With a 'bang,' many fireworks exploded in the sky, like blooming flowers, dazzling and mesmerizing.
"So beautiful," Sagiri murmured, looking up with her small face in the hazy night.
"Ni-san, let's watch fireworks together next year too," she said, turning to tug at her brother's sleeve.
"Okay, next year we will," Izumi Chihiro nodded in reply.
Sagiri's smile grew even brighter.
"How boring. I waited for so long just to see this? There's nothing good to look at," on the high platform, a girl in a light green yukata said with dissatisfaction.
"Heh, didn't Eriri herself say she wanted to come? If you're so unhappy, is it because Chihiro-chan isn't with you? Aren't they right there? If you want to go, you can. I'm not stopping you," Sawamura Sayuri pointed her in a direction.
"I'm not going!" Eriri glanced over, quickly withdrew her gaze, and pouted.
'They're a family together. How could I possibly intrude? I have some dignity!' she thought, feeling quite speechless.
And so, the fireworks festival passed.
A few days later.
It was time for the release of the second volume of "Re:zero - Starting Life In Another World."
The first volume unfolded the story in a fast-paced manner, leading to a shocking plot through a treasure hunt. However, the most talked-about topic was the adorable Emilia; the silver-haired half-elf truly hit everyone's sweet spot.
As for the true main plot, everyone still couldn't quite grasp it.
A new chapter, of course, brought new characters. Although Emilia was very attractive, charming characters shouldn't be limited to just one. Readers naturally hoped to see more cute girls appear.
The cover character for the second volume included Rem, Ram, Beatrice, and Roswaal, who would appear next. Roswaal was partially hidden in shadow, which, combined with his appearance, made him look even more mysterious.
This caught the attention of readers.
["So many beautiful female characters appeared at once!"]
["Maid-chan! My Maid-chan! She looks absolutely no less charming than Emilia!"]
["I predict directly that 90% of new characters with golden hair and a loli physique are tsundere!"]
["According to the setting of the first volume, a skill like Return by Death certainly won't be without its uses... Now it's good, since he won't die, the Old Thief can torment him however he wants. I'm already feeling sorry for the protagonist."]
["This skill setting of the Old Thief truly perfectly matches his twisted sense of humor."]
["Is that character the villain of this volume? He certainly looks like it."]
As the release time approached, everyone's spirits were always particularly excited, and coupled with the joy brought by the long summer vacation, it was truly a blast.
Early in the morning, many people rushed to the bookstore entrance.
This time, there were more people waiting than usual, because if they came later when the weather was hot, it would be too late.
...
The story continues from the end of the first volume.
The unconscious young man awoke to an unfamiliar ceiling, then successively met the Great Spirit Beatrice, the two maids Rem and Ram, and finally Roswaal.
Readers followed Natsuki Subaru's perspective to learn more about the setting of this other world.
Then, his butler life, starting from zero, began.
However, after a brief period of calm, an unexpected incident occurred.
Natsuki Subaru suddenly met his Death, without even realizing it when he woke up that morning; it was only when he replayed it in his mind that he felt a chill.
Natsuki Subaru, who had expected a joyful daily life, once again felt unease and fear.
This fear, stemming from the unknown, was truly chilling!
The detailed psychological descriptions, filled with dread, made it feel as if a coldness emanated from the book, causing readers to feel cold sweat trickling down their backs even in the hot summer.
What was even more tragic was that his experiences during this period were reset with his Death, vanishing into the unknown.
"Death is not the true end; oblivion is."
Readers gradually began to understand the meaning of the words left on the flyleaf of the first volume.
The reset Natsuki Subaru experienced a brief period of disorientation, but his mind was temporarily stabilized thanks to Beatrice, which also made the Return by Death setting clearer.
Next, the protagonist had to investigate the cause.
After all, unexpected Death always made people fearful of the unknown; although there might be danger, with the confidence of Return by Death, the young man became resolute.
So, what was the truth behind this Death?
This was Natsuki Subaru's question, and it also became the readers' question.
"What's going on? A refreshing otherworld novel has been turned into a detective novel! It has to be you, Chihiro! You always manage to come up with new tricks for everyone."
Eriri clicked her tongue in wonder.
The subject matter is not about good or bad, but about how to handle it.
Izumi Masamune's skill was once again demonstrated through this portrayal.
...
To find the secret, Natsuki Subaru went to the small village around the castle.
Not being able to follow the previous plot, Natsuki Subaru felt a slight regret but accepted it.
Next, he arrived at that night again, the night he died.
Then, he died in agony, in endless torment, and finally, under an unknown attack, he once again greeted that morning.
"Who on earth is it?!"
Eriri grew more anxious as she read, eagerly flipping to the next page.
In the third loop, Natsuki Subaru chose to become a 'guest', hoping to have more time to gather information, preferably to find the cause of his Death.
"It might be a curse."
He vaguely arrived at an answer in his heart.
The asymmetry of information made Natsuki Subaru believe that everyone would die because of it, so he decided to become everyone's savior, regardless of his own abilities.
This time, he planned to wait outside, hoping to save others on his own.
But the negative consequences of Return by Death appeared.
Under the blood moon, he met a cruel outcome; it turned out that the person who killed him was—Rem!?
The shocking truth was right before his eyes!
What he didn't know was that the strong scent of the Witch made him hated by her, and various factors led to the current result.
...
"Eh, why did Rem kill Natsuki Subaru? Because of the Witch's scent? What's the reason for that... And were the previous two Deaths also caused by Rem?"
Ermi was reading this latest volume at home, and the revelation left her very confused.
His beloved beautiful girl had turned into his murderous enemy...
How could a story like this continue?
This was too twisted, wasn't it?
The netizens really didn't lie to me!
The Old Thief's style is always so novel!
---
💯 PS = 2 bonus chapter