Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- Vol. 19 Read online

  Copyright

  Re:ZERO Vol. 19

  TAPPEI NAGATSUKI

  Translation by Dale DeLucia

  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. 19

  © Tappei Nagatsuki 2019

  First published in Japan in 2019 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 © 2022 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.

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  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Names: Nagatsuki, Tappei, 1987– author. | Otsuka, Shinichirou, illustrator. | ZephyrRz, translator. | DeLucia, Dale, translator.

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

  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.) | ISBN 9781975335250 (v. 17 : pbk.) | ISBN 9781975335274 (v. 18 : pbk.) | ISBN 9781975335298 (v. 19 : 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: 978-1-9753-3529-8 (paperback)

  978-1-9753-3530-4 (ebook)

  E3-20220601-JV-NF-ORI

  Contents

  Cover

  Insert

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Prologue: City Scramble

  Chapter 1: The Battle with Greed Begins

  Chapter 2: Paean to a City in Flames

  Chapter 3: Sign the Divorce Papers

  Chapter 4: Liliana Masquerade

  Chapter 5: Believing

  Chapter 6: Regulus Corneas

  Afterword

  Yen Newsletter

  PROLOGUE

  CITY SCRAMBLE

  1

  A dreadful tension filled the plaza.

  The square was surrounded on all sides by waterways. They had overflowed a scant few hours ago, and there were still signs of the flooding all around with pools and puddles of standing water. Reaching the plaza required crossing a stone bridge that spanned one of these canals, and beyond the stone bridge, a person stood—a grinning nightmare.

  The Archbishop of Gluttony.

  Otto Suwen shuddered and licked his lips that suddenly felt very dry and then gritted his teeth.

  A cold sweat formed on his back as he dwelled on that introduction. It was only natural. The Archbishop title held that much weight. There were no beings in this city—or the entire world—more loathsome.

  But to Otto, Gluttony was far more than just a threat to the world. This was the sworn enemy of everyone who swore allegiance to Emilia.

  “…I can already hear Natsuki and Ram complaining about this.”

  Otto sighed at the fact that it was he who had encountered Gluttony rather than those two, considering their pasts. In all honesty, he was even a little bit relieved.

  He was confident that grudges only clouded judgment and priorities. Rage just made it difficult to think clearly.

  From that perspective, Otto’s animosity toward Gluttony was relatively tame compared to his friends’. But it still required effort to keep his cool.

  “…As I recall, the Archbishop of Gluttony went by a different name.”

  “Oh? Did you meet us before? You must be pretty amazing to still be hanging around, mister. Or is it the opposite? Maybe you’re so bland you became leftovers?”

  “It doesn’t sound like either would be a good thing…”

  Otto was more or less certain now that this boy with the smile that revealed so many razor-sharp teeth, Lye Batenkaitos, was not the same Gluttony he remembered.

  Otto had encountered someone who called themself Gluttony several hours earlier. At the time, the only thought in his mind was running for dear life, but that Gluttony was unmistakably different from the one standing before him. Now that he had come face-to-face with both, Otto could say for a fact that this couldn’t be explained away by one of them being a fake.

  All Archbishops possessed a malevolent presence that no one could possibly imitate.

  “…So there are two Archbishops of Gluttony. Or I suppose it would be more precise to say there are at least two.”

  “Oooh… You’re not too far off, mister. Pretty good for someone we’ve never seen before. Maybe it’ll be worth seeing where and how you’ve ripened.”

  Fear churned Otto’s stomach as the cultist smacked his lips and stared intently.

  Otto knew he was in trouble. He had left city hall fully aware of the risks, but it was unpleasant to find out he had landed himself in some very hot water.

  The plan to simultaneously attack all four of the towers housing the controls for the city’s massive water gates had been created under the assumption that their targets would be occupied by one Archbishop apiece. Having one out roaming the city was beyond their calculations.

  However, the most unexpected development was actually—

  “Hey, quit chitchatting, huckster! This ain’t the time or place!”

  —the girl yelling at him, who was a miraculous combination of awe-inspiring gallantry and heart-wrenching cuteness. This firebrand with the glimmering golden hair and blazing red eyes was one of the five most notable figures currently in the city. Her name was Felt, and she was one of the royal candidates; her canines bared as she shouted ferociously.

  Otto could already feel a headache coming on. r />
  “I certainly don’t disagree, but…why are you here, Lady Felt? And out of all the possibilities, you just had to be in the company of an Archbishop…”

  “What, you surprised I didn’t stay in a shelter? The only reason I said that is ’cause that idiot wouldn’t have left otherwise.”

  “Referring to Sir Reinhard that way is a little…”

  Once he saw Felt’s scowl, Otto decided to set aside his misgivings for the moment and acknowledge that Felt had a point.

  Given how troubled Reinhard had seemed, it was logical to assume he’d be hesitant to leave Felt’s side.

  Incidentally, this was the second time that Otto had unexpectedly run into Felt since the Witch Cult had occupied the city.

  The first time was when Reinhard’s father, Heinkel, had taken Felt hostage, forcing his son to do as he said. Otto cursed his terrible luck when he got caught up in that, but he ultimately helped them break the deadlock. After tying Heinkel up, he accompanied Reinhard as they rejoined Subaru and the others.

  At the time, Felt had claimed she would stay behind to keep an eye on Heinkel. Wanting her off the battlefield, Reinhard had taken Felt at her word and set off on his own mission.

  “But that was just so you could move freely on your own. Of course, that did lead to our current predicament…”

  “Who asked you?! I don’t need nobody to tell me I’ve got bad luck! But what’s done is done! You play the hand you’ve got!”

  “That may be an admirable outlook, but we’ll need more than guts to get out of this.”

  Otto was genuinely in awe of her determination to stand firm before the Archbishop. She didn’t cower in the slightest despite knowing there was no help on the way while her all-powerful knight wasn’t by her side. Even so, their hand seemed concerningly weak.

  “A-are you sure about this, Felt?! We’re dealing with an Archbishop here…?!”

  “Grow a pair, Gaston! You don’t want to die before you hear your daughter call you Papa, do you?”

  The only other card Felt had to play was the big fellow standing next to her with a face that was frozen stiff.

  The man called Gaston stepped forward, unarmed, his fists raised. His stance showed he was no stranger to scraps, but unfortunately, his heart wasn’t in this particular fight.

  I can’t deny we’re a bit lacking in performers for such an important match. And one against an Archbishop no less.

  “Don’t be so gloomy. Every chance meeting is just the spice of life—the first step in preparing a gourmet meal! We’re called Gluttony, but even we know the importance of good prep work when it comes to cooking.”

  Batenkaitos’s utterly unsympathetic logic tore into Gaston’s heart. As he watched the man’s spirit desert him, Otto turned his attention to the other party in the plaza—a group of five men clad in white cloaks.

  He recognized their uniforms for what they were and knew the face of the man standing at their center.

  “They call you Dynas, right? The leader of Mr. Kiritaka’s White Dragon’s Scale.”

  “And you’re the lad who wheels and deals for Lady Emilia. Not a drop of luck between the two of us.”

  “Indeed.”

  Dynas gripped a short sword with both hands as he shrugged. Otto could only agree.

  The White Dragon’s Scale were private soldiers who answered only to Kiritaka, one of the city’s leaders. While their main focus was safeguarding the Muse Company and their master’s household, they’d also been running all over, trying to bring back some semblance of order to the city.

  Dynas was Kiritaka’s right-hand man, and from what Otto had heard, when the Archbishop of Wrath attacked the Muse Company, Dynas had been part of the rear guard that stayed behind to buy Anastasia and the others time to escape.

  And the man who had been in charge of that rearguard action, Kiritaka, was nowhere to be seen.

  “Our master got snatched up. We’ve been searching for him.”

  “Mr. Kiritaka was abducted? That’s…”

  “We know the odds aren’t good. But I’m sure you understand.”

  When he spoke up, before Otto could finish his dark thought, there was a bitter look on Dynas’s face as he shook his head.

  Given the current situation, it was incredibly unlikely that Kiritaka was safe and sound after falling into the Witch Cult’s clutches. Word had it that the other members of the Council of Ten had already been killed.

  He’s a business partner and not someone who can just be written off as either an enemy or an ally. More importantly, he took action and fulfilled his duty when push came to shove. That’s worthy of respect. I can’t blame them for gambling on a long shot.

  “Then there’s this dilemma…”

  Otto, Felt and Gaston, and the White Dragon’s Scale. Batenkaitos was standing in the middle of the three groups. At a glance, a bystander might assume they had the advantage. Unfortunately, the situation was not nearly that simple.

  I would have liked a few more people who can handle themselves in a fight.

  “A head-on collision between the enemy’s powerhouse and a hastily assembled group of support staff… I’d laugh if I could,” Otto grumbled.

  “I don’t want to hear it from the guy who decided to go off on a casual stroll all by himself. At least those white robe guys and I are ready to rumble.”

  Felt’s comeback was painfully on point.

  Otto had no excuse. Comparing all three groups, he was both unarmed and obviously the least reliable in direct combat.

  “Now, now—let’s all get along! If anything, you guys should help us! Help us find the one we’re looking for! Aah, where could he be? We want to see him! The sooner the better!”

  “You want to meet someone…? What are you talking about?”

  Otto furrowed his brow at the curious way Batenkaitos phrased his request.

  While everyone else had been pessimistically analyzing their fighting capabilities, Batenkaitos began hugging himself, growing increasingly incomprehensible as he rambled on.

  Batenkaitos seemed as carefree as could be. If he felt like it, he could crush all of them in an instant.

  It’s crucial we keep him from deciding to snuff us out. Diplomacy is our best shot.

  “It’s such a pain having to explain this so many times. ‘No,’ ‘I refuse,’ ‘never,’ ‘hell no,’ ‘of course not.’ People never want to open up with us.”

  Felt scoffed, unmoved. She clearly had no desire to go along with Batenkaitos, but that position ran counter to what Otto was hoping to achieve.

  As far as he was concerned, the Archbishops were repulsive on an instinctive level. But communication with them was still possible.

  Otto had negotiated with all sorts of creatures using his language blessing. No matter who or what he was dealing with, as long as they could both understand each other, he would find a way to reach some sort of compromise.

  No matter how difficult it is to handle Gluttony, it still won’t compare to the trouble constantly swirling around Subaru Natsuki. In that sense, just knowing he’s out there is almost comforting.

  “Come now—there’s no need to be hasty. We might even be able to help you. It can’t hurt, so why don’t we give it a try? Does it have something to do with the demands broadcast, perhaps?”

  “There’s only one thing we want to know…and it’s the location of the hero who gave that other citywide broadcast.”

  I take it all back. I don’t need Natsuki to support me. If possible, I would rather not have his name brought up further.

  Totally oblivious to Otto’s sudden change of heart, Batenkaitos’s cheeks turned a little red, and his body quivered as he put his hands to his face.

  “That glorious hero is supposed to come judge us. The anticipation is almost too much! Something might burst at this rate!”

  “…How does this man always manage to attract so much trouble?”

  I’m sure he would protest and say that he never asked for any of this,
but there’s little point in arguing with someone who isn’t even here.

  “See! I told you it was a waste of time talking to this nut! Who would sell out their own people?!”

  “Technically, we’re rivals, but I suppose we’re all on the same side in this case…”

  Otto scratched his cheek, smiling awkwardly at Felt’s declaration.

  She’s a good person. If I had met her first, I probably wouldn’t have been against supporting her. That candid nature is a virtue. All the more reason that as someone who is decidedly more twisted, I should point out there’s another way to fight a dangerous enemy.

  “As for your request…you need to ask the right person to get anywhere. After all, these other people do not hold the answer you seek, since they weren’t with the one who gave that speech.”

  “Oh yeah? That makes it sound like you’re different, mister.”

  “Yes, I was with the man himself until just recently. If you would like, I can even lead you right to him.” Three people had three different reactions to Otto’s proposition. Felt’s eyes flared in anger, Dynas’s expression froze, and Batenkaitos’s eyes gleamed. Otto raised his hands, preparing to begin negotiations. “I would very much like to continue living, so how about it? We can talk if you’ll guarantee our lives.”

  “Eh! You know?! So you do know! Where our hero is! Our beloved hero! That weak, fragile thing who seems like they’ll fall apart if you don’t hold them together!”

  “Huh? Um—well, yes, I do.”

  Though he sensed something was off about Batenkaitos’s agitated response, Otto nodded. It almost sounded like he knew Subaru already. That description was a little too close for comfort coming from someone who was supposed to be talking about their ideal.

  For the moment, Otto decided to put that sneaking suspicion aside and said, “I would be happy to lead you to him.”

  At the end of the day, Subaru Natsuki was involved. It wouldn’t be that surprising if he turned out to be acquainted with two or three Archbishops, but it would be a bit unsettling if he knew Greed, Gluttony, Lust, and Wrath… That was when Otto realized Subaru was involved with all of them in one way or another…

  “What’s up? You suddenly started looking real depressed, mister.”