That protagonist is trash; I could do better!

Chapter 120 The Yandere Satella

In the brightly lit hall of the luxurious mansion, everyone except the unconscious Ram and the out-of-town Roswaal was gathered, their eyes fixed on Shinji Matou.

The blonde loli Betty stood in front of Shinji Matou, proudly raising her chin and cautiously asking with her hands on her hips: "Although the scent of a witch on you is indeed very strong right now, even Betty doesn't want to get close to you. You still need some preparation to attract all of Urgarum. Please answer me honestly: don't you feel anything unusual about your body? It's not difficult for ordinary mages to sense the aura of a witch. The so-called witch aura is caused by witch factors."

“I’m sorry, but I still don’t have a general understanding of the witch’s aura you mentioned.” Shinji Matou shook his head. Ever since he learned that he had some witch’s aura, he had tried to find it through alchemy, but to no avail.

Betty's expression grew increasingly serious: "The only explanation is that you've gotten used to it. Just like humans depend on air and fish can only survive in water, you've been blessed by the witch, and your body and soul have adapted to the witch's genes. I don't want to have anything to do with that witch at all. There's only one way to make you a suitable bait."

"continue."

"Humans only realize the preciousness of air when they can't breathe, and fish know they can't survive without water. Betty can't free you from the witch's favor, but opening a hole to let you temporarily experience the real world shouldn't be a problem."

“Shinji-san…” Emilia stared at Matou Shinji, her delicate hands clenching tightly with worry.

Beside her, Rem hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't.

Shinji Matou nodded: "Alright, I've also been curious about what you mean by witch aura."

"Without further ado, Betty, let's begin now. The process may be a little painful, so please bear with it." Betty walked up to Shinji Matou, placed her small hand on Shinji's stomach, and a faint light shone from her palm.

Hmm...

Shinji Matou's face stiffened slightly. He felt as if a gash had been cut open in his stomach, and his magical power was rapidly draining away, all of which was being absorbed into Betty's palm. In this world, magical power was equivalent to life force, and the loss of life force was often accompanied by intense pain. Now, Shinji Matou felt as if his body had been forcibly straightened and fixed, and then thrown into a high-speed shredder. Every muscle fiber, bone, and blood vessel was trembling.

Shinji Matou gasped, nearly losing his balance, and groaned in pain, "This is far more painful than death..."

While complaining, Shinji Matou suddenly sensed something was wrong. The world before him was shrouded in a layer of black and gray, time stood still, his Mystic Eyes activated, and he looked around and saw a black liquid enveloping his body, like ink poured into clear water.

"This is the aura of a witch, the essence of a witch."

Shinji Matou suddenly understood what the so-called Witch Factor was. This power had been integrated into the world, seeping out from matter, magic, and space, and it was essentially a kind of inhibitory force.

Shinji Matou couldn't sense the witch's presence because he was enveloped by her the moment he arrived in this world, to the point that he considered the witch's essence as part of this world.

In a world where time stands still, Shinji Matou's Mystic Eyes shone with unprecedented brilliance as he saw black smoke gather into an arm, spreading to Betty's side and disappearing into her left chest.

That location is where the heart is.

At the same time, Shinji Matou also felt a faint sense of danger surrounding his body.

Having survived countless battles and faced death in numerous worlds, Shinji Matou remained unmoved and shouted in a deep voice, "Stop!"

The arm formed from the gathering smoke suddenly stiffened and then dissipated back into smoke.

Within the still world, black smoke was drawn together to form a black fog gate, from which a girl dressed in a long black gothic dress emerged. She had silver hair and pointed ears, and her appearance was at least nine-tenths similar to Emilia. Her expression was indifferent, and a mysterious smile appeared on her lips.

Satella, the Witch of Envy, has really appeared? Wasn't she sealed away? Or is it an illusion?

Shinji Matou's mind raced. He glanced back at Emilia, then looked at the witch who had suddenly appeared in front of him. He said calmly, "I thought Emilia was just using a metaphor when she said she looked like you. Jealous witch Satella, can you tell me why you've taken a liking to me?"

The only difference between the jealous witch Satella and Emilia is their clothes and temperament. The former is eerie and mysterious, while the latter is pure and innocent, as if they have stepped into two completely opposite extremes.

The jealous witch Satella remained silent as she slowly approached Matou Shinji, turning the ground black wherever she went. She stretched out her pale right hand and gently stroked Matou Shinji's face, her movements as tender as if she were touching a long-lost lover.

To her intimate gestures, Shinji Matou could only feel wisps of icy coldness seeping into his body, devouring his life force.

Damn it! If this wasn't intentional on her part, then the very existence of a so-called witch is a calamity.

The Witch of Jealousy, Satella, tiptoed and leaned close to Shinji Matou's ear, whispering obsessively, "Even a tiny fingertip, a piece of skin, a slice of bark, a strand of hair, a drop of sweat, a drop of saliva, a word, a breath, a fleeting expression of emotion—all of it, all of it, all of it... belongs to me... I love you."

What the hell?

Shinji Matou was taken aback, his expression turning strange. He realized he had encountered a yandere character. Disdainfully, he took a few steps back from the witch and scoffed, "Do people in this world like to talk to themselves? I don't even know who you are, and I don't belong to anyone."

A typical Yuno Gasai-style yandere.

Matou Shinji has seen plenty of small-scale situations. No matter what kind of thing the Witch of Envy Satella is, Matou Shinji has never liked this kind of thing. The worst outcome is just death anyway. He doesn't have many ties in this world right now. At most, failing to clear the game will just result in a deduction of points.

The jealous witch Satella stood still, her expression remaining largely unchanged, silently watching Matou Shinji.

"My personal principle is equal exchange. If you want something from me, you must give something in return," Shinji Matou said, his voice growing deeper. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the surrounding black fog thickening, almost to the point where he couldn't see his own hand in front of his face.

Shadows surged from behind the Witch of Jealousy, Satella, spreading to the ground, writhing, and devouring Shinji Matou's legs.

Shinji Matou felt a strange, uncontrollable surge of emotion welling up within him. His feelings became complex and mixed, and he vaguely heard the cries of thousands of different voices—children, youths, men, women, and the elderly…

Madness, anger, fear, despair...

Shinji Matou understood that these voices came from the half of the world that had been devoured by the Witch of Envy, Satella.

Most humans would go insane in less than a second if they fell into this state, but Shinji Matou, having experienced the "evil of this world" in the mud, was unimpressed by this level of mental pollution.

Shinji Matou watched coldly, awaiting the judgment of the jealous witch Satella before him, without making any futile struggles. The current situation was almost like being confronted by the spirit Scáthach, a god of spirit origin, right after he had just transmigrated into the Type-Moon world.

In the final moment before his consciousness was pulled into a vortex of madness, Shinji Matou clearly heard Satella's soft, sorrowful whisper: "Someday, I hope you can kill me."

Damn, it's another one who's tired of living and wants to die.

The novel is not finished yet, and many plot holes and settings are still unclear, so I dare not write more.

I looked up many settings, but I still couldn't grasp the right balance, so I could only choose a more general way of writing it.

Furthermore, the story will likely only go up to the anime's plot.

After all, many people's understanding of Re:Zero is limited to the anime. They might fill in the gaps when the second season comes out, since they can ride the wave of popularity, lol.

Continuing to write the novel would make it too easy for the original work to contradict itself.

The picture isn't Emilia, it's Satella.

Chapter 121 Bait

Shinji Matou regained consciousness, broke free from the vortex of emotions, and vaguely heard voices around him.

"It stinks! It really stinks! You're quite popular with witches." Betty complained, pinching her nose, and backed away from Shinji Matou.

Emilia stepped forward and asked with concern, "Shinji-san? Shinji-san! Are you alright?"

The blue-haired maid Rem was confused and clenched her hands: "What happened? The witch aura on Lord Shinji has suddenly become much stronger."

Coming to his senses, Shinji Matou wiped his forehead, which was covered in cold sweat, and looked at Betty, asking slowly, "Didn't you say that Satella had been sealed away?"

"Of course, what do you mean by that?"

Just as Shinji Matou was about to explain, he vaguely felt the aura of a witch surging into his body, his hands and feet turning cold. He was certain that as soon as he opened his mouth, he would be devoured by the power of the jealous witch Satella.

Damn!

As his consciousness was being pulled apart by the vortex of madness, Shinji Matou had already completed an equivalent exchange with the Witch of Envy, Satella. In exchange for killing Satella, Shinji Matou gained the useless ability of death reincarnation.

After a while, Shinji Matou shook his head in frustration: "This is really inexplicable. I can't explain it in detail. Let's go and eliminate those monsters first."

Betty seemed to understand the deeper meaning behind Matou Shinji's words and said gloatingly, "You've had it tough too."

As Shinji Matou and Rem left the mansion, Emilia's voice came from behind: "Please be careful, Rem, Mr. Shinji."

In the front yard of the mansion, Shinji Matou asked Rem beside him, "Rem, can you fly?"

"No, although wind magic can achieve flight briefly, its actual effect is not as good as Lord Roswaal's."

Shinji Matou crouched down, touched the ground with both hands, and magical energy flowed out to form a transmutation circle. He then threw the deluxe books he had just brought from the mansion into the circle.

Splash splash splash splash~

The thick book was quickly opened, and countless pages fluttered down, forming a biplane in the air.

Shinji Matou jumped up and extended his right hand to Rem: "Come on up."

"Lord Shinji, what is this?"

"Wind-powered aircraft."

"Aircraft?"

Rem grabbed Shinji Matou's right hand and boarded the aircraft. The space was a bit cramped, so she had to stand close to Shinji Matou and curiously examine the aircraft. The structure was similar to that of a bird with outstretched wings. The wings on both sides were made up of book pages, and you could see the text on them. There was a section of wingplate at the end of the wing that could be adjusted freely. The center of the wing, which was below where the two of them were standing, was open.

The structure of this aircraft was designed by Shinji Matou based on the anime "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind," and it can be easily driven by strong winds using wind-attribute magic.

Shinji Matou himself can fly, but he used alchemy to create this flying machine in order to increase his speed and to bring Rem with him.

"Hold on tight!"

Shinji Matou gave the order, gathering magical energy to activate the spell. A strong gust of wind shot out from the vent, startling Rem.

"Yes!"

Rem clung tightly to Shinji Matou's clothes, seeking a sense of security.

In less than five minutes, the two people standing on the aircraft saw the lights of the village.

"Over there! Ram was attacked by monsters on her way back from the village! Go ask the villagers, they'll definitely find out. We need to kill those monsters quickly," Rem said angrily.

Shinji Matou glanced at Rem, having gotten a pretty good feel for her personality after spending a few days with her. He patted her head and said, "Calm down. It's precisely because Ram is currently unconscious that we need to rely on your strength even more. Losing your composure is never a good thing."

"sorry."

As the aircraft flew over the village, Shinji Matou embraced Rem's slender waist. The paper aircraft beneath their feet transformed into pages and scattered, causing the two to fall from the sky.

"Lord Shinji!"

Rem wrapped her arms around Shinji Matou's neck and was relieved to see that Shinji Matou didn't seem nervous at all.

Just as they were about to hit the ground, an invisible strong wind surrounded their bodies, reducing the force of their fall, and they landed right in front of a villager who was holding a torch and walking hurriedly.

He looked up at the sky in surprise and saw pages falling. He recognized Rem, the maid who often came to the village to buy supplies, and hesitated before saying, "You're from Lord Roswaal's household..."

"Maid Rem, this is Lord Roswaal's guest. He's here on some important business. May I ask what's going on?"

The villagers nodded quickly: "The children in the village have suddenly disappeared, and all the adults in the village are looking for them."

Shinji Matou looked towards the west side of the village and asked, "Is this village protected by something like a barrier?"

Rem nodded: "Any human settlement will have a barrier set up to protect it from monsters."

“Come with me. I just saw something unusual about the barrier protecting this village from the air. There might be clues there.”

Rem and the villagers quickly followed Shinji Matou to the edge of the village. Sure enough, they found a large number of children's footprints behind the wooden fence. The crystals placed on the tree trunks at the edge of the village were dull and lifeless, indicating that part of the barrier had been damaged.

"It really is here! If we follow the footprints, we'll definitely find those monsters!" Rem said bitterly, her blue eyes glowing red.

Sigh, is there something wrong with my parenting style?

Shinji Matou sighed inwardly, no longer delaying, and calmly ordered Rem: "We'll split up. I'll go first to make sure the child is safe."

Please be careful.