I love time travel the most!

Seize the opportunity, and you'll naturally have to give it your all!

After getting into the mood, everyone turned their attention to the street ahead. In the distance to the east, the sky was beginning to lighten, and the faint outline of the rising sun could be seen in the dim light.

The expeditionary force has entered Mezas territory, and the entire army of earth dragons is driving across the plains with great momentum.

If possible, I hope no one will sacrifice their lives this time.

Natsuki Subaru sincerely hoped for this.

Before he could adjust his mood, the scenery before him changed.

As morning dawned, the green forest was already faintly visible on the horizon of the streets. At the end of the vast plain, a large forest appeared that surrounded the Roswaal mansion and the village of Alam.

This means that the final battle against the Witch Cult and the reunion with the abhorrent Archbishop of Sin are just around the corner.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

"Hu, hu, hu..."

Treading through mud and tree roots, Subaru Natsuki walked alone in the dim forest.

Looking up, he could see the azure sky shining through, the sun peeking out from between the leaves, and a gentle breeze carrying a damp scent. The cool breeze cooled the sweat on his forehead, and after wiping it away, he exhaled deeply.

There was no maid who had always been by his side, no powerful figure he could easily cling to, and no earth dragon he had set his sights on at first glance.

He walked along unarmed, looking frail and weak.

This is the third time I've walked through the deep forest like this. Logically, I should be used to it by now, but why do my steps feel heavier with each step?

It must be a feeling of tension.

Unlike when confronting the white whale, the air was thick with an unpleasant stickiness, and Natsuki Subaru felt the touch of sweat that he had never noticed before.

coming.

It's like suddenly discovering a cockroach in a quiet corner of a room.

When encountering those black pests, a strange psychological battle often occurs where the one who moves first is destined to die, and then time inexplicably extends indefinitely, creating a supernatural feeling that makes people mistakenly believe it is eternal.

Such as now.

He could clearly feel a sense of dread, carrying an ominous scent, coursing through his body.

Looking around, the surrounding forests were similar, yet they were incredibly familiar.

Could it be said that the ability to detect evil has become more acute?

Or was it that you were attracted to it?

Natsuki Subaru sighed, staring intently into the shadows ahead, and said, "You've really gone to all this trouble to come out and greet me."

These are words of comfort, but I can't feel their sincerity at all.

It was just polite talk.

However, the person being talked to is completely devoid of humanity and doesn't feel bad about it.

Suddenly, several figures dressed in black, blending into the darkness, appeared around him.

Before I knew it, the wind stopped and all was quiet.

This was precisely the subtle sign that they would appear.

Once you know these signs, you won't be surprised or afraid of sudden encounters.

As planned, the meeting went smoothly.

"Although you've just made your appearance, I'm sorry, but I need to discuss the details with your boss, so please don't get in my way."

"------"

All I got was silence.

Natsuki Subaru frowned and said again, "This inexplicable thing makes me uncomfortable, but I'm of higher status, right? So, please."

He waved dismissively.

After bowing to Subaru in respect, the men in black maintained their pose and glided back into the darkness.

Such a reaction was expected.

Despite their complicated feelings, the witch cultists harbored no hostility towards him, so they would not attack Subaru Natsuki unless they showed any intention to harm him or gave him an order.

"If you'll even obey orders to pack my things and go home to farm, then you'll be a huge help."

He slumped his shoulders in frustration and sighed deeply. Even he knew that such a good thing was impossible.

Keep moving forward.

Walking deep into the dense forest, he could only hear his own breathing and the sound of his footsteps on the ground, which gave him the illusion of walking in endless darkness.

However, the illusion was quickly shattered.

The scenery suddenly opened up before him, and the open space on the cliff face jumped into Natsuki Subaru's view.

The towering, steep cliffs looked as if they had been carved into the forest by a giant claw mark. At the bottom of the cliffs were several huge boulders, and the cave where the Witch Cult was hiding was concealed in the largest of these boulders.

Natsuki Subaru glanced deeply into the dark, dense forest behind him.

Kobayashi should be able to see this.

After all, that person's eyesight is ridiculously strong.

"—We've been waiting for you, my beloved believer!"

A sound of madness and joy came from ahead.

Hollow eye sockets sunken into a haggard face, dark green hair and dry skin revealing an unhealthy color, and hands extending from the black robes as withered as dead wood.

She was probably only in her thirties, but her lifeless appearance made her look like she was fifty years old.

If someone who didn't know the situation saw this, they would definitely tell the man in front of them to stop applying glue.

Natsuki Subaru, who knew his identity, showed fear and resistance in the face of those eyes that were staring at him with overwhelming madness and were shining brightly.

"I am Petelgeuse Romani-Conti, Archbishop of Sin in the Cult of the Witches... that is it!"

Saliva dripped from the tip of his tongue, which was sticking out of his mouth. The crazed man chuckled as if welcoming Subaru Natsuki's arrival and loudly announced his name.

Natsuki Subaru placed his hand on his chest.

It's incredible that I found myself unusually calm in front of my enemy.

There was a time when I harbored such deep hatred for him, and even cursed him to kill him, to kill the culprit behind all of this.

I doubt that in my short life, there will be anyone more hateful than this man.

"Welcome, my beloved! How wonderful... Ah, how wonderful! How deep is the love that entwines you! How burning is the love that embraces you! Thank you! Thank you so much!"

As Subaru Natsuki was filled with emotion, Sloth had already descended into madness.

He shook his head, blood dripping from the back of his scratched hand, his frenzied emotions reaching their peak, his passion erupting.

I've seen this insane side of him once when I was filled with terror, and once when I was filled with hostility. Now, for the third time, Subaru Natsuki finally felt the disgust that a normal person could understand.

Take a deep breath and calm yourself down.

"The unexpectedly warm welcome scared me a little; I don't really have a real feeling about that thing called pampering."

"It's not your fault; for most people, it just happens so suddenly. Everyone will one day discover that they are loved. And once they do, they can never let go of that love. Yes, because love is everything! —My brain is trembling!"

The Sloth Archbishop, Pepertius, poured out his joy, spreading his blood-stained arms and passionately praising a love that was both twisted and utterly straightforward. Both his actions and his tone were incredibly chilling.

Natsuki Subaru genuinely wanted to end the conversation immediately.

"Then, what should I do?"

"Of the six seats of the Archbishop of Sin, only Pride remains vacant! You must be Pride, right? You should have received the Gospel, shouldn't you?"

Petruccius's question left Subaru Natsuki completely bewildered.

It's good that he knows there's a void of arrogance in the great sins of the clergy, but he has absolutely no idea what the gospel is. How can he possibly fool people like that?

However, the other person had already taken out a book from their pocket and started flipping through it.

"—Listen, the gospel!"

Without a doubt, that is the so-called gospel.

"Come, come, listen to the revelation of the Gospel, seek the evidence of favor..."

However, after reading it, his fervor gradually faded, replaced by doubt and confusion.

"Your existence is not recorded in my Gospels. So why have you appeared here, and what gospel will you bring to me?"

"Oh, so that book is called the Gospel! You should have said so earlier!"

Natsuki Subaru pretended to put his hand inside his robes.

Of course, there wasn't even a single piece of paper, let alone a book.

At his feint, the Archbishop of Sloth's crazed pupils contracted slightly, and Subaru Natsuki immediately understood that it was time to break ties.

and so--

"Oh no, I'm so sorry."

"what happened?"

"My gospel got dirty when the pot holder got dirty, so I threw it away."

“————!!!”

Petelgeuse froze upon hearing Subaru's offensive reply, then quickly transformed it into an insult in his mind, revealing a fierce expression.

The madman screamed with a reptilian expression as shadows burst forth.

"Proof of favor! The power of laziness! The invisible hand—!!!"

Numerous black arms shot into the sky.

It is an invisible demonic hand that can easily destroy the human body and is invisible to ordinary people.

The hand flew through the air, like a snake's head twisting and aiming at Subaru Natsuki below. The black shadowy hand danced like a whip, then its tip suddenly accelerated and rushed towards the ground.

The black fingers were about to touch Subaru Natsuki.

Even though they could see it and dodge it, they still stood tall and showed no fear whatsoever.