Flop: [――Husband-kun, it’s no good to have a scowl on your face.]
Subaru: [――hk]
Flop: [Good fortune won’t come to anyone who doesn’t have the time to… Wha-what’s the matter? Your face has suddenly gone pale?]
Upon seeing an axe coming down right on their head, surely most people’s faces would be drained of blood.
Without thinking, Subaru put his hands to his own face, cold from the lack of blood. Relief and fear churned within him, as the hands that felt that coldness confirmed the truth that he was alive and well.
Subaru: [Damn it, again…]
What should he do? Subaru did not possess even the slightest idea.
In regard to time, all the events that had happened to Subaru had transpired in only twenty minutes. Within those twenty minutes, Subaru had already lost his life five times.
Even during the last round at the Pleiades Watchtower, he had piled up over fifteen experiences of Deaths in search of victory, but then, there was confidence that progress was being made step-by-step.
But this time, he had nothing.
The corpses of Natsuki Subaru had accumulated, but he did not really feel they were contributing to his victory.
If there was one thing that could be said, it was――,
Subaru: [――Even now, I’m being watched.]
Already, Todd was observing Subaru with Flop.
Consequently, the moment he separated from Flop, Todd would mercilessly use Flop as bait.
It would be a different story if Subaru had the ruthlessness to be able to use Flop as a decoy, but since he could not do that, if Flop were assaulted, Subaru would put forth every effort to save him.
This was different from the time he had weighed the safety of Rem against the welfare of Todd and company.
Flop had been kind to utter strangers, or rather, to Subaru’s group. Subaru did not have it in him to choose an option that would leave him for dead.
So, carrying out a strategy on his own apart from Flop was impossible.
Simultaneously, the option for Subaru to return to the inn had also been snatched away.
It was not clear at what point in time Todd had noticed Subaru’s presence, but if he had been discovered on the way to the tavern, the location of the inn, Rem’s whereabouts, had not been exposed.
Yes, Rem’s location had not been found out. That was quite believable.
Supposing Rem’s whereabouts had been found out, Todd would be sure to make use of Rem, and utilize her in order to kill Subaru more systematically. It was ironic that his faith in Todd’s cunning conversely became proof that Rem had not fallen into his hands.
Subaru: [Anyway…]
While biting his lip and covering his face with his hand, Subaru desperately turned his head.
Time, somehow there was not enough time.
If he parted ways with Flop, Todd would begin his offensive immediately.
On the contrary, waiting for his offensive and counter attacking―― Well, he was not the sort of opponent that could be beaten even if his first attack were avoided. Since Subaru had no weapons, he would have to eliminate his opponent’s fighting strength in a single strike. No way.
If they escaped to the main street, Todd would recklessly drive a dragon carriage and kill by running them over.
Even if they avoided the rampaging dragon carriage, the chances that he would then take advantage of the chaos in the street were high. On top of that, the rampaging dragon carriage would drag in uninvolved bystanders. No way.
If they chose some other route, each and every alley would be his hunting ground.
North, east, south, and west, keeping an eye out in all directions was impossible. Even if they dealt with his first attack, in the end the plan to counterattack would be the same, and their lack of fighting power lay ahead. No way.
Would the best thing to do after all be rush to the Tavern with Flop, and before Todd could get ready to attack the tavern, prepare fighting forces to intercept him?
The obstacle would be how seriously he could take the drunk Rowan, but right now this should be the plan with the highest chance of victory that he could think of. No other move came to mind.
Subaru: [****, ****…]
What a troublesome opponent to have made an enemy of.
In the case of Sin Archbishops, they had the nice point of their reliance on their Authority turning their strengths into weakness. Since by working out the mechanism of their Authority, conversely the weak points of those guys would become evident.
However, Todd did not have that. He would use anything he can. He had stated so himself.
He did not rely on anything, and he did not take damage to the surroundings into consideration either.
After killing Subaru, how on earth he planned to explain that to the people around him, even that was a complete unknown. No consideration had been given to what would come afterward whatsoever.
In order to kill what must be killed, there was a fear of superfluous thoughts interrupting.
Flop: [Husband-kun? You alright? If something’s wrong, going back to the inn would be…]
Subaru: [N-no! Hell no! That’s a bad idea.]
He responded with great force, and Flop stared in wonder at that voice of Subaru’s.
Having done that, Subaru seriously cursed his own mental fragility. If he displayed such odd behavior, Todd would end up becoming suspicious.
If that happened, the valuable advantage of Return by Death would disappear.
Beyond what he had already grasped, the only way Subaru could take advantage of Todd was his preconception that his presence was not known to Subaru.
Ambush and trap, escape and counterattack, whichever means he utilized Todd could not be made aware of what Subaru was aware of.
Well, actually――,
Subaru: [――Wait.]
Suddenly, as Subaru was desperately thinking of countermeasures against Todd, a thought crossed his mind.
Todd did not stick to any one way of doing things, or even take damage to the surrounding into consideration. ――Still, he paid no mind to damage to the surroundings. That was not damage to himself.
Rather, this surprise attack was because he wished to drastically diminish the damage to himself.
Todd had stated it himself, with his own mouth.
You kill a poisonous snake not because you resent it, but because you fear it, he had said.
So he had said, then――,
Subaru: [――TODD! I know you’re here!]
Flop: [Wha wha wha!?]
Abiding by a thought that flashed through his mind, Subaru shouted at the top of his lungs.
Startled, Flop jumped at the sudden occurrence. However, it was more than likely that Flop had not been the only one.
Todd, who had been tailing and keeping a close eye on Subaru and Flop, should have been startled as well.
Counting on Todd’s moment of bewilderment, Subaru sharpened his glare, contorted his expression menacingly. While holding up the nastiest, most evil-looking demeanor possible, he swept his gaze around,
Subaru: [What a persistent bastard! Here I thought you had perished for good after all that went down, but it seems you managed to survive by some devil’s luck! However, don’t think I’ll let you get away this time! I’ll ******* kill you!]
Using the most threatening voice he could muster, Subaru spewed curses imbued with malice and hostility.
In a way his voice would definitely reach Todd no matter where in the alleyway he was hiding, and so that the message “Natsuki Subaru has caught on to your presence” would be conveyed.
Subaru: [Do you seriously think you can win in a fight against me? That’s beyond hilarious! You make me laugh, hahahahaha! Can’t wait to see it again, the pathetic way you look running away, that is!]
Revealing his two trump cards of provocation and mockery, Subaru burst out in laughter at the middle of the alleyway.
“Thank god I don’t have stage fright”, thought Subaru as this was the only time he was sincerely thankful for his shameless personality. If it were not for that, the tremble in his voice, the fear on his face, and the terror in his eyes would have been exposed.
It was thanks to Natsuki Subaru’s lousy personality that he was able to conceal those emotions.
Flop: [H-Husband-kun?]
Subaru: [Shush. Flop-san, be quiet.]
Shutting up Flop who had been completely dumbfounded by Subaru’s sudden change, Subaru pulled him by the arm and began walking brazenly.
Returning via the way they came was not possible. For starters, it had been confirmed Todd’s hiding laid somewhere over there, probably.
Hence, he stopped in the middle of his tracks, and while turning his head toward the depth of the alleyway,
Subaru: [Oh yeah, you’re welcome to come at me any time. I shall rip you to shreds, as you wish.]
He was not sure whether Todd would get it, but he added his middle finger as his last provocation.
Doing so, Subaru was able to hide the pounding of his heartbeat while heading towards the end of the alleyway wearing an audacious smile.
Subaru: [――――]
Honestly, that was a complete gamble.
There was a chance that Todd would become enraged from Subaru’s provocations, and jump into the alleyway whilst swinging his axe, which would not have been a completely unlikely scenario at all. ――However, Subaru trusted that it would not come to pass.
Todd would not go into a fit of rage. That man was the type that would gradually search for the best move in a composed manner and carry it out.
That was why, the bluffs Subaru had been dishing out should be able to work on Todd.
Having spotted Subaru in the street and developed an intent to kill, if Todd’s train of thought were followed, he would have most likely come to the conclusion that Subaru must be eliminated because, to him, Subaru seemed like a ticking time bomb. Choosing a surprise attack as the method to rope in and grasp victory in his hands was just a means to the end, as long as it worked, then all would be well. If that was no longer suitable for execution, he would just move onto the next best option.
Todd had not been particular with his methods.
That was the difference between him and the Sin Archbishops. Subaru would use that adaptability of Todd to his advantage.
Subaru: [Next up is…]
He carried out the strategy that had popped in his head in the heat of the moment, but the next steps had yet to be decided.
If Todd’s caution toward Subaru grew stronger, that would mean spare time until the next wave of attack existed. While the chance was in his hands, Subaru must make a decision between “Fight” or “Flight”.
Choose “Fight”, then it would be necessary to get Rowan from the bar involved. As long as no better alternative showed up, borrowing his strength would be the best bet.
Choose “Flight”, Subaru would have to go to the inn and grab Rem, then escape from the city. He felt bad, but he would have to ask Flop and Medium to come along as their safety were most likely in jeopardy.
Then, in the case that they decide to escape from the city, the place Subaru can go to was――,
Subaru: [――So that was why]
Flop: [Husband-kun?]
Though he stayed on guard of the alleyway behind, but, in that instant, Subaru’s eyes had become bloodshot.
The fear toward Todd, remorse toward Flop, concern toward Rem, affection toward Emilia, longing toward Beatrice, all of those had, more or less, been forgotten in that instant.
Forgotten, having grasped the feeling that had surfaced, Subaru firmly closed his eyes.
Then――,
Subaru: [――We need to get out of Guaral as fast as possible, before my bluffs are seen through.]- Arc 7, Chapter 18
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