Chapter Text
Subaru had already died to Elsa twice, two horrific, blood-soaked deaths that still made his stomach twist just thinking about them. And the worst part? He hadn’t even been in this world for a full day yet. It was like a level 1 noob trying to solo a level 100 boss. Hopeless, painful, and downright unfair.
Now, standing behind an appa stand, apparently Subaru was still trying to process everything. He’d just figured out the cursed truth behind his strange ability: Return by Death.
Just as he reached out to accept a few appas from the friendly vendor, he heard a faint sound, a soft crumple coming from inside his pocket.
Weird. He could’ve sworn his pockets had been empty ever since he got dumped into this world.
Then he saw her. “Satella” walked by the stand, her silver hair glistening beautifully in the sunlight. For a moment, Subaru wanted nothing more than to run after her, but he forced himself to stay put. He had a priority right now. Check whatever was in his pocket then chase after her.
He nodded politely to the vendor, accepting the fruit, but curiosity got the better of him. Sliding a hand into his pocket, his fingers brushed against something rough.
When he pulled it out, he froze.
An envelope.
It was slightly crumpled at the corner — probably the source of that sound earlier. Subaru frowned and tore it open, a mix of confusion and unease rising in his chest. Inside was a neatly folded letter, written in elegant but unfamiliar handwriting.
The letter read:
“Hello, Subaru.
You’re probably wondering who I am and why this letter is here, since it wasn’t in your previous loops. Or maybe I should say — I already know that’s what you’re thinking.
I’ll answer that much, but I won’t reveal my identity. Let’s just say you can call me ‘AG.’
I’ve created something that allows me to communicate with you through these letters, though there are restrictions. Each time you reach a new checkpoint, the letter will update. However, a side effect is that you’ll have to loop back once to the new checkpoint before the update takes effect. Also, they won’t let me give you more than three points per letter.
So, let’s get to it.
1. Call for Reinhard when you meet the thugs in the alleyway.
2. Tell Reinhard to follow you to the loot house and go in together.
3. Don’t die to Elsa.
That’s all they’ll allow me to say for now. Good luck, Subaru. You’ll need it.
— AG”
Subaru stared at the letter, mind spinning. Three questions immediately popped into his head.
First: Who the hell was AG?
Second: Who were the “they” he mentioned?
Third: What exactly did he mean by checkpoints?
He had no answers. At least not for the first two.
After thinking for a bit, he came up with a theory for the third: maybe after every major event, his “checkpoint” updated to a new location.
As for the first two questions… he had nothing. But he had a feeling they’d matter later. And probably not in a good way.
That’s when it hit him.
“Oh crap, I forgot about her!” Subaru blurted, jumping to his feet.
He dashed into the street where “Satella” had passed by moments ago, eyes scanning frantically. But she was already gone.
“Guess she’s already headed to the loot house…” he muttered, sighing.
“Alright then, no time to waste. Guess it’s alleyway time.”
With that, Subaru stuffed the letter back into his pocket, heart pounding, and ran off once again diving headfirst into a situation he barely understood.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
The familiar stench of the alleyway greeted him as he entered. It didn’t take long for the same three thugs to appear, grinning like hyenas.
He just prayed the letter was real.
“I’m getting really sick of you guys,” Subaru said, pointing at them.
“What’s a scrawny little brat like you gonna do?” one sneered.
“Yeah, you can’t take us,” another added.
“We’ll forgive you if you hand over the bag and bark like a dog,” the third laughed.
Subaru paused for a moment. His pulse quickened. He really hoped this wasn’t some kind of cruel prank.
“I choose this instead,” he said, taking a deep breath. “REINHARD!!!”
The thugs froze, eyes widening in terror.
A calm, composed voice echoed from the entrance of the alley.
“Seems like you could use some help.”
That voice, that presence, was unmistakable.
“No way…”
“It can’t be…”
“Sword Saint Reinhard!”
The three crooks bolted like they’d just seen death itself.
Subaru exhaled in relief. “So you really are Reinhard,” he said.
“That I am,” Reinhard replied, stepping closer. “I heard you call my name, so I came as soon as I could.”
“I’m glad you did. Actually, I have a favor to ask — could you come with me to the loot house?”
Reinhard tilted his head slightly. “Although I doubt you’d lead me astray, a reason for the request would be appreciated.”
Subaru hesitated. Lie or tell the truth?
He decided honesty was safer, assuming Reinhard really was as noble as he looked.
“There’s an assassin called the Bowel Hunter,” Subaru said. “If you don’t interfere, she’s going to kill people.”
Reinhard’s expression sharpened immediately. “You’re telling the truth. How can I help?”
Subaru felt a wave of relief. His plan might actually work.
“Alright, here’s the idea: I’ll act like a customer. When the assassin shows up, I’ll call your name and you capture her.”
“That sounds reasonable,” Reinhard said with a nod. “I’ll apprehend her as soon as you give the signal.”
“Oh, and one more thing . When you see a silver-haired half-elf, make sure the Bowel Hunter doesn’t spot her.”
“I understand. Any idea where she is now?”
“She should be in the slums,” Subaru replied. “I’ll have you find her and take her somewhere safe until I signal you. Sounds good?”
“It’s doable,” Reinhard said simply.
“You should probably get going then. See you later, friend. And by the way, my name is Subaru Natsuki.”
Reinhard blinked, surprised by the word, but a small smile tugged at his lips before he composed himself again.
“See you later Subaru my… friend.”
And with that, Reinhard disappeared, leaving Subaru alone in the alleyway.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
The black-haired boy walked the same familiar path toward the slums.
“Man, this place gives me bad memories… I can still taste the iron from my own blood,” he muttered.
Eventually, he reached the loot house. Taking a deep breath, he sat down and waited.
Before long, a small figure darted toward him, Felt. She stopped a few steps away, confusion written all over her face.
“Who are you? Why are you here? Trying to rob me?” she demanded.
“Whoa, easy there! I’m not here to rob anyone. I just want to buy the insignia you’ve got!” Subaru said quickly.
Felt narrowed her eyes, suspicious. “I don’t know how you got that information, but fine, we’ll talk inside.”
She turned and banged on the door.
“Hey! Open up! We’ve got a potential customer!” she shouted.
The door creaked open, and Subaru felt a rush of relief at the sight of Rom, alive again. He’d already watched both Rom and Felt die twice before, and the memory still made his stomach churn. He just hoped this time wouldn’t be the third. The thought alone was horrifying enough that he quickly pushed it aside.
“Hmm… you’re the one Felt mentioned?” Rom asked, giving Subaru a suspicious look.
Under that heavy stare, Subaru stiffened, then forced a nervous smile. “Yeah, that’s me. My name's Subaru. I came to trade for something Felt… uh, borrowed.”
Rom grunted. “Come in, then. Let’s see what you’ve got.”
Subaru stepped inside, and Rom shut the door behind him. He and Felt sat down side by side as the “negotiations” began.
“So, I’m here for the insignia you stole today,” Subaru started. “I don’t have money, but I do have something to trade.”
Felt leaned back, crossing her arms. “Just so you know, I stole that insignia for a client. If you want it, you’ll have to talk to them first.”
“Then I’ll just wait until the client shows up and negotiate directly,” Subaru said.
Right on cue, a knock echoed through the room. Felt hopped to her feet and opened the door eagerly.
Standing there was a woman clad in black and purple, revealing, elegant, and terrifyingly familiar. Subaru’s teenage brain froze for a moment at the sight, but the memory of her slicing him apart twice killed any stray thoughts instantly. His blood ran cold.
“Sorry to say client.” Felt said, glancing at her. “You’ve got competition. You’ll have to sort it out with him.”
Elsa stepped into the room, her eyes scanning everyone and stopping on Subaru.
“You,” she said softly. “Why are you trembling?”
Subaru blinked, confused, until he looked down and realized his hands were shaking uncontrollably. His body remembered her even if his mind didn’t want to. He tried to speak, but his lips wouldn’t move.
“Have we met before?” Elsa asked, stepping closer. “You’re acting like you’ve seen me before, and survived.”
Before he could react, she closed the distance, grabbed his chin, and forced him to meet her gaze. Her lips curled into a cold smile. “You can’t even look me in the eyes. You do know who I am, don’t you? My real identity.”
Subaru shoved her away and stumbled to the far side of the room.
“What’s going on here? Do you two know each other?” Felt asked, looking between them.
“She’s an assassin, the Bowel Hunter! Stay away from her or you’ll die!” Subaru shouted.
Images of Rom and Felt’s mangled bodies flashed through his mind. He’d do anything to avoid seeing that again.
Elsa’s smile sharpened as she drew her blades. She crouched low, ready to strike.
Subaru’s heart pounded. It was time to use his trump card.
“REINHARD!!!”
A blinding flash lit the room. In the blink of an eye, Reinhard stood there, sword drawn, Elsa pinned beneath his boot.
“Subaru,” he said calmly, “it seems you were right about the Bowel Hunter. I’ll take her into custody. Is anyone hurt?”
Subaru scanned the room, everyone was alive. He’d done it. For once, no one had died. Even “Satella” was standing nearby, watching him.
“Everyone’s fine, Reinhard,” he said, breathing hard. “The only damage is… my stomach hurts a little.”
He turned toward the silver-haired girl, a small smile tugging at his lips. She didn’t remember him, not in this loop. The thought stung more than he wanted to admit.
Then pain exploded through his gut.
“Oh crap, my stomach…!”
Blood gushed between his fingers as a deep wound tore open. He dropped to his knees, trying to hold himself together, vision fading. The world blurred as he collapsed, praying he wouldn’t wake up at the appa stand again.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
“I don’t recognize this ceiling.”
Subaru opened his eyes to find himself in a lavish bedroom, far nicer than anything in the slums. Confusion hit him first then he could assume that either “Satella” or Reinhard had taken him to their house after he collapsed. Subaru felt his hand against where Elsa had cut him. He didn’t feel anything different but when he looked at it he saw that the injury left a scar. He was first angry that Elsa had hurt him but then he spotted some girl in the room with him.
Twin maids. Real maids.
He sat up too fast, grinning. “Hello there! My name’s Subaru, and it’s a pleasure to meet you both!”
One twin turned to the other. “Sissy, I think the guest is awake.”
“I’d think so too, sissy. He’s even introducing himself already. Although I think his attitude is a little weird. Maybe we should also introduce ourselves. "
they looked at each other for a second and then in perfect unison, they bowed.
“I’m Rem, and this is my sister Ram.”
“I’m Ram, and this is my sister Rem.”
“Nice to meet you! Oh I almost forgot” Subaru said.
He remembered something important. The letter.
He reached into his pocket, pulled out the letter and froze as Ram snatched it away in one swift motion.
“As a safety precaution, I must inspect this letter’s contents,” Ram declared.
“You’re just looking for an excuse to invade my privacy! Give it back!” Subaru protested.
He tried to grab it back, but pain shot through his stomach, stopping him cold. Ram easily sidestepped his attempt and unfolded the paper.
Subaru’s heart sank.
Her eyes scanned the page. First confusion… then anger.
Oh no.
If she’d really read what was in that letter. If she knew what it said. Then he was screwed.
And judging by her face… that’s exactly what happened.