Re Zero DMMS 76 (Patreon)

Ram stood frozen in place, her pupils long since contracted to the size of pinpoints.

She squatted down tremblingly, her fingertips touching that pool of mutilated flesh, and upon sensing the residual mana, the psychological defenses in her heart completely collapsed.

"This mana... it truly belongs to Roswaal-sama..."

How much Ram wished she did not have to believe it at this moment, how much she wanted to think she had just mistaken it, and that perhaps someone else had similar mana.

Yet, day after day and night after night of replenishing mana, feeling the mana transmitted from the fingertips of each other at every single moment—how could she possibly mistake such an exquisitely familiar feeling?

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she knelt spiritlessly on the ground, staring blankly at that pool of mutilated flesh.

A few seconds later, she looked up with bloodshot eyes and asked in a hoarse voice, "How... how did Roswaal-sama die?"

Watching the touching drama before him, Kenma could not help but sigh at the deep bond between the two.

"Roswaal and I went to the Sanctuary, and ended up running into the Sin Archbishop of Greed there. Roswaal got instantly killed."

Every single sentence he said was the truth, yet strung together, they sounded so absurd.

"Is that so."

Ram lowered her head once more, stroking the fragments of purple robes clinging to the surface of the mutilated flesh, while tears dropped to the ground.

"If it was a Sin Archbishop of the Witch Cult, then there is nothing that could be done, right..."

Just at this moment, another person walked out from the front door.

Emilia walked out clad in a purple nightgown. She looked at the chaotic scene at the entrance, momentarily at a loss for what to do.

During those two hours, she had been personally sent back by Roswaal. Without even using a dragon carriage, he had brought her straight back to the mansion using flight magic.

After asking a few questions, she understood the whole story and took two steps back in disbelief.

"Roswaal has turned into this state?!"

Emilia's face was full of shock, evidently finding it hard to believe that Roswaal, the strongest magic caster in the kingdom, had actually died.

Roswaal at this point in time had not yet committed his subsequent evil deeds.

In the eyes of Emilia, he was still the benefactor who had led her out of the forest and provided her with more alternative paths to choose from.

Yet now, he had turned into a huge pool of mutilated flesh, smeared all over the ground.

Looking at the two flustered women, Kenma suddenly thought of something.

Come to think of it, where was Rem?

When Kenma asked Emilia, though she was somewhat surprised as to why Kenma knew Rem, she still replied as follows.

"Rem has already passed away."

At this moment, Kenma discovered that, because he had not participated in the main storyline, Emilia's camp—composed of a group of eccentric powerhouses—had encountered major problems.

With an indifferent Roswaal, a useless Emilia, and Ram whose powers were sealed, the only one capable of holding the line was Rem.

Sometime ago, the sealing barrier failed, and a large number of mabeasts from the forest invaded the village. Ram and Rem went to meet the enemy.

As it happened, neither Roswaal nor Emilia was present at that time, and since Ram's powers were sealed, her combat strength could not be considered great.

To cover the retreat of her elder sister and protect the villagers, Rem activated her oni horn state and fought desperately against the invading mabeasts.

But she had limits. Rem had resisted the invasion of the mabeast horde almost single-handedly, but eventually exhausted her strength and fell into a situation where she was surrounded and attacked.

She held on until Roswaal returned before collapsing, and ultimately could not be saved.

It could be said that if not for her sacrifice, the people of the entire mansion and village would have long been dealt with.

After hearing the tragic story of sacrifice regarding Rem, Kenma nodded, bypassed Emilia, and led Shaula into the mansion.

He did not feel any particular emotion, nor would he have any thoughts of self-blame like Rem dying because he had not participated in the main storyline.

A faction composed of a bunch of civil-war specialists like this was bound to fall apart at the slightest sign of trouble.

Even excluding Kenma himself, if it were any of the other three factions relying solely on their subordinates, resolving Meili would be a piece of cake.

Come to think of it, where was that great spirit Beatrice?

Looking at the overlapping layers of rooms inside the mansion, Kenma could not help but lose his composure for a moment.

Forget it, let's just try opening all the doors.

—

Meanwhile, outside the mansion.

Just as Emilia was about to go comfort the sobbing Ram, the pendant on her chest flickered with a faint light a few times.

Immediately afterwards, Puck's voice s

ounded in her mind.

"Lia, that person named Natsuki Subaru just now—the lingering scent of the witch on him is even stronger than that of a Sin Archbishop. Is he really the Divine Dragon's Envoy?"

Hearing Puck's questioning words, Emilia shook her head, a hint of worry revealing itself in her eyes.

"I do not know."

For Emilia, what happened today was inexplicable.

First, she was discriminated against during the royal selection, and Roswaal, who served as her behind-the-scenes supporter, did not come out to help, leaving her to be questioned by the nobles.

Then, after the royal selection meeting concluded, Roswaal wanted to talk alone with that new royal selection candidate, Natsuki Subaru.

After sending her back to the mansion, he went out to take care of some business, and when he came back, he turned into a lump of mutilated flesh.

What in the world is all this!

Meanwhile, within the space of the gem.

Puck hovered above the white radiance, his eyes grave.

That Natsuki Subaru was terrifyingly strong. Even before he had stepped into the mansion—just by appearing within one kilometer around it—he could feel that terrifying aura.

Although Kenma never showed any killing intent from beginning to end, Puck never lowered his guard for a moment.

He was almost certain that if he really intended to do anything unfavorable to Lia, his current state wouldn't even allow him to stop him.