Wish Upon a Sin

Arc 2 - Chapter 10

"What?" Subaru asked, hardly believing his ears. "What do you mean, 'Who's Marcos'?"

He couldn't understand it. He could barely think straight, but the sheer insanity of the question had shocked him into some form of rationality. Or perhaps it was the influence of Alexander's Divine Protection.

"I need you to take deep breaths," Alexander said. He guided Subaru into a seat, and got down on one foot to bring himself to a more equal level.

Subaru could hear Emilia crying nearby, overlapping with Felt's voice trying to comfort her. Were they somehow friends now? Or had Velia rubbed off on the young candidate in the time they had known each other?

Velia is dead. The thought came to him with every beat of his pounding heart. She's dead, she's dead, I saw her die. I— I need to reset. I've failed, but— but I still need— I still want—

"Subaru I don't know anyone named Marcos." Alexander talked to him, his words warding off the storm brewing in his mind. "The one we just saw die was..." he hesitated, and switched tracks, "Was Marcos someone you knew?"

"What do you mean? I just saw him, what are you saying? Or wait, do you not know his name? He was the Captain of the Knights, he's the strongest aside from Reinhard!"

Alexander tilted his head, a mildly worried expression on his face. "Sir Julius, I believe he's worse than I thought," he said, looking over his shoulder. "Just for confirmation, there's no one with that name in the records?"

The purple-haired knight walked over, and looked down at Subaru with concern. "I'm afraid not. I know the names of every Captain of the Knights that has ever served, and none of them were named Marcos. Perhaps he's getting confused with a different position?"

"What!?" Subaru exclaimed. "So you just saw him lose a fight, and now you're going to strike his name from the records! What kind of messed up system is that!?"

Julius shook his head. "Subaru, you don't understand. The current Captain of the Knights is Sir Heinkel, who is leading the defence of the palace. He's served in that position for years."

"Please calm down," Alexander said. "Was this a vision? Did you see something? Where is Marcos now?"

"Wait," Otto spoke up, drawing their attention. He rubbed his forehead with his hand, and looked at Subaru carefully. "Subaru, I want you to answer this question fully before you start accusing me of anything. What fight did we just see this 'Marcos' lose?"

"Eh?" Frustration built up in him, but...

Otto always knew how to handle a situation. He would make things right, if Subaru just cooperated. "He just fought the Sin Archbishop of Gluttony. He was about to win, before that other cultist attacked!"

Otto nodded. "I see. Alexander, could you explain what happened in the fight against Gluttony from your perspective?"

"From his perspective?" Subaru asked. Was Otto trying to pull something as well? What was the point of that question? "What do you mean by that? We just saw it!"

"I recall a very different version of events than what you have shared," Alexander said. "Gluttony appeared after Sloth was defeated, but he wasn't able to get close to the knights, and once he retreated, they had the chance to make a break for it. Unfortunately, that seemed to be their plan, they were ambushed as they fled. There's just no room for another knight to have been a part of it."

"Wha—? You mean you really..." Subaru paused, trying to wrap his head around the concept, "you really don't remember?"

"It appears that there is some disconnect between our recollections, yes," Otto answered. "Out of interest, did anyone else see that fallen green-haired man in armour appear when the retreat started?"