Terminology

A page explaining the various terms used in the context of the Re:Zero universe.

Dragon Kingdom of Lugunica
The Dragon Kingdom of Lugunica (ルグニカ王国) is the country where the first six arcs of the main story take place.

See Kingdom of Lugunica for more info.
 * Lugunica (ルグニカ Rugunika) The Kingdom's Royal Capital.
 * Priestella (プリステラ) One of the Five Great Cities.
 * Tigracy River (ティグラシー大河)
 * The Great Temple (大神殿)
 * Picoutatte (ピックタット) One of the Five Great Cities.
 * Flanders (フランダース) One of the Five Great Cities.
 * Forest of the Elves (エルフの森)
 * Costuul (コスツール) One of the Five Great Cities.
 * Hakuchuri (ハクチュリ)
 * Astrea Mansion (アストレア邸)
 * Ganacks (ガナクス) One of the Five Great Cities.
 * Elior Forest (エリオール大森林)
 * Gina Mountain Range (ギナ山脈)
 * Lifaus Plain (リーファウス平原)
 * Flugel's Tree (フリューゲルの大樹)
 * Lifaus Highway
 * Pappelt (パッペルト)
 * Mill Gray (ミルグレー)
 * Bonobo (ボノボ)
 * Krufuna (クルフナ)
 * Ladrima (ラドリマ)
 * Coffleton (カッフルトン)
 * Agante (アガンテ)
 * Abiate (アビエイト)
 * Redonas Plateau (レドナス台地)
 * Roswaal Manor (ロズワール邸)
 * Arlam Village (アーラム村)
 * Hanumas (ハヌマス)
 * Cramlin (クラムリン)
 * Blacksnake Contamination Zone (黒蛇汚染地帯)
 * Karsten Ducal Estate (カルステン公爵邸)
 * Barielle Baronal Estate (バーリエル男爵邸)
 * The Lost Forest of Kremaldy (クレマルディ)
 * Sanctuary (聖域)
 * Castour Field
 * Aihiya Swamp (アイヒア湿地帯)
 * Shamrock Valley (シャムロック渓谷)
 * Sphinx's Testing Grounds (スピンクスの実験場)
 * Everlasting Darkness (常闇)
 * Augria Sand Dunes (アウグリア砂丘)
 * Mirula (ミルーラ)
 * Pleiades Watchtower (プレアデス監視塔)
 * Evil Sealing Stone Shrine (封魔石の祠)

Sacred Vollachia Empire
The Sacred Vollachia Empire (神聖ヴォラキア帝国) is the neighbouring country south of the Kingdom of Lugunica, which shares hostile relations with the Kingdom. It is the nation where Arc 7 and Arc 8 take place.

See Vollachia Empire for more info.
 * Lupugana (ルプガナ)
 * Crystal Palace (水晶宮)
 * Berstetz's Mansion (ベルステツの邸宅)
 * Gladiator Island Ginunhive (剣奴孤島ギヌンハイブ)
 * Garkla (ガークラ)
 * Gairahal Tropics (ガイラハル温帯)
 * Buddheim Jungle (バドハイム密林)
 * Buddheim (バドハイム)
 * Nameless Graveyard (名も無き墓所)
 * Shudrak Clan's Village
 * Gariu Heights (ガリウ高地)
 * Mezoreia (メゾレイア)
 * Glarasia (グララシア)
 * Guaral (グァラル)
 * Faradar (ファラダー)
 * Godraidh Waterfall (ゴドレード瀑布)
 * Lake Penelope (ペネロープ湖)
 * Chaosflame (カオスフレーム)
 * Crau-Crown Grasslands (クラウクラウン草原)
 * Averyk (エイブリーク)

Kararagi City-States
The Kararagi City-States (カララギ都市国家) are city-states under one geographical union and make up the neighbouring country west of the Kingdom of Lugunica. It appears to share slightly positive trade-based relations with the Kingdom of Lugunica.

See Kararagi for more info.
 * Kyo (キョウ) The first city of Kararagi
 * Banan (バナン) The second city of Kararagi.
 * Ivada (イヴァド) The third city of Kararagi.
 * Fusumi (フスミ) The fourth city of Kararagi.
 * Outou (オウトウ) The fifth city of Kararagi.
 * Azamiki (アザミキ) The sixth city of Kararagi.
 * Tenmitsu (テンミツ) The seventh city of Kararagi.
 * Free Trade Metropolitan Area (自由交易都市群)
 * Magolya Plateau (マゴーリア高原)
 * Grand Mogolade Geyser (モゴレード大噴口)
 * The Crimson Hills Girall (ギラル赤丘)
 * Zarestia's Bed (ザーレスティアの寝床)
 * Albis River (アルビス河)
 * Cragrel Moving Forest (クラグレル移動林)

Holy Kingdom of Gusteko
The Holy Kingdom of Gusteko (グステコ聖王国) is the neighbouring country north of the Kingdom of Lugunica. It shares cold relations with the Kingdom.

See Gusteko for more info.
 * Glacia (グレイシア)
 * Pardochia (パルドキア)
 * Inorandum (イノランダム)
 * Eternia (エターニャ)
 * Albis (アルビス)
 * Drisstay (ディリステイ)
 * Zesperga (ゼスペルガ)
 * Vast Eder Snowfield (エーデル大雪原)
 * Sacred Mountain Kanai (カナイ霊山)
 * Great Sibarell Glacier (シバレル大氷河)
 * Albis River (アルビス河)
 * High Virga Mountains (ビルガ高山脈)
 * Jimuna Volcano (ジムナ火炎山)
 * Orcos Territory (オルコス領)
 * Kenash Territory (ケナシュ領)
 * Tekran Ravine (テクラン峡谷)
 * Leanotte (レイアノット)

Unspecified
This section is for locations which haven't yet been classified under any of the Four Great Nations.
 * Carnattse (カルナッツ)
 * Regulus' Mansion (レグルスの邸)

Historical Context

 * Note: The characters within the story rarely describe historical events within helpful context, so the unit BA, “Before Arrival”, and AA, “After Arrival”, will be used to place moments in time with the best available knowledge. Both are in reference to Natsuki Subaru’s arrival in the world. In this case, only BA will be used. Also, note that the units are not official.

Great Calamity (大災厄 Daisaiyaku): The Great Calamity is a critical event in the Re: Zero world that occurs approximately 400 BA, or 400 years before Natsuki Subaru is summoned to the new world, in which the Witch of Envy first appears. Her rampage results in her almost destroying the world and is subsequently fought and sealed by the Sage, the first Sword Saint, the Dragon and the Sage's apprentice. See Great Calamity for a more detailed explanation of the event.

Demi-Human War (亜人戦争 Ahito Sensō): The Demi-Human War is a term used to describe the largest civil conflict between Demi-Humans and Humans within the Dragon Kingdom of Lugunica, taking place from 50 to 41 BA. The conflict resulted in the human victory, in no small part due to the combined efforts of the Zellgef Squadron and the Sword Saint of the era. See Demi-Human War for a more detailed explanation of the event.

Silver Flower Dance of Picoutatte (銀華乱舞): Two notable duels taking place in the city of Picoutatte between the Sword Demon Wilhelm van Astrea and Vollachia's strongest warrior, Eight-Arms Kurgan, roughly four decades before the start of the main series. During their first duel, both of the men were fighting on behalf of their respective countries–Wilhelm fought for the Dragon Kingdom of Lugunica, and Kurgan fought for the Sacred Vollachia Empire. The duel ended in a draw, as Stride Vollachia intervened in the fight after Kurgan shattered Wilhelm's right half of his body, and Wilhelm cut off one of Kurgan's arm;Stride did not want to lose his bodyguard just yet. Their second duel took place roughly 3–4 months after their initial duel, in the very same city. This time, however, the duel ended with Wilhelm destroying one of Kurgan's four Demon Cleavers and inflicted mortal wounds all over his chest, leaving him to bleed out–which he would have, if the Divine Dragon wouldn't heal him, after ascending upon the city.

Subjugation of the Evil Dragon: An event, taking place roughly a year after the end of the Demi-Human War and 3–4 months after the first Silver Flower Dance of Picoutatte. It is widely regarded as one of the worst days in the Kingdom's history. On one faitful day, Stride Vollachia, along with his subordinates–two Shinobi, Twin Shura, the sole survivor of the Evil Eye Tribe, Ashen Bride and the Vollachia's strongest warrior, Eight Arms–and the kidnapped Sword Saint, made his appearance in one of the five regional capitals–Picoutatte. They kidnapped and killed twenty civilians who bore a Divine Protection and summoned the Black Dragon Valgren. During the nighmarish battle, hundreds of civilians and soldiers from the Subjugation Squad lost their lives and the majority of the city was utterly destroyed. At the end, the Kingdom managed to break the Magical Circles preventing any distubrance with the outside world. In accordance to his covenant with the Dragon Kingdom of Lugunica, the Diving Dragon descended over Picoutatte, purifying Valgren into nothing more than a pile of ash, healing the numerous wounded and exstiquishing the fires burning throughout the city. Despite the gravity of the attack, the casualities were less than a third of what they anticipated. See Subjugation of the Evil Dragon for a more detailed description of the event.

The Day of Red Earth and Sky: Seven years before the main story, Puck unfroze Emilia from the ice she was imprisoned in. It was only a half year later in 6 BA when Melakuera, the Great Spirit of Fire, came in contact with the former two, and acted in accordance with his beliefs. Stating that Emilia was a threat to the equilibrium of the world, Melakuera decided to exterminate her due to being a "Witch". However, Puck couldn't allow the former to happen, thus he decided to fight him. Ultimately, Elior Forest became the battleground of Melakuera and Puck's clash, with the latter being the victor of that battle. That day became infamously known across Lugunica as the "Day of Red Earth and Sky". See Re:Zero Prequel: Bonds of Ice for a more detailed description of the event.

The Royal Abduction Incident: The Royal Abdusction Incident is a term that describes a significant event taking place 14 years before the events of the first Arc. A group of kidnappers snuck in the Royal Castle and abducted Ford Lugunica's daughter. A large scale search led by the Captain of the Royal Guard Wilhelm van Astrea had spawned, however, the child was never retrieved. According to the rumours, the Vice Captain of the Royal Guard Heinkel Astrea was involved with the incident, apparently even allowing the intruders to escape with the little girl. While not outright confirmed, it's heavily implied by knowledgeable individuals such as Reinhard and Miklotov that Felt might very well be the missing child, as she is as old as the kidnapped girl would've been, shares the trademark appearance of the members of the Royal Family, and has a name she doesn't know about.

The Great Expedition: The Great Expedition is the term used for the first Hakugei hunt led by the previous Sword Saint Theresia van Astrea, in 14 BA. Though it was originally supposed to be lead by the Royal Guard's Vice Captain Heinkel Astrea, the leadership was granted to his mother Theresia, after Heinkel had outright refused to lead the expedition and recommended his mother to do the job instead of him, despite Theresia putting away her sword for good and vowing not to use it ever again. As expected, the expedition ended disastrously, as the vast majority of the Royal Knights had been slain, including Theresia, who had lost her Divine Protection of the Sword Saint mid battle. What most do not know, however, is the involvement of a mysterious figure who sided with the Hakugei and attacked the Royal Knights and the Sword Saint–the Witch of Vainglory. Immediately following the loss of her Divine Protection of the Sword Saint, Theresia encountered the lone girl amongst the mist. Sensing danger, she sprung into battle, but subsequently died off-screen. It's heavily implied Pandora is somehow connected to Theresia's demise.

Silver Flower Dance of the Sword Saint and the Blue Lightning: A duel between Lugunica's Sword Saint Reinhard van Astrea and Vollachia's 1st ranking Divine General Cecilus Segmunt. Roughly half a year before the start of the Royal Selection, Vollachia's strongest individual Cecilus Segmunt uninvitely showed up in the Capital of the Dragon Kingdom of Lugunica, in search of the Sword Saint, requesting a rematch. The duo were allowed to have a proxy duel with both of them representing their respective countries. In front of the Training Ground Arena chalk-full of knights, Reinhard drew the Dragon Sword Reid for the 3rd time in his life. Both survived the duel and the match was declared a draw.

The Hunt for the Hakugei: Roughly a week after the Royal Selection Ceremony, Emilia Camp successfully formed a temporary alliance with Crusch Camp, by offering Crusch valuable information–the Demon Beast's exact time of appearance–in exchange for their help in defeating the Hakugei. With the help of Russell Fellow and Anastasia Hoshin, a subjugation group consisting of Karsten's private army, old Zellgef Squadron veterans, the Sword Demon, Fangs of Iron members, Rem and Subaru, departed towards Liphaus Highway. There, the army engaged with the Hakugei at 3:30pm (which doesn't corelate to the new world's time, as the clock stopped working properly once Subaru was summoned to the new world). The battle ended in triumph, after Wilhelm van Astrea had delivered the finishing blow, finally avenging his deceased wife which had been taken from him from that same beast, 14 years prior.

The Subjugation of Sloth: Roughly a week following the Royal Selection Ceremony and mere hours after the successful Hunt for the Hakugei, a group of fighters consisting of the same people that were present during the Hunt for the Hakugei plus new reinforcements consisting of Julius Juukulius and unnamed members of the Fangs of Iron departed towards the Roswaal territory, where the Witch Cult led by the Sin Archbishop of Sloth Petelgeuse Romanée-Conti was said to slaughter Arlam Village and Roswaal Manor. After having successfuly evacuated the villagers and Emilia, the team of subjugators managed to engage with the Witch Cultists and their leader, promptly defeating them. The fight wasn't over yet, though; following Sloth's defeat, the subjugation force learned of a cart that was rigged with a large quantity of Fire magic stones set to explode and wipe out the entire convoy in a blink of an eye. Subaru – with the help of Otto Suwen – managed to catch up with the convoy and dispose of the Fire magic stones in the headless corpse of the Hakugei, but not before battling the bloodlustful Evil Spirit of the Sin Archbishop Petelgeuse who refused to die, setting him on fire and crushing him underneath the cart's wheels. The result of the Sloth Subjugation Battle was a total victory over the Witch Cult, with no casualities taken on the Subjugation Squad's side.

Races and Clans/Tribes
Elf (エルフ): Elves are a race of Demi-Humans known for their longevity and beauty. Because of the Witch of Envy, Elves were also the target of prejudice from others. Currently, the only known elven community to appear in the story are frozen in the Great Elior Forest.

Oni Clan (鬼族): Among the numerous humanoid races that existed in the world, the Oni Clan were considered the mightiest. Their powerful bodies and the potency of the mana quality they employed, both granted the Oni peerless combat strength. However, as the members of the race had a elitist mindset, in order to preserve their purity and pride, enacted strict taboos and lived in villages in the mountains, away from others. Accordingly, the number of Oni was always low. The few Oni settlements tended to be small rural villages located in mountain ranges that adhered to a strong Social Darwinist and isolationist way of life. The only visible physical difference between a Oni and Human were a pair of long curved-horns that sprouted from the forehead of an Oni, when their lives were in danger. The horns would absorb mana from the atmosphere, greatly increasing an Oni's physical and magical capabilities. Twin demons were usually only born with one smaller horn each, thus making them weaker than their two-horned kin. There do exist those with only one or even no horns the latter which are known as Hornless, and were considered the dregs of their society because of it. Moreover, Oni born that way were to be killed by tradition to protect the Oni pride as a powerful and nearly perfect species. The village Ram and Rem lived in 10 years prior to the main story was the last Oni village, effectively making them some of the few Oni left alive in the entire world. Roswaal remarked that the Oni's demise was because of natural selection, as they refused to accept new ideas and not because of discrimination or prejudice.

Giant (巨人): Giants are a Demi-Human race of massive people with tremendous strength and a lifespan of around 150 years. They fought in various places during wartime and because of that their numbers dwindled. The only known Giant in the Royal Capital of Lugunica is Rom. It is mentioned that Sekhmet, a giant herself, killed most other Giants.

Evil Eye Tribe (魔眼族): The Evil Eye Tribe are a type of Demi-Humans that were wiped out by the Empire. There were originally not that many of them and they possessed the ability to see invisible things and interfere with the minds of others with their eyes. Rumours say that there are still living members existing. In fact, throughout the story, there have been quite a few Evil Eye members that have made their appearance, namely in the side stories.

Mole Humans (土鼠人): The Mole Humans are a type of demi-human that used to formerly reside in the Vollachia Empire. However, according to history, they betrayed a woman named Iris, causing the Empire to hunt them down. More than a hundred years ago, a group of Mole Humans dug the Everlasting Darkness (常闇) that connects between the Shamrock Valley in Lugunica and a place near the Vollachian town of Mozotto, where they still reside in the present.

Wolf Humans (狼人): The wolf humans are a type of demi-human that used to formerly reside in the Vollachia Empire. However, according to history, they betrayed a woman named Iris, causing the Empire to hunt them down to the brink of extinction. With the exception of Halibel, the only known wolf humans to publicly profess his heritage, the majority of wolf humans hide their heritage by pretending to be dog humans.
 * Werewolf (人狼): Werewolf is a term for demi-humans who are half wolf human. Like other beast humans, werewolves possess the ability to beastify.

Wolfin Tribe (ウルフェン族): The Wolfin Tribe are a rare type of demi-human who are at the brink of extinction. There is an anecdote about the Wolfins being raised to refer to themselves as Kobolds. Due to how they hide their true heritage, it is possible that they may be related to wolf humans.

Bat Humans (蝙蝠人): The Bat Humans are a species of demi-human that lives near the town Mozotto of Vollachia. They have night vision and an excellent sense of hearing. They often kidnap humans to drink for blood and choose targets based on whether their blood is good or bad. As long as there's no resistance, they won't do any harm to their targets. What's more, they were extremely attracted to rare blood which can deprive them of their normal sense of judgement. Bat Humans' leader is Jacques-Rosé Blau (ジャッカローゼ・ブラウ, Jakkarōze Burau) who calls himself the Lord of Blood (血主, Chi-nushi). Bat Humans also have a "instinct" that can help them sense the danger in the future. Jacques-Rosé himself has sensed the upcoming Great Disaster in the Vollachia Empire and sought to use the "blood bride" to power himself up to prepare for the disaster.

Dwarf Tribe (小人族): The Dwarf Tribe are a common type of Demi-Human that are shorter than normal humans.

Boar Tribe (イノシシ族): The Boar Tribe were usually an uncommon race of Demi-Human, but due to the Demi-Human War and the Sword Saint nearly wiping out their existence, their kind are now rarely seen. They are about the same size as the Wolfin Tribe. They have a head of a boar with a human physique.

Multi-Arm Clan (多腕族): A once nomadic race who finally settled down in the Vollachia Empire decades ago. They are few in number, and with exception of Kurgan, they typically have 4-5 arms.

Steelfolk (鋼人): The Steelfolk are a special type of race and unlike other races. They're rarely seen on the surface as they mostly travel underground, and they're additional a race that's different in mentality and hard to communicate with compared to humans.

Insect Cage Clan (虫籠族): The Insect Cage Clan is a minority group of various Demi-Humans existing only on the Vollachian soil. The clan consists of different demi-human races who–at a young age–ingested a special type of insect with magical properties, allowing them to eventually adopt their powers. The individual's Od syncs with the insect's Od, allowing them to share their souls, merging them into a single living being. By doing so, the person's external appearance drastically changes into that of a bug, giving them a gruesome appearance most people fear, but most importantly, a means of attacking. They're encased in a bug's shell that can easily deflect powerful attacks, have wings that allow them to skillfully maneuver around the battlespace and long hardened limbs which resemble a sickle. Known throughout the Empire for their deadliness and effectiveness, the Insect Cage Clan has no shortage of unique and special attacks which cause most–if not all–warriors a very tough time. Coupled with their large numbers, they're very effective assassins for dispatching groups of powerful foes threatening the Emperor.

Shudrak Clan (シュドラクの民): A clan located deep in the Buddheim Jungle. It's a purely female-born race. The clan's people are known for being descendants of war gods who lived in the jungle for hundreds of years. They reproduce with men from the outside. Members of this clan are dark skinned and have pitch black hair, similar to Subaru's. As expected from a warrior clan, the Shudraks have mastered the art of guerrilla warfare, using the terrain to their favour, dispatching their targets with poisonous arrows, deadly precision and devastating traps. According to Vincent Vollachia, the Clan was once saved from a predicament by a previous Vollachian Emperor.

Dragonkin (竜人): The dragonkin are a nearly extinct demi-human race possessing the ability to make emotional connections with the three kinds of lesser dragons. After driving ten other races to extinction, they were nearly led to extinction as a result of their extreme pride. The race's only known survivor is Madelyn Eschart.

Cyclops Tribe (単眼族): A giant-like race of demi-human with one eye in middle of their head. Their eyes can see much further than any other race and they are sensitive enough to not only be able detect smallest movement within an individual, but also concentrations of mana or heat. They also have the capability to perceive emotions.

Weaponkin (刃金人): A race of demi-humans born with parts of their bodies metallized which they reshape into any weapon of their choosing as they grow up.

Glow People (光人): A race of demi-humans with pyroxene crystals in their heads which supposedly absorb the souls of those who they kill.

Powers and Abilities
Magic (魔法): Magic is a paranormal power that alters mana passing through a being's gate into a form that has an effect on reality. For a more detailed explanation (including different types of magic and all spells currently used), see Magic.

Authority (権能): Authorities are various abilities the Witches, Sin Archbishops and certain other rare individuals use. For more info, see Authority.

Witch Factors (魔女因子): Witch Factors are special, abstract factors that enable people to use authorities. For more info about the Witch Factors, see Authority.

Divine Protection (加護): Divine Protections or Blessings, are various boosts that may be given to someone at birth. For a more detailed explanation as well as a list of every Blessing featured thus far in the story, see Divine Protection.

Spirit Arts (精霊術): Spirit magic is a type of craft similar to magic that Spirit users employ.

Spirit User (精霊使い): Spirit users, such as Emilia, are people that are contracted with Spirits, and use them in various situations. There are three different classes of Spirits; Lesser Spirits (微精霊 Biseirei), Quasi Spirits (準精霊 Junseirei), and Spirits (精霊 Seirei). There are also man made Spirits known as Artificial Spirits (人工精霊 Jinkou Seirei) which were created by the witch Echidna. Unlike Magic users, Spirit Users gather mana from outside their body. The only downside to Spirit Users is that the greatest amount of mana they can use at one time, is dictated by their contracted spirit. The greater the spirit's capacity for mana, the bigger the spells its contractor can cast.

Curse: A subcategory of spiritual and magical arts that originated from the country of Gusteko. The most notable traits about curses are they cannot be defended against once activated and they are the most effective class of magic when it comes to killing. However physical contract between the caster and target is mandatory for curses to work. Furthermore, unlike other normal magic, Curses are only limited to taking lives and have no other application in society beyond that. This caused the practice to become taboo leading it to fall out of favor among mainstream Magicians. Incidentally, there are Demon Beasts such as Wolgarm who are capable of inflicting curse spells through their bites and draining mana of the victim.
 * Curse Doll (呪い人形): Curse Doll is a curse which involves the user carving a curse mark that includes the information of the target they want to kill on someone, and upon activation, the person with the curse mark gains immortality, but as a cost they lose their sense of self and can't do anything else but kill the target and they die when the target is killed. Also, there seems to be a limit on the immortality. However, there's supposedly a way to cast the curse without the person losing their sense of self, which is what happened to Elsa, though repeatedly dying turned her into a curse doll.

Wall Strike (壁当て): A combat skill where, by controlling the mana inside the body, a shockwave is produced that can pass through obstacles.

Soul Transference: It is a lost forbidden magic art that allows a person to move their spirit from one body to another by over-writing the soul of the target body with their own. By doing this over and over to extend their life indefinitely, the user can achieve what Beatrice termed as "subjective immortally". However it has one major restriction in that for it to work, the person whose soul is overwritten must be of blood-relation to the caster. The spell was originally created by Echidna to gain immortality, but she could not complete it before falling at hands of the Witch of Envy. Instead, it was finished by Roswaal who had been using it to survive until the present era.

Magic Circle: A type of geometric magic algorithm used to perform complex spells and rituals that can be drawn on the earth or a living being. These can produce great kinds of effects such as large-scale magic that completely alters the state of a battlefield, imbuing an individual with extreme power, or even temporarily cutting off Divine Protections. However "Magic Circles" drawn on the ground once found can have their spells be disputed and the range of the effects of the magic only extent as far the circle's physical range so hiding them until activate is necessary. Since this is ancient magic very few people know about it and even fewer are capable of using it. Magic Circles were deployed frequently by demi-humans during the civil war.

Spirit Eaters: Spirit Eaters are people, who can eat and absorb spirits of all kinds, which in turn allows them to use those spirits' abilities until they digest them. A downside to this ability is high susceptibility to mana poisoning. By being exposed to larger quantities of mana, Spirit Eaters get sick way more easily than normal people. Spirit Eating was originally a secret technique found with members of specific tribes that were situated at the frontier of the Vollachia Empire. Due to its insane potential and strength, however, the tribes were brought to ruin and the technique was lost to time. Currently, only one Spirit Eater remains alive and known to the world–the 2nd ranking Divine General Arakiya.

Soul Marriage (魂婚 Konkon): This technique allows Yorna to share her power with anyone, under certain specific conditions. It is said to be one of the lost secrets of the old world and consists of giving away a part of the user's own Od to one or many individuals, provided that they "love" the user. Talented users are even able to use this technique on inanimate things, such as her Kiseru and the Crimson Lapis Castle which she can manipulate at her own will. The people under its effects are stated to have red flames in their eyes, as well as immense strength and enhanced self-healing.

Dragon Kingdom of Lugunica
Council of Wise Men (賢人会): An advisory board that supports Lugunica's ruler comprised of accomplished and distinguished people. They are currently administrating the country in place of a king until the Royal Selection is over. The amount of members is not known, but two of its known members are Miklotov McMahon and Bordeaux Zellgef.

Six Tongues (六枚舌): A secret intelligence order of the Dragon Kingdom of Lugunica, created by Bordeaux Zellgef and currently led by Russell Fellow. Its top priority is to ensure the stability of the Kingdom. Known members include Orphe and Helaine Gatness.

Priestellan Council of Ten (十人会 Jūninkai) A council which leads Priestella. After the events of Arc 5, the whole council got annihilated except for Kiritaka, him being the last survivor of the Council.

Royal Army (王国騎士団 Ōkoku-gun): An organization that is the military force of the Kingdom of Lugunica. For more information, see Royal Army.

House of Karsten: The most prominent noble family from the Dragon Kingdom of Lugunica. For more information, see House Karsten.
 * House of Argyle: A fallen minor noble house that once sat in the Karsten domain. Argyle line came from skilled water magic users who held knowledge of one most powerful secret water magic arts.

House of Astrea: The family of the world-renowned Sword Saints. For more information, see House Astrea.

The Crimson Front (真紅戦線 Shinku sensen): The Barielle Territory’s Private Army. Originally it was the private army of count Leip Barielle. After his death, his wife Priscilla Barielle took over and reestablished the army as The Crimson Front. Every soldier in the army wears red armor because it is Priscilla's favorite color.

White Dragon's Scale (白竜の鱗 Hakuryuu no Uroko): An organization that is a mercenary group currently hired by Kiritaka Muse. For more information, see White Dragon's Scale.

The Brotherhood (同胞団 Douhou-dan): An organization that was led by Marcos Gildark 15 years before Natsuki Subaru was summoned into the world. The organization was created to fight against the class-discrimination that was occurring in the Royal Capital at the time.

The Golden Wing Faction (金翼党 Kinyoku-tou): An organization that was led by Fareed Impusen 15 years before Natsuki Subaru was summoned into the world. The organization was created by nobles who lacked a sense of purpose because they were born as third and fourth sons, and the like, thus failing to inherit major duties in their lineage. The organization acted as a vigilante group to quash crime in the Royal Capital.

The Three Heads: A term used for the three most powerful groups of Flanders' underground society, known as the Black Society.
 * The Scales (天秤): One of the factions of the Three Heads, led by Manfred Madison. They deal in gambling. The Scales also seem to revere the Witch of Pride.
 * Flower Prison Garden (華獄園): One of the factions of the Three Heads, led by Toto. Known to have a very bad relationship with The Scales. They specialize in prositution.
 * Black Silver Coin: One of the factions of the Three Heads, led by Doltero Amule. It is rumored that they deal with items related to the Witches.

The Golden Beetle: A money lending organization that is based in the black society of Flanders. It deals with businesses in the Black Society. It is controlled by Helaine Gatness.

Demi-Human Alliance (亜人の連合): The Demi-Human Alliance was a coalition of demi-human forces who fought in the Demi-Human War. Its three leaders were Valga Cromwell, Libre Fermi, and Cragrell Dawson, though Sphinx was another leading figure within the Alliance. It collapsed after two of their three leaders fell.

Sacred Vollachia Empire
Imperial Army (帝国軍, Teikoku-gun): The Vollachia Empire's national military force. It is the largest military organisation in the new world. For more information, see Imperial Army.

The Pruning Corps (剪定部隊 Sentei butai): Lamia Godwin's Private Army. They wear armour that conceals their face and wield large shears in combat. The Corps is renown for their cruel and feral nature as well as their prowess in battle. The army was decimated in its entirety by young Cecilus Segmunt, 7 years before the start of the main story.

Holy Kingdom of Gusteko
Gustekan Church (グステコ聖教, Gusuteko Seikyō): Also known as the Holy King Church (聖王教会, Seiō Kyōkai), it is a theocratic governing body that rules over the nation of Gusteko and sanctions the worship of Spirits. For more information, see Gustekan Church.

Kararagi City-States
Fang of Iron (鉄の牙 Tetsu no Kiba): An organization that is a personal mercenary group that is lead by the mercenary's captain, Ricardo Welkin, and it is owned by Anastasia Hoshin. For more information, see Fang of Iron.

Scratch of Silver (銀の爪痕 Gin no Tsumeato): A mercenary group that is full of demi-humans. Shiroro Tonerico is one of its commanding officers.

Others
Witch Cult (魔女教): It is an organization that supposedly worships the Witch of Envy Satella. For more information, see Witch Cult.

Witches of Sin (大罪魔女): The Witches of Sin are a group of individuals, each representing one of the Seven Deadly Sins plus two archaic sins. For more information, see Witches of Sin.

Magic Related
Mana: Mana is a type of colourless supernatural energy that exists in the atmosphere which can be found basically everywhere. When magic is being processed, a person's innate attitude will charge the mana particles to their specific “element”, which briefly manifests as formless spell-form before taking shape of the spell chosen. When a person casts magic, they will experience brief physical and mental fatigue which results in sudden weakness if they are not used to expelling magic or if they overcast beyond their capacity. Mana is also used in martial techniques and special abilities such as beastification, making superhuman feats possible, although beastification is often used by individuals who are not very proficient in using magic directly. Mana itself originates from the Od Laguna, the world's Od.

Gate: An invisible portal-like apparatus that exists in every living thing. It allows mana to pass through the body and be stored in the Od. Whether one can use magic or not entirely depends on its condition; be it either fully or partly open. Most people only have partly functioning gates so magic is out of reach to them. In addition, there are some with a defective gate that keeps them from releasing mana at all. Overcasting magic can also lead to damaging the gate, and then the permanent loss of magic if the user continues to do so without treatment. However, that is difficult to obtain and if the gate breaks before that then nothing can be done.

Od (オド): Od is the life energy that dwells inside of a living being from birth which is synonymous with the soul, making it the opposite of mana, which is magical energy that exists in the environment. It varies from person to person in terms of quantity and size which represents the lifespan of an individual. It also acts as a vessel for storing mana that flows through the gate from the environment, so having a large capacity is especially beneficial to those who can use magic. Od can be used in place of mana to cast magic, however unlike mana, using Od is like using your own lifespan, and so it isn't recommended outside of emergencies. In case the user runs out of their Od, they won't die but they also won't be themselves anymore. According to the author, such people soon become crippled. Under special conditions, an individual is able to encase themselves in their own Od which will act as some sort of a separate world that is even free from the influence of Authorities. During the events of Arc 5, Anastasia Hoshin used this technique to avoid the consequences of the Authority of Gluttony in order to not forget her knight Julius Juukulius.

Od Laguna (オド・ラグナ): Od Laguna–often referred to as the "world" in layman terms–is a vast storage of mana located at the origin of the world itself, or in other words, at the world's core. It is where all mana comes from in the world, a eventually goes back to. No one knows where it is located and the Author once state that it's an entity similar to the Sun, as it has no will of it's own. It is said that those who stumble over prohibited arts have had their spirits destroyed by simply looking at it. Some speculate that it is the world's will and gives Divine Protections to people. Its main function is to provide stability to the world and its inhabitants by regulating mana, souls and other aspects of life, while limiting the frequency of natural disasters that occur due to mana oftentimes running short. Mana flows from Od Laguna to every individual's Od, which is connected to it via their gate. How much one receives depends on the size of the gate, e.g. the bigger it is the more mana they get, which also affects their aptitude for magic. When mana is expelled from an "Od" through the individual's gate, it can be used to either create magic or power objects such as "magic stones/lagmites" or Meteors. Once spent, the residue mana lingers around, becoming atmospheric mana, which Spirits and Spirit Art Users can harness. Eventually, the atmospheric mana returns back to Od Laguna, restarting the cycle again, for all eternity. While Od Laguna does not necessarily possess a physical form, the Author has claimed that Reinhard would be able to defeat/destroy it, if he was ordered to.
 * Corridor of Memories: A vast endless white space within Od Laguna, where souls of the dead go to get filtered of their impurities, or in other words, the memories of its previous life, before they get reused. Those memories in turn are then recorded & preserved by turning them into Books of the Dead, which are stored in the Pleiades Watchtower's library.

Defective Gate: A medical term for individuals whose Gate cannot perform the normal circulation process of either absorbing or expelling mana. If the former occurs that person cannot use magic unless they expend their Od. If its the latter, then they are at risk of "Mana Poisoning".

Mana Poisoning: Mana Poisoning is a state in which an individual continues to absorb an excess amount of mana beyond their Od's capacity, but is incapable of releasing it, which will eventually destroy their Od and kill them. Improperly configured or defective gates are the common casue of this. Individuals in this status who don't receive constant treatment are often very sick.

Magic Release Period (発魔期, Hatsumaki): A phenomenon that occurs to individuals and beings who possess potent magical power, powerful gates and Od that allow them to draw-in and store more mana than they let out. It happens when a magic user doesn't maintain a proper release cycle to let off excess mana from their Od which causes it to overflow from beyond their bodies. It can have drastic effects on the person such as mana poisoning, and it can even affect the environment. The mana will eventually burst out of and damage their gate if it's not forcibly released and released from within them.

Flow Method (流法): A method of handling mana within one's body and utilizing it in order to enhance their own physical strength. Mana-based marital art techniques such as "Palm of the Fist King" can be created and performed with mastery.

Oaths: In the world, there exist concepts known as contracts that can either be magically binding or honour-binding. They are collectively known as oaths, which are broken down into three main categories.
 * Pacts/Contracts: Two parties can form oaths, which are usually made between spirit-sensitive humans or Demi-Humans, and Spirits. By doing this, the formerly mentioned parties form a symbiotic relationship with Spirits, and become what is known as a Spirit Art Users.
 * Covenants: Covenants are oaths formed between entire bloodlines, rather than just specific individuals, such as the one between the Kingdom of Lugunica's late Royal Family and the Divine Dragon, which vows the Dragon to aid the Kingdom when in need. Covenants are usually long-lasting (for several generations).
 * Vows: Oaths that either binding two individuals or a single party. They can be magically backed, or simply honour-based promises or agreements.

Miasma (瘴気): Miasma is invisible contaminated mana that exudes from those who hold the power of witches or are connected to them. The Witches of Sin, the Sin Archbishops of the Witch Cult, Demon Beasts and to a smaller extent low-ranking cult members are prominent examples of this. While the criteria for it aren't known, this miasma can be sensed by certain individuals who are sensitive to it. Miasma is normally harmless when it is in small doses, however in high density, it will start having negative effects on all things; living beings with gates will be driven into madness, food will be polluted and go on to corrupt those who eat it. Demon Beasts are attracted to those who give it off and will deliberately attack them as well as grow stronger in places where it is very prevalent.
 * The Witch's Scent (魔女の香) is a similar type of scent exclusively belonging to Satella, and the Witch's Lingering Scent (魔女の残り香) is a scent that those connected to the Witch of Envy have, such as Natsuki Subaru.

Lagmite: Also known as magic stone or pyroxene crystals. They are created when atmospheric mana crystallizes under specific conditions over a period of time. Magic crystals are a large type of magic stone that grow over a significant amount of time and have no impurities, but very few currently exist. With the exception of one, they come in six elements and serve many practical functions in society. Fire lagmite can be used in mechanisms for cooking, heating baths or lamps. Earth types are used for strengthening structures like pots or buildings, or used as fertiliser when buried in the ground. Yin and Yang lagmites are often made use of in powering meteor devices. Any living being that has a "gate" can come in contact and use them. The individual does not need to be able to use magic themselves to make use of them. Crystals in raw form are volatile and need to be handled with care otherwise their will unleashed mana stored within with explosive effects.
 * Pyroxene Crystal (輝石結晶): A rare colourless type of lagmite crystal that unlike a normal mana crystal is very small. They are only found in a place that has a high density of mana. The crystal has been demonstrated to hold incredible powers such as being able to store souls, spirits and fragments of one's Od. In addition to that, it can be used as a means of containing and controlling magical algorithms that generate spells. It often functions as a kind of key for people to pass into places that are otherwise very difficult or impossible due to powerful barriers.

Surplus Mana Circulation Constitution: Words that Ezzo used to describe the physical constitution/make-up which could absorb mana without using Reinhard's technique.

Magical Books: Magical Books are books which can only be read by individuals who are well versed in magic, and can utilise mana. The books look plain on the outside and have blank pages, however, if the reader concentrates, letters made out of mana appear, allowing the holder of the book to read it. According to Beatrice, Echidna had an infinite amount of Magical Books stored in her library.

Story Specific
Gospel (福音): A black book that lists the holder's future. The information is more detailed if the miscalculation between the holder and the world memory is low.
 * Book of Wisdom (叡智の書 Eichi no sho): The Book of Wisdom is a white book crafted by Echidna that allowed her to draw knowledge from the world's memory. The book didn't just know the present and past, it also knew what would happen in the future, and drew its needed information from there. The mind of an ordinary person attempting to read it would be fried by the sheer amount of knowledge flowing into the reader's mind.
 * Roswaal and Beatrice's Books of Wisdom (ロズワールとベアトリスの叡智の書):Beatrice's Gospel ep.32.png Two imperfect gospel books created by Echidna for Roswaal and Beatrice. They allow the holder to use a limited version of the original Book of Wisdom and only two exist in the entire world. Roswaal's book was destroyed by Ram and Beatrice disposed of hers to form a contract with Subaru.
 * Witch Cult's Gospel (魔女教徒の福音): Defective gospel books that are given to potential Witch Cult members. They show the members a route to a future they desire through vague details. These books can only be read by the holder and appear to be incomprehensible to others.

The Trial (試練 Shiren): Roughly two months after Subaru's arrival to the new world, the Royal Selections kickstarted and with them, Emilia's presence became known throughout the entirety of the Dragon Kingdom of Lugunica. Accordingly, the Witch Cult learned of her existence and the Sin Archbishop of Sloth Petelgeuse Romanée-Conti's Gospel instructed him to perform the Trial on her. Though the details of the trial were never discussed thoroughly in the main story, the Ayamatsu IF story provides us with a more detailed description coming directly from Petelgeuse's mouth – the trial is supposed to determin wether Emilia is a suitable vessle to inherit the soul of the Witch of Envy, which would, according to the Witch Cult, prove effective in resurrecting the Witch of Envy. Due to the combined efforts of Natsuki Subaru, Crusch's faction and Anastasia's faction, however, the Witch Cult was stopped and Sloth was slain by the hands of Julius Juukulius and Subaru Natsuki, rendering the Trial seemingly unsuccessful. It should be mentioned, however, that during one of the failed loops Petelgeuse states to Emilia the following: "Though I must say... Unable to pass even a single trial, not even facing a single Deadly Sin, bearing great expectations only to stumble over the frist stone in her path...". Though no explanation has been given for this line in specific, it does beg the question if the Trial conducted by Petelgeuse in Arc 3 is all there is to it, or if there's more to this Trial than meets the eye.

Dragon's Blood/Dragon Vein (龍の血 Ryū no Chi): Dragon's Blood is blood taken directly from a Dragon, which acts as a miracle agent. It's said that it's capable of curing any disease and even reversing famine instantly. Only the rulers of the Kingdom of Lugunica have access to it, as it is stored in the Royal Palace's vaults. In order to receive it, however, one must kill a Dragon and collect the blood from its last heartbeat. In Volume 26, it is noted that the Dragon Blood stored away in the Royal Castle doesn't belong to the Divine Dragon Volcanica, but rather, to a different Dragon which was as powerful as Volcanica.

Trials of the Tomb (試練): The trials are three different events that take place at Echidna's Grave at night and clearing them releases the barrier on the Sanctuary. Only halves and people who have been given the right by Echidna may take the trials. If anyone unworthy enters, they suffer ill effects such as feeling bad or getting injured. The effects are stronger the more the person is talented.
 * The First Trial (第一の試練): The beginning phrase is "First off, face your past". The trial taker is shown their past and told to get rid of any regret by either accepting or rejecting their past. The trial is finished if the trial taker either accepts that they change or decides that they won't change.
 * The Second Trial (第二の試練): The beginning phrase is "See the unimaginable present". The trial taker experiences themselves living a different life. The trial is finished if the trial taker chooses reality over their dream.
 * The Third Trial (第三の試練): The beginning phrase is "Face the impending disaster". The trial taker becomes conscious and is shown probable futures they will experience. The trial is finished if the trial taker chooses to keep on going even if they know that a tragic future is waiting for them.

Book of the Dead (死者の書): Special mediums that connect to the Corridor of Memories within Od Laguna where one can access memories of the deceased. They are found in the Taygeta Library of the Pleiades Watchtower.

Four Major Disasters (大いなる四つの災い, Ōinaru Yottsu no Wazawai): The four major disasters, also called the four disasters (四つの災い, Yottsu no Wazawai) are four different incidents in each of the Four Great Nations which are said to lead the world to destruction. These disasters include the Kingdom of Lugunica's Witch or Witches, the Kararagi City-States' Night Weeping, the Holy Kingdom of Gusteko's Collapse, and the Sacred Vollachia Empire's Great Disaster.
 * The Great Disaster (大災, Daisai): The Great Disaster is a disaster foretold to bring ruin that not even the light of the sun can reach to Vollachia. According to Ubilk, the Great Disaster is an inevitability that cannot be prevented, and it must only begin with the death of "Vincent Vollachia". However, Ubilk also says that it is possible to ward its destruction away. Chisha Gold used his transformation ability to impersonate Vincent Vollachia and became the fated individual who died in the Great Disaster, saving the true Emperor in the process. The disaster itself was bore by Sphinx, who revived legions of zombies for her plan to destroy the Empire. See Great Disaster for a more detailed explanation of the event.
 * An incident in Chaosflame where a great shadow expelled from Natsuki Subaru is also temporarily known by this name. However, it is not the true Great Disaster.
 * The Night Weeping (夜泣き, Yonaki): The Night Weeping of the City States is a disaster foretold to bring destruction to Kararagi. The details of this disaster are unknown.
 * The Collapse (崩落, Hōraku): The Collapse of the Holy Kingdom is a disaster foretold to bring destruction to Gusteko. The details of this disaster are unknown.
 * The Witch/Witches (魔女, Majo): The Witch or Witches of the Kingdom are a disaster foretold to bring destruction to Lugunica. The details of this disaster are unknown. It is also unspecified if this disaster includes only a single Witch or multiple Witches.

Flying Dragon Cataclysm (飛竜災害, Hiryū Saigai): Flying Dragon Cataclysms are incidents in Vollachia where flying dragons completely destroy a settlement during their breeding season. However, this name was also used for an incident in the Fortified City of Guaral where Madelyn Eschart commanded a herd of flying dragons to lay waste to the city.

Slang and Language
E・M・?: Various shortened phrases Subaru uses to praise Emilia. These include E・M・B (Emilia-tan Maji Bosatsu), E・M・F (Emilia-tan Maji Fairy), E・M・H (Emilia-tan Maji Healer), E・M・K (Emilia-tan Maji Kishidou), E・M・K (Emilia-tan Maji Koakuma), E・M・M (Emilia-tan Maji Megami), and E・M・T (Emilia-tan Maji Tenshi).

Hornless (ツノナシ): A term for Oni who either have lost their horns or were born without them and Demon Beasts who have been tamed by theirs broken. For the former in this state, they cannot draw-in mana from the atmosphere nor sustain the use of it for long periods resulting in a weakened constitution. However they can survive with regular mana infusion from someone who knows the skill.

Hyena (ハイエナ): In the Kararagi City-States, this term is used to refer to people or demi-humans who have no home or anything to eat. They live life by scavenging in trash cans for things to eat. The term is thought to originate from Hoshin's time. Before she was taken from the streets, Anastasia Hoshin lived as a hyena.

Lolicon: A term that was used in Kararagi between Chuden and Ricardo in Anastasia's Kararagi Merchant Path, by the latter after the former mentioned it was "love at first sight" that brought Anastasia to him. The term was coined by Hoshin of the Wilderness 400 years ago and has become a common word in Kararagi since. Some theorize that Hoshin was a lolicon himself.

Apostle of Greed (『強欲』の使徒): A term and position given to those who have gained Echidna's favor. It grants them the "Command Authority" which forces compulsory obedience from all replicas of Ryuzu. There have been only 3 people who have held this title: Garfiel, Emilia, and lastly, Subaru. However, in Subaru's case, he lost his right as an Apostle in the middle of Arc 4.

Demi-Human (亜人 Ahito): The general term for all humanoid species such as Beast-Humans, Oni, Giants, Elves, various Reptilian races etc. They are found throughout the world, though some are unique to specific regions. Although their social status and treatment vary by country, with Gusteko being the worst. Many half-elves and similar mixed-bloods are particularly detested due to the similarities of their birth with the Witch of Envy, which has extended to demi-humans in general to a lesser degree.

Dragon Maiden: A position and title which will be given to the woman who wins the Royal Selection and becomes Luginca's ruler. Dragon Maidens have existed in the past, but back then they served only as intermediaries between the previous kings and Volcanica as part of the old contract.

Lion King (獅子王): A sage king whose uncanny intuition and leadership guided Lugunica to prosperity in the distant past before the contract between the Lugunica family and the dragon Volcanica which guaranteed the health and the security of the nation from external threats. Once the established country became known as the Dragon Kingdom of Lugunica and the royal family's coat of arms shifted from a symbol of the “lion” to that of the dragon. The former insignia came to pass over to House Karsten instead. Since then, the royal family had only needed to carry the bloodline to ensure the contract. While the de jure-wise wielded the highest authority in the land, due to their lacking statesmanship since then, their influence over state matters has waned from the days of the "Lion Kings". The effects of that led the general populace to look to the dragon and the Council of Wise Men more often than they would have otherwise for guidance instead. Every now and then a royal heir bearing the potential qualities to be the next "Lion King" would be born; unfortunately, every known person with the royal bloodline is now dead.

Shinobi (シノビ): Shinobi are skilled spies and assassins that are originally from Kararagi but are known to be employed by other powers.

Doctor: A person that is extremely skilled at using healing Magic and has passed at the Healing Insitute in Lugunica.

Evil Dragons (邪龍 Jyaryuu): A term used by the general population four centuries ago, to label dragons which did people wrong, by attacking, killing and hunting them. It is mentioned by Beatrice that this term is nothing more than a viewpoint of humans, rather than a designated species name. According to the legends, Evil Dragons were all but exterminated by the first Sword Saint Reid Astrea, four centuries ago.

Myon Myon: According to Echidna, a mage by the name of Myon Myon walked the lands long ago. Back then, magic wasn't systemised yet, so her pupils developed a habit of chanting "Myon Myon" when casting spells. This can be seen during the events of the second failed loop of Arc 2, when Roswaal examined Subaru for his potential in magic. Furthermore, Echidna had the habit of repeating the same chant when "downloading" Subaru's memories in Kasaneru IF Light Novel edition.

Worldbuilding
Consistencies include...


 * Kingdom of Lugunica National Foundation Day (ルグニカ王国の建国記念日): The 25th of the month Marshba (マルシュバ) of Laguna's history. Coincides with the Monthly Festival (月祝祭): Also on the 25th day of every month. Unsurprisingly, it is a monthly morning event celebrating the national anniversary of Lugunica.


 * Months: The world of Re:Zero has its own months, but only four are known so far in the story, "Tadmus", "Arbe", "Marshba" and Kisdam".


 * Seasons (季節): The seasons in the world are categorized into “Red-Sun, Blue-Sun, Yellow-Sun, and Green-Sun”, with each matching a different elemental magic type. According to Subaru, Red-sun refers to the equivalent of Summer, Blue-sun to Winter, Yellow-Sun to Autumn and Green-Sun to spring.


 * Time Tower (刻限塔) and by extension, Time: Time Towers are tall buildings with a time crystal placed in them, similar to a clocktower. Many cities and villages have them and multiple towers are placed within each one. The clock and Time, in general, are split into two phases, Brightsun and Darksun, which represent the elements of light and shadow. These are further divided into sub-section sections that correspond to the 4 primary elements with each representing 6 hours. Brightsun is Wind Time and Fire Time, ranging from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Darksun is Water Time and Earth Time ranging from 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM. The crystals wane and glow with the passage of time to show the transition.

Facets of background politics within the Re:Zero world include...


 * Royal Selection (王選): See Royal Selection.

An election to decide on who will become the 42nd King of Lugunica. The elections span for three years until the same day, which falls on the month before the ritual to form a new contract between Volcanica and the chosen candidate. The five candidates are Emilia, Crusch Karsten, Anastasia Hoshin, Priscilla Barielle, and Felt, all of whom were chosen by the Dragon Insignias. For a more detailed explanation, see Royal Selection.


 * Divine Dragon Ritual (神龍儀): A ritual between Volcanica and either the king or a shrine maiden of the Kingdom of Lugunica where the pledge is reviewed. The next ritual will be held three years and a month after the beginning of the royal election.


 * Imperial Selection Ceremony (皇帝選出の儀): A method which the Vollachia Empire uses to determine succession to the throne. The “process” begins with the current Emperor conceiving children with people from all corners of the country. Those children are supposed to then vie for the throne, and the last known survivor becomes the new Emperor. This ceremony is an example of the Emperor themselves following the country's ideals, earning it the support of the people. It officially begins when the current Emperor is burned to death by the Yang Sword or otherwise loses their credentials. The Emperor's children are gathered together to test whether they hold the credentials by seeing if they can wield the Yang Sword without burning to death, hence signifying the time to fight for the throne has come. It's also possible to decline to take the sword and thus exclude yourself from succeeding the throne, however, such people are typically killed during the ceremony or when a new Emperor takes the throne. The ceremony typically lasts under a year.


 * Western Margrave Territory Meeting (西方辺境伯領会合): A meeting that takes place between people of notable influence regarding the rule of the Western Margrave Territory, the territory owned by Roswaal L Mathers.

Fauna within the Re:Zero world
Dragons (龍, Ryū): Dragons are usually very large and very powerful powerful creatures made entirely of mana clumps. In the days of the Witches, Dragons freely roamed the world in numbers. For more information, see Dragon.

Dragons (竜 Ryuu): Unlike the mana-based Dragons, dragons are smaller and less powerful beings with bodies of their own. They come in different species, such as earth dragons, water dragons, and flying dragons. The earth dragons are said to be created by the Divine Dragon after it blessed the grounds of Flanders. For more information, see Dragon.
 * Earth Dragon (地竜 Chiryū): Dragons created by Volcanica. Much like horses on earth, these wingless, land-based dragons are often domesticated to be used in menial labors such as transport or in warfare. They have varied body types and colours to suit different terrains, environmental conditions and jobs which makes them excellent to work with. All Earth Dragons are born with Wind Evasion a species-based Divine Protection. Specific species types known include Flanna (フランナ種), the most numerous versatile species, Eliq (エイリーク種), an earth Ddragon species for cold environments, Agaress (アガレス種), an earth dragon species for desert environments, and Diana (ダイアナ種), the species of Patrasche, a prideful and relatively rare species. The Diana species is the original species from which all other earth dragons descend from.
 * Flying Dragon (飛竜 Hiryū): A lesser species of dragon, like earth dragons. They are nearly impossible to domesticate, though some people in the Vollachia Empire had found a means to do it. These dragons have been shown capable of surpassing the speed of sound. It is likely that they are also born with a similar Divine Protection as with earth dragons and water dragons.
 * Water Dragon (水竜 Suiryū): A lesser species of dragon, like earth dragons. These dragons are aquatic creatures, with long serpentine bodies, with short stubby limbs. They have blue, slippery skin and have a head that resembles a dragon's. Their mouths are crowded by sharp fangs, and catfish-like whiskers extend from its snout. They are harder to domesticate than earth dragons, as one must be trained from the very day they hatch from their eggs in order to recognise someone as their master. All water dragons are born with a Divine Protection which protects them from the effects of the water.

Black Deer (黒鹿): It is a deer-like large herbivore which lives in Buddheim Forest in Vollachia. It is characterized by its strong horns and black furs. Its first appearance is in Re:Zero Light Novel Volume 27, chapter 1, part 5.

Liger (ライガー) Ligers have an appearance that is similar to wolves on earth. Ligers are a somewhat rare type of species, as they are often seen in Kararagi, but not so much anywhere else, and especially not in Lugunica. Ligers are very territorial, so they can be difficult to raise. They are often used by the members of the Fang of Iron mercenary group for menial labors such as transport or warfare. Although they are similar to Earth Dragons, Ligers lack strength, but they are more agile and have higher speed and endurance. They have a high chance of winning if the two were ever needed to fight in a melee.

Falo (ファロー): Falos are animals with a quiet disposition with high stamina comparable to the likes of Earth Dragons or Ligers. They are valued in all countries, however, they have an element of cowardice in their nature. Long ago they were referred to by the name "Grim Oxen".

Galewind Horse (疾風馬): Galewind horse is a giant and horse-like animal in Vollachia Empire. Like horses on earth, they are used for riding or carriage. But since they are quite rare, they are typically used by generals in Vollachia.

Demon Beast (魔獣): Demon Beast is a general name for any number of organisms that are able to sustain themselves off of mana and have origins of creation from the Witch of Gluttony. Under most conditions, they are larger and stronger than regular fauna and typically possess often hazardous magical abilities. See Demon Beast for more information.

Demi-Beast (亜獣): Demi-Beast is a general name for any number of organisms that are a cross between flesh and inorganic objects, with weapons like axes or spears protruding from their bodies and have their origins of creation from the Sin Archbishop of Lust. Interestingly enough, they are unrelated to Demon Beasts. See Demi-Beast for more information.

Corpse Soldier (屍兵): A name for a type of undead that retains some measure of their marital ability after death. When destroyed, the magic will be released and the victims will momentary returned to the state they were right before their deaths but breakdown into ash right after.

Various cultural aspects within the Re:Zero world include...


 * Food: Various types of food and drink are known under different names in the world of the series.
 * Appa (リンガ, Ringa): The name that apples go by.
 * Banina (バニナ, Banina): The name that bananas go by.
 * Orage (オレージ, Orēji): The name that oranges go by.
 * Piche (ピジ, Piji): The name that peaches go by.
 * Peah (ペア, Pea): The name that pears go by.
 * Chorry (チェロリ, Cherori) The name that cherries go by.
 * Strowberry (スロベリ, Suroberi): The name that strawberries go by.
 * Grapp (グラプ, Gurapu): The name that grapes go by.
 * Lemom (レモヌ/レモム, Remonu/Remomu): The name that lemons go by.
 * Melan (メラン, Meran): The name that melons go by.
 * Tometo (トメト, Tometo): The name that tomatoes go by.
 * Solt: (ソルテ, Sorute): The name that salt goes by.
 * Peppa: (ペッパ, Peppa): The name that pepper goes by.
 * Vinegee (ビネギー, Binegī): The name that vinegar goes by.
 * Radsh (ラグディッシュ, Ragudisshu): The name that radish goes by.
 * Peppir (ピーマル, Pīmaru): The name that bell pepper goes by.
 * Krafish (ジャリガニ, Jarigani): The name that crayfish goes by.
 * Poiison (ポワッゾ, Powazzo): The name that fish go by.
 * Coff (コーフ, Kōfu): Coff is a drink that is made from beans that are transported and made in the Vollachia Empire. In Rem's Latte Art, Subaru claims that coff is something that is similar to coffee.
 * Potato (芋, Imo): Unlike other types of food, the names of potatoes and steamed potatoes (蒸かし芋, Fukashi Imo) remain unchanged.


 * Fluffy (フワフワ): Fluffy is a famous confectionery similar to cotton-candy sold in the capital of Lugunica. Fluffy made by first-class craftsmen is good enough that they can't be told apart from clouds in the sky.


 * Ryokucha (リョクチャ): A popular drink created in Kararagi.


 * Bokko Fruit (ボッコの実): A small purple nut that can stimulate mana within a person's gate when taken. It's mainly used in emergencies when a Magic User's internal mana is depleted and their gate becomes dominant but needs to use magic. However, because this forcibly reactivates the gate, it carries a serious risk of damaging the gate itself.


 * Fannel Fruit (ファネルの実): The Fannel Fruit is a small fruit that when taken as powder it can make a person's body feel hot, make them honest, and bring about strong drowsiness. Possibly alcoholic in nature.


 * Karnago Powder (カルナゴの粉末): Powder with a strong odor that can erase a person's body odor along with the powder's smell within minutes if applied to the body.


 * Guinagery (ギナジェリー): A famous food in Priestella. It appeared in Volume 16.


 * Soirie (ソワリエ): A kind of pastry that is made by stuffing sweetness inside the bun before baking. It is usually stuffed with cream and mushed beans and is very effective against hunger. In Volume 17, Reala Thompson gave a bunch of them to Garfiel Tinsel as a parting gift.


 * Tometo Festival: A festival held annually in Hakuchuri. The city is divided into four teams. Getting hit by a tometo means you're out. The team that has the last man standing, wins.


 * Hambulgar: The world's version of a hamburger. It is unknown what exactly it is composed of beyond the basic similarities to a hamburger.


 * Fire Wine: A wine-like drink popular in Gusteko. It is popular in the Holy Kingdom due to its cheapness and the warmth it gives.


 * Flower: There are many different flowers, such as Diana (ダイアナ), a type of yellow flower, and Agaress (アガレス), a type of red flower blooming at Roswaal Manor. The sub-species of earth dragons were named after flowers in ancient times.
 * Necrosoul Flowers (死魂花): A type of flower that blooms in the forest near Pappelt. The flowers use the bodies of dead animals as their seedbeds.
 * Kurenai (クレナイ): A type of flower that blooms near the village of Ladrima. They are bright red.
 * Muskrim (ムスクリム): Also called a sleeping flower (眠り花). It is a special flower with powder can make people fall asleep quickly. Its powder has a faint and sweet smell. In The Witch's After Tea Party / One Wild Night Part 2, Maqueena used it in an attempt to make everyone fall asleep.

Other cultural aspects and items include...


 * Magrizza's Guillotine (マグリッツァの断頭台): One of the most famous stories passed down from generation to generation. This is a book which Beatrice described to be a tragedy as she was reading it during the second Arc. It's considered to be classic Vollachian literature which originates from a tale about a character named Magrizza. The story's development is about an old Father King who became suspicious and began to control the actions of his family and entourage. There are noticeable scenes such as the "interaction between an old disciplinarian and the preceding King" and "The old king who deceived his disloyal attendants and allows assassins he hired himself to sweep him away." At the end of the story, the hero who conspired with the Father King is guillotined whereas the latter was forced to leave his throne. The story played an important role during the events of Re:Zero Ex Light Novel Volume 4 side story.


 * Dragon Insignia: A small ceremonial touchstone badge with an inset red jewel in the middle. During Royal Selection, it marks those who have the qualification and potential to become the Dragon Maiden and as well as Lugunica's next ruler, signified when its jewel shines brightly. There are 5 in total and all were first given to the royal family of Lugunica at the same time as the Dragon Tablet.


 * Dragon Tablet (Dragon Tablet:Dragon Stone ep.12.png A large stone lithograph bequeathed by Volcanica to the late royal Lugunica family that could foretell the fate of the country. It acts as a guideline to shape Lugunica's future. For example, the idea that the Royal Selection would be held to choose a new ruler and the specifics came directly from it.


 * Observers (観覧者, Kanransha): The Observers, also known as the stars (星, Hoshi), are metaphysical beings that can be traced to the Sacred Vollachia Empire. According to Stride Vollachia, they are beings who manipulate and fix fate. Stride also thought they were responsible for casting Divine Protections onto people, something only Od Laguna is believed to be capable of.


 * Stargazer (星詠み, Hoshiyomi): Stargazers are individuals in the Sacred Vollachia Empire who receive vague predestinations or commandments from the stars, also known as the Observers.


 * Warning Stone (警戒石): Warning Stones are capable of alerting people of intruders.


 * Night Banisher:Night Banisher.gif A special type of ammunition composed of a mass of condensed light lagmite. It can be fired from mana-crystal cannons into the sky to generate an artificial sun that lasts for an hour. A drawback is that it so bright it will blind anyone who has their eyes open during its initial activation.


 * Lagmite Ore (ラグマイト鉱石): It is a type of white crystal that will emit white light upon impact. It is commonly used in the world with its similar properties to magic stones and ability to generate light without fire. In Re:Zero Light Novel Volume 1, chapter 1, part 9, Emilia has used it to help create light for Subaru.


 * Crystal Lamp (結晶灯): Crystal Lamps gather mana from the atmosphere during the day and can be lit at night by using the accumulated mana.


 * Anti-Mana Crystal (退魔水晶): A type of crystal that can neutralize or dampen the presence of mana by forcing the energy back into a colorless state where it becomes dominant and invisible. As long as it is in effect, any power related to mana such as magic is weakened. Several of these were used against the Hakugei's mist to thin it out.


 * Dragon's Fang (龍の牙): A tool used in summoning Valgren. According to Stride, if the fang sucks the blood of heaven-sent children, a blood-crazed dragon will appear. He summoned the dragon using the blood of twenty Lugunican citizens.


 * Candle: Used to determine the time in the Flower Town. At the time of trouble, Toto gave away 2 candles to the one he/she liked and started a fuss on the street.


 * Black Water (黒水): Poison that sank to the bottom of the lake at Elior Forest, from the Black Serpent that attacked 100 years ago. It has congealed and now acts like a living thing. It's a weapon that melts and absorbs anything the poison touches, showing traces of intelligence.


 * Brightbugs (光虫, Hikarimushi): Strange objects which have an unnatural flickering glimmer to them. They are relatively hard. They make use of magic, but they are quite brittle since they are not that dense. They seem to have appeared in Costuul after the production using Magicreation Tools started. There have been no confirmed sightings of them in other cities.


 * Rare Blood (稀血, Mareketsu): Blood that slightly differs from the usual kind people possess, though it is not inherited. Of its powers, it's said that it can even captivate dragons, and people who possess it are targeted. Frederica Baumann is known to possess it.


 * Evil Sealing Stones (封魔石): Evil Sealing Stones are magical stones which, at a glance, cannot be discerned from normal magical stones. For that, one needs to have "special eyes", though it's unknown if these "special eyes" are a product of a Divine Protection or something one can obtain via practice and experience. The full properties of the Evil Sealing Stones currently remain largely unknown, though we do know they're used to help seal off powerful people such as the Sin Archbishop of Wrath, whose Authority can influence the entirety of the Watergate City of Priestella – the most famous application of these Evil Sealing Stones, however, come from the Evil Sealing Stone Shrine which is located at the far east of the Dragon Kingdom of Lugunica, beyond the Pleiades Watchtower, where the abominable Witch of Envy remains sealed for the past four centuries.
 * Magical Miasma Stones (魔瘴石): Magical Miasma Stones are deep black stones which are said to look dangerous just at glance. The stones give off miasma and are stated to be capable of making people and animals go mad over time provided they stay nearby long enough, they're also assumed to instantly kill a being upon being swallowed.

Magic Crystal Cannon (魔晶砲): A massive cannon hidden in Vollachia's Crystal Palace which fires a powerful concentration of mana capable of annihilating a whole army. It draws a large amount of power that is amplified from the numerous magic crystals adorned onto the cannon itself and the immense quantity of mana surrounding the Crystal Palace.

Magic Stone Cannon (魔石砲): A small cannon that fires shells powerful enough to completely blast a person away.

Different Meteors
Meteors (ミーティア Metia) are tools that can be activated without the usage of magic. Meteors were named after shooting stars, and they are thought to be able to make people's dreams come true. There are many types of Meteors. Magic stones are commonly used in Meteors, however, it does increase the rarity of a Meteor. As seen with Moguro Hagane, it is also possible for a living Meteor to exist.


 * Conversing Mirror (対話鏡):Meteor - Conversing Mirror.gif Conversation Mirrors are rare meteors that connect with another Conversing Mirror to communicate with others, similar to a cellphone. They were created by Echidna, over four centuries ago.
 * Collar of Submission (服従の首輪):Meteor - Slave Collar.png Alternatively known as a slave collar (奴隷の首輪), this is a meteor which connects with the gate of the owner and the collar. The collar is put on the slaves and they are painfully punished as punishment by the meteor. The collar that appeared in the story was paired with the bracelet of the owner. The collar carries a small jewel in it. Without the jewel, the meteor becomes useless. For Reinhard, this made him feel lethargic and limited his powers.
 * Scarlet Little Finger (朱色の小指 Akeiro no Koyubi): A red ring which was used by Stride Vollachia, which was capable of casting a curse that rotted the target's limbs, eventually leading to death. He used the ring to hold Veltol's life hostage and on various other people like Tishua Astrea, Carol Remendis and others.
 * Loudspeaker: A meteor that is based in Priestella. It's a meteor which is used for broadcasts in the city.
 * Echidna's Meteor Staff: A meteor that was created by Echidna and is currently used by Felt. It is able to charge up and fire a giant burning blast of light. It's undodgeable even by Reinhard because it locks onto a target's gate and tracks them down until they're hit. Consequently, it drains the user of almost all of their mana.
 * Void Garb (虚影装 Kyokagesou): A meteor that was loaned to Reisel by Capella. It allows the user to create shadowy humanoid figures using their hair that can be controlled. The user shares in the shadows senses, including in their sense of sight and pain. The Void Garb was destroyed by Reisel to stop the recoil of his shadows from being destroyed killing him.
 * Beast Protection Bracelet (獣護輪 Juugorin): A bracelet shaped meteor that allows the user to transform into a beast to protect themselves against danger. As a beast, the user gains a rapid influx of mana making them stronger in combat despite losing most of their capabilities to reason. It is possible to control this effect. The bracelet is currently owned by Colette.
 * White Fox's Nest (白狐の巣):A Meteor which captures a person and makes them do a trial based on the owner's magical experience and mana. The target cannot escape unless the trial is finished, and the target cannot die within the trial either. When Ezzo used it against Subaru and Rem, thinking they were Roswaal and Ram, the design of the inside of the meteor was a plain white room with white walls on all four sides and a crystal in the middle. When a person entered a room, the iron door behind them closed and did not open until the trial ended. Ezzo forced them to challenge four trials in order to get out of Meteor. At the end, they had to smash the crystal for the trial to end.
 * The First Trial (第一の試練): The First Trial, the Water-element, where the Iron Door closed and the Crystal began to glow and tries to fill the room with water and submerge Subaru and Rem. They succeed in the trial when Rem destroyed the crystal.
 * The Second Trial (第二の試練): The second trial, which is the Fire-element, made Ezzo wrap fire around the person and burn him, But since you cannot die in the Trial, you will only feel pain, but you will not die. Rem destroyed the Crystal within a few seconds of starting the Trial.
 * The Third Trial (第三の試練):The Third Trial, which is the earth-element, when the crystal glowed, the earth became mud and began to turn into mud men who attacked Subaru and Rem, and every time Rem destroys them, It regenerates the parts that Rem Destroyed through the Crystal. The Trial ended when Rem destroyed the Crystal
 * The Fourth Trial (番四目の試練):The Fourth Trial, which is a Wind-element, when he entered Subaru and Rem when the Trial began, the Crystal glowed and covered the Room with Light, then it disappeared and made several copies of the same Crystal, and when Rem destroyed the Crystals they regenerated again, then Subaru noticed that the Crystal is real it has a shadow opposite the cloned Crystals, Rem destroyed the Crystal The Trial ended.

Ten Swords of Power
Ten Swords of Power are ten swords which the author has stated to be ridiculously powerful, that exist in the world. They're stated to be sharper and more beautiful than normal swords, and have magical properties. They are separated into three categories; Enchanted Swords (魔剣 Maken), Holy Swords (聖剣 Seiken) and Bewitched Swords (妖刀 Youtou). The swords are listed by title below:


 * The Dragon Sword (龍剣 Ryuuken) also known as the Dragon Sword Reid (龍剣レイド Ryuuken Reido):

An Enchanted Sword supposedly created by an unknown swordsmith out of the finest steel and blessed by the very Sword God itself. It was gifted to the First Sword Saint and has been handed down to those of the Astrea family who have received the Divine Protection of the Sword Saint successively for generations. It has the power to cut through almost anything and it cannot be destroyed, however, a special condition is needed to be met in order for it to be drawn. Its sheath is known as the Dragon Claw (龍爪 Ryuusou) since the grooves on it are said to have been caused by the Divine Dragon Volcanica's claws. The Dragon Sword is the strongest sword in the world, also held as the sharpest and most beautiful. Legend has it that the blade has drunk the blood of the thousands of dragons it has butchered. Countless legends surround the sword, like the legend that speaks of how Reid Astrea supposedly used the sword to slay countless dragons with a single blow, though no one knows how accurate the sayings are. Once the Dragon Sword has been drawn, defeat is no longer an option.


 * The Fiend Sword (邪剣 Jaken) also known as Murasame (ムラサメ):Fiend Sword Murasame.jpg Murasame is currently wielded by Cecilus Segmunt. The sword is classified as an Enchanted sword and it has a very long and storied history. Due to it being a magic sword, it requires sacrifice and blood in order to satisfy its hunger for violence. In other words, the owner of the Fiend Sword must use it as a killing tool rather often. It is said that the sword is capable of killing even invisible things by simply touching them. According to Julius, even when sheathed, Murasame emits extreme cruelty and bloodlust.


 * The Dream Sword (夢剣 Yumeken) also known as Masayume (マサユメ):Dream Sword Masayume.jpg Masayume is currently wielded by Cecilus Segmunt. The sword is classified as an Enchanted Sword. Just like Murasame, it has a long and storied past. Due to it being a magic sword, it requires sacrifice and blood in order to satisfy its hunger for violence. In other words, just like with the aforementioned Fiend Sword, the owner of the Dream Sword must use it as a killing tool rather often. It is said that the sword eats away at its holder's soul. According to Julius, even when sheathed, Masayume, just like Murasame, emits extreme cruelty and bloodlust.


 * The Yang Sword  (陽剣 Youken) also known as the Yang Sword Vollachia (陽剣ヴォラキア Youken Vorakia): A sword that appears out of thin air when the user wishes to use it and it cuts and burns whatever the user wishes. It is mentioned by Berstetz Fondalfon that only those who have the necessary qualities for the throne of Vollachia are able to wield the sword. The sword chooses its own wielder and is normally sheathed in the atmosphere when not in use, as it requires a great amount of mana to wield. The current known wielders of the sword are Priscilla Barielle, Vincent Vollachia, Drizen Vollachia, Lamia Godwin and Stride Vollachia. It has been shown that several Yang Swords can be materialized at the same time. The sword is categorised as a Magical Sword.


 * The Life Sword (命剣 Meiken) also known as the Life Sword Zeam (命剣ゼアム Meiken Zeamu):Life Sword Zeam LiM design.png While it has not yet been introduced in the main story, in the Re:Zero Lost in Memories mobile game's exclusive Aganau IF story, Subaru retrieves it from an eccentric noble by the name of Count Reedback, who likes to collect different things and artefacts. The sword is classified as a Magical Sword. According to the game, it has been "fed" with copious amounts of mana, which gave it an ability to kill a person's very soul. Subaru used its ability to kill Petelgeuse Romanée-Conti once and for all.


 * The Cursed Sword (呪剣 Juken). Its current whereabouts or its owner are unknown.


 * The Beloved Sword (愛剣 Aiken). Its current whereabouts or its owner are unknown.


 * The Spirit Sword (霊剣 Reiken). Its current whereabouts or its owner are unknown.


 * The Shadow Sword (影剣 Kageken). Its current whereabouts or its owner are unknown.


 * The Blight Sword (疫剣 Ekiken). Its current whereabouts or its owner are unknown.

Other
Holy Sword Astrea (聖剣アストレア Seiken Asutorea): Holy Sword Astrea was Wilhelm van Astrea's cherished blade, given to him by Veltol Astrea during Wilhelm and Theresia's honneymoon, shortly before Wilhelm's first duel with Vollachia's War God Kurgan. It was later inherited by their son, Heinkel Astrea.

Crossbow (弩弓): A weapon that was invented in Gusteko. Its ease of use is such that even women and children can use it and only requires one hand to operate.

Recognition Obstruction Robe (認識阻害のローブ): A robe that allows the wearer to obstruct anyone from perceiving them unless the wearer allows it or the person is strong enough to overcome its effects.

Roswaal's Black Gloves (ロズワールの黒手袋): The gloves are a special piece of equipment supposedly left behind by Roswaal's ancestors. They are said to be able to stop the cutting edge of a holy sword.

Magicreation Tool (魔造具): Invented by Roswaal K Mathers, Magicreation Tools are devices made by any magical means. For example, they can be constructed from wood or metal and powered by magic stones that are used in the production of so-called industrial goods. These include devices like water heaters, stoves, or any other tool powered by magic stones. They also automate and improve the manufacturing process of exportable products, such as the refining of magic stone ore. For that, they are sometimes referred to as "modern day Meteors" as they can perform work that otherwise couldn't be achieved with manpower.