Terminology

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

Locations
Dragon Kingdom of Lugnica (ルグニカ王国): See Kingdom of Lugnica for more info. Country where the main story takes place.
 * Lugnica (ルグニカ) The capital of the Kingdom.
 * Tigracy River
 * Priestella (プリステラ)
 * The Great Temple (大神殿)
 * Picoutatte (ピックタット)
 * Flanders (フランダース)
 * Costuul (コスツール)
 * Elior Forest (エリオール大森林)
 * Ganaks (ガナクス)
 * Irlam Village (アーラム村)
 * The Lost Forest of Kremaldy (クレマルディ)
 * Sanctuary (聖域)
 * Mirula (ミルーラ)
 * 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)

Empire of Vollachia (ヴォラキア帝国): See Vollachia Empire for more info. Neighboring country south of Lugnica. Hostile relations.
 * Rupgana (ルプガナ) The Imperial capital.
 * '''Crystal Palace (水晶宮)
 * Gladiator Island Ginunhive (剣奴孤島ギヌンハイブ)
 * Garkla (ガークラ)
 * Buddheim jungle (バドハイム密林)
 * Buddheim (バドハイム)
 * Faradar (ファラダー)

Kararagi City States (カララギ): See Kararagi for more info. Neighboring country west of Lugnica. Slightly positive, if not trade based relations.
 * Kyo (キョウ) The first city of Kararagi
 * Banan (バナン) The second city of Kararagi.
 * Free Trade Metropolitan Area (自由交易都市群 Jiyuu Boueki Toshigun)
 * Magolya Plateau (マゴーリア高原)
 * The Crimson Hills Girall (ギラル赤丘)
 * Zarestia's Bed (ザーレスティアの寝床 Zarestia no Nedoko)
 * Albis River (アルビス河)

Holy Kingdom of Gusteko (グステコ): See Gusteko for more info. Neighboring country north of Lugnica. Cold relations.
 * Pardochia (パルドキア) The capital of the Holy Kingdom.
 * Leanotte (レイアノット)
 * Inorandum (イノランダム)
 * Albis River (アルビス河)
 * Orcos Territory (オルコス領)
 * Kenash Territory (ケナシュ領)

Races
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 is frozen in the Great Elior Forest.

Oni (鬼): The Oni are one of the strongest races of Demi-humans known for their strong bodies and mana quality. However, as a price for their strength, they have the lowest population among humanoid species and in order to preserve their purity and pride enact strict taboos and live in villages in the mountains away from others. Most Oni will have two horns that are activated by their demon instincts to consume and control the mana in their surroundings to enhance their fighting abilities. However, there do exist those with only one or even no horns the latter which are known "Hornless", considered the dregs of their society because of it. Moreover, Oni born that way are to be killed by tradition to protect the Oni's pride as a powerful and nearly perfect species. The village Ram and Rem lived in 10 years prior was the last Oni village, effectively making them the only two Oni left in the entire world. Roswaal remarks 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 had dwindled. Currently, the only Giant in the royal capital is Rom. It is mentioned that Sekhmet killed almost all Giants.

Evil Eye Tribe (魔眼族): The Evil Eye Tribe are a type of Demi-human 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. The only two surviving members of the tribe are Melty Pristis and Salum Pristis. Rumour says that there are still living members existing.

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.

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

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

Steelfolk: The Steelfolk are a special type of race, unlike other races. They're rarely seen on the surface as they mostly travel underground. They're made out of robotic machinery and have artificial life, so they couldn't emit emotions or feel pain, however, the one thing they couldn't develop was their speech as they speak in broken English. Their limbs and body parts can detach and reattach, and even heal themselves as long their heart and brain remained intact.

Insect Cage Clan: 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.

Sudrak Tribe: A tribe located deep in the Buddheim Jungle. It's a purely female-born race. The tribe'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 tribe are dark skinned and have pitch black hair, similar to Subaru's. As expected from a warrior tribe, the Sudrakians have mastered the art of guerrilla warfare, using the terrain to their favour, dispatching their targets with poisonous arrows and deadly precision.

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 new world. In this case, only BA will be used. Also, note that the units are not official.

The Great Calamity (大災厄 Daisaiyaku): See Great Calamity

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.

Silver Flower Dance of Picoutatte (銀華乱舞): A series of notable duels taking place in the city of Picoutatte between the “Sword Demon” Wilhelm van Astrea, then known as Wilhelm Trias, and the eight-armed warrior Kurgan in 39 BA. Both of the men were fighting on behalf of their country, Wilhelm fighting for Lugnica, and Kurgan fighting for the Vollachia Empire. Despite sustaining heavy injuries, Wilhelm Trias would walk out as the victor, cutting off two of Kurgan’s eight arms.

Silver Flower Dance of the Sword Saint and the Blue Lightning: A duel between Lugnica's Sword Saint Reinhard van Astrea and Vollachia's 1st ranking Divine General Cecils Segmund. Roughly half a year before the start of the Royal Selection, Vollachia's strongest individual Cecils Segmund uninvitely showed up the Dragon Kingdom of Lugnica, 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 but the winner is unknown.

The Day of Red Earth and Sky: See Re:Zero Prequel: Bond of Ice

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 Lugnica as the "Day of Red Earth and Sky".

Demi-human War (亜人戦争): See Demi-human War

The civil conflict between Demi-humans and Humans within the Kingdom of Lugnica taking place from 50 to 41 BA. Human victory due in part to Theresia van Astrea, the previous Sword Saint (or Reinhard's grandma}.

The (1st)Great Expedition: See Great Expedition

The first Hakugei(White Whale) hunt led by the previous Sword Saint in 14 BA. Disastrous as a result of Theresia losing her blessings to Reinhard partway through the battle and getting killed.

Lion King (獅子王): A sage king whose uncanny intuition and leadership guided Lugnica to prosperity in the distant past before the contract between the Lugnica 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 Lugnica 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 Elders 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.

Abilities
Magic (魔法): See Magic.

Authority (権能): See Authority.

Witch Factors (魔女因子): Witch Factors are special, abstract factors that enable people to use authorities.

Divine Protection (加護): 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; Minute 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.

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

Witches of Sin (大罪魔女): Witches of Sin are a group of seven Witches, each representing one of the Seven Deadly Sins. For more information, see Witches of Sin.

Black Silver Coin: An organization that is based in the black society of Flanders. It is rumored that they deal with items related to the Witches, similar to the Vollachian city Garkla

Assassin Organization: An organization that is a group of mercenaries based in Gusteko, led by an individual known only as Mama. For more information, see Assassin Organization.

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

Imperial Army: The Vollachian Empire's national military force. For more information, see Imperial Army.

Council of Elders: An advisory board that supports Luginca'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 so far the most prominent ones to have appeared are Miklotov McMahon and Bordeaux Zellgef.

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.

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.

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.

The Three Heads: A term for the three most powerful groups of Flanders underground.
 * The Balance: A faction that's part of the Three Heads, led by Manfred Madison
 * Flower Prison Garden: One of the known factions of the Three Heads run by Toto. Known to have a very bad relationship with The Balance.
 * The Golden Beetle: Last known faction of the Three Heads. A Money lender who deals with businesses in the black society of Flanders. It is controlled by Helain Gatness.

Six Tongues (六枚舌): A secret intelligence order of the Kingdom of Lugnica, created by Bordeaux Zellgef. Its top priority is to ensure the stability of the Kingdom. Some relevant members include Orphe, Russell Fellow and Helain Gatness.

The Crimson Front (真紅戦線 Shinku sensen): The Barielle Territory’s Private 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 Cecils Segmund, 7 years before the start of the main story.

House of Karsten: 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: See House Astrea.

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 organization was disbanded with the help of Roswaal L Mathers.

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 until it was disbanded thanks to Roswaal L Mathers.

Magic Related
Od Laguna (オド・ラグナ): The Od Laguna often referred to as the "world" in layman terms it is a storage of mana located at the origin of the world itself. It is where all mana comes from in the world eventually returns to periodically. No one knows where it is located or whether it has a will of its own. It is said that those who awaken to prohibited arts have had their spirits destroyed by looking at it. Some speculate that it is the world's will and gives Divine Protection to people. Its main function is to provide stability to the world & its inhabitants by regulating mana, souls and other aspects of life, while limiting the frequency of natural disasters that occur due to mana 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 gate it can be used to either create magic or power objects like Lagmite. Once spent, the residue mana lingers becoming atmospheric mana, which spirits & Spirit Art Users can harness as well as form Lagmite. Eventually, the atmospheric mana returns back to Od Laguna, restarting the cycle again.
 * Hall of Memories: A vast endless white space within Od Laguna where souls of the dead go to get filtered of their impurities, in other words, the "memories of its previous life" before it gets reused. Those memories in turn are then recorded & preserved by turning them into "Books of the Dead".

Mana: A type of colorless 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 life energy that dwells inside of a living being from birth, 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 serves 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. 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.

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

Mana Poisoning: a state in which an individual continues to absorb an excess amount of mana beyond their capacity, but is incapable of releasing it, which will eventually destroy their Od and kill them. Improperly configured or defective gates can also bring about 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.

Contract: A type of pact between people or beings. The methodology and complexity differ depending on what individuals are involved in. One of the most well known examples of contracts is one between spirits and a special type of people who have the inborn talent to connected to them spiritually and become Spirit Users, mages who fight with spiritual arts.
 * With spirits, there are two kinds of pacts that can be formed Formal Contracts and Provisional Contracts. With "Formal Contracts", the spirit becomes fully attuned to the contractor's gate and they carry several conditions that must be followed by the contractor to maintain their relationship. These terms can range anywhere from complex tasks to fairly trivial ones, but all of them are treated with equal weight and if broken the spirit will become unbound. It is also implied some amount of mana and good compatibility with the involved parties is needed. "Provisional Contracts", are temporary pacts that unlike standard ones, come with no conditions beyond the person needing to have a spirit affinity. However, as a downside, these contracts are fragile as they offer little resistance against external forces such as other more powerful spirits who can override them with their own. Moreover, they lack the ability to bring out a spirit's power to the utmost.
 * Non-spiritual Contracts: Pacts between people and non-spiritual entities are less complicated in that they are made without extra conditions but both parties need to agree with the terms and conditions to establish it as long as the agreement is still in place. However if one of the individuals reneges on their side of the agreed terms, they will suffer a penalty if it is magic binding, depending on the nature of the wager. It is noted that before legal codes for contracts were created, swindlers abused contracts to ruin others for their own gain without the other party being aware. Even in the current era although difficult to do, it is still possible to unknowingly bind or manipulate a contract on someone through wordplay if the sorcerer is skilled enough in the use of contracts.

Witch's Miasma: Also sometimes called the "Witch's Scent", is invisible contamination mana that exudes from those who hold the power of witches or are connected to them. The Witches of Sin, the Archbishops of the Witch Cult, Demon Beasts ad 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. The 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.

Lagmite: Alternatively known as mana stones & crystals. They are created when atmospheric mana crystallizes under specific conditions over a period of time. Magic crystals are a large type of mana stones 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. I.e fire lagmite can be used in mechanisms for cooking, heating baths or lamps. Earth types are used for strengthening structures like pots or buildings. Light & shadow 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 colorless 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.

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): The Book of Wisdom is a white book crafted by Echidna that allows her to draw knowledge from the world's memory. 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): Two complete 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): Incomplete 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.

Dragon's Blood/Dragon Vein: Blood supposedly from Volcanica which acts as a miracle agent. It's said that's capable of curing any disease and even reversing famine instantly. Only the rulers of Lugnica have access to it. In order to receive it, however, one must kill the dragon and collect the blood from its last heartbeat.

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: Special mediums that connect to the "Hall of Memories/Corridor of Memories" within Od Laguna where one can access memories of the deceased. They are found in Taygeta Library of the Pleiades Watchtower.

Slang & 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.

Sword Slave: A term for gladiators in Vollachia who fight in deathmatches to entertain the citizens.

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 to describe "love at first sight" during the conversation between Chuden and Ricardo in Anastasia's Kararagi Merchant Path. 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: 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 Lewes/Ryuzu. There have been only 3 people who have held this title Garfiel, Emilia and lastly Subaru, however in the case of Subaru he lost that right near the end of the 4th arc.

Demi-human: 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. 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-humankind 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.

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 Lugnica.

Worldbuilding
Consistencies include...


 * Kingdom of Lugnica 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 Lugnica.


 * 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 Lugnica. 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 Lugnica where the pledge is reviewed. The next ritual will be held three years and a month after the beginning of the royal election.


 * Emperor 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 women 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 himself 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 his 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 include...


 * Earth Dragon (地竜): 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 colors 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 Dragon 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.


 * Water Dragon (水竜): A lesser species of dragon, like Earth Dragons. Water 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. All Water Dragons are born with a Divine Protection which protects them from the effects of the water.


 * Winged Dragon (翼竜): 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.


 * 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 Lugnica. 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".


 * Demon Beast (魔獣): See Demon Beast.


 * Demi-Beast (亜獣): A kind of species that appeared after the flooding of Priestella. Interestingly enough, they are not related to Demon Beasts. The beasts are described to be a cross between steel and flesh, having weapons like axes, spears, and such protruding from their body. Most are blind and lack certain body parts. The beasts are Capella's creations, of which, she heavily implied that they were made from corpses. It's left unclear whether her Authority resurrects the corpses and transforms them, or if she does it moments before their death.


 * Corpse Soldier: 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 afterwords.

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


 * Food: Various foods are known by different names, such as Ringa (リンガ) for apple (ringo), Lemom (レモム) for lemon, Solte (ソルテ) for salt, Peppa (ペッパ) for pepper, Vinegee (ビネギー) for vinegar, and Pimaru (ピーマル) for bell pepper (piman).


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


 * Coff (コーフ): Coff is a drink that is made from beans that are transported and made in the Vollachia Empire. In the side story Rem's Latte Art, Subaru claims that coff is actually just something that is similar to coffee.


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


 * Bokko Fruit: 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.


 * Tometo Festival: A festival held annually in Hakchuri. 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.


 * 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.


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

Other cultural aspects and items include...


 * Magritza's Guillotine (マグリッツァの断頭台): A book which Beatrice was reading during the second Arc. It's classic Vollachian literature which originates from a tale about a character named Magritza. 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.


 * 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 Lugnica's next ruler, signified when its jewel shines brightly. There are 5 in total and all were first given to the royal family of Lugnica at the same time as the Dragon Tablet.


 * Dragon Tablet: A large stone lithograph bequeathed by Volcanica to the late royal Lugnica family that could foretell the fate of the country. It acts as a guideline to shape Lugnica'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.


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


 * Night Banisher: 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.


 * 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 Lugnican 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. Of its powers, it's said that it can even captivate dragons, and people who possess it are targeted. Rare Blood is not inherited.


 * Evil Sealing Stone: A crystal created with a specific and complex technique involving Yin magic, more specifically a version of Shamack, which separates a person from their consciousness and solidifies around them, effectively sealing them away. The most famous example of creating such a seal is the Evil Sealing Stone used to seal off the Witch of Envy four centuries ago, however, during the events of Arc 6, Julius Juukulius had used the exact same technique but on a much smaller scale in order to seal off the Sin Archbishop of Gluttony. It's also worth noting that the Sin Archbishop of Wrath had suffered the same fate after her capture at the end of Arc 5.

Equipment
Meteor (ミーティア Metia): A tool that allows people whose gate isn't working properly to use magic. It is known as a magic generator that does not require the user's mana or training and everyone is able to use Meteors. There are many sorts of Meteors, while most of them are created by the most skilled craftsman in the world. Magic Stones are commonly used in Meteors, however it does increase the rarity of a Meteor.
 * Conversing Mirror (対話鏡): A rare meteor that connects with another Conversing Mirror to communicate with others, similar to a cellphone.
 * 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 can not escape unless the trial is finished, however the target cannot die within the trial. Also, while catching a target, you can't catch more than one, otherwise the Meteor will break.
 * Slave Collar (奴隷の首輪): 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.
 * 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. 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.

Manastone Bracelet (魔石の腕輪): A bracelet which limits the powers of the one that wears it. Gramdart Holstoy gave it to Reinhard van Astrea to limit his powers.

The Ten Swords of Power: Ten swords which the author has stated to be "ridiculously powerful", that exist in the world. They are separated into three categories, Magic Swords (魔剣 Maken), Holy Swords (聖剣 Seiken) and Bewitched Swords (妖刀 Youtou). The swords are listed by title below:


 * The Fiend Sword (邪剣 Jaken) also known as Murasame (村雨). It is currently wielded by Cecils Segmund. The sword is classified as a magic 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 (正夢). It is currently wielded by Cecils Segmund. The sword is classified as a magic 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 Cursed Sword (呪剣 Juken). Its current whereabouts are unknown.


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


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


 * The Life Sword (命剣 Meiken). Its current whereabouts are unknown.


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


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


 * The Dragon Sword (龍剣 Ryuuken)  also known as the Dragon Sword Reid (龍剣レイド Ryuuken Reido): A sword supposedly crated 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 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 know 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 Magic Sword.

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): Mysterious devices made of wood and metal which are powered by mana stones that are used in the production of so-called industrial goods. They automate and improve the manufacturing process of exportable products, such as the refining of mana 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. They were invented by Roswaal K Mathers and can only be found in the Industrial City of Costuul.