Terrible...
I'm not referring to your behavior.
I was simply overwhelmed with rage at the one
who put you through so much hardship.
Me?
The Witch of Envy...
I'm sure you were aware
that the power you have is that of a witch.
You've known for a long time.
Well, I've sure had plenty of people telling me about a witch.
I have no idea why she's so fixated on me, though.
No one is capable of understanding how her mind works.
Even if I could, I wouldn't want to.
Hey...
Do you think there's a limit to how many times Return by Death can be used?
Ah, yes. Truly the obvious question to ask.
I will say in advance that this is only conjecture,
but I would say...
there isn't.
Vexing as it may seem, the power that lets you Return by Death
is the witch's intense delusion.
So long as that delusion persists, there will be no end to your deaths.
Do you have any idea why she gave me this power?
So that you won't die.
It makes you redo destiny and doesn't allow you to make mistakes.
That can't be right.
I mean, I...
couldn't get Rem back.
If she's making me redo destiny,
why'd I end up in a place that made it irreversible?
Because that girl was not taken into account as part of that destiny.
Her hope is that you will never be trapped by the dead end that is true death.
Anyone who isn't you is not part of the plan.
The decision to go to such lengths to save someone else with your power
is yours and yours alone.
You will overcome destiny through countless challenges henceforth,
but if you do change destiny at the expense of many sacrifices...
I won't have any chances to get back those who were sacrificed.
That's how it is.
Fine.
If you insist on reserving that favor for me alone,
then I know what I have to do.
I'll use this Return by Death blessing you gave me
until there's nothing left to use!
Yeah, that's it. I've made up my mind.
No one's better than me at betraying people's expectations!
You bounced back with surprising ease.
It wasn't easy at all.
If I did what I've always done,
I might've tried to tape my broken heart back together in desperation.
But now...
What is it? Aren't you going to finish?
Well? Aren't you?
You know damn well what I was gonna say!
Anyway, your input has been very informative.
It helped me make up my mind, too.
So thanks for that.
Just for that?
That's all you want to thank me for after sharing your secret with me?
Shut up! Why are you so determined to make me thank you?!
You should be trying to make me ask you questions, like last time!
You're the only one I can count on.
I'll pay whatever price you want.
You just might have a knack for seducing witches.
Well? What would you like to ask me?
There's too much I don't know.
First and foremost, right now is that last moment...
when I died by being eaten.
Those rabbits could've fit in my hand.
Ah, you mean the Great Rabbit.
"Great" Rabbit?
Great not in size, but in number.
It's one of the Three Great Mabeasts.
Three Great Mabeasts?
The White Whale, the Black Serpent, and the Great Rabbit.
They were created 400 years ago by Daphne, the Witch of Gluttony.
Her three legacies of misfortune, which still bring disaster upon the world today.
You've gotta be kidding me!
I just managed to fish up the White Whale not long ago!
There's more to this unpleasant story.
In terms of pure fighting strength,
the White Whale is far stronger.
But the Great Rabbit is infinitely more difficult to destroy.
To the Great Rabbit, all other living things are food.
It desires nothing other than to satisfy its hunger.
All it leaves behind is a deserted field.
Deserted... field?
You don't mean all of that was...
What makes the Great Rabbit so difficult is its viability.
A single one is capable of multiplying infinitely.
Infinitely? What is it, an amoeba?
To destroy it, you'd have to kill every last one at the same time,
and that would be like trying to evaporate every raindrop that falls from the sky.
What choice do we have but to run, then?!
No... That won't work. The barrier's there.
So long as the barrier's there, Emilia and the others can't leave.
The Great Rabbit in the Sanctuary,
the attack on the mansion...
I have to break the barrier and free them before any of that happens.
Then I'll gather everyone at the mansion to defeat Elsa and the mabeasts.
I have...
Though, since you came back sooner than expected,
this didn't play out exactly as my directions specified.
...four days, then?
Echidna? Do you know of a way?
It carries such great risk that I hesitate to suggest it...
But what if I told you that I could give you an opportunity
to talk to Daphne, the Witch of Gluttony?
Huh?
I thought all the other witches were dead.
Then how do you explain the one speaking to you right now?
The souls of the dead witches reside with me in this castle of dreams.
In other words...
You can call her here?
If I let her temporarily inhabit my presence.
During that time, they and I literally trade places.
But I really don't recommend it.
There is no death in this dimension,
but if your mind sustains an injury that causes it to break,
it will remain shattered even after you return to your body.
So I'd become an invalid?
That's a way bigger risk than I'd be taking outside.
Do you decline, then?
She's the one who created the Great Rabbit, right?
So she'd be the best one to ask for ideas on how to defeat it.
Do it.
Your resolve is firm, then?
But just let me say one thing first.
No matter what you do, don't release Daphne's restraints.
Restraints?
You are also forbidden to touch her.
You should avoid eye contact, too, if possible.
Avoiding all that would make me come across as a total jerk!
I wish you the best.
Ah! We meet at last!
Huh?
What do you mean, "huh"?!
That's very rude, you know!
Hmph!
You're a... I mean, you're also a witch, right?
Chidna told you, didn't she?
And you're...
Let's see... Baru! Baru, right?
Baru?
Are you a bad guy, Baru?
I've wondered about that this whole time!
A bad guy?
You want me to hold it?
Wait, no! There's something I want to ask—
Okay, okay! Fine!
Sin can only be repaid with pain.
Huh?
Oh! If you don't feel pain, you must not be a bad guy!
That's great!
My arm!
But it doesn't hurt, does it?
If you make too much noise, Chidna's gonna hate you.
Damn you!
Give it back!
Sin will become a wedge that allows no escape.
So you see yourself as a sinner, even though you're not a bad guy?
You have such a good heart, Baru!
You poor thing.
Well, that's all Typhon came here for.
That leaves...
First! To strike all that defies reason in the world!
Second! Who cares about committing every heinous evildoing?!
Third! Whether it's ugly or beautiful,
if you're here in this fleeting world,
don't expect to make it back unscathed!
My fist will restore the world!
My anger will cleanse the world!
My rage, the fury of my fists,
shall be my answer!
Why are you crying?
I'm not crying! I'm just angry!
That's right! I'm angry!
It's Typhon's fault for hurting you like that!
Stupid Typhon!
I hate this world for making her do that!
I hate all of it!
Uh... Thanks for saving me...
Um, and you are...?
I'm the Witch of Wrath, Minerva!
My name isn't worth giving!
But you just did!
Listen up!
If you've learned your lesson, don't do anything careless!
Next time, I'll just heal everyone!
Don't make it sound like a threat!
What's going on here?
Typhon? Minerva? This isn't what we agreed—
Oh, come on...
What would you like to ask of Daphne,
Subarun?
I'm here because Chid-Chid asked me to come,
but I don't want to be awake any longer than I have to be,
so please don't drag this out with dull conversation.
Oh... This might be toxic to me...
Wh-What the heck?
My body is throbbing.
You give off a scent that I really, really love...
It's making me want to eat you.
Then let's just make this quick.
I want to talk about the Three Great Mabeasts that you made.
The Three Great Mabeasts?
The White Whale, the Great Rabbit, and the Black Serpent or whatever!
You made them, didn't you?
Oh, the whale, the bunny, and the snake?
Why in the world did you make those things?
Huh? What was that?
Why did you set those things loose on the world?!
Do you realize what they've...
Why did you do it?!
Why did you make monsters like those?!
The White Whale is very big, isn't it?
It would sate so many appetites if people ate it, don't you think?
Huh?
And the Great Rabbit can multiply itself indefinitely.
With them around,
no one would ever have to go hungry.
I'm saying that your Great Rabbit is the one eating everybody!
These mabeasts are taking more people away than they're feeding—
Don't you think it's a bit selfish
to try to eat another without considering
the possibility of being eaten yourself?
The same goes for you, Subarun.
Don't you think everyone takes gluttony too lightly?
The appetite is
the most important of all the desires that keep people alive.
Even if the heart feels sated,
people die if they don't eat.
What you're saying is partly right, but—
You'll understand, too, if you are starved to your limit.
You'll see what sort of world my bunny and I live in.
If I told you I wanted to get rid of your Great Rabbit,
would you give me any tips?
The Great Rabbit relies on mana to find its prey.
You really don't mind?
If we must eat to stay alive,
it wouldn't make sense to deny that we must kill to survive.
It's naturally drawn to places that have a lot of mana,
so you could use a powerful magic user as a lure,
then wipe them all out at once when they gather there.
I heard it can multiply indefinitely.
Won't there be some that separate from the group?
There may be many of them, but they all share one consciousness.
They don't have the wisdom to avoid being killed or anything.
Are you finished with me now?
Yeah.
I still don't get why you created them, but I've learned a lot.
Thanks.
Also...
I will destroy the Great Rabbit.
I already killed the White Whale, after all.
You'd better not come crying to me,
"Mother."
Those things have been running rampant for 400 years.
That's long enough.
I'm gonna wipe them out without a trace.
If you think a mere human...
is capable of that, then go ahead and try it.
Seeing your face is such a relief, it's like being back home with my family.
That's a somewhat confusing way to describe it.
I was a bit disconcerted, too,
when Typhon jumped in the moment I tried to give my body to Daphne.
Oh, her?
Yes, the Witch of Pride.
She's very much a child, as you saw.
She was so eager to meet you that she jumped right out.
And the one who saved you was the Witch of Wrath, Minerva.
So? Did Daphne give you any useful information?
Yeah, sort of.
First of all, I learned that you're the most normal of the witches.
Oh, please. Just stop already.
You're just trying to butter me up with pleasing words.
Don't underestimate me like that.
You're like an open book, you know that?
But I'll pass on your bodily fluids and cookies.
I didn't put any hair in it.
I can't even trust a single thing you say anymore.
What was...
Looks like it's nearly time for you to wake up.
Perhaps something happened outside to speed your awakening?
You mean... Emilia?
No, wait... Weren't you passing yourself off as the examiner for the trial?
So why are you here?
Emilia should be undergoing the trial right now!
Because the result is already in sight.
The result is in sight?
I'm saying I have no interest in the result of her challenge.
Even in three days of trial and error,
I can't hold out any hope that she'll break out of her shell.
Or perhaps...
you could do it?
Since you've made up your mind to keep repeating everything,
could you give wings to the cowardly princess?
I hate that it feels like I'm letting you provoke me,
but I won't let you make Emilia cry any more.
Oh, no. I'm not the one making her cry.
I'll go through your sadistic trial.
That was my plan to begin with.
I hardly think it's necessary to call it sadistic.
Echidna, how can I come here again?
I know I'm being selfish,
but I want to be able to seek your wisdom again.
You know a lot, and...
And I know about your Return by Death power.
Yeah, exactly.
It does feel nice to be depended on,
but I think that would be rather difficult.
The conditions to attend the witch's tea party grow stricter each time,
and you have already been invited twice.
If you cry out "I want to know" from the bottom of your heart,
your voice will reach me.
It'll need to be even louder the third time than the second.
Think you can do that?
Of course, if you do undergo the trial, as you hope to,
that won't be the only way.
That's right! I can see you within the trial, too!
I doubt it'll be over tea, though.
Well, if you really insist...
No, that's okay!
Oh, crap... I'm really starting to feel faint.
Echidna, one more thing before I go...
The payment to make sure I don't forget what happened here!
You need that, right?
Oh... Oh, the payment!
Of course, I wouldn't want you to forget this.
In that case...
I think I'll take this.
Really? But it's just a handkerchief.
Besides, it's...
No need to worry. This world exists within the mind.
It won't be gone once you're back outside.
How does it work as payment, then?
The one who gave you this did so out of heartfelt concern for you.
It wouldn't do to ridicule that sentiment.
This payment is recognition of that person's existence,
and perhaps a bit of meddling, as well.
Payment received.
Okay, thanks again.
See you in the trial, I guess.
Natsuki Subaru...
If you do attend the witch's tea party a third time...
This time, there's something I would like to tell you.
Do I have to go through this every time?
I remember.
I guess Echidna kept her promise, then.
I swear, that so-called "witch" is just a big fraud.
I'm gonna be counting on you for now.
Emilia wasn't the one waking me up?
Wait... she didn't run outside in a panic, did she?!
Huh?
A shadow?
Emilia!
Emilia, where are you?!
Please, answer me!
Ram! Ryuzu-san! Even you, Otto!
You're there, right? Get out here!
You're...
I love you.
I love you. I love you.
I love you.
I love you... I love you... I love you...
Love Love Love Love Love Love You
I love you.
Quit screwin' around!
We're gonna jump!
You!
What? You got a problem?
No, I don't have a problem.
I just wasn't expecting you to save me.
Can't you see what's goin' on?
What's important right now is findin' a way to bite off that thing's head!
Nothin' else!
What the hell... Why now, of all times?
Why are you here,
Witch of Envy?!
Think... Think, think, think!
I have to do something... I have to beat her somehow...
The bitch isn't tryin' to follow us?
What? She gonna leave the barrier?
The mansion...
The mansion!
That witch is heading for Roswaal's mansion!
The hell'd you say?!
I'm not letting you get away with anything else!
Goodness. What terrible luck.
And without even knowing the outcome of the trial...
If you wish to walk through Hell,
I will gladly accompany you.
If you wish to live in Hell,
then Hell is what I shall strive for.
Try not to make any mistakes next time,
Natsuki Subaru.