Re:ZERO: -Starting Life in Another World- Vol. 16 Read online

  Copyright

  Re:ZERO Vol. 16

  TAPPEI NAGATSUKI

  Translation by Jeremiah Bourque

  Cover art by Shinichirou Otsuka

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

  Re:ZERO KARA HAJIMERU ISEKAI SEIKATSU Vol. 16

  © Tappei Nagatsuki 2018

  First published in Japan in 2018 by KADOKAWA CORPORATION, Tokyo.

  English translation rights reserved by YEN PRESS, LLC under the license from KADOKAWA CORPORATION, Tokyo, through Tuttle-Mori Agency, Inc., Tokyo.

  English translation © 2021 by Yen Press, LLC

  Yen Press, LLC supports the right to free expression and the value of copyright. The purpose of copyright is to encourage writers and artists to produce the creative works that enrich our culture.

  The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book without permission is a theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like permission to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), please contact the publisher. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.

  Yen On

  150 West 30th Street, 19th Floor

  New York, NY 10001

  Visit us at yenpress.com

  facebook.com/yenpress

  twitter.com/yenpress

  yenpress.tumblr.com

  instagram.com/yenpress

  First Yen On Edition: June 2021

  Yen On is an imprint of Yen Press, LLC.

  The Yen On name and logo are trademarks of Yen Press, LLC.

  The publisher is not responsible for websites (or their content) that are not owned by the publisher.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Names: Nagatsuki, Tappei, 1987– author. | Otsuka, Shinichirou, illustrator. | ZephyrRz, translator. | Bourque, Jeremiah, translator.

  Title: Re:ZERO starting life in another world / Tappei Nagatsuki ; illustration by Shinichirou Otsuka ; translation by ZephyrRz ; translation by Bourque, Jeremiah

  Other titles: Re:ZERO kara hajimeru isekai seikatsu. English

  Description: First Yen On edition. | New York, NY : Yen On, 2016– | Audience: Ages 13 & up.

  Identifiers: LCCN 2016031562 | ISBN 9780316315302 (v. 1 : pbk.) | ISBN 9780316398374 (v. 2 : pbk.) | ISBN 9780316398404 (v. 3 : pbk.) | ISBN 9780316398428 (v. 4 : pbk.) | ISBN 9780316398459 (v. 5 : pbk.) | ISBN 9780316398473 (v. 6 : pbk.) | ISBN 9780316398497 (v. 7 : pbk.) | ISBN 9781975301934 (v. 8 : pbk.) | ISBN 9781975356293 (v. 9 : pbk.) | ISBN 9781975383169 (v. 10 : pbk.) | ISBN 9781975383183 (v. 11 : pbk.) | ISBN 9781975383206 (v. 12 : pbk.) | ISBN 9781975383220 (v. 13 : pbk.) | ISBN 9781975383244 (v. 14 : pbk.) | ISBN 9781975383268 (v. 15 : pbk.) | ISBN 9781975383282 (v. 16 : pbk.)

  Subjects: CYAC: Science fiction. | Time travel—Fiction.

  Classification: LCC PZ7.1.N34 Re 2016 | DDC [Fic]—dc23

  LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016031562

  ISBNs: 978-1-9753-8328-2 (paperback)

  978-1-9753-8329-9 (ebook)

  E3-20210513-JV-NF-ORI

  Contents

  Cover

  Insert

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Chapter 1: It Always Begins with a Visitor

  Chapter 2: The Water Gate City of Pristella

  Chapter 3: An Unexpected, Unplanned Reunion Long in Coming

  Chapter 4: Noisy Tranquility

  Chapter 5: Theatrical Malice

  Afterword

  Yen Newsletter

  CHAPTER 1

  IT ALWAYS BEGINS WITH A VISITOR

  1

  The instant Subaru Natsuki flew over the white boundary, his world turned upside down.

  “—Wha—?! Whoa! Gah!”

  This was the natural result when one sprinted at top speed. Whether traveling by car or on foot, no one could just instantly come to a stop.

  Subaru pitched forward over his feet and plunged face-first into the grass. Instantly, he threw out his hands and rolled, breaking his fall to soften the unavoidable impact, then tumbled until he was sprawled on the ground.

  His breath was ragged, and his vision flickered from the lack of oxygen. He could feel the grass pressing up against his back. Through gaps between the trees, he caught glimpses of the sky beyond. Subaru breathed in as much fresh air as his lungs would let him.

  Then he thrust a hand toward the sky and clenched it into a fist.

  “Oooaaahhh!! That was rough! Things got really bad for a minute there! But it’s over! We made it! We hit the goooal!”

  Though Subaru was covered in a sheen of sweat, his face lit up as he shouted with a sense of triumph.

  His spirit had nearly been irrevocably broken on several occasions, but each time, Subaru refused to give up until he finally reached his goal. The number of repeated failures only made his ultimate success that much sweeter.

  Finally, he could proudly face his mentor, who had taught him so much.

  “Subaru, you’ve done quite well this time, I suppose.”

  As he basked in the moment, a girl entered Subaru’s field of view. Strangely enough, she was upside down.

  She looked lovely with her long, lustrous hair in extravagant curls and her elaborate dress. The sight of the young girl, who had distinct patterns in her light-blue eyes, brought a bright smile to Subaru’s face.

  “Oh, it’s you, Beako.”

  “Obviously. Is it not my duty as a partner to praise you for your hard work day after day, I wonder? Also, Petra was rather insistent that I should bring you a towel.”

  “Ah, thanks. This is nice and cool. I feel alive again.”

  “Why not thank Petra directly, I wonder? That girl will probably leap with joy.”

  As Subaru set the damp towel on his head, Beatrice addressed him with an impassive face. However, he noticed a slight smile on her lips and couldn’t help grinning a bit in return.

  Even though he spent every waking moment with Beatrice, it surprised him how he still hadn’t gotten tired of these kinds of little daily interactions yet. They only grew closer with each passing day.

  “…Man, to think that it’s been a whole year since Beako and I made a pact, huh.”

  “—? What brought this on all of a sudden, I wonder?”

  “Nah, just thinking that time flies way too fast. And that I’m deeply moved by how cute you are today, too.”

  “You always say that, Subaru. But is Betty being cute not something to take for granted, I wonder?”

  The fact that she took pride in the compliment was undeniable proof that Subaru had rubbed off on her quite a bit.

  One year. That was how much time had passed since the string of incidents surrounding the Sanctuary.

  It was a span of time that seemed so long and so short at once. In that stretch, some things had changed, while others had not. If the biggest constant was the bond between Subaru and his friends, then the greatest development had to be—

  “—The sheer amount I’ve buffed up this past year. No one would recognize the old me anymore.”

  “Pffffft. Th-that was a good one… A priceless joke.”

  “I was being serious, damn it!”

  Beatrice put a hand to her mouth as she broke into uncontrollable laughter. Subaru shrugged in a show of disappointment.

  “Well, maybe I exaggerated a bit, but you don’t need to laugh that hard. I mean, look at these biceps, Beako! They’re rock-solid!”
/>
  “Fine, fine, I suppose. Betty will support you even if no one else will.”

  “That was not a vote of confidence! I’ve been trying so hard every day, too.”

  Sitting cross-legged on the ground, Subaru wrapped the cool towel around his neck as he gestured toward the area behind him with his chin. Gazing in that direction, Beatrice said, “True,” closing one eye as she made the comment.

  Behind the pair was a clearing where the forest had been cut open. This developed land was a trial Subaru had taken on with determination—in other words, he’d created his very own secret training facility.

  Attracted by the idea of having a place to call his own, he’d secured a fair bit of space in the forest for his personal use. By utilizing wood from felled trees, he’d built a variety of attractions, including various hurdles to leap over and barriers to climb, turning the whole area into an obstacle course.

  “The place might look like fun, but when people try to run around and bust through all the attractions within the time limit, its brutal design will make even adults cry… Damn, I made something pretty wild.”

  “Is that not an overstatement, I wonder? For that matter, only you and Garfiel refer to it as a secret base. Will the neighborhood children come by to play, I wonder?”

  “You mean kids are going to treat it like an amusement park? Well, as long as no one gets hurt, they can play all they want. Plus, the master who drew up the blueprints should be satisfied with that.”

  Taking the challenge seriously served as a form of training, while tackling it with playful heart made it a fun excursion. The obstacle course contained great potential, and it being popular with children was a happy miscalculation.

  “Actually, knowing my mentor, it’s possible the whole point was to kill two birds with one stone from the very beginning…”

  “He is certainly a difficult man to understand. He does know his manners, I suppose. The man should be praised for treating a Great Spirit with respect.”

  “I think that’s not quite it, though.”

  Subaru poked at her apparent misunderstanding, then took a moment to think.

  His mentor—Clind, the ultra-capable butler who had served the Mathers family for many years. He had helped Subaru so much in the past year and taught him a great many things, including how to hone his physique. Subaru’s title for him was more serious than not.

  In terms of ability and personality, Clind was more than worthy of praise, but—

  “Why does Subaru refuse to allow Betty to go anywhere near Clind, I wonder?”

  “It’s not just you. Same goes for Petra and, depending on the situation, Emilia-tan, too.”

  Incidentally, there was no worrying where Ram and Frederica were concerned. For the record, Clind was harmless to Subaru, Roswaal, Otto, and Garfiel as well, for fairly obvious reasons.

  “Anyway, it’s fine even if this obstacle course is just a secret base in name only. Still sounds cool.”

  “I was shocked. The instant you called it that, Garfiel began helping you fell trees with that glint in his eyes… It’s probably impossible to understand why the two of you find it so appealing, I suppose.”

  “It’s something that calls to all men. Wait, but then what about Otto?”

  Subaru and Beatrice both thought back to Otto’s decidedly lukewarm reaction to the idea.

  In any case, Subaru’s prodigious growth was all thanks to the secret training base in the forest. It was only a ten-minute walk from the mansion, and no one except the people from the mansion ever came by. The only real downside was how often they would show up and get in the way of training.

  “How ridiculous to consider this getting in the way. Is Betty not merely fulfilling her duty as Subaru’s partner, I wonder? And what a chore it is, truly.”

  “Now you’ve done it. This is what happens to young ladies who get full of themselves!”

  “What are you doing, I wonder?!”

  Since she was being so cheeky and cute, Subaru used all his newfound strength to grab Beatrice and put her over his knees, patting her on the head as much as he pleased.

  “You’re terrible! Isn’t this spirit abuse, I wonder?! What a heinous contractor!”

  “Mwa-ha-ha. Well, you’re the idiot who made a pact with a guy like me without putting anything in writing.”

  Subaru laughed as Beatrice pouted while she fixed her tousled hair.

  When they first formed the pact, he thought he already adored her as much as humanly possible, but he had been revising that assumption on a daily basis. The so-called Beako Development Diary—a compilation of the days he shared with Beatrice—had already entered its fifth volume. Subaru was excited to see where their relationship would go next.

  After all, an album of precious memories beat the hell out of a book filled with nothing but blank pages. And if it was going to be an album, then the more pictures and the more people he recorded, the better. That’s why Subaru wanted to cram as much as he could into Beatrice’s heart.

  “In other words, Beako, my teasing is just another way I show my love.”

  “Did you say teasing just now, I wonder?! I will not let that slide!”

  “I’d prefer it if you didn’t casually brush aside the love part.”

  “There isn’t much to worry about there, I suppose. I have great confidence that I am loved.”

  When Beatrice boasted with a smug look on her face, Subaru only replied with a smile.

  He had no words to express the joy he felt when he saw how self-assured and full of life she was every day. There was only a deep, indescribable warmth that welled up in his chest.

  “Master Subaru! Beatrice—!”

  Both paused their play-fighting when they heard a high-pitched voice calling out to them. When they looked, a girl was waving as she ran over. The familiar voice and face belonged to an adorable young maid who epitomized the word cute.

  “I’m glad to see that both of you are having fun. It’s good to know you two are getting along.”

  It was Petra, putting a hand to her chest and smiling in relief.

  Undaunted by the major incident that had occurred one year prior, Petra was currently working at the new Roswaal Manor. As expected of a growing girl, she had gotten a little bit taller and, in Subaru’s opinion, a little more charming since then. That said, she was still very much a younger-sister type in Subaru’s eyes.

  “Hey now, I’m offended you call it playing around. I’ve been out here doing my best with training and everything.”

  “Well, at the moment, you seem to be patting Beatrice while she’s sitting on your lap, so…”

  “Whoa, it’s not as simple as just wanting to give Beako head pats. First, you have to bring her out of a burning mansion and then gradually build up your relationship with her. Otherwise, it’s impossible.”

  “Doesn’t that mean no one but Master Subaru can ever…?”

  Her exasperated tone and expression drew a wry smile from Subaru. That was when he remembered the towel around his neck.

  “Oh, right. Petra, thanks for the towel. Pretty smart to cool it down like that.”

  “Really? I’m glad it was helpful. Actually, I thought about chilling it with ice, but there was no time, so I asked Big Sis Emilia.”

  “I like that practical part of you, Petra.”

  He was fond of how Petra, despite her position as a servant, had no qualms requesting help from the lady of the household.

  Such open praise elicited a “hee-hee-hee” from Petra, who blushed furiously before she remembered something.

  “Ah, that’s right. Actually, I came here to bring you and Beatrice back.”

  “What is it? Did you bake some super-tasty tarts or something?”

  “What?! That is a matter of great importance, I suppose. I can understand why you needed to summon us so urgently.”

  “Oh, come on, of course that’s not it. This is no time to play around.”

  Puffing up her cheeks and pointedly raisin
g a finger, Petra scolded the carefree pair. Then she grabbed Subaru’s hand and hauled him to his feet.

  “There’ll be time for tarts later! More importantly, Big Sis Emilia is calling you, Master Subaru. Guests have arrived…and she wants you to be there when she greets them.”

  “Visitors?”

  Subaru cocked his head in confusion. He had no idea who it could be. Beside him, Beatrice made the same quizzical gesture as they wondered aloud.

  “There are unscheduled guests, and the cute Emilia-tan is calling me over… Doesn’t it feel like something’s about to happen?”

  “It’s the sort of pattern that leads to trouble, I suppose. Petra, tell us what kind of guests have come.”

  “Errr,” went Petra as she tilted her head at the same angle as the other two. “One of them is a man who seems like he’s in a real hurry. I’d almost say he’s fidgeting like he’s scared.”

  “Restless and fidgety, huh. In other words, he’s basically suspi… No, wait. Can’t go judging people based on appearances.”

  “I’ve learned my lesson once already, so I don’t do that, either.”

  “Ohhh, good girl, Petra. Not sure what happened before, but that’s really nice of you.”

  “Last year, a stranger with a mean face came to the village. I thought he was a weirdo, but I was completely wrong, so…”

  “An unexpected boomerang!! We’ll have to talk about that first impression some other time…”

  After surviving that verbal sneak attack, Subaru winked at Petra. After all, based on her report so far, Petra still had more to share.

  “Anyway, there are other guests, too, yeah? Pals of restless-fidgety guy?”

  Petra’s cheeks grew redder as a trace of happiness came over her face.

  “—He came with a cute kitty cat.”

  2

  Viewed from the outside, the new Roswaal Manor looked just like a European-style mansion, closely resembling the old one that had burned down.

  This mansion was actually considered the main residence, and it had been constructed more recently than the one that had been lost in the fire. Accordingly, it was more grandiose and occupied more space than the countryside mansion, which likely made maintaining the grounds all the more arduous for the servants like Petra.