[WN] Subaru's first encounter with Witch of Gluttony (self.Re_Zero)
submitted 5 hours ago * by Clairas
Well, this is just after he was killed by Great Rabbit, one of the 3 great mabeasts created by Daphne, Witch of Gluttony.
If you want to see this in Wikia's summary, this is in Arc 4, from 'Subaru returned from death again' to 'prompting him to go look outside since he felt a bad feeling.' (One paragraph)

I forgot some character introduction, although actual appearance is only 4 of them.
Subaru
Echidna (Dnadna) : Witch of Greed
Daphne : Witch of Gluttony
Sekhmet (Metmet) : Witch of Sloth, strongest of 6 Witches
Minerva (Nerner) : Witch of Wrath, can heal people with punching
Carmilla (Millamilla) : Witch of Lust
Reid Astrea : See Reinhard


Subaru was suddenly brought into Echidna's world. While having some chit-chat with Echidna, Subaru realized he hasn't confirmed his savepoint yet and tries to leave the world. From Echidna's reply, Subaru realizes she definitely knows his [Return by Death].
Asking how she knows, she instead shows him the Book of Wisdom, which is the original of all Gospels. It shows every knowledge user wants, unlike Gospels which shows uncertain glimpse of future.
(Echidna doesn't like using the book because she values effort for knowledge, while the book itself denies any effort and just 'carve' desired knowledge into user's brain.)

Subaru was about to tell her directly about Return by Death and stops, which Echidna tells him to continue. Nothing happened when Subaru finally reveal her the truth. To impressed Subaru, Echidna urges him to drink the tea.

[Subaru : Damn, okay! (Drink the tea in one-gulp) See? I drank it all. Now can you recognize me as the participant of this tea party?]
[Echidna : Drinking my body fluid that passionately, my body feels hot...]
[Subaru : I forgot that!]


Then, it is a long question time. (Q:Subaru, A:Echidna)

Q. Does [Return by Death] has any limit on number of tries?
A. Maybe no. Killing Witch of Envy or stopping her love might be the only way to cancel it.

(After Subaru explains his every death)

Q. How does my save-point change?
A. Witch of Envy changes the point when you overcome the problem which can be solved only by your death.

Q. Then, what about Rem?
A. She doesn't care about her.

Q. Do you know what killed me last time? Last thing I saw was a rabbit.
A. It might be 'Great Rabbit'. Great doesn't mean large, but its many numbers. Only way to repel them is killing them all at once, which can be possible only by Reid or Sekhmet.

This is when Subaru suddenly get serious, and facing his eyes,

[Echidna: What's with that serious... No. I'm dead and you're still living. Our fateful meeting here is just a dream. No matter how hot you look at me, I...]
[Subaru : Echidna, can I meet the Witch of Gluttony, Daphne?]

Which Echidna hesitates, because she thinks Subaru and Daphne are a bad match and their talk won't produce anything useful. When she finally gave up, she advises him to never touch her restraint, go near her, or look at her eye.


And finally Daphne appears, who was fully covered in restraint, blindfolded, and sleeping in the coffin. Subaru describe her as 13~14 year old girl with grey-hair and pale skin.
Her little movement builds up tension on Subaru, but when he realized it was more like snoring, he instinctively kick the coffin and wake her up, which he immediately apologizes.

[Daphne : I'm not angry. Being angry empty your stomach even faster. Who are you?]
[Subaru : I am Natsuki Subaru, participant of Echidna's tea party... ah... umm... Yes, more like teatime friend.]
[Daphne : So you're friend with Dnadna? Subaru-ng should choose friends more carefully. You can be hated by family or other friends if you befriend a Witch.]

Daphne suddenly shows she's really hungry, and only food he can see are the tea and cookie on the table. Considering they're made of Echidna's body fluid (He never ate cookie because he need to chew it), he asks Daphne's preference.

[Daphne: Cookie!? I...It's good, good. Put it into Daphne's, Daphne's mouth. Fast...Please fast...]
[Subaru : Don't talk like that!]

And Daphne asks him not to come closer because of his smell. Explaining...

[Daphne : Daphne loves meat more than vegetable. And as I can tell, Subaru-ng looks like full of muscles, meats, and thick bones. It really smells good that I'd like to taste when near me.]
[Subaru : In sexual context?]
[Daphne : In life's context.]

Subaru throws first cookie with all his concentration. It perfectly goes through Daphne's mouth, which she comments it really tastes of Echidna. However, when his second throw misses, Daphne's coffin suddenly grows out legs and runs to catch the cookie.

[Daphne : Subaru-ng? You still have 2 cookies left. Don't be a meanie~]
[Subaru : No, I can't overlook that leg.]


When Subaru asked her about the coffin's leg, she explains it is also a sort of mabeast created by her to be a transportation. She even envies her creation because it never starves and only eats mana.

[Subaru : White Whale, Black Snake, Great Rabbit, all created by you like this coffin crab?]
[Daphne : Um, good old names. Yes, all of them are children created by Daphne.]
[Subaru : Why! Why created those monsters! Do you know how they roamed and killed people 400 years after your death? What was the reason!]
[Daphne : ? Big creatures are more satisfying to eat, right?]
(Subaru dumbfounded)
[Daphne : Whale was really big, doesn't it? How many people could be satisfied by eating that child?]
[Daphne : Great Rabbit can multiply itself infinitely, and no one have to starve with that endless meats.]
[Subaru : That means you created them to solve starvation? Even when your 'generosity' killed so many people?]
[Daphne : Eating others, and not considering the possibility of being eaten yourself. Isn't it a shame to think like that?]
[Subaru : ...]
[Daphne : Then, reducing some number of humans or demi-humans. There were little too many of them in this world. If my children can reduce those number even little, it is good Daphne thinks.]
[Subaru : Even White Whale erasing existence or Great Rabbit killing off the village are?]
[Daphne : Daphne don't know their method of hunting. How they grow, how much they eat, or where they're eaten, why should I care? Knowing them doesn't fill Daphne's stomach.]

Subaru finally understands what Echidna said and how strange 7 Witches of Sins are. However, Daphne's praise of Gluttony continues.

[Daphne : Subaru-ng should also try the limit of starvation. Then you will understand what I say. I'd love to eat Subaru-ng now, but Dnadna or Metmet will get angry. My left eye would be enough.]

She take off her restraints, shows him her left golden-eye, and then falls into coffin.
Subaru continues the talk chewing something in his mouth. When he suddenly realizes intense hunger, he could stay sane because he was already chewing his own 2 fingers. Moments later, Minerva appears from the sky and punched him once, which healed his fingers.

[Subaru : Was that... the hunger Great Rabbits experience?]
[Daphne : They were born inheriting Daphne's stomach, I could understand when they eat each other.]
[Subaru : Don't talk with pride. You already know your hunger and continued it onto your children?]
[Daphne : Even when Great Rabbit feels hunger, Daphne's stomach stays the same~]
[Subaru : It was stupid of me to ask that...]

While Subaru almost gives up getting useful information from her, he nevertheless asks her the way to defeat Great Rabbit, which she replies...

[Daphne : If you want to kill Great Rabbit-chan, Metmet, Dnadna, or Millamillia can kill them all with ease~]

He talks little bit more about the life and weakness of Great Rabbit, and when he concludes the talk, he leaves this comment.

[Subaru : I will kill goddamn Great Rabbit. White Whale is already dead. Don't complain me, mother. For 400 years, those monsters with no reason to be created roamed the world. It was enough. I will erase them without any trace.]
[Daphne : Mere human, try all you can.]

She finally shifts into Echidna.


Echidna continues discussion little more,

[Echidna : Minerva ignored me and came to heal you anyway. Going anywhere to seek the wounded. she really had a personality not suited for longevity. Actually, she was the first to be killed among us.]
[Subaru : Witch's last moment... I've heard all of you were killed by Witch of Envy. Can I ask for more?]
[Echidna : Asking the dead for their cause of death... I don't like to tell all of them. It will be directly related to other 5's honor.]

(Later narration implies none of them were killed by Witch of Envy)

When he finally left, Echidna collects his payment for this tea party.
Former one was his memory about her (Although it was really weak; hearing the name of Echidna breaks the seal), and his second one is... the handkerchief Petra made for him.