V11 - CHAPTER 5 : THE WITCHES’ TEA PARTY

Atop a small hill jutting up from a verdant plain, a gentle wind reminiscent of spring blew.

Subaru's forelocks and the tall, green grass swayed in the wind as cumulonimbus clouds danced, racing toward the blue yonder.

"_______"

Subaru touched his forehead, tickled by the wind, and narrowed his eyes at the dazzling sun rays. Then, he slowly brought his gaze down from the sky, reorienting it straight ahead.

At some point, Subaru had come to sit in a white chair. It was large, resembling an easy chair, and before his eyes, there was a small pure-white table. Across from the table, in an identical chair, sat a figure with her long legs crossed.

She was a beautiful girl with long hair, precious little of her white skin exposed, and beyond that, everything was covered in black clothing—

"—That's not quite accurate. More like, you're a bound spirit that's spent four centuries unable to move on."

"Quite a greeting, such short shrift the very moment we are reunited? In the first place, where I am concerned, I was nineteen years of age at the time of my death—therefore my outward appearance is that of a young maiden much the same age as you?"

"Dying at nineteen is straight-up heavy stuff… Sorry. I shouldn't joke about the dead."

"—? Quite a laudable response. I suppose we have not known each other long enough for me to say that is not like you?"

As Subaru leaned forward, his fists opening and closing, the girl—the Witch Echidna—narrowed her eyes in apparent deep interest. She rested an elbow upon the table, and her cheek against her palm, provocatively looking back at Subaru with a sidelong glance as she spoke.

"It is rare for the same guest to be invited to a tea party twice. It does not happen often at all. You should be proud!"

"A host shouldn't be so blunt to the guest. If I stop being honestly thankful, where will you be then?"

"Oh, my! Then you intended to be honestly thankful to me, yes?"

"Ugh…"

When Echidna hit the bull's-eye, Subaru averted his gaze from her suppressed laugh. Thanks to his mental state just prior, he'd blithely let the words slip. But that "mental state just prior" was the very issue at hand.

"I…was in the tomb…"

The words he was too frightened to add were, going crazy.

As a matter of fact, Subaru's spirit had completely broken down. That was how much death that time around had carved indelible wounds into his soul, combined with how repeated Return by Death experiences had beaten him down.

He'd rather have his mouth rent than ever speak the words accustomed to death. But he thought he was prepared for it.

So very easily, that assumption had been ripped away—

"But right now, I'm fine. So normal it feels bad."

"You don't like that? You would rather lose your cool, fall into a panic, pathetically bawl your eyes out?"

"…I'm not saying I want stuff like that. I thought you understood, Echidna."

"I suppose so. Right now I'm being an evil tease. Sorry, I just wanted to smack you around a bit."

Sensing the rebuke in his voice, Echidna raised both hands as if to declare surrender. Then, with a flutter of her palm, she went, "It's just,"—tilting her head as she said—

"I did not invite you to this tea party merely to tease you. Had I not done so, your mind would have shattered… You are aware of that, perhaps?"

"That's why I was honestly going to thank you out loud, sheesh. Then you…"

"I see. It seems my words and deeds carry the same faults as they did in life. Now then, I would like to properly hear your words of thanks right now— Well, knock yourself out."

With a wry smile, Echidna puffed out her chest, a posture for accepting words of thanks. Staring at the smug, proud look on her face, Subaru took in a deep breath, exhaling at length.

If he had to break it down into raw terms, she was being a very witchy witch.

"—? What is wrong; anytime is good?"

"…Is the reason I returned to form the instant I came here that I drank your tea before?"

"Ahhh, I would suppose so. The tea set your Witch Factor into motion to promote stabilization. Leaving and entering the tea party does not cause it to lose its effect… Incidentally, the words of thanks?"

"That so? I'm just a little relieved. Should I understand that to mean it'll continue when I go outside?"

"Because we are discussing your mental state. Since you have regained your cool... I suppose if you were to remember about this place, you might retain your peace of mind even outside of the dream. So hey, the thanks?"

The reply, including how she said it like it didn't concern her, made Subaru's breath catch.

If he were to remember this place, Echidna had said. As a matter of fact, that made things very difficult. The fact he'd come into contact with the witch twice, forgetting both times, proved the vow was at work.

The vow had made Subaru forget Echidna. As a result, Subaru had lost sight of even himself.

"—Echidna, is there a way to rewrite a vow?"

"Huh?"

"Is there a way to leave here without forgetting about you? As long as the vow makes me forget you, my mind will break. Isn't that right?"

"Well, it is, but…"

"Besides, it's not just an issue of my mind. Even setting that aside, I want to remember you."

"—Eh?"

Yes. It was not an issue of Subaru's mind alone. Remembering Echidna's existence was a necessary piece to unravel the mysteries of the Sanctuary and prevent it from changing into that hell.

That was why Subaru thrust his hands onto the table, drawing near enough to the Witch's face he could feel her breath, and made a firm declaration.

"If you need compensation, I'll pay anything else. In return—"

"_______"

"Don't hide my memories."

"—O-okay…"

In the face of Subaru's strong demand, Echidna acted particularly awkward, nodding meekly.

Her demeanor gave him an odd feeling, but the reply was a yes. I did it, thought Subaru, clapping his hands as he celebrated.

"Got you to say it! Big help! No taking it back!"

"I would not do such a shameless thing. I would not, but…you are somewhat underhanded, I think."

Subaru cocked his head in confusion at the sudden accusation. His response made Echidna turn her face with a fairly sour look. Then, the Witch indicated the opposing chair to Subaru as she said,

"Anyway, I understand what you have said. For now, do sit. Let us take our time and speak."

"Yeah…er, I don't have time for all that. More importantly, gotta take care of the vow business…"

"—I prefer you do not misunderstand, Subaru Natsuki."

Her lackadaisical demeanor quickened Subaru's mood. Echidna called out to him when he tried to hurry things up. The words brought him to a halt.

For some reason, her tone of voice carried a power that was difficult to defy. Then, as Subaru swallowed, Echidna—or rather, the Witch—continued.

"Rewriting a vow is not a difficult thing in itself. Nor do I mind how you are boldly stating things that are difficult to say. But I will not have statements ignorant of your position."

"_______"

"In the end, you are a guest invited to this tea party. And this castle of dreams is my territory.

"Under my rule. If you say things that are simply too selfish, it becomes an issue of my honor."

Her voice was quiet, with no change in its tenor; only the voice's power had changed.

Having changed the atmosphere to such an extent, her eyes of bottomless darkness gazed up at Subaru.

—Therein rested the supernatural being known as a Witch.

"…a, uu"

The feeling of oppression grabbed firm hold of his soul, making Subaru recall the initial impression he'd had of Echidna: namely, his terror toward an overwhelming menace outstripping even the White Whale and the Witch of Sloth.

And that Echidna, the Witch of Greed, the Witch of white and black before his eyes, lived up to both name and title.

"Having been invited to this tea party, you have a duty to behave politely. That only makes sense, yes?"

With Subaru's spiritual body marred with an unbecoming level of cold sweat, the Witch stroked her own white hair as she continued. With his throat and tongue feeling dry and his breathing ragged, Subaru barely managed to wring out a reply.

"Politeness as a guest, you mean…"

"It is quite simple. I am the hostess; you are the guest— Let us behave as such."

The feeling of oppression was intact as Echidna slowly reached out with a hand. The Witch's slender fingers touched the table, tapping upon its surface thrice.

Her fingertips indicated a point atop the table—upon which rested an untouched, steaming cup.

"…Ah?"

"If you are a guest to a tea party, you should begin by accepting tangible proof of your invitation. Is that not proper?"

"…! You're not easy to understand."

"I am a Witch, after all. It would be a shame for normal girls if you were to lump me in with them, would it not?"

Smiling as if she'd pulled a fast one on him, the sense of oppression from Echidna's demeanor dissipated. Subaru felt like the mental anguish she'd inflicted as revenge for his rudeness was completely over the top, but at any rate…

"Shit… I get it, geez!"

Clicking his tongue, he snatched the cup from the table and poured the liquid down the hatch. Even though time had passed since its pouring, its temperature had not diminished at all, as might be expected of tea served by a Witch.

Subaru strongly gulped it down, concerning himself little with the taste, and raggedly wiped his lips with his sleeve.

"Well, I swallowed it down. Now you'll accept me as a guest of the tea party?"

"Having my bodily fluids swallowed down with such fervor… Mmm, it makes me blush a little."

"Gehhh! I forgot about that—!!!"

The Dona Tea Trap was at the first tea party, and upon his second arrival, Subaru had fallen hook, line, and sinker for it once more.

The sight of her guest earnestly retching on the spot made the Witch hostess's shoulders sink in chagrin. After that, the Witch abruptly clapped her hands together, seemingly just remembering something as she spoke up.

"Come to think of it, your words of thanks? I feel as if I have not heard them yet…"

"Thank you for pouring me tea that tastes like shit! You damned Witch!"

Though he thanked her just as she told him to, Echidna was less than thrilled with the words of gratitude he provided.