Friend

All right, it's time for this week's Re:Zero. Last time, the mansion was turned into a disaster by Elsa's attack, and Subaru, prepared to die at the end, headed to Rem's side, only to have Beatrice save him in his final moment... that's where we are.

By the way, Subaru feared Rem would fall into Elsa's hands, and when he was thinking that at least Rem alone... Beatrice interfered, so think of it as him feeling, "Why did you save me, Beatrice!!"

Right at the start, Subaru wants to go outside the Forbidden Library, but Elsa, who had been just moments away from slashing at Subaru, had already finished her job early...

The trembling in Beatrice's voice around here... Arai-san is just way too good.

"Because of you, everything's ruined" is tied to Subaru's fear based on what he experienced in Season 2 Episode 1. The checkpoint updating is now one of Subaru's greatest fears.

It's that black book hidden inside the step ladder Beatrice always sits on. It had been properly hidden in the step ladder she always used as her regular spot this whole time.

Strictly speaking, the previous episode's final subtitle, "A Girl's Gospel," could be said to be Beatrice's motive for helping Subaru one last time.

This may be the first time Beatrice has ever hurt Subaru without using magic, both physically and emotionally.

Returning by Death once again... for Subaru, this is probably the closest thing to the best possible point. He was afraid of it shifting away from here.

By repeatedly "Returning by Death," he's gradually becoming less shaken by this reunion, and you can feel that from the passage of time shown on screen. His meeting with Ryuzu-san and his trading barbs with Garfiel all pass by almost naturally.

"Natsuki-san, are you okay?" "You look very calm." "Doesn't that make it all the more dangerous?" That guy really sees right through him.

After everything that's happened, Otto's read that the Subaru who seems perfectly composed is actually not calm at all is exactly right.

One thing throwing Subaru in Arc 4 into confusion is how events that should be almost entirely fixed keep changing every time.

"I want to gather all the information before I start worrying" is a very Return by Death-compatible playstyle!

Ryuzu-san in white, with a changed impression after changing clothes. When you can see around her mouth, the feel of her cuteness changes again.

"Gaddgy Gudzeadd" is a famous Great Spirit not counted among the Four Great Spirits. It's powerful, but because of its bad behavior, it's sealed away in the far reaches of Gusteko. It doesn't appear in the main Re:Zero story.

Garfiel Tinsel and Frederica Baumann are siblings, but their surnames are different because it's a matter of which parent's name each of them goes by.

Now that he knows he can't try the second-best option of escaping the Sanctuary, Subaru's next move is the method Garfiel proposed to him the first time around: Subaru himself will carry out the liberation of the Sanctuary.

"I swear it on the name of Ryuzu Shima." Please remember that.

Since Garfiel had never once turned hostile up to this point, this is actually the first time he's directly laid hands on Subaru since the moment they first met and he tossed him.

After Garfiel beats him down, Subaru wakes up in high-speed panic mode. Blindfolded, bound, and imprisoned somewhere no one knows. The reason Subaru was treated that way is the "miasma"... what you might call the "Witch's lingering scent" that Witch Cultists carry.

The pattern where the "Witch's lingering scent" causes the way Subaru is treated to change every time is actually the same thing as Rem's reactions back in Arc 2. Even then, every time he Returned by Death, that side effect made the scent grow stronger, which fed into Rem's suspicion.

If the gag were removed and he had freedom inside his mouth, he could bite his tongue and kill himself. Garfiel noticed that instantly and prevented it. Garfiel talked about the similarity in the look of their eyes with Roswaal, but from the author's point of view, Subaru and Roswaal are the similar ones. At least, especially right now.

Garfiel casually joins the search for Subaru while hiding the fact that he's imprisoned him. Otto, knowing Garfiel had called Subaru out to the forest right before this, found that suspicious... but Garfiel silenced him by saying he'd give him something in return if he kept his mouth shut. You've disappointed me, you bastard!

Imprisoned, with more time to think, and imagining an irreparable catastrophe happening behind the scenes, Natsuki Subaru is pushed further and further into a corner... He's so driven that he feels like smashing his head against the floor and cracking it open, but that's not exactly easy.

"We're both the type who don't give up easily, right?"

During the three days Subaru was imprisoned, someone took care of him while he was confined. Subaru couldn't see because he was blindfolded, but it was a small figure... I'd appreciate it if you keep that in mind to an appropriate degree.

As for how Otto gathered information while on the run, it was from his friends, and from others.

Now that Beatrice has followed her Gospel and Garfiel and Ryuzu have betrayed him, Subaru can't understand why Otto would help him. So he confronted him directly, prepared for whatever he might hear.

So then, who exactly is "Eugene"...?

Personally, even among episode subtitles, I think "Eugene" is one of my best subtitle choices.

"What Otto's angle is." "What hidden motive he might have." "What do I even trust anymore." What does Natsuki Subaru know about the world, really, that he thinks he can give up on it and throw everything away? That's one of my favorite Subaru internal monologues here.

"You're my friend, Otto." That's how huge that fact is for Subaru, after being betrayed by Beatrice and Garfiel and the others.

The ones feeding information to the constantly fleeing Otto were insects, animals, and Ram with that fearless grin on her face.

While the imprisoned and cornered Subaru desperately tries to find information to break the deadlock, the reason Otto came to him was something so simple it hardly needed thinking about... and that's basically what "Eugene" is about!

Heh heh, Otto, you're a good guy. So you'll forgive me for not even having the setting details on hand, right!

And so, once again, 30 minutes fly by in a furious rush! Saved by Otto, with Ram waiting, and Garfiel absolutely furious... and that takes us into next week! Now then, what awaits us, who's friend and who's foe, I'm you and you're me! Look forward to next week! Thank you very much!