Chapter Text
Priestella was truly beautiful. The water city sparkled in the afternoon sun, its canals reflecting the sky like liquid mirrors. Buildings rose from the waterways on sturdy foundations, connected by elegant bridges that arched over the flowing channels below.
Unfortunately, Subaru barely noticed any of it. He was too busy having an internal crisis. Again.
The reason for it occured just a few minutes ago. The inn where the Royal camps were gathering was surprisingly spacious, clearly chosen to comfortably accommodate multiple higly ranked people without anyone stepping on each other's toes. Literally and politically.
Emilia's group had barely set down their luggage when they were summoned to a meeting room. And there, Subaru found himself face-to-face with familiar figures from that harrowing week a year ago.
Wilhelm van Astrea stood with the same dignified posture Subaru remembered, though perhaps there was something... different about him. More vibrant. Like he'd shed years along with old burdens. Felix Argyle was there too, swishing his tail with that characteristic energy, cat ears twitching as he chatted with someone from Anastasia's camp.
"Subaru-dono." Wilhelm approached with a respectful bow. "It is good to see you again."
"Wilhelm-san! You too!" Subaru returned the bow, trying not to think about stat sheets and experience points and—
"I must say," Wilhelm continued, a note of pride entering his voice, "defeating the White Whale and the Archbishop of Sloth were truly extraordinary achievements. My Level increased significantly from those encounters."
‘Oh god, here we go.’
"Nyahaha! Mine too!" Felix bounded over, his enthusiasm infectious despite Subaru's growing dread. "Even though I wasn't in the actual fighting, being part of the party that took down two Boss-level threats gave everyone a huge experience boost! My Healing Magic skill jumped two whole Levels! And my Wisdom stat—"
"Boss-level threats," Subaru repeated weakly. "Right. Of course they count as Boss-level."
"The experience distribution was quite generous indeed," Wilhelm said thoughtfully. "Even those who participated in support roles received substantial rewards. It's rare to encounter enemies that provide such significant growth opportunities."
‘They leveled up from the White Whale fight. They ALL did. Of course they did. Everyone got experience points. Everyone except me, because I don't have a goddamn character sheet! They even talk about the horrifying monsters that nearly killed us all like they're raid bosses in an MMO. Because for them they literally are. This world is insane.’
Wilhelm's eyes focused on Subaru with an intensity that made him want to hide. "Which means, Subaru-dono, your abilities should have increased dramatically as well. You were instrumental to both victories, after all." The old master swordsman's expression held genuine anticipation. "I must confess, I started this rather unconventional conversation because I am quite eager to see just how much stronger, faster, and craftier you have become. Perhaps we might have a friendly spar when you have free time?"
Subaru felt sweat beginning to bead on his forehead. "I, uh... well, you see—"
"The growth potential from such encounters is remarkable," Wilhelm continued, clearly warming to the topic. "I imagine you must have gained at least a dozen Levels, possibly more depending on your contribution calculations—"
"NATSUKI-SAN!" Otto's voice came outside the room and cut through the conversation like a lifeline. "We need you to help with something! Right now! Immediately! It's urgent!"
"Coming!" Subaru practically fled, leaving Wilhelm looking slightly puzzled.
‘Dozen Levels! He thinks I gained a dozen Levels! How do I explain that I gained exactly zero because I don't have Levels to begin with?!
Subaru was thanking his lucky stars for Otto’s timely intervention, while Otto signed dejectedly, knowing that no one would ever praise him for planting a living bug on Subaru to listen to his conversations with other camp members and intervene if things get dicey.
The crisis was temporarily averted, but Subaru's frustration only grew bigger. As he ran toward Otto’s voice, he heard the unmistakable sound of Garfiel getting ready to start something stupid.
"C’MON! RED HEAD! LES’ DO THIS!"
‘Oh no. Is this what Otto wants my help with?’
Subaru ran toward the commotion and arrived just in time to see Garfiel, fangs bared and fighting stance ready, facing down the most overpowered being in existence.
Reinhard van Astrea looked as serene and unruffled as ever, his red hair catching the light like a heroic shampoo commercial. He regarded Garfiel with the patient interest one might give to an overenthusiastic puppy.
"Wow, wow, wow! Stop that train, Garf! What’s the ruckus about?!" Subaru said, waving his hands frantically to attract attention.
"My amazin' self wants to see jus’ how stron’ the 'Sword Saint' really is!" Garfiel declared.
"Garf! Cut it out!" Otto was helplessly trying to calm down his named little brother. "You can't attack people just to 'test' them!"
"But Brotto!"
"No buts! Reinhard-san, you tell him! Even if it’s you and no one can even touch you, that is not the reason to-"
"I assure you, in my case it's quite alright, Otto-san," Reinhard said with his maddeningly calm smile. "Garfiel’s enthusiasm is admirable, though I must decline the spar. The property damage would be considerable."
‘And by property damage he means he'd accidentally destroy half the city just by breathing aggressively in Garfiel's direction,’ Subaru thought as he came up to them.
"Guys, let's all calm down!" Subaru tried to put himself between Garfiel and imminent humiliation. Partly to prevent a scene, partly to distract himself from his own inadequacy issues. "Garfiel, come on, man. We just got here. Why don't we try and relax first?"
"My amazin' self ain't pickin' fights! Jus’ testin' strength!"
"That's literally the same thing."
"Is NOT!"
While they bickered, Subaru's traitorous brain decided to ask a question. The kind of question that seemed innocent, but would detonate like a social bomb.
"So, um, Reinhard... what Level are you these days, anyway?"
The instant these words left his mouth, Subaru knew he'd made a mistake. Everyone froze and stared at him.
Otto's face went through several expressions—shock, disbelief, and then anger. "Natsuki-san! That's not funny! Even as a joke, that's way over the line!"
"What?" Subaru blinked. "I just—"
"Cap’n!" Even Garfiel looked scandalized, his aggressive stance completely forgotten. "Ya can't jus’ ask someone dat! Ti’s... wha’s the word... ah! Dat’s private data!"
"It is?" Subaru looked around at the various degrees of shock and disapproval. "Since when?!"
"Since always!" Otto snapped. "Asking someone their Level is very rude! Unless you're married or members of the same battle party! Knowing someone's Level gives you very important tactical information! You can gauge their strength, plan around their capabilities—people have DIED because their Levels were leaked to enemies!"
‘Oh… shit. That actually makes sense! It's like asking a man about his salary, or the girl her age, except worse because it's combat information.’
"I... didn't know that?" Subaru offered weakly. "Sorry?"
"Natsuki-san is from very far away and has some... gaps in his common knowledge," Otto interjected diplomatically, turning to Reinhard to try and manage the situation. "He means no offense."
"It's quite alright." Reinhard's voice drowned the tension like warm honey. He smiled at Subaru with that genuine, almost naive kindness that made him somehow even more terrifying. "I consider Subaru a friend. I don't believe he would ever use such information against me."
"See? Reinhard gets it!" Subaru latched onto this lifeline.
"However," Reinhard glanced at Otto, whose disapproval was palpable, "I’m afraid my lady would be mad if I leaked such vital camp information, so, if you don’t mind, I won't give you the exact number."
"That's totally fine! I shouldn't have—"
"All I can say is that my current Level is over nine thousand."
His words were met with silence. Complete, almost deafening silence.
Garfiel's jaw actually dropped. His eyes went wide as dinner plates. When he finally found his voice, it came out as a strangled shout:
"WHA’?! NINE THOUSAND?! DAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!"
"Quite possible, actually," Reinhard said mildly, as if discussing the weather rather than a personal Level that should be mathematically impossible. "Though I understand the confusion. It is rather high."
"RATHA’ HIGH?!" Garfiel was borderline shrieking now. "The highest Level my amazin’ self ever heard of was the Sword Demon, and he was only at three hundred forty! Nine thousand is… dat's… ya can't… HOW?!"
Otto grabbed his head with his hands. "Reinhard-san. You can't just... you can't just casually mention you're over Level nine thousand like it's something mundane."
Reinhard looked at the merchant with such genuine innocence that Subaru almost felt bad for him. Almost. "I thought Subaru was simply curious—"
Meanwhile, Subaru's brain was doing his own mathematical gymnastics and failing. ‘Level three hundred-forty is considered incredibly high. Reinhard is over nine thousand! That's not just overpowered. That's not even on the same chart! That's like... that's like comparing a house cat to a nuclear submarine!
"How is that even possible?" Otto whispered, more to himself than anyone else. "The experience requirements for each Level increase exponentially. To reach Level nine thousand would require..."
"Several Divine Protections assist with my leveling rate," Reinhard explained helpfully. "The [Divine Protection of Experience Multiplier] increases all experience gains by a factor of ten. The [Divine Protection of Rapid Growth] reduces the experience required for each Level. And the [Divine Protection of Combat Mastery] grants bonus experience for any combat-related action, including training."
"But that still doesn't account for..." Otto was mumbling calculations under his breath. "Even with those multipliers, you'd need to fight constantly for decades to—"
"Ah, but there is one more," Reinhard said thoughtfully. "Though I confess, I don't really understand how it works."
"Another one?!" Garfiel looked ready to cry from the swelling feeling of injustice. "Dat’s so unfair!"
"Know my pain," Subaru said solemnly, patting him once on the shoulder.
There was something deeply, profoundly satisfying about watching someone else discover that the world was incredibly unbalanced.
"Yes. It’s called the [Divine Protection of the Immune System]." Reinhard moved his fingers, definitely to open his System Window, tilting his head slightly. "It states that I gain experience points each time my immune system defeats a harmful entity within my body. I'm not certain what that means—what harmful entities can even exist inside the body?
"Perhaps it means all kinds of parasites?" Otto assumed. "But if that’s the case I’ll have to ask you about the quality of food you eat."
"No, this can’t be. I have a [Divine Protection of Parasite Clensing], so no such creature can reside inside me. But, apparently, this unknown Divine Protection has been granting me experience points on a constant basis since birth."
Everyone stared at him. Except Subaru.
Subaru had gone very, very still as he stared at the ground. Because unlike everyone else in this fantasy world, Subaru was the only one who knew exactly what this Divine Protection did.
He knew about bacteria, viruses and millions upon millions of pathogens that the human immune system fights every single day. Every single hour. Every single minute.
He knew that the human body was constantly under siege by microscopic invaders. Those white blood cells waged endless war against uncountable threats too small for a human eye to see. Within the depths of gut and vein or the streams of blood and lymph, an unending battle was waged in darkness. A war without glory, rest, end, and ultimately, without a hope for victory.
From the moment of birth to the final gasp of death, the body endured.
‘And Reinhard managed to turn it into an endless grind of experience points. Every bacteria or virus his white blood cells kill. Every. Single. One. He's running an AFK XP farm inside his own body. On a CELLULAR LEVEL! It’s like he’s a God-tier entity that feeds on war and carnage, and his immune system ritually sacrifices every bacteria to make Reinhard stronger.’
Subaru felt something inside him break. Most likely it was his faith in justice and fairness. Some last shred of hope that maybe, just maybe, he could eventually catch up through hard work and determination.
Reinhard was passively gaining experience from biological processes he didn't even know were happening. While Subaru couldn't gain experience at all.
"Subaru?" Reinhard's concerned voice broke through his spiraling thoughts. "Are you alright? You've gone rather pale."
"I'm fine," Subaru lied through his teeth. "Just... processing. That's… a lot of information."
"My amazin' self can't even..." Garfiel was shaking his head in disbelief. "Over nine thousand. And yer STILL gainin' Levels every day from this immune thing?"
"I suppose so? I gain several Levels daily, actually, though I don't monitor it constantly." Reinhard smiled. "It's quite inconvenient sometimes, I must admit. Many times in the past I was having trouble sleeping when several times during the night the System was congratulating me on gaining another Level."
"Inconvenient, huh" Subaru echoed faintly, his voice hollow, just like his eyes. "Yeah. It's really inconvenient."
‘Several Levels. Daily. From his immune system alone.’ was the main thought that dominated his mind.
"On the plus side I never have to worry about falling behind in Level." Reinhard decided to end his explanation with a harmless joke.
Otto was looking at the Sword Saint with the expression of someone who had long since given up trying to understand how absolutely nonsensical this world was.
"Can we close this topic and get to our own business?" Otto said, feeling rather tired all of a sudden. "Before my brain melts?"
"Agreed," Subaru said weakly. "I think we've had enough revelations for one day."
The group began to disperse, but Subaru remained rooted to the spot, staring at Reinhard with the hollow eyes of someone whose entire worldview had been shattered, then atomized, then mocked by laughter from an annoying school bully. He didn’t say or do anything.
From behind Beatrice came to him and tugged gently on his sleeve. "Subaru? Betty thinks we should return to the inn, I suppose."
"Beako," Subaru said in a distant voice, "Reinhard's body is running an automated experience farm."
"Yes, Betty heard that conversation, in fact."
"Every second of his life, his white cells are grinding experience points to grant him yet another Level even while he sleeps."
"That does seem to be the case, I suppose."
"I can't gain any experience even when I participate in slaying legendary monsters. Simply because I don't have access to the System. And he... he's gaining it from a biological process the people of this world don't even know exist."
"Betty is aware of the irony, I suppose."
"The universe hates me, Beako."
"Betty will still love you even if Od Lagna itself gains awareness and condemns you, in fact." she said with quiet determination, taking his hand to bring him in.
Subaru let her lead him away, his spirit thoroughly crushed. Behind them, they could hear Garfiel still ranting about Level nine thousand being "absolutely ridiculous even for the Sword Saint!"
Somewhere inside the inn, Joshua Juukulius was probably drafting a new volume of build notes titled "Theoretical Analysis: How Divine Protections can break the leveling System."
And Subaru, the only person in the entire world without access to said System, could only laugh meekly at the cosmic joke his life had become.
Because while he was stuck playing on default settings, with no experience bar and no way to even see his own stats, Reinhard's immune system was busy speedrunning him to the max Level and beyond.
‘I need a drink,’ Subaru thought melancholically. ‘Several drinks. Nah, to hell with it, I’m going to drink until I forget all of it. It would be great if I drunk myself into partial amnesia and forgot all about this System altogether. Also I have a lot of anger to vent. Perhaps I should spill it out on a couple of tables. Otto should know where to find a good place.’
With this pretty unusual thought in his mind, Natsuki Subaru pushed open the lounge doors and disappeared inside.