Chapter 258 — Arc 5, 69: “A Repulsive Dinner Banquet”

Everyone laid their eyes on the young girl who snorted her nose, as her dress’ hem danced in the breeze.

The girlーー Beatrice, looked around with her eyes, observing the situation. In this large plaza of the Waterway Street, present was the heavily scarred 『Gluttony』 Ley Batenkaitos, and Otto and the rest, opposing him.

Looking at Otto and Felt and the others, Beatrice blatantly let out a tired sigh.

Beatrice: “Those are rather pitifully poor faces, I suppose.”

Everyone was too worn out to argue back Beatrice’s comments, who let out a sigh. However, Beatrice partaking in the fight would surely be a turning point in this progressively worsening battle.

Naturally, feelings of relief were given rise to within Otto’s chest.

Otto: “Beaーー ~hk.”

As soon as he was about to call her name, Otto shut his mouth.

Batenkaitos was an existence who ate 『Names』. He had just used to ploy of having Felt and the others not call his name by requesting them. There is no way he could go against that himself.

Batenkaitos’ attitude for Otto, who was hiding the name. He was clearly irritated by him being an obstruction in his 『Meal』. In other words, Batenkaitos, in order to eat his opponent’s name, must know their 『Name』.

Henceforth, he could not be allowed to perceive Beatrice’s name. He positioned his hand, and suppressed his words.

However, Otto’s such forethought ended being futile.

For some reasonーー.

Ley: “ーーBeatrice-sama? Wha~t, are you doing outdoors?”

Because that was what Batenkaitos articulated, leaning his neck forward and eyes fixed on Beatrice.

Continuing to observe Beatrice, 『Gluttony』 continued his mysterious words.

“ーーーー”

Ley: “Even after disliking going outside so much. Aside from the times of meals, or when you were accompanied by the Great Spirit-sama…… a~h, so there were so~me exceptions?”

Batenkaitos continued his words, against the quiet Beatrice.

Those seemed like words suggesting closeness, which would be inaccurate to say, but they were unquestionably words of a person having a sense of distance and relationship in the past.

Otto: “That means he’s your acquaintance from the past…… Beatrice-saーー ~hk.”

The relationship of the past, between Batenkaitos and Beatrice.

Losing understanding before being able to call her name, Otto’s throat choked midway. This time he unconsciously glanced at Beatrice’s face.

Biting her lips, and fury swirling in her large, round eyes, was Beatrice.

It had been rare for this Spirit girl, to show rage. In front of the astonished Otto, Beatrice inhaled very deeply, and scowled at Batenkaitos.

Beatrice: “ーーYour trick has been understood, in fact. So that’s how it is, I suppose.”

Muttered Beatrice, in a deep and heavy voice.

Her voice was not conveying hostility, but instead it was one suppressing her own emotions.

Hiding her rage from showing on her face, Beatrice locked her gaze into the interior of Batenkaitos’ corrupted and muddy eyes, and distorted her lips due to the revulsion resulting from what she had laid her eyes upon.

And,

Beatrice: “You, how many people will you stockpile within yourself until you grow sick of it, in fact?”

Ley: “Who kno~ws? But, the quantity we eat is still better than compared to Roy. Roy is Bizarre Eating so he eats anything, but since we select carefully, the quantities are different ~tsu! We consider the quality of the lives we eat, and that’s what conflicts us with Roy.”

Eating 『Names』 and 『Memories』, stating it to be his 『Meal』 was Batenkaitos.

Naming himself Gourmet, and calling someone close to him Bizarre Eating had a peculiar aesthetic sense, both of which were things Otto could never comprehend.

“ーーーー”

And, what Otto could not come to understand, was also Beatrice’s attitude at that moment.

The young girl’s revulsion did not seem to result from simply evaluating the confronting Batenkaitos. It seemed to stem a different from a negative conception, of a different root.

Perhaps that linked to Batenkaitos treating Beatrice like an existence he already knewーー and, thinking that far, Otto noticed.

The possible reason, behind why Batenkaitos unilaterally knew Beatrice.

Otto: “……It can’t be.”

Batenkaitos’ combat power, lay in a territory which could be entered by only those who have trained tough and long. Otto had made a hypothesis based on Dynas’ factual remarks.

Otto: “I had anticipated the experiences of the body of an opponent whose 『Name』 and 『Memory』 had been eaten to be taken over. Your unarmed martial arts and dagger skills, attaining such an extreme level of prowess in them at your age would be difficult. If that’s how it is, then……”

Even the skills of an eaten opponent would serve as food for him.

If that is how it is, then it became conceivable how Batenkaitos had managed to learn abilities rivalling that of a master martial artist in a great number of spheres.

If that hypothesis was correct, not just correct, but held further meaning to itーー.

Otto: “However, if what is taken over is not just experiences of the body.”

It meant that it was, something which was even further vicious, different from the threat of fighting strength.

After all, Batenkaitos had said.

ーーThat he was, looking for the one whose speech echoed across the city.

That person, who was weak and fragile, unable to help anything unless someone stood by his side and supported him.

You could sense that and sympathise with that by being with the character of Natsuki Subaru for a long time. That youth had that mysterious part for him, which made those around him think this.

However, those thoughts were of that of someone who had dealt affectionately with him.

The fact that he was aware of Subaru’s brittle strength and weak courage, was the proof of him having been close to him.

And if that proof was something which had been stolen by 『Gluttony』 at this time, then only one possible candidate, a single young girl came to mindーー.

Otto: “ーー~hk!”

Finally, Otto arrived at the same revulsion which Beatrice was feeling.

Subjected to the changed colour in Otto’s eyes glaring directly at him, Batenkaitos smiled, and unveiled his fangs.

Ley: “The head maid of the? household of Margrave Roswaal L. Mathers…… wait wait wait, that’s wrong.”

Oscillating his neck while pronouncing that, Batenkaitos widened his arms.

On his scarred body, he caressed a single white scar lovingly. That scar, suspended on his shoulder, looked like it had received a sharp iron picket, and was painful to even look at.

Ley: “Now just a lone loved person. ーーOneself’s beloved person, who will be a hero someday, Natsuki Subaru’s supporter, Rem…… was it?”

“ーーーー”

Ley: “Let us meet him, tha~t beloved hero-sama! Our hero must have had come to cast his judgement upon us, till all the wa~y here!”

Stretching out his tongue, licking that wound, Batenkaitos guffawed.

Without thinking, Otto’s blood rose up to his head. As he gnashed his teeth as they made a crackling sound, he was filled with rage enough that he wanted to punch him.

『Gluttony’s』 attitude, tone, smile, everything was ridiculing the feelings of that lone young girl.

Without knowing how much that young girl must have had pleaded for returning safely, now she was only being trampled upon by mockery and scorn. That is what set ablaze within Otto’s heart.

This 『Gluttony』, was an opponent who could never be forgivenーー.

Otto: “Beatrice-san……?”

Beatrice stepped lightly and stood in front of Otto, who was counting the number of magic stones left in his sleeves with his finger. Otto was unable to understand why she had shifted towards him. And,

Beatrice: “Get your ideas corrected, I suppose. Good job calling Betty here, in fact.”

“ーーーー”

Beatrice: “He is…… Only he is someone Subaru must not meet, I suppose. If Subaru meets him, he will be hurt. Certainly, to the point that wound will never heal. That’s why”

Otto: “Let’s stop him here, by just ourselves.”

Pronouncing the end of Beatrice’s words, Otto declared.

Though Beatrice did not turn back, her stance made it clear that she agreed. She was Subaru’s partner, who committed himself to oneself and others. Otto painfully understood how unpleasant it would be for him if the viciousness in front of his eyes was to get close to him.

Felt: “Waitwaitwaitwait, I’m telling you to wait!”

And, the one calling out to the two with a revitalised desire for taking their opponent downーー was not Batenkaitos. It was Felt, who had been quietly listening to the dialogue till now beside Otto. She gripped her package, and pointed it towards Beatrice,

Felt: “I heard you talk like some big shot, but what can this little girl do in the first place. Though I’ve heard you were a companion of that nii-chan.”

Otto: “Ah, um, I see. First, explaining that would be a bit tricky……”

Felt suggested her own doubts, to which Otto was unable to give a proper explanation.

She possibly already knew about Beatrice being a Spirit and being contracted with Subaru, since that was common knowledge. It was also true that Beatrice’s battle strength was uncertain in Subaru’s absenceーー.

Beatrice: “A pipsqueak should not call others little girls, in fact. If you have the free time to worry about Betty’s ability, you should better use it for worrying about that futureless deficient body, I suppose.”

Felt: “Quite a harsh brat you are, hey. Let me tell you, I’ve been eating and sleeping properly now, so both my back and my chest are growing. You should be the one worrying over your future.”

Beatrice: “Unfortunately, Betty’s mein is set firm to this design. So…… Hmph.”

A conversation befitting the situation started, but Beatrice put a halt to it by pausing her words. What her eyes had caught onto, was the slender package in Felt’s hands.

Felt’s 『Trump Card』 was a magic tool, but Beatrice made a surprised expression upon laying her eyes on it,

Beatrice: “No way, is that 『Meteor』, I suppose?”

Felt: “Meteor?”

Beatrice: “Mother…… A revered magician a long time ago, used it to pester the Dragon, in fact. It’s whereabouts were supposed to be unknown, but this is fate, I suppose.”

Felt found Beatrice’s explanation, who had corrected a crucial part of it, debatable.

But from Otto’s point of view, stating that the 『Mother』 Beatrice had mentioned and corrected later on, was a 『Witch』 who had disappeared from legends would make for a truly outrageous claim.

He still held his own doubts he wanted to ask about, but if the 『Witch』 had truly used it to pester the Dragon, the reliability of its potential was high.

Otto: “I had heard of its convolution in usage, but what can we expect in terms of its strength?”

Beatrice: “It is a staff which boasts having an anecdote of having made the Dragon halfway cry, in fact?. It’s guaranteed, I suppose.”

Her claim was still difficult to believe. However, she had conveyed the authenticity of the weapon.

Though Otto had been swayed by Beatrice’s words, Felt was yet unconvinced.

Felt: “I’ll teach you about what the hell you’re blabbering about later. Rather than that, this little……”

Beatrice: “Your conscience cannot rise above that level, in fact. But, your concern is futile, I suppose. After all”

Felt: “Ah?”

Beatrice: “The attack has already been set up.”

In front of Felt, who tilted her neck, Beatrice sketched an enchanting smile upon her face. Her softly upraised right hand pointed towards Batenkaitos, and the throats of everyone were subsequently frozen.

ーーViolet crystals crystallised, and surrounded Batenkaitos’ environs.

Ley: “Ah, Beatrice-sama is so merciless.”

Beatrice: “Just holding back and mercy are things which do not exist anywhere in this world for you, I suppose.”

El Minya.

A rare offensive magic even within Yin magic, was the reason behind him showing his fangs.

The moment Batenkaitos let out his complaint, the violet crystals did a boisterous dance, and aimed and rushed at his petite body.

The tough and pointed attack struck the thin body standing uprightーー the crystals shattered, the stone pavement fissured, and smoke was given rise to. This disastrous scene in this huge open plaza, had proved her might.

Beatrice: “Well, what do you think, I suppose.”

Showing her magical power, Beatrice turned to Felt with a victorious expression. Though it was an immature gesture for a four hundred year old Great Spirit, but Felt was too speechless to point anything like that out.

Felt: “W-Well, not so ba~d, I guess.”

However, despite her speechlessness, Felt refused to admit her loss and mistakes.

Gaston: “Y-Your voice, i~s trembling, Miss Felt.”

Felt: “That goes for you too! Stop saying idiotic nonsense, and keep looking ahead!”

Yelled Felt at Gaston, whose voice was trembling, in order to hide the trembling of her own voice. But, not all what she said was deceptive.

After all, the figure of the defenseless Batenkaitos, who should have had received Beatrice’s magical attack and had been caught up in its subsequent explosion, was not present where it should have been.

Dynas: “He’s comingーー!”

Dynas shouted, and everyone raised their eyes and looked in the direction he had his eyes fixed upon. There present was the form of 『Gluttony』, with all four of his limbs on the ground, moving like a spider.

『Gluttony』 smiled, displayed his fangs, as blood streamed down from his eyes.

Ley: “Haha~! As expecte~d of Beatrice-sama?! How nice, so nice, quite nice, perhaps it is nice, certainly it is nice, isn’t it nice, surely it is nice, as it is surely nice ~tsu!”

Shaking his head about, disheveling his hair, Batenkaitos leapt from the ground and pounced, charging ahead once again.

Beatrice: “ーーFive shots, left.”

In response to his charge, Otto heard Beatrice mutter something unsettling whilst licking her lips.

※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※

The moment El Minya was used, and the attack commenced upon Batenkaitos, Beatrice felt a large Magic Stone shatter in her pocket.

The number of Magic Stones now left with her were sixーー in terms of Beatrice’s usage, only five could be deployed in the battle.

ーーIn this battle in the city, the preliminary encounter with the Sin Archbishops of 『Wrath』 and 『Greed』 and the subsequent incidental fight against them in the square.

As a result of that battle, Beatrice had spent her Mana for healing Subaru and the people of the city, to the point that it disrupted her physical capabilities.

The Spirit Beatrice, is an Artificial Spirit created by the 『Witch』 Echidna.

Her strength is far greater than those of normal Spirits, but in return for that she has some troublesome downsides.

Her being mobile right now, is the result of a card being played which normally cannot be put to use.

ーーAs of this situation, Beatrice held seven Magic Stones.

A large Magic Stone is one with Mana having been stockpiled within it over several years. Among them, one had already been shattered, and only six of them were left now. They had been given to Beatrice, who had plunged into a deep slumber, by Kiritakaーー who was aware of the progressions in this large plaza, and his actions were for the purpose of providing aid to them.

Kiritaka: “Please, I request you from the bottom of my heart, Great Spirit-sama. Please lend me your strength, and use it to fight for protecting this city. In this city, there are those whom I love.”

All messed up and almost crying, but detachedly pleading to her was Kiritaka. Beatrice responded with no choice to Kiritaka, who had used an immeasurably priceless Magic Stone with no second thoughts in order to awaken from her slumber.

If she were to say the truth, Beatrice wanted to hurriedly reach where Subaru was.

The city’s situation had revolved, and Subaru, too, was under threat. If her self not by his side, Subaru is a hopelessly worrying guy, after all.

That’s why, now that her self was awake, she shall dedicate herself to Subaruーー.

Beatrice: “Stupid, I suppose. No, stupid, in fact.”

Beatrice gave up on that desire of hers, once she felt the guilt after realising her indulgence under the name of concern.

If Subaru had chosen to fight, that too without the presence of her self, then that means he has a way to fight without her.

Subaru does not overestimate himself. Rather, he tends to underestimate himself too much.

He would not recklessly get into a confrontation with an opponent he could not win against, and if he could win against the opponent using Beatrice, he would somehow or other wake her up.

That’s why in this battle, Subaru did not need her self, who had been left alone.

That is why, once Subaru has returned after the battle, she must also have a victorious record under her belt so that she can match up to him.

For Beatrice, who now stood as backup, Kiritaka had offered up seven large Magic Stones.

Unable to use the Mana from her surroundings, Beatrice now, was utilising the mana of the Magic Stones like an inefficient conductor as a last resort.

In her dress’ pocket, the seven Magic Stones were capable of miracles, but their potential was now being wasted on usage of mere magic.

You would normally believe that their strength could be used to invoke not ten, but even a thousand magic moves. However, though there are no limitations to the extent of the magic, but no matter how low scale the magic was, the Magic Stone will shatter at a single invocation.

As one of the six needed to be reserved, only five could be utilised.

ーーIn other words, she must wrap it up in five moves.

Beatrice: “The reunion will Bubby will have to wait, I suppose. Instead of that, you will be seeing hell, in fact.”

One of the large Magic Stones Kiritaka gave to Beatrice, was originally intended to be occupied by Puck. That was the original purpose of their trip, but now, that being shattered for the purpose of battle is nothing but ironic.

Ley: “We’re tired of seeing hell ~tsu! After all, the ones that got eaten by us, eve~ry one of them tasted tha~t in the end!”

Shouting that, Batenkaitos leapt towards them.

His movement was casual, but his cutting gaze was utmost cautious regarding Beatrice.

He was unaware of the fact that Beatrice would run out of gas after five moves, that she would run out of Mana. In order to give him that impression, she had commenced an attack of a powerful range in exchange of one Magic Stone, that strategy was the best faculty available, and it had passed its exam.

Beatrice raised up her left hand, and pointed its palm towards the mid-air Batenkaitos.

Beatrice: “Al Minya!”

Ley: “ーー~tsu!”

Beatrice: “Just kidding, in fact.”

At that moment, expecting the extremely high level magic, Batenkaitos toughened up his body. In front? of him, Beatrice stuck out her tongue, and flew backwards.

At that point, Gaston and Dynas plunged onto the curled-up Batenkaitos.

Gaston: “U~o~o~o~h!”

Dynas: “Eat this too!”

The shouting two men launch their counterattack attack upon Batenkaitos, with two blades and a fist.

The weighty and sharp hit struck 『Gluttony』, but Batenkaitos dodged it with preeminent body handling, and in reverse, turned his own dagger towards the dominated two.

The edge of the oscillating steel, took a path which aimed straight for Dynas’ neck.

Gaston: “It’s dangerous…… ghue!”

Dynas: “Sorry!”

Gaston obstructed into the dagger’s path, shielding Dynas and taking the strike himself.

A wooden report echoed and the dagger’s power was weakened, but Gaston, while drawing back, coughed violently, and red blood seeped out of those lips.

ーーIt was the limit of his Mana-utilising battle ability, otherwise called 『Flow Method』.

Bearing his tough body, Gaston’s way of fighting against blades and blows was his skill known as 『Flow Method』, an alternate method of the utilisation of Mana, which is otherwise used for magic.

It is a skill involving far less talent than compared to magicーー only training and the amount of training mattered, and the user was required to shed blood for its usage.

Beatrice: “But, it seems he pushed himself far too much, in fact.”

In Beatrice’s eyes, Gaston’s facets and talents were nothing beyond mediocrity.

Him being able to, somehow or the other, take the Sin Archbishop’s spears with his partial Flow Method, could only be because Batenkaitos had been going very easy on Gaston.

Ley: “Ta~ke, this ~tsu!”

Gaston: “Ghou, agh!?”

Kneeling down, he kicked right into Gaston’s jaw in the upward direction.

Bleeding from his nose, and collapsing down, immobile, the giant was now unable to battle. With this, their war potential had been reduced by one more.

Ley: “You rea~lly worked hard, Gaston! Pre~tty bravely you fought. ーーYou worked and you worked, but you fai~led! We evaluate such a guy to be worthy ~tsu!”

Felt: “ーーYou, bastard!’

Seeing the form of Batenkaitos mocking Gaston, Felt’s blood rose up to her head, and she aimed the Meteor she held in her hand straight for his head.

If it was put to use the way it should rightfully be, its might was surely that one would expect of a 『Witch』. But, if it were to be used as a mere slapstick, it could not possibly utilise its complete potential.

Ley: “Uh, o~h! Geez Felt-chan, yo~u’re do~ing i~t ~tsu!”

Felt: “Shut, up! Get away, you shit!”

While scuffling to handle the cane, Felt continued to use her physical abilities to try and land a sharp blow upon Batenkaitos. Batenkaitos dodged all of it, with just the elegant handling of his feet, as if doing a magnificent dance.

The Meteor did indeed come in contact with 『Gluttony’s』 hair, but it was not sufficient enough to cause any damage to him. There was an overwhelming gap of skill between them. He was completely treating her as a plaything.

Beatrice: “You! Get away now, I suppose! Our merchant has already recovered the big guy, in fact!”

Felt: “Do you think I came here just to mislead!”

The difference in their physical capabilities was evident, and it was certain that she would lose if she was counterattacked.

While Felt attacked Batenkaitos, Otto hurriedly drew the fainted Gaston out of the theater. Dynas too, confirmed the texture of his two katanas, was searching for a gap to break into Felt and Batenkaitos’ fight but, there was no certain opportunity.

Even if an alteration arises, Batenkaitos fills in that gap completely. The approach of watching vigilantly for an opportunity and awaiting an alteration, signalled the reality to them that 『Gluttony』, who was outnumbered and should have been at a disadvantage, was the one ruling this place.

Ley: “What, what is it, what is this, what could it be, why could it be, what could it perhaps be ~tsu! Even after jumping in for helping, will Felt-chan abandon this so pathetically?”

Felt: “So noisy! You too, you bastard, just stay put and get hit……”

Ley: “Is that so. ーーBut we’re getting bored no~w.”

Felt: “Uh, ky~a~a!?”

As Felt yelled while swinging the Meteor, at that moment, Batenkaitos stepped ahead. The distance between the two of them became zero, and 『Gluttony’s』 palm caressed Felt’s svelte chest.

At that moment, the shock impacted the young girl’s body and threw her backwards gently, and giving rise to a high pitched shriek, Felt rolled down the stone pavement.

The attack had strength enough to simply throw her body backwards, but that was not the problem here.

Otto: “Oh no! She has been directly touched!”

Otto raised his voice, seeing the coughing Felt, who had received the impact on her chest. Seeing the agony on his face, Beatrice understood the reason for his concern.

『Gluttony’s?』 meal, had been prepared.

Ley: “Felt-cha~n. ーーLet’s eat.”

Following the unknown principle, Batenkaitos’ left hand, which had touched Felt, he licked its palm with his elongated tongue.

As if, there was something vital, like the young girl named 『Felt』, present on it.

Placed it on his tongue as if loving it, caressed its rough texture, tasted each and every part of it as if harvesting it, and dropped it down to his breadbasket and mercilessly digested it.

At the moment that was completed, 『Gluttony’s?』 meal came to an end, and the 『Name』 settled within the blasphemer.

And, all traces of the young girl named Felt disappeared from the worldーー.

Ley: “Ugh, ghue~…… ~tsu.”

Felt: “Hu~h? What is it, you bastard. Just how rude can this guy get.”

Felt, shaking her head, was looking at Batenkaitos, knelt down and vomiting.

Of course, her existence had not disappeared, she only tilted her neck in rage.

ーーThat was the moment, when 『Gluttony’s』 meal had failed unsightly.