Reader of the LN, do not "know about" Al (although those that read the JP version of the LN or the WN are farther ahead of me, so they might). My biggest reasoning behind why as sus as it is I ultimately don't think Al = Subaru: Betty would know... and yet she has given zero indication she knows who Al is. Maybe that too is a misdirect in the other direction... but I'm still convinced they're not the same.