Strange Friends
"You're being way too self-centered, Natsuki Subaru."
Otto, fists clenched, looked down at Subaru lying on the ground with eyes burning in fury. It was the first time Subaru had seen such an emotion on Otto's face.
"You noticed it long ago, didn't you? You knew this would happen today."
Otto continued with a tone of certainty.
"You didn't know what to do, so you ended up like this, right?"
"Why didn't you ask me for help? When you realized that relying solely on your own strength and wisdom wasn't enough, you just gave up, and now you're trying to throw it all away by dying?"
Otto walked up to Subaru, grabbed his collar, and pulled him up.
"Not talking means you're admitting it. If you hear what I'm saying, then answer me!"
"Gah!"
Their heads collided.
The hard impact sent stars spinning before Otto's eyes.
Still, he pulled his head back and slammed it into Subaru's again before Subaru could react, finally knocking Subaru to the ground as he clutched his head.
"What the hell are you doing...!"
Subaru, now attacked twice, finally snapped out of the fog of shock, fear, and despair.
"Oof, seems like you're still conscious after all that. That's why I had to act out of character and go violent."
Hearing this sarcastic remark, Subaru lost the last shred of his composure and lunged at Otto.
.
.
.
"Ugh... ah..."
Subaru panted heavily but couldn't stand.
"Natsuki-san, your strength is pathetic. Forget Reinhild, you can't even handle me."
Otto's mocking voice rang out from nearby.
"You'd be more convincing if you weren't lying on the ground too."
Turning his body, Subaru glared at Otto, who was also collapsed on the ground, and sneered.
"Ahahaha..."
"No matter how hard I try, I can't save anyone. I've done nothing, I can do nothing, I have no worth at all... I hate myself the most."
Ignoring Otto's awkward laugh, Subaru muttered as he stared up at the blue sky.
"What a joke. Natsuki-san, you're weak — that much you know.
So, shouldn't you compensate for your lack of strength with wisdom? But from what I've seen, your thinking and judgment aren't exactly impressive, and your common sense is severely lacking."
Subaru glared at Otto in frustration.
He didn't understand what Otto was trying to say.
"But even someone like you has saved people — like Rem, and the people still living in the Astrea domain."
"You've done plenty. It's precisely because of everything you did that we escaped from the Sin Archbishop of Sloth and reached the Sanctuary.
And now, because you've done nothing this time, everything's falling apart.
Natsuki-san, your value is unquestionable. The Sanctuary started to collapse in such a short time only because you weren't there.
The Emilia camp, the people of Arlam Village, the Sanctuary factions, and even we outsiders could coexist because you were the link binding us together."
"You... you've been saying..."
"I've always had high hopes for you. You're not strong, not a genius, but you've done countless things I thought were impossible. Do you know why?"
—Because of Return by Death. But that's only part of it...
Otto stood up, brushing grass from his clothes, and sighed as he looked at the dejected Subaru.
"Wanting to look cool in front of the girl you like isn't wrong. Everyone has the vanity of wanting recognition. I respect that. It's natural to want to show your best side to the person you love — I get that too."
Then, Otto leaned in close with a murderous expression and said:
"You want to look cool in front of the girl you like, right? Want her to think you're someone she can be proud of? But you've got your limits. That's why, for her sake, to make up for what you lack — rely on others where they can't see you."
—So that's what he meant.
"You don't know anything... Yeah, I want to ask for help... I want to rely on others... but I can't even meet them..."
Subaru had relied on Reinhild in desperate times, and Echidna to survive through the loops. But Reinhild wasn't here, and Echidna was behind the trial — a dead end.
Faced with Subaru's quiet despair, Otto's lips trembled.
"Then what about me? I don't recall you ever asking me for help."
"Are you saying someone like me isn't worth asking? That you'd rather give up than reach out to me? If you'd told me about the Great Rabbit in advance, then maybe..."
Otto's voice shook with anger, sadness, and passion that he couldn't contain.
"And what? Even if I told you, would you believe me? Would you even be able to help? You..."
"I would!"
Otto's firm words shoved Subaru's complaints back into his throat.
"Huh?"
Subaru looked up in surprise. Otto stood with his arms crossed.
"I would help you. I can help you."
"No, but if you do that, then—"
"I said... enough already! I already told you — stop trying to act cool!!"
Otto, at his wit's end, shouted at the top of his lungs. Subaru was stunned by the intensity in his expression.
"No proof anyone will believe you. No grounds to expect trust. No way to explain things properly. If you've got time to worry about all that crap, then just spill everything in your head! That's more productive than sulking in a corner!"
"But even so... how am I supposed to make you believe such a chaotic mess?"
"Just say it all! And then finish with one line: 'Believe in your friend!' That's enough!
If someone has been watching what you've done all this time, they will believe you and help you."
—Completely irrational. No logic behind it.
But looking at Otto's expression — filled with certainty, filled with belief — those absurd words somehow gained tremendous weight.
Subaru looked at Otto's outstretched hand, emotions swirling inside him, and finally let out a sigh.
"But... it's already too late."
"For me, maybe. But is it really too late?"
Subaru jerked his head up at Otto's words.
Otto smiled, as if he had confirmed something for himself.
"Looks like... you still have a chance. You don't need to say anything. I don't know why you're keeping it a secret, but there must be a reason you can't talk about it, right?"
Otto held a finger to his lips.
Subaru, realizing that Otto truly understood, couldn't stop his tears from falling.
"But for you guys, it's already too late!!!"
Otto flinched, then seemed to understand and asked:
"Can you tell me why you think that?"
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