Re:Zero All Sins

Subaru hid his surprise well, but internally, he was just as shocked as the witches screaming in his head.

Bodyguard? That was unexpected.

It wasn't a bad deal, though. In fact, this role gave him more freedom than being a butler. Instead of being stuck cleaning and running errands, he could move around more freely and investigate things. Not to mention, he'd be close to Emilia at all times, which meant he could steer events in a better direction.

Still, there was something off about Roswaal. His eyes held amusement, but there was also calculation. He's testing me.

Subaru smiled and leaned back slightly. "Being Emilia's bodyguard, huh? Sounds like a lot of responsibility."

Roswaal chuckled, resting his chin on his hand. "Ooooh, but I dooo believe you are up to the taaask~ After aaaall, you already demonstrated your capabilities against Elsa."

Subaru glanced at Emilia, who looked… hopeful? She really wanted him to stay.

Damn his Lustful Allure skill.

Rem and Ram, however, were unreadable. Ram, as usual, had a deadpan expression, and Rem looked neutral, but Subaru could tell she was analyzing him.

He sighed dramatically. "Well, I was going to say I'd need time to think about it, but… sure. I'll be Emilia's bodyguard."

Emilia smiled. "Really? That's great!"

Pandora hummed in his mind. ["A smart move. Now you have access to Roswaal's mansion, resources, and protection. But remember—Roswaal is playing his own game. Watch him closely."]

Subaru nodded mentally. He wasn't about to let his guard down around the clown.

Roswaal clapped his hands together. "Splendid~ Then from this mooooment on, you are officially Emilia-sama's bodyguard."

Ding!

[Quest Completed: Audience with Roswaal!

Objective: Meet Roswaal and avoid getting in trouble.

Reward: 2 death Points, 20 Sin Point +2% to all abilities]

Ding!

[New Role Acquired: Emilia's Bodyguard]

[Benefits: Increased Authority, Access to Roswaal's Mansion, Priority in Decision-Making Regarding Emilia's Safety.]

[New Quest Added: "Unravel Roswaal's Intentions."]

Subaru grinned. "Well, in that case, I should probably start by getting to know the mansion better, right?"

Roswaal smirked. "Ooooh, of course. Ram and Rem can shooow you arooound."

As Subaru stood up, he felt something soft brush against his mind—Pandora's presence fading back into the Hanging Garden.

["You're moving well, but be careful. The real game has just begun."]

And Subaru knew she was right.

Subaru then got up as he wonder what too do, as he thought of this

[Echidna spoke in his mind. "I say Investigate that clown (Roswaal) study while he is Distracted]

[Carmilla Spoke next in his mind. "N-no t-talk too Emilia]

[Minerva then spoke. "Go with the maids to explore this place, then do the other tree]

[Every witch went silent when Minerva gave the easy answers, as Satella then spoke. "Isn't Pandora asn Echidna ment too the smart one]

Subaru then looked at Rem and Ram. "I will go with you two too explore the Mantion".

The girls noded, as he walked with them, one by one all them left the room, with only Roswaal and Beatrice, as they looked at eachother as even Puck was the.

Roswaal then spoke looking at them. "You two also felt that correct".

Roswaal leaned back in his chair, his smile deepening as he exchanged glances with Beatrice and Puck.

Beatrice crossed her arms, her face scrunching in frustration. "Of course I felt it, in fact, I'd be worried if you didn't, in fact." Her eyes flickered toward the door Subaru had exited through. "There was something else there… something unnatural."

Puck, sitting on the table, tapped his paw against his chin. "I got chills down my spine, and that's saying something considering I don't even have one." His eyes narrowed. "Roswaal, what do you think?"

Roswaal's mismatched eyes gleamed with amusement. "Hoooh, isn't it interesting? Subaru-kun isn't just a simple outsider, nooo no no, he's something much more… entertaining."

Beatrice huffed. "You should be more cautious, in fact! That feeling… it was like something from the past." She bit her lip, recalling an old presence she hadn't felt in centuries.

Puck's ears twitched. "It wasn't the Witch of Envy… but it felt close."

Roswaal simply chuckled. "Now now, let's not be too hasty. For now, let's see how our little guest plays his role."

Meanwhile, Subaru with Rem and Ram

As Subaru followed Rem and Ram through the grand halls of the mansion, he took in every detail. His system helped him register everything faster, filing away exit routes, security weaknesses, and even the strange magical energy flowing through certain walls.

[Sin System Notification

New Area Discovered: Roswaal's Mansion

Hidden Magical Fields Detected

Library Location: Hidden, Requires Keyphrase to Enter]

Subaru mentally clicked his tongue. A hidden library, huh? That must be where Beatrice stays.

Ram led the way, speaking in her usual condescending tone. "Barusu, try not to touch anything. The last thing we need is an outsider breaking Master Roswaal's valuables."

Rem, in contrast, gave him a small smile. "But if you need help, please let me know."

Subaru chuckled. "I'll keep that in mind, Rem."

As they turned a corner, Subaru's instincts screamed at him. His Judgment's Gaze ability activated automatically.

[Danger Detected.

Presence: Concealed Hostile Entity]

Subaru's muscles tensed as he subtly scanned the area. What the hell?

Something—or someone—was watching them from the shadows.

[Pandora's voice echoed in his mind.]

"Careful, dear. It seems we're not alone."

Subaru adjusted his posture, pretending to yawn as he subtly reached for one of his daggers.

Ram glanced at him. "Hmph. Already tired? How lazy."

Subaru forced a smile. "Just stretching."

His mind raced. Who the hell is watching us? And why does it feel like… they're waiting for something?

For now, Subaru decided to play along. But deep inside, he knew—this mansion held more secrets than he expected.

And something dangerous was lurking in its shadows.

[Echidna then spoke in his mind, as she sense the presence. "It is probably the clown"]

Subaru then spoke mentally as he kept walking. "Oh just what I need, my boss spying on us, this is a HR violation".

[Sekhmet then spoke lazily as she spoke in his mind. "We don't have HR".]

Subaru spoke mentally, as his system allows too scan the whole place. "Yeah I know".

[Minerva then spoke. "Tch I knew there is a reason I don't like that clown"]

Subaru continued walking, keeping his posture relaxed despite the tension in his mind. His Sin System quietly processed data in the background, scanning the mansion's layout and magical fluctuations.

[System Notification

Detecting Active Surveillance Magic

Source: Roswaal L. Mathers

Countermeasures Available]

Subaru internally sighed. Of course, Roswaal is watching. This guy is worse than a creepy manager.

[Echidna chuckled in his mind. "You only just realized? He has been observing you from the moment you stepped in."]

Subaru rolled his eyes. "Yeah, but it's still annoying."

[Sekhmet yawned. "Just ignore him, or find a way to mess with him. That always works."]

[Minerva scoffed. "Tch. I still say punch him."]

[Carmilla mumbled. "T-that w-wouldn't be nice…"]

Subaru glanced at Rem and Ram, who were leading him through the mansion halls. He was careful not to let his inner conversation show on his face.

Ram eventually stopped in front of a door. "This is the mansion's archive. If you want to look at the history of the Mathers domain, you may find something useful here."

Subaru nodded, stepping inside. The room was dimly lit, lined with towering bookshelves filled with dusty tomes.

His Sin System immediately reacted.

[System Notification

New Area Discovered: Roswaal's Archive

Hidden Bookshelf Mechanism Detected

Trap Warning: Magical Alarm Set on Specific Books]

Subaru smirked. Oh, Roswaal, you sneaky bastard.

[Echidna hummed in his mind. "How interesting. I wonder what he's hiding?"]

[Satella's voice, barely above a whisper, echoed in his mind. "Be careful… something here is… wrong…"]

Subaru's smirk faded. If Satella was warning him, that meant something else was here. Something even Roswaal wasn't controlling.

He stepped further inside, his fingers brushing against a nearby book—then froze.

His [Judgment's Gaze] flared to life.

[Warning: Unknown Presence Detected.

Status: Watching. Observing. Waiting.]

Subaru swallowed. Great… just what I needed. Another problem.

He turned slightly, readying himself for whatever—or whoever—was lurking in the shadows of the archive.

Subaru then grabbed the book as he looked at the girls. "Is it ok if I borrow this Book".

Ram narrowed her eyes at the book in Subaru's hands. "That depends, Barusu. What exactly are you trying to do with it?"

Rem, ever the more accommodating one, nodded. "If it's for a good reason, I'm sure Roswaal-sama won't mind... probably."

Subaru glanced down at the book. His Sin System had already marked it as something important.

[System Notification

Book Identified: "The Forgotten Histories of the Mathers Domain"

Warning: Altered Text Detected

Possible Influence: Witch of Vanity]

Subaru stiffened. Witch of Vanity? That's Pandora's title… Why would a book in Roswaal's collection have traces of her?

[Echidna's voice sharpened in his mind. "That is not just any book, Subaru. You should be very careful with it."]

[Satella's whisper followed. "She… left her mark… be wary…"]

Subaru sighed. "Well, I wanted to read it, but now I'm feeling like it might bite me if I do."

Ram raised an eyebrow. "Are you ok Barusu?"

Subaru coughed, waving a hand dismissively. "Let's just say I have a bad feeling about this. But that just means I have to check it out."

Rem stepped forward. "If it's dangerous, maybe we should take it to Roswaal-sama first?"

Subaru immediately shook his head. "Yeah, no. If Roswaal knew about this book, he wouldn't have just left it lying around. This is something he missed. And that alone makes it worth checking out."

[Minerva clicked her tongue. "Tch. Just don't do anything reckless."]

[Sekhmet lazily muttered. "Too late."]

Ignoring them, Subaru carefully tucked the book under his arm. "Alright, let's move. We can read it somewhere safer—"

CRACK!

A sudden noise echoed from behind them. The bookshelves trembled slightly, as if something shifted within the shadows.

Subaru tensed. His Judgment's Gaze flared again.

[Warning: Presence is Moving.

Status: No Longer Observing. Now Approaching.]

His grip on the book tightened.

"Uh… guys?" Subaru said, his voice dropping. "I think we have company."

Ram's expression darkened. Rem instinctively reached for her flail.

Then, from the depths of the archive, something moved.

Subaru was then sent flying hitting bookshelf, as he grone and spoke mentally. "Just why is my life like this".

[Pandora then spoke in his head. "First of all, apologies about this darling, I would never hurt, and second if Roswaal already wasn't in our shit list on spying on you, he is definitely is now"]

Subaru groaned as he pulled himself out of the pile of books that had buried him. His entire body ached, but that was just another Tuesday for him.

"Great, another random attack. Who's next? The damn library itself?" he grumbled in his mind.

[Echidna scoffed. "Focus, fool. Something—or someone—just threw you like a ragdoll."]

[Pandora's voice remained silky smooth. "And that is something we simply cannot allow, darling."]

Subaru forced himself up, scanning the dimly lit archive. Ram and Rem had already taken defensive stances, eyes darting around for the unseen attacker.

"Barusu, what was that?" Ram demanded, gripping her wand tightly.

Rem rushed to Subaru's side, eyes filled with concern. "Are you okay?"

"Peachy," Subaru coughed, dusting himself off. "Just had a romantic moment with a bookshelf. Five out of five, would not recommend."

Suddenly, a shadow flickered between the shelves. A chilling pressure filled the room, making the air thick and heavy. Subaru's instincts screamed at him—this was not something to take lightly.

[Judgment's Gaze Activated.

Entity Detected: Unknown.

Threat Level: High.]

Subaru clenched his fists. Great. Because the first thing I needed today was another high-level threat.

[Satella's voice whispered in his mind, a tinge of worry in her tone. "Subaru… be careful…"]

A soft chuckle echoed through the room.

"So, this is where the little rat scurries off to…"

Subaru froze. That voice. That voice.

Stepping out from the darkness was a figure wrapped in regal attire, adorned in golden embroidery. Their piercing blue eyes shimmered with an eerie light, their expression one of amusement and intrigue.

Pandora.

Subaru's blood ran cold.

[Pandora, in his mind, clicked her tongue. "Oh dear… that isn't me. That's an imposter."]

Subaru gulped. "Oh, that's just fantastic."

Ram's glare hardened. "Who are you?"

The fake Pandora smirked, brushing a delicate hand over the bookshelves. "Names are such fragile things… but if you must know, you may call me… Vanitas."

Subaru narrowed his eyes. "Vanitas? The hell kind of bootleg name is that?"

"Subaru," Echidna said sharply, "that's not just a name. That's a title. It means Emptiness."

Vanitas' smirk grew wider. "Oh, how delightful… you do have some clever voices whispering in your ear, don't you, Subaru Natsuki?"

Subaru felt a chill crawl up his spine. Whoever—whatever—this was, it was something dangerous.

[Pandora's voice was eerily calm. "Darling, you need to be very careful. This one… is not supposed to exist."]

Subaru took a deep breath. "Yeah, well, neither was I. And that never stopped me before."

Then, with a flick of his wrist, Vanitas raised a single finger.

"Let's see if you can entertain me, little rat."

The room exploded into chaos.

Subaru then Activated [Phantom Blade Mastery], as he rushed at her as he used [Judgment Gaze] as he then dodged an attack, as then Rem used summoned spike ball, as sent too Vanitas, she then stopped as she looked at them.

[Pandora then spoke in his mind. "So she is fragments of me, will a weaken version that was in that Book".]

Typhone then spoke. "Doesn't matter, burn her".

Minerva then spoke in his head. "break hee Burns".

Echidna then spoke as well. "Destroyed her".

Daphne then spoke in his head. "Use Gluttonous Consumption on her]

Subaru then spoke mentally as he sweet a bit. "Wow you girls really hate anyone who even thinks of hurting me".

[Satella's voice whispered in his mind, softer than the others. "Because we love you, Subaru… and we won't let anything take you away."]

Subaru shuddered. The witches were all in agreement—this Vanitas needed to be erased. He tightened his grip on his blade, his heart pounding.

Vanitas tilted her head, her expression still one of amusement. "Oh my… so many voices inside that little head of yours. How tragic."

Subaru gritted his teeth. "Yeah, well, they all agree on one thing—you're going down!"

He lunged forward, his daggers slicing through the air with precision enhanced by Blade Mastery. But the moment his sword was about to make contact, Vanitas vanished.

[Judgment Gaze Activated—Target Lost]

"Shit!" Subaru cursed, twisting his body just in time to dodge a swipe aimed at his back. Vanitas had reappeared behind him, her fingers crackling with a strange, golden energy.

Rem's spiked ball whipped through the air, homing in on Vanitas—but the imposter only raised a single hand, stopping the attack mid-air with an unseen force.

Ram narrowed her eyes. "That magic… it's similar to the Authority of Vainglory, but twisted…"

[Minerva growled in his mind. "Then don't waste time analyzing it—break her bones!"]

Subaru jumped back, mind racing. [Gluttonous Consumption]… should he use it?

[Daphne's voice purred in his mind. "You could… but do you really want to taste something like her?"]

Subaru felt a shiver run down his spine. "Nope. Nope nope nope, hard pass."

Vanitas smirked. "Oh? Hesitating already? Disappointing."

She flicked her wrist, and the entire room seemed to distort. Bookshelves twisted, the very space around them warping as if reality itself was bending under her will.

[Satella's voice grew urgent. "Subaru! You need to end this now!"]

Subaru clenched his fists. No more playing around.

He took a deep breath—then activated Sunlit Devourer, an ability granted by the power of Gluttony, but fused with his own essence. A golden aura flared around him, burning away the warped magic in the air.

Vanitas' smirk faltered. "Oh? That's…"

Subaru's eyes locked onto her. "Yeah, yeah, I get it—you're mysterious, you're powerful, blah blah blah." He raised his dagger. "But I'm Subaru Natsuki, and I'm done letting freaks like you mess with my life!"

Then, with a burst of speed, he charged.

To be continued

Also Bonus Ch sense you hit the 30 power stones goals