Re:Zero Ex Light Novel Volume 4

Re:Zero Kara Hajimaru Isekai Seikatsu Ex 4: The Great Journeys (Ｒｅ：ゼロから始める異世界生活Ex 4 最優紀行) is the fourth spin-off novel of the Re:Zero light novel series. It stars Julius Juukulius as the main protagonist and covers the Imperial Diplomacy of Bloodshed and The Silver Flower Dance of the Sword Saint and the Lightning side stories.

It takes place roughly 6 months before the start of the Royal Selection and 4–5 months before the start of the main story.

Summary
This is a tale from the days before the "Royal Selection" that will determine the future direction of the Kingdom of Lugunica.

When the Kingdom of Lugunica is shaken by the death of the royal family, as the knights of the royal guard rush to defend the kingdom, they are given the responsibility to accompany and defend a diplomatic mission to the neighbouring country "the Sacred Vollachia Empire". Since its founding, the empire has repeatedly clashed with the kingdom. In the empire, that lives by the philosophy of the strong that the strong prey on the weak, and only the fit survive, the trio of Julius, Ferris, and Reinhard, will step into the darkness of the empire where the scent of blood swirls.

"Sir 'Sword Saint' taught me. ---That I wasn't alone."

A tale of earlier days, an upheaval where the strongest and the strongest, the kingdom and the empire, cross paths. ---On that day, what was seen by the eyes of the greatest?

Chapters

 * Royal Selection Prequel: Imperial Diplomacy of Bloodshed
 * Royal Selection Prequel: The Silver Flower Dance of the Sword Saint and the Lightning

Short Stories

 * Beatrice's Everyone is Troublesome, I Suppose!
 * Julius Juukulius's Promise Keeping Notebook II
 * Those Remaining in the Watergate City, Priestella Reconstruction Journal / Number 2

Trivia

 * Each of the Ex volumes are released at a time when they are relevant to the events of the ongoing story. For The Great Journeys, it was released a volume before Julius Juukulius read Balleroy Temeglyph's Book of the Dead in Volume 22.
 * The cover illustration for this volume incorrectly features Reinhard and Ferris' weapons, as Reinhard has been given a normal sword instead of the Dragon Sword, while Ferris can be seen with Julius' sword.
 * The illustration featuring Cecilus in the forest incorrectly shows him sporting his First and Second best swords–Murasame and Masayume (this can be visible from the swords' guards). During that scene, Cecilus had his swords out for sharpening at an unnamed swordsmith's, and he brought his fifth and third best swords with him.