Re:Zero Male Insert

Birthday Chapter No. 2

Before I start this chapter, the "birthday" in the title has three different things it is referring to...

1) Echidna's birthday (January 24/today if you're reading it the day it was published), which is the obvious one if you read the other birthday chapter.

2) This story's two-year anniversary!

3) Idk if I really should put it here, but who cares! It's also my birthday! It's a really crazy coincidence that I share this occasion with Echidna, but it works out pretty well, if I do say so myself.

Now, there will be two parts to this chapter: A Q&A with Echidna, and then a trailer that I made for this story! I hope you enjoy!

A Q&A with Echidna, Part 2

Q: Not again... So, Echidna, just like we did last year, I have a few questions for you to answer. You don't mind answering them, do you?

A: Of course not! I am the Witch of Greed! My entire existence is devoted to satisfying both my Greed and the Greed of others! Every question, without exception, will receive an answer that is satisfactory! In fact, I will make sure to go into full detail my answers and the reasons I have chosen each response!

Q: That's... wonderful... Now, to get started since I'm being paid for this, what is your favorite or least favorite memory with the other Witches?

A: ...

Q: Echidna? You good?

A: I will ignore the fact that you are attempting to rush my response to such a sensitive question, but I suppose that you were not aware of my past circumstances, which is why you would have been confused about my hesitation to answer, so I will pardon your ignorance. Now, as answering the latter is much easier, I will explain it first. I am sure that you are not surprised by this, but my least favorite memory would be of the Great Calamity, when she destroyed half of the world. The scale of her destruction is very difficult for someone such as you to comprehend, but imagine if your world initiated nuclear warfare. This is not a precise comparison, but the destruction would be very similar. She left nothing behind, and it is no exaggeration to state that the world was reborn after the destruction left in her wake. Everything that I had worked so hard to achieve was completely useless in the face of that wretched monster. Of course, several of my experiments survived, but all of my work to improve the conditions of the world were murdered along with all of the people who died for nothing. Some may wonder why I hate her, but who would logically forgive the one who betrayed them and the entire world, causing so much death? If you were acquainted with an absolute evil such as Adolf Hitler, would you forgive him if he suddenly felt remorseful for his actions? If he explained that he had an emotionally challenging upbringing, would you forgive him? Would you find it in your heart to accept the excruciating pain of countless lifeforms just because others tell you to do so? No, you would not, and I certainly will never forgive her! Even if I learn what it means to sympathize with others, I will certainly never know what it means to feel anything other than hatred toward the Witch of Envy and whatever other identity she may assume. Now, to leave that topic before I reveal too many secrets, my favorite memory shared with a Witch is with Minerva, whom I admittedly get along with better than the rest of the Witches. You see, this memory occurs before the Great Calamity, when I was still hopeful for the world. This certain memory pertains to our first meeting, and I recall that the day was quite hot. I was taking a walk through an unfamiliar forest, and as I was experiencing unbearable heat, I devised an ingenious plan: I would create an artificial pool where I stood, and therefore have a means of cooling off. I suppose that I forgot to precede casting the water spell with the earth spell to create the pool area, so my immediate area was flooded quite terribly. For myself, it provided no relief, and it was quite the hindrance to don sodden shoes and to sport a damp dress, so I improvised and froze the water instead, creating a cool environment beneath me. While this improved my situation, it seemed to cause distress for another because I was immediately subject to an unladylike screech, that of which I soon discovered to have originated from Minerva. I appeared to have frozen her as she attempted to free a beast from a hunter's trap, and as I understand it, she did not appreciate the coldness of the ice that juxtaposed the heat of the day. For the very first time, I experienced a tantrum from the Witch of Wrath, and we have been good friends ever since.