Wish Upon a Sin

Arc3 - Chapter 2

The air around the table shimmered, as if a heatwave had enveloped the two of them. The ambient sounds of the tavern had gone quiet, smothered and indistinct as if they were suddenly very far away.

Subaru hadn't even sensed the magic being activated, but the cause was clear.

Roswaal had decided that their discussion was going to be private.

"Weeell?" Roswaal asked, dragging the word out far too long. "I hope you haven't called me out here for no reason. I am very busy, and ordinaaarily I would never go out of my way to attend this meeting."

His face was uncharacteristically stern, and while his tone was still lilting, Subaru felt it was more tense than usual.

"But consiiidering that you did help Miss Emilia," he continued, "I decided to humour your request. So please, speak. Tell me, for what reason did you requiiire my attention?"

Subaru resisted the urge to gulp. His throat was dry, and he felt like choking.

His hand reflexively went to his chest.

No, it's fine. She didn't attack the last time I spoke to him. I just need to be sure I don't acknowledge my ability. Which means the only way to start this is...

He took a slow breath to steady his nerves, then looked Roswaal in the eye.

"The Warlock was vanquished by B."

The words reeked of some sort of code phrase. What information it contained to the man sitting before him, Subaru had no way of knowing, but he had nothing better to say. He wanted to have as honest a discussion as possible, so he'd go along with the words Roswaal had spoken in the previous loop. For now, anyway.

Roswaal went completely still at his words, his eyes locked on Subaru, yet not seeming to see him at all.

Finally, after what seemed like minutes, he closed one eye, and focused on Subaru properly with his single yellow orb.

"That is not something I would reveal lightly," he said, his voice flat and even. "It is not something you could learn from anyone but me, has no significance to any but two, and yet, I have never met you before."

He paused, waiting for Subaru to fill the silence.

Since Subaru did not, he continued, "I have not met you. But you have met me. I was correct, then. You have the power to Redo."

Subaru couldn't help but wince as he said the word, instinctively clutching his chest. But no shadows came to swallow the world, no hands reached out to grasp his heart. Wherever the witch was choosing to draw the line, he hadn't crossed it yet.

His momentary lapse hasn't gone unnoticed. Roswaal's eye went to the hand still held at his chest, and he sighed.

"And I suppose I was correct as to the source of this power. A most jealous patron."

Subaru froze. Roswaal had not said anything he hadn't in the last loop, nothing the Witch hadn't permitted before, but it took three long breaths before Subaru was certain she wasn't coming.

"I... I can't say," he finally stuttered. He took another breath, and tried to compose himself. "Who... who else knows?"

Roswaal tilted his head. "I can't say."

Subaru felt a flash of frustration at the answer, but Roswaal raised a hand to forestall his words.

"Not because I wish to hold that information back, though of course I cannot reveal everything to a man of unknown temperament, especially one with such a power."