COTE X Re: Zero: A Demon's Isekai

Confrontations.

A few minutes after the loop reset, Subaru POV: 

"Witch's Cult...Petelgeuse and an attack on Roswaal's mansion." Ayanokouji summarized, scratching his chin. "Is this all of it?" He asked. I nodded. 

"That's as much as that happened. Then you two jumped in and bailed me out." I told them. Ryuuen shrugged. 

"Pointless as it was. You died anyways." He said. I raised an eyebrow. Was that a little bit of guilt in him? Nah, I'm overthinking it. "So, what's the plan now?" 

"We need to act first, and act fast. I've given you the information. Ayanokouji, you're the brains here." I told him. "Think you can figure out a plan? I want to bring Crusch into this." 

"It won't work." Ayanokouji stopped me instantly. I looked at him, confused. "She doesn't stand to gain anything from this. Even going as far to stake Emilia's candidacy is pointless. Bringing a competitor for the throne to help us is a showcase of our own incompetence." 

"Basically, if we bring Crusch in, it means that we aren't shit. In the eyes of everyone else, that makes us unworthy." Ryueen summarized for me. He wouldn't have done it in the past. Am I starting to grow on him? "Give me that weird look again and I'll break your face." 

Or not. My bad. 

"Any of the other candidates?" I asked. "Reinhard?"

"He's away." Ayanokouji said. "I met him some time back." Shit. This isn't good. 

"Wait, there is one more." I said, realizing it. "What about Prisc-?" 

"No." 

Ryueen and I both stared at Ayanokouji in shock.

"What do you mean-?"

"No." He said, adamant. Ryueen raised an eyebrow. Ayanokouji looked away. 

"No fucking way." Ryueen threw his hands up in the air. "A third?!" Wait a minute...that means...

"You and Priscilla?!" I yelled. Ayanokouji sighed. 

"It's not like that. I have no romantic interest in her." Ayanokouji said. "She's not trustworthy." 

"You might not be interested but the T-Rex sure is." Ryueen coughed. 

What the hell does T-Rex mean? Enough of this, focus. 

"We need to get rid of those cultists." I growled. "No matter what, we need to fucking kill them all." 

 "Kill them all, or save Emilia?" Ayanokouji asked. Huh? What is he on about? "You want revenge for Rem, but don't let that cloud your judgement. The angrier you get, the worse this is going to go. Rein it in." 

"What the hell are you talking about?" I glared at him. "A lot of people are going to die, don't you see that? Who in their right mind wouldn't be angry?"

"Someone who actually cares about the people's lives, and not two people." Ryueen told me, standing right in front of my face. I had to look up at him. "Or is it one? Emilia, or Rem?" 

"Y-you can't put me in a spot like that!" I cried out, backing away. I felt someone behind me, and turned. Huh? When did Ayanokouji get behind me? 

"You're weak, Subaru." He told me. As if I don't fucking know that. "You can't handle these problems yourself, which is why you need allies. But, you can't have allies when you don't have a clear head on your shoulders. Calm down." 

"Calm down?!" I yelled at him. "How can I fucking calm down when they killed her?! They didn't just kill her, they tortured her! How can you even know what it feels like, when you weren't there?!"