Goddess Aqua met Hayashi Maki's rather heated gaze and instinctively swallowed.
The corner of Hayashi Maki's mouth curled up. He leaned in to her ear with a wicked grin.
"The reward I want, Aqua-sama… you'll find out tonight."
At that, Aqua's delicate body trembled, her whole figure going weak. Scenes from the intense night before flashed through her mind, making her cheeks burn scarlet.
But she didn't actually dislike it.
In fact, it had felt pretty great.
She could clearly feel how much Hayashi Maki liked her.
Even if she knew he was a womanizing man, he was now an Axis Church believer—her man—so that made everything fine in her book.
After flirting with Aqua for a bit, Hayashi Maki took her hand and led her out of the alley.
Not far ahead, a figure lay sprawled on the ground—a guy in a modern tracksuit, eyes wide open, expression feral and frozen in death.
Hayashi Maki's eyes widened.
That modern zipped track jacket, that slightly thuggish face… could this guy be Natsuki Subaru?
The protagonist of Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World?
Dead already?
A quick look at the wound—a knife.
Looked like the moment Subaru arrived in this world, he'd been shanked by the thug trio Hayashi Maki had incinerated earlier.
As for why the world hadn't reset via the Witch of Envy's power—why "Return by Death" hadn't triggered—Hayashi Maki could only assume his own arrival had caused a butterfly effect.
"I think this guy is from the modern world. Aqua, see if you can resurrect him?"
"Mhm, judging by the tracksuit, that does seem likely. But why bother reviving him?"
"I just wanna test if your resurrection magic works properly in this world."
"Okay then, I'll give it a try."
Aqua didn't overthink it. She obediently stretched out her hands.
"Resurrection!"
Holy white light bloomed from her slender palms and wrapped around Subaru's corpse, eyes frozen wide in unwillingness.
A few seconds later…
Subaru suddenly sat bolt upright, gasping for breath.
"I… did I die?"
He frantically patted his chest. The wound was gone.
Hayashi Maki was a little surprised. Aqua's resurrection actually worked.
So her divine power really was impressive.
While he was thinking that, Subaru got to his feet with a grin.
"So you guys saved me, huh? Hahaha, knew it. I am the protagonist after all!"
"You two must be my assigned guides, right? You both look pretty good, too!"
As he talked, he slapped Hayashi Maki's shoulder like they were old buddies, that smug "I'm the MC" look written all over his face.
Hayashi Maki stared at him speechlessly.
Without another word, he snapped his fingers.
Subaru didn't even have time to process what happened before black flames erupted around him. He didn't even get a chance to scream before turning to ashes.
And killing him didn't trigger any Witch of Envy world reset. No "Return by Death."
Looked like from the moment Hayashi Maki arrived, the script had changed.
He was the only protagonist now.
"Hey! Hayashi Maki, what are you doing!? You told me to revive him and then you just killed him again? What's that supposed to mean!?"
Aqua jumped up and down in anger, glaring at him with her big blue eyes.
Hayashi Maki waved a hand casually.
"I just wanted to test if your resurrection works in this world. After all, this is unfamiliar territory with no gods in charge."
"Besides, that brat didn't know what was good for him. Thought we were NPCs there to spoon-feed him. It's better if he stays dead."
"Hm… that's true."
Aqua thought back on Subaru's arrogance. He'd been even more stuck-up than she was, and she didn't like it one bit.
"Aqua, can you revive him again now?" Hayashi Maki suddenly pointed at the pile of ash on the ground.
Aqua rolled her eyes at him.
"Resurrection isn't all-powerful, you know! To bring someone back, their body needs to be intact and their soul must still be around."
"Normally, those guided by a goddess to the place-between-worlds for reincarnation retain a scrap of soul even after death. With divine arts, their soul can be restored and brought back into a complete body."
"Then when a goddess casts Resurrection, that soul can return and they come back to life."
"But your flames burned this guy's body and soul to nothing. He's dead-dead. There's no reviving him."
She laid out the mechanics clearly, which earned her a surprised look from Hayashi Maki.
"What's with that look? What are you implying?"
Seeing his expression, Aqua suddenly felt annoyed.
"Ahem, nothing. I just… didn't expect a goddess who only excels at party tricks to be so knowledgeable. You surprised me."
At that, Aqua's eyes flew wide, then her cheeks puffed up like steamed buns.
"Are you looking down on me!? What do you mean 'only good at party tricks'!?"
"Resurrection takes serious study too, okay!? I'm super knowledgeable! Otherwise, how else could I be the one guiding souls into reincarnation!?"
"Damn it, Hayashi Maki! Wipe that condescending look off your face! I'm your beloved goddess, you know! Now chant 'Aqua-sama is the best' ten thousand times in your heart!"
"Yeah yeah, Aqua-sama is the best. My bad. I shouldn't have doubted you."
Hayashi Maki smiled, soothing her temper as he ruffled her hair and pinched her puffed-up cheeks.
Only then did Aqua nod satisfied, chin lifted proudly.
"Hmph, at least you've got taste! Knowing your mistake and correcting it is a great virtue. I, this goddess, am magnanimous, so I'll forgive your insolence this once!"
Just then, a gust of wind rushed past.
"Make way, kid and miss!"
A small figure, wrapped in a ragged red scarf, a scrap of black cloth serving as a tube top, and tattered pants, vaulted over their heads and darted down the street.
A petite, blonde loli in street clothes.
Hayashi Maki's eyes lit up as he watched her run off.
Looks like he'd just caught up to the plot.
That tiny blonde girl should be Felt, the yet-unrecognized royal candidate.
If Felt was here, then would the half-elf Emilia be chasing after her?
Felt should've just stolen Emilia's royal selection insignia and was being pursued.
"How rude! She just used the head of a goddess as a springboard. No manners at all!" Aqua pouted.
Just as she was about to keep complaining, a girl appeared before them.
Silvery hair like moonlight flowing down her back, violet eyes, a white dress trimmed with purple, and white thigh-high boots over long, slender legs.
"Excuse me, have you seen a short girl with blonde hair in a ponytail?" she asked urgently.