Chapter Text
Subaru was peacefully relaxing in the carriage, the only thing in common being the roars of bears in the background and the sounds of the suffering carnage of those same animals. Just another ordinary day for him with the Witch of Gluttony.
The path to the tower was teeming with Floral Bears, so Daphne was clearing the way. Literally, there probably wouldn't be a single drop of blood left when she finished.
Subaru was taking the opportunity to pet one of the earth dragons. In the meantime, he was taking the time to think about what he had said before. End all hunger in the world? I could make a sarcastic comment about how silly that is, but Daphne taught me a different kind of mentality.
Subaru was rethinking what he had learned in that world and he had some interesting ideas.
First, miasma only got in the way. Besides being toxic, it prevented the growth of any kind of nature in places that should be fertile. Perhaps Daphne could create some kind of Mabeasts that would remove the polluted mana from the air; the mana didn't even need to be purified, just concentrating it in a living being was enough.
Secondly, Mabeasts were a problem to be dealt with. Their extreme aggressiveness only worsened the hunger situation, in addition to the inedible meat. Subaru had to think of a way to either get rid of all the Mabeasts or make them less aggressive. Maybe he could use the Witch of Gluttony to do this; perhaps that would be good for Daphne's mentality.
Speaking of his Gluttony partner, Subaru decided to check on her. More bears were being killed by her; the situation didn't seem to have changed much. Although few bodies could be seen, probably because most were already in her stomach.
The scene seemed like it was going to remain peaceful, but suddenly Subaru saw something, a kind of beam of light coming from the tower that struck Daphne. Dust rose and covered the scene in a cloud; the silence that followed was unsettling.
Subaru was about to recklessly run towards it when he heard light footsteps coming from the direction of the carriage. Glancing towards the source of the deck, Subaru saw Daphne approaching quickly; she wasn't staggering as she usually did. This indicated that the situation was probably dangerous and was taking a lot out of her.
Daphne's appearance was normal, but she was covering her eyes with one arm crossed over her face. This was for two reasons: because her blindfold had been destroyed by the impact of the projectile, and also because she didn't want Subaru to freak out.
He had always shown how much he disliked and wasn't used to violence. Daphne could imagine Subaru freaking out a little when he realized her face was temporarily raw because she barely managed to dodge. The pain didn't bother the Witch of Gluttony; it was nothing compared to hunger.
“Daph, what was that?!” Subaru approached her and helped her walk.
“The same~ thing that's been happening the whole trip. Mabeasts~ attacking me.” She replied. “I think that was the Crimson Scorpion, if I'm not mistaken~.”
“Daphne! That was literally a laser beam, why would you create something like that?!” Subaru was becoming astonished.
“It was a gift~ for the Sage, but it seems he was using it as a method~ of defense.”
...
“Fair enough.” Subaru conceded after a while. “I'd also like to get a scorpion that shoots laser beams.”
“The most important thing, Subarun~, is how we’re going to get through~ this,” Daphne said, finally feeling the flesh regenerating in her stomach. She stopped covering her face with her arm, but still kept her eyes closed.
“You could carry me at your maximum speed all the way there,” Subaru suggested. “It would be kind of ironic considering it’s our first day, but there’d be the problem of leaving the carriage’s belongings behind. We don’t know what we’ll find or need in there.”
“Subarun, you’re~ the one with the best ideas here.” Daphne’s ideas were the reason they were in this situation. “What do you suggest~?”
Subaru paused to think, he began to stroke his chin to try and come up with an idea. Something came to him when he saw Daphne walk to the carriage’s clothing storage to look for a new pair of blindfolds. He flashed a defiant and determined smile.
“Subarun~, you’ve reached levels of madness greater than that of a Witch~.” Daphne said as she sat in her place in the carriage, she still wasn’t wearing blindfolds for some reason.
“All geniuses were called mad at first, Daph!” Subaru exclaimed. “Ready?” Daphne nodded, he used the carriage reins to urge the earth dragons on as fast as possible.
They began to move. The few remaining Mabeasts, which could be counted on one's fingers, tried to chase and intercept them, but it was in vain because of their speed. The real danger was at the top of the tower; it wasn't long before the light shone from up there.
The sharpshooter aimed at Daphne, because of her strong miasma. The Witch of Gluttony responded to the threat by opening her eye of apathy. The speed of light was high, but the speed of thought and imagination was capable of offering a decent fight. A beam of light appeared and aimed at Daphne's head. Using Subaru's plan, she imagined a creature in the air to intercept the shot. The sound of flesh being torn apart rose in the air, but it wasn't from the carriage passengers.
The earth dragons sped off to avoid the powerful impact. Because of their divine protection, they managed to escape before a large, dead body of a Guiltylower struck them. The lion-like beast was spawned in mid-air and died almost instantly.
“Wow!” Subaru shouted. “I can't believe that worked!”
“Subarun! It's not good~ to live with this attitude towards your own~ ideas!” Daphne replied. As they continued to walk, she had to create another creature just in time to withstand the shot. A Floral Bear was the victim this time.
“We're getting close!” Subaru shouted, partly out of excitement, partly out of the adrenaline of being shot. They were approaching the tower.
One last shot was fired; the shooter would lose the angle after that. Daphne realized she wouldn't be able to parry this time, but she had an idea. The Witch of Gluttony threw herself back slightly and opened her mouth. The change in position caused the shot to hit her mouth instead of her forehead.
Daphne received the shot with full force; the moment the stinger entered her mouth, she closed her mouth and swallowed. The Witch of Gluttony shuddered from the strong impact.
Beside her, Subaru stared at her in astonishment, blinking. "Daph, you just ate a laser beam?...”
"As long~ as it's mana, it doesn't matter if it's spirit~ or curse, I can eat~ it," Daphne said casually.
Subaru stared blankly for a few seconds. "I've never been more impressed and confused by you than I am now."
Daphne gave a mischievous smile. “Thank you~.”
As they were having this conversation, the figure that was firing caught the scent emanating from the two. Alarmed, it began to descend the tower rapidly, a mixture of despair and hope.
The earth dragons of their carriage began to slow down. Upon finally reaching the tower, Subaru and Daphne saw a very large door ahead, it must have been about 10 meters wide.
“We’re really close, Daph,” Subaru stated. “I know it’s probably a bit late to ask, but do you have any important memories of this place?”
“I have few~ memories, Subarun. I died while the tower was still under construction~.” Daphne replied. Immediately afterward, she jumped from the carriage and forcefully opened both doors. The Witch of Gluttony took the opportunity to kill the remaining Mabeasts that were still trying to pursue them.
The carriage began to enter the tower, and Subaru's eyes widened at the sight of the interior. There was nothing particularly special, but being in such a large territory with a medieval appearance was still something that surprised him.
Subaru got out of the carriage a little later and tried to help Daphne close the large door. They held hands when they finished; he squeezed her hand to reinforce her determination and courage, but also as a way to find comfort.
In the distance, quick footsteps could be heard. Daphne was the one who squeezed Subaru's hand this time. The person seemed to be coming from the upper floors; both looked at the staircase leading there with anxiety and expectation.
A woman appeared descending the stairs. Her appearance consisted of dark brown hair tied in a single ponytail, green eyes with strange red pupils. The most disconcerting part was her clothes; she was only wearing shorts, a bra, and a cape on her back. It was quite revealing.
They both looked at each other with wide eyes. While Subaru showed surprise and apprehension, the woman only showed desire and euphoria.
“Master! You’re finally back!” The woman stared at Subaru as if he had captivated her, but her gaze slowly turned to where his hand joined Daphne’s, and then to the figure of the Witch of Gluttony. “MOTHER!?”
She then fainted.
Shaula woke up slightly alarmed, her head resting on something soft. She sighed in astonishment as she remembered something. “Master! Don’t tell me you didn’t come back and it was all a dream! Please!” Tears welled in the corners of her eyes.
“If you’re talking about me, I’m right here.” Subaru appeared in front of Shaula’s vision; she was, for some reason, lying on the floor. “However, I warn you that I am no one’s master.”
Shaula ignored that last part. “So you were real! The part about you dating my mom wasn’t real, right?”
“Then…” Subaru tried to say, but he gave up and just pointed to a spot slightly above where Shaula’s head was resting.
She stopped looking at Subaru and turned her head to look up. Only then did Shaula realize that she was being given a lap pillow by Daphne, who had started wearing her blindfold again.
Shaula screamed once more before starting to lose consciousness again. Subaru was alarmed. “Not this again!” He rushed to her and began shaking Shaula by the shoulders.
In the meantime, while she was unconscious, Daphne recognized Shaula's scent and told Subaru that she was the Crimson Scorpion, and her other characteristics and abilities. The Witch of Gluttony was surprised by the state of her own creation.
After a while, Subaru finally managed to prevent Shaula from fainting again. Her spirit still seemed extremely weak. “Could you please introduce yourself now?”
The woman jumped to her feet and performed a military-style standoff. “Shaula, your apprentice, at your service, master!”
Subaru raised an eyebrow. “Daphne told me you were a gift to Flugel.”
Shaula puffed out her chest in pride. “That’s right, Master! Shaula was made just for you, and only you!”
...
“Oh,” Daphne exclaimed in surprise; even she hadn’t expected that.
“And you, Mom?! You have a lot to explain!” Shaula finally turned her attention to her.
“I thought you would~ have turned into an irrational beast blinded by hunger, but you are~ stable.” Daphne said, inclining her head.
The crimson scorpion puffed out its cheeks. “Shaula is only blinded by love for her master.”
Subaru cast a look that represented a silent question to Daphne, who didn’t notice because of her lack of vision. “Shaula, could you please take the carriage and the dragons to another location? I smell miasma in the air.” He said; it was a real problem, but it was also a way to separate them and remove her from the scene for a while.
Shaula nodded vigorously. “Your words are my command.” After saying this, she picked up and carried the carriage and the dragons downstairs using only the strength of her arms.
As Shaula descended the stairs, displaying her unusual strength, Daphne chuckled. “So~, Subarun, what did you think of her~?”
“Don’t even start with that, Daph!” Subaru exclaimed. “You were surprised to see her too, and strangely curious.”
“I just… didn’t expect~ her to still be rational,” Daphne said.
Subaru gave her a wry smile. “I think you’re just surprised that something you created didn’t turn into a killing machine. Your ideas are quite twisted, but some of them have a good foundation.”
“Wait a minute~, are you serious?” Daphne blinked beneath her blindfold; people usually only said her creations were good when they were terrified she would devour them if they said otherwise.
Subaru rolled his eyes, noticing how they both switched roles during the conversation and acted like each other. “The centaur and the sandworm are examples; the idea of them living underground in the desert is good, but the execution has so many problems it’s impossible to even talk about. I’m sure there are many other cases like that.”
Daphne blinked behind her blindfold upon hearing this. She placed her right hand over her apathetic eyes. It was extremely difficult to find someone who tried to be impartial and analytical when the subject was her children. Echidna wasn’t an example; she was also an insane Witch.
“You can do so much more, Daph. I just wish you would stop using this power solely to satisfy your hunger. That’s why I’m taking on this entire mission.”
The Witch of Gluttony stopped upon hearing that and began to think. Images from before and after she absorbed her authority came to mind. She remembered something very specific that was in that same tower. Could it still be hidden here among the walls?
Meanwhile, Shaula came running back up the stairs and clung to Subaru, refusing to let go. Daphne did nothing; she would have found the scene funny if she hadn't been distracted.
The next day, the group of three was having breakfast. They stopped on the Alcyone floor to rest before attempting any of the tower's trials.
One of the things they discovered was that Shaula had survived those 400 years on a diet of Mabeast meat. This surprised Subaru; he was still having difficulty processing that Shaula was a Mabeast with that appearance.
Shaula explained to them how the tower worked. Each trial unlocked more of the library containing all the world's knowledge. To Subaru, this seemed simple: complete the three trials and he would probably be able to figure out how to satisfy Daphne's hunger. Of course, it was easier said than done.
“Speaking of the library, can you read, Daph?” Subaru asked. “I'm kind of illiterate.”
“Don't worry, Master, Shaula can't read or write either!” Subaru pretended not to notice her presence.
“There's nothing~ to be proud of in that, daughter. To answer your question, Subarun, I only know~ how to read very basic things."
Subaru was surprised by that; he hadn’t expected Daphne, who couldn’t even see without causing damage, to worry about something like learning to read. However, it still made him frown. Having all the knowledge in the world and not having access to it because she couldn’t read was probably the stupidest thing possible. Subaru hoped that, luckily, that wasn’t possible for some reason.
The group started heading towards the stairs on the upper floor where the test was supposed to be. Daphne frowned as she opened the door. “Subarun~, why do I feel like there are more stairs~ ahead?” She could barely walk on her own; stairs weren’t her favorite thing.
Subaru positioned himself a little ahead and bowed slightly. “Because there are stairs ahead, you can go up, Daph.” The Witch of Gluttony clung to his back and wrapped her arms around Subaru's neck. He adjusted her legs with his arms before straightening up and starting to climb the stairs.
Shaula, who was watching all this, couldn't stay quiet. "Master, why didn't you ever do this with me?"
Subaru frowned at her. "Look at your size! If anyone should carry anyone here, it's you who should carry me."
"You're right, Master!" Shaula stepped forward and, using brute force, picked up Subaru and began carrying him on her back.
The strangest thing was that he still had Daphne on his back; now the situation was truly becoming unusual. Subaru decided he didn't have the mental strength to challenge the scorpion and ask her to put him down.
After climbing for a while, Shaula struck up a conversation. “You know, Master, you were very cruel to me. You didn’t need to do all this if you wanted me to call you Daddy.”
…
“What?” Subaru was just confused.
“You already said, Master, every man likes to be called Daddy by the girl he likes.”
“Your Master was a person with peculiar tastes, don’t compare me to him again!”
“It’s alright, Master,” Shaula said.
Daphne couldn’t stay quiet any longer after hearing all that. “It’s alright~, Daddy.”
Subaru let out a loud groan of suffering as his face turned red with shame; he felt he wouldn’t survive much longer like this.
A few minutes later, Subaru stared at the various black monoliths that had appeared after the test had already begun. He was trying to think of something, considering the key phrase of the riddle, he soon had an idea, but Subaru needed to prove it first. “Shaula, could you go get some paper and ink for me down in the carriage?”
“Of course, master!”
With the Crimson Scorpion gone for a while, Subaru sighed wearily. “Daph, can we address the elephant in the room? Why does she think I’m Flugel?”
The Witch of Gluttony was still on Subaru’s back; she had refused to get down. Shaula had already put Subaru down when this happened; the scorpion wouldn’t have done it if she knew she had another option.
“I can only think of your scent~, Subarun,” Daphne said. “I noticed you smelled familiar~ from day one, but I didn’t pay much attention to it. Although back~ then you smelled more appetizing than you do now.”
Subaru didn’t understand what that smell thing meant; he was more focused on some strange details about Shaula. Her clothes still had orange and black details, his favorite colors. Shaula used Earth expressions and English expressions. Flugel apparently also knew how to read the stars.
“There are too many coincidences, it seems like I’m a cheap copy of that guy!” Subaru complained. Daphne, for some reason, gave him a light bite on the neck. “Ouch! Why did you do that?”
“Flug could be my friend~, but I prefer you.” Daphne wrapped her arms around him a little tighter. “Don’t act like him~, please.”
Subaru was somewhat taken aback by that. Daphne almost never acted kindly, so this was probably quite serious for her.
Shaula returned a little later with the paper and ink pen. Subaru mapped out how the obelisks were positioned on the paper. When he finished, he recognized the pattern and drew lines. It was all several constellations.
Subaru explained his reasoning to the women before choosing the star Rigel. When he was accepted into the test, Subaru celebrated. “One down, two to go!”
Seeing all that confidence, Daphne felt strange. She felt something strange and unsettling in her stomach; it wasn't a pleasant feeling.
The group decided to leave exploring the library for another time. They returned and decided to spend the rest of the day resting and exploring the other areas of the tower.
“So this is the green room?” Subaru asked as they entered the area that simulated a forest. “It’s good to see some green after so long in a desert. Daph, do you feel anything?”
Shaula had explained how the green room had a spirit that tried its best to heal everyone present. Subaru wanted to test if this could affect Daphne's hunger, but he himself didn't have much faith that it would solve the problem.
“The mana the spirit~ uses on me is pretty good, but it’s not enough~,” Daphne said, and he wasn't surprised by this. “I even found the feeling~ this spirit brings comforting.”
Subaru reflected that perhaps the real approach wasn't to cure her hunger, but to satiate it. What kind of meal would be so large that it could satisfy someone with infinite hunger?
During dinner that same day, Daphne decided to try something. The Witch of Gluttony went to a secluded corner, removed the blindfold from her apathetic eye, and attempted to create a creature that would do something she had given up on a long time ago.
While Subaru prepared to make dinner, Daphne presented him with something quite peculiar. “Daph, where did you find a dead rabbit in the middle of the tower?”
“I created this right~ now; I was trying to make something edible~ again,” Daphne said. She had tried this before and given up long ago because it was apparently impossible for her authority. “Can you~ try it?”
Subaru didn't refuse her request. He had never been a good cook, but he was trying to improve since then. Perhaps he should give himself more time to learn after he left the tower.
Some time later, the rabbit meat was served to the three of them. Subaru chewed a little, apprehensive, but he was surprised by the taste, or rather, the lack thereof.
It was like chewing something with the texture of meat but no taste at all. "It's not good, but I'd eat it if I had nothing else to eat," he said.
Daphne smiled as she ate, hearing this; she had never managed to do anything like this before. No matter how many times she tried, and believe me, she tried.
Suddenly, that feeling from before struck again. The Witch of Gluttony realized she had begun to tremble slightly; she was more restless than usual.
Daphne tried to think about the cause of this feeling, only after a while did she recognize that she had seen it in so many of her prey before.
The Witches' greatest asset was their insanity. Daphne realized she was afraid of being defenseless.
Somewhere far away, two distant people were having similar problems, but on very different scales.
A little girl with blue hair and braids was wondering why she could practically no longer control Mabeasts with her divine protection.
Most commands worked, including suicide, but attacking humans was no longer possible.
An Archbishop of Gluttony wondered the same thing and had the same problem with the White Whale.