Chapter 81.2
But then, what would he have to do to clear the Second Trial? Unlike the First Trial, he couldn’t figure it out at all .
[Subaru: Just thinking about it won’t get me anywhere . ……I just have to do the things that I can do]
Shaking his head and clenching his indecisive heart, Subaru stood up . He pressed his hand against the mossy wall behind him and peered into the dark entrance of the Tomb .
He had been pondering here alone, with neither Patrasche or Otto at his side .
Embarrassed by the sheer stupidity of their last exchange, he had asked Otto to bring Patrasche back to the stables . In the end, although it consoled him to see Patrasche’s concerned gaze as she left, Subaru needed some time alone to sort over the various thoughts on his mind .
[Subaru: The primary problems that need addressing are the Sanctuary and the Mansion . In the Sanctuary are the Trials, Garfiel, and the Great Rabbit . In the Mansion are Beatrice and Elsa…… I’m fighting on too many fronts here]
With not a single solution in sight, he was just about falling into despair . But this was no time to be despairing . He must steadily eliminate his problems, one at a time―― while no longer treating his life as if it were disposable .
[Subaru: First is to confirm the status of the Trials . If the Second Trial has just started then all’s well, but if it’s completed and the Third Trial has started, that’s even better]
At least, if he could remove the Barrier sooner, that would help the situation greatly . He should start thinking about how to move Garfiel as well . In the worst case, when the Great Rabbit attacks, they’ll be able to escape outside . Even Garfiel wouldn’t be so stubborn when he is faced with the Great Rabbit .
Removing the Barrier would move the problems of the Sanctuary closer to resolution .
Thinking to this point, a faint glimmer of hope opened before Subaru’s eyes, bringing with it relief .
He had been racking his brain over the endless problems, but now he finally saw something that could be leading to the answer .
[Subaru: ――――]
Standing at the entrance of the Tomb, Subaru held his breath as he gazed into the darkness of the stone corridor .
If he enters, the Trial would start, and he may be faced with another present that was not to be . Subaru could never get used to those scenes, no matter how many times he saw them .
But he knew that he was not allowed to ignore or forget them .
If he cannot escape, then he must face that challenge .
Subaru inhaled a deep breath, held it inside, and stepped forward .
Venturing into the Tomb, he would challenge the Trials and release the Sanct――
[Subaru: ――――!?]
The moment he stepped inside, a sensation swept over him like a punch to the skull .
Intense nausea surged up, wrenching out the contents of his stomach as he choked on its bile . He coughed, but no matter how much he did so his body would not be appeased .
Alarms, alarms, the alarm bells were ringing .
Caught in this cycle of discord and dissonance, Subaru panted as he tumbled towards the Tomb’s exterior . Instinctively, he knew . If he takes one step deeper inside, the torment racking his body would explode in ferocity .
[Subaru: U, gh…… hha, ph, ua]
Tumbling out of the Tomb and throwing his hands onto the grass, Subaru puked over and over .
The moment his body completely exited the Tomb, the agony tormenting his body fell away . The headache, the nausea, the numbness of his limbs all faded as Subaru looked up with his teary eyes,
[Subaru: A… ugh…… what was… that……?]
He looked to the entrance, but just as he reached out his hand to crawl towards it, a primordial rejection rose inside him .
It wasn’t in fear of the trauma from the Trial or anything of the sort . ――It was simply that he understood that the Tomb had rejected him .
[Subaru: What, is……]
It rejected him . Understanding this, Subaru immediately realized what had happened to him .
Patrasche was injured when she went inside to bring him out . Roswaal was severely wounded when he went in to challenge the Trials . The Tomb rejects those who lack the qualifications to challenge the Trials . And it had just done so to Subaru .
[Subaru: That can’t be…… I mean, that would……]
Standing up, tottering, Subaru mustered the courage to face the Tomb once more .
But, in just one step, the moment his foot entered the headache and nausea returned as the overwhelming malaise crushed him so that he couldn’t even stand .
[Subaru: Hha…… hha, hhah……h]
Stumbling back drawing ragged breaths, Subaru pulled away from the entrance of the Tomb . This attempt only confirmed what he had already realized .
[Subaru: That… vile……]
Floating into his mind was the white-haired Witch in her funerary dress .
At their parting, surely, she was asking Subaru,
“Will you take my hand, or will you take Satella’s?”
And Subaru turned down her hand to choose Satella’s .
If this was her revenge for his choice, then that’s just far too――
[Subaru: And just when I thought……!]
In the very, very end, that apparent gesture of goodwill that had made him almost think fondly of her,
{Echidona: ――You’re not wrong in the least?}
Hearing the mischievous voice of the Witch he should not be hearing, he turned his head to the sky,
[Subaru: Revoking my qualifications…… you said nothing about this, ECHIDONAAA!!!]
――Natsuki Subaru had lost the qualifications to challenge the Trials to liberate the Sanctuary .