A Random in Re:Zero

Loop 4 - Part 19

"What happened to you?" He asked, pointing at the wound on his shoulder.

"I failed." Gilbert replied, shrugging calmly.

"Are you kidding? It was supposed to be a piece of cake with that gun!"

"That was a bad assumption."

Sighing, Gilbert took a seat among the men working at the tables. Those next to him shuddered but continued with their tasks, though their hands were shaking.

"Turns out someone was ready to kill me, and they came within inches of doing it. I wonder who the hell they were and how they knew what I'd do."

The other man shrugged, unable to formulate any assumptions. Gilbert began to play with his fingers while musing aloud.

"I don't understand, Alaric. Everything was going well: I successfully tricked Russell into thinking I'd lost everything and kept this new organization hidden from spies... Tell me, where did I go wrong?"

"I... don't understand it either. Maybe the information leaked somehow?"

"That's impossible, after all, you are the only one who knows my plan."

Alaric gulped as Gilbert emphasized that point.

"Unless you betrayed me, there's no way something like this could have happened. But you didn't, did you?"

"No, I would never do something as stupid as betray you, Gilbert..."

"Ah... I think I'm overthinking this."

Gilbert beckoned Alaric to stand in front of him.

"Alaric, you're my right-hand man, the only man I've trusted for the past ten years..."

"I know, and thanks for-"

"... It's incredible that it took me so long to understand that was a mistake."

BANG!

With a single shot, Alaric's head was pierced by a revolver bullet. Gilbert hadn't hesitated for a second to end the life of his most loyal subordinate.

Gilbert's mind had become so twisted and deranged that he saw enemies everywhere. He was alone, isolated from the rest of the world.

Alaric's body collapsed to the floor. A silence fell that no one dared break, except Gilbert himself.

"Matter resolved. There's no more double agent."

Scratching his cheek with the barrel of his revolver, Gilbert looked at his men with a sinister expression.

"Or am I wrong?"

Now, everyone froze in fear. Gilbert pointed his gun at the terrified workers, but lowered it shortly after.

"Nah, it would be very tedious to conduct a thorough search right now. It's important to have clear priorities."

He walked toward his office, trampling Alaric's body as he stepped over him.

"Someone get the trash." He ordered, then began to think about his next move, conjuring up the image of Anastasia Hoshin in his mind. "Today, no matter what happens, I'm going to kill that bitch."

***

After meeting with the maid, Russell reported the attack to his men, reinforcing security around him while speaking with Rem.

"Did Roswaal send you?"

She shook her head at the question.

"Not exactly. Master Roswaal has given me certain permissions that allow me to act on my own, as I am now."