this wasn't amusing, but Subaru hadn't caught sight of any displays of such negative emotions. You have indiscriminate-with-his-words-and-feelings Garfiel acting as proxy, but his emotions seem closer to righteous indignation than his own personal anger. That is, anger for the sake of others, rather than himself. For being such a nasty environment, the people of SANCTUARY have absurdly high morale. Rather than unconventional, you could even call it incomprehensible.
Lewes opens her eyes in surprise.
Lewes: “What, Lil' Su, yer mullin' over more than yer looks would say.”
Subaru: “Than your looks would say, really wasn't needed. I'm at least confident that my appearance is closer to an intellectual type than Garfiel's, okay? Well, we're talking about my thinking-deficient, etc-deficient self here, though.”
Lewes: “Ern't it good to be aware of yer deficiencies? Yer get people who steady their grit and get serious knowing that they're deficient. ...Ah, this way.”
They come to a split in the path, Lewes guides a lost-on-where-to-go Subaru along. They path goes down a direction different from the cathedral and Roswaal's housing, to the outskirts of the village opposite the cemetery—where Lewes' temporary lodgings sit, isolated. It's different from the sporadically-placed houses of the residents, this one just mysteriously sitting there entirely separated from the others, monopolizing this spot.
Subaru: “This's super lonely. Why are you staying out here?”
Lewes: “No herlping it. This's most the only building in SANCTUARY with no one living in it. It ers a tidge far from the village proper, but it's big and I value it.”
Subaru: “What happened to you having friends who'd lodge you? Why did you choose a bed where you'd still be alone? I know many loligrannies but a loligranny dying alone's too heartrending I've never seen it before.”
Lewes: “I ain't gonna be findin' out whether yer worried fer me er makin' fun of me. Here, in yer go. I'll at least make tea for yer. Can't do it as nice as Ram, though.”
Subaru: “No matter what leaf tea I drink all I sense is the taste of leaves so proceed without any concern.”
Lewes: “Yer speak for yerself, should pay mer concern to what exactly yer saying.”
Sighing, Lewes invites Subaru in. Subaru pushes the door open and enters. The building's about half as spacious as Roswaal's temporary housing. That said, Roswaal's lodging is excessively big for just one person, so this three-roomed house has room aplenty. Subaru sits at a nearby chair and looks the room over—it's compact and plain, but has clearly had attentive maintenance done. Lewes was supposed to have said no one was living here, but,
Subaru: “For an unresided house, it sure feels like someone's been here frequently. Even me, labourer of high-class sheets that I am, would give the airiness of this bed a passing mark... No Lewes-san it couldn't be you”
Lewes: “What're yer doing with that 'Lewes spends her time coming here ever and whenever she wants to 'be one', then lies there idly waiting for the heat to cool off' face yer got.”
Subaru: “That sure was a specific and complicated expression I just made, huh!”
With that fast-spoken excuse perhaps being something she's thought about before, Lewes becomes a sadder person. That thing about her dying alone was a joke, but the part where she's elderly and dying alone without relatives is hard to refute. Lewes turns away from Subaru as she wordlessly enters teamaking mode, Subaru casting his gaze around, looking for some chance to change the topic.
A nice and orderly room. Slightly dulled dresser and clothes-shelves. Vases without flowers and metal shields hanging on the wall. —Shields?
Subaru: “Why're there shields here? And two of them?”
Lewes: “Lil' Gar's things. Using the place as a derned storehouse.”
Subaru: “So he's been hanging around here too. It does feel like a spot for naughty kids to hang out, but... no way he'd be doing the cleaning so it's this thorough, right?”
Way too out of character, mutters Subaru too himself as he observes Garfiel's shields. It's pretty common in manga and things for noble's mansions or whatever to have crossed swords hanging on the wall. The shields are getting similar treatment, tilted diagonally in their display. But the repairs on them aren't fitting for an ornamental piece, with nicks and dings over them. Doesn't seem like these are battle-ignorant antiques.
Subaru: “But what kind of battle can you have with just shields?”
Lewes: “Used ter have batterin' matches with the shields in the field outside the house all the time. Each'd hold a shield, going round round round round as they bumped each other.”
Subaru: “That sounds super dangerous for just playing around. ...Do you mind if I ask, Garfiel and who?”
Through all his time in SANCTUARY, Subaru's never seen anyone Garfiel's been especially friendly towards. Though of course, being that he's an important person here, it's apparent that he has good relations with the residents who show up at the food rationing. But if you remove that, and then question who exactly Garfiel has a close relationship with, Subaru can't come up with any specific names. If forced to say, Subaru would name Lewes, but the image of her holding a shield getting in a battering match with Garfiel sounds perilous.
Lewes goes silent for a period. She sets two steaming teacups on a tray, comes over to Subaru and offers him a cup, then seats herself on the bed. Subaru accepts the hot cup, places it to his lips, wets his throat.
Subaru: “Yeah, just tastes like leaves.”
Lewes: “No use'n brewing tea fer yer. Well, I did figure that much so I used cheap leaves. ...Even tealeaves are precious things, here.”
Seems like said precious things and luxury items get brought here once a month thanks to Roswaal. For a while, the two silently sip their tea. And, after several passages of these cozy silences,
Subaru: “—Frederica.”
Mutters Subaru. Lewes' brows quiver as she shifts her gaze up from her teacup and looks at Subaru.
Subaru: “The name of the person Garfiel butted shields with was Frederica, right?”
Lewes: “...Did Lil' Gar tell yer?”
Subaru: “Nyah. I just strung it together from some fragmentary talks, thinking 'kinda could be this.' And I sorta understood that Garfiel and Frederica have a complicated relationship.”
Frederica, who at Roswaal's mansion named Garfiel as someone to pay special caution towards in SANCTUARY. Garfiel, whose expression changed upon hearing Frederica's name. There was also that time where he indirectly seemed to be trying to find out her present status. It's impossible not to suspect some relation between them. And the clincher was,
Subaru: “Their fangs're way too similar. Not even the Buddha would permit this be unrelated.”
Lewes: “...ahh, I swear. I can't think of anything to say ter refute that.”
Lewes gives a resigned sigh at this decisive factor, and slips some laughter. It was the biggest point of commonality between Garfiel and Frederica. The oversharp canines, the overmenacing smiles, and that was enough. You could tell their relationship wasn't one of lovers or anything salacious. What seemed like the best guess for their relationship was —
Subaru: “Older brother, little sister... no, feels sorta older sister, little brother. If we're wondering which, Frederica's more the older sister type.”
Lewes: “Goodness... if yer figuring out all that just off yer interition, I'd call it almost too incredible.”
Says Lewes, more and more astonished. She gives an accepting nod, places her remaining tea back on the tray, and fixes her posture.
Lewes: “Just as yer thought, Lil' Su, the owners of these shields are the siblings Frederica and Garfiel. Frederica Baumann, presently distant from SANCTUARY, and Garfiel Tinzel, are family tied by blood.”
Affirming Subaru's guess, Lewes lets slip a gloomy sigh,
Lewes: “—But they've had their disagreements, and've wound up on differing paths.”
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