Follow the fallen stars

Pride Chapter 8: Putting out the flame

Reinhard was happy to see Julius yet he was unsure at first since it was confirmed by a couple of knights that his friend had been killed.  This caused him to look at him for a moment before approaching him, wanting to verify by using his divine protections on him.  As he grabbed his arm gently, the sword saint asked the finest knight,

"Are you really Julius?"

"Yes Reinhard.  I am Julius Juukulius.  Though not of this world's version, I am still Julius."

Reinhard used his divine protection of empathy to read Julius' mind to see if he is telling the truth.  Once he saw that he was telling the truth while having a normal state of mind, he was a bit sad since this wasn't the Julius from his world yet he was still with a version of his friend.  Reinhard took a good look and noticed that Julius was carrying Felix, something that greatly confused him and worried him.

"Is Felix alright?"

"Yes...well sort of.  I will explain later but know that our friend is safe."

"Understood."

Reinhard turned towards the two Subarus and approached them.  He first approach the one from his world, the two having the same hatred for each other.

"Ha!  Seems like the Sword Saint is capable of hating."

"I'm even surprised myself."

"Well then, Happy Birthday Reinhard!  It is the new you."

"Unfortunately it is not my birthday."

"Figure of speech, dumbass."

"Leave Reinhard alone."

"Stay out of this other me!"

"Enough!"

Reinhard spoke with a serious tone, causing both Subarus to be silent.  The Sword Saint and Pride looked at each other again with the same mutual hatred before he turned his attention to the other Subaru.  At first he wanted to have the same hatred look towards this other Subaru since he shares the same face and name to the monster that caused everything yet when he looked at the boy, it was different.  The boy did had the eyes of a villain from a surface level but when seeing past that, one can tell that he is a boy who has fought through hell because he cares for life.

"What is your name?"

"Natsuki Subaru."

"Are you from another world like Julius?"

"Yes."

"I presume the same world that Julius is from."

"Yes."

"What did you do in your world?  Did you do anything evil like the other Natsuki Subaru?"

Reinhard says this while grabbing the boy's arm to use his divine protection of empathy.  Subaru noticed this yet he wasn't worried since he knows that he isn't in trouble.

"I'm not like him, I have never joined the witch cult or done anything like that.  I'm Emilia-tan's one and only knight.  I helped defeat the White Whale, defeat the Sin Archbishop of Sloth, the Sin Archbishop of Greed, and the Great Rabbit."

"Okay.  What brought you here then?"

"...I don't know.  Garfiel, Julius, and I were sent for unknown reasons but we want to help out."

"Hm.  Okay then."

Reinhard nodded at Subaru before freeing him by just simply tapping the ice, causing the ice to break.  Subaru got on his feet before nodding at the sword saint, both sharing mutual respect.  The group all turned towards the Sin Archbishop of Pride, seeing that he is attempting to commit suicide via biting his tongue yet Subaru and Reinhard were both able to stop Pride from trying that.