OK Before we start I have an idea to announce
Recent comments have brought me to a realization, and I'm officially announcing IF stories for our main series! One will be written after every arc finishes, and 5 chapters per IF on a different story!
Now I have some IFs in mind, along with a few recommended (one for each sin)
BTW if there's a "HARD" label next to an IF, it means I need a LOT of time coming up with what to do with it.
Here's a description for each current one I could think of:
Sloth IF: Y/N decides to abandon the storyline and go off to explore the world along with his spirits and his comrades (only Elsa and Meili) on vehicles because he's too lazy. Takes place after Arc 4's end.
Greed IF: (HARD) Y/N sets out on a journey to obtain every single Witch Factor after his contract with Echidna has been made. Takes place after Arc 4 cour 1. Basically main route but with only one goal.
Wrath IF: Y/N loses his mind and decides to nuke everything (quite literally). Takes place after Arc 5.
Gluttony IF (N/A until after Arc 6): Influenced by the Gluttonies, Y/N accepts a portion of the Gluttony Witch Factor and goes to uh eat everyone's names and memories while working for the Witch Cult.
Pride IF: (HARD) IDK what to do with this one, but in short: Y/N takes over the entire economy including Hoshin Trading Company and Anastasia. In this IF, rich Y/N and maybe a mental exhaustion thing in the end. Takes place after Arc 4.
Lust IF: Uh....Capella IF & Harem IF? Takes place after Arc 5.
Envy IF (This one might be an entirely different project or the longest if I was to write it): Y/N gets Return by Death and every one of his future powers are severely weakened. Contract with Echidna is still a yes tho. Starts in Arc 1.
Vainglory IF: We dominate SCHOOL.
Melancholy IF: IDK.
Deceit IF: (HARD) We become a professional fraud. Basically.
An hour after I returned to the shelter along with the Battalion, Subaru woke with a start after his injury was cast. I minimalized the damage, but his foot still seemed to be bleeding, with internal damage to his right leg, according to Felix.
"Where's Beatrice?" Subaru immediately looked around for his spirit, but she was beside him the whole time, and Beatrice gave him a little punch.
"Betty's right beside you, in fact. But since you are just recovering, Betty would forgive you for this mistake, I suppose." She then hugged Subaru to make sure she was okay.
"Bro, I found you just lying there in the square dyed with your blood and the others. Thankfully, they were all okay, including you. How did that happen, though?" Al, who was sitting near the bed, came into the conversation.
"I believe that is my work." I spoke up, stunning many people. "I helped heal the people in the town square, so Beatrice could heal Subaru better while exhausting less of her mana. Had she healed everyone, her mana would've ran dry."
"And yours wouldn't?" Felix asked me with surprise. Of course they'd be surprised. My mana pool could never come close to Beatrice's, but there's always another way.
"Felix, I'm pretty sure there are other ways to heal one without the use of Water Magic. And also, I don't even have an affinity for it."
"Then how did you heal them?" Al asked, a little suspicious at me.
"It's quite obvious by this point, is it not? I mean, this secret was only known by Subaru and a few others, but I'll just say it here. It's an Authority."
"A what-" Felix gasped as Crusch walked in on the exact moment that I started explaining, confused at what I was getting at.
"Bro, you're not Pride, are you?" Al asked me with a hint of urgency that I didn't really catch, while Crusch seemed to suddenly notice what we're talking about.
"I'm not Pride. In my opinion, Pride himself never even had the Authority to begin with, so he couldn't have a successor. Anyways-"
"Hold on, Y/N." Crusch suddenly stopped me. "I sense that you are going to reveal something big, and seeing that you have no trouble doing so, why not come to our meeting first?"
"A meeting? For some kind of Stratagem planning session by Anastasia?"
"Yes, I see you are as shrewd as ever. It's time we discussed how to fight back against the crisis in the city."
Timeskippu*
"Is that the Witch Cult's symbol I see up there?" Subaru asked.
"It seems so. It's rare to see the Witch Cult engage in public activity, but..."
"Then I should assume that all four towers have the same flag?"
"Yes..." Crusch sighed. "That is correct. Now that they have seized all four towers and could submerge the city at any moment, we need to take action immediately."
Assuming that everyone has safely got to the safety shelters since Priestella is ready for flooding at all times, I'm going to guess that nobody is really panicking. However, to successfully evacuate everyone out of the city is near impossible. There is only one bridge to Priestella, which is in the centre of a lake, and that bridge is awfully long as well. Even if we do sneak past the Witch Cult in the city, there's no guarantee that they have no troops waiting at the bridge as well.
"Also, Y/N, Crusch said you had something you wanted to say?" Anastasia looked at me with interest.
"Yes. I had kept this secret for a long time, but in order for us to utilize the best strategy, I think it's best for me to reveal it. As some of you may already know, I possess an Authority."
"An... Authority?" Anastasia asked, a little unsure of what I meant.
"It's a power born from a Witch Factor, embodiments that are the antithesis of Od Laguna. Due to their insanely unnatural nature, they bestow power upon those who absorb them. However, only those who are compatible can remain sane can utilize the power efficiently, and Sloth is such an example since he was insane. The other prime example... I think it's best to not talk about it now."
"So you're saying... you have a power similar to the Archbishops?" Crusch asked.
"Essentially, yes. I received it shortly after arriving in this nation, brought to me by my spirits. I do not know why I was compatible, nor why it came to me in the first place. The only thing I do know about this particular Witch Factor's history... is that its predecessor wanted me to have it."
"Okay, okay, we don't need the whole backstory. What does it exactly do?" Anastasia asked, intent on finding out. Subaru suddenly chose this time to intervene.
"You said it controls the elements, right, Y/N?"
"Yes. But those 'elements' are something that the vast majority do not understand. In fact, I believe the only three people who could understand what I mean are myself, Subaru, and... Al."
"Ey, bro? What do you mean I'll understand?" Al said, surprised that I dragged him out.
"You've heard of the Periodic Table, yes? Anyways, the world is created my tiny, tiny particles, and they can form many different objects. For example, we drink water, which is made of hydrogen and oxygen. And, if you arrange the carbon a little..." I said as I formed a tiny stone of diamond. "You get diamond, a material that is indestructible without the use of magic."
"So, Y/N-san's abilities are to create basically anything from this 'Periodic Table' thing, right?" Anastasia asked.
"Yes, that's the basic gist of it." I confirmed.
"Okay, then if we move on-"
Before Anastasia could resume talking, a voice cut through her.
"Yahoo, yahoo, yahoo!"
"Oh god..." I sighed. "Here she goes again."
"What do you mean, she?" Subaru asked, but I motioned for him to stay quiet.
"Hello, all you meat creatures! No matter how many times you've heard it, doesn't my beauty and my lovely voice excite you? Gahahahaha!"
"What a stupid voice... is this the city's broadcasting radio?" Subaru muttered while Capella continued to ramble on.
"Alright, you meat creatures enthralled by a beautiful girl's enticing voice, I have news for you: we're all tired, so we're going home now. Just kidding! The true tossing and turning of day and night starts now! Gahahahaha!"
Capella's sneers continued to sound through the radio, and I could see the sweat dripping from Subaru.
"Setting aside my funny, laugh-inducing joke, let's continue with the news. As I said just now, the city has been occupied by us. You're all caged birds... no, you're all insects in a cage for insects. Insects are just bugs, and the owner of that cage gets to decide just what to do with you. Wings and head, prepare to have them removed... Kahahaha, how ugly, how awful! What a merciless life. You should be thankful for being left in my tender care. Gahahahaha!"
"I swear... she needs to shut up and reflect on humility for one single moment." Are Archbishops this prideful because Pride is vacant? Or if there was a Pride, his insanity in this sense is even more extreme?
"And, the end. My precious words end here. Metamorphosing meat creatures and insects should work their hardest. Like I said before... we've taken control of the four towers that operate the waterways. I think it's best to not try anything weird? A drowned man's dead face is unbearable ugly! Gahahahaha—"
After that, the broadcast cut off, and Subaru turned to me with a somewhat terrified face. "Y/N, who was that?"
"You were asleep earlier, so you didn't hear the first broadcast." I said with a serious expression. "The one who made the broadcast declared herself as the Witch Cult's Sin Archbishop of Lust... Capella Emerada Lugnica."
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"Okay, so to sum it up, we have three archbishops present here, that we already know of. We have Wrath, who controls people and was the one who decimated the ones in the square, Greed who kidnapped Emilia... and Lust, who broadcasts from the city hall with an extremely annoying and condescending tone. What an all-star team of assholes." Subaru said as he counted.
"Not just those three, Ferri-chan believes there might be at least five." Felix added as Subaru suddenly jumped in surprise.
"Eh? Really?"
"Think about it. There are four control towers that they occupied, including the city hall. That's a total of five strongholds that they captured. With Sloth out of the way, it's safe to assume all the archbishops are here."
"Then, Wrath, Greed, Gluttony, Lust, and Pride are all here?"
"No, that's not entirely true." I cut in. "Remember how Petelgeuse asked you if you were Pride? That's because the last Sin Archbishop of Pride died 40 years ago, and nobody ever succeeded him."
"Then who's the last Archbishop?"
"There are three Archbishops of Gluttony. The one who ate Rem's name and memories is the one charged with Gourmet, Lye Baitenkaitos. Considering that he showed up, there's another Gluttony here."
"Gluttony..." Subaru hissed in anger. I guess it must be hard to lose someone in such a brutal way. I wouldn't want any of my teammates 'eaten' as well.
Subaru suddenly perked up as if he remembered something important. "Y/N... you said Lust introduced herself as Capella Emerada Lugnica. What's with that?"
"You mean it sounds like a royal family name? Well, I personally believe that she was either just playing a very mean prank, or impersonating someone from long ago. I don't know who has the name, though."
"About that... one thing does come to mind." Wilhelm spoke up after being quite silent all those times before.
"And what might that be?"
"While I do not have anything to add about the name Capella...there was most certainly a member of the Lugunica royal family who went by the name of Emerada Lugunica."
Gasps sounded across the room, since Wilhelm just confirmed a possibility of impersonation.
"Lady Emerada was alive prior to the Demi-human War...over fifty years ago. I have never met her personally, but records mention that she was a woman of exceptional beauty and wisdom."
"So is this a case of them impersonating someone who actually existed? Maybe it's an attempt to ruin someone's good name?" Subaru asked. His assumption isn't exactly wrong. That would be a rather petty and spiteful thing to do, but such an unsavorypastime was far from unthinkable when the Archbishops of the Seven Deadly Sins were involved. However, this case was different.
But then Wilhelm retorted with a quick No, shaking his head at Subaru's remark.
"I do not know the opponent's aim in doing this...but Lady Emerada was not someone who passed away with great deeds to her name. If anything, it is the opposite."
"You mean..."
"Lady Emerada succumbed to illness at a young age. However, not only was her death not mourned by the kingdom, but she was also denied a state funeral, as would be standard. The stated reason was that conditions at the time were too dire to hold a formal ceremony. However, the real reason is that the kingdom's people had no desire to do any such thing."
Wilhelm's explanation left us with such a disturbing sense of foreboding that we said nothing.
"Lady Emerada was a terribly beautiful and wise person...but she was also reportedly cruel in the extreme, and constantly shrouded in an unfathomable darkness. As such, though she was part of the royal family, she was branded a heretic, and even news of her passing seemed to have been suppressed for some time."
"So there's no way for the real person to still exist after all this time, right?" Subaru asked.
"Unless with the use of a certain spell, I don't know of any necromancy magic that exists. I could ask Omega, considering that she is a walking library."
"Hm." Subaru grunted at my suggestion. I guess he still hates Echidna for what she did to Beatrice. Some hatred is just too deep to be cleared too quickly, I guess."
"All that aside, how are we going to deal with the demands of the Witch Cult?" Anastasia said as she brought the conversation back on track.
"Demands?" Subaru asked.
"That's right. The Witch Cult came to Priestella because they were in search of something. Controlling the city was simply a means to an end."
"So what exactly are they looking for? Subaru asked.
"The Witch's bones."
"Huh?" Seeing that Anastasia replied with no hesitation put Subaru off. The answer she gave was also very interesting. The question is why and why now. I do remember them asking for it, but in the books back in my world, they didn't ask for it this early and without such direct wording... did the future change due to my actions?
"The Witch's bones. That's why they came to this city." Anastasia repeated.
"The Witch of Jealousy, who swallowed up half the world long ago, was never destroyed and continues to slumber in a land far to the East, still coveting the world—or so goes the tales that have been passed down for generations."
Still holding Ferris's hand, Crusch directly addressed the source of Subaru's agitation. Swallowing, he simply responded with a "yeah" and a nod.
"I heard that from Beako, too. The Witch of Jealousy isn't dead; she's just sealed away. But if that's the case, then how would she leave bones behind?" Subaru suddenly shuddered as he spoke. "That's right. There's no way that's true. It can't be..." The uneasiness filling Subaru made his breathing uneven.
"—Calm down, Bro. Look, about these Witch's bones... It's not like they have to belong to the infamous Witch of Jealousy, right?"
"—Wha?"
Al grasped his shoulder, speaking those words in an effort to soothe him. Everyone else in the room turned their eyes on Al, though they couldn't see his expression under his steel helm.
"So how about it? Like Bro and the young duchess were sayin', the most famous Witch was sealed away and all, but there were other Witches, too, right?"
"There are beings besides the Witch of Jealousy who we call witches as a term of convenience. During the Demi-human War, magic users cooperating with the Demi-human Alliance were often called witches as well, and they were greatly feared. The one in Y/N-dono's group, Sphinx, is such an example."
"Meaning there's a precedent. Then..."
"Well, it's a little different for this city. If a witch is mentioned here, then it must be about a real one rather than some imitation who's only a witch in name."
Wilhelm had been the first to answer Al, but Anastasia's follow-up confidently drew a conclusion that Subaru found difficult to accept.
"From that manner of speaking...I take it that Lady Anastasia has something in mind?"
"Even I wouldn't be talking like this if I wasn't almost certain. The reason I wanted to meet up with Kiritaka after hearing Lust's broadcast is because of that same hunch, even if it meant going out of my way to make it happen."
Anastasia narrowed her light-blue eyes as she divulged what she'd kept hidden up to that point. She then surveyed everyone's faces all at once.
"Anyone can find this out with a little digging, but does everyone know how this Water Gate City came to be?"
"...I heard that way back, this was originally supposed to be a trap for catching something."
Subaru recalled.
Wait. That's what Priestella was built for? Chid-chan, you never told me this!
Hm? Is something the matter, Y/N?
I naively thought that is was built solely for entertainment purposes, considering that Hoshin of the Wastes was a Japanese. Is this the real reason behind Priestella's construction, its real purpose?
"That's correct," said Anastasia, nodding at Subaru's reply. "Apparently, this city was a trap set for the Witch. The Witch met her end here when the entire place was flooded. According to legend, her bones remain somewhere in this city, even today."
"Typhon drowned in a flood, right? So this is where it happened..." Al suddenly muttered under his breath, and both myself and Subaru caught his side comment.
How did he know? Also... it was Typhon?
That's right, N/N. Typhon drowned in this city right here.
The childish voice of the Witch of Pride suddenly cut in from the back of my head, scaring me.
Typhon? How did you get into the link?
Well, Dona allowed me to come in, and it seems that you guys are talking about me, aren't you?
Yes, but... you don't know where they took your remains to, did you?
No, I don't think so. Dona took me to her domain not long after I died.
"If that's true, then I perhaps might also know a thing or two about it." I decided to speak up, to lay out the first steps of my future plan.
"About the witch's bones, Y/N?" Anastasia asked, and I nodded. Subaru gave me an alarmed look, but I gave him a reassuring look as I spoke.
"Remember how the Witch Cult has one Archbishop for each sin, right? There never was an Archbishop of Envy because her witch factor still resides within her at this very moment. The only way for a Witch Factor to move on from one body to another is for that individual to die."
"So you're saying... the one who died here was a forebearer of the power of an Archbishop?" Crusch asked.
"Yes. The seven sins: Sloth, Greed, Gluttony, Pride, Lust, Wrath, and Envy. All of those had a representative for them, in a time long gone. I came across an ancient scroll on my journeys, and in it contains the details of the former 'Witches' of that era."
"A scroll... and where is it?"
"It was burned. We were attacked one day and I saw get thrown into a fire along with some of my supplies when the thieves attacked. We were victorious, but it was lost in the process. However, I memorized most of the content. It says that the one who drowned here was the Witch of Pride. And her remains that are now stored somewhere secretive in this city, is a single, withered arm."
If Typhon's remains are in this city, it means that I could fulfill my promise to Libra a lot more quickly than I expected.
Chid-chan, how's your progress on the Book of Wisdom?
It's around 90% complete. If time allows during this battle, we could potentially finish restoring it within two weeks.
Perfect.
It seems that coming to Priestella was not such a bad idea after all. The Witch Cult's forces should be decimated to only a third, and the rest of the plans should move forward without fail as well.
Now, let's begin the operation to resurrect the Witch of Pride.