Chapter Text
Having been cornered by three robbers, Subaru found himself in a narrow alleyway, cut off from the bustling city beyond. The air was thick with the scent of damp stone, while faint echoes of the distant market chatter barely reached him. Suddenly, as the thieves approached, a single figure appeared before him, a silhouette of breathtaking beauty. “Beautiful...”
It seems like my time in this other world will be far more enjoyable than Yharnam.
“Wha-what did you just say?” The girl asked him as she stretched her arm out, pointing her index finger at him.
Wait, did I say it out loud? Subaru thought, watching her expression shift. A wave of frustration washed over him—unsatisfied with his clumsiness. But then again, it was inevitable. Flaws were bound to slip through somewhere for a being merely pretending to be human.
“Don’t try to sugarcoat your actions! I know that you only want to lessen your guilt, you-”
But just as the silver-haired girl was about to finish her sentence, one of the henchmen interrupted her. “Who the hell are you?! Silver-haired!”
The girl stood steadfast at the robber's remark. “End this now and I’ll let this slide, so just graciously return what you stole.” Her outstretched hand now turned and opened. Her palm points at the sky and her delicate fingers demand what she is hoping to find in the possession of one of those four men standing before her.
“What we stole?” Still confused, one of them asked her with a slight hint of anger in his tone.
“Now, please. It’s important to me. I’ll give up on the other stuff but I can’t let you have that. Be good and hand it over, please.”
One of the thugs tilted his head in confusion. “You didn’t come to save this guy?”
The amethyst-eyed elf looked at Subaru with a raised eyebrow. “What strange clothes he has, if you asked me if I had a connection with him, I’d have to say no.”
“Then you have no business with us!” The leader of the gang shouted. “If someone stole from you then it might be that brat who just ran by!”
“Oh, they don’t seem to be lying.” The girl nodded at his words. “In need to go after her.”
As the elf walked past the men, Subaru let out a sigh, not of sadness or disappointment, but pure boredom. His insight, after all, revealed the world’s truths, past, present, and future alike.
The elf suddenly halted at the alley’s end and turned to the four men.
I can’t
“I can’t”
Let this
“Let this”
Slide either
“Slide either”.
Just as the words formed on her lips, Subaru had already heard them in his mind. Her intentions were clear before she could even raise her voice.
The silver-haired elf, her eyes gleaming with cold fury, summoned enormous icicles with fire magic and, with a swift motion, unleashed them at the thieves.
“Mess with us you die!”
“You think just because you have magic you’ll win?!”
“Three against one is still to our advantage!”
Just as the tree robbers were to attack, the girl smirked at their words. “You’re right. Three against one may be unfair.”
She opened her other hand, revealing a small cat.
“You’re right, maybe two against three will make it a bit more fair.” The flying cat said as it glared at the thugs.
“You’re-You’re a spirit’s arts user!”
“Correct!” She cried proudly, “Back off now and I won’t come after you.”
The leader and the two henchmen began to retreat, inching away from Subaru. “You bitch! Next time I see you, you’re dead!”
In the leader's words, the once cute spirit cat’s face transformed into a more menacing, fearsome creature. “Do anything to her and I’ll hunt you and your kin forever,” Puck growled, his voice carrying a chilling weight.
From the sidelines, Subaru watched as the confrontation unfolded, his thoughts drifting as he processed Puck’s threat. Hunt you forever?… That cat said it so casually, yet there seems to be a truth in it much deeper. It unnerves me. He has the resolve to end it all if that silver-haired Doll lookalike were to be hurt… Is this how spirits act in this world?
He saw the thieves running away from the alley, passing right through him, to the open street. Whatever it is, I don’t want to know, nor do I care about how this works.
Subaru turned around and started to walk towards the alley’s end when he suddenly was halted by his supposed savior. “Don’t move!”
At her command, he stopped and turned to her. Meeting eye-to-eye but not for long as he slightly averted his eyes. This silver-white hair looks so much like hers…
Looking at his reaction, the girl smirked. “See? You averted your eyes because you have a guilty conscience! Looks like my judgment was spot on.”
“I think it was just an instinctive male reaction.”
“You be quiet Puck. You know who stole my insignia from me, don’t you?”
Subaru just sighed as he heard the contractor and her spirit commune. “I’m not the scoundrel who stole that insignia, fair elf, However…”
“…”
“…”
“…”
The girl and her spirit waited for him to continue, growing more impatient the more seconds passed.
“So you don’t know-”
“Mineself is well aware of the rogue for whom thou shall search for, mineself shall divulge this information under these as recompense for thine act of heroic rescue,” Subaru said though the last part had a bit of a sarcastic tone added to it.
Subaru, who had practically spent his entire life and more in the accursed city of Yharnam, wasn’t shown mercy when it came to the dialect change. It’s not uncommon for people to change their manner of speech as they change their location, and in the extreme case of Yharnam, where even a flicker of suspicion could result in death, blending in was a matter of survival. The fewer abnormalities one displayed, the less likely they were to be hunted by other hunters. His speech was not just a habit, it was a survival mechanism, shaped by the brutal world that forged him.
Her whole demeanor changed to what seemed like a cheerful child. “Really? That would be nice!”
But it didn’t seem like the elf girl minded his old-fashioned mannerisms, she was only excited to hear what the suspicious man in front of her had to tell.
“No, wait! How do we know you’re trustworthy?” The cat flew towards Subaru and stared at him from above. “Do you have anything to back it up, that claim of yours?”
The girl just tilted her head at her spirit's aggressive and unusually suspicious behavior. “Ehh Puck? What are you doing? Did you sense any dishonesty in his words?”
So spirits can sense when other people lie? Subaru thought as he processed her words.
The grey cat levitated to her shoulder and whispered in her ear. “No… But that’s the strange thing. At first, when I observed him from afar, I thought that I couldn’t sense anything from that odd guy because he kept his emotions bottled up like some veteran knights of the Order. But even the most hardened knights have a slip of emotions here and there, so I closed the distance between us to optimize my ability and get a better reading of this guy… It seems Like I was wrong. He’s like an unintelligent animal or low mabeast devoid of any sense. Lia, you should be wary of him.”
Subaru watched as her calm face grew to a puzzled look, seemingly doubting her familiar’s words. But he who overheard everything just felt saddened. So I have lost this much of my humanity already?
She looked at Subaru nevertheless unchanging. “I’m sorry Puck, but this might be the only option I have for catching that thief… I’ll be trusting him.”
Subaru, who eagerly listened to their exchange, nodded surprised as he heard the girl declaring her trust. Is this naivety? No this is far from it, it seems like she does need that Insignia of hers. Urgently…
Subaru saw the girl's yearning face and just groaned annoyingly. It looks like I need to use my Insight…
His eyes, previously locked to her purple amethyst ones, subtly shifted direction. Though he still appeared to look at her, his focus had already passed beyond her, into a realm unperceivable to her.
Subaru wasn’t looking at Emilia, he was looking past the facade that veiled the world from its untold secrets. The best thing Subaru came to describe this sensation, this overwhelming insight, was as if he had God’s answer sheet right in front of him. No… perhaps it may be more fitting to say Od’s answer sheet.
Nonetheless, it wasn’t power he liked to use actively. If anything, it was the opposite, the power he never intended to use again. As a hunter, Insight granted him boundless wisdom, and cosmic knowledge in exchange for his humanity, and the constant threat of descending into a frenzy. Frankly, Subaru didn’t know if he would suffer any repercussions now that he had ascended to the rank of a Great One. After all, it’s a power that would erode him of his humanity. Subaru didn’t even know if he had any of it in him, yet Subaru still clung desperately to that sliver of humanity he may still possess. Even if it was minuscule, even if it was nanoscopic, and even if it only lasted for the brief flutter of an eyelash. Up until now, he used Insight passively, almost unconsciously. But this moment was different, he could feel the shift, the subtle pull towards using it actively, to yearn for it, and that curiosity that stirred something deep within him. It’s this curiosity that he hated the most. That caused him the most damage in his hunter life. The thirst for knowledge that had destroyed him time and time again.
Yet here he stood before the elf, wielding the very power he despised the most. He didn’t fully understand why he decided to help. Subaru had always been vulnerable to a soft spot when it came to helping others in need, be it in Japan, Yharnam, or Lugunica. It was a weakness of his, a pull that had always urged him to act, especially when he knew he could make a difference when he was capable of aiding.
“Certainly, the thief bears the name of Felt, presently residing amidst the squalor of the slums. Her means of subsistence lies in plundering the possessions of unsuspecting souls from more affluent quarters of this city and peddling the ill-gotten gains within the house of spoils, or as they call, Loothouse.” Subaru gestured with his finger in a seemingly random direction. “There it lies, a mere mile from hence. Within the hateful dwelling resides a giant known as Rom.”
Both of them looked at him awestruck. “Ho-How did you know! You work with her?!”
The elf was the first to accuse him of betrayal of trust, Puck just looked at him with a loathsome glare.
“No, Mineself does not. But if I were in your position, make haste thither with utmost urgency…
…
…
…
“And you, grey feline, shouldst thou be so audacious as to transform this world into a sickening hunting ground, as thou have so boldly declared, I shall most assuredly bring an end to your spirit body.”
Puck looked at him surprised with a hint of haste. “Even if your utterance may have been intended as a mere jest, I beseech thou, do not underestimate those who discern the subtleties that lie between the lines.”
Subaru turned his back to them for the last time, his footsteps echoing as he walked away. The girl just looked at her contracted spirit, both with a perplexed expression on their faces. He knows that I’m the Beast of the end? How? Puck looked at his daughter with a worried look, eyes narrowing with concern. Is Emilia in danger? Should I get rid of this guy now? He knows too much… He speaks just like Volcanica and Her.
Thousands of thoughts raced through the great spirit’s mind as he assessed the situation, trying to make sense of Subaru’s actions and the potential threat he now posed.
“Puck…”
“Puck.”
“Puck!”
Suddenly he was awoken from deep within his mind as Emilia called him. “Yes, what is it?”
“So is this man trustworthy?” Emilia slightly tilted her head.
But Puck just stared at her in disbelief. “Trust… Worthy? Emilia? This man threatened us, did you not hear how he was talking to us!”
“Eh Puck I reaaaally don’t get what you’re saying, you’re not making any sense today! He only told us where Felt is and then left…” Emilia pouted and crossed her arms, trying to understand why her spirit’s attitude changed.
“… What?” Puck muttered.
“Are you alright Puck? If you don’t feel well today I won’t force you to stay up in Lugunica, I’ll just have to somehow convince Ram to help me get that Insignia.”
“No no Emilia, today I’ll spend a bit more energy to help you catch that damn thief! That’s the least I can do if I want to be called your contracted spirit!”
Seeing as Emilia began to smile and the mood brightened up, Puck crossed his arms in a cute, almost childlike manner. Yet his eyes narrowed as he scanned the alley‘s end. What a strange man. Even though it didn’t feel like it, there was a strong chance that he was part of the Witch Cult—Maybe even an Archbishop. Someone with an Authority allowing him to cast illusions or read and manipulate others' minds…
The thoughts lingered as he recalled a report from a survivor of a now abandoned village. Claiming that a Witch Cultist could stir up emotions.
The spirit’s gaze softened as he looked at his contractor’s excited face, but a sense of unease crept over him. Whatever happens in the future, I’ll make sure that he and Lia won’t ever cross paths again.
△▼△▼△▼△
It was just another routine patrol for the Sword Saint, despite it being his only free day of the month. But he knew better than to be slothful, diligence had become second nature to him. This was why as in the previous months, he walked the city’s streets, viligant. As the sole Sword Saint, the weight of protecting the kingdom and the world rested on his shoulders. Too many lives had already been lost, mistakes he vowed never to repeat. Today was no different, stopping petty thieves, preventing minor crimes, searching for the missing and trafficked with his endless Divine Protections… then a sudden wave of unease hit him. Someone, or rather something dangerous had entered the city.
Reinhard immediately sprang into action, following where his Divine Protection of Danger Sense pulled him. It was the high towering city wall that separated the noble districts from the common folk. As he approached, his sharp eyes caught sight of a figure standing atop the old stone wall. It was a man clad in a foreign-looking black mantle, his presence unsettling. The strange hat and mask he wore, concealed his features, leaving only his piercing narrow eyes visible, a look seemingly full of malice. “At long last, Reinhard, thou have arrived.”
“Who are you?” Reinhard’s voice was calm and steady, though his grip tightened cautiously around the hilt of his Holy Dragon Sword, Reid.
The man slowly raised his hands in a gesture of peace, signaling he was not here to stir up trouble. “Hold on man! Mineself is not present to engage in conflict or to incite any turmoil.”
Seeing as the Divine Protection of Wind Reading hadn’t stirred any wind around that odd man, The tension eased slightly. “I apologize for my rash and hasty judgment, mister.”
The man just made a gesture with his hands waving it off. “Do not be troubled, Reinhard, Mineself beseeches thou to safeguard a cherished individual of mine, one of great significance. Then Mineself shall bestow upon thou a fitting reward—
“Naturally I do not need a reward mister, it’s my duty to protect the citizens of this city, you have my word.”
The man stared at Reinhard with his mouth slightly agape in disbelief. “Indeed, thou shall receive thy recompense nonetheless. Hasten to Rom’s Loothhouse, situated within the slums, guard the girl.”
Reinhard furrowed his brows in confusion. “I’m a bit confused, wouldn’t your strength alone be enough to handle this dire situation, mister…?”
“Subaru, refer to me as just Subaru.”
Reinhard nodded, still puzzled.
“As for the reason not to take action myself…” Subaru took a small pause before continuing. “Mineself shall merely declare that I have lingered way beyond my welcome in this world… A creature—no, a monster of my kin—should not meddle with the affairs of this realm. Maybe thou can understand.”
Reinhard looked at Subaru perplexed, struggling to piece together the meaning behind his cryptic words. But before he could respond, Subaru’s figure began to waver, his silhouette fading like mist. dissipating into the distance. Within seconds, he vanished, as though he had never been there at all.
△▼△▼△▼△
*Tap*
*Tap*
*Tap*
It was a strange place. An abandoned old workshop, seemingly cut off from the rest of the bustling capital city of the Dragon Kingdom of Lugunica. A man equipped with a brutal and merciless-looking weapon approached it with calm precision. He, the Hunter, calmly entered as he made sure that no one was tailing him from behind. It was eerie and abandoned, the rotting wood gave it a sense of decay hanging in the air. The furniture and tools were old and full of spiderwebs. Yet it felt familiar to him and the sense of melancholy swept away any negative feelings and lingering unease he might have had toward this old building. It wasn’t planned for him to pass through this old house.
It was as if he was called by a certain being to go here, something invisible pulling him towards this fated place. Something was here, something important to him. His Insight confirmed that much. A power that had slipped away from his essence, unbidden and arbitrarily.
After scanning the room for a few moments, he found a suspicious black book lying on a table. He didn’t know what to make of it as neither the civilians he eavesdropped on for information nor his Insight revealed anything regarding the book. It was as if it was trying to hide from the world. Avoiding the gaze of the world, avoiding Od. The presence of the book seemed to actively reject attention, as though it didn’t want to be found.
With caution, he retrieved his Saw Cleaver from his back and approached the ominous object. He picked it up, the weight of it felt unnatural. He flipped it open to check its contents but was only met with a blank pages.
A disappointed exhale escaped his lips.
Then, the book began to tremble, its pages vibrating as strange symbols started to appear. Glyphs unlike anything Subaru had seen before, even to this world, felt unnatural, even with his vast Insight. The writing was foreign, alien to its very core… Yet Subaru could read it clearly.
And it spoke something foreboding.
Gospel Of Natsuki Subaru.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Uhm Yeah!
Subaru speaking in an ancient ahh victorian dialect. Then getting a Gospel cuz why not! Pandora was probably feeling silly like the silly she is.
And also SPEACIAL THANKS TO Alifchy for Beta Reading!!!!
Also, here some Fanart ღゝ◡╹)ノ♡
Get it?! Cuz she (basically) says Pandoras Cult which is literally my name! … Wait? I should‘ve drawn a Re Zero x Bloodborne thingy instead because it would‘ve fit in way better…? Uh yeah this is awkward