Chapter Text
“It’s just as Angela said. We really got another floor to the Library.” Subaru spoke to himself as he explored the new place he was currently in.
“A new floor?” Mimi asked. “Did The Library always have one?”
“…Perhaps it was closed before…” Tivey tried to give a possible explanation. “…Or maybe The Library grew another one? For all we know, it could’ve created a whole new place out of nowhere.”
“Hey there~ My name’s Subar-” He tried to introduce himself, but was interrupted by and angry sounding person.
??? (???): “Angela…I still can’t forgive you…”
A woman with long, brown hair, which was slightly brighter at the end, is shown as she is talking to Angela while holding a huge book in her hands. She is wearing a brown coat, black vest and pants, and a red hairband.
!!!
The sights of another human being in the room surprised everyone. Seeing that she was having a conversation with Angela right now, it was clear that she was not simply a guest. Otherwise, she would be missing an arm and a leg a least.
“There are other people in the Library…” Felt said. “…Seems like you were right, Reinhard: there are more “librarians” working with Angela.”
“Indeed.” The Sword Saint replied. “…The question now is…how many others are there?”
“…There is only one way to find out.”
“Woaaah…She is really pretty!” Petra commented.
“Well…That hairband makes her look a little bit like an adult version of you, Petra.” Frederica complimented her junior.
“Really!?” The little girl asked. “You think I will be as beautiful as she is when I grow up?!”
“Definitely. Perhaps even more.” The blond maid said with a smile, happy to see the kid so happy, even after all the stuff she had to witness.
“It looks like she resents Angela for a reason.” Julius noticed.
“Why does tha’ not surprise me?” Anastasia sarcastically spoke up. “Sigh…Wha’ did she do this time?”
“…” The finest knight decided not to answer her. It was clear that she did not like the pallid lady in the slightest.
??? (???): “Angela, you…!”
“I thought we were already done with that topic.” Angela stopped her from complaining any further. “You simply need to cooperate without complaint.”
??? (???): “……” The unknown lady chose to remain silent.
“That was the deal, remember?” The Library Director added. “And try to appreciate that fleshy body of yours you’ve finally earned back.”
…?
??? (???): “Did you really think you could make me happy by just giving me a human body?” The brown-haired girl rhetorically asked. “Don’t forget. I still don’t agree with you!”
…
The Theater was left in complete silence for a moment, as everybody slowly started to process what they’ve just heard.
“What does she mean by that, I wonder?” Beatrice was the first one to speak up. “Was she not a human before, in fact? What is…or was she before, then?”
“…Angela saaaaid that she should be graaaaateful she got “that fleeeeeshy body” baaaack.” Roswaal said, clearly curious about this as well. “Perhaaaaps she somehow lost her body before, and Angela gaaaave her a new one.”
“…”
Even if the theory the clown-looking guy gave them sounded ridiculous at first, they had no way of denying it. Besides, what other thing could it mean?
…
“…I think the best course of action would be to keep on watching, and hope this will be explain to us later on.” Crusch spoke her mind.
Nobody really liked the fact that the only thing they could do when new question appeared was to ignore them, and pray that it will be answered at some point. Still, what other option did they have? They were watching a completely different world, after all: It should not come as a surprise to see them struggling to understand how it works.
“…As you wish.” The pale librarian did not pay any mind to her words, and decided to leave the place instead.
“Damn, that was tense.” Subaru entered the room after seeing Angela leave. He still had to introduce himself, after all.
??? (???): “…” The mysterious woman turned around to see the new person in there, tried to calm herself down a little bit, and presented herself. “…Hello there. I’m the Patron Librarian in charge of the Floor of History…”
Malkuth (Patron Librarian-History): “Malkuth!”
“You seem lively at least.” The black-suited man commented. “What was going on just now?”
“I have some unfinished business with Angela.” Malkuth replied, clearly not happy about this. “You probably heard bits of it, but…I have no choice but to follow her orders, no matter how I feel.”
“I’m in the same shoes as yours!” Perhaps a little bit too happy about being on the same situation as her, the former Fixer said. “Though we seem to have ended up here for different reasons. So, what can I do for you?”
“You can bring me books, Subaru.” The brown-coated girl responded.
“Hm?”
“Something wrong, Wil?” Felix asked Wilhelm, who obviously had something in his mind.
“…It’s just that…I do not remember Subaru presenting himself.” The old man answered. “How did “Malkuth” know his name, if this is the first time they’ve met?”
“!!!” This information startled some of the member of The Cast; while others remained seemingly unaffected.
“Maybe Angela told her?” The catboy offered an explanation.
“I don’t think that would’ve been necessary.” Al stated, earning everyone’s attention. “Remember how she said that Bongbong should be aware of the situation she was in, even if she was trapped in a book moments ago? Yeah: I think this girl is in the same situation as her. There clearly is some sort of…influence, I guess, that makes the librarians know everything they need to know.”
The theory the one-armed knight said managed to surprise a few, mostly because it made sense.
Was this another question they’ve managed to answer?
The thought that they were finally making some sort of progress managed to make them happy.
“Since I’m in charge of the Floor of History, I’ll be sorting the books you bring and collecting those that are about history!” She immediately explained herself.
“…Now that I think about it, we don’t really know what is written inside…well…The Books, right?” Emilia asked, clearly not enjoying the reminder of what happened to those who died in The Library.
“…That is a good question, half-wit. Mine divine self can admit that much.” Priscilla stated. “While we have not seen their insides, mineself doubts the books are completely blank. What would we find in there should we open one?”
With a mixture of both curiosity and disgust at themselves for even think about it, everybody else started wondering the same.
“Us librarians will then read the collected books, gradually making our floors whole and completing the library itself as an extension; and we’ll naturally get to unlock more floors and awaken their patron librarians in that process!” With that, she finished her explanation.
“So there are more than just one of them.” Rem said. “…I hope they all help Subaru-kun in some way or another.”
“So, the other librarians are asleep for now?” Subaru asked.
“Yep, they are!” Malkuth cheerfully answered.
“…I get the gist of it…You’re surprisingly bright for someone who was so upset moments ago, by the way. I was kinda worried I might have to endure some of that wrath.”
“I can’t let my personal affairs get in the way of work now! I still have my problems with Angela, but it’s not like getting mad about it will do me any good. I’ve got my own reasons to do my best with this work, too!” She commented full of energy.
“Okay, then~ Let’s give it our best shot.” Feeling her happiness somehow spreading over him, the General Works patron librarian decided to end the conversation in the most optimistic way he could think of.
“Yeah!”
And, with that, the screen went black.
“Huh? Tha’s it?” Ricardo asked. “This was way more-”
He was cut off by the screen once again being turned on, reminding him and the rest of them, this was not over yet.
---Time skip---
The screen shows some sort of warehouse full of useless trash. In there, three individuals of curious appearance are talking to each other.
“…Back to spyin’ guests, it seems.” Anastasia stated, not really amused about this fact.
“My amazin’ self guesses those are t’ new ones.” Garfiel spoke up. “…They’re wearing some weird armor, let me tell ya.”
All of them could agree on that. The three people they were currently looking at had some kind of protective gear none of them has ever seen before.
Mo (Brother of Iron): “Y-You guys should regularly refill your head with brain fluid. A-a dry brain dulls your thoughts.” The one in the middle said. They had a singular light source in their head, which served as an eye. On their hand, they were holding what looked like a gun.
!?!?!?
The extremely weird sounding voice managed to throw all of them off guard.
What the hell…?
“…!” After taking some time to process this knew information, however, Al came up with an explanation. “They must be robots!”
……
……
……?
Needless to say, almost no one understood what he said. Thus they simply chose to give him a confused look, and wait for him to explain himself.
“I-”
“Robots are an amazing technological advancement from Betty’s Subaru’s world, in fact.” Beatrice interrupted him while grinning; clearly enjoying the fact that she got yet another victory on their little game.
“Hey! That’s not fa-”
“Silence, Aldebaran! If you wanted to be the one to enlighten this goddess, then you should have been faster.” This time, it was his lady the one who stopped him from speaking any further.
“But-”
“…”
“…”
“…”
“…Yes, princess.” He redundantly complied.
“…As Betty was saying.” The spirit continued, though to before giving the knight look that said ‘I won. Deal with it’. “Robots are beings that can do many things, I suppose. They can do the same jobs as humans without rest, pay, or anything but some “fuel source”, in fact. They are not alive, I suppose, so don’t feel bad about them: they are tools that make people’s lives easier.”
All this new information about Subaru’s home surprised everyone in a good way: These robots truly seemed like the solution to uncountable problems.
“Ohhh~ Great Spirit-sama! Please tell me there is a way to recreate this robots!” This time, Anastasia’s curiosity was genuine. Something that could work 24/7 in basically any field would be so profitable, her greed managed to overcome the devastating sadness she felt before. This clearly was a sign that she was slowly but surely getting better.
“Hmph! Robots are far too complex for us to build them, I suppose! Don’t even try!”
“Ohh…Bummers.”
“E-Excuse me, Great Spirit-sama.” Felix spoke up. “I have a question. If these “robots” are completely artificial…Why did one of them talked about their “brains” needing “brain fluid”?
“…Ah…” The 400 years old little girl was not expecting that question. She had completely forgotten what this “Mo” said, and had no clue what that could mean.
“…”
“…”
“…”
“…”
…After a while, Al slowly raised his hand.
“Can I answer that question?” He asked in a smug tone. This clearly counted as his victory now!
“…” After getting no complains (if you do not count the angry, yet adorable face Beatrice was giving him), he continued.
“…I guess I was wrong with the “they’re robots” part…to some extent, that is.
I think this people are some sort of cyborgs. And before you ask: cyborgs are a mixture between human and machine. They have some parts made of flesh, while others are made out of metal.”
As expected, The Cast was extremely surprised to hear that.
“W-Wow! That is impressive!” The catboy admitted. “It’s like putting on a permanent armor! How is that even possible?”
“…Well, that’s the thing that’s been bugging me for quite a while.” Unexpectedly, the one-armed man answered that question. “In the world my bro and I came from -or at least as far as I can remember-, robots are not as advance as you think they are. For now, they can only do very specific and simple stuff. Cyborgs, on the other hand, are just an idea that could become a reality in the future.”
“…?” This was a shocking revelation. But, if that was true, then…that would mean…
“…I think this world is somehow ahead of the one Subaru and I are.”
“W-What?!!?” Tivey asked, clearly unsettled by this. “But that’s- Didn’t you say that your world is far more peaceful than ours?!?! Look at this one!!! There is no way these barbarians are better than you!”
“…Okay, first of all: our world is not an utopia were no blood is spilled at all. In fact, there always seems to be at least one war going on from time to time.” The otherworldly man corrected. “Second: Being technologically advanced does not mean that a world is more peaceful than others. One guy once tried to explain how energy worked, and then humanity used that knowledge to create weapons of mass destruction.
It’s not just about inventing new stuff. One must also make sure that those creations are used for good.”
“…”
They all remembered that time in which Beatrice explained that warfare in the other world was, to put it simply, hell. Still, they also knew that it was also a relatively peaceful place (most of the time). Despite the fact that there were things that were created with the sole purpose of causing chaos, most inventions were made to improve the lives of people in some way or another.
…However…
“…But…judging by what we have seen until now,” Al continued. “…I think it’s safe to say, whoever rules “The City” does not care about that. This world might be more “futuristic”, but that doesn’t make it better that ours.”
Arnold (Brother of Iron): “I-I knew I’ve been feeling so hazy these days.” The one left to Mo commented. This one had a singular “eye” as well. However, unlike Mo, they had a chainsaw replacing their right hand.
“…It looks like all of them have trouble speaking.” Mimi commented. “Do all “say-bors” struggle with that?”
“Meh. Look at the place they live in.” Aldebaran answered. “They most likely can’t afford top quality equipment; not even one that allows them to talk properly.”
“…This Arnold…” Reinhard began wondering out loud. “…He is identical to one of the “guests” we saw during the opening.”
“That is correct.” Priscilla, who overheard him, replied. “The same one who was playing card with another two…and the one who got cut in half by him.”
She said that last part while pointing her finger at the sleeping boy.
“…”
…Well…at least they now know that Subaru will win the incoming battle.
Consta (Brother of Iron): “W-where are we going to rob this time?” The last member of the trio asked. They were the most normal looking of the three: two led eyes on their face and two artificial hands at the end of their arms. A huge chainsaw could be seen on their back, ready to be grabbed by its owner and used against their enemies.
“…Rob?” Emilia asked, feeling both angry and betrayed by this trio. She was so amazed by their iron bodies; she forgot they could very well be bad people.
“…So, this people are thieves…” Crusch concluded.
“…Judging by the massive weapons, which look very similar to the one Eri wielded…I think they do far more than just “steal” things from others, Crusch-sama.” Wilhelm both politely and grimly corrected.
“…Hng.” In response, the green-haired candidate simply let a displeased noise come out of her mouth.
Everyone could remember the power the Grade 8 Fixer’s weapon possessed. It was only thanks to bloodbath’s intervention that Subaru survived that encounter. Sadly…it could not -or at least did not- save Bongbong.
Now, both of them would have to face three chainsaw-wielders. What were they supposed to do against that?
Many couldn’t help but to fear the worst was about to come.
“I-I think we should go for a workshop.” Arnold spoke their mind. “W-workshops are rich, and they have useful components, too.”
“H-how about an Office?” Consta counter-offered. “W-we should earn some infamy if we take down an Office or two.”
“I-I don’t think we’ll get anything valuable from the Offices we can take on right now.” The person who had a chainsaw as an arm thought otherwise.
“A-a restaurant, then!” The other one happily replied. “I-I like delicious stuff.”
“Y-You moron.” At last, Mo decided to speak up. “D-did you already forget why we got our new bodies?!”
“B-Because we wanted to focus on earning without having to worry about food or sickness.”
…
…
…
…When you put it that way…
…
…That sounds horrible.
They sacrificed their bodies -Their humanity- just to be able to “do their job” better.
…
…
…
…Wait a minute…
“…Are we…Cyborgs as well? Ya know, Athena did-”
“We know Garf.” Otto interrupted his friend.
“You are not.” Surprisingly, their host decided to provide them with an answer. “A cyborg is composed of both cybernetic and organic elements. While absolutely not human, the upgraded organs we installed inside you are completely made out of flesh.”
And that is the reason she did so! Because she wanted to tell them something far worse than a Yes or No.
From what everyone could understand, they were pretty similar to one, but less of an amazing creation and more of a disgusting abomination.
“T-that’s right. W-we’re enduring like crazy.” The one who was seemingly the leader of the group responded. “T-these bodies just need brain fluid, fuel, and some repairs from time to time. W-we can make money without feeling hungry or thirsty.”
“Well, sounds convenient, at least.” Anastasia admitted. “Not like I would ever do tha’.”
Despite that being true, most are still not comfortable with the fact that they’ve basically sacrificed their whole body just for that reason. It was like selling an arm for some quick cash.
Money can be obtain in many different ways, but damage like this was definitely permanent.
“T-that’s true. I-it cost a fortune to get ourselves whole-body replacements. B-but it’s still uncomfortable. I-I know I don’t have to eat anymore, but I keep thinking about all the tasty things I had before, and it makes me want to taste them again.” Consta complained.
“T-that’s because we got cheap bodies from a cheap workshop.” Mo explained. “W-we just have to earn more. T-them we can replace our bodies with better ones.”
“T-the most expensive ones can even adjust emotions and completely shut off desires, on top of having good performance…” Arnold commented. “B-but those are almost as expensive as a Nest household.”
“By the spirits…” Julius muttered, completely horrified by what he had just heard. ““Shut off desires”? What a terrible thing to do!”
“Damn. I was sure there would be something for people like these three that could emulate what the average human can feel.” Al said. “Not something that makes you even less human!”
The more they heard about this “body replacements”, the less the members of The Cast liked them.
“…”
While most of them were talking about how horrible removing your flesh and bones and replace them with steel was, some notice something curious the other cyborg said.
‘’Nest’?’ Immediately after hearing that, the word ‘Wings’ came into their minds. They knew close to nothing about these entities. However, they did know: they were not anything good. Thus, they could conclude a ‘Nest’ was no different in that sense.
Still there was no way to now if that is true.
How are a “Wing” and a “Nest” connected? Are they even connected at all? If we were talking about flying creatures, then the most logical connection is that a nest is protected by one, and that said creatures have wings. Is their relation somewhat similar to that?
Sadly, they lacked the necessary knowledge to answer any of this questions.
“W-we can worry about that later.” Mo decided that they should stop talking about this now. “L-let’s focus one the money-making now. I-it’s all about money in the end.”
Anastasia, for a second, felt like this person was talking to her.
She could understand the fact that they had to sell their humanity to get a job, and could even respect that (if their job did not involve stealing things from others, that is), so she agreed with that statement to some extent.
Nevertheless, throughout the viewing, she began to understand that not everything was about money, and that there were limits she should never cross (one of them, for example, was using Return by Death to her advantage). It was hard to tell whether selling yourself like that was really something she was okay with or not. If she was given the chance, would she do it?
“S-so don’t bring up restaurants. U-you’re making me want to eat stuff, too.”
“M-Mo…!” Consta exclaimed while pointing at their leader’s shoulder. “T-there’s a piece of paper stuck in your body.”
Upon closer inspection, one could notice that there was, indeed, a paper sheet in their arm.
A black, slightly shining paper.
…
…
“…Everyone knows what that thing is, right?” Julius wanted to make sure everyone was on the same page.
After seeing everyone nodding their heads, he turned back to watch the screen. Even if he did not ask it, he knew that all of them also understood what this meant.
“…Was that thing there before?” Felt asked.
“…I do not recall seeing it earlier, Felt-sama.” The Sword Saint replied.
“…So the invitation truly has the power to appear out of nowhere, huh?”
“It would seem so.”
“…” Mo removed the thing from their body upon noticing it. “I-I like how this body doesn’t have any sensory systems, but i-it’s annoying to be unable to feel things like this.”
“L-let’s have a look at that piece of paper first.” Arnold suggested. “I-I don’t think it was in your body until just now.”
“M-maybe we got too infamous and someone sent us a calling card or something?” The hungry cyborg tried to come up with a theory. “O-or maybe a coupon for yummy new food…”
“Does this idiot only think about food?!” The fiery princess yelled, clearly annoyed by the fool’s attitude.
“It is only natural they miss something they lost that was so natural before, like the ability to taste stuff.” The sword demon tried to explain why the person of unknown gender acted the way they did.
---Scene change---
“Are all Syndicates composed of such half-witted individuals?” Angela spoke up once the viewing the invitation was showing them was over. “I was expecting someone more refined.”
“Aaaaand, back to the Library.” Ricardo stated the obvious.
“It all depends on the Syndicate.” The man answered. “The City is crowded with them. You could even say there’s one for every Fixer out there. A number of thugs gather up and do things under a name, and you get a Syndicate. They’re involved in all sorts of different businesses, so it’s hard to give a general description beyond that.”
Even though they already knew this world had a serious problem of “Syndicates”, many still got uncomfortable after hearing how common this Syndicates truly were.
“You were right Crusch-sama.” Felix spoke up. “A Syndicate truly is a group of evil-doers.”
“…Yes. Despite the fact that we’ve concluded that much before, it is still nice to have a confirmation.”
“They seem sloppy. Are those machines?” The Library Director made a question, visibly both intrigued and annoyed by this possibility.
“They aren’t machines or AI, despite their appearance.” The servant replied. “Pure machines carrying their own emotions and desires have long since disappeared from the City.”
“They made machines with feelings!?!?” Al shouted earning the attention of everyone; plus an angry look of his lady, who was right next to him the moment he screamed.
“Ah- Sorry princess. It just that I never expected that to be possible. Heh. Robots with emotions. Humanity is playing god right now…and is somehow getting away with it.”
“…”
*PUM!*
After it was clear that he had nothing left to say, the arrogant candidate proceeded to shove him back to the floor. If he had nothing useful to add, that dog should not speak -let alone shout- to her divine self!
“These guys are just using whole-body replacements. And low-quality ones from a shoddy workshop, at that…”
“…I see.” The pallid lady responded.
“Alright! Shall we prepare for the reception?” Subaru asked.
---Scene change---
Right in the Library Entrance, the three guests are shown as they look at the whole place.
“S-so we can find valuable stuff here, right?” Consta wondered.
“W-we just have to chop up some monsters and take some books.” Mo replied. “T-this body has strength if nothing else.”
“SUBARU IS NOT A MONSTER!!!!” Petra defended the man. “You are even less human than him!!!!!”
“…Now that I think about it, they are right” Tivey said. “That body looks like some sort of armor, and is most likely as resistant as one. Will Subaru be able to cu-?”
“““““He will.”””””
He was immediately interrupted by many.
“Subaru-dono always finds a way to overcome any crisis. This will not be the exception.”
“They might be tough, but Capt’n is tougher!”
“You should know better than to question Big Bro Boss, Tivey!”
“Rem’s hero will definitely win!”
“…He is my knight, after all.”
This time, the people the boy would be fighting were criminals that most likely injured their victims (or worse). Thus, they found no reason not to cheer for him.
He can do this. He will achieve victory.
“My, My~ What a-”
“““““Shut up, Roswaal.”””””
“W-we came here for loot, but what if that piece of paper was all a lie?” Arnold couldn’t help but to be hesitant about this. “M-Maybe we were too naïve.”
“There is no need to worry, dear guests.” Angela, who appeared from the same place as always, said; earing the attention of the three individuals. “In this place, we strictly play by the rules written on the invitation.”
“Y-yikes.” Consta made a surprised noise after hearing her.
“Welcome, dear guests. This is the Library. And I am Angela, the director and librarian of my role’s namesake.” The woman with the yellow eyes presented herself. “In this library, you may obtain the books listed on the invitation. If you overcome the ordeal, that is.”
“M-must be one of those ploys by rich folks.” The most quite member of the group concluded. “I-it’s all entertainment to them.”
“Oh, trust me: We know.” Felt said, clearly not happy.
“…Sigh…No, you don’t.” Athena replied, sounding both tired and disappointed.
“What d’ya mean by that!!!?!?” The blond candidate angrily asked. “I don’t care what you say about you doing us a favor, this is hell!!!
You are forcing us to watch Big Bro suffer in terrible ways for you own amusem*nt; and even took parts of our bodies and replaced them with Od know what just so that you can deny us any sort of rest!!!!
And, to top it all off, we don’t know what will happen to us once you get bored!!!!!!Are ya saying there’s something worse than this?!?!!??”
“…”
As if to answer her question, the screen became unpaused.
“I-I heard of that, t-they kidnap people from the Backstreets, trap them in a labyrinth no one can escape, and make them wander in there, fighting for eternity…U-until they die, never to see light again…” Consta added.
…
…
…
“…How about that?” Their host mockingly asked.
“…You…can’t be serious…You don’t really do that…right?” The former thief was not sure if she wanted to hear the answer to her question.
“Heh. Would you like to find out~?”
“…”
“…Guess not…
…Hm?”
The sudden sound she let out of her mouth; plus the fact that the viewing did not continue, got everyone’s attention.
“……”
“…I see…Show me.”
It was clear she was having a conversation with somebody. However, not even the Sword Saint was able to hear was this other person was saying.
“……”
“……”
“……”
“...Siiiiiiiigggghhhh…” She let out a long sigh, as if she was someone who had to work all day and was finally allowed to lie down in her bed. “I guess it is an understandable decision…but keep in mind, this was not what we agreed to.”
“……”
“Yes, yes. I know…
…What is the current status of the new ones?”
‘New ones?’
“Uhm-” Mimi wanted to ask what was going on, but Tivey stopped her by covering her mouth with his hand.
They didn’t know if Athena knew they were hearing her. If she didn’t, then maybe they would be able to get some valuable information form this conversation.
It would be better not to interrupt them right now.
“……”
“Good. We still have some time left, so make sure everything goes according to the plan. Now leave, and tell me if anything happens.”
“…”
“…”
“…”
“…”
“…”
After a moment of silence, it was clear that the other individual was no longer there. They didn’t get much from them, though. Still, what should they do now? Should they wait until their host realizes they are still waiting for the screen to be unpaused? Or should they-?
“Tch.” Athena clicked her tongue. “You are just doing this to annoy me, aren’t you…?”
This question was clearly not directed to anyone from The Cast.
“…Well, it doesn’t really matter. This petty revenge of yours will not stop what is to come…
…Soon, Athena…Soon.” She uttered that last part in a low voice.
“…Sigh…Now then, you heard everything that was said, right?”
“!!!” Now, she was obviously talking to them.
“What is it with the surprised looks? Did you really think I was careless enough to let you hear something you were not supposed to?” She decided to start their friendly conversation by mocking them. “I almost feel insulted.”
“…What was all tha’ about?” Anastasia, ignoring her sarcasm, asked.
“…Changes, Anastasia Hoshin. What you’ve just heard is the sound of changes.”
“…Changes…?”
“Changes which will affect all of you and your experience in the Theater. Whether they are good or bad…You will have to decide that by yourselves.”
“…” There were going to be even more modifications to the place as a whole? Wasn’t replacing their host, their former rooms (which most likely did not exist anymore), and, let’s not forget, their own bodies enough for them?
“…What cha-”
“You will find out when the time comes.” Like usual, their host interrupted the finest knight. “Until then, I would rather not spoil you the surprise~. For now, all you have to do is relax, and enjoy.”
After saying that, the viewing finally continued.
“W-we’ve already come this far, we have to do this.” The leader of the group tried to cheer the other two up a little bit. “D-don’t be so gloomy.”
“May you find your book in this place, then.” Seeing that they were not going to discuss this any further, Angela said.
The Reception of Brotherhood of Iron begins
---Scene change---
The screen shows where the receptions take place at the Keter floor, where both Bongbong and Subaru can be seen holding a piece of paper.
Subaru can be seen reading the contents of said paper, with a face that showed how uncomfortable he was just by holding it.
…
The mood got somehow worse after seeing the boy holding that book page. They were curious about the previous topic they were talking about, but Athena made it clear: she would not tell them what this “changes” were until they happened. Thus, they could only do as told. They could only sit and watch.
“…Sigh…He still has to use that page.” Wilhelm spoke in a tone that did not hide how sad he was about this fact. “…It truly is a shame that you are forced to do this, Subaru-dono.”
“…You ready, Bongbong?” He turned his head to see his assistant, but the only thing he saw was the light enveloping her.
Once it was gone, the blue-haired woman could be seen now wearing a green coat, short black skirt and thigh-high white socks. She also had a chainsaw-like sword as a weapon.
!!!
“…Oh, right. They got both Yun and Eri’s books.” Reinhard recalled. “According to Angela, they should be able to “use their powers” now.”
…
“…It’s better than having to see him using Finn’s page.” Felt concluded.
“…Bongbong.” She replied once the transformation was finished.
“…Looking good, I see.” The man jokingly commented.
“…” In response, the girl simply gave him a look that said “just shut up and do your thing already”.
“…Yeah, Yeah.” He replied to the silent order, before looking back at the page.
This time, its title was “Yun’s Page”.
“…Sorry man, but I don’t really feel bad about this.” After saying that, he closed his eyes, and soon enough started shining just like his colleague did.
Once that spectacle was over, he was wearing a gray trench coat, gray shirt and black pants.
…So…he is now dressed like Yun.
Some would have commented on how handsome he looked on those clothes (because he obviously did), but the fact that he got them by impersonating a dead man made them hesitant to open their mouths.
*STEP*
*STEP*
*STEP*
The sound of some heavy, mechanical steps getting closer to their position put the on guard immediately. They had just equipped the pages, but they already had to fight the guests.
“…Don’t get nervous now.” He spoke up, earning his partner’s attention. “You are quite good at this, so just do your best here. I am sure that will be enough.”
“…” She stayed silent for a second, most likely processing the words he said, before answering. “Bongbong.”
“H-hey! L-look!” Arnold commented upon seeing two armed individuals seemingly waiting for them. “T-they must be the ordeal we have to face.”
“A-and they are just normal humans? T-they will stand no chance against us.” Consta commented.
“T-true. I-if this goes well, maybe we can move over to a better body, right?” Mo said.
“…Y’all talking like you’ve already won.” Subaru stated, getting on a battle stance. “C’mon. I’ll show you how wrong you are.”
“Oh, sh*t. He’ll have to fight this guys with his bare hands!?” Al exclaimed. “No way will his fist even scratch their armor!”
After hearing his valid point, everyone started getting worried for the boy.
What was he supposed to do now? And, most importantly:
What will he do?
The leader of the group raised what looked like a rifle…however, upon pressing its trigger, blades came from it; revealing that it was actually just another chainsaw.
“C-Consta, A-arnold: Y-you deal with the girl. I-I will take care of the other one.” Mo ordered.
“…Bongbong. I won’t be able to damage their bodies with no weapon.” The patron librarian admitted. “…But I have a plan. Don’t know if it’ll work, but it’s better than nothing.”
“Oh? What could this plan be?” Priscilla asked herself. She did not fully understand how this “machine-like bodies” work, so she had no way of guessing. That alone made her exited to see the outcome of the fight: she would definitely be at least surprised by it!
“…Bong?” The assistant asked.
“…I think I can take the one on the right down.” He said, referring to the cyborg with a chainsaw replacing their arm. “Think you can distract the other two while I do that?”
“…Isn’t he asking for a little too much, nyan?” Felix asked. “Having to deal with two enemies at the same time is quite tough, you know?”
“…It might be something hard to do.” Crusch responded. “However, she is the only one with a weapon, thus making her the only one who can actually fight. For now, the best she can do is trust Subaru with this one, and hope his plan actually works
…Besides, he wouldn’t be asking this if he thought she wouldn’t be able to survive.”
“…”
Even if what she said should be considered as something good, some of the audience couldn’t help but to get jealous at how much he trusts her. This would definitely not be happening if they hadn’t seen him flirting with her just moments ago!
“…”
“…”
“…”
“…Bongbong.” She finally said while nodding her head.
“…Thanks.” He replied with a smile.
“L-Let’s do this!” The most absent-minded member of the Brotherhood shouted.
[Keter 1]
And, with that, the battle began.
Mo attempted to approach their target, but Bongbong stood in their way. Meanwhile, Subaru ran straight to Arnold, who was not expecting him to get closer.
*Brrrrr*
*Brrrrr*
*Brrrrr*
They tried to hit him with their weapon, but he was fast enough to dodge any attacks. “Yun’s page” clearly gave him some speed, as it was pretty easy to move out of the way in time.
Still, he did not throw any punches. It was as if he was waiting for the perfect moment to strike…
At the same time, the starry-eyed woman was doing as told: She currently fighting the leader of The Brotherhood of Iron on a chainsaw fight. Whoever saw this fight could tell: the girl was far more skilled than her adversary was.
*Brrrrr*
*Brrrrr*
*VROOM*
*Rrrrrgg!*
*Brrrrr*
She could easily dodge the other’s attacks, and was able hit them from time to time.
However, there were three main problems:
First, the armor plate the cyborg had, despite clearly not being of the best quality, was still thick enough to actually protect them. Her blades could barely leave any scratches on it.
Second, she had a human body, with human heart, lungs and all that. Unfortunately, this also meant that, unlike them, she would get tired at some point. She was doing fine now, but it was a matter of time before she became exhausted.
And, finally…
*VROOM*
*CLASH!*
“Hn!”
She was fighting against two enemies.
“Bongbong!” Emilia shouted after seeing the girl almost being hit by an attack from another person. Hadn’t she block it at the last second, she would have been definitely split in half!
“Dammit!” Felt shouted. “I don’t know what you are planning Big Bro, but hurry!”
She had no idea what her colleague was doing. Whenever she could catch a glimpse of him, the only thing she saw was him dodging his adversary’s strikes with ease. Was he looking for an opportunity to put his plan into action?
*CLASH!*
*Brrrrr*
*Brrrrr*
*CLASH!*
Doesn’t matter. She needs help, and she needs it right now!
“Bongbong!” She tried to get his attention.
“I’m on it! Give me a sec.!” He replied.
*Brrrrr*
*Brrrrr*
“S-stay still!” Arnold shouted, getting mad after missing yet another hit.
‘…Not yet.’ Subaru internally thought. He needed to find a moment in which his target was completely vulnerable.
*Brrrrr*
‘Not yet…’
*Brrrrr*
*Brrrrr*
*Brrrrr*
‘…Not…yet…’
“H-humph!”
*Brrrrrrrrrrrggggggg!*
“H-huh?”
The cyborg then tried to deliver a strong downwards slash, which ended up with his weapon being stuck on the floor.
‘Now!’
Seeing this was the perfect time to strike back, Subaru approached his now defenseless enemy-
*POW!*
*Kitsckshkin!*
-And punched them in the “eye”, completely shattering the glass with a singular strike.
*CLANK!*
This caused them to fall to the ground, making a loud noise that made everyone turned to see what happened.
“A-A-A-AHHH! W-w-w-what di-di-did you-u-u-u-u do!!?!?!?!?” They asked, clearly panicking.
“Nice!”
“WOHOO!!!!”
“A perfect strike!”
“Get’em, Natsuki-kun!”
As the boy managed to hit what seemed like a weak spot, the mood in The Theater was visibly lifted.
““A-arnold!”” The other members of the brotherhood shouted.
The former Fixer stood still for a moment, watching as the other one tried to stand up…
*CLANK!*
…Only to fall once again.
“Huh? What is happening to them?” Otto asked.
“Maybe they’re still disoriented after losin’ their eye?” Garfiel offered an explanation.
“…I do not think it’s just that, Garf.” The merchant boy replied. “They didn’t seem to be in pain after being attack, and they should be capable of at least standing up…I think something else is going on.”
“D-damm-mm-mm-mmit! W-were a-a-are you!?” He asked while swinging their chainsaw around, still laying on the floor.
‘I knew it!’ The grey trench coated man concluded. “Bongbong!”
“Hm?” The assistant was surprised to hear him call her.
“They have no balance! Their audio detection system is faulty, and they don’t even have an orientation mechanism! Just push them a little bit, and they will surely fall!”
!!!
Almost no one from The Cast understood what the man said. ‘Audio detection system’? ‘Orientation mechanism’?
Nevertheless, they did manage to understand one thing: he discovered a flaw the seemingly perfect bodies had.
Now knowing this, he should be capable of doing something even without a weapon!
“!!!” Despite not having a human face that allowed them to show proper reactions, both Mo and Consta were visibly startled to hear that.
“T-t-t-t-that’s not true!!!” Mo immediately tried to deny it.
“D-Dammit. I-I knew it was a bad idea to not get one of those.” Consta, on the other hand, simply lamented not having invested more money in their bodies.
“S-s-s-shut up!!! W-we-!!!”
*CLANK!*
They were forced to block a chainsaw headed directly to their camera. Its wielder was an angry looking woman, who clearly had enough going easy on them.
“…Bong!”
*Thud*
“A-AH!”
Bongbong then proceeded to push Mo. Just as Subaru predicted, they were not able to keep their balance, which caused them to fall and drop their weapon.
Still, with at least one functioning eye, they could still stand up somewhat fast.
“S-sh*t!” They said while trying to grab their weapon…
…However, Subaru, who at some point closed the distance between them, grabbed it first.
“…Missed me?” He mockingly asked.
“Subaru for the rescue!” Ricardo half-jokingly said.
“W-WHA-?!!??!”
*VROOM*
*BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRNNNNNNGGGGGGG*
*KLISH!*
He then impaled the cyborg with their own chainsaw, piercing it’s eye, and directly hitting their brain; which was the only thing that was still human.
…
…There were no comments made after seeing the person’s death. They were a criminal, and they knew the risk that coming here involved. They got what was coming to them.
No one felt bad about this.
As blood started coming out of the wound, the patron librarian of the General Works floor pulled out the sharp tool of their head, and waited for the light to start enveloping the body (just to make sure they were 100% dead). Once his prediction came true, he turned around to see if his partner needed help-
*BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRNNNGGGG!!*
“A-AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!”
…Just like before, that would not be the case.
Bongbong, now only having to face one enemy, was more than capable of delivering a strong strike, stabbing Consta in their chest…
*CRRRSH*
*VROOM*
*BRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!*
…pulling the chainsaw out, and then decapitating them.
“…Damn.” Was everything that could come out of Al’s mouth. “Just like she can be a cutie, she can also be one hell of a merciless killer.”
Many silently agreed with him. It was somewhat weird to see such a beautiful lady murder someone so easily.
“…Ahh…Ahh…Ahh…” Needless to say, she was clearly exhausted after that whole fight.
Subaru saw this, and was about to compliment her, when…
“G-GUYS!? W-WHAT HA-A-A-A-APPENED!??!?” Arnold, still laying on the floor, shouted in despair. “A-A-ARE WE WI-I-I-I-I-INNING?!?! P-PLEASE-SE-SE-SE-, A-ANSWER ME!!!!”
“…” Both librarians looked at them with pity, then at each other, and then at them once more.
…They knew what had to be done.
…This was actually kinda sad: The cyborg not only was aimlessly moving their limbs -probably still trying to stand up-, but they had no way of knowing what happened to their friends.
They were so pathetic right now, they couldn’t help but to somewhat pity them.
“M-MO!? C-CONSTA?! P-please…N-no…D-don’t leave me alo-”
*BRRRRRRR*
Just like he did with Mo, Subaru pierced Arnold’s now broken camera with their late colleague’s weapon, killing them in an instant. Once their body started emanating light, the battle was officially over.
Curtain call for the Reception of Brotherhood of Iron
…
…
…
“…That was…unpleasant.” Reinhard admitted. That last execution managed to affect all of them for the same reason all the other ones did: the mercilessness their friend showed.
“It was.” Crusch replied. “But should get used to this. It doesn’t seem like Angela is planning to change her ways any time soon.”
And that did not help them in the slightest.
---Scene change---
“See, it’s not a good idea to keep your brain inside a hunk of scrap metal.” Back at the Library’s main hall, Subaru is shown talking to Angela.
“Isn’t it still better than a frail human body though?” The pallid lady asked.
“Is it, now?” Frederica asked. “What about the price? You have to loose many precious things in order to have that “better body”.”
“…”
All of them had reached the same conclusion as her. Thus, they found no need to answer her question.
“There are plenty of ways to enhance your body without replacing it for another.” The now black-suited man replied. “Heck, there’s actually many options. Tattoos, prosthetic limbs, medications and drugs, you name it. It’s all possible as long as you have the cash.”
“…Wow…” Julius said in a low tone, clearly impressed by this new information about this world.
“There are so many ways to get stronger!” Tivey, equally amazed by this, exclaimed. “…Some sound nicer than others, though.”
“Yeah…I don’t recommend taking drugs to become stronger in any case, Nyan.” Felix added. “…Wait, what’s the difference between getting a body replacement and a prosthetic? The latter are used to replace lost limbs, so why place them in a different category?”
“…Perhaps the “prosthetics” this world has differ from the ones we do, Felix-dono.” Wilhelm offered an explanation.
“…Hmm…You might be right, Wil.”
“Tattoos?” Priscilla asked herself, clearly interested by this new word.
“They are stuff that is drawn in one’s body.” Al, who overheard her, replied. “It’s like a painting on your skin that lasts forever.”
“…Interesting…But tell me, how does some simple drawings make one stronger?”
“…They…don’t, princess. At least in my world.”
“…”
“…”
“…Is this world of yours truly as advanced as you claim it to be, Aldebaran?”
“I’m sorry, princess. But we didn’t make impossible stuff happen every day, like this one seems capable of doing.”
“Do you think Natsuki-san used any of these methods?” The question Otto asked got everyone’s attention. Some of them began thinking about that possibility, while others…
“Absolutely not!” Rem responded, almost offended by what he insinuated. “Subaru-kun doesn’t need to “enhance” his body in any way! He is strong enough the way he is!”
“Yeah! Subaru was already one of the strongest knight here. He obviously is one of the greatest Fixers of the world now!” Petra innocently added.
“…If ya want an actual answer,” Anastasia decided to give a real argument. “Natsuki-kun said that it was possible “as long as you have the cash”. Keepin’ in mind that he claimed he was -is- in a rough spot, economically speakin’, I don’t think he would’ve been able to afford any of those things.”
“…” The sad reality made itself present once more: He was not only forced to live in a cruel place, again, but he also is financially struggling. He had absolutely no help to get his life together.
…
…The fact that he managed to survive this hell for so long was truly impressive.
“Replacing your body with a machine, on the other hand, is a one-way ticket you can’t ever go back on.” He continued. “Robotic bodies cannot resemble humans too closely, even if it’s for someone swapping out their flesh. Your life goes down the drain right away.”
“When does one put their brain in a machine, then? The Library Director raised a valid question: ‘Why would anyone do this?’
“One, when you urgently need a huge amount of money. You can sell of your old body and organs for a good chunk of cash.” The servant, seemingly uncaring about what he said, answered.
Everyone, unlike him, was pretty affected by this. Here, you can literately sell your body for money. If you were desperate enough to do it, that is.
They all remembered how the Rats “harvested” other’s organs and sold them to others. This was definitely better than that…But it was still something horrifying to think about.
“…Oh man, good thing Capt’n didn’t do that, right?” Garfiel said, not sure if that was supposed to come out as a joke.
“…”
Despite not receiving a verbal response, everyone agreed with him. Seeing this viewing with the boy they all loved in a completely artificial body would be…uncomfortable, to say the least.
They all silently thanked him for not doing that, and also praised him for being strong enough to choose to stay human and struggle economically rather than just sell himself for some sort of stability.
“Two, when you need to do repetitive work for a long time. I heard mechanical bodies like that aren’t bad for that kind of labor. Broken parts can be quickly replaced, and desires can be kept under control, so it has its merits.” He concluded.
“…Repetitive work for a long time…” Angela spoke to herself.
“What, interested in getting a new body?” Subaru, who overheard her, asked.
“…No, I was just reminded of my past for a moment.” She replied.
And, with that, the screen went black.
…
“…That was…weird.” Felt said what was inside everybody’s mind right now. “So, Angela had to do “repetitive work” in her past?”
It’s not much, but that information everything they know of her for now.
“I woooonder, what could that work beeeeee?” Roswaal asked, not expecting an answer.
“…”
No one said a thing for a while, since they didn't know the answer.
Besides, apart from that, there was nothing left worth discussing. Thus, they waited for the screen to turn back on.
