Execution Clause

Toyota felt that his gamble had paid off in revealing his meta-knowledge. He couldn't help himself. When Crusch had attempted to show off her Divine Protection, it was a wonderful chance to prove it ineffective toward him, showing that any attempt to read him would prove futile, while also showing off his mystique. In the process of manipulating the lie-detecting, Divine Protection Of Wind Reading, by saying facts that were only true in other timelines, he was able to vent. In the process, Toyota had unwittingly regurgitated his suppressed memories. He had not planned it.

But living as Subaru, he was unable to tell anyone about Return by Death. Dying. Going back in time, suffering unknowable agony, being unable to confide in anyone, people responding to his déjà vu as if he were a rambling madman, insane. Heartfelt moments, connections created now erased. It could only devolve into a feeling. A feeling of alienation, isolation, desolation, solitude, loneliness. A loneliness that no one would ever be able to comprehend or understand.

He had taken advantage of the state where no one would believe him, using it as a momentary confessional.

If people believed his words and were able to put together the concept of Return By Death, then it might accidentally summon Satella. Even if he wasn't the one who currently held the authority, revealing the powers' existence could break the witches' guidelines, causing her to appear to kill all who knew on the spot. For that reason, it was clear that his rationality was momentarily compromised.

He had distinctly noticed Al, Subaru, and Roswaal's change in expression while venting, which wasn't part of his plan, meaning he would have to adjust future preparations later.

While Anastasia and Crusch weren't necessarily hostile toward him at the moment, their personal attendants/knights had directed more animosity toward him. Specifically, the cat femboy knight Felix Argyle.

Felix's momentary hot-bloodedness at the mentioning of his and Crusch's shared friend Fourier proved it. He could distinctly remember his words cracking in rage.

"Don't insult my friend like that, you bastard!"

Felix Argyle — -71% Hostile. If given the chance, will attempt to sabotage/ injure you. Points Received: 0

Toyota had never liked the character of the Cat boy. He was currently cognizant of the feminine cat who was still, at this moment, glaring daggers at him after being physically restrained by Rei. Toyota only felt dislike toward Felix.

 In the anime, Felix was depicted as a kind of thoughtless trickster, someone who enjoyed teasing others without much complexity, a one-dimensional character, but in the novel, he was extremely harsh and especially critical of Subaru, for the simple reason that he saw parallels in Subaru to himself. This was shown in the differing treatment after Subaru's outburst from the original Royal Selection. The main reason was that they both, without taking into consideration their friends' opinions, would do things to help them in a seemingly selfish way without being asked. They both hated themselves, putting their own lives as collateral for their friends.

At the personal request of Emilia to help heal Subaru, when in the process of healing Subaru's mana gate, he had (without Crusch's knowledge) planted a bomb inside Subaru's gate, fully prepared to detonate it if Subaru ever became a threat. If it wasn't for Rem supervising the healing process and catching the cat in the act, Subaru would have likely added another death to the list. The same process reasonably wouldn't unfold the same due to his interference. Subaru's early contract with Beatrice now made the pair's souls interconnected, Great Spirit and human.

 The main reason Felix acts and dresses the way he does is for Crusch. As a declaration of his support, he declared he would give her his manhood because of her insecure inner fear of her inadequacy as a woman, having to take over and run the Carsten duchy in the place of her father.

Felix was the best healer in the world due to his skill with water magic, which was enhanced by a Divine Protection that also had something to do with enhancing the proficiency of water magic. He could also shut down a person's nervous system with a single touch, causing a delayed death. With the carboy's current hostility, it would be best to avoid him and any attempt at physical contact with him in the future.

Subtly turning away to analyze the duchess, he pondered.

Strangely, Crusch Karsten's favorability was considerably more passive despite her actions taken.

Crusch Carsten (The Duchess) — 2% Wary. Finds your motives complex, and goal inherently fascinating. Points Received: 40

She had slapped him. Slapped him on the cheek.

Toyota had never been physically struck on purpose before. Unlike the reactions of a typical person, who would feel momentary shock or anger, he didn't feel any emotion except solemnity. Toyota was able to anticipate the movement with his Grey World, watching as her forearm and shoulder muscles tensed, as a flash of stimulus like a spark ignited in her head. A sort of emotional response. He was able to intuit her emotions, precisely because they were suppressed, as it alerted his Grey World.

 Her arm moved toward his face, captured in slow motion. He couldn't deny that he deserved it, bringing up the sensitive topic of her dead friend, speaking about his death so brazenly. So he let the blow land, not stopping or dodging it, watching as it slowly arched toward his face. It was a kind of mercy to her if she felt any type of satisfaction from this little revenge.

Toyota hadn't felt any pain, nothing but a brief sting. It was almost certified at this point that the majority of his pain, physical and mental, was being heavily suppressed by Envy Subaru's mentality. Looking back on his ability, Karma's Reserve, the passive ability which expanded his mana pool the more pain he experienced, felt entirely lacking. Even though it had only been less than a month, its usefulness was stated as Forbidden, which theoretically should be higher than SSS.

So why? Why had his mana pool barely reached A? After all the painful memories he had experienced, surely that should boost his mana pool to at least S.

80+ years of memory from Sloth, over 500 deaths, becoming mentally ill from Wrath, going insane from watching his loved ones die. Surely that would push his mana reserves into a whole new level.

Toyota came up with a theory in that moment: Subaru's mentality had to be stunting the potential of Karma's Reserve, unless the amount of pain needed to advance it a single grade was so astronomical it would require 100 years of straight torture.

Another skill-related question currently puzzled him. Why hadn't his skill Absolute Evil activated? Surely there would be some kind of difference to his presence after seeing the amount of resentment built up toward him from the knights and wise men, insulting them to their faces. His presence should have grown somewhat… or was he unable to perceive it himself?

Returning to reality, he prepared himself, recalling his previous words. He had said a moment ago, insulting the royal knights, stating that they were useless, and just for show.

Standing on the platform overlooking the hall, Toyota took a slow, deliberate breath before smiling without humor.

"Phew… you buttery smooth brains," he muttered quietly with a scoff, increasing his volume so the watching crowd was able to hear.

"Tell me, why is the Reinhard Law in place?" His voice was laced with a righteous, suppressed anger that could be felt.

The hall, with its mages, wise men, and knights, all diverted their attention to Rei. Rei herself froze as she was suddenly at the center of attention, slowly turning to her lord. Her forced stoic expression from watching his proceedings was no longer stony, as her wide blue eyes began to tear up, her face beginning to redden.

Rei hadn't expected her lord to bring up this topic in front of the council. She timidly tried to cover her face, but Toyota's perception was able to see around her hands, making the gesture to hide futile, only to him.

Marcos answered in the stead of the Council of Wisemen, the kingdom's current lawmakers, responding swiftly.

"The Reinhard Law is valid in place to ensure our kingdom's peace. It's not simply a law to restrict the Sword Saint," he spoke, as if attempting to mediate the situation, calming down Crimson's earlier irritation. The relationship between Reinhard and Crimson, based on the blindfolded boy's shown anger over the law, combined with Reinhard's earlier statement when absorbing the hostile wisemen's magic attack, already made the presumed knight-and-lord duo seem quite close.

"The other three countries feel threatened by the Sword Saint's power. If she began to encroach on their territory, crossing the designated borders, then they would unhesitatingly declare war in fear. While it will most likely be a war they will be unable to win, the mere anxiety of her freedom, the Sword Saint's freedom, will cause people within the line of declared wars' fire, to die. While not having this law in place would grant our kingdom more military might and freedom of movement for the Sword Saint, it is ultimately the only form of mutual assured destruction the other countries can enact in panic. None of this created law was done out of hostility for the Sword Saint."

Royal Knight Commander Marcos' logic was sound and held no form of anger. Despite Crimson's earlier provocations toward the knights, Commander Marcos appeared to be a true neutral party, only moving the proceedings forward.

Looking at Commander Marcos coldly yet thoughtfully, Crimson asked,

"Then what about the enforcement?"

"The enforcement?" Commander Marcos asked, as if he hadn't heard the first time.

"Forgive me for interrupting, but there's something I must ask you…"

Anastasia, unlike her usual self, simply watched without saying a word as her knight called out.

Julius, the purple-haired, elegant knight, stepped forward, looking at the annoyed Crimson.

"What do you hope to achieve by mentioning that law? Are you just concerned about your knight's welfare or…" He then narrowed his eyes, continuing, "Surely it isn't just to annul the law, gaining access to Reinhard's power in foreign countries?"

"Ah, Julius Jukulius, the Spirit Knight. To your wonderfully timed question, the answer is both, I suppose. But that's not why I brought up the topic."

"No shit, Sherlock," Al snorted heatedly.

At the helmeted knight's remark, Subaru and Beatrice looked at Al curiously.

"May I ask your thoughts on that statement, I suppose?" Beatrice tilted her head, leaning against Subaru's side.

"Nah, it's nothing important, just an old guy's rambling."

Subaru absentmindedly stroked the blonde Loli's head. He had never even heard of this law until today. He knew Reinhard was strong, but was she actually so strong that other countries would declare war over her leaving Lugunica? That was totally overkill.

 Looking down from his current height on the pedestal over the knight, Crimson put on a sneer.

"Say, how's your brother doing?"

At this, Julius flinched. Anastasia, finally snapping out of her stupor, glared at Crimson.

"If that was a threat to the family of my knight, then you will regret it."

Feigning innocence, his mouth closed tightly.

"Not at all. It was just concern over a family member. After all, Joshua looks up to his big brother."

At that snide remark, Julius snapped his elegant dignity, cracking.

"Why yo-"

"Anyway, back on topic," Crimson said sharply, cutting off Julius before more of his time could be wasted.

"That's not what I wanted to bring up. I wanted to talk about the enforcement, what exactly happens if she breaks that law."

A heavy silence followed. Several wise men paled, visibly shaken by the bluntness of the question, especially being voiced so openly in this formal setting.

"If Reinhard happens to violate that law," Crimson continued coldly, "you'll execute her remaining family members. Isn't that right?"

The room exploded with outbursts.

Crusch stood up, eyes wide with shock, her voice loud and full of fury.

"Execute her family?! Who passed such a monstrous decree? Wilhelm is under my service. Was this known to him? To any of us?"

Priscilla scoffed from her elevated seat, folding her arms with theatrical disdain, her crimson eyes narrowing.

"To bind the Sword Saint in chains of guilt... I find this decree both tasteless and tedious. Even if the saint is twisted, this reeks of cowardice, petty men clinging to balance through slaughter."

She flicked her fan open with a snap, the sharp gold edge catching the light as she continued:

"I, Priscilla Barielle, have already struck a bargain with Heinkel for his loyalty. In return, I would grant him a fragment of the Divine Dragon's heart blood to cure his slumbering wife. Shall I now believe the same man's head is next on the chopping block if dear Reinhard so much as takes a step too far?"

She laughed bitterly, though there was no amusement in her tone.

"Ludicrous."

Toyota briefly wondered if he was imagining things. The royal candidates recovered quickly and, to his surprise, were backing him up on the issue. In the case of Crusch and Priscilla, their support was clearly rooted in self-interest; if the enforcement clause were triggered, they would lose their most valuable assets.

His gaze shifted to Rei.

She stood frozen, saying nothing as the conversation swirled around her, like she wasn't even present, despite being the subject of it all. The way her eyes dulled made something in his chest tighten. She didn't deserve to be spoken about like a tool.

Silently, Toyota extended his unseen hand toward her, hovering just over her shoulder. Then he allowed it to become tangible, gently placing it on her shoulder in a light, supportive pat. Her Divine Protections, especially Avoidance, didn't activate. He found it fascinating how they instinctively knew the difference between an attack. 

Rei flinched, barely, then slowly raised her head. Feeling the faint touch, her eyes met his. He offered her a soft, gentle smile.

Letting her read his lips, he whispered:

"I'm on your side. I'll fix this."

(AN: Some people don't like how much MC has changed from the start, but I don't know what to tell you. It's called character development. He has lived multiple lifetimes. It's lore accurate if you still wanted a naive protagonist who still thinks about the world through a tinted lens after experiencing all of that, then, wouldn't that be even stranger?

I was rereading my story and realized how much I've shot myself in the foot, revealing too much during Toyota's thoughts and plan, so I'm going to ease out of too much in-depth thought, except only when necessary.

Another clarification, Rei isn't a yandere. She is clingy and does have obsessive tendencies, but not yet, key word is yet.

We are officially done with the recap, so you may be at ease, soldiers.

I've set an official release schedule: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Although when I get bored, I add extra.

Bonus chapters will drop on Saturdays if my demands are met. 🔫

Trade deal:

You give me 150 power stones, and I give you a bonus chapter.

Sounds fair, right?)